The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-01


vassed. but the required expense money
| could not be found.
| Speaker Cooper must go to Montgom-
| cry and lay the fierce conditions before
| Governor Patton. The legislature had or
dered state bonds to the face value of
$500 900 to be sold, the proceeds TO go
toward feeding the destitute. The gov
| ernor had not found a purchaser for the
bonds. He had sounded Wall street In
vain. Alabama and Georgia stood better
on the street than other states. A house
| in Wall street had a Paris correspondent
| The Paris market would buy one-half
| the bonds at par, 8 per cent interest. If
the governor would donate to 1t the other
half.
The governor possessed a tender heart
and was man of great energy. The in
vading enemy had ruthlessly destroyed his
fine property In the valley of the Ten
nessee and his feelings were wrought to
high tension for the brave veterans, who
now faced actual want.
In June he went to st. Louis to buy corn
for Alabama. 1t was announced that he
had gone for that purpose, and that he
would pass on to Chicago. l have before
me this letter received by him at st.
Louis
Quincy, ILL.,. June o. 1866
| Governor Patton, st. Louis:
Dear Sir-I see you have arrived at St
| Louis on business connected with the
people Of your state. After you have got
through your business In st. Louis,
| would request you to come up here on
your way to Chicago; and II you do come,
let me know when you start and / will
meet you at the boat when she arrives. l
have no doubt you can get plenty of do
nations up here. l have already shipped
200 bushels of white corn to your care
through Mr.. William Matthews of st.
Louis. and If you will come up think you
will find that It will pay. General Single
ton requests me to write to you and he
is anxious to have you come Truly
yours, CHARLES +. BAKER"
If the cotton, that was a part of 1.-THE
state contemplated in the terms of the
surrender of the Confederate armies. had
been left in the hands of the owners, the
market value was SO great that industry
would have been restored In Alabama as
soon as the soldiers came home. Every
negro in the northern states might be
deported tomorrow and no serious shock
to community life would follow. On the
other hand, sudden suspension of negro
labor in the south would suspend a vital
part of the commerce of the world.
The cotton feature of the worlds CON-
merce was restored in the period of which
we make record by the joint labor OF
Confederate veterans and freedmen OF
the south. The conditions were the most
remarkable ever known to a great and
dominant industry. The plantation teois
were worn. the plantation mules were
/ old and weary and few In number. The
bitches were overgrown with weeds anc
brush while the ditchers had been away
to build the Notifications for war. There
had been no shoes or hats issued to plan.
tation workers for years. No oznaburgs
or linseys had been sen for clothing
The laborers had not dollar to replenisf
with and the. masters cotton, now stoler
from him, was his sole recourse Tt
keep mis- penniess, supplemented working
people in heart, to make 1t possible fol
them to bury shoes or wear hats and gar.
ments, he must stand security for eacl
one at the country store. As there wa:
no money to pay wages, while the cottor
thieves were preySlg upon the cottof
| shelter. the compensation must be in a
part Of the crops produced. The contract