The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-14

don on the sixth ballot exceeded the re .
uuired two-thirds and by exclamation he
was nominated
The nominee was native of Greene
county, born to fortune. He was rarely
polished gentleman in manners, of lib
eral education, lawyer of the first rank
In his generation, an orator of established
repute a colonel of distinction in COM
mand of an Alabama regiment OF the
Confederate army, an ardent secesslonist
Was Herndon the right man
The only matter of controversy that
presented itself to the convention was the
attitude the state should take in the
INSTRUCTIONS to delegates TO the quadren-
NAL rational democratic convention soon
to assemble at Baltimore. Should the
ratioral party by convention nominate u
party ticket? Should the party accept the
nominees of the Liberal Republican
PARTY just organized at Cincinnati The
| liberal republicans had nominated Horace
Greedy and Gratz Brown the one editor
/ Of the leading republican paper of the
union, the New York Tribune the Other
his co-lahoreI on a st. Louis republican
PAPER of wide Influence.
At this time the honorable Altxander
| II Stephens wrote editorials for The At
lanta Herald. a daily he hal set up in
Atlanta. 10 which h esigned his name.
He labored with all his might to prevent
the Cincinnati ticket. He preferred Grant
10 Greely, but he could see no excuse ar
the party that had almost elected its
ticket four years before to abandon its
principles now He would have the Balti-
more convention TO turn its back on the
solicitations of he liberal republican
party He would have the convention
nominate a ticket on a statesright plat
form, with all the ancient principles Of
Jefferson clearly set forth Mr. Stephens
ergued that the federal government was
in q time of crisis, when tho fundaInea-
tal doctrines must he maintained at all
hazards that the people might be edu-
Gated in them, whereas Horace Greedy
had never understood them.
William ]. Sanford of Lee was the
principal orator that supported Mr.
Stephens views before the convention.
The offshoot of the debate on the floor
was. delegates were selected to go to Bal
timore on July 10 without Instructions.
When they entered the convention hey
were fere to use their discretion in the
matter of nominating an original party
ticket or in pledging the vote Of the party
in Alabama to Greedy and Brown This
vas the theory. However the delegates
selected were known to favor the passive
policy. William NJ. Byrd of Dallas. an
old line whgs and protective tariff man,
a Wig member of the legislature before
the war, one of the justices of the SUI
IRENE court ousted by General Meade
was nade chairman of the delegation.
General Withers General O'Neal. Colonel
FL; S Shorter were other delegates. The
convention elected O. new executive COM
mittee with Robert Tyler editor of the
Montgomery Advertiser, chairman,
The republicans. known then as "radi-
Gals" in ccntumely, held their state CON
vention and put out a state ticket. Spen-
Ger was the leading pre-convention force.
He selected David p. Lewis of Lawrence
county, scalawag, TO receive the nomna-
ton for governor. Lewis would only con-
sent TO the use of his name as leader on
condition precedent that the ticket should
be composed exclusively of white men.
He would refuse to be associated with
negro candidate FOR state office.
The radical candidate for governor was
no ordinary man. He was 81 years of
age, a gentleman of liberal education and
commanding presence. He was a Vir-
ginian by birth, but had long lived in the
Alabama conties bordering the Tennessee
river He was a lawyer Of excellent
standing at the bar.
Mr.. Lewis was a politician OF easy opin-
ions. When the enemy invaded the valley
of the Tennessee he was living unoffen-
siyely at home The story was that
each morning at dawn of day his negro
valet would call him TO report ON the
state or AFFAIRS On certain morning
the report was, "Massa Steve done gone
to de Yankee. Next morning II was,
'Massa Abe done gone to de Yankee.
On the third morning Massa had Iol-
lowed Steve and Abe. Mr. Lewis was
union delegate to the Alabama secession
convention who signed the ordinance of
secession. He accepted the commission
of major in Confederate regiment with
out entering the service. The secession
convention elected him deputy TO the
Confederate provisional congress. In 1868
Governor Shorter, war governor, appoint
ed him circuit judge, Finding MS cir
cult overrun by the invaders. ne went
into their lines and there remained until
the end.
The radical ticket to oppose the demo-
Gratis in the state election. November,
1872. was composed altogether of names
that had been brief time before ASSOC
oiated in the honorable service or the
state. A reasonable promise for honest
government was not in jeopardy except
to the extent of the influence that the
corrupt federal government might bring
into the situation. For lieutenant COVER
nor the ticket presented Alexander me-
Kinstry of Mobile, Patrick Ragland Tor
secretary of state, Arthur Bingham for
treasurer, Robert J. Smith for auditor,
Benjamin Gardner for attorney general,
Joseph Speed for superintendent OF edu-
cation.