The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-24
TEN YEARS OF ALABAMA

1865-t874

The constitutional convention placed E. w. Peck of Tuscaloosa in the chair as president. He was a gentleman of cul- ture and the best standing at the bar. He had little to sacrifice of political sym pathies when he gave countenance to his colleagues. He was a native of New YorK, came to Alabama in early man. hood to seek success in his profession. He was alienated, with the beginning, from the predominant democratic party theories. Tie strongest impression he ever made in opposition was in his argu- ment for the appellant in the great case Dorman vs. the state. The legislature over Governor Winston's veto passed an act denying to any citizen the right to sell certain beverages, known as intoxi- cuting drinks within three miles of the Southern university, at Greensboro. Dor man kept a bar or saloon and employed Peck to maintain his right as against this statute. The substance of Pecks argu- n.ent was the paramount control of the United States and the resultant inconi- potency of the state 10 enact statute that deprived the citizen of the enjoy ment of a llne of business tolerated by the laws of the United States. On ap- peal the state supreme court sustained the statute. The opinion in the case, pre- rared by Associate Justice Walker, was said to have made secessionists of all the young lawyers Dorman's counsel never ceased to refer to it as a public disaster.
 With the establishment of separate chancery courts. in 1883, Peck and Alex
 l.xFf fI,a tar ell ture the two chaneellors. The former soon resigned and did not appear in pub lie office aga'n until now. His active and intelligent support of the military rule invited criticism from the press as pun gent and sarcastic as the established high standing of the citizen seemed to justify. Among his most acute and relentless critics was the newspaper of his own towu the Tuscaloosa Monitor, Ryland Randolph. editor. John M. Martin presi- dent of the state senate and later Repre- sentative in Congress, democrat, son- in-law of Peek, challenged Randolph to the field of honor because of the utter ances of the Monitor against father-in- Jaws politics.
 The miserable convention was neither an accident or a mistake. It was effect that had moved evenly along upon the tide of first cause. On December 2, lSoi, President Fillmore, an original organizer and leader of the anti-slaveryf party, a native of New York, thus addressed the Congress- referring to the beginning Of the political party that now controlled the country Tt is not to be disguised that a spirit exists and has been actively at work to rend this union asunder which is our cherished inheritance from our revolutionary fathers.
 Messages and Papers of the Presi- VI 100 ,af,-o ttttar ta f1fa. attending upon the fulfilment of this in- terpretation of the early threats of the controlling party, we here describe,
 Tne year before the President sounded the alarm. 6 large number of the south ern members of both branches of Con gress sent out the historic paper: An Address of the Southern Delegates in Con- gress to Their Constituents" dated Washington, January 15, 1s49.
 Let us compare the prophecy of that remarkable paper with the roll of dele gates seated in the Alabama constitutional convention of November, 1867, IS years ot awe inspiring experiences having passed. The address, speaking of the same young party to which President Fillmore made reference, said:
 towing their emancipation to them the new party) they Che freedmen would re- gard them as friends guardians and pat rons and centre accordingly all their sym ,athy in them. Another step would be taken-to raise them to a social and political equality with their former owners by giving them the right of vot- ing and holding public offices under the federal government. When once raised to an equality, they would become the fast political associates of the north, acting and voting with them on all qnes- tions and by this political union between them. holding the white race at the south in complete suhiection.
 This wonderfu Address" and the opin- ion of the Alabama court just referred to comprised the kernel of the argument upon which the Confederacy was found cd Senator Jefferson Davis was one Of the sIgners. In the summer of the same year, 1S49 through his influence, the dem .crats Of Mississippi, in accordance with the .ineanmg of the Address, led off m appointing delegates to the Nashville convention oi 1850.
 Negroes seased on the floor of the con vent;on were generally of the ordinary class of field hands and domestic ser wants AmonS them were Ben Alexan- der. field hand, from Greene; John Caro- way, edto- from Mobile; Thomas Diggs. field hand, from Barbour; James K. Greene, family coachman, from Hale, Ovid Gregory, barber, from Mobile; Jor- dan Thatcher. jet black, field hand. from Dallas; Washington Johnson. jet black. feld hand, fl om Russell: Tom Lee, field hard, from Ferry. A body of worthless >agaoonds. homeless, houseless, drunken knaves'' wrote a New Hampshire man from the sce:,e to his home folk.
 Though classed as a negro one was large part white. He was educated In Canada His name James T. Rapier
 The carpetbaggers with seats on the floor, most conspicuous in proceedings, were: Buck of Maine from Mobile c. w.