The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-06

tNttil tue SCdldWdSS duu lHo Cdlptl- baggers was now well on. When Governor Smith discovered the full force of the trick to place the ap- pcintment of the electoral college i1 the legislature he immediately pub lished proclamation recalling the leg islature in special session. Those mem- bers whose homes were not in easy mail connection with the capital were yet on their journeys when the procla- nation overlook them.
 The registration law was passed by the special session and $17.O00 appro- priated to put 1t into effect. The whole machinery was fixed in the office of the secretary of state Miller of Maine and New York. He appointed one registrar in every county. The county registrars appointed all the precinct reg istrars voter could register at any poll box.
 On Saturday, September 19, the senator from Marengo rose to question of per sonal privilege. He had been informed by the secretary of the senate, Cloud, a fellow scalawag that Representative liar rs from Limestone had come into the chamber the day before with a drawn dagger, the mission being to slay the sen ator. 'rhe bigamist had better be pre- pared for his own death stab,' Senator Jones informed the senate. General Coon had gone to Wisconsin for the summer and wrote his apologies for absence. A spirited debate followed the reading. Why should an absent senator draw his per diem? The debate began to cover a wide ground. Coon was senator from Dallas and an officer of the custom house at Mobile. paid on both counts. How about others? A special committee was or dered Investigati ton showed that Senator Jones of Marengo was mayor of Demopo- lis. Senator Foster from Choctaw was probate judge of that county, and also collector of internal revenue at Mobile. Senators Coon, Gordy and Barr. all car petbaggers, were employees of the Mobile custom home. Senator Bromberg was postmaster at Mobile, Senator de Rich ards. carpetbager from Wilcox, was sheriff of that county holding a profes- sorship in the state university and tenn porary president of the institution.
 In the house a member was probate judge and another sheriff. One of the 26 negro members was an employe of the Mobile custom house. Pierce Burton and J. w. Deveen from Marengo had been officers of the bureau.
 The capitol building was the resort of low characters, white and black. senate bill went to the house to close a barroom under the roof. The house killed the bill and the bar remained. open day and night.
 The fragment of Congress watched with intense anxiety the currents of public ac- tivity in the presidential campaign. The session held without interruption until far into August. There was ad journment even then. A recess was or dered until September 21. Senator F. D. Morgan of New York and Representative Shenck of Ohio were chos- en to remain steadily in watch at Washington. If the signs stood propitious fa,. md ba eio Wo11t be thrown out and congressman would re- main away that no quorum would be present on September 2l. If Seymour and Blair promised well then republican mem- bers would hasten to their seats for it was not to be expected that the democrats should be permitted to enjoy their suc- cess if any.
 session of the legislature sent forward . petition for increase of troops in Ala bama to guard the polls. Two senators, three representatives and Governor Smith as chairman were appointed to carry the petition to Washington.
 President Johnson referred the petition to the Secretary of War. Stanton referred 1t to Meade. General Grant got his hand on it and sent it to the office of the ad- jutant general of the army
 Governor Smith went along with the commission bearing the petition for more troops, but he took care to publish an in- terview in Washington paper declaring Alabama was quiet and orderly.
 On August 20, as the national campaign waxed warm, a conference of eminent democrats met at Montgomery to con sider the psychological nature of fraud ulently enacted oath applied to the right to vote. It was. in brief decided that the suffrage was the natural habit the oath under the circumstances was per Ex.x. 1t-LI abuse in the use.
 John A. Winston wrote letter remind ing white men to be calm and active William NJ. Brooks wrote:
 We must be vigilant lest:
 The lion by night to the leopard shall
 say:
 Arise. brother leopard, and forth to the
 prey
 Still the watch fire must burn, still the
 watcher must wake,
 And still force arm to keep what force
 arms to take.
 Many meetings took place in the coun- ties. Judge Rice, Alex White Alex Me- Kinstry spoke. A grand state barbecue was held at Selma. Clanton with his full new committee went Virgil Murphy. D. s Troy. B. M Woolsey. Henry st. Paul, Hil- ary A. Herbert, R. H. Powell. R. E. Ligon. M. II. Cruikshank. w. H. NOrthington. John G. Harvey, l. H. Francis, J. w. Young. D. Coleman and 0. S. Kennedy.
 On July 20. the Senate took cognizance of political agitation in the south senator urged that no more arms be put in those states. Senator Wilson of Mas sachusetts declared the Seymour and Blair campaign was practical rebellion re- opened. Private Semmes." he said, had declared in Mobile that he was a demo- l crat before the war. was . democrat in