The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-04
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874=1901 tstf
No. 46-Administration of Governor Cobb
Election Methods With a Beginning

He expected in the invited company would
appear the orator of the day. Rev. c. w.
Buckley. The invitation was not deliv-
cred. The orator lost the planters din
ner The speech proved to be a lesson OF
instruction to the large negro part Of the
audience how to keep even with the
planters. Plantation hospitality was
closed to such teachers.
Buckley was legislated into Congress by
the general law of June, 1865, passed by
that body. He remained i'm the seat six
Years, meantime most active as a leader
of the radical faction at home. In 1874
he was elected probate judge OF Mont
gomery county for a six year term.
Randolph was a lawyer of the younger
class. native of Montgomery. distin-
guished for valor in war. AS a daring po-
| litical leader, the times presented none
better known than he. bitter resent
ment of the corpetbagger presence was
unmeasured.
J.. A. Shaver was chairman OF the DEM
ocartic and conservative party county or
ganization, a young lawyer and confeder-
ate veteran.
Charles T. Pollard. Jr., a native of the
county. young gentleman of the first
social standing and also a confederate
veteran, was sheriff. Under the law. one
of the three inspectors of elections at each
box must be of a political party oppos-
ing the part OF the other two. In obe-
dienee to this law, Sheriff Pollard ap-
pointed Ananias oliver, negro republican.
and two white democrats inspectors OF
election at the McGehee. Switch box Il
miles out from the capital on the Mobile
railroad.
The negro vote at McGehee's was sew.
eraI times the strength OF the white vote
Buckley and Randolph had each exerted
himself to carry that box. When the ne
gro Buckley voters there discovered
signs late In the afternoon that Randolph
had carried the box. they became surly
then boisterous and finally so threatening
that the two white inspectors got q mes
sage off to Governor Cobb, calling for the
militia from the city.
The governor ordered Capt. II. C. Gra-
ham of the "Grays" to the scene with his
company. Use of the troops to quiet the
embryo mob was felt to be undesirable
except as dernier resort. General Grants
restoration to the presidency was at that
time at least an accept prospect
Tho Grays belonged to the regiment
commanded by Col. Thomas G. Jones. The
colonel accompanied the company, but not
as active commander. The troops Were
halted when a fourth of mile from the
polls and kept at that position until the
ballots had been counted ballot boxes
sealed and locked and all other reguia-
tions of the election completed. The boxes
thus made ready were delivered to the
sheriff.
The mob being without a leader, never
organized. The troops performed no ac-
tive service.
Paul Strobach now set off on the north
ern tour of political campaigning for
Grant. He announced his candidacy for
Congress, in opposition to Colonel Her
bert, before leaving. He explained in
minute detail In his Grant speeches how
the boxes at McGeehees Switch had been
despoiled of Buckley ballots and stuffed
with Randolph fraudulent votes, In regu-
lation rebel style. Randolph was elected.
JOHN WTTHERSPOON DUBOSE.