The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-28
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-1901
No. administration of Governor Cobb
The Machinery of the District Court
1874-19O1

The undsputed election of Governor
Cobb in August, 1878, followed his unop-
posed campaign as the candidate of the
democratic and conservative party, as we
have seen.
The federal election of November of
the same year returned from seven of
the eight congressional districts represen-
tatives who were not only ardent demo-
Gratis, but men of extraordinary qualif-
| cations for the office. The Eighth or
Huntsville district returned William NJ.
Lowe, former democratic leader, es-
teemed for the strength of his intellect
and the brllianey of his oratory.
Mr.. Lowe was elected as an indepen-
dent, with avowed sympathies with the
new party of Peter Cooper. known as the
'greenback'' party-that is, the anti
national bank party, really a party or
ganized on the currency principles taught
| by Andrew Jackson and John G. Cal
houn. The vote that put Lowe in office,
however, was republican and negro. The
sreenback question at that time had no
place in Alabama politics. however sin
eere may have been the opinions of this
| leader.
| The First district sent James Taylor
Jones, the Second Hilary A. Herbert the
Third William J. Sanford, the Fourth
Gen. Charles M. Shelley the Fifth
| Thomas Williams, the Sixth Burwell Boy
| kin Lewis and the Seventh Gen. William
II. Forney. At least seven of the eight
representatives in the Congress of the
Irnitad Cfatae incI,dine owe had haen
famous confederate soldiers. Williams
was elected to the legislature in August
against his protest and was elected to
Congress 80 days later without his con-
sent.
The day of competition and conflict
among the democrats had now come. In
the Eighth district Loves detection was
fragrant. Not at the outset disavowing
his party, he professed to aspire to re-
form it The high office he now gained
was not too high for the use of his tai
ents, but it was too high to be used by
him for the purpose of organizing the
class of people upon whom he must rely
for support. He was elected by scalawags
and negroes
The Second district convention as
sembled Colonel Herbert had succeeded
to the place of the dead Clanton in the
law firm of Stone & C1opton as junior
member He had purposed to secure one
election only, and thereafter to return to
his law firm.
When the district convention met at
Pollard he was at Blount Springs with
his family, and there remained until the
convention adjoined, adhering to his pre-
announcement not to place his name be-
fore the convention.
With the understanding that the incum-
| bent, Herbert, did not desire renomina-
| ton. several competitors of distinguished
personal recommendations appeared In
the contest for the honor Gen. j. 7.
Hotzclaw, Col. John w. A. Sanford and
| Col. Malcolm D. Graham and Col James
G. Gilchrist, all from Montgomery, were
of the number. From Pike entered State
Senator w. II. Parks, famous for his
bout on the floor with Lieutenant Cover
nor McKinstry; State Senator e. W. Mar
tin from Butler with an interesting party
history, and James NJ. Whitehead. a one
leg war veteran also from Butler, now a
| newspaper editor, entered.
The hours of balloting left the candi-
dates before the convention firm. The
days became wearisome in the monotony
of roll calls.
Representative Herbert had made an en-
yiable name in his one term. He had
taken bold stand against the proposed
subsidy of $685. 1000 to the Thomas A.
Scott Texas Pacific railroad project. He
had voted for the silver coinage bill of
Blair of Missouri, passed over President
Hayes veto as the Blair-Allson bill.
The Pollard convention was at the dead
lock. Maj. f. c. Randolph from Mont
gomery went down there as friend of
Herbert. On the one hundred and seven
ty ninth ballot Herbert, still absent, re-
ceived the nomination.
William Lowe, independent and green
backer. defeated w. w. Garth, democrat,
in the Eighth district, but the result was