The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-03


frage prevailed in Alabama from the
voting in the first three days of October,
1867, closely followed by five days in
early February, 1868, until the repub-
lican party In the north despaired of
the southern negro as an available sup
port to its aspirations and schemes.
The disappointment begun to disclose
itself in the state and congressional
elections of 1874, to be confirmed In the
state and national elections of 1875.
After 1874. until the constitution of
1901 went into effect. the negro vote
in Alabama, although recognized
political quantity, appeared only as
source of confusion to the democracy
and not as succor to the radicals. The
thing was abnormal in its environment
and monstrous in it's presentce 1t re-
mained a source of decentralization to
the accomplished fact of white su-
premacy In the state. Under the burden
of this possession white supremacy
staggered in It's victory and lost visi-
bly,, its bearings. OF these conditions
we shall see later on.
The republican party In the state.
conscious of it's decay. voluntarily dis
solved, or fell apart of it's own weight
in the campaign of 1876. Senator Spen-
Ger led one faction and Congressman
Jere Haralson, negro of Selma, led the
other. Spencer was. national commit
teeman. He led one set of delegates
to the 1875 Cincinnati national repub-
lican convention and Haralson led u
dol hz
embraced Haralson, seated his delegates
and gave to him Spencer's place on the
national committee, .
These two agreed on their return to
the state to put out no state ticket
but, for reasons of their own, to unite
on an independent ticket. AS we have
seen already. their nominee for gov
ernor was Noadiah~ Woodruff a mer-
chant and planter of Selma, entirely
unknown to political life For state
treasurer they nominated President
Owens of the Montgomery and Eufaula
railroad. The remainder of their ticket
was selected with like disregard OF the
proprieties.
The republican party in the state did
not vanish for want OF numbers here
nor for want of sympathy in the north,
nor yet for want of patronage and
counsel by the government at Washing
port had given to the party two of the
three governors, up to 1874; two of the
three legislatures. two of the three fed
eral senator's and a majority of the
congressman. Republican presidential
electors had carried the state at both
national elections.
The fall of this party is feature of
prime Importance in American history.
We omit from the count the first
oil Inn nit m s-11ff f-ap ha+
on the first three days of October, 1876
for constitutional convention, and
that cast on five days early in Febru-
ary, 1868, at a general election, be-
cause the regulations for taking the
vote were too loose to Justify recog-
milton of the result in either case.
In 1870 the total vote for governor
was 154,013. Lindsay, democrat, re-
ceived majority over Smith. scalawag
of 1929
In 1872, tile total vote for governor
was 1929. Lewis, scalawag. received
a majority of S5O7 over Herndon. dem
ocrat
In 1874 the total vote for governor was
POI, ,046. Houstons majority, 14.190. was
only, say, IA per cent of that vote.
Surely the majority for white supremacy
in 1874 was not conclusive as against an
opposition that might have contained
within itself the moral right to live.
Truth to speak the republican party
was not founded on negro emancipation
or negro political rights. In the presi-
Dental campaign OF 1850 John T. Nor
gan, a Breckenridge elector, made speech
at Demopolis. He discussed the origin
and meaning of that party ap'S In course
of his remarks said of it:\ .soav love
your negroes some, but theA 90 your
pocketbooks more,
The foundation of the partyS s~As laid
In Boston, secretly at night, by few edu-
Gated and courageous men, in small
house IN the suburbs in 1882, the same
wear that South Carolina prepared to null
, lifv the Clay protective tariff. South
| Carolina succeeded, the Clay system was
revoked. The republican party restored 1t.
| BY the general elections OF n4 tne re-
publicans lost control or the ieoeral Rouse
| of REPRESENTATIVES,. When the congress
tha, chosen met December, 1875, Michael
tSe-,. Of Indiana. democrat. who was op-
nosed 70 the high protective tariff and to
| the reconstruction acts was chosen
s,asI,ar He died few months later,
ara Samuel ]. Randall. opposed to recon-
rtruotion and favoring tariff reform,
succeeded him in office
Tho political situation was against the
republican party In the north, ana there
waa an Intimate connection between this
go and the Industrial decadence Of the
so,,tb under the political conditions en-
eornad npon that section by the party SO
eortin,oi,sly dominant in Congress and
| n ths federal executive office.
-" n,,,d . nur1bers will suffice. BY tho
sa,se,,s ne is00 the value of farms In Ala
han,o was SIT, 100000. The lately pub
tenad census Of 1870 showed the value OF
| farms IN this state 10 have shrunk TO s6o,-
aon oaO The shrinhago WA confined to
q