The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-03


itary rule from Governor Parsons to Gov
ernor Lewis, inclusive, 1S6o-7i. We arr
advancing far into the period of white
supremancy initiated by the election o
Houston and closed technically by tht
constitution of 1901. The two periods com
prise the era of Reconstruction in Ala
bama-36 wears.
This second period white supremacy,
is very abounding in evidences of capae
| ity in the people to moderate the course
of a revolution. forced upon them from
without; to restore law and order in de
iance of the copbined application oi
the sword and the purse of a conquerol
for the purpose of reducing their com
munity life to chaos and TO recupefatt
their fortunes under the adversely of al
unequal and enormous taxing policy
forced upon them by that conqueror II
the season of their struggling.
The annals of the peoples in all time
hold nothing more deserving of memory
by the succeeding generations than these
annals of Alabama.
Hardly had Governor O'Neal been hxeo
in the routine of his office when the sen
ate Harrison bill" rather bills. were
hurried to him for approval. The pro.
iector and democrat Senator General
Harrison represented the Lee county dis
trict. the capital of which was Opelika
In the military period Opelika had beer
favorite of the military authority. The
Freedmans bureau maintained it's mos
offensive office in the state at Opelika
A. III aoey.,
and scalawag who harangued in public
obtain a white audience in all the black
Ibelt.
General Harrison, Confederate vet
eran, had now succeeded Pennington, car
petbagger, senator. His bill, or bills
consisted in a repeal of the charter o.
the town of Opelika which had been pre-
pared and enacted by the attorney gen
erals legislature in 1928, and the sub
stitution of a new charter.
The Harrison repeal bill and the new
charter were approved December H. 1888
Under the new charter town govern
ment was elected, with Frank Dunbar
a smart native, known as a scalwag
was elected mayor Administration of the
government under the newly elected of
| ficers was not satisfactory to the more
important element of the population. Mr.
William H. Barnes, a distinguished law
yer and long a member of the legisla.
ture, led the opposition.
Town disputes grew into various kinds
outbreaks and turbulence. To bring or
der the legislature on February 19, 1888
repealed the new charter and incorporated
the district of Opelika. The act created
a board of commissioners and named the
commissioners-T c. >.nckard, G. w
Hooper, j. NJ. Chiffon. II. G. Henderson
and n. S. Wright, all citizens of higl
standing.
The repeal of the charter and the SUD-
stitution of a commission selected by the
act for an elective government for the
town was preceded by disturbances so vi
olenu that the governor had to take cog
nizance. At that time Gen. II. ID. Clay
| ton was judge of the circuit, including
Lee county His personal influence was
everywhere admitted. For prudence sake
the governor requested the presiding
| judge to make an Informal visit to
Opelika and by personal suasion calm the
troubles.
This pacific endeavor had small effect
A citizen reports about a thousand
shots were fired on the streets in the
darkness" The sheriff o-.ied on the gov
ernor for troops saying the town was in
the hands of an armed mob. The gov
ernor ordered Col. Thomas G. Jones, com
manding the Second regiment of infantry,
to go to the town ana take company a
with him. Capt. E. A. Grahams company
the Montgomery Grays The colonel had
ben recently promoted from the captainey
of this company. A special train the
Western railroad started from Montgom-
cry with Colonel Jones and the "Grays''
at night about 10 o'clock. The train
reached the vicinity of the town at mid
night The colonel halted it and de-
barled the troops. They remained two
days in hard weather, without overcoats,
blankets, or tents. They were supplied
with warrants by the civil authorities
and arrested the principal disturbers.
The troops remained on duty for two
days in the town. No renewal of the
riotous conduct appeared. detachment
under Lieutenant Stafford was ordered to
remain another two days, while the col