The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-12
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-t901
No. administration of Governor Cobb
The Era of Combat of Sections

of reconstruction for the time being, ae-
eeptanee of TiIden,s overthrow and the
Esurpation of Hayes. were each and all
part Of the same noble spirit that bespoke
itself in the genesis and the career OF
the ConfeGeracy.
The form of federal government had to
rass from the earlier era of combat TO
the later era of political economy, of
universal employment of lew in produc-
tive industry, whether physical or mental
and of universal education. The reach
and strength of the form Is sufficient unto
the day The imagination cannot conceive
a safer government nor wisdom mature
another with corresponding beneficent re-
suits.
The constitution of the confederate
states built upon the form of 1887 the
highest refinement of the principle ever
thus far attained to,
Let Us take into view some of the evil
denees of the past era of combat, for
instance the presence of sectional ieal-
cusy in the acquisition of what is now
the state of Florida followed by the an
neXation of Texas.
Monroe Of Virginia was President. John
Quincy Adams of Massachusetts was Sec-
retary of State.
Florida had been the base of war-like
operations against the southern Atlantic
states from The beginning. In 1919 Seere-
tsry Adams determined to acquire the
land. His own section objected to the
addition of southern territory to the
union. 10 paeify an excited public feeling
there the secretary bartered with Spain
for Florida. He gave TO that country
for annexation to its province of Mexico
the whole of that part of the Louisiana
territory called Texas. For Texas and
s50OO.o0o in money, the United States got
Florida as 1t stands today and a small
area facing the Northern Pacific
That was In 1919. In the same admins
tration. Congress passed the Missouri
compromise BY this act the southern
section was legislated out of all the re-
mainder of the Louisiana purchase, north
of the meridian $3.50, except that part Of
Missouri lying above the line of scpara-
ton.
The combat thickens. In four years
after Spain gave the banished Texas to
Mexico. Mexico by revolution gained in
dependence from Spain. Texas revolted
against Mexico, now one of the family
of nations and at San Jacinto in 1886
won her own independence.
John G. Calhoun, secretary of state
uhcer John Tyler, President, negotiated
to annex Texas to the union. BY 1S45 the
south was strengthened by the addition
of both Florida and Texas to the federal
government.
The north still had the Missouri COM
prcr1ise.'
The south put into the war with Mexico
two soldiers where the north put one.
Beth American commanders were south
ern men.
The treaty of Gauda loupe- Hidalgo, of
1S4S, gave a vast Mexican territory TO
the United States, including California
Tho north at once. in hot haste grabbed
California for a place as a state in the
government and gave notice to the south
that all the other immense Mexican con-
quest would be northern.
In this incident of combat Samuel j.
Tilden. the President elected by the south
In 1876, took active tide with the north
asainst the south.
In 1854 Senator stephen A. Douglas of
Illinois persuaded Congress to repeal the
Missouri compromise"
In 1856 five of the seven members of the
federal supreme court passed the bred
Scott decree.
Lincoln, the Confederacy. SO years of
reconstruction" and the era of combat
disappears.
JOHN wITHERsPooN DUBOsE.