The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-26
EIGHTGOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-f901
No. 91-The Great Convention of 1890
Thomas Sc ay, Governor
1874-1901
Cont nued)

Never since the period of military re-
construction and the desperate events of
that experience, did the people of Ala
lama await the turn of their political
course with so universal and so anxious
solicitude as now.
Premonitory symptoms of the public
excitement were numerous and varied.
The week before the date fixed for the
assembling of the convention Commits
sioner Kolb sent out broadcast two cir
cular letters, as we have seen, appeal
Ing to his supporters who were dele
safes and those who were not. to come to
Montgomery the day preceding that date
prepared to take care of his interest. The
week before the convention met a num-
Der Of the counties still procrastinated in
the duty of choosing delegates. On
Wednesday, May II, IL delegates from
various counties We're selected, some by
the beat primary method. others by the
county convention composed of beat rep
resentatives selected by beat meetings.
All were regular, fair and honest. OF the
a finally chosen. SO were for Kolb, six
for Richardson, three for Crook. two
for Johnston and one for Jones.
Kolb's instructed delegation from his
own county, Barbour, was composed of
the most influential citizens. Henry ID.
Clayton, Jr, led, John d. Roquemore,
Thomas Swanson, q. l. Conner, Alto V.
Lee, j. NJ. White were members.
Hardly had the morning sun flashed
his first rays upon the white dome of the
capitol when the seats in the historic
hall of the house of representatives be-
gan to fill with the delegates who had
Come to the city "a to 4s hours before
to participate in the counsel of the candi-
dates on hand and receive the instruc-
lions of the bosses.
In that hall on the night of January
s. 1856, the ancient democratic party was
reorganized and rechristened by volun-
tary convention of the people of the
state. following the speech from William
L. Yancey, which must stand forever
among the annals of oratory as second in
effect to none that ever fell from mans
lips. The logical sequel to that speech
was the passage of the ordinance of Sc
cession in the same hall, II years later.
in the same hall, "a years later George
8. Houston took the oath of governor.
thus bringing to a close the 10 years
of military rule where achievements in
fact. and whose disappointed usurpations
surpass the tragedies of all political rec
ords of other civilized peoples.
At noon Wednesday, May 49, $780, Henry
Clay Tompkins, lawyer of Montgom-
cry, chairman of the state committee of
the party, called the convention to Or
der amidst profound silence. Five hun
dred and forty-one delegates We're in their
seats, citizens, chosen with extraordi-
nary care. with the Importance of the
occasion in painful consideration.
Mr.. Tompkins spoke, saying: Let this
convention remember that it's members
are representatives of the great demo-
cratic party of this state and of the
union.' Briefly noticing the line of di-
vision which had developed faction with
in the party, he said: ''rhe building up
CT a class at the expense of other classes
Of citizens in a free country cannot fail
to introduce the Had of all our
woes" Tompl;ins was not an alliance
man. Senator James L. Pugh wrote an
elaborate letter from his set, intended
for effect upon the convention, in strong
est protest against the subtreasury
scheme of the alliance and other projects
of this order. Herbert of the Second dis
trict continued to resist the political en-
terprise of the alliance. Oates of the
Third district led his colleagues in boldest
resistance to the subtreasury. ]. =. Cobb