The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-07
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
I374-t90t
No. 6-The Campaign of 1874
I374---J901

Aaati AAidH oAdhG ttuSCQ Ills dDdf
in the law offices OF John r. Morgan.
Bragg & Thorington, in Montgomery, and
opened committee headquarters. At his
hand were two young men, his secre-
taries W. II. Clayton, brother of the dead
leader, and t. j. Rutledge. Political
work was now systematized, and invigo-
rated as never before in Alabama. A
direct connection was established between
headquarters and every candidate ON the
party ticket In every county. Every party
newspaper heard direct from state head
quarters. Few were the individual citizens
of influence in the state who escaped the
personal notice of Chairman Bragg This
method of arousing public spirit acted as
was intended, on the county committees
most favorably.
Never a day nor an hour that some one
or more of the members of the large state
executive committee failed to appear at
the chairmans desk with proffer of as
sistance. The committee worked under
the masterful head as one man.
on August 20 the radical state conven-
tion met at Montgomery and sat three
days. The bulk of the delegates were ne
81 oes. The white delegates who mingled
AZ tAit dSStlflbldke MTUte IHt TcSDlutloAo.
The resolutions In effect indorsed the
civil rights bill recently passed the Sem
ate, and then pending in the House. The
bill demanded full and equal enjoyment
OF accommodations, advantages, facilities
ard privileges OF inns, theatres, schools,
universities, charities. cemeteries and pub
lie conveyances, on land and sea-" for
all men. That is to say, 1t demanded tho
aomittance OF negroes to the places
named.
Governor Lewis, Lieutenant Governor
McKinstry, Neander Rice, secretary of
state, and Arthur Bingham, treasurer,
We're renominated. George Turner, car
petbagger from Missouri, was nominated
FOL attorney general to succeed Gardiner.
Bingham was of northern birth, long a
resident of Talladega. He had history
so typical of the times that 1t may be
worth while to repeat it. In education
he was deficient; in native ability medi-
ocre. He was the treasurer, legislated
into office by Congress, in 1868, as a part
of the administration of Gov. w. IL.
Smith, then legislated into power by Con-
gress. Il. ID. Sinner, tax collector of
Marengo county. sent check on a bank
TO Treasurer Bingham for sum more
than $4,000 taxes of that county. Bingham
collected the check and put the proceeds
in his pocket. He never thought any
thing more of this official remittance OF
public money uitil he was called on to
account for 1t to Governor Lindsay. AT
the time we now consider he was state
printer and editor of the radical daily
paper, The Montgomery Journal He was
elected state printer by tho court room
legislature. which never pretended to have
q majority OF the qualified members
Mai. w. w. Screws was elected state
printer by the Lindsay legislature, to
hold until his successor was elected. The
democratic leaders were anxious to bring
test case before the supreme court OF
tine state. upon the question whether the
court room body was the legislature OF
Alabama. 1t was believed 1t would have
been ascertained In advance that two OF
the three members of the court would de-
eide against legality of the claims of that
body. Thus Screws applied to Chancellor
Fielder, scalawag, for the writ mandamus
to compel theesecretary Of state. scalawag
Neander Rice, to turn over to him the
public printing. The chancellor refused
the application The case was immedi-
ately heard by the supreme court. Chief
Justice Peck and Justice Peters sustained
the court below. to the disappointment OF
the democrats. Justice Saffold dissented
In a remarkably clear opinion.
Had the campaign been. confined to state
affairs, even then II must have aroused
most intense feeling, but President Grant
and Congress interfered in most exas-
perating conduct. In the late winter and
early spring of this year the streams oi
Alabama overhowed with unwonted de-
structon of farm property. Congress APP
proprlated $4,000 to buy food for the
sufferers-bacon.
In September at the height of the po-
litcal contest, and there was no famine.
agents of the government appeared at
Marion, Perry county calera, Shelby
county; Opelika. Lee county, points re-
note from the streams. but centers OF ne
gro population, to distribute government
bacon.
In the same month of September, Con-
erssmen Hays. Pelham and Alex White
went to Washington to induce the Presi-
dent to distribute troops through the state
TO protect the negroes from the violence
OF the whites and to guard tie polls at
the approaching election.
The whites were deeply wronged and
offended by spurious reports made to the
PIE sident by the scalawag element SEEK
ing TO throw the state back upon military
rule The President on September
wrote from his summer resort, Long
Branch, n. j.. to Secretary of War Bel
lSnap, that his information was life and
property were In extreme jeopardy from
the democrats in Louisiana. Alabama and
South Carolina. The Secretary should
confer with the Attorney General and
place troops in localities of greatest dan
ger" "Outrages already committed" he
said, SHOW a disregard for law. civil
rights and personal protection that ought
not to be tolerated in any civilized gov
ernment."
The Attorney General. excited by the
news from Alabama, at once appointed
the late Gov. Lewis e. Parsons 0eader
OF the Alabama delegation to the New
york nationa1 democratic convention OF
1868 his assistant now to run down the
unreconstructed rebels, Morgan, Hous-
ton, Shorter, Winston and the like.
Secretary OF War Belknap responded
eagerly to the Presidents suggestion.
Troops were quickly stationed at various
points in Alabama. Besides this precau-
ten. the Secretary put the department de-
tective bureau ON the case.
The detective bureau sent out men un-
der. guise of venders of North Carolina
apple brandy and tobacco agents into
ding fair TO fair, IL 1850 nominal fair.
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