COUNTY CONVENTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND CONSERTATIVE PRATY
Pursuant to a call of the County Executive Committee, the Democratic and Conservative County Convention met at the Courthouse on Saturday, the 13th inst.
On motion, Capt. Joseph B. Eddins was called to the chair and H.H. Brown and Alonzo Hill were appointed Secretaries.
Upon the call of the beats, delegates from nineteen beats, aggregating fifty-nine, came forward and enrolled their names.
Hon. Ryland Randolph then introduced the following preamble and resolutions which were unanimously adopted :
WHEREAS, The Radical party in Alabama has persisted, in a remorseless manner and with unabated and diabolical determination in the effort of forcing the RACE ISSUE upon the Democratic party; and
WHEREAS, The failure of the Democratic party to accept that Issue has emboldened its political foes to engage in frequent acts of hostility against the white people of the State; and
WHEREAS, The success of the Democratic party in Alabama depends on bold, prompt and unflinching acceptance of said ISSUE, so defiantly and unremittingly thrown down as a gage of battle at the ballot-box by the unscrupulous leaders of the Radical party in this State ; and
WHEREAS, The prejudicial teachings, pernicious practices and acrimonious hostilities of said Radical party, as recently exhibited by the overwhelming passage of the infamous so-called Civil Rights Bill, by the Senate of the nation, are waxing stronger, more cruel and insufferable by the continued forbearance on the part of the Democratic party, and by its repugnance to engage in political strife of a character calculated to array race against race in irrepressible hatred, resulting possibly in bloody and ruinous internecine warfare; and
WHEREAS, Further failure to accept the ISSUE thus forced upon the Democracy of this State would be subversive and destructive of all their rights and privileges, social civil and political: therefore, be it Resolved, that we, white men of Tuskaloosa County, in convention assembled, in consideration of a due regard entertained by us for our own ancient and inalienable claims as sovereigns of this Southern soil : and for the protection of our altars and our fires ; and for the maintenance of the honor, purity and preservation of our superior race, untarnished; and the better to establish law and order in the land, do accept and adopt the ISSUE OF RACE SUPREMACY insolently forced upon us. And-acting in accordance with this determination, be it further resolved, That all members of the Radical party in this county and State, regardless of color, who favor the aforesaid infamous so-called Civil Rights Bill, and who are politically allied to those who advocate said Bill, shall be regarded and treated in the light of enemies to the white race; and the white-skinned, black-hearted portion of said sympathizers of said Bill shall be denied all social intercourse whatever with the true white men of this county or their families. Several of the county beats claimed a larger representation in the convention than they were entitled to upon the basis of the Democratic vote cast for Governor in the last election ; and after considerable discussion a committee, composed of J.R. Maxwell, J. Collier foster, T.A. Hargrove, H.M. Somerville, L. D. Brown, A. C. Hargrove and R. Randolph, satisfactorily adjusted the matter by scaling the representation from Tuskaloosa beat from 10 to 12 delegates, and from the North Port beat from 12 to 9 delegates, upon the ground that a considerable number of voters from the country had voted at these boxes at the last Governor's election.
After the report of this committee had been read and adopted, the county Executive Committee resigned, and the convention elected in their stead the following gentlemen to serve until their successors are elected :
H. M. Somerville, J.W. Taylor, R. Randolph, Dr. A. Clements, D.L. Foster, John Hampton, J. R. Maxwcll and A. C. Hargrove Then, on motion, the convention proceeded to the election of delegates to the State Convention, which resulted in the choice of the following gentlemen as delegates and alternates H.M. Somerville, N. N. Clements, Jno. M. Martin Ed Tarrant, J.W. Taylor, B. B. Lewis, A. G. Hargrove, S.T. Palmer, E.B. Hemphill,. Alonzo Hill, R. Randolph, Jno, S. Kennedy, Geo.D. Johnston Jno. Hampton, H. H. Brown, Jo. C. Guild, Alsey Clements. D.M.Scott
It was then agreed on motion, that the Convention proceed to the nomination of candidates for the Legislature and the various county offices, and that the two-thirds rule be adopted.
(Pending the ballot for Probate Judge the two-thirds aide was rescinded and majority rule adopted.)
For Probate Judge N. H. Browne
For Legislature-N.N. Clements
