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RECKLESS LEGISLATION.

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was accomplished by those which found a place on the statute book. Perhaps the worst of all were those which had the effect of destroying the credit of the State. The new auditor had found the debt about eight millions. Within a

year or two the total had risen to an enormous amount. Much money was wasted, and some stolen. The chief beneficiaries were the promoters of railroads.

A law was passed providing for State endorsement of railroad bonds at the rate of sixteen thousand dollars for every mile of track constructed in the State. Within a year, nearly three millions of bonds were so endorsed. Then the policy of issuing bonds to aid special lines was adopted, and millions more were added to the sums for which the credit of the State was pledged. Among the roads to which aid was extended were the long-projected line to connect the northern and southern portions of the State, which was called the South and North; the Alabama and Chattanooga; the Montgomery and Selma; the Montgomery and Mobile; and some others which were in the end completed. There were, however, several companies which only did enough to secure the aid so lavishly extended, and in several cases it was claimed that this was greater than the amount needed to pay all the expenses of construction. Another example of recklessness was the incorporation of a company to improve the navigation of the Coosa; it was to receive a large bonus from the State and was allowed four years to begin its work.

An important enterprise of this administration was an attempt to annex to Alabama the part of Florida lying west of the Chattahoochee and Appalachicola rivers. The plan received the approval of the Florida legislature and of the people of the region involved. It was postponed, however, and finally abandoned.

The restlessness of the white people of Alabama under their incompetent rulers was manifested in various ways, and furnished an excuse for keeping troops in the State. Some

disorder at Mobile, which was considered a Conservative stronghold, was made the pretext of an astonishing piece of legislation by which the government of the city was entirely overturned. Shortly afterwards it was discovered that the wording of the bill had been changed by an unknown hand. Such occurrences were common enough in those days.

As to the general condition of the people, some improvement might be noted, but the political ills which they suffered did not permit of a rapid recovery from the effects of the war. Large appropriations were made to support the public schools, but the funds were unwisely, and in some cases dishonestly, administered. The opposition of the whites to mixed schools was another obstacle in the way of educational progress under the Reconstruction government. Some progress had been made in Governor Patton's administration towards the restoring of the University. were taken in 1866 for replacing the buildings. The plans of Colonel J. T. Murfee, commandant of the University Cadets, were adopted, and he was appointed superintendent of the work. With other State institutions, the University came under the control of the "carpet-bag" government. After several able educators had declined the presidency, William R. Smith became president, but only about thirty students were enrolled during the session.

Steps

Growing cotton remained, as before the war, the chief industry of the State, and the planters were winning some success, notwithstanding the changed conditions of labor and the heavy internal revenue tax on their product. Several conventions were held to encourage immigration, and the development of railroads led to a hope that the plans which had been made in the fifties for developing the great mineral resources of the upper counties might soon be carried out. It was felt, however, that prosperity could not return until better government should prevail.

The Conservative party had not given up the fight, and

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it was not without encouragement. In the presidential election of 1868, the Republican majority was only a few thousands. In the congressional elections of the next year the Conservatives, now in alliance with the Democrats of the Northern States, elected two of their candidates. In the autumn of 1870, when the time came to choose successors to Governor Smith and his associates, they took the name "Democratic and Conservative party," and won in a hardfought struggle. Robert B. Lindsay, of Colbert, was chosen governor, and Edward H. Moren, of Bibb, lieutenantgovernor. The Democrats also chose a majority of the lower house of the legislature, but in the senate they had no chance. The Constitution provided that one-half the senators elected in 1868 should hold for two years, and the other half for four, but the senators refused to draw lots for long and short terms. So all of them stayed in office. Three new counties were formed in 1868. The first was made up of portions taken from Autauga, Bibb, Perry, and Shelby; it was first called Baker, but the name has since been changed to Chilton, in honor of a distinguished Alabama jurist, Judge W. P. Chilton. The other two were Escambia, named for the river which flows through it, and Geneva, named for its chief town, which became the county seat.

QUESTIONS.

What was the relation of the civil to the military authorities in Alabama at the beginning of April, 1867? What effect had the reconstruction policy on the relations between whites and blacks? What can you say of the following: Mobile riot; "Black Man's party"; Union League; Conservative party? Tell about some of the things the constitutional convention of 1867 did. What was the Conservative plan for defeating the constitution? What was the result of it? What is said of Alabama's representatives at Washington? Of the courts and local offices? Of the legislature? What laws were passed in regard to railroads? What is said of education? What was the result of the elections in 1868, 1869, 1870? What new counties were formed?

CHAPTER XXXIV.

ADMINISTRATIONS OF GOVERNORS LINDSAY AND LEWIS.

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GOVERNOR ROBERT B. LINDSAY.

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GOVERNOR ROBERT BURNS LINDSAY was born in Scotland, and was educated at the ancient University of St. Andrews. the age of eighteen he emigrated to America. He made his home first in North Carolina, and finally at Tuscumbia, in Northern Alabama. Here he was for some years a teacher, and afterwards a successful lawyer. During the

fifties he served in both houses of the legislature, and in 1860 he was prominent as a Douglas Democrat. He was an accomplished gentleman and a scholar, but he was better fitted to adorn society in quiet times than to take the lead in such times as were now at hand.

He had a stormy introduction to his duties. Smith refused to give up the governor's office, claiming that he, and not Lindsay, had been elected. He called to his aid a body of United States troops, and also secured an injunction from a judge to prevent the president of the senate, whose duty it was to declare the result of the election, from doing his duty; but Lieutenant-Governor Moren, having been sworn in and having taken his seat as president of the senate, at once declared Lindsay elected, and the latter took the oath of office. Smith then barricaded the executive office and

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