ALABAMA. 



21 



\isioii. !n> .jarring, which cannot bo recot 

 by :i proper -|>irit of Conciliation." 



' A convention, said to In- a State convention 

 tit' the colored people of Alabama liy sonic, ami 

 l.v other- dcni ,(! to represent tin- trim senti- 

 ments, at that time, of the colored people of the 

 State, was hold at Mobile on May 1st and 2d. 

 A preamble and >eries of resolutions were 

 adopted, of which tin- former \vasasfollows: 



'tag, Lately the right of suffrage has been be- 

 stowed on our race, heretofore held in bondage, in 

 nnler thiil we may acquire political knowledge that 

 \\ill insuiv us protection in our newly-acquired 

 i iirlits ; and whereas it seems to be the po'licy of our 

 political oppressors to use unfair and foul means to 

 pivviMit our organization and consolidation as a part 

 i >i' i lu- Republican party in Alabama. 



The first resolution said: "That we pro- 

 claim ourselves a part of the Republican party 

 of the United States and of the State of Ala- 

 bama ; and it is in view of harmony and good 

 understanding, not to establish a separate 

 political party, that we. have assembled.'' 



The second resolution expresses confidence 

 in the acts and orders of Generals Pope and 

 Swayne in the discharge of their duty. 



The third resolution, in the event of the dis- 

 charge of colored people by their employers 

 for deciding not to become their political tools, 

 alls for a standing array for their protection ; 

 and declares that they will make the condition 

 of their people known to Congress, and ask for 

 further legislation for their protection, demand- 

 ing confiscation if necessary. 



The fourth resolution declares for peace be- 

 i the races, deprecates the conduct on 

 the part of employers that necessitates further 

 legislation for the protection of negroes, or for 

 further rebellion against the flag and the coun- 

 try. 



The other resolutions recommend the cstab- 

 lishuient of schools, to be supported by a tax 

 on property; and the appointment of military 

 courts and commissions for the trial of viola- 

 tions of the Civil Rights Bill; and the estab- 

 lishment of a Union League in every county, 

 and that the next convention be held in Mont- 

 gomery in Juno; and conclude by declaring 

 that the above resolutions- represent the 

 opinions of the convention, the members of 

 v.hicli pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred 

 honors to the faithful observance of them and 

 of the principles of the Republican party. 



The following additional resolution was then 

 adopted : 



That it is our undeniable right to hold office, sit 

 on juries, ride in nil public conveyances, sit at pub- 

 lic tables, and visit places of public amusement. 



Meanwhile, preparations were made for a 

 registration of the voters by a division of the 

 State into forty-two districts, for each of which 

 three registrars wen. appointed, some ofwhom 

 were in many cases non-residents of the regis- 

 tration di-triet. (For the opinion of the U. S. 

 Attorney-General, see PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.) On 

 May 21st General Pope issued the following 



orders to govern the proceedings in the States 

 of Alabama and Georgia : 



General Orders, No. 20. 



HEADQUARTERS THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT 

 (GKOUCIA, AI.MMMA, AM) FLORIDA), 



ATLANTA, GA., May L'l, IM;;. 

 In accordance with an act of < 'impress, supple- 

 mentary to an act to provide a more efficient govern- 

 ment for the rebel Slates, etc., d:iti-l March >., 1867, 

 the following arrangements are herein made for the 

 registration of voters in the States of Georgia and 

 Alabama. 



I. The States of Georgia and Alabama are divided 

 into registration districts, and numbered and bound- 

 ed as hereinafter described. 



II. A Board of Registration is herein appointed 

 for each district, as above mentioned, to consist of 

 1 u o white registrars and one colored registrar. In the 

 State of Georgia, where only the two white registrars 

 are designated in this order, it is directed that these 

 white registrars in eacli district immediately select, 

 and cause to be duly qualified, a competent colored 

 man to complete the Board of Registration, and re- 

 port his name and post-office address, without delay, 

 to Colonel C. C. Sibley, commanding district of 

 Georgia, at Macon, Georgia. 



III. Each registrar will be required to take and 

 subscribe the oath prescribed by Congress, by an 

 act dated July 2, 1862, and an additional oath to 

 discharge faithfully the duty of registrar under the 

 late acts of Congress. It is not believed that any 

 of the appointees hereinafter designated will be un- 

 able to take the test oath mentioned. Blank forms 

 of these oaths will be sent to the appointees at once, 

 and on being executed and returned to the superin- 

 tendents of State registration, their commissions as 

 registrars will be issued and forwarded to them im- 

 mediately. 



IV. In order to secure a full registration of voters, 

 it is determined to fix the compensation of registrars 

 according to the general rule adopted in taking the 

 census. In the cities, the compensation is fixed at 

 fifteen cents for each recorded voter ; in the most 

 sparsely settled counties and districts, at forty cents 

 per voter. The compensation will be graduated 

 between these limits according to the density of the 

 population, and the facilities of communication. 

 Ten cents per mile will be allowed for transporta- 

 tion of registrars off the lines of railroads and steam- 

 boats. 



V. It is hereby made the duty of all registrars, and 

 they will be expected to perform it strictly, to ex- 

 plain to all persons, who have heretofore not en- 

 joyed the right of suffrage, what are their political 

 rights and privileges, and the necessity of exercis- 

 ing them upon all proper occasions. 



VI. The name of each voter shall appear in the 

 list of voters for the precinct or ward in which he 

 resides ; and in cases where voters have been unable 

 to register, whilst the Boards of Registration were 

 in the wards or precincts, where such voters live, op- 

 portunity will be given to register at the county 

 seats of their respective counties, at a specified time, 

 of which due notice will be given ; but the names 

 of all voters, thus registered, will be placed on the 

 list of voters of their respective precincts. 



VII. The Boards of Registration will give due 

 notice, so that it may reach all persons entitled to 

 register, of the date when they will be in each elec- 

 tion precinct ; the time they will spend in it ; and 

 the place where the registration will be made ; and 

 upon the completion of the registration for each 

 county, the Board of Registration will give notice 

 that they will be present, for three successive days, 

 at the county seat of such county, to register such 

 voters as have failed to register, or been prevented 

 from registering in their respective precincts, and to 

 hear evidence in the cases of voters rejected by the 



