10 



ALABAMA. 



ALABAMA. During this year there was 

 no election for State officers held, except in 

 one or two districts, to fill vacancies in the 

 Legislature. On the first Tuesday in August 

 there was held an election for representatives 

 to the Forty-first Congress, resulting in the 

 choice of Messrs. Buck, Buckley, Heflin, and 

 Hays, the Republican candidates in the first, 

 second, third, and fourth districts respectively ; 

 and Dox and Sherrod, Democrats, in the fifth 

 and sixth districts respectively. 



In December, 1868, a resolution was passed 

 by the Legislature, directing the Executive to 

 initiate proceedings for the annexation of the 

 territory of Western Florida. Accordingly 

 Governor Smith appointed three commission- 

 ers, who, in May, met three commissioners 

 appointed by the Governor of Florida, and 

 terms were agreed upon for the proposed 

 transfer. The leading features of the contract 

 are as follows : 1. It conveys to the State of 

 Alabama jurisdiction over all the country west 

 of the Appalachicola Eiver. 2. It vests the 

 State with a title to all the lands belonging to 

 the State of Florida west of the Appalachicola, 

 which are estimated at over two million acres, 

 and are supposed to be of the average value of 

 $1.25 per acre ; and with the right to five per 

 cent, of the proceeds of the sale of public lands. 

 It is provided that these lands shall continue 

 subject to the trusts imposed by the act of Con- 

 gress donating them. 3. The contract requires 

 that the State of Alabama shall issue its bonds 

 in favor of the State of Florida for $1,000,000, 

 payable in thirty years and bearing eight per 

 cent, interest ; and that two railroads, radiating 

 from Pensacola, one in the direction of Appa- 

 lachicola, and the other in the direction of 

 Pollard, shall receive the benefit of the indorse- 

 ment law of the State of Alabama, approved 

 September 22, 1868, and entitled "An Act to 

 amend the law to establish a system of internal 

 improvement in the State of Alabama." If 

 this contract is consummated, it will add to the 

 State of Alabama the eight counties of West 

 Florida, which are represented to have con- 

 tained, in 1867, a white population of 17,813, 

 and a black population of 8,858, and paid a 

 revenue to the State of $31,245.92. By the 

 adoption of the contract, Alabama will acquire 

 about 10,000 square miles (6,400,000 acres) of 

 territory, with a water front on the Gulf of 

 Mexico of about 180 miles, including the har- 

 bors of Pensacola, St. Joseph, St. Andrews, 

 and Appalachicola. The harbor of Pensacola 

 is unquestionably the best on the Gulf of Mex- 

 ico, as it affords a safe anchorage, and an en- 

 trance for vessels drawing twenty-four feet of 

 water. The question was submitted to a popular 

 vote on the 2d of November, in those counties 

 of Florida to be transferred. There were 

 1,162 votes cast in favor of annexation to 

 Alabama, and 661 against it. 



Before taking effect, it is provided that the 

 agreement shall be approved by the Legisla- 

 tures of both States and by Congress. 



On the 2d of June an Immigration Con- 

 vention met at Montgomery to adopt meas- 

 ures for the encouragement of immigration 

 into the State. A committee of five was ap- 

 pointed to prepare an address to the people of 

 the United States and of Europe, setting forth 

 the advantages offered by the State, and the 

 true feeling of the people toward immigrants 

 from any and all sections. After stating the 

 agricultural, mineral, commercial, manufac- 

 turing, and railway advantages, the address 

 concludes : 



But, one and all, this convention of the State of 

 Alabama declares with no dissentient voice : 



1. That all new population, from whatever country 

 or section, coming among us to aid in the recuper- 

 ation and development of our material interests, is 

 heartily and honestly welcome. 



2. That all latitude of opinion, thought, and ex- 

 pression, will be found to obtain among us ; and that 

 neither nationality, sect, nor political views, will be 

 found to injure any man in his business interests, or 

 subject him to social annoyance in any degree far 

 less to cause him the least danger or any outrage 

 whatever. 



3. That any and all immigrants, who come from 

 any point whatever for the purpose of aiding their 

 own material interests and, through them, ot bene- 

 fiting the State at large not only meet encourage- 

 ment, but hearty welcome, and every facility we can 

 offer. 



Exertions have been made during the year 

 to connect Northern and Southern Alabama 

 by means of the South and North Alabama 

 Eailroad, the charter of which provides for its 

 extension from Montgomery to Decatur. On 

 the 16th of February the Board of Directors 

 met and elected ex-Governor R. M. Patton as 

 president, vice John Whiting, deceased. Under 

 the contract, closed in April, work was to be 

 commenced at Montgomery, and the road 

 completed to Lime Kiln by the 1st of October, 

 1870, to Elyton by the 1st of April, 1871, and 

 to Decatur by the 1st of December, 1871. 

 The contracting parties are to receive for build- 

 ing the road, in round numbers, $5,014,000. 

 One-fourth of this amount is payable in State 

 indorsed bonds, and the remainder is pay- 

 able in cash so far as the remaining in- 

 dorsed State bonds, the city bonds, and the 

 the three per cent, fund, will go. If the cash 

 realized from these sources does not complete 

 the payment, the remainder is payable in 

 second-mortgage bonds at 66f cents, converti- 

 ble into stock within ten years. 



On the 1st of December a meeting of the 

 stockholders of this road was held, and F. M. 

 Gilmer, Jr., elected president for the ensuing 

 year. During the year there has been fair 

 progress in the construction of the Montgomery 

 and Eufaula and the Montgomery and Selma 

 railroads. The latter road runs along the 

 southern bank of the Alabama River to Selma, 

 there connecting with roads to Vicksburg, 

 Memphis, Rome, Dalton, etc., and will estab- 

 lish a continous railroad line between the Mis- 

 sissippi and the Atlantic. 



The Executive, in his message to the Legis- 

 lature, having called the attention of that body 



