ALABAMA. 



13 



ity of millions yet unborn ? Beyond the gloomy 

 prospect is to be seen an auspicious and an un- 

 clouded destiny of greatness for the ' Confed- 

 erate States of America.' " 



So reluctant were the minds of a portion of 

 the people in the Gulf States to entertain the 

 idea of a perpetual and absolute separation of 

 the Union, that the views of a very respectable 

 number turned now to reconstruction. The 

 Commissioner from Alabama, in his address 

 to the people of Baltimore, had put forth the 

 statement that these political movements were 

 designed to obtain better terms of Union. (See 

 BALTIMORE.) It was only the authorities of the 

 State and the principal public men, with a por- 

 tion of the press, which had comprehended the 

 dread reality in its full extent. Reconstruction 

 was fatal to secession. Reconstruction would 

 throw into political oblivion all the active 

 leaders of secession. Reconstruction would 

 bring over them again the power and sway of 

 the Xorth ; absolute secession opened the only 

 door of escape. Reconstruction would set at 

 work again that silently -growing conviction in 

 favor of greater personal liberty, which was 

 spreading like leaven through the minds of the 

 mass of the people. In Georgia every candi- 

 date for the Confederate Congress was required 

 to give an assurance that he was not in favor of 

 forming a Government having in view an im- 

 mediate or ultimate union with the Northern 

 States, before he could receive a vote at the 

 polls. In Alabama the proposition was de- 

 nounced in unscrupulous terms. The bitterness 

 of those denouncing it is very fully manifested 

 in the following paragraphs expressing their 

 views : 



"Anyone who observes the indications of 

 the day will readily conclude that some of those 

 who, before the recent act of secession, only 

 advocated ' cooperative action ' to secure our 

 rights, are now, since cooperation has been tri- 

 umphantly secured, endeavoring to train the 

 public mind in the direction of reconstruction. 

 "While this is an undeniable fact, it can be said 

 that the leading members of the cooperation 

 party in our own and the Conventions of adja- 

 cent States have signally vindicated their 

 patriotism and their loyalty. No charge is 

 made against them when it is said that an at- 

 tempt is made to sell the South into worse than 

 her former bondage, by a plan neatly phrased as 

 ' reconstruction.' 



" And what does ' reconstruction ' mean ? 

 Its advocates, no less than its opponents, per- 

 fectly comprehend that it is the concession of 

 all the rights sought to be maintained. It 

 means, little as is said about it, the extinction 

 of African slavery ! It means negro equality 

 the surrender of the white man's right of domi- 

 nation. And most, if not all, the leaders who 

 advocate it are aware of the ultimate effect to 

 be produced. 



" Then why, it is asked by the simple-mind- 

 ed, should large property-holders, large slave- 

 holders, favor and foster such a scheme? Why, 



the sharp property-holders who do not intend 

 to adhere to the South, are desirous of patch- 

 ing up a compromise, so that a temporary re- 

 spite from political troubles may enable them 

 to convert their Southern property, and to go 

 with the proceeds wherever inclination may 

 lead them. 



" The men of the South, rich and poor, who 

 intend to remain wkhin the South, in weal or 

 woe, will not be deceived by this crafty plan to 

 deliver the South into the hands of free negro- 

 ism. They see that any thing short of a main- 

 tenance of our independence, absolutely, is a 

 total surrender, ' to take effect ' at such time as 

 our Abolition masters may choose to designate. 

 This is known to them and to the advocates of 

 the Grecian Horse of Reconstruction, because 

 no sane man, of ordinary intelligence, does or 

 can believe that the Republican leaders could 

 give any guarantees which would be respected 

 by their people. The hate between the two 

 sections is perfect ; and everybody knows the 

 fact. Abolitionism, pinched in its belly, might 

 seem to concede something ; once fill that belly 

 and give into its hands the Treasury and the 

 army and navy, and the South becomes a San 

 Domingo. Even supposing that the Abolition 

 Government at "Washington, after ' reconstruc- 

 tion,' should affect to execute what it had prom- 

 ised, is there any Southern fool so utterly be- 

 sotted as to suppose that that Government 

 would not wink at and privately promote raids 

 like that into Virginia ?" 



All thoughts of reconstruction were soon 

 given up, and in its place sanguine hopes were 

 encouraged of the future glory of the Con- 

 federacy. 



At this time, previous to the surrender of 

 Fort Sumter, a considerable Confederate force 

 was, in a manner, besieging Fort Pickens at 

 Pensacola, under the command of Gen. Bragg. 

 Meanwhile, the Federal fleet lay off at an- 

 chor. Supplies having been taken to the fleet 

 by the sloop Isabella, Capt. Jones, of Mobile, 

 the vessel was seized and turned over to the 

 military authorities, and the captain arrested. 

 The charge was that he had attempted to con- 

 vey supplies on hisown private account, or that 

 of his owners, to the United States vessels. 



Capt. Jones, in vindication of his rights, 

 afterwards sued out a writ of habeas corpus, 

 through his wife, and had a hearing before the 

 Judge of the Circuit Court at Mobile. 



His counsel contended that his arrest was 

 illegal and unauthorized, raising the points 

 whether a state of war existed, which alone 

 could justify such an arrest; and whether 

 Capt. Jones had been arrested within a juris- 

 diction embracing Mobile ; for if so, Gen. Bragg 

 and not the Court should adjudge the offence. 

 He demanded the discharge of the prisoner. 



Counsel against the prisoner held that the 

 arrest was made under the regulations of the 

 Confederate States ; that a state of war existed 

 by the acts of the Administration ; and if the 

 army regulations were decided not to prevail, 



