Autauga County, Butler & Henry County 1850 – Call for a Southern meeting

(Transcribed from The Weekly Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama July 31, 1850)

CALL FOR A SOUTHERN MEETING – A VOICE FROM AUTAUGA

At a large and respectable meeting of the citizens of Vernon and vicinity, held on Friday, July 19^th, 1850, on motion of Dr. Joseph P. De Jarnette, Col. Joseph B. Wilkinson was called to the Chair, and A. W. McNeel appointed Secretary. The Chairman then arose and explained the object of the meeting to be as follows:

The object of the meeting was to recommend to the County the propriety of holding a County meeting to express its views in regard to all-important subject of slavery, which is now agitating our whole Union.

Whereupon the following resolution was offered by Leonidas Howard, Esq. which was unanimously adopted viz:

Resolved, That a committee of thirteen be appointed by the Chair, to report at this meeting the appropriate time for a County meeting.

Whereupon, the following persons were appointed on said committee, viz: Rev. D. B. Smedley, Jas, Mitchell, L. M. Whetstone, E. G. Casin, R. P. Houser, Wm. Stringfellow, Dr. B. B. Davis, Leonidas Howard, Dr. Joseph P. De Jarnette, Dr. John W. Golsan, Milton Howard, Wm. P. De Jarnette and Joseph Goodrich.

The committee, after a brief absence, reported through their Chairman, Rev. D. B. Smedley, as follows:

Resolved, That we do hereby recommend Kingston, and the third Monday in August next (the 19^th day of the month) as the most appropriate time and place to hold said meeting.

Which was adopted. On motion, the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting to be published in the Montgomery and Wetumpka papers.

On motion, the meeting adjourned.

JOSEPH B. WILKINSON, Ch’n

A. W. McNEEL, Secretary

COMMITTEE MEETING

MONTGOMERY, JULY 24TH 1850

At a meeting this day of the committee of thirteen, appointed at the public meeting on the 22d inst., together with the city authorities, his honor the Mayor was called to the Chair, and Wm. B. Fariss requested to act as Secretary. On motion of Joseph D. Hopper, the Hon. James E. Belser was unanimously selected to deliver an eulogium on the life and character of the late President, Gen. Zachary Taylor. On motion of Gen. Elmore, it was

Resolved, That a committee of five, consisting of Joseph D. Hopper, Lewis Owen, Wm. B. Fariss, R. C. Shorter, Jr., and Adam C. Felder, be appointed to notify the Hon. James E. Belser of his appointment, and to make all necessary arrangements in relation thereto.

On motion of Col. Garrett, the meeting then adjourned.

R. T. DAVIS, Chairman

Wm. B. Fariss, Secretary

SOUTHERN BARBECUE

The following gentlemen have been appointed a Committee of Arrangements to attend the preparation of the barbecue to be given at this place on the second Saturday of next month, August 16^th

JUDGE A. MARTIN,

THOMAS LEONARD,

JEFFERSON NOBLE,

CAPT. JOHN CHENEY,

THOS. L. BROTHERS,

BENJ. F. ASHLEY

The Committee will meet at the office of the Advertiser and Gazette on Saturday next. A punctual attendance of each member is desired.

THE BARBECUE

Provision will be made for ten thousand people at the great Southern Rally to take place on the 10^th of next month. The people of Alabama generally, without distinction of party, are invited to attend by the committee; Georgia ditto.

It is expected that the Hon. W. T. Colquitt, of Georgia, will be present and address the people.

From our own State, we expect Govs. Fitzpatrick and Bagby, and other distinguished citizens, to be present.

We would suggest to the ladies the appointment of a committee, on their part, to act with that of the gentleman, in making arrangements for a table to be fixed up for their sex exclusively on that occasion. Let every body take an interest in the matter and not permit the whole brunt of the affair to be borne by a few.

All papers friendly to the cause of Southern rights will please call attention to this barbecue and mass meeting.

FROM THE ABBEVILLE BANNER EXTRA

Southern Meeting in Henry County

On the 25^th inst, the great Southern meeting was held in Henry county ratifying the late Nashville Convention, and when I say great, I do not misapply the term; as an evidence, at the early hour of ten a.m., three thousand souls assembled around the altar of Southern rights, which they worshipped with the most apparent devotion. Never was there witnessed such a concourse of universal opinion in the county of Henry. They stood in silence, breathing forth a love of our Constitutional rights, convincing every observer that they were no longer going to yield to Northern aggression, but individually and collectively adhere to the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.

A mass meeting of the citizens of Henry county was held at Abbeville on the 25^th of July, 1850, in accordance with the arrangement of a previous meeting held on the 1^st inst., to take into consideration the action of the Nashville Convention, and to ascertain completely the sentiments of the people of Henry as to the great crisis which threatens the loss of her dearest Constitutional rights and most sared honor.

A large concourse of citizens assembled, numbering, as estimated by many, three thousand persons. Many persons from the surrounding counties and from Georgia attended, thereby evincing the great interest felt elsewhere in the great struggle for Constitutional rights.

The assemblage was called to order and Geo. W. Williams, Esq. and gen. A. J. McAllister were selected to preside over the deliberations of the meeting. Messrs. James Pynes, W. H. Wood, Joseph Lawrence and Maj. H. E. Chitty, were designated as Vice Presidents, and Daniel McCrimmon and James A. Clendinen, Esqrs., appointed Secretaries.

On motion a committee of twenty-one gentlemen, to-wit:

John W. Harper, Chairman, A. McAllister, J. A. Clendinen, Sidney A. Smith, E. W. Teague, Joseph Watson, Robert Kennedy, John A. Wood, W. T. Kirkland, T. Y. Smith, J. Bennett, S. B. Watson, T. Battle, J. B. Appling, J. Murphy, L. Bird, J. Wood, W. Stewart, C. Oats, T. Chambers and J. Wilcoxon, were appointed to draft and report resolutions for adoption.

At the meeting of the committee two of the above named gentlemen, to wit: Sidney A. Smith and Maj. John B. Appling were released by request, from acting on said committee, and there being two others absent, the residue of the committee unanimously reported through the Chairman, J. W. Harper, Esq., the following preamble and resolutions:

We, the people of Henry county, in Convention assembled, pursuant to public notice, in view of the perilous condition of the country, and the threatened destruction of the equality of the Southern States in our Federal Union, do hereby publish and declare

1. That we approve, endorse, and ratify the resolutions and address adopted by the Southern Convention, recently assembled at the city of Nashville.
2. That the bill now pending before the Senate of the United States, known as the “Clay Compromise Bill” and recommended as an adjustment of the great question now dividing the Northern and Southern sections of the Union, is wholly unworthy the name of a Compromise bill and ought to receive the unanimous opposition of the entire people of the Southern States.
3. That the people of the Southern States are entitled, with the people of all the other States, to an equal participation in the territories of California and New Mexico, acquired by the common blood and treasure of the whole country, and that to acquiesce in such legislation by the Congress of the United States, as would deprive us of such equality, would be to submit to the dictation of a fanatical and dominant majority unworthy of our common ancestry, and disgraceful to us and to our posterity.
4. That our love and veneration for that Union which was ordained and established by the patriots of the revolution, and to preserve, and perpetuate it to our children as a glorious inheritance of freemen, and forasmuch as the South has acquiesced for a long series of years in such division, we will consent to a division of the common territory by an extension of the Missouri Compromise line at 36 degrees 30 minutes North latitude to the Pacific Ocean, with a clear recognition of the right of the Southern people to migrate with and enjoy their property of every description South of that line, and that our Constitutional right of equality in the public domain, or a division of the same as here indicated, we never should, we never can, we never will surrender.
5. That attempts now being made in New Mexico to rob our sister State of Texas of her soil and jurisdiction east of the Rio Grande area insurrectionary and rebellious on the part of the people of that country, and if sustained by the authority of the Federal Government should meet the firm resistance not only of Texas, but of all the Southern States, which have, with Texas, a common interest and a common destiny.
6. That our Senators in Congress be requested and our representatives instructed to advocate the ultimatum laid down in the above resolutions.
7. That we cordially respond to the call made by our fellow citizens of Eufaula for a District Convention to assemble at Clayton on the first Monday in September, to fill up our delegation to the Southern Convention which will re-assemble at Nashville, and that Maj. H. D. Chitty, H. E. Owens, J. Bennett, S. A. Smith, J. Murphy, C. Oats, A. C. Gordon, J. B. Appling, Jno. W. Harper, J. A. Clendinen, J. Pynes, and Wm. H. Wood, be appointed as delegates to represent the County of Henry in said District Convention.

Eloquent, patriotic and “soul stirring” speeches were delivered by George W. Williams, Esq., of Henry, Col. J. J. Seibels, of Montgomery, Cols. P. T. Sayre, J. G. Shorter and James L.Pugh, Esq. of Eufaula.

On motion of Col. A. McAllister, it was ordered that a copy of the proceedings of this meeting be sent to the several papers of the District, with a request to publish.

A large and well arranged Barbecue was prepared for the occasion and all passed off in the most felictous manner.

A motion to adjourn was made and acceded to, and the large assemblage, the largest ever before assembled in Henry county, dispersed peaceably and quietly.

GEORGE W. WILLIAMS, ALLEN J. McALLISTER } Pres’ts.

Daniel McCrimmon, James A. Clendinen} Sec’s

FROM THE SOUTH ALABAMIAN

RATIFICATION MEETING

In accordance with a notice given in our last week’s paper, a large and intelligent portion of the citizens of Butler county assembled in Greenville, at the Court House, on Saturday, the 20^th inst., to ratify the action of the Nashville Convention.

Col. O. Gregory moved that the Hon. J. F. Johnson and Dr. Herbert be requested to act as Chairmen for her meeting; S. J. Bolling and T. J. Burnett were appointed Secretaries.

The Chair having slated the object of the meeting, Gen. H. L. Henderson moved that a committee of six, three of each political party, be appointed to draft resolutions. and report to this meeting: whereupon the Chair appointed the following named gentlemen the committee: J. K. Henry, Esq., Gen. H. L. Henderson, Col. O. Gregory, Col. W. H. Crenshaw, Joseph Dunklin, Esq., and Dr. G. M. Ormond.

The committee retired, and were absent a considerable time, during which time the meeting was highly entertained by warm and enthusiastic speeches from Thos. E. Herbert, J. M. Dennis, Esq., H. B. Taylor, Gen. B. W. Henderson and J. C. Caldwell, Esq., denouncing the present Compromise Bill, and sustaining, with perfect unanimity the action of the late Nashville Convention. The committee were then in waiting, and reported for the consideration of the meeting the following resolutions, through their Chairman, J. K. Henry, Esq., who supported the resolutions in an able and truly beautiful speech. He stated that he was happy to inform the meeting, notwithstanding the committee were absent for a considerable length of time, that there was great unanimity:

Resolved, That the questions now agitating the country on the subject of slavery rise in magnitude far above party or party ties, and that, as Southern men, we desire them to be forgotten, while we give our undivided attention to the all important issue presented to us.

Resolved, That we are devotedly attached to the Union, while it is permitted to exist upon the terms guaranteed by the Constitution but not when it becomes destructive of the ends of its formation.

Resolved, That on the slavery question, the South has never asked more, often less, than justice, and justice to all can alone perpetuate the Union.

Resolved. That the past and threatened acts of the Anti-Slavery agitations, under whatever name they have assumed, are all on that subject in violation of the Constitution of the United States, and of the rights of the South.

Resolved, Therefore, that we cordially approve of the resolutions and address of the Nashville Convention.

Resolved, That we utterly opposed to the bill reported by the Committee of Thirteen, now pending before Congress, or any bill of like character, unless so amended as to accord with the spirit of the resolutions of the Nashville Convention; and while we never can approve of the Missouri line as a principle, still we would not oppose it with a recognition of slavery South of 36 30, as a peace offering on the altar of Union.

Resolved, That we are opposed to the admission of California into the Union as a State, with her present constitution and unnatural boundaries, as being unprecedented in the legislation of our country, unconstitutional in itself, and monstrous in its injustice to the South.

Resolved, That the Constitution of Texas fixes her true boundary, which has been recognized by the United States, and secured to her by the late treaty with Mexico; and that any interference with her rightful jurisdiction within said limits by the Federal Government, is a despotic usurpation of power, and a disregard of the rights of a sovereign State which ought to be resisted by every lover of his country.

Resolved, That we recommend our members in Congress to remain firmly at their posts, and resist every appropriation of supplies to carry on the Government, until the Southern States are secured in their just rights essential to their existence as equal in the confederacy, believing that of two evils the less should be chosen by them.

Resolved, That if Congress adjourns without granting the rights of the South, upon which she is insisting, we recommend the South to suspend all commercial communication with the North until she is willing to treat us as equals.

Resolved, That whenever it is shown that we ask more than justice for the South, we are willing to be branded as ultras and factionists, but until that we hurl back the epithets with contempt upon such craven hearts as dare not openly and tearlessly maintain their just and acknowledged rights.

The resolutions were taken up separately, and unanimously adopted: not one dissenting voice was to be heard to any resolution.

On motion it was resolved that the proceedings of this meeting be published in the South Alabamian, and that all the papers of this Congressional District, together with the Montgomery papers, be requested to publish the same in extenso.

On motion the meeting adjourned in fine humor.

H. HERBERT, J. F. JOHNSON} Chairmen

S. J BOLLING, T. J. BURNETT} Secretaries

ALABAMA REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS VOL III 

This book is the 3rd Volume in a series of books which includes genealogical and biographical information on some Revolutionary Soldiers who were in early Alabama and/or collected military pensions for their service. Some of their descendants still remain on the bounty land they received. The soldiers in this volume include: ASA CASTELLAW ALEXANDER, JEREMIAH ALEXANDER, DAVID ALLEN, ANNANIAS ALLEN, JESSE ALSOBROOK, LEMUEL J. ALSTON, JOHN AMINET/AMONETTE, THOMAS ARNOLD, CAPT. RICHARD BACON, FREDERICK BAGWELL, ELDRIDGE BAILES, MOSES BAILEY, REUBEN BAILEY, SAMUEL BAKER, JOHN BALLENGER, MORDECAI BARBOUR, ROBERT BARCLAY, NATHANIEL BARNETT, THOMAS BARNETT, WILLIAM BARNETT, WILLIAM BARRY, JAMES BURWELL BASS, URIAH BASS PETER NEWPORT BRAGG