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Source: The American Book & National Register 1869 - by David Nelson Camp
Alabama was settled by the French at Mobile in 1713. It was a part of Georgia until 1802, and then included in Mississippi until March 3, 1817. It was admitted into the Union as a state December 19, 1819. An ordinance of secession was passed at a state convention Jan. 11, 1861, and declared null and void by another state convention, Sept. 25, 1865. A provisional Governor was appointed by the President June 21, 1865 and withdrawn in favor of the state government, Dec. 18, 1865. This state was included in the 3rd military district by act of Congress, March 2, 1867, and by an order of the President issued March 15, was placed under the command of Maj. Gen. John Pope. He issued orders, August 31, for the election of delegates to a state convention for the purpose of establishing a consititution and civil government for the state. Delegats were appointed who assembled in convention Nov. 5, 1867 and prepared a constitution which was submitted to the peole Feb. 4, 1868. This constitution received a majority of the votes cast, but not a majority of all the registered votes. The state was admitted to representation in Congress, by an act passed in both houses over the President's veto, June 25, 1868. Office -- Name -- Residence -- Salary Governor -- W.H. Smith -- Randolph
Co. -- $4,000 The Governor, Lt. Governor, Sec. of State, Auditor, Treasurer and Attorney General are chosen by the electors of the state on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. All hold office for two years except the Auditor, who is elected for four years. The House of Reprsentatives must not exceed 100 members apportioned according to population, but each county is to have one member. The Senators must be not less than one-fourth nor more than one-third of the number of representatives to be elected from Senatorial Districts which are arranged according to populaton , and each district has one senator. Electors are eligible as representatives, but senators must in addition be 27 years of age. Term of office of representatives 2 years and of senators 4 years. Militia - All able bodied male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 years are liable to military duty. The Governor is commander-in-chief. One Major General and three Brigadier Generals are appointed by the governor by and with the consent of the senate. The Adjutant-General and other staff officers are appointed by the Governor. The militia is divided into two classes, volunteer force and reserve force. Officers and men receive no pay or emoluments when not in active service. EDUCATION - By the act of Feb. 23, 1866, it was provided that the sume of $70,000 be loaned to the University of Alabama, for the purpose of erecting a building for that institution, to replace the one destroyed by fire in 1865. The plan adopted for the University building, embraced four sides of a square, with rooms for public halls, recitation, librariers, labs, cabinets, dorms, hospitals and a well organized boarding dept. CHARITABLE & PENAL INSTITUTIONS - The act establishing the Insane Hospital was passed in Feb. 1852, and the building opened in July 1861. The building with the grounds cost $250,000. The hospital is under the charge of an efficient officer and is in a prosperous condition. This hospital is open to all classes of patients. Those that are able to pay are charged a moderate rate. For those who are unable to pay, an allowance of $4 per week is made by the state. The establishment, as now conducted, will afford accomodations for at least 350 persons, or about one-half of those in the state who are afflicted with mental imbecility. The institution for the Deaf and Dumb at talladega is in successful operation. There is an Asylum for the Blind at Mobile. The State Penitentiary at Wetumpka has had an increase of prisoners since the war, a large proportion being colored persons. These have come principally from the cities and large towns where those without homes and means of support naturally congregate. In Nov. 1866, ther were 200 convicts, more than 3/4 of them colored. Alabama is the greatet cotton growing state in the Union. The principal portion of cotton is raised in the central, south-east and south-west portions of the state. In the counties washed by the Chattahoochee in the east, sugar and rice are grown to some extent. The extreme southern counties are characterized by immense forest of pine, valuable for lumber and naval stores. A very large portion of the land in this region belongs to the General Government, and may be entered free of charge under the homestead law. A bureau of Industrial Resources is established under the management of a commissioner elected fo a term of four years, who is to collect information and disseminate among the people such knowledge as he may deem important concerning improvements in machinery, and for the promition of agricultural, manufacturing and mining interests. |
