Wallace Skips Farewell Speech to Legislature

Retiring Gov. George C. Wallace did not give a farewell speech to the Alabama Legislature on Wednesday, even though lawmakers had scheduled a special session in his honor.

“It’s no big deal. He probably feels like there’s not a lot he can say now,” said Sen. Tom Drake, a former House Speaker under Wallace. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the way he feels. He’s feeling fine. It’s his option.”

Wallace, 67, paralyzed from the waist down since an assassination attempt in 1972, suffers from chronic pain and is nearly deaf, officials said.

Joint Session Set

The Legislature set up a joint session to hear his speech Wednesday afternoon and named special committees to accompany the governor to the floor of the House.

But Drake said Wallace never intended to speak. “I talked to him two or three days ago and he said he was not going to speak,” Drake said.

Rep. Alvin Holmes said he was not surprised by Wallace’s no-show. “The only thing he could have said anyway was, ‘So long.’ ”