New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-05
FLORIDA.
LETTERS FROM Mr.. soLON ROSINS0N.
G, .. o,, s,eeai Correspondent

T came I'M here from Jacksonville yesterday
Tho distance is only Gs miles, but 1t takes % hours 10
MAZE tho rip such the slow speed Of railways IN TINS
latitude The first line to Lake City, an almost
level country. taking four hours 10 run 60 miles I'o
Messengers lie over night and then nine and half hours
90 rn ,oc miles OF the country between here and there
will sneak hereafter At present, my business is WIN
the Convention II not in session to-day, but have
had an admirable opportunity to got acquainted WIN
members, and learn some facts connected Win he s"a
ton" - ~, -,,. -o,,,,,,r,o,,
suppose you have learned OF the organization by the
election of Daniel Richards OF the extreme Drn amen
"a President Mr. r. believe, is native OF New ioiS S
Stae--was merchant IN Illinois, where IL Is sau
he failed he then studied law and didn't fal because nc
didn't succeed He came to Florida as tax commissioner
and lived a while at Fernandina but never in Gadsden
County where he elected TO the Convention, entirely
by negroes He may be about IS years od, ana IL
County that lac had undoubtedly humbugged into sending
him here He Is supposed to be thorough politician III
pursuit of office. He is one OF the "thItyone candidates
for the office OF United state. senator believe dhele
no dispute that he lacks abilities as presiding ocJh
over INVENTION that is described as follows by lne
Florida Rebel press" II is from the Ea forldd Ba'
Sr published at Ocala Marion County, and approved by
all the breed onbitter Rebels. . 49,, 49,. III
"A composition ofneoe mean white aoiiers de'eis ana repu
Monday legle and make new con,aos for the o"o
b,se imagination will excite the disabilities Of the senses
AT The edtor is or was at that tme one OF the Smith fam
w. and the descrtcrs were suppose from te service ne
was in but any of them WORSE repudaior OF debts
than most of those who in that service they lns
be bad set AS for the need OF Constitution Tor the
intelligence and virtue Of Florida, think none can
doubt and few VIII question the fitness OF the negroes III
the Convention 10 make rules 10 govern men who are
capable of writing. or OF reading and approving snch se
tents as the above and such as are contained In INC
La Crosse Democrat which seems to be popular paper
in this vicinity - -. -. ,.o,,,.or,o,,
The first and most important business Of the Convention
after it organized to pass AN ordinance suspend
animated the passage this ordinance have copied the
first section of the Tax law, passed Jan 70 1850 thlnK
you Will not wonder 1t should DC suspended IhiS Ia"
Every NAL. iobab,ut STATE between the Of q and 3;
paupers insane oc persons shall lJ yearly c.p
iaon So and failure refusal To pay the san, ne m
delinquent tire him ont after i've DAYS public notice before th
Of the court house to any person who viii pay e sad H ard she
ip,o his service the po Of time; Prorcf that the
i SS dSsa IS. and e .Sa "a, ali &
against the 'poar that be due as Wa to TIE saa
erty taxed SOC upon the so0 valuation OF assessors
might come down from the hated North Is taxed i25o.
Failing to pay tax wholly unknown berhaps taS shefn
fishing upon the coast OF Florida. g.
In addition TO the state poll tax OF 81 each county -
authorized to levy tax OF onchaf the above amount
for county purposes and there also levied 81 head
colorrd Children PERHAPS The somewhat notorious Rev
Rebel Chaplain Duncan tell how many have been ed
ucated under his supeTntendencc rs State officer 10 cS
nend That UNANIMOUSLY appropriated tax IA my opinion,
the most Of IL has been spent ~ travelling over le stare
trying to persuade the freedmen to vote for ther Ola
masters az their real friends, who understand tho col
ored peoples wants better than strangers"
orTRAGTs BY TAX COLLECTORS.
could relate many most heart-Tending scenes OF ont
rage bv tax collectors in dragging colored from
Their homes to prison before any notice was given that
such tay was due whenever Union man could be bar-
assed by the arbitrary power conferred by h act upon
the tax collector he was pretty sure ee Tie heDe roo
held over him and his aborers In his absence or great
est pinch for their services they dragged away from
their work and locked up until the tax ana costs We're
paid. The intent OF the law and the action under u mas
been TO reecnsavc the freedmen Is II any wonder tben
that the first act Of this Convention should be TO suspend
this law IL WAS simply 10 stop Rebel progress
~ rfa twu Ia II q.
One Howell Munson Is The tax assessor anu collector IN
Marion County ia lie mas been pafcnrI nara upon
he bongit ne East FSrdq Eqnnes for s. 900 and
Der he published 1900 worth 81 tax sale advertisements
and these to be coniinuca anl charscn up HganSt
Of The same sort Is not righteous act OF ths
Convention 90 aunul that law
suspendirg the law for ihc collection OF debts Is
another righteous ana necessary &C. ~ We pfsfen' co.,
ecety Of the condition 81 this state that the peo-
pIS shona not e required 10 Day debts uut another crop
is grown The very general failure OF the last season 70
course II the should be suspended half Of the
ably and made forcby bankrupt without any benent 20
anybody but the shyloeks who pursued their victims 70
death. ...... ,.,,,
No doubt il entertained here that Cen Meade VIII
approve and enforce these acts OF thg bt
there is question now before H. when tnk ~ ply
that he had settled before the Convention met 10
the -tiOn OF eligibility OF iutiuDttt luhl -
man who is not resident OF the state not registered
of the county where he was elected proper rsht
WHO SHALL M LAw-MAKERs-IHE COMMITTEE.
As the President himself affected by this question It
mjttee OF elections and eligibility, men who In the
same category. This Committee consisted OF Col LAD
erty Billings native Of Maine, now resident AT ferlan-
dina though his family Is not and II IS sad that lie
filed his AFFIDAVIT IN the United states Court last June
that he was n citizen Of New-Hampshirc. lie now
Earnestly contends that the Reconstruction act although
It defines the necessary residence Of voters: does not re-
Guire person 10 be resident OF Florida To entit!e MN
10 a seat in the Convention. think this Wow VIII be
sustained for II "a certain that Billings ana hichards
Notwithstanding all that may be said abont Their
being merely onice-scekers' or tricky poiltlcsans,
have more influence over the IL colOred mempefs
than all the rest the % white members And their
outside influence is in the same proportion and no won
der for they taking the same course that Ianna
Hall politician would take TO win votes In the sixth ward
OF New York. only more So Their strong supporters arc
two Ct the smarest tongue workers IN the c0unrynch
OF great natural srewdncss and decided ability These
are rst: "Co" VIM IT, Saunders Of Baltimore, about IS
years old, said 10 be freedman, bright yellow muato,
tall and handsome active and strong, oyercharged with
ad coptardim clo0uence, and magnetic influence over
crowd. He was sent out here IN August 1871, ny lne
Union League and elected TO the Convention from
Gadsden County, and right or wrong as 10 ms right OF
membership there IL doubt OF his fitness with one ex
cepton and that IL altogether too common among the
Virtue and intelligence" OF the South II is unnecessary
to say that fault too much although at present
The second strong man is the Rev. j. c. Gibbs Pres
byterian missionary In South Carolina, who came 10
Jacksonville Just before the election probably ior the
there is no filter man in it, white or black He Is about
rs old, African, rainier
body and intellect well educated, and orator by ma
ture, not a roarer but convincing, argumentatlVe,
pleasant speaker in this respect the most taanted man
In the Convention.
Another strong man. stronger in Influence position and
character than the Others s the Rev C. H. Pearce OF Tai
ahasse the bishop or controlling power OF the African
Northumberland. He Is remarkably hnelooking,
middeaged, yellowcoored man, good Christian minis
ter who would claim respect in any community ms he
does here where he has resided year. but said to be
ineligible 10 seat in the Convention by those who are
agtang the question: because no has been citizen OF
Canada, and exercised the franchise right there
Frederick HILL an intelligent, full.blO0d African who
was elected the ticket with Richards and Saunders.
also exerts his influence in behalf OF the NONRESIDENT
members"
Two Of the most intelligent substantial white men also
favor the plan OF unseating any member. They do
want time wasted in debating the question. These
Ebrdge l.. Wave OF Key West native OF New'Jer-
sey but for many years resident in Florida strong Re-
publican, though once q Democrat, and a trustworthy