New-York tribune., 1868-12-25
HOME CORRESPONDENCE.
FLORIDA.
TIE lMPEACHMENT TROUBLv.

The whole history 0f the impeachment muddlc IS
pot p0grri Of elimination and rccrmnatlon OF violent
political disssenon, and Of high official indscreton
IL originated IN circumstances altogether different.
ms | an able 20 learn. than what are generally sup
posed. AS a personal quarrel between Reed and
Gleason, there is no foundation whatever. The
political cooperation of the Governor aud Lieutenant
! Governor during the reconstruction campaign and
the elective canvass was mutually hearty and zeal
! Gus. They were elected to Office on terms OF intl-
mate personal and political relationship. Reed en-
tered with epiit in the canvass. lie was somewhat
desirous to sit beside his friend Senator Howe OF
| Wisconsin. in the United States Senate. Bnt he
! finally told Judge Hart tha; he wouldn't stand IN
his way for the Senate, and east both eyes on the
Chair 81 State. Reed rather used to manipulate
| ING Leglsla.uros-he wrote four or five years
! ago 10 the editor OF The Tallahassee Sentinel
| and lie saw finer prospect considering his
| iDpccunosty, In being Governor. Reed and Osborn
directed tho whole rcconstmctioD struggle in
Florida. Reed Older, and grave, foxy, some
thing Of political shrew. and occasions not lack
ing the oily blandncss of Jesuit. Osborn was
yOnug but pcnetraiyc discreet gifted With remark
able engineering talent. Osborn to be the other
Senator who did not interfere with Hart. Reed had
free rides all tho railroads. steamboats,, stages.
horse-cars. hand-caIs, Omnibuses nat-bOats, log
trains aud hotel wagons throughout the State, by
vnue OF his special agency of the POst-Ofice, while
Osborn controlled tie entire Frecdmens Bureau of
Florida. in is political Influence The reconstruc
tion programme was carried out 10 complete success.
Never any State, venture 10 saw, there ever
displayed IN political struggle, IN the days OF
Log Cabins and Hard Cider. such indomitabo pluck
such tircl,ee energy, and more unconquerable deyo-
ton. There was u wbolc-soulcd, earnest coOpera-
ton Of loya men to secure loyal government.
llla raftYgutp a early to
show the aumus of the impeachment, for
propose 10 Noutilate the real issue as an ac-
curate retrospect makes il evident Reeds political
integrity mover questioned until after hls III
an auIaon in June last. Billings and Richards, and
Scion Robinson ot the TWDuNE, denounced HIM
fcm the fr-t bat The Republican party OF the state
chose TO oppose their counsel. ard C0nide IN Reeds
! vision, Bat IN Washington, When FLORIDA knocked
! at the door of Congress. prominent lttpuDileahs
there pt faith ln 6sv. Reed. OF these, Gen;
Hutlcr not the least, nor were laIIswOrth aii,
WashhuTnc of Illinois the stoniest opponents OF
| Reed. Florida finally got INTO the Union through
q crack in the admission bIll. against pressure
which required the President ut the constitutional
! Convention 10 urgc the matter before thc tOuee
Committee. and the personal favor OF GOV Glcason
IA Gen lsutier 20 be intcrposcd. After Gov. Reed
declared ms state policy of appointments. want ot
confidence was universally fgt IN his poincal m
togItY The co!ored element was ihtiy IGNORED, ana
tho Republicans rcmousiratcI. Reed declared also
that " TIE administrator must bc made respectable
I ana he lutmdted his intention 10 make " 80 Dy aP
pointing ty- Rebels 10 high Cabinet positions. ihe
Governor proposed 20 Wmr.c thc social anslocta'y
! vitn fHe Radical tltu and "skimmngs' nnd 30
"fewp4T fhe wind tO tie s!lurn lamb" The hcpuh-
ican members Of the lcelsiatulc tohdly deinanusd
that the Governor put ohc coioied man III tie 14bl-
net The Goscr1oI cvGacd ANA opposed. Cen J"h'
bus appointed AdJutaut General ald Sinlor ailaNl
Secretary of state. both resigned with the demand
that a coioird appointment he nHie ~ tlo Cap'l'
THIS Gov Reed consented 20, before tltli IHnlhl"-
tons and refused after ,hcy had resigned: H!ch,h
boldly opposed Reeds upolt, course, ana since w"
laat Legislature tle r. pUllcahs Of the state Win
leading 0Ngsltuiir, nave interpreted A'ftl
policy to signify an apOsasy "a Repuhlcan piirci-
iles ond n freocherous dtsertuu of the party which
through immense personal sac1hees. had elevated
hun to Office since the last session ot tho lcsisl2-
! rUre, other developments nave been i.'dr, Nn,i
have rather strengthened Than irfuted tie strained
presumpuOn Of k,,d's political pcrhdy. trita n
combinations with the Pensacola and Georgia haii-
read the support OF Saunders: the colored stump
! speaker o. against tie t'cuidf Repbiican nominee
for Congress Col. IamiltouL which inevitably sl,is
the Republican vote, aud o0"ts HorHcs' ne DemQgdhc
caHG,dofc 10 tc dcitd the catering 70 the soc,al-ie-
spectaiv doii,u, tO gain the eHirte To tile hosp'
table portals OF tho ChiyaIgy and his voluntary evil
Jc ON lie side of the Rebel owners ia the taX-sale
| cases under the l.. :. Direct Tax Law against the
oval purchasers. Ia which sales he acted a. Gov
crumCnt lax Commissioner have impressed the con,
yictiOn of the better couusels Of Scion hohnsoh ana
Of tho wisdom Of the Billings WING IN the late Con
| ycutlOr
Member # Con grcss occurs on tie 20i Ii IN scarce
Ia p0-s e that these Senators VIII como 10 mo
Iesisatrc without strong prtjudiee one way or ihe
OTHER. Ihny constitute nine ont OF twenty-five VINO
| NAV form a High Court Of impeachment, and the
y - tbr lection is undisg1Iisc ag for or against
| Impeachment. II ~ not outwaldly spoken bnt so
understood Luckily the majority of the Kepubcan
candidates are fayOrably known for honest pllnc-
PICS. The suneptitons support OF Saunders, the
! Boiling Kadioal candidate by Coy teeu, WIZ WIZ
| strongly influence tile elections of the SENATORS
against Reed. The personal influence OF Saunders
will have its effect III localities, 80 az 10 draw
off the Republican vote for Col. Hainllton, the
regular nominee. In this way the result of the Con-
qrcssional election is forced to bang upon thread
The Reed Constitution gives universal suffrage ana
| HemocIatlC and ReplDlICau NUtf - very nearly
balanced Col Hamilton IL conducting the canvass
with untirng energy. But The Republicans oi t'is
state depending on wing element OF qutsi-heDci
procvtics for future combination against inc ram
pant Democracy. have committed a bIunder which
the Billings and Richards wing early foret9d ana
| were cursed Ia attempting To extend a helping
hand To- the more decent class of ex-Rebels the Re-
nubcans here have discovered that they were throw
ing meat to volt got up as the e1Preslaent
suffrage has put slayng weapon into the hands OK
political foes, and under Mr.. Yuees artful manpn-
aton the contests OF political parties IN fiofiua IN
the future. is like "a throw OF tho dice. 80
CIV Reed has made speech in Jacksonville ex-
cuIpatory of himself against the impeachment move
ment IL is intended for favorable effect IN WASH
inoton and is having a WIDE but unfortunate in-
Guence in the State. Even the friends OF the Cover
nor complain of his disastrous indiscretion and bull
The preparations for the tnal Of Gov. Reed are now
40 continually bfOached that it may be fairly BET
down as hardly of doubt. The Governor accuses
Senator Osborn OF tho assertion TINT the Senate
would not try him II mpeaced, bnt he would remain
in continual suspension. Such proceeding, IL be-
heved would affect impeachment IN the OOyernoTe
favor as certainly az his own speech has prejndlced
his case. letter from Senator Osborn to friend
here argues strongly for an immediate trial by tho
Senate at the January session and the Lieutenant
Governor says that the good order of the State and
the stability of the Republican party would be
Justice of the impeachment. The policy of the DEM
Ocrato members Of the Legislature, shaped by
exGoy. Walker and Capt. Dyke editor OF
The Fi0iididn), is q matter 0f peculiar interest,
IL the Democrats have a reasonable idea that they