Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-15
A WORDY WAR-NORTH CARO-
LIMA AND FLORIDA,

TOImdl war appears 10 exist between
the States of North Carolina and Florida.
1t appears that one Milton S. Littlefeld
by courtesy General" Littlefeld, who
was the intimate friend and associate of
Gen. Grant at Long Branch last summer
was entrusted with large amount of
the State bonds of North Carolina appro-
pristed or loaned TO the Western North
Carolina Railroad Company to dispose of
in Europe for the benefit OF the COM
pany. After returning from Europe he
was charged with embezzling a large
portion of these bonds or the proceeds,
and an Indictment was found against him.
but before he could be arrested he made
his way to Florida. Tod r. Caldwell,
the Lieutenant and Acting Governor of
North Carolina, made a requisition upon
Gov. Reed, of Florida, for the delivery
of Littlefeld as fugitive frem Justice,
but Reed refused to surrender him on the
ground that the requisition did not COM
=
ply with the law of Congress. A CORES
pondent of the Savannah Republican says
there is not the semblance of truth in
this. There were two acquisitions. The
first was strictly formal. This Reed, as
the protector of the fugitive, refused to
comply with, alleging that it was defec-
tive. The Governor wrote back sub
stantially that there was not lawyer in
Raleigh who did not hold that it was in
exact accordance with the requirements
of the act of Congress. Yet TO leave
Reed no pretext for failing to discharge
palpable duty, made such alike by the
Constitution of the United States, the act
of Congress and the law of Florida, Gov.
Caldwell forwarded a second requisition,
varied in form. This Gov. Reed treated
precisely as the first Gov. Caldwell had
Offered a reward of five thousand
dollars for the arrest and delivery of Lit
tlefield to the Sheriff of BuncOmbe
county. 1t appears in response to this
captivating offer, an attempt was made
to secure the redoubtable swindler. A
few nights since the sleeping car in which
Lttlefield was passenger from jackson
vile to Tallahassee, was uncOupled at
Live Oak by five armed men, three North
Carolinians and two Floridians, who at
tempted TO secure the prize. Judge Long,
q Radical official, who was also a pas
senger, called upon the Sheriff of Suwan-
nee county, who happened to be present,
TO summon an armed posse and protect
the General" This saved Littlefeld.
But it is understood that other plans fors
his capture exist, which annoy the 'Gen-
eral' very much. Now Liitlefield is too
valuable q customer 10 Gov. Reed. He
has paid him too much for his friendship,
and the future holds out too fattering a
prospect 10 cowardly abandon the "Gen-
eral" to the emissaries of the Governor of
North Carolina. Consequently he at
tempts to offset the reward of Gov. Cald-
well by issuing proclamation himself,
which recites the following:
"Whereas, Todd Il. Caldwell, Lieuten-
ant and Acting Governor of North Caro-
lima, in message to the Legislature of
that State, dated Jan. q, 1871, has false
" represented the Governor of Florida,
and vindiCtively aspersed his official and
personal character; and, whereas, the
said Todd r. Caldwell has, without com
plauCe to the law of Congress, sought to
obtain the person of a citizen of this
State, and failing therein, has Offered
reward of five thousand dollars for the
fOrcible abduction of the said citizen; and
whereas. instigated by the said Todd Il.
Caldwell, certain evil disposed persons
have, in violation of the law, sought to
kidnap and fOrcibly sbduct from the
State, Milton s. Littlefeld, a citizen of
this Sta'e, without form of law,
'Now, therefore, l, Harrison Reed,
Governor of Florida, do hereby offer a
reward or five thousand dollars for the
arrest and delivery to any sheriff in this
State Of the aforesaid emissaries of the
said Acting Governor of North Carolina,
who, on the 2Sth day of January, at
tempted to kidusp Milton s. Littlefeld,
citizen of this State, and who are still en-
gagged in the conspiracy against the life
and liberty and rights of the said citizen,
while he is peacefully yielding obedience
TO law, and seeks no exemption from its
just claims"
Where this war of words between these
two Radical Governors will end we can
not tell. II is one of the 'humors" of
reconstruction. 1t is theIesult of placing
in power the corrupt men who have con-
| trOlled the Southern States since recon-
structiOn. Ii opens a new chapter Ia
''SOuthern Outrages."
SENATOR THURMAN fsvors the expert
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