Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-17
RADICALIsMI FLORIDA.


The carpet-bag plunderers Of the South are
quarreling over their spoils in Florida as
they are ir Louisiana and South Carolina.
The Assembly of Florida, (the lower house)
recently appointed committee to investi-
gate with other matters, the sale Of the
Pensacola and Gulf Railroad. On Wednes-
day, the 18th inst, the committee submitted
to the Assembly a voluminous report in
which they declared the sale of the railroad
unauthorized, illegal and void. They sum
med up the transaction as follows:
"Your committee charge him Gov. Reed)
with a violation of law, in the immense
oUer issue Of bonds upon a railroad not yet
constructed
"His violation of law in issuing one mil
lion of bonds for the purchase of the
Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad.
"His violation of law in cOnspiring in
fraud in the Issue of bonds to the Jackson
vile, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad Com
pany, with full notice of the fraudulent
title of the road and of the lien existing
uponit.
"His violation of law in obtaining the
sum of S., 800 by corrupt influence, and at
tempting to obtain S223, 900 of the proceeds
of the sale of the bonds.
"His violation of law in attempting to in
fuence judicial officer Of the State in the
exercise of his judicial functions in cOnnec-
ton with these railroads.
"His violation Of law in receiving the
sum of $4,000 to control his official con-
duct in The matter of contract for Internal
Improvement Lands"
The committee closes its report as fol-
lows:
"Your committee now close what to
them has been an irksOme yet an invaluable
task, and in full consideration of all the
Facts in possession of the committee-Of the
future security and safety of the State-and
OF our own deep sense Of accountability,
your committee unanimously recommend
that Harrison Reed, Governor, be i'm
peached for high crimes and misdemeanors
and incOmpetency in Office"
The report was unanimously adopted,ares-
OlutiOn of impeachment was carried almost
without a dissenting voice, and the com
mittee were instructed to draw up articles
Of impeachment, to be presented to the
Senate. The impeachment of Gov. Reed
and his removal from Office was virtually
contaminated on Saturday, the 10th inst.
On that day the Assembly Committee Of
Impeachment appeared before the Senate
and presented twenty articles Of impeach-
ment against Harrison Reed, Governor OF
the State, charging him with high crimes
and misdemeanors, in the Overissue Ct
bonds, embezzlement of the public funds,
bribery and corruption in office. Gov.
Reed was formally notified of the proceed
ing, and on the same day retired from office,
when Lieutenant Governor Day was sworn
in and entered upon his duties as Governor.
1t seems that the Osborne ring, which is
conducting the war against the Governor,
now oppose a trial during the present ses-
sion, fearing the result. The result of their
action will be to postpone Reeds trial til
the next session of the Assembly.
In the meantime the honest people of the
State are studying the following figures,
convinced that there is something "rotten
in Denmark The population of Florida
in 1870 was 1S7,74S. The whites num-
bered 96,057, or a little more than one
half of the entire population. In 1861
the State debt was S37O,o17, and
in 1866 it was S638, 1858. Five years after
wards, under Radical rule it had swollen to
the enormous sum Of S15,797, 5S7. Tie
assessed valuation of property had decreased
one-half in the same period. In 1851 the
State had 400 miles of railroad; in 1871,
446 miles. Up to 1861 the State taxes
averaged $50, 500 per annum; for 1871 the
State taxes amounted to SAT-, S11.51, whil3
local and municipal rates swelled it to a
grand total of nearly million dollars.
With these facts before them, the tax
payers CT Florida must feel well satisfied
in seeing the Governor brought to book
and their satisfaction would doubtless be
immeasurSbly heightened if they could only
witness the conviction and summary pun
ishment the entire Radical crew that has
so long oppressed and robbed the State.