The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-04-13

Under the pretense of reply to certain strict
ures induced by his first letter, but really for
the purpose of giving TO himself prominence,
and influencing the Republican convention of the
First District 10 nominate him for Congress, Hon.
Horatio Bisbee Jr., publishes second letter in
the Sun and Press of the 3rd, and it bristles all
over with falsehood and gross Misrepresentation
of facts OF course the writer expects the Demo
cratic press 10 furnish him the notoriety desired
by assailing and denouncing the falsehoods pro-
mugated, and if his letter is silently ignored the
aspiring demagogue wi be disappointed
There are two or three references to jefferson
county, however, that we cannot permit to
pass unnoticed Referring TO numerous alleged
trumped-up charges against" the Democracy,
Mr.. Bisbee says
At the election in 1872 ID the interest OF de-
.feated Democratic candidate for Governor, the
county returns from Jackson and Jefferson coun-
ties were changed by forgery so as TO convert a
Republican into Democratic majority, and by
means of certified copies this crime was so com
pletely exposed that Democratic lawyers before
the canvassing board, admitted it, and hung their
lofty heads in shame Was that trumped-up
CHARGE"
OF course it was trumped-up charge, and
the man who reiterates at this day, in the face
Of historical facts, can have little regard for his
reputation. Harrison Reed was Governor of
Florida in 1872, and had custody of the returns
that had been tempered with by partisans of his
own political household He investigated the
! matter and fully informed himself OF the at
tempted outrage; ana in 1875. when Bisbee and
others charged the forgery TO the Democrats, ex-
! Governor Harrison Reed, in letter to Hon. Geo.
F. Drew, dated November %, 1876, used the fol-
lowing language There is not, nor was there
then a scintilla of evidence before the Board OF
Canvassers, or The State officers, that any Demo
Graf or Conservative was either directly or indi.
rectly connected with the transaction, but there
was the strongest evidence that the alteration
was made after the returns had been received at
the Capitol, and that confidential clerk had been
induced By Republicans to betray his trust for the
purpose of bringing reproach upon the colored
/ Secretary of State and the Governor, 81 rs to
! prevent the former from obtaining the next
| nomination for Congress, for which he was the
most prominent and qualified colored candidate,
and defeat the election of the latter for the L. s.
I Senate, for which he had the unanimous pledge
/ of the Republican convention" Thus, Mr.. Bis
! bee, on the authority of a political brother, is
| convicted of lie.
! Again, the unprincipled maligner of good men
says
| You corruptly struck from the registration
books in 1873 about 900 registered voters, on
I the pretense that they were dead or had removed
| from this country, over 1000 of whom were in
| Jefferson county, the home Of the Chairman of
the Democratic State Com ittee, for which
/ splendid work he expected TO be rewarded with
! the Democratic nomination for Governor. Is
this trumped-up charger
The revision of the registration lists in 1873
was done in strict conformity with the law pro-
viding for the same but the Chairman OF the
/ Democratic State Committee was not member
! of the Board of County Commissioners, and con.
sequently was liz no manner Connected with the
revision of the lists. As the best evidence, how
ever that the registration lists Ct this county
were legally revised, the attempt Of the L. g.
District Attorney to prosecute The County Com
missioners proved miserable failure. The vile
and slanderous scribbler, however, whs assails
the integrity of an honest man, should be made
to account for his libel before heprOper tribunal
Again:
At two polls in Jefferson county in 1878 you
stuffed ballotboxes with tissue paper
Well, this is a new charge; one never before
preferred by any aspiring Republican demagogue
and never before heard of in this county, where
the fraudulent proceeding is said TO have occurred
OF course il is an infamous falsehood, manufact
! ured in the Devils workshop-Bsbee's prolific
/ brain-and for which he alone is responsible