The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-02-22

yarAsuavins union, Fss isJ
General Sanford and ahM UmMlnom
AMAhr. ~
In General s. nford's letter yeslusdsy ~ -
aefsph occurs:
And 10 come 70 this late tragedy; Crosby o.
Of tAe coloTed election witnesses kere nom -
con county, was shea and wounded b. hni.HSl
On bib return there last week. Thbn same pe4S1o,
Savage, said before be lef here on his return
that he and all the witnesses thence had been
threatened with similar treatment hops these
s'aiemeBts may be disprpved, but With al allow
ance for the exaggeraiiQn Of ideas epA language
Of these emotional people. this 10 &ysly sericm
condition Of things and one that calls not f0r
sensational repr0bation u al good citiSeps. but
for hearty denunciatien and hearty corporation
towards putting an end 10 Il.
From private letter from Madison We learn
that The man Crosby uas The aggressor in the
case alluded 10; he drew his pistol and arcd at
Mr.. w. r. Forester, white man, who returned
the IRE. Neither was hurt but both were ar
rested and fined BY the mayor.
In the case of Savage, from al the facts we
can gather. ii appears that he, too. was the az
aressor At any rate IL was he who done the
shooting which resulted in the death d Mr. Pat
terson. Here, al least, are two suggestive facts;
two negro politicians came from Madison TO
Jacksonville TO testify against certain parties
there; the negroes are, of course, Republicans,
and the whites Democrats; before returning
they give out here that they will be shot ON their
return on returning one of them attacks, pistol
in hand, the man against whom he had Testified
This is fact number one.
The other witness gives testimony IN Madison
against another white Democrat, and upon their
first meeting afterwards kills him. This 10 fact
number two.
As we said then, facts are suggestive. Any
one reading the account Of the Madison affair
sent out from Washington, to which re alluded
yesterday, would have understood that il was
Mr.. Bsbee's witnesses that were being murdered !;
that the blood Thirsty Democrats were trying to
prevent him taking testimony by numbering
those who testified in his behalf; and General
Sanford's letter would give the impression that
these colored witnesses were being assaulted,
and that the blame rested on the Democrata
Whereas it was Mr.. Bisbee's witness who took
the lite of the man against whom he had testi-
6ed. 1t was colored Republicans and not Dem
ocrais who were so swift TO use the pistol.
But have the Democrats Of Madison committed
no acts OF violence Is there no blame resting
upon them We will not undertake to answer
these questions in the negetive. They are not
all governed by the Christian maxim, that would
when smitten on one cheek, turn the other TO
receive a greater blow. They are an excellent
people, possessed Of many virtues, and have as
much Of the milk of human kindness a. most
h.,tN - =
bear given amour, of tanializing deviltry
! 1t must be apparent TO every calm thinker
that the situation in Madison does not show any
hostility Of that people 10 private interests oi
any kind, but that it Is simply the remains of 6
! political agitation which has afflicted the South
for fifteen long years, and has nothing good lo
show as IN Offset 10 the great evils il has caused
II is, so TO speak, the effect Of the last desperate
struggle of those Republican leaders who ad
here 10 the old carpettag methods to maintain
their ascendancy The remedy for this state Of
things il, as We have said, plain and easy of ap
/ picaton. Remove the causes Of friction make
! practical application of civil service reform 10
this State; appoint Republicans TO ofi,e who
will discharge their duties faithfully, and refuse
| TO wear the political collar and become the
Slave Of any g boss" and the work will be done
We shall not then see Revenue Collector leav.
ing the important duties of his Office and going
to distant county as notary public to take
testimony in a contested election case in which
the boss was mainly interested Whether
General Sanford agrees with us in the efficacy
OF this remedy or not, he certainly can have nc
objection 10 the improvement in the civil servics
suggested, and We hope. therefore, that he, with
many other leading Republicans, will exert
themselves to have our remedy tried. Should
they succeed We have no fear of the result