The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-03-15

70 Nsra tsaa account were actual. cola
Eleven of these bonds were presented to me :; -,
exchange of the bonds for them demanded and d
furnished proving that they had been sold in 1ss uu
passed through the hands OF various purchasers b A
able to trace them as having been sold either bv O. W.
te6eld Governor Reed and yet it must be snera Lii
that either General tteed Governor Rosa
sponsble for them. eeu wa n
In 1875 reported to the Legislature that o
bonds have been presented to me for exchange which %
because committee of the Legislature Of 1874 refused
that the Comptroller be directed to withhold
until they properly accounted for a.: ~ q TIE
satisfied that these bonds thrown unon ,h nOweve
those having them in charge and have passed throoa p
hands of several different bona tide purchasers oS the
sttue valid claim against the State and thew will NOk coz
changed unless the Legislature directs otherwise e.
thus called the attention of the Legislature to these h.
and informed them of my opinion concerning the
y for their payment, and Of my intention to exch.n
unless otherwise directed and further during the oe
officially presented the matter to tie Finance Committ
the Committee and Legislature gave me no nstr; Aae
exchanged them, as we'll the twelfth bond by the a5
the Attorney General. "
The thirteenth bond, No 49, had been presented vA..
left the Comptrocrs office, and if presented would not I
been exchanged 1T of the hypothetical bon3
1t seems to me in reviewing all the transactions in
Mn Inc oGnds tHat & existed at all against IL
deemed but was entered into at the time when bonds -
sold General Ltefeld by Governor Reed and deveraS
him without any consideration guarantee of payment
deem it unnecessary crticise Governor Reeds testm
before the committee in detail much of it is entirely irrs
van and all that has any bearing upon the subject answered.
by my reports OF 1874 and succeeding but will notice the
following question ana answer:
60 What have you to say of General Little6elds book a.
count as presented by Mr.. Cowgill:'
GA Simply that if any is 80 ignorant as to snnuo.
that having official relations with the qoyernms
and lawful authority bind the State upon boOE Al
count, without paper voucher to sustain he is unfit
for the Office Of Comptroller General Le6ed never nr
sented that account to the Comptroller for payment until be-
necessary for the Comptroller find some excuse for
carrying out the negotiation with Bayne 4 Co."
1t will be observed that Governor Reed does not deny the
inform the Committee that the charges made against him
Governor and loaned the security of the hypohecse
bonds false, but simply declares be unfit for nv 10
ston for believing they could bird the State their paw
Neither would could the State have been bound 6
the book account, but General eed had the vantage
ground by the fact that he held control OF the bonds placed
unreservedy his hands by Governor Reed and whether he
held any official position mattered not, he held the
key the position by Governor Reeds action The cor
recnesS of these charges denied by Governor Reed
this time he acknowledged that he owed the State the
49, 500 borrowed March 25 1876 stated in that account
for he said response question from me- that he would
have deducted that amount from his clalm had the previous
Legislature made appropriation for its payment which
would have entirely cancelled the appropriation had gene
ously allowed interest upon the $93629 his claim that
time amounted to 81 900. }|H
This presented by General Ltefed after
my arrangement with Bayne Co., but was investigated before
had formed opinion to what best to do and Of
course before had the consultation with Mess Gamble and
Walker, and part of my communication to them.
assert in the most positive manner that in my settlement
with Bayne Co., actuated only by the pures motives
and believed then and believe that the arrangement
made conducive the best interests of the State
BY the disposition of the bonds Of 1873 recovered h
hypothetical bonds which otherwise would have been speedily
Sold and only redeemabe at their par value and funded tn
Indebtedness thus preparing the way for future restoration
of cash payments by the Treasury and renewal of the State
credit.
In concluding this statement cannot refrain from aludin
to the great injustice the Committee have done the
of Governor Hart charging him with conspirng deau
the State upon entirely exparte testimony Governor Hart
supreme devotedness the interests of the State appan
all who knew him. and he died her service Governor
with pure heart and clean hands characterize
any of her most trusted officials.