The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-01-11


OF great pleasure TO me, having. been ofAcially
and intimately associated with you for nearly
four years, to bear willing testimony to your de-
votion to the States best interests. May your
years be long, peaceful and prosperous to wear
the laurels % freely placed by the people of your
State upon your honOred brow.
And now, fellow citizens, animated alone by
. desire to promote the best interests of our be-
loved State, / crave your confidence and support
Remembering that It is impossible 70 satisfy and
gratify the wishes Of ALPHABETICALLY in the un-
pleasant duty placed by the Constitution upon
the Executive of selecting oflcers-I shall GO
forward in the discharge of my duty strengthened
by the purity Of my motives and trusting to time
and the good judgment and patriotism of the
people for a proper vindication. And in the dis
charge of these duties ask the protecting and
guiding hand of the Supreme Ruler of the Uni
verse, to the end that Florida may be free,
prosperous and happy.
And now, sir, am prepared to take the SOL
emn oath TO support, protect and defend the Con
stitution and government of the United States
and of the State of Florida, and bear true faith,
loyalty and allegiance 10 the same.
The oath of Office was then administered to
the Governor-elect by Hon. d. s. Walker. Er.,
Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit
On motion the Joint Session adjourned, and
the Senators returned to the Senate Chamber.
On motion the Senate adjourned until 10
o'clock A. NJ. tomorrow.
Assembly.
The Assembly was called to order by DR.. VIM
Forsyth Bynum, former clerk
On motion Mr.. Dougherty was elected Chair
man. and DR.. VIM. Forsyth Bynum was elected
Clerk
i On motion the roll was called aud the follow
ing members answered to their names:
Messrs. Slaughter, Craig, Howren and Fildes
of Alachua, Williams of Baker, Cason and
Williams of Bradford, P.rker Of Brevard, Clark
of Calhoun, Morgan of Clay, Moore, Getzen and
Tolbert of Columbia, Potter of Dade, Brown,
Lucas, Conant and Mattel Of Duval, Welch,
Byrne and Tippin of Escambia, Grady of Frank
lin, Mcmillan, Hinson and Spear of Gadsden
Bevill and Zipperer of Hamilton, Bryan and
Reynolds of Hillsborough, Green of Holmes,
McCrary, Robinson and Watson OF Jackson,
Pollock, Gibbs, McCray and Hall of Jefferson
Goodbread Of Lafayette Ball, Carr and Carroll
of Leon, Neel OF Liberty, Cottrell and Bgham,
of Levy, Tooke, Griffin and Friar of Madison,
Whidden of Manatee, Wilkinson of Marion
Perry and Plummer of Monroe Angel and
Coleman of Nassau, Harris and Bryan of Orange,
Bryant of Polk, McMeekin and Newsom of Put
nam, Mcclellan and Marquis of Santa Rosa,
Cooper and Canova of st. Johns, Snow and
Bevill of Sumter, Umstead and Ivey of Suwan-
nee, Parker Of Taylor, Dougherty of Volusia,
Butler of Wakulla, McKinnon of Walton and
Miller OF Washington.
On motion the Assembly proceeded to elect
Speaker.
Mr.. Harris, of Orange was nominated, and a
vote taken resulting in 53 votes for Mr.. Harris
blank 10 votes, and Mr.. Harris was declared
elected, and on taking the chair delivered the
following address:
Gentlemen Of tie assembly:
thank you for the honor you have conferred
upon me, and l desire to say, in all frankness
and candor that mistrust my ability adequately
to meet the responsibilities it involves. This
remark may not seem recOncilable with the fact
that l have voluntarily consented to-indeed,
you may say have sought its imposition. But
assure you that in seeking this preferment,
have had in view the qualification of the noble
people who are my constituents, rather than
honor for myself. The condition in which we
find ourselves as the custOdians of the veal of
our aggregated constituency is one of peculiar
decacy and difficulty. The large majority of
us have been placed here by dominant political
party. That party came into power four years
ago in obedience to popular demand for relief
from evils in the administration of our State
affairs, the prolOnga alton of which, we believed,
would have overwhelmed US with disaster. -
During these four years we claim TO have largely
abated those evils and to have started our be-
loved Commonwealth upon career of pros
perity unknown in her past history and preg
nant with blessings to us and our prosterity.-
Did time and the occasion warrant, it would
be profitable TO us, as we'll as pleasant, to
pause and ponder upon the craftsmanship, the
sefdenal, the devotion to duty, the patriotism
of those noble men who have wrought the
change But / can only stop to say that George
F. Drew and his co-laborers in the grand work
of reform, Florida owes a debt of gratitude
which can never be paid. This, then, is the
situation. The people, grateful for what has
been done for them, and coniding in the prom
ises of the Democratic party OF continuation
of the good work inaugurated four years ago,
hou fho IF hat NV
overwhelming majorities, and have placed in
the GubernatOral Chair, for rhe first time in her
history, native born FlOridian, charged with
the duty Of speeding the car of progress. And
10 us they have committed the responsible duty
of providing the ways and means for the grand
expedition.
That Governor Bloxham will be equal to
the occasion, and meet our most sangulne expec-
tatiOns, cannot be doubted. And If we but do
our duty, fully appreciating the wants of our
people, and wisely discerning the appropriate
changes In and additions to her system of laws,
we shall deserve and receive the plaudits of the
good and true all over the land
Order gentlemen, is natures first law, and we
cannot transact business either wisely or expedi
tiously without its observance. 1t will be my
earnest effort to preserve order, and II each and
all of you cooperate with me in that effort, the
business of the session will be conducted harmo
niously and we'll
In advance ] crave your indulgence for such
errors and defects of administration as may Oc-
cur, assuring you that will unremittingly strive
to do impartial justice 10 each and every member
of this body, and that every decision may
make will be in the conscientious conviction of
its correctness
On motion, the Assembly proceeded to elect
Chief Clerk.
Dr. VIM Forsyth Bynum was nominated, and
q vote taken resulting in 81 votes for DR.. Bynum
blank 8, and DR.. Bynum was declared elected.
On motion, the Assembly proceeded to elect
an Assistant Clerk.
Mr.. Robert w. Davis was nominated and, on
motion, elected by acclamation.
On motion, the Assembly proceeded to elect
Sergeant. nt.atarms.
Mr.. Jasper g. Gonzales was nominated, and,
on motion, was elected by acclamation.
On motion, the Assembly proceeded TO elect
Reading Clerk.
Mr.. r. B. Whitfield was nominated, and, on
motion, was elected by acclamation.
The members and officers elect were sworn in
by Mr.. Dougherty, former Speaker.
A message was received from the Senate that
committee of three had been appointed to confer
with like committee of the Assembly concern
ing the inaugural ceremonies.
On motion, similar committee was appointed
by the Speaker.
The committee reported that the inaugural
would take place at Q o'clock p. NJ, in the Assem-
bly, Hail.
On motion, the Assembly took recess until
ten minutes to 3 o'clock p. N.
10 MINUTES TO O'CLOCK p. NJ
A quorum present.
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