The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-06-27

F6Lloo- Citizens: There are times when for a
man to keep silence is traitorous and cowsrdly.
One of those times is upon us now, when men
who have been honored by our support and suf-
frages are either blindly or treacherously lead
ing us. bound hand and foot to our own destruc-
ton. refer to the following resolution adopted
at meeting Of colored men, at Precinct IA, of
this county, at the instance of honored leaders
of our race
ResoiUed. That we, the colored voters of Pre-
cnct IA, do hereby pledge our support and
strength to secure a New Constitution for the
State of Florida, and will rally at the polls in its
behalf on the day of the coming election. Be it
further,
Resosped, That we pledge ourselves TO support
the Independent ticket throughout this District,
believing it 10 be our best guide TO future pros
periiy believing il 10 be party TO give justice
to all men before our courts, aud in the selection
OF Jurors, which has heretofore been controlled
by the Democrats who have not allowed colOred
men Ia sit jurors, and this in Leon county,
with 5000 registered colored voters, as against
800 whites.
The first resolution pledges them TO support
New Constitution. The second pledges them TO
support the Independent party. The Economist.
the only organ of the Independent party in Mid
die Florida, is our only guarantee of what the
principles and policies of that party will be- We
must therefore, take the expressions of that paper
as our guide in judging what we, as colored men,
must expect from the success of the new party
and the New Constitution. The editor of the
Economist in reply to an article from the Palatka
Herald, says:
"Has the State of Georgia no black beltY
We, for our part, deny that a 'Constitu-
tim vhirh ah0ul6 the real of
the case would place the counties of the black
belt or any OF them under negro carpet bag rule
We believe il would put them under far better
rule than that which exacted from this imp0ver-
ished black belt county of Leon, under Demo
cratic administration, IN taxes over STA 900 Of
our poor peoples hard earned money in two
years for the purpose of maintaining and carry
ing out the Carpet-Bag Constitution and Carpet
Bag System."f
Here we have the key note of the Inde-
pendent promise to seats in the jury box,
for the 5000 registered colored voters Of
Leon county, which we so much desire. A
Constitution which shall meet the necessities
of the case" what necessitiesi The necessity
Of cutting down the registered vote of the col
ored men to less than the 800 whites, by intro
ducing into the organic Law qualified suffrage,
property qualifications, educational quaIi6ca-
tons, and the payment of an increased poll tax
before man can register or vote. The last is
the Georgia method of overcoming the vote in
her sblack belt" Was ever an attempt to take
advantage Of the ignorance Of people soglsringf
Here IL an attempt TO make Us vote to deprive
three-fourths Of our own people Of the right Of
suffrage, and the voters OF Precinct II pledge
themselves 10 do It. What better argument
could be produced thai we are unit for jury
duty than thai Do We not see that IN
der New Constitution Cor which We are going
to vsse, and party with whom We cast ocr po-
tical lot forever, we win vote for the last time
There were not three men inths meeting. which