Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-30


Florida Is DemOcraSIc-RepubI
DIstrIeE COuVenGIOn-HOw iG wa
Mansged-SOme OF Their Tricks
The Offiee Holders Pull The Wires
Not HsrmOniOuE-When The Re
DublIcans VIII LOse-.Hubbe1I'i
Money EmpIOyed-Lake OkeechO.
bee-The MADISON TragedV-On &C
New Orleans-Siate Fair-Sundriee
JACKSONVILLE, August 2s.-Statistics furnish
very valuable information, and the data, re
Gently compiled for the national census OF
1850 are admitted to have been prepared with
great care and most remarkable accuracy.
Bulletin No. 294 contains the population and
males Of voting age in each county of the
United States. Some of the figures taken from
that document. relating to Florida. may prove
interesting to your readers
The entire population OF the State is given at
296, ,493. Of whom 142,605 are white, and 126, ,SSS
colored. the term ''eolored" including Chinese.
Japanese and Indians. This gives the whites
a plurality of 1917.
There are in the State "a, ,210 white males of
the age Of twenty-one years or over, and %, ,4S9
colored, giving tie former an excess Of 6,721 in
the voting population
These figures go to show that Florida is a
OCH1OCAdtAC OVdbct dS pOublCS mere, as q general
thing, are determined by the complexion of
the voters. 1t is true that there is consider
able white Republican vote in East Florida, but
that is c0unterbalanced by the negroes who
support the Democratic ticket. aud by those of
that race who are disqualified by reason of
conviction for crime.
Leon county contains the largest number of
voters, 1889, and also the largest negro vote
1884. Duval is only ii votes bel ind Leon, and
shows the largest white vote s.525 Polk with
total vote of 592, has only q adult negroes
Dade polls s3 votes. of whom 12 are negroes
Brevard, Calhoun. Holmes Lafayette. Mana
tee, Taylor and Walton contain each less than
100 negro voters.
The native white voting population of Florida
is 3O,35l, and The white voters OF foreign birth
amount to 1859. There are q. .4S9 adult male
negroes The total number of those entitled
to vote is 81 ,699-about one voter to every four
and third of the population
The Republican Convention for this district
assem- bled in this city last Wednesday, and re-
suited, as was expected, in the nomination of
Col. Bisbee. As is usual in such gatherings.
three-fourths of the delegates were negroes.
the white members being either present or
prospective Federal 0fficeholders. There was,
as there always il. a great deal of noise and
confusion, and at times it seemed that gen.
eral row was inevitable. The United States
Court room was used for the occasion, per-
haps to convey the impression that the ma
tional administration were in sympathy with
the proceedings, but the Committee of Ar
raugements had neglected to drape the stand
with the national colors.
The bread and butter brigade were out in
force. The meeting was called to order by a
Deputy Collector of Customs, and the call read
by Collector of Customs. The permanent
Chairman was the Collector Of Internal ReVe1
nue. for the State, and Colonel Bisbees chief
spokesman was another Deputy Collector of
Customs. They fought well and bravely, too,
these patriotic men, knowing that their con-
tinuance in office was eauged by their efforts.
Patronage and Jay Hubbell'S money had
smoothed many difficulties, and yet the road
seemed to be full of rough places The first
test of strength showed that Colonel Bisbee's
friends were in large majority, and
practically settled the matter The only
question then was as to the report
whom the claims of several contesting deIega-
tions hed been referred. In the afternoon the
report was submitted declaring those elected
under the regular call entitled to seats, It has
been customary heretofore to arrange che diff
ferent counties upon the roll call in alphabet
cal order, Alachua leading. AS it was well
known that this county was opposed to Col
Bisbee. the usual order was reversed, Alachua
appearing about the middle of the column
Had this county, with its delegation of eleven
hostileS, led off against the Boss " the exam
pie might have been contagious with the weak
and wavering brethren. SO the force Of its
opposition was warded off by this neat and
happy stratagem.
About the time the roll was being called
upon the nomination of candidates for Con-
gress, General Dennis. of Alachua, insisted
upon addressing the convention, and not being.
permitted to unburden himself, and relate his
grievances, marched out with his fellows
This left an open field for Colonel Bisbee who
received all the votes except these from
Alachua and Sumter.
This by no means indicates harmony and
unanimity in the Republican party. The fact
is as patent ever that Colonel Bisbee will
lose heavily among those who have hitherto
supported him, especially among the white
Republicans. But few of this class of gu ct
men. who have never sought office, may vote
fnr GaF1aroI nj hrTfr r.,flT ,5ooI
vote for Colonel Bisbee. and their influence
will tell strongly in the general result. As it
looks now, the color line bids fair to be drawn
broadly and clearly in the present campaign
A feeble and Intellectual attempt was made
on Wednesday night to hold a convention of
the opponents of Col. Bisbee, for the purpose
of nominating an independent candidate,
which resulted in an absurd and utter failure
The meeting was captured by the Bisbee men.
who used it for their own purposes. 1t engen-
dered considerable bad blood, and indicated
that the "Poss'' would be forced to conciliate
quite a rumber Of negroes.
Col Bisbee is again the Chairman of his own
Executive Committee. No wonder that he has
earned the title of Boss" He handles the
money, runs the machine, and directs opera
tions, all for the honor and glory OF Bisbee
When the royal appetite is satiated, then the
walters and attendants can gather the scraps
and lick the dishes. 1t is said that Hubbell's
monev was freely used last week, aud that it
has already exerted a soothing effect upon
some OF the hostiles.
1t is hard t. say what will be the attitude of
the Alachua Republicans. The Little Giant
Dennis is said to have been already harmon
lied, while General Walls is disposed to kick
out Of the traces There are several little EN-.
bers that may yet be blown into a flame
We have had an abundance OF rain recenty
and complaints come from some sections So
far no caterpillers have been reported in the
cotton. In this city some Of the oranges are
bursting open, which is due probably to an ex-
cess of sap.
Okeechobee Drainage Company has reached a
point within three miles of that great lake is a
piece Of very gratifying information. There
are only three miles more of cutting to accom-
plish in order to permit the waters of Okee-
chobee to find an outlet to the Gulf The other
dredge. built at Kissimmee will soon complete
the preliminary work, and will then be able to
assist in cutting an opening towards the At
lantic. The success of this great enterprise
will bring into market an immense BODY of
fertile lands specially adapted to sugar, and
will change the entire face of that area of un-
known territory.
Ihave received an invitation to witness the
dedication services OF the Jewish Synagogue
on the 8th of September. The congregation
have erected an exceedingly handsome house
of worship, being the first building of the
kind ever erected in Florida, and are Justly
proud of the achievement.
The killing of the two murderers Savage
and James, at Madison last week, created
quite an excitement The act has been warmly
and generally condemned, and the authorities
are knowingly vigorously to arrest the perpe-
traitors The large reward offered by the Gov.
ernor will, no doubt, have the effect of bring
Ing toe offenders to justice. The papers, so
far as / have seen them, have united in de-
nouncing the crime. and public sentiment is
much aroused upon the subject There are
parties who are already endeavoring to manu-
facture political capital out of the transac-
tion, which coloring cannot be given to the
matter by the most expert manipulators
Work on the jetties at the mouth Of the
river, which has been temporarily suspended.
will soon be resumed again. as the bids were
to have been opened by Gen. Gilmore at New
York to-day. We are all anxious to see this
important improvement effected, as the future
prosperity of the city depends in a great meas
ure upon its successful completion. The ex.
penditure OF the appropriation of S150,0 wi
enable the government official to foretelI the
probable result with some degree Of accuracy
Col. II. s. Haines, in an interesting interview
with a reporter of the Charleston Net0s ana
Courier, states that when the Atlantic and
Pensacola Railroad is completed, and the link
connecting the Savannah, Florida and Western
is finished to Chattahoochee. that the running
time between New Orleans and Charleston will
be reduced to twenty-sx hours He speaks
most hopefully Of the progress and solid, per-
manent prosperity of the South.
The assessment lists Of the various counties
show handsome increase in taxable property
and prove that the State is fast growing richer
Just across the river from the CITY a nile
driver is engaged in making preparations for
the bridge intended for the use of the Jackson
vile and st. Augustine Railroad, which ia i'm a
1air way OF pelng ready Tor use by Christmas
This viii make our city the terminus of four
different lines.
The next State Fair promises in every re-
spect to be the most perfect and Interesting
that has yet been held by the association. The
premiums for agricultural products ara larger
and more diversified, while the list of anuse-
ments already announced is very attractive
among tnSn IS tournament. artillery and in