The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-10-10

didate for Congress McKinnon counted
for success on the support of the Radical
party of the First District-or what is
the same thing, on the support of the
negroes who constitute ninety-nine hun
dredths of that party. He reasoned in
this wise
"The Radicals are in n minority in the Dis
trict. This has been proved by three elections
one in 1876, the next in 1878 and the last in 1890
In 1875 they had all the election machinery in
their MISREPRESENTATION lists inspectors, ballot
boxes, and the counting privilege, and this
privilege was always tremendous power which
they employed without scruple In that election
they stuffed ballOt-bOxes with jokers;' they
voted dead men and absentees; they voted mi
nors and convics; they falsified registration
lists and altered returns and perpetrated all other
sorts OF villainy, not hesitating, through the
counting power, as party to steal the eectO-
raj vote of the State and give it to man whom
the people had repudiated and notwithstanding
all this, the Democrats carried the District and
elected Davidson TO Congress by 500 majority.
In 1878 and in 1880, when they had lost the OPP
Gratis carried the District by much larger ma
joriiy, Davidson leaving Wiiherspoon in 1880
over 1000 votes. Now, knowing this it appears
clear TO my mind that if announce myself as
an Independent candidate the leaders will not re-
fuse to rally the negroes 10 my support and
they will do this the more readily for two reasons
first because they can't elect a straighi-out
Republican; and next, because the Hubbell COM
miltee favors the policy of running Independents
in Democratic districts and in this way dividing
the Democrats and at the same time securing so,
called Independent votes TO help the Radicals
in controlling the next Congress which may
have 10 elect the next President. Ii won't do
for me to come out as Republican; the sore
headed Democrats will drop me if l do that, and
the Republicans, while they might love the trea-
son would dstrust and despise the traitor. will
come out as an Independent Democrat of the
Jefferson stripe and declare myself a better Dem
ocrat than Davidson. Malone humbugged Vir-
ginians in that way and see where he is now
am really hid-out Republican as Malone was,
but it won't do 10 proclaim it too soon; but
everybody will know how the thing will ehd.-
Just look at my aniecedents. / didn't vote
against Siearns in 1875. and if he had been
elected then instead of Drew should have con-
tinued in office under him. Then was an in
dependent candidate for the Senate in Jackson
county for awhile, and after came down didn't
vote for McKinne. 1t is very true, voted agains,
ratifying the 18th amendment, and was opposed
to giving the niggers the same privileges as the
whites on railroads, steamboats, and in hotels
b,,tt hot To-
Der it. The fact that now oppose the bourbons
will more than atone for any sins once COM
mitted. Besides the negro vote, will get the
support OF all the sore headed Democrats all the
dissatisfied office-seekers all the ambitious young
men who will expect thrift to follow their fawn-
ing, and if l am elected the administration
will give me the control of all its patronage in
this District il has given II to Malone in Vir-
GINA, and as it has given it TO Bisbee in the
Second District. We two will control the pat
ronage in Florida, and then can reward my
friends and punish my enemies. Malone and
Bsbee both do that, and why shouldn't /? 1t is
true, if the Republicans endorse me il will be a
confession that their party has played out, but
what is that to me when lead them to victory
under another name? will charge that the
Democrats have committed election frauds, and
this will catch the colored vote. If it is said
that as State Attorney should have had the
frauds investigated and punished, 1 will say that
couldn't do anything because the jures were
white, and this reason will satisfy the negroes
If it is said that sought and got an Office under
Bloxhams administration, which l say was cleo
ted by fraud, and that am therefore benefi-
ciary of The fraud, and that cling to the office
while abuse the administration, will reply
well, what the devil shall 4 reply!"
Now, it may be said that McKinEon
reasoned with himself after this fashion,
for it is not to be supposed that he acted
as he did without considering the chances
for and against success; and it may no
doubt be as truthfully said that had he
for moment doubted of getting the un-
divided support of the negroes he would
not have announced himself at all. But
it turns out that the very convention
which he expected to endorse him did
nothing of the kind, but instead nomina-
ted " straight-out." 1t is true a little
faction afterwards met and endorsed him,
but it is equally true that this same fac
ton has since gone back on him, and he
is now in the field as a Republican en-
dorsee with no Republican following. He
is political orphan, without father or
mother "a waif floating to political de-
struction:
| He's only pauper whom nobody owns"
This of course in a political sense His
visit here last week, patronised by ex-
Governor Stearns as wet-nurse, showed
him that his promised following has
izzled down to the little end of nothing.
1t is no secret that some of those whO
first favored his schemes, seeing that his
remaining in the field with no negro sup
port will only show the contemplate
weakness of the independent movement,
favor his retiring and have told him so.
They are not willing to be caught in any
such way. But it is said that McKinnon
will take no advice from that quarter. He
is in the hands of such Radical machine
bosses Is Stearns who from now on will
use him to defeat Davidson and elect
Skinner. They say among themselves
that avery Democratic vote given 70 Nc.