The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-08-22
Opening Of the Campaign.


The campaign in the First District il
now commencing. Col. Davidson, &C
companied by Judge Love, opened at
Bristol in Liberty county on the 18th,
where good days work was done Mr..
Mckinnon was there, and was invited to
participate in the discussion, which he
did. To-day Col. Davidson speaks at
Crawfordville in Wakulla. Capt. Pasco,
Secretary of State Crawford aud Mr.. K.
c. Long accompany him. Tomorrow
there will be meeting at Monticello and
on Thursday at Waukeenah. On Satur-
day, the Democracy of Gadsden assemble
at Quincy to nominate candidates for the
Legislature. 1t will be grand occasion.
Besides Col. Davidson, Gov. Bloxham,
Judge White and other speakers will be
present. On the 5th September, the cam
paign will open in the extreme west at
Bluff Springs, and continue upto the 22d
at ApalachicOla. The speakers announced
to accompany Col. Davidson are Senator
Call, Col. McWhorter, Gen. Perry, Col
J. +. Mcclellan, Judge w. H. Milton and
Gen. Barnes. This is strong array of
orators. by the time they are through
with the :" first round of meetings" in
the west, there will be nothing left of the
lndependcnt-Radic coalition which an
intense colored Republican il this city
proclaims is the entering wedge to the
restoration of the Radicals to power in
Florida. He will be disappear led. The
people will not go back to t. days Of
misrule merely to crafty the nbiton of
a few aspirants who think they can use
the negroes as stepping stones to power
as the carpet baggers did.
Now let the Democracy bestir them
selves. Organization is the need of the
hour County committees should set the
ball in motion in every neighborhood.
This is an "Off year," but it is prelimi-
nary to the great battle of 1884. BY
union and harmony, by earncstness and
zeal, the District will remain under the
control of its intelligence. We have no
fears of the result, but it is not wise to
un1errate the enemy.
We do not know that we can do better
than to add here the following from the
Fort Dade Messenger, which paper has
been falsely set down as Independent: "
Now let every Democrat realize that the cam
paign is fully open and that there is work ahead
Of rs, earnest work. There are two especial rea
sons Why we should all strive to have our full
strength polcd: First, there are not so many
voters in this District as there were two years
ago, Sumter county being now in the Second
District and second, there is in the field an In
dependent so called, though it is only another
name for REPUBLICAN, who has heretofore worked
in the ranks of the Democracy, and this indie
pendent, ID. l.. Mckinnon, will be endorsed, in
our opinion, by the Republican party of this Dis
irict, and their vote together with what he may
draw from other sources may make him a formi
dab.e opponent, we say may, Tor we don't think
he will be able 10 draw away Democrats, but
take any chances but 10 work as though there
was great reason to doubt our success. Let there
be no laggAris; let there be no Iukewarmness.
We must work and we must win. Defeat means
MT only Radicalism now, but perhaps for a
number Of years; for if we are defeated once
there is no telling the consequences; dsorgani-
Zltion AMI temporary disruption may follow in
its train. We can't afford TO even contemplate
deieat-we must not do anything that will even
tend To it. We must not fold our arms and feel
secure, because We have elected Davidson for
three terms in succession, because the enemy are
watching us, and they will eagerly grasp the OPP
pOrlunity presented by our feelings Of security
and will run in their man if they can. We be-
lieve that the Independent movement in this
State is engineered at Washington, and that
they are trying To drive the first wedge into the
ranks of the Democracy of Florida and that it
is their first move toward MahOnizii 9 the State.
Lels defeat them; let's determine to defeat
McKinnon, it matters not who arc supporting
him. Let's rally around the flag )rne by our
gallant standard bearer he who boz it TO victory
through three holly contested campaigns; he
who is the nominee of the organize Democracy
o. This District.
Now, il will not do to consider this an off
year, which means, when fully expressed, year
OF political idleness but We should consider it
most important year, for it is as necessary that
should elect our Congressman as that we
should cast our full vote for the President Now,
let there be no talk of the off year Il is the on
year-the year that demands hard, earnest, la
borious work from US all. Let there be thorough
organization from The PerdidO to Key West
We believe that this county will give larger
majority for Davidson this year than it did in
1880. because of larger voting population; and
if every other county in the district will do as
well we think that there will be no doubt about
eecting him.
Where Taxes are Low Florida
VS.. Massachusetts.
The tax rate Of Orange county is 1880 per