The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-08-05
From the Jacksonville Times- -Unionl
Dr. &eOrEe TrOuP Maxwell and ma q
Independent Movement.

DIR. George Troup Maxwell who presided
over the Independent conference ut Live Oak
which nominated Pope for Governor, and who
Is therefore, presumed to speak for that BODY
published a letter in the Times Union of June "a,
IN which he gives the origin of the Independ-
enl movement" and fixes the sin of that un-
natural offspring upon your humble and haplcss
correspondent. That he and those he repre-
sent, may have their fairly stated, quote
from his letter.
After arragning Governors Drew and Blox-
ham and the present Comptroller for defeating
me call % IL Constitutional Convention by what
is known as The "shOrt cut" plan, he uses the
following language
q caucus WAS called General Barnes was
put in the chair for the occasion, and ~ was
expected OF him by the class who regard the
office holders rs the people he decided that A
is not two-thirdS OF So.
d" THIS Was done in 1670-the last year OF
Drew. Then Independence was born.
Governor BloXham approved ami acquiesced
IN The wise (D and just (?) decision OF General
i5Hfn and, tor reward, took him into his Cabi-
net"
This absurd and ridiculous charge, 80 far as it
relates To me- personally. concerns the public but
little 1t does concern them, however to know
that this socalled Independent movement had
no better i"undation than a silly talsehood To
intelligent persons it is hardly necessary 10 deny
y statement 40 preposterOus as the one above
t"r II cirricS its own retutaiion with il but for
the benefit OF those who are stupid enough to
believe II, will say, that the assertion that |, at
ANY lime or al any place, made such ruling is
utterly unlrur Every school boy who has had
the lersi familiarity with the simplest parlia-
mentary rules of debating society knows that
any decision of presiding officer can be re-
ver-ed bv majority vote Dt the body of mem
DerS Then tor ruling such he imputeS to
me- to stand and defeat measure when it could
have been go easily set aside by bare majority
l.k,I IL Ill.
ot even IA innocent an Independent as DR.. Max
well. To say that any A Democrats of the
legislature of 1879 could have been overridden
and "frustraied" by any 90 Of that or any other
body is All insult to their intelligence, their man
hood and their moral courage, and is a propo-
>ilion not to be seriously entertained for mo-
ment. Nor is it true that l was placed in the
chair on that occasion for a purpose" 1t is
well known by those present that was called
to the chair at the instance of the regular Presi-
dent OF The caucus who entertained opposing
views TO myself on the question under cOnsidera-
tOn and that declined 10 accept it unless it
was the unanimous wish of the meeting that
should do so.
Since my record on the Constitutional Con
ventiOn question is made OF some consequence
because the Governor saw ft to honor me with
place in his Cabinet and because too, it has
seriously affected the political attitude of such
patrio,s(Das Dr. Maxwell NAV be pardoned for
giving il here.
There has never been a time when | was not
opposed L" the present Constitution and when
have not favored and advocated new one.
worked against the adoption Of it when sub
mitted to the people in 1868. While in the Sen
ate in 1877 voted for the first resolution ever
offered declaring for the necessity ot its entire
revision, and supported similar resolution in
the same body in 1879. did not favor at that
time what was called the "short cut met hod,
| on thu ground of expediency alone; for be-
lieved, rs then stated, that any attempt to Call
L a C0nven ion in that irregular way, and against
the mode prescribed by the Constitution il
exists, would result in certain defeat, and give
the movement a set back from which it would
not recover in years, as a large number OF Onr
people, who We're favorable to the call if regu-
larly made, would have opposed il if attempted
| in the manner proposed bv many of its friends.
Again in 1880, at The general election then held.
l voted 4" for Il Convention and urged it to the
best Of my ability on the stump in that cam
| paign
All this WAS we'll known to Governor Blox-
| ham when he called me into his Cabinet H. was
| the position of DIR. Crawford. the worthy Secre
| tary ot State. and of Mr.. Yongc, the Adjutant-
| Genera both Of whom advocated "the Con-
| vcntion" al the same election; and the latter
| WA, csnspicuOus for; his .zeal aRd eloQuence in
| behalf of the short cut plan" in 1879, in the
very caucus proceedings which the Doctor pro-
fesaes to know so much about. Can he tell us
| what the Governor "rewarded" these gentle
| men for?
| But this charge was fully answered by me
two years ago when first made in newspaper
i in this Stare, and il is strange that the Doctor
has not seem or if sO should totally ignore, that
| answer; but not more strange, however, than
| that he should be so ignorant of my recorded
| and public acts on this question, and know 90
| much of what occurred in a caucus with closed
| doors He can be excused only on the ground
that his zeal for his new cause outruns his desire
! to ascertain and promulgate the facts.
Now since the Doctor has found reason for
| his political apostasy, and the founding of a
great Independent movement" in the fact thai
| 30 humble member of the Democratic party as
| myself was unsound on the Constitutional Con
| ventiOn question, and was 80 demoralized on
that subject as not to understand the -mathe
matica relation OF "A to SO, it was to be expected
| of him and his followers that they would seek
| the political afHliation Of such only as were In
entire accord with them on the great dividing
| issne-fOr it il not to be presumed that they
were actuated by any other nsotius than to pro
mote the success of cause dear to their loyal z
| hearts, and for which they felt constrained to
| turn their backs upon their old party It will
| be kept n mind that the date of their grievance
was 1879, at which time-however different the
pretence may be nowhere were only two 20
iiucal parties in the State, towit the Republican
and the Democratic parties; and 1t is a matte
of history that every effort looking to Consti
tutional Convention has been made by tht
Democrats, while it has been steadily and per
sistently opposed by the Republicans. Th'
Doctor himself says that moro than two-third.
of the Democrats in the Legislature of 70 wer
In favor of even the short cut plan" and II viii
puzzle him to show that such proportion o
Republicans. or III you please, ito special friends