The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-06-07

A valued correspondent at the West
in renewing his subscription to the Lake
Region has this to say: 81 like your
paper with the exception of upholding
Democratic fraud in the South"
Ipropose to drop the editorial " we
and answer this letter personally. am
q Northern man by birth and education
and came to Florida in 1871 For near,
ly ten years | was prominently identified
with the Republican party in Florida
both in journalistic and official capacity.
In the National election Of 1876 | had
charge of the United States soldiers at
the polls in Jefferson county, and during
the work of the Returning Board at Tai
lahassee was editor of the Ddiiy Union,
a stalwart Republican newspaper, then
published at Jacksonville. In April,
1877, l was appointed postmaster of Jack
sonville.
In 1880 became profoundly convinced
that the Republican party as then con-
stituted (and is now composed of the
same elements) was not the party to
which the interests of the State could be
properly committed. 1t was ignorant, ra-
pacious and unpatriotic, based entirely on
the spoils doctrine, and utterly lacking IN
the nobler principles of political honor.
For holding those opinions and refusing
to sacrifice my self respect at the demand
OF party leaders | was removed from Of
fee by the professional politician who
masqueraded as President after the death
of Garfield, at the instance OF another
professional politician who was then
1a in
Congress. was removed against the
protest of ninety business houses Of Jack
sonvile.
state these facts not from any spirit
of vain gloriousness, but simply to show
that am fully competent to speak upon
the subject alluded to by my correSpon-
dent OF course | only speak tor Flor
ida. and | state most solemnly and
,ruthfulIy that have never seen negro
intimiated bv Southern white in his
exercise of the elective franchise. On
the contrary, | have on more than one
occasion seen Southern white Democrats
90 with negroes who hesitatel 20 APP
proach the polls, and stand by their side
while they voted the ticket they desired
to vote, the Republican ticket.
In lOflua every IlldH Votes ~ ne
chooses, without let or hindrance. Most
of them vote Democratic, because they
find under a Democratic government
honesty, intelligence, and a wise and pa
triotic administration of affairs.
The patience and forbearance of the
Southern white people during the trying
times from 1865 to 1876 cannot be too
highly commended. have known two
cases of g Southern fraud 20 be tried in
the United States Courts in Florida. In
one, "Yelow Bluff" Republicans were
tried and acquitted the other, " Brevard
County," where the Democratic candidate
for Congress was acquitted and the Re-
publican county clerk was convicted. In
| both cases the courts were entirely in the
hands of Republican officials.
The Eustis Lake Region will never up
hold Southern fraud or any other fraud
while have editorial management of it
nor will it ever fail to render equal and
exact Justice TO every man, white or
black, Democrat or Republican nor will
it hesitate for one moment to expose fraud
and injustice wherever found, and no mat
ter where it may hit.
am no office seeker, have no axe to
grind, and only write this article because
| feel it my bounden duty never to let an
unjust attack upon my adopted State 60
forth unchalenged. HAMILTON JAY.