The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-05-13

held the gavel, and even his solemn 1eaI-
ures relaxed and he lost little of his
overpowering dignity as the strokes
flashed back and forth.
Mr.. Thompson said he could not allow
such an opportunity to pass unimproved.
He would be recreant to his ideas Of JUS
tice TO himself ond his constituents If he
failed to make a plea in behalf
of the people in this case. The word "pol-
icy" should be expunged from the demo-
cratic vocabulary, and when the will Of the
people is asserted it should be given ex-
preston and allowed to crystalline into
force. II speak as an American. l rise
above the party plane, and l urge that the
majority should rule whether it he black
or white I don't want an election law
which denies to the majority the right to
assert itself and enforce Its wishes at the
ballot box"
Mr.. Hollinger-''Does the gentleman
from Monroe refer to the negro maJorlty!"
Mr.. Thompson-"Yes sir"
Mr.. Hollinger--"Wh next he is can
didate hope he will say so before the
campaign closes"
Mr.. Thompson
Truth crushed to earth will rise again,
The eternal years OF God are hers,
But error wounded W rlthes IN pain,
And dies amid her worshipers.
That is my belief Mr. Speaker, and
also agree with my eloquent friend from
Orange. Justice travels with an iron
hand, but strikes with a leaden heel"
(Cries Hammond didn't say So" "try
again." and the visage of the said
speaker pro tenn, relaxed with
grim smile, while uprOarious laugh
ter started the spiders and
shook the cobwebs in the corners Of the
old hall)
Mr.. Thompson-"Like my friend Shine
of Orange, l sometimes get my quotations
backward"
Mr.. Shine of Orange-"Never mind my
bulls but tell me what republican major
ity you have in Monroe"
Mr.. Thompson-"Qne hundred and
sonae."
Mr.. shine-"Would you not have been
beaten but for the educational requirement:
! of the election law?"
Mr.. ThOmpson-"No sir, we have the
most refined and hest educated negroes in
the state. But was elected because there
was big split in the republicans.
Mr.. Mann of Hernando-"Any split
among the negroes?"
Mr.. Thompson-''I didn't look to see
But Mr.. Speaker, ask that be not in
terrupted till I can get in uy argument,
Much comment is made on the conduc3
| of Clayton who seems to have looked af-
| ter the ballots cast at precinct No. in
| Suwaunee county. But he violated no
law, and there seems to have been no OBJ
| lection to his inspection of the ballots on
| the part of the voters. The questi N re-
solves itself into this: What did
the people of Suwannee want
And hold that the majority
Of the voters of Precinct No. 2
wAnted Ivey and HarreIl to represent them
| in this body and their votes will give those
! gentlemen a majority of the votes in their
county Therefore l hold that Messrs.
Ivey and Harrell should be allowed TO sit
| in this hall and speak for the people of
| Suwannee.
Mr.. Hicks of franklin made a moving
appeal tor the contest lnts. There was lit
| tie citation of the evidence, but he claimed
| that majority OF the people of Suwannee
wanted to be represented by Messrs. Ivey
and Harrel and he thought their
wishes should be carried ont. Tech
nicaities were Of no importance
in the consideration of this question and
| gentlemen should prove they were not
| afraid of two men even if they were re-
publicans and independents. The maiori-
| ty of the citizeus of Suwannee had
| spoken and their choice should be given
a vote on the floor of this hall. The
| gentleman closed with an impassiOned
appeal for the contestants.
Mr.. Hooker of Lake-Mr. Speaker.
I have carefully and critically examined
|
all the testimony III this case and III con-
nection with the evidence | am surprised
and panied by what have heard from
some gentlemen on this floor. Here
| in nv seat as / listen to this dis
cussion I have reflected on one
weakness of the human mind, which 10
doubt affects me as well AS others. 1t IS
true that political considerations once di-
vided the highest tribunal that ever met so
that it will always be known as the seven
bv eight commission, but had hoped this
house would not be led into devious ways
even by such high C?) authority. These
persistent appeals to prejudice arouses In
INV mind doubt as to any ultimate stand
ard of truth, and whether the human mind
is capable of apprecating truth unctothed
bv those passions which seem necessary 10
her recognition among us.
The gentleman from Franklin has just
discussed the question from a point that
does not touch the matter at issue. He
came here only yesterday and he Is ready
to give and urge an opinion on this most
important matter without any serious
study. as he confesses Mr.. Speaker, if
am capable of serious investigation, have
felt II my bounden duty to get at the bot
tod, of this question. anu I have tried my
best to do go. Shall we, at the urgency Of
the gentleman from Franklin, cut ourselves
loose from the law and the constitution of
our state? He says we may decide this
question as we like because we are bound
by nothing and there is no appeal
from our decision. For that very reason
Mr.. Speaker, urge it is our more solemn
duty to respect ali law and tread still more
carefully, because there can be no correc-
ton of error on our part. !"
In this case the constitution of our state
has been trampled under foot by the gen.
tlo,,~ ~, xx,hO ,>ro4 ~ hold 41aafinn