The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-06-13
AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
Placing the Truth Before the Tribunal of Popular
Judrment-Let the Decision be Reached After
Study of Both Sides-The Testimony and the Men.

the first ballot sixty 6W votes, and Mr.
Bloxham thirty-five 1857; this being the
highest vote that Mr.. Call ever received
On Friday night, the 18th Of April,
and the fifth (5th) night of the caucus,
Immediately after the seventeenth O7th)
ballot, Mr.. Wall of Hillsborough, arose
and sent to the desk resolution, "1hGt
the members Of this caucus pledge them
selUes not to elect United States senator
until nomination be made By this caucus"
and the consideration of the resolution
was postponed upon the motion of Mr..
Yancey, until Monday evening, the Goth
of April, by a vote Of fifty (50) to forty
five (45). On Monday evening the Goth
of April, when the caucus had convened,
and after the roll had been called, but
before ballot was taken, Mr.. Broome
of Gadsden moved that the resolution
offered by Mr.. Wall Of Hillsborough, on
the evening of Friday, the 18th, "that
no election should be had until nomina-
ton should be made by the caucus" be
adopted, which motion was put and car
ried by vote of yeas, 80; nays, none;
Mr.. Yancey of Lake, stating that he
wished it to be noted that he did not
vote. Mr.. Dougherty of Volusia then
arose and stated that he was authorized
by MIR. Call to say to the caucus, "znat
he (Mr. CALI did not desire an election
until nomination under the taco-Msrds
rule had been made By the caucus. After
the adoption of this resolution, and with
this understanding the caucus continued
to ballot upon the nomination of United
States senator, with varying results until
the evening of the 25th of May.
No question was again raised in
the caucus as to the twO-thirds
rule; nor was any effort made in joint
session of the two houses to elect sena-
tor until nomination had been reached.
1t is true that rumors were frequent that
efforts would be made by the friends of Mr..
Call to rescind the resolution by which
they had pledged themselves to nominate
under the two-thirds rule, and also that
they would disregard the caucus and the
caucus obligations, and elect in joint SEES
sion without first having made nomina
ton, but 80 far as was apparent either in
the caucus or in the joint session of the
two houses, no effort OF this kind was at
tempted until the evening of the 25th
of May. 1t was, however, on open secret
that the friends of Mr.. Call had several
times in private caucus been advised by
his leaders OF the necessity of resembling
The resolution adopting the two-thirds
rule, in order to secure his nomination, and
i! failing that, that they should disregard
their pledges made in caucus, and elect
him in joint session of the two houses. The
truth of these things was evidenced by a
resolution introduced by Mr.. Clark, of Polk,
in the house Of representatives on the Goth
day OF May, which provided that the house
should from that time until the fifth of
June hold night sessions. This would prac-
tically have been an adjournment Of the
caucus, and such was suspected to be its
purpose, although Mr.. Clark disclaimed any
such intentions and had the resolu-
ton passed, it would have re-
suited in the election ola senator without
nomination. The resolution, however, was
lost, upon motion to adjourn, and was
not again called up. Some Of the most
ardent and extreme supporters of Mr.. Call
were heard openly to say, after the two re.
so.ut ons in the caucus above set forth had
been adopted, that they were in favor
OF resembling the resolutions, and of elect.
ing their Candidate in joint session OF the
two houses, il they could olly secure the
strength to do it. This strength, however;
was wanting, although many members
who wer, voting for M. Call, and who
were advocates OF the two-thirds rule
were importuDed daily to oct aside their
scruples of conscience, and further the
scheme. Friends of Mr.. Call, not members
of either house, many Of whom had been
summoned from different parts of the state
10 his interest, were sssiduous and unre-
hitting in their attentions to members
daily and hourly soliciting members 10 abol.
ish the caucus, and even promising politi
cal preferment as reward for an abandon.
ment of principle. 1t seems, however,
that these efforts among their own sup
porters, were futile, until the memorable
night of Monday, the 25ta day of May,
1891. The attendance, both upon the
sessions of the two houses and of the
caucus, were always notably light on
Mondays, many Of the members who had
absented themselves on Saturdays, not
returning to their duties until Tuesday
mornings. All day on Monday, the 25th,
the friends Of Mr.. Cali were unusually