The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-09-21
DR.. JNo. L. CRAWFORD
Relation Of Incidents Of Interest In
the Career Of . Noted HAN who
Served Florida EalthfHlIy.
[Robert W. Davis in Tampa Tribune. ]

IRobert W. Davis in Tampa Tribune.l
love to think of DR.. John L. Craw-
ford. He and my father, Rev. Jesse
M. Davis, were the best of friends, and,
looking back through the years so
fraught with memOries--back to the
years Of my boyhoOd-I can see two
grand and good men in friendly associ-
alton. l know there were never two
better or nobler characters in this world,
and, although they lived in different
States and their pathways led them
wide apart in careers and in destinies,
have never been able to think of DR..
Crawford without also thinking of my
father. No man was ever more loved
or more honored than was DR.. John l..
Crawford by the people of Florida. He
was Senator from Wakulla county when
first came to the State to live, and
had often, even before that time, rep
resented his county either in the Senate
or House of Representatives. In 1881
he was appointed by Gov. VIM. ID. Blox-
ham, his lifelong and devoted friend,
to be Secretary of State, and he held
edly and efficiently, to the day of his
death. He came Of a distinguished
Southern family, and amongst those
bearing his name and whose blood
coursed in his veins, were Joel Craw-
ford, several times q member Of Con-
Rress from Georgia shortly after the
formation of our government; VIM. H.
Crawford, who was in the public eye
along with Webster, Calhoun and Clay,
who was United States Senator from
Georgia, Secretary Of War, minister to
France, and candidate for President Of
the United Statee; Geo. W.. Crawford,
Governor Of Georgia; q younger Joel
Crawford; Peter Crawford and Martin
j. Crawford, who were members of
Congress.
John L. Crawford came to Florida the
year The Territory became a State
1916. His first location was at New
port Wakulla county, where he prac..
ticed medicine for some time, and
then moved to the spot where
Crawfordville now stands, the village
being named in his honor, Here he re-
sided for many years, practicing his
profession and engaging in agriculture
at the same time, representing his
county in the State Senate almost con-
tinuously until Governor Bloxham APP
pointed him Secretary of State. In
many respects he was 1.-The nOblest Ro-
man of them all" With a heart as
tender as a woman's, he had the cour-
age of lion. He straddled the fence
on no question, but was frank and in
qenuous, while his honesty and straight
forwardness gained for him universal
confidence and esteem. During recon-
struction days, when the carpetbag and
irresponsible element dominated the
Legislature, DR.. Crawford was always
there, and with such associates as John
A. Henderson, Henry L. Mitchell, j. ].
F. Cottrel, Geo. p. Raney, John 7.
Lesley, VIM. Miller, the McKinnons,
the McCsskills and few other deter
mined men, fought back the tide Of cor
ruptiOn, ignorance and population which
threatened TO engulf the State. When
his opinion and persisted in his purpose
with determination that was almost
dOgmatic. An illustration Of this oc.
CURED in 1891, while he was Secretary
of State. The Legislature was trying
TO elect United States Senator. Daily
ballots and nightly caucuses, character
lzed by excitement and bitterness, con-
tinued almost TO the end Of the session
without result Wilkinson Call was q
candidate for reelection to his third
term. Strong effort was made TO defeat
him. He was the choice Of q majority
of the Democratic members and could
have been elected in open session at any
time IL he had been his paFty's caucus
nominee. The Democratic "two-thirds
rule, however, stood in his way, and,
until q caucus nomination could be had,
the members scattered their votes In
open Joint sessions Of the Legislature to
prevent an election. The day for ad-
iOuEnment was drawing near when the
Call followers decided to abandon the
caucus and take the matter into regu-
lar session. Then the opposition deter;
mined upon q coup d'etat, and fiftee1
or more members Of the Senate, enough
20 break q quorum Of that body, alb
sented themselves, and, leaving the
city Of Tallahassee, took TO the woods,
where the sergeant-at-arms could not
find them thus gaining for themselves
the sObriquet Of 1.-The babes in the
woods" The theory was that, although
the remaining Senators might meet
with the members Of the House. and
with the members Of the House, make
a majority, il would still not be joint
session in contemplation of law Th'
following day the House Of Represent
atives and the minority Of the Senate
met and elected Call. Gov. Francis p
Fleming held that there YVES no lega
election and wrote an able opinion, will
many references 20 presidents and an
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