The weekly true Democrat., 1907-01-25


Atlanta and other points In North Geor-
gia. They viii return the latter part
Of the week, and will make their home
here. Miss Head is q charming and at
tractive young lady, while Mr.. Butler
is a substantial young business man.
They have many friends who will con-
gratulate them most heartily Thorn
asville mes-Enterprise.
club that was organized in Tallahassee
In 1876, and remember him as a hand
some, magnetic and fearless young man
still in his "thirties." He has been
dead now for a good many years, l
learn.
In the Office of Commissioner McLin
! met Mr.. H. s. Elliot, who was chosen
by the Democrats TO bear the election
returns to Washington. His mission to
Washington and his experience with
the Secretary of State there are mat
ters of history with which most of our
readers are perhaps familiar. Mr.. 81.
lot was quite young man then, but
am glad to be able to report him still
among the living, when 80 many of
those who were active in Florida poll
tics only thirty years ago have passed
away. What changes thirty years can
make
George F. Drew, the Democratic
candidate for Governor in 1876, was a
Northern man by birth, but he went to
Florida as a business man and not as a
carpet-bagger, and identified himself
with the Democratic party. When
nominated for Governor he was at the
head Of an immense sawmill and ldmber
business at Ellaville, and was known
aL- ka fa nd
cessful business man with distinct exec
utive ability In the final outcome of
the election Drew won out and was in
augurated as Governor, while the elec.
tOral vote of the State was given to
Hayes for the Presidency. Nobody
was ever able IN explain how the State
could have gone Democratic and Repub.
lican at the same time, but the Repub-
licans needed Florida's vote 70 give
them a majority Of votes In the electo-
raj college, and they decided TO let
Drew 90 in as Governor to keep the
FlorIdians. who had sworn their Inten.
tion to inaugurate him even II they had
to shed blood to do it, from rising in
their might and cleaning out the whole
carpet-bag gang that had dominated
the State since the close of the civil
war.
The returning board which canvassed
the returns and declared the result of
the election was composed of Sam Nc
Lin, Secretary Of State William
Archer Cccke, Attorney-General, and
c. A. Cowgirl, Comptroller. McLin
was an East Tennesseean, Cooke q Vir-
gInian and Cowgirl a Western Yankee.
Cooke, although holding Office under the
Republican carpet-bag regime, was
Democrat, but the other two were TO.
gether on all the issues rails I'd, and
everything went Republican accord
ingly. 49,.
Leading lawyers and politicians from
all over the Union, representing bota
political parties, cOngregated at Talla:
haasee curing the prolonged session Of
the returning board, and there were
some warm contests in the courts over
the questions involved. Billa and cOun-
ter bills were filed and various proceed
ings were instituted in both the State
and Federal courts, but the Republicans
had made up their minds 70 have the
electoral vote Of FLORIDA, and they q.
nally took it. A regiment Of Federal
troops was brought TO Tallahaseee 70
protect the gang In the perpetratiOn OF
the outrage, and more than once during
the weeks in which the final result was
supposed TO be hanging In the balance
the situation was critical.
The final outcome of the memorable
contest between Tilden and Hayes for
the Presidency is remembered by all.
The Republicans were afraid to steal
the Presidency openly, and when Con-
~ ess met that commission Of unpleAs-
ant memory was created and the final
act Was perpetrated by the famous vote
o. eight to seven.
But Drew was inauR urated Governor
Of Florida, and his Republican predeces-
sOr, Marcellus s. Stearns, left Talla-
hassee between suns and without telling
anybody goodbye.
As have already said, those were
str rnuOus times in and around Talla-
hassee, and many things we're done that
were not reported in the newspapers
and that had probably best be left un-
written even now. With the inaugu-
ration Of Drew the white people Of
Florida set about rescuing the State
from the csrpet-baggeTs and scalawaRs,
and gradually the Legislature was re-
claimed, and the State once more came
nto her own. Albany Herald.
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Mr.. .. WeStcott EdmODdson, Of Jack