The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1909-04-09

| COmmisgiOn--Act Of 1907 Authorizing Appointment Of
Another Commission williams Warrants Ordinances
Of Two Constitutional Conventions, Declaring Then
Fraudulent and Ineffective.
The following brief history Of the sOealed Indian War
Claims is submitted for your confederation:
On April TO- 1905, Mr.. knight Of Citrus County intro
duced in the House Of Representatives. House Bill No ~
bill to be entitled An Act to provide for examination
and settlement Of claims against the State of Florida for
services rendered and supplies furnished during the
Seminole Indian War; to provide for appointment of
Commission to investigate and adjudcate such claims
to provide manner Of payment and to make apprOpria
tiOns to carry same into effect.
Mr. Knights bill provided "That the fling in evidences
Of warrant Of the Comptroller Of the State Of Florida
the production Of duly authorized muster rolls show
ing enrolled service shall be taken and deemed by said
sq luBmBI0 sq1 10 IOABJ az snsq EelBpsmwI Uqs QUA
BPIOIA 20 s1B1s s 10 IsIO4dmOO sq 10 sOUJO sql ~
aq EBW 9sBo 91 SO OI 19lsnm sn 40 uAOqs SO SoAI9s
PaOIus sql uOSdmO0 sql mOIJ 10 sOuspIAs ~ pSIU
luBlIBA IBug5IO Sp 20 SlVp sF moIJ wnuuB 19d 7us0
lsd 10 s4BI S ~ 5ueq lSsISlu! uOsI9 emp lss
LSlu puB Bd!OuI1d 10 lunOmB s o. SO PIBAB Isql VIA
I9ql95Ol 'ssBO qOns 20 pJO0aI S OH IBqs uOIsswmOO
qons 'UplIoG 10 SlBlS S lsuIBSB 9SIBqO PIIBA PUG
isn't 81 sWBs Sql 1BVl 7pIOSp PUG mBIO uOdn SsBd Bqs
uOssImmOO sV1 IsAsusqAAD lBql PePEAOId IslInI II
OOOeL9s lnOqB elBls sql $500 sABq pInOA q sIql 10
95BssBd 9q pBSp B lnOqB SlBlS 9 40 pspIAoId 90
o. sou0PEAs Iu0l0dwO0o Sq sV iGSuEpIOooB pIBAB ue
94Bm pup guBWBIO 9q IOJ pup Bqs sIsuO!ssmmOO PIES
Sq pHBAu puB B5sII sql aqua SouspAs 1ualSd
Gq AOqs uB0 slBS 9ql ss9Iun pup smBIO 10 A!pBA
sql 10 sou9p!AS sI0BEBmLd SO sIsuossmmOO 10 pIUOa
upon the Treasurer Of the State Of Florida for
the full amount Of the principal and interest found to
be due"
On May 10, 1905 the said bill came up upon it's second
reading as a special order. Mr. Gichrist, Of DesOtO,
offered the following amendment "They shall also
anime into the service Of those who entered into the
service Of this State the service Of the Confederate
IHA. liz GAnk,a
II any have not been paid properly they shall report
stating amount due them" Mr. knight Of Citrus moved
to lay the amendment on the table, but by vote of 10
to AZ Mr. Knights motion not agreed to- after which
the amendment offered by Mr. GilChrst was agreed to-
After the adoption Of other amendments Mr.. Gchrist
Of DesOtO, moved to indefinitely postpone House Bill No.
r. which motion to indefinitely postpone was agreed to
by vote Of 80 to 20.
On May H. 1905 Mr. Gilchrist of DesOto introduced
In the House Of Representatives House Bill No. 401
"a bill to be entitled An Act constituting the Governor
the Attorney General and the State Treasurer Board
Of Commissioners to examine into and report upon the
claims against the State arising from moneys received
by the State account Of Indian War claims" (Pagt
912, House Journal, 1005)
Mr. Gchrists bill was enacted into law, becoming
Chap 5451, Acts Of 1905, which provided that "The
Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer hereby
constituted Board Of Commissioners to examine into
all claims in which II is set forth that the State Of Florida
received moneys from the United States in the settle
ment Of Indian War claims which moneys the State has
never paid ont, and which is justly due to the
claimants"
Section provided that aft shall be the duty Of the
Commissioners to make such examination into the claims
az they may deem best, etc"
The Commission provided for by the Act Of 1905 Chap
545 consisting OF the Governor the Attorney General
and the Treasurer made ts report TO the Legislature OF
1907 in which IL set mp and described large number Of
claims which submitted to them and made the fol
lowing observations:
"The claims which have been fled with the Board in
Guiding interest ut seven per cent from JAN l. 1858
aggregate about 1926 OOO.O0
"No proof was submitted by any Of the claimants.
which, in the opinion Of this Board established the fact
that the claims submitted OF any Of them, form any
part Of the States claim against the United States for
which the State received payment.
1--WE think that the Legislature should provide by law