Year: 1866

TALLAHASSEE, FLA, April 7, 1866. !
Rev. L NJ HoBBs, Lancaster, Pa:


Sm-Your letter of March was re-
ceived on the 3Ist ult You enclose
your testimony before the Reconstruc-
ton Committee, which is as follows:


REV. L. NJ Hobbs testifes that in
Florida the feeling against the Govern
ment was bitter, much more so than it
was three or four months ago There
was time when the people seemed
very much disposed TO do anything
that the Government would require OF
them. They are now quite bitter, and
say what they would not have dared
say three months ago. They talk trea-
son on the streets without any conceal
ment The great majority of them do
80, the majority of the lower classes.
A few intelligent citizens whom he re-
CARDS as honorable gentlemen deplore
the expression of such opinion, but
they are very much in the minority,
and can have but little influence in the
affairs of the State Government. The
change in the tone is because of the
leniency manifested by the present ad
ministration


You then proceed to say that you do
not know what | may think of this tes-
timony-thst you hope you have not
offended me nor lost my confidence,
and ask if you have "thrown the fat in
to the fire" &c


After much anxious deliberation, in
answer / have to say that your state
ment before the Committee has given
me more pain than anything else that
has occurred since ] have been in the
Executive Office. In frequent conver-
sations with myself and many others,
you have led me to believe that your
opinions were directly the opposite of
those you expressed before the Commit
tee. You had frequently spoken to me
of the kindness with which you had
been everywhere received in this State,
and of the general disposition manifest
ed by the people to aid in the great and
good work in which you and were en-
gagged, of educating the colored people.
You had also spoken frequently of the
good order and quiet which prevailed
in the country, and of the universal
disposition of the people to adapt them
selves to the new order of things, and
become again good and orderly citizens
of the United States. Only a few days
before you left here for the North you
told me you would have occasion to
make known these sentiments in pub
lie addresses. 1t was understood be-
tween US that your addresses would be
published and have a good effect in
disabusing the Northern mind as to the
true condition of the South, and that
you would send them to me, and l
would have them re published here
with view to give our people q good
opinion of Northern men.


After all this, the first heard from
YOU after you left here was the above
recited testimony before the committee.
| have certainly no right to complain
of your giving expression to any opin
ion honestly entertained, either before
the committee or elsewhere, but feel
a deeper regret than can express that
you should have imposed upon me and
abused my confidence by expressing one
set Of opinions to me, when, in fact,
YOU entertained another. You know
how earnestly ! desire ito bring about
an era of good feeling and fraternity,
and to make the people of the South
feel that those of the North are their
brethren, not only in name, but in fact.
To use the language of the President,
"If know my own heart, and every
passion which enters it, it is my desire
to restore the blessings of the Union
and tie up and heal every bleeding
wound which has been caused by the
fratricidal wat" i had you chosen IS
an instrument to assist me in this great
work, by appointing you to the respon-
sible Office of Superintendent of schools
| for freedmen in this State. You have
disappointed me; your course is well
calculated TO tear open and make the
wounds which we're fast healing bleed
afresh. Hereafter, whenever / shall
speak Of appointing to State office
Northern man, shall be warned to
| remember the case of Rev. Mr.. Hobbs.
Hereafter, when gentlemen from the
North appear among US, ready TO Join
with us in any good work, no matter
what their declarations of friendship
may be, you have put it into the power
of some 70 say, take care, and let ex-
perience put a clog upon our ccnf-
/ dence.


As have before stated, do not deny
your right 10 entertain or express any
opinion you please; my complaint is
! that YOU have expressed one opinion to
me. and another to the committee.
There is another thing complain Of,
which is, that you, according to your
testimony, have known that a majority
of the people Of this State talked
treason upon the streets without con-
cealment,' and yet you have not re-
ported any instance, either TO the Ms
| Tor General Commanding here, or 10
myself. You held q commission from
| me. You knew that | had sworn TO
support the Constitution Of the United
states. You knew il was my duty. as
il is my fixed purpose, 10 have all trai e
! tors punished. You knew that il was
very prejudicial 10 me and the State Of
which you were an officer, 10 have peo-
pie talk treason on the streets With
/ out concealment, and yet, instead Of
reporting this 10 me, your report was
"All is well, till you got before the
! Committee in Washington, and then
you reported 'all is wrong II you
did not have confidence in me, to be-
lieve that would punish treason, you
] ought not 70 have held commission