Governor Reed, although prominently spoken of for Governor by the most influential Republicans, was not attached to either faction of the convention, but gave his earnest efforts, while securing the rights of freedmen to prevent proscription of the whites on account of the rebellion; but the Osborn-Purman faction realized the fact that they could not succeed without his brain, and looked upon him as the only means by which they could hope to obtain success. They privately expressed fears that he would not be as pliant as they would desire in aiding their schemes of plunder, but could find no other alternative. memorial, therefore, does not state what is true when it asserts that Harrison Reed took part in the canvass to defeat reconstruction on the republican basis. Both parties were bidding for Democratic support, which was finally knocked off to the Osborn faction. The Hon. Charles Summer vigorously opposed the admission of the State into the Union under this Osborn constitution. He declared upon the floor of the Senate that "Florida should not be admitted until she came with clean hands." The Governor Reed being the supposed candidate of the Osborn faction for the office of Governor, it was but natural that the Richards faction should attempt to place him in the most awkward position before Congress; hence his name heads the list. with those whom they charge with defeating reconstruction on a repulican basis. There was some money spent, and many concessions made to the Democrats by the Osborn faction, to overthrow the Richards convention, as charged in the memorial. Reed was mainly instrumental in procuring those concessions, as he believed in the professions of future loyalty to the Union, and regarded it necessary to enlist the intelligent class in behalf of the reconstructed government to protect the State against misrule through the ignorance of the newly enfranchised freedmen. He favored an apportionment of the Legislature so as to secure the sparsely settled white counties against the domination of the populous black belt; he favored the admission of all to citizenship, with no test but that of allegiance to the amended constitution; he favored the appointing power of the Governor to general and local offices, temporarily, to save the State from a threatened war of races which would banish the whites from the old slave-holding counties and the freedmen from the white counties of South and West Florida. He was held responsible for these concessions, and was denounced by the radical leaders of the freedmen, and the colored vote of Duval, Nassau, Leon and Gadsden counties was mostly thrown against him and the constitution. It was only by these concessions that the conflicting elements could be at once harmonized and the State protected from violence and the necessity of military force. The result vindicated his judgment, and during the four and a half years of his administration no resort to force was necessary, and the freedmen were less proscribed than during the early stages of reconstruction in any other Southern State. CHAPTER VII. The Meeting of the Legislature of 1868. Inauguration of Governor Reed, and His Address. Ratification of the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Election of United States Senators. Extracts from Reed's Message. Governor Reed's Cabinet. First Years of Reed's Administration. His Appointing Power a Source of Corruption. Corrupt Legislation. The Attitude of the Colored Members to These Measures. Osborn and the Federal Office-holders. Reed Calls on the Colored Voters for Support. Meeting of the Legislature November, 1868, and the Appointment of Electors. Attempt at Impeachment. The Ouster of Alden and the Appointment of Gibbs as Secretary of State. The Ouster of Gleason as Lieutenant-Governor. The Legislature met and organized on the 8th day of June, 1868, under a constitution framed by the people of Florida in a convention assembled by the authority of what is known as the reconstruction acts of the Congress of the United States. On the 9th of June the joint Assembly repaired to the Supreme Court room to witness the inauguration of the first Governor of Florida, whose election had been secured by a majority of all the male inhabitants of the State, twenty-one years of age and upwards, without regard to color or previous condition of servitude. Governor Reed came forward and was sworn in as Governor of Florida by Judge Boynton, of the United States District Court amidst the shouts of thousands of glad people who now began to see the dawn of a new day. After taking the oath of office the Governor delivered the following INAUGURAL ADDRESS. FELLOW CITIZENS OF FLORIDA: "In entering upon the high trust which your partiality has conferred, in deference to time-honored custom, it becomes my duty to briefly indicate the policy of my administration as chief magistrate of the State. "In November, 1860, the constitutional rights of the people of Florida were subverted, and its civil government was overthrown. Since then the State has been without a constitutional government, and subject to military law. In March, 1867, the Congress of the United States, in obedience to its obligation to guarantee to every State a republican form of government,' prepared a plan by which the State could regain its forfeited rights and its people be restored to the benefits of the constitutional government. Under this plan, you have formed a government, which we are here to-day to inaugurate and prepare to make effective. You have formed, and adopted a constitution based upon the great theory of American government, that all men are by nature free and endowed with equal rights. You have laid deep and broad the foundations of the State upon the principle of universal freedom. Bred to freedom and under republican institutions; believing slavery an unmitigated curse, as well as a violation of human rights-a moral, political and physical evil wherever tolerated, I most cordially congratulate you that it no longer exists to blight the fair heritage which God has given us here, and that the constitution which you have adopted contains no germ of despotism to generate future discord. I congratulate you also that no spirit of malevolence or bitterness, growing out of the wrongs and conflicts of the past, has been suffered to mar your organic law, but that in a spirit of magnanimity and forbearance worthy of the highest commendation, those who have forfeited their citizenship are welcomed back to the benefits and privileges of the government upon the sole condition of fealty and adherence to the constitution and laws. "Amid the ruins of a government embodying antagonistic principles you have laid the foundation of a government insuring harmony, stability, security and peace. The conflicting elements and interests of the past now all unite in a homogeneous system, all yielding obedience to a common law, which respects alike the interests of all. Time alone can heal the social disorders and dissensions created by the disruption of society and the radical change in the system of government, consequent upon the war. We will patiently await its mollifying influences, interposing no obstacles to a speedy restoration. "All classes of society and all the interests of the State demand peace and good government, and if the spirit of our constitution is appreciated and reciprocated, every citizen may realize these advantages, and the State may arise from its prostrate condition to a measure of prosperity unknown in the past, and become one of the brighest luminaries in the galaxy of our glorious Union. "Fellow citizens, I accept the high responsibility of the chief magistracy under your new constitution, believing firmly in its principles, and unqualifiedly endorsing its policy and that of the Congress under whose clemency we are permitted to inaugurate anew a civil government for the State. I enter upon this high trust with the firm purpose of executing the laws in the spirit of liberality in which they are conceived, and in view of the highest interests of the State and the people. Relying upon your loyalty and patriotism, and the favor and guidance of that Divine Power which sways the destinies of all, I shall do what within me lies to render effective the government and to command for it the respect and obedience of all classes of our citizens." After the inauguration of Governor Reed, the Legislature was notified by Colonel F. F. Flint that the Commanding General would not recognize the Governor-elect and Legislature until further orders from Congress. On the ninth of June the Legislature adopted the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. The Legislature on June 16th proceeded to the election of United States Senator for the term expiring March 3d, 1869. The cunning Osborn of the "Brotherhood" was a candidate for the short term, but it had already been determined by Purman and Company to give him the largest and longest slice of the public ham, so as to cover the entire term of Governor Reed, which would enable him to use his influence as Senator to fill the Federal offices with men antagonistic to the Governor should he refuse to give his signature to any subsequent legislation passed by the influence of Purman and Company to rob the State and its people. A. S. Welch was elected to fill the term expiring March 3d, 1869, and T. W. Osborn for the term ending March 3d, 1873. Osborn would have been elected for the term beginning March 4th, 1869, but it was thought by Purman and Company that it was important to have him in the Senate on the admission of the State into the Union so as to control the offices. Abijah Gilbert, an old gentleman of reputed wealth, resident at St. Augustine, was pitched upon on account of his money, he agreeing to cash $50,000 or $100,000 State bonds at 85 cents on the dollar, and for the further reason that he was very old and would always say "me too, Osborn," in any recommendations the latter would make for appointments to office. term ending March 3d, 1875. Gilbert was elected to fill the |