FLORIDA. 



273 



According to their adjournment of August 

 6th, the Legislature met on November 3d. By 

 a proclamation of this date, however, Governor 

 Eeed convened them for that same day at eight 

 o'clock, p. M., in extraordinary session, to de- 

 liberate on special matters, as follows: 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, TALLAHASSEE, FLA., ) 

 November 3, 1868. f 



Whereas, There has been no appropriation made 

 for the expenses of the joint convention for the ap- 

 pointment of electors of President and Vice-President 

 of the United States ; and whereas, Serious obstacles 

 to the administration of justice exist on account of 

 the want of general power in the courts to empanel 

 juries under existing laws ; and whereas, Power 

 should -be granted for the appointment of a Board 

 of Commissioners to equalize and secure uniformity 

 in the value of taxable property throughout the 

 State : 



Now, therefore, In order that such legislation may 

 be had as will secure these ends, I, Harrison Eeed, 

 Governor of the State of Florida, by virtue of the 

 power in me vested by the constitution of this State, 

 do hereby convene the Legislature in extraordinary 

 session in the capitol at Tallahassee, on Tuesday, the 

 third day of November, at 8 P. M., for the purpose 

 above-mentioned, and for the confirmation of such 

 appointments as may be submitted to the Senate. 



In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 

 and caused the great seal of the State to 



[L. s.l be affixed this third day of November, 



A. D. 1868. 

 HAEEISON EEED, Governor of Florida. 



By the Governor : 



Attest GEOEGE J. ALDEN, Secretary of State. 



By a message sent to both Houses on the 

 same day, the Governor called their attention 

 to the fact, that the senate as yet could do no 

 business, the constitution fixing the number of 

 its members at twenty-four, and ordaining that 

 a majority of the House constitutes a quorum, 

 whereas, those who had now presented them- 

 selves as'Senators were twelve, and even four 

 of these could have no part in the business, 

 they having been appointed to, and actually 

 holding offices, whose functions the constitution 

 itself declares incompatible with those of Sen- 

 ators. Among these four was George J. Alden, 

 the Secretary of State, who had issued the said 

 joint proclamation, declaring the vacancy of 

 his own seat in the Senate, and ordering an 

 election in his district to fill it ; and Horatio 

 Jenkins, Jr., who was County Judge of Ala- 

 chua and Levy Counties. 



A bill providing for a per diem and mileage 

 to he paid the members of the Legislature for 

 this session passed both Houses soon after their 

 meeting, and was sent to the Governor for his 

 signature. On November 5th, he returned it 

 unsigned, with the following message : 



STATE OP FLORIDA, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, ) 

 TALLAHASSEE, November 5, 1868. ) 

 To THE ASSEMBLY : I am reluctantly compelled by 

 constitutional obligations to return, without my ap- 

 proval, the bill originating in the Assembly, entitled 

 A bill to provide for the pay and mileage of the 

 members and officers, and other expenses of the con- 

 vention." 



On the 6th day of August last, the two Houses 

 ol the Legislature met in joint convention, and ad- 

 journed to meet again on the 3d day of November 

 instant. It was a self-imposed duty as members of the 

 VOL. vui. 18 A 



Legislature. The constitution limits the pay of the 

 members of the Legislature to five hundred dollars per 

 annum. That sum was drawn by each member durin^ 

 the first quarter of his official term, and no further 

 pay can, in my judgment, be received without a pal- 

 pable violation of the constitution. This bill seeks 

 to pay each member in attendance five dollars per 

 diem, and five dollars for every twenty miles travelled, 

 in addition to the constitutional mileage. 



Again, the official record discloses the fact that the 

 Senate passed this bill while sitting without a consti- 

 tutional quorum, there being but seven members of a 

 body constituted of twenty-four. 



I fully recognize the right of each member in at- 

 tendance to receive from the treasury " ten cents per 

 mile for each mile travelled from their respective 

 places of residence, and the same to return." 

 Very respectfully, etc., 



HAEEISON EEED, Governor. 



This hill was immediately voted upon and 

 passed again by a two-thirds vote in both 

 Houses, " the objections of his Excellency the 

 Governor to the contrary notwithstanding." 



On November 6th the above-named Mr. Jen- 

 kins, who still continued sitting as Senator, 

 appeared before the House of Eepresentatives 

 as a citizen of the State of Florida, and pre- 

 ferred charges for the impeachment of Gov- 

 ernor Eeed, as follows: 



Inasmuch as I, Horatio Jenkins, Jr., a citizen of 

 Florida, having obtained much and sundry knowl- 

 edge proving that Harrison Eeed, Governor of Flor- 

 ida, has been guilty of many crimes and misde- 

 meanors, and the proof being such that I sincerely 

 believe him to be guilty, I prefer these reasons for 

 impeachment : 



1. He has been guilty of falsehood and lying, while 

 transacting business with members of the Legisla- 

 ture, and other officers of the State. 



2. I charge him with incompetency, inasmuch as 

 he has filled commissions to officers in blank, and 

 other irresponsible persons have issued them. 



3. He has issued a proclamation declaring many 

 seats of the Legislature vacant, before the members 

 duly elected and returned had resigned or their legal 

 term of service expired. 



4. He has been guilty of embezzlement, having 

 taken from the State Treasury securities and money, 

 and sold such securities, and then failed to return a 

 portion or all of the proceeds of the sale to the 

 Treasury. 



5. He has been guilty of corruption and bribery, 

 having bartered and sold prominent offices in the 

 State to sundry persons for money to him in hand 

 paid, and nominated such persons to the Senate for 

 confirmation. For and in consideration of these and 

 many other crimes and misdemeanors which have 

 come to my knowledge, I ask at the hands of the 

 Assembly the impeachment for high crimes and mis- 

 demeanors of Harrison Eeed, Governor of Florida. 



HOEATIO JENKINS, JB. 

 Hereupon the House, by a vote of twenty- 

 five yeas and seven nays, "* Resolved, That Har- 

 rison Keed, Governor of Florida, he, and he is 

 hereby, impeached of high crimes and misde- 

 meanors in office." A committee of three was 

 then appointed, who proceeded to the bar of 

 the Senate, and, in " the name of the Assem- 

 bly and of all the people of Florida, impeached 

 Harrison Reed, Governor of the State of Flor- 

 'ida, of high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 

 and demanded of the Senate that they should 

 take order to make him appear before that 

 body to answer for the same, and announced 



