FLORIDA. 



307 



be required, to receive donations, and purchase 

 and sell lands. Each Senator, during his term 

 of office, is empowered, and it is made his 

 duty, "to nominate and send one student, who 

 shall be a resident of his Senatorial District, 

 to said State Agricultural College, who shall 

 he entitled to receive the benefit of a full 

 course of instruction at said college, without 

 any charge for tuition, subject to such rules 

 and regulations as may be established for the 

 government and direction of said college, ac- 

 cording to the provisions of this act." 



Brown's Theological Institute was also in- 

 corporated with all necessary powers, and the 

 trustees required to make an annual report to 

 the Conference of the African Methodist Epis- 

 copal Church. 



The first political convention of the year was 

 held by the Republicans, at Jacksonville, for 

 the purpose of appointing delegates to the 

 National Convention. Resolutions were adopt- 

 ed commending the Administration of Pres- 

 ident Grant for its "careful and economical 

 management of the finances of the nation," 

 and its " uniform support of the great princi- 

 ple that every citizen shall enjoy every right 

 and privilege guaranteed by the Declaration 

 of Independence and the Constitution of the 

 United States." The delegates were instructed 

 to favor his nomination. Resolutions were 

 also adopted characterizing the war carried on 

 by the Spanish authorities in Cuba, as having 

 " no parallel for its atrocity and inhumanity 

 in the annals of modern warfare," and calling 

 on Congress "to adopt such legislation as may 

 be necessary to enable the national Govern- 

 ment to extend such aid to the patriots of 

 Cuba as becomes a great and free repablic 

 whose people so ardently sympathize with the 

 struggles and hopes of the oppressed of all na- 

 tions." 



The Democratic delegates to the National 

 Convention at Baltimore were named by the 

 ."Conservative State Central Committee," on 

 the llth of June, and instructed to favor the 

 acceptance of the "Liberal Republican" nom- 

 inees, but to abide by the action of the con- 

 vention, whatever it might be. 



The regular Republican Convention, for the 

 nomination of State officers and presidential 

 electors, was held at Tallahassee, on the 7th 

 of August. Ossia B. Hart was nominated for 

 Governor, Marcellus B. Stearns for Lieutenant- 

 Governor, and John T. Walls and William J. 

 Parmon for members of Congress. A resolu- 

 tion was unanimously adopted, pledging the 

 delegates as representatives of the party, in 

 the event of success at the State election, to 

 use their " entire exertion " for the election 

 of Governor Harrison Reed to the position of 

 United States Senator, "recognizing in him, 

 as we do, a faithful public servant, and a true 

 Republican deserving well of the party for his 

 unflinching devotion to principle." 



The State Executive Committee was intrust- 

 ed with the duty of preparing and publishing 



a platform, which they did shortly after the 

 convention. Besides indorsing the Adminis- 

 tration and the action of the National Con- 

 vention at Philadelphia, and condemning the 

 Liberal Republican movement, and reiterat- 

 ing the demand that the Government extend 

 its aid to "the patriots of Cuba," the plat- 

 form contained the following declarations : 



3. That the education of all the people being the 

 surest bulwark of a republican Government as well 

 as a blessing to which all the people are equally en- 

 titledit is the duty of the State to provide for the 

 education of all, by providing and supporting a 

 liberal system of common schools, indorsing and sus- 

 taining colleges, and by placing within the reach of 

 all the people, without discrimination on account 

 of race or color, the means of obtaining at least a 

 thorough common-school education. 



4. That the Republican party; is based upon these 

 sacred principles of truth and justice, which recog- 

 nize in its broadest sense the perfect equality of all 

 men before the law, regardless of race or color ; that 

 it is opposed to all class distinctions and to all class 

 legislation, and that it aims to secure for all men an 

 equal right to the quiet and unquestioned enjoyment 

 of all the privileges and honors of citizenship. 



5. That the most liberal policy should be adopted 

 by the State to encourage a large and immediate im- 

 migration from other States and from foreign lands, 

 and that all industrious and intelligent settlers, who 

 will make their homes in Florida, will receive a cor- 

 dial welcome, and be protected in the full enjoyment 

 of all their personal and political rights and opin- 

 ions. 



6. That it is the duty of the State, by legislative 

 action, or by the action of its proper officers, to un- 

 ravel the complications which now embarrass the 

 railroad system of the State, and to insist upon such 

 a management of all railroads as will conduce to the 

 general welfare of the State and of the people, and 

 contribute to the proper accommodation of the pub- 

 lic ; and while we favor a liberal system of State aid 

 for the purpose of encouraging internal improve- 

 ments, we protest against any grants of bonds or 

 lands_ that shall benefit corporations, either public 

 or private, at the expense of the people, or increase 

 their burden of taxation. 



7. That retrenchment and economy should be 

 rigidly practised in every department of the State 

 government; that every State and county officer 

 should be held to a strict personal accountability for 

 the faithful performance of his duties, and for the 

 safety and proper application of ^the public property 

 and public meneys intrusted tc his care : that officers 

 and legislators, appointed or elected, should be 

 honest, intelligent, and competent men; that the 

 taxes should be made as light as the actual expenses 

 of the State will permit, and that they should be 

 promptly and faithfully assessed and collected, and 

 that in all respects the State government should be 

 administered honestly and uprightly, and with a 

 sole regard to the interests of the people. 



9. That the people of Florida are to be congratu- 

 lated on the unprecedented growth of their towns 

 and cities in wealth and population ; on the security 

 afforded to all classes of citizens, equally by the laws 

 enacted by Republican Legislatures, and enforced by 

 the present Republican administration, especially 

 guaranteeing to all, without discrimination, the irrev- 

 ocable right" to vote and to hold office in this State ; 

 upon the energetic and successful manner in which 

 this administration has organized and put in opera- 

 tion the school system of the State ; upon the suc- 

 cess of its efforts to secure a permanent and intelli- 

 gent immigration, and upon the fact that the present 

 Republican administration has conferred more bene- 

 fits upon the State and upon its people, and has been 

 more just to all classes, more honorable and more 



