FLORIDA. 



809 



her, for Ki-|.i\ -> ntatives in Congress and mem- 

 nf tin- State l.cu'i-laturo. William .1. 1'ur- 



maii, U [uiMiran, u as elected to Congress ID 

 ; ->t ilistrict, by a minority of 008 over the 



Democratic candidate, Mr. Henderson; and 



Jo-iah S. Walls was chosen by the Republi- 

 cans iii tho M-cond district, by a majority of 

 :;71 >\ci- his K-inocratic opponent, Mr. Finley. 

 The total vote was as follows: First district 

 Purinun, 10,045; Henderson, 9,877. Second 

 district -Walls, 8,549; Finley, 8,178. 



'I ho Legislature which assembled January, 

 1875, was classified as follows: 



The views of the Republican party in the 

 State may bo regarded as expressed in the fol- 

 lowing resolutions adopted by the convention 

 in the first congressional district : 



_ R&ohed. That this convention reaffirm the prin- 

 fipk-s of the Republican party, as laid down by its 

 founders at the Chicago Convention of 1860 ; that 

 our faith in those principles is as strong as ever, and 

 our confidence unoounded in their ultimate accept- 

 ance by every true patriot as best calculated to secure 

 to each and all the blessings guaranteed by the Con- 

 stitution, viz., life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi- 

 ness ; that we point with pride to the record of the 

 party in the past, and hereby pledge our renewed 

 and continued efforts for the success of the party of 

 progress and reform the only party which has the 

 courage to purge itself of all unworthy members and 

 to rectify abuses and wrongs without fear or favor. 



Resolved, That the President of the United States, 

 Ulysses S. Grant, twice elected to the presidency by 

 the Republican party, has faithfully upheld the 

 standard under wjiich he was advanced to the high- 

 est civil position in the United States. He has sus- 

 tained the rights of all people, preserved good order 

 throughout the nation, opposed all dangerous and 

 gigantic monopolies, introduced into our national 

 civil service greater purity, preserved a proper equi- 

 librium between the various conflicting financial in- 

 terests of the country, and, while affording American 

 citizens every protection due to them as such, at the 

 same time displayed the wisdom and statesmanship 

 that saved us from foreign wars or violent disturb- 

 ance at home. He has proved himself, therefore, a 

 sagacious and patriotic President, a successful leader 

 and administrator of the nation's affairs, and we ex- 

 press ourselves as unqualifiedly favorable to his re- 

 nomination and reflection to the Presidency for a 

 third term 



Resolved, That the Congress of the United States 

 has equally proved itself the friend of the people, 

 and a wise guardian of the public welfare. It has 

 never failed to declare itself on the side of the peo- 

 ple as against every measure and policy that was 

 oppressive, unjust, or anti-republican. If Congress 

 has ever erred in legislation that proved unwise { it 

 lias always evinced a disposition to heed the advice 

 ot the people and retrace its steps; wherever any 

 public corruption has shown itself to be identified 

 with the Republican name, it has ever struck at the 

 evil with all its force, and purged the party of its 

 poison. Individuals may have proved recreant, as 

 they do in all parties, but the grand principles of the 

 Republican party have been preserved by Congress 

 in unassailable purity. 



Resolved, That our Senators and Representatives 

 In Congress are entitled to our cordial commenda- 



tions for their faithful promotion of the best interest* 

 of the State; for establishing numerous mail facili- 

 ties for the benefit of the people ; for obtaining 'urge 

 appropriations from the United States Gov< i 

 for tlio improvement of pur rivers and watr-courM , 

 and for the reconotruction of the Pensacola Jviuvy- 

 yurd, in this manner bringing wealth into the Htutr, 

 giving employment to labor, and greatly adding to 

 the general prosperity of our people. 



Jtoolved, That we favor all prudent measured for 

 the improvement of internal communication between 

 the different cities and ports of our State; that wo 

 regard the building of a canal through our State, 

 uniting the waters of the Atlantic and Gulf, as a 

 work of national as well as State importance, and re- 

 quest our delegates in Congress, present and pro- 

 spective, to utte their best efforts to urge its impor- 

 tance upon the attention of our national Legis- 

 lature. 



Itetolved, That we pledge our support to the ratifi- 

 cation of all the amendments proposed to our State 

 constitution, looking to the economy, purity, and 

 greater freedom and efficiency of our State Govern- 

 ment. 



Itetolved, That we are strongly in favor of and urge 

 the immediate extension of railroad facilities through 

 West Florida, to a direct railroad and steam commu- 

 nication with Mobile and New Orleans ; and we also 

 equally urge an extension of present railroad facilities 

 through South Florida to Key West, thereby per- 

 fecting communication with Cuba. The people de- 

 mand these public improvements both in West and 

 South Florida, and we will favor all proper and well- 

 guarded measures for their speedy construction. 



Mesolvtd. That we hereby place ourselves on record 

 as opposed to the imposition of taxes upon the peo- 



Ele for the payment of principal or interest of the 

 onds issued by the State in aid of the Jackson- 

 ville, Pensacola & Mobile Railroad Company, or any 

 other railroad company in the State, the same having 

 been improperly issued and the proceeds- thereot 

 misapplied : and we heartily indorse the efforts of 

 the State administration to enforce the lien of the 

 State upon the railroad property, and thereby secure 

 the return and cancellation of the said bonds by the 

 road, and the relief of the State and people from any 

 responsibility therefor. 



Governor Ossian B. Hart died in Jackson- 

 ville, on the 18th of March, when Lieutenant- 

 Governor M. L. Stearns became the Chief- 

 Magistrate. 



The following statement exhibits the indebt- 

 edness of the State on the Istof January, 1875: 



Bonds outstanding $1,894,867 68 



Add one year's interest on $312,622.50, old 



bonds yet to be exchanged 

 Add six months' interest on old bonds held 



tojm ;- 



by School and Seminary Funds 9,960 01 



Add Interest due on bonds of 1871 87,88600 



Add interest due on bonds of 1873 



$1,469,678 19 



Deduct amount In Treasury applicable to 

 this debt 62,871 C8 



Total bonded debt and Interest, less funds 

 In the Treasury applicable to its reduc- 

 tion $1,416,701 61 



Warrants outstanding $185,646 14 



Deduct funds In Treasury ap- 

 plicable thereto 2,86898 



Total floating debt, less rands In Treasury 

 applicable thereto 182,777 21 



Total bonded and floating debt outstanding. $1,599,478 72 

 The total bonded and floating debt, Janu- 

 ary 1, 1874, was 1,620,800 



Showins a reduction of the State debt dor- 

 ing the past year $21,880 66 



