Letter from Dr. Samuel A. Wilcox to Governor Ossian B. Hart, January 23, 1873

Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)

Resignation from office

Racism

Prejudices

County government

Letter from Samuel A. Wilcox, clerk of courts for Taylor County, to Governor Ossian B. Hart, describing his political sentiments and asking for his office to be combined with the office of tax assessor or justice of the peace at large because the clerk's post does not pay enough. In the event this is not possible, or if his political positions as a Constitutional Unionist are unsatisfactory to Governor Hart, Wilcox resigns.

Wilcox, Samuel A., 1824-1887

State Archives of Florida, Series S577

1873-01-23

letters (correspondence)

eng-US

Text

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Reconstruction Era Florida (1865-1877)

Taylor County (Fla.)

Rosehead (Fla.)

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Politics And Government

Rosehead Jany the 23d 1873 To his Excellency O.B. Hart Governor of Florida Dr. Sir: I am at present as far as I know clerk of the circuit & county court for the county of Taylor, and hearing quite a number of rumors through our county in regard to your making removals, I would say to your Excellency that for several years I have been a sworn friend of William D. Bloxham's. I gave him my hearty support for Governor in the last election. I must willingly and honestly confess that I refuged and went through the lines during the war, became an Act. Surg. U.S.A., opposed to secession in all its [?]. But as King Solomon [?] justly says, that train up the child in the way he should walk and he seldom departs from the same. I was borned of parents, slave holders in Augusta, Georgia, and taught from my cradle up that the Negro was an inferior race of human beings to the white, and that the power of government properly belong to the whites. Under these circumstances, I cannot honestly give my support to Negro holding office. I cannot and I will not for all the offices in the United States. I am honest in this

in this assertion, and upon the same principals [sic] I object to a cesessionist [sic]. He is not nor ever will be a fit subject to control the affairs of government. So there are the two classes of people that party or any influence whatever can't get my support. Knowingly, I was president of the Board of Registration for this county when you were president of the board for the state. You found all my proceedings correct, and that is the case now in my office as Clerk. There are no objections to me as clerk unless through political prejudice. I am not in favor of Negro suffrage, but they are perfectly welcome to this freedom as far as I am concerned. To tell you the truth I have nothing much for or against the Negro. I have nothing to do with him. If he wishes official business done I do and do it honestly as if he was white. In time of the flood there were only eight souls saved. I do not know which of them were black, if any. I expect to try to discharge my duty fraternally with any man. Judge J.H. Wentworth knows my political sentiments, and if the honest [???] of my political rights amounts to my removal, all right. I am willing to go. And unless some other office is combined with the clerk's office I must acknowledge that I tender my resignation of the office. But if you see proper and wish to do so by combining the clerk's office & tax assessor's office together, the two offices will pay about $300 a year. The clerk's [share?] is not worth over $200,

which shows plainly that no competent man can fill the clerk's office alone, as it requires strict application with good security, and, as your honor will know, good intellect to run the office. As a matter of course I have no claims on your excellency to be held in office as I didn't support you. I must say that Governor Reed committed a great error in his appointments, trying to make Republicans out of Democrats, and radical ones at that. If Republicans are in power, put Republicans in office, and if Democrat in power we well know that no Republican will get in. They don't make any such compromises as that. Our county is unfortunately represented both in Senate and Assembly by the most rigid Democrats in our county. They may act differently there to get some influence with you, but they will not do for a Republican in any shape. I feel as if though I am a Constitutional Union man that winds the matter up with me. Governor, I have recently been admitted to the bar as an atty and I cannot hold the clerk's office and practice. Now unless some other office is combined with the clerk's office I respectfully resign, but if the tax assessor's or justice of the peace at large, perhaps the emoluments of the office would be sufficient for me to continue if you saw proper. On this subject I will refer you to Judge Wentworth from Taylor County. He is well aware of the whole

of the affairs of the county and will give you a full explanation. Hoping that you may accomplish good ends for people of Florida in surmounting all the difficulties before your predecessor in office, and restore our state by your untiring energies from her oppressed condition, and that you may survive your term of office, I am