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we shook hands, and let the past lie forgotten -- (I have spoken of this elsewhere)--
On the 28th of October there was a grand rally of the reform-- We had been laboring under the [lnoubus?] of Carpet Bag Rule; and in the handle of thieves who had brought the country to the verge of ruin-- The Yoke was thrown off-; there was a grand & enthusiastic gathering; [oloquent?] & stirring speeches were made-; and everything passed off without any dangerous excitement, which was feared -- On Nov. 7th the Election passed off peaceably; with a grand Victory for the Democratic Party -- Tildon & Drew were elected-, and though the country was defrauded of its duly elected President; we [citizone?] of Florida rejoiced in the turning over of a new leaf, in the Inauguration of our Democratic Governor Drew--
During this Carpet Bag reign, there were two or three occasions at Election times, very near escapes from bloody and desperate fighting -- on one of these occasions the state of feeling gotten up amongst the negroes by the incendiary speeches and [maohinations?] of the Republican politicians was ^ so ^ intense that a row wasa very imminent -- All of the citizens were armed and ready for the emergency, should it be precipitated -- I had a Winchester Rifle, and a double barrelled breech loading shot gun with buck shot cartridges ready in case of need -- The drinking shops were all closed by order of the Mayor, and a body of police well drilled, under the commande of Joseph Wilson, a fearless man,