Page:Journal of Florida Secession Convention.djvu/39

 Mr. Pelot of Alachua moved that Mr. Sever of Madison be alowed leave of absence until Monday next; Which was agreed to. Mr. Pelot of Alachua moved that Mr. Helvenston of Levy be allowed leave of absence for one week; Which was agreed to. Mr. Ward of Leon offered the following resolution: Resolved, That in addition to the other Standing Committees of this Convention, there be appointed by the President the following Committee: Committee on Internal Improvements. Committee on Schools and Colleges. Committee on Charters and Corporations. Commmittee on Agriculture. Which was adopted. Mr. Daniel of Duval moved that a committee of three be appointed to wait upon the Right Rev. F. H. Rutledge, Bishop of the Diocese of Florida, and request for the purpose of being spread upon the minutes of this Convention, a copy of the beautiful, appropriate and patriotic prayer with which the Convention was this morning opened; Which was agreed to. Mr. Ward of Leon moved that the rules be waived and a motion be entertained that leave of absence be granted to Mr. Alderman of Jackson for one week; Which was agreed to.

Mr. Folsom of Hamilton, from the Committee on Credentials, made the following report: The Committee on Credentials, to whom was referred the matter of the contested election from the counties of Columbia and Suwannee, beg leave to make the following report: That A. J. T. Wright, the occupant of the seat in this Convention from said counties, holds the same by virtue of the certificate of the Judge of Probate of the county of Columbia; that by the returns of said election, as canvassed by said Probate Judge, it appeared that said Wright was elected by a majority of nine votes; but the Committee further find that the Judge of Probate in Suwannee county failed to canvass and count the returns from two precincts in that county, to wit: Plowdens and Columbus precinct; that at said Plowdens precinct the occupant, Wright, rceivedreceived [sic] a majority of four votes, and at said Columbus precinct the contestant, John W. Jones, received a majority of twenty-six votes, leaving a clear majority in the two counties for the contestant of thirteen votes. Waiving all formalities, your Committee are of the unanimous opinion that the will of the majority of the voters of said counties should be respected, and that the said John W. Jones should