Novanber 16 195}

Mr. Allen Merrie

Cracker Politics
itol News Room

Ta lahassee, Florida

Dear Allen:

I carried jOUl letter with In for several daYB. intending
to take time out while in some hote.I room or other NW
of leisure to answer as it owed-an now it is gone.
Therefore I shall rave to L i .

For about a year after the campaign I declined all in.
vitati one to speak other than in the Church (filling in
for preachers, Sunday School classes, Brotherhood Meet-
ings, etc.) for two reasons: 1. I wanted rest from pol-
itics; 2. I wanted to rebuild my law practice and devote
time to my family.

Iiter that I began accepting invitations to speak to
state conventions only, but then as {cople read of my
speaking they began inviting me to a 1 t
and of course to a great many of the people who made the
requests I owed a substantial debt of ratitude which
made it impossible for me to flatly re so. when I
would tell them that some legal matter kept me frcm ec-
cepting a. particular engagement they would offer to

change the date of the engagement to suit mew-and that
was that.

During that time, also, I served as chairman of the

State Fund Drive of the Florida Association for .Iental
Health, and that put me back on the road to a degree.

We had a very successful drive, doubling the receipts of
the previous year--and I learned a lot about the problems
of mental illness.

ypoe of occasions ,

:ALM. n35- nib-n- on 1. .m' ._. '

he had a wonderful family gtion in the sealer of 195.
too, the first-in many your Cecilia, our 10 year old
daughter, was at camp, but we had her: return early and

we all took an apartment in a note], an Mimi Beach-without
letting anyone know where we Horte: than Julia and I

went to New lork twice seei "I! it Leda"; Ill-n
Illiimi-thmaiyhxn "Major Bar rt unti. e","Li'l
Abner", 5a; Tos a with dethy Kirsten, and "The Swan"

by the Jew Tori dity Ballet's

The speaking I have done to conventions and civic groups

has been on subjects tint Varied according to the occasion.
Whenever I have spoken on governmental subjects the could
be broadly entitled "Financing Honda's Future ," a Role
of the State, "Justice in the Social Order", "its Florida
Dilemm" (Reapporticmmt),'rhe fights at a refinerity", etc.
Unfortunately I n ver write speeches, so there are no Copies.

As a (lati-na'l Council Member of Boy costs I have spoken
several times to Scout grows, kicking of? fund drives,
addressing an usl meetings of executive coercils of Various
councils in rlorida, etc.

My fern. nal correspondence has beeozne volumnicus running
25 otters, more or less, a is largely from an with
friends who want to know what plan or who are conveying
their own taughts and inform-"inn. {'hese leters, a half
doses long distance calls a day, and my personal contacts
as I attend meetings around the state or talk with {eople
who take time to say hello on their n through (ca :1, keep
me extraner wel1 posted. As potentia candidates for
governor suing around the state, sounding out possible sup-
porters, I can pretty well follow them just hyamy long
distance calls and letters from friends they vs contacted.

My law office is still over The Munroe a Chambliss national
Bank, across from the Courthouse--and John I-' rshall Green and
I are still law partners (we grew up together here in Goals).
We have an associate (U or F graduate) and engave in general
civil practice (no criminal). WI still follow ail-N1. of

not representing any person or corporation before state
agencies unless their business situe is Marion County or
unless we are their attorneys in general bminese matters.

Politically I have been receptiVe but indefinite. That is

to say, as others have raised the issue of my future course
I have been ap,reciateve of their interest, interested in

their views and suggestions, grateful for their offers of

essitance, but have consistently ke my own counsel. I
know you recognize there are severe reasons for such a
course: 1. It is too early to bngin a campaign, even if

one is planned and there is no such thing as a political
secret; 2. If i ever committed myself, the existing law
said impose ocn as burdens I am not willing to accept

as yet; 3. 1960 is a long time off-Jan'a death till].

the: throw on a bloc into my long-laid plans at one time,--
there are many things that could change between now and

1960; a. Physically it wouli be unwise for me to begin a
campaign now, with all the iomands on my time that would
entail; 5. I don't want everything I say to be construed

as the words of a political candidate.

I have been entrossed for several weeks now in a detailed
stuiy of the peoposed constitution, and probably some time
after the first of the year will take a position on it--with
reasons. My major regret is that whatever I say will be
construed merely as a political maneuver--if affirmative,

as an effrrt to deal with the Gove nor-if negative, as a
continuation of my fight with him. Actually you are aware
that I nave a keen personal interest in constitutianal rs-
Vision which rests on a conviction that there are only two
Inuxmagnetssuan-nstuck-xplmamsMsmnmgthxmxhlmpssmt-xshnll
xnimnusmlnnm:mnsthtlshumanizemamrsxtanIdmxthImrsmmiIxmama-r
i-lmxnlhxmnmxm ways to prese've freedom: 1. Keep as much

power as possible, with crnsideration for the ever chanoing
need for group action, in the people; 2. Where the necessities
for group action requires that certain powers be taken from
the people, all: trust them to institutions governed by
principles of law, mull.wa and to men only as mnctionaries
in those institutions. I served on the Redfearne committee

of the Florida Bar Association in 19h6-7-8 which made the
first pro osal fer over-all revision 0 the Constitution

in 19h9; was an organizer and charter member of the Cibisil's
Constitution Committee 0 ganized in Pools in January 1950;

I served on a Constitution Committee of the House in every
session of the legislature I attended; over the last 12 years
I have undoubtedly made more sp eechee for constitutional

rev sion than any three other men in Florida.

In the meantime I have attended about two football games a
week (my oldest daughter, Julie, is a cheerleader in Ocala

High), and am leaving for another just as soon as I sign this
er s

warmest regards,