User:Jordon Kalilich/William Henry Gleason

The dates of the beginning and ending of Gleason's term as Lieutenant Governor have been hard to pin down.

Harrison Reed and other officials were sworn in on June 8, 1868 (Tebeau, A History of Florida, University of Miami Press, 1980), but the formal handover of power did not occur until July 4. The latter is the date that the state of Florida recognizes as the beginning of Reed's term. ("Took oath on June 8, 1868; recognized by the federal commander on July 4, 1868; served until January 7, 1873," and then, simply: "July 4, 1868 to January 7, 1873.") However, the New York Times reported that, "Lieut.-Gov. Gleason, of Florida, who has been [in Washington] for several months, returned to Tallahassee" on July 1, so he could not have been there with Reed. Nonetheless, the date of the formal transfer of power seems to suggest that Gleason's term should have officially begun on July 4th as well. Court records show that Gleason had taken the oath of office in July, after Reed, who had done so on June 8. This date is given elsewhere in the record as the 7th of July. This is either a mistake in transcription from the original notes or a consequence of the fact that Gleason had been traveling from Washington and may not have made it in time for the July 4th handover of power. Since I haven't found any other sources giving the exact date that Gleason became Lieutenant Governor, I'm assuming the latter.

Various dates are given as the end of Gleason's term. His years of service are often given as 1868-1870, yet other sources give earlier dates for the end of his term. It seems that his citizenship credentials were questioned by Governor Reed immediately after Gleason proclaimed himself acting Governor. The Supreme Court "ousted" him from office on December 15, 1868, as evidenced here (or possibly December 14). According to the former source, he tried to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was back in the Senate on January 4, 1869. On January 9, he resigned as President of the Senate, which was his only duty as Lieutenant Governor. Though his resignation was accepted, the New York Times noted that his action was "irregular and of no value, as the resignation should have gone through the Executive Department to the Senate; and the question arises whether he can resign the functions of the office alone." At least one source takes this to be the end of Gleason. Another disagrees, stating "Governor Harrison Reed appointed Weeks to Gleason's unexpired term but the Senate refused to allow him to preside, and instead recognized Gleason. Gleason presided over the Senates of 1869 and 1870 despite both the Supreme Court's decision and Governor Reed's appointment." So perhaps he was all but officially the Lieutenant Governor, but that does not explain why every source gives Weeks's term as beginning in 1870 and Gleason's term ending that same year. Could they have both been considered Lieutenant Governors? In any case, must have still been interested in holding the office because the Times next mentions that on February 11, 1870, Gleason's appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court because it was not a federal matter. However, Gleason was apparently already out of office by this time, because on January 24, 1870, Governor Reed had appointed E. C. Weeks to the post of Lieutenant Governor "to fill the vacancy occasioned by the judgment of the Supreme Court," which had occurred "several months before" -- although which Supreme Court he's talking about isn't clear.

Possible timeline:

1868 | July 4 - Official change of power to Reed's government | July 7 (maybe 4) - Gleason takes oath of office | | | | | November 6 - Gleason declares himself acting governor | November 16 - Reed claims Gleason is ineligible for office | | December 15 (maybe 14) - Florida Supreme Court declares Gleason ineligible | 1869 | January 4 - Gleason continues to preside over the Senate | January 9 - Gleason resigns as President of the Senate | | | | | | |        }   Gleason continues to preside over Senate? | | | | | | 1870 | | January 24 - Reed appoints Weeks to replace "vacancy" of office | | February 11 - U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Gleason's appeal. | | | | | May 23 - The Senate refuses to allow Weeks to preside | May 24 - The Senate passes a resolution stating that Weeks is not Lieutenant Governor; he leaves the session | | Then what? Do they eventually let him in? Is Gleason still there? So many questions...