Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-01-10
POHIaEastA T..
FLORIDA.

!
many important amendments and alterations have been
made in Committee OF the Whole. The Convention will
probably finish their sbOrs and n1urn during The
| ing week. The principal portions of the Constitution
have been adopted the yubjec. Of Banks and the Judi
ciary only remain for consd ration pom this subject
we learn there is great diversity of opinion, and much
debating is expected, which OF course, will CONSUME
time Many OF the Delegates are likewise members of
the Legislative Council, which will probably hasten the
adjournment If The Convention.
| RELATING 10 THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
| The Committee Relations with line General Co.
,ernment and the right of The people of Florida Cain
admission into the National ConfeGeracy State, ana
the mode, form. and Time OF application, report:
j. That they have examined the subject carefully and
auPnvely and The result Of their enquiries has been
sucien, 10 satisfy them that the people Of Florida have
perfect right TO admission into the Union OF iha United
States upon m equal footing with The original States
This right, your committee believe, grows out of the
| Treaty Of Ccssinn made and concluded at Washing
ton, on the 22d day of February, 1919 The sixth ar
tcie Of the Treaty declares that the inhabitants Of
the Territories which his Catholic Ma jesty celes to
the United States by this Treaty, shall be- nco poracd
in the Union Of the United States may be
consistent with the principles Of the Federal consu
ton, and admitted to the enjoyment of all the privileges
rights, aud immunities Of the citizens Of the United
States The Royal order Of the King of Spain the
CHpnin General and Governor Of the Island Of Cuba
and the Flordas is clear and positive the subject Of
this righ and is sufficient evidence of the spirit and TO-
tenlion Of the sixth article OF the Treaty. The King
says AL being provided at the time, tina, the na
II
the free exercise Of their religion, without restrictions
and hn, those Who may desire 10 remove The Spanish
Doninions shall be permitted 10 sell export their ei.
ccs whaeVrr in order that they may better feet their
purpose, without being subject in either case 10 duties;
and those who prefer remaining in the Fordas shall be
admitted possible to the enjoyment Of all the
rights Of cit of the United States" Tie second
of the first article Of the Constitution OF The Uni
ted States Provides "that The number Of representa-
ves shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand but
each Sata shall have al least representative and The
third section Of the fourth article Declares "hat new
States may be admitted by Congress into this Union
and II is also declared in the Constitution that all
lies made under the authority Of the United Stat
shall be the supreme law Of the land" The obliga
tons Of the treaty, conrac, between the United
Stairs and Spain could have been carried into effect
any time heretofore if the people of Florida had con
sdcred themselves competent to all the re
spnnshI!ilics Of a State Governments; and they inay
now, a; any time hereafter, carry it into effect, with
out reference 10 population: pr0"F OF their deter
mInalicn Ia set up for themselves and adopt such
iorm Of government. they have elected delegates from
| all the counties IN the Territory to assemble here
and make Constitution. The treaty of 1919 qua
raneeH Ia them this right aud the King Of Spain,
| one Of thr high contracting parties whose duty it
take Of their interests, assures them
that they shuN be admitted 10 the enjoyment Of all The
rights and privileges Of ciizes Of the United States as
possible. This, he says is secured 10 them by
Greatly It may be said that Congress refuse ad
nit Florida into The Union with less number of Popu
a'ion than the present ratio. 47,7o0 inhabitants. Your
|
sion Florida, and keep her out Of the Union upon
that any other ground which is based upon any act
OF thai body passed since 1919, at which time the
" mas made Suri act would be contrary 10 the
letter and spirit Of the treaty, post acio, VIXEN APP
piled Florida aud consc qucmty, unconstitutional,
void, and invalid II any ratio of population is r"qu-
ed b. Congress upon the application ii Florida FOR ad-
mission into the Union your committee believe that they
mus. 90 back the federal constitutions which requires
';hut the number nf representatives shall exceed
one for every 3O,G00 and which must be the govern
ing plncl in this The treaty under winch Flo
da claims admission into the Union, is silent on the
subject Of population and numbcrs and the royal
order of the King; but if it is admitted that ii The
intention Of the high contracting parties that any ratio
Of population should be required of Florida whenever
she applied FOR admission in the Union, land this your
committee will not by any means adni) the utmost
latitude Of construction could not pretend ynnd
50 D. which The ratio established after the
of 1910 Was taken, and which the basis Of represent
tali"n when Florida was coded 10 the United States
| In The admission of States into the Union not
| within the limits Of the Northwestern Territory, On
which BY the ordinance passed in I1-1 by Congress no
ne State could be formed with population ni less than
Gu 900 white nhahtan's) your committee believe that
the question OF pmpullnn was never formally raised in
| CcnureSs, particularly on the admission Of LouiSianl
| which Being Territory coded by foreign power the
United States, resembles III some respects the Of
| Fl rita
That learned ard able writer the law of nalions
Va.te says at is shown by the law Of nations that
he who has made promise 10 any one, has conferred
that consequently not 10 keep PROMISE is viua;r
the rght Of another; and is manifest Injustice as
that of depriring person OF his property Your COM
mlee believe that the engagements oil The treaty Of The
22d February. 1919, between the u S;aes and Spain
produces tie part Of the people Of the coded Terro
RES perfect right to be admitted into the Union Of the
United States: and that the treaty imposes per.
fec, obligation the u s. 10 admit Florida into the
| Union with equal footing with the original States,
whenever The people thereof may ask for admission -
| The Committee offer the following resolutions:
l. Res0lred That memorial be prepared and signed
by the members of this Convention claiming admission
into The Uncn of The u. S and that memorial, ogp
| Their with a copy Of the Constitution formed by this
Convention. be sent TO our delegate, to be by him pre-
scented 10 Congress
II Rtsoiced That for the SURF and speedy convey
ance of the memorial and Constitution two members Of
this Convention shall be Delegated and Immediately
after the adoption of Constitution, sent 10 Wash
inrrn TO place those documents in the hands Of the
delegate and to aid in procuring the most favorable and
speedy action cf Congress thereon,
III Resoircd, That The delegate in Congress he re-
our slrd urge and procure The admission of Florida
State in the Onion OF the u. S a. the present session
of Congress.
The foregoing report and resolutions respectfully
sulml ted by the Committee 10 the Convention.
K FITZPATRICK. Chairman
Iron the 81 Joseph Times, Dec IS
On M,nday The Convention being organized, the
Hon Robt Reid stated TO the House, that since the
election for President il ascrrained that The indI-
ydual from Hl!sboroush who had been represented by
proxy on this floor, had not been elected as delegate 10
this body tina, doubts entertained whether any De-
lerae had been chcs from that coIny-and that as
he was called to preside their deliberations by
majority oC vote he felt il due TO himself and the
Cenvcn,nn that be should resign 10 them the high and
responsible trust they had conferred him He then
Withdrew from The House. when Mr.. Brown, Of Leon,
was called 10 The chair Mr. Duva then Ics@ and !
after expressing his BIZ gil sense of the delicate and
honorable couise taken 10y The President sincerely re-
rretted that any occurrence had rendered it necrssa-
ry to his feeling, to resign The responsible station ne
had filed with much dignity and imrarlia'iiy. II
was due said Mr ID to the character Of nu people and
his Convention that we should Immediately proceed to
the election of its presiding "fcsr-and he nominated
the Han Raymond Reid to eli again The distinguished
,tnn no had RESIGNED. He hoped that The nnmi-