Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-22

clement and cultivation of The rich lands Of Florida,
which could produce in abundance all the necessary
supply of sugar and coffee, and other tropical produc'
tons, for the consumption Ct the United States.
Mr.. l. argued in favor Of giving the proposed bounty
10 the wives Of the settlers, not only On account of lis
being due TO them for the %hardships and priyatlons they
would have to encounter, but because this inducement
10 families would give permanency 10 the settlements.
Mr.. STANLY expressed himself favorable to the
passage of the bill. He thought it a good measure
and, strong as was his opposition 10 Mr.. Tyler, he
, thought him entitled TO the credit Of having recon.
mended II.
MIR. ~IABERSlAM and MIR. KING of Georgia
also sustained the bill.
Nh. UNDERWOOD opposed the bill.
MIR. GRANGER regretted that he had TO vote against
4 Territory on this occasion. lie felt compelled to
vote against the bill. lie referred to the sums which
Florida had cost the Union 3,Ooo,O00 TO buy II, and
nearly 81, ctN, zoo spent in its defence. He was vii
ling 10 defend the Territory, and had no objection 10
giving the settlers n quarter section OF land; but he
feared less great frauds should be committed on the
Government. Should The bill be passed, thousands
would 30 10 Florida ~hen the fros,s set in in lc13, and
locate their land. lie regarded the scheme only as a
new tangled mode Of allowing the lands of the Govern
ment to be plundered.
Mr.. STGkELl SAID lie was aware that the bill was
obnoxious 10 objections on account Of some of lis pro
visions. He thought, however, tia. the disadvantages
and peculiar circumstances Of Florida should weigh IN
It's favor. Every other e~xpedient had been tried, and
failed 10 succeed. The armed occupation was recon-
mended by the military, by the President, the depart
ment, and the committee, and he thought il should be
adopted.
Mr.. HOLMES thought the system proposed in this
bill was the best that could be adopted. The HISTORY
OF the Florida war was remarkable, and the whole story
had vet 10 be told. The Indians alone, he did not be-
leye, could have retained possession Of the Territory,
in opposition 10 the military force of the L. S., for s,x
months. He telIe we'd there were pirates and marau-
ders from The coast, who could live in the swamps as
well as The Indians. 1t was their advantage to do so,
and to prolong the war, on account Of the traffic they
carried on with the Indians in ammunition, provisions.
&c. He con,ended that, in n financial point of view,
il was best 10 give away n part of the Government land,
IN order 10 secure the rest. BY the armed occupation,
The capitalist and the true laborer would be protected.
lie related an anecdote of n Yankee in Vermont, who
owned a large body Of land, and offered TO give every
alternate thousand acres TO any man who should come
and settle it with his force and capital. Generous as
It seemed at first, it was, in the end, far from being a
gift. The seed sown scattered, and produced a frui,
sixty fold. The same policy should be adopted BY the
Government in relation to Florida.
a war with Mexico had been alluded To-; and, as
much as they affected 10 despise it, 1t would be one Of
the most serious events that could happen. Mexico
could not march an..army 10 invade US, but she could