The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-08-11
From the New York Morning News
FLORIDA AND MASSACHUSETTS CITI-


The Florida Legislature has certainly been.
and is very busy in erecting this little " excres
cence" into State but amidst all the din of
Legislation, organizing executive, judiciary. g.
nance, and all the paraphernalia of State maxine.
they have found time to step forward and deliver
an opinion upon federal matters. Connecticut.
it seems-busy, speculative, cute Connecticut
thought if there was anything to be made out of
new fedged Florida, it was best to be early on
the spet. She stood therefore ready, and as Flori
da came in over the threshold, thrust into her
hand resolutions on the controversy between
South Carolina and Massachusetts, Why Mas.
sachusets pitched upon South Carolina TO bear in
particular the brunt of her resentment, has never
been precisely explained, seeing that neither in
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Indiana or Illinois.
are they considered as citizens of the Union. nor
admitted "to the privileges and immunities of
citizens in the several States' South Carolina is
small State, to he sure-that may be one
reason; and furthermore she has strenuousy op
posed all the tariff schemes of Massachusetts
that may be another reason. But what per
cent. Connecticut is to make out of it for her
share, does not appear. However, little Florida
has come straight cup to the scratch" The
committee report that " DESTROYS of maintain
ing cordial relations with her sister States
Florida would not have volunteered TO become
the arbHers Of their dificult;es.'' Why then
descant upon the necessity of national unity with
a view to the maintenance of the Oregon Terri
tory, and finally state that the idea of trying the
question whether negroes are citizens not, be-
fore the Supreme Court, is absurd The Com
mttee make the following parallel
elf Massachusetts were TO call a bomb citi-
zen. let it remain for while quietly and harm
lessly in her magazine, then send it by vessel
TO Charleston Bay, which coming to anchor be-
fore that city, the captain should write upon the
bomb. A citizen of Massachusetts, and should
throw the same to explode with its destructive
elements in the very heart Of the metropolis, and
the South Carolinians should take precautionary
measures to prevent the danger arising from the
introduction of any more such citizens, the prn-
cple and the argument would be the same as
those advanced against the introduction of free
negroes into her ports, and Massachusetts would
have just as plausible grounds for the maintenance
of her rights in the cause as in the other and
would receive just the same modcum of credit
from the Southern States for her philanthropy"
The action of Massachusetts has certainly been
rather bon,b-astic The matter is finally settled
by the committee in the following resolutions,
which are recommended to be sent 10 all the State
Legislatures:
RESOLVED, That self preservation is natural
right alike to body polite or an individual that
the object of free government is the preservation
and protection of life, liberty, and property, and
it is inherent in the Sovereignty of any State in
the United States to preserve the one and protect
the other.
ResoIved, That in the municipal and police
laws of South Carolina, we are aware of no en-
actment which goes beyond this object; we be-
lieve that such laws were called for by necessity
that those laws not aggressions upon the rights
of Massachusetts, those of any other State, but
purely defence of the rights of South Carolina.
Resolued, That the committee deem this ia
vorable opportunity to recommend similar police
laws as those of South Carolina, for adoption by
the General Assembly of the State of Florida
RESOLVED, As to the affairs of the State Of
Rhode Island, with our motto before us of i" Let
us Alone" we leave that people TO settle their
own affairs their own way.