The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-31

WASHINGTON, Dec. ~, 1913.
The South The State of Flmida-Disunion-T TIE
Negro Question Case of the Florida Slave ~ the
House.
The State of Florida has been one of the most
expensive to the Union. Including the original
purchase money, the costs OF the Seminole wars,
urder General JacksOn's command, and the ex-
penses of the exterminating and specializing war
of Mr.. Van Buren's administration, Florida has
cost the public treasury at least Oh, one hundred
resources Of the Union; and yet Florida, In
the recent imitation, in the Senate Chamber,
of the Hartford Convention, uonsorted frae rnaly
with men who preached thu policy OF d ssolutlon.
Existing yet. to some extent, upon the public
treasury, and having a thousand expectations
of bills yet to be paid for lighthouses, dry
docks, Gulf steamers, drainage of lands, and
claims lnnumerable growing out OF the ladian
il the rsss ssss II s nc
OF Uncle Sam, and few years will suffice 70 re-
duce the peninsula to the condition OF the Isle
Pines-that is, to a refuge for pirates and that
amphlbious tribe who lnfest the KEYS and the
P0rtugus, known as wreckers, would take care
self, the State would be pcweress to enforce the
laws for the protection OF commerce.
We call these considerations to the minds OF
the representatives from Florida, In Congress, In
order that they may the better appreciate the ad-
vantages OF the federal compact, when the disor-
ganizers meet again TO tax of dissolution.
In the HOuse, to-day, private bill, providing IN
demnity for slave lost in the service Of tho
United States, brought up the negro questioa, in
the form OF an abstract question OF constitutional
law.
AS we understand 1t, a negro slave, belonging to
private individual, was pressed into the United
States service az guide IN the late Florida war;
and an Interpreter. Lewis was a keen, sensi-
BILE, and treacherous fellow; understood several
languages, and knew all about the Indians. Hejwas
the guide OF Maj. Dades command Of liz men, all
OF whom, except three, were slaughtered by sud-
den attack of the Indians, on the Wythlacooche
river. Lewis was one OF the three who escaped,
and was strongly suspected Of treachery in the
massacre. On the subsequent reduction and cap
ture OF the Seminoles, therefore, the negro was
sent out to the frontiers OF Arkansas with the
tribe, by Gen. Jesup: The owner asks indemnity
Of Congress for the loss Of the Slave.
Prima facia the demand is just and unexcep-
tloBable. The man should be unidentified, as If
the value of the servant had been seized and ap-
proprIated by the government In horses, goods, or
But the abolition men of the House plead the
plea that slaves not recognised as property,
under the constiulon-that there Is nothing in
the constitution recognizing them as property, in
the clause which directs the delivery up OF fugi-
tive from labor, on the demand Of the person to
whom the labor is due, was clear enough This
clause recognizes the rights of the master to the
labor of his slave, and protects him in those rights.
The government itself, then, for the public ser
vice, depriying citizen OF the labor OF slave, 10
bound, under the reQulsil0ns OF the constitution,
to indemnify the owner for the loss of such labor.
But the clause is so perfectly clear In its appllca-
tion, as to render any argument to establish il a
sppererogatlon. The only object of raising doubt
about il is to keep up the excitement the slavery
question--to dragoon the South into submission,
and 10 make political capital for home consumption
out OF the abolition spirit ct the North
Mr. GIddiugs has the floor, and next week we
may expect HIM to pour out the seven walls of his
wrath on the shareholders Of the South
The South are driven to the wall, and their in
dign alton is natural, however indiscreet Dis
union, however, would be the death OF them, aud
the cooler heads among them know it. In their
experiment at disunion their expectations OF help
from foreign powers support OF tree trade would
fail them. They would be annihilated or subdued
if they persevered in their efforts at disnnion by
open war. But that's all gammon-all fudge.
The rights of the South at home will be sustained
but with regard to the new territories they will
have to submit. There appears to be no other
chance for them. -,
The bill of payment for the Florida slave, il the
care is PLAIN that such slave was lost by Impress
ment and removal by the United States, from tho
labor due to his master, will pass; but il tho
South are resolved upon d,sunion, provided New
Mexico and California declared free territories,
ciaIy the State of Florida. She Is a very promis-
ing commonwealth, and is entitled to the protec-
tien and fostering care OF the governments; but
notification, to her, will be worse than the yellow
fever, cholera, and Indian war, all combined.
The dry dock will be stopped, aud the everglades
will ever be drained.
WASHING TON, Dec. % lSt3.
Tie M, ricdn Boundary Agdtn- Tarshonsing Re-