The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-24

wealthy party holding the power where both CAPT
tai and intellect are copgregated: There will be
have only touched upon the question Of town
representation, and must defer what have to say
upon it TO- some other opportunity Il lies at tho
bottom Of the whole Of this matter and is the one
point that will give the convention trouble to
settle, than all others combined Our government
is based upon the stence Of these little commun.
ties, and pretty much all that Is good in it is at
tributable to the existence oftowns They are the
people are strongly opposed to any attempts to
reduce their importance by the introduction here Of
the district system of representation. ALG0AA.
Message OF the Governor or Florida.
Governor Brown transmitted his message to the
Legislature of Florida, on tho I'D ult. The most
important part of the document is urging upon the
Legislature some action in relation to the acheme Of
X the .S Snss STATE
Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad the most i'm
portant work to be accomplished, and thinks tho
restrictions which have been placed upon the char
ter lljudged, and calculated to weigh down the
enterprise. In general view Of the.resources Of
the State, the Governor says
at is a melancholy reflection, that while the
spirit ofimprovement ispervading every other State,
stimulating human industry in all its varied de-
partments Florida alone, like the sothful .ervant
who buried his talent, seems well nigh content with
inaction and rep0se on this vital subject. We do
for her natural advantages, sources, and oapabi
lities for improvement, unsurpassed by those Of any
other State Of the Union. She is the fifth in terri
torial area, the third in health, with some 200
miles Atlantic and Gulf ea.board, fruitful soil, .
genial climate, extending within the tropics Of
Cancer, and range Of agricultural products of I'M
surpassed variety and value She has noble rivers,
spacious harbors, inexhaustible supplies of timber.
Around her floats, in endless succession, large
portion of the commercial marine of the civilized
world, and she lies in the direct line Of travel and
transportation between the great marts of the
northeast and sou,hwest-the Atlantic, the Gulf,
and the Pacific coasts With oil these advantages,
her progress if it deserves the name has no parallel
within the limits of the Union in feebleness and in
significance. Colonzed three hundred years ago,
she isstill weak in numbers, with very little greater
comparative public private wealth than less IA
vored sections, and the broad bosom of millions of
her acres, susceptible Of profitable tlage, isyet
disturbed by the hand of agricultural labor
The following is the Governors own words in re.
lation to the railroad referred to in the ntroduc-
ton -
II beg leave to suggest particularly such amend
ments Of the act passed at your last session, ncor
porating the Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad
Company, as may in your judgment harmonic
Herewith and subserve the public interests Fa'
cilities for rapid easy and cheap intercom nunica-
grafton, stimulate private enterprise, arouse public
spirit and energy, and harmonic our population,
pre- ennently the wants of Florida at this time;
and for one, fellow citizens, despair of any great
dtion until We shake off sloth and betake ourselves
manfully to the supply Of these wants. A large
portion Of our people must remain comparatively
destitute Of even schools and other means Of mental
around them; and never will private energy de-
velope itself, until our State counsels and govern
msns manifest some Vigorous tokens EN- Of public
State and the place of State in the hearts of her
people, display some enlarged purpose and design,
and some executive vigor, in behalf of the people
and herseH
The retaining Of the swamp lands Of Fiorida
claims good portion Of the Governors attention.
He says" In accordance with the act of the last
General Assembly, ITO secure the Swa mp and Over
flowed Lands" approved 24th January, 1851, which
provides, That the Governor is authorized and re.
quested to take such measures as to him may seem
expedient and most to the interest of this State in
securing and classifying the lands lately granted to
Lands" opened correspondence on the subject
with the Surveyor General OF Florida, and tho Com
missioner Of the General Land Office. regret to
say that but little progress has been made 1t will
be seen by report of the Commissioner Of the Cen
eral Land Office, that only 54 4SS acres have yet
been confirmed to the State. Understanding that
the field notes in the Surveyor Generals Office were
imperfect and would furnish very inadequate intor-
perly should belong to the State, by vir-
tue Of the act Of Congress of the 18th Sep.
TENDER, 1850. making the grant Of the "swamp
interest Of the State rendered it absolutely neces-
sary that some agent, competent and well &C.
quainted with the land surveys in Florida, should
be appointed on the part of the State to protect its
rights, made contract with Mr.. Henry Wells and
DE-. Arthur NJ Randolph, az general State agents
for this purpose Both Of these gentlemen have for
many years been engaged in the execution of large
contracts for the survey Of the public lands in
ter are particularly well qualified for the perform
ance of this duty 1t will be by the contract,
that they are, when necessary. to make examina-
tions in persons run out the lines, and to furnish
complete get Of maps for the State for eight mills
per acre, all the lands reported and confirmed to
The State They are engaged in the work and have
made considerable progress, and Mr. Wells isnov in
Washington city upon this subject. But by far the
larger portion Of the lands which will accrue to the
State under the grant Of Congress. are yet uusur-
veyed and consequently cannot be selected aRd set
apart to the State Upon this subject invite the
intimated by the Department Of the Interior and
the General Land office, In certain letters responsive
to my propositio to survey the country occupied by
the Indians, which are herewith transmitted.
vernon seems to have msgivings in relation to the
promise of Billy Bowegs to remove from the State.
He says that 90 operation with Gen. Blake was
particularly urged, which led to the interview
that took place between Gen Hopkins and Billy
Bosegs in August last, and the Witt Of the latter,
with hrs party. to see the President ut Washington
city, terminating In an agreement to use their in
auence to get their people to smgrste IS soon s -
no beneficial results from this negotiations and in
deed, it is surprising that, with full kno Wedge Of
the aithless character Of these Indsns the depart
ment should have thought is worth the while to
commit to paper an agreement in which no
time is stipulated for Its fulflmeAt. Common
rumor has undertaken to supply this important
omission, and to assign March next as the
period in which the emigration may be cxpected
but better tessmony-that Of Be wlegs himself-de
cares, rs . voluntary act on the part of the Semi
noles, it will never take place: The fact that de-
clarations to this effect have been often made By
that chief since his return from Washington while
in a state Of nebriety, and removed from his hsbi
tual cunning and caution shows that the agreement
and all its concomitants but another of his TOM
porixing expedients to gain time and the means Of
Defence when force is resorted to, at BEST to delay
the period Of its application Under these circum-
stances, II will be for the General Assembly to deter