The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-06-20
From the Floridien.
Retirement Of Nr. Yulee.

II will he seen. from the su5jolned letter,
which we have been requested 70 PUBLISH tna'
Mr.. Yulee makes public his intention 10 re-
tire from the service of the State AZ tiie eAPi-
ration Of his present Senatorial tern; dns s
contemplated step, although now Tor the nisl
time anthoritatiyely announced, u, we nave
rsasou to believe, in pursuance OF an intention
long entertained by him. The announcement
will cause regret in many besoms. M.
Yulee has warm and devoted friends IN all
parts of the State, who will reciprocate the
feelings Of sadness with which he himself con-
templates the separation.
His f;rst term of congressional service COM
menced in 1870. when he was elected a.
delegate from the then Territory. ms posi-
ton he held, by repeated elections uae,l liie
admission of Florida into the Union N 1919,
/ when he was transferred to the U. s. Senate
| At the expiration of hisfirst Senatorial term
] in 1850 he was defeated for reelection by a
/ division among the Democratic members 81
the Legislature, but was again chosen IN 1904,
and it is his second Senatorial term when ne
is now serving. Thus for nearly twenty
years he has been representative in Congress
from this State, filling the meanwhile, the va
rious positions assigned him with dIstln-
guished ability and zeal, and inspiring in the
breasts of constituents Of all parties ardent at
| tachment towards him as man and as po-
| litical servant. But Mr.. Yulee has not been
| so engrossed by his labors at Washington as
to prevent him from contributing his counsels
and aid in developing the resources of the
State He devised our present Internal I'm
provement system, through which, in the five
years since it was inausuarted, over three hun
dred miles of rail road has been successfully
accomplished through his own personal eff
forts. This latter accomplishment will forever
stand as a monument of his financial skill and
extraordinary energy and perseverance. 1t
needs nothing but sue ,ess--not in the bnild
ing merely, but--in the profitable working Of
the various enterprises commenced under the
fostering care of the system, to seat its pro-
jector deep in the respect and affections of
the people of Florida.
WAsHINGToN, May 10, 1860.
M Dear Sir: For the kind terms of your
letter am grateful. | am receiving many
similar proofs of continued confidence from
the friends whose good influence | have hap
pily felt for so many years. 1t seems due To
them that should no longer withhold from
their knowledge, the intention | have in
dulged for some years past, and which have
not before announced, only because it might
be regarded as premature. But now, when
our State is preparing for Il new term, am
not at liberty to suppress any longer the ex-
preston of my purpose.
| wish therefore to say to my friends and
beg YOU to make it known without reserve,
that | do not desire to remain longer in public
life. | shall prefer to engage my remaining
years in the duties of private citizenship.
1t has been my fortune to carry with me,
TO the end, the cordial friendship of most of
those whose support established the early sue
cesses of my life Many cherished memories
of their kindness fill the interval In closing
the public relations which have been SO long
maintained between Us, it is pleasing to re-
feet, that those personal bonds friendship and
sympathy, which all the while most valued
and desired by me, still remain TO IL, lite us.
Of causes which induce my purpose it is Suf-
ficent to mention, that do not believe my
health will longer endure the climate OF this
latitude, and that after so much absence from
Florida, am naturally solicitous to enjoy at
the last the pleasures Of home lite.
In thus withdrawing TO my home do not
propos useless life. | shall as warmly as
heretofore cooperate with my friends in all
that can promote the moral or material pro-
gress of our State but it will not be consis-
tent with the plan of life | propose to myself
in the future, to accept or exercise any political
office whatever.
frankly confess that do not contemplate
this separation from the associations of the past
twenty years without some feeling OF sadness.
The occurrence naturally impresses me with
the reflection that one stage of life, the most
active, has passed and that my purposed re-
tirement is but the recognition of that advance
in years which has brought me to another
and graver stage | cannot help looking back
upon the memory Of the many who started
with me in the race of life, and are no longer
numbered among US; nor cali help looking
forward to the still more rapid thinning OF
our numbers we must expect in the future.
But our race is not yet run, and therefore our
duties not yet ended, Every stage of life has
its duty and its pleasure. We must all COM
bine while we live, to do and to enjoy, ac
cording to our opportunity and ability.
1t is pleasant to remember that others, our
children among them, follow close upon our
steps, with equal motive to be dIligent in pro-
noting the public veal, and with the greater
means of usefulness which the advancing en-
fighteuuseIlt o uaankind affords.
Very truly, and always your friend,
n