, 1861-12-11

umphant from the conte8t, a far seeing policy
would teach us that to guard ngainst future
attempts at slayeholding rebellion It would be
in such condition as to embarrass rather
than aid secession. With Florida In their
rear, peopled by free negroes whose dread Of
-elavery would sufficiently insure their loyalty
to the Union, Georgia nud Alabama would be
The etatistics Of the Census Of 1860 show TINT
such revolution could be effected in F1orida
with comparatively very little disturbance
O. suffering The State has an area Of
large as Ireland, and larger thnn England and
Wales together. 1t is capable Of Sustaining
easily 6,DO,0 600 of inhabitants, and yet its
whole population in 1850 was only 1900, Of
whom but 1900 we're whites. It has less
than Il, 600 white families, nearly all Of whom
On the approach Of the United States forces
will doubtless take refuge in Georgia and
Alabama, In a country thus thinly psopled,
and on the forsaken plantations ST tho
t1aitors, thousands and, if necessary, hun
dreds Of thousands eontrabands could be
settled at slight expense for transportation
The steamers already on the Southern coast
could carry them by tens ofthousands to their
destination By short voyages from any Of the
rebel ports. The climate Of Florida is Pc
cnliarly adapted to the negro, beyond any
other part Of the continent, and the soil,
though much Of it is light and sandy, is
abundantly productive Of all that the
shSes have been accustomed to require us
the neccssarles Of life Cattle and swine arc
raised in Immense numbers, and so cheaply
that the ayerage price Of cattle is less than
s. per head. Fish and turtle are found in the
! greatest profusion, and the banana, the arrow-
root, the cassava, and other cmi-tropical pro-
ducGons, can be cultivated in all the southern
part Of the peninsula; There is no part Of the
| United States SO suitable for the negro as
Florida in climate and soil, and certainly
| there Is no part so well situated for the
! purpose Of drawing of the black race
| from the rest Of the country and con-
cenIating it in territory by itself, out
| Of the way Of the whites. For time the Ter
ritory might be governed by martial Law until
the restoration Of peace and order in the
South would warrant Congress in devising
| some plan foE its permanent regulation. In
| the meantime, the contrabands as they accu-
| mulated ineonTeniently IN our camps and for
+ titcations, could be carried by sea to the
nearest Foridian port, and land assigned to
them in sufficient Quantities for their support
4 permanent and accessible asylum fo4the free
| negro would thus be provided, far superior in
| every respect to Hayh or LiheTia-~an asylum
sufficient, in fact, to receive our whole slayc
| population, to which they themselves would
| Gladly resort and in which, freed from the com
| petition Of the whites, they might develop
whatever capacities they possess for improve
| ment and selfgOveTnment. At the same time,
| the Territory or State, if it should be deemed
| advisable to preserve The State organization,
| would be open to settlement by loyal whites
| to whom the presence Of free negro popula-
| ton vas not Objectionable. Those who have
prcjudices on the subject Of the color Of their
ncighbors would, Of course, not be compelled
| to remain there.