, 1861-12-11

York. Washington and Norfolk. The ex-
pense Of deporsing the contrabands to
Florida would be much less than to any
other available territory. It seems set
apart by Nature for this very purpose.
Florida contains an urea Of sixty thou
sand square miles, being somewhat larger
than Illinois It can be made to support
as many blacks as this State will whites.
Tho soil, climate, and productions are ad-
nlirably adapted to the wants, habits and
comfort Of the American negro. There
are produced in Florida in the highest per
fection, Sea Island cotton, rice, corn, beans,
coffee, sugar cane, indigo, tobacco, arrow
root, silk cocoons, sweet potatoes, bananas,
cocoa palm. sisal, hemp and New Zealand
fax. The climate is suitable for the cochi-
neal insect and the silk worm. The forest
trees are red, live and water oaks, mahos-
any, palmetto, magnolia, swamp pines ce-
dars and expresses. The fruits produced
are Of the most delicate description among
them are oranges, lemons, pine apples,
lines, olives and grapes, oil Of which -four
ish luxuriantly. The driest seasons are re-
Geyed by heavy deWs, and the sun is so
tempered by pervading moisture as to
cover the surface Of the ground with per
ennial yerdure
The prairies afford abundant pasture.
Here cattle require little care from their
owners; and in most parts Of the State
hogs fatten without any other support than
that they derive from the forests. The
coast waters are productive Of the finest
fish, including the reddish, mu1let, grouper,
green turtle and oysters, and the numerous
lakes and rivers Of the interior teen with
fresh water species fit for food. The mean
average temperature Of the State is IS deg;
and in no part does the difference between
summer and winter exceed 25 deg. There
is hardly any useful food, fruit OF plant
g1own in the tropics that cannot he pro-
duced abundantly.
Florida vas acquired by purchase from
Spain in 1919, and cost the Government
afterwards more than forty millions Of dol
lars besides thousands Of lives, to drive out
the Seminole and other Indian tribes
The whole expense Of that State to the
Union, first and last, has been equal to too
dollars per acre IF its e7atire surface The
present population consists Of 61,e65
whites and 64,400 slaves The former are
all rebels, and there are none so mean and
ungrateful in all Secessia. These people
had no earthly grievance against the Gov
crnmcnt which had always lavishcd fayors
upon them and treated them most indul-
gently. Rctributive justice demands that
these ingrates and parTicides be punished,
to the extent of the law.
Let Congress repeal the act admitting
Florida into the Union, and reduce her to
a territorial condition. Another act should
be passed confiscating the real and personal
property Of the rebels, and freeing their
slaves. An army should be dispatched to
drive out the traitors and take possession
Of the country. It will be observed that
the whole population is less than that Of
Cook county, and nearly half Of which con
sists Of loyal blacks. If the commander Of
the expedition be in earnest, or if the Gov
ernnaent be in earnest, it will be short
and easy job to clear Florida of the rebels,
and prepare it for colonization.
Here then is territory Of OUT own, with
capacity to receive and support million ot
eontrabands as fast as they can be sent there
It can take all the slaves in the border
States, and all the colored class in the free
States.
It would hc necessary to place the con.
trabdnds under military restraint for few
years, paying them moderate wages, and
teaching them habits Of self reliance and
personal independence. Schools should be
opened among them. and as many taught
to read and write as possible. The plilan
thropic Of the whole nation would cheer
fully engage in this work, and, with the as
sistancc Of the Government, there is ne
doubt that great and dourishing colon,
would be the result; and that the blacl
man would deve1ope capacity for self.gov
ernmcnt and progressive civilization q
once gratifying to friends and confoundint
| to sneeFing foes