The New York herald., 1862-04-26
The Union Refugees from slOrida

The Union Refugees from BiOrida
MEETING OF TEE CHAMBER OF c0AhERcH.
At an adjourned meeting OF the committed in aid of
Union refugees from Florde held Wednesday, at the
Chamber or Commerce, Wu. A. Booth, Esq, was caiied
10 tho chair and wm Barton appointed secretary
The following statement and appeal TO the citizens o.
New York prepared aud ordered to be published n
the daily papers,
TO THE CITIZENS OF NEW yoRg
The committee for the relief OF the loyal refugees from
Florida appointed at meeting of citizenl
held at the Merchants Exchange the 10Th inst have
inquired into the circumstances under which tho
referred to have arrived in New York, and bog eaya
to present tho case TO their, fellow citizens aS one
which demands the most prompt and generous action
Tho city of Jacksonville, the eastern coast oi
Florida, twenty-five miles from the mouth Of the 81
Johns river was prior to tho outbreak OF the present
rebellion, the most active aad important commercia
port in East Florida. large proportion Of the citizens
were mon of Northern origin and determined adheronu
to federal cause but helmed by numbers and
awcd into Submission by tho presence Of large DO
dies of rebel troops during twelve terrible months they
were constrained to hold their peace aud were stppel
Of large portions OF their property by forced levoe os
the support Of cause which they heartily adhered
Early tho month OF March the occupation Of Fernaad
ma by the federal forces under General Sherman put
new face upon the condition OF things in Florida anc
revealed the existence Of wide spread sentiment o
loyalty throughout the easorn portion OF the State and
suoh of the inhabitants as had taken willing
part In the Confederate cause were seized with
immediate alarm III and began TO ny from .hs
broughtupon their rebelous heads They did not. how
ever cease until the natiopai gunboas and regiments
those Union loving citizens who refused fly with he
and chose rather to wait and welcome the power which
was coming to put an end TO the reign Of terror TO
establish the authority Of the United States she ssA
OF Florida, and 10 set up among them once more the
time honored flag which In the darkest hours OF ahe
pas: year they have cherished in their hearts rs tho
only emblem of hope. Fornandira is only dry mile.
distant, and its fall the immediate signal for the
removal Of all the rebel families from Jacksonville
while for the days that inervened before the entrance
of the gunboa,s into St. Johns river, the most nhu
man threats were made and the most barbarous cruel
ties practsed upon those who remained behind
detachment Of five hundred Confederate troops from
Tallahassee, the headquarters OF General Trapisr
joined by guerilla band or outlaws, whom the dsor
des OF the times havo let loose upon society, Invaded
the town set fre to the principal public buildings and
to many dwellings and large storehOuse and threaten
cd TO burn their heads the houses Of all who still
persisted in awaiting the arrival OF General Sherman
and to put men women and children TO indscrimiaau
slaughter. Fortunately for tho trembling patriots the
guerillas INDUCED in drunken orgies, which uaattsd
them for the full accomplishment of their barbarous in
tentons until the arrival OF General Wright, with 500
federal troops battery OF artillery and four gunboats
cleared the whole region OF every vestige OF treason
Several hundred OF the citizens who had for nearly
thirty days. been guard in their houses deadly fear
Of assassination forth 10 welcome the dsliyeers
and TO make manifest tho allesianee from which they
had never wayered General sherman arrived at Jack
sonville on the 20h and Immediately issued procla
nation, from which the following is an extract
To the Peop,s East Florida The troops Of the United
Has sHs
e~ S
sT AL s e wno rqsn r e or
cations shall be Projected in AL Their rishts within the
The desire and intention Of the government Is 70
ana to shi Which Ss sS ans % M
ona allegiance c their former prOsperoas and haRp
in every city, town and precinct, you, assemble In
pTns has G
fidelity and allegiance to the constitution OF the United
lie sso sS way ths Ensearassl these pTos
edsr ss
did assebs in their primary capacity the h Of march
apon them protested every and the
the gov government the unisi states Il an adio
OF MARCH, arrangements projected for the reoreaniaa
"a S d ap pon Se
OF delegates State Convention to be held at Jacksonville
On the morning before tho day fixed for the election
General Hunter who had been sent from Washington to
superseds General sherman, took command Of the De-
par,ment OF Florida and Immediately, without previous
notice, ordered General Wright. who was in command Al
Jacksonville, TO evacuate the city next morning Con.
the place that the troops and gunbosts would abandon
the place o'clock next morning and offered to take
commodaod upon them, and at the same time assured
them that in his Judgment they remained after taking
part ths proceedings OF the goth and 24h Of March,
they would fall speedy victims 10 the brutal violence OF
tho enemy. Thus moment, the just hopes Of the
revving patriots Of Florida crushed, and thus did one
General the United States without word of expana
tion revoke the Of protection and support
whlh ,iccossor o fortnight before, in the nano Of
go, mt had publicly given, and on the strength
ofwh .ressed inhabitants had relied and acted.
Sseir %, post but death before them, II they re.
maino ,it the return Of the barbarous guerlas
they took their lives In their hands and fed leaving be-
hind them everything which made life dear Hundreds
Of loyal citizens have thus been driven from their homes,
and thrown upon the charity Of tho people whose go
military necessity, thus suddenly to abandon thcm.
Fifty Of them, the objects for whose immediate relief
this committe was appointed, arc now in New
York, and are literally without the means re-
quisits 10 keep them alive until they caa
adapt themselves to their changed oircums tances,
and find way 70 ve and othors are expected shortly ~
arrive Among them some Of tho most excellent and
refined citizens, with their wives and ehdrsnfamiss
who have passed their whole lives In Florida and there
enjoyed eyery comfort Ihoy do not present themselves
objects Of charity and this committee fully recognize
their claims upon tho people Of New York from higher
motives than mere beneyolence For no other crime
than faithful adherence to government in Of
its greatest need they have been stripped Of
but life, and landed in streets actually needing
bread. II is OF course, impossible for any OF thom
to ind sustaining occupation without some
delay; and, in the meantmc II behoovcs the citizens
Of New York to make hosptabls provision for
thom. The Mayor Of the city, on Monday night, re-
commended tho spprOpriston Of one thousand dollar;
be but the beginning Of contributions from public and
private until sufficient sum is realzod for tho
temporary sustenance of the sufferers The COMMITTEES
do understand what military necessity required our
government 70 occupy the city OF Jacksonville and hold
out liberal and voluntary promises of protection ana
don the ctzons who are ockng TO their standard for
protection But accept II as one OF the irremodiabo
exgencies Of Az the same time, IL Is difficult TO
SEQ the Emitted States nope TO revive the spirit
OF loyalty among the seeded States " tho flag Is noe
kept waving wherever IL Is onco planted Ia Southern
territory and II the assurances OF protection TO those
invited 10 come under II are not sacredly kept
On motion r. r. Graves, Esq, was appointed Trea-
sureV.
subscriptions to the fund viii be received by the Trsa
surer at his ONCE IA Wall street, or either OF the fol-
low inr members OF the committee--MosAs Taylor, H.
a. siobbins r. L. Cutting, Henry Hopkins, Joseph H.
Choeto Samuel Blatchford, Edward Minturn, j. +.
Giraid Foster Francis 9. Iathrop, Joseph sampson,
walter Edwards Jr william Barton, Sheppard Candy,
Aug G. Richards, r. r. Graves, r. j. Thorne, James NJ
Brown, Cbas Dennis Alfred Edwards, VIM. a. Booth,
VIM. f. Dodge, J. j.. Phelps, John 3 van Nostrand,
A. Mumford General Vim. Hall, M. III. Grinnsll, Il. Il.
Morgan, Marcus Hunter, Simeon Baldwin.
Tba nommittee then adjourned meet at the Chamber
Of Commerce Friday, 25th inst, at twelve o'clock
The Committee on Florida Refugees met at twelve
O'Clock yesterday in the room Of the Chamber Of Com
rosrce j. J. Phelps, Esq, In the chair