The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-30

count of the cool easterly winds that pre-
vail, are always pleasant and agreeable.
In the northern part Of the State, it is
true, frost is occasionally seen in the win
ter. and sometimes with it thin scale OF
ice where small quantities Of water are ex-
posed in favorable places. But even here,
all through the winter, gardens are always
cultivated, growing peas, potatoes. onions,
cabbages, turnips, ,beets, radishes, lettuce
and celery. Two crops and not unfre-
quently three Of these are raised during
the year.
In the more southern portions Of the
State all the tropical fruits are cultivated
successfully-the orange, the lemon, and
the guava; the date, the banana, and the
pine apple, all in their greatest luxuriance
and perfection. Flowers are always in
bloom, and the bee, the butterfly, and the
grasshopper are seen during all the winter
months. Birds MARBLE their sweetest songs
from every orange grove, and all nature
throughout the live-long year is joyous
and jubilant. Much of the time, at this
season, the people keep open doors and
windows, giving free course to the breeZes
so richly laden with the fragrance Of the
flowers Of the forests. The trees and
shrubbery retain their foliage the year
round, and shed their leaves as animals do
their fur. the old coat falling off while the
new one is coming on, giving the whoie
country the appearance Of perpetual
spring. The weather, too, is almost con-
tinuallv clear and pleasant. Sometimes.
for weeks together, the SKY is one vast
arch OF blue.
MANY a poor invalid who has fled from
the blasts of Z Northern winter, can testi-
fv with what extreme delight he has basked
in the sunshine Of Florida, and with what
gratitude drank in the healing breeze so
fragrant with the pine of her forests. Thou
sands have returned from her relieved ana
;nvigoratea, if not restored.
There is room in abundance here for all
the invaiids OF the North. and there is
need OF them, TOO, in this long neglected
country.
The soil Of Florida is mainly light and
sandy. In the western and middle parts OF
the State, Alachus, Marion, Sumter, Burard
and Orange counties, on the Peninsula,
and indeed, in all places all over the State,
the land is the most productive in the
world that will respond more quickly to q
liberal cultivation, and there is no land in
the world that offers so great inducements
to free labor. Nor is the climate unfavora-
bic to the labor of the white man. No great
er error was ever promulgated than the
constant error promulgated by Slaveown-
ers that the white man could not labor in
this climate. The fact has been demonstra-
ted repeatedly that the white man can en-
dure labor here rs well as in any other
country and it is required only to estab-
this one of the most profitable agricultural
States in the Union.
| But the question may arise why, with all
| these natural advantages, has not Florida
lalready taken a high position among the
Southern States. The reasons are her po-
| litical changes, and her Indian wars; the
latter waged with bitterness and determi-
nation unknown to any other State, and
the former almost depopn!ating the coun-
| try four different times. II IS we'll known
that in her early history she was for many
years the subject of contest between France
and Spain. She was coded to Great Brit
ain in 1868; twenty years later she was
ceded back again to Spain; in 1921 she
| came into the possession Of the United
States. At each of these civil changes, the
majority Of the Inhabitants leaving with
the flags of their respective governments,
left the country reduced almost TO its prim-
eval wilderness. During the latter part Of
this period the Seminoles held possession
of the best lands, and rendered their cult
vaticn impossible up to as late date as
/ lS4S, when the last formidable band was
crushed by the capture Of their leader.
! But superadded to al these discourage
ments and more than all these has stood
Slavery. dragon-like, at her gates. 50 de-
termined III its prescription OF free labor,
so odious TO European industry, and so
bitter in it's enmity to Northern enterprise.
And as a fit elimination to the long waged
and worse than barbarous war upon the
worlds inevitable progress, she links her
destiny with this cursed Slave-drivers Re-
bellion, and stamps her bloody heel upon
what little progress she was able under
such great difficulties TO make.
/ But a better day is dawning for Florida.
Her people are beginning to realize that
death. starvation, or Punishment will be
their lot if they continue in their mad at
tempt to destroy the nation. discouraged
L., 4 har rN
worn faces. they are daily coming within
our lines begging for bread, for labor and
in many instances for the privilege of prov
ing their loyalty by bearing arms in de-
Tense Of the Nation.
There are nearly enough white refugees
, in St. Augustine and Fernandina, to make
. full regiment, and Col. Osborne OF the
oath Massachusetts, commandment of this
port, has asked for authority from.General
, Gilmore, to enlist them into the service Of
) the United States. 1t is to be hoped tina,
| this authority will be granted and that Col.
) Osborne, who has already been instrumen.
| tai in developing much Union feeling IL
, the State, will he allowed to place them il
! his brigade.
BY this mail a petition goes forward Il
the President, from many Of the Oldest e.
items Of the state, nearly all OF whom
, were Shareholders before the rebellion
pravinC for the immediate armed Occupa
LiOIl VI tAC olAtCs
: These old citizens pledge themselves t.
: exert all their influence to rid the State o
! the blighting incubus Of Slavery, and e
sustain all the proclamations Of the Presl
, dent, both in letter and spirit. l venture
to say that a more loyal petition, from {
more highly respectable class Of slave
. holders, has not been placed in the hands
!. of the President. II he will but heed TN
. PRAYER he will not only see Florida restor
= ed to the Union before the closeof the pre-
: sent session Of Congress, but he will Sc
cure for all future uses one Of the firmes
friends in the nation. If the present Al
= ministration will aid Florida now, Florid;
Z will soon have it in her power to aid tn
>, Administrations ". !. Tti6une.
THE CASE STArEp.-Gen. b. Brown,
!, Democrat, now serving with bis brigade il
: Missouri, recently wrote home to frien'
h in Ohio a letter dated jefferson City, Jan
L [.Xl Toledo frcf y