, 1865-09-28
FLORIDA.
Important Speech Of Governor
Marvin.
He Demands that tha Negroes be Al.
lowed to Testify In Courts,

Governor Marvin, Of Florida, delivered a
speech at Quincy, Florida, on the 5th iu-
slant, from which We make the following ex-
tracts:
I nm willing, IN this emergency, 10 do my
full share Of labor to restore to our beautiful
country more than its ancient prosperity.
When the rebellion fafIed-for such It WILL 60
into history-by the surrender Of the Confed-
crate armies, our State Government, which
had been identified with It, and supported 1t,
also went down in ruin among the general ruin
which overwhelmed the States Of tue South.
Florida was, then, without 9 government Of
anarchy and confnsion for a few days,
ill the United States Government cx-
tended over the State martial lnw, and such
is our status at present. AtteF much dfscus
sion by the best and soundcst thinkers In the
nation, tho question has been settled with
much nDantmaty, that the secession Of State
success unless 1t amounts to revolution,
affecting alike all sections. Of the country.
The very soil embraced within the American
Republic scorns 10 receive the impress Of but
one goyeznmcnt at the same time. 1t follows
that Florida has never ceased to be 4 State In
the Union; but she has been State in rebel
lion, and BIZ her acts has destroyed her State
government, and particularly the institution
Of slavery, which was nursed in fts bosom and
defended by It. She Is now held By martial
Law In d state Of tutelage, with Ler political
rights In abeyance, and will be kept there till
she organizes for herself, On new basis,
new government. Yon have the credit at
after having done all that morta1s could do,
but yain1y for the success Of the rebellion.
--pf submitting nob1y to the Issues OF
the war; and On the suppositfon that you
were prepared to inanguratc"1 new govern
mcnt, which shall be republican in form and
tad hah ha fyf4 N
der Of things, the President Of the United
States has honored me with the appointment
| of provisional Governor Of Florida, and am
here to open the way, and assist you IN this
delicate and urgent business. I feel It duty
/ owe to yon, and TO our common country,
must chatacterize the constitution to be
framed. Every element which entered into
the war seemed concentrated on the destruc-
tton Of slnyery. It Was without constitution
al basis or legal protection wheu your State
government Wes destroJed-it has been er-
tingnished BY military orders and By Presl,
% thrice dead, and piueked up by the roots.
Any attempt on the part Of the Convention
to revive aud reinstnte It, would be labor and
time spent in rain. The future constitution
ofFlofida must guarantee freedom alike to
all-lt must not BE- black Or white, but FREE
The future Of Florida, in this respect, IS that
Of every other State in the Union, except
Kentucky and Delaware, and shortly these
States must be free. Is citizens, before the
law, the freedmen must be In all respects orr
equals ! do not mean that as race they are
OF can be made during many generations, II
ever, the equals PERSONALLY Of the Caucas-
social position, but that Ia no reason why
constitution or law should discriminate
against them. The right Of outrage does not
necessarily follow, for that is not natural
but political right, which may be granted or
withheld, as eound policy may dictate. But,
that the government may DO convinced TINT
VIC are acting In good faith In framing g. con-
stitution, the convention must, In my opinion,
incorporate into that document the. amend
mcnt Of the Constitution OF the United States,
which prohibits slavery or involuntary serv1'
tudc, except when the party has been duly
convicted Of crime, by due process Of Law,
and which also accoris 70 tha unifed states
| in earnest In recognizing The complete free
dom at the blacks, and in perpetnating
lint freedom, we shall hare no obtec.
fion to the adoption Of that amendment,
Arainst such action have heard tWo OBJ
| ,}ections urged. The first Is, It woald De az.
forced npon us. Very vel, It Is forced upon
ron br Government and by accomplished
iaets, and you must consent to 1t OF you are 9
bclliecrent. Your consent must be put or
| record IN the most formal, solemn and bind
Ing manner, as condition precedent to peace
and a restoration Of State rights Ihe seeone
objection is, 1--WE are unwilling to imposst
abolition upon Others" You do :, no :. snel a J.
thinp. Congress demands this Of all the latt
insurecut Statcs. Six Of them have already
complied with the demand. In so doing, tne!
acted simply for themselves. Let F!oHa:
flame free Constitution, adopt the amend
ment, and you givc evidence TO the world Ina
you arc taking steps which neither you no.
-four pcstezity eau retrace, and you pserar