, 1866-12-11

and an Immense reduction OF the wsa11h i and
power uf the country. J. u. b.
How should Florida be Reeonstructeds
Edftora Chicago Tribune:
Congress may not enact wicked laws for
the rebel States, nor give them other than
republican forms Of Government. Subject
TO only these two limitations, the lawful
power Of Congress over these conquered
provinces is omnipotent. In Its discretion,
it may lawfully blot out the old State boun-
1a1ies and run new ones. It may divide any
one or more of them, thus increasing the
number or 1t may consolidate two or more
Of them into one, thus diminishing their
number. They are as completely under the
l.uful control Of Congress In these and all
other respects as were New Mexico and Ari-
zona when acquired from Mexico by treaty.
tho boundaries OF both Of which Congress
| has since changed at pleasure, without ques-
tion ftcm any quarter.
| Some of the smaller Of these States might
we'll be consolidated, but in the absence Of
strong reascns It is scarcely worth while to
attempt 1t. Such reasons do exist In the
case Of Florida. This is q long and rather
awkwardly shaped State, consisting Of two
wings, one peninsula stretching southward
between the Atlantic and the Cult of Mex-
leo, aud the other, q long narrow "trip reach
Ing westward, and shutting oh the whole Of
geo,f1a a. and ~ nss,'y esn' all Of Aaeam" from
The entire population In 1860, amounted to
40, 424, oi whom G. 677 were negroes The
a9th parallel divides the State into two very
neariy equal parts. The north half lies be
tween this line aud the Gulf OIL the south,
along the southern boundary OF whlch States
il stretches $50 milea or more. In this mar
row were found 1e9, G11 Of oil the iuhabis~
ants Of the State ln 1860, being about thir-
s.4O belonged 10 key West being The whole,
OF }nearly The whole population Of Monroe
} County, md leaving about 6, 600 on the malu
land, south u the 29sh parallel, to strive
with the alligators for the mastery of what
, Is almost an entire and consiuuoas swamp
s,ses Nes' iorss,es M ,nip ii sheir foEsns, os
, legal rights. Whatever Of privilege !.
{ granted Them is 50 much CLEAR gain from ta'
however high in official position, to clamo
:, about rights, Of which, under the law. thej
: hare not shred left. But 1t does belong t
T. Congress to take care, in reconstrnctins
u il suffer no detriment." This Il maj do
l. first negatively, By making sure that the.
C derive no Increase of power ftnn their rebel
lion, and secondly, positively, by curtailint
" their former power where 1t may be don
With manifest propriety., In this vle~, tn
y situation Of Florida a. shown above, invite
" to the annexation Of that part east Of th
'c 4Appalachfcola River to GeorIla, and tha
It pari'lytnG west of the same river. to AlAba
g ma ffany Copperhead lawyer csn give an
n souud rcasop In law, or any peInocfatic ca
'r whr q victorious nation should allow to
Is cc6uucrcd province of lac, 90 souls, as muc
er pow er in the upper House oflts Legislature
1e as 10 another Of ITS States with populatlo
e of ,oo,ooo and which neyet rebe,ied. +
y be glad 10 hear. It will avsiE nothing
IN instance Rhode Island and Delaware. The
States never rebellel. Hence, Ia both Ia
and morals, 1t is wholly beyond the power
Congress to cur,all the representation I
-. And 80 It WAS with Florida f1om the day
II. her admission into the Cnfon, till the day
n. her rebellion. The day she appealed to u
~ sword she lost the last sestiec Of all rsgh
Nv except belligesent rights. And that u .
ae n.cr legal rights be restored, 1t belongs
ne her to receive the boon In humility n
At thankfulness. Besides the advantage Of 7
dpcine in this way the acEFceate pose5
est these rebel States n5 two votes tn the &c
The mean value. The heretical dogma Of sta
III. Sovereignty" WAS at the bottom Of the !
e.. bellion. Borne down in the couni
I've Of arms. It was supposed
hosse Ress p';1ssdd 1ndtr at nRR sRp""sta's ss' eas
nursing, most persistent efforts hare be
" since made to bring tho monster back
life to receiver through the weakness Of !
n, 1auG7yer, what VAS struck down By t
Nv sword of the soldier. Let this niserAt
effort succeed and the way Is lef1 open
future euar1cls and future rebelltcn. Cs
kH. greks now hns the opportunity to ratify
'eo decision OF the sword Let 1t practlca
" Assert the paramount authority Of the natl
ser- over any Of Its zebellious parts, By @ ami
ree and pastasioning it between Geozgi4 a
be- done vsntonly. But lnasmu
ne.snsr ,,sn.ep lis psqfflsy of ot t; pepn
ID rive It aoy Just moral or sufficient physl
rom claIme, cor Its treason any valid legal rig
to the dignity Of separate State existeu
II Is m additional argument In favor cf
!. incorporation with the Other two Stat
heT TINT sueh 4n assertion 81 lawful power
yer finishing up and. perfecsine Of the work
1nE. we'll done by the soldiers Oh the field. ]
y: mere legal reasous for treating any Of
A. other rebel States IN 4 similar manner
uJs quite as valid - in the case Of Florida.
,vs the fact. are not 20 strongly agsinst ths
nos, / Their more compact shape and largcr po
,:ro- lation are greatly IN their Avor.
Nit be desirable IN any ast TO concil
,r;., rrleis, = minor consideration In favor Of 81
81 disposition Of Florida would be found in
rs. H0 A1At - vuo tt.ir sa. y
hole Se.lS.A ~ tsnJa5 - srl -nrnas5 ~
the Gulf ecast- Besides It would really
; be thfrteen f,1rt.en,ha o. the fnha hita nts
e.os Ford, 1;rinp contppou8 10 the other
lneh States u be under the saue State Gov,
4 no neut with the people of their own b
country, than under different one.
ptc-