Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-08-11
Message Of Governor Harrison Reed of
Florida-The Difficulties in the way of
Reconstructing that State.

thanks for copy Of his message to
the legislature of that State. Gov
Reed has many warm friends in Wis
consin, of which he was a citizen du-
sing Territorial times and until Flori>
da was conquered by the union armies,
when he settled there. At the late
| elections under the Reconstruction
laws of Congress he was elected Gov.
ernor, and his first message, being
also the first friendly message to the
Government of the United States ev
err issued in that State, is before us
aud has been read with care. The
message treats at length on tie finan
ces of Florida. the lawful debts and
how the same may be paid, and also
how the money may be raised for
supporting an economical State gov
ernment
1t seems that large amounts of land
and other property and debts had
been declared confiscated to the reb-
ell government under laws Of the con,
federacy-during which time all per>
sons not full citizens of Florida, in
Guiding settlers from the northern
States and all foreigners not fully nat
uralized lost their properLy-at least
for the time being. The first thing
in order, the Governor thinks, is TO
make some effort to have these Sc
questrations declared null and void
before The courts, the same being
clearly in violation Of the IT, S. Con.
stitntion. The Governor ia right
Also, the Governor thinks the fol-
lowing laws Of Florida, constitutions
al enactments during the reign OF the
confederacy and which would now be
the laws but for the late acts of C0n~
gress, ought to be overturned at once:
mo citizen of any state or terrific
Try of the United States, now III war
with the Confederate States, shall
"ever be admitted to the rights of
relationship in the State of Florida
'and no such person shall vote at elec
''tions, be eligible to office, hold real
estate, exercise any profession or
"trade, be engaged in mechanical,
manufacturing, commercial or other
business, under pain of confiscation
"to the use Of the State, of all prop
"erty of such person as shall violate
"this clause.
The Seymour democracy are talk
ing of tyrannical laws on the part OF
the union party. But here are regu.
lar confederate observation-disclosures
still in force as good laws in case the
Reconstruction laws of Congress
prove invalid. And suppose the
democratic party get the power
Frank Blair says these Reconstruc~
ton laws shall be overturned by rev.
olution if necessary--in which event
no northern democrat, not even Sey-
mour himself, could go South and be
come voter, citizen, SPECTATOR or 9th
err craft, nor could he even hold the
office Justice or Constable in Florida
If his own party and platform were
to win !
Even the so called carpet-bag and
negro government of Florida is more
liberal to democrats than the rebel
democratic laws. See here is the Re.
construction constitutional decIara-
ton Of Florida
"AlI persons, of whatever country
: born, of whatever color and condi-
''tion, except criminals upon their
conviction, and unciviIized indians,
'.are citizens aud shall have the right
"to speedy trial by jury for life and
''property every male person of the
cage Of twenty-one years, citizen
'.ior one year, and having complied
'with the u. S. Constitutional laws
Sin respect to naturalization. may
fvote at all elections. but all voters
'must swear to support the Constitu
''tion and laws of their country"
We ask that the above clause be
conn., pared with that which precedes
The latter makes all men citizens.
but it puts the negro on equality be-
fore the laws with white men. But
the confederate democratic constitu>
ton Of Florida puts the northern
democrat vastly below the "niqqer,"
for it al 'ows the Florida free negro
to own property if be swcars TO sup
port the confederate government
whereas, the northern democrat, even
Frank Blair and Seymour, cannot
own property in Florida, nor vote,
nor carry on business hereunder
penalty of confiscaiion. Democrats.
you had better emigrate TO Florida,
and then choose between the demo
cratic constitution of that State and
the constitution as reformed by the
carpet. bag abolitionists and negro
supremacy of that great State. And
may God open your eyes
Florida is filling up with northern
settlers, some Of them democrats, but
all are going for the new constitution.
1t will yet be rich and loyal State.