Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-03-09
For the Snectator.

PIPES.
For the Spectator.
Some weeks ago [ was much struck with a
portion of the report of the Agricultural and
immigration Association Of Gladsen county,
Florida. prepared by the Chief Justice of that
State, Judge DUPONT In a correspondence
with him lately, in which I expressed a wish to
get this entire report, he enclosed to me the
subJoned address to the people OF his State
Its manly and independent tone, in which he
lower than the yoke," might be well laid to
heart now by some of the prominent gentem, n
of Va. 1t is worthy Of publication in the
Spectator. NJ
Chief Justice DuPont's Address to the
People Of Florida.
FELLOW CITIZENS BY your voluntary and
unsolicited suffrage, was elected in 1858, for
the term of six years. one Of the Associate
At the expiration Of my term of office, you
promoted me to the position of Chief Justice
for like term Of years; and under your a.
mended Constitution of 1865, which gave to
the Governor tie power OF appointment, was
continued IN the same position, by and with
the unanimous approval Of the Senate. These
| several Endorsements OF my official course are
truly grateful to my feelings, and call for the
tender OF my most heartfelt and sincere ac-
acknowledgements.
The Commission hich I now hold, authori-
zes me to exercise the functions and discharge
the duties of Chief Justice until the 1st day
of January, 1872. You are, however, aware,
that the administration Of your State Govern
ment has been forcibly wrested from you and
committed to the hands of the stranger The
man Of your choice, long identified with you in
interest and sentiment, who but recently dis
rected the ship Of State, is no longer at the
helm-his place is now occupied by another
This change was accomplished by force Of an
order emanatiug from the Headquarters of this
Military District. The same order which bereft
you Of your Executive head, land which have
only seen by accident, requires that all civil
officers Of the State shall promptly yield their
offices, and turn over to their properly elected
and qualified successors all public property, ar
chiyes, books, records &C., belonging to the
same. For myself, as Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the State of Florida, [ rec
ognize no properly elected and qualified sues
cessor; and even if did, have nothing to
yield or turn over" save the right to that
office, attested by the Commission which hold,
bearing the broad Seal Of once sovereign
State That right cannot and will not yield
but at your behest. Circumstanced, however,
T..
to sustain the Judicial Department in the exer-
else Of its legitimate functions, and opposed by
the entire Legislative and Military authority of
the United States, have no other alternative
| than to announce to you suspension of the ex-
ercise of the functions of my Office as Chief
Justice, until such time as the same may be
resumed without endangering the peace and
good order of society.
! | have made this announcement fellow cti
zens, lest my silence should be construed into
''surrender" or abandonment of sacred trust,
committed to my keeping by the people of
/ Florida; and | should be false to you-false to
myself, and false to the principles of free gov
ernment, were | to omit upon this occasion to
enter solemn Protest against the legality Of
the several acts of the Congress Of the United
States under and by virtue Of which the said
military order was issued.
In closing this announcement [ claim the
privilege Of one who has spent his entire man
hood in your midst, covering period of over
forty years, to tender you word of friendly
advice In the first place, l counsel you to
YIELD not for one moment, to the demoralizing
influence of gloom or dependency, the instincts
of the coward, but patiently endure the wrongs
which now Cypress you, with that firm resolve,
that unconquerable will, that heroic fortitude,
which becomes the brave looking for deliver.
erance to Him, who in consummating some
great moral problem, not unfrequently makes
use of the wicked as lntruments Of His power
counsel you, in the second place, to realize
the fact, that the war Of sections is at an
end, and that the great majority of those with
whom you were recently engaged In deadly
conflict sincerely desire the speedy restoration
of that friendly relation and brotherly love
which formerly characterized the Intercourse
between the two sections of the Union. To
those therefore, of your fellow citizens, wheth-
er of the North, East or West, who may visit
our State, either for recreation or with the de-
sign to identify themselves as citizens, extend
the right hand of fellowship them with
the cordiality of restored friendship-cau
them to feel that they are welcomed visitors,
and to realize that the passions engendered by
war have yielded and given place to the gentler
influences of peace. But against those who
come as the willing instruments of an infamous
and heartless tyranny, unparalleled in the an.
nails of the age, set your faces like fint-make
them to feel, and sensibly realize that they are
unwecomed intruders let there be no room
for mistake or misapprehension on that point
Sycophancy, insincerity or Discrimination con-
stitute no part of Southern character
Finally, fellow citizens, | counsel you to be
of good cheer and cheerfully and zeaously to
apply your every energy to the restoration of
our beautiful aud lovely land, to the prosperity
which it once enjoyed. BE assured that the
day of vour deliverance draweth near, fo even
now the voice Of the nation is concentrating
and will soon proclaim in thunder tones your
emancipation from foreign rule, and the resto,
ration of that priceless boon-the right of self
qovernnaent! The people of the United States
have been too we'll schooled in the principles of
free government to tolerate for any length of
time ''despotism, either military or civil
whether that civil despotism be the despotism
cf an individual or that Of an irresponsible leg>
islative majority!
furthermore counsel you, by the duty which
you owe to yourselves, to your families, to your
country, and to the cause of humanity, to lend
YOUR every influence to the preservation of the
peace and good order of your respective COM