Wilmington journal., 1873-04-11
WEST FLORIDA-ITS ANNEXA-
TION TO ALAR RAyIA.

Ine State OF Alabama has for man
years looked with covetous eye upol
that portion of the State Of Florida
that lies west of the Chattahoochie, o,
rather the Appalachicola River; and liz
deed if natural boundaries be takeI
into consideration it would seem that
the territory in question ought origi
! The Chattahoochie River for a long
distance is the boundary line between
Alabama and Georgia, and it would
Seem both natural and desirable to1
! the line to follow its waters to the
Giltf nf Mexico. If this annexation
. shall tahe place Alabama will gain at
! least two additional ports on the Gnlf
; coast: that at Pensacola, The terminus
, of the rsiiroad from Montgomery, pos
! sesse~ one Of the finest }iarbors in the
, country. Alabama will also gain seven
: additional coup:ies, covering some six
or seven Thousand square miles, and
containing population of 1920
whites, and 10, 1893 blacks according to
the last census. The price to be paid
, by Alabama to the STATE of Florida is
j 81 ,Hoo, ,001, and the assumption OF part
of the State debt of Florida proper
tinnate To the territory sold
The people of West Florida we
believe have always been willing 10 be
annexed to Alabama, and the question
has from time to time been mooted.
: but iInsuccessfully, owing to the oppo-
, sition from the other portions OF the
State 1t Was natural that il Florida
. Legislature should be- unwilling tu
: give up good population AMI 4
revenue paying one to another State.
. But natives and radicals rarely see any
! thing from the same standpoint, and
unfortunately after the war the Radi-
Gals got possession of the State of
Florida
Abont this time, also. Honest
John Pennington. who had so
lournet III North Carolina for IL.
number OF years after leaving the
there became a model of "ye Southern
planter, with the traditional broad
briu Panama hat and white linen suit,
and III due time an Alabama Senator
- Honest John having been duly ac-
credited as a Commissioner, went
down to Tallahassee, the capital city OF
the Land of Flowers, and by his elo-
quence and winning ways generally,
persuaded his Radical compeers liz the
Legislature OF that State, that it would
be an exceedingly good thing to part
with 40 fine population and SO fine
territory As that of West Florida.
Since their attorney Generals
Legislature has taken hold of the mat
ter. however, seemingly with a purpose
to put II through ut once, some of our
friends III Alabama 10 moi seem to like
it and protest that the movement is moth
ing but IAN act OF charity shown by Ala
balna Radicals TO their thieving COM
panions III Florida =: that ..ilabama
is called on to buy West Florida for a
million of dollars III order that Florida
thieves may fatten on the money
This il shocking bad language and
We desirr il TO be distinctly understood
that il is not our own. The words ar..
those Of another whose name We will
not give lest our .'E1-Chief Judicial,
&c, should bring the matter before
the Grand Jury of Bladcn. Meanwhile
we warn our Alabama cote1nporaries
that Edward Cantwell IL still Solicitor
for the Cape Fear District iii North
CiTO.ina
But TO return. 1t seems clrlous
that &" "Honeet John Pennington
should rise to such prominence rs
to be entrusted wit. re2"tiation OF 50
delicate !, character rs that pertaining
to the div is"n ii not the spu!iation of
. ,n.er-i.n State. spoii"tirn Is doubt
legs the ,:nrrtc or word. for ii the annex
ntl.n bc corlsr;nntaied. Alabama VIII
!o4, iirr million dollars ani Florida
VIII lose- llcr territory and popH'ation
eli ..iciite..n thousand white people,