The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-08-27

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We not A kwUE. Cf YSAks@ immiknting 10
FloSida. Tire are no lhinSs 10 Be cousldefed
IFi1R that eXsAoHvTlt0r BlOzhAm ID Incapable Of
nttl6fing sentiment like this, his whole lie,
public and private, giving the lie to the same
Secondly, that Mr.. Hammond, a. an educated
gentleman, 10 incapable Of making such o state
ment. Our acquaintance with Mr.. Hammond Is
limited, but we know enough Of the man 10 be-
lieve lhAt hS ishol theAuthpr bf the SANDER. We
think il due TO Mr.. Hammond to place himself
right upon this subject
The Radicals are evidently hard pressed
when they resort to such falsehoods as
the Herald very properly characterizes
as lie. There is no more progressive
man in the State than Mr.. Bloxham. or
one more DESTROYS to see immigrants COM
ing among us, no matter from what Sec
ton, than he. His anxiety on this sub
ject has been expressed ON all occasions.
1t SO happens that FIVE years ago, in the
spring of 1875, large number of Iudi-
anians visited Florida on an excursion.
There were tftysix men, all connected
with the newspaper press Of that State,
and twenty-nine ladies who were the
wives and relations of the editors. The
excursionists visited Tallahassee and re-
manned two days. While here a recep-
ton was rendered to the party by the
city authorities at Gallie's Hall, where a
large crowd had assembled to do honor
to the strangers. Mr.. Bloxham was Sc
lected by Mayor Walker to make the
welcoming speech, which he did as follows
we quote from the report published in
the FLoRIDLAN of March 80, 1875:
At the request of our honor able mayor and
the citizens of Tallahassee and vicinity and in
obedience to the promptings OF my own nature,
/ tender to you, ladies' and gentleman, a warm,
a cordial and hearty welcome 20 the Land of
Flowers" We welcome you, gentlemen, as rep
resentative men of the Great Northwest. Many
ofyou, through that greatest lever known 10 re-
publican government, y free press, occupy posi-
items of commanding importance in directing
and forming public opinion. You speak through
that potent agency to your teeming millions. To
those millions We wish To present The Inducements
which we offer, The advantages which We claim
supreme qualification We terl in extending wei
come to those who, from their positions, can
enlighten the masses upon those questions most
prominent In the immigrants mind to-wii: Soil,
climate, and the rIiments oil the people
AS TO soil, we only AK your personal inspec-
tion. Ii is the opinion al many that all of Flor
ida is low, level, sandy, and mOn0ionous. Herr
you see around you IL high, rolling, splendid
country Our rich and magnificent hills our
beautiful and fruitful valeys-aH underiaid and
supported By a durable clay subsol presents t.,
the eye Of the intelligent farmer every element
necessary 10 u successful system Of agriculture
In addition TO cotton, which grows as luxuriartly
and probably here as upon any uplands of the
entire South. We can also raise the cereals to
perfection, while the West India cane fiourishes
as in its own tropical regions. Fruits of every
variety require but attention TO reap golden
harvest, and the vegetable garden is luxury
that we can enjoy al all seasons of the year.
Our climate, tempered in winter by the genial
rays Of semi-trOpcal sun, and refreshed and
invigorated in summer by the bealth-giving
breezes oil our sea girt peninsula, laden, as they
are, with the perfumes OF the gorgeous West
Indies, presents marked contrast to the ice
bound regions OF your own snow-clad homes
That contrast, thOughmute, speaks more forcibly,
appeals more eloquenty than language can ex-
press.
With q soil unsurpassed and climate that has
properly causel our Stale 10 be designated the
Italy of America the immigrant can only he
sslicitous as to the sentiments Of the people
OF the welcome he will receive. We
have no narrowing recOllectOns of the past
| Planting ourselves upon the broad basis of pro-
| grtss, we ask only in national point of view
| for union of equal States under the COnsttu-
| ton. We desire that the masses Of your people
should understand us. We ask you, gentlemen
editors, to lend helping hand To secure that
| understanding. Three years ago, when our
In ua hal hv
great political conflict, what was the position of
the south? We raised the name of lifelong
| opponent as our standard.bea And why
Not that we loved Mr.. Greeley, great and good as
he was-tur hearts leaned more fOndly to In
dianas distinguished statesman, your own noble
| Hendricks-but we desired 10 tender the olive
branch 10 The North through our sternest oppo-
nent Ia the Gays gone by, thinking that such a
channel wOuh be taken as token of our desire
| for peace, and rs an evidence of the fidelity of
the tender. We to-day accept the Constitution
OF our common country, giving full force 10 all
its amendments /; we extend freely equal rights
10 all classes regardless of previous condition ;
we exteld hearty welcome 10 all Strangers,
and Gsd-spe d to every settler who desires to
become acltizen ut the Siate--wlIeher they fee
| from the desp0tisms of the Old World, or the
ice bound regions Of the North-we welcome
them viii open arms and generous clasp Of
the hand 10 the sunny glades of our own Florida.
|
desire Rou are ton noble to ask. we have too
much seltrespect to grant, that we should go 10
The graveOf our I1ee and his splendid followers
and write traitor upon their foreheads palsed be
the tongue that would request IT, But while
we kneel It his grave, with almost the reverence
of idolatr,, we still accord equal sentiments of
| patriotic pDmptings TO those noble dead of your
own army and while we give tears Of love for
the gray" We also extend I" love and tears to the
blue !" ami to-day, should any foreign power be
| so rockies a. TO force upon Us trial of arms,
you wouId6nd the Southern soldiery ralIying
with unabGed ardar AROUND the stars and stripes,
and the sane devotion and valor displayed as
when yearago the Northern and Southern SOL
| dl6rs MARCHED shoulder To shoulder, and carried
our eagles n triumph 81 Buena Vista and Che
pultepec AMI into ihe glitering halls of the once
noble MOptEumas
Letus foret that we ever had civil war; let us
oblitefAte ltFron the tablets Of our memory, and
remember oily that We are Amcricans---n proud
passport throughout the civilized world.
But, Gentlemen, while giving yOu y cordial
welcome, d not consider me partial when bid
thrice welcome 10 your fair companions. Woman
stands the faTest incarnation Of the spirit Of love
and liberty hst viyi1es the universe. Her ten
der hand msude the, plastic mind OF The infant
| man our support In youth, our solace in man
hood, the guToiap angel Of our declini 3 years.
And while Eogida bOasts, and proudly boasts of
the beauty nd accomplishments Ot her fair
daughters, tbs light Of our AFesides, the idol Of
our hearts-aiH We are always more than happy
to pluck fair levers from our sister Siates and
transfer them o our genial cline
Bat tlAB adn01islIe9me that canntn further
trayerse this dalighitnl Geld 20, fruitful Of
''' Xesih, hs,a And eentlemep believing that
speak the senlnenfs Of our entire peopit-from