further action of Congress, will be, (so far as regards these valueless sections) entirely defeated, and our citizens deprived of the intended benefit: 1850. And Whereas, by a late decision of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, it is held that there are no sixteenth sections for those portions of our State which are included in what are famil- Worthless Sixiarly called the Arredondo (or Alachua) grant, and Forbes' Pur- teenths. chase, whereby the people of Florida, and especially those resid ing on these grants respectively are deprived of nearly 40,000 acres of land, which have been appropriated to this most meritorious and praiseworthy purpose: Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That the Congress of the United States be requested, and they are hereby strongly and earnestly solicited, to make immediate provision by law, whereby all such worthless sixteenth sections in the State may be relinquish- Relinquished, and other lands better suited to the munificent and praiseworthy ment of, &c, object of the donors, may be selected in their place and stead, and also that they at the same time, make provisions for the location of lands for the same purpose in proportion to a sixteenth section for every 23,040 acres of the said Arredondo or Alachua grant and Forbes' Purchase, and of any and all other grants in this State similarly situated, and coming within the same decision of the Commis. sioner of the General Land Office. Resolved further, That a copy of this Preamble and of these Res olutions be forwarded to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and to each of our Senators and our Representative in Congress; and that our Senators and Representative be requested to use their utmost endeavors to procure the passage of an act in accordance with these Resolutions. [Passed the House of Representatives, December 28, 1850. December 30, 1850. Approved by the Governor, January 7, Passed the Senate, [No. 8.] Resolutions relative to the establishment of a Bureau of Agriculture at the City of Washington. Resolved, That the General Assembly of Florida, earnestly recommend the establishment of a Bureau of Agriculture in the department of the Interior at Washington, whose province it shall be to superintend and promote the great interest of agricultural improve- Bureau of Ag ment in the nation. Resolved, That the Governor is requested to transmit a copy of the foregoing resolution to the President of the United States, to the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, to the Governor of each riculture. 1850. State in the Union, and to each of our Senators and Representative in Congress. Resolved, That the Senators and Representative of this State, in the Congress of the United States, are hereby requested to use their influence to procure the necessary legislation by Congress for the speedy establishment, on a firm and permanent basis, of a Bureau of Agriculture as suggested in the first foregoing resolution. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 16, 1851. Passed the Senate, January 18, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 23, 1851.] [No. 9.] Resolution relative to a grant by Congress of a quarter section of land for the Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That the attention of our Senators and Representative in Congress be respectfully called to a resolution asking of Congress, the grant of a quarter section Grant of land of land, for the County Site of Calhoun County, approved January for county site. 6, 1849, and that the request of the General Assembly therein urged, be again pressed upon the attention of Congress, to the consummation of that desired object. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 14, 1851. Passed the Senate, January 16, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 23, 1851.] Removing ob structions. [No. 10.] Preamble and Resolutions relative to Chipola River. WHEREAS, Great and serious injury has and will result, to the interests of this State, as well as to the interests of commerce and navigation of the country, for want of obstructions being removed in the Chipola River: Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representative requested, to use their utmost endeavors to obtain from the Congress of the United States, at its present session, an appropriation of five thousand dollars, to remove the obstructions in the navigation of the Chipola River, to commence at Marianna and follow said River to its junction with the Apalachicola River. [Passed the House of Representatives, December 13, 1850. Passed the Senate, December 16, 1850. Approved by the Governor, December 24, 1850.] [No. 11.] Preamble and Resolutions relative to Mosquito Inlet. WHEREAS, Owing to the want of either buoys or beacons at the bar of Mosquito Inlet, several lives have been lost, and much property destroyed, and moreover, the increasing commerce of that Port, imperatively demanding, for the better security of life and property, that the channel should be pointed out: 1850. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Senators Buoys, &c. at in Congress be instructed, and our Representative be requested, to Mosquito Inlet urge upon Congress the necessity of placing buoys to point out the deepest channel or channels of Mosquito Bar, and of providing for the preservation and proper position of the same. Be it further resolved, That the Governor, be requested to transmit a copy of these Resolutions to our Representatives in Congress. [Passed the House of Representatives, December 10, 1850. Passed the Senate, December 11, 1850. Approved by the Governor, December 24, 1850.] [No. 12.] Preamble and Resolutions relative to a change of the Mail Route between Tal lahassee and Madison. WHEREAS, The present Mail Route between the city of Tallahassee and Madison follows the St. Augustine Road, running within ten miles of Monticello, leaving Monticello entirely disconnected with Madison, except through Tallahassee: And whereas, The distances between Tallahassee and Madison, along the St. Augustine Road and via Monticello, are about the same: And whereas, Most of the country along the St. Augustine Road is sparsely inhabited and poor: Therefore, Be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Representative and Senators in Congress are requested to urge upon the Post Master General of the United States the policy of so altering the present Mail Route between the city of Tallahassee and Madison, as to run through the town of Monticello, in the County of Jefferson, as follows, to wit: From Tallahassee, along the St. Augustine Road, for ten miles, thence to Bailey's Mills, thence to Monticello, or else along the Virginia Settlement Road, to Bailey's Mills, thence direct to Monticello, and from Monticello, crossing the Aucilla at Flat Ford, via Aucilla and Clifton Post Offices, thence to Madison, from Madison to Jasper, from Jasper to Mineral Springs, thence to Alligator. Be it further Resolved, That our Representative and Senators in To run through Congress are requested to urge upon the Post Master General the policy of making the mail between Tallahassee and Jacksonville tri-weekly, instead of twice a week. Be it further resolved, That the Secretary of State send to our Representative and Senators a copy of these resolutions. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 20, 1851. Passed the Senate, January 21, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 23, 1851.] [No. 13.] Resolution relative to establishing a tri-weekly Mail between certain points. From MarianBe it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the na to Ochesee. State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Senators and Representative in Congress, be requested to use their best endeavors to procure the establishment of a tri-weekly mail from Marianna to Ochesee, and also a tri-weekly mail from Marianna to Abb's Spring Bluff, the County Site of Calhoun County. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 21, 1851. Passed the Senate, January 21, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 23, 1851.] Losses from Indian hostilties. [No. 14.] Preamble and Resolution urging upon Congress the payment for losses sustained by the citizensof Florida at the late Hostilities of the Seminole Indians, and asking the appointment of a Commissioner to take the testimony relative thereto. WHEREAS, During the months of July and August, A. D. eighteen hundred and forty-nine, without cause, the Seminole Indians destroyed the property of many of the citizens of this State: And whereas, It is confidently hoped by those who have sustained such losses, that the General Government will allow them compensation for the damage thus sustained, as in equity and good conscience it ought to do: And whereas, It is feared that, should measures for affording such relief be delayed, many of the sufferers will, from lapse of time, death and removal of witnesses, &c. be unable to establish their losses: Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Senators and Representative in Congress, be requested to use their best exertions to procure the passage of an act by Congress, making an approPayment of priation for the payment to citizens of Florida, for such losses as they sustained from Indian depredations, during the said months of July and August, A. D. eighteen hundred and forty-nine; and also, to take such steps as may be necessary to procure the appointment of a Commissioner on the part of the United States to take the testimony relative to such losses, and file the same in the proper department at Washington. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 9, 1851. Passed the Senate, -January 10, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 20, 1851.] 1850. [No. 15.] Preamble and Resolutions relative to the payment of certain Companies of Florida Volunteers. WHEREAS, Immediately after Indian hostilities in the year 1849, Volunteer Companies were raised by Captains S. L. Sparkman, J. Parker, R. D. Bradley, E. E. Mizell and A. Jernigan upon the frontier settlements of the State, for the protection of the citizens against the Seminole Indians: And whereas, Said Companies Volunteer furnished their own supplies and devoted their whole time to said Companies orservice, thereby rendering good and efficient service in protecting ganized during the lives and property of the frontier citizens of this State against hostilities. the rapine of that miscreant and savage tribe of Indians now remaining within our borders: And whereas, it is believed by the General Assembly that, according to the treaty of Payne's Landing, the General Government is bound to protect the citizens of this Sate against said Indians, and to pay all just sums incurred in and about the same: Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That our Senators Payment of. and Representative in Congress be and they are hereby requested to use their influence to have said Companies placed upon the same footing that the Volunteer Companies are placed that were ordered out by the Governor. Be it further resolved, That our Senators and Representative in Congress be requested to procure an appropriation for the payment of the expenses incurred by the Volunteers ordered out by the Governor of this State in the year 1849, and also a sufficient appropriation for the payment of the aforesaid Companies. Be it further resolved, That the Governor be requested to forward a copy of these resolutions to our Senators and Representative in Congress. [Passed the House of Representatives, January 20, 1851. Passed the Senate, January 20, 1851. Approved by the Governor, January 23, 1851.] 25 |