Alexandria Gazette

FLORIDA.—This territory is now an applicant to Congress for admission into the Union as a State, having formed and adopted a State Constitution. She has not the amount of Federal Population (70,680) required to entitle her to admission according to the Ordinance of 1787, but her people claim an exemption from the application of the general rule, by virtue of the stipulation contained in the treaty of Cession 1819, wherein (Art. 6.) our government compacted that "the inhabitants of the territories which his Catholic Majesty cedes to the United States by this Treaty shall be incorporated into the Union of the United States as soon as may be consistent with the principles of the Federal Constitution, (not Ordinance of '87,) and admitted to the enjoyment of all the privileges, rights, and immunities of the citizens of the United States."

Florida has never increased very rapidly in population. Her tropical climate is inviting; her superficial area is abundantly large; but much of it is barren sand and more is covered by shallow water and irreclaimable morasses. Much of it is unhealthy. Then the atrocious Seminole War, while it prodigally enriched the scheming few, impoverished many, arrested industry and improvement, drove away many and for years prevented immigration. Her total population, by the State Census of 1838, was only 48,223, of whom 21,132 were slaves and 958 Free Blacks. In 1840, her total population was 54,207. It is now probably not far from 60,000.

As the subject of slavery will undoubtedly be agitated in connection with the admission of Florida, we publish all we can find in her proposed State Constitution referring to the subject.—It occurs under the head of Art. XVI. General Provisions. 1. The General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of Slaves They shall have no power to prevent emigrants to this State from bringing with them such persons as may be deemed slaves by the laws of any one of the United States, provided they shall have power to enact laws to prevent the introduction of any slaves who may have committed crimes in other States. The General Assembly shall have power to pass laws to prevent free negroes, mulattoes, and other persons of color, from immigrating to this state, or from being discharged from on board any vessel in any of the ports of Florida.