Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
October 9, 1822 Page 4
From the National Intelligencer
Florida
The Legislative Council of Florida appear to be diligently engaged in the discharge of their duties. As the business
of their first session embraces, as far as practicable, the enactment of a general code of laws for the Territory,
it is both important and arduous. Down to the 9th of August, many bills had been under consideration, and some
of the most interesting had finally passed. Among the former were bills to raise a revenue – to regulate civil
proceeding and chancery proceedings – to regulate damages on bills of exchange – to establish inferior courts –
to regulate descents – bills concerning awards and arbitrator, proceedings on attachments – to prevent frauds and
perjuries – for the distribution of intestate estates – for regulating executions, &c.
The bill providing for the election of a Delegate to Congress had been matured and passed. By this bill the Council
have extended the right of suffrage to settlers, sailors and mariners, in the public service. On this prime pie,
however, the Council was nearly divided, a motion being made to exclude the description of persons from voting
for a Delegate to Congress, it was rejected by the casting vote of the President, Mr. Bronaugh. The members in
favour of granting the privilege, were Messrs, Gaither, Hanham, Miller and White; and against it were Messrs Calf,
Law, Murray and Reynolds.
The territory has been, by one of the acts, divided into four counties – in the East, St. John’s and Duval – in
the West, Escambia and Jackson.
The following resolution was adopted by the Council on the 9th of August, and a committee appointed to draft a
memorial accordingly.
Resolved by the Legislative Council of the territory of Florida, that a respectable memorial ought to be addressed
to the President of the United States, upon the subjects of general interest to the inhabitants of this territory,
and particularly to request His Excellency to direct the officers of the engineer corps, who are expected shortly
to make a survey of Tampa bay, by order of the Secretary of War, to explore the interior of the country, and report
to the Governor of this territory the most eligible place for the permanent seat of government and to lay out the
nearest practicable road from St. Augustine to the place designated, and from thence to Pensacola.
[Submitted by Nancy Piper]
