Mr. DOOLITTIE. Mr. President, I rise to present the certificate of the election of Hon. llilliiim Marving to the Senate of the U.S. from the State of Florida. In doing so, I desire to say that, personally, I have known this gentleman for nearly 30 years; and to his c aracter and high standing and loyalty to the U.S. during all this struggle it gives me great pleasure to bear testimony. His services as a judge of the U.S. for the southern district of Florida for many years are known to the country. His abilities as a judge jurisdiction are known not only to this country, but to the world for one of the best works ever published upon admiralty jurisdiction, and which is often quoted in the courts of enland aswell as our own, was written by him. e, sir and it is with great pleasure that I can say it; and upon this point in my mind there is a very great distinction between the various cases is capableand willin to take the oath which Congress has prescribed as bein necessary to be taken by every member of either House when entering upon the discharge of legislative functions. For myself, sir, I should be prepared at this moment to ask that he be sworn at once; and if the members of the Senate knew him as I know him, I can hardl conceive that there would be any objection. at, sir, from deference to the opinions of others who surround me, and who desire further to look into the question which concerns the States in which the insurrection existed, I shall not make that motion at this time, but intend to make a motion which, for the present, will dispose of this question. before doing so, however, I desire to show the senate what his course has been, and lean do itin no better form or clearer language than by quoting what was said by him when, as provisional governor, he was about to retire an surrender to the Governorelect the administration of the I nffairs of the State of Florida. On that occasion he said:. When I assumed the duties of provisional governor in this state. in the 1st days of August last. I found the civil government of the State overthrown and prostrate, ii. nmdartial law eve where prevailing. 51h!!! was opainlul. anomalous. an unnatural state of in s. “1510 constitution of the U.S. guaranties to eachState in the Union a RFG and the chief object contemplated by the President in appmnting for the State a provisional governor. Under lhe circumstancesof the casc. wasthat the latter might make such rules and reulation: as were necessaryto enable the people of t it! State to assemblein convention. and, accepting he results of the war adopt such measures as werence essuryto reestablish a State govornment. republican in form and restore the natural and normal relations of the State with the General Government. “I entered upon the duties of my offico with real and earnestness and notwithstandin the difficulties to been countered inconsequence oft ototnl absence of any mail facilities in many parts of the State and very insufllcient ones in others. yet the facilities so generously furnished me by Mine r General Foster, the commander of the military Dept of the State enabled me to diatributo. through military tcioounr;iers. the proclamation and pollbooks for an elec and an election was held on the 10th day of Oe tober inevery county of the State for delegates to a conycnticn, The convgnlien assembled at the capitol in this city on the 7th day of the same month all the counties but 2 being fully represented. The :igsrcgate vote of the State was 6,707. Being considerably morethan 1/2 of the votes usually polled at a general election, in timesof party contests and this. too, notwithstanding in very many counties no opposing candid“ were run. The convention. therefore represent the massof the people and the constitution adopted and the ordinancespassedby that body are founded upon the consent of the people of the State. regu Itllfl)r;ilxprcasedby and through their delegates duly e cc c “. The convention incorporatedinto the conptitution a clause declaring that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall in future exist in this State, except as a punishment for crime. whereof the party shall have been convictodby the courts of this state. spd that all the inhabitants of the State. Wilhout distinction of color are free and lhiill enjoy the htlof jiicrson ond property ivithout distinction of color; an that in all criminn proceedings foundedu n aa injury to a coloredtperson and in all cases a echo; the rights and reme lesof colored persons. no person shall o incompetent to testifyiisa Fliliwnl} account ofeolor. It oponod the courts of Justice alike to all persons. It repudiated the State debt contracted in support of the rebellion and annulled the ordinance of secession. This action of the conventionwasattno time eminently satisfactory to me. i nd I have reason tobelievolias proved so to the president. It is under this constitution. the fundamental law of the State. that you“ The Legislature whom he was addressing "are now assembled and the government is being organised. It is constitution that you have sworn to support.” and, Mr. President, before I leave the floor and make the motion which I nin about to submit, I desire to read also a statement made by the Governorelect, into whose hands the administration of the State was then surrendered. Go“vernor Walker said: Having spoken of the relations which oiight to exist and which for the most part do exist. among the white people of the States, I new naturally come to speak of the feelings which ought to be cherished and the polic which ought to be pursuedtoward our colored popnation. “I think we are bound by every consideration of duty gratitude and interest, to make these people as enlightened. pros croua and happy as their new situation will admit. oraenerations past they have been our faithful. contented and happy slaves. They have beenattachedtoour persons aud our lnrtimcs. sharing with us all our felin. rejoicing with us in our prosperity. mourning with us in our adversity. If there were exccptions to this general rule. they were only individua exceptions. Southern map who henis me knows that whatl say is iterally truoin regard to the vast mass of our colored mention. The world has never before seen such a y of Havqs. For. not onlin peace. but in war they have been faithful Ions.” during much of the time of the late unhappy difficulties Florida had a greater number of men in the army. beyond her limits, than constifuted her en IlHB voting population. This. oLcourse. stripped many districts of their entire arms bearing inhabitants, and left our females and infant children almost exclusively to the protection of oiirsliives. They proved true to tbeir trust. Not one instance of insult. ontragE or indizpity has ever come to my knowledge. remained at home and made provisions for our army. Many of them went with our sons wt o army and therc. too, proved their fidelity. attending them when well. nursing and caring for them when sick and i nwgo. U and some of lktnhoewm thauntxiomusantyootfathkcem were will u armsin our cause. Although for several years within sound o t the guns of the vessels of the U.S. for 600 miles along oufscaboard. yct acarccly one in1,000voluntarily left our agricultural serviceto take shelter and freedomunder the flag of the Union. It is not their fault that they are free: theyhad nothingto dowith it: that was brought about by the results and operationsoft e war. “But. they are free. They are no longer our contented and happy slaves, with an nbundniit supply of food and clothing for themselvesa nd families and the intelligence of a superior race to look phemi and make all necessary arrangements for their comfort. They are now a discontented and unhappy people, many of them housclessand homeless. roomingobout in gangsover the land. not knowmg one day where the supplies for the next are to come from: exposed to the ravagesof disease and famine: exposedto the temptationsof theft and robbery, by which they are too often overcome; Without the intelligence to provide for themselveswhen well or to care for them sclyes when sick, and doomedtountold sufferingaand ultimate extinction unlessweintervene for their protection and reservation. “ill we do it? I prevent. we are houn t9 do it by every consideration of duty. gratitude and interest. “Much has beensaid of late about the importation coofwunhtitrcielsa, baonrd from Germany, Irclnnd. Italy and other with proper limitations and restrictions I amin favor of it; but let us always remember we have a laboring class of our own which is entitled to the proferonce. It is not sutiicient tosaythat white labor is cheaper. I trust wearenot yetsofor degraded as to consult interestalone. But interest alone would dictate that it is better to give those people employment and enablethem to support themselves. than have them remain upon our hands as a pauperrace: for herethey are and here. for weal or woe. they are obliged to stay. We must remember that those black people are natives of this country, on have n prt. L einption right to be the recipientsof whatever Invms we may haveto bestow. We innstprotect them, if not against the competition. at any rate against the exac tinnsof white ininiigranbi. They Wlll expectour black laborers to do as much work in this climate as tho? have beenam to acewhite("105 i in Lego 313 more northern latitudes. We know that th cannot do it. The neverdid it for us as slaves, an the os crience of the last 6 months showsthat o no better as freedmen. Our fathers of 1783 theimnelwl that it takes 5 black men to do the work of 3 white ones and consequeiitlg, in adjusting the apportionment of taxes upon the nsisoi the labor and industry of the country, 11 of the 13 Statesof the old Confederation recommended that every 5 blacks becounted as only 3. The samerule was afterward adopted in the constitution of 1787in regard to representation. But I fear those who may migrate hither from Europe or elsewhere Will be unmindful of this fact. v We onght not to forget it, and between foreign and black in or we ought always to i give the preferenceto the latter when we can possibly make it available and if we can offer suiiicieut inducements. I aminclined to think that the black man, as ii. field laborer in our climate. will prove more efli cic"nt than the imported white. We ought to encourage our colored peopleto Virtue and industry by all the meansin our power. We ought to protect them in all their rights. oth of person and property, as fully aswe dot ic whites. “This is the iew taken byour recentStateconvention. After recognising the fact that they are free, and declaring that slavery shall neverhereafter exist in the State. they proceed to open to them all the courts of justiee and admit them as witnessesin all criminal proceedings founded upon an injury to a colored person, and in all casesa octing the rights and remedies of a colored person. trust, gentlemen, thatthis actionmeetsyour a probation, and that you Will take great care. not on y not to discriminate in your legislation againstthe colored ruep, but that you will so shape yourenactments as to promote their welfare and happinesstothe fullest possi lo extent. Mr. President, as I said before, for myself, knowing as well asI do the person who has received this certificate of election, I would be Willing at once to move, and I think other senators if they knew him as well as I do and his course and bearing during the whole conduct of this war, would be willing at once to vote, for his being permitted to be sworn. But, sir, as l have said, in deference to some of our friends around me who desire still further time to look into the question of the relation of these States and their condition to choose representatives in this body or to the other House, I will not make this motion now. I therefore simply move that this certificate do, for the present, be upon the table.