FLORIDA TERRITORY           397

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MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS BY CITIZENS OF JACKSON

AND WALTON COUNTIES

[NA:SF, 19 Cong., 1 sess‑ :DS]

                                                          [Referred December 27, 1825]

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled.

The memorial of the undersigned Citizens of the Counties of Jackson and Walton in the Territory of Florida respectfully represents,

That your memorialists attached to this country by the fertile character of its Soil and the Commercial advantages which it seemed to promise from its proximity to the Bay and harbour of Saint Andrews, have withdrawn from the States in which they formerly resided all their property with the view and intention of making a permanent settlement here—some of your memorialists have resided here several Years and all of them have lived in the Country a sufficient length of time to grow something for market, and if the prospects which its natural advantages afford should be realized they will never regret their removal hither; although, in doing so, they have had to exchange the comforts and pleasures of society and comparative ease, for the labour and private [MS. torn] necessarily incident to a new settlement, entirely remote from population and civilized Life.—In regard to the first inducement, your memorialists are happy to state that they have not been deceived, there is no Country perhaps of similar extent in which the principle articles of export from the southern States can be raised with more facility and in greater abun­dance, but your memorialists have not as yet, been so fortunate in their expectations of commercial advantages—it is true they had anticipated inconveniences of this sort in their early settlements, but they had indulged the belief that as soon as they had prepared for Market produce to a sufficient extent to make it an object for com­mercial enterprise, those difficulties would subside; having almost at their doors one of the finest Harbours in the southern Country they believed that no obstacle would be presented to an easy transportation of every surplus article which their industry and economy would produce, and that in return for such products they would receive through the same easy Channel the Comforts and necessaries of Life— In this however, they have in some degree been disappointed. and this disappointment has resulted entirely from want of a Port of Entry at Saint Andrews.—So long as your memorialists are compelled to trade in little coasting vessels to the small Villages on the Sea‑board, in which Ports of Entry have been established, so long will the profits of their labour be reduced, and so long will the prices of the articles which their comfort necessarily compells them to import be advanced—                 .

398                      TERRITORIAL PAPERS

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When your memorialists take into view the beautiful and healthy situation of the Bay of Saint Andrews and the almost entire absence of everything like obstruction to its easy entrance, (there being a wide channel of 18 feet water over its bar)—when they regard the perfect security which its Harbour affords to vessels of every description and when they cast an Eye over the numerous bodies of fertile Lands so situated as to point to it as the natural Outlet for all their I1Poducts, they can but think that it is destined at some not very remote period to be a place of much commercial importance and enterprise, and your memorialists confidently believe that the moment foreign and other Vessels are permitted to enter directly into the Bay without the necessity of going one or two hundred miles beyond their destination, for the purpose of entering at some Custom‑house, will be the dawn of that importance.—

Your memorialists therefore humbly pray that your honorable Body would take this matter into early consideration, and if it should not be considered inconsistent with the interest of the Government, that a Port of Entry may be established at the Bay of Saint Andrews as soon as it may be deemed practicable—and your memorialists will ever pray & c---

Joseph Russ                                            Thom Russ

M. D. Cains                                              Thom M. Bush

John H, Stone                                          Wm P. Hort

Thom Goff                                                Wm Z. Watson

James Webb                                            C. F. Stewart

L M Stone                                                Henry L Riviere

Sam' P. Robison                                      Wade H, Dubose

Lewis Phillips                                         H D. Stone

John Ward                                               J. Loftin

David Speir                                              Wiley Parker

Jas T. Neel                                                John. Stewart

Daniel Bridgman                                      D. Stewart

S. Bryan                                                    Auther Daniel                                        

John Davis                                               William M. Loftin:

Young W. Folsom                                   John Cains

W  Cawthon                                           John Hopson

Alexander Turner                                   Britain Mayo                                      '

Romeo Lewis                                           Sion Smith

R C Allen                                                  Robert Russ

Jacob Robinson                                      Henry Trippe

Thomas H Hull                                        Thom J Scurlock

John Porter                                               Benjamin Nettles

W  Spear                                                   Burns T Howell

 

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