298 



FLOKIDA. 



We hope that throughout the South we shall now 

 have peace, order, confidence, more tolerance of 

 opinion than ever before, and better protection to 

 life, liberty and property ; and we believe that a 

 political organization founded upon such principles 

 as these, without regard to the past, without regard 

 to color, to nationality, race or previous condition of 

 servitude, or former residence, or place of birth, will 

 do honor to our State and the nation, and promote 

 the best interests of our country ; and such an organi- 

 zation, and such only, will be entitled to, and will 

 hereafter receive, our support. 



The following resolutions were also adopted: 



Whereas, It is reported that unauthorized colored 

 men from this State have recently called upon Presi- 

 dent Hayes, as a delegation from Florida, consulting 

 with him upon matters appertaining to the interests 

 of the colored people of this State ; and, whereas. 

 such persons were unauthorized by the colored 

 people to act as such delegation : therefore, be it 



Jiesolved, That this convention hereby denounces 

 the action of such gentlemen, they having no au- 

 thority from the colored people of this State, and 

 that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the 

 President. 



Whereas, The press of the country is an educator 

 of the people, and in this particular the colored race 

 of this State is deficient: therefore, we suggest to 

 the colored people the importance of starting and 

 maintaining a newspaper for the purpose of diffusing 

 knowledge as to agriculture, etc., and the fostering 

 of morality and education. 



Whereas, Education is the one great need of the 

 colored people of the South, and any one coming to 

 our State and devoting his time and energies to the 

 material culture of our race is entitled to our highest 

 encomiums : therefore, it is 



Resolved, 1. That we do herein record our cheerful 

 appreciation of the efforts of all true friends who 

 willingly devote their time and means to raise the 

 standard of moral and social culture by means of 

 education among the youth of our race in this State. 



2. That among the institutions of learning, none 

 has challenged our admiration and emulation more 

 than the Cookman Institute and Staunton School of 

 Jacksonville the former showing the truly Christian 

 efforts of Prof. S. B. Darnell, and the last the phil- 

 anthropic feeling actuating Rev. J. C. Waters and 

 each harmonizing into glorious results for the future. 



3. We look upon the establishment of an Agri- 

 cultural College in this State as the great industrial 

 medium which is to aid largely in the material de- 

 velopment of our racej and recommend all to take 

 advantage of its provisions. 



4. That we hope the day is not far distant when 

 the Seminary Fund of our State may be opened to 

 the enjoyment of our race without the necessity of 

 forcing its trustees to recognize our rights. 



5. That all we ask is an equal recognition of all 

 our rights to a place Jn the great race of life, and, if 

 distanced, will feel that " to the victor belongs the 

 spoils." 



The town of Fernandina was visited by a se- 

 vere epidemic of yellow fever, beginning about 



KEY WEST. 



the middle of August and lasting until the end 

 of October. A census taken on the 28th of Sep- 

 tember showed a population of 1,632, of whom 

 518 were whites and 1,114 colored; 1,073 

 adults and 559 children; 814 males and 818 

 females. At that time 293 were sick with the 

 fever, and 853 had been sick. The number 

 of deaths from August 21sTPtfrOctober 31st 

 was 94, or about 5 per cent, of the popu- 

 lation. 



The death-rate among the whites was about 



16 per cent., only 10 negroes having died. The 

 town was forced to appeal for outside assist- 

 ance, and for some weeks all business was 

 at a stand-still. Physicians and nurses were 

 obtained from other parts of the country, and 

 contributions for relief amounted to $17,000, 

 which left the Sanitary Comuiittee $2,000 in 

 debt at the end of October. The suffering of 

 the people during the epidemic was terrible, 

 and it left them in an almost destitute con- 

 dition, with all business and industry, which 



