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Florida and Texas
Therivalpartiespromenadedthestreetswitharmsintheirhands;andateveryoccasionoftheirmeetingacollisionwastobeapprehendedwhichmighthavebeenattendedwithdisastrousresults.HappilytheprudenceandaddressofPresidentBarbicaneavertedthedanger.ThesepersonaldemonstrationsfoundadivisioninthenewspapersofthedifferentStates.TheNewYorkHeraldandtheTribunesupportedTexas,whiletheTimesandtheAmericanReviewespousedthecauseoftheFloridandeputies.ThemembersoftheGunClubcouldnotdecidetowhichtogivethepreference.
Texasproduceditsarrayoftwenty-sixcounties;Floridarepliedthattwelvecountieswerebetterthantwenty-sixinacountryonlyone-sixthpartofthesize.
Texasplumeditselfuponits330,000natives;Florida,withafarsmallerterritory,boastedofbeingmuchmoredenselypopulatedwith56,000.
TheTexans,throughthecolumnsoftheHeraldclaimedthatsomeregardshouldbehadtoaStatewhichgrewthebestcottoninallAmerica,producedthebestgreenoakfortheserviceofthenavy,andcontainedthefinestoil,besidesironmines,inwhichtheyieldwasfiftypercent.ofpuremetal.
TothistheAmericanReviewrepliedthatthesoilofFlorida,althoughnotequallyrich,affordedthebestconditionsforthemouldingandcastingoftheColumbiad,consistingasitdidofsandandargillaceousearth.
"Thatmaybeallverywell,"repliedtheTexans;"butyoumustfirstgettothiscountry.
