Newspaper Page Text
Rome, Floyd County, Ga.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, DEC. 17
The Virginius lias gone to Bahai
Honda, sixty miles west of Havana,
there to be delivered.
. The Empress Eugenie has taken win
ter quarters at Nice. We presume she
has nice.winter quarters.
Marshal Razaiue.
The death sentence passed upon thi:
distinguished soldier by the court has
been commuted by President McMahon
to secluded confinement for 20 years.
Marshal Bazaine, since he received
notice of the commutation of his sen
tence, has written a letter to President
McMahon in which he says:
“You remembered the day in which
we served our country together,
feared that the impulse of your heart
would be over mastered by state con
siderations. I should have died with
out regret since the recommendation of
the court for mercy vindicates my
honor.’’
Bazaine’s counsel in a letter to ex
President Thiers, thanks him for hav
ing expressed his opinion that Marshal
Bazaine was innocent of the charges
upon which he is tried.
Mr. Stephens on the Back Pay Ste«l.
Mr. Stephens has made a speech in
Congress, upon this infamous measure.
We present the telegraphic synopsis
below, which, if correct, places Mr.
Stephens in an unenviable light before
the people of Georgia.
His speech does him no credit either
as a logician or a statesman, but is a
lame attempt to bolster up a bad cause.
It has not even the merit of originality,
but is a poor imitation of old Spoon-
thief Butler’s defence of his salary
steal, delivered at Worcester, Mass., last
summer.
The New York Herald, in presentin
a graphic picture of the scene while
Mr. Stephens is speaking, says:
“ lie rises, drops one of his crutches
in the aisle; he leans heavily upon the
other. Death the skeleton and Time
the shadow paint his picture, and put
a glossy black dress coat hanging loose
ly on the shoulders, with a small
cadaverous head, covered with a plum
colored velvet smoking cap, from under
which the steel gray hair creeps.
“ Now for the ear—‘ Mr. Speaker ?
The first words have a music tinged
with the full vowelled Africanese
dialect of the South. All are intent.
The Democratic seats are vacant; the
crowd presses close up to the orator.
He indulges in a comparison between
the good demagogues who lead the
people right and the bad ones who
pander to them. He makes a classical,
then a Biblical illustration. Does he
strike ilte keynote all expect? Does
he inveigh against corruption, profliga
cy "extravagance? Does he applaud
economy and self sacrifice ?
“There is disappointment. Most
think he has changed with the times.
The old days of chivalry are gone; the
mercenary years have come. lie has
come with them. Gifted and pure
himself, passionless and almost disem
bodied, he would have been the man
to herald the better day, or to renew
that other time when John Letcher.
George W. Jones and others of the
South gave up to the public their
service to save millions for the public
and make nothing for themselves.”
We do not believe one iota of the
insinuation contained in the para
graph relative to mercenary motives.
Mr. Stephens is morally incapable of
such a motive; but he does most wo-
fully impair his own character when
he defends the mercenary actions of
others.
Stephens, of Georgia, was the next
speaker. He got on his feet with some
difficult}-, and not without assistance.
Then he supported himself with
crutch under his left arm. lie spoke
with a clear, ringing voice, which was
distinctly audible in every portion of
the chamber, except when he dropped
his tones, as he did very frequently at
the close of sentences. Ilis manner
was nervous and rapid, and his remarks
very digressive, many of his sentences
being left- uncomplete. He was listened
to with the closest interest and attention
by members, officers and audience.
He commenced by saying he would
examine the question before the house
first in its moral and then in its politi
cal aspect. He spoke of the comments
of the public press on the subject; lie
would say nothing in derogation of the
power or usefulness of.the press; the
position of a journalist in this country
was one of the highest. The fourth
estate did, in this age, control public
sentiment, but he would, in all earnest
ness, say to the press and its conductors
that nothing was more important than
that in treating of subjects with the
masses of the people, they should look
well to the truth and correctness and
the principle of what they addressed to
the people.
The press had denounced as theives
and robbers the members of the last
Congress, and he had seen one paper
which represented the raid on the treas
ury very much like the charge of the
Six Hundred at Balaklava. He had
thought the wit of that representation
more appropriate than the wisdom.
The gentleman from New York (Tre-
main) had spoken, yesterday, of dema-
gogueism; ho (Stephens) maintained
that there could be no statesmanship
without it. There never had been a
statesman who was not a demagogue;
the word originally meant a leader of
the people. Pericles was a demagogue.
There were two kinds of demagogues,
the sham and the genuine; the genuine
demagogue was the man who led the
people—a man who guided the people;
the sham demagogue pandered to the
errors and prejudices of the people.
The real statesman was the physician
of humanity. The sham demagogue
simply courted favors in order to get
office and the spoils of office. He con
sidered Lord Chatham as the true, the
genuine demagogue, and related an an
ecdote to the effect that when Chat
ham was proposing to the English
Cabinet a new measure ef taxation, in
cluding the taxing of windows, he
missed one member of the Cabinet, and
asked for him by name. The answer
was that it made no difference wheth
er that member was present or not,
because lie was a fool. That is the
very reason, said Chatham, that I want
him here, because the way he thinks
about this thing is the way that the
majority of the people of England may
think about it, and I want to know the
sentiment of the public. He wanted
to know it, not to pander to it, but that
he might go before the people and raise
them to a sentiment of the necessity
and propriety of the measure.
Recurring to the consideration of the
increased salary bill, Mr. Stephens said
that he was very glad to say that that
was a measure for which neither politi
cal party was responsible. His opinion
was, that the Democracy, in the pro
portion of its votes in Congress, was
juite as responsible as the Republican
party. The gentleman from New York
(Tremain) had admitted yesterday that
under the Constitution every Congress
had a right to fix its own compensation.
It had done so from the beginning
the Government It had frequently in
creased that compensation, and the in
crease was always and necessarily re
troactive. Worthy men had done this
in the last century and in the early
part of the present century. The
brightest ornaments in American his
tory had subjected themselves to be de
nounced as salary grabbers and
thieves.
The first great thing to be learned in
this life, that which had been taught in
the schools of ancient Greece, was to
discriminate between that which the
multitude thought was right and that
which was right in itself. If there was
anything dishonest which would reflect
disgrace on a man’s memory
taking that legal appropriation he
wanted to know where it was. If
was wrong for members to take what
the law allowed, where were men to
find a rule of right and wrong. His re
marks on this subject did not apply to
himself, but he was a citizen of the
country and lie felt a deep interest in
the dignity and character of the Amer
ican Congress.
lie claimed that when Congress
passed the retroactive law of last session,
it had a constitutional right to do so.
He was not saying whether it was ex
pedient or not; but no blush should
rest on the cheek of any man, whether
he voted for the bill or not, who took
the money. If he had been here he
should have taken it, whether he voted
for it or not, and should have felt that
he was as justly entitled to it as he was
to receive a dollar a day. It was
constitutional law, constitutionally
passed, and those who were entitled to
pay under it were as much entitled to
the whole of it as they were to any
dime received under it. If any thought
it was too much and returned it, he
Stephens) would not cast a slur upon
him for doing so.
lie had now discussed the moral
view of the question, and he would now
proceed to discuss it in its political as
peci. He was not going to place a
value on his own services as a represen
tative, but if he were to state what he
the
for
the
thought the services of a representative
ought to be worth, he would go far
above the figure of any law that has
ever been passed. A representative of
the people ought to be a man of that
mental calibre, that information, that
education, that virtue, that trustworthi
css and all those qualities which com
mand the highest remuneration.
lie had given it as his opinion iu the
last speech he made in the house, four
teen years ago, that if the salaries of
members of Congress were $10.000; of
senators, $15,000; of the chief justice of
the supreme court $50,000; of the asso
ciate judges, $25,000, and of the Presi
dent, $100,000, it would be better for
the country at large.
He held the same opinion still. He
certainly should not vote for the bill
reported by the committee, but he be
lieved that the most unwise action of
:ist Congress was the abolition of the
franking privilege.
Tlic Washington King.
We publish the following espose of
the workings of the Washington ring
from the Louisville Courier-Journal, not
for the purpose of doing Gen. Young
an injustice, but to place before his
constituents the charges that are against
him, and thereby giving him a chance
to answer the accusation.
We are loth ourselves to believe the
averments.
I don't know the exact number of
the employees in the departments and
about the capital, but they are roughly
estimated at five thousand. A large
proportion of this class were the polit
ical lacqueys and dependents of Radi
cal members of Congress, did dirty
work for them, helped to elect them to
Congress, in consideration of which
services they were pensioned upon the
Government, bringing to their desks
just that amount of moral suppleness
and stupid partisan malignity which
makes them the delighted readers of
such papers as Harlan’s Chronicle, the
Xutional Republican, and the Star.
They read and feed their moral na
tures in this way, and are, of course,
the natural allies and tools of the ring
thieves. They haven’t sense enough to
know, any more than the negroes, that
these enormous expenses for socalled
“improvements” increase the price of
board, house rent and most of all they
have to buy; and this, too, to come
out of salaries which, unless eked out
by corrupt appliances, are not suffi
cient for the decent maintenance of a
family.
Indeed, in their adherence to the
ring they must be counted as even
more weak and stupid than the ne
groes : for the latter do profit by the
large ring expenditures. The negroes
get work and wages, and though they
would be better off on the whole work
ing upon the farms, still they, have,
a class, something to show for
voting and double voting they do
ring tickets on election day.
Putting these two forces together
property holders and old citizens have
a hand fight of it, and what with
facility of negro importations from
Virginia and Maryland and negro
peating they are so outnumbered and
outcounted, that for years they have
virtually given up the contest
... Bu,t^eyen tfria does, not fully explain
tire secret of the ring supremacy. The
ring strength is, of course, helped by
negro vote, made up in numbers
suit, of imported Africans, and held
a corps de reserve to be voted here,
in Maryland, Virginia or North Carolina
as party exigency may require, but the
ring Iras other equally potent elements
of power. I mean President Grant.
Under the present district govern
ment President Grant appoints the
board of public works, and this board
is really master of the situation—the
citadel, so to speak, from which the
brigands sally forth to levy their con
tributions on the community, making
the roads a6 dangerous and expensive
as they were in the middle ages to all
who had occasion to use them. The
President also appoints the council
upper legislative branch of the territo
rial assembly.
They are, as might be expected, the
merest and most supple tools of the
ring. It is Grant who made Henry
Cooke governor of this district, and
kept him there until he was about
break. Just then it was discovered
that it would not look well to face
Congress with a district governor whose
name was conspicuously identified with
two broken banks. So Gov. Cooke
modestly retired, and, the whole matter
being pre-airanged, the President put
in Mr. Alex. R. Shepherd, who has
been notoriously the presiding genius
of the Washington ring, and really
more responsible than any other man
for this enormous extravagance.
So you see how these men are all
linked together—Grant, Babcock (his
secretary, who does the measuring and
certifying), Shepherd, Cooke, Mullett,
supervising architect of the treasury
department; Adolph Cluss, and the
rest. It is a Radical President and
Congress that have inaugurated, fostered
and shielded this crowning villainy
municipal expenditure.
These influences arc, of course, om
nipotent in Congress. The few Demo
crats, like Beck, Roosevelt, and others,
who attempted to curb this expenditure
and set some bounds to the power of
the ring, were overwhelmed by the
Radical Congressmen, aided by sucli
active and steady friends of the ring as
Eldridge, of Wisconsin; Pierce M. B.
Young, of Georgia; Swann, of Mary
land, and others. You may set it
down for certain that so long as Grant
stays in office all efforts at reform in
this district will be vain and hopeless.
It is proposed by some to get rid of
this set of officials, and there was even
a talk some time ago that the ring
themselves had made money enough,
and in view of their inability to face
the question of the way and means,
would ask Congress to take the whole
thing off their hands by putting the dis
trict government in the hands of a com
mission.
Of course this was only a trick,
wolf, when he talks of abjuring a meat
diet, is more than ever an object of sus
picion. A commission composed of
eminent and incorruptible citizens
would probably be the best mode of re
lief for this unfortunate community
but pray how is it to be obtained? Even
if Congress were to have the appoint
ment, what chance would there be of
getting good men from the Credit Mo-
bilier and railroad jobbers and carpet
baggers, who make up tlircc-fifths at
least of that body ?
But the appointment would in all
probability be given to the President,
and I suppose the Constitution makes
this indispensable now. It requires no
prophet to foretell whom he wouldse-
lect. The special friend of Tom Mur
phy, Colfax, Babcock, Kellogg and
Shepherd would select just such men
as he has already chosen. The ring
would shuffle the cards, fix up a new
slate, whom Grant would at once ap
point for the commission, and then
you would have the game played over
;ain of great expenditure, waste and
recklessness regardless of law; in short,
it would be the old ring under an alias,
and tenfold more the children of the
devil than before. - _
Some say, foolishly: “ All would be
well if you let the people of the dis
trict elect their officers as they once did,
the board of public works included.”
have already explained how elections
are carried in this district. The legal
negro vote is very large already and
can be doubled, trebled by fresh im
portations and by repeating, which, in
the case of negroes, it is almost im
possible to prevent, and still more im
possible to punish.
Negroes may bo brought hbije from
Maryland, Philadelphia or elsewhere
and dumped down in a negro quarter,
to work a week or two and vote during
day at different points of the city.
White men suspect but cannot prove
that they are colonized, while men of
their own color swear for them through
thick and thin. With this force the
board of public works or the ring can
control any election 'they'may desire
carry, ■ p
That a Radical Congress will take
any steps to curtail negro suffrage or
limit its frauds is not expected. Their
own existence or party .supremacy is
built up largely by this system of
fraud. The remedy then for this gov
ernment of Washington city does not
seem so easy, and I- do not wonder
that the ring organs are boastful and
confident. Well may they ask: “ What
are you going to do about it?”
A Brooklyn genius has just produced
“patent ruff-foil” foruae'by gentle
men during the*Yeffld’ ! p5Hod of court
ship.
Alexander Q. Stephens*
The Catholic Mirror of December 6th
has the following concerning the great
Georgian:
Leaning on the arm of his.private
secretary, and further supporting him
self by the aid of a crutch, Mr. Alex
ander H. Stephens entered the Forty-
third Congress on last Monday morning,
and took his seat near the speaker’s
desk. He was soon surrounded by a
bevy of members irrespective of party.
There is something in greatness which
attracts homage, whether it appears
From tho Financial
BSB
under the form of a “steam iday, with the rate of the Bank of Eng-
‘breeches,” as Sidney Smith ^ttulJ^
Webster, or a “ skeleton in armor,” as
Voltaire called Marshal Saxe when he
beheld the great captain on his way to
win Fontenoy.
This great Georgia lawyer, who won
his spurs at Nisi Prius forty years ago;
and then entered politics and spiked all
the big guns of his native State^on the
hustings and in the legislature'-; then
went to Congress (thirty yeaai ago)
with a fame something like that which
Patrick Henry erst won from the Vir
ginia burgesses, and there rose at once
to a rank only less than that oof the
veterans Webster and Calhoun; and
where for sixteen years he was.in the
habit of emptying the senate chamber,
as well as all the great drawing rooms
and parlors of Washington, anil gath
ering their inmates along with the
whole diplomatic body into the house
whenever he arose to speak; wbj next
was named, in this city, for President
of the United States by the Douglas
wing of the Democracy in 1860, and
would have been nominated and elected
but for the party split; then tnought
of for a seat in his cabinet by Mr.
Lincoln, and next made Vice Pusident
of the Southern Confederacy; this
famous man is once more back in
Congress.
He has not been idle during his
retirement, but has written a profound
book, the Constitutional History,of the
War between the States. The Saturday
Review, the highest critical authority in
England, has pronounced this work the
greatest legal, philosophical and consti
tutional argument ever writtenj^wny
American from the foundation -of the
Government to our own day. When it
is remembered that the Satu rday Review
never had any sympathy with the
South or its politics, it must be conced
ed that its criticism on Mr. Stephens is
high praise. Let us see what this
companion of our great men gone is
going to do for the country in the
Forty-third Congress.
Jtld"
" right on the Constituti nal Con
vention*
Judge A. R. Wright has written
another letter to the press on the mat
ter of a constitutional convention. It is
published in the Augusta Chronicle and
Sentinel, and is a reaffirmation of the
principles he put forth in his former
letter.
The Chronicle and Sentinel thus en
dorses it: „
“ The admirable letter of Judge Au
gustus R. Wright, which we published
yesterday morning on the subject of a
constitutional convention, presents one
phase of the question which is worthy
careful consideration. Judge Wright
takes the ground that a Convention is
necessary, in order that the State may
be spared any addition to her present
load of indebtedness—except for the
legitimate and necessary expenses of
government.
“ There are many who will agreQ with
the views presented by this gentleman,
and will favor a constitutional inhibi
tion against the State’s rendering aid to
any work of public improvement, con
fident that this is the only way to pre
vent a repetition of the corruption
which threatened Georgia with bank
ruptcy when Bullock was Governor.
But there are others who go a step fur
ther, and wish the adoption of a Con
stitution which will protect the counties
and cities from the same evils which
threaten the State. ■ These advocate a
clause wlffch will prevent a county or
a city from issuing bonds to an amount
beyond a certain per centage of its tax
able property.
“ For instance, they would restrict
the city of Augusta from issuing bonds
to an amount exceeding—say ten per
cent, of the assessed value of its taxa
ble property. The taxable property
now amounting to twenty millions of
dollars, only two millions of bonds
could be lawfully issued. Such a pro
vision would greatly benefit the tax
payers and strengthen the credit of the
city.
“The larger the amount of bonds
issued the greater the depreciatipn in
value. But if the world knew that the
bonded debt of a city or county oould
not be increased beyond ten percent,
of its assets—for all the property of a
corporation constitutes assets for the
payment of its debts — the bonds
issued would always realize a good
price, and be eagerly sought for by the
capitalists.”
We reaffirm our cordial endorsement
of Judge Wright’s views.
The market for
week has been Inactr
variable. The'openi;
without quotable red:
day, when receipts at the
over 40,000 bales, and Liverpool
ed quiet, was a reduction of I c.
Exchanged improved, however, and
i being
report-
on Wednesday there wae a pretty foiri ; buse Mrs M whe ° n the chap waa
business for export, the market closing
with no sellers at the quotations, though
po advaatee was aotualy ►Ifqfter-
was active for export as-well as for con
sumption, with the result of la’ recov
ery in the quotations; but the demand
soon subsided, and under the decline in
gold, with-renewed depression in ex
change, the close was dull and weak.
To-day gold and exchange being
again higher on account of the bellig
erent reports from Culm, cotton opened
firm, but the demand proved less ac
tive, and at the close part of yesterday’
advance was lost, leaving an aggregate
of the week. For future delivery there
was a considerable decline during Sat
urday and Monday,, the great increase
in the receipts the latter day discourag
ing buyers, and before the decline was
arrested there was a falling off of ic.
from the highest figures of Friday.
Tuesday there was an upward turn,
and since then the market has been va
riable. To-day the opening .was firm
er, but as the day progressed the exces
sive receipts at the ports caused a reac
tion, and the close was a fraction lower
than yesterday. The highestprices to
day were for December 15 16-32c„ for
January 15 27-32c., for February 161c.,
for March 165c., and for April 171.
After ’Change sales were made at 181c.
for January, 151c, for February, 16hx
for March, and 161c for April.
The -total sales of this description for
the week are 122^50 bales including
free on board. . For immediate
delivery the total sales foot up this
week 14,143 bales, including 3457 for
consumption, 118 for speculation, and
810 in transit Of the. above, 1891
bales were to arrive.
Green Pickle Qulckty Made.
Put your vegetables, cucumbers,
snaps, gherkins, etc., in brine that will
bear an egg. Let them remain a fort
night or as long as you choose, say six
months or a year, only taking care to
scald them occasionally. When ready,
take them out and soak in weak Vine
gar for several days. Then scalcl in
spiced vinegar prepared as follows,
taking care to secure the top to keep
the flavor in.
Sweeten to your taste, and use for
seasoning one ounce of long pepper, one
ounce of white mustard seed, half an
ounce of cloves, half an ounce of mace,
two ounces of white ginger, a handful
of scraped and split horse radish, two
nutmegs, and turmeric at pleasure—we
dispense with its use. Horseradish
prevents mold forming on the surface
the vinegar.
“ Whipping is the best thing to make
children enlightened,” said old Mrs.
Bitterkins. “I never whip mine but
What it makes ’em smart.”
From tho Chronicle end Sentinel.
A State Convention—latter from "Hon. A.
C. Walker.
I cordially agree with you in your
views of the necessity of calling, at an
early day, a State convention for amend
ing the present State constitution,
far as I am concerned, I will give you
the . reasons which prevent me from
complying with your request. After
the constitution was published, I re
ceived a copy, which, without turning
a leaf or reading a word, I threw into
the fire, and I have no knowledge of
since.
It is a foul emanation from semi
savage negroes and Yankee thieves, and
as long as it remains uncleanscd from
this taint, it will stand as a landmark
of the then negro dominion over the
people of Georgia. If this, were the
sole object to it, it would be well worth
the cost of removing the stigma.
The manner of constructing this con
stitution I infer to have been, that the
few members who could read or knew
the meaning of the. word, copied from
previous like instruments, adding now
and then transcripts from the constitu
tions of Maine, Massachusetts, ete. It
is not difficult to understand, without
reading it, that it-requires important
amendment, aside from that which is
alluded to.
This is an era of laxity of principle,
of dishonesty. It pervades the whole
country, and with the same induce
ments and temptations brought to bear,
I would no more trust the legislature of
Georgia than I would that of New
York, and it is only in the constitution
that checks and restraints against the
ruin of the impoverished people can
be made effectual.
It is there only that we may ever
look for retrenchment, that we can
compel legislatures to meet but once in
two years—three would be better,
is there only that you can restrict their
sessions unconditionally to a certain
number of days, their pay perpetually
to six dollars per day, and to a specific
number of hangers-on, called clerks.
It is there only that we can prevent
contracting debts or pledging the credit
of the State for any sum or any purpose.
It is there only that you can cut off
excrescences—a prominent one in my
opinion is our supreme court.
A howl I know would rend the skies
at the bare idea of invading the sanctity
of this well paid refuge of favorites
and third rate lawyers—but neverthe
less there ianot a common souse farmer
in the State but who, if he could
understand the material of its compo
sition, its uselessness and expensive-
ness, would vote for its abolition,
would infinitely prefer to trust my
rights by appeal to a special jury under
a superior court judge, who is almost
certain to'be a better judge than thosie
very expensive three. ' ' ■ • ^
I do not care what tax books may-
show, the solemn truth is that the great
mass of farmers are growing poorer
ever}- year. A State convention could
not provide against thisfbut it could
save tens of thousands annually if they
choose to do so.
There are, I presume, various other
amendments needed, the financial ques
tion being* the most important To
those who complain of the expense of
amending the constitution, it may he
said that in November, 1865, the.whole
State constitution was revised, altered,
amended and completed ; in about 21
days, at four dollars per diem pay for
the members. Very respectfully,
A* v. IVATiKER.
Hot
Our neighbor th* Cherokee Advertiser
reports as follows :
Last week was one of intense excite
ment Indeed, it really seemed |kat
the very fiend of fiends Vafrtfeqrough-
ly at work. OwMoaday ■ighjj-lnhari
slant, A. M. OarroU, arffcddMM fBUh*
able citizen of this county, wai brutally
murdered at Garrett’sforry, on his-way
home, in Bollard's Bend, (Said to be
the wink of one Thomas EldBrifwfco'is
now at large.) : rvjs'b * '•>
,C ' -
Tuesday, the excitement continued—
the coronoris jury were diligently at
cavalrymen,
eta, were out
.ty for the sup-
lien Wednesday
a’ traveller named
Wheeler, intqjricated, went to the resi
dence of T. P. McElrath, in the upper
fnd of town, and began to curse and
work; W<
armed with
ransacking the]
posed murdi
night about
brought to an understanding by a pis
tolshqt. which entered his head; though
it fan
iptov
; it was a little
Thursday morning early our streets
Were’ a scene of an interesting fisticuff
wool puffingbetween two citizens, from
a. little misunderstanding. Friday
night-the ball was again put in motion
—only more furious—one of our towns
men and a countryman got up a muss,
in which a pistol and weight was freely
used. Three shots fired but no damage
done, yet as the little boys say they
were “ picking for it”
Friday and Saturday trials were in
order, liquor bill petitioners on the
“war path” (bill to prohibit the sale of
liquor in Centre, • or even within five
miles of the place); the greatest excite
ment continued aH the while, until Sun
day morning, when things became
somewhat quiet
.ill' .1 Texas 1« llenelf Again.
The Lone Star State is entirely love
ly and the Radical goose hangs high.
The straighout Democratic ticket has
swept the State from end to end like
prairie fire. ■ There is fifty thousand
Democratic majority; and every offici al
elected in the State, from governor to
constable, is a Democrat!
i j ; , Tbe Assessment laws.
There is-an obvious defect in our as
sessment laws. A glance at the tax
books will demonstrate this. The
startling difference in the assessment
of the same character of properties—
often side by side—shows that some
thing is wrong, and that all are not
alike bearing their portion of the pub
lic burden. Some men return their
property for double what others do.
It is a serious discrepancy that ought
to bo remedied. What the remedy is
we leave for our law makers and our
courts to determine. One thing at
least should be done: All men should
pay alike upon the same species of
property. .
I - . *4 The Chler Justice.
When the first flash of the telegraph
brought the startling news of the ap
pointment, by President Grant, of George
W. Williams as Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, the Courier spoke in its
most emphatic terms the sickenin
disgust it felt over the great outrage.
Nearly a week passed, and not another
Southern voice was raised in denuncia
tion of one of the most damnable acts
of treason to the Union that has yet
been perpetrated by, the. Republican
party.
; But now, after the cue is caught
from the Northern press, aryl the dis
gust of the servile senate itself is being
made manifest, we find that every
paper in the South is ready to cry out
against the outrage.
This fact suggests to our mind the
query, How many of our public jour
nals are* actuated by their own individ
ual consciousness of right and of wrong,
rather than by the views of the more
prominent and popular leaders of pub
lic opinion ?
Memphis, Dec.-9.
General N. B. Forrest, in view of the
possible war with Spain made a formal
tender of his services to General Sher
man, who, on writing a characteristic
letter to Forrest, said he had sent a let
ter to the War Department with this
endorsement:
Respectfully referred to the Secretary
of War for file. Among the hundreds
of offers that come to me, I deem this
worthy of a place among the archives
to await coming events. I regard N
B. Forrest as one of the most extraor
dinary men developed by our civil war,
and were it left to me in the event of
a war requiring cavalry, I would un
hesitatingly accept his services and
give him a prominent place. I believe
now he would fight against our nation
al enemies as vehemently as he did
against us, and that is saying enough.
. . W- T. Sherman, General.
To My Friends of the Courier.
On the first day of January next, my
connection with the Courier, which has
been so very, very pleasant to me, will
cease. On that day I purpose, in con
junction with Judge Donald M. Hood,
to commence at the capital of the State
the weekly publication of an old-
fashioned, Jeffersonian Democratic
newspaper to be called The Common
wealth of Georgia.
Our motto shall be “ principles, not
meq.”_ We shall haye for pur object
the k-aiamanee fti the old-time -,prind
pies of the party; the restoration to
tneirTIgramalespneres of^KeofcTand
truer political lights of the State; and
the revival of that purity of . thought
and of action which characterized the
works and the lives of our public men
in the purer days of the Republic. We
shall wage war to the knife upon all
cliques, rings and cabals, whether na
tional, State or local.
Aside from its high political aims, it
shall be a grateful purpose of the paper
to foster and encourage a pure and
healthy literature, to educate our people
up to the highest standard of literary
taste, and to inculcate in the minds of
the young men and women of the
South a love of the true and the beau
tiful in literature and in art To this
end one page of the paper will be
devoted to Song and Story, short but
conscientious reviews of current Eng
lish literature, art essays and criticism,
and notices of new publications. In
this department we have the promised
assistance and friendly co-operation of
the best literary talent of the South.
As in politics we expect to handle
without gloves cross roads demagogues
and political quacks, so in this we shall
put our feet without mercy upon all
literary charlatans, pot-house wits and
back-alley poetasters.
We shall devote one page of the
paper to the great and underlying inter
est of Agriculture. Recognizing the field,
the orchard, the garden and the yard
as the life-springs of all prosperity, we
shall strive in an especial manner to
make the paper valuable to the fanner
from the variety and solid worth of the
agricultural, horticultural and apicul
tural matter we shall present.
The remaining page will be devoted
to a general synopsis of news, foreign,
national, State and local.
In short, we shall honestly endeavor
to fill our columns with everything
that will conduce to the entertainment,
instruction and benefit of a refined
Southern home. Our paper will be, as
its name “The Commonwealth
Georgia” implies, emphatically
Georgia paper — not confined to the
local interest of a city or county, but
working for the great commonweal of
the people of the State.
It will be a large thirty-two column
paper, printed in clear, bold type suit
able to the eyes of the old as well as
the young. It will be published at the
capital of the "State, and will contain
the proceedings of the governmental
offices, legislative, judicial, executive.
It will be issued every Thursday,
and will be mailed to subscribers—
postage paid—for $2.50 per year, or $1.50
for six months. Our terms will be
cash without any exception.
My address until the first day of Jan
uary will be Rome, Ga., after that date,
Atlanta, Ga.
In the interim Mr. Thos. H. Cuyler
will canvass for and receive subscrip
tions and advertisements for the paper,
and courtesies extended to him will
be appreciated as a personal favor to
myself. B. F. Sawyer.
Forrest Grove High Schrol*
To the Editor of the Courier.
_I had the pleasure of attending the
tenth semi-annual examination of Pro
fessor Cottrell’s high 3cliool, at the
above named place, in Dirt Town val
ley, and the exhibition and concert at
nighton the 5th instant.
It was truly a literary feast. You
Romans would have been astonished, no
doubt, if you had been present and
heard the compositions and original
speeches delivered on that occasion.
The moral tone of all was excellent, and
the thoughts expressed in them would
have done credit to middle age. The
delivery, also, was almost faultless. We
congratulate Professor Cottrell for his
success as a teacher.
But the best of all was the concert by
the young ladies and little girls—Miss
Mary Cottrell’s music class. Bless their
little hearts! how they enjoyed it!
The rostrum was beautifully arranged
and tastily decorated with pictures, lace
curtains, artificial flowers, and all rich
ly festooned. . To see so many bright
eyes-and joyous little faces all in a row
behind the piano, atone glance, making
such sweet music, was a treat not often
met with twenty miles from railroad or
cUy. The patrons flatter themselves
-that they have one of the best schools
North Georgia.
The trustees have tendered Professor
Cottrell the academy for the ensuing
year, but it seems a little doubtful yet
whether he will teach. He desires to
visit Florida for his health, and recreate
Wraps for - one sesriorf. If fhis corn-
unity appreciated thorough, compe-
achers as they should, I don’t
iUsk th^HWOstd let him and. his fam
ily leave, if fuH' ranks "in' the school
•room would keep him. Spectator.
Cheap Barn Paint.—Take half a
bushel of freshly burned lime, slake it
with boiling water; cover it during
the process to keep in the steam. Strain
the liquid through a fine sieve, and
add to it seven pounds of salt, previous
ly well dissolved in warm water; three
pounds of ground rice, boiled to a thin
paste, and stirred in boiling hot; half
a pound of powdered Spanish whiting,
and one pound of clean glue, which
has been previously dissolved by soak
ing it well, and then hanging it over a
slow fire in a small kettle within a
larger one filled with water.
Add five gallons «f hot water to the
mixture, stir it well, and let it stand a
few days covered from dirt. It must
be put on quite hot. For this purpose
it can be kept in a kettle on a stove or
portable furnace. About a pint of this
mixture will cover a square yard. If
color is desired, any of the mineral or
earthy paints, as umbers or ochres, may
he used, by which a stone color of any
desired shade may be procured.
ness for the place
to his brethren^ tw*
that this must besting
his future associates o-T'f
The prevailing
.capital to-day Ls thZ?l
sjou cannot muchaffecta ,
tion of justice in ife !t -l
review—because Mr.
ficient judgment to re;
elusion in elucidatioi
subject at the bar—sti
ability as a jurist as vrifll
approach the least of his n
judicial eminence, within
of remote respectability
lief causes a deep fe^'
the minds of those occonv
ent positions at the bar of j
having a personal pride j
and it is thought the m
court keenly feel the hun;
is to follow.
Mr. Williams was only ,1
ordinary ability among ft]
of the Oregon bar, and , *
experience in the consuls
questions until called
General, and since then"
-claimed, the more imp^
the department have been
his assistants. But how
be, it i3 certain that p n
who have cases to w
ment is a party feel
to the result when the Attn,
al is to be pitted against j
they have experienced for -
under similar circumstanes !
It was said that there was«
to the appointment by ;
gentlemen from New )
most eminent of those name;!
not true; that he certainly ijl
upon the President in reL
knows nothing about it
that there is to be violent o
the confirmation, but it is j
that there will be sufficient!!
defeat it.
An eccentric gentleman i
door of the court to-day,
doorkeeper, “So you have a a
Justice?” and receiving an a
reply,continued, “Well,if foJ
vice rules were to be brought J.
upon him, he would not pasij
tice of the peace.”
The royal emblems, which it J
have been permitted to rem
the standards of the Spanishl
although the Republic has I
declared, have at length been”
off” by the Castelar govemmer.1
the act gives token of the e
of the new regime, there will d
be no little discouragement a
royalists who happen still to h|
rolls of office in the army.
Market Quotation
The quotations below are i
for each issue of the Courier, tj a
responsible wholesale merchants til
and may be relied upon a9 coma.
MONEY AND BOX
Gold .buying G ....
Silver par
Sterling
New York exchange baying J d., ■
New Orleans exchange
Mobile exchange
GROCERIES AND rr.ODl'H
Bacon, dear sides ...... per ponni 1
Shoulders
Dry salt clear rib 5 J
Dry salt shoulders
Batter, Goshen ..per pound ■
Western - - ■
Tennessee - -
Country
What is the difference between
spendthrift and a feather bed ? One is
hard ud and the other is soft down.
Attorney* Ccneral Williams not Thought
Much of as a Lawyer.
The New York Herald has the follow
ing in its Washington correspondence
about our new Chief Justice:
The nomination of George H. Wil
liams to be Chief Justice docs not give
general satisfaction among members
of cither the bench or the bar. On the
contrary there is open expression of dis
satisfaction and even disgust among
those outside of the circles in which he
will move officially. Within those cir
cles there is a reticence touching the
subject which is ominous of disappoint
ment and regret, if no more.
The candidacy finds few or no friends
in any quarter—none to applaud in
those earnest and gushing exclamations
which cannot be misunderstood or un-
interpreted, and it is considered unfor
tunate in its relations to the profession
and public. Those who claim to be
friend it “ damn with faint praise” and
scarce concealed indifference, and thus
put the case in clearer relief as one of
marked unpopularity. The judges of
the court, it is said, all have too good
sense to drop a remark which could be
prejudically constructed, and they will
congratulate their new chief as if they
could not have been better satisfied or
more pleased.
But since the new incumbent has
been Attorney. General he has not made
such a record for ability as enchants
the profession with an idea of his'fit-
Bran per hundred pounds,...,,
Beans
.. per bushel .?3 i
Candles
per pound S1
per pound 1G«
Coffee, Rio. .....
per pound -* 1
Java..
3J*J
Laguayra
Mocha
-1
Corn Meal
per bushel w i
Corn loose
50)1
Grits
per barrel *1
Hominy
M
Wheat
.per bushel ?1 ^*1
Cotton seed
per ton $1^ s
Canned fruit, all kinds...per doz... NP
Flour, choice
Family and extra
Superfine
Fish, fresh
per pound K' ^
Cod
10*|
Herring, in bxs
Mackerel
..in barrels
Mackerel
in kits
Dried apples
per bushel
Peaches
f *
Ilay per
hundred pounds »i‘-
Lard in tierces....
per pound I'r
Lard in half-barrels...
Lard in kegs...
Molasses in barrels per gnHon •>? •
Molasses, hlf-hbls and kegs ’’ ’
Oats, for stable...
Oats for planting
Onions
..per bushel {
Mess pork.
SDi
Mai
ay
ondai
note
hllovi
i You
,364
tigb
ceil
sy
:1
515
5; J
19-
91 1
B9=:
bn r
ON,
[92!
fc
svn
(dci
i 6
|15.;
ISL
I am
i ol
ICit;
lay
Potatoes, Irish
Soap, extra family per pouml ’ -1
No. I Palm soap ’ |
Starch, best quality per pound *1
Sardines, quarter bxs ...per case J®*]
mil 20 * 1
75: ; 3
15 L
sl
$ v.
*>v|
Spice, cloves per P° ul
Cinnamon spice
Ginger spice, Race....
Ginger spice, ground,.
Mace spice
Nutmeg spice
Pepper, ungrouud
Pepper, ground per dozen * J
Allspice P er P°“ D,1 owl
Tea, Young Hyson ... per poundr.1^ J
Imperial tea
Gunpowder tea
English breakfast
.Japan tea
Tobacco, all grades per poum ^
Whiskey, best rectified..per gall» n *‘'.
Choice brand whiskey ,.. ;j
Brandies pergalto” J
Bum, best qualities ,,:l
Gin, best qualities j, I
Rye and Bourbon I
Sherry Wine, superior... j,i|
Port Wine, best quality ..L! I
Pickles, in glass jars ...per down ’ j
<lj»
$li« 1
$«* r
$i»i
,ud40«|
Pickles, half-gal jars.
Pickles, quar-gal
Pieties, eighth gal...
Bice, Carolina •P er
Louisiana rice - .j *
Salt; Liverpool per sack
Virginia salt . iji to
Sugar, crushed, poVd, per P ottB '
White clarified sugar ,jjto
Yellow clarified sugar 5 to
Louisiana sugar.