Newspaper Page Text
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WKDN EBDAY, - - JPLYja^l^
CROP NKWH.
The friends of ~ibe Chbomclk and
Constitutionalist in Gnorgw and
South Carolina will greatly oblige ns by
sanding, from time to time, brief let
ters showing the condition of the crops.
We would like to hares letter once a
week from every locality where the
Chronicle and CoNsrmmosAUsr cir
culates. . m
Coca or cues, a drug, cores bashfal
ness. What will cure “ cheek ?”.
Judge Wright Beems to be crazy on
the currency question. Go West, young
man, and join old Billallen.
Flipper, the colored cadet, has been
ordered to Fort Brady, Sault Ste Marie,
Mich., to take charge of that post.
The New Orleans Picayune, sees nr
l>etter way for many of the unemployed
to become useful than to go to work in
the country.
Fourteen life insurance companies in
New York have $135,000,000 loaned
upon real estate .and report $2,899,802
interest due and seemed.
The Chicago Tribune warmly com
mends ex-Governor Jenkins' speech in
the Convention. This is gall and worm
wood to the Inter Ocean.
The biographies of distinguish*
members of the Convention, publish*,
in the Constitution, have raised mucl
bile Home fellows are delighted an.
,cv. rs are mad as bob tailed bulls in fl;
time. m , r
It is suggested that the President
send the 7,000 applicants for consul
ships to Bt. John Loando, on the ooart
of Africa. The natives would not know
the difference, and the United States
would be relieved.
Mb. Darwin has written a book about
his infant boy. From all we can gather,
Darwin, Jr., comes very near supplying
a missing link. If the baby resembles
his father the baboon ought to predomi
nate in his physiognomy.
The new civil service reform has its
comical side. It is said that, through
apprehension of loping his place, a Bal
timore Custom House official stayed
away from the funeral of a friend who
was connected with a ward club.
Even so careful a paper as the New
York Times, in its edition of the 17th,
mixed two editorials. 'fEe reader will
find it difficult to know where the arti
cle on the Indian war in Idaho begins
and the naval fight in Peruvian waters
ends.
m ■
A kind-hearted gentleman of this
city has handed us $5 to help that brave
South Carolina widow bny the acre of
ground upon which the supports herself
and ten children. We have forwarded the
money to the editor of the News and
Courier. m • m
In the London Music Halls Grant
was greeted with “Put Me in My Little
Bed.” They thought it was America’s
national air. This is as bad as General
and Mrs. Jackson, jnst after the battle
of New Orleans, danoiug a reel to the
tuue of “Possum Up a Gum Tree.”
General Woi ford seems to be blos
sominginto acandidate for Governor. He
has fathered two movements which
would enable him to sweep the State ou
an independent ticket : ltemoving the
tax qualification for voters and breaking
up the present inhuman chain gang
system. m
L/.aink swears that he did not know
Gail Hamilton had written any civil
service reform articles until she had
completed No. 13. But the Washing
ton correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial declares it to be absolutely
true that when Mr. Blaine was in Wash
ington last month he was collecting am
munition and shipping it to Gail.
The commont of “a distinguished
Georgian” upon the Constitutional Con
vention lias not, so far as we have seen,
been published correctly. The distiu
guiahed Georgian was Judge Lochrane,
•ud his remark was that, “on the first
day of its meeting the Convention abol
ished the Constitution, on the second it
uamilted the Governor, and on the third
it repudiated God A/.Mlghtt.” Neat
ibut naughty.
It is hinted by tho Atlanta correspon
dents that wheuever that solemn old
pump, Hon. Nelson Tift, gets up in
the Convention General Toombs sits
dowu ou him as summarily as Zach
Chandler did ou the baby in a Wash
ington omnibus. The chances are ten
to one, however, that the Hon. Nelson
ean get up oftener thin his foe can sit
down, and that his speeoh will be de
livered before the Convention adjourns.
—
A contributor to the Richmond Dis
patch thinks onr hard times are dne to
the fact that “ the power of Government
in America has, with few exceptions,
confined the favorable opportunities for
making and borrowing money to the
least worthy few of society, whilst agri
culture and commerce are languishing
for the want of comprehensive, mag
nanimous and complete statesmanship.
The question then ifi how are we to reme
dy such oppression, STot by syndicates,
that’s certain.
The goose hung high for our Northern
friends just after the war, and the poor
South was clad in sackcloth and ashes,
awaiting the “result. ** Bnt'the tide has
tumofl. The truly loyal East and West
are haring their taste of the “uasnlts”
of the war since the war. It would seem
that the only men, outside of the
bondholder, who prosper in the States
beyond ns are those who ataid in the
rear in 1860-65, and those who have
come to the front in syndicates since
1866. _
Rev. Swans Bcno, a heretical Chinese
minister, is causing an immense sensa
tion in San Francisco. His chief crime
consists in what Christians call “advanc
ed religion,” and calling a rival Joss a
horse-thief. We learn from the local
press that this apostasy excited as much
attention as the heretical utterance, and
the elders of the abused congregation
have aent the matter to the Synod,
which, amidjlond explosions of fire-crack
ers and bombs, suspended the Rev.
Bcno until the meeting of the General
Assembly, which pandemonium con
venes in a few days.
The Chicago Iribune calls the Li
berian craae in South Carolina a piece
of folly, and adds : “What is most need
ed is, that some of the leaders of the
blacks iu whom they have confidence
should set before them the real condi
tion of Liberia, and the inevitable cer
tainty that emigration must involve
misery, disappointment, loss of money
anJ opportunities, and ultimate relapse
into barbarism.” To think of an old
original abolition paper talking in that
way ! And > et, there was a time, we
believe, when tu® Tribune deemed the
Reconstruction abou'' nat ' ODB Bnm
of all wisdom.
The Cincinnati Enquirer protests
against the President’s going to t*. e
celebration of the anniversary of the
battle of South Mountain thus : “ The
truth is, there were many feats of valor
in that war to which we might all revert
with pride and pleasure if they had
been displayed against a foreign foe.
But there are others beside Somneb who
might well donbt the perfect taste of a
Chief Magistrate of a whole country
leaving his high duty in order that he
might join in festivities over oar inter
nal fends—unless, of course, it was im
portant to keep alive the embers for po
litical purposes.” ,
A STALE STORY.
When there was no immediate pros
pct of the assembling of a Constitu
tional Convention the papers and fwopla
of Atlanta were wont to that
they cared nothing about the capital—
that the location of the seat of govern
ment at. Atlanta was of no benefit to the
city, and they did not Are how soon it
was removed, etc. But as soon as the
Convention met and they discovered a
growing disposition among the dele
gates to let the people decide for them
selves where their capital should be they
speedily changed their tones and com
meneed fighting, with the peculiar tac
tics of the town, for the possession of
that which they afeoted at one time to
care nothing al>out. Recollecting the
little game which they played so
successfully on the piebald “Con
vention” of 1867-’B, they have
determined to repeat it Q the
Convention now in session. Learning
that the capital question—as it is called
—would probably come before the Con
vention yesterday morning, a meeting
of the City Council was held Wednes
day evening, at which a verj tempting
bait for the delegatee was prepared. If
the Convention would only insert a
clause in the Constitution saying that
Atlanta should remain the seat of gov
ernment, the city would donate to the
State the City Hall Park, and agree to
build aa fine 8 Capitol aa the State
should “prescribe." After all this has
been done they would be pleased to
have Kimball’s Opera House, now used
as a Capitol, turned over to the city.
This may spem a very fair offer on the
Dart of a place which oared nothing
ibout the capital but we hope it will
not be too hastily aooepted. Any
promise made by Atlanta, where the
interests of the town are concerned, wdl
bear the closest investigation. The feel
ing seems to be wide-spread in that
thrifty place that the end sanctions the
means, and that any course is justifiable
which will mke an additional dollar
jingle in Atlanta’s pocket.
When the location of the seat of gov
ernment was under discussion in the
Radical Convention as now,
hastened to pat in a bid for the spoil.
The medium through which it was offer
ed was the same—the City Council.
At first the offer was small, and the city
only tendered “the use of the City Hall
for the use of tho State Legislature, and
all buildings necessary for State offioers,
free of all cost, for the space of five
years.” If the City Hall was not ac
ceptable, this generous Council pro
posed “to fit up other halls, eto.” for
the space of five years. The Conven
tion, however, was not overwhelmed by
the liberality of the proposition, and
Atlanta was forced into making a better
bid. A few days later the City Council
made the following proposition :
That, in consideration of the location of said
capital, as proposed by said Convention, the
Citv Council of Atlanta do hereby agree, cove
nant and bind the city of Atlanta, free of cost
to the State, to furnish for the space of ten
years, if needed, suitable buildings for the
General Assembly, for the residence of the
Governor, and for all the offices needed by
such officers as are generally located in the
State House, and also suitable rooms for the
State Library and for the Supreme Court- We
also agree to donate to the State of Georgia
the Fair Grounds, containing twenty-five aores,
as a location for the Capitol; and, if the.loca
tion is not desired, to donate in lieu of the
Fair Grounds any other ten acres of ground in
the city that may be selected by the General
Assembly as a more appropriate place for the
Capitol and the Governor's Mansion.
This bid succeeded better than the
other, and a provision was incorporated
in the Constitution making Atlanta the
seat of government. A few days there
after the City Council thanked the
Convention for its action, said that “At
lanta will see to it that your confidence
has not been displaced,” and declared
“that the city of Atlanta will spare no
pains in an honest and earnest effort to
fully comply with all the pledges we
have made your body.” These pledges
which were to be so faithfully complied
with were (1) that the city of Atlanta
would furnish free of cost for ten years
all the build ingsmecessary for the Gen
eral Assembly, for all State officers, and
an Executive Mansion. The State was
also to be given, for a Capitol site, the
Fair Grounds, containing twenty-five
aores, or ten acres of vacant land in the
city. Not a single one of these pledges
has been kept. Iu 1870 when the Thieves’
Legislature was in session Atlanta made
hasto to get both of her contracts re
scinded. Bonds not eqnal in value to
more thau oue hundred thousand dol
lars, and we believe these were not all
turned over, weta issued to the State in
lieu of providing a State Capitol for ten
years, thongh it was still stipulated that
the city would furnish an Executive
Mansion free, for the same spaoe
of time, and would give the State
ten acres of land in Atlanta, But
a few days later the Executive Mansion
went the way of the Capitol. It was
discovered that the house furnished by
the city “was not suited for a residence
for the Governor and was not becoming
the dignity of Georgia,” and one of
Atlanta's enterprising citizens (Mr, Jno.
H. James) furnished a building which
was suitable and for which the State
paid the neat sum of one hundred thou
sand dollars in seven per oent. gold
bonds. S? far as the land promised is
oonoerned if twenty-five aores (or ten
aores, or one acre, o* a single foot),
have been donated by Atlanta to the
State the pnblio have never heard of the
transaction.
This brief recital of facts shows how
little confidence should be plaoed in any
pledge made by the city of Atlanta.
If the Convention should pnt a clause
in the Constitution making Atlanta
the seat of government nnd thus
suiting the fate of the Constitution
with the fate of Atlanta we have
no idea that the city would oarry out its
agreement. As Atlanta deceived the
people of the State nine years ago so
she will deoeive them now. Her fine
promise?; like “dicers’oaths,” are not to
be trusted. After the capital question is
irrevocably settled the State may “pre
scribe” as fine a Capitol building as it
chooses; it will get nothing but the
prescription for its trouble. Nay, if
Atlanta retaias her usual smartness, the
State might not only suffer from her
broken pledge* but loss the Opera
House besides. We hope the Conven
tion will not be misled by this offer into
putting in the Constitution the name of
any place as the seat of government.
Let the Constitution be submitted free
from any such complication, ?pd let the
people vote separately upon Mißedgp
ville and Atlanta as the State Capital.
The Inter-a eon takes issue with ey-
Lieutenant-Goveruor Woopfoap, of New
York, who in his speech before a Missis
sippi'University, confessed that the dis
; ability imposed upon Southern men of
prominence after the war was an egreg
ious mi auk*. Of course, all high
minded Republicans are of the like
opinion, but the Chicago lumbers
along ip the same old rut, and says;
We belike* then, and believe now, that
there ought toU# every neighborhood of
the rebellious territory teW pne incapacitated
i to exercise some of the rights of .citizenship
because of participation in the rebellion. Ctae
nght, no matiur bow trivial, ought to be fl*-
- so that the aaipg generation would
be eoosumjyxwwdefl is not an
innocent e*oe*t*si. AiatU#id<* ft# #vil to
those who engsgs in It tot a on** Assuring l
punishment-
We believe that the late ASMS#
Johnson started out on that line, bnt he
j/ao overwhelmed by the rebound. We
belteve, also, that Hon. Jefferson Da via
was specially reserved me a prisoner to
prove that the South had oommitted re
bellion. He waa twer tried, and the
United State* authorities didaqt dare to
try him on that naked legal issue.
The propottffeo of the Inter-Ocean is'
ompif Asiatic in ite development, and
romiada one, in this age iff the world,
of Abe boy riding a atvajk horse
round the eiseos ring when the .circle i
is gone. The stent* j# pot new, bnt it
is always forcible.
There is not a hamlet in the Sooth
that has not suffered by the “resnlta”
of the war, and few are those of living
men who will npt suffer for being over
borne in lihe straggle for local-self
government, The war waala great mis
take perhaps, bat it was not a crime.
The editor of the Inter-Ocean may be
at heart a Bashi-Bazonk, hot he moat
remember that this is not Turkey. He
would be a good man to emigrate and
join the Russian army* of ooonpation.
He ooold teach the Czar a trick or two
worth knowing. Frederick the Great
said the most terrible punishment he
oould inflict npon a revolted and snb
dned province wonld be sending phil
osophers to govern it. The worst
calamity that ooold befall Turkey wonld
be reconstruction like Thad Stevens’ car
ried into practical effect by a Chicago
carpet-bagger. There may be sonny
nooks of meroy in the sonl of a Cossack,
but there is nothing wholesome in the
natnre of that man who, at this stage
of the game, regards the infamies prac
ticed npon the Booth with a loving eye,
only regretting that they can no longer
be attempted with impunity or upheld
with any decency.
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
The necessity for some action by the
Coßvention on the pnblio debt of the
State-is made apparent by the report of
the State Treasurer published in the
Chronicle and Constitutionalist yes
terday morning. That statement showed
the debt of Georgia to be as follows:
Bonds of the State, gold and
currency, bearing ail, se
ven and eight per cent, in
terest.... $10,645,897
Bonds endorsed by the State
and reoognized as valid 464,000
Floating debt 100,000
Total indebtedness,., $11,209,897
This gives us a public debt of eleven
and a quarter millions of dollars. It
will astonish the people to note tho in
crease in the debt daring the past three
yearn,
In January, 1874, the Treas
urer reported the debt t>f
the State to be $ 8,343,000
Add endorsed bonds 464,000
Total indebtedness $8,807,000
The increase is shown as follows :
Public debt, 1877 $11,209,897
Public debt, 1874 8,807,000
Increase in three years $ 2,402,897
From these figures it will be seen that
in three years’ time tho liabilities of the
State have been increased nearly two
and a half millions of dollars, or about
twenty-eight per cent. It is easy to see
that if this rate of increase is maintain
ed it will not take many years for the
debt to double and treble itself. The
interest aooonnt has increased in like
proportion. Putting the interest at
seven per oent,,
Interest account in 1877 is $784,802
Interest acoonnt in 1874 was,,.. 626,490
Inorease of interest..slsß,3l2
These are startling figures, and show
conclusively that we are drifting to a large
debt and high taxes and how great the
necessity for a constitutional prohi
bition against the printing of more
bonds. We do not know how this addi
tion to the public debt has been
brought about, but the figures speak for
themselves. The public debt is the
glutton that swallows everything. State
officials are underpaid, charitable insti
tutions are shamefully stinted, wretohed
criminals are kept on chain gangs and
hired out, as General Wofford has well
said, “beyond the care and protection
of the State,” the school fund is a mere
pittance, the University is unassisted,
the Capitol is 8 cr&zy barn—and all be
cause two-thirds of the funds raised by
taxation must bo applied to the payment
of the interest and principal of the pub
lie debt annually maturing. With these
faots before them many citizens will be
inclined to look with favor on a consti
tutional prohibition against the con
tracting of any debt by the State for
any purpose, and the sale of the assets
of the State for the purpose of reducing
present indebtedness. The available
property at thP Sjtate consists prin
cipally of the Western and 4 t l antio >
the Macon and Brunswick, and the
North and South Railroads. The West
ern and Atlantic Road is now leased on
a valuation of five millions of dollars,
and the lessees would probably be will
ing to purchase at kome snob figures.
The Maeou and Brunswick Road and
the North and South Road oould be sold
for twelve hundred thousand dollars.
These sums would reduce the debt as
follows :
Present debt
Leas proceeds of roads 6,200,000
New debt 5,009,897
The debt would be decreased nearly
six and a quarter millions, and the State
wonld save in interest annually as fol
lows :
Present annual interest $784,802
Interest on new debt 350,650
Redaction in interest $434,172
We hope the Convention will give
the financial condition of the State that
oareful investigation and attention which
the importanae of the subject deserves.
MODEL, WIDOWS.
Mr. Welles's injunction to “beware
of the widows” does not hold good
universally. We have already recorded
the remarkable eareer of a low-country
widow who supported herself and ten
ohildren mainly by working a hired acre
of land. The poor but resolute oreature
wanted SSO to buy the land, and ap
peals were made, here and at Charles
ton, for subscriptions to enable her to
accomplish so oommendable a desire.
Alas, for humanity pd the power of
the press, we have heard of but of
the SSO required being raised, and we
ffaye say the men who gave the $9 were
poor enough themselves in all con
science; bnt their heart? beat with sym
pathy and admiration, and they made
the sacrifice.
There are other widows in South
Carolina who have displayed extraordi
nary thrift and management, and the
Newberry Herald, records the history
of four in a bnnoh who dwell at Pros
perity, a station on the Greenville and
Colombia Road. They are thus her
alded :
He. 1. Tbw l*#y—M, jp ftjftci, fU 4>e others—
lost her husband during the w*r, fad we left
in straitened circumstance*. Did tee te down
and grieve at her fate ? By no means. She
has raised four children, besides fine crops,
and to-day she has much of last year’s cotton
ana ftlour on hand, is free from debt, and is
able to pay casu doyu for what she wants.
Ho. 2 looks pampiacpteV on all of her last
crop of cotton, and with a seß.se of perfect rest
and absolute f uliuaas of 3.OQQ pounds of flour,
of which she has sold because she had
no use tor tfie poney —here's a widow for you.
The only thing wfj pfc disturbs her rest now ia
what to do with hey pew fodder, every place
being ocrwpipd with the old. She, fop, like a
true woman, has raisafi children fcud set them
up under their own vine and fig tree.
Ho. S struggled through the years which
have rolled on since the late unpleasantness,
raised six children; given each at majority
s*oo jp cash. Last year she bought a tract of
land for whiijt ,’.,400 iu good money was paid.
Has corn, fodder and tyher things in abun
dance.
Ho. 1, like unto the others, has made a
splendid fight and brought up a large family
in tna gfty they should go, has of last year’s
crop abundance, cash in trad* and loans
her earnings out on inte?Md-
Sonth Carolina has a magnificent crop
of wiffqys, from afl accounts. They aye
cartwply ft# fa be waiffed, and, in
•out# yespeots, a*e .worth A jvUdernMS of
young won wfroeie
worthless lives.
Fatpi Harris's paper—the Atlanta
Independent— charges that the Keeper
of the Penitentiary gave Hon. Wn.
Tumlin foot notes for SIOO each to stop
bfm from abasing the Gbveraor about
the appegfttment. Has the Hon. Bill
been “tatting gwye yard” again ?
By every consideration of profit and,
propriety, the blood should be kept ab-■
solnteiy pffflf by using Dr. Ball’s Blood
Mixture.
TBMIA'S COSYEKTION.-
THE WORK OF THE CONVENTION
YESTERDAY. #
CMalnew Am stall il Memorials From
Fiord Convey aad Atlanta—Militia and
Franchise Report* as Revised— Edncatten
al. Life and Fire Insurance —Report on the
Homestead—Tho Poblic Debt, Etc.
{Special to the Chronicle and Constitutionalist l
Atlanta, July 19.—The State Consti
tutional Convention met this morning
in the Capitol, at half-past 8 o'clock,
the President, Hon. Chas. J. Jenkins, in
the Chair.
After prayer the journal of yesterday’s
session was road.
Committee on Kale of Stale Roads.
The following committee on the Sale
of the State Roads was appointed: B. F.
Thorpe, of the Twenty-third District;
B. E. Bussell, of the Eighth District; J.
L. Clifton, of the Eighth District; A.
H. Greer, of the Thirteenth District; J.
D. Wilson, of the Twenty-fourth Dis
trict; E. J. Coats, of the Twenty-first
District; R. M. Paris, of the Forty
fburth District; W. A. G. Philips, of the
Thirty-sixth District; D. O. Osborn, of
the Thirty-first District.
Memorial from Floyd County.
A memorial from Floyd eonuty was
read. It advises the reduction of the
nnmber of legislators, biennial sessions,
regulating the clerical force, prohibit
ing local legislation, pruning State
offices, aßd bnrying the fraudulent
bonds. On motion of Mr. Wright (A.
R.), of the Forty-second District, the
memorial was referred to the Committee
on the Legislative Department.
Report of tho C ommittee on the Militia.
Mr. Toombs (11.), of the Twenty-ninth
District, submitted reports of the Final
Committee on the Militia Committee’s
report and that of the Franchise, revis
ing the same as follows:
Section 1. A well-regulated militia
being essential to the peace and security
of the State, Hie General Assembly
shall have authority to provide, by law,
how the militia of this State shall be
organized, officered, trained, armed and
equipped, apd of whom it shall consist.
Seo. 2. The General Assembly shall
have power to authorize the forming of
volunteer companies of infantry, cavalry
and artillery, and for their organization
into battalions, regiments, brigades, di
visions and corps, with such restrictions
as may be prescribed by law; and shall
have authority to arm and equip the
same.
Sec. 3. The officers and men of the
militia and volunteer forces shall not be
entitled to receive any pay, rations or
emolnments when not in active service,
by authority of the State.
The Capital Question.
A memorial of the city of Atlanta, of
fering to bnild a Capitol as good as the
Milledgeville halls, was here presented,
and referred to the Special Committee
on the Capital.
Mare Homestead.
Mr. McDonald (W. A.), of the Fifth,
offered a resolution deolaring valid all
property sold for homesteading by Or
dinary or other Courts having jurisdic
tion.
Educational.
Mr. Screven (John), of the First, of
fered the following: That the Legisla
ture, when proper and expedient, should
make University trustees donations and
appropriations for their institutions.
Life Insurance.
Mr. Wells (Wm,), of the Tenth, of
fered nn ordinance prohibiting life insur
ance companies from doing business in
the State unless they deposit SIOO,OOO,
to answer all charges of failing to settle
contracts.
Homestead Annin.
Mr. Keller (S. F.), of the First, of
fered the following: That the home
stead exemption be SI,OOO realty, S7OO
personalty and S3OO permanent.
Printing.
Mr. Crane (B. E.), of the Thirty-first,
presented the following: That the con
tract for public printing be awarded to
the lowest bidder.
Leaislntlve.
Mr. McDonald (W. A.), of the Fifth,
offered the following: That there be one
Senator for each district composed of
four counties. That the House be com
posed of 92 Representatives, the six
largest oouuties having two each, the 30
now haviug two to have one eaoh; the
other 100 counties to be divided into
districts and that there be one Repre
sentative to every two counties.
Committee Reports.
Mr, Chambers (F.), of the Twenty
first, presented the following: That each
committee report lay on the table one
day after being read. Carried.
Agricultural Department.
Mr. Twitty (J. B.), of the Eighth,
offered a resolution protesting against
the abolition of the Agricultural Depart
ment.
Fire limuraftpe,
Mr. Sale (L. C.), of the Eleventh,
offered a resolution that no Fire Insur
ance Company do business until a de
posit shall have been made of $25,000
with the State.
Report on the PHblle Debt.
To the Hon. Charles J. Jenkins, Presi
dent of the Constitutional Convention:
Sib— ln response to the inquiry order
ed by the Convention on the subject of
the public debt, I have the honor to say
that the following is a statement of the
bonded debt of tho State, to-wit :
Six per cent, bonds issued for
stock in the Atlantic and
Gulf Railroad Company, un
der an act approved Februa
ry 27th, 1856 900.00 Q
Seven per oent, bonds secured
by a mortgage on the West
ern and Atlantic Railroad, is
sued under an act approved
March 12th, 1866 3,600,000
Seven per cent, gold bonds
with quarterly coupons in
gold, issued for redemption
of past due and oatstanding
bonds of this State, nnder
' authority of an act approved
September 15tb, 1870 ... 2 ; 098,000
Seven per oent. bonds issued
for redemption of past due
and near due bonds of this
State, under authority of an
act approved January 18th,
1872 ....... 307,500
Eight per cent, bonds issupd
under authority of an act ap
proved February 19th, 1873,
(matnring) ~.,, 900,000
Seven per cent, bonds issued
to pay the past due interest
on the $1,950,000 first mort
gage bonds of the Macon and
Brunswick Railroad Compa
ny, and the North and South
Railroad Company, $240,000,
both endorsed by the State
of Georgia, nnder authority
of an act npproved February
24th, 1876 542,000
Six per cent, bonds issued to
redeem the $1,950,000 Macon
and Brunswick, the $310,.009
North and South, and the
$34,000 Memphis Branch
Railroads, endorsed by the
State, and the accrued inter
est thereon, nnder authority
of ah act approved February
19th, 1877 2,298,397
AGGREGATE.
6 per cent, currency bonds due
1878-1886 ■ 900,000
7 per cent, currency bonds due
1886 3,600,000
7 per cent, gold bonds due
IH9O. 2,098,600
7 per cent, currency bonds
due 1892 ... 907.500
8 per cent, currency bonds due
1878-1886 900,000
7 per cent, currency bonds due
1896 542,000
6 per cent, currencv bonds due
.1889 2,298,397
$10,645,887
ENDORSED LIABILITY.
Bonds endorsed by the State of Geor
gia, eight thousand dollars per mile, of
the first mortgage bonds of the South
Georgia and Florid? Railroad, of 58
miles, being S*64,GGG,
The floating or temporary debt of the
State is represented by the Executive
obligation for SIOO,OOO, borrowed from
the Fourth National Bank of New York,
bearing six per cent, interest per an
num, of date Marob, 1877, and due in
November, 1877. Respectfully sub
mitted. J. W. Benfbok,
July 18th, 1877. Treasurer.
Homestead.
The Homestead Committee allow any
resident of the State $1,500. The ma
jority report makfcfi it permanent. Lion
gino, Grier, Willum-i and Tomlin favor
making it waivable.
Financial.
The following is the full text of Mr.
Wright’s /A. R)‘ordinance, offered yes
*ej£jW. wn# 9smo& °p
nance be dirtfSktf itejuup-
L Whether the finding
trial classes, as contradwtings;sfeed from
the class dealing in money and owma
tarv seenrttiaa. can prosper under the
oppressions of o*t prpeent Byatem of
banking to the bauds pi the bond
k°2* Whether the practice of our fathers
for three-quarters of a century, whereby
people baeed .on coin, waa nnconstitn
tional; and if so, by what authority the
Government of the United States took
away the power of the States and trans
ferred it to a class, to-wit: the bond
holders.
3. Whether the laboring and pro
ducing classes do not require a good
currency, equally distributed, easily ob
tained at a lower rate of interest for their
own prosperity and a proper develop
ment of tbe country, and whether the
interest of the bondholder is not to
make money dear by all the means in
his power.
4. Whether the present effort of the
bondholders to make the Government
furnish tbe goid to take the legal tenders
out of circulation, and which gold goes
into their vaults to redeem their own
bills, is not a double fraud upon tbe
people, to-wit: in making tbe Govern
ment bury the gold at a heavy loss with
which to enable them to pay ooin, and
at the same time reducing the circula
tion by the withdrawal of the legal ten
der, thus adding to the scarcity and
price of money.
5. Whether the Convention, by her
Constitution to be adopted, can remedy
this evil, and if so, how ? and to report
a danse or danses for that purpose; and
if the Convention cannot, whether the
sufferings of the producing and labor
ing classes in all the States impover
ished beyond anything ever before
known in this country do not require
the suppression of this terrible mo
nopoly.
Submitting tbe Constitution to the People—
The Priotina—Bill of Right. Reported—lt.
Provisions—A Portion of tbe Constitution
Adopted—The Militia System—Tbe Elective
Franchise—A Sharp Tilt on Taxes Between
Woflord and Lawton—Wolford Defeated—
Changes Made.
f Special to the Chronicle and Constitutionalist .l
Atlanta, July 20.— The Convention
met this morning in the Capitol at half
past eight o’clock, the President, Hon.
Chas. J. Jenkins, in the Chair.
After the reading of the journal of
yesterday’s proceedings the call of the
Districts was resumed and the following
new matter introduced :
The People To Pass On It.
By Mr. Edge (P. W.), of the Twenty
first District: Whereas, the people of
Georgia are anxiously inquiring whether
or not the Constitution framed by this
Convention will be submitted to them
for approval; and whereas, the enemies
of feood government aro assiduously en
deavoring to create disaffection to the
entire work of this Convention, teased
upon the ground that this Convention
will refuse to submit such work to' tbe
people; therefore, be it,
Resolved, That the entire Constitu
tion framed by this Convention shall im
mediately upon its adjournment be
referred to the people for their ratifica
tion, and it shall receive a majority of
the votes east before it shall be deolared
the law or Constitution of this State.
The Cottan Tax.
By Mr. Burnett (B. F.), of the Eleventh
Distriet: Resolutions memorializing the
United States Government to refund the
cotton tax collected from the people of
Georgia. Referred nnder the rules.
The Convict System.
By Mr. Warren (J. L.), of the First
District: An ordinance providing for
the appointment of three commissioners
to inspect and look after the eonviots of
the State and the penitentiary. The
Commissioners are to hold their office
for the term of six years and are to
serve without compensation, being
allowed only their actual traveling ex
penses. Referred under the rules.
A Report Against the Bureaux,.
The Committee on Public Institutions,
through their Chairman, Mr. Harris (S.
W.), of the Thirty-seventh District, re
ported an ordinance abolishing the
Chemical Bureau, the State Board of
Health, the Geological Bureau and the
Department of Agriculture. Referred
under the rules.
Relieving Homesteaders.
By Mr. Hunt (J. A.), of the Twenty
second District: An ordinance for the
relief of such persons as have taken
homesteads under the Constitution of
1868.
Tbe Conventiou Printing.
The Committee on Printing, through
their Chairman, Mr. Harrell (D. B.), of
the Twelfth District, reported in favor of
giving the temporary printing work of
the Convention to the present Pnblio
Printer.
Mr. Tift (Nelson), of the Tenth Dis
trict, moved to amend the report by
giving the printing to the lowest bidder.
The amendment was lost, and the re
port of the Committee received and
adopted.
The Bill of Rights.
Mr. Toombs (Robert), of the Twenty
ninth District, Chairman of the Com
mittee of Final Revision, reported the
Bill of Rights as follows :
To perpetuate the principles of free
government; insure justice to all; pre
serve peaoe; promote the interest and
happiness of the citizen, and, through
the proteotion and guidance of Almighty
God, to transmit to posterity the enjoy
ment of liberty, We, the people of Geor
gia, do ordain and establish this Con
stitution, v
ARTICLE I.
1. That all government, of right,
originates with the people, is founded
upon their will only, and is institnted
solely for the good of the whole; that
magistrates are their trustees and ser
vants, and at all times amenable to
them.
2. Protection to person and property
is the paramount duty of government,
and shall be impartial and complete.
3. All persons born, or naturalized iD
the United States, and resident iu this
State, arp hereby declared citizens of
this State, apd if sljall be the d'pty of
the Legislature to en&ot snob laws as
will protect every person in the full en
joyment of the rights, privileges and
immunities due to such citizenship.
4. No person shall be deprived of
life, liberty or property, except by due
process of law.
5. All men have the natural inalien
able right to worship God, edch accord
ing to the dictates of his own con
science, and no hqtpan authority should,
in any case, ooqtrqi with
such right of conscience,
fi, Every person charged with an of
fense against the laws of this State shall
have the privilege and benefit of coun
sel, shall be furnished on demand with
a copy of the accusation, and a liflt of
the witnesses on whose testimony the
charge agfipst pirn is founded ; shall
have pogjpnlsory process tq obtain the
testimony of bia own witnesses, shall be
confronted with the witnesses testify
ing against him, and shall have a public
and speedy trial by an impartial jnry.
7. No person accused shall be com
pelled to pay costs, except after convic
tion, on final trial.
8. No person shall be put in jeopardy
of life or liberty more than onoe for the
same offense, save on his or her own mo
tion for anew trial after conviction, or
in case of njistrial.
S. No law shall ever pe passed to our
op regjtpajfi tpe liberty bf speech, or
of the press,' any person m a r speak,
write, and pnblish his sentiments on all
subjects, being responsible for the
abuse of that liberty.
10. The tight of the people to be se
cure in their persons, houses, papers
and effects against unreasonable searches
and seizures, shall not be violated ; and
no warrant shall issue but upon p'roba-’
ble oanse, supported by oath, or affirma
tion, particularly describing the plaoe,
or places, to pe searchgd, and the per
sons or things to be seized.
11. There shall be, within the State of
Georgia, neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, saye as a punishment for
crime, affer legal ponyiptiqn thereof.
12. The social staling of thp citizen
shall never be the snbject of legislation.
13. The writ of habeas corpus shall
not be suspended.
14, Exoessive bail shall not be requir
ed, nor excessive fines imposed, nor
cruel and unusual punishments inflict
ed; nor shall any pergon b e abused in
being arrested, \ybfle qatfer arrest, or in
prison.
15. The power of the Courts to punish
for contempt shall be limited by legisla-
shall he fl° imprisonment
for debt.
17. The General Assembly shall have
the power to provide for punishment of
fraud. .
18. Banishment beyond the limits of
the State, as a punishment for crime,
shall not be allowed.
19. A well regulated militia being ne
cessary for the security of a free people,
the right of the people to keep and bear
arms shall not be infringed, bat the
General Assembly have power to pre
scribe the manner in which arras may be
borne. .
20.' In all prosecutions or indictments
for libel, fijp truth may be given in evi
dence, and the jnry in ! that, and in all
criminal cases, shall be judges of the
laws and toe facte.
1 ' Whipping, as a 'punishment for crime,
is croaiaited- ‘ 1
2f.’ No biff of attainder, fx-post fepto
law, toWwfeelfr 7 of m law fffpaif
ing tMfgatiopa 6f oopfcrapts, or spy
law making any irrevocable grant of
special privilege? or iroWfMuttee, spall
be passed.
22. In oases of neoeasity, private ways
may be granted upon just compensation
being paid by the applicant. Private
property shall not be taken or damaged
for public poipoees, withont jnat and
ndnqmtn compensation being first paid.
23. All lotteries,and the sale of lottery
tickets, are hereby prohibited; and the
Srobibition shall be enforced by penal
iws.
24. Treason against the State of Geor
gia shall consist in levying war against
it, adhering to its enemies, giving them
aid and'comfort. No person, shall be
convicted of treason.exoept on the testi
mony of two witnesses to the same overt
act, or confession in open Coart.
25. No conviction shall work corrup
tion of blood, and no conviction of trea
son shall work a forfeiture of estate.
26. The Legislative, Judicial and
Executive powers shall forever remain
separate and distinct, and no person
discharging the duties of one shall, at
the same time, exeroise the functions of
either of the others, except as herein
provided.
27. Laws of a general nature shall
have uniform operation throughout the
State, and no special law shall be en
acted in any case, for which provision
has been made by an existing general
law. No general law affecting private
rights shall be varied in any particular
oase by special legislation, except with
the free consent in writing of all persons
to be affected thereby, and no person
under legal disability to contract is cap
able of such free consent.
28. Legislative acts in violation of
this Constitution, or the Constitution of
the United States, are void, and the Ju
diciary shall so declare them.
29. The people have the right to
peaceably assemble for their common
good, and to apply to those vested with
the powers of government for redress of
grievances, by petition or remonstrance.
30. The people of this State have the
inherent, sole and exclusive right of
regulating their internal government,
and the police thereof, and of altering
and abolishing their Constitution and
form of government, whenever it may
be necessary for their safety and happi
ness.
Juvenile {'rhuiuuls.
By Mr. Reese (Augustus), of the
Twenty-eighth Distriotj An ordinance
authorizing and directing the Legisla
ture to look after juvenile criminals
convicted of misdemeanor, regulating
their punishment and establishing a
house of correction. Referred under
the rules.
Part of tlie Constitution Adopted.
The special order for the day—the re
port of the Committee of Final Re
vision on the militia system—was called
for.
Mr. Seward (J. L.), of the Seventh
District, moved to table the report for
the present. He said that no one of the
thirteen reports of the thirteen constitu
tional committees was in harmony with
the other. The different powers of the
government were intermingled in them,
and, hence, it was necessary to post
pone aotion on any one of the reports
until all of them had been submitted, in
order that the Convention might act in
telligibly.
The President said the question raised
by Mr. Seward had already been before
the Convention and was disposed of
yesterday. Besides, the Convention had
made the report of the Committee of
Final Revision the special order for to
day.
Mr. Matthews (J. D.), of the Thir
tieth District, said it was a matter of
impossibility for the Committee of
Final Revision to report on the thirteen
sections of the Constitution in a short
time. While it was waiting for all the
reports to come before it, the Conven
tion would have to sit here idle, and the
delegates were already becoming rest
less and impatient, and desired some
thing to do. The report had already
been tabled for one day in order to al
low time for investigation, and the Con
vention ought now to be ready to vote
upon it. He saw no motive for delaying
aotion save an unfriendly spirit which
sought to delay the work of the Con
vention.
Mr. Hill (Joshua), of the Twenty
eighth District, said that several mem
bers of the Convention were absent, and
he thought it would be improper to take
up the report until their return. Be
sides this, he thought all the Commit
tees should be present at such a time to
take cognizance of what was being done.
He hoped that no aotion would be taken
on the reports of the Committee of
Final Revision until the proposed Con
stitution is submitted as a whole.
Mr. Gartrell (L. J.), of the Thirty
fifth District, read extracts from the
Journal of the Constitutional Conven
tion of 1865, showing that sections of
the Constitution were separately pre
sented and acted on.
Mr. Hill said that was true,- but every
member was present when the reports
came up for action.
Mr. Nisbet (R. B.), of the Twenty
eighth District, said that every member
of the Committee and of the Conven
tion had been notified of the Conven
tion’s intention by the report being
made the special order for to-day.
The motion t table the report for the
present was put to a vote and lost.
Mr. Head (W. J.), of the Twenty
eighth District, said that the report
conflicted with the Constitution of the
United States, as Congress alone had
the power to arm and equip the militia
of the country. He offered an amend
ment striding out that portion of the
report, The amendment was put to a
vote and lost. The report was put upon
its passage and adopted entire as fol
lows:
Section 1. A well regulated militia
being essential to the peace and security
of the State, the General Assembly shall
have authority to provide, by law, how
the militia of this State shall be or
ganized, officered, trained, armed and
equipped—and of whom it shall consist.
Sffio. 2. The General Assembly shall
have power to authorize the forming of
volunteer companies of infantry, cavalry
and artillery, and for their organization
into battalions, regiments, brigades, di
visions and corps, with such restrictions
as may be prescribed by law, and shall
have authority to arm and eqqip the
samp.
Sep. 3, The officers and men of the
militia and volunteer forces shall not be
entitled to receive any pay, rations, or
emoluments, when not in active service
by authority of the State.
A Tilt on Trxcn.
Mr. Wofford (W. TANARUS.), of the Forty
second District, moved to strike out the
lines requiring the payment of taxes as
a condition preoedent to exercising the
eleotiye franchise. Re said that under
the operations of such a law a man be
cause he is poor and unfortenate is not
allowed to vote, and solely by reason of
his poyefty sustains the heaviest pun
ishment that can be indicted upon a
freeman, Such a principle saps the
founfiatiop pf all g 064 government. Is
it a crime for a man to be poor that he
is thus treated as a criminal? He asked
the Convention to pause and reflect be
fore it committed such a flagrant act of
injustice, jf Providence sees fit to take
a man's health away so that he is, for
no fault of his own, reduced to poverty;
if he was maimed in the service of his
country and thus deprived of the means
of making a support and of earning mo
ney with which to pay his taxes, is he
to be disfranchised like a felon ? He
declared that the retention of such a
clause in the Constitution was an effort
to deprive freemen of the right to vote ;
if it was not, what was its object ? Let
the advocates of the measure boldly
stynd up find declare" their motive. It
was the entering wedge to a property
qualification for voters.
As citizens of Georgia, delegates to
the Convention were not were not met
here for the purpose of legislating
against the poor and the unfortunate.'
Mr. Lawton (A. R.), of the First Dis
trict, said the onus, or burden of proof,
was upon the objectors to show that
this measure was aimed at the poor and
the "unfortunate. This was'‘not anew
thing. Eayment of taxes before voting
had always been required. This Con
vention spoke in terms more favorable
to the poor man thap any other Conven
tion if! Georgia had ' ever done. The
payment of taxes as a condition prece
dent to yoting is a requirement in many
of the States of the Union—notably in
Pennsylvania.' The payment of taxes is
a solemn duty on the part of the citizen.
He did not wish disabled soldiers drag
ged into tfle discussion to defeat a prin
ciple. fhey had no business there.
They deservedly aroused the pity and
sympathy of all, but we mnsf not forget
the great duty which we owe to the
Commonwealth.
Mr. Ifamilton (A. 8.), of the Twenty
first DjstriQt, fead from .the journals of
a former ' Coqjtitational Convention,
showing that Mr. Wolford had been a
member, and had recorded his vote in
favor of a similar tax qualification for
voters.
Mr. Davis (John A.), of the Tenth
District, moved to lay Mr. Wofford’s
amendment on the table. . The motion
prevailed, and the amendment was
tabled.
Other Changes >lnde and Defeated.
Mr. Toombs of the Twenty
ninth District, moved to amend by
striking out the sentence in section sec
ond, first line, between the words
“male” and “twenty-one” and inserting
in their place the words “citizen of the
United States.” Adopted.
" Mr. Lawson (T. G.), of the Twenty
eighth District, moved to strike out the
words '‘ except for ” in section second,
lines five and fourteen, ancj inserting
the words “ previous to ” in lieu there
of. Adopted.
Mr. Hdicomb (A. W.i, of the Thifty
ninth District, moved to amend by in
serting in section second, lRe eleven,
the words affirmation ” and “affirm’
after the words “ oath ” and “ swear.”
Adopted.
As thns amended the second section
was adopted.
The third section was stricken out en
tirely.
The fourth section was adopted with
out debate.
There was a good deal of discussion
over the fifth section in relation to the
disfranchisement of duellists fighting in
this State, wr gt | J§ J *
Mr. Toombs moved to strike out the
entire section but the motion to strike
out was tabled by a vote of one hundred
au'd nineteen yeas to thirty-eight nays.
Pending the consideration of the re
port of the committee a motion was
made to adjourn over until Monday,
but it was promptly defeated, and the
Convention adjourned until to-morrow
morning.
The Homestead Report.
The Committee on Homestead and
Exemption has made their report but it
has not yet been acted on by the Com
mittee of Final Revision. The follow
ing is the report:
Report of Connilttee on Homestead and Ex
euiptions.
Section 1. There shall be exempt from
levy and sale, by virtue of any process
whatever, under the laws of this State,
of the property of every resident there
of, being a natural person, realty or per
sonalty, either or both, not to exceed in
value, in the aggregate, fifteen hundred
dollars in speoie.
Sec. 2. No Court or ministerial officer
in this State shall ever have jurisdiction
or authority to enforce any judgment,
execution or decree against said prop
erty so set apart, including such im
provements as may be made thereon
from time to time, except for taxes, for.
the purchase money of the same, for
labor done thereon, for material fur
nished therefor, or for the removal of
encumbrances thereon.
Sec. 3. The debtor shall have no pow
er to waive or renounce his right to the
benefit of the exemption provided for in
this article ; nor shall he, after it is set
apart, alienate or encumber the same ;
but it may be sold by the debtor and
his wife, if any, jointly with the sanc
tion of the Judge of the Superior Court
of the connty where the debtor resides,
or the land is situated, upon application
to him, the proceeds to be reinvested
for the same uses.
Seo. 4. The Genoral Assembly shall
provide by law, as early as practicable,
for the setting apart and valuation of
said property.
Seo. 5. The applicant shall, at any
time, have the right to supplement by
adding to an amount already set apart
which is less than the whole amount of
exemption allowed, a sufficiency to make
his exemption equal to the whole
amount.
Sfo. 6. All property of the wife, in
her possession at the time of her mar
riage, and all property given to, inherit
ed, or acquired by her, Bhall remain her
separate property, and not bo liable for
the debts of her husband.
P. L. Myuatt, Chairman; William
Wells, Geo. F. Pierce, Jr., Pope Bar
row, Jno, A. Guerard.
Wo agree to the above report, except
that we are of opinion that the power to
waive before setting opart should be
given the debtor.
John T. Longiuo, E. C. Grier, Samuel
L. Williams, N. J. Tumlin.
INe Capital Question.
The Capital Committee, by a vote of
five to four, favor incorporating Atlanta
in the Constitution as the seat of gov
ernment. The minority wish to sub
mit the matter to the people altogether.
Opposed to Submitting the Constitution to tlie
People—The Convention Wish It Submitted
—Report of the Committee on Counties and
County Officers—The Elective Franchise
Resumed—Changes IHnde in the Report—
Wofford and the Taxes—The Article
Adopted and Now a Part of the Constitu
tion—Taxation aud the Public Debt.
[Correspondence Chronicle andCorislitutionalist.]
Atlanta, July 21. —The Constitution
al Convention met in the Capitol this
morning, at half-past eight o’clock, the
President, Hon. Chas. J. Jenkins, in the
Chair.
Submittinir tlie Constitution to tlie People.
The journal of yesterday’s proceed
ings wan read. Pending the reading
Mr. Wallace (W. L.), of the Twenty
third District, gave notice of a motion
to reconsider the action of the Conven
tion yesterday adopting a resolution that
the Constitution when framed shall be
submitted to a vote of the people for
ratification. When the motion to re
consider oame up, Mr. Wallace said
that the people who sent the delegates
here sent them with the belief that they
would do what was right. Tho people
of his District did not wish to have the
Constitution submitted to them. He
saw no use in appealing to popular feel
ing and to popular prejudice. In
telligence and not ignorauee should
rule the laud. He was willing to ap
peal to Caesar, but, fiot to Festus—to the
palace of princes, but not to tho harem
of a Sultan,
Tho ipotion to reconsider was laid on
the table.
l'lie Tux Qiinlifleution.
Mr. Wofford (W. TANARUS.), of the Forty
second District, moved to reconsider as
much of the aotion of the Convention
yesterday on eleotive franchise as re
lated to the time of residence of voters
aud, also, to tlie provision making the
payment of taxes a prerequisite to
voting.
After some debate the motion to re
consider was finally laid on the table.
Counties and County Officers.
Mr. Toombs (Robert), of the Twenty
ninth District, Chairman of the Com
mittee of Final Revision, proved a sus
pension qf the rules for the purpose of
submitting a report on counties and
county offioers. The motion prevailed,
the rules were suspended and the report
read, as follows:
article 1.
Section 1. Each organized county
shall be a body corporate, with such
powers and limitations as may be pre
scribed by law not incompatible vjith
this Constitution. Aff suits by or
against q (soqnty ahull be jn the name
thereof j and the metes and bounds of
the several counties shall remain as now
prescribed by law, unless changed, as
hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. No new county shall be cre
ated.
Seo. 3. Coqnty flues shall not be
changed, unless under the operation of
a general law for that purpose.
Sec. 4. No county site shall be
changed or removed, except by a two
thirds vote of the qualified voters of the
county, voting at aq election held for
thqt purpose, and a two-thirds vote of
the General Assembly.
Sec. 5. Old county organizations may
be dissolved and merged with contigu
ous counties by a two-thirds vote of the
qualified electors of such county, vot
ing at an election held for that purpose.
Sec. 6. The county officers shall be
elected by the qualified voters of their
respective counties or districts, and
shall hold their offices jop tyo years.
They shall be removed oq qoqviqtion for
malpractice in office, aad no person
shall be eligible to any of the offices
above referred to unless he shall have
been a resident of the county for one
year, and shall be qualfied to discharge
the duties thereof.
Seo. 7. Whatever tribunal or officers
may hereafter be created by the Legis
lature, for the -transaction of county
matters, shall b 6 uniform throughout
the State, and of the same name, juris
diction and remedies, except that the
Legislature may provide for the ap
pointment of commissioners of vftads
and revenue in any county,
ASleettvc Franchise.
The report of the Committee of Re
vision on the Elective Franchise was re
sumed from where its consideration was
left off yesterday. Section five of the
report came up as unfinished business.
The section was as fqflqws 3
Sec. 5. No person, who, after the
adoption of this Constitution, being a
resident of this State, shall have been
convicted of fighting a duel in this
State, or convicted of sending, or accept
ing, a challenge, or convicted of aiding
or abetting such duel, shall vote Ui hold
office in this State, qnleaa he shall have
been pardoned, and every such person
shall, also, be subject to such punish
ment as the law may prescribe.
After some discussion it was adopted
without being changed.
Section six was then read, as follows :
Sec. G. The General Assembly may
provide, from time to time, for the reg
istration of all electors, but the follow
ing classes of persons shall not be per
mitted to register, vote or hold office :
Those who shall have been convicted in
any of the Courts of tiys Rtate ai trea
son, of of public funds,
malfeasanoe in office, crime punishable
by law with imprisonment' in tb9 peni
tentiary, or bribery, or Larceny j idiots
or insane persons.
Mr. Bass (Nathan), of the Forty-sec
ond District, moved to fttqend line seven
of this section %o that criminals of other
States, as well as of this State, shall
not be allowed to vote. Jn sup
port of his motion fle said prime
was crime, qq where it was com
mitted, and criminals should, not be
allowed to vote, Ran offense is a crime
in this Stye it is very apt to he a oritte
in other States, and pipe ver*%. He
thought that if the section was not
amended elections in Georgia would be
controlled by criminals from other
States, and the Commonwealth would
become a sort of Botany Bay.
Mr. Wofford (W. TANARUS.), of the Forty
second District, moved to amend by in
serting tho words “or of the United
States” after “Courts of this State.”
Mr. "Toombs (Ro|ji||rt), of the Twenty
ninth ( opposed the amendment.
He said there were several grades of
offenses which were not the same here
as in other States. Larcenies aud felo
nies were not altogether similar: A
man in Massachusetts or Connecticut
might be adjudged a criminal when be
would not be so considered in Georgia
Our State is not regulated by foreign
laws but by its own, and hence exclu
sion from the exercise of the franohise
should rest upon our statutes and not
upon the statutes of other States.
Mr. Wofford (W. TANARUS.), of the Forty
second District, objected that even crim
inals of the same grade from other
States will be privileged to vote unless
the section should be ebanged.
A motion was made to lay the amend
ments on the table, which prevailed.
Mr. Hammond (N. J.), of the Thirty
fifth District, offered tho following
amendment to the sixth section : After
the word “office,” in line five, add “or
appointment of houor or trust in this
State,” and after the word “convicted, ’’
in line six, the words “of treason, of
embezzlement of public funds, mal
feasance in office, bribery or larceny, in
any Court of competent jurisdiction, or
any crime involving moral turpitude
punishable by the laws of this State
with imprisonment in the penitential y,
unless such person shall have been par
doned ; idiots or insane persons.”
Mr. Guerard (J. M.), of the First Dis
trict, offered an amendment inserting
after tho word “treason” in the eighth
line “against the State of Georgia.” Mr.
Guerard said that if what was technical
ly called treason against the crown in
Great Britain or against the National
Government in this oonntry was pun
ishable by law, all the. respectable men
in the State would be disfranchised.
The two amendments were agreed to
and the section was then adopted.
Section seven was read as follows:
Seo. 7. Electors shall, in all cases, ex
cept treason, felony, larceny and
breach of the peace, be privileged from
arrest during their attendance on elec
tions, and m going to and returning
from the same.
This section was adopted without de
bate.
Section eight was read as follows:
Seo. 8. The General Assembly shall,
by law, require tho olosing of retail
liquor establishments, and forbid the
sale of intoxicating drinks within two
miles of election precincts, on days of
elections in this State.
Mr. Lewis (M. W.), of the Nineteenth
District, moved to amend by inserting
in line three after tho word “sale” the
words “distributing or furnishing.”—
Agreed to.
Mr. Hill (Joshua), of the Twenty
eighth District, moved to amend by
striking out the clause between the
word “law” in the second line and “for
bid” in the third line. Ho said that
otherwise grocery stores not retail
liquor establishments could dole out
drinks on the day of election; and,
again, establishments keeping liquor,
among other things, to sell oould not
sell anything else on cdootion day. The
amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Pace (J. M.), of the Twenty
seventh District, moved to amend the
section by inserting after the word
“State” in the last line the words "State,
county and municipal.” Agreed to.
The section as amended was adopted.
Section nine was read and adopted
without amendment, as follows :
Seo. 9. Returns of eleotion for all
civil officers eleoted by the people, who
are to be commissioned by tlie Govern
or, and, also, for the members of the
General Assembly, shall be.made to the
Secretary of State, unless otherwise pro
vided by law.
Woman’s Right*.
Mr. Guerard (J. M.), of the First Dis
trict, offered the following as an addi
tional section :
Seo. 10. Any woman twenty-one years
of age and upward shall be eligible to the
control and management of the public
schools under any school law in this
State.
The seotion was laid on the table.
Taxes Agnin.
Mr. Wofford (W. TANARUS.), of the Forty
second District, offered the following as
an additional section :
Seo. 10. It shall be the duty of all
managers of election to challenge all de
linquent tax payers, and it shall be the
duty of the Legislature to furnish the
managers with lists of delinquents for
this purpose.
Mr. Wofford spoke in support of his
motion. He said if it was the purpose
of the Convention to disfranchise citi
zen who could not pay their taxes he
wished the law to be rigidly enforced.
The section was put to a vote and lost.
Another Part of tlie Constitution Framed.
The question then arose upon adopting
the report of the Committee of Revision
as a whole, with the third section strick
en out and with the other sections
amended as described.
Before tho vote was taken Mr. Law
ton (A. R.), of the First District, called
the attention of the Convention to two
inconsistent clauses in the second sec
tion, and moved to strike out tho clause
beginning with tho word “and" in line
ten and ending with the word “afore
said” in line fifteen.
Mr. Lewis (M. W.), of the Ninteentli
District, moved to retain the clause in
brackets.
Mr. Lawton’s motion was carried, and
the report was adopted as a wholo, as
follows:
Section 1. In all elections by the peo
ple the electors shall vote by ballot.
Sec. 2. Every male person borq in the
United States and every male citizen
of the United States, tweuty-one
years old or upward, who shall have re
sided in this State six months next
preceding tho eleotion, and shall have
resided three months in the county in
which he offers to vote, and shall have
paid all taxes which may have been re
quired of him (except as hereinafter
provided), who may be a resident of
the State at the time of the adoption of
this Constitution shall be deemed au
elector, anfl shall have all the rights of
an elector as aforesaid j Provided, That
no soldier, sailor or marine in the mili
tary or naval service of the United
States shall acquire the rights of an
elector by reason of being stationed on
duty in this State; and no persoq shall
vote who, if challenged, a,hufl refuse to
take the following oath or affirma
tion : “I do swear or affirm that
I am 21 years old, have resided in
the State six mouths, in this county
three months next preceding this elec
tion; I have paid all taxes which since
the adoption of the prqsqqt Constitution
of this State required of me which I
have ha.fl an opportunity of paying pre
vious to the present year.”
Seo. 3. No person who is the holder
of any public moneys contrary to law
shall be eligible to any office in this
State until the samo is accounted for
and paid into the Treasury.
Seo. 4. No person, who, after the
adoption of this CcnmUtntion, being a
resident qf this State, shall have been
oonviqted of flgqtiqg a 4qel in this State,
or convicte4 of sqncflug, or aooepting, a
challenge, ox oonvioted of ai4ing or
abetting such 4uel, shall vote or hold
offioe in this State, nnless he shall have
been pardoned; and every such person
shall, also, be subject to such punish
ment as the law may preso^ibe*
Sec. 5. The Genital Assembly may
provide, from time to time, for the reg
istratina of all eleotors-, but the follow
ing classes of persons shail not be per
mitted to register, vote or hold office,
or appointment of honor or trust in
this State: Those who shall have been
convicted in any of the Courts of this
State of treason against the State of
Georgia, of embezzlement of public
1 funds, malfeasance in office, bribery or
larceny,in any Court of competent juris
diction, or any arime involving moral
turpitude punishable by the laws of
this State with imprisonment in the
penitentiary, unless such persons shall
: have been pardoned; idiots or insane
persons.
Seo. 6. Electors shall, in all cases, ex
cept treason, felony, larceny and breach
of the peace, be privileged from arrest
daring their attendance on elections,
and in going to and returning from the
same.
Sec. 7. The General Assembly shall,by
law, forbid the sale, distributing or fur
nishing of intoxicating drinks within two
miles of election precincts, on days of
elections in this State—State, county
and municipal.
Sec. 8. Returns of election for all
civil officers elected by the people, who
are to be commissioned by the Gover
nor, and, also, for the members of the
General Assembly, shall be made to the
Secretary of State, unless otherwise pro
vided by law.
The Convention then adjourned.
Hon. Alexander H. Stephens reached
here to-day. He walked from the de
pot up to the Kimball House.
A meeting of railroad officers will be
1 held in New York next week, for the
purpose of combining against the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers and
Train Men’B Union, the object being to
employ no one belonging to a trade or
ganization, after a certain date.
If a gentleman cannot do without his
morning paper, no more can a lady do
without her fashion journal. If the one
is a matter of news to him, the other is
not only that to her, but a practical
economy in time and money. “An
drews’ Bazar” is more than entertaining
it is useful, as ladies alone can appre
ciate. Send ten cents for a sample copy
to W. R. Andrews, publisher, Cincin
nati.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
PALMETTO NEWS LEAVES,
Mad dogs are raising a sensation in
Newberry.
The stores burned down in Union, re
cently, are being rebuilt.
Rev. W. B. Yates, the pastor of the
Sailor’s Church in Charleston, is on a
visit to Spartanburg.
Through passengers to the mountains,
via the Spartanburg and Asheville Rail
road, continue to increase.
A three weeks drought
hurt old corn and pretty well used up
cotton in the Mill Way section.
A party of nine persons passed
through Spartanburg last week, en
route for Porter Springs in upper Geor
gia.
The Phoenix is informed that ex-
Judge Carpenter expects permanently
to reside in Columbia aud practice his
profession.
Mr. Thomas Frith while on hiß way to
Oalkouu’s Mills one day last week was
thrown by his mule, breaking his collar
bone and three ribs.
Mr. W. L. Andrews, of Chappell’s
Depot, had a fine horse stolen from him
the night of the Ist instaut. It was ta
ken from the pasture.
Rev. J. F. Probst, of Walhalla, will
preach the aunual sermon before the
Abbeville District Bible Society, next
Wednesday, July 25th, at 11 o’clock.
A correspondent of the Union Times
says that J. G. Spears, residing in the
vicinity of Skull Shoals, in that couutv,
has just thrashed out 700 bushels of
wheat from 32 acres of laud.
Col. R. M. Sims is now shipping to
various Northern cities from Rook Hill,
upwards of 100 crates of peaobes daily.
During this and next weeks his ship
ments will probably reach 2,000 bushels.
The Aiken jail has nine cells, into
which are crowded thirty-six prisoners,
the prisoners from Barnwell county be
iug confined therein, in addition to those
from Aiken. Four murderers are among
them.
Miss Maggie Myers, one of Pennsyl
vania’s fair daughters, lias been spend
ing a while with her friends and rela
tions at Mt. Carmel. She has for the
past year been going to college at Due
West.
The Connty Commissioners of Ander
son have ordered ipi election on the
fence question in every township of that
county, and it is believed that the “no
fence” law will be adopted by a majority
of the townships.
Last Tuesday night, as the stroet oars
in Greenville were returning from the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad, with
mauy of . tho visitors on board, some
wretch threw a brick into it, striking
three of the occupants.
The Commission appointed by the
General Assembly to investigate the
amount and character of the floating in
debtedness of the State, will meet in Co
lumbia on the Ist of August next, aud
continue in session to the 30th of Sep
tember.
The disoussion of the fence law still
continues without abatement, in many
of tho couut.ies. Anderson, Abbeville,
Laurens, Union, Edgefield and Barn
well arc pushing the matter vigorously,
and some of them will no doubt be bold
enough to reform their agricultural af
fairs.
Tho resignation of Captain W. W. Da
vies, of the office of Superintendent of
the Spartanburg, Union and Columbia
Railroad, which he sent in some weeks
ago, took effect on the 15th instant. Ha
is succeeded by General James Ander
son, former Superintendent of the Char
lotte, Columbia and Augusta Railroad.
There is a man by the name of J. A.
Smith, formerly of York and now living
near Walnut Grove, whose feats as ban
joist and sword swallower attracts con
siderable attention. Ho is very proud
of his accomplishments, and will swal
low a seventeen inch sword without the
slightest compunction. Darwin would
say that ha was evolved from the crane
species.
ON TO CONSTANTINOPLE.
Tlie Russians Still Advancing—C'omil
lion of Adriauople Precarious-A Third
Pontoon Over the Danube—Oamao Pasha
Haiti* a Victory.
Adrianople, July 21,—-Suleiman Pa
sha landed yesterday at Dediagatsh, the
terminus on the Marmora of the railway
to Adrianople. He is expected at Kati
leli Baurgs to morrow. Yeni Saghra
has been burned by the Bulgarians.
London, July 21, —Tho Russians are
within three hours march of Pliillippo
polis. The correspondent of the Times ,
from Constautinopole, says tJie Turks are
now displaying great aotivity. Troops
and munitions are being dispatched in
all haste. Unfortunately tho fortifica
tions at Ardrianople are very imperfect.
The Russians claim the construction
of a third pontoon over the Danube at
Ruhova. Only 2,000 Turks were cap
tured at Nikopolis. The rest were killedl
or escaped. \
Flour vessels containing 260 cubic
yards of stone were sunk by the Rus
sians in the Hafina mouth of the Dan
ube. Fivo hundred cubic yards of
stone were thrown on these vessels, aud
the dopth of the channel reduced ta
four feet.
Wiiwen, .Inly 21,—Yesterday a large
Russian force attacked tho Turks under
Osman Pasha, covering Pleona, Osman
Pasha made a successful defense. After
a conflict of ten hours the Russians were
defeated and retreated, abandoning
their dead and wounded. The Ottoman
loss was comparatively small.
knulwb markets.
Produrc mid NtorUa anti Honda.
London, July 21,—1n Mincing Lane
this week there has not been muoh ac
tivity in demand for Colonial produce
and prices arc not materially altered.
The Msonomtst says tho present cir
cumstances are favorable to the main
tenance of market values, generally and
the large existing interests in the rise of
prices have very free play. Money is
excessively cheap which induces invest
ments and puts funds in the hands of
the speculative supporters of prioes.
There are few operators for a fall in the
looked oondition of the markets, the fall
of Nikopolis and the advance of the
Russians over the Balkans being taken
to mean a speedy end of the war and a
recovery from the depression which
directly and indirectly resulted from it.
The week began with considerable
strength and occasional animation, but
this applies chiefly to the foreign
bourses, which such contingencies are
the first to effect.. The damp weather
and rise in wheat are going in some way
to prevent any corresponding improve
ment in home securities. On Wednes
day English stocks were further de
pressed by the expression of fears lest a
military demonstration should be imme
diately made by the Government, but
tha alarm did not last, and on the bal
ance, prices in the foreign market were
considerably higher for the week, while
home seeurities are about maintained,
and the investment class of stocks are
again higher on account of the abund
ance of unemployed money.
THE INDIAN WAR.
Chief Jowepli’* Band Puts the Cavalry and
Volunteers to Plight.
Pobtland, Qbeoon, July 21.---Captain
Hunter, of the volunteers, arrived at
Lewiston Thursday. He reports that
the cavalry and Lewiston volunteers
overtook the Indians Tuesday. The
Indians fired, killing two scouts and
wounding several. The Indians fired
from ambush. The volunteers saw the
cavalry flying, and found it necessary to
follow. The whole pursuing force re
turned to Kawaib, leaving Joseph’s
band masters of the situation. Captain
Hunter says no one knows whether the
war is ended or not.
He .Scratched Hl* Toe.
[Huron County Chronic!?.]
A Brewery Hill man took a bath last
Snnday morning, as his usual custom,
and the memory of that bath still clings
to him, even as a piece of conrt plaster
clings to a sore spot. He finished his
ablutions, and before robing himself
entirely, backed up to the stove to get
well dried off.
There was a rousing fire and the sur
face of the stove glowed and glistened
with heat. The man stood within a
few inches of it, absorbing the genial
warmth, when all of a sudden bis left
big toe began to itch. He stooped down
to scratch it. The stove seemed to move
a few inches nearer to him, and with a
fearful yell he sprang four feet in the
air. Coming down bis feet struck on a
bar of soap, which slid from under him
and he aat down on the floor. He got
right np and began a Sitting 801 l war
dance around the room, yelling at his
lungs’ best. His wife rushed to the
door and in anxious tones inquired
through the key hole :
“ William Henry, what under the sun
is the matter ?”
“ Sat—down—on—the—stove f” he
snorted at intervals, as he hopped all
aronnd the room ; and the odor of burnt
meat which floated through the key hole
confirmed the terrible tale.
William Henry’s seat at ehnrch was
vacant that morning. He thought it
would look disrespectful to stand np
during the entire service, so-he staid at
home, and hanging himself on the hat
rack, spent the day quite comfortably.
Neither did he make any friendly oalls,
and for the past week has taken his
meals eff the top shelf in the pantry.
He has nearly recovered, aud bus now a
new experience to hand down to pos
terity.