The Albany news. (Albany, Ga.) 186?-1880, August 07, 1879, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text£ PROFKSSIOXAL. CARDS LAWYERS. Lott Warren, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ALBANY. OA. wooxjut it joins, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, ALBANY. GEORGIA DOCTORS* Dn. Holmes & DeMaa, omJiui QB0R01A. I OOcr, HuMa^ca ».,4.irs-ly W. A. STROTHER, U. 9. ALBANY. GEORGIA. Of ce over Gilbert’s Drug Store. ^jUUcntentaAUlWDratSUiOaMAjf^^*^* Dr. E W. ALFRIEND, iuSI-TaJSrbo-Un'fMntrT. Oficorport* HOTELS The Old Reliable BARNES HOUSE, Flu SI., Sib,IT. Cl., BRMffceea—iHeelwJakofioodBcrowimodRtloaR ud hearty welcome to all. BOGEN HOUSE, (FOttXIRLY TOWNS HOUSE.) BROAD STREET. ALBANY. GEORGIA 9 ME B«m Botm la bow ratty tor thw ractptfM JL wfcwu. Tha mazne la a •ufficient roaraatr* hat thehooM win be kept In flnudaM style. M«lr O. ROUEN. Proprietor JOHNSOjf HOUSE, McAFEE HOUSE, 'Smithvillo- Georgia n «. WcAFEE. Proprietor m> MmU SO centa ~ Zi • M'lntosi House INDIAN SPRING, GA. rlny andpryone tho-- THE ALBANY NEWS By WESTON, EVANS & WARREN. 1 Devoted to the Interests of Albany and Southwest Georgia. {$2.00 Per Annum VOLUME 13. ALBANY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 7. 1879. NUMBER 82 forruptiuinu*. TZSESS/ZAJBR gant faralture, ia now opml t>r Health and Pl«e Seekers! Ma.lKBo.rd CVTisjEJ; waakMO; month BO CklVtnacoda. ...In Mt colorad urrantt half J* 1 *- SPECTAL NDtCEMENTS Offcrea f’amBWe. aha* been eagtged for the B,- W. COLLIER, v- Proprietor. . earing to the people one of that Beautiful Monuments for the crave* over the 4 ewer before been intro MalcMU«l«.mS anletd to be pot op in | to the rood people of Daw for thfor UbeYalpatrooi n where of the *o*k of tl liberty of reforrinc to I IforttJ G ameCT.Fn week. llRJoteCla Cheatham, Bew If r Ivt end wriU eatlwiy thowe « la this country, forth* t SW. All work gum* let. I am thankful >nd adjefning country 11 rmcictioJly wolica pie. I heie take tbc f Farnna, Dr J Janes, John and That m regard my , Col Park*. Dr eaa mwe meeh by giving a take eweh and produce for (» beautiful mark el i, that they i their work. 1 wiO my work, at Dawson U if wisdom is Uiii Warm Climate —TO— KEEP Am —I la pm year*, we again ofier enr services to the citizens of Southwest Georgia in the ICE aad LEMON lias. We propose to rire satisfaction in all ocr dealing,, whether in receiving orders Iron home or at a distance. 100 poond tickets, : : ; : $ 2 25 50 - •• ! : : » s US Those who do not purchase tickets will please send the money, as we will not cl large small quantities of ice. Sunday hoars 9 to li A. M , 3 to 5 P. 31. W. E. 4s K. J. CCTLIFF. A Noble Defense of Worth Coun ty- ONE or 11ER OWN SONS TO I1FR RES- Cl*E—THAT LETTER WRITTEN RT JAMES A. ORAV. MuLelland’m Mill, Aug. I, 1379. Editors Sacs: Among tho many injurious frauds of the day, tho fol lowing slanderous letter deserves a place with the foremost. It was written in May to Dr. T. i*. .lanes. Agricultural Commissioner of the State, the author's idea being that it would be published in a pamphlet the Doctor is preparing for distribu tion over the United States. Tills pamphlet ia to set forth the varied re sources of tho State, the inducements it offers to immigrants, the disposi tion of our people, etc. Warwick, Worth Co., Ga.,) May 22,1S79. } Thomas P. Janes: In compliance with your request I give you nil the information I possess of this county, which is by no means favorable. I moved to this county in 1870. I first moved to Savannah,' and was assist ant conductor on the Central railroad for 11 years, and in 1870 moved to Worth", where I have been fanning ever since. I can give no induce ments for a poor man to move to this county. The people are ignorant, low-minded, unsociable people—en tirely for self. The county is unheal thy ; some parts are healthv, but I have not fonnd it. In fact,;! can give you no favorable impression for any one to move to this county, fori have become disgnsted and intend to move as soon as able. I am sorry I cannot offer any inducements for immigra tion, but I cannot conscientiously do so. The soil is favorable for farm ing. Respectfully, James A. Grey. GEORGIA — Fulton County — I certify the above to be a true copy of a letter written from Warwick, Worth county, Ga., in a beautiful fe male hand. [Signed] Thomas P. Janes, Commissioner of Agriculture. The above was surely intended for a great injustice to our county, and by a -nan, too, who is little known among the best citizens. It is true he ha9 been “cropping it” about in different parts of the county for a few ears, yet, comparatively speaking, he is a stranger. In literature, from all accounts, he is but a dim light; and although thero are fifteen well-at tended churches in the county, be sides negro churches, I never see or hear of him being conspicuous at either. Admitting that we have a full supply of “plantation manners,” any one would readily judge that he is troubled with the same affliction — We do not pretend to hold that our county is different from all others, perfection, and free from all dark blots, hut ire do hold that that asser tion, 'The people are low minded,’" is a base fnlsehootl, uttered through no pure motives. Immigration is what wc need, and what wc want, and are willing at any time to offer inducements to good people to come, but to those who show a disposition to pull us down hill, wc would say, stay eway. I can scarcely give von a correct report of the crops. Some sav their crops arc tolerably good, while others report very unfavorable. I think there will lie at least two-thirds of a corn i-rop made in this county. Cotton is doing well, except that which is effected witli rust or lice.— Good many are beginning to coni' piaiu of tin? visitation of these pests; but the cotton is very full, and if not cut off' soon there will be average crop galhered this fall. F. E. J. Letter front Worth County WHAT WARREN SHIVER THINKS OF T. P. JANES ANII «. J. OKU. GliJ REPAIRING! rh. McAlister js.. Hmfcy souaw lb* public that U li pnysni to Repair all kinds of Cotton Gins, bd4 rwptetfolly feHdlt pgtnui*. Bntlafkctlos ftanitttd. Writ*, or call at >7 headquarters next U Lskau’1 abop, Jsckass am, Albany, oa. ^^ARE YOU MM with Corns or Warn G«W HIBAH TOON'S for on# of bla Infallible Cor* aad Wart Core Pencil*. They *111 cure r‘ *01 folio* dlrocjjono, and If they do ooC y©or Do You, Need Stationery ? Tryooaof hla Cinat Araarican Twaatj In Cess Paakaaaa. aal you tat Ban far your massy Has aayvkara alaa. fir £t>V**z You Need GROCERIES Qa I* ktawyts Rant Cbm chaan. Particular at- tastlas ysld ta alt cuatamn. Call la aaa fclsi. As4doa'tforycttbalHlrata Ttasa’a la Iba only Editors Albany Sew* : Having been confined to my bed for the past two months, not being able to do anything like labor, I have spent my time in reading. I have carefully studied the works of Hon. Thomas I*. Janes, Commissioner of Agriculture, aud Hon. G. J. Orr, State School Commissioner. I honestly think they are among the noblest men in Georgia. I believe alt classes have been benefitted by them, as officers, and I hope the General Assembly will elect them time after time. In my opinion our farmers are ready to say they hare received innumerable benefits from the Agricultural De partment. Aa for the public schools, 1 bey are among the greatest blessings ever bestowed on Georgia. But while I grant this, in my judgment the public school system could be im proved, and I hope it will be, thereby giving more satisfaction to patrons as well as teachers. It is no use for me to enumerate the benefits that have accrued since the schools have been in operation. I think our people are entlroly sat isfied with Governor Colquitt, and would like to see him elected again. Very respectfully, Wabben Shiver. Glimpses of ther Lone Star State. Leesburo, Ga., July 30,1879. Dear Newb: I promised yon some time ago a sketch of some of my Texas travels, my opinion of the coun try, people, institutions, etc. I now proceed to comply with my promise, and hope your many readers will lie entertained by these scrihblings. Tho greater portion of Eastern Texas is well timbered, but exceed ingly broken. The soil is generally light sandy. Very productive while fresh, and is subject to “wash.” In the summer the water courses all dry up, and it is very seldom a spring can be found. My opinion is that the land is no more productive than our own in Southwest Georgia, and I know it does not last or wear as well. Everywhere is poe dense .thicket, therefore there is no stock range. A good deal of sickness prevails. I will now givo a stetrh of the beautiful portion of Texas, the PBAIR1E LANDS. These lands are high and rolling, and arc very rich. This is the finest farm ing section in the world, when the seasons strike all right. If it is too wet a year nothing is made; if too dry, same result. Timber is very scarce. This “black waxlo” land (for it is called that) continues west after you enter it to the great cross timbers* about twenty miles east of the Brazos river. The land is light sandy, and of a chocolate color. This belt of timber is about six miles wide. It consists of scrub, post, black jack, red elm, etc. Nono of the trees are more than eight or ten feet body to the limbs. West of this the land is still prairie, but not so rich. It ia more rocky and better adapted to grain raising. All of the country cast of the tlmbpr is being rapidly filled up, and will soon cease to be a stock raising country. The disadvantages of this section is the scarcity of wood and water. About every ten or fif teen miles there is a creek or bottom in which some timber will be found, such as cedar, poet oak and elm. The people get their posts for fencing purposes, fire woods, etc., from such places. The fencing is made by put ting posts in the ground about ten feet apart, then two barbed wires and one plank are used and this is a law ful Texas fence. Building material has to be bought at the railway de pots. Very few weils in this section, the people using cistern or tank water. The cisterns are dug ten or fifteen feet deep and ten or twelve feet square, and walled up with cedar polc9 or rails. In these they save all the water that runs off their little houses when it rains. Last winter it rained bnt very little, not enough to last nntil April, and the people had to resort to their tanks. A Texas tank is a ravine damned up so as to hold water. But of these and other things I will write in my next. Wm. C. Gill. The present foreign indebtedness of the United States is placed by Wil lard Brown in an article in Harpers Magazine for August at $1,649,000,- 000. This estimate is reached by ta king this indebtedness as reported in 1869 at $1,130,000,000, made up of $693,000,000 of government bomU and $433,000,000 of other securities, and estimating its early increase by stu dying the course of trade. The year 1869 is selected as a starting point be cause it is, in Mr. Brown’s opinion, the last for which accurate reports exist. In 1873 he calculates that this indebtedness bad increased to $1,882,- 670.000. This increase was princi pally due to an excess of imports over exports amounting in the 10 years preceding to $926,000,000. From 1873 on the imports fell off; hut tho ex ports of securities continued till 1875, when the foreign debt reached $2,- 043.000. 000 as estimated by Mr. Brown. From this point it lias stead ily decreased. Uis estimate of the maximum indebtedness of this coun try differs widely from another esti mate made shortly after the panic by a prominent statistician, which put it at $2,500,000,000, and it is interest ing to contrast Mr. Brown’s estimate in 1869 with John Sherman’s in 1860, who put the foreign indebtedness of this country at $500,000,000, with in terest at 7 per cent, nearly a third larger than the interest the country ia now paying on it* foreign debt. The Goldsmith Letter. We present below the letter ad dressed by Comptroller-General Goldsmith to the wild laud commit tee, showing his side of tliu matter: To the Chairman and Members of tiie Wild Land Committee : Gentlemen—1 know that to have you ropair u wrong, unintentionally done uie in your report, it is only nec essary that I should bring to your at tention tile fact that such wrong lias been committed. In your investiga tion ns members of the wild 1-md committee, I have co-operated with you by every means in my powor to bring'out all the facts connected with the transfer ot II. fas. aud the sales of wild lands. There is no circumstance within my knowledge that I have not freely com municated, ami as far ns my personal acts are concerned I have disclosed to you, without reservation, every aot of my administration, for I was more interested than you could possibly be, that your investigation should bo full and complete, as I knew that its re sults would completely vindicate mo from any complicity in doubtful transactions and while your report was intended to have this effect, the omission of your chairman to embo dy certain amendments adopted by the committee, and to which I trill hereafter make reference, subjects me to the criticism of the censorious, aud while as a private person 1 might be indifferent to their censure, as a pub lic officer I cannot afford to leave a “loop whereon my enemies might hang a doubt.” 1 do not propose to discuss the le gality of tho transfers or the recom mendation whicli you make to de clare them void, because these recom mendations are concurred in by a majority of your committee, and be cause, if they are valid no legislation ran make them void, and if they are void, no legislation can make them ■lacs «• css frt Uw fronts* old Btus Ora* Wbi*. hr- esn iims s*s>fseoiszsqswsd4 pli«i iwk.sr It Is tbs U*t to msrkrt. HIRAM TISON, Bio*d BL, Alban j, G*. Liflrpr jn_ East Many. ron mui A LUMBER TABD hu ncssUf I*m> aatsUbt a* la last itaoj. Flirty IBoumut M, cos •bslaa of Kanttuif sod board., fra load aaO ra4 *t Mirny. . ayrlMl A. KAlUfi “Landlord,” said he, “the coffee is not settled.” “No,” he replie.d, “hut it comes as near it as your last month’s board bill does;” and that man never spoke again during the meal. “Sizzing Mol's successful sweat soiree,” is the Boston Globe’s way of (tutting the weather in a hot head line. According to the Pensacola Gazette, Parisian capitalists propose to cut a ship canal through Florida, from the Atlantic Ocean to tbeOcifof Moxioo, A bill pasted the Florida Senate, at the last session, incorporating the Florida Ship Canal Company, hut went over in tho House, along with other unfinished bnsiness. Tho Ga zette says that the Parisian capitalists expect that the franchise will be oh tained in due season, and havo ex plored the country with the view of ascertaining the most desirable route. It is claimed that the contemplated canal will lessen the length of voy ages from Northern Atlantic ports into the Gulf by about one thousand miles. »uiu, uu icgiainwuii can inane lucui valid. Tho law of 1874 fixes their status, and what that is the courts I [•resume will determine in reference to the laws as it then existed; being doubtful myself as to the transfers, I applied to the attorney-general aud acted on his opinion. If the trans fers are declared void by the courts, I shall have no sympathy with auy cne except such bonatide purchasers as may have under the opinion of tho attorney-general mislead the invest ment of their money. Beyond this, I shall rejoice with the committee in tho defeating of any frauds that may have been perpetrated bj'any one. The portion of your report that oes not express what I understand to be the views of a majority, is the emission to state ‘-that it was in evi dence that before the appointment of jour committee I had taken official action through the solicitor—general in Dodge and Montgomery counties to compel! the sheriffs by rule to ac count for the entire sales in those counties, less the legal cost and amount of taxes paid to tho state by the transferees, and at the time of your investigation it was in evidence that I had directed rules to ho issued against every sheriff who had failed to make proper returns; in doing this I exhausted my power as comptroll er,-and if any unnecessary delay lias occurred, the fault, if fault there be, is not in my department. These views I understand woro concurred, in by a majority of your committee, and were to be embodied in the re port. If these facts were stated, I should have no complaint, but their omission leave an inference that I lent left un done what I ought to Imre done, in order to compel an accountability by the sheriffs. Another fact in evidence and omit ted is that there is no evidence of any owner of a lot having suffered, or of having complained that the excess of sales over cost and taxes had in any instance been paid to any one othor than himself, or that any powor had applied to the comptroller for such excess and failed to receive it. Again, the report refers to my having re deemed fi. fas. from transferees, to the amount of $3,176 23, without any warrant from the governor. The evidence and my statement shows that this was not public money, but was money received by tho comp troller from transferees of fi. fas, in consequence of improved lands being my mistake returned by several re ceivers as wild lands. Mislead by these returns, I issued fi. fas. under tho wild land act. and received for them $8,170 23. The mistake being discovered, the fi. fas. thus issued against improved lands as wild lands wore found illegal, wero ordered re turned by me; were returned and canceled nnd the money received bv me as comptroller by mistake on fi. fas. issued without authority of law, were returned by me to the parties from whom it was received. It nev er became public money; it was re ceived by authority of no law enact ed by the legislature. It was monev received on void fi. fas, issued by mistake, and if they had not been called in and cancelled sales would have been had under them involving innocent parties in expensive litiga tion. The $10,176 06 is subject to cost due the comptroller, and the balanco la held under the wild land act, sub jeet to demand from the owners.— “The surplus’’ not called for in a rea sonable time will be covered into the treasury, as the $3,699.72, reported to the committee. I also understand that the commit tee-agreed to report, instead of what was reported, that, “after thorough luvestigatlun, nothing could be found to implicate «he comptroller-general, dirtctly or indirectly, in any fraud or speculation whatever.” All these facta are borne out by tho evidence and my statement before the committee, and I understood wero to be covered by the report. They have been omitted, and as the omis sion subjects the report to miscon struction, I ask you respectfully to indicate by yonr concurrence in this statement tho troth of the facts set forth. I make this request because I feel confident that it will be your pleas ure to do for me this act of justice. \V. L. Goldsmith. GEORGIA LEGISLATURE. I’nH-reililiKH Condensed. -J4ii, Us,, juir .min. TIIE SENATE. Ull.l.s ON THIRD HKADINO. A bill to cede to tho United States certain land on the Savannah river near Cockspur Island. Passed. A hill to amend section 4373, rela tive to the abandonment of a child by the father, so as to make the mother a competent witness. Passed. A hill to prevent the careless use of tire-arms. Passed. HOUSE. Mr. Smith, of Oglethorpe, moved to reconsider action on the bill to regulate the rates of legal advertising by sheriffs, ordinaries, etc. He said that tiie bill did injustice to the coun try press. The country press are nenror to tiie people amt give pub licity to the views of the people more correctly than any other class. The tendency of the bill is to crush out country newspapers. Mr. McCurry favored reconsidera tion. The bill was a strike at the country press. The disposition of the legislature was to cut off all un necessary expenditures, but it would be singular that their first effort should be a dagger-stab at tho coun try press. Tho effect of the bill would he to perish out the country press that now barely eke out an existence. The largest number of them are sup ported by the legal advertising of the county, and to reduce that below a living rate is to crush out the press. The present rate may be too high.— The rates in tho bill are too low. Tho country press has done raoro to build tip Georgia and to develop her inter ests than all other influences combin ed. They enhance all enterprises and enthuse the spirit of education. If you pcri9h out the country papers, yon build up the metropolitan press who do not need building up. Mr. Mathews denied that the bill was a crusade again9t the country press. The people have some rights as well as the newspapers. The law compels you to advertise in your county paper at a high rate, while others will do it for less. I have paid $8 per square when other papers pro posed to do it for $2.50. The papers will advertise for merchants at less rates. The bill gives them 65 cents per square of 100 words, and 65 cents for every fraction of 100 words. Mr. Tatum moved to lav the motion to reconsider on the table. Mr. McCurry called for the yeas and nays, whicli call was sustained. The motion was lost by voas 64, nays 81. Mr. Mvnatt thought the hill pro posed a fair price, and one the press can afford to do it at. Tiie papers doing the legal advertising are favor ed with subscriptions on that account and it was a boon to them. It was hardly fair to make the property of the defendant pay all the expenses. The sheriff’ nor no other officer should receive anything for advertising. The whole amount should go to the print- Gen. Butler has announced his will ingness to run again for Governor of Massachusetts, and that means his determination to run. A call has been made for a convention of hit friends to meet in ’Worcester on the 28th of September, and put him in nomination. A telegram was received in tiie city yesterday stating Hint Galveston had received, up to date, one hundred nnd forty-two bales of tho new crop of cotton. An old factor stated that this was rattier remarkable, and lie thought tlieso receipts so early would have an effect on prices.—Sav. News, 30th ult. Mr. Cox, of Troup, said that he had received a letter from Col. J. T. Wa terman, of the LaGrango Reporter, suggesting an amendment of 75 cents per square for tho first four weeks and 50 cents for oach subsequent in sertion. Mr. Yancey favored tiie recommen dation. Mr. Willingham called the veas and nays, which call was sustained and the motion lost bv veas 68, nays 73. ’ " BEOUI.AB BUSINESS. The regular business of the day was the consideration of tho bill to establish the Middle Georgia Milita ry ami Agricultural College. The House then went into a Com mittee of the Whole, Mr. Chambers, of Wilkins, in tho chair. Section 5 of the bill was adopted. Section 6 was stricken out. Section 7 was adopted. Mr. Hammond, of Thomas, moved that the Committee of the Whole rise and report tho bill to the Houso as amended, with the recommendation that it do pass, which motion pre vailed. The House then proceeded to act on the amendment offered, by the committee. Mr. Miller, of Houston, moved an amendment that the fund supporting the Institute be taken from tho land scrip, now held by the trustees of the State University, and given to the State by the United States govern ment. The amendment was considered as rider to defeat the bill, and imme diately there sprung up a lengthy and spirited debate in which it was opposed by Messrs. Yancy, Hammond aud Payne, and supported by its in troducer, Mr. Miller, of Houston.- The amendment was defeated. Mr. Humber called the previous question, which was sustained. Tiie House agreed to tho amend ments offered by the Committee, as well as the recommendation that the bill do pass. The question was then upon the passage of the bill. Mr. Miller, of Houston, called for the yeas and nays which call was sus tained. The bill was disposed of by a vote of ayes 72, nays 77. 95th Oar, July 3t>t. THE SENATE. Mr. Lumpkin, chairman of thesen- ato committee of joint spocial com mittee, on the proposition of Atlanta to build a capitol and givo grounds, etc., reported a resolution, pioviding for the formal accoptauce by tho state of the property offered by the city of Atlanta. Tho report contained a di agram showing whnt property was deemed necessary in addition to the city hall square. It asks for proper ty around tho square, aud imposes conditions ns to its arrangement, etc. TIIE SPECIAL OKDEII was a Dill to rnpeal the act leasing the convicts of the state. The bill was rend. Tho committee on the penitentiary reported tiie bill without recommendation. Mr. Cumining offered as a substi tute a Dill to provide for the bettor government of the penitentiary. It provided for the appointment ot pen itentiary wardens. Mr. Harrison said lie was in favor of any provision which looked to the more huinnuo treatment of eonVirts He believed the state had a right to lease the convicts. At the iuvltation of tiie state, tho lessees had taken tiie convicts; had invested their money In It. Their rights are involved, anil uoes anybody suppose they will sur render them without a struggleb? Tho bill calls fora terrible expendi ture of mouey, and it is impractica ble to carry out its provisions within thirty days, as it prescribes. He fa vored the very widest possible hu manitarian policy, hut opposed n policy tliat would throw these con victs suddenly on the state without the means to care for them. Mr. Harrison rose and explained that he had made no argument on color. He favored the same punish ment to every i.rlminat, no matter if ho were as white as snow or as black as the ace of spades. “I could not argue on any distinction of color. I am here by the vote of every negro In ntjMJounty. Can the senate say as Mf. Boyd-—I can. And I do de clare that punishment in this state is not equal,; .In.-one hundred yards of trhtrs 1 speak there was erected a magnificent building, evorv brick of which was laid by convict hands, and then there were free negro laborers roaming. the streets begging for work. Two-thirds of the negro con victs in this State wentto the peniten tiary because they stole bread to feed their children. Mr. Lockett has no right to raise cotton at three cents per pound which honest labor can’t raise ! ’or less than eight cents. IMr. Gumming took the chair.] Georgia kills more of her convicts than any other state. I have no pre judice against the lessees; but I de clare here that the lessees are killing the men of this state under their cru el system. It is objected that any other system would cost money. 'I don’t care ft it oosts $200,000 a year, we had better have it All the gold ofOphir; all the wealth of the Roth schilds, could not bring back tho life of the poor old negro who, in this ve ry city—Ibis city of pbilantropy, this city of churches—that poor old negro who was beaten and carried off dying in a wheelbarrow, and was buried in a cave before the coroner could get to. him.' The state has no right to whip ia criminal to-day, and yet she allows these lessees to do it. Men have been murdered under this sys tem and in this very city. If senators want the name91 Will give them. If the lessees want them 1 will not give them. Various other states have tried this system and have abolished it.— Georgia clings to it. THE HOUSE. The House was called to order by Speaker Bacon at 9 a. m. and opened with prayer by Rev. John Jones, cliap- iaiu. Mr. Humber moved to reconsider the action of tho bill establishing the Middle Georgia military agricultural college at Milledgeville. lie stated that the friends of tho bill were will ing to strike oit the appropriation of $5,000 and accept it in that shape. BILLS ON THIRD READINO. Exempting from jury duty minis ters of tho gospel, physicians', apothe caries, teachers, millers, ferrymen, railroad employes, telegraph opera tors and all male persons over sixty years of age. Mi. Livingston objected to the dis qualification of persons over sixty years of age, aa they were the best class of jurors. Tho bill threw the harden of Jury duty on farmers and merchants.-' Mr. Mathews favored the bill. Mr. Rankin moved to recommit.— Lost. Mr. Hammond proposed to amend by striking out apothecaries and tel- ograph operators, which did not pre vail. He offered a proviso “that the provisions of thlsjict shall not work disqualification to the classes named herein,” which was agreed to. The yeas and nays were demanded, and the bill passed by yeas 103, liavs 32. To authorize each and every county to establish and maintain a system of drainage, and ratify existlngsystems. Passed. Mr. Polhill submitted a report with the following from the joint commit tee to oonfer with Atlanta: A resolu tion to provide tot the acceptance by the'State of Georgia of- the proposal of the Mayor and Council of the city of Atlanta' u> convey to said State, a site on Which to bufld a capitol and to Wdjnst and :settle With said Mayor aud Council their, proposal: to build for skid-Suite a capitol- building. Whereas, On the 19th day or Sep- tember; 1877, the mayor and council of the bfty of Atlanta, under authori ty granted by paragraph 1 of section 6 of article 7 of the constitution of this state, the following proposals, to- wit: * » (Here was copied the pro posal.) Therefore the general assembly of the state of Georgia do resolve that tho state of Georgia does hereby accept from the said mayor and coun cil the said city hall lot, and the said mayor and council are hereby author ized and required to convey the same to the state of Georgia in accordance with their proposal, and it is hereby made the duty of the commissioners hereinafter named to see that the title to said property is unencumbered, that said conveyances are properly mado, executed, and recorded, ana when thb same has been done, said lot shall be and become the property of said state absolutely in fee simple, and 4 state capitol shall be erected on said lot, or a part thereof, whenever the general assembly by appropriate legislation shall provido for the same. Resolved, That the govornor, pres ident of the senate ana speaker of the house of representatives of ibis state bo and they are hereby constituted and appointed commissioners for the purposos'and with the powers and duties herein set forth. Resolved, That if the mayor and council Will procure and convoy to the said state by good and sufficient titles, in feo simple, in addition to tho said city hall lot, certain other real estate, as shown bv the following dia gram, to-wit: That portion of tbo lot of St. Philip’s church which is inclu ded in the boundary indicated upon said diagram, that portion of a lot liolonging to the Georgia railroad nnd banking company, which is in cluded in tiio boundary indicated upon said diagram, that portion of tiie lot belonging to tiie estate of H C. Holcombe, deceased, which is in cluded in; the boundary indicated up on said dlagratn, and those portions of Hunter, Calhoun and McHouough streets, included in the boundaries represented by said diagram; and if lay out and keep up a street With sidewalks on both sides between the lines indicated, said streets and side walks to he at no point of less width than Washington street, and the side walks thereon where said Washing ton street bounds said city hall lot; and will remove from the lot where they aro now situated the engine houses and all buildings anil Obstrnc tions on said !ot as shown onsaid dia gram, then said commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered to accept said additional real estate in full settlement and satisfaction of the proposal of said mayor and council to build a capitol; nnd it is hereby made the duty of said commissioners, in that event, to see that the titles to 'aid additional real estate, when con veyed to the state of Georgia, sire un encumbered, valid and complete; that the deeds conveying the sameare properly executed aud recorded,and thaf the said mayor and council give 1 and binding obiiga- a sufficient, legal „ tion to open, lay out and kbep up-said street and sidewalks and remove said engine-houses and obstructions as hereinbefore provided, said addition al real estate shall then become a part of the grounds on which a capitol “hall be erected, and shall be the property of said state absolutely in fee simple. Resolved, That in caw said mayor and council are unable or unwilling to convert to the state of Georgia the additional real estate hereinbefore mentioned, and open said street and sidowalks and remove said buildings and obstructions as hereinbefore pro vided, it shall then be the duty of said commissioners to ascertain, in such mauner as they may deem most expedient, what sum it would cost to build in tho city of Atlanta a capitol building as good as the old capitol building at Milledgeville was on said 17th day of September, 1877, and if the said commissioners and the may or and council can agree upon the same, said commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered to accept said sum in foil satisfaction of said proposal to build a capitol. In rase said commissioners ana said mayor and council cannot agree upon said sum, tho former are hereby author ized to zelect one competent person and the latter one competent person, and the two thus selected shall select one other cotnpetenrp£rfi5h, and the three persons thus chosen, after giv ing thirty days notice to said com missioners and to said mayor and council, shall examine into tiie facts, and assess what sum, in their judg ment, should be paid by the said mayor and council in lieu of their proposal to build said capitol, and the decision of Baid three persons, or a majority of them, shall be final, and whenever said sum has been ascer tained in either manner herein pre scribed, the same shall be paid into the treasury of this stale and there remain till appropriated by law in lart payment of the expenses of build- ug a capitol building. Resolved, That when the said may or and council have conveyed the said city hall lot to the state and have complied either with the terms of the foregoing third resolution or the foregoing fourth resolution, the said mayor and council shall be deemed to have folly.complied with the said iroposal of the city of Atlanta here- nbefore copied. Resolved, That said mayor and council may continue to use the build ing on said city ball lot, and in case said additional real estate is convoy ed to the state, may continue to use said streets included In the land rep resented by the foregoing diagram, as the tame are now used, nntil the work of constructing a capitol build ing is actually begun in pursuance of law. Mr. Adams offered an amendment providing that the city of Atlanta shall cancel her mortgage on the cap itol building before this is consum mated. Mr. Polhil! opposed the amend ment. It was a separate question. A separate committee should be raised for that purpose. The committee had the said mayor and council will open, only to consider the proposition ol Atlanta, and the amendment doeonot include.any portion of Atianta’S prop osition. . j. v a Mr. Adamathought.it was the ob ject of tiie committee to settle ihe questions at issue between the state and the city of Atlanta. He moved to table the report. Lost by yeas 27, uays62. Mr. Cox, of Tronp, said that Atlan ta held the mortgage as transfofee. and was never to enforoe it.white the capital remained here. There i then nothing at issue. ME Kisbet was satisfied that At lanta was acting in good faith and hoped the amendment would be adopted. Mr. Mathews : said the amendment was repudiating the action of the peo ple in accepting the proposition of Atlanta. The amendment was rejected and tho resolution agreed to. Adjourned until 9 a. m. Friday. The Moffett liquor register or punch bill it the special order for to-mor row. as it deserved. He opposed the sub stitute offered by Mr. Cummicg. He believed the substitute unconstitu tional as it imposes new conditions on a contract already made. Ho read foe original from one of foe contracts. FWi provision fa made in the lease and in the bond for the humane treat ment of convicts. The substitute may not, of itself, be unconstitutional, but if the wardens to be appointed under it imposs any new conditions such actions would be unconstitutional under every rule of common law. It Is aot necessary to ap(>31nt these war dens. The state has now the machin ery for looking after the convicts. It is the business of the principal keep er of the penitentiary and if he has not the means to do, it would be bet ter to furnish them to him. He op posed the substitute and as to Uie bill providing the abrogation of the con tract with the lessees, hedid not think it could bear the test of constitution ality. The constitution of the United States says that no state shall pats a law involving a contract. While the punishment of convicts is a function of government it is such a fouction as can be delegated, as it has been under this lease system. He did not admit that the system was a disgrace to the state or was inhuman. The present lease system receive- hi- ru!l indorsement, apd it is the best t.iat could be devised under tho cire..m- stances. The senator from tho -t2:id had spoken of the great cruelty ot.tltu system. His remarks weremttrilmta- ble to au ill-tempered zeal. His re marks reflected on the Cair name of foe people of Georgia. The senator has made a grave charge, and it will be bard to substantiate it. He had ' charged that two-thirds of the ne groes in the penitentiary were there for stealing meat and bread for their families. The truth is that very few of the negroes who are sent to the penitentiary have any families. They are roaming vagabonds. This is foe class for whom tho senator from the 32d would build a ‘benevolent home.’ These aro the criminals for whom it is proposed to set aside solemn con tracts of the state. Mr. Wellborn said ho was ready to vote for any measure that looked to foe reform of abuses in the peuiteu- tiary system. But he could not sup port the Hue of legislation proposed acre. It is asserted that the state cannot delegate its power to punish convicts. This proposition is uot teu- aide. There is no act which the state cannot perform, except such as are prohibited by the constitution of the United States. The state performs no act in her proper person. She uses agents. Yonr governor, your judges, your prosecuting officers—all these are agents of the state. What are we—the legislature—but agents <ff the state 7 It is argued that no man but the sheriff can execute a criminal, and that this power of pun ishment cannot be delegated. Will anyone say that the legislature can not clothe the judge himself with the power to execute his own sentence ? If I believed in the truth of the prop osition that there is such inhumanity in this penitentiary system as is charged, I would go before the courts and nullify that contract which has been violated, if this charge is true.— This is a naked contract. Are we going to stand by it or are we going to tear it and give it to tiie winds.— We are not tiie forum to determine whether this contract is valid or not. This act of 1876 was carefully pre pared and passed, and wo are not prepared from any feeling of false sympathy to abrogate the contract by which it binds us. It would require a half million of dollars for tiie state to take these couvicts in her own hands and begin work with thjm.— It is said that this system makes con vict labor compete with free labor.— But there is no remedy proposed for this. The bills offered merely change the employment of the convict from the coutrol of one set of foe lessees to foqt of another set of lessees. Under lessees who are agents of the state the convicts would compete with free la bor as much as ever. There is only- one remedy and that is not to work thfie convicts at all. Is it proposed to shut up these convicts and board them at a free hotel ? By Mr. Howell—A bill to prevent introduction, use and sale of obscene literature in th'S state, and to pre scribe the punishment therefor. Re ferred to committee on judiciary. Mr. Wellborn continued his argu ment in opposition to the bill and substitute. Before the war it cost tbo state over $200,000 to support 200con- victs for fifty years, and now we havo 1,400 convicts. Most of these 200 con victs were artizans and were capable of learning any trade. And if they could, they would only aggravate tho evil complained of here, namely: tho corapetitionof convict with free labor. Upon what authority are we to be lieve: thatthis law has uot been com plied with 7 Upon the authority of speeches only. - The bonds of these lessees are per fectly good and protect every right of foe state. He sympathized as deep ly as isnyoue with tho sufferings of iiit follow-man. Bn t it tvoulcTbo ex tremely dangerous to act on these motives in legislative action. The hour of - adjournment arrived and Mr. Wellborn suspended his remarks. seta Dar, Anruit i«t. THE SENATE. THE PENITENTIARY. Tho remainder of the unfinished business was the penitentiary bill and the substitute offered thereto. Mr. Boyd had the floor and con tinued his argument in favor of the bill, of which he is tho author. .Hauy senators admit that the penitential is cruel aud wrong, but are. oppose, to abolishing it, because they say they don’t know what to dq with the con victs. The bill makes ample provis ions for them. The penitentiary sys tem causes a system of slavery worse than that which existed ' before the war. A message from the House was re ceived. it announced the passage of several bills, etc. Mr. Boyd continued his argument. If senators will sustain this bill let them strike from the seal of the state the word justice and proclaim the blind goddess n fool; strike out tlii- word wisdom and proclaim that it is folly; tell the people that modera tion no longer exists; say that Judas was right when he betrayed his Lord; say he was wise when ho took tiie money. Write in letters of shilling gold the truth in the words— -Van’, luhucueUTtrmAO Ultra cmattM nUHtmi-mwiB- Mr. • Bryan ‘hibYed'tfrlay tiie ihatte on the table. LfcA. »- .<• • •» Mr. Speer said he did not fcgl physically able to discuss the question HOUSE. r- Clegg—To amend the act reg ulating the traffic in seed cotton in foe counties of Decatur and Dough erty, by applying it to Lee county. Also—To amend the act regulating the compensation of jurors in Burke county by applying it to Lee county. The New York Herald is rather fair-minded towards General Ewing, and gives him a good “boom.” than: “His nomination has united his party. Ho is a popular man because he ia kuown to be sincere, upright and pure, at ouce a man of capacity and character, and his'history turns to the Democratic side all the advantage that gathers around the namo of a Union soldier. It now remains for tho Democrats of New York to nom inate a man who can carry this state, and (hen the Democratic canvass will boom.” A ten dollar bill, witli the follow ing words written across the face, was phased over an Ithaca counter the other dsiv: “This is the last of a for tune of $100,000 left inc by iny uncle. Beware of women an%l wine. Jasper Gould.” Rather let a man beware of indulging Itis passions until they be come ungovernable. Neither women nor wine aro responsible for Jasper Gould’s poverty; Jasper himself is alone to blame.—N. Y. Sun. If Noah had foreseen the future* and killed the two mosquitoes which took refuge in the ark,he would have rendered some of the strongest words iu the English language unnecessary. Now that Jeff Davis lias received a fortune he should open a bar I for tho benefit of tiie party.—Tribune. When the lawyers gel through, the bar’l will not be worth opening. The boy who left a piece of ice in tKo siin to warm up, was no more foolish than the tnan Vho opened a store aud expected people to hunt him out and buy his goods.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Albany news. (Albany, Ga.) 186?-1880, August 07, 1879, Image 1