Newspaper Page Text
M OH *4 M
ami vet, the prohibition against ex post
facto laws, is just as explicir as that against
laws impairing the obligation of contracts.
Now is it not clear that one accused of
crime is protected from new laws of invest
igation and procedure fron new remedies
for the ascertainment ol his guilt—just as
creditors are protected from changes in
their remedies! Is a mere pecuniary
right more sacred than a right of life or
liberty? These ftases civil and criminal,
constitute an unbroken current of authori
ty in support of the important and necessa
ry doctrine that the remedy is a matter
within the control of the political power,
so long as all remedy is not withdrawn—
is not taken away for an indefinite period.
It must be particularly noted that these
decisions, not mere remarks of judges, do
incontestibly overthrow the doctrine which
has been set up in opposition to the cons
stitutionality of all stay laws, which is
the indispensable foundation of such oppo
6ition—the doctrine that the obligation of
a contract is impaired whenever the rem
edy for its enforcement is impaired. The
remedy of imprisonment, is undoubtedly a
very powerful one for the enforcement of
contracts—to take it away must impair
the remedies of the creditor—must greatly
lessen the efficiency of his remedies—and
yet, the courts of this country, including
tb<rSupreme Court of the United States
have expressly held that this remedy may
he taken away from existing creditors,
provided all other remedies are not also
abrogated, or suspended for an indefinite
period, which is equivalent to an abroga
tion. Tiie whole confusion on this sub--
ject comes from the original false assump
tion which has sometimes been made in
the obiter dicta of Judges, but which has
never been decided by any Court, and is
inconsistent with the unbroken current of
decisions before mentioned—the assump
tion that the obligation of a contract is the
existing remedies for its enforcement.—
The obligation of a contract, it is very
true, is not to be found always in the terms
used by the parties—it is to be found in
tbe liability which the existing laws at
tach to those terms. Indeed, the obliga
tion of a contract is the liability which the
existing law attaches to its terras For il
lustration, a contract in this State to pay
twenty per cent, interest, has no obliga
tion beyond seven per cent., the rate fixed
by law; and coutract to pay money for
the killing of a human being, has no obli
gation whatever. Parties may make what
engagements they 7 please—these do not
constitute their obligations—the law ex
isting at the time, comes in and attaches
its own liability to the terms used—de
fines aud fixes the obligations arising out
of those terms. These obligations are to
be enforced by such remedies as the polit
ical power may provide from time to
time; and the Courts can never inter
fere with changes or modifications which
the political power may make in the rem
edies, either qnickeuftig or slackening
them, so long as the right is not abrogated
by the indefinite withdrawal or suspension
of all remedy.
LINTON STEPHENS.
POSTSCRIPT.
The whole fallacy of the veto message
cousist in the lalse assumption that the ob
ligation of a contract is the laws for its
enforcement—that is to say the remedies
existing at the time when the contract is
made. The message itself after taking
this position, yields it in saying (I do not
quote the words hut give the substance)
tiiat there is a power intfbe Legislature to
modify the remedy, but this power has
two qualifications—first, that it must be
used in good faith with a view to the gen
eral improvement of judicial proceedings ;
second it must not be used to the injury of
existing lights. These qualifications are
wholly gratuitous, not warranted either
by pri uciple or authority. But the admis
sion that the Legislature may modify the
remedy at all, with or without qualifica
tions, is fatal to.the idea that the remedy
is the obligation of the contract. It is
equivalent to saying thaX tbe Legislature
may modify the obligation of the contract ;
for if the romedy is tbe obligation, then a
modification of the remedy is a modifies
tion of the obligation. Now a modification
of tbe obligation can not take place with
out imparing it—without changing it in
one direction or the other, rendering it
more or less stringent—either enlarging or
diminishing it. If by the modification the
reined v is made more efficient, tbe obliga
tion is rendered more stringent and is
changed in favor of the creditor. If
the remedy is made less efficient, then the
obligation is rendered less stringent, aud
is changed in favor of the debtor. In ei
ther case the obligation of the contract is
changed. But this is precisely what the
constitution inhibits in declaring that no
State shall pass any law impairing the ob
ligation of contracts. The constitutional
idea is that the obligation of the contraet,
whatever that may be when the contract
is made, is sacred from all State interfere
ence, from all change in favor of either
party, the debtor being just as effectually
protected against such changed as the
creditor is. The obligation of the con
tract is impaired whenever it is changed
for or against either party. The admission
that the Legislature may modify the rem
e dv is the sure doctrine, extorted by the
uniform decisions of all the courts; but the
very fact that the remedy may be modi
fied is plain proof that the remedy is not
the obligation ; for a modification of tbe ob
ligation of tbe contrct is the very thing
which is foibidden by the constitution —
The argument is a strange one which the
Message draws from the part of the State
constitution which provides that the Leg
islative, Executive and Judicial Depart
ments shall be distinct each being confided
to a separate body of magistry, and nei<
ther exercising any power properly belong
iug to either of the others. This argument
is faulty because it proves too much, and
end6 in conclusions which mast be instant
ly rejected as beiog subversive of the
constitution. If the Legislature cannot
dictate to the courts a!t r judgment, how
can®it do so before judgment 1 And if it
cannot do so before judgment it is simply
ousted of all power. The very function
of the Legislature is to dictate rules of ac
tion, to the other two co-ordinate depart
ments, and to the people. That this power
reaches beyond judgment, regulating the
proceedings after judgment as well as be
fore, was expressly decided" by the Su
preme Court of tbo United States, in the
Rhode Island ca3e before cited, where that
court affirmed the validity of a law dis
charging debtors.then in jail under judg
ment. The whole error here arises from
concluding that because the Legislature
and the Judiciary are made distinct by the
constitution, they are therefore indepeu
dent. The} 7 are distinct and they ore co
ordinate, but they are not independent.—
In truth, neither one or the three co-ordi-
dinate departments is independent of the
other two. The Executive and Judiciary
are both dependent upon the Legislative
for the rule or law of their action, while
the Legislature is dependent upon the oth
er two for the application and execution of
the rules prescribed by it. It is surely
men, Mr. Gr#e1v has simply proved that
he does not know them, and that he
knows still less the common laws of pry**
priety.
Secret Pol tiral Organisation.
General Grierson says that he believes
that "there is a secret organization through
out the Southern States foi the Teuewal of
the rebellion.” We have only to sav that
we think General Giieison is wholly mis
taken, and we thiuk we are quite as like-
just ns competent for the Legislature to , | 0 know the Southern secret as he is. - -
give direction to the process of the courts'j the thought of renewing hostilities y ear or 8,> > became engaged in gambling,
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
Indianapolis, Ind., March 7.
A startling affair you may say I am
about to describe, and I promise your
readers not only to vouch for the truth of
what l write myself, but will give you the
best references in the city in addition “on
call.” A mechanic in this city by the
name of Orren Elder, went to California
in 1853, leaving a wife and two girls hero.
Upon arriving at California, be went to
Shasta City, and after having mined for a
after judgment as before judgment. Pnn
ciple and express authority concur in this
conclusion.
LINTON STEPHENS.
against the United States authorities were 1 ®° d w * s 60met * me i n •ha tall of I860, kill-
in any one’s heart, we believe that thef e , d _ ln H drunkenbrawlm that place by »
community en waste would regard him as
From the Courier de.s Etuis Unis.
The Women af the South.
For some days past the Tribune, which
generally possesses the virtue of self-re
spect, not knowing, doubtless, how else to
give vent to its ill humor at the turn of af
fairs, has lavished insults upou the women
of the South. It seems to us that a thou
sand reasons, not to mention the simple
one of property, should restrain a Nor
thern journal from 6uch attacks. The
Tribune should remember, too, the hero
ism displayed by tiie Confederate wo^nen
for their cause. Whether this cause were
good or bad, the Southern women have
sustained it nobly, aud with a force of char
acter which recalls the ancient women of
Sparta, and which has everywhere com
manded respect and admiration.
Not satisfied with attacking the South
ern women, the Tribune institutes be
tween them and the women of the North
a comparison as odious as it is unjust.
"Our women.” says Mr, Greely’s news
paper, ‘‘are everywhere a most cultivated
class ; tbe women of the South are more
illiterate than the men.”
We dispute the truth of this .assertion*
There are at the South, as at the North,
educated women and ignorant women, well
bred and ill bred, vulgar women. But we
do not believe that tbe proportion is so
unfavorable to the South. The ladies of
Charleston, of New Orleans aud of Rich
mond have shone in all the European sa >
loons where they have appeared, as bril
liantly as those of New York and Boston.
That the Southern women are less literary
than their husbands is very possible, but we
do not consider this surely as a reproach. '
We do not like learned women ; we j
aie repelled by women versed in Lat
in and philosophy, and unlike Mr.
Greely, take the part of Henrietta against
Annande. A woman may be educated
certainly, but let her never become a ped
ant; ana above all,let her never parade her
learning. We do not see at tlie South
such physical and philosophical ladies ; we
see only too many of them st the North ;
and what these gain in science, if science
that may be called which consists in a
great number of ideas, almost always con
fused and superficially understood, join
ed to enormous pretension, lose in grace
aud and attraction. We say this wirh
out intending any injustice to those charm
ing Northern women who avoid the gro
tesque and rediculons aud resemble in this
their sisters of the South.
Let us permit the Tribune to insist upon
the “gross ignorance” of tbe Confederate
women, aud to refer to this ignorance then-
energy aud constancy during the war.—
We attribute the great qualities of which
tbe Southern women have given noble ex
ampleto a higher origin. Ignorance,the Tri
bune has 6aid it a hundred times, can en
gender only vice and meanness—and, if
the Confederate women have been heroic,
it is because they had faith in their cause.
There are no occasions in history when
women, whose mission in ordinary times
is to make the good wife, the tender moth
er, and to polish manners by the charm and
grace which she brings into all social rela-
tious.may rise above herself ar.d give exam
plesofthe highest virtues. These occasions
occur whon the sacred soil oflier country,
and with it (or through it) the domestic-
hearth and the family are threatened with
invasion. These high virtues tbe women
of the South have practiced without osten
tation, without theatrical parade.
They have borne all privations, they
have defied all outrages by their proud
and impassable attitude. Soldiers, drun
ken with blood could outrage their bodies,
but their victims remained as pure as those
Christian virgins whose memories the em
braces of the executioner eouid not defile.
All that is precious to women—dress, jew
els, the luxurits of home—all these the
Southern women gave up—they did not
even recoil before sacrifices still more pain
ful—they did not fear to break their hearts
by sending forth their eons to do battle
for a cause, sacred in their eyes, like that
Lacedemonian mother who showed a shield
to her son and said simply—return with it
—or it—do thy duty, or die. Do not ex
pect such trials from ignorant women,
from souls without elevation !
And while desolation over all the hearths
of the South, while mothers had each day
fresh tears to wipe away, yet bravely bore
their grief, how were the women of the
North employed ? In developing a costly
luxury against which the Tribune itself
cried out, calling attention to its scanda
lous extent, feminine prodigality became
more and more unrestrained. We know to
what disastrous result this state of nffaics
had led. Some ladies, it is true, lik Miss
Anna Dickenson, gave tiresome lectures to
promiscuous audiences, others clamored
for pretended woman’s rights, and exposed
themselves to the derision of tiie public ;
and others still enrolled themselves under
the banner of miscegenation. It i« among
a madman. We have seen no such man,
nor have we heard of one: and we doubt
whether there is such a one alive.
Dr. Wayland relates a story which, as
wc have not read it in some years, we
must repeat as best we can from memory :
A steamboat in a dense fog was drawing
near to the wharf at Newport, Rhode
Island. The passengers were struck with
the gigantic size of some persons standing
on shore. Presently one Colossus fell on
one knee and the other giants began to
caper around in a manner very unbecom
ing to men of such huge proportions. It
was presently found that they were little
boys playing marbles on the wharf, and
the log had by some optical illusion mag
nified their apparent size. It is well
known that things which are dimly seen
chum, one George Edicott, since which
time memory and name had almost faded
out of the remembrance of his acquaintan
ces here. His wife, deserted by her
husband, reduced to the most squalled
poverty, for three years, has made a living
at the wash tub.
Last week (Thursday,) her youngest
daughter, Janet died and a few friends
gathered in to watch the corpse. There
were, in the party who set up, John C.
Rieves, an engineer at a steam mill, Thou.
Tanners, a brother of Mrs. Elder, Mrs.
Shawmut and Mary Williams and myself.
About 10 o’clock in the evening, the
doors and windows all closed and shut,
we wcie not only amazed, but strick
en dumb by the appearance of Elder him
self among us in bis palpable earthly form,
as we knew him years ago. I tell it to
you as it was, and if you wish to make
frequently appear to be much larger than ,
. i...: j i.; _ i. this appear more readable you can pnt the
they are, and that things which are not
seen at all sometimes appear to bo immense.
We think General Grierson is iu a fog.—»
flourish aud high sounding words to suit
yourself. He deliberately walked to the
Wbat be sees ho magnifies and what lie T"® 0 placed upon it a bag of melalic
does not see is dreadful indeed.
Just here another story occurs to us of a
fellow, who went into battle and there load
ed his gun six times, but never fired it off.
substance, and as instantly disappeared.—-
Common sense got tho better of us after a
while, and upon opening the bag we found.
8670 iu ten dollar gold pieces, and a little
On coming borne lie told bis mother what [ ac *. a P °! » ith ^ 0 words U “*“*■*
lie had done, and the old lady persuaded i U , , r V, nft a ° ’ a , r ^* ... , .
■ • ,. i- , - ii l-i I he woman lias a certificate for the
biui to discharge the piece. He did so, 1 . * . .
, .. • . ., a , , ... i money now on the first National Bank in
aud it instantly burst to fragments, kicking' ,. 3 . T . , , .
him over, barfing bi.n a little a,id rearing! ,b ' 6 1 ‘ 0 ° il ‘ ba ?,* T
him a good deal” As be lay hall dead! «'P*}*" “P ‘° “i 0 *“ r bo
with fright, bis mother was abont to pick' had “ at ■*> f°* ,**»' bad t"” ‘!“* ,r
WIIU lilCiln, 1113 UlWlIjm tvcio AUUUl 1>V JILE ... x II. 11# .i •
itp a piece of tbe dismantled weapon when' ‘•* u ”?»>*- ' la do f »' d anything
be exclaimed, “Don't touch it, mammy its 1 a f ? u . * ar ! ^ a ! a won go e ere i
, ,, . . .,*+.• . • . J i of being a fool for his labor, in giving this
got to go off live more times yet J” , .®,. , .
mt * ,, ( J , i story to his readers. As to the character
I nc Southern Confederacy is exploded.: T , . . . T ,. .
. i. i - . • r . f . 1 bear iu this community, I would refer you
1 here is no harm in the fragments. It- . XT n r* n . . T 3 u
• ji , „ iy vj- , .u n i to A. H. Conner, Esq., .Postmaster, Joseph
will not go off again. We hope tbe Gen- T ,, . h;. , , T> r
j -U .11 i ru. - .• i j Lawson, Esq., Col. Richard Ryan, Rev.
erai will not be alarmed. — Christian Index. r ,, r • , i\r J
J. H. Lozier, and Dr. Wanger.
. c.
Gen.
Wade !
Destruction of Colombia, 5
Who is Responsible ?—Letter from
m Hampton. ’
Columbia, S. C.. Juno I9:h, I8G5.
To the Editors of the Nets York Day Bock:
Gk.its : In your paper of the 6th May I have
jo.t aeen General Sherman's unk-i:[ report nf fcis
march through tbe two Carolines. As this report
misrepresenls mo in the grossest
ner, I trust that you will not
vindicate myself- It is dr
me, that tho falsehoods of General 8hera.au in ref
erence to the destruction of this city should be ex
posed. This shall be done in the briefest po.aibie
manner.
The report says! “General Wade Hampton,
who commanded the Confederate rear gua
cavalry, had, iu anticipation of our captu.e of
luinbia, ordered that ail cotton, public .mu private
should be moved into the street and fired to pre
vent our making nse of it. * * * Some of
these piles of cotton were burning, especially ouc-
in the very lioart of the city, near the court bouse,
but tba fire was parsislly subdued by tbs labor of
our soldiers. * * * Before one single public
building had been fired by order, the smoulder
ing fires set ‘.by Hampton's order were rekindled
by the wind, and communicated to tiie buildings
around. About dark they began to spread and
got beyond control of the brigade on duty wirhiu
the city. The whole of Wood’s division was
brought in, but ’twas found impossible to check
tho flames which, by midnight, had become uuman-
agable, and raged uaril about four o’clock, a. m.,
when the wind subsiding, they weie got under
control. * * * I disclaim, on the part of my
army, any agency in this tire, but, on the contrary,
claim that we saved what of Columbia remains
unesnsumed. And, without hesitation, charged
Gen. Wade Hampton with having burn, d his own
city of Columbia, not with malicious intent, as the
manifestation of a silly ‘itoiTian stoicism,’ bat from
folly and wautTif sense in filling it with lint, cot
ton and tinder. Our officers and men on uutv
j of the snfferer and laughed to scorn the prayer for
! h«r safety. Another iady was but recently con
fined. Her life hung upon a hair. The demons
were apprised of tne facts in the case. They
overwhelm, d her with terror that she sunk ui:de-
the treatment, survh ing but a <isy or two.”
Again driven forth, numbers
I muL* their way -^to recesses of Sydney Park, and
[ lio.c f incied to find security. But the ingenuity
of hate and rnalace was not to be baffled, and fir 9
brands thrown from the height into the deepest
plcm, | jioilows of «i.e Pnk taught the wretched fugitivos
r. < 0t i0 G-spair vf any esespe from enemies of such un-
t Co- j v< . e; , r i e d and uuremuiiug rage!”
iug rage!
But enough of .this atrocity, the recital ol which
makes humanity shudder, the heart grow sick.—
Sureiy enough has been quoted from the nar-
rative of these horrors to prove that General
Sherman alone is responsible for tiie destruction
of Columbia and for the many other atrocitiea
."iHiudttcd by his army, lie declares that the
fires set by my order consumed the city. I have
shown how false is this statement; bu: even if
were true hew dees he clear himself of the —
t«il*
of burning private dwellings outside of the city
limits l Early in the afternoon of the day ha
entered Columbia, my bouse which w hs, two mile*
from tho city, was fired, soon after the home* 0 f
Mr. Treuholm, Gen. Lovcdl. Mrs. Stark, Dr Wal
lace, Jlr. Arthur, Mr. Leatta and Mrs. English,
in the same vicinity, shared the same fate. Gener
al Shermau cannot deny that these house* w 9 ra
burned by bis men, nor can he deny that he de
stroyed, in part, or in whole, the villages of Barn
well, Biackville, Graham, Bamberg, Bofurd’*
Bridge, Orangeburg. Lexington, Alston, Poimma,
Winnsboro’, BUckstocks, 8ociety-Hi'd, Camdra
and Che raw. Does net the fate of these unoffen
ding towns give the lie to his disclaimer of any
agency in burning this city! Along the line of
march followed by him there is scarcely one house
worked well to extinguish the Haines.”
It would ba difficult, if not impossible, to ex- j standing from the Savannah river to tho Pedee
press, iu an equal number of paragraph, a greater j Hl!(] yet he dared to declare solemnly that ho did
uot burn Columbia! I do not wonder that ho
number of falsehoods than are contained iu the
above extracts. There is not one word of truth in
all that has been quoted, erc-pt the statement
that “Gen. Hampton commanded tiie Confederate
rear guard,of Cavalry.” I did not order any cotton
“moved into tbe street and fired.” On the con
trary, my first act on taking command of the eav- i faLsehood. But he shall i
airy—to which I was assigned <mly tho night be- ; ^ t ^ 6 scat e^uat for
fore the evacuation of Columbia—was to repre- j taken his arnrv in tliu
siiouid strive to escape the infamy which like tha
leprosy of Gehasi, shall cleave onto him and unto
his seed forever, tor the commission of this dark
deed. Nor am i surprised that he should natural
ly seek to escape by taking refuge behind a
not for hia impunity make
his sins. Wherever be
. . r, , n . * . , . ,— , is Stats, women have been
■®“t to General Beaurev&rd the danger to ihe town insulted or outraged, old meu have been hong
of firing the cotton iu the streets. 1. pon tnis rep- t<J exfl , r t nxm them hidden treasure. The fruits
resentation, he authorized me to give orders that j of rll0 earth have been destroyed, leaving starva-
no cotton in the town should be brad, which order | tion wLore ^ ty 0 - Jce reigned, and the dwellings
atnctij carTi^u out. I leit tiie city at.er too • 0 f and poor alike have beeu Said in ashes.—*
head of bhomiau a column enters, it, a*iu I assert i p or these deeds history will brand him as a robber
what can be proved by t.ious.tnds, that not uue j incendiary, and will deservedly “damn biin to
bale of cottnn was on fire vrher. he took possession j eve^*asti r u»- fame ”
of the city. Hia assertion to the contrary is false, j j am your obedient servant.
and he knows it to be so. A distinguished citizen
WADE HAMPTON,
Lieutenant General.
of this State—whose name, were J at iibei iy r.> give ;
it, would be a sufficient voucher oven at the North,
for the truth of any statement made by him-hr.s fieneia! sfccrInaD on tae Burning nf C«luh
given to the public a minute history of the destruc ;
tion of the city. j ®* a * 5 • ®*
From this oocument, which is too long for in- \ The following is tha letter of Major Gen’l 8her-
tells
Respectfully,
wilber g. McIntyre.
The Hew Slave Trade.
The Nashville Banner of tbe 4th
the following singular story : j How Newspapers Appreciate Orato-
Slavery in a new phase, and under the by.*—The difference between a man’s own
cold-blooded manipulation of “new 7 hands estimate of himseif, and the estimate in
at the business,” has just come to light, which others hold him, is nowhore more
which presents features of a startling char*. raa rbyd thau iu tne cases ol the statesmen of
acter, and substantially explodes the im- the present day and generation. There arc
pression that the only Ameiican slave Congress assembed a large number of
drivers are to be found among the planters gentlemen who believes honestly, no doubt
of the Southern States- We find the loU that without the assistance of their intellect
lowing paragraph among the Telegraph * n ^ voices, the coantry can never have a
items going the rounds : j thorough understanding of the great prob-
“A letter from Havana says the land- of reconstruction j hence they exorcise
ing of siaves in Cuba from Africa con-| their constitutional right of great verbal
tiuues. A lot of one hundred were recent- expectorations, from truly charitable and
ly sold for -$80,000 to a planter, who, it is commendable motives. Not only do
said, some time ago entered i D to a cove- the .f think h t!ieir ri S ht and dul y to a P ea k,
nant not to deal in human flesh.” but the / are confident that it is the duty
We have information from the most re- tbe uews P ft P ers ^ print all they say,
liable sources of the landing of negroes—' . O ue who thus believes, made a speech
not “slaves,” in Cuba, and not from Africa, * u House a few days ago, and the next
but from the United States of America ! wag paired to find bis two hours effort
In conversation with a leading merchant boiled down into about twenty, lines in
and estimable citizen, yesterday, we learn- tb e Now Tork papers. He was indignant
ed that a gentleman, and friend of our iu- “ho was mad he wrote to tbe editor,
formant, and formerly a large slave owner, _ a c0 Py i°* .bis speech in the
has just returned from Havana, (and arri- Glol f> aud inquiring whether be wouldn’t
ved in Nashville a few evenings since.— do him the justice, and his readers the fa-
Whilst in Havana, be was attracted by vor, of publishing his “argument” entire,
an unction of slaves at a negro mart. At r cpiy» he received a note from tbe ad*
the moment he drew near the scene, which V0r tiaiug clerk, informing him that his
was not unlike such pictures in this coun- speech would make so many squares, which,
try, some years since, he noticed “upon 80 uluc h a square, would corno .to so
the block,” a negro man, who caught his niuc h» actually $1,500. 1 hink of asking
eve and there was an instantaneous ami a P 00r Congressman half his years salary
undoubted and mutual recognition. Tho l ' ,r P“n‘iug his “argument.” Tbe M. O.
sale concluded, the negro was “knocked tbiuks the editor is a wretch, and the press
down to the highest bidder,” aud our of tbo country is awfully demoralized.
Southern plauter was in the act of moving _ ,, . , _ " , . , _
away, when he felt his arm grasped, and Baldwi “ ; be Rad-cal member of Con-
turning beheld the negro who had just been f? rese and editor of the Winchester (Mass.)
sold, and who addressed him by name ^P^ ’ hoard the President s speech the nth-
called him “Master ,” and begged : er evening and thus writes as to the man-
tliat he might take him back to his old ne1 ''. * .t famous address::
homo. It was one of his former servants ‘ B,s v p lce 18 ® iear » J iars h, powerful and
and slaves. Upon further investigation, penetrating. When he seems speaking
he learned that sixteen others of the very w ’ f h most excitement, he is evidently the
slaves who were horn and brought np on coo ' ea ^ mun m the world. I watched him
his own plantation, and subsequently "\ t] \ the awakened interest of one who
emancipated by Mr. Lincoln’s proclama- felt the magnitude of the crisis the 6poaker
tion, were there in Havana, and had was 'treating, and am convinced that all he
been kidnapped and sold again into the SH,d was wei S hed aud “easured, and
which will show hovr
solemn disclaimer of ‘
and his claim to have
remains unconsomed.”
true is General drier man’s
any agency in this lire,”
‘saved what of C**iurr.fiia
The Mayor had been in
formed that he would be notified when to sum*; l-
er the city, knowing that ineffectual resistance on
our part would furnish the ready excuso for a!!
lawlessness on tho part of the enemy. I would
uot allow my troop# to become engaged*iu the
city, and they were withdrawn on the morning oi
teresting as giving Genera! Sherman’s views on
tiie payment of Southern war claims:
“ H * A D‘-iU ART t KS MrLITART DlTISIOK
0»* THE MlStlSSlFPI,
St. Louis. March d, 1306.
“Benjamin liozts, Columbia, S. C. :
“Dear Sir:—I have your letter enclosing a
> to tiie Congress of the United States, ask-
we had done wrong. This is not true. The right-
Natioual Government bad been
following letter:
“Columbia, S. C., Fob. 17th, I860, j ful authority of the
To Major General Sherman: , resisted in the Statcof South Carolina for years .and
The Confederate forces, having evacuated Co- | we were compelled, at great cost of life and money
lufubia, I deem it my duty, as Mayor and re ere-; to conduct timber a vast army, and our progress
oent&tive of the city, to ask for its citizens the heat- j was resisted t»j* ail tire force the State could ob-
nient accorded by the usages of civi.ized warfare, j tain. Your own citizens resisted our approach,
I therefore respectfully request that you will sena j not Only with arms, but by burning the bridge#
a sufficient guard iu advance of the arm 7. to main- j over the Edisto, Congaree, S&Iuda and Broad riv-
tain order in the city, and to protect iue persons j ers. ^hey burned the depot in Columbia before
rire-
Very re2pect1u.lv
aud property of the citizens
your obedient servant,
[Signed] T. G. Gocowtw, Mayor.”
Tho deputation met the advance guard of the
enorny, under Colonel Stone—Fifteenth Corps—
outside of the city, and Colonel Stone returned
with them to the town iu their carriage.
The Mayor reports that on surrendering the city
to Colonel Stone the latter assured him of the safe
ty of the citizens, and tiie protection of their prop
erty while under his command. He eouid not
these classes of women, who defy good
sense and modesty in public exhibitions,
that the Tribuue finds its idea.
Let this journal, then, cense (o insult
these conquered women* of whom tho de
feat has uot diminished tha greatness, let
it cease to embitter aud # dishonor its pen
in sustaining an indefensible paradox.—
The North, like the South, has its contin
gent of good.greceful and well educated wo
men ; it has, perhaps, a larger number of
that class who so little deserve the name
of women, and for whom certain announce
ments are made in the journals : it possess
63 also a greater share of learned and ped
antic laums—but for those, will New Or
leaus not become envious of Boston. As
for good and well bred society.it is the same
everywhere^ and the Tribune may be
sure that a woman of the world, coming
from Boston, would not feel out of place in
New Orleans, nor would the contrary be
true. In columniating tbe Southern wo-
servitude and bodago they had known, , , , ... , ,
from birth i the tumult of applause which greeted his
Who could have taken these unfortu-1 fitl ‘> n g e8t denunciation and most virulent
nates over there, but the agents ap p oin . 1 ^fck was surging around, those cold eyes
ted to deliver them out of bondage in this * nd tbat "afty smile could be seen cal-
couutry ? Answer it, ye bleeding hearted | elating the entire seeing and its accessors,
philanthropists of Massachusetts.
We are also informed, and we have rea
son to believe the information correct that
The Cjilon Fraud.
The Transcript says, we call tKe attention of
... 1 • 1 .l- . co • 1 • 1 the Government officials to the frauds which have
the extent to which t.i*s traffic is being : keen ui )blush»ngly carried ouf. in tbe rich cotton
carried 011 is considerable. An iustance j region of ttouthwestern Georgia. We converted
is mentioned to us where a party of indi yesterday with a reliable and prominent planter
viduals from tho North, and among them, from that region who state# that Treasury agent#
pel SOUS lately holding offices aud military j whatever, and against the oaths aud affidavit
auswer lor General Shermau, who was la tiie roar, imprudence of cutting the cotton bale#,
Vhereby the contents were spread by the wind, #0
that it became an impossibility to arrest the fire.
we enlT-red the city, because it contained corn and
stores 1 hey supposed we needed, and set fire to
thousands cf bales of cotton rolled out into the
streets, and which were burning before we entered
Columbia.
‘*1 m*seif was in the city as early as noon and
saw those fires, and knew that efforts were made
to extinguish them, but a high and strong wind
kept them alive. I gave no orders for the bani-
ing of your city, but on the contrary, the reverse,
and I believe the conflagration resulted from the
but he expressed the conviction that lie would ful
ly confirm tha assurances which he (Co'onel Stone)
had ' ~ ‘ "
confirm
or was
counseled him to retire to rest, saying, “Not a fin- t!ins b e burned, and from what I #aw myself,
ger’s breadth, Mr. Mayor, of your city s'-mii be u0 hesitation iu saving that he was the cause of
harmed. You may lie'down'to sleep, satisfied the destruction of your property, Yourtrnerem-
tfiat your town shall be as said iu my hands :-.s if udy is against him and such others of yonr own
citizens as conspired with liiin and made tho inil-
wholly iu your own.” * * * “At about eleven
o’clock the head ol the column reached Maiket pary occupation of your city an absolute necesi-
Hall. Hardly had the troops reached the head of by- I hardly think it is fair that Congress should
Main street, when tho work of pillage was begun. people of G’uo, Illinois and Missouri to
Stores wore broken open in the presence of thorn*- j pay for such losses; but as it is cot my province
ands within the first hour after their arrival. No i to judge in such matters, I send your petition ac-
attempt was made to arrest tbe burglars. Tne 1 cording to its address.
authoiitics, officers, soldiers, all seemed to consider ; “I again aasura you of my personal sympathy
r ami ir.flr.nilv Knt Hii« n>n*c
it a matter ot course. And woe to him wno car
ried a watch with gold chain pendant, or who
wore a choice hat, or overcoat, or boots, or shoes.
He was stripped by ready experts in the twinkling
of an eye.” ***** * *
“About twelve o’clock tbe jail was discovered to
bo on lire from within. TLis building was imme
diately iu tbe rear of the martet or City Hall,
and in a densely built portion of the city. ’* *
The fire in the jail had been preceded by that ot
some col ton piled iu the streets. Both fires wore
soon subdued by our firemen. At about 1 1-fl
! by reason of your age and infirmity, but this must
not lead oie to endorse a wrong principle.
“I am with g.eat respect, your obedient.servant,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major General.”
Mr. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, in his speech in
the Senate at Washington on Wednesday, said:
‘1 wo radical ideas—radically false, however—
^ ally false, however-
brought on the war which has cost the nation
mors than oO'J.oOO lives and untold million# of
treasure- let, I hat States had a right to secede:
w^ 0 i^«dit a ffi O h f e t d h " jt ‘ il * WaS * ekiK * lcd That slavery i# a blessing. Th! surrender of
firemen iu putting out the S °°‘ h “ “<>"*• P—
\ U , Ja w : vas rrf * £0ir j 8oppose v.e stats tbe question differently. Twe
ige their e^orts. rhey were . radical id'■•as brought on the war—Jet, That tho
nd embarrassed by the contained inter-; Constitution is a league with hell; 2nd, That tho
the soldiery, inuahy, their hose was j Union existing by virtue of it must be destroyed.
fire in the cotton in the jail was
to discourage their further efforts,
thwarted and
fereuce ofthe iun. aa s V "as j 1,man existing by virtue of it must be destroyed,
chopped with swords and axes, and pierced wen j This is as near the truth as Mr. Doolittle -ot in
bayonets so as to be rendered useless.
positions under the government, engaged
io carry a ship load ot sufi'ering and des
titute treedmen and their families, from
tho Carolina coast to New Orleans. The
philanthropists, representing capital and
religion, furnished tho transportation in
tiie form of a good sea-going vessel. The
\essel sailed trom the starting poiut, but
alter repealed inquiry and investigation,
no account so far, of its arrival at the port
of Now Orleans or any other United States
port has been mentioned or heard of. The
vessel never landed again iu America
with its cargo of three hundred souls, aud
inference, we think, is plain, coupled with
similar rumors of instances of a like start
ling nature, that an extensive traffic is go
iug on between this country and Cuba,
and the crime is being perpetrated only by
those who have the means, the political
influence arid the military protection to
pull the wool over official eves. If we
mistake not, some other investigations are
necessary down about the Gulf, then those
of mere cotton frauds by those who are
viug faithless to their high trusts.
Wild ducks feed 00 wild celery from
the bottom of the creeks, aud a “dead
duck” will flap and waddle as long as it
cau draw its salary from the political
mine.— Wash. Hep.
For one mau who sincerely pities our
misfortunes, there are a thousand who siut
cerely hate our success.
that proved it to Lav* been quite unconnected
with the cotton loan, branded it with tbe Govern
ment mark, and sent it away to Apalachicola. Th ay
would not give the owners, in many instance#,
the opportunity to prove their right#. Whenever
plenty of cotton could be found, they seized it
“upon suspicion.” It was understood, however
that by giving up one eighth of the cotton, the
remainder would be unmolested. Our iuformaut
state# that he refnsed to pay the black mail; he
would rather lose all than submit; and tbe result
was that two hundred bale* ot cotton, (strictly
private property) wore taken away from his plan
tation, which is about forty miles below Albany,
aud seut down tbe Flint River to be shipped to
New York. He expect# never to see those bale#
again. He says that this case is aii illustration
of what is going on throughout that section of
country. Tue official who seized his cotton, after
vainly striving to turn a part of it to his own per
sorial account, is said to have had the effrontery
to add, that “all the officials iu that branch of the
Government, from the Secretary down, had a her
ring in his hand and would tak.- salt !” Wc pub
lish the statement in order to show what the char
acter of agent# in that region has sometimes been,
and what iiqury to the fair fume of the Govern
meut and its most incorruptible representatives
have accrued from their employment.
Srit.iTUAL Maniklstations.—The |Lonisri!le
Courier lately resolved itself into a committee of
one to investigate ihe phenomena of spiritual
manifestations, socabed. He says:
Wo wrote upon different slips of paper several
interrogatories, regarding fact# within onr cogni
zance, fo’ded them securily, and were answered
in writing by Ml*. Colchester with perfect exact
ness and a remarkable degree of legibility. Sub
sequently,, he requested us to think of the name
of some doceasad frieud, and almost, immediately
displayed his bare arm, upon whieh was written
in blood-red letters, beneath the skin, ti e exact
autograph of the person upon w hom our mind had
been fixed.
The en
gines were in some cutes demolished also. And
so the miserable day wore on in pillage, insult,
and constant confusion aud alarm. Wc have
shown that the robbery of the persons of citizens
and the plunder of their houses commenced with
in one hour after they had reached the Market
Hall. It continued without intermission through
out the day. Sherman traversed the streets every
where, so did his officers, }et they saw nothing to
rebuke or restrain.’’ * * * “Robbery ivm
goingou ft every corner, in every bouse, vet thctc
was 110 censure, no punishment.” * * “Among
the first tires at evening was one about da.k,
which broke out in a filthy portion of low houses,
occupied mostly as brothels. There were then
some twenty fires in full blast, in as many differ
ent quarters, at nearly the same moment, and
while tl»**larm sounded from those quarters a
similar alarm was sent up almost siniulunou-iy
trom Cotton Town, tho northern!.>st lin-ii cf tli •
city, and from Main street iu its very center.’' * #
“The wretches engaged in this appointed incen
dial* ism were well prepaicd with aii thuHiiniiancea ! |i(-d
essential to their work. They carried with them '
from house to honse pots aud vessels containing
combustible liquids, and with bali- of iirc saturat
ed iu this liquid, they conveyed the flames with
wonderful rapidity lrom dwelling to dwelling.”
* * * “What remained, from tii« morning, of
engines and hose were biougut out by theiiiLiucn.
bnt these wore soon driven from their labors Li
the pertinacious hostility of the iiuvmiianVs. En
gines were tumbled over and disabled, the hose
was hewn to pecio6, and tho fircuieo, dreading
worse usage to themselves, left the fled jo ues-
pair.”
» • • “Old men and women and children
were to be seeu, often while the flames were roll
ing and raging around ihem—while wails were
cracking and rafters toiermg and tumbling, iu tiie
endeavor to save their clotliing aud some of their
more valuable effects. They were driven out,
headlong, pistois clapped at their h-ads, tiolerit iiur.iair.iu*n
hand* laid on throat and collar, and tiie ruffians
seemed to make but little distinction in their treat
ment of man and woman. Ladies were hustVd
from their chambers under the strong arm or with
their menacing pistol at their hearts. Thf ir orua
menu plucked from their breasts—the r bundles
taken from their bauds.” * * * “A lady un
dergoing pains of labor, had to be borne out on a
matrass into the open air to escape the tire. It
was in vain that her situation was described to the
incendiaries, as they applied the torch widen or
without the house, They beheld the situation
the statement v.*o have quoted, which is by
means an assertion that it is tbe exact truth.
i he. right of a State to secede is a question that
would buye acquired r,o prominence as a pol. tiral
i-s.-me bad all tne States been content with the
privilege* accorded them in the Union. Ir was
•j'.-gatisfHctffia with the Union that provoked in
quiry into the question of the right to socede.—
States as veil as individuals may possess number-
boriC8K rights which they will never think of
exorcising unless# circumstances occur which
»ugge.-t the propriety for their exercise.—
jir. Doolittle attribute# to a view of legs!
light, upon a single question, occurrences orig
inating hi passions and internets having no connec
tion with that right. The cause of the war wes
t he sectional haired created and matured by tne
discussion of the sinvery question, and for that
the North is as much responsible as the South.—
Tiie Smith Las surrendered its position on this
question, and the only reason why there is not
now permanent peace is that this hatred is cher
ished by the parry with whom Mr. Doolittle is al*
i c:s is the simple truth in the matter, sod
lie should he- ashamed to attempt to dodge it by
pettifogging.—[Chicago Times.
Gar.*. Grist and the Radicals.—Senator
son, of Massachusetts, lately i" the Senate, an
nounced Gon. Grant, as the candidate of the radi
cals for tho next Presidency. The New York
News says:
‘'Mr. Wilson' would not have hazarded the nom
ination iu so ostentari ms a style, v ithont the sanc
tion of Gen. Grant; and Gen. Grant wuuld not
have permitted Mr. Wilson to parada hiui before
the country 7 in such an attitude, if lie refused the
Radical alliance. Indeed, tbe Massachusetts Sen
ator wad carol'ul to proclaim that his party es
pouses the Gomniander-in-Chicf for the special
purpose of maintaining the (Radical ascendancy,
and reversing ihe conservative policy cf the Ad*
Ft how slow Gives up the President.—In are-
cout-loiter cf Brownlow to a Pennsylvania Con
gressman, he writes:
••When I put the President in nomination «t
Baltimore for the Vice Presidency. J felt that he
had so thoroughly commit:ed himself to the Union
cause, and had been so baJiy treated by tbe reb
els, it was impossible for him over to get round to
them again, bnt I give him np os lost to the Un
ion party, and as the mao who is to head tba
eli and Democrats.”