Weekly Columbus enquirer. (Columbus, Ga.) 1861-1873, August 06, 1867, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textk IKE FLOrtuisS CGlLEbiivN \ — A STRICT CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION—AN HONEST AND ECONOMICAL. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT. RAGLAND & WYNNE, Proprietors. COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 6, 1867. VOL. XXXIX.—NO, 32. WEEKLY ENQUIRER. COLUMBUS: THURSDAY, AUGUST 1,1867. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION : One VoarCm advance) - $4.00 Six Months (in advance) $2.00 Violence by Negroes in Russell County. VYe have seen a private letter from Hurtville, Russell county, Ala., dated .July 20th, which states that on Wednes day evening last Sir. Wiggins whipped one of his negro laborers for Elandering his wife; and that on Wednesday night nearly every negro man on the placo nriiied themselves with pistols, guns, clubs, and a rope to tie with, and broke into Sir. Wiggins' house, surrounded his bed, and were about to tic him and carry him OB’, when bis cries brought to his as sistance a young gentleman of the neigh borhood, who went armed, and through whose interference the negroes were in duced to abandon for a time their violent intentions and to consent to wait until morning and then proceed in conformity to law. The next morning, however, the negroes returned, with reinforcements from some of the neighboring plantations, and forcibly taking Mr. Wiggins from his bouse, carried him before Granville VVhito at EnoD (whoseofficial position we do not know), and had Wiggins bound over for his appearance at Court. Wiggins, the letter states, then asked for a warrant for the negroes, which White refused to grant, telling the negroes they wero right. The letter further .‘J'ites that the negroes in the neighborhood have armed and mus tered in considerable force, and make great threats against the whites. The feeling among them is represented to be very bad, and may lead to serious difficul ties. Tho whites would have had no objec tions to regular legal proceedings against Mr. Wiggins. Rut the negroes insisted on carrying out their violent plans as de tailed above. It is to bo hoped that proper represen tations have been made to Gen. Swayne, and that his action in tho matter will be such as to instruct and detor those who imagine they have a right to take the law into their own hands. The Raleigh (N. C.) Register is much more sensitive than any radical press or politician in Georgia. It admonishes its “Northern Republican friends” of a mis take that they make when they come South and pitch into tho “rebels” for their ■ourso during the war, and denounco slavery us tho sum of all villainies. It says that such remarks are “not compli mentary when uddresfed to most of our Republican gatherings, which are com posed, so far as whiles are concerned, of persons who rover until recently had any sympathy with Republican ideas, and who, in & majority of instances, are more or less compromised with the rebellion, and almost always with the pro-slavery policy which led to it.” Tho Register therefore asks them to “let bygones be bygones,” lest recently converted Repub licans should be offended 1 Wo advise Northern radical speakers that they need not be at all unoasy about rousing unpleasant feelings in the minds of their Georgia white political associates by such allusions. They might as well attempt to pioreo tho epidermis of an oio- pbant with a china berry from a boy’s pop-gun. It really seems as if our while radicals have forgotten all about their personal complicity in the rebellion and their late participation iu tho sin of slavery 1 It appears that it was tho Conservative “Republican General Committee” which nominated Gen. Grant for the Presidency, at New York, last week—not the Radical Committee. Wo had forgotten that the Conservative Republicans bad such an or ganization. Thuriow Weed appears to have boon the managing spirit. Charles B. Andrews, Esq., of Selma, has neon confirmed by tho Senato as Uni ted States Internal Revenue Collector for tho Middle District of Alabama, vicoDr. James Rerney, of Montgomery, resigned. According to a Washington dispatch of the2Gih, President Johnson has appointed Lieutenant General Sherman, and Brig. Gens. W. S. Harney and A. H. Terry, as members of tbo Indian Commission, com pleting the list. -<« a i» Great discoveries of tin ore in Madison county, Mo., havo been reported. One lodo is said to be five or six hundrod feet wide, and tho deposits aro said to bo the largest in the world. Tin has heretofore been a rare mineral in the United States. Madison adjoins Iron county, in which is tho famous Iron Mountain. In Baker couDty, Ga., 233 whites and 035 blacks havo been registered. In Col quitt, first round, 105 whites and 14 blacks. In the counties of Murray, Whitfield, Catoosa, "Walker, Chattooga, Gordon and Bartow, registration, so far, shows a white majority of 3,349. It is slated that a recent test in England of tho American Rodman gun, fiftoen inch, proved that no iron plato or steel armor yet invented can resist it. > ♦ «♦- The Board of Health of New York city reported 278 cases of measles for the week ending July 25th, of which 35 proved fa tal. Tho Havana correspondent of the New York Times, writing on tho 20th instant, says in reference to British Honduras: “An immense flow of immigrants from tbo Southern States of America have ar rived with their wives, families and imple ments of agriculture. The new-comers wero buj’ing large tracts of land to settle upon. Several influential gentlemen had been to Belize on tbeir behalf to visit the surrounding country, and select tho loca tion for townships.” Thirty-throe members of the New York Constitutional Convention voted in favor of tbo proposition to confer tbe cleclivo franchise on mioors eighteen years of age. It is announced that Geo. Brisbin, of Kentucky, a Northern radical emissary, will stump tbe State of Alabama for his party in August. Says a dispatch of the 20th from Ber lin : "Two conscripts, belonging to the Imperial army, to-day attempted to es cape, and succeeded in reaching an Amer ican vessel at Bremensbaven, on the point of sailing. The Prussian authorities threatened to open their batteries on the ship if the commander refused to give op tho conscripts. After a sharp parley the men were surrendered.” The Nomination of General Gran*. Tho perplexity of the extreme Radicals at what they regard as the premature nomination of General Grant by the moro moderate wing of their party, is easy to understand. Some of bis late declarations have satisfied them that he is now in favor of the Congressional plan of “re construction” ; but they know that he was at one time in favor of th9 President’3 plan, and that he is, at best, but a tardy, if not a reluctant, supporter of the Mili tary Government measures. That he is heartily favorable to their scheme, inclu ding the alternative measures which they hold in store for the South, they are by no means satisfied. The Radicals want either a President fully in sympathy with them in all their violent measures for the retention of power, or one whom they can snub and overrule as they do Presi dent Johnson. Thoy know that General Grant, if elected, would have such strong popular support that they could not pos sibly overrule him or take from him the Executive powers confided to him by tbe Constitution. Hence the reluctance of the extremists in accepting him ; hence the preference of so many for Chase, even though they know that their chanco of electing tho latter would be a very doubt ful one. They will go into the canvass in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, this fall, under the prestige of Grant as the indica ted nominee of their party, ar.d they may carry thosu States by this uso of his name. But when it comes to a final and bona fide nomination of a Presidential standard- bearer of the party, the fight with Chase, Wendell Phillips, Sumner, Wade, Butler, and others of the extreme wing, will be very bitter before Grant can be selected. A correspondent, writing to us from Indian Springs, insists that it is time the conservative men of Georgia were organ izing and taking steps to counteract the mischievous influences brought to bear by tbe radicals. Ho suggests that county meetings be held, and that suitable men be selected to address meetings of both colors; that, if necessary, the exponses of such speakers be paid, us those of tbe radicals are by their party at tho North. It really seems to us that the conserva tives ought to be making greater efforts than they are now making. A littlo proper exertion now may avert future evils of appalling magnitude. Let our friends arouse to the necessity of timely and vigorous action. In Sumter county, as we learn from an official publication in the Georgia Citi zen, 959 whites and 1889 blacks have been registered in tbe whole county. This is a better showing for the whites than we ex pected in Sumter. A speciul dispatch from Washington, 26th, to tho Cincinnati Enquirer says that a proclamation against filibustering expe ditions to .Mexico has been prepared, but that the President will not issue it until there is more conclusive evidence that such movcm’oLts are on foot. Fulton.—The registry foi this county has been closed, and tho Intelligencer «i»es the following as tbo result: Whites in tho city 1441 Whites in the country 403 Total Blacks in the city Blacks in tho country.. ..1844 ..1528 .. 103 Total. 1091 Registration iu Bullock Couuty, Ala. Enon, Ala, July 29, 1867. Editor Enquirer: Below you will find tho number of registered voters at the dif ferent precincts in Bullock county. Only two or three places remain to bo register ed, which will add 300or 400 more votors : Union Borings.... Colored. White. 617 170 Sardis Chinch 183 48 120 Greenwood 323 Union Church.... Farnorville 141 Perote 131 Scotland 64) Indian Creek 109 9S Midway 162 2437 1088 2437 We published yesterday a table of regis tration in Alabama as far as heard from. The Montgomery Advertiser of yester day has somo additional returns, which increaso tbo aggregate about soven thou sand, and show a gain of over seven hun dred for the whites. The totals now stand —whites 37,584, blacks 55,520. -<»•❖«€> A special dispatch to the New York Times says, in reference to the Surratt trial: “Further search for documents needed in the trial by the prosecution, which aro known to have been in posses sion of tho officers who prosecuted tbe original conspiracy trial, dovelope tho fact that somo of them have been displaced or have disappeared entirely. A schedule of these papers has beon obtained, how ever, and there will bo but little difficulty in tracing them out. They cannot be found, however, in time to be used at the present trial; but as the information con tained in them is of great importance, they will bo turned over to Gen. Butler’s com mittee and will receive a fuil investiga tion.” According to very late foreign advices, war between France aad Prussia is as threatening now as it was before the as sembling of the late Peace Conference.— France, it is reported, has demanded of Prussia a compliance with her stipulation to surrender to Denmark the disputed Duchies, and Prussia manifests no inten tion to comply with the demand. Napo leon claims the right to enforce tbe ob servance of the Prussian engagement, and it is said that he is supported in this claim by Russia and other powers. The Montgomery Advertiser of yester day says: "Wagons were continually coming in yesterday, with cotton either for storage or sale. The planters in the conntry who were holding their cotton for cases of emergency, aro anxious now to get rid of it on account of the brilliant prospects of the growing crop." Gen. Swayne has appointed Captain A. P. Wilson (late of tbe Confederate army) Clerk of the City Court of Montgomery, vice Mr. Smith, deceased. A Trenton correspondent of the Now York World says that a resolution offered in the New Jersey Radical Convention in favor of Grant, and laid on the table, was suggested by Senator Wilson, who was very sore over its fate, not hesitating to aver that the whole State had been sold out to Chase, but that he was bound to have Grant run in 1868. Mb. Hill’s Notes.--We have receiv ed from tho office of the Augusta Chron icle and Sentinel a pamphlet copy of Hon. B. H. Hill's “Notes on the Situa tion.” The pamphlet is printed ar.d for sale at that office, at 15 cents per single copy, and 10 cents each by the quantity. Also, a pamphlet from the same office containing Mr. Hill's speech at Atlanta, and Ex-Governor Johnson’s late letter. These are valuable and instructive "campaign documents,” and should be ordered from the Chronicle office. We judge that the Savannah Republi can is in favor of Chase for the Presi dency, from the manner in which it al ludes to Grant’s neglect to preserve order in Tennessee. It says (and there is point in what it says): “A telegram to-day shows how Gen. Grant works as an execu tive officer. The manner in which ho manages Tennessee shows how he will, as President, manage tho nation. Should America engage at war with a foreign power, under Grant’s administration, we might see r. President at the head of the army.” Further returns of tho registration in Alabama make tbo total—Whites 39,252, blacks 5S.S30. Thero ought to be at least 80,000 whites registered, allowing for dis franchisement. A Letter from Brazil. Very many Southerners have emigra ted to Brazil during the last twelve months, and the tide seems to be increas ing instead of diminishing. A large ex tent of country in the interior, in a fertile and well-watered region, ha3 been set apart for settlement by emigrants from our Southern States. Mr. C. G. Gunter, late of Montgomery, Ala., (a gentleman well known to us, and whose kindly dis position, generous nature and honesty of purpose are proverbial) has the disposi tion of this territory for the Government, and does everything ia bis power to assist emigrants from the South in procuring good locations. A number of letters from settlers in Mr. Gunter’s colony, or from I A MEMENTO OF THE REVOLU TION. A Manuscript of Thomas Jefferson Sever Before Published—His Remi- niscenccs of Patrick Henry. eloquence were, in •the first days of the session, looked upk. as primi inter pares. A petition to tho t^ng, an address to the people of Great B.iiain, and a memorial to the people of ^-wish America, were agreed to bo drawn. Lee, Henry, and .others, were appointed ^.r jj rsti aDc j The following curious J3lsp6r.i£ Copied I Le e . Livingston, and*Jay, for tho two f- „ r xr 1 « III . Tho Iht.il verbatim from a manuscript of Mr. Jef ferson, which a correspondent in the inte- ' sio* hi or oi -their debut occa- rior of the State has put into our hands, with the privilege of retaining it for a few duys, that any of our readers who may desire to see the handwriting of the author of the Declaration of Independ ence may be gratified with a sight of the paper itself. The well-known chirogra phs-of Mr. Jefi'erson, made familiar to the world by the numerous fac similes of the first draft c.t the Declaration, taken in connection with tbe internal evidence which this manuscript bears of having LA i J.s°. ea 5u\ Henry to be designated by his persons on their way to it, have appeared } come from his hand, renders any argu- The Conservatives of Alabama are call ing meetings in various parts of the State, to appoint delegates to their Montgomery Convention. They appear to be arousing to the necessity of action and concert. Sometime sinco it was announced that Duncan G. McRae, Esq., and one or two other citizens of Fayetteville, N. C., had been arrested and held to trial by a mili tary commission for shooting a negro man. "We believe the facts of the case were, that the negro had committed an assault upon a whito woman and was making his escape from a squad of pur suers, when shots were fired at him and he wa3 killed, and Mcllao and others were arrested for shooting him. "We are glad to learn from the last Raleigh papers that Mr. McRae, having had bis trial before the military commission, has been ac quitted. The testimony failed to connect him in any way with the shooting, and a nolle prosequi was entered. Who Would have Thought It?—I t seems that even Horace Greeley, the phi losopher of tho Tribune, has been losing his temper and assailing in "an ungentle- manly ar.d profane” manner one of his fellow members of the New York Consti tutional Convention, and a leading brother Radical at that 1 After this, we insist that a general amnesty should be granted to all persons throughout tho country who havo been guilty of assault and battery, defamatory language, or any other mani festation of hasty temper. If Horace Greeley can be so far overcome by pas sion as to shake his fist in another man’s face, curse and threaten him, common sinners, of whom nothing good was ex pected, ought to have an oath of futuro good behavior administered to them and Be released m onfo. Wo hope that flora ace will have no difficulty in procuring bail, should the aggrieved member carry the matter beyond the Convention ball. But we are keeping the reader from the account of this affair, which wo find in the proceedings of the Convention on the 26th—New York World's report: "A resolution was adopted to adjourn from to-day until Monday evening.— While tho vote on the question of ad journment was being taken, Mr. Duganne asked to he excused fr< m votiog, and said that he did so for tbe reason that he had not had an opportunity to consult with the Chairman of the Committee on Suffrage (Mr. Greeley) as to how he should vote. He said that when ho was quietly passing down the aisle of this hall after the ad journment last evening, he was met by Mr. Greeley and unger,tiemanly and pro fanely assailed. At this point Mr. Du ganne was called to order, and was unable to conclude. Ho tried to make his state ment in several other forms, but was call ed to order each time. The Convention, therefore, lost this .interesting episode.— But, what he said aroused the curiosity of the members, who insisted upon a private statomant. It seems that Mr. Duganne, according to this statement, voted to ad journ last evening, when Mr. Greeley de sired the Convention to remain in session. The motion being carried, Mr. Greeley approached Mr. Duganne and shook iiis fist in his face and said, ‘D—n you, you voted to aqjourn when 1 wanLed to re main in session; I will never speak to you again.’ It appears that Mr. Duganne was desirous of stating this fact, and ask the Convention if he was to bo dictated to by Mr. Greeley, and whotber such punish ment for voting without consulting Mr. Greeley was con-titutional. He was, however, cutoff, and this important ques tion, whether Republican delegates are bound to vote just as Mr. Greeley tells them, still remains officially undecided, while Duganne is obliged to go for the balance of his life without any recogni tion from the philosopher of the Tribune.” Wo shall probably soon hear that the Surratt case has gone to tho jury, and have their verdict in a short time. A synopsis of most of the evidence on tho trial has appeared in our columns. *We would admonish tbe reader, however, not to consider the acquittal of tho prisoner certain because the published evidence authorizes such a conclusion. Much of this evidence was excluded by the court, and cannot be considered by the jury. Many exceptions will no doubt be taken to the ruling of the court on the admissi bility of evidence, and in the event of conviction it is very likely that the case will go up to the Supreme Court of the District. The "Washington correspondent of tho Macon Telegraph thinks that personal fear is stimulating the efforts of the prose cuting counsel. He writes: "The son of the murdered woman will certainly not rest, after his own acquittal, until he has dragged tho murderers of his mother to justice. He is determined to doit. Ho will have the power to do it; for now that the innocence of his mother has been established, he will find hun dreds of wealthy and powerful friends ready to stand by him and assist him with all tbeir might. The fear of their own lives, therefore, is the motive that is now impelling Stanton, Bingham and YVeieh- man to send John H. Surratt to the scaf fold.” ^ The telegraph reports the removal, by Gen. Sickles,of a Magistrate at Columbia, S. C., for releasing on insufficient bail two men who assaulted J. O. Thompson, cor respondent of a Cleveland paper, in Co lumbia. It appears from previously pub lished accounts, that Thompson and an other correspondent of a Northern paper were assailed by two drunken men, and that both of the assailants were arrested the same night by the Chief of Police. Mr. Armstrong, the other correspondent named, behaved bravely in the fight that occurred, and was afterwards willing to have the matter dropped because the as sailants were drank; but Thompson sent sensational dispatches to the press, and otherwise kept the affair stirred up. We do not know wbat amount of bail the Magistrate required of the offenders, in the Montgomery papers, and all speak very highly of the country, and of the facilities of living and making money there. The following was written by a lady emigrant to some of her friends in this city : Rio Janeiro, June 12, 1867. • My Dear Friends: * * * Wo had a remarkably calm voyage and a great deal of beautiful scenery. The entrance into this harbor is both grand and beau tiful. I have no descriptive powers, so 1 will attempt nothing of the kind. Every thing hero is entirely different from any thing we have been accustomed to; the city even is built differently; everything has an old appearance; many of the houses look as if they had been built a hundred years ago. There are large mountains in tho heart of the c'ty, which gives it a very picturesque appearance. It is the cleanest city I ever saw; the streets aro washed off every night and kept perfectly clean. The bay here is four miles wide,and ferryboats cross every half hour. Tho wealthiest of the popula tion live across the bay and do business in the city. Tho residences are very hand some and tho grounds beautifully im proved ; many of them live in princely style. Tho public squares and gardens hero are the most beautiful I ever saw. Those people certainly live for comfort, and have an eye to the beautiful; a more indolent people never lived, but they will have beautiful gardens. The ladie3 rare ly ever go out here until dark,bat as soon as the gas is lit the fashionable streets and public gardens are thronged with ladies elegantly dressed ; some of them are very beautiful, but as a general thing they are rather plain looking. They all dress a great deal and have the fashions hero be fore you get them in tho States. The most beautiful goods I ever saw anywhere I find here, and the most elegant jewelry in tho world, 1 suppose, is here. I find somo inconvenience about the language, but not so much as I anticipa ted. You would he much amused to see my signs and motions in making myself understood. Tho fish market hero, I believe, is con sidered tho finest in tho world; yet, strange to say, fish aro high, and the rea son is the fishermen havo a certain price, and if they can't get that p--ice, they, will throw tho fish back into tho sea rather than take loss. I went through the mar ket one morning, and everything you could think of could bo had there, even to monkeys, puppies and kittens.and from a sardine up to a shark in fish. You would be amused at the mode of distribu ting milk through tho city. Early in the morning there is a general tingling of cow bells; look out and you will see cows, with tho calves tied to their tails, driven by men, who, when they get to a custom er's door, stop, milk in a tin pale the amount desired, and then drive on to the next door. Dry goods of every kind and tinwaro are very cheap here, but furniture and all kinds of wood ware aro exceedingly high, for nearly ail these things aro imported. China is also high. 1 don’t believe 1 have told you that I am here alone. Dr. F——- has gone out into the country to look for a location. He is not willing to settle until to has seen the country and is satisfied; ho has beon gone neariy three weeks. I have heard nothing from him yet, but hope either to Eee him or hear from him soon. So far I have been agreeably disappoint ed in everything; found everything so much better than I expected. Though I am hero among perfect strangers, yet I never found more kindness among friends. As a people they aro exceeding ly kind and hospitable. They have no uso for Yankees, but aro anxious for Southern emigration, and aro doing everything in their power to encourage it_ I can tell nothing of the country, or of the prospect before us. I havo seen noth ing of tho country life, and very little of the city, but all the Southerners out here, that 1 have seen or heard from, aro satis fied, and feel sure that thoy can do well if they will work. All who have been here any time have dono well, many of them getting rich ; but no one need come here expecting to get rich doing nothing. The natural facilities of the country are such as to make the same amount of work go much farther than in tbe States, conse quently it is easier to make a living. Ev ery kind of work is well paid here. Railroad Convention.—The annual meeting of the stockholders of tho Atlan ta and West Point Railroad was held in Atlanta on Thursday last. The reports of tbe officers of the road showed it to be in a prosperous condition. The Board was unanimously re-elected, viz: John P. King, President; Richard Peters, Ferdi nand Phinizy, Hon. O. A. Bull, Jesse McLendon and John E. Robinson Di- Registration.—The District Registers closed their lists for Muscogee courty (outside of Columbus) yesterday. The whole number registered in the county is 1545, of whom 449 are whites and 1096 blacks. We understand that tho Regis ters will not open their boobs for this county again, unless they receive further orders. 1 he City Registers have not announced tbe completion of their labors, and will probably make new appointments soon. The blacks are a little ahead in the city registration so far. I Chattahoochee.—We find on our table a memorandum of registration in Chatta hoochee county “entire.” We do not know who handed it in, but presume that it is correct. The figures are—'Whites 390, blacks 546—total 936. There are fewer outrages reported in • m® *- en States under Military rule than in Tennessee alone.—N. 17 Tribune. That’s so—and why are you not honest enough to say that these outrages have all been committed by Brownlow’s militia.— Nashville Banner. ment about its genuineness superfluous, His recollections of Mr. Henry, and the view which ho presents of his character, although somewhat startling and at vari ance with the cherished and traditionary reputation of tho great orator, are far too valuable to be suppressed, and form n contribution to history which it is strange hie been so long, withheld. They will be read, especially those portions derogatory to Mr. Henry us a man of personal integ rity, with some caution. There aro state ments in this paper, the accuracy of which, we very much question, and in re lation to which wo shall in a day or two take an opportunity of stating our views. The paper, however, whether as evidence trustworthy or not, is a groat curiosity : My acquaintance with Mr. Henry com menced in the winter of 1759-’60. On my way to the college I passed the Xmas holidays at Col. Dandridge’s.in Hanover, to whom Mr. Henry was a near neighbor. During tho festivity of the season I met him in society overy day, and we became weil acquainted, although I was much his junior, bring then but in my seventeenth year, and he a married man. The spring following he came to Williamsburg to obtain a license as a lawyer.and he called on me at College. He told me he had been reading law only six weeks. Two of the examiners, however, Peyton and John Randolph, men of great facility of temper, signed his license with as much reluctanco as their dispositions would permit them to show. Mr. Wythe abso lutely refused. Rob. C. Nicholas refused also at first, but on repeated importunities aDd promises of Tuture reading he signed. These facts I had afterwards from the gentlemen themselves,the two Randolphs acknowledging ho was very ignorant of law, but that they perceived him to be a young man of genius and did not doubt he would soon qualify himself. He was somo time after elected a repre sentative of tho county of Hanover, and brought himself into public notice on the following occasion, which, I think, took place in 1762, or a year sooner or later. Tbe gentlemen of this country had at that time become deeply involved in that state of indebtedness which has since ended in so general a crush of their for tunes—the speaker was also Treasurer, an officer always chosen by the Assembly. He was an excellent man, liberal, friend ly, and rich. He had been drawn in to lend on his own account great sums of money to persons of this description, and especially those who were of the Assem bly. Ho used freely for this purposo the public money, confiding for its replace ment in his own means and the securities bo hud taken on tboso loans. About this time, however, he becarno sensible that hi-- deficit to tho public was become so enormous as that a discovery mu3t soon take place, for as yet the public had no suspicion of it. Ho devised, therefore, with his friends in the Assembly a plan for a public lonn offico to a certain :'^pouDt, ■ from whioF moneys might be lent on public counj. and on good landed security, to individuals. This was ac- eV Singly brought forward in the House or Burgesses, and had it succeeded the debts duo to Robinson on these loans would have been transferred to the pub- 1 i. and bia doficit thus completely cov' ered. This state of things, however, was not yet known; but Mr. Henry attacked the scheme on other general grounds in tCaTstylo of bold, grand,and overwhelm ing eloquence for which he became so justly celebrated afterwards. He carried with him all the members of the uppor counties, and left a minority, composed mainly of the aristocracy of the country. From thi3 time his popularity swelled apace, and, dying about four years after, his deficit was brought to light, and discovered the true object of the proposi tion. The next great occasion on which he signalized himself was that which may be considered as the dawn of tho Revolution, in March, 1774. The British Parliament had passed resolutions preparatory to the levying a revenue on the Colonies by a stamp tax. The Virginia Assembly, at their next session, prepared and sent to England very elaborate representations, addressed, in separate forms, to the King, Lords, and Commons, against the right to impose such taxes. Tbe famous Stamp Act was, however, passed in January, 1765, and in the session of the Virginia Assembly of May following Mr. Henry introduced the celebrated resolutions of that date. These were drawn by George Johnston, a lawyer of the Northern Neck, a very able, logical, and correct speaker. Mr. Henry moved and Johnston seconded these resolutions successively. They were opposed by Randolph, Pendleton, Nicho las, Wythe, and all the old members whose influence in the House had till then beon unbroken. They did it, not from any question of our rights, but on the ground that the samo sentiments had been at their preceding session expressed in a more conciliatory form, to which the an swers were not yet received. But torrents of sublime eloquence from Mr. Henry, backed by the solid reasoning of John ston, prevailed. The last, however, and strongest resolution was carried but by a single vote. The debate on it was most bloody. I was then but a student, and was listening at the door of the lobby (for as yet there was no gallery), when Peyton Randolph, after the vote, came out of the House and said as he entered the lobby : "By God, I would have given five hun» dred guineas for a single vote." For as this would have divided the House, the vote of the Speaker would have rejected the resolution. Mr. Henry leR.town that yecii.&t'&nd the next morninjftwqfore the arm mo next niormngwrqiore tne Reeling of the House I saw Peter Ran dolph, then of the Council, but who had formerly been Clerk to the House, for an hoar ocAwo at the Clprk’s table searching ’the old journals for a precedent while he was clerk of » resolution of the House erased from the journals by a subsequent order of the House. Whether he found it or not I do not remember; but when the House met a motion was made and car ried to erase that reaoln,; and there being at that day but one printer, and he en- tirety under the control of the Governor, I do-mot know that this resoln. ever ap peared in print. I write this from mem ory, but the impression made on me at the timahms such as to fix the facts indelibly in my-ntiud- I came into the Legislature as a burgess fot Albemarle in the winter of 1768-9, on the accession of L’d Botetourt to the gov» eminent, and about nine years after Mr. Henry had entered on the stage of public life. The exact conformity of our politi cal opinions strengthened our friendship and, indeed, the old leaders of the House being substantially firm, we had not after this any differences of opinion in the H. of B. on matters of principle, though sometimes on matters of form. We were dissolved by Ld. Botetourt at our first ses sion, but all were re-elected. There being no divisions among us, occasions became very rare for the display of Mr. H.’s elo quence. In ordinary business he was a very inefficient member. He could not draw s bill on the most simple subject which would bear legal criticism, or even the ordinary criticism which looks to the correctness of style and idea; for, indeed there WB3 no accuracy of idea in his head’ His imagination was copious, poetical* sublime, but vague also. He said the strongest things in tbe finest language, but without logic, without arrangement, de sultorily. This appeared eminently and “*iTn lfying degree in the 1st sesiion of ! h ® 1 1 B L? on £ r0E ?y whlch met in Septem. her, 1714. Mr. Henry, and Richard Hen ry Lee, took at once the lead in that as- oommittee to draw the petition to the King, with which they wereS.harged^&nd Mr. Lee was charged with the address to the people of England. The* ast was first reported. On rnding it every counT tenance fell, and a dead silence ensued for many minutes. At length it was laid on the tablefor perusal and consideration till the next day, when first one member and then another arose, and, paying some faint compliments to the composition, observed that there wore still certain considerations not expressed in it which should properly find a place in it. At length Mr. Living ston (tbe Governor of New Jorsey), a member of the committee, rose and ob served that a friend of his had been sketch ing what he had thought might bo proper forsuch an address,from which bethought some paragraphs might bo advantageously introduced into the draught ho proposed; and he read an address which Mr. .Jay had prepared de bene esse, as it were.— There was but ono sentiment of admira tion. The address was recommitted for amendment, and Mr. Jay’s draught re ported and adopted with scarce any alter ation. These facts were stated to me by Mr. Pendleton and Colonel Harrison, of our own delegation (except that Colonel Harrison ascribed tbe draught to Gover nor Livingston), and wero afterwards con firmed to me by Governor Livingston; and I will presently mention an anecdote confirmative of thorn, from Mr. Jay and R. H. L. themselves. _Mr. Henry’s draught of a petition to the King was equally unsuccessful, and was recommitted for amendment. Mr. John Dickinson was added to tbo committee, and a new draught prepared by him was passed. The occasion of my learning from Mr. Jay that he was tbe author of tbe address to the people of Great Britain requires ex planation by a statement of somo preced ing circumsiances. The 2d session of tbe 1st Congress met, on their own adjourn ment, in May, 1775. Peyton Randolph was their President. In the meantime Ld. North's conciliatory propositions came over to be laid by the Governors be fore their Legislatures. Ld. Dunmore ac cordingly called that of Virginia to meet in June. This obligod P. Randolph, as Speaker, to return. Our other old mem bers being at Congress, ho pressed me to draw the answer to Ld. North's proposi tion. 1 accordingly did so, and it passed with a littlo softening of some expressions for which the times were not yet ripe, and wire-drawing and weakening others to sat isfy individuals. I had been appointed to go on to Congress in place of Peyton Ran dolph, and proceeded immediately, charged with presenting this answer to Congress. As it was the first which had been given, and the tone of it was strong, the members wero pleased with it, hoping it would have a good effect on tho answers ef the other States. A committee which had been appointed to prepare a declara tion to be published by General Washing ton on his arrival at the army having re ported one, it was recommitted, and Dick inson and myself added to the committee. On the adjournment of tho House, hap- hening to go out with Gov. Livingston, one of the committee,'I expressed to him my hope he would draw tho declaration. He modestly excused himself, and ex pressed his wish that I would do it. But urging him with considerable importunity he at length said: “You and I, sir, aro but new acquaintances ; what can have excited so earnest a desire on your part t hat I should be the draughtrosn ?”— 'Why, sir,” said I, “I have been in- Y>rmod you drew tho address to the people of Great Britain. I think it the first com position in the English language: and, therefore, am anxious this declaration should be prepared by the same pen.” He replied “that I might have been mis informed on that subject.” A few days after, being in conversation with R. H. Lee in Congress Hall, a little before tho meeting of the House, Mr. Jay observing us, came up, and taking R. H. Lee by a button of the coat, said to him pretty sternly : “I understand, sir, that you in formed this gentleman that the address to the people of Great Britain, presented to the committee by me, was drawn by Gov. Livkigston.” The fact was that the com mittee having consisted of only Lee, Liv ingston (who was father-in-law of Jay), and Jay himself, and Lee’s draught hav ing been rejected, and Jay’s approved so unequivocally, his suspicions naturally fell on Leo as author of the report, and rather, as they daily had much spar ring in Congress, Lee being firm in the revolutionary measures, and Jay hanging heavily on their rear. I immediately stopped Mr. Jay, and assured him that, though I had indeed been so informed, it was not by Mr. Lee, whom I had never heard utter a word on the subject. I found Mr. Henry to be a silent and almost unmeddling member of Congress. On the original opening of that body, while general grievances were the topic, he was in his element, and captivated all by his held and splendid eloquence. But as soon as they came to specific matters, to sober reasoning and solid argumentation, he had the good sense to perceive that his declamation, however excellent in its proper place, had no weight at all in such an assembly as that of cool-headed, re flecting, judicious men. He ceased, there fore, in a great measure to take any part in the business. He seemed, indoed, very tired of the place and wonderfully relieved when, by appointment of the Virginia Convention to be Colonel of their first regiment,he was permitted to leave Con gress about the last of July. How he ac quitted himself of his military command will be better known from others. lie was relieved from this position again by being appointed Governor on the first or ganization of the Government. After my service as his successor in tho same office, my appointment to Congress in 1773, mis sion to Europe in ’84, and appointment in the new government in ’89, kept us so far apart that I had no further personal knowledge of him. Mr. Henry began his career with very little property. He acted, as I have un derstood, as barkeeper in the tavern at Hanover Court House for some time. He married very young, settled, I believe, at a place called the Roundabout, in Louisa, got credit,.for some little storo of mer chandise, but very soon failed. From this he turned his views to the law ; for tho acquisition or practice of which, however, he was too lazy. Whenever the courts were closed for the winter session he would make up a party of poor hunters of his neighborhood, would go off with them to the piney woods of Fluvanna, and pass weeks in bunting deer, of which he was passionately fond, sleeping under a tent, before a fire, wearing the same shirt the whole time, and covering all the dirt of his dress with a hunting shirt. He never undertook to draw pleadings if he could avoid it, or to manage that part of a cause, and very unwillingly engaged but as an assistant to speak in the cause. And tbe fee was an indispensable, preliminary, observing to the applicant that h6 kept no accounts, never putting pen to paper, which was true. His powers over a jury were bo irresistible that ho received great fees for his services, and had the reputa tion of being insatiable in money. After about ten yearB’ practice in tho County Courts he came to the General Court, where, however, being totally unqualified lor anything but mere jury causes, he devoted himself to those, and chiefly to the criminal business.. From these poor devils it was always understood that he squeezed exorbitant fees of £50, £100, and £200. From this source he made his great profits, and they were said to be great. His other business, exclusive of the crim inal, would never, I am sure, pay the expenses of his attendance. He now pur chased from Mr. Lomax the valuable estate on tho waters of Smith’s River, to which he afterwards removed. Tho pur chase was on long credit, and finally paid in depreciated paper, not worth oak leaves. About tbe close of the war he engaged in the Yazoo speculation, and bought up a great deal of depreciated paper at 2s. and 2s.6d. in the pound to pay for it. At the close of the war many of us wished to re open all accounts which had been paid in depreciated money, and have them settled by the scales of depreciation. But on this he frowned most indignantly, and, knowing the general indisposition of the Legislature, it was considered hopeless to attempt it with such an opponent at their head as Henry. I believe ho never dis tinguished himself so much as on the similar question of British debts in the case of Jones and Walker. He had ex erted a degree of interest in that case totally foreign to his character, and not only seemed, hut had made himself really, ■earned on tho subject. Another of the great occasions on which he exhibited examples of eloquence, such as probably hau never been exceeded, was on tho ques'f.'Vi of adopting the new Constitution in 1788. Ye- tbia-abe was most violently opposed, as is well known ; and after its adoption he continued hostile to it, ex pressing more than any otnir man in the United States his thorough eonSHUpt and hatred of General Wa-hingtou. From being tho most violent of all unli-Feder- alists, however, he was brought over to the new Constitution by his Yazoo specu lation, before mentioned. The Georgia Legislature having declared that transac tion fraudulent and void, tho depreciated paper which he had bought up to pay for tho Y'azoo purchase was likely to remain on his hands worth nothing. But Hamil ton’s funding system came most oppor tunely to his relief, and suddenly raised his paper from 2s.6d. to 27s.6d. tho pound. Hamilton became now his idol, and aban doning tho Republican advocates of the Constitution, the Federal Government, on Federal principles, became his politi cal creed. General Washington flattered him by an appointment to a mission to Spain, which he declined; and by pro posing to him tho offico of Secretary of State, on tho most earnest solicitation of Gen. Henry Lee, who pledged himself that Henry should not accept it. For General Washington knew that he was entirely unqualified for it, and moreover that his self esteem had never suffered him to act as second to any man oa earth. 1 had this fact from information, but that of the mission to Spain is of my own knowledge, because, after my retiring from the office of Secretary of State, General Washington passed the papers to Mr. Henry through my hands. Mr. Henry’s apostacy sunk him to nothing in the estimation of his country. Ho lost at once all that influence which Federalism had hoped, by cajoling him, to transfer with him to itself; and a man who, through a long and active life, had been the idol of his country beyond any one that ever lived, descended to the grave with less than its indifference, and verified tho saying of the philosopher, that no man must bo called happy till ho is dead. Correspondence Charleston Courior, Washington, July 26, 1867. The nomination of Gen. Grant for the next Presidency by the Republican Com mittee of the State and city of New Y'ork is a bombshell thrown into tho Radical camp. Its explosion has already broken up tho unity of the party, and willecatter far and wide its "disjecta membra." Gree ley denounces the movement as a trick of Thuriow Weed and other conspirators against the life of true Radicalism. If Grant, ho says, fall into Weed’s clutches, he will experience tho fate of Oliver Twist in the hands of Fagin. Weed, ho says, will teach him to steal. So Giant, ac cording to Greeley, is to bo kidnapped arid forced to do tho work of the Radical thieves. Congress, with its two-third3 power, is doing this work very effectually already. The Now Y r ork Times is to follow the lead of tho Commercial, Weed’s organ, and support Grant's nomination. The Hew York Tribune represents the Chase interest, which is now excited and active. The Radical party ia breaking up into cliques. Tho leaders will be divided, for they ail look tospoils as the result of their l'abors. But there is much truth in the position of &Ir. Weed, that the people are tired of perpetual party and sectional strife, and desire the pacification and re storation of the Union, which, as they believe, can be secured by the election of General Grant as President. If it be true, as alleged, that Grant is thus put forward by means of a spontane ous movement of the popular mind, he can have no competition. An effor; to resist tho popular current, when it snail once set in his favor, will be unavailing. If the movement is really begun by shaky or fishy Republicans, as Greeley alleges, tho Democrats will rush to it3 support, hoping, under his lead, to breakdown the present powerful organization of the Rad ical party. It is a very pretty quarrel as itstands. Thoquestion, Whoshall betbe next President? will occupy attention hencoforth, till it shall be answered by the election in November, 1868. Atthecom- ingfall elections for State officors it will bo the leading issue. We have no further developments of the President’s intentions in regard to the enforcement of tho Military acts. It is tho general belief, notwithstanding some recent rumors to' the contrary, that tho President will do nothing in the matter, leaving the duty and responsibility of the execution of the acts to General Grant.— The President, as somo say, thus aban dons his constitutional right and duty. Tho frauds upon tho revenue, which have so long prevailed and to such vast extent, in Now York and elsewhere, still continue. Some allege that a slight de crease of tho same has been noticed in the whiskey excise. Thoy are still computed at overii hundrod millions a year in the internal revenuo. The Radicals alleged in Congress at the lato session that tho Administration was responsible for the frauds, because they had attempted some time ago to reform the personnel of the revenue establish ment. The frauds are perpetrated by aid of and connivance with the revenue offi cers. That i3 not doubted. Butthatthey are Radicals for tbe most part, and that Congress will not allow the President to remove them, is also true. The Secretary of tho Treasury authorizes the statement that three-fourths of these officers are Radicals and opposed to the Administra tion. But Congress has sheltered and still protects them by the Tenure of Office act Leo, From the Montgomery Advertiser. Registration Returns. Wo publish a correct return of registration as far as reported to Col. W. If. Smith, Chief of Registration ia Alabama. COUNTIES. ! Districts. | f O e- : City of Mobile 1 OVK ‘ 5075 7361 Mobile County 9 393 1253 Baldwin and Conecuh-- 3 470 896 Covington and Coffee-- 4 1115 1322 Dalo and Henry .*> S50 519 1309 Barbour 6 1773 5048 Bullock and Pike 1606 Crenshaw and Butler-- 8 -:-4i 710 1251 Clarke and Monroe Washington k Choctaw 10 7.17 617 1134 Marengo 11 ]07 611 718 Wilcox 12 2376 Dallas 13 Lowndes 14 15 Montgomery 1839 6341 8180 Macon 10 Russell and Lee V.-.io wo to Blmore and Autauga... 18 877 1013 1S90 Hale and Greene 1‘.* 415 6Si 1131 Perry 4220 4817 Sumter :'! 1651 2175 Pickens 210 Tuscaloosa 23 loss 1178 Bibb and Shelby •a. Coosa Tallapoosa Chambers Randolph and Clay Talladega f J eflerson Walker and Winston— Jones,F'ayotte & Marion Blount and St. Clair— Marshal and Baine Calhoun and Cleburno. Cherokoe and DeKalb.. Jackson Madison Morgan and Limestone Lauderdale Lawronco Franklin and Colbert- oU 31 if 197 158 85 775 66 ,235 11 38 1119 1777 40 606 568 41 979 1013 42 60S 563 31703 53366 1174 11193 1231 8S(l7f Shooting; Adair in the Rutland Dis trict. Yesterday morning the colored popula tion of our city was thrown into a state of considerable ferment by rumor3 of shooting affair in this District, in which from two to thirty colored persons were said to have been killed or wounded. About 10 o’clock, a delegation of color ed men and some of tho wounded arrived in the city, and the excitement ran still higher, and from the thousand-and-ono stories retailed by excited men, it was im possible to glean any reliable. After 9ifting the matter thoroughly as we could, we have come to the conclusion, from the lights before us, that the attack on the colored people was an uncalled for and most unjustifiable affair, and one that meets with tne severest reprobation of not only our entire community, but of every responsible and right-thinking man in the section in which it occurred. The plea of a previous difficulty between the colored people themselves, in which some of these supposed perpetrators are said to have taken part and sided with one party, can form no excuse for the attack in question. It is said that the colored people—men, women and children—were holding a prayer meeting in a bush arbor on Sun day night last, and the congregation had scarcely risen from their knees when they were fired into by a party of seven—or rather some soven shots were fired—which wounded fourteen or fifteen men and wo men, sopio ot them severely. Certain parties in tho Rutland District arc suspected of committing this outrage, and it is our sincere hope that they may be arrested and severely dealt with. One report is that it-was wholly a negro affair, tbe attacking party having been outraged a night or two previous by the refusal of the sentinels of a Loyal League to allow them to pass the road, upon which a set-to occurred, in which the Loyalists proved victorious. As the matter has been taken in hand by thecivil authorities, with the aid of the military, we forbear mentioning names or making further comments until tbe affair undergoes thorough investigation. [Macon TW., 30th, More Disturbances in Tennessee. Louisville, July 25.—A special to the Courier, from Nashville 23tb, says a spe cial to the Banner repoits a collision in Knoxville last night, resulting in the wounding of two negroes. Gen. Frank Biair, who was addressing a large Conservative meeting, was fre quently interrupted by negroes, who cheered for Brownlow. Toward the close of his speech a fight commonced.in which eight or ten shots wero fired, resulting a3 stated. On learriing the news at tho colored Church, two hundred negroe3 formed in procession, and wero proceeding to the scene of disturbance, when they wero met by tho agent of the Freedmen’s Bureau and the police, and were persuaded to de sist. This prevented a bloody riot. A shocking tragedy occurred near Union City, Obion county, on Monday. A negro man broke jail in that town on tho preceding Friday, and repairing to the residence of an aged and highly re spectable widow lady, named Chorum, outraged her person and then lied. Two sons of the injured woman followed the wretch to Hickman, Ky., arrested him, and taking him back to near the scene of tho outrage, shot him dead, and then sev ered his head from his body. Large numbers of Brownlovv’s militia, white and black, arc continually passing through Nashville en route for various points in Middlo and "West Tennessee. Although everything is quiet here now, hardware stores arc being extensively patronized,and firearms of every kind are being largely purchased by both whites and blacks. The Blair Mission.—A correspondent of the New York Times, writing from Georgia, gives some information concern ing tho visit of Francis l 5 . Blair to Rich mond during tho war, that will be nows. He professes to have obtained it from a Confederate officer of distinction. It ap pears teat ono of the propositions, i.hieh Mr. Blair .carried to Richmond etas that the UDion army should make a landing on the coast of Texas in a position menacing to the French in Mexico, that the Con federate army should offer a show of fol lowing it up, but that tho two should unilo in common cause in vindication of the Monroe doctrine. Tho war meanwhile would be an adjourned question, and out of this probably a settlement would arise in the end. Considering tho large majority of regis tered negro vote3 over whites in many of tho Congressional Districts of tho South, we may expect soon to seo a good number of colored candidates for Congress besido the one who has announced himself for tbo Cheraw District of South Carolina. We may also expect that soveral of them will be elected, and that thoy will present themselves with their credentials before Congress a3 soon as the Soutborn States are reorganized according to law. Thero is no doubt of their admission if they come in proper shape. Wo need not an ticipate tho reflections of tho philosophical upon such an event. [A r . 17 Times (Repub.) Arming the Indians.—Writes ^cor respondent of a New York paper from tho field of Indian war: The Indians are well mounted and armed, and aro moro than a match for our cavalry. Their horses aro admirably trained, and havo great endurance and speed. Nearly every man is armed with a gun, revolver and bow and arrows, and, in addition, some of them carry spenrs, or a kind of lance, Tho bow and arrow is used at close quarters, and with astonish ing precision. Several of our men wero shot with arrows that passed entirely through their bodies. Many of the In dians had long switches, which they uso for driving off stock, and which they use occasionally to mako tho cavalry horses unmanageable. The arrow used is tho heavy long pointed war arrow, which, to gether with their guns and ammunition, is furnished by our government. Tho ar rows found indicato Slat several tribes were engaged in tho fight. Their guns aro of the most improved breech loaders in use. m » ' ^ The Great Fall in Flour.—Tho great fall in flour—two dollars in the bar rel intbreedays—begins to tell tho story pretty effectually of what is to follow when the new crop really fills tho market. The only occasion for surpriso is, that a! 1 ! ready the prico has not eomo down lower and more rapidly; but enough has already occurred to warrant us in congratulating our readers that the dire reign of scarcity and consequent speculative prices is over, and that henceforward li:o massesy havo things pretty much their o'.iej in the thing of cheap broad. [Baltimore Conj New York, "July Omaha special says seveS _ attacked a surveying party oT „ Pacific Railroad on Bitter Greek, on tut 22d, mortally wounding 17 T. Brown, engineer in charge of tho party. Browrf' died on the 23d. Tho Indians virtually have possession of the road between Fort Sanders and Fort Bridger. General Sheridan not to be Res moved,—It is authoritatively announced to-night that tho statement that President Johnson intends to remove Sheridan is without foundation in fact. His frionds say that he may have contemplated such a removal, but not recontl v. [ Wash. Corr. N. 17 Times, 23d. Drouth.—While other localities have been blessed with fine rains, just hero in Milledgeville, we have had no rain of any consequence for two months. Gardens are burnt to a crisp, and crops of corn just aboufthe city noarly ruined. It is pleas ant, however, to know that our neighbors three or four miles in the country, on all sides, have boon favored with mo3t pro pitious seasons.—Federal Union. It appears that there is some truth in the rumor that Mr. Etheridge had a difficulty with Horace Maynrrd at Greenvilio, East Tennessee. We learn ffom a gentleman who passed through Knoxville that both of the gentlemen named were on tho train which stopped at Greenvilio for supper.— As they walked into the eating-room, Mr. Etheridge slapped Maynard in tho face for insulting language which tbe latter had used in the canvass. Maynard did not re sent the blow, and Mr. E. walked calmly off, as if nothing unusual had occurred. [Nashville Banner.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Weekly Columbus enquirer. (Columbus, Ga.) 1861-1873, August 06, 1867, Image 1