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THE ATLANTA WEEKLY SUN, FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER *>7, 1872.
THE ATLANTA !SUN
Religions Note*.
The people of Australia are con
sidering compulsory education.
— Missouri has 1,266 Baptist churches
and 54,925 members.
—Extreme itmlism is losing popu
larity in England.
—More than 1,200 Sunday schools
have been organized since the war, in
Missouri, by missionaries.
—The Italian Government has seized
for secular uses thirty-five convents and
religious houses in Rome.
— Out of 30,000 London Jews, 2,000
are Christians; and of 10,000 in Berlin,
2.000 are converted.
The Baptist Publication Society at
Memphis, TenD., has secured 886,000,
and expects $i00,000 by January.
Three-fifths of the population of
New Orleans are Roman Catholics; the
Episcopalians are next in strength.
— The Bible House at Constantinople
cost $65,000, is fonr stories high, built
of stone, and intended to be fire proof.
—There is a movement to fonud a
homo for infirm Episcopal clergymen
near NfW York. 8100,000 have been
subscribed.
—Presbyterian ministers seem to be
long-lived. Seventy f our of them died
the past year, and the average age of
sixty-three was nearly sxitv-five.
—Roman Catholics in this country
have church accommodations for 1,990,-
515, and Evangelical Protestants 16,-
642,163.
—There were 39 Baptist churches
built in England during the year 1871,
which make an addition to the sittings
of 18,672. The cost was $123,000.
- - Rev. George Hepworth will have a
875.000 iron church up in New Y< rk be
fore Christmas. An equally good brick
one would cost 8100.000, and conld not
be built in less than eighteen months,
—The Protestant population of France
is 572,749, including 86,041 inscribed
electors. Of these 32,602, but little mote
than one-third, voted for the members
of the Synod of the Reformed Church of
France.
— The number of theological students
in tho German Universities is said to be
falling off. Ten years ago they num
bered 2,562; now only 1,985. The de
crease is especially on the Protestant
side.
—Tho Right Rev. CharlesT. Quintard,
of Tennessee, designs visiting the South
ern dioceses during the year as a solicitor
for the Episcopal University of Sewanee,
Tenn. His duties in Tennessee will be
attended to by other Bishops.
—Japan is to have a bran new reb'g
ion, by order of the Mik 'do. There are
between forty and fifty sects in Japan
now, ana these are an amalgumatioii of
Coufucianism, Siuluism and Buudhism.
Tho new cultns is calculated to please
the most fastidious.
— Who says we are not religions peo
ple ? The sale of large quarto family
Bibles iu the United States is enormous.
A single house in Philadelphia turns out
an average of two thousand o mouth,
most in splendid bindings. But, then,
it is not the Bible with splendid ■ hiding
that is most genciuily used in the ap
pointed way.
—The British and Foreign Bible So
ciety has, since 1804. a period of .sixty-
eight years, issued 65,834,095 copies of
the Scriptures, thus averaging very
nearly a million jicr year. The
issne for the last, year was two
and a half iniHious of copies. The
expenditures of the Society for last
year were £1S3,175, or $8S6,567.
— The number of Church parishes in
Russia is 36,000. The aggregate of ti e
incomes of clergy amounts to about 8^5,-
500,000, of vbicu the treasury con.rib-
utes 83,000,000 church property yields
$500,000, and the rest r svs from contri
butions. The deacons in Russia num
ber 12,444, and they receive on an aver
age of 8160 each. Next to the deacons
comes 63,321 “clerks,” and their rnain-
tainaueo costs about 846 each. In 1860
there were 751 couveuts. In 1850 the
number of mo. ks was 9,478, and of
nuns 2,323.
Boston has melted M. Thiera’
heart, and he sends one hundred thou
sands francs to dry up Boston’s tears.
The body snatchers have invaded
the crypt of the late Archduchess Sophia,
of Austria, and stolen all the ornaments
and the silver plate.
The LaGrange Reporter and
Wasnington Gazelle advocate, in unqual
ified, terms, Mr. Stephens for United
States Senator.
The Board of Underwriters of this
city met yesterday and protested against
the propored redaction of commissions,
and passed resolutions asking the co-op
eration of other local boards.
fisjy- The Floridians are being again
exercised as to the propriety and feasi
bility of a double annexation—that is
according to a correspondent of the
Neuman Defender from Monticello, Fla ,
a growing disposition is expressed in
that section ot the State to annex West
Florida to Alabama, tack Middle Florida
on to Georgia, thus leaving East Florida
as the remainder, and to constitute the
section which is to be represented by
the Star in the great American Galaxy
as the State of Florida. The restive
ness and dissatisfaction of the people
thus shown in such a strong and forcible
light, can bat arise from the manner io
which their own State Government has
been administered, and any means which
will give them freedom, though the
remedy be a partial dismemberment oi
the commonwealth would be popular.
JBQy* Fashion is the parent of a great
deal of folly, and it is strange why la
dies should allow it to govern their bet
ter taste and judgment. It has long
been the fashion for some of them to
make pets of dogs, and bestow, seemingly,
more attention on them than on their hus
bands. This habit is ridiculous enough;
but, is, it seems, to be superseded by
one so absurd as to cause a smile. The
ladies of Paris and London have now
abandoned tue poor dog, and taken to
monkeys! Any fine day now in the
Kensington Park or on tne Boulevards
of Paris, numbers, of elegantly dressed
ladies may be seen with their strange
pets. The monkeys are dressed and
bedecked with much magnificence, and
have a silver band arunnd the waist, to
which is attached a chain held by the
lady. Tiu-y are represented as feeling
their importance and occasioning con
siderable amusement to the gamins.
The next thing will be a full-grown
Chimpanzee or a gorilla.
—The Marietta Journal gives ns the
following: A Indy of this county,thrown
upon her own limited resources, lor mui-
plying the necessities and comforts for
lieV>elf and the children dependent upon
her, rented five acres of land from Mr.
J. N. Russell, of this county,—Is nil, for
cotton planting, that was considered un
productive; but with a purooso und a
will, she went to woik, applied fertilizers
and raised its productive quality,
and this year the ground yielded
four large, heavy bags of cotten. She
did this without the assistance of a plow
man, and only with the strength of her
two good arms and with such agricultu
ral implements os they could wield, and
in the meantime none of the domestic
duties of home were neglected. Lost
year her toil was crowned with almost
the same success. Noble heroine ! she
seta an example, that the more faint
hearted of tne opposite sex migbt emu
late with profit.
—George Washington, an old colored
man,living near the Covington Depot,Ky
was set upon Monday night by three or
four negro men and very severely beaten.
His face was badlv bruised and his body
still shows marks of rough nandling.—
After the assailants had beaten him in
the manner named, they left him; not,
however, until they had rifled his pock
ets of everthinghe had, getting a pocket-
book containing several dollars.
HOT The contemplated emigration of
the Hebrews from Roumania, is attract
ing the attention and eliciting various
plans for the aid and protection of these
self-exiled (as we may term them) peo
ple—by their friends and sympathizers
in this country. From the New York
Times, we seo that a meeting was held
in the chambers of the Thirty-
fourth street Synagogue—embrac
ing a large delegation from the
Hebrew congregations of that city. An
Executive Committee cf twenty-five was
appointed to have entire charge of the
subject of emigration from Rou
mania.
The committee is to take measures for
the immediate organization of a plan
for tne protection of the emigrants; and
enter into correspondence with the com
mittees at Bucharest, Hamburg, Berlin,
and other Earopean cities, with a view
to directing the selection of emigrants,
restricting it to the industrial classes,
and to transport them io America under
prudent regulations.
Messrs. J. Seligman. B. L. Solomon,
Lewis May, M. Strausbaum, were in
vited to act as trustees of the fund to he
collected. Letters were read from various
gentlemen, sympathizing with the move
ment Several hundred families are ex
pected to arrive in New York next
Spring, and will be scattered through
this country. Cannot some of Atlanta’s
infiuencial Hebrews put forward her
claims in a manner which will attract to
oar State and section, a number of those
emigrants, compelled as they almost
are, to leave the land of their nativity ?
guaranteeing them a warm welcome, by
both native and adopted citizens. An
increase of our Hebrew population, al
ways self-sustaining, quiet, law-abiding
people, cannot fail to meet with warm
est approbation.
NOTICE OP NEW BOOKS.
BY PAUL a HAYNE.
The record of the pnblications issued
by Messes, Hofac Sc Williams, 25 Bond
street, New York, during the past year,
embraces a list of the most important
and valuable, and likewise, of the most
entertaining works. Among the former,
we may mention a magnificent transla
tion of M. Taine’s “History of English
Literature,” in two handsome volumes;
and an admirable rendition into English
metres of the Ballads of Goethe, by Pro
fessor Aytoun and Mr. Martin. Among
the latter, is a series of Tales, entitled
Leisure Hour Series?’ published in
neat duodecimos, and selected with a
tact and good taste highly creditable to
tne judgment of the firm.
They consist of three romances by the
famons Russian author, Turgenieff; of
Herman Agha,” a narrative of Oriental
adventures, said to be partly autobiog
raphical,by Palgrave;of Edmund About’s
Alan with the Broken Ear;” cf “Fly
Leaves,” a capital book of burlesque
Verses, Goethe’s “Elective Affinities,”
and “My Little Lady,” an anonymous
English novel, so charmingly original in
conception, so graceful in style, and with
such simplicity^of characterization, that
we are reminded of Goldsmith and his
*• Vicar of Wakefield.” Tne press gener
ally have not none anything like justice
to •' The LiUle Ladu,” and its author, for
no better reason, wo take it, than the
fact that the latter writer is a novice in
the realm of Fiction;and with character
istic timidity or snobbishness the Critics
ara afraid to give him (or her) the praise
which the first production deserves!
One or two other performances, how
ever, of equal merit, will fores both the
Reviewers and the Public to acknowledge
this author’s brilliant talents!
Holt & Williams have just published,
simultaneously with its appearance m
Great Britain, the 1st volume of what
they call “An Historical Course for
Schools," to be edited by the able and
learned Professor E. A. Freeman, of Ox
ford. This initial volume is entitled,
“Outlines of History,” and contains a
Preface which gives the Compiler’s rai
son detre of the entire series,
and of this first volume as well!
This is what tho Professor says :
The object of tho present series is to put forth
clear and correct views of hist ry in simple lan
guage and in the smallest space and cheapest form
in which it conld be done. It is meant in tbe first
place for schools, but it is often found that a book
for school proves useful fer other readers as well,
and ills hoped that this may bo tho case with tbe
little boobs, the first instalment of which is now
given to tho world. Tbe pretent volume is meant
to be introductory to the whole course. It is in
tended to give, as its name implies, a general sketch
of tne history of the civilized world— ths-t is, of Eu
rope and of the lands which have drawn their civi
lization from Europe. Its object is to trace out the
general relations cf different periods and different
countries to one another, without go.ng minutely
into the affairs of any particular country. This is
an object of the fir <t importance, for without clear
notions of general history the history of particular
countries can never he understood.
— The Opelika Flouring Mills, owned
and run by W. C. Green & Co., were
totally destroyed by fire on Taesday
night last. Under the same roof were
also the Opelika Planing Mills and cot
ton ginning establishment, all of which
shared the same fate. Mr. Green had
run his floor mill for about a year, and
was doing a fine business. All tne suf
ferers from the fire will soon be enabled
to resume operations.
—The sfstueoi Chief Justice Roger B.
Taney, by Rhiueheart, executed on a
commission from the State of Maryland,
wiil be inaugurated during the coming
month of December. Tne ceremonies
upon the unveiling of the statue will be
interesting, aud will be attended by
prominent men from all parts of tho
country.—Baltimore Sun, 18A.
—- The Arkansas oorn crop very light
It is worth $1 per bushel. Acreage twice
as much as last year, or nearly, bnt the
aggregate yield is aboct the same.
Bob. A. B. Stephen*.
This venerable and distinguished
Georgia statesman and editor came to
Atlanta yesterday on a shoi t visit. This
is the first time he has L it his home at
Crawfordvilla in some four years.
During this long period he has been
canfined to his home by a rheomatio af
fliction.
We called upon him this morning, and
had the pleasure of an hoar’s interview.
His general health is very good. He
still find 3 it difficult to move around much
He seems to be in excellent spirits and
in the enjoyment of those wonderful fac
ulties whose exercise so long in great na
tional and State affairs have made his
fame.
Mr. Stephens is but 64 years of age,
and has yet, to all appearanoes, many
long yean of usefulness and fame before
him. His eye is as bright, his votoe as
ringing, hi* spirit as vigorous, and bis
faculties as strong as in tne very zenith
of his activity.
We give him a cordial greeting to
A>tl&ufau
Mr. Stephens will remain here until
Satuulnv.—Atlanta Con-ti'i.-tern*
The purpose, thus clearly stated by
Professor Freeman, is one of which all
thoughtful students of History must ap
prove. It is impossible to comprehend
the details of any subject, unless, first,
we have mastered its “outlines,” and to
wards this general, correct knowledge,
in regard to “History,” the work before
us leads, in a manner simple, perspicu
ous, and direct.
We recommend it to all schools and
universities.
FROSI FLORIDA.
Correspondence of The Scry.
Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 20, 1872
Editors Sun: Your correspon lent left
Atlanta last Thursday, in company with
your enterprising townsman, Col. E. Y.
Clark, of the Constitution, and in about
five hours we were borne into the refined
and beautiful city of Macon, where we
partook of a profuse and well seasoned
dinner at the well-appointed honse of E
E. Brown & Son. At nine in the even
ing we took the Southwestern cars, and
after a long night’s travel we entered the
city of Albany, with the purple blnsh of
tne morning playing upon the hills and
sparkling from the church spires. Here
we met the Synod of Georgia, which
had been in session for several days, and
which embodied the best intellect and
most attractive eloquence of the Presby
terian Church.
One of the most important matters
which engaged the attention of this ven
erable body, was the present condition
and future prospects of Oglethorpe Uni
versity at Atlanta. The warmest; sym
patby was manifested in behalf of this
noble institution, but the Synod felt as
a whole, that without an increase of finan
cial strength it conld not be permanent
ly continued. Its large number of
friends have an opportunity still f o save
it if they will rally promptly and vigor
ously to its support It would be a ter
rible calamity to Atlanta to allow Ogle
thorpe to perish for the lack of proper
pecuniary aid.
On Monday morning we set our face
to the South, and after twenty-four
hours of continuous travel reached
Jacksonville, a handsome city of ten
thousand inhabitants, and with as bright
and delicious a climate as the continent
can afford. The magnificent sheet of
the St. Johns is here spead ont in fnll
view; its silvery bosom covered with
splendid steamers 7 adened with the trade
and travel of the world, and its romantic
shores {lined with orange-graves and
stately lorests. A sail on this majestic
river opens up a panorama of loveli
ness and grandeur which charm the
imagination and steep the senses in
supreme delight. The tide of Northern
visitors to this place is beginning to set
any and neatly furnished. Tbe beds
have the celebrated Tucker springs.
The reading room is well supplied with
the current li f erature of the day, and the
tables are provided with the choicest
meats from Charleston, and the finest
delicacies of the markets. Togni and
Bettelini are the proprietors, and CoL
Joseph Remington, a well known gentle
man of roost popular manners, has lately
been appointed manager ot this honse.
Tbo election excitement in th : s State
is still very h’gh. Hart, the Republican
candidate for Governor, has received the
majority of the votes cast, but as there
is aonndant evidence of great frauds
committed at the'polls. It will not be
determined who will fill the Guberna
torial Chair for the next fonr years, till
the month of December, when the can
vassers will meet to settle the matter.—
Bloxbam, the Democratic candidate is
a gentleman of pore morals and brilliant
talents. W .
HESIU De ROC HE FORT.
Ills Daughter Commits Suicide—What
French Communists are at Home.
8he was not only iovely, but Bhe was
just eighteen. Beautiful hazel eyes,
flashing fire; chestnut hair, abundant as
Absalom’s; the bosom of Venus; a com
plexion white as alabaster—she might
have driven some men mad; she conld
li ve made any man happy. Instead of
that, she wenttr. the Hotel des Ardennes,
Rue Vert Bois, hard by the Jewish
Synagogue, just tiff the great boulevards
in a quarter of Paris justly called the
hive of the great city; for, ia that dis
trict, evtry floor is m nufactory, and
all the by-streets teem with the busy
bees. I say she went to the Hotel
des Ardennes, asked for a cham
ber for a week, paid the week’s
cent in advance, brought
in a brazier and charcoal with her, and
laid down dressed on the Led to die—to
die Dy her own Laud. Her mother was
poor; they have gone so often witn-
out meals; they could not see how house
rent was to be paid, how winter clothes
were to be bought. She died by her own
hand, aud she was only eighteen. They
had been richer once; she had never
known what privation and poverty were
till La Commune fell; beforo then they
had possessed all they wanted.^ Her
father had made his $100,000 a year clear
profit; but then he had many vices.
Heaven, (or rather the d—1, for tbese
vices are entered rather in Hades ledger
than in Heaven’s high chancery) knows
how many mistresses he had and how
much money he nightly lost at cards,
and how much gold his parasites drew
from him, so that when the year ended
he had little left but debts—and children.
A child here and a child there, to strug
gle with banger, to wrestle with pover
ty, to make exhausting efforts to keep a
footing in life. Such is Henri Roche
fort’s history, for that poor, lovely girl ot
eighteen, who has just committed sui
cide in a furnished lodging house was
Hepri Rochefort's daughter. I. was in
La Commune as it had been in the first
revolution—not one of the leade.s was a
married man ; all of them led irregular
lives, with no children but bastards, and
for wives mistresses. Anarchy reigned
in their households before they intro
duced it ia the State. The great revo
lutionary geniuses, Voltaire and Rous
seau, themselves never were married,
aud the latter tossed all his children to
the foundling hospital. Model reform
ers of society. Henri Roche'ort has
treated his family with unusual heart
lessness. While he was literally coming
gold, his father died in a garret in one of
the suburbs of Paris almost of starva
tion. His sisters are very poor, and have
never received one cent from him. The
only kindred he has seemed to fee' the
least affection for are a son and daugh
ter, to whom he has given the remnant
of his fortune.
IIIGB-SQA WEDDING:
t»oitu£jui WEafEUjr t
Tramp Over the Zhc of its
THOMAS AZEXAJTOER.
The Penitentiary Convicts — Hotv They
"Worked and Clothed and Ped aud
Treated Generally.
An Inside f'iiK or What the Country is not
Thoroughly Informed Upon.
in, and in a short time an army of ten
thousand strangers and foreigners
will march along these bustling streets
and encamp in these commodious
hotels. The St. James is the most mag
nificent public house here. Bat there
is now in process of erection a hotel on
Bay street, whiph, in magnitude and
splendor, will be nnrivalled in Florida.
The Metropolitan, on Newnons street,
a first-clitss hot-1 Th roont sr« larr
The Prospects of the Jload and the Italy cf
Atlanta•
Special correspondence of The Sex.
From a desire to see, by actual observation, the
progress of the work in this most important Atlsnti
enterprise, and the prospect of having the cars run
ning from this city to the great coal fields In Ala
bama at an early day, we went out, on Wednesday
last, to where the contractors, Messrs. Grant, Alex
ander & Co., have their forces employed on the
work, and walked over the entire line from where
It connects with the State Bead to the first cros ing
of Ntckajick creek, near three miles beyond the
Chattahoochee river.
Aside from the interest which every public spir
ited citizen of Atlanta leels, in the building of this
road, it was one of special interact otherwise
to ub. as we had often desired to see and
nnderstand the general system of management of
the convict labor, which appears to have been so
successfully operated by Messrs. Grant, Alexander
& Co., the contractors on this ro\d. aud also on the
Air-Lme and other railroads in this State.
cosvrcr LABOR
we believe has been attempted la varlon- States,
and by several systems. We believe tho hiring oui
of the penitentiary convicts, and those sentenced
by municipal and other Courts, to labor in chain-
gangs in this State, to Messrs. G. A. & Co., is the
only instance in which tho attempt thus to utilize
the labor of tlu-se wretched unfortunates has ever
proved successful and satisfactory; and without any
disparagement to any one, we feel safe in saying
that the degree of success attained in this case is
more owing to the able management of Thomas Al
exander than any or aU other considerations com
bined.
Penitentiaries under the system so long in nee in
Georgia, we believe, arb generally an expense, and
frequently a he-vy one to tho State. Notwithstand
ing the convicts are fed on bread and water and
cheaply clad, and are kept working at profitable
trades, they stiU are no source of Income worth col*
sidering, bnt generally cost more to maintain them
than can he realized lrom the products of their
labor.
Therefore, as we said, to inspect, and more
thoroughly understand this great problem, in
its demonstration, was one grand point of Interest
in visiting the work on tho Georgia Western.
We fomd Mr. Alexander and his assistants at
every point very accommodating, readily giving ns
every desired information, and exhibiting to ns
everything we wished to see, and in its every
aspect
And we will first speak of
THOMAS ALEXANDRE,
one of tbe ablest and most thorough business men
in his line in America or eisewnere, considering his
opportunities, and the difficulties he has encounter
ed and triumphed over in his widely extended and
varied experience through life.
He is an Irishman—born in Manchester. England,
of Irish parents, and is somo fifty-five years old.—
His parents and kindred were poor, and ho com
inenced the labors of life when a small boy by dnv
ing a dirt cart on railroad work in Englaud. Before
he was grown he came to America and worked as a
laborer on railroads, and in stone quarrying and
masonry, saving ail bis earnings till he acquired
enough money to take contracts on his own account
in works of this class.
His education is vory limited, but no man can
more accurately calculate the cost of any great
work. Whether it be that of cutting down or tun
neling a mountain, or filling up the widest and
deepest chasm between two monntains, or in con
structing great buildings or any other extensive
works of stone or brick, or iron. No man can be
forehand, more exactly maze up estimates ol tbe
cost of any such work in detail and in the aggregate,
giving specifications and particulars for all manner
of supplies and work involved, and the profits re
sulting thereirom; and then work up to all the cal
culations. He is a man of vast brain power, Irre
pressible energy, indomitable will, and having
nerve and courage such as but few men in auy age
or country ever possessed.
And his sound and almost unerring judgment on
everything coming be'fore him, whether it involve
ihe prosecution of work ho lias undertaken, from
the simplest item to one of the gravest magnitude,
the consequences ot which are vital; or cdrrectly de
ciding a question of morals, justice or humanity be
tween man and man—is most conspicuous and
striking. He is unostentatious, makes
show — no pretentions — cares nothing for
the opinions of the world regarding his
conduct; but those who know him well—who have
been near enough the man to ascertain his instincts
aud motives—almost universally accord to hm an
innate love of justice, truth and right for their own
sake, and a perfect scorn of anything mean, or hav
ing the appearance of wrong-ioing.
If space permitted we could say mnch that wonld
be interesting to tho general reader of this
lili« JfUUMAiA KJif H—Ai, % H,
It is far more efficacious In restoring health and
vigor than tbe most celebrated watering plates, or
the prescriptions of the most 1-arned physicians, or
swallowing the most popular nostrums
They wear plenty of good sound clothing.
Their outer garments are of warm, well made
heavy wcovr. goods manufactured at the ••Concord
Woollen Mills" ia Cobb county, now owned by Col.
A. Klee, of Donglaa connty. and S. B. Lovo, Esq.,
of this city. They are fed on an nlmnt'.v cj of
wholssomo food of all kinds in ilielr different sea
sons: corn and wheat bread, bacon, pork, beef,
vegetables oi all ktuas, pickles, &c., &c. They aru
not ■•allowanced" or stinted in tho supply of any
thing. When a new coat or a shirt, or a pair of
shoes is needed, it is supplied, and such food as
wo have nan-ad is bountifully given; and they have
plenty of blankets and fire for comfort at night.
They are healthy and strong.
Each convict wears a chain, wk! h is attached to
shackles securely rivlted on each leg. They are
worke- in “squads" of shout fifteen men to to each
squad. While »t work th-v «r» separated -utl
the chain which is fastened as crofOM
named to eucn leg, uaa lu
end lashed to the body; but when they
leave their work at night the entire squad have this
G&d of tho chain cf o&ch man, lockout to a “Ptinad
chain,” some twenty-five feet ia length, and they
thus remain till carried back to their work, next
morning.
GUAEDIXQ THEM
Is expensive. It requires very nearly one guard to
every five convicts. * Two moa armed with double-
barrelled guns, stand and watch every squad; aud a
single convict, employed as a blacksmith or shos-
makc-r, must have an armed guard. Double sets of
guards must oe employed—one lor day and ono for
night At night they are put into their shanties,
inside a stockade, and guards are employed inside
and outside the stockades. It is not ofteu that ono
tries to escape—Ihotu h a few have escaped, and
some have been shot in tho attempt.
Hessis. Grant, Alexander & Co. pay tho State $50
per annum for each convict, and incnr all expenso
for their care and support—the State not being at any
further expense whatever. After a felon is sen
tenced be is delivered to these contractors at tho
lail door of the county in* which he m »y b: con
fined, aud they pay hlB transportation and bear all
the expens-scfhis support till his term of service
has expired. A few days ago tho State received
110,000 from these contractors.
NEGROES1 NEGROES 1
We noticed that a large majority of the convicts
are negroes—n it many whites. In tho davs of
slavery very few negroes ever found their way into
the Penitentiaries or Jails. If they stole anything
or committed any trifling misdemeanor, they wero
punished by their masters and kept at home; and It
was only when they committed a murder or other
high crime that tho law dealt with them. Their
crimes, or violations of law, are tar moro frequent
than their peccadilloes when they were slaves; and.
these crimes, by their status, are offenses against
society, which must bo dead with by law, whilo be
fore they wire not taken cognizance of by socloty
or tho laws, but wero dealt with by their masters
as parents deal with their children.
There is a great propensity among tho nogrocs to
Runaway 1 air Married Thri c Ma«
rinc Leagues from Share:
Petaluma, November 1, 1872.—An
interesting habeas corpus case was
heard before Judge Overton in this city
yesterday. Henry Balser, aged thirty-
four years, a larmer, desired to marry
Lizzie Bostan, a maiden of fifteen sum
mers. The girl was willing, but a cruel
mother interposed an objection. As it
was impossible to obtain a license, the
aspiring bridegroom consulted one Joe
P,ice, who suggested that a schooner be
chartered to take the lovers and a Justice
of t ne Peace three marine leagues from
the shore. Ouce the high teas were
reached, the Justice could hitch them
by virtue oi his oSce.’
Balser immediately proceeded to c irry
out the strategem. On October 9th tbe
party put to sea, where theceremouv was
performed by J. M. Hull, a newly
fledged Justice of the Peace. Return
ing to port the pair have since lived to
gether asmaa and wife. Ail went wel-
until about two months 8go, when the
girl’s mother sued out a writ of habeas
corpus. As tne marriage was illegally
solomnized, Balser was compelled to
bring bis child-wife into court yesterday
and abide the issues of the case. Tbe
bride of two weeks manifested a decided
repugnance to her mother, and appeared
to be greatly devoted to her hnsband.—
The evidence of the girl went to show
that her mother, Mrs. Baker a3 she is
now styled, was not of the pnrest char
acter, and, it the testimony of tbe
child is to be believed, there are not
many who would like to trust a child to
the guardianship of this woman. The
evidence shows that the girl lived with
her mother in San Francisco, and when
the latter had occasion to go to Oregon,
some four weeks since, she sent her
daughter to stay with Mrs. Haywood,
who lives near Fort Ross. While there
Lizzie met Belser, and received from him
an offer of marriage, and embraced the
opportunity to free herself from her
mother’s control. A shrewd attempt was
made yesterday morning by the defend
ant’s attorney to outwit the other
side by procuring some minister of the
Gospel to reperform the ceremonies, bnt
tbe penalty of officiating in that man
ner without a license deterred each
of the preachers from running the risks.
The cause of this proceeding on the
part of the motner is apparently inex
plicable. Many suppose that it is Bim-
plv spite, while others, and probably
with more justice, say that a will made
many years ago by the girl’s father leaves
her a considerable property, which, dar
ing ner minority, may be handled by
1Ira. Baker, butupon her marriage will
vest in herself absolutely.
■ ■
—Rev, S. R. Freeman, late of Marion
Ala., died in Jefferson, Texas, on the
19th inat. He was an able and exce'lent
man,
oo TO LAW,
atul to figure as prluepa'.a and witnesses in enr
courts; while they do not seem to have anything
like a wholesome fear of tho punishment of a
violated law. and do-not oven feel hnmilated by vho
stigma of being a convict. We observod that tho
negro convicts with chains upon them laboring oa
tbe work, wero mostly as cheerful and joyous as
the hands in the cotton fields when they were
slaves. A few were sullen and downcast in their
look and deportment, but the great majority, when
spoken to, would make a lively reply accompanied
with tne smile ot genuine contentment; and we
heard the merry song and laugh and playful joke
among the negro convicts at their work so charac
teristic of well fed and properly treated slaws fif
teen years ago. The few white men wo saw there
wero not so.
Wo obsorvod that thoy, everywhere, saluted Mr.
Alexander, and replied to him when ho addressed
them, with au air and manner which showed that
they entertain a high respect for him, and have the
fullest confidence in his dealing justly by them; and
this manifested respect ia not feigned—not hypoc
risy—not the mask which a heart of hate puts on
for tho sake of poiloy; it is sincere. A practiced oye
and a jndgo of human nature casi.y detects anything
or this kind in nearly every case. It is only a fow
who »re able to deceive bypretonding respect whole
it dees not sincerely exist.
INVESTIGATIONS.
Reports of cruel and unjust treatment have-sev-
oral times oeen made, and Mr. Alexander’s manage
ment of the convicts nas been carefully examined
by the Legislature and by tho military authorities,
but these investigations have always resulted in his
vindication from the grave charges maJo. All
things considered, we have no douht that tho con
dition and treatment of the couvicts under his
charge, are better than of any couvicts in the United
States.
We saw two men discharged—having 6orved out
their time. They were sent up from this city. They
had remained aud worked for » number of davs af
ter the expiration of their sentences, for whlcn they
were paid a liberal compensation in money; and a
good suit of citizen’s clothes lrom head to foot was
also given to them by Mr. Alexander, so they could
go out into the world with a presentable appearance.
They wero exhorted by him, and both promised
never to do anything wrong again. Thoy both
thanked h>m, and both told him that, whilo their
sentence bad been a hard ono his treatinent of them
had beon just and even kind.
It was a touching ecene to tho philanthropist—the
humanitarian. While we did not doubt their sin
cere intentions at the time, to square their futuro
by the rules of the law aud be upright in their con
duct, we confess that we bad but little faith in their
remaining steadfast to their promises to do so. The
last we saw of them they were wending their way to
wards Atlanta, and we wondered if thoy would noli
that night, get drunk.
But we have moralized enough.
one of the most remarkable in his sphere in this
country. His conduct while we accompanied him
in traversing the fine of works was a matter of
study. At every squad his practiced eye detected at
glance tho slightest error in the work. If any bailboad.
boss” lacked a single tool of any kind, or had ay . .. “ t ,
.•orpins one, or was pursuing a wrong plan in his The work oa the Georgia Western is being pushed
work, he quickly pom ed it out. Every gesture of rapidly. About fourteen miles aro now. under con-
his hand and motion of his body aro significant and struction, and fully one-half of this has the grading
well understood by the laborers, and often as readily completed. The piers for the bridge over th®
secure a comp ianco with his wieheB, or the per
formance of any deserved work, as a command.
Coming to one squad he found faults, and
pointed them out to the “boss” in charge. Some
of the picks were dull; he lacked one mattock, hp
needed a maul; both his axes dull; one of the
hands driving a cart did not dnmp out tho dirt
clean; two of tho hands shoveling dirt w.*ro work
ing to disadvantage; another hand was not doing
his full share of the wors, while ono who was less
disposed to complain than others, was being somo-
whet imposed on and made to do more than his
full share. AU these were pointed out and tbe
proper plans of working given in a moment alter
reaching the place, with a readiness and precision
which were really wonierfui. -‘This,” said ho to
the “boss,” “is not tho way for a man to make him
self uselul, so as to net to be a big bos3 at high
wages, and to take and manage contracts for him
self and make money.”
DISCIPLINE
among the convicts is perfect. Tho rules laid down
by Mr. Alexander aro few and simple, out founded
in good sense and most rigidly enforced. A viola
tion is certain to bring its punishment One rule
is that no conv.ct shall, under auy circumstances,
or for any provocation, strike another. A short
time ago this was violated by two of them who h-d
a fight, aud tue punishment pronounced by Mr.
Alexander was teu strokes witn a leather strap on
the bare skin. One of them, whoso term of service
had nearly expired, and who had never been pnu-
ished for aoy violation of prisou discipline, rebell
ed. and said he w uld not be whipped.
Mr. A. asked him how he would prevent it.
He took a kuife from his pocket, opened it- held
it up to his throat, and coolly and with earnest
manner, solemnly declared that he would cur his
throat and die right there bofore a lick should be
Btruck on him.
The guards and the convicts near, were filled with
apprehension, and began hastily to gather
up to prevent the carrying out of the
threat; but, quick as thought, Mr. Alex
ander waved his hand, saying, “Stand back”
He then took ont his watch, noticed tho exact time
and said to the man: “Now I wi’l give yon two min
utes and a half by the wetch, in vriiich to cut your
throat; and take notice, that at the end of that time,
if you have not killed yourself you shall have twen
ty lashes with the strap, instead of ten, and I trill
lay them on myself, instead of having my overseer
to do it. Now cut yonr throat while I hold the
vattk.**
The man stood for a moment In blank astonish
ment-then closed hi*knife and put it in his po--.A-
et, saying: ••'Well, Colonel, I’ve played the fool; give
me the wnipping. “
Ohattatoocheo are being built, and everything ia
being pressed vigorously. The management of tho
road in its evory department is in able hands-
Major Wallace, the Superintendant, is universally
con eded to bo one of the ablest railroad men iu
tho country. The Chief Engineer, Col. James W.
hobertson, and First Assistant, Capt. John A.
Grant, are men of well-known ability and integrity
in their profession, while Mr Edwards, in Im
mediate charge of the work on this side tne Chatta
hoochee. and Bichard Peters, Jr., having xlmilar
charge beyond the river, aro young men well quali
fied, who are vigilant, industrious, and are doing
everything they can to push tho work economically,
and have it well performed; and no men on this
continent or elsewhere, are more able and efficient
in their line than the present contractors on the
work. We expect to boo the cars running on th9
road before Christmas, of next year.
Th« importance of this enterprise to Atlanta can
not be over-estimated, and tho poorest man in the
city has an interest in its early completion, which
we fear is not duly considered. Take tho tingle
item of coal. We have hoard It stated that thers aro
six hundred thousand bushels of it consumed in
a ye r in this city. This is all brought here over
the Western and Atlantic Railroad. It soils in the
winter, at retail, at thirty-three and one-third centz
per bushel, and even by the car load, in summer, it
costs twi nty six cents per bushel. If wo estimate
it at thirty cents per bushel it makes tho cost to the
people of At.anta per year
•
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLAR31
If the Georgia Western was completed to tho
Alabama coal fields, we are told that coal could be
re ailed iu this city at twenty cents pur bushel, or at
seventeen cents by the car load. At twenty centE
it would be a saving to the people of tho city of
sixty thousand dollars a year, and this is nearly
enouga to pay tho inierest on,A MILLIUN OF DOL-
LABti ; and if Atlanta will subscribe a million to
the road and expend the same judiciously under
its present management, tho road will soon foe
bnilt.
The way for us to do is to put our shoulders to
the wheel, and build the road quickly as possible,
without hesitation. Let us do without work on the
streets as much as possible for a few years, and Bee
that this great and vitally important enterprise ie
put through.
EPIZOOTIC POST-JltOBTEM.
The post-mortem examination of tho bay horse,
“Bob Lee,” belonging to H. Jones A Co., revealed
In one of the sqnads, we saw O’Neal of Ciaytou, the following
lately sentenced in thia city to be hung, but whoso
sentence was commuted by Governor Smith to im
prisonment lor life at hard labor in the Penitentia
ry. He vas dig: ing with a pick, and, with down
cast lock, did not raise his head while we remained.
When he was first sent there, he wept grievously
and aimost continually for many days, and occa
sionally does so yet. At first he was not able to
work much, and by Mr. Alexander’s directions, was
not required to be kept continually at work, but al
lowed to rest as often as necessary. Now he is be
coming useu te it. and is able to do very nearly as
mnch work, and ss continuously, as the best of
tbe in.
XJEVXXBCT.”
It Li one of the standing orders to ail the “bosses, 1
that when a new convict is brought in, he shall not
be tasked beyond his ability comf rtably to per
form, till he is drilled and hardened to it. More
than half the men brought there are diseased, and
nearly all of them being just from long confinement
in jail, are unable to work hard aud unlit for it.
They are first examined earefally by the attending
physician to ascertain their physical conditio; , and
they are all treated according to their bodily ooudj-
dcss. Their treatment and mode of life, however
unpleasant, is conducive to health. Most of them
who go there unwell vary soon recover Lrom wLat
ever disease they h ve. and very few Indeed ever
have any rilment after becoming inored to tfi-ir
prison life. They are well fed, well clothed, o»m-
forabiy sheltered and provided for, and not over
worked. With snob treatment, any man whoa- oon
Btiuiti->D is not broken down with some incurable
m-'vi’y Is sure, verv soon, to become healthy anil |
strong.
Intense inflamation of the nauseous or lining
membrane of the larvux and trachea, or wind pipe;
the infUmation extending itself to the brcnchi or
small air tubes, and tho substance of the lung
itself. The greatest inflimatioo of the lung was in
the immediate vicinity of the small air tubes.
From appearances, it is evident that the inflama-
tlon commenced in the larynx, or the cute ranee oC
the wind pipe, ana extending Itself along the same
membrane the whole extent of th- air tubes, and
to the lung tissue in the immediate vicinity of the
first great distribution of these tubes. The infiima-
tion of the lung, ir pneumonia, was in thia cage
evidently an extension of the inflamation from the
air tubes, differing from ordinary pneumonia or
lung fever.
gar The Atlantic Coast Line seems to bo monop
olizing the roads from the Southwest into Atlanta.
We notioed a whole train of cotton coming in from
Atlanta & Wes* Point Road this morain,-, and on
Inquiry, found it coutalned 11 car* loaded with
ootion for New York by the Coast Line. We after
wards learned this was net all. Tue train following
it was ncavl'y 'ad.-n with freight for the tame U
The to-al nursbe- of bales through Atlanta
lu. lliL- -1-1 a
or oar kjocia.