Newspaper Page Text
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ATLANTA gTT7v
-APRIL 22, lSTO.
V Ql- Hi—3SJvT
THE 0aLLOWS.
Further Parti<-ula>» About spa «.
•riKIUV« AS TO HIS SANITY.
A CASK oy CObFWMhl) STUl'IDITY
Spun n’H Married Lilt 1 .
■ is Own Sutniimt of the Nall*r.
TMK OB TUB H.lJTfJMV
Preston, Webster Co., Ga., I
Fnoay, 11th Api 1, 1873 j
Editors hiiuy Sun: No doubt you al
ready i<av<: in your pos— st-ioii nr.icii ot
the particulars of tlie C*fc< of Euoci Fer
dinand Spann, who was hanged at tbu
place to-day, iu the pr*-isejjCo of at least
three thousand pi-rsous—perhaps many
more—tit oat ot »U«oi were m 0 iuis.
PERPLEXED QUESTION.
This wan and his history, aud the ter
rible criiiie of which he a as convict* d,
form one of thb strangest cams in the
annul* of crime. I have learned ranch
of the whole case, and th*- m re I have
learned of it the more I aui puzzled to
eomprebend or realize it.
WHl DID HE DO IT?
What could have indue d Sornin to
soinmit the great crime h r which he biu*
paid the extreme penalty *>f the law ?
This qneati*>n has been the theme of
more discussion in the vicinity riian un\
one subject that ever engaged public ut-
tenli- n. Admit that be was in love with
the girl. Sm-an Eherharr, and was tired
of bis wife; he aud the girl could have
oloped—could bare left the country to
getber, and no on * would have pursued
them or would ever have madi any eflf- rt
to bant them up, much leas bring tn* m
back. They could have gone ont
of the country in quiet order,
with no other erme attached
than living together unlawfully. Th*
fact that Spann k.lled hia wife without
any malice or ihwill towards her what
ever, beliug, while so doing, and afu-r
the dr a ful deed was perfoimed, no
more remorse or compunctions of consul
ence than he would for the killing of a
hog (for such was his owusia'ement, and
no one has s* eu any evidence that he
had auy other feeliug) is hard indeed to
realize. I- is incomprehensible. The
miuu Juila to ui.der>tand how it iu possi
ble, and no one conid be made to in—
lieve it possible, if it had not actually
been done. Men have k.lled their wive*
in fits of anger or jealousv, or of despair
when laboring uuder a disordered mind;
and men have been known to pnt their
wives to death with poison or by the
knife or pistol when hatred revenge or
{ ‘ealonsy were rankling in their bosoms;
rat with no ill feelings whatever, to de
liberately choke to death wi h a rope, a
tick bed ridden wife, to whom he had al
ways been devotedly kind and affection
ate, and had no cause whatever to be
otherwise, is the trangest thing in the
annuls ct crime, especially as the real
object to be thereby accomplished (how
ever unlawful) could have been ootaraed
ae easily aDd without running any risk
of life or limb, and but vtry tittle if any
risk of a lighter puniuhment. A consid
erable number of persons who have long
known him believe he was
DEMENTED, INSANE, OB A MONOMANIAC,
and should not be neia or considered re
sponsible or accountable for the crime of
murder, or at least that he ought not to
be bnng for it, as tbongh be wer of a
usually sound mind, or possessed of com
mon sanity. They made earnest efforts
to indnee the Governor to eomn nte his
S nuiahment on this grout’d, but failed.
'hey applied to the Judge of th* Supe
rior Court for a new trial npor the same
ground—that of insanity—bat the mo
tion was overruled, when they appealed
to the Supreme Court for an order for a
new trial, bat that high tribunal con
tinued the verdici of the jury and the
ratings of the Court neiow.
SPANN’8 PREVIOUS ACTS.
A great mass of evidence was gathered
up and presented to outturn this point.
His stupidity and inability to learn when
aent to school for more that: a yeai in his
boyhood, while residing in Mr. Pendry’s
f imily, mid also his going to school for
some t ir# tfter he left there, when abour
fifteen }Mi old; his marrying (like a
fool) v 1 eH a mere boy—not exceeding
seventeen years at most—a woman who
was at least fifteen years bis
senicr ; his being a sober, orderly,
hard-working and most industrious
man from his youth np—having no
known improper habits—not a sp- nd-
ftbnft —no want of economy—having the
▼eTy best of health, strerg b aud physi
cal endurance, yet never accmnulating
anything in the way of property more
than having a little better supply oi
household comforts than most of the
persons of his class; that he was univer
sally regard-d as possessing a very low
order of mind—having not more than
half sense; that he was known to h**ve
had several spells ot actual craziuess or
insanity for which he had been treateo
by physicians—a notable instance occur
ring eighteen years ago or more; that
when he was arrested be voluntary told
his captors all the o rcumstances con
nected with the murder, and expressed
■ot only » williDguess, bnt a desire to
be hung for it; that wuen first pat in
S rison he sent eevei al messages to the
ndge, who finally visited him, wnen he
■rged a called session of the Court, a
soeedy trial and a desire to be hanged as
Boon as poss.ble, and so urgent was Lis
aeqnest for a speedy trial, that tue Judge
granted it; the fact that he «mf loyed no
Souusei—wanted none—made no prepa
ration for his defense and wanted non*;
and was, with very great difficulty in
duced, by those lawyers who bad, unso
licited, volunteered to defend him to
plead “ not guilty," to the charge—and
other considerations cau-ed a number of
the best men in the county to believe
■in insane.
THE GOVERNOR PETITIONED.
Forty-five citizens of good standing
» petition to the Governor, in
Which they say th< y are “satisfied” that
•pann was **a monomaniac, and acted
■Oder and by the prompting of a dis-
and disordered mind," from acts
•* b ® lor ® * nd aller the killing
SPANNS war record.
Col. A. ' Cutts, the commander of
Cutt>’ Artillery B>it*a.ion in the Confed
.-r;if urni). F. M. Other, Adjutant, and
B P H’ lbs » ‘•member” ot the same,
cert fv that Spann was with them nearly
I the w toll- of the war—say four ye«rs;
mat “he was always submissive, humble
ard obedient, and therefore a gi od
*oldier so far as he knew; bnt was evi
dently very ignorant and very imbecile”
and “considered him incapable of doing
anything unless he was told,” and that
if be commuted tbe murder he must
Lave been, “to a certao extent, crazy or
of unsound mind as tc oe scarce*y re
sponsible for his actions.
d. ctob’s opinion.
Dr. W. A. Green was surgeon o
Curts’ Battalion two year*—knew
Spann well—has no doubt he is »
tnonoin tciac and should long since
nave t>ecn recognized aud treated
as sue . “ Hi* concupiscent propen
sities constitute tbe ground of his luna
cy, and ou Bevel al occasions attempt
ed to marry during tbe war. even umtor
tn remonstrance of cia comrades, with
whom he became very angry and bitter;”
uiid tbe doctor concludes that lie is “not
responsible for ttie horrid crime charged
him, and shonld not sutler the
pen*Itv th-reot.”
Dr. J. M. Tullis bad known Spann in
fini tely ‘25 y*ars, and in his “judgment
he had ever oern a monomaniac; in fact a
man very imbecile in mind, and not res
ponsible for his acts.”
Dr. W. B Stallings cert ifies that h>
has s'NU and conversed wi’li Spanu free
lv and frequently since Ins conviction,
and Oelii ves that he is “ ia a state of
moral insanity ’ aud “ mnst have been
u de r?he influence f passion ” when h 11
killed his wife, “to such hd extent that
reason had no sway over him, aud is as
wenkmindod as a child at best.”
Dr. 8. B. H’iwkius testifies: “He is
net a lunatic. He is a v*ry weakminded
ignorant man. entirely illiterate, of mol
ancholic disposition, perhaps largely
under r ental hallucination, kindred to
moral mania.”
Dr. W. 0. Kendrick is of op : uion that
Spann “is of ve’y feeble intellect and
strong animal passions, and was at tbe
commission of the crime a monomaniac.
Margaret Pearsou aud Stephen Pearson
knew Spann from his childhood—“never
looked upon him as having more than
half sense, nor having any more mind
than a chilJ.”
J. AI Gill knew Spann from his ear
liest '’oybood, He nev r conid learn at
school—had no capacity above a child—
was w**ak and hs • asilv influenced as r
•bild; that iu 1857 or ’68 be had a spell
ct insanity, lasting ien or fifteen days,
utterly disqualifying him lor business,
and he had to oe cared for.
A CLEKGi man's OPINION.
Rev. Thomas H. Siewurt, M. D., o
Americus, a member of tbe Georgia Con
ference, M. E Cburcb South, a sou-in
law of Dr. Jesse BoriDg, says:
“ I visited Spann on the 8th of June
tor the first time. My visit was purely
religiois. He professed pardon for his
crime, but manifested no fruits meet for
so joyful an event. I questioned him
closely as to his sensibility of guiltiness,
in the sight of his Master, to all of whiob
he answered calmly, if not stupidly, in
tbe affirmative.
“I left l lm—was bewildered with his
case—feared that he was d-ceiv* d; aud
yet fiudiug no data or foundation in hi*
case npon which I could hope to do him
any go< d, I decided to see him no more.
“ But a seroud thought- that if I did
him uo good, I could do him no harm by
a second v»sit, led me to see him again
the following day; in the meantime he
requested to see me again. In this inter
view I studied intimately his looks, his
manner, bis tone, to see if I could
extract from these a meaning, which
would be an indorsement from his soul,
of what his lips seemed to utter with ua
natural indifference, not to say stupidity,
but nothing satisfactory was seen or
heard fr >m him.
“Just before I left him, and in tbe
parting, he wept freely, but it occurred
under such circumstances as to leave me
in d >nbc as to whether they were tears ot
contripon or of joy, or of mere sorrow
that we were parting forever.
“Id this interview his eyes were down
cast most of the time. This I should
have imputed to a sense ot shame for his
crime, if he had not occasionally lifted
up his eyes upon me with a lingering
look of surprise, more than anything else.
1 have frequently reviewed and studied
all that I saw aud heard from Spann,
and am perenaded that if he is not, a
crazy man he is certainly one of the mos*
Uunatniul men I ever saw, to be a ration
al man. His manly form, well chiseled
and well proportioned face, and expanded
head, all tell me that he is not an idiot,
and yet the great lack of a corresponding
meaning in bis words, intelligence in hi*
mind, and expression iu ms iuc i, tell me
plainly, that his mental iuferioiity is not
natural or constitutional, bnt accidental,
and is the rsbnlt of some unknown acci
dental cause, either before or since his
birth, which cause, if it is still acting,
predisposes inevitably to insanity, or if
not still acting, has left ihe mind ex
posed to many exciting causes of insani
ty. Tb< se last impressions I state as a
medical man, I having a diploma.
Thos. H. Stewart,
FATED BE TO GET RELIEF.
Bnt all thi* mass of testimony failed to
sutisfy the Governor or the Supreme
Court that Spann was insane, ora mono
maniac, or that he was entitle.’ to ai*y
anatement or commntati* n of the sen
tence on the score of lacking a sound
mmd. Judge Warner tersely remarked
thet Spann bad sense enough to ut-k his
c-ptors what right T hey bad to arrest
him in Alabama without a warrant, and
that a man having that much mind was
not crazy.
A trial or investigation of the matter
of lunacy or insanitv rook place before
the Ordinary ot Webster county on
{the 17th of July, 1872, on which occa-
i sion he was examined by a Lumber of
1 medical gentlemen of high standing, bnt
i the testimony, by the terms of tbe law,
I could not go back behind the day of
Spann’s eonvictiou on the 28: b day of
Mav pretnem, and the jury found him
.-ane.
A DESIBB TO LIVE.
These disinterested, earnest efforts of
a number of gentlemen to save Spann’s
life, begat in him a desire to live and to
escape execution. The anxiety he at
1 hist m inifesteu to be speedily hanged,
| wore oil and he became willing to ee-
; cape the gallows if possible; and after
tbe Supreme Court pronounced his de-
i cision, be M-emed to take his fate quite
hard. He would oe deeply affected and
shed tears freolv when conversing about
the anbjtct. He add that several hings
bad been testifieo against him and also
against Miss Eberbart which were un
true. He declined to tell fully wherein
tLe testimony was not correct, hot men
tinned a few points to a lew persons—the
most important of which is
named iu his confession or
written statement (herewith inclosed)
read for him to-day at the gallows jnet
before he was launched into eternoy.
I: is worthy of note tbat none of the
noims on which K e canns inju- tice to
have been done him are materiul, anu
would not have changed in the slightest
ti.e degree his emue or guilt, ox
changed tbe verdict of the jury. He,
however, d*»elt with much’emphasis and
compl lined seriously of the great injus
tice done him by testimony which he
alleged io be untru-, but wb‘ch, if his
•fatemeuts are correct, have no special
merit in them.
PEACE WITH GOD.
He has. during all his imprisonment,
seemed to tie deeply exercised about mt<
soui’s salvation, and pri-fesseu to have
made peace with God for ms great crime
as weil as for all ids s ns
Last Tue-iday evening a g ntleman vis
ited him at tbe jail, to whom he made a
f -r st •‘CB' 1 E‘s wl:’C' ' e dr-str 1 fr "
reduced to writing and read at t>is execu-
IIod. On Weduesd.*y a?tr:ri,oon a rough
draft was read :*.• i-uu iu jail, which he
prouounced corrtc', af or which a fait
uipy o it was mail’.-, so that it micht be
e.isiiy read by any one It was caraisd
to him ou Thursday by H *u. Ait-.ai 0.
Beil, lately luemb r < the L wrisialnr
from *Vel>ster oouoia, who, at Spann'n
request read it ov-. r c »r tuiij and slow’y
to uim again. I >• •;* to Ins ‘iking and
fully approved. A 'erward Hon. Sam
son Belt, lather <>f the above named, one
of the most highly respected, intelligent
nd wealiby cirizeus i i luecouuty, visited
: ioi, aud at S,.-a’.n’' request, read over
rne paper to him again. He said it was
C'-rnrcr.
THE PRiSONERS REFLECTIONS.
During the last lew days quite a num
ber of persons—principally those who
ad been active iu trying to secure for
him a new trial and commutation of his
.sentence—have visited and conversed
with him. To mo»t of them he has
avoided saying much ab >ut his wife, or
rbe crime of killing her ,nr of Miss Eher-
hait. He said he loved the gir —wished
her well—wanted her to live and not to
be hanged. He sai i he aid not wish to
-ay anything against bis wife; that she
was dead, und he must soon die, and
hi hoped he would meet her
in heaven, and it would do no good to
say anything against her or auy one else
In reply to questions, however, be told
two persons at least that his marriage had
brought upon him all his trouble and
in s.i>riune, and no one knew, or ev- r
w«*uld know, wbat Le nad endured sme-
tbut uav. He said he was but a Oov, and
was drugged into it, and gave the names
of some who had urged, persuaded and
influenced him to do so, aud that one of
them had afterwards given him five dol
lars in compliance with a promise to “do
s •methiug” for him if he would marry
her. He further said he was married
about a month before Christmas, amt his
wife’s firbt cnild was born on the 3J of
August lollowiug—oay about eight months
from the marriage. He further said to
fhese same persons tbat his wife was
frequently ill and quarrelsome to him,
making his house so disagreeable that he
would not stay at it, but go off into the
fields to be away from her, aud tbat ou
i.e occasion he had gone almost entirely
withou’ food four days, during all of
which time bis wife was so ill and disa
greeable that he could not stay at the
nouse.
WANTS A PHOTOGRAPH.
About two weeks ago the Soer ff car
ried Miss Eberhart ont of the jail to have
her photograph taken by uu artist who
was temporarily in the village. Mr.
Mathews, the Sheriff, asked Spann if he
wanted his picture also taken; he sain be
did net, but about Thnrt-day, the 8d
inst., he became anxious to have his pic
tare taken. When this request was first
made to the Sueriif. he was disposed to
gratify it, but it being inconvenient, for
a few days it was not attended to at once,
and Spann became quite anxious and ur
gent to bave it done. This set the Sher
iff to reflecting. What could have in-
duoed him to change bis notion npon
the suhj ct, and suddenly to become io
anxious to have his picture tasen ? L
was, to his mind, suspicious. He feared
that Spann might try to escape— might
possibly have a knife and would hurt
someone, or <n attempting to escape,
would have to be ah’ t, or some unpleas
ant scene be the result He thereior
decided not to grant the request. Some
persons thought it was hard to deny the
poor fellow this last n quest of his life,
but if it had been t-muted, the Sheriff
would nave assumed a v. ry great respon
sibility—one for which be had no author
ity wbatevei. He therefore said he
should do only what th j law authorised
him to do, and no more.
INCIDENTS OF THE DAT.
The day has been beautilully clear—
just cool enengh to be pleasant. The
great crowd began to assemble last night
—the people coming in wagons, buggies,
on horse back aud on foot, from all tbe
surrounding counties. They camped in
the woods and occupied vacant build
ings in and near the village in considera-
ble^numbers last night. This morning
at an e^rlv nour the stream of humanity
and animality commenced pouring in by
every road and did not cease till the hour
of the ex* cation. It is a sad snectacie to
see thousands oi numan bemgs assemble
to witne.-s the shameful death of a fel
low creature, aud the Legislature ought
to rt quire all executions to be private—
no on** witntsfciug the horrid 6ceue, ex
cept those who have some proper buxi
ne s to be there.
Tue crowd was quiet and orderly—a
few persons being drank, but nodisturb-
cnce created. A brisk auction saie of
dry goods aud notions was improvised by
au Americas merchant, in the public
square.
Tne writer of this, wbeu coming here
this morning, from some distance iu the
country, found the road filled wuL ne
groes hastening to the banging, and u ia
evident that work on almost eve>y farm
in the county has teeu suspended to
day. We fonnd one very old negro man
wearily pressing his way, with a staff in
each hand, walking along with much
difficultv and panting f,*r breath. We
said *• 01J man, going to the hanging ?”
“Yea, mass a, I didn’t want to go, but
I’se'most’bliged to.”
“ Why, wna' compels you to go if you
don’t want to go ?”
“He ow»s me some money, and he
wouldn’t pay m* 1 , and I thought IV go
and see de last of him ’cause be wouldn’t
pav me.”
Tins excited our curiosity, so that we
drove slowly tor a time(to talk with tlie
old man.
“What did Mr. Spann owe you for ?”
“For work I done for him. I fixed
up his garden lor him, and done some
work iu his cotton, aud he wouldn’t pay
me—never did paj me. I never did see
nobody hung, and don’t want to see no
body hung; an’ if he’d a paid me, 1
wouldn’t a gone to see him hui»<»; uc he
wouhiu’t pay me, and I ha’ to go a see
it, but I don’t want to.”
“ How much does he owe you ?”
“He owes me two dollars aud sixty five
cents -two dollars for de garden an’ ti.tty-
five cents for de tother work; au’ he
wouldn’t pay it.”
“ WboD was it von d’d the work ?”
“ De fus’ year a’ler freedom; au’Idon*-
it for him, n' he never wonld pay me.’
“ How old are you, uncle ?”
“ I’m ober sebenty year oie”—and his
general appearauce indicated th u ho was
about 70.
He said his name was Jasper, aud that
he belonged to aud was brought ui by
Mr. Fussed.
“Then.” said we “your name, I sup
pose, is Jasper Fussell ”
“ iNo; luav *a» my name, but I’se al
ter* it it. I i»fiexwards beh nged to Judge
Davis, an’ he married into de Gardner
family, uu’ I se changed my name to Jas
per Gardner,”
“ .Veil, Jasper, it seems that you aTe
going to see Mr. Spann hung b *cuu.*e
he ow-h you som money and would not
pay it.”
“Yes, I never did see no body hung,
an’ 1 hat-s to see ir, but he would’nt pay
me, an’ I must go an’ see it.”
W e found that he had traveled ou foot
about twelve miles—old aud decrepit as
he was to witness the hanging - -alleging
rln. t it was because Spann owed him
32 no.
6DSAN AND HER SISTERS.
We saw two >,f the sisters aud two of
the hrotuers of Miss Ebernar* ou the
ground, who had come to wi ness tbe
shameful death of the man with whom
their sister is so intimatelv associated
in the frightful tragedy of the death
of Mrs. Spann.
PARTING WITH 8C8AN.
At 10 o’clock the Sheriff formed his
guard and went to the jail. Spann’s
meeting with the ministers of religion,
whom ne Lad requested to be preseur
was uffi-oting, and lie was deeply moved,
weeping freely, when he purted with
Miss Satan Eberhart. When leaving her
he h: nded her a cake of toilet soap,
wrapped up in a piece of brown paper.
LOOKING AT HIS COFFIN.
He walked with firm step by Mie side
of ti e Sheriff to the public fqui c,
where he halted and l'**ked at his coffin
—a very neat one handsomeiy lined and
covered vnth black velvet- which bis
cousin, Wm. F. Spann had mane for the
sad occasion. This cousin is a highly
respectable well-to-do fa mer residing
near Preston. He was Present when the
e. ffin was opened at the request of
Euo h F. that he might view it inside,
i hey then took leave of each other -
Wm. F. refusing to see the execution,
r witness tne thrilling drama any far
ther.
“Good bye, Ferd,” «aid he, “I have
done ail I conid for you.”
“ Good bye, Bill,” responded the
doomed man, “I know vcu’ve done all
you can. May God bless you. I hope
we’H meet, in a bettor world than this.”
Tears streamed down the face of pr>e h
as they stood wuk clasped hands utter
ing these solemn words, and the eyes of
nearly every beholder were snflused.
The Sheriff told Spann ne could ride
to the gal ows, but he p«eterred to walk,
and did so. to the gallows which h d
l>een erected in a grove of long-leafed
pines, a quorter of a mile distant. H**
sat down upon tbe steps, and at
his request an umbrella was held over
him, <o shield him from tbe warm sun
shine, while Rev. J. H Cawood read to him
the 17rh chapter of Job, aod hd-’ressed
to bin. a few words of exhortation, when
all kneeled, and Rev. Isaac Hart led in a
feeling praver, daring which Spann’s
lips moved in sileut earnest prayer, his
hanas being cltsped.
THE DROP.
When the prayer was concluded, he
ascended the steps and stood upon the
fatal platform with firm step and com
posed mien, and requested a gentleman
present to read tbe written statement
which I hereto attach, as his last dyiner
declaration. When this was done, he
made a somewhat rambling speech
of nearlv five minute* duration
of but very li tie importance, exhorting
the people to prepare for death. He ie-
marked that it was Friday before Easter
Sunday—the day on which Christ whs
crnsiUed, and seemed to derive a lessen
of comfort anil enconragem* ct from th*-
fact. He ceased, and calmly announced
that he was ready and hud no more to
say.
The-Sheriff then adjuste’ the rop..
placed the black cap over his face, tied
his hands, and said “ Ferd, are you rea
dy ? ” He replid, “yes, poor me ! ” God
have mercy on me.” The Sheriff tbeD
cut a small leather strap with his kni’e;
the platform fell, and Spann dropped
down five eet. H made two slight
movements wim his legs, a slight similar
movement of bis arms aod shoulder* and
all was still. He seemed to die very
easily. His heart ceased to beat in
rwenty-five minutes, when his body was
taken down and delivered to friends,
who will bury him to-morrow at Poplar
Spring church some eight miles north of
this place. When tne previously ap
pointed time fordiis execution wasathand,
be requested that be might be buried by
the side ot his wife, in tbe church burn
ing ground, where he and she had been
members, bnt this burying ground was
on private property—d»d not beloLg to
the church, and the owner would not
consent for Spann to be buried there.
He seemed to esteem it quite a favor that
the Poplar Spring church had granted
him Christian burial at their grave yard.
This is the fourth person who has
bem hanged in Webster county since
its organization into a separate* county
(it was originally a part of Stewart, and
mode a new county some twenty years
ago;) and it is somewhat remarkable
that thelaxt execution before Spann—iu
1857—was for wife murder; and that a
negro is dow confined in jail und*r sen
tence of death on the 25th inst. for the
same offense.
But let no one infer that tjie people of
Webster are, or ever have been lawless
or immoral. A more oruerly, sober,
law aoiding, religions or hospitable peo
ple do not live in Georgia.
Th is village is small, and tho people
are peculiarly hospitable and clever. I
have been mfst kindly treated by a num
ber of citizens in the village aud county,
aud am under special obiigiuions toG. S.
Rosser merchant; W. H. Mathews,
Sheriff; Rev. J. H. Cawood, CUrk Sn-
p rior Court, aud to Hon. Samson Bell.
Hon. A. C. Bril and Jame W. Bell, Esq ,
who bave afT rded me every facility
in their power to oh'ain informa
tion of this, the most interesting case o
cr .me that ever occurred in Georgia, aud
which is c-rtoinly one of tlie strangest in
history of crimes. May we never he ir ot
the like again. * * *
Letter? om ( ortnth. Mlaiiiiippl,
Etiitors Sun :—To many of your read
era, bo*h in Georgia and Alabama, and
especially in Mississippi, these few items
from this growing and prosperous lirtle
city, Corinth, will be of some interest uo
doubt, as it is a central point for Rail
roads. The people here are bringing
the question of transportation by Rail to
an t ffi ient practical si iution. The sur
v*<y for two new and very important en
terprises of this port have been made;
and every thing will soou be in readmes*
to pusii the woik forward witn grr-u
energy. Th*- R <sd projected irotn this
place to Birmingham, Alabama, a dis
tance of one hundred and sixty mihs
which will be called the Corinth and
Elytoo, alias tl eSt. Lonis -.nd Savannah
Ho o, wiil form a most imp* rta>r
link between bt. Louis aud tne Athuitn
coast, making a complete through
freignt air-line to Savannah, and pa**
iug through that portion of North Ala
bama. w: ich is mwnpasfeed for its fin
coal fields aud iron ore. Th*' t ends
have been issued and enoorsed by tbe
city of St L uis, tbe Mobile and Obi"
road, the M*m;>nis and Cha-leston road,
nud th*-Iron Mountain road. Capitalist-
ici New York have offered to cash them
■t u(j v* n*y cents on the dollar.
The grading of the other road ir*.m
this place to Mount Pleasant. T*-nn*s
s e, baspirt'yb en fiaishtd. The coro-
lefion of this hue will brirg freight
d>reot irom New Orleans, St. Leui-i imd
Cincinnati, by way of the Tennessee
river.
OPENING PROSPECTS.
With all these connections, Corinth is
destined to take *’«r s and in the front
rank among other rising cities of the
‘donth. No town stiff-red any more
during the terrible ravsg*? of the Into
war. With her industrious and ene-
gene people, she has sprung up Phoenix
Wee from ashei to new and handsome
bui'dings. The hsmmer ard trowel is
now the general order of the day. There,
are a considerable number of business
house® c mptotod, and doing a large and
profitable trade, while many others are
now in state of completion. Th* 1 war
left but a trifling number of horses
The population now is over three
thousand, has increased abont one t on
sand in the lust twelve montns; ann a
great many strangers from various parts
are on • prospecting tonr.
There are in th“ town three large
wholesale tobacco houses, one wholesale
Honor store, six dry goods stores, tw.-
elegant furniture establishments, eleven
fiirrilv groceries, two hardware stores
five drug stores, one 1 irge and extensive
saddlery, harness and wholesale leather
h use®, and eight or ten variety stores
and confectioneries. All the merchants
are mm of ripe judgment, lib r*l in
their ’e"liegs. an ’ ente-pri ing in rbeir
mercantile operations. A*though money
matters are tight in this latitude, yet. it
do* s pot materially aff ct the g«nend
bnsiness. We saw the shipping
figures on a cotton ba'e
at rhedenot, 2 005, showing the number
of bales bought by one firm. The whole
btoou> t slitoped is about 10,000 Near
the crossing of the railroads is a large
and fine cotton and woolen factory, one
of th* 1 best constructed brick bti dings,
for its purpos , in the 8outh. We w-re
sorry to see it, inactive. The company
ba« ns yet been unable to put it in opera
tion for want cf money. There are few
more tempting inducements to invest
ment of capital, and snrely some enter
prising manufacturers will come forward
and take held of it. The surround
ing couutry is very good, and Corinth
enjoys a oonntry trade of forty or fifty
miles radius.
CHURCHES.
All denominations seem to recognize
this locality as a religions centre.
Every sect is represented. The
Catholics have jnst completed a
handsome church; the two branches
of the Presbyterians have elegant
houses; the Episcopalians, Baptist and
Methodist, built temporary houses bood
after the war, but now bave in course of
treclion of erection fine brick churches.
^9
From thn Mobile Reg'ater.
run nr.nonjTu *j tTH
It* fi range! tat ton the SalvaM
Aepu bile. ' " Ct ’>>t
We copy from The Atlavti
article entitled “TneN It Pp-' **
Democrat.” which has tin- 1
it. We do not quite me-in. fi, nr , ncR !*
advance, to endorse the piedv-tion* 1 ^
the next President will be a Deinr>
He may be a Cossack, or an Itidir u ' ^
woman, or there may he no Pr*s Ul ,'-.! r 4
all, for aught we know. Bat Wua f
believe is, thili it the Demo, r tu- **
ilei-ts a President for thenex 1 term T *
snccessful candidate will be a D t , ’o, ‘ f
By this we mean that the three il-
of men * ho are at heart and iu p-,j
Democrats and who were oneeoru..r, 2 .J
iu a hrrn au.i invincible body, b t
—uv separated and disintegrated fi r
mt of a rallying standard and brav!
d trusted leaders, have best: tuuchi
want
an
lesson
warning,
and received
Clip
tenets of
X
We were pleased to see with what fine
success Mississippi has met in the way of
public schools. There have been built
in this place two commodious school
houses, though we did not visit
aDy schools, being bere on Sat
urday. We learn that they are
prosperous and of high g'-ade. We
were delighted to meet with two of our
old Georgia friends, Caotains Freder-ck
Beasley aud Walter Overton. Tbe former
is General Superintendent of Pu 1 lie
Schools in this couuty, which are ably
and satisiactorily conducted under bis
management, the people are eminently
tortunate in securing the services of
Captain Beasley, who is a gentleman ;n
every s- nse of the word, and the right
min in the right place Captain Over-
ton is successfully engaged in editing
the Courier, a fine weekly paper, full ot
good, interesting, and reliable reading
matter. The Courier never fails to make
his weekly rounds with newe from
Headquarters. Tnere is one or two oiher
Weeklies published here, all doing well.
WAR VESTIGES.
Corinth, like many other Southern
towns, still retains relics wrought by the
cruel hand of War. During our walk
around the su rams, we saw numbers of
Confederate soldiers’ graves, and most
prominent among these was the tomb of
Col. George Rogers, of the 2nd Texas
Regiment, who fell while gallantly lead
ing his men in a chaige on the enemi-s
fortifications, on the 22nd October 1862.
He was buried immediately on the spot
where he last raised bis sword to strike
for Southern rights:
Here in their narrow ceil* rest the brave and gallant
dead.
For whose suffering and death, a country’s tear has
bean shed.
J. c. s.
nisht
... disswirunt
w»iu.u a , which will tot be f .
gotten be them in this aeneraiiou. 1 16
le.vs,.n is that success does Dot lit* at tb
end of a road ol triurarng, of l>:inki »
ttuir principles, cr tracking their for.
tunes to coat tails of a doiniuiuir Dart*
teat as uot the beat of one pulse
pathy in common with them. Such a
o-iursti is * u»„.: endor-emeut u. v toUe .
my of Democracy. If Radie-il adm<n<i
iratiou is right—eveD h„M n. ht -t'.eirre-
si«u' le conclusion is thst it abomd not
be supplanted by any other puty that
on*to* that it is so. Political parties Jo
not win, unless thoy make oroud and
si.i.rp issues on measures and principle
d fight up to them, <w. rd in baud. It
was Pecanse this was net done m the
U*t election that the battle went hv de
fault, or we we should «ay tather, njdia-
gu-*t; *or it was the latter feeling th
drove Democrat* from the contest, j u
in propor.ion to the sternness of ti nr fi
delity io their principles. The hoped of
republican government rest, so fai as the
wisest f recast can now discern, upon
the remarshalling of America'
z ns who hold to tbe
the Democratic faith
nuclei!.-, tor the rally of uuinbers, ‘o take
possession of and to control the Federal
Government. The nucleus mu.-t bee m-
sritu ed of true Democrats, hard and re
liable a* the kernel upon whicti the nn-at
ol ric* 1 and ripe fruit is orrned. Assure
us the nucleus is sound and healthy, will
oe the accret’on of other political ele
ments to produce a perf etion of fruit
age. Tbat i9 io sav. let the Democratic
party be tru**t<> its-If aud it will command
a support outside of its ranks to conquer
a vicr r,v. Democrats have yet to lealize
this truth, to learn the causes of their
disasters and the true secret of their
power, aud to emerge from ibe gloom
Hid d scouragements of tne psst. I: is
the mission of the Democratic press to
negin this work of regeneration. It is
not to create a Democratic party, for the
elements of it, even strong and fecund in
their isolation, are scattered far auo wide,
tn every town and hamlet of the couutry
bet ween the two oceans. Sound lie ral
lying bugle note, and they wdl rise 1 ke
Cadmus’ men, from every hill uud
plain and valley. They are there, a
powerful army iu reserve aud in wmter
quar ers, awaiting the season ai-.i the
sppointed leader to summon tlum to
willing battle. From this reseive will
coma to mdk and water m -n; none who
come with apologies in their month- ior
acting wuh the Democratic party, or
vown g .ts principles: no men who are
s e>c*HS-vely con-ervntive as to find it
necessary, in a death fig t for liberty,
to take post half way between her sworn
ohampi ns and her declared enemies. In
the initiation of the Democratic revival,
take no note of this class of t.hiu skins
and adulterated p'.liti dans. When your
blood and your flag are up, Democrats!
and your onwaid tramp is heard, these
folks are yours, and will billow with an
irresistible iusiiDct. When you are
strong, these people wi'l dispense with
all the apologies of being of and with
you, and it will cost von no emolieut to
persuaiie them. Remember that we
have tried the soft soap system to oar
great dis-ppointmeut. The Balti
more C nvemion ^bankrupted it
self aud wrec ed the party
that it pretended to represent in the me
of soothing yrups. It thought tie De
mocracy was a big baby aud had tie
croup. It turned our that it was a stal
wart man, and demanded to be fed on
tne strong meat of men. It vearued lor
the bread of principle and a great cause,
and would not come out from its hones
to celenrate its own betrayal and dis
grace. And n<-w, we can all see tnat
its people ac ed wisely, and have saved
the vigorous life of a party that would
have oeen frittered aud r. fi ed ad
hair split into nothingness, by an ad-
imnistiatiou, half Democratic and half
Radical. No; the role of the Democ
racy is as cl ar as the lights of historical
experience can make it. It is a role of
tiuth to itself aLd fidelity to its great
heritage r-f principles. Nor is it too
early to plant the se*-ds of iie own reger-
uiiuatiou. In whatever community two
or a hundred tru Democrats can be
found, let tb* m meet and 'ouud a sekool,
or club, tor tte propagation and prac
tice of the saving doctrines of their
creed. The soil is ripe for the teed.
Le true men plant it everywhere, aud
our word for it, ‘hey will be astou.shed
at the getoal and rapid growth «f its
fruits.
Onr Forrl^n Commerce.
The Boston P«h t summarizes tie im
mense irade of New Tork thus:
T io foreign commerce oi tb* Uriion iu
1872, amounted in vs*tue to $1,212 000,-
000, of which sum 8704,000,000 or more
than half of tbe total, lormed the share
of the port of N*-w Yoik. TLis extreme
ly favorable exhibit murks an ascesoancy
both in imi oris and exports. Of imports,
8418.000 000, or marly two-ttnrds of
8640,000. the aggrega'e vaiue of imports,
fell to New York. With tbe exception
ot cotton, this great city of the Union
colli cts and distributes rearly three-
fourths of tne American product* which
go to loreign lands for the subsistence of
their people, or the maintenance of tneir
manufactories.
®^*Charles Francis Adams will deliver a
funeral oration ou the deatn of
William H. Seward, in New York, on the
18th of April. The oration will be de-
hver«id in the Nor,h Reformed Church,
where, many years ago, Mr. Seward de
liver d an oration on the death of Mr.
Adams’ illustrious father.
—Mark A. Kn:ght, of Texas, formerly
of Elbert count*, committed suicide, a
short time since, by shooting, himself
wit n a pistol.