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Editor & Proprietor.
ttmMin ViMtu, Marinin Go.. Ciiv.
WEDNESDAY MOHNXNCI, Al’lUL. Si. 1577.
MAY FESTIVAL.
There will he a largo party g'wn
at the Court I louse on Tuesday night,
the Ist ol' May.
The supper will bo furnished by
the ladies, for tho benefit of the Meth
odist Church. No pains will be spar
ed to make tho supper u success.
All who attend are promised a pleas
ant evening.
Price lor admission to the supper
tabic: 50ctS.
coy. m iTT or mi rang emkx ts .
Mrs. Col. K. M. Butt, Miss Lit
creti a Bullock, and Miss Virginia
Butt.
Cause of tiio Delay;
The Argus lias not made its ap
pearance in two weeks. The failure
to come cut was unavoidable. Yfo .
ordered our customary supply of pa- :
per on the 4th of April, accompanied
by the amount necessary to pay for
it. Tho order was received on the
sth by the manufacturers, who re
plied under that date, ' ‘Wo ship
your paper to-day.” Belying on this
statement that the pupa - had been
sent, we did not order again uniil it
was too bite to remedy the evil. Our
second order not did arrive until last
Saturday night. This is our expla
nation and our apology,
FATAL ACCIDENT—SAD EE 4.TH.
Our community was shocked and
grieved, when the intelligence came
on the litli inst., that Mr. Robert
Williams bad been accidentally kill
ed. Investigation verified tire cor
rectness of tiio rumor.
On Saturday evening t,hc 14th hist.
Mr, Robert Williams, who was work
ing with his father, Mr. It Marion
■Williams, was engaged in moving
some house logs, Mr. Milton Robin
son assisting bin!. While attenpting
to dodge a log, balanced on the
wheel and being thrown into the
wagon, he struck his head violently
against another I6g lying in the wag
ton. The concussion fractured the
skull and caused some interior inju
ries to the head, from the effects of
Which ho soon after died.*
Oil Sunday evening ensuing, at
3 o'clock, Rev. J. P. Ward] aw
preached Robert William’s funeral
to a very large assemblage of sym
pathizing friends. The burial tool:
place immediately after the funeral
in the Methodist cemetery.
Bobbie Williams was liked and re
spected by the entire community,
and his untimelypleaUi was the sub
ject of general sorrow. He was a
member of the Buena Vista Metho
dist Church and a good boy, against
whom none could charge the perpe
tration of intentional wrong. He
was the pride and idol of his brothers
and sisters, as well as the joy and
hope of his parents. Peace to iiis
ashes.
SUPERIOR COURT CONVENTION
wi-EECHE*.
Last week was a stirring one in
Buena Vista. Judge Crawford or
ganized the spring term of the Supe
rior Court, which continued in ses
sion until Friday night. Considera
ble business was disposed of.
Monday noon Col. Port..lngram
delivered a speech in favor of calling
a Constitutional Convention.
Tuesday noon, Col. Peabody, of
Columbus, also delivered a stirring
speech on the f-anie subject and on
the same side of the question.
Tuesday night, Col. Pen, of Colum
bus, spoke eloquently in favor of a
Convention.
"Wednesday noon, Col. Mark Bland
iord, thrilled a largo audience in fa
vor of a Convention.
Thursday noon, Col. E. M. Butt
delivered an eloquent speech in oppo
sition to a Convention.
Friday noon. Col. B. B. Hinton
delivered a telling speech in favor of
Convention.
Our limited space forbids any elab
orative report of the speeches. They
were all good. Cos). E. *M. Butt. Col.
Carey Thornton, Hon. Allen Fort,
are the only speakers, out of a thou
sand and one orators, who have tak
en (lie buskins against the calling ol
a Convention.
—A fine stock of Ready Made Cloth
ing as Lowe .a Uesiun .
. —aOS>.c
Statement of Shepperd, tried for Sup
posed Murder of Ms Wife.
From the Columbus Tiuiu*,
Boxer Ga., April 5,1577.
FJHor Times'. Thinking that
a statement from Win. Shepherd,
charged with tho killing of his
wife, January 20tli, and whoso tria 1
is set for to-day, would bo of inter
est to the readers of tiio Times. I
this morning sought and obtained
an introduction to him. lie is a
’ small man, about live I*. et six
inches, rather florid complexion,
blue eyes, and hair inclined to be
dark, ilo seemed glad to meet
me and anxious to have a hearing
before the people. Ho is about
45 ’’ears of age, has been marrh and
three times; his first wife died and
lie was divorced from ins sec ond
fast spring, and married, about a
month afterwards, the tmtortnuafe*
woman with whose death he is
i charged. 6'he was about 34 years
<>f ii'i'o and they had been married
10. , ,
! about eig >t months.
in answer to my request to state
I ’ne all ha knew concerning her death
, he said ;
HIS STATEMENT.
About one month before her death
she became, poor, (she expected to
be a mother) she said to u. j Mr. j
Shepperd, ii I knew 1 had to stay in j
this fix I wouldn't live. At that.;
t.me she began to take tens and mod-1
icings to rid lmi-self of child preina- j
tur'elv. File often remarked to me j
that,” “if 1 don’t get better I will
hang myself.” About this time sbe j
began making mo a. large lot of cloth-1
in g, and I asked her why she nasi
making up so much. She answer* .1
‘•it may be a long time before I make I
you any more. I shall never have I
a child.” She made lids remark j
many times. At two different times
shortly before she killed herself, she
came near dying at night, and I lour
ed she had taken some rat poison
which she had. I then took it out oi
her trunk and buried it. She had
taken something, I didn't knowwliut.
Abo it three days before her death
she told me, “l have eaten ail that
camnhorgumfshe had about an ounce)
in a day and a half.”
On Thursday evening, before her
death, I asked her to walk out with
me to look at ilie fattening hog.- in
the pens. Sbe remarked “the two
in that pen arenas many as you want
ttiere is as much moat in the smoke
house as I will want.” (There were
only two small pieces in there ) I
said, “Oh, you'll get hearty again
| and feel like eating.” She repeated,
“That.is as much as I will ever
want.”
Last fall, she had asked me for and I
set aside a little piece of ground,
about an acre and a half, in front of
the house, for a cotton paten for her
own use. The Friday before her
death, I was talking about hauling
out lot manure and preparing it for
her, and said: “Rover mind—l will
never work nary mother day.” I was
having a house torn down, and had
torn doVvn all the shed-rooms, leaving
the main body of it (which was built
of logs) at dinner time Saturday,
! when she asked me to quit. She
seenie'd sO anxious about it that I
told tiio men to quit. They then
proposed going, a-fishing, and asked
me where my fishing-lines were. I
said they were down on the creek—l
could not tell exactly where they were
—I would go and show them after
dinner. My wife asked me to go
with them. I told her i would not be
gone more than 25 minutes. She
told mo to stay and fish. I returned
about sundown. We went to bed
about B.’, o'clock that night. About
9 o’clock sbe got Up, 1 asked her
what was the matter, and she said
she felt restless and went out doors.
Sue returned in a short while and
said, darling, are you asleep. I re
plied pretty near. She lay down by
| me and put her arm around me and
I laid my arm across her. That is
the last thing I remember till I was
awakened, after midnight by a noire
of some kind —do not know what. I
saw a light in the old kitchen and
got up 'and went out there. The door
was shut with a chair against it, t
pushed it open and found my wife ly
ing near the hearth with the gun ly
ing across her, bleeding from a
wound in the head. The blood had
run about two feet. She was breath
ing hal'd but could not Speak. As
soon as I found her I began to halloo
and went for Mr. McGJamery, who
lived two hundred yards off.
We had never had any cross words
or bard feelings towards each other
had lived happily together. I know
ol no cause for the act except her
condition which seemed to prey on.
her mind.
While speaking of his wife, the old
man’s eyes were moist with tears,
and it is not easy to listen to him and
believe Him guilty of the horrible
crime with Which he stands charged.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
NT MU ICR FOL’U.
Mr. Editor:
Having promised to giro oilier
reasons in support of u Constitutional
Convention, we avail mir-elves ol the
few leisure moments at our disposal
to comply wit. our obligation.
Ilcrotufoye wo have been exam Mg
tho present Constitution, with relfor
enco to the number of members com
posing tho Legislature, the irecpiomw
of the meeting of tho sumo; the locift
ity of tho Capitol, Ac., Ac.
Wo now prdposo to speak of an
other evil not, guarded against by the
present Constitution, anti which evil
is so monstrous, in the ighl experi
ence lias thrown upon it, that its re
moval ought not to be delayed.
Wc have reference to that class Y
legislation known as Local. Min -
ten ill of the bills passed comprise
matter in which only a Very small
port ion of the citizens are interested,
and still a much larger proportion of
Urn mat er introduced is ot such a
worthless nature, t hat it never conies
to the 1 gilt ol public scrutiny.
Wo do not. charge that tho Consti-
It ion requires tliis class of legiSla
,ion, wo only ray that it docs not
i prohibit, and since under its opera-
I rials '.he practice is indulged in to a
i very great extent, it follows that it
j is wanting in that iu does not pre
j vent the evil.
We will state while on this subject
1 that bad legislation is as expensive
I as die best, and the most worthless
: often time is attended wiili a double
I -xpense. Ist, in the lime oousuincd
jin ,tho passage of the same. 2d. in
! the time employed in the repealing.
Wc are asked, can this wrong be
j corrected: we answer, yes: A short
I clause in the Constitution restricting
i the jurisdiction of the Legislature to
| such matters and things as relate to
i the citizens of tho wlolc State would
• effectually check it, and when once
j prevented the number of clerks could
bo reduced since nineteen-twentieths
of the business upon which the'fclcr
i ical force is employed would be swept
away. This is not the only reason
; why this clause should be inserted,
j It would reduce the time oi' the Leg
j islatnre from forty to perhaps fifteen
| days, thereby reducing the pxnendi
turesof that branch of the govorn
j merit two-thirds; a saving to the
Suite annually oi SIOO,OOO. 7 his il
would teem ought to cause all tax
: navel's to favor such reform.
i 1
Rut there is sti'l another reason
I which wo might offer with jrreftt pro
priety, viz: The laws ot ditch dwunjiy
in the State of Georgia, are so dis
similar now that one iceis as though
they wore passing; out oi one nation
; ality into another, when passing lmm
I ohe county into another, Tins destroy:
tiie homogeneousiiess of Our ] cople,
and severs to ii greet extent that
! harmony in habit uir.i praclic ; which
should prevail among citizen's of oar
commonwealth.
We say let tis have a Constitution i
which will by a prohibatory clause ;
cut off this unnecessary outlay of i
money, aval by dcnyiinr the power of*
Local legislation, produ -e Immoin ;
in the habits and practices ot oar 1
people makiugjus, as wo should tic, j
commonwealth, and not a community I
of governments in our State.
We now pass to another provision j
of the Constitution, and propose to j
call the attention of the people to it.
We refer to the Horn stand.
In approaching this subject we
know that we are treading on tick
lish ground and were we content to
play ti e roll of the politician, would
have avoided it altogether.
Still it is a matter which should be
discussed with candor and fairness.
The people of Georgia are, per
haps. more divided upon this ques
tion than any otinr, and that divis
ion embraces extremes which are
hard to harmonize.
There is a class who contend that,
there should be no exemptions; even
the clothing of tk'e debtor ought to
be sold. Others again believe that
the present liberal allowance not too
great, hence it will he seen that t!*>
difference vibrates between naught
on the one hand, and $3,000 on the
other. May it not be that both ex
tremes are dangerous ? And that a
permanent homestead, so secured by
the constitution that .it cannot be
waived would be safer lor the fami
. lies of the debtor than the present
large one not so protected, even if
reduced onehalf, and might it no; he
"better for the creditor class since it
would increase the field of their op
erations? These are grave questions
which should be well considered be
fore final action has been taken upon
it.
H r e arc satisfied that the principle
of a homestead has not been we’.l
understood by the many who oppose
it. Without mature reflection it
would seem to be simply a hiding
place fffr the dishonest, but a more
careful investigation w.ll. discover
that it is humane in its objects aa
well as in its protections.
Does net every man when ho leads
your daughters to the floor to unite
her destiny with his own for life, be
come a dcotor by the laws of the
,S'tuto us well as tho moral law, to tho
extent of supplying her actual com
forts and wants? Does nut the la A'
impose upon him tho obligation 10
educate and maintain tho fruits of
their marriage ? If so, wo would
like to know how it is that any other
obligation can be cither more bind
ing or more •sacred, certainly not
promise to pay alter tho marriage
can claim to bo since the vow at tu
time of tli*j union is older, uud may it.
not Im said not less sacred. II then
in the whirl ol events a man should
bo placed in a condition in which lie
cannot pay his debts and l'ulfi 1 Ins
original obligation to his wife and
children, do you think >t either
strange or dishonest, for hiiii to pre
fer his wife and children to strangers
in the payment of his debts.
'Treating them both as creditors
‘.he law allows him to prefer the one
to the exclusion of tho other.
It strikes our mind that this view
of tiie question will rob it of much of
the odium which has been heaped
upon it. •
There is still another light in
which it might bo scon. Is it not
belli r for a government to protect,
its ei'izciH in a homestead, than that
they sm uld lie made paupers to be
cured for entirely by its bounty?
You will remember, that we have
only been going the aiguineuts ol
others in favor of, and again t, the
homestead, without intimating an
opinion of our own,
For ourselves wo believe all ex
tremes dangerous, and in this mat
ter, aS well as in till other, tiie true
theory perhaps might lie found in
ill ■ middle of tiie vibration.
We are not. however, so much in
terest in tiio amount as in the man
ner in which tiie amount, whatever
it may he shall be secured.
It, is known now to all that tiie
present homestead although large
enough to cover many acres does in
fact simply cover for a brief time the
use. le vmg the fee at any time sub
ject to to be sold. It is not a home
stead, but simply the privilege of us
ing for a short while a little or l uge
piece of land, as the case May be,
subject to bo sold upon tiie happen
ing of any one of many contingencies.
Indeed, so uncertain the terms by
which it is held that no man ot pru
dence would feel that they were act-
ing wisely to improve it.
Oiir idea of a Homestead is that it
should hot be a use simply, but a
permanent abode, subject to i>e trans
mitted from parent to child for any
number of generations. So that
when once established, it. shall bo
come a place of attraction, and each
succeeding year find additional im
provements and increased admira
tion. In short, we would bo ntader
! stood to fa vor tiie idea that whether
! die homestead lie left as it now is as
■; o amount or diminished to a smaller,
it. should b ■ so protected by. the Con
stitution that it should be more
■ than a mere camping place,
j Under the ruling!! of the Supreme’
| Court, of Georgia now any one may
! waive bis right to Homestead and
! this waiver operates as a bar to the:
j right of tiio wife and-children, lienee.
!it follows that a few days ol hunger
j or in a fit of. dis. ipatioii the husband
I uitvy defeal the object of ihe presen'
l provision of the Constitution amt leave
i his wife and children lunncies-.
j We do hot wish to be understood
j that wo are opposed to tha payuien:
■ t debts upon the country, we think
lit, the duty of all to pay debts for
i which value received has been had.
We simply say* that we want a home
stead, whatever it may be in point of
value; so protected that it cannot
be alien a ed. 'Creditors are then
put upon notice, & n d it they do a
credit business to their injury they
can only blame themselves.
One other thought upon this sub
jeot.
We would suggest that whatever
action the Convention may take upon
this question it would be
well to submit it specially to the
people; we mean when the Constitu
tion is referred to the people as a
whole at the same election ; let the
votes say whether this particular
feature is object enable or accepta
ble. Tnua it can even seem that this
■question is not such 'a dangerous one
alter all.
We have not the least doubt, but
what a Convention will so frame a
clause upon that subject as to make
a vast improvement upon the pres
ent, and perhaps reconciling ail the
conflicting opinions,
CITIZEN.
MARION SHERIFF SALES.
Will bo sold before the Court House
door m the town of line tin Vista, Ga-,
on tho first Tuesday in May next, the
following property, to-wit : Lot of Sand
no 107, in the fifli district of, originally
Muscogee, now Marion county. Known
as the Tigner place, levied on by virtue
of a tax li. fa., 1875 cfc 187(1 for State and .
County. Owner not known. Property
pointed by Frank Rushin, Tax Collector
of Marion County, this the 2nd day of
April, 1877. A. W. HA V IS,
Alien IT.
Application for Dismission.
('t EORGlA— Marion County.
J Whereas, Robert Cranford, A dm’r, Ac,
of Cyrus W. Ross, dec’d, has applied for dis
mission from said estate. All persons inter
ested are hereby notified of the above appli
cation. Witness my hand, Dec. 13. 18 70.
decls-3m * Jas M. Lowe, Ordy
SPRING AND SUMMER GOODS!
JUST RECIEVED AT
MCMIOHM-L & STmiS,
Our purchases exceeds that of any season past, and
we feel confident that
Our Stock Can’t BE EXCELLED
in town in variety **
Wc solicit an early call from the people of tho county,
As we will do our best to please in Trices, &c.
McMieliaeX & Stevens.
iftMioi, cud turn & t’*.•
a ev* jvo.
TUG'S R. LUMPKIN is ready to take your orders for the same.
CJRTIFICATES FARTJKsIn OF THIS COUNTY,
Who U:ed. it Last Year.
The best I bare ever used. Jas. L. Baker.
Wilcox, (Tibbs A Co.'s Guano increased my crop ot cotton fully ono-thir
or more last year. Henry ft. Jackson.
I used Wilcox, Gibbs k Co.’S Guano last year with very decided ben. tit.
Tuns. L. Rogers.
I used 100(k pounds ot Wilcox, Gibbs A Co.’s Gtiaqo last year on 5 1 2
acres of poor pine land, which I am confident Would not have made 250
pounds ot lint notion (the 5 1-2 acres) without tiie" Guano, and I gathered
1085 pounds of lint coiton. G. W. Pool.
GREAT SACRIFICE OF
DRY GOODS
The Only Place to Get; Yoiir Mono Back!
• *
JUST LOOK AT THIS
EAOLt' and PUENIX CHECKS 10 CENTS -tVy
/J- 4-4 SIIIIETINO, 8 CENT'S -6-T.
,Zs3~ f-S SUIiITINHSr CENTS
London corn, y cents
y.v. BEST CALICOES, 0 CENTS "&Si
COATS’ i-rdoi, COTTON, JO.C)*NTS TSV.
y.- A GOOD HEMSTiCIIkn HANDKERCHIEF, 5 CENTS
j- fjy PARASOLS, SO CENTS
7-,r- JEAN*-AND COTTON ADES, 12J to 63 CENTS 'Si
Ji",7 Glove*, in (lark ehadin, at 'amt liss than coil.
Ml ESS GOODS, Cheaper than ever.
CASSLUHRES AND Pant LINENS at the vc*>j bottom -figures.
AH Uassts of Goofs Marked Lm imti hr Cent*. Now is Hie time to g.-t Bargains.
jISIiAXCHARO & HILL,
123 BROAD St., Columbus, Ga.
A. M. BRANNON,
► ~-a, “.p's \fT Ct**- .It* ’ST (£3 jCT II
tJ W W h* & 9
135 Broad Street, Columbus, Ga.
THE OLD ANU WELL-KNOWN
*p@ State*
Vl, :3vVC £: - N <*&
1, M. Srannon, Proprietor,
Which :i,s b .-a dispensing medicine for th<> manyillsdf mankind for the last tweni.V V- is
still continues to solicit t’u.: patronage of its many friends. It is unnecessary to enumerate
the many indheeuumts to buy from mo, “unflioiont to.say/’it, will mitkoitto xOUi. interest
to buy whatever vou wish from a l’T ItsT-CliAss DRUG STOUR, come and see me at
107 or 13S MKOAD STHEET,
r.*' ■-.,> lainPrtiMutil now to Otto t tinnTwo- lniliii'orneiiU to . no.ft.ro>
COH.vrRV JtIMUCUANTS than ever Btrore.
Very Kespectfully,
dec
witt mm si.iL
Always on hand at
E. G. Ivey a Bro’s Gris Mill
We have now and will keep constant
ly on band at Mill. Fresh water grouud
meal for sale cheap in any quantities to
suit customers. The siVppiy will be
kept up all through the Spring, Sum
mer and Fall. Do not haul your bread
corn from the city during (lie busy sea
son, but come to us for it ready ground
into meal. E. G. IV EY & BRO.,
mch72m Marion County.
>k /~\ Can’t be Vha&G by every agent every
II II I mouth la the business we furnish, but
a\ 'JU those willing to work can easily earn a
\JJ/ C/ dozen dollars a day right in tbftir own
iocalitiee. Have no room to exulafu bore. Humucss
pleasant and honorable. TVomfcu, and boys and gills
*i >as well as men. Wo will furnish you a oomph to
On tilt’free. The business pays hotter than anything
else. We wjti bear expense ofstitr.ing you. Partic
ulars free. Write and sec. Fahners and mechanics,
their sons and dH glitere. and all classes in t eed of
paying work at homo, should write to us and lcarna’tl
admit The Work at <mcor Now is the time, Doni
belay. Address TRUE A; CO., A iiffuata, Maine'.
GEORGIA. —Marion County.
Whereas John W. {Slaughter, Aamin’r
of Sarah Slaughter, has applied lor dismission
—All persons interested ere hereby, notified ot
the above application and required to tile their
objections within the time specified Ivy law.
Witness my hand. Jas. M. Lowi:,
Jus-3m Ordinary.