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dßitrlg fantg Jlctos. E. H. GROUBY, Editor, Proprietor & Publisher. BLAKELY: . WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 1804. We have had a great deal of cold and rainy weather lately, and all the roads arc literally torn up. — The Yankees are said to be selling fine rebel mansions in Fcrnandiua, Fla., at five dollars each. 1 . ♦ -4- ; A rigid bill to prevent the escape beyond our lines of parties subject to military ser vice is now before Congress. The Yankees are offering §7OO bounty for each volunteer to supply the late call lor 300,000. At this rate the cost will be §210,000,000 to muster in the force. * Whisky having “gin out” in Blakely, the Editor and everybody else have had quite a “ dry ” time of it lately. Don’t believe we’ve bad a drink in over a week! We will again state that we will not, positively, deliver mail to any one on Sun days, aud no one need como to the office expecting us to deliver them • papers l or Iqtters on Sundays. —* * — ♦ We wanted to write an article about our “ Jew woman scrape” this week, but not haVing yet rocovored sufficiently from the “scare ” (!) she gave us, we have conclud ed to hold off a while. The cost of the war to the Confederacy ■ is given in a Virginia paper at 8519,368,- 659 for the uine uiouths previous to 20th October. Duriug the last year the Yan kees expended over §900,000,000. ' 4 —4- The Savannah Republican says that a merchant of that city, who was exempted by substitution, offered the city marshal ten thousand dollars fora birth as night watch man. lie desired shelter from the con script officer. ♦ Knoxville dates to the 7th represent (Irant as having visited the army .there, and making a speech*. The Federal troops, whose time has expired, have re-cnlisted to obtain a bounty of 8400 aud a warrant for laud in Tennessee. - ♦ Rev.JDr. Wilson reported the Thermom eter at eight degrees above zero at Atlanta on the 2d inst., the coldest weather in the South within the last forty years, except the bitter Saturday and Sunday in Febru ary, 1835, when the Thermometer fell be low zero. We are requested by Col. 0. P. Fannin to state that he has just received a large lot ol corn sacks, which eau be procured at Judge Brown’s office in Blakely, aud ,nt Howard’s and t’ortoi-’s Landing by those who have not yet been supplied with the same for putting up their tithiugs. 4. Wc Tiave frequently heard of I “cocktails,” “ bob-tails,” “ lung-tails,” “ short-tails,” and almost all other kind of “ tails,” but, out of all the “ tails ” that we have ever heard of, the “ dc-tails ” seem to be the ones most sought after of late. Wo believe the “ boys ” arc keeping Col. Stafford pretty busy now writing the very much desired creatures—“ dc-tails” —but the way lie makes them smoke for their “ tails ” is a “sin to Crocket! ” But, surely, if it ain’t worth tweuty. dollars to get a (de)“ tail,” to keep out of the army with, it ain’t worth anything. We would again call the attention of the Inferior Court of this county to the miser ably bad condition of the bridge on the Fort Gaines road a lew yards off the pub lic square. It is the duty of the guardi ans of the county to see that the bridges on all public roads be kept in good order, and as such it becomes the duty of the In ferior Court to have this bridge put in a traveling condition. The first thing any one knows somebody will get their horse’s leg broken in this old wreck of a bridge, and the county will have the “bill to foot.” Gome, gentlemen, you should see to this > matter at the earliest possible mtmicuf. V v&c 1 * We learn from the Richmond Examiner that Mr. Foote, of Tennessee, and Judge Hanley, of Arkansas, members of the com mittee to investigate charges against the commissaries and quartermasters, came, to blows jn the committee room the other day. Mr. Foote, it seems, laughed at some of the evidence elicited. Judge Hanley re plied that he (Mr. Foote) need not laugh. Mr. Foote said bis laugh was an honest ■ laugh, at least. Judge Hanley said he doubted that. Somc'other beligcrent words passed, and Mr. Foote arose and struck him. Both clenched, and blows were given and received by both parties. Mr. F’oote laid violent claim to Judge Hanley’s shirt bo som, tearing it out from hi 3 bosom. Mr. Commissary Northrop was knocked igto one corner of the committee room like a man of mgs, which he is not; committee tables were overturned and the record ev idences sent hither and thither. More ink than blood was slied. The witnesses preseut in the room observed their neutrality, but strove to allay, hostilities by seizing both, of the combatants by their coat-tails and at tempting their separation. Judge Han ley’s coat-tail gave way in the struggle, in volving the severe loss on the wearer. Fi nally, both desisted, and the business of tho committee proceeded. ♦ 4- The general orders from the Adjutant General’s office, in regard to substitutes, have been published. They require those persons who have furnished substitutes to report as volunteers or conscripts, without delay, to the enrolling officers; and all who delay beyond the Ist day of February, 1864, will be considered as haviug renounced the privilege of volunteering, and held for as signment according to law. Previous to enrollment as conscripts, all sueli persons will be allowed to volunteer in companies in service on the 16th of April, 1863, pro vided the company chosen does not at the time of volunteering reach the maximum number allowed; and upon such compauy being selected, the volunteer will receive from tho enrolling officer a certificate to the effect that he has so volunteered ; and no volunteer will he received into any com- . puny except on such certificate. • Persons who fail to make their selection at the time of enrollment will'be assigued according to existing regulations. Persons who report to the enrolling officers will be enrolled, and may be allowed a furlough of ten days before reporting to the Camp oi Instruc tion. This being leap year, we invite the at tention of “ our girls,” says an exchange, to the following extract from an old volume printed in 1606, entitled “ Courtship, Love and Matrimony : ” “ Albeit, it is now be come a part of tho common law in regard to the social relations of life, that as often as every bissextile year doth return, the ladies liavc the sole privilege, during the time it continueth, of making love unto men, which they may do either by words or by looks, as unto them it secmetli pro per ; moreover, no man will be entitled to the benefit of clergy who doth refuse to accept the offers of a lady, or who doth, in any wise, treat lier proposal with slight or contumely.” As we have lately been elected Coroner, several of our friends have called on us to hold inquests on animals of various kinds, and among the number was a dead hog, the property of our friend aud neighbor. Col. B n. For bis iufonnatiou we will state that, in accordance with his re quest, we held an inquest, and found that, upon very close inspection, his hog died for the leant oj corn. As the law allows us an X for each inquest held, wo hope the ! Coloucl will “ fork over ” the “ rino ” though, as we arc not Very particular, we had about as soon take out the amount of the bill in some of the Colonel’s fine six dollar calico. The Provisional Council of Kentucky have recently convened, and, among other things, have passed a law by which they authorize an election to bo held, on the 10th of February uext, for Representatives from Kentucky to the Congress of the Coufed „ crate States. The act requires an election by general ticket, and permits all legal vo ters now in the army, as well as refugees from tlic State, to vote, aud provides that, officers of regiments, &e., may conduct the election. It also requires one Represen tative to reside iu each of the twelve Con gressional District: in the State. We have spoken frequently of Extor tioners, and now a word with their twin brothers—the Liars. Eying is the order of the day, and truth the most unfashiona ble of all things. Why, a man who pre tends even, these times, (a business man especially,) to adhere to the truth, would at once be considered a fool or partially iusane, and be ruled out of the speculating • fraternity. There wa3 a time when people, our people, placed some value on truth— we do not mean Jews, who have always considered- it a virtue to lie and cheat, in common with certain other classes of peo ple from Europe and Yaukeeland—but our people, men who are native and to the manor of truthful dealing born, even these have caught the compound oontagiou of extortion and lying. Everybody, it ap pears, has, as if from dire necessity, turned hypocritical, particularly those who carry on any business. They say it has become necessary to lie—they are compelled to do it in self-defense—if they did not, their - lying neighbors ijijrd friends (!) would strip ! them of everything they had i* the world, or they would- be left so far behind i n their business relations and money making gen erally, that they would never be able to catch up. Now there may be some tmth in this ! Some few, very few, admit that the truth is good when not carried to an extreme; but the too frequent us% of it, now-a-days, has a great tendency to injure the prospects of those who are simple enough to indulge in it. Like medicine, it should only be given at certain times aud in certain quantities—for if dispensed too largely, it might have a serious effect upon the proper operation of lying—which is so essential to the speculative system. Mer chants touch it very lightly, but their clerks never use it at all! Owners who want to sell leave all the truth telling to their honest auctioneers aud agents. Law yers, from time immemorial, have never been known to practice truth telling, their profession forbids it, an% until the present epoch—when people had some conscience left—it was considered on special occasions a simple and necessary condiment in the large dish of lies they always hatch up. The doctors, poor devils, must keep pace with the times, and use but little truth iu the practice of their professions and char ges —authors in their books must,.it seems, touch it sparingly—as well as editors in their puffs— and managers in their play bills. This, apparently necessary feature of every day life, was at one time thought to be contagious, orconlincd to the city alone, but it has uow r become an epidemic, and is spreading broadcast throughout the Con federacy. Under circumstances like these, the truth is not expected to have a chance -of being heard, to say nothing about being practiced. • In olden times it -was consid ered very foolish to tell the truth when going to commit a murder, a grand or petty larceuy, when about to pawn your watch, or when hiding from a creditor. It was also considered foolish to tell it in a tavern, at the funeral of a fool, or at the dinner table of a cod-fish aristocrat, or to hear it from an officer of the government or a member of Congress. It was considered iudiscreet to mention it in presence of a Paul Pry —to an ugly woman, when speak ing of her person, or to the mother of an ugly child when referring to the looks of her baby—but the people now are placed under heavy penalties never to speak it at all. Humanly speaking, an honest man is the noblest work of God. This is an old max im ; aud that it should have sprung up in the world proves that honesty is esteemed a cardinal virtue; and that the truly hon est man is held iu great repute. It is diffi cult, however, for men to be persuaded, and to act upon the persuasion, that hon esty is the best policy. They are prone to sin against this truth, and to flatter themselves that that is the best policy which brings the best profits. This woe ful error has led many victims to the rope’s end and the felon’s grave. Honesty is truth, dishonesty is falsehood. To act dis honestly is to tell a lie. It is to swindle our neighbor—ta rob him of what justly belongs to him, aud feloueously appropri ate to our own use. Without a strict ob servance of, and close adberance to the requirements of this virtue, we quickly abandon truth and justice, and ally our selves at once with the instigators and up holders of fraud, deceit aud corruption. He that to-day engages his neighbor a bushel of corn or pound of meat at a given price, and to-morrow lets it go to another aud higher bidder, in ono sense perpetrates a theft, for lie appropriates a profit to hia own use, which, iu law and morals, belongs to another, and that, too, without that oth er’s knowledge or consent. Such an one is a dishonest man, for he tramples under foot, for a paltry sum, his promises'and agreements. He eats his own words as a thing of naught. With such the love of money is stronger than the love of hones ty. To swear to their own hurt, and to change not, is no part of their moral code. To comply with their engagements, to ful fill their promises and agreements, instead of being the rule, are exceptions in their dealings. Where the question is dollars and cents, the enquiry with them is not what did I sell and engage to deliver my goods, my cotton, my grain or my psork to Mr. A. at, but, as the price has risen, Jiow much will I realize as clear gain by break ing faith with Mr. A., and accepting Mr. B.’s higher and better bid ? It is not a question of.honor and fair dealing with them, but one of loss and gain. If they can take care of the dollars aud cents, they are willing that morals shall take care of themselves. The world is full of such faithless, perverse dealers. They promise, and agree to-day, and to-morrow cavil and deny, and finally back out, violating their promises and engagements and trampling their words aod honor in the dust. These facts arc verified by daily occurrences 'be tween raau and man. lie who is not 83 strictly and firmly bound by his word of promise as by his bond, is, to that extent, dishonest aud a rogue. The same princi ple, or lack of principle, that prompts or permits him to violate his word, to disre gard his promises and obligations, for the sake of gain, will make him, under suita ble circumstances, commit theft, if he can accomplish his ends in no other way. “ God mado men upright, but they have sought out many inventions.” • Public Meeting. At a meeting of citizens of Early county,, convened at the Court House January 18, 1801, on motion M. T. Alexander was cho sen President, aud W. W. Fleming request ed to act as Secretary. The object of the meeting being stated by Col. 13. 11. Robinson to be to adopt a, schedule of prices at which planters would sell their surplus produce to the' Govern ment, a Committee of five, consisting of Benjamin Collier, John Gilbert, Z. Cow art, A. Barksdale and B. 11. Robinson, were appointed to prepare a list of prices for the consideration of the meeting. The Com mittee presented the following schedule of prices, which were adopted : Corn, per bushel $2,50' Pork, on foot, gross weight less than 200 lbs., per lb 75 Pork, on foot, gross weight over 200 lbs., per lb 80 Pork, slaughtered, per lb 1,00 “ salted, “ 1,25 “ pickled, “ 1,25 Bacon, per lb 1,50 Beef, on foot, gross, per lb 25 “ butelTered, “ 00 “ pickled, “ 4(j “ dried, 50 Cuba Syrup, per gal G,OO Chinese Syrup, per gal 4,00 Transportation to bo paid at the rate of three cents per 100 lbs. per mile for all articles delivered to the Government. Pri ces for driving stock to be reasonable com pensation for the time employed. On motion the Editor of the Early Cb«n ty News was requested to publish the pro ceedings of this meeting. M. T. Alexander, Pres’t. W. W. Fleming, Sec’y. We suppose the above named meeting thiuk they have paid us quite a public no tice by “ requesting ” us to publish the pro ceedings of their meeting. They put up the prices on their provisions, and, if we want anything they have got to sell, will charge us like the devil for the same, while they 6cnd in their printing for us to do for nothing! Ed. News. 1 rom a glance at our exchanges for the past week, we notice that the Southern hxpress Company comes in for some pret ty general puffing. We are not at all pre pared to conincide with our contemporaries upon the uutility of this organization, and by no means prepared to accept as a fact that it is “ a model institution.” It is as unlike the Express of the olden time as night is to noon-day. Like everything else almost, iu these selfish times, according to our experience, it is about as much demor alized as any other money-making con«« cam in the Confederacy.