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t
Skitlxersof the Fight.
Published Every Thursday y
Volume 5
Til Weekly DemoeS
BEN. E^ RUSSELL,^Propriatnr
'HERE SHALL THE PBESS THE PEOPLES EIGHTS MAINTAM, UNA WED BTLEFT. UENCE
~ - tL-ir r inM)'
' ‘ ‘ ==
AND UNBRIBED BT GAIN.”
BimimmqK, February 17, 1876.
AMONG OUR NEIGHBORS*
The editor of the Blakely Nam says he
I* about to “croak.” Has.it come to this?
Draw on us for sympathy, dear Mr. Flem
ing r <'.. ... . ...
Charley Pendleton is grimbling about
the Gcorgia-Florida boundary line.
Col. Styles, according to promise, let
off his dynamics last week. lie makes
some ugly developments, and, if lie can
make good some of his charges, tfell may
liis subjects wince.
The stockholders of the Gulf Road col
lected their dividends last week, and now
the road will run on another vear as usual.
Sam Bard says the Republicans have
subscribed for 500,000 copies of the speech
of Hon. B. H. Hill. The Northern read
ers will learn something. The intelligence
that tips speech is to be so generally circu
lated is gratifying.
Thcbill to change the line between De
catur and Thomas, was lost.
A great many of the newspapers want
the people to vote on the subject of a Con
vention.
Tom Hall fiercely warns off the ex
change fiend. Bend some of the varmints
up this way, Tom, wc have only about
twenty tip here, and don't sec how we
can get through the summer with so few.
McIntosh is now* the editor of two pa
pers, published in different places. We
suppose he attends to one with a irire.
('airo at last accounts was having tab
leaux. Later—Bob Harris is not in ’em.
The owner of a pair of bright eyes as
sures us that the prettiest compliment she
ever received came from a child of four
years. The little follow, after looking at
her a moment, inquired naively. “Are
vour eyes new ones ?”
( orn is worth ninety cents a bushel in
Albany.
Poor folks should remember that the
money tiiey spend for three loaves of
bread would buy some deserving man a
drink of whiskey.
Planters nrn lmaor rt home anw, prepar
ing their grounds for planting. Many
have commenced planting corn. Only
think, corn planted now* will be in roast
ing ear before the Minesotn and Iowa
planters begin to plant.
lion. Geo, II. Pendleton passed through
Albany last week.
Mr. It. W. Grubb, of the Darien Gazette,
caught a wife the other day.
Mr. Ilolly Weaver, of Early county, is
dead.
The horses of Thomas county are
dying with blind staggers. It has become
epidemic.
Messers Davies and Hansell, the new
editors of the Thomasville Enterprise, just
a< wc predicted, are making good news
paper men. They are getting up a good
paper.
Mrs. Susan M. Lightfoot, of Thomas
ville, is dead.
Bird Wooten, of Brooks, had one of lus
mules stolen last week. * Sheriff Thrasher,
by using the wires, stopped the. thief and
muie in Moutieello, and brought them
hack safely' to Quitman.
<! Thc way it is.” said little Johnny, de
scribing a rafic at a church fair, “you see
somthin’ nice, and you give a hall' dollar
for a chance to win it, another fellow*
always gets it, and they never offer you
your money back.”
“Go to Texas, young man,” say the
Railroad display cards. The sooner you
go there, tlic sooner you'll come back ana
settle down contented with your good old
native State.
In the riot case in Savannah,[ofSolicitor
General Lamar, against the Russels, after
a two day’s trial and able speeches on
both sides, the jury were unable to agree,
and a mistrial was declared.
The Southern Life Insurance Company
has gone into Bankruptcy. Liabilities
over $1,000,000. We regret this very
much,-as many of our people iu this sec
tion hold policies in it.
Wm, Brock and Wm. Carter, of Thom
as county, had a difficulty the other day
and Carter was fatally stabbed in the
breast,
The market house in Albany is about
to be turned into an engiue house for
Eagle Fire Company No. 2 and the Hook
A* Ladder Company. Now build a new
market house and you will be all right.
The Quitman Reporter says the factory
is evidently prospering under the new
management, and that the Directors have
decided to purchase more spinning frames.
The Albany Awes of last week bristled
like a regiment of rebel bayonets. Here
i> a specimen paragraph from it: The Con-
ftetntumaUet will be disappointed. IV e can-
There is a farmer in Cobb county,
cording to the Marietta Journal, that
raised eighty-two bales of cotton last year
that did not owe oue pound of that cotton
for fertilize) s nor supplies of any kind.
He also raised eleven hundred bushels of
wheat, fwo thousand bushels of corn;sold
$723 10 worth of beef cuttle, one pair
mules and two horses for $083 75; $112 82
worth of butter; killed nine hogs, averag
ing 259 pounds each, four of them pigged
iii jaunry, 7875, and five of them in. Feb
ruary, 1875 ; cut and saved twenty acres
good clover hay, about thirty tons, for
winter feed ; grazed beef and milk cows
and colts on clover and grass pastures ;
realized over $500 from his orchard, and
has but six in family.
The Dawson Journal gets off this : “We
went to church, as usual, last Sunday
night. As we were walking leisurelv
along by Payne’s drug store, we overheard
a 3*oung man, about 18 years old, say tc
the girl by liis side, “O, dearest ! if I only
bad a w indow in my heart, so you could
look through and see the truth of what I
say then you—” Here he w*as interrupted
by a small boy who asked, “wouldn’t a
pain in your stomach do just as well f
Talk about the ancient philosophers—they
are no where when young Americanism
is promulgated by easy going parents who
spoil their children.
Thus the Cuthbert Appeal: “A child
was still born in Zebulon without any
brain. The body was well developed,
being rather larger than usual, while the
bones of the face and head seemed perfect
up to a line on a level witli the eye brows,
where they terminated in a rounded ring,
very much resembling the top of a dipper.’
At the bottom of this basin the spinal
cord may be seen terminating in a sort of
fungus, with apparently not a vestige of a
brain.
Cuthbert Messenger: The other evening
at the entertainment to raise funds for the
church, a beautiful j*oung lady w*ho was
very active in (lie noble cause, was insist
ing on a young man to buy this, tiiat or
the other, “Oh, do buy this, it’s so beau
tifui,” said the lady. “Yes, but I don’t
want it, said he. “Well, buy it anyhow*,
its only two and a half, do that much for
the church,” said she “No,-but I’ll give
he. After failing to make ' a trade with
the gentleman on everything else, she fin
ally said: “Well, give me the two dollars
and a half. I’ll, do that much for the
church, as you are a good looking young
man, anyway.”
It will be remembered that last week
we announced that our young friend W.
H. Branch was married. One of the daily
papers mentions how lie got through with
it thus: He arrived at Cuthbert last Satur
day evening, and took quarters at the ho
tel ou Sunday morning. He called at the
college to see the girl he had seen but
once before, and popped the question. He
then returned to town, and by the assist
ance of the hotel man hunted up a mer
chant, purchased a clean shirt, procured
a two-horse buggy, weut back to the col
lege, took iu his intended, drove twenty-
one miles to the town of Lumpkin, ob
tained the consent of her parents, procur
ed his license, married the girl of his
choice and returned to Cuthbert, tweuty-
oue miles, all the same day.
Mr. C. T. Galloway, of Baker county,
is dead.
Tuesday evening February 8th, 1S76,
by Rev. A. A. Beatty, of Macon, Mr.
John Mock to Miss Mollie Kelly—both of
Albany. Sunday fltli iust., by Rev. 11, D.
Mallary, Mr Harry Brant to Miss Jane
Alley, daughter of Mr. Richard Alley.
Thomas county is sending people to
Texas, and the Enterprise is of the opin-
ioiwthat if they cannot make a livirg in
old Thomas, no country to which they
may go will receive much benefit from
them.
The gallant Gen. P. M B. Young has
been invited to deliver the address before
the Florida State Agricultural Society this
month.
Savannah produced a cow hide in “high
life” last week.
Hart, who was on trial at Cuthbert for
arseny was bound over, in bonds of $1,000.
Hon. A. H. Smith, of Lowndes, is en
titled to a front seat. He hasn't made a
speech nor offered a bill this session.
Albany News: Mark Cravy, residing in
the 7tli District, Worth county, "killed
eight wild turkeys at one shot the other
dav. The eight weighed seventy-five
pounds.
Cuthbert Messenger: Mr. J. B. McWil
liams has a curiosty at his oyster saloon,
greatly resembling a catfish, but having
leathcr-like wings similar to those of a fly
ing squirrel. It came in a lot of oysters,
and was in one of the oyster shells alive
when it was opened. It is about four
inches long, and is of a spotted color.
Jared now keeps it on exhibition at his
saloon and feeds it ou oysters.
Sir. T. J. Bottoms, of Thomasville. has
BAINBRIDOE, GEORGIA; FEBRUARY 17,1876
LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY.
< Tiro Bollntt Per Annum
Number 19-
sekate.
Bills on third reading—To regulate
practice in divorce cases. This bill was
reported by the Judiciary Committee, and
provided for the payment of coste in ad
vance, and required that the two verdicts
should be rendered at different terms of
the court. The biU was atnmgly support
ed by Messrs. La wton, Warner and Baeon,
art d oppsed by Messrs. Peeples and Davis’
and was, on motion, indefinitely postpon
ed.
°ot afford to touch so dirty a thing as the
creature referred to. Besides, we never j patented a contrivance for driving sewing
•lid the thing a favor, and caunot account , machines, which does away with a trea-
for liis vulgar assaults and malignant slan- ' j.e. A number of springs are moved by
<Iers. We have no acquaintance with it, I clock-work and governed by a lever so
aal might kill the wrong dog if we were nicely that the needle may be made to
to attempt to gratify our Augusta friend.
Mr. John Garrett, of Dawson, was ar-
rt**tod last week for illicit distilling.
Dawson Journal: Can’t Terrell county
firing out tsoraeold relics an hundred years
C! d* CVnfttnid'relies are coining to light ; one da
D«,m ali charters of the country. , ter.
move at any desired rate of speed. The
machine will run for about an hour and a
quarter with one winding up.
A partv of negroes and white men en
gaged in a general street fight at Newton
l.isi week, about some trivial mat-
To regulate the sale of opium in this
State. Passed.
To regulate the sale of poisons. Fassed.
To amend section 4127 of the Code so
as to require $800 cost to be taxed for
each verdict and $100 for confession of
judgment, to be paid over to the County
Treasurer and to go with the fund for the
payment of jurors. Passed.
To authorise the Governor to purchase
standard weights and measures for coun
ties not already provided. Passed.
To exempt railroad conductors and sta
tion agents from jury duty. Passed.
To require tax receivers to take down
full Christian name of tax payers. Passed.
To levy a tax for 1870. Passed with
amendments.
To exempt from taxation corn, cotton
and Other produce held by the producer
for sale after April 1st. Passed.
To amend the laws in reference to legal
advertising. Passed.
To provide a penalty for escapes from
the chain-gang. Passed.
The special order : To protect agricul
tural interests, and to define and punish
larceny from the fild, for which a substi
tute was passed, making it penal to pur.
chase corn or seed cotton from a tenant
or laborer having no right to sell, after
notice to such buyer from the land owner
that the laborer or tenant has no right to
sell.
Mr. Gilmore moved a reconsideration
of the bill to exempt from garnishment
the wages of mechanics and laborers. Mr.
Crawford spoke in favor of the bill, and
moved to lay the motion to reconsider oil
the table. The latter motion prevailed.
IN THE notTSE,
ior Courts to grant characters to certain
private corporations to have general ope
ration throughout the State—reported as
a substitute for the bill vesting the power
in Fulton Superior Court.
To require J udges of Superior Courts
to give specially in charge to grand juries
sections 140*3 and 408 of the Code.
To prohibit attorneys at law being re-
eived as security on official bonds.
To require assignees, for the benefit of
creditors, to give bond.
To make if penal to sell or furnish any
minor with a deadly weapon. Passed,
with amendment.
To adjust equitably the rights of parties
w*ho have purchased homestead property.
Passed.
To amend section 383 of the CodeJ in
reference to penalty for misconduct in
Solicitors General. Passed.
To define and punish criminal negli
gence. Passed.
cusrenTevents.
Edwin Booth, tlic actor," is 42 years old.
Berlin is the most over crowded of all
European cities.
A Michigan girl wrote to Bismarck for
his autograph. He replied, denying her
request over his signature.
Booth took in fifteen hundred dollars
one night in Charlotte.
The farmers all say there is plenty of
labor in the country, and all report head
way in their farm work.
The carnival season in St. Petersburg
is unusually gay and exciting.
Two hundred and fifty thousand gallons
of beer are sold in London daily.
Flood, the California banker, made
$300,000 recently in one day’s mining'op
erations. Good deal of a Flood.
The motion for the discharge of Ed
ward S. Stokes, murderer of Jim Fisk,
was, on Saturday disposed of adversely to
Stokes, and he was remanded to Sing
Sing.-
The Cotton Crop.—The excess over
last year up to last Friday, according to
the Chronicle, reached 430,412 bales.—
That added to last year’s crop would
make $233,40*3 bales, if we gain no more.
The Iowa House of Representatives
have passed a bill requiring that all con
ditions of insurance policies shall lie
printed in type not smaller than “long
primer,” and that the use of smaller type
shall vitiate the policies.
Seventy sub-granges of the Patrons of
Husbandry died in Iowa last year. It is
stated that the Mortality is increasing
more rapidly than the births all through
Washington, February 6.—Jefferson
Davis has written the following letter to
Judge Lyons, of Rtelimond, Va.:
New OBMMjpw, January 27, 1876.
Hon. jAMEtd|lia&&* Dsgr Friend—
Your Very kiud letter of tha 14th iust.
whs forwarded from Memphis anil has been
received at this place. I have been so
long the object of malignant slander and
the subject of unscrupulous falsehood by
partisans of the class of Mr. Blaine, that,
though I cannot say it has become to me
a matter of indifference, it has ceased to
excite my surprise, even in this instance,
when it reaches the extremity'of accusing
me of cruelty to prisoners. What matters
to one whose object i9 personal and party
advantage; that the records both Federal
and Confederate, disprove the charge;
that the country is full of witnesses who
bear oral testimony against it; and that
tlie effort to revive the bitter animosities
of the war obstruct the progress toward
the reconciliation of the sections. It is
enough for him if his self-seeking purpos
es be promoted. It would, however, even
seem probable that such expectations must
be disappointed, for only those who are
wilfully blind can fail to see in the circum
stances of the case the fallacy of Blaine’s
statements. The published fact of an at*
tempt to suborn Wirz, while under sent
ence of death, by promising him pardon
if he would criminate me in regard to Au-
dersonville prisoners, is conclusive as to
the wish ef the Government to make such
a charge against me, and the failure to do
so shows that nothing could be found to
sustain it. May we not say the evidence
of my innocenece was such that Holt and
Conover, with their trained bund of sub
orned witnesses, dared not make against
me this charge, which Wirz, for his life,
would not make, but which Blaine, for
the Presidential nomination, has made?
Now let us review the leading facts of the
case. The report of the Confederate com
missioner for the exchange of prisoners
shows how persistent and liberal were our
iofLoL-ihe. .cmujsuafl—
General Robert E. Lee to go under a flag
of truce and seek an interview with Gen
eral Grant, to represent to-hicn the suffer
ing and death of the Federal prisoners
held by us, to explain the causes which
were beyond our control, and to urge, in
the name of humanity, the observance of
the cartel for the exchange of prisoners.
To this, as to all previous appeals, a deaf
ear was turned. I will not attempt from
memory to write the report made to me
of the incidents of this mission. Lee no
longer lives to defend the cause and coun
try he loved so well and served so effi
ciently ; but Gen. Grant caunot fail to re
member so extraordinary a visit, aud his
objections to executing the cartel are well
known to the public. But whoever else
may choose to forget my efforts in this
regard, the prisoners at Audersonville and
the delegates I permitted them to send to
President Lincoln to plead for the resump
tion of the exchange of prisoners cannot
fail to remember how willing I was to re
store them to their homes ana to the com
forts of which they were in need, provid
ed the imprisoned soldiers of the Confed
eracy should be in like manner released
and returned to us.
This foul accusation, tlfDugh directed
especially against me, was no doubt in
tended, aud naturally must be the ar
raignment of the South by whose author
ity and in whose behalf my deeds were
done. It may be presumed that the feel
ings and the habits of Southern soldiers
were understood by me and, iu that con
nection, any fair mind would perceive in
my congratulatory orders to the army
after a victory, in which the troops were
most commended for their tenderness and
generosity to the wounded aud other cap
tives, as well as the instincts of the person
who issued the order as the knightly tem
per of the soldiers to whom it was ad
dressed. It is admitted that the prisoners
in our hands were not as well provided
for as we would like to have had them ;
but it is claimed that we did as well for
them as we could. Can the other side
say as nutch ? To the bold allegations of
ill treatment of prisoners by our side and
the humane treatment and adequate sup
plies by our opponents, it is only necessa
ry to offer two facts. 1. It appears from
the rap orts of the United States AY ar De
partment that, though we had 60,000
more Federal prisoners than they had
Confederates, G,000 more of the Confed
erates died than Northern prisoners.
The want and suffering of men in
Northern prisons caused me to ask for
permission to send out cotton and buy
supplies for them. The request was
granted, but only on condition that the
the YVest.
A father fearing an earthquake in the ; c . 0 tton should be sent to New York, and
region of his home, sent his two boys to
the house of a friend until the peril
should lie passed. A few weeks after
ward the father received this letter from
his friend : “Please take your boy6 home
and send down the earthquake ”
Our economical Government expends
thirteen hundred and fifty dollars for the
yearly support of each soldier in the regu
lar army. It would be less expensive to
board them at some first class hotel, where
they would be quite as usefully employ
ed.
the supplies be bought there. Gen. Beale,
now of St. Louis, was authorized to pur-
ch:ise and distribute the needful supplies.
Our sympathy rose-with the occasion, and
much of the wrongs they bore. If it be *
less so among their invaders, it is but
another example of the rule that the
wrong-doer is less able to forgive than he
who has suffered causeless wrong. It is
not, however, generally among those who
braved the hazards of battle that unrelent
ing vindictiveness is to be found. The
brave and generous are gentle. It is the
skulkers of the fight, like Blaine, who
display their flag on an umRiifir field.
They made no sacrifice, to prevent (lie
separation of the States. Why should
they be expected to promote * the confi-1
deuce and good will essential to their
union ? YY'hen closely confined at Fort
ress Monroe I was solicited to add my
name to those of many esteemed gentle
men who had signed a petition for my
pardoD, and the assurance was given that
on my doing so, the President would
order my liberation. Confident of the
justice of our cause, and the rectitude of
my own conduct, I declined to sign the
petition and remained subject to the inex
cusable privations and tortures which Dr,
Craven has but faintly described. When,
after the two years of eiose confinement,
I was admitted to bail, as often as re
quired I appeared for trial under the in
dictment found against me, but in which
Mr. Blaine's fictions do not appear. The
indictment was finally quashed on no ap
plication of mine ; nor have I ever evaded
or avoided a trial upon any charge the
General Government might choose to
bring against me, and have no view of
the future which makes it desirable to me
to be included in an amnesty bill. Viewed
in the abstract, or as a general question,
I would be glad to see the repeal of all
laws inflicting the penalty of political disa
bilities on classes of people, that it might,
as prescribed by the Constitution, he left
to the Courts to decide the cause and to
affix penalties according to legislation.
The discrimination made against our
people is imjust and unpolitic if the fact
be tlie equality and the purpose be frater
nity amongst the citizens of the United
States. Conviction and sentence without
a hearing, witiiout a jurisdiction, and the
affixing of penalties by ex post facto legis
lation are part of a proceeding which had
HI JVunrt/fWWI-'OT
grautiug pardons to remove political disa
bilities which there was no political power
to impose. This was not an act of so
much grace as to form a plausible pretext
for the reckless diatribe of Mr. Blaine.
The papers preserved by Dr. Stevenson
happily furnish full proof of the causes
of disease and death at Andersouville.—
They are now, I believe, in Richmond,
aud it 19 to be hoped that their publica
tion will not be much longer delayed. I
have no taste for recrimination, though
the sad recitals made by our soldiers re
turned from Northern prisons can never
be forgotten, and you will remember the
excitement those produced, and censorious
publications which was uttered against
me because I would not visit on the help
less prisoners in our hands such barbari
ties as, according to reports, had been in
flicted on our men. Imprisonment is a
hard lot at best, and prisoners are prone
to exaggerate their sufferings. Such was
probably the case on both sides. But we
did not seek by reports of commissioners
with photographing illustrations to in
flame the passions of our people. How
was it with our enemy ? Let one example
suffice: You may remember the pub
lished report of the committee of the
United States Congress, which was sent to
Annapolis to visitjsome exchanged pris
oners, and which had appended to it
photographs of some emaciated subjects,
which were offered as samples of prison
ers returned from the South. When a
copy of that report was received, I sent to
Col. Ould, commissioner for the exchange
of prisoners, and learned, as I anticipated,
that the photographs had been taken from
men who were in our hospitals when they
were liberated for exchange, and whom
the post surgeon regarded as convalescent,
but too weak to be removed with safety
to themselves. The anxiety of the pris
oners to be sent to their homes had pre
vailed over the objections of the surgeon.
But this is not all, for I have recently
learned from a priest, who was then at
Annapolis, that the most wretched look
ing of these photographs were taken from
a man who had never been a prisoner bat
who had been left on a sick list at Annap
olis when the command to which he was
attached had passed that place on its
southward march.
Whatever may be said in extenuation
of such imposture because of the exigen
cies of war, there can lie no such excuse
now for the attempt of Mr. Blaine, by
gross misrepresentations and slanderous
accusation, to revive the worst passions
of war, and it is to be hoped that much
as the event is to be regretted it will have
the good effect of evoking truthful state
ments in regard to this little understood
subject from men who would have * pre
ferred to leave their sorrowful story un
told, if the subject could have been allow
ed peacefully to sink into oblivion.—
A PIECE OP SECRET HISTORY
Scribner's Magazine for February
contains the following hitherto unpubs
lished letter from Gen. Robert E. Lee
to President Jefferson Davis, written
after the battle of Gettysburg, and re
signing the command of the Confeder
ate forces .•
Camp Orange, Aug. 8,1863.
Mr. President,
Your letters of July 28th and Aug-
20th. have Deen received, and I have
waited for a leisure hour to reply, but
I fear that will never come. I am ex
tremely obliged to you for the attention
given to the wants of this army, and
the efforts made to supp' */ them. Our
absentees are returning, and I hope the
earnest and beautiful appeal made to
the couutry in your proclamation may
stir up the whole people, and that they
may see their duty and perform it.
Nothing is wanted but that their forti
tude should equal their bravery, to in
sure the success of our cause. We must
'expect reverses, even defeats. They
are sent to teach us wisdom and pru
dence, to call forth greater energies
and to prevent our falling into greater
disasters. Our people have only t • be
true and united, to bear manfully the
misfortunes incident to war and all will
dome right in the end*.
I know how prone we are to censure,
and how ready to blame ethers for the
nonfulfillment of ourcxpectations. This
is unbecoming in a generous people
and I grieve to see its expression. The
general remedy for a want of success in
a commander is his removal. This is
natural, and in many instances proper,
For, no matter what may be the ability
of the oflicer, if he loses the confidence
of his troops, -disaster must sooner or
later ensue.
I have been prompted by these re
flections more than once since my re
turn from Pennsylvania to propose to
your Excellency the propriety of selec
ting another commander for this army.
I have seen and heard of expressions
of discontent in the public journals at
the result of the expedition. I do not
responded to its demands, not waiting for j x[ u tua! respect is needful for the common
years, aud then to vaunt itself when it : interest and is essential to a friendly fcel-
could serve no good purpose to the suf- j aa( j w hen slander proceeds from high
ferers. Under the mellowing influences j pi^-es, the public welfare demands that
of time and occasional demonstrations at • tru th should strip falsehood of its power
the North of a desire for the restoring of j j or ev ij j a!D respectfully and truly,
peace and good will, the Southern people J V( „ lr friend.
been too kind to report it, and so far
the troops have been too generous to
exhibit it. It is fair, however, to sup
pose that it does exist, and success is so
necessary to us that nothing should be
risked to secure it. I, therefore, in al4
sincerity, request your Excellency to
take measures to supply my place. I
do this with more earnestnsss because
no one is more aware than myself of my
inability for the duties of my position.
I cannot even accomplish wbat I desire.
How can I fulfil the expectations of
others ? In addition, I sensibly feel the
growing failure of my bodily strength. I
have not yet recovered from the attack I
experienced the past spring. I ami be
coming more and more incapable of exer
tion, and am thus prevented from mak
ing the personal supervision of the op
erations in the field which I feel to be
necessary. I am so dull that in making
use of the eyes of others I am frequent
ly misled. Everything, therefore, points
to the advantages to be derived from a
new commander, and I the more anx
iously urge the matter upon your Excel
lency from my belief that a younger
and abler man than myself can readily
be obtained. I know that he will have
as gallant and brave an army as ever
existed to second his efforts, and it
would be the happiest day of my life to
see at its head a worthy leader ; one
that would accomplish more than I
could perform, and all that I have wish
ed. I hope your Excellency will at
tribute my request to the true reason,
the desire to serve my country, and to
do all in my power to assure the success
of her righteous cause,
I have no complaints to make of any
one but myself. I have received noth
ing but kindness from those above me,
and the most considerate attention from
my comrades and companions in arms.
To your Excellency I am specially in
debted for uniform kindness and con
sideration. You have done everything
in your power to aid me iu the work
committed to my charge, without omit
ting anything to promote the
general welfare. I pray that your ef
forts may at length be crowned with
success, and that you may long live to
enjoy the thanks of a grateful people.
With sentiments of great esteem, 1
am very respectfully and truly yours,
R £. Lee, General.
To his Excellency, Jefferson Dq,vis,
President Confederate States.
greater effort of patience than to bear
the criticisms of the ignorant who al
ways pronounce everything & failure
which dues not equal their expectations
or desires, and can see no good results
which is not in the line of their o%u
imaginings. I admit the propriety of
i 'our conclusions that an .officer who
oses the Confidence of hiB troops should
have his position changed, whatever
may bp his ability, bpt whpa Lread the
sentence T was nbf fit fill prepared fbr
the application you were about make.
Expressions of discontent in the public
journals furnish but little evidence of
the sentiment of an army. I wish' It
were otherwise, even though all * the
abuse of myself should be accepted as
the results of honest observation,
Were you capable of stooping to it,
yon could easily surround yourself with
those who would fill the press with your
laudations, and seek to exalt yott for
what you had not done, rather than de
tract from the achievements which pijl
make you and your army the subject of
history and object of the worlds admi
ration for generations to come. *
lam truly sorry to know that you
still feel the effects of the illness you
suffered last spring, and can readily
understand the euibarrasments you ex
perienced in using the eyes of others,
having been so much accustomed to
make your own reconnoisancea. , Prac
tice will, however, do much to relieve
that embarrassment, and th$ minute
knowledge of the country which jfou
had acquired, will render you less de
pendent for topographical information.
Rut suppose, my dear friend, that I
were to admit, with all their applica
tions, the point which you presfiht,
where am I to find that new com Zan
der who is to possess the grcBter abiHtV
which you believe to be required ? I
do not doubt the readiness With whibh
you would give way to one who cottftl
accomplish all that you have wished,
and yon will do me the justice to be
lieve that, if Providence should kindly
offer such a person for our use, I would
not hesitate to avail [myself ] of bie
services.
PRESIDENT PA Vis’ REPLY
R chmond. August 11th, 1863.
Gen. It. E. Lee ;
Yours of the 8th instant has just
been received. I am glad that you con
cur so entirely wilh me as to the wants
of our country in this trying hour, and _
am happy to add that after the first de- j would have trotted "in 2
press ion consequent upon our disasters j before now, and I think
in the west, indications have appeared he would most likely have made
fm ‘tcu
language of sober earnestness, wbeuT
have impressed upon you the propriety
of avoiding all unnecessary exposure *?
danger, because I felt our counter
could not afford to lose you. . To aak
me to substitute you by Borne one in my
judgment more fit to command, or who
would possess more of the confidence of
the army or of the reflecting men of the
country, is to demand an impossibility.
It only remains for me tp hope that yon
will take all possible care of yourself,
that your health and strength may .he
entirely restored, and that thpLotd will
preserve you for the important Aujtieo
devolved upon you in the straggle ,of
our suffering country for the indepen
dence which we have engaged in war
to maintain. ( ;
As ever, respectfully apd truly,
Jefferson Davis.
Duster the Ue*t Trotter.
We copy the following remarks, in
regard to Dexter, the King of the Turf
from a recent number of the New York
Sun .
This famous horse is now seventeen
years old, and I was surprised to find
that he still retains all the lire and vig
or which so eminently distinguished
him when he was performing his grind
exploits upon *the turf. His legs are
sound ana clean, his inuscle is bold and
prominent, and his eye is bright and
clear. In my mrind Dexter n always
more associated with Hiram Woodruff
than any other man, for he was the last
as well as the best of those famous trot
ters which took shape and form from
the bram and baud of that great map.
Long before the horse had aohisYfid
much distinction, Hiram took me to lus
box at the old place near the Union
Course, and stripping him, said : 'Here
is a horse that will make the best trot
ter we have ever seen—the king bf the
world.’ How this was completely veri
fied it would take long to tell. Thet
he was, and perhaps still is, the hast
trotter I have ever seen, is to my mind
certain. Others have surpassed his time
for a mile, but his great performance*
were made over tracks which were slow
when compared with the fastest nown-
days. Moreover I do not regard the
time test with that superstitions rever
ence which some have for it ^ end I
pronounce. Dexter the beet trotting
horse I have ever seen, became when
he wns on the turf he eoald beat alt
other horses, including Lady Thorn and.
Goldsmith Maid, any distance, in any*
«vay of going, and with very great eaae.
To say that these mares improved after
ward is not to the purpose. Dexter
improved afterward himself, and if b»
had been continued on the toff and
suitably Handled. I am satisfied bn
at Rochester
j have forgotten much and have forgiven j [Jrtgnedj
that our people will exhibit that forti
tude which we agree in believing is
alone needful to secure ultimate success.
It well became Sidney Johnston, when
overwhelmed by a senseless clamor, to
admit the rule tlvat success is the test
of merit, and yet there lias been noth
in-u* vtiiieh l h„ve louti 1 iu reuinie a
mile in 2 min. and 10 sees.
Robert Ronner, the owner at Dexter,
has refused one hundred .thousand w>
lars in gold fur him-
: ■
ThomasvfrTe Tinos; Wc saw s am es
I he strecti. ye-terday trying to give aWay
a d< -. Effect of the dog law—you know.