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and out among the shipping, with an
apparent recklessness that almost takes
away the breath of an unaccustomed ob
server ; but with a real impunity that
only river-men can appreciate. All
this, seen from our elevation, showed
that the South was not yet exhausted of
all energy and industry, and that there
was, in fact, a great deal of life left in
the old land yet.
Item for philantropiste: The offi
cial report of last week’s mortality
gives a total for the City of nearly
one hundred—of which about one-half
was among the blacks. The Negroes
do not form even one-fourth of our
population, and yet they bear a fear
ful proportion on the mortuary record.
It was not so in the olden times when the
slaves lived long and happily ; and death
amoDg them was so rare that a funeral
was a real treat in the way of parade and
display of finery. Poor Cuffee 1 He
has learned now that freedom is not every
thing, “that it doesn't give bread and
hominy, let aloue meat.”
The Siamese Twins are again
talked of, as about to be separated
from each other, and then appear
again before the public. They, ap
parently, bury themselves alive for about
ten years, then re-appear, entertain the
curious, make a small fortune and retire
to their homesteads. Perhaps, as they
are getting' old, they are really afraid
that death will be partial and choose out
one of the two as a victim, in which case,
it would not be pleasant for either of
them to be fastened on to a corpse. I
suppose you know they are farmers in
North Carolina, are both married, and
have large families each. They never
converse with one another, and although
I was surprised when they told me this, I
afterwards reflected that they must be so
truly one that there could be no inter
change of ideas, as they must both have
the same thoughts. A wag once asked them
very gravely “if they both lived in North
Carolina?" and another humorist enquired
“if oneever went to bed and left the other
sitting up,” to all of which, they merely
smiled /asked them to which Church
they belonged, and was told to none. The
thought haunted me for days afterwards,
whether they had two Souls or only one,
and if there were two, could one be saved
and the other lost, a metaphysical question
I gave up in despair. A young, irrepressi
ble urchin remarked the other day in re
gard to his timid, little siser that he
thought “siser would like to be one of the
Siamese Twins, because then she would
always have someone to keep the cows
off of her !” I wondered if the dual
folks in question realize the same feeling
of security when they chance to meet a
mad bail.
The total destruction of the Mobile
“Spring Hill” College by fire last week,
although irreparable in regard to the
loss of their valuable library, unique
Museum, Ac., is rendered less disastrous
to the cause of education than it might
have been, by the fact that the large
Jesuit College at Grand Coteau, being
vacant at the moment, is able to give im
mediate accommodation to the evicted
refugees; so that when the classes are
resumed next week at the latter institu
tion, there will be scarcely any signs left
of their temporary interruption.
Being at a loss for a suitable nom-de
plume, I am reminded of the noted Eng
lish novelest—noted for his non-success—
who issued his aeventy-two volumes of
an unsaleable work under the hopeful
pseudonym of
Pekcy-Yrre.
NEW ORLEANS(LA)CORRESPONDENCE
OF THE BANNER OF THU SOUTH.
New Orleans, February 20, 1860.
Banner of the South:
In addition to the clerical changes, ap
parently unending, hitherto recorded in
the Parish of Bouligny, I have now to an
nounce the arrival this week of the Rev.
Father Leyden to take the place of one
of the old Pastors, who has been ordered
to another mission.
How different are the movements of the
Catholic clergy, from those of the so-called
Ministers in other denominations; these
moving generally in conformity with the
weight of the money-bags that “call” them
hither or thither, while those, deaf to all
the calls of interest, are ever prompt to
obey the orders of their superiors in au
thority.
The non-Catholic “preacher” not unfre
quenriy presents himself, with or without
either “order” or “call,” and presump
tuously imposes upon his credulous hearers
the task of supporting himself, his wife
and his children, as compensation for his
reading and expounding to them the very
Scriptures which he tells them it is their
own right and duty to read and interpret
for themselves / Well, so long as the flocks
of simple —are they sheep or only geese?
are willing to pay for the services (?) of
such very consistent leaders, I suppose it’s
nobody else’s business, so I’ve nothing
more to say.
Ou the other hand, the Catholic Priest,
having full faith in Christ’s words to His
Apostles and their successors—“As the
Father sent me, so also l sent you; go,
teach all nations, &c.,” holds himself ever
ready to “go” when “sent,” and to “teach
the things which have been commanded
him.” In doctrine, he has no opinions, no
new theories, no progressive improve
ments, no advance ideas of his own; but
he simply “goes” to whatsoever part of
the world he may be “sent,” and teaches
only the same “old fogy” doctrines that
were taught in the days of St. Peter and
St. Paul—nothing more.
The Lenten services are now well under
way in every Parish in the City, and it is
gratifying to note that the attendance is
fuller than it has been in any previous
year. The exercises are diversified on
different days; and consist mainly of the
Stations, or Way of the Cross, the Rosary,
or Beads, Practical Instructions, from the
pulpit, and ordinarily close with the Bene
diction of the Blessed Sacrament. Speak
ing of these devotions, I am reminded oi
a very beautiful practice now coming
into vogue: viz., the introduction into the
Hail Mary of our Blessed Mother’s most
cherished title of Immaculate , in this
manner: “Holy Mary, Immaculate Mother
of God, pray for us, Ac.” The credit of
first suggesting this pious practice, belongs
I think, to that most excellent of all
American periodicals, the Ave Maria , of
Notre Dame, Indiana.
The continued rains keep the rear por
tion of this City and Jefferson in a chronic
condition of flood, owing to the want of
proper drainage. The distress of the resi
dents has become so great, that they are
now appealing for a remission of all taxa
tion on their property for the year 1868;
and it is sincerely to be hoped this slight
boon will be granted, for not only have
these poor people lost their gardens, poul
try, pigs, cows, Ac., but they are suffering
from that -worst of worldly afflictions, the
loss of health, and the prevalence of fevers
consequent upon the continued overflow.
This disastrous state of affairs affords a
flue opportunity to the wealthy Drainage
Company to display a handsome and
charitable liberality, by refunding to the
poor property owners all the back drain
age taxes which have been paid icitliout
value received. Will they do it or no ?
Echo answers .
Walking across the City, from the
swamp, to a point diametrically opposite
the miserable locality just alluded to, we
come upon a scene of life and prosperity
that brings forcibly to mind the brightest
days ante-bellum-, after many years of
dullness and inaction, the broad area of
our front levee, teems suddenly with a
new' life and activity. From a compara
tive desert it is converted into a crowded
mart. A solid line of palatial steamers
guards the centre of the Crescent, while
forests of foreign masts fringe the flanks
of the City wharves as of old. The sur
face of the levee itself is hidden out of
sight under the huge ranks of Cotton bales,
the thousands of sugar hogsheads, acres
of Molasses barrels, and whole miles of
successive masses of Western products—
barrels of Flour, Potatoes, Apples, Onions,
Pork, Rice, Ac., boxes of Caudles, To
bacco, Soap, Ac., sacks of Corn, Oats,
Malt, Ac., —and intermingled with all
these, are countless packages of valuable
merchandize from all parts of the world
seeking shipment to the “great West,” in
return for her bountiful supply of pro
visions.
Spring Hill College is to be rebuilt. Its
alumni in this City, among whom are
scores of our ablest men, have resolved it
shall be done; and they know “no such
word as fail.” God speed the good work.
The energetic Fathers of the Society of
Jesus are the very men to put in practice
what was last week hinted at by your
correspondent, Persevere.
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE
OF THE BANNER OF TnE SOUTH.
New York, February If), 1869.
Banner of the South :
In your issue of the 13th inst., I per
ceive that you have a letter, commenda
tory of the Banner, from, as you well
call him, “that gallant soldier and incor
ruptible patriot,” General Jubal A.
Early. It is pleasant to know tha\ by
this time, he is, once more, in old Vir
ginia, and it adds to that pleasure to
learn that he is forthwith to take the field
for Constitutional Liberty against the
weak creatures who would sell it out in
that noble State. General Early will,
beyond doubt, do yeoman service, and, in
mentioning his name, it is difficult not to
instance him as a fine example of the
propriety of an absolute non-acquiescence
in any of the deeds or requirements of
Radical despotism. He has never “accept
ed the situation,” or taken oaths, or
bowed, or cringed, or said he was sorry;
and yet, to-day, he is as free to come and
go as any of these repentant sinners who,
for four years past, have been weeping,
and wailing, and bowing down before
Moloch, and eating dirt, generally, till
their insides must be coated a foot thick
with mire and clay. Still another thing
does the General’s name bring to mind,
and as that thing is in the nature of a
war reminiscence—and you have ex
pressed a desire to receive all such—it
may be of interest to set it down. You
are to know, then, O 1 Banner, that your
correspondent was, on a certain sultry
day in the war, one of a number of grey
coated men who lay, hour after hour, in
MBHII ©I ffIHS Sfflwm.
a stretch of pines, as the shells of the
“best Government the world ever saw ’
came whizzing and booming among the
trees, in search of the “rebel” reserve
there waiting orders. It is dull work,
this standing still to be shot at, and glad
enough were we when the word came to
advance to the front. It was Jubal’s
brigade; and, as we panted on under the
hot sunshine and over the dusty plain,
with tongues hanging out with thirst, and
eyes bright with passion, “old Jubal”
cheered us, now and then, to the route.
Straight before us, was a piece of woods to
the right, and a level field, ending in a
hill, to the left. In the woods were some
Mississippians, hard pushed by superior
numbers, and on the point of being
flanked. To relieve them, General Early
had been ordered up; and, as the mili
tary reader will perceive, the manoeuvre
necessary' to outflank the enemy in turn,
was, for the head of the column to form
071 right by file into line, and hold the
hey of the position till the other regiments
could form in line of battle on the left,
and the whole brigade then move forward.
It was the writer’s fortune to be in the
advance regiment, and, as it took position,
the fun began. The orders were, not to
fire, but the Mississippians and their op
ponents, neither of whom we could see,
bv the bye, made such a tremendous
pother in the woods, and so many stray
balls came banging in among us that
some of the men upon the right took it for
grant ;d they were attacked, and began to
blaze away. Up dashed the General in a
moment, and, with more uncanonical ex
pressions than it is necessary to repeat,
pointed out the mistake, and ordered the
firing to cease. Scarcely had this been
done—with great difficulty, for several
had been hit, and the troops were furious—
before bang, bang, bang, went a company
on the left. Oft’ spurred the General to
that end of the line; but scarcely had he
restored order there, before the right of
the enemy’s flanking party showed itself
on the crest of the hill, and poured a
horrible volley into our centre. Half a
dozen of our men fell at the first round,
and, maddened at the sight, the color
companies opened on ye Yank with a
vengeance. Not having discerned the
sudden advance of the enemy on the
hill, the General, doubtless, thought those
bad fellows on the left were “poking it
into” woods as before; and here lie came
down the line as fast as his bonny bay
could bear him. Once more, order was
restored; all came to a shoulder, though
the fire was now dreadful; and, after a
few minutes biding the pitiless storm,
there came that old familiar yell upon
the left; the other regiments of the
brigade came up in line of battle;
muskets shining, and colors to the breeze;
the necessary junction was formed.
“Charge /” was ordered, and, in less time
than it has taken to rescue this leaf from
the past, ye Yank was off that hill, and
making for home, Soon after, the Army
was re-brigaded, and we went to another
command; but the General’s name, to
this day, brings a half pathetic, half
amusing, recollection of how our eager
marksmen made his bay horse fly from
the right to the left of the line, and then
from the left back to the right, and then
from the right to the centre, bearing his
gallant rider, like M ars guiding the storm.
And how that rider did “cuss !” But ’tis
all over now. The Recording Angel has
wiped ’em all out long before this, and
smiled to see the Soldier so hasty in
speech—the Patriot so true to principle.
And, now, one more reminiscence; for,
you know, when one gets started on these
old times, it is sometimes hard to quit.
To General Early is the Radical Congress
indebted for their pet word—reconstruc
tion. The rogues stole it from him—and
the very word used by him in the Vir
ginia Secession Convention to denote the
absolute disruption of the union, these
creatures, who swear that that blessed
institution was never fazed, have actually
converted to their own uses, as the name
of their precious scheme of Africaniza
tion. The Virginia Journal of 1861 is
before me, and in this it appears that
Jubal A Early signed the Ordinance of
Secession, with a special declaration that
he did so “with no hope or desire for a
reconstruction oi the old Union”—and, no
doubt, there are many to say amen to
this to-day; but, is it not remarkable,
that these creatures should have so scanty
an invention as actually to have to steal,
and not only steal, but debase, the tech
nology of a Secession Convention !
In a prior letter, I perceive that yeur
printers credit me with the phrase,
“national laws.” It was written “natural
laws.” I know of no “nation” in this
country, unless it be the “Universal
Yankee Nation," and, consequently, never
refer to the Federal Statutes as being
“national.” This is, under the Constitu
tion, a Republic, not a Nation. It is not
legally proper to call this a Nation, be
cause the Constitution says: “We, the
Fcople * * * * do ordain and estab
lish this Constitution,” and it is not
etymologically correct, as is well set forth
in Crabb’s Synonymes, where it is said
that “Republican States are distinguished
by the name of People; but Kingdoms
are commonly spoken of in history as
Nations." The point may not seem of
much importance, but words are things,
and a correct use of them is extremely
valuable in receiving or conveying accu
rate ideas in politics. When the Consti
tution was framing, it was proposed to use
the words “nation” and “national,” but
the fathers struck them out, and as the
instrument was made by those good and
wise men, so let it remain to us.
Some days since, almost the last
survivor of the original John Brown
Harper’s Ferry gang of conspirators, a
half cracked fanatic, named Reals, who
has been editing some sort of a loil sol
dier’s newspaper here, was arrested for
stealing S2O, and put into jail; and at the
same time, a scallawag official from Ten
nessee, who had run off with $15,000
embezzled money, was likewise caught
and put in limbo. A fine set of fellows
they are, are they not ?
In|glancing over the latest volume of
the Federal Statutes there is to be found
An Act concerning the rights of Ameri
can citizens in Foreign States which so
plainly asserts and maintains the right
of secession that I cannot but dwell a
moment on the point. The essential
portions are the preamble and section
first, which thus read ;
“Whereas the right of expatriation is
a natural and inherent right of all peo
ple, indispensable to the enjoyment of
the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness; and, whereas, in the
recognition of this principle, this Govern
ment has freely received emigrants from
all nations, and invested them with the
rights of citizenship; and whereas it is
claimed that such American citizens,
with their descendents, are subjects of
foreign states, owing allegiance to the
Government thereof ; and whereas it is
necessary to"the maintenance of public
peace that this claim of foreign allegiance
should be promptly and finally disa
vowed ; Therefore,
Bebe it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representative ,> of the United
States of America in Congress assem
bled, That any declaration, instruction,
opinion, order, or decision of any officers
of this Government which denies, re
stricts, impairs, or questions the right of
expatriation is hereby declared incom
patible with the fundamental principles
of this Government.”
Now what is “right of expatriation ?”
The term comes from ex and patria to
depart from one’s country, but as the
right of people to journey about the
world is for all practical purposes un
questioned, it appears that the right of
expatriation is something more than
simply the physical removal of ourself
from the land of one’s birth, and accord
ingly we find that the true meaning of
expatriation and the sense in which it
is used in th‘s Statute, is the right of an
individual to withdraw, at his own good
will and pleasure, from further political
connection with the community whereof
he may be a citizen or subject. But if
one man can do this two men can do it,
and if two men a thousand, and if a
thousand a million, and accordingly it is
that we find this very Statute to admit
the universality of the doctrine in declar
ing that “the right of expatriation is a
natural and inherent right of all people.”
This, it is submitted, is nothing in the
world but the right of secession over
again, for if individuals have the right
to withdraw from their prior political
affiliations at pleasure, why have not
communities, or States, which are but
aggregations of individuals, the same
right ? The logic is, I fancy, unanswer
able and the case a curious instance of
the indestructibility of truth and the
certainty wherewith, however it be
sought to express it, it will peer up at
unexpected moments and in unforseen
ways even in the Councils of its brightest
enemies. Th ose who declare the right
of secession dead are therefore convicted
out of their own mouths It is in con
sonance with human nature, and that
makes it indestructible. In so speaking
I do not advocate an exercise of this
right, for I believe that a glorious destiny
awaits the South in the unbroken re
public. Before our heads are cold we
shall see the South ruling this whole
country and ruling it not because of
mere political influences, bpt because her
magnificent natural wealtji will assert
its proper supremacy overjhe minds and
hearts of men. War struck the South
one blow in disorganizing the labor sys
tem, but as the Negro population is
crowded down into the cotton zone it will
be forced by the very competition en
gendered by its density to work almost,
if not altogether, as well as it ever did
under the supervision of slavery. With
the labor best fitted to cotton culture
thus approximated to its former value,
there is also to be taken into account
that compensatory advantage the w •
gave the South, for it did give it an
advantage. The same blow whiri
temporarily disorganized labor, p enaa ‘
nently laid the foundations of cotton
manufactures. It was cotton growing
that made the South rich before the \ v | lr °
it was cotton manufacturing that made
New England rich before the war ; hut
now, since the war, the South is destined
not only to retain the production of the
staple but to add to it, its manufacture
too. Whereas she once had but the
buckler, the sword now and henceforth
is put into her hands, and thus fully
armed for the battle of life, who shall
estimate the height and the length and
the breadth and the depth of that
magnificent material victory the n< ai
future opens to her grasp!
To despair of the republic was ir
ancient Rome a crime, and so to-dav h
it a shame and a cowardice to doubt the
final vindication of the Right.
Tyrone Powers.
KENT UcTyToRRESPONDENCE
OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH.
Maysville, Kt., February 15,1860.
Banner of the South:
I avail myself of the opportunity offered
in sending you the names of a few sub
scribers, to drop a few lines concernm®
affairs in and around Maysville. At the
time of writing my first letter to you. 1
thought I would number myself upon the
list of “regulars,” or at least become a
frequent “occasional;” but circumstances
intervened that destroyed in toto my idea?
in that respect, and I now' find in sittine
C
down to write you, that many weeks have
elapsed. I had also thought that 1 would,
long ere this, have succeeded in number
ing a pretty fair subscription list for the
Banner in our town and county, but
could not give it the attention it merited.
I know that all that is necessary to bring
the Banner a weekly visitant to main
friends, is a know-ledge of its exact posi
tion and its merits. The piflse of Mason
County is decidedly Southern, and a paper
as ably edited as the Banner, devoted to
the hallowed task of keeping alive and
warm the memories of “Southern dead"
and “Southern glories,” will eventually
meet with the circulation it so richly de
serves.
The TYinter here has been remarkably
mikl. Our farmers are rejoicing in the pr *-
peet of a good crop of wheat. For ten
years past the wheat crop has been frozen
out, more or less, and discouraged a great
many from putting in as large a crop as
usual. The citizens of this local Metro
polis, Maysville, have been considciaMy
agitated of late over the prospect cf the
early completion of the Maysville & Lex
ington Railroad. Fifteen years we have
been weighed down with the incubus o: a
heavy Railroad debt, occasioned bv a
failure to complete, and a forfeiture, or
more properly a “swindle,” by the lucky
ones who had been trusted with the ca -li.
Our holy Mother, the Church, in her
quiet manner, is making giant strides in
the way of advancement; and in dispell
ing the clouds of prejudice and misrepre
sentation that hover over and around the
minds and understanding of communities
like this, where the people have lmd hut
little opportunity to become acquainted
withjher holy Mission. The Convent of the
Visitation that I alluded to in ray other
letter, as being the greatest assistant the
Church has in being properly understood,
still continues to flourish in its labor of
love. The good Sisters gave a “Matinee’ 5
at the close of the Session in January, that
probably surpassed anything of the kind
that ever transpired here. The taste and
skill manifested in arranging the stage v as
calculated to surpise a connoisseur. The
thorough completeness with which every
thing was done by the girls participating
in the exercises, challenged the admira
tion of all Parents and friends were
delighted, and to the many people assem
bled in their capacious study hall, it vil
be a pleasant episode in life. At present
our Dieeeso is without a consecrated
Bishop, although Father Lancaster, the
Administrator by his able and conversant
management of its affairs, has won the
respect and praise of every one acquaints
with the difficulties we have labored unde:
for years. It, is opined among knowing
circles that a Priest from Cincinnati v .11.
on the strength of Archbishop Purcell'
recommendation, get the appointment ti
the next Bishop of this the J >iu< o- o ;
Covington.
The political circles of our State an
just n >w deeply agitated over the prope-e
--enforcement of the Fourteenth Cm An
tional Amendment. If it is enforced, aii<
our State officers cannot get then and •••
bilities under the Amendment removed tl.
majority will, to the regret of even g i: >»
man in Kentucky, and to the lasting m
famy of the Jacobin majority compo.-u
--the “rump' 1 Congress of the so-ca, c,
United States, be cast out. I learn tha"
money is getting more plenty in the Soi'
1 presume they succeeded in getting
little ahead by last year's crops. 1 am
glad to hear it; may her recuperation be a
speedy one; and that her war-worn
veterans live to see the day when p; mu
and buoyant, she will assume her na* .o n
position in the political calender o: tin
world, is the wish of yours truly,
Ignatius,