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Samnnh Wtrklg flews ATt’RDAT, PKCKMBKR IS, |7*. "Uc*IPTIO!S. Wr-hly New*, One Year $8 OO Weekly New*, His Mrnth*...., 1 00 Weekly New*, Tkree Monika AO IMIly New*, one year, *lO 00; *U month*, “ 00 ; throe month*, *7 so. Trl-Weekly New*, one year, * 00; *U month*, oo; three month*, *1 so. All subscription* payable In advance. Paper* *>y mail are stopped at the expiration of the time paid for without further notice. Subscriber* will pieaae observe the date* on their wrapper*. ADTBHTISBMKNT*. A StqUARB i* ten measured line* of Nonpareil of Tub Wbbklt Nbw*. Kach insertion, *1 00 per square. liberal rate* made with contract advertiser*. CORHBSPONDBMCB. Correspondence aoliclted; but to receive stten -1 ion, letter* must be accompanied by a rueponsl bla name, not for publication, but as a guarantee Of good faith. All letter* should be addnswed to J. H. KSTILL. Savannah, Ga. An Important llechion, A dealer in Western supplies calls the Attention of the Augusta Chronicle to a rocent decision of an Ohio court, which ia of interest to the commercial commu nity. The case was tried in Cincinnati,' and was a suit brought by a commission firm of Baltimore against an Ohio railway to recover the value of one hundred bar rels of flour for which the railway re ceipted, but which the commission men-, chants never received. A party in Ci*- cinnati received a bill of lading for two hundred barrels of flour, and forwarded it to the Baltimore firm, who matte large advances on the strength of it to tha Consignor. Only one hun dred barrels were delivered, and the railway proved that only this, num ber same fit to their i-osMMMt* TIVf eon signor becoP"i*>£ trifle > p*. uo*W fivitf brought suit against the rail wad company upon the bill of lading. The Ohio Oourt decided in favor of the defendant on the grounds that a bill of lading “is not negotiable in the commer cial sense of the term,” and that it is not within the scope of the authority of a railway employe to sign bills of lading for goods which he does not receive. A case similar to that reported in Cincin nati is pending in Maryland, and in that Htate the lower court held that the rail way company was responsible upon its bill of lading whether the goods were aotually received or not. The Ohio case will probably be taken to the Supreme Court of that State, where the decision will bo looked for with interest. Wo believe that railroad bills of lading are by custom regarded as proper basis for advances on shipments of cotton and other produce. If the de cision of the Cincinnati court is sus tained tho merchant making advances would, in tho case of the insolvency of the shippers, have no recourse against the *ailroad. Such a final decision would, of course, necessitate a change in the existing Custom of trade. lion. Julian ilurtridtre. A correspondent of the Now York Tribune, having undertaken to furnish that paper with personal sketches of the newly elected members of Congress, closes a very brief and imperfect sketch of our immediate representative, Hon. Julian Hartridge, with the complaint that that gentleman “declined to inform the compiler when and where he was born, or to give any particulars respect ing his education.” Our cotemporary of the Augusta Chronicle comes to the relief of the enterprising Flibbertegibet of the Tribune in the following para graph: "Mr. Hartridge, we understand, has a constitutional aversion to interviewers and bores, and hence, doubtloss. the curt ness displayed in his receptjon of the Tribune biographer. We have no doubt that before he has been many months in Oongross the Tribune and the country will find out something more about the Representative from the First Dis trict. Mr. Hartridge is a leading and one of the ablest lawyers in the State, and, though comparatively a young man, is a veteran politician. The law firm of Hartridge <fc Chisholm, of which he is the senior partner, does a heavy practice, and ranks among the first In the Forost City. Mr. Hartridge was a member of tlio Confederate Congress serving from 18(12 till the close of the war. Since the war ho has taken an ac tive part in politics. In 1872 he, with many other distinguished Geor gians, favored tlio Greeley movement, and was an elector for the State at large on the Greeloy ticket. He could have been eloeted to Congress tbnt year, but did not care for a nomination. Last year the people of the First District demanded his services, and he cnrried his district by a magnificent majority. He is an admirable tactician, a fine scholar and an eloquent speaker, and, along with Ste phens, Hill, Norwood, Gordon and Fel ton, will make Georgia famous in the Forty-fourth Congress.” Prospective Federal Legislation. Many of the new members of Con gress, says the New York Express, are already loaded up and weighed down with propositions for repealing old laws, making new laws, changing and amend ing the constitution, etc. Among the propositions already suggested are the following: Be it enacted, etc., That on and after the 4th day of March, 1877, the Presi dent of the United States shall receive in full for his services during the term for whioh he shall have been elected $25,000 per annum, to be paid monthly, and all laws and parts of laws inconsistent here with are hereby repealed. Here is another proposition to amend the constitution : No person shall be eligible to the office of President of the United States for more than a single term. It is also proposed that no Supreme Court Judge shall be eligible to the office of President of the United States; that “the Secretary of State, the Secretaries of the Treasury, War, Navy and Interior Departments, the Attorney Genera] and Postmaster General shall be entitled to ooeupy seats on the floor of the House of Representatives, with the right to parti cipate in the debates upon matters relat ing to the business of their respective departments, under such rules as may be prescribed by the House. "The several Secretaries, etc., shall attend the sessions of the House of Re presentatives during the morning hour, immediately on the opening of the sit ting, on Mondays and Thursdays of each week.” In the tariff both the President and Secretary of the Treasury propose a re imposition of duties on tea and coffee. Among the miscellaneous topics to be considered are the resumption act, the baying of so much silver from the Pacific States, the abolition of over two thou sand national banks, the interest of four or four and a half per cent, to be allowed on the next convertible bonds, the war premium on the Alabama claims, with a revision of the custom laws that will secure final liquidation, the abolition of the Naval Office, etc. the only - yj| jfiß&HragKjg-gllfc ' Ht J. H. ESTILL, PROPRIETOR, Proposed Change in the Mode of Coanting the Vote for President, The proposed new mode of eounting the electoral votes for President and Vice President will engage the attention of Congress during its present session. At the last session Senator Morton in troduced a bill repealing the joint rule of the two houses, under which the elec toral votes are now counted. Tne bill was passed by the Senate, but was not reached by the House. On Wednesday Senator Morton again introduced his bill, whicu was laid on the table for future reference. Under the operations of the twenty-second joint rule, when the two houses come together to count the elec toral votes, and a Senator or Representa tive objects to receiving the electoral vote of any State, the houses separate and vote without debate upon the objec tion presented. If the objection be sus , tamed by the vote of a majority of either house, the electoral votes objected to are thrown out. When the electoral vote wm last counted, in 1873, four votes of Georgia and aU the votes of Arkansas and Jhouiaiana war*' thrown out. The objec-, kw* . WhxW ' la the ’"Swof A&an£ :* ft was to theformoF the seal upon the certificate. It is in the power of the House or of the Senate, under the joint rule, to throw the elec tion for President into the House, the Constitution providing that if no person receives a majority of all the electors ap pointed, the election must go to the House, where the vote is taken by States, each State casting one vote. Senator Morton's bill provides that no electoral vote shall be rejected except by the con current vote of the two houses, and per mits a short debate upon the validity of the objection urged. While the twenty-second joint rule is defective and liable to abuse, it is a mat ter of doubt whether Senator Morton’s bill will remedy the defects of the pres ent method of counting the votes for President and Vice President, or offer any better security against the dangerous machinations and usurpations of an un scrupulous faction. Under the existing rule it is in the power of either house to exclude the electoral vote of a State upon a mere technicality, while under Senator Morton’s bill it would be in the power of either house to prevent the exclusion of the electoral vote of a State for the most flagrant ille gality or fraud. Any legislation that may bo adopted on the subject should tend to the limitation and restriction rather than to the enlargement of the power’of Congress to control the election of President; and it would be safer and more in accordance with the princi ples and spirit of our Republi can system, for Congress to confine its action in tRe matter to such legisla tion as will strictly define what shall con stitute the legal vote of a State, leaving to the States the proper authentication of their respective electoral colleges. The law should be definite and explicit, and the voto of a State should only be or.Vuhbi tor non conformity witn the distinct letter of the law, and not by the vote of a jartizan House or Senate. Grunt’s Third Term Cainpaigu Mes sage. Ia our telegraphic columns this morn ing will b found a synopsis of the salient points of President Grant’s message to Congress. The topics to which he gives promineute are those which it was ex pected he would discuss, and neither in his view# and recommendations on specific subjects, nor in the general tone of the dcoument has he disappointed the generid public. The country was prepared 'or a display of bluster about Cuba, a flourish about Church and State, and a baclrng up of the contractionists. These points in his third term campaign programme had been sufficiently fore shadowed in his Des Moines speech, so called, and by the outgivings of his per sonal organs. But we apprehend that, with the exception of Parson Newman and a few of his especial oonfidants, no one anticipated his onslaught on Mor monism and the Chinese women, or his recommendtion of a national compul sory school Bystem, with an educational qualification for voters. That portion of the message relating to Cuba, while it explains the recent myste rious naval preparations and is likely to increase the existing apprehension of a collision with Spain, is nevertheless vague and indefinite. It reads very belligerent and defiant to Spain, but, after all, does not amount to the absolute recommendation of a warlike policy towards that government. It looks very much as if the President had at length come to the conclusion that a war with Spain might be popular, but that he either distrusts the support of the Democratic House, or prefers that the Democracy shall take the respon sibility of inaugurating the experiment. The President gives no reason for inter ference on the part of this government in behalf of the struggling Cuban “rebels’ that has not existed during the last six years, and it is to be hoped that Congress will wait for his promised development of an existing necessity for the step be fore it plunges the country into an unnec essary and expensive war that may lead to embarrassing complications. The President's views on the currency question are new only to himself, and will be popular with the money monopo lists and stock gamblers. It is true he has discovered anew short-cut to specie payment, by “unlimited inflation,” but “honor” forbids its adoption. So that the solution of the vexed question of the ourrency is left to the deliberation of Congress. On the whole the message, as we judge of it by the telegraphic synopsis, is, in its leading features, an ad captandum campaign document, designed more for political effect than for the enlighten ment of Congress or the promotion of the general interests of the country. And after all his denials and protesta tions of innocence, General Babcock has been indicted for complicity in the St. Louis crooked whisky frauds. One would have supposed that, having been so long the cup-bearer for the President, he would have learned to take his whisky straight. Poor Bab, he is evidently the victim of evil associations and misplaced confidence. A New York man has cured himself of the habit of tobacco chewing by tasting an apple every time he felt inclined to partake of the weed. He had been a constant user of tobacco for seventeen years, but the fruit worked an effectual Affairs in Georgia. Speaking of running races, we saw a Sa vannah man yesterday who wanted to bet sixty-six dollars against a basket of chips that any member of the Atlanta police can beat Dexter’s best time. He found no takers. Tamp Fonder’* roan mule took the dim ples out of another colored brother in Mon roe county last Sunday. It is said that when she feels for a nigger she reaches twice her own length. Hog cholera is prevailing in Upson and Monroe counties. The colored cottOD-stealers are not doing such a thriving business in Southwestern Georgia as they were a few months ago. The best evidence that Columbus ia a manufacturing town is the fact that tha girls in the best society are inveterate chewers of gum. The Macon policemen have a curious habit of chasing colored burglars into the adjacent swamps. Colonel June*, of the Macon Telegraph, was in town the other day. He came dowa to purchase a bunch of toothpicks. Theatrical people say that a Columbus audience will get away with as many as five bushels of goober-peas in one night. The Coant Johannes B’Gormanne has been picking the bugs off his orange trees on Dunn’s Lane. The Count has serion* thoughts of going to Texas for the purpose of establishing a * tone-quarry, this u one >t the street ueeda of Xew, *e • y* i la u* “ IUMomV ’Sflia-.U,” Cut Or* 1, o£ the MmtldgW w&it * mU account of me escape of Wiley Redding, together with a picturesque desertion of the manner in which the police ran home to get their bows and arrows when they heard of it. If a Macon policeman isn’t caught leaning against the railing of the Brown House basement during the day, he is deemed in capable of service aDd is discharged. Pro gress is one of our national characteristics. The Forsyth Advertiser is cautioning its readers against burglars. Well, how can burglars make a decent living if aU the pa pers turn against them ? It would not be going too far to say that what is right is right. The grand jury of Glynn county reauest Governor Smith to remove Duncan Nelson, the tax collector, owing to his ignorance and incompetency. Clarke and Pendleton are still m swampo. Mr. W. F. Symonß, of Brunswick, was married the other day to Miss Eliza R. Dart, daughter of Major Urbanus Dart. Col. Cabiniss, of tbe Forsyth Advertiser, has managed to get on the outside of an eight-pound home-made cabbage. He is now prepared to make affidavit that cabbage in any shape is little less than cold slaugh-ter. How quickly we learn lessons from experience. Judge Schley, of this city, was in Augusta on Monday. The Augusta policemen are not surgeons. They discovered a negro the other night so badly wounded that his intestines protruded, but when the doctors came they discovered that he had succumbed to John Barley corn while endeavoring to carry home a string of sausages. Augusta is bragging loudly over tho pros pect of another flouring mill. The Forsyth Advertiser wants the offices of tax receiver and collector and of clerk of the Superior Court and county treasurer consolidated. The Atlanta Commonwealth thinks—and we cordially agree with it—that tho card of tbe Board of Directors of the Young Men’s Library does not give satisfactory reasons for the sudden and altogether uncalled for deposition of Mr. Charles Herbst from his position as Librarian. Wild turkoys are so plentiful in Wilkinson county that a colored man killed ono the other day. This seems to us to be carrying the provisions of the civil rights bill too far. Tbe Toombsboro Appeal has been marged into the lrwinton Southerner , and the com bination will be called tho Southerner and Appeal, with Mr. C. E. Carnes as editor. Mr. Carnes is a graceful and industrious writer, who pays great attention to home affairs, and he has only to keep the paper np to its old standard to bo successful. Our Savannah merchants will find the Southerner and Ap peal one of tho most available advertising mediums within reach of this market. Mr. Jack Butler, of Wilkinson county, has a patch of cotton on which he will make a bale to the acre. Why, in the name of com mon sonse, doesn’t Jack run for Governor? A negro was found dead on the railroad near Forsyth tho other day with his body dreadfully mangled. Foul play is sus pected. A Glynn county jury “hung” the other day on a case of simple larceny, notwith standing the prisoner pleaded guilty. The point of difference was whether the colored man should be recommended to the mercy of the court, and yet they gay Southern juries are indisposed to do justice to the colored man. Thus the Irwinton Southerner .- “Speak ing of large corn stalks,” said Deacon Smith, of Wilkinson county, the other day, to a party of farmers, “speaking of large coin stalks reminds me of the crop I made on my new ground in Commissioner swamp, in 1872. That was a powerful year for tfuck to grow, and my new ground was the rich est spot in the county. I planted it with the Thompson gourd-seed, and, gentlemen, it would a done ye good to seen that corn. I aint gwine to tell you how big the stalks was, for ye might dispute it, but one Sunday me and Mehaly went down to look at it, and old Rat, my old hound, went along with us. Rat fooled around ontweli he started a rabbit and into the field they went. Presently I heard him barking and I says to Mehaly ‘Ho’s treed.’ Me and her got over into the field and went to him, and, gentlemen, he was barking up a corn stalk, and scratching at the root. I ex amined the stalk and found that the wood ants had gutted it, and that it was hollow, so I jest jerked out my knife and cut a hole into it, and reached my arm down and pulled out three big old swamp rabbits, and I am able, with the help of God, to whip any son-of-a-gnn who disputes it.” Sam. Small in the Atlanta Constitution : At the late municipal election the negroes soon found that they were being out-voted by the whites, and they began to fall back upon old expedients. Old Jones met a young, dandified hotel waiter shortly after noon, and confidentially inquired : “Wil liam, has you voted dis morning so fur ?” “No, sah; de truf is dat my business so re sorbed my ’tention aster pervent my goiu’ ter be registratod.” “Dat’s a mighty great mistake what you made den, boy, when de nigger hab laid derselbs out fur to carry dis ’lection, don’t you kno dat ?” dolorously urged old JoDes. “Well, it are too late now,” said Wil liam, as though very penitent. “Dat ’pends .upon you; fur yer see,” replied old Jones,con fidentially, “yer see dar’s Ceeze Smif whar wurks down hyar in Mister Grant’s brick yard —he’s gone down to Stone Mountain ter see his grandmudder die, and ef you jes go down to der polls you kin vote in his name; don’t yer see how dat works, eh ?” “Smif! Smif! Dat’s jig like a common ole nigger like you, to tink dat I weuld ’pear in public uuder de name ob Ceeze Smif. I’m a cullered gemman, I'd hab you kno’, and de name of Smif is ’ne&th my notis—yer under stan’ dat? I’m high tone and war a standin’ collar, you might persebe 1” And William moved grandly off, leaving old Jones dumb founded with wrath and surprise. Irwinton Southerner: Matt Kemp, and the other prisoners charged by Rack Beall with an attempt to murder him’on the night of the 22d ult., was permitted by the magis trates to make their statement at the close of the commitment trial. Matt Kemp is an educated colored man—has been acting as church clerk—and is looked upon by his colored brethren as a perfect Solomon. Matt was the one who wanted to tie Rack to Mr. Hughes’ fodder stack and burn him, but this Methodist way of getting rid of a man didn’t suit the Baptist notions of the Rev. Moses Brazeal, who insisted upon Rack’s taking the water route to the other world. But we ar. digressing. Well, Matt was permitted to make his statement, and took the stand and bestowed upon the bench, bar and spec ators a look of innocent indignation. Daring the progress of the trial, every time he could catch the eye of Magistrate McCnl lar, he would tip him a wink, and now in pan tomime he seemed to say “listen at Matt, and he will convince yon of his perfect inno cence.” “Proceed,” said the magistrate. Matt scratched one of his s bins with his foot, re flected a moment, and said in substance: “I had been working all day Monday; came into supper; my wife was sitting by the lire with her jaws tied up; she had the jawache; she says to me, ‘Matt, the meat’s out, and you must git some more, there ain’t a mouthful for supper;’ ‘well,’ says I, ‘aint you got nothing to give me to eat;’ says she, ‘there’s a bucket of peas on the table;’ I told one of the children to bring me the bucket, and I smelt of them, and tasted them, and I didn’t like them ; I never did like peas ; I studied a long time what I should do to them to fix them so I could eat them ; I concluded I wou’d try a inynn ; so I told my boy to go to the garden and get a inynn ; when he brung the Inynn I cut the inynn np in the peas, and managed by the help* of the inyun to worry them down ’; I then went to bed ; I like Rack Beall; always treated him as a gentleman ; never did have anvtbing against him, and God knows I didn’t want to tie him to the fodder stack and burn him; I wouldn’t sarve a dog that way.” SAVANNAH, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1875. When an Augusta man goes crazy one of the neighbor* is expected to give a candy pulling m honor of the event. Nothing but a sugar-coated pill could be sweeter than thts custom. Count Gormanne is evidently flirting with us. He never calls when he is in town. The Count is inclined to be coquettish. The charges of the directors of the At lanta Library against Mr. Herbst are some thing immense. They are too funny for anything. Herbst doesn’t want any better vindication than that absurd publication. Further on in this column we print what “Old Grizzly” of the Rome Courier savs about it. It is understood that Willingham is now editing the Cnrtersville Express, but that paper hag suddenly ceased to visit us. We speak for back numbers. We received a note yesterday from a Prominent Director of the Young Men’s Jbrarv, of Atlanta, enclosing tbe card of the Directors, and complaining that we had been misled by the Commonwealth. Perhaps. Bat if Mr. Herbst wa* not deposed on account of his Confederate sympathies, or becaase he hated the Yankees, what in the name of ©ommou sense was he deposed for ? We look upon the card of the birectors as one of the silliest and most absurd publications that ever appeared. Tbe Athens Watchman, going over the Senatorial probabilities, remarks : “Mr. Norwood may, after all, become his own yidcasaor.” hit funny now the minds of fiSp' T 52 <**, making IbfZL ?! mu*. In Atlanta the little negroes begin to burgle before they are weaned. “Who,” asks the Atlanta Constitution, “shall bo our next Librarian ?” Why Herbst, of course. The method of his re moval is intolerable in these times, and he should be reinstated at once. To the confusion of the Columbus critics, the Atlanta Constitution remarks: “Milt. Barlow ie the finest delineator of every shade of negro character on the American stage.” Columbus is bragging about ripe straw berries grown in the open air. This is noth ing. Down here the weather is so propi tious that even the hat-racks are in bloom. Mr. Wm. M. Gay, formerly of North Car olina, died in Rome last Saturday. Mr. Dick West, of Rome, is the father of a fine pair of twins. The Altamaba is overflowing its banks, and numerous lumber rafts are taking ad vantage of the occasion to swim down to Darien. Wild ducks are so numerous in the Alta maha swamp that the raftsmen kill them with sticks. Mr. Joshua Smith, an old oitizen of Bryan county, is dead. Avery interesting religious revival is pro gressing in Athens. The Trustees have not abolished batter cakes at the Btate University, but they are thinking about it. Dalton is complaining of dull times. The Newnan Star makes a very tierce at tack upon Governor Smith for respiting Brinkley. They are continually bragging on late strawberries in Fort Yalley. In fact, they don’t allow one to open its eyes before they hire a wagon and carry it around to the edi tor of the Mirror. The Macon Telegraph says that dnring the latter part of last week Mr. J. J. Clay, of Joues county, employed a negro, who gave his name as William Edwards, to work on his farm. The negro remained until Monday night, when he stole a mule, four quilts, the entire contents of the pantry, including four pieces of meat, a hatchet, knite and number of other things. He came about as uear cleaning out the premises as one man could come in a single night, and succeeded in getting away with his booty. Fort Valley personal in the Mirror : “Mr. Wesley Houser left yesterday for Atlanta to attend the session of the State Grange. He wore a shuck collar and a cotton blossom in his hair; also two buckeyes in each coat pocket.” Mr. D. B. Freeman, of the Calhoun Times, was married in Rome the other day to Miss Sallie Goodwinn. A Crawford county lady has a cat which she takes out rabbit-hunting. Col. Marcellus E. Thornton now has a sister-in-law. Thus the Fort Yalley Mirror: “The Mon tezuma Weekly gets its foreign news from this paper.” Thuß the Rome Courier : As might have been expected, the removal of Charles Herbst, the popular Librarian of the Young Men’s Library of that city, is creating the greatestexcitn meat and dissatisfaction in Atlanta. In justification of their action the Board of Directors publish a card to the public, setting forth quite a number ot charges against Mr. Herbst, among which is that of making improper entries in his ledger opposite the names of delinquent members, to illustrate w hich they publish ex tracts fromjthe ledger reflecting scandalous ly upon a number of Atlanta dead beats. The publication has created quite a flutter, and is highly disreputable to the directors, whose sense of propriety should have made them suppress the entries which were only made for their private information and ref erence. A set of men who have no more sense than to parade before the public eye a matter of this sort, intended solely for pri vate use, are, in our judgment, utterly un fit for the position of directors of a great institution. Newnan Star: We are informed that our farmers have finished harvesting their crops, and are busily engaged sowing wheat. We are truly glad to hear it, and hope they will go to work with renewed energy and persevere until we become a self-sustaining people. Farmers are beginning to awake to a sense of their duty. They comprehended the great importance of improving their lands and of arresting deterioration, evi dent signs of which may be seen on almost every plantation in the country. Now is the time to work. Fences ought to be repaired, ditches cleaned out, flat lands draiued and out-houses recovered. We do desire to see our people prosperous and happy once more, and nothing short of prudence, economy and faithful, energetic labor will bring it about. f Hinesville Gazette: We had the pleasure of meeting in our village Mr. James R. Hall, of Bulloch, who has just returned from Texas. Mr. Hall left Bulloch with his family two years ago, to make his home iu the West, and located himself in Middle Texas. His experience, which ,was on a par with that of many others, was a sorrowful one. Misfortunes came thick and fast; his wife and two of his children sickened and died. With the remnant of his little family he made his way back to his former home in Bulloch county, where he arrived a few weeks ago. He does not represent Texas to be the Eldorado which many have pictured it. Lands are high, timber scarce, chill and fever and typhoid lever scourge the country. The physicians are the only ones who make money. Quite as many are coming back to the old State as are moving in. Mr. Hall says he is con tent to spend the balance of his days in old Georgia. Athens Watchman: Tho bill introduced during the last session of the Legislature proposipg to submit the question of calling a Constitutional Convention to a direct rote of the people was adroitly killed off by a threat of Federal interference. Since that time, however, several of the Southern States have held conventions and amended their Constitutions, and not one word has been heard of Federal in terference, and nobody supposed there would be any such interference. This bug-bear having been disposed of, the question recurs, and will come up at the approaching session of the Legsilatnre— “Shall the voters of Georgia be permitted to express their opinion for or against a convention ?” Those who prefer the pres ent instrument, which is the work of a con vention composed chiefly of aliens and ne groes, to one framed by and for the people of Georgia, will, of course, oppose all meas ures looking towards the call of a conven tion. The present constitution contains some very good features, but many which are objectionable. One of these is the unreasonably large homestead exemption, whipb, V / left the great mass or our peoj * \ ' /^without credit and forced the? yCi.t to the un reasonable exactions jo hungry land sharks, who absorb" at. their clear profits and bring them in debt every year. Let the amount of homestead be reduced to the proper standard, and prosperity will return to our hard-working farmers. They will be no longer compelled to mortgage their growing crops to purchase supplies at such rates of interest as will absorb the profits of any business in the world. We have no need of annual sessions of the Legisla ture. A change to biennial sessions will save upwards of one hundred thousand dollars per annum. A farther large saving may be effected by reducing the number and pay of members of the Legislature. We have not time or room to point out the many changes desired, but a convention could make all the needed alterations in a session of ten davs or two weeks. There is one other matter of importance connected with this affair—we me vn the location of the capital. The people voted under duress in adopting the present constitution. We want them to have a free, nntramelled vote on this question. Let a majority settle it. If they say Atlanta, let it be so—if some other place, let that place be established as the capital. Gregg Wright, of the Augusta Cfuronide— he of the marble heart—seems to have a red-bug somewhere in bis pantaloons in regard to the removal of Hereat as Librarian of the Young Men’s Library, and a little paragraph of ours gives him an excellent opportunity to play some rather ancient airs upon the gush-horn. We have a note lrom Mr.Julius Browu to the effect that Mr.Herbst was not removed because he“hated vankees,” though precisely what he was removed for nobody seems able to tell. We intended to give Mr. Brown’s statement to the public, and the editor of the Chronicle gives us an excellent opportunity to do so in a con densed form; and it we knew whom to apologize to—Gregg or Julius—we would cheerfully make the customary disclaimer. The Register iu Bankruptcy at Griffin is having a lively run of business. Mr. Elij.u Angling, a former engioeer of the Macon and Brunswick Railroad, fell dead in Macon on Wednesday. A colored girl was accidentally burned to death in Newton county the other day. We have been guilty of a great njusti e. We said yesterday that Clarke and Pendle ton were still in twampo. This was a slander. Coiouel Clarke has bien in Atlanta for some weeks and Mr. Pendleton has never missed a Sunday in Savannah. Our para graph of yesterday was a typographical er ror. Griffin looks forward to a bad year. Mr. Giles Driver, Jr„ of Pike county, cut ps/ss The editor of the Fort Valley Mirror is running either a carpenter-shop or a saw mill. He says: “Bring in that wood you owe us.” Po k county has raised an eight-pound turnip. The Thomson Journal says: Now that the Legislature is soon to assemble, the question of a Constitutional Convention is again attracting the attention of the people and the press. Our readers are familiar with our opinions on the subject. The Journal has ail the while earnestly and per sistently advocated such a measure. Our reasons for so doing have been given so often that we will now give only a synopsis of the most important. We want the homestead exemptions reduced within the bouuds of reason and common sense, so that a man’s property shall be liable for his honest debts, and his credit, may have a better foundation than bis simple promise. We want the bogus State bonds, issued by Bullock and his gang of thieves, forever repudiated, so that the time of the Legislature and the money of the people may never again be expended in their considera tion. We want the numbor of our legis lators reduced at least one-third or one half, to assemble biennially, so that, instead of the present unwieldy, expensive body, we may have a General Assembly which will transact all necessary business iu the short est time, without making havoc of the Code, and return home, thereby saving the hard earnings of the tax-payers. We want a Court of Appeals, or some other intermediate j dicature, established for the relief of tho Supreme Court, so that cases may be appealed, decided and returned promptly. And above all, we want to see the present constitution, the offspring of aliens, scalawags and negroes, consigned to eternal oblivion, and another instrument, which shali embody the sentiments and command the respect of the virtue and intelligence of our grand old Commonwealth erected in its stead. These are a few of the reasons why we should have a conven’ion. Now, let every county in the State, through its grand jury, or by conventions of the people, ask its rep resentatives to pass an act, not calliDg a convention, but giving the people a chance to say whether or no:, they will have one. The grand jury of Wilkes county, at the late Superior Court, set the example which we hope her sister counties will promptly fol low. The Atlanta correspondent of the Augusta Chronicle doesn’t find it necessary to toot the gush-horn in regard to the library mat ter. He says: The action of the Board of Directors of the Young Men’s Library in removing Mr. Charles Herbst, the very effi cient Librarian, has created ■ gr3v. deal of excitement, and has elicited some warm censure. Indeed, it bis been too occasio.S of difficulties and personal altercations be tween gentlemen, so heated has been the controversy. It is quite safe to say that seven-tenths of the members of the Library Association disapprove of the action, and that nine-tenths of the public generally, who are at all interested in the institution, are ready to reinstate Mr. Herbst without asking him a question. The seven members who voted for his removal have published a communication setting forth their charges against Mr. Herbst, in which they complain of the peculiar manner in which he keeps the account with the members, especially of written com ments concerning the financial standing of certain members and their derelictions to the library; also intimating that some of the funds, fifteen or twenty dollars, have been mil-appropriated. The statement, however, does not satisfy the public and there is a great deal of’feeling which re mains to be appeased before many former friends of the library will become recon ciled to the affront givon Mr. Herbst. It is strongly believed by many that Mr. Herbst’s strong Southern sentiment contributed to his removal, as there are among the Board of Directors a few gentlemen who have been known to possess political feelings strongly antagonistic to the South. In the mean time, however, there are numerous candi dates for the position made vacant by the deposition of Mr. Herbst, who will be disap pointed at the election on December 21. Florida Affairs. The Jacksonville Union is now published as a daily. Mr. John E. Hartridge, of Jacksonville, one of the most promising young lawyers in Florida, has been admitted to practice in the United States Courts. We dou’t hear anything nowaday# about Purman’s band-wagon. He is probably ne gotiating for a wnip that will reach the “leaders.” How about the Live Oak Times libel case ? A horse in Manatee county died recently from the effect of a rattlesnake’s bite. Alabama is contributing immigrants to South Florida. Gainesville plumes herself on anew mar ket. Magbee says that the “Bismarck cabbage” is not a fraud. Codritigton, of the Agriculturalist , esti mates the annual sale of Florida curiosities at SIOO,OOO. He has known one large, polished alligator tusk sold at twenty-five dollars. What is known as the sea-bean is, he states, the product of a West India vine, washed into the sea by freshets, and car ried by currents to our coasts. This will be a piece of information to the most of our readers, and dispels a generally received opinion upon the subject. The Jacksonville Press says: Lying on the wharf of the Lollie Boy are several fine logs of magnolia. They are intended, we learn, for a New York house, who design to test them for >he purpose of engraving. When thoroughly dried they are said to be very slightly, if at all inferior to box-wood. If this be so, Florida can furnish an inex haustible supply of the material. Rev. Josephus Anderson, of Tallahassee, has been transferred from the Florida to the South Georgia Conference of the Metho dist Church South. The Jacksonville Press says that the for eign lumber business is still very dull, but the up-river trade seems to demand all the lumber that can be furnished. The large number of settlers going up the St. John’s river, and the scores of houses building in that section, accounts for this. The Floridian says that on Friday night the westward bound freight train was thrown from the track by a loose rail four miles east of the Junction. Six box ears and ths coach went off, but were not much damaged. The conductor, Alfred Mundee, stepped oa the rear platform of the coach to signal down the engineer and was violently thrown off against an embankment, receiving pain? ful injuries about the face and leg. He waa carried to Montjcello and attended by Dr, Palmer, bat was able to reach his home in Tallahassee on Saturday. This is the second time young Mundee has been injured on the road.’ Col. B. F. Wardlaw, who has done so much to forward the Grange movement in that State, represented the Florida State Grange in the National Convention of the order re cently held in Louisville, Ky. The Farmer's Home Journal, published in that city, pays the Colonel the following compliment: “M*r, B. F. Wardlaw and his excellent lady bring flowers from Florida to strew upon the altar, around which they love to gather. The Grange Lias two devoted members in these, and Mr. Wardlaw becomes the “Sun set Cox” of the Grange by the sparkle of wit by which he produces so much merri meat amid the most serious discussions.” St. AugQitine Press: The old fort on Wednesday nigbt last was suddenly aroused from its seldom disturbed peace and tran quility. The Indians were informed that they might participate in a dance, subject to their own discretion. It was to have taken place on Tuesday night, but the w< ather was not favorable, and it was post pone.# until the next night. Early in the day Tuesday, the Indians commenced thir toil ettes, by putting on their variegated paints, plumes, and numerous decorations, so that when the sun went down, they were ready for the dance; but when told it would be postponed until the next night, they were much disappointed. Early Wednesday night fires were lighted within the fort, which soon began to bnrn briskly, and the flames to ascend far above the fort. As the fires increased, so did the gathering of spectators, aod when the Indians, in lull war array,came forth from a darkened dungeon the crowd was complete, ground the court yard they were seated, and upon the parapets looking down, were more. The fire, reflecting upon their interested and amazed countenances, together with transpiring events, presented a novel scene. The Indians danced earnestly and for about two hours, after which they were addressed by Colonel Hamilton, to whom the chiefs responded. The Colonel, on the eve of his leaving St. Augustine, told them, through the interpreter, that he felt some regret at leaving them and the city, and that they should live and follow in the way of the white man. In answer, they evinced sorrow at his leaving, and said that it was the desire of the Indians to live as the whites did, and regretted that they had ever opposed them. Everything passed off admirably, and tho Indian'danoo was a success. There were a large number of strangers present, and to these the affair was something new and exciting. Captain Pratt informs ns that these dances will be of frequent occurrence dnring the winter. They will certainly attract many to the city, as a genuine Indian war dance has not been witnessed by all. CITY AR’KAIIRS. the STOCKHOLDERS of the cen tral railroad. No Quorum at the Dleetinjt, but Some Action Taken—The Annual Reports. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Central Railroad and Banking Com pany was held in the rooms over the bank Wednesday morning. About half-past ten o’clock quite a num ber of the stockholders had assembled, when President Wadley suggested that, in or ler to ascertain if there were a quorum prosent, it was necessary to elect a chairman and secretaries. On motion of Mr. R. N. Gourdin, Judge Knapp was called to the chair, and on mo tion of Mr. Wm. Hunter! Mr. T. M. Cun ningham was elected Secretary, with Mr. Daniel G. Purse and Gen. Sorrel as assist ants. Both the latter gentlemen desired to be excused, but the meeting declined to excuse them, and they were unanimously cajled to those positions. The first business was to obtain an ac count of the amount of stock represented, and this occupied about half an hour, when the announcement was made by the Secretary that 10,558 shares were repre sented in person and by proxy, and that 37,501 were necessary to constitute a quorum. Other stockholders coming in about this time, the registration was con continued for some time longer, when a count being taken it was found that 16,473 shares were represented, short 21,028. This announcement being made by the Chairman, Mr. Gourdin, alluding to the fact that a committee had been ap pointed at the last annual meeting to in vestigate the aflairs of the company, stated that the work had been completed, and printed copies were upon the table at the disposal of the members. The Chairman inquired what action should be taken in regard to the report, when the following resolution was oflefed by Dr. Arnold and adopted: Resolved, That this report be received and referred to the Board of Directors for their consideration, and that a copy of the same be sent to the principal stockholders for their information. Mr. Gourdin here requested that the com mittee be discharged from further consider ation of the matter, having performed their duty, which was, on motion, done. Gen. Gilmer stated as there was not a quorum present, no -action could be bind ing, but he desired to bring a matter of *■ me bcters the stockholders present, whose sanction he wished to re ceive on the subject. He then offered the following resolution which, on motion, was adopted: Whereas, the adjustment of fair rates of freight, and their maintenance, is the only immediate means of making railroads re munerative to their stockholders; Resolved, That the chairman of this meet ing be requested to appoint a committee of three to communicate with the stockholders in the lines of railroads and steamships, members of the General Association of Southern Railway and Steamship Compa nies, urging them to exercise their influence to establish and maintain such rules and regulations for the management of the rail ways in which they may be interested, as will secure ibe preservation of such propor tions and obtain reasonable dividends to the stockholders. Under this resolution the chair appointed General Gilmer, Mossrs. R. N. Gourdin and Wm. Hunter. Dr. Boynton offered the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That though there be no quorum present that the stockholders be requested informally to give their views on any mat ters that they may wish to bring before the meeting. President Wadley here called attention to the annual reports of the officers of the road, c ipies of wilich were ready for distribution, and stated that if it was the desire of the meeting he would read the reports. On motion the reading of the reports was dispensed with, and the Secretary requested to distribute printed copies among the stockholders. President Wadley then offered the follow ing resolution, which was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That the thanks of this conven tion of stockholders is hereby cordially ten dered to the committee of investigation, appointed by the convention of stockholders last year, for the able and intelligent report presented by them upon the affairs of the company. Mr. Gourdin here took the floor and stated that in behalf of himself and colleagues he would tender thanks for this appreciation of their labors, and the more keenly did they feel this appreciation on account of the source from which the resolution emanated —the President of the company. The com mittee had endeavored to perform their duty faithfully and conscientiously, and it was extremely gratifying to know that their labors were so kindly appreciated. No other business offering, on motion the meeting adjourned. THE ANNUAL REPORTS. We may in this connection make extracts from the reports of the several officers of the road. The President’s report has already been published in full in the Mobninq News, and its contents are therefore familiar to our readers. As the most important of the other reports, we present in full the report of the Superintendent, Col. Wm. Rogers : supebintendent’s bepobt. Superintendent's Office, Centbal R. R.) Savannah, Ist September, 1875. j Wm. M. Wadley, Esq., President: Sis— Herewith I submit a report of the earnings and expenditures ef the Central, Southwestern and Upson County Railroads, for the year ending the 31st ult., which may be stated as follows : Earnings Central Railroad, Sa vannah Division $1,552,119 72 Earnings Central Railroad, At lanta Division 555,262 96 Earnings Southwesternßailroad 770,736 22 Earnings Upson County Rail road ~ 8,427 71 $2,886,536 61 Expenses Central R. R., Savannah Div $825,952 92 Expenses Central R. R., Atlanta Div ..., 347,277 95 Expenses Southwest ern R. R 504,129 00 Expenses Upson Cos. R. R 9,344 83 Leaving a balance of .$1,199,831 91 In consequence of the change made in the closing of the year’s business of this com pany, the report submitted last year em braced only nine months. That a compari son may be made between the operations of the year just closed, and the previous twelve months, I beg to lay before you, also, a statement of the earnings and expendi tures from Ist September, 1873, to the 31st August, 1874, which is as follows: „ 1873-1874. Earnings Central Railroad, Savannah division .$1,676,560 14 Earnings Central Railroad, At lanta division 638,151 65 Earnings Southwestern Rail road 771,560 24 Earnings Upson County Rail road 9,614 13 ♦3,095,886 16 Expenses Central Railroad, Savan nah division $943,877 56 Expenses Central Railroad, Atlanta division 544,076 26 Expenses South western Railroad 589,701 90 Expenses Upson County Railroad. 9,2% 4ff- 2,086,952 12 Leaving a balance 0f....51,008,934 04 From the statements submitted, it will be seen that the earnings of this year have fallen short of those of the previous twelve mouths $209,349 55, while the exponses this year, compared with those of the previous twelve months, show a decrease of $400,- 247 42, making net earuings this year over that of the previous twelve months $190,- 897 87. The heavy competition for business to and from Atlanta and Augusta, and the cutting of rates by competing lines working to aud from these points, may be fairly con sidered as the cause of the decrease in earn iugs on the Savannah and Atlauta Divisions, as shown in tables A aud B. The decrease in expenses is in conse quence of reductions in the force and pay of employees in the various departments, and is also due to the fact that rigid econo my has been used in the purchase of ma terial for keeping up the road and ro’ling stock. But nothing has been neglected which was necessary to keep both m good condition. The reductions in the various department* daring the year just closed, compared with the previous twelve months, may be stated ,u rouud numbers as follows: Transportation $ 68,904 00 Motive 166,947 00 Cars 61,585 00 Repairs of road 71,490 00 Incidentals 22.595 00 Buildings 8,688 00 Making in all $400,209 00 The great decrease m motive, compared with other department*, is doe to having paid in the previous twelve months for sev eral engines, amounting to about >90,000, while only one has been paid for the past year. On the Ist of April last G. J. Foreacre, Superintendent of the Atlanta division, re signed his position, he having been appoint ed General Manager of the Washington City, Virginia Midland and Great Southern Rail road. Asa matter of economy it was deter mined to operate the two divisions uuder one organization, and from the Ist of April last this has been done—tho Roadmaster of the Savannah division having immediate charge of repairs of road, and the entire responsibility of the transportation depart ment devolving upon this office. This plan has, so far as is known, worked well, and it is believed with considerable eoonomvinthe way of expense. • Having recently examined the road on both divisions, I have no hesitation in say ing that it is in better condition now than at any time since the war. From the Road Master’s report can be gathered all information in detail respecting his department, to which I respectfully re fer you. It will be seen that we have received from the Roane Iron Company at Chattanooga and the Scofield Rolling Mill Company at Atlanta 2,958 tons rerolled rails, 1,955 tons of which have been laid on the Savannah division, and 1,003 tons on the Atlanta division. There has been repaired at the saw mill at Gordon 1,378 tons old rails, of which ,876 tons have been used for repairs on the Sa vannah division, and 502 tons on the Atlanta division. For the coming year it is estimated that fifty miles of new rails will be necessary for the Central and Southwetern Railroads : Central (Savannah and Atlanta divisions) thirty miles ; Southwestern twenty miles. The supply of ties and string timbers on the Upson county road, has not been equal to the decay for some years past, and we shall therefore require a considerable quan tity of both for the ensuing year, in order to keep that road in a safe condition. Tlie track from the main lino to the wharf on Vale Royal Plantation was laid on trestle work, which had Degun to decay rapidly. Iu order to avoid any repairs to the trestle, it was deemed more economical to fill it in with earth, thereby completing a permanent roadbed. The embankment on which the warehouse track is laid, leading from theMip freight warehouse at Savannah, was cut some years ago (at the expense of this company) to enable the city to make somo repairs to a sewer which passes under it, making it ne cessary to span the cut by a trestle bridge. The deSay of that structure made it necesg sary that anew bridge should be built, or the cut tilled up. After some correspondency on the subject, between the President of this company andjhe Mayor of the city, the latter authorised the filling up of the cut, at the same time agreeing that if it became necessary at a future day to make any re pairs to the sewer at that point, it would be at the expense of the city. At No. 3, on the main line between Savan nah and Macon, there has been built an open shed for tlio protection of passengers and freight, and on sections 22 and 24 sec tion masters’ houses have been built. Oa the Savannah division, there has been consumed during the year just closed 20,GG5 cords of wood, costing in the racks $66,- 285 90. The mileage of engines has been 885,537, making 42 85-100 miles to a cord of wood, at a cost per mile run of 7 4-10 cents. The system ot furnishing wood for en gines on the Atlanta division is the same that was in operation when that road was consolidated with the Central, viz: to pur chase wood delivered on the liue, the com pany hauling to stations and having it cut and piled in the racks ready for use. This renders it almost impracticable to arrive at the exact cost per mile run by engines, but as nearly as we can arrive at this cost, taking into account the amount reported on hand at the beginning of the year, it is 10 85-100 cents per mile, as will be seen by the Roadmasters report. This is consider ably more than it costs on the Savannah di vision, and if, after a further trial, no better results can be reached, I think it will be ad visable to change the system and contract, if possible, for the wood delivered on the tender. The main building connected with tho passenger depot at Savannah was not fin ished during the war for want of material. Upon examination at the close of the war it was found that the timbers, from exposure, had so mush decayed as to render their re moval necessary. The necessity for waiting rooms to accommodate the traveling public becoming daily more urgent, it was deter mined to renew the decayed timbers and roof, so a* to put the waiting rooms in a condition to be used, and for this purpose the carpenter’s force was brought from tho line of road, and they have made considera ble progress in removing the decayed tim ber and replacing it with new. To'suit the new order of thiDgs considerable changes had to be made from the original design, and when finished will, I think, come fully up to the demands of the traveling public. The Master Machinist’s report shows the number and condition of engines belonging to the S ivannah division. Last year he re ported 58, one of which, the Delaware, has been condemned, cut up and sold as old scrap, making 57 to be accounted for this year. Of these the Athens, Clinton, Ten nessee and the Mac arc on the Southwestern Railroad; the Henry McAlpin is on the Upson County Road, and the Arkansas is rented out to Wadley & Cos., leaving 51 as the number for all work on this division, three of which, the South Carolina, Virginia and Pensacola, being old, are used for switching in the yard and at the wharf. In last year’s report the Master Machinist recommended the building of a freight en gine every year, using in the construction of the same any parts that are suitable from such engine or engines as may be condemned in consequence of being unfit for service. By this means it is thought the stock of engines can be kept up sufficient to do all the business that may offer, and it is be lieved the force necessarily kept for repairs could turn out one engine a year with but little additional cost, over and above the now material that it would require. Accompanying the table of engines for the Savannah division, will be found the table of engines for the Atlanta division, showing their condition and operations for the year. During the year the roofs of the black smith s,nd boiler maker’s shops have been repaired. It is apparent that some atten tion wili shortly have to be given to the roof of the machine shop, as it now shows signs pf leaking in several places. The Master Car Builder’s report shows the number and condition of all cars be longing to and controlled by thig company. Last year’s report showed the number of cars of all be 1,704. During the year just closed, there have been condemned as Unfit for service 28, making our present stock of cars of all kinds 1,676. Some of our passenger cars are old and very much worn, and in order to replaoe those which will soon be unfit for service, I would recommend the construction of at least two new ones the present year, and there after I think one a year will fully keep up our stock and meet all demands for this service. I would also recommend the building at once of a passenger mail and baggage car, such as are now running on the day passen ger line, to be used as a relay, in the event of either of the cars of that class needing repairs or being disabled from any cause. In my last report mention was made of having’frames for fifty cars ready to set up. They remain as last reported, but it is pro posed to finish them during the present year, so as to keep up our stock. The Auditor’s report and tabular state ment attached show in detail the expendi tures of the road. The financial condition of the company is shown by the report and balance sheet of the book-keeper. The annexed tabular statements give in detail the earnings, passengers carried, number of bales of cotton, and fertilisers shipped during the year, Respectfully submitted. William Rogi:i>B, General Superintendent. From the several tables appended to the report we culled the following statistics of especial interest: Baies cotton, 456,795; bales Georgia cot- ESTABLISHED 1850. ton yarn, 3,706; bales Georgia domestic 2,814; wool, 143,996 lbs.; hides, 419,030 lbs • leather, 95,588 lbs.; paper, 94,549 lbs.; feath ers, 1,901 lbs.; tobacco, 1,383,115 lbs.; cop per ore, 2,916,567 lbs.; lard, 290,175 lbs.; ba con, 2,659,818 lbs.; turpentine, 460 bbls • rosin, 2,037 |bbls.; corn, 102,209 bu.; flour 38,012 bbls., 574,779 lbs.; cattle, 2,961; hogs, 1,067; horses and mules. 1, 174- timber and sawed lumber, 8,608,500 feet ; wheat, 15,447 bu.; firewood, 3,574 cords’ number of passengers, way and Augusta’ up, 46,079; down, 55,793; through passen gers, up, 5,287; down, 8,014; total number oi passengers, 115,173, against 113,328 the pre ceding year; guano. 56,404,646 lbs., an in crease of 2,937,452 lbs. over last year; salt, 10,250,190 lbs., an increase of 3,041 749- lime, 344,419 bu.; decrease, 167,823. ’ ’ Cotton transported over the Central and branches to Savannah, 449,067 bales, against 472,087 bales last year; to Augusta, 7,728 bales, against 3,794 last year; over the Southwestern Railroad from stations to Ma con and Columbus, 29,387 bales, against - 19,899 last year ; over the Atlanta division from stations to Macon and Atlanta, 7,588 bales, agaiust 11,610 bales last year. A statement by the auditor of the expen ditures of the railroad shows the following: Transportation, $481,004 69; motive power $472 816 07; cars, $137,238 59; repairs oi road, $499,698 84; stock killed, $18,751 30; incidentals, $55,349 45; repairs of buildings, $21,845 76, making a grand total of the ex penditures, $1,686,704 70. In view of the report of the investigating committee, a full synopsis of which ap peared in the News on Tuesday, the affairs of the Steamship Company, iu which the Central is concerned, assume unusual im portance and interest. Wo consequently present in full tho reports of the President and the agent: president’s report. Office of the ) Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah, [ Savannah, Ga., September 1, 1875. ) To the Stockholders : In accordance with the charter of your company, approved August 26, 1872, sub scriptions to its capital stock of five hundred thousand dollars having been made, an ad vertisement was published from the 26th of September until the 6th of October, 1874, announcing that an election of directors to manage the affairs of the company would be held on the 6th of October, 1874. The election resulted iu the choice of Gen. A. R. Lawton, Col. E. C. Anderson, Wm. R. Garrison, Esq., Wm. B. Johnston, Esq., and Wm. M. Wadley as directors. Subsequently the Board elected the undersigned as Presi dent and T. M. Cunningham, Esq., Secre tary and Treasurer. The organization of the company having been thus perfected, and the charter allow ing an increase of its capital stock by the Board of Directors, it was “ Resolved, That the capital stock of this company be increased to one million of dol lars, and that subscriptions to said stock be received at par until the full amount has been subscribed for.” It may here be remarked that this increase of capital stock was necessary to carry out the objects of the company, and to render it practicable the Central Railroad and Bank ing Company of Georgia increased its sub scription three hundred thousand dollars, making the whole subscriptions to the capital stock of tho Steamship Company, eight hun dred thousand dollars. With this amount of capital the company were enabled to ac cept a proposition from tho Central Rail road and Banking Company of Georgia to sell six steamships, including all their assets aud liabilities, for tho sum of six hundred thousand dollars ; and, also, the Vale Royal property, including wharves, warehouses, sheds, and all other improvements attached thereto—except the track from the main line to the river, with the rigdit of way and sidings connected with it—Tor the sum of two hundred thousand dollars. By this purchase the company became possessed of property valued at eight huudred thousand dollars. For the immediate management of this property, Wm. R. Garrison, Esq., of New York, was appointed by tho Board Goneral Agent of the company. The Central Rail road and Banking Company of Georgia being the virtual owner of the entire stock, and tho President, Secretary and Treasurer of that company, the organization was folmed without compen sation to its officers, exX* at to the General' Agent and bin tuber lie '““TGfctfß The affairs of your company !if, , managed under this result of operations, as will be seen b'yT&e General Agent’s report, published herowith, have been for— The ships, net earnings $47,878 44 To this add net receipts from the Vale Royal property 15,588 39 Making $G3,4G6 83 as the net income from tho pioperty of the company. Every voucher for both earnings and expenses which produce the above re sults ror the ships have had my personal examination. The income trom the Vale Royal property is kept by the offioors of the railroad, and have the same scrutiny as tho other accounts pertaining to its operations. I can, therefore, vouch for tho correctness of these results. But for the deterioration of the ships, this would be a fair profit upon the invest ment. They are, however, in good condi tion, and if they could have full employ ment at fair paying rates, it is believed their net earnings would be equal to seven per cent, on their value, after providing for re newals as they become unfit for service. It will be seen by the General Agent’s report that the gross receipts for the past year have been $62,231 70 less than for the previous year. This iB only the experience of all transportation lines within my know ledge, and it, therefore, becomes an abso lute necessity to practice the most rigid economy, in order to overcome, aa far as Sossible, the falling off in business. The oard, realizing this necessity, will make every effort to obtain the best results, and it is not doubted that they will have the cordial co-operation of the General Agent in thoir endeavor to accomplish this object. By the Treasurer’s balance sheet it will be seen that there is to the credit of profit and loss the sum of $196,231 44. This con sists of one hundred and ninety-five first mortgage bonds on the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia, the Macon and Western, and the Southwestern Rail road companies, at a cost of $180,283 93 $15,588 39 due by the Central Railroad, and $357 12 due by Wm. R. Garrison, General Agent. The question of building new shij s has had the consideration of the i:oard, and if two of the old ships could be disposed of at a fair price the company would be in condi tion to build at least one from the funds now in hand. If built, it should be on a cash basis, so as to obtain the work at the lowest possible price. Respectfully submitted. Wm. M. Wadley, President. BEPOBT OF STEAMSHIP AGENT. New Yobk, Ist September, 1875. Wm. M. Wadley, Esq., President Ocean Steamship Company, Savannah: Deab Sib —Herewith I beg leave to hand you the accounts, vouchers, etc., for the last quarter of this year (ending August 31, 1875), and a general account, showing the result of the workings of the steamship de partment for the whole year. It will be observed from our figures that we have made seventy-four regular and throe extra voyages this year, against seventy-eight regular and five extra voyages last year. The net receipts of the line from August 31st, 1874, to September lsr, 1875, (with a decrease of gros-i receipts amounting to $62,231 70) were $47,878 74. The steamers have transported 14,297 bales of cotton less than were carried the year previous, and the outward freight lists show quite as large a proportionate reduc tion. The Steamship Sinking Fund has now on hand in the custody of the Treasurer $195,- 000 in first mortgage bonds on the Central Railroad aDd Banking Company of Georgia, the Macon and Western and Southwestern Railroad Companies of Georgia. Taking into consideration the extreme dullness of the ocean carrying trade during the whole year, and the large ' losses that have resulted from the working of steam ship property generally, our experience must be regarded as very satisfactory. The steamers are in fair order for busi ness, and I apprehend no extraordinary out lay for repairs will be required. Your own familiarity with the system of the management of the company’s vessels renders it unnecessary for me to make a detailed report on that subject, further than to say that by dint of economy so strongly urged by the “times” and your good self; the expenses of the ships have been reduced fully twenty per cent, during the past year, and that their efficiency has not been im paired by the reduction. I beg again to call your attention to the fact that the steam fleet of the company is but partially employed, while it is fully able to do at least three-fourths of the through business of thp Georgia Central Railroad Company and the local business of the port of Savannah; and, hoping that it may seem wise to you to recommend the active opera tion of all the steamers under our control, I am, your obedient servant, Wm. R. Gabbisos, General Agent. The Cincinnati Gazette speaks sneer ingly of “the rebel Congress at Wash ington.” We thank thee, Jew, for that word. It has been about a hundred years sinoe we had a “rebel Congress” in that vicinity, and as this is the Centennial Congress the appellation is truly felici tous. —NashviUe American. i LETTER FROM JACKSONVILLE. A Tale f Wla* Rome once Rath Borne —Tho Irroproo*lble African— Plugging Teeth— Gloomy Ending of a Fearful Day—The Little Plntol In lta Various Applications — A Sea of Mod—Marine— Sunday Chips. [Special Correspondence 6£ the Morning News.] Jacksonville, December 6, 1875. WHERE PHOEBUS WEPT. The Mobnino News “investigator” at this point grants a temporary respite on this occasion to the Badical freebooters who are scattered like the leaves that fall profusely at dull Autumn’s birth. This is in consequence of intense intellectual preoccupation in re gard to another soulless subject—the old dismantled market-shed that obstructs the foot of Ocean street. The same ro mantic associations which clung to the -uins of the Pantheon are not conjured "P by a view of this cenotaph to the ‘m tohers who perished in the vain en deavor to exist under its roof, yet it un doubtedly presents equally as antique and decayed an appearance. It con flicts with the proprieties of art in being all foreground and no per spective ; its scraggy pillars jar upon our aesthetic predilections and we lament the desuletude of brick sufficient to repair the pavements of an entire street. Unthink ing visitors seem to labor under the delu sion that the bleak structure is valuable and that it has been permitted to remain for some purpose, and when informed of their grevious error their surprise exceeds that of the Tbane of Cawdor under the apparitionswhich arose in obedience to the incantations of the witches. Undeniably virtuous people invariably make certain occult references to the vocabulary of profanity at sight of the wreck, and even the policemen ceased to rub their clothes out leaning against the pillars; and why it is not at once removed from the middle of a pub lic thoroughfare, is a conundrum which belongs strictly to the arena of city governments. The brick could be speedily utilized in manufactur ing a few improved sidewalks, and as a measure of economy it should be carted away instanter. It will, perhaps, remain, notwithstanding all the objections that can be raised against it, as nuisances are generally perpetual. THE GREAT AMERICAN PEST. It is questionable whether any individual other than a native of Deutchland ever fully comprehended the import of Schiller’s expression, “hiruuter steigen.” I am nftt certain that I have succeeded in elucidat ing the matter, but it seems to me that the German bard meant the higher they get the lower they are, and intended a prophetic allusion to the present free and enlightened status of our fellow citizens of the nigger gender. Negro adolescence is becoming peculiarly pestiferous in this section, aud adopts a heinous method of wreaking vengeance upon any one who is not in favor with it. This consists in smashing the glass fronts of doors after dark, and a number of citizens have suf fered by this trick lately. The youth of the black variety are fast getting to be unendurable plagues, and their new-fan gled amusement may be suddenly checked by a load of hot lead. The use of “Ala bama slings” is also a nuisance, and the Council could not render the community a better service than by interdicting them. NOT A TRIANGULAR DUEL. Huffy informed Boanerges that he was a consummate scoundrel and then branched off and told him what he thought of him. The wounded honor of Boanerges demanded a sanguinary satis faction ; a challenge was let loose and the belicose parties met at mid night on tho 3d instant. The weapons were pistols, distance thirty paces, Boanerger was as valorous as a conquering hero, but his legs, like those of Lieut. Talbot, were confoundedly cowardly. At the first fire he fell with a heavy thud to the earth in a state of un consciousness, and Huffy departed under the delusion that he had mortally wound ed his antagonist. Both of the duellists lingo s’’try .atffffgjjjjriWijljl’J.f they will fill'll he ~.y illfis gs het their A ing the deadly blanr charges. The trembling warriors can now come forth into the light of day. CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. Florida is just now infested by an im posing army of mountebanks, who go about swindling transportation lines on the strength of a chimerical connection with the press. This class of impostors is daily becoming more numerous, and it devolves upon railroads and steamboats to demand proper credentials. No bona fide representative of any newspaper would object to such a plan, and it would protect the press and public from thhL systematic imposition. A more persist <dj| callous and hardened Het of 1 villfl than these self-constituted newspaßj correspondents, etc., does not exist any^ where outside of a well conducted peni tentiary. A dental OPEBATION. Nig Wedding would persist in bawling out at passengers on the wharf Saturday in utter disregard of the city ordinance against such a proceeding. A vigilant guardian of the peace arrested the dis turber, but Redding quietly extracted three of the officer’s masticators with his fist and ran off while the policeman’s teeth down his throat. On Sunday the officer■ again encountered Redding, and took ■ him into custody, despite his determined 1 resistance and a contusion produced by i" the policeman’s baton. Redding will \ ruminate at the city’s expense for a few days over the decadence of the freedman’s privilege to violate ordinances at pleasure. ST. JAMES HOTEL IMPBOVEMENTB. Mr. Campbell is displaying a commend able spirit of enterprise in the additions now being made to his famous hostelry. J The dining-room will be extended sixty ] feet, making it, when finished, one hun- * dred and sixty feet in length and thirty two feet wide. It will be heated by str and lighted with gas. Over the exteD will he eighteen sleeping apartments, comfortable in every respect, and sup plied with every convenience. The new I building ia three stories high, and will b*> I entirely completed by the Ist proximo 1 and ready for occupancy. ■ AWFUL PLEASANT. A somewhat notorious amazon, who sometimes lectures, had a renoonter with a party of the opposite sex at one of our hotels the other day. He engaged in an altercation with her, but the belle went after her little shooting iron and pre • Rented it to the astonished optics at- hr insulter with her compliments. The man looked at the pistol and then at the virago, and conoluded, in his discretion, to terminate hostilities by an humble apology, which was complacently ao-- | cepied. AN EMENDATION. I committed a slight error in stating that the Tax Collector for the fiscal year ending April 1, 1875, was still in default to the city. An inspection of his receipts under date of October 21, 1875, estab lishes the fact that he had at that date balanced accounts with the City Treas urer. I make the correction cheerfully, as the Mobning News does not desire to misrepresent even a Radical. change of schedule. The new sohedule of the railroad train from Savannah, to arrive here at 7:45 a. m. and leave at 5 p. in., went into effect yesterday. The freight was off the track near Sanderson yesterday, and de layed the mail until 11:45 a. m. This morning some other delay was occasioned, and the mail reached here an hour and fifteen minutes behind time. THE STEAMEB ÜBBANA ut into port yesterday. She is a small e ssel and is destined for some purpose r other as yet undeveloped. GEXEBAL J. J. FINLEY departs to-morrow for Washington to attend to the contest for bis seat as Con gressman from the Second District. General Finley will remain in Washing ton until the matter is determined, and the prospects for a Democratic member of Congress in place of the darkey barber Walls are cheering to say the least. A TOTAL WBECK. The schooner Kate S. Cook, plying be tween this port and New Smyrna, ground ed last Wednesday, near Mosquito Inlet, and became a total wreck. The vessel, 1 believe, was owned in New York. NEW POST OFFICE. An improved Post Ofuot-, boasting twelve hundred boxes, of the latest style, will be a fixed fact afeout the end of the week. AnmivTia