Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Savannah -Weekly Hews SATURDAY, DRCKMHKK 18, IBT6. The Investigation of the Whisky King Frauds. The military court of inquiry, appoint ed by Grant for the purpose of white washing his trencherman Babcock, so as to relieve him from the bad whisky odor about him, organized in Chicago yester day, but will for the present earn its per diem by waiting the result of Babcock's trial on the Indictment of the St. Louis grand jury. The military board may whitewash Babcock all over and the Bt. Louis court may make a mistrial, but the trou bles of the President's cup-bearer will not end there. It is said that the House of Representatives are after him; that it is bound to know what powerful backing it was that the whisky ring received in Washington. It is further asserted that the House Democrats are very unchari table on the subject, and they insist, not only that Babcock is guilty, but that the President is trying to shield him, and let him out of his scrape. Against all this sort of proceeding Grant's organ, the Washington Chronicle vehemently protests. Alluding to the fact that resolutions are already prepared, tb be introduced in the House on the occurrence of the first opportunity, cal ling on the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General for all corres pondence in reference to the Western whisky frauds, the Chronicle says : “Unquestionably it is the desire of the oountry to have the fullest investigation all fraudulent transactions of a pub lio nature. But why Congress should de sire to participate in the investigation already inaugurated, and the trials, con victions and sentences of punishment now going on against the guilty parties in these irregular transaction is some thing in which the country is also interested. It is no part of Congress ional work, and the only result will be its cost, and the consequent additional burden it will impose upon the people in the shape of taxes. If the time of Con gress is to bo frittered away in this style of legislation (?), it is safe to conclude Ihat much of the more important busi ness will be left undone. It is not the purpose of the Chronicle to censure or to praise indiscriminately; but it cannot re frain from denouncing this process as unparliamentary and undignified.’’ It is a tittle undignified for Congress to be looking after these “irregular transac tions,” as the Chronicle calls the Bt. Louis whisky frauds, but it is much more to’the disgrace of tho country that its officials from the White House down should be concerned in such villainy. Besides, this sort of protest against the most thorough investigation of notorious fraud and corruption oomes with a bad grace from the President’s organ, while his private Secretary is under indictment. Down on a Saloon. —One of the Wash ington Democratic Sunday papers has a peculiar advertisement. It is a out of the Washington Club House with a letter press which contains the following; If you are Democrats who really want to see your party successful next year and the republic preserved and honesty again introduced into our administration, then you will not go near that siren club house within one hundred yards. If you merely intend to use your Congressional term for the purpose of making money as fast as possible, then go there. Tin papers that still war for liberty and Un true republican form of government will watoh youiyii^names—in t in'-* , ■ mm > to yo>;r -M ' tv ■ Tlwl‘ obtained tho swindling Freed men's Bureau Bank, from poor colored people of all parts of tho country. The ground and every stone of the palatial building belong to toiling masses of former slaves, the negroes of the United Statos. Wholesale Confiscation. —The South Carolina House of Delegates has rushed through, almost without debate, the “supply bill,” under whioh the State tax will be ten and a half mills, and the iunty tax three mills. Tho speoial hnty taxes will average two mills more. I those taxes must be added the county tax of at least one and a half mills pro vided for in a separato bill. This makes a total tax of seventeen mills, or $2,380,- 000, exclusive of capitation tax, township school taxes, and corporation taxes. Th3 taxpayers regard this ns an attempt at wholesale confiscation, and the Charles ton JVews and Courier calls upon them to respond to tho call of the State Tax Union, and assemble in convention in Columbia next week. From tint, report of the Comptroller of the Currency we tind that the following ohanges have taken place in the volume of greenbacks and national bank notes : Decrease of bank notes from June 20, 1874, to November 1, ’76 $4,307,280 Decrease of leeal-tcniters from June 20, to December 1, 1875 9,604,939 Decrease of fractional currency from June 20, 1874, to December 1, '76. . . 3,533,887 Total decrease $17,445,90t> But this is not oil. There are two laws which affect the 4 volume of currency: the aot of Juue 20, 1874, and the act of January 14, 1875. Under the operation of these laws, relative to the reserve and the greenbacks held by the Treasury, this decrease of circulation has been greatly augmented. The Railroads Gobble Them Up.— The Secretary of the Interior in his re port shows that during the year ending June 80. 1875, 7,071,271 acres of public lands were disposed of, and of this the railipads got the lion’s share, 3,107,643 acres having been certified to them, while the homestead entries took up 2,357,067 acres, and there were sold for cash 745,- 001 acres, while there were certified to agricultural sohools, common schools and universities 181,163 acres. There yet re mains of Uncle Sam's domain of surveyed lands, 680,263,094 acres; uusurveyed, 1,154,471,762 acres. The Vicksburg Herald calls public at tention to the fact that the question of tho gauge of the Texas Pacific Railroad was not settled by the St. Louis Conven tion, and asks “what gauge is it to be ? Is it-to conform to the gauge of North ern lines, which are four feet eight inches, or to Southern lines, which are usually five feet and over?’’ It will be time enough to settle the question of the gauge of Tom Scott s Pennsylvania Pacific Road when there shall be even a tolerable prospect of his getting his bill through Congress. An Eiohteen-Tkbmeb. —Mr. John W Garrett was unanimously re-elected Presi dent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at the meeting of Directors held on Wed nesday last. This is the eighteenth con secutive year of Mr, Garrett in the same position, though now, as stated in his remarks on the occasion of his re -elec tion, he odnfines his duties to aiding the management of the general policy and the finances of the company, leaving the ad ministrative services and the general working of the road and its branches to the V ic6-Pre*iden ts. A voung woman of South Glen Falls, New York, corresponded three years with a Chicago man, and finally agreed to marry him, all without seeing him. When he came he told her he hadn't a cent, had such poor health he couldn't .work, and, besides, had a club foot ■tut she vtuok to her bargain. Grist from the Radical Slander Mill. The Radical journals expose the weak ness of the cause they advocate, and at the same time pay a poor compliment to the average intelligence of their readers when, instead of presenting them with facts and arguments, they ply them with incredible falsehoods and shameless appeals to their prejudices and passions. It seems as if no falsehood is too gross, no charge too abhorent and absurd to serve the purposes of the Radical press in its efforts to “fire the North ern heart” against the people of the South. This is no new policy on the part of the Radical organs. It is as old as the beginning of the sectional is sue which culminated in the late war. Acting on the principle that “the end justifies the means,' 1 it was the practice of the abolition organs to fabricate the most incredible and revolting slan ders in order to intensify the hos tility of their readers against the Southern people and their institutions. Later the pernicious principle has had numerous exemplifications in high quarters, none perhaps more disgraceful than the admission of Lieutenant-General W. T. Sherman that he deliberately charged the burning of Columbia, South Carolina, upon General Wade Hamp ton, of South Carolina, not because he had any reason to believe in the truth of the charge, but because it would fix in famy upon a gallant Southerner and destroy his popularity with his people. One of the latest specimens of this un manly and disreputable system of politi cal warfare is furnished by a corres pondent of the New York Timet , in a miserable fabrication, entitled “An Unwritten History of the War,” which purports to be related by an officer on General Dix’s military staff, wherein is described a conspiracy hatched at Niagara Falls, pending the “peace negotiations” at that place, in the summer of 1864, which had for its object the assassination of President Lincoln the night of the election of that year. The author of the story states that he was sent to Niagara as a spy, and in that ca pacity became acquainted with all the details of the conspiracy. He says he 1 got them from one of the Southern Com missioners, who invited him to take part in the scheme that had been projected. Democrats of the South and North, of all degrees, high and low, Copperhead and War Democrats, were connected in the diabolical plot, and yet what will strike the reader as very remarkable, the writer fails to give the name of a single living conspirator. A great many of the Democrats who took their seats in Congress iast Monday were elected on their repu tation as War Democrats. Three-fourths of the Northern Democrats who have been elected to office since the close of the war were thus distinguished because they were “War Democrats.” And yet this veraci ous Timet correspondent has the unblush ing audacity to put forth such a statement as the following : “ The most influential and prominent War Democrats were iden tified with this cause. The plot was to assassinate the President the night before election, and the news reaching the people on the morn ing of the election thousands of Re publicans would fail or refuse to vote I their electoral ticket, not knowing who tho choice of the electors would be. It was not thought possible, under these circumstances, that flleg: toral ticket could chosen. The party Without H? opportunity to consult, and be -ivffdered by their novel and distressing position, the result would certainly be so great a falling off of their votes as to give all the ‘close’ States to the Democrats. I'he election of a Democratic President would thus be made certain, with a con sequent cessation of hostilities, and a treaty of peace between North*and South, which would eventually insure the inde pendence of the latter.” This utterly absurd story, so vilely slan derous of many of the purest and best men in tho oountry, and so insulting to the credulity of even tho fanatical rabble for whom it is designed, is copied by the Chicago Tribune with the following quasi endorsement : A curious story, apparently well au thenticated, and bearing the marks of consistency, is told by a correspondent of the New York Times, and republished in our columns this morning. It refers to the summer of 1864, at the time when the peace negotiations were in progress at Niagara Fails, and tells of an infamous conspiracy for the assassination of Presi dent Lincoln on the day before election. The plot had been thoroughly disoussed and fully resolved upon by the Southern rebels and Northern Democrats who flocked to the Clifton House under the pretense of discussing peace negotiations which were never meant to be consum mated, aud the fiendish scheme was only abandoned because of the angry and in dignant refusal of Dean Richmond to give it countenance and his threats to cause the instant publication of the details and the names of the conspirators unless their murderous machinations were discon tinued at once and forever. As it was, so the narrative goes, the matter was com municated to Gen. Dix, and by him re ported to President Linooln, whose rare wisdom it was, opposed to the counsels of his Cabinet, that kept the intelligence from the world at a time when he rightly judged the general discovery of such a conspiracy would have a depressing effect upon our armies, which were then meet lug with but indifferent success at the front. The story is interesting at all events ; the more so that it is probably true. A viler slander or a more absurd fabri cation was never coined by Radical brain or promulgated by Radical slander mill. After all the efforts that have been made by Radical politicians and presses to con nect Southern men with the assas sination of President Lincoln, is it at all probable that this Niagara conspiracy, involving many Northern as well as Southern Democrats, and which, had it existed, must have been known to others besides Lincoln, General Dix and Dean Richmond, would not long since have been brought to light ? It would have been remarkable, indeed, had the exist ence of such a plot been kept a profound secret for years, when the proofs could have been used with such tremen dous effect against the Democratic party. The story is a disgrace to the average Bohemian, and the fellow who concocted it should be stricken from the pay-roll of the Radical slander-mill. Of course the editors of the Times and Tribune expect some at least of their readers to credit a story which, if true, would stamp with infamy the American character. There is a class of people in the North whose minds have so long been fed upon just such slanders, and whose preju dices have so warped their reason that they are incapable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Such are to be commiserated. But the editor who prostitutes his columns to the promulga tion of such infamous falsehoods for po litical effect merits the contempt of all right-minded men. It may be remarked as very queer that the President makes no allusion whatever to the whisky frauds in his message. He makes no allusion to the corruption and rascality that pervades every depart ment of the government for the reason, no doubt, that neither Congress nor the public need to have attention directed to matter so mortifyicgly notorious, Cabinet Discord Growing Out of the Babcock Case. There have been various rumors from Washington of serious disagreements in Grant’s Cabinet, growing out of the pro ceedings in the St. Louis whisky ring pros ecutions involving Gen. Babcock, the President’s private Secretary. Every effort has been made to keep the proceedings and the Cabinet discussions secret, and matters have been so involved in affirmations and contradictions of the current reports, that it has been impossi ble for the press correspondents to give any reliable information on the subject. It is, however, understood in the best informed quarters—so says the usually reliable telegraphic cor respondent of the New York Bulletin— that the question of General Babcock's dispatches to the St. Louis whisky ring were under consideration in Cabinet ses sion on Saturday. It is also said that upon a desire being apparent on the part of the President that the investigation in this case should not proceed beyond the military inquiry to be instituted at Chicago, the Secretary of the Treasury insisted that every facility should be afforded for bringing the matter before the civil court in St. Louis. To this the Secretary of War is understood to have been violently opposed, and after much heated discussion, Mr. Bristow persisted in carrying out fully the Presi dent’s instructions to “let no guilty per son escape,” or to resign his office. The Cabinet, after adjournment, retired to Secretary Fish’sjresidence, and were there closely closeted. The result of this second discussion appears to have been an aggravation of the differences, for it is said the informal session ended in a resolution of Secretaries Fish and Bris tow and the Postmaster General to sur render their portfolios at the close of t.hia month. The correspondent says: “Political circles are profoundly agitated by these things, and very important results are predicted as likely to be developed within the present month. Ido not vouch for the accuracy of these reports, but give them as things that are earnestly whis pered among the few who get the first hints of State secrets. Denials are given, purporting to be ‘official,’ that there has been any disturbance of the harmo nious 4 personal ’ relations between the President and Secretary Bristow, but these denials do not pretend to apply to their ‘ official ’ relations. ” Rumors of War. The utter freedom with which Presi dent Grant manipulates our relations with Spain for brewding war rumors and keeping the air alive with them, again emphasizes the necessity of having a statesman in the Executive office who would regard the welfare of the nation above his own selfish ambition. It is, says the Boston Pott, a most fortunate circumstance for the country that an opposition House of Representatives stands at this juncture between the Presi dent and his reckless experimenting. It can never be unpatriotic to refuse to de - clare war when it is obviously unneces sary. It is simply what is expected of statesmanship that it shall be on the alert to ward off all such perils by the exercise of the highest firmness and discretion. Before a war with Spain will be declared by a Democratic House, it will rightfully demand of the Adminis tration that all proper and reasonable means of preserving an honorable peace ihall have been exhausted. Especially will it cause the fact to be understood that no- Executive shall have it in his power to create a war sentiment, whether by deliberate provocation or a blind reck lessness. International relations are something that, as the Exective alone cannot establish, so he is not at liberty to interrupt and destroy them. There is nothing in the recent conduct of Spain toward us above the course of that con duct for many years past to precipitate a determination on the part of the United States to seek an adjustment by resorting to open violence. This secret and irresponsible inflamma tion of the war feeling in the public mind is a flagrant mischief which de serves the severest censure. It is a most dangerous weapon for any one man to be allowed to play with. The uncertainty it produces on the one side and the appre hensions it excites on the other are the very worst elements which it is possible to infuse into a time of business doubt and industrial stagnation. This free talk of war is but one of the electioneering arts of the administration. Now it is Cuba, and now it is Mexico; to-morrow it is the school question, and the next day it is the rebellion revived. The policy of this administration may be summed up in two words—third term. But war is too serious a business. Mr. Sumner declared that a war with Spain would cost us five hundred millions of dollars. Consider the destruction of property, the additional derangement of the currency, the dread results to busi ness, and the longer distance it would put between us and a final return to a condi tion of public health and sanity. The country rests its present hopes firmly on the wise, restraining power of a patriotic and firm Democratic House of Repre sentatives. The Radicals Organizing a Religious Crusade. In another column we publish a letter from a New Jersey Radical editor to ex-Speaker Blaine, which contains some curious information that will not fail to arrest public attention. It appears from this letter that the secret Anti-Catholic Society which constitutes the greater part of the Reform Republican party of Maryland, and which exercised such a considerable influence in the Ohio elec tion of October last, has really a national existence, and is intended to exercise a considerable influence in the Presidential election. It also appears that, while the President, who is said to be a member of the society, may desire to use it as a means to his re-election, there are mem bers who are enthusiastic for Speaker Blaine. The facts, that the President substantially presented the aims of the society in his Des Moines speech, and then elaborated the points of that re markable deliverance in his message to Congress, and that Speaker Blaine a short time since published a letter which was also virtually based upon the alleged platform of the Anti-Catholic Society, all give plausibility to the letter of the New Jersey editor, and make it apparent that the Radical party will seek next year to run the Presidential cam paign upon religious prejudices —a course which should be abhorrent to every true American citizen. It would seem to be a desperate cause which requires such anti- Republican bolstering. We are fully jus tified in saying that the Radical party is endeavoring to force a re ligious question into politics. For some time carefully written editorials have ap peared in the Northern and Eastern Radical papers, intended to prepare the way for just such utterances as the Presi dent’s Des Moines speech and the message and Speaker Blaine’s letter. If the good sense and honest patriotism of the people does not cry a halt to the in cendiary plans of the Radical leaders, the rapid decline of the American re public may be dated at the inception of the Presidential campaign of 1876. It is not pleasant to anticipate such a result of partisan policy in the centennial year. THE LAND OF FLOWERS-So. 8. Taking Leave of the Si. John’s—Up the Ocklavrahn River—Silver Spring Land- In*—A Cosily Sneeze—lncreased Travel on the River. [Special Correspondence of the Morning News.) On Steimeb Tuskawilla, ) December 2, 1875. / The best way to reach the Ocklawaha river, if the tourist comes down from En terprise, as I did, is to take the change of steamers at Palatka. If he stops over at Welaka, which is near the mouth of the Ocklawaha, some thirty miles above Palatka, he will find no good hotel ac commodations at the landing, and the up-boat passes at a very early hour be fore daybreak. By making a change of steamers at Palatka one can at once occu py his state-room, and remain undisturbed until breakfast time, when he will find himself some fifteen or twenty miles up the famous Ocklawaha river. TAKING LEAVE OF THE ST. JOHN S. elaka is fast becoming a noted place, as the country back of the landing is very desirable, and is being rapidly set tled by Northern and Western people. The river is quite wide at this point, and the tourist sees much to attract his attention. Wild ducks are plentiful on Big Lake George, in which the St. John’s runs, seven miles above Welaka. This lake is eighteen miles long and ten miles wide, and some of the islands seen from the steamer are quite attractive. Lake Beresford is also a very pretty sheet of water, and after passing through this the river becomes quite narrow and crooked, with occa sional long stretches of marsh on either side. Alligators are frequently seen in this portion of the river, and all kinds of game can be shot from the deck of the steamer. In fact, I was somewhat annoyed at the incessant firing of revolvers, rifles and shot guns by the passengers. It became really monotonous, and our only relief was in the occasional cry, “There’s an alligator,” which never failed to bring every passenger to his or her feet in joy ful and eager expectation of seeing a monster. Sometimes we were disap pointed, but frequently our hopes were realized, and we were gratified to see an alligator from ten to twelve feet in length slowly slide off the bank into the water. Small alligators and turtles of various sizes were quite numerous all along the shore. I was fortunate in my trip down the upper St. John's to be a passenger on the “David Clark,” the largest and most comfortable boat of the “Brock line” now in service. The officers—Captain R. H. Stuart, Purser J. S. Taylor, Engi neer John Courier (an old veteran of twenty years’ service with Captain Brock), and Mate L. E. Hallo wes--iyere prompt, efficient and courteous in the discharge of the duties of their several positions. In Captain “Dick,” as he is familiarly called, I found a most agree able traveling companion and guide, and to Purser Taylor, one of the most modest and quiet gentlemen that ever trod the deck of a steamer, I was under obligations for many kind fa vors, all of which were most cheerfully bestowed. My thanks are aho due Capt. F. C. Sollee, the efficient general agent of the boats at Jacksonville, for similar kind favors. In leaving the boats of this line at Palatka, where I took the Ockla waha river steamer, I could truthfully state that I had found in the officers of every boat of the line (having traveled on all of them) most agreeable and ac commodating public servants; and, while it is impossible to have such small steam ers perfect in every respect, these gen tlemen spared no efforts to make their passengers comfortable and the trip profitable and enjoyable to all. UP THE OCKLAWAHA BIVEB. Of the beauties and attractions of a trip on this celebrated stream, and its wonderful night scenes, I shall speak in a future letter, which will be exclusively devoted to this purpose. In the present epistle I shall merely note the matter ol fact scenes and incidents of the voyage, and give some general ideas of the coun try. Owing to the narrowness of the river, and its extreme crookedness, only small stern wheel steamers can run to Silver Spring, and at the present time no steamers are able to go up to Leesburg, about 170 miles from Welaka. Although small, these steamers are well fitted up with cabiu and state-rooms, .nd every effort is made for the comfort and con venience of passengers. The time from Palatka to Silver Spring is generally from about midnight to midnight, but the time of the return trip is somewhat shorter. The boats leave Silver Spring at niue o’clock in the morning and reach Palatka before daylight the next morn ing. The fare for the round trip, in cluding board on the boat while at Silver Spring, is ten dollars, which is as cheap as could be desired. Some of our party were on the boat from Thursday night un til Tuesday morning, remaining aboard at Silver Spring during Saturday and Sun day, in the absence of good hotel accom modations at that point. Others went over to Ocala and spent the two days at the excellent hotel in that place. Under anew arrangement, to go into effect in a few days, the boats will cease to remain at Silver Spring a longer time than will be required to discharge freight and re load for return trip. This will be more agreeable to tourists, who will have am ple time to examine the spring and look at its surroundings. There are only two important landings on the river, and at these but one or two buildings are to be seen. Fort Brook, some thirty-five miles from the mouth of the river, is the landing for Orange Spring, which is located between two and three miles in the interior It was there that Prof. Ochus was drowned the present season. The peculiar forma tion of this spring attracts many visitors to the place, which is one of the most delightful on the river. The next landing, lola, is one of con siderable importance, as it affords steam boat facilities to the famous Orange Lake region, about ten miles back. Of this fine orange grove country I shall speak in a future epist ! e, and astonish your readers with a picture of immense wild orange forests. Log, Eureka. Sunday Bluff, Palmetto, Gore’s, Durisoe’s, Gra ham’s and Delk’s landings have no at tractions, and are used mostly by people living in the interior. Like the St. John's, there are no banks to the Ocklawaha. If the shore does accidentally run up into a little bluff or point, you are sure to see there a house, clearing or landing, as no water front on these rivers has escaped the eye of the land seeker. SILVEB SPBING LANDING. It would puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer to reconcile the conflicting reports of distances in the rivers in Florida. Scarcely two statements can be found to agree. Captain Taylor, of this steamer, gave me a list of distances from his official mail book, but his list, like those in the guide books, agrees with no other. One list makes it 116 miles from Palatka to Silver Spring, while another tells you it is 129 miles. All agree, however, that the spring is nine miles from the Ocklawaha river. This wonderful spring sends forth from its huge basin at the landing an amount of water sufficient to form quite a large stream, and this flows down to Delk’s landing, a distance of nine miles, where it forms a junction with the Ocklawaha. Owing to low water in the latter river, above Delk - 8 landing, the steamers are now running to Silver Spring, which is thereby made the temporary head of river navigation. Silver Spring can in no sense be called a town, although it is a very important steamboat landing, and at times a lively place. There is a wharf, with warehouse on it for the storage of large quantities of freight, one good country store, i small whisky shop, a public house of somi kind, and one or two dwellings. Thi landing, store, a comfortable dwellinj and fine banana grove, are the property of Mrs. House, who is quite a pleasau lady, a good business managei, and a constant reader of tte Mobning News. Some quarter of a mih below, on the left bank of the stream, fe the wharf at which the steamer Mancn stops. At this landing is also a store aid dwellings, and a large turpentine disti lery. About one thousand barrels tur pentine and four thousand barrels rosn are shipped yearly, with quite a quantiy of long staple cotton, and moss for mit tresses. Oranges and bananas also de stitute an important item of freight fm these two points, and I feel sure that a large trade will yet be built up there. The country about the spring is being settled, and from these two landings the people will get their supplies and sell or ship their own productions. A COSTLY SNEEZE. Our party was a very pleasant one, and all seemed delighted with the clear, sil very appearance of the water of the spring, as we first beheld it in the early morning sunshine. There were two gen tlemen from Cleveland, Ohio, one from Chicago, two from Portland, Maine: one from Boston; J. E. Smith, Esq., of Water bury, Connecticut: Henry Moehler, of Boehm. Bendheim A Cos.. Savannah; W. B. Barnett, the well known banker, of Hiawatha, Kansas, and his wife and son. One gentleman of the party, who shall be nameless, was dazzled by the sunshine and suddenly sneezed, when, sad to relate, his upper teeth fell into the spring. This, too, just before breakfast. The water was clear and transparent, and we could plainly see them some twelve feet below the surface, lodged on the tall grass that covered the bottom of the spring near the wharf. Poor man, how good-naturedly he smiled, with half his mouth empty of teeth, as I looked down upon them deceptively sparkling in the water, and exclaimed pathetically: “Thou art so near, and yet so far.’’ As soon as the negroes heard that a passenger had sneezed his teeth over board, many of them who had never seen a set of false teeth were amazed, and rushed to the spot with eager eyes. The generous sum of ten dollars was offered to the negro who should suc ceed in fishing them up. The first at - tempt knocked them off the top of the grass, and they quickly disappeared from sight. Then the fun commenced. One negro after another dived to the bottom, and came back with his hand full of grass and his mouth full of water, but no teeth. So our friend went to his break fast with a peculiarly uncomfortable feel ing, which was repeated at dinner time, as all efforts fed proved unsuccessful up to that hour. As the teeth were lost directly under my stateroom window, and I was sitting inside busy with my writing, I frequently put my head out and “ bossed the job.” After clearing the grass in a circle of ten feet, the teeth were discovered in the dirt on the bot tom of the spring, some fifteen feet from the surface. Three times they were brought up to within four feet of the steamer, but the motion of the water car ried them off the rake with which they were being fished up. The fourth at tempt, however, was successful, and it was “as good a circus ’’ to see the ne groes sing out to the owner, who was just then coming down from the store, “ Say, old feller, here’s yer teeth—cum an’ git ’em.” It is needless to state that he came, uIT that quickly, and cheer fully paid the lucky negro the promised ten dollars, remarking, “Now, I feel like myself again.” We had a heap of fun at his expense ; still, being a most excellent gentleman, we not only sympa thized with him, but worked nearly all day to help recover his lost grinders. I would in this connection warn people who have false teeth to be careful how they sneeze at Silver Spring. INCBEABED TRAVEL ON THE BIVEB. Few persons can realize the amount of business which is done on this river, although there is not a town to be seen on its banks. And when I say river, I mean from Silver Spring to the mouth of the Ocklawaha. Some of the warehouses, as at Fort Brook, lola and Silver Spring, give evidence that there must be “a back country”somewhere,by the large quantity of goods in store. Orange Spring, Orange Lake, Ocala and other places, not to speak of the towns on the Ocklawaha be yond where the boats now run, do all their carrying business by this route. Three boats have heretofore done the work, but this season anew and ele gantly fitted up steamer, earning the United States mail, has been added—the boat upon which I now write, owned by Dr. S. J. Bauknight, a prominent mer chant of Leesburg, and commanded by Captain C. D. Taylor, one of the most popular and efficient commanders in this section of the State. Last year three boats were crowded, and this season there seems to be the same prospect for four. In a future special letter I shall describe the beauties and attractions of the trip for pleasure seekers. The Ocklawaha river, aside from its at tractions for mere tourists, must be a very important line of travel until one or two railroads are built —one from Waldo to Ocala and beyond, and another to some other point not yet decided upon. At present a very large section of Marion and Sumter counties depend upon the steamers on this river for all their carrying business, which is constantly increasing in importance as well as quantity. Several plans are now being discussed by which these steamers can run all the year round to Leesburg and that section of the Ocklawaha river. Back from the river, from its mouth to the fountain head, are good lands open to free homesteads, and other lands for sale at very low rates. New comers are almost daily settling at different points along the river, and while there is no excitement made over it, a few years will show a rapid and surprising develop ment of the resourcts of this section of the “Land of Flowers. I do not refer, in this connection, to Leesburg and Ocala, or other important portions of Sumter or Marion counties, as I shall speak of them in my next epistle. I can see growth and development in the newer country which lies along the river, satis factory in all .respects, although it dpes not in any degree compare with the pro gress being made with Orange Lake and other “garden spot” sections. Sidney Hekbekt. Blaine and the Presidency—An Anti- Catholic Society. Augusta, Me., December B.—The Maine Standard of to-morrow will con tain the following letter : Office of the “Evening Chbonicle,”) Newabk, N. J., November 6, 1875. j Hon. J. O, Blaine: My Deab Rib —Eighteen months ago I told you that you could have New Jersey in 1876. I wish now to emphasize that statement; all the people are for you, and we can carry the State beyond peradven ture. Your danger is that the West will | denounce the nomination. This can also be averted, of course, by a union of the New England and the Middle States and strong votes from the South. A potent factor in our next conven tion will be the secret anti-Catholic order. Grant is a member, and it has a good deal of strength in Congress. I think you ought to go in. It can be arranged so that you can be initiated anywliere by one person. The order is spreading widely. My obligations do not permit me to say more than this, except that Grant no doubt relies upon it to promote his aims. With wisdom at Washington and in the States we have carried we can surely hold the country, but to hold it for a hap-hazard candidate is hardly worth the candle. For one of a vast mui’.iude I want to hold it for you. Yours very truly, (Signed) John T. Fosteb. Mr. Foster is the editor of the Newark Evening Chronicle. A resident of Corbeil, in France, named B , presented himself the other day at tie house of M. Barthe, in Auteuil, who had formerly been a furniture dealer, and asked him if he remembered having bought at an auction sale in 1867 a desk of which R gave a particular descrip tion, adding that if the desk still re mained in M. Barthe’s possession he should like to buy it at any cost, as it once belonged to his father. M. Barthe an swered that he still had the desk. “There it is,” he said. “I do not care to know your motive, nor do I wish to make a profit out of your wish to have the desk. If you will replace it by another, you can have it taken away.” Two hours later it was removed to Corbeil, and anew desk was placed in its stead. The old desk had a secret drawer, in which M. R found 10,000 francs in gold, wrapped up in paper. In looking over some old let ters of his father a few days before, M. R had first learned of the conceal ment of the gold, which he was so fortu nate in recovering. Those who have affected to believe that the affection of the dog was for persons and of the cat for places have to consider the fact that the Pawnees, who recently left their reservation in Nebraska for one in the Indian Territory, were unable to induce their dogs to accompany them. It was very reluctantly that the Indians parted with their pets, but the dogs would follow but a short distance and then return to the old camp. People from the reservation report that hundreds of howling, yelping curs are running around the old camping-grounds, hunting for something to eat, LETTER FROM JACKSONVILLE. Jip—Considerable Sophistry and an Ah* ward Deduction—Wheels of Justice Run by Machinery—wrind C* a Dirge— Harmless Thunder, bot No Lightning- Not the Maid of Saragossa—Attitudes and Altitudes —Oth< r flatter, Not Stolen froui the “Morning News”—Marine. [Special Correspondence of the Morning News.] Jacksonville, December 9, 1875. MOKE LUCID THAN CBTSTAL. The splendid successes which attended the arms of the victorious Napoleon upon the bloody battle-fields of Jena and Austerlitz have been elaborately ex patiated upon by historiagraphers, and the “ sun of Austerlitz ” has been apostrophized in innumerable tomes; while the wonderful strategy which accomplished the capitulation of Mack, at Ulm. receives barely more than a passing mention. The surrender of the Austrian commander was fraught with advantages commensurate with, if not greater, than those attained at the hazard of battle, but it savors of peace and is unburdened by the hurtling of musketry and cannon, the moans of the maimed and dying, the mangled forms of the dead, or the inevitable con comitants of conflict, devastation, dis | aster, carnage and a gory sod. The impetuosity of troops in motion and confusion is lacking in the picture of the Austrian General’s defeat, and, consequently, a paragraph or two suffices for the narration of the achievement. The mind of the multi tude, urged by some subtle influence, delights in the horrible, and while good deeds are not wholly ignored, they claim but a small portion of our attention when compared -to the records of sin. So, while Lee, Jackson, Johnston, Clay, Cal houn, Webster and a host of statesmen in the chronicles of the future may be consigned to some sententious sentence, there is an agonizing probability that such' excrescences as Archibald Kndßandall will be voluminously discussed in the an nals of crime. It has already been proved that Archibald presided over his own case, and it has been my misfortune to unearth a proceeding of a similar character on the part of the torvous Chief Justice Jip. What are the benefits to be derived from Republican institu tions—which afford any man, even the lowest, an opportunity of rising—if a Chief Justice is to be debarred fr jm adjudging his own business in his own favor ? Let no boot-licker of Randall’s disgorge the ep ithet “liar” too suddenly, for on this oc casion we have incontrovertible docu ments —Vide 15 Fla., 355, S. Forbes Dog gett vs. Philip Walter; appealed from Duval Circuit Court. Appellant argued the illegality of a certain tax levied upon his property by appellee, as tax collector, and prayed for an injunction. Ran dall, C. J., decided that the order of the lower court denying the in junction be sustained. An examina tion of the tax collector’s bond shows “E. M. Randall” as one of the sureties. Without dwelling upon the gross impro priety of his name on the bond it will appear that an opinion in favor of the appellant might have rendered the tax collector, and necessarily his bondsman, liable in an action for damages. Hence Jip was directly an interested party. Con siderate Jip ! Jip, Chief Justice Jip ! BLEAK BLOWS THE BLAST. The ephemeral monkey accompanying Stearns’s daily organ in this city has been presenting the cap to our citizens and endeavoring to obtain contributions, with a view to the maintenance of his master’s tune. The people are rather more re luctant than eager in responding, as they admire neither the performances of the master nor the antics of the monkey. The inhabitants are so uncharitable that they positively refuse to invest ten dol- lßrs in any such a precarious undertak ing. It is enough to disquiet a saint to grind off about five hundred daily tunes filled with dead matter, and behold four hun dred of them returned as unprofitable merchandise. It portends bankruptcy, and naturally enough the exhibitors are in an extremely ill-humor. It will* be worth living for to witness the mouse colored Canadian evacuate Jacksonville soon, with his baggage in a pill-box. Thus the refrain on the 17th- “Jbe News, for pecuniary interest, caters to the taste of its readers. ” The Morning News doe-s just as it pleases, without consulting the wishes of any Iladical cur in existence. The aim of the Morning News and your correspondent, as under stood and indorsed by every respectable person in the State, is to prevent strangers from being misled into the idea that the nondescripts in authority here represent the decency or respectability of the com monwealth. If we mean that a man is a blackguard and a thief he is forthwith designated by his right name. The Stearns faction of the Republican party is largely made up of such material Some attention will be paid shortly to the biography of the assistant grinder of Stearns’s organ. AN INTERESTING INTERLUDE. Polk’s Hall on Monday was the theatre of a spectacle which Lord Dundreary would characterize as a “wumpuss.” It was a splendid sight to see “for one who had no friend, no brother there.” The impulsive female who recounts her own deeds of valor as a belle and the inmate of divers prisons, indulged in a little personality, which was objected to by a lady in the audience; whereupon the temerarious termagant volunteered the unexpected intelligence that she was a woman, and also that she would not engage in a fisticuff with one of her own sex, but if the fair auditor would send her husband upon the stage she, the belle, would shiver his timbers in less time than it would require for a dog to wag his tail. The small number of peo ple present retired from the premises amidst some disorder. This incomprehen sible specimen of feminine masculinity, I understand, is anxious to bore a hole through your correspondent, and inti mates fchat if I will just swing around her for about four minutes she will teach me a lesson. I was never fond of swing ing. why don’t you fight? A civil suit was pending before the United States Court yesterday. Colonel Horatio Bisbee, 'Jr., esquire, sir, arose, and, darting a fiery glance around, very uncivally asked that the ironclad oath be administered to the jurors. Judge Baker stated that he was unprepared to enter into an agreement on the question and that he had innocently labored under an impression that the war had termi nated. The elongated Bisbee, with the instincts of a sleuth hound, mustering an extraordinary quantity of truculence, exclaimed, “No, sir, the war is not over.” Here’s at you, then, Horatio —why don’t you fight ? RICHARD ANDERSON, CONSTABLE, was acquiited of the charge of harboring a criminal last week. Col. W. R. Anno was counsel for accused, and as this is the first instance of a Democratic lawyer’s success in clearing a nig ger, the result is not to be at tributed entirely to the eloquence of that gentleman. It was a shrewd dodge to make the pestiferous nigger employ a Democrat to defend him, and it was con cocted with the intention of silencing criticism. You can always distinguish a vulture from a dove by the feathers on the fence. NEW ROUTE TO FLORIDA. It is contemplated to establish a route to the Land of Flowers from Savannah, via Jesup, to Brunswick by rail, thence by steamer to Fernandina, connecting with Florida Railroad for Jacksonville. The schedule will be announced through the advertising columns of the Morning News as soon as it goes into effect. MAECELLUS. “Gubner” Stearns reached this city yesterday, and it is currently reported that the first card received by him, after his arrival, was that of the owner of the building occupied by the Union , de manding a speedy settlement of rent long overdue. NEW PASSENGER COACHES. The traveling public will, rejoice to learn that the passenger cars now in use on the Florida Railroad will be supplant ed about the Ist proximo by two elegant coaches, built at Wilmington, N. C., especially for this road. DIED, on Saturday, December 4th, 1875, Jes sie Taliaferro L’Engle, infant daughter of Dr. Henry A. and Nannie N. L’Engle. Our sympathies are with the bereaved parents in their irreparable loss. PERSONAL. Captain D. E. Maxwell, Superintend ent of the Atlantic, Gulf and West In dia Transit Company’s Railroad, was in the city to-day on business connected with his road. THE THIRD TERM QUESTION. General Grant Re-nomlnated by the Methodist Preachers—Significant Re marks of Bishop Haven. The Methodist preachers and the Methodist Sunday School Union held a joint meeting on Monday last in the Temple Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Boston, the Rev. L. B. Bates presiding. After devotional exercises, Professor William Wells, of Union Col lege, was introduced to address the meeting. He spoke on the subject of '‘Bismarck and the Papacy,” re viewing at length the train of circum stances which led to the rupture which exists between the German Government and the Papacy. He declared that to the school system of Germany more than any other earthly thing belongs the honor of the German success. In conclusion he warned the people of the United States of the danger which is threatening them and their free institutions from the Pa pacy. SPEECH OF BISHOP HAVEN. Bishop Gilbert Haven, in accordance with an invitation extended by the preachers’ meeting a fortnight ago, ad dressed the audience on the condition of the South. He said that there was one class of people in the South who had been recognized as a nationality by the Pope, and they would welcome his fol lowers to these shores; but the race freed by the people of the North will never strike a blow against constitutional lib erty. Bishop Haven said that there is to be a tremendous political battle this year, beginning with the election of a Demo cratic Speaker of the National House of Represen ratives. He said that the min isters of Boston are in the field of battle; their words are reported, aud the South ern papers comment on them. The ques tion is, “ Shall the Northern people rule the nation?” “Shall the Puritan or the Cavalier be the ruler ?” “Shall Boston or Charleston be the centre ?” The Hetho- Church is the only insti tvffllbn in lie South Ji>-<lay that repre sents the America!! nation. I You must, he said, stand by your church. There are in the South nearly 300,000 members of the Methodist Epis copal Church who know what they be lieve just as well as the people of New England, and better. They appreciate liberty and those who gave it to them; they never will be betrayers, and let the people of the North never betray them. The malcontents of the South know that they were defeated by one man; that man is President Grant, and if the people throw him over at the command of poli ticians they will rue it. Pray, brethren, that President Grant may be elected. Pray for the true people of the South, and you will find that thus you will be able to keep down the kindred threaten ing powers, the slave power and the power of the Papacy. The Rev. Dr. Shearman, of Brooklyn, moved that the meeting vote that they had heard the sentiments advanced by Bishop Haven with great pleasure and hearty approval. This motion was unanimously adopted. All opposed were invited to rise, but no one person rose. There was great applause. WHAT IS SAID ABOUT IT. The New York Herald, commenting on the foregoing, says: “Now, if Bishop Haven were a Catho lic prelate this speech would have been hailed throughout the country with furious disapprobation. But the Bishop is a prelate of the Methodist Church, of which President Grant is an ostentatious if not a sincere member. His church is one of the most powerful in this country. Vigorous in its discipline, untiring in its energy, closely in sympathy with the masses of our people, carrying its faith to the frontiers and planting its churches amid every discouragement, Methodism represents in the Protestant religion that missionary proselyting influence which has given Catholicism its marvel ous power. Nor do we underrate the importance of a declaration in favor of a third term by a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It shows that President Grant, when he made his extraordinary speech at Des Moines knew the sentiment to which he appealed. But we look upon this declaration of the Bishop as deplorable from every point of view. It is a reflection upon his religion and an interference in our politics that we are sure will be resented by the Methodists themselves. If he supposes that Methodists will, as a general thing, submit to be told by a clergyman, even if he is a Bishop, whose duty it is to win souls to Christ, that they must vote one way or another, their sense of indepen dence will iebel. The declaration of Bishop Haven in favor of a third term will give new color to the intrigues which have been on foot for some time in favor of a third term.” The New York Sun remarks : “Suppose a Roman Catholic Congress, incited thereto by Cardinal McCloskey, should pass resolutions advising the elec tion to the Presidency of Tilden or Thurman or anybody else, what a howl there would be throughout the country. All good Protestants would despair of the State unless they banded themselves together to destroy the Papist. Yet here a Bishop of the more powerful Methodist communion, supported by two hundred of its ministers, urges the re-election of Grant! We know of nothing in the his tory of our religious bodies, Roman Catholic or Protestant, that compares with the action of the Methodist Sabbath School Union at Boston in impertinence and presumption. We are sure it will re ceive general rebuke from the great denomination it misrepresented.” The Present Cotton Crop. As usual at this period of the season, there is great diversity of opinion Amongst those in the cotton trade with regard to the extent of the incoming crop. In New York estimates which do not exceed 4,250,000 bales are considered as moderate, while very many estimates are as high as 4,500,000. Now, we take it for granted that a sensible estimate on any matter must be based on some known and reliable data; otherwise it is but mere guess-work, based upon reports, reliable and unre liable. It is difficult to conceive the possibility of the present cotton crop exceeding four million bales, if we make an estimate of the quantity, which under the most favorable circumstances could be pro duced in accordance with results hereto fore determined. On examining the results of the three large crop years since the war, taken from the reports of the Agricultural Bu reau at Washington, we find them to be as follows: Year Bales. Acreage. 1873-4 4,170,388 9,659,416 1872-3 3,930,508 8,694,071 IS7O-1 4,351,317 8,885,545 Total 12,453,213 27,239,042 The acreage for the incoming crop of cotton is 8,755,461. Now, if 27,239,042 acres give 12,453,213 bales, the acreage for the present crop may give 3,874,308, under conditions equally as favorable in the average as the conditions in those years wherein the large orops as above stated were produced. It will be readily admitted by all par ties in thejsotton trade that large crops cannot be’ produced without the exist ence of very favorable conditions during the time of growth and the picking sea son. Therefore any crop giving results equal to the actual average, as above, must have been produced under very fa vorable conditions during the growth of the plant, attended with fine weather during the season of picking. Allowing that the bureau returns of acreage are not exactly correct, we still must admit that the average thereby would not be seriously affected. General opinion in regard to the crop amounts to nothing unless derived from some accurately known basis. The gene ral opinion last year about this time esti mated the crop at 4,250,000. In New York many in the cotton trade put the figures at 4,500,000 bales. The result proved that the crop was under 3,850,000 bales, and it also proved that the Agri cultural Bureau estimate was correct. Admitting that the present season has been favorable to the maturing of the cotton bolls of the second picking, we must not forget the effects of the heavy spring rains, the floods and frost upon the cotton plant during the fall weather. Viewing together the advantages and dis advantages to which the present cotton crop has been subject, and estimating it in accordance with known results, we cannot see the possibility of it exceeding four million bales. —2V. O. Picayune, Bth. Speaking of Mr. Beecher, an exchange says: “Attrition will wear away cheek as i well as stone.” TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. Mammary of the Week’s Dispatches THE BABCOCK BUSINESS. Chicago, December 10.—The Babcock court of inquiry met. General Hancock read the following: “A Beuse of duty to the laws of the military service and the accused compel me to ask a concurrence in a post ponement of this inquiry for the present. We are all bound to believe in the entire innocence of Colonel Babcock, and this pre sumption cannot be repelled without clear evidence. It is due him to suppose that this court was asked in good faith for reasons given. What were those reasons ? In the course of a legal trial in St.Louis.Col. Babcock was alleged guilty of a high crimi nal offense. He asked a hearing in the same court, but was informed that he could not have it, because the evidence was closed. These circumstances led him to demand a court of inquiry as the only means of vin dication left. Since then he' has been for mally indicted, and is now certain of get* ting'a full aud fair trial before an impartial jury, which the laws of the country guaran tee to all its citizens, and the supposed ne cessity for convening a military court for the determination of his guilt or' iuuocence no louger exists. It is believed that our action as a military tribunal cannot oust the juris diction of the court while the indictment is pending. The President has said, through the Attorney General, that such wag not the intention. Then the trial at St. Louis and this inquiry must go on at the same time, unless we await the result. TANARUS! eu the difficul ties are formidable. The accused must Do present at trial on indictment. Shall we proceed and hear the cause behind his back, or shall we vex him with two trials at once? The injustice of this is manifest. I presume from the nature of the case that evi dence is very voluminous, consisting of rec ords,papers and oral testimony. Can we com pel the production of these while they are wanted for purposes of trial at' St. Louis? Certainly not, if the military be, as the Constitution declares, subordinate to the civil authorities. Shall we proceed without evidence and give an opinion iu ig norance of facts ? That cannot be the wisp of anybody. I take it fort granted that the trial at St. Louis will be fair as well as legal, and tnat the judgment wtjl be according to truth and justice. Of coirse it will, with out question, be binding and conclusive up on us, upon the governmeu., the accused, aud upon ail the world. If he simld be convicted, No decision of oors could of the hands of the law. Ji acquitted, our belief in his innocence wilT be or no oonse qnenoe. If we anticipate his trial in a civil court our judgment, whether for the accused or against him, will have and ought to have no effect upon the jurors. It cannot even bo made known to thorn, and any attempt to influence them by it would justly be regarded as an obstruction of public justioe. On the other hand, his conviction there would be conclusive evidence of his guilt, and his acquittal will relieve him from the uecessny of showing anything but his record. I do not propose to postpone indefinitely, but simply to adjourn from day to day till the evidence upon the subject of our in quiry shall receive definite and conclusive shape, which will be impressed upon it by a verdict of the jury, or until our action, having been referred to the War Depart- ment, with our opinion that our proceedings should be stayed during the proceedings of a court of law, shall have been confirmed. In case of an acquittal by the civil court, the functions of this court will not neces sarily have terminated. The accused may be pronounced innocent of the crime against the statute, and yet be guilty of some act which the military law might punish by expulsion lrom the army. In case.of an acquittal,, he may insist upon showing to us that he has done uothius in consistent with the conduct of an officer and a gentleman, as the article of war runs, but the great and important question is 1 guilty or not, in manner and form, as ho stands indicted ? And this can bo legally answered only by a jury of his countrymen. The Judge-Advocate then said, in substance, that the court had been fully organized. He had received a communication from Mr. Babcock, which he submitted to court. This communication requested the court to adjourn for the pres ent in order to admit of his appearing in St. Louis, to answer there the charges made against him by the St. Louis grand jury.” In view of this communication, the Judgo-Advocate suggested that the trial bo postponed for the present, and that the court communicate to President Graut the state of the case, with a view that the court might adjourn to meet again at the call of the President. The court room was then cleared lor consulta tion. On reopening the doors, it was an nounced that the court would adjourn from day to day until its action had been commu nicated to the War Department, and an ad journment waß announced till noon to-mor row. BABCOCK AND GRANT. St. Louis, December 10.—The grand jury presented three new indictments, including one against Gen. Babcock, for whom the officers have gone to Chicago. Mr. Ha-ri son, replying to Pierrepont’s rebuke, says that he stands by his speech, and has no apologies to make. ..r New York, December 10.—A Times spe cial from St. Louis says : Tin indictment against General Babcock was found, by a vote of 18 to 1, in favor of a true bill. The charge contaiued in the indictment is con spiracy to defraud the Treasury of the Uni ted States. The grand jury, before adjourn ing, sent letters to ex-Marshtl Newcomb and District Attorney Patrick, laying that, although the charges had boeu against thorn of conspiracy to defraud the government, a full and exhaustive investigation had failed to convince the jury of their guilt. oh, bah I Washington, D. C., December 10 Hon. I). I‘. Dyer, United Stales Attorney, St. Louis: The sworn report of lir. Hender son’s speech, forwarded by Mr. Eaton and referred to by both you and Mr. Henderson in your dispatches of yesterday as a oorrect report, was read in a full cabinet to-day, and regarded by ever mombor as an out rage upon professional propriety thus to re flect, without a shadow of reason, upon the President, by whom his employment by this department was sanctioned, and in order that no impediment might be placed in the way of bringing to speedy punishment every defrauder of the revenue at St. Louis, you will advise Gen. Hender son of his discharge from further service, and secure in his place the most able and efficient counsel you can find, without regard to his politics. (Signed) Edward Pierrepont, Attorney General. CROP REPORT. Memphis, December 10.— The crop report of the Memphis Cotton Exchange’for No vember gives the following summary for the district composed of West Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Arkansas, and North Alabama, received from ninety-four re sponses : “The committee report that cotton picking closed last year December 7, while this year on December 1 we have reported yet in field 35 per cent., and to this date the weather is so unsettled that there has been little if any picked during the past week. Labor last year at this date was reported efficient, and by this report 50 per cent, is reported discouraged and indifferent to saving the outstanding crop. Our September report estimated 21 per cent, increase over last year. Our Octo ber report reduced the increase to 16 per cent.; and this report brings the estimate down to 1 per cent, ’ess than last year. BLACKMAIL. Boston, December 11.—A remarkable at tempt to blackmail P. Geldowsky, one of the largest furniture dealers here, has cul minated in the exposure of the plot and ar rest of Ezra 8. Goodwin, a private detec tive, and chief conspirator. Goodwin in duced a former employe of Geldowsky to swear that the latter hired him .o set fire to bis (Geldowsky’s) factory in 1871, in order to defraud the insurance companies. Goodwin claimed to represent the companies and, armed with a false affidavit, demanded $42,000 of Geldowsky, or exposure and ar rest. The latter secured the services of de tectives and, ostensibly agreeing to pay a portion of the blackmail, entrapped Good wid in a room in a hotel, where he was ar rested. He is now in jail in default of $5,000 bail. William Fogg, who made the false affidavit, is also arrested. He came from Florida in order to carry out the scheme. grant’s message. New York, December 12.—A London special to the Herald says the message of President Grant hag been chiefly influential in determining the purposes of the govern ment concerning the complications in Cuba. It has outwardly removed the existing sus picion that trouble was impending. It has also relieved American bonds from a pressure and a heaviness that was felt by those who are engaged in their manipulation. It may be added, however, that these se curities are still feverishly held, because of the suggestions of the President concerning the school question, and the opening of the new political issues. On the whole, the message has been well received and especially that portion of it which treats of the finances of the govern ment and the possibility that at a not dis tant day the currency of the country will be reduced to a basis that will correspond with that of other specie paying communi ties. EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE. Macon, Ga., December 10. — An engine on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad exploded this morning, killing the engineer, George Horning, instantly. A baggage car was wrecked. There was a number of Florida tourists on the train, but none were hurt. A LEOPARD LOOSE. Philadelphia, December 10.—A leopard, shipped from New York by the Clyde barge Chesapeake, escaped from the cage, and holds undisputed possession of the hold of the vessel. The efforts to capture the beast are unavailing. THE GRAIN TRADE. London, December 13.—The Mark Lane Express in its review of the trade for the week says : The market in the French prov inces is improving, while the tone in Paris is quiet and steady. The Belgian, Dutch, German and Russian markets are steady. FROM ATLANTA. Atlanta, December 11.—At dark Ed a wards, of West, Edwards 4 Cos., delivered up the books, assets, etc., to a receiver, dfl der an order frpm Judge Hopkins, of jB Superior Court, OONOBESBIONAL. Washington December 13—In the Sen ate; Davis, of West Virginia, submitted a resolution citing the law requiring the re ports to be made to Congress annually of riefeD 8 lnde ,k ted to tha government, list of defaulters, the amount of defalcation etc and calling upon the Secretary of the ury to inform the Benate why such reports have not been made. The Republicans fought hard against immediate action. Sherman moved its reference to the Com mittee of Finance. The Democrats return ed several such resolutions buried there already. It was finally postponed to to-mor row, ou motion of Conover. The views of the Secretary were asked on the importance, practicability and probable cost of improving the channel entrance to Cumberland Sonnd, Florida. Mr. Merriman, of North Carolina, intro duced a bill to repeat section 4716 of the revised statutes which forbids the payment of certain pensions. Referred to the Com mittee on Pensions. To repeal so much of section 3480 of the revised statutes as forbids the paymont of accounts, claims and demands therein named, and all laws and clauses of laws for bidding the paym-nt thereof. Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The bill refers to claims or demands against the United States which accrued or exiated prior to the 13th day of April 1801, in favor of any ‘ person who promoted, encouraged, or in any manner sustained the late rebellion. It further authorizes the settlement of such claims and appropriates *400,000 for that purpose’. After an executive session, the Senate ad journed. Confirmations: Pratt, as Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Tobey, Postmaster at Boston; Duell, Comm ssioner of Patents • Emery, Governor of Utah; Goddard, Post master at Portland, Me. Nominations: R. M. Arrell, Postmaster at Fayetteville, N. C.; Sam G. Bradwell, Yazoo City, Miss.; D. McAdoo, Marshall, Texas; F. White, Collector of Customs at St. Mark* Fla. ’ In the House tho appointments are: Olnef Clerk, Green Adams, of Kentucky; Wm. Q, Reeves, of Texas, Librarian. Broadhead's commission as successor to Henderson, was forwarded to St. Louis. COLORED BIOT IN MISSISSIPPI. Vicksburg, December 11.—A riot is re ported at Rolling Fork, thirty-fivo miles above here, gi owing out of an attempt by the negroes to rescue one who was arrested. Seven n-grocs, including two of their leaders, were killed. Mwurniajlt'ceinber ll.—Tko nf the riot at itollmg Fork, Issauguona county, Mississippi, on Saturday night, November 27, is as follows: A party of negroes assembled at tho village and were drinking and carousing, when one of them pushed against a youth whom ho mot on tho street, using rough language at the same time. The youth drew a knife and inflicted a scalp wound ou the negro and then fled for safety. The negro oecame very much exasperated and avowed vengeance. To prevent this a warrant was obtained for the arrest of tho youth, charging him with assault with intent to kill, but before it could be served, the negroes broke into the store and beat the lad severely with an iron bar. Finally, one of the party shot the boy in the thigh. At the report of pistols the negroes ran, hut the whites had begun to as semble, aud fearing a general riot, pursued and captured ten of them, put them in the station houso, and placed a guard over them. During the night one of the guard not upon duty came out on the porch with a gun ou his Bhoul der, and was ordered away by the sentinel on duty. As lie turned liis gun, which was cocked, struck against the window, and was discharged. The negro | risonors, thinking that they were being firefl upon, stampeded, and tl>e guard opened up an indiscriminate firing, wounding two of their own number and two negroes, all slightly, but the prisoners escaped. On Sunday tho most intense excitement pre vailed there, as it was learned that Noah Parker and Arthur Brooks, two notorious negrocß.woro trying to organizo the negrodl for au assault on the place, and the white!* were organized under Rev. Mr. Ball, a Bap tist minister, who arrested Brooks and Parker, aud in tho attempt to rescue them tho rencounter reported last night oc curred. grant and the whisky frauds. St. Louis, December 13.—Mr. Glover stated tf> a friend that he was unwilling to succeed Gen. Henderson under the restraints imposed by Pierrepont’s telegram removing Gen. Henderson; that he considered an ac ceptance equivalent to an endorsement of Grant's right to relieve any one engaged on the prosecution for the slightest criticism upon the conduct of the President or bia Cabinet; in short, that ho regarded an ac ceptance under the circumstancos as a con cession of certain privileges which not only every attorney, but every man, feels himself entitled to in this country. FROM ATLANTA. Atlanta, December 13.—Hon. George H. Pendleton was serenaded to-night, and made an eloquent r' SDcnso. General Gar trell’g nomination ot -irdleton for Presi dent was received with applause. The creditors of West, Edwards 4 Cos. to day accepted a proposition to settle by a compromise at fifty cents on tho dollar. A COLOSSAL SWINDLE. What the Union l’ncific ltnllroad Costs the Government. [Prom the New York Herald, Dec. B.] The recent decision of the Supreme Court that the Pacific Railroad is not bound to pay interest on the bonds issued to it by the government until the prin cipal of the bonds shall have matured, enables the country to see what kind of a bargain was made with that rapacious corporation. The enormity of the swindle will appear on the application of a little arithmetic. Had the road been required to pay the interest on the bonds semi-annually, as the government pays it to the holders of the bonds, there would have been a saving to the national treasury, in the course of the thirty years, of about two hundred mil lion dollars. This is a stupendous sum, but any person competent to compute the interest will say that it is not an ex aggeration. If the interest were paid regularly the government could employ it in such a manner as to get six per cent, on its constantly accumulating amount, and at the end of the thirty years the compound interest on the accruing in terest of the bonds would have risen to two hundred million dollars. We insert from the official debt statement for the first of the present month the account of the Treasury with the Pacific Railroads, as it stood at that date : Principal outstanding $64,623,812 00 Inter st accrued and not yet paid.. 1,615,887 00 Interest paid by United States 28,202,807 00 Interest repaid by transportation of mails, etc 6,575,854 00 Balance of interest paid by the United States 21,626,953 00 From the data here furnished we oan easily compute the cost of these roads to the government at the expiration of the thirty years in 1894. About two hun dred million dollars of the money retained by the government for transportation will have to be paid back under the recent de cision, reducing it to about four and a half millions ; but we will lay that out of the account for the present. The genera* account now stands as follows: Pri cipal ofjtbe bonds $64,623,5i" w * Accrued ii.t rest not paid 1.615,587 00 Balance of interes. paid; by Uuited States 21,626,953 00 Now due the government $97,866,082 00 The simple interest on the principal for the eighteen remaining years will amount to $09,781,380, making the indebtedness of the road to the government in 1894 $157,G>57,431. No rational creature can suppose that the road will discharge this colossal debt when it matures. In that event what will the government do ? It has a second mortgage on the road, and can take possession of it by paying the first mortgage, which amounts to $59,- 119,000. The cost of the road to the government will, therefore, be : Present indebtedness $87,866,052 Interest for eighteen years 69,971,380 First mortgage 59,119,000 Total $216,956,432 To this sum must be added the $200,- 000,000 which the government will have lost in compound interest, making the actual cost of the road to the government, if it should take possession of it in 1894, the stupendous sum of $416,956,432, or $231,542 per mile, which is more than four times what it could have honestly cost to build it. We do not deduct the small abatement for transportation, be cause there is a set-off which greatly exceeds it. We refer to the land grants, amounting to 12,800 acres to the mile. The government mortgage does not in clude these, but only the road and its equipments. The foregoing statement of facts proves that the Pacific Railroad is the most gigantic swindle ever perpe trated in the history of the world. A laborer in one of the manufacturing districts of England recently offered his wife for sale to the highest bidder. She was sold to a young man for the sum of fourpence, and the matter was duly set tled in a written agreement, signed by attesting witnesses. The woman, who is thirty years old, persists in oarrying out the contract. The ado;.; ;