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jyyjjf JOURNAL and MESSENGER,
I=rr * L!HT O N HAIL BIILHINC,
” cHERB Y ST., MACON, GA.
$ ROSE and S. B. BURR,
EDITORS and PROPRIETORS.
Va. on »nd Brunswiok Railroad Bill.
This bill as we have before Mated, passed
the House of Jlcprea* ntativea, oil Thurs
day lad, by a majority of 41 voice We
• t t | ial circumstance* prevented our
tm'Hence but are gratified to learn that
Lr friend*, Cola- Thomas Hardeman,
Z Bibb, and R. 0. Moses, of Mus
roJrec nrnde very eLMuent and impressive
Hl i;,|’,es in favor of the measure, and
J.ntributedinuo small degree by their
clear and lucid exploration, of the inten
tion and projositioD* of the measure, in
gaining its passage- The members from
Cherokee, we are gratifl<d to learn have a
very handsome vote in its favor, as also
the members from S. W. Georgia, show
mg the Imporlance of this en.erprise to
sections not contiguous to the route. The
bill will come up for final action In the
Senate next week and we have no doubt
will pass.
AS APPOINTMENT NOT KEPT.—The
learned astronomers seemed to have miss
ed their figures for once. The duly ap
pointed “Meteoric Showers” failed Income
off according to the bill -at 1* ast we can
find nobody who has seen that interesting
exhibition, though many looked for it.
The Constitutional Amendment in
Auk ass ah.- The Governor of Arkausas
lias submitted a message upon the Amend
meat, recouimeddlng no actien until the
Htale should be permitted representation
m Congress. The message is before the
Committee on Federal relation.
Two of the guests of a hotel on
Broadway, New York, made a foolish bet
ou the selection, and the loser will settle
on Saturday. He is to wheel a barrow
load of pumpkins around the block five
eousecutvle times,in his stocking feet and
with his head hare ; the winner to carry
the American flag ; J 25 to be forfeited by
either one of the parties who declines to
fulfill his part of the agreement.
The brujiawicK Railroad.
Entire confidence is expressed in the
passage of this hill through the Renateand
its sanction by the Governor. That done,
the rapid completion of this great work is
placed beyond question. Indeed, the talk
is of pushing it through within little more
than a year. Every energy of the compa
ny will certainly be strained to accomplish
the work as soon as possible. Its
effect upon Macon and Brunswick will he
beneficial in the highest degree, but upon
the country penetrated hy the mad it w ill
be almost magical. It will be like open
ing a sealed book—like creating value
where little or none previously existed.
The majority by which the bill passed
the House is exceedingly gratifying. It is
due to the liberality of the Cherokee re
gion for which all thanks, and is due also
to the able support which the bill rec. ived
in debate. Speaker Hardeman, who va
cated the chair during tlie discussion, sus
tained the measure in one of the most able
and exhaustive arguments ever made in
tlie House, hi r. Moses, of Muscogee, sup
ported it also with great ability. But it in
one of those measures which carry their
own vindication in the face. It was an
act of justice to a neglected section of the
Htate, and we rejoice in the full confidence
that the future history and working of
this enterprise w ill sustain the courao o,
the Legislature in this tnattei as complete
ly aa in the case of the Western and At
lantic Railroad, of which indeed it is hut
a continuation of a direct line of commu
ideation to the seaboard.
It, is confidently stated that, under
the auspices of France, negotiations art
now pending between the Fojte and tin
I‘rttriareh of Constantinople for the union
of the Greek and Catholic Churches.
Fr< mi Brownsvl lie, Texas, under
date of theßtli Inst., we learn that Gener
al Ortega has been arrested at Brazos by
order of General Sheridan, who offered to
pennit Ortega to return to New Orleans it
he thought proper to do so. Ortega tiled
a protest against, ids arrest.
4>®‘" Two hundred and forty thousand
meteors are computed by Arago to have
iH'en visible above the horizon of Boston
"n the morning of the 13th of November,
18.53.
Fort Liberia. — About two hundred and
seventy freed men left Columbia, S. C.,
on tlie 12th inst. for Charleston, to take
passage for Liberia on the ship Golconda,
now at that port. Another vessel will
leave Charleston for Liberia early in the
spring.
Secretary Reward's Views.—'The
Secretary of State, iu a brief letter ad
dressed to a frieud in Auburn, New York,
reiterates his opiuion “that the delay in
the restoration of the organism of the nn
tlon Is a great error, fruitful only of dan
ger, aud that continually.” He advises
his friends to “persevere iu the correction
of that error."
B*aF“ Count Moutholoo was at a dinner
party in Washington, nt which a senator's
wife, who was a preacher’s daughter, was
also present. The count was introduced
as Mr. Montholou, minister, aud the lady
proceeded to make herself agreeable by
asking, “Pray, sir, what circuit do you
travel In ?”
Interprtino to Hteamboatmfn—Rci
rntifio Invention.—At a meeting of the
Association for the Advancement of Rci
ence and Art, held iu their rooms, Cooper
lustitute, a steam telegraphic, apparatus
Waa exhibited by the inventor, George
l’*Mnberton Clarke. By the aid of a worh
lnß model a practical aud mjnute expla
''ation was rendered to the audience. The
flh ject of the machine is to remove by the
' lrv> st indication the possibility of boiler
“jM'lnsions, and Is adapted to all kinds of
1 pressure boihrs, in locomotives
etc.
'■* Pencil placed traversely on a vertical
r ‘"l communicating with the Imiler, marks
,n fallibl yon a paper, encircling a small
f otary cylinder, the operations of the
h! ° a W. It tells the pressure and fluctua
h'>nH 0 f the steam every hour aud minute;
die revolution of the engine hourly ai
'Hily; the irregularity of the motion of
the steam and the firing operation. It
a °ts as a check on the steam gauge and on
the safety valve. It marks the stopping
piint and backing of the engine; it is a
tester, and will act as a constant reference,
to the amount used, thus saving a large
percentage of coal. It will indicate in
hat department neglect is shown, either
> the fireman or engineer, but above all
it makes known the excessive pressure
oretelllng *be possibility of an explosion,
a ° hereby proving a reliable witness at
C °hm- teU,ng notbin « the truth. The
X dbition of this model was watched with
great interest by an attentive, scientific
audience, and it was the general impres-
M®nxt%k ! &\\ h JtTcsgetfjj tt.
By R oso Ac Iliirr.
What Next ?
It is not worth while for the Rout hern
people, on the one hand, to vex themselves
with unnecessary apprehensions* of the
future, nor, on the other, to sink to repose
in a fancied security which a few weeks
must rudely interrupt. Let us learn t<
look the cloudy future fairly in the far
and to summon our eourage and endurance
to meet the storm, so that it shall not find
us unprepared or overwhelmed when it
comes.
Heading over the exciianges the other
day, two articles arrested our attention
one the leading editorial in the Atlanta
Intelligencer, which we have since ob
served was copied from the New York
World and the other a short report from
a lecture delivered lasi week by Mr. Rep
resentative Boutwell, of Massachusetts, at
the Music Hall in Boston. Botli were up
on the same subject—the fate of the South;
hut tiie one is the judgment of a Northern
Democratic, endorsed by a Southern,
newspaper ; and the other is a programme
laid down by one of the most prominent
members of ttie Congressional committee
on reconstruction—the Central Directory
so called.
The first declares as its conclusion, upon
a careful survey of the premises :
The South, then, has not hing worse to
fear, as a consequence of the late elections,
than a prorraoted exclusion from Con
gress. Negro sufferage connnt he forced
on them except by an amendment to the
Constitution, which they can checkmate
New penalties for treason are equally im
possible, by the prohibition to pass e.r pouf
/octo laws. The old penalties have been
remitted hy the President’s proclamation
of amnesty and his individual pardons.
The State governments which have been
formed in the Bouth cannot be upset, be
cause Congress never comes in cnotraet
with them except in judging of their com
petency to furnish credentials to members
of that body. Congress have already done
its utmost against the South, that section
has nothing to fear in consequence of
these elections, beyond what it already
suffers.
The second announced:
That the pivot upon which the policy of
justice must turn hereafter, is the right of
the negro to vote. That must be demand
ed in the South. Peace can only he brought
about by the extension of the elective
franchise. Without suffrage there wiii be
nothing but war and trouble.
White men of the South are banded to
gether in secret organizations against col
ored people. There are two hitter enemies
in the South—the wdiites aud the blacks -
leady to rush upon each other. Collisions
and serious outbreaks are to he avoided
only hy extension ofthe elective franchise
to the black masses. This extension of
the franchise will at once divide the pub
lic sentiment and force of the Smith. We
must also make these men citizens for
commercial reasons. All the interests of
business are centeied in freedn on and flu:
elevation of this people. Coming next to
discussion of policy, which the fortieth
Congress should adopt, Mr. Boutwell said
two great cuds must be brought about:
First, universal suffrage- One way of ob
taining this was by holding tlie States as
they now are until by their ewn motion
they do justice to the people.
(fom tress may abolish, the government. of'
them States one/ establish territorial govern
ments, and declare who shall and who shall
not vote.
This is most likely the result to which
the action of Congress now tends. The
destruction of these false governruenlsaud
the formation of coustituional govern
ments.
The next object to be accomplished was
tlie punishment of the President if lie
-hould l>e found guilty of unconstitutional
acts.
It is needless, we imagine, to contract
the relative value of the authorities upon
such points. As it is now too clear for
dispute that the Constitutional amend
ment will utterly fail, it is vain to suppose
that the radical party will rest upon that
programme alone, and leave tiie Southern
States as they stand, to tlie slow operation
of time and the simple penalty of exclu
sion.
Tlie party might be willing , but would
hardly dare to do it. Tlie popular impa
Hence of the unsettled condition of the
country would be sure to assert itself in a
damaging form to the radicals. They
must set some oilier scheme on foot which
at least holds out the promise of a more
speedy solution of the question, and we
think they will be sure to do it.
Agriouiture in Fiance
Agriculture is a source of true wealth to
a nation, and it should he encouraged by
all possible means. Our farmers are tlie
bone aud sinew of our country, and yVt
how prone is the city, exquisite to speak
with contempt of “an individual” from
the "rural districts.” Such ideas show
the calibre of the minds thatchensh them,
aud perhaps, it isnot surprising that the
braiuless sweks should affect to look down
upon tho»e who, in reality, are so much
above them. God bless the honest faced
farmers, the free, independent sons of toil,
for without them what would our country
be! They can well afford to smile at tlie
conceit, of the over dressed popinjays, for
though their speech and manners may not
be so courtly, they possess the ail and
hearing which constitute man. The wis
est atatemen of every laud aud recognize
the value of agriculture, and they iabor to
give dignity to the calling. The following
paragraph which we clip from a foreign
exchange, shows how deeply Napoleon is
interested in this vital question :-
“The Emperor ofFraueehas determined
on a minute and careful examination ot
the agricultural condition of that country.
A commission of the most extensive char
acter is being organized to conduct the in
vestigation. A ceutral committee will sit
in Paris, and sub-committees will operate
in the several districts, collecting locai in
formation and commuuicating the same to
the central body. The scope of the in
quiry will be on a scale of proportionate
vastnees. The commission is instructed
to compare the present state of lauded
projierty with the past;’ to ‘appreciate
the conditions of production;’ to ‘draw
up estimates of profit and loss;' to ‘take
account of progress realized aud yet to be
made; to‘examiue into existing markets
and open new ones;’ to ‘settle the diffi
culties with which farmers have to con
tent! and tlie means of obviating them.’
If these objects are efficiently pursued,
even though no practical results should
immediately follow, the Emperor will
have secured the grateful confidence of a
large and important section of his sub
jects; aud in due time the marvellous
prosperity which has been so long enjoyed
by the manufacturing aud trading parts of
the population of France will begin to be
shared by the agricultural body, which
body, by the wav, has made less progress
in Franco during the last quarter of a cen
tury than in any country in Europe.”
The field is a broad one in France, for
agriculture lias been sadly neglected, and
we are of the opinion that Napoleon will
find the work one ot the greatest of his
reign. Peace has her victories as well as
war, and this fact seems to be well under
stood by the present Emperor of Frauce.
The blunt spoken farmers are the strong
props of a government.— Turf, Field and
Farm.
What, asks au exchange, has Max*
Exhibit of Whites and Biaeks in six of
the Southern States.
The following exhibit presented hy the
•census of I*6o is suggestive :
Louisiana—Whites; 357,466; blacks,
350,3 73. There are 4S counties in this
State. T lie blacks have a majority in 32
counties.
Arkansas.—ss counties; 8 where the
blacks are in majority. *d
Florida.—Whites, 77,117; blacks, 82,6-57.
3< counties in 7 of which Iheblacks are in
the majority.
South Carolina. —Whites, 291,3 W; blacks,
312.326. 30 counties, in 20 of which the
blacks are in the majority.
Mississippi.—Total whites, 353,809:
blacks, 438,631. 60 counties, in 29 of
which the blacks are in the majority.
Alabama.—Whites, 526,271; blacks, 437,-
770. 52 counties, in 20 of which the blacks
are in the majority.
In two of the above named Rtates, Mis
sissippi and South Carolina, the blacks ex
ceed the whites in thesum total of popu
lation, while in the other four States
named the difference is inconsiderable. It
is this mass of ignorance, superstition and
improvidence that the radicals, the South
ern radicals especially, are endeavoring
to establish as the dominant class in the
South with the view of becoming their
leaders. In commenting on the exhibit
the National Intelligencer says:
“One fact is worthy of observation —
that the white ami black population is
not equally distributed throughout any of
the Southern States. The white popula
tion predominates in the high and tem
perate regions, and the blacks in the low
lands. Hence, in every one of the South
ern States the black population is more or
less localized, which would give it a local
control, if it became a distinct political
element. If parties were organized on
the basis of antagonism to the present
white race, tbe / tendency would be for a
congregation of the two races in eacli
State. The blacks tend to the low- lands,
and the whites to the high lands. In this
way the low-lands might, in time, come
to he abandoned entirely to the biaeks,
Should the seperation of the races take
place, w hat would become of the black
race ?
“The questions arising out of the differ
ence of races South are of immense mag
nitude. We should advance to their solu
tion not as the radicals desire, per saltum,
hut feeling our way with prudence, as is
the spirit of President Johnson’s policy.”
Listeners.—Golden opinions aie often
gained by discreet Hilence. Some peo
ple delight exceedingly to hem themselves
talk, but above all tilings are captivated
with the respectful attention of a steady
listener; and whoever has the patience to
sit ami hear them out (that is, not abao
j lately to wait until they stop of their own
| accord—for perhaps there is no well au
i theutieated instance of anything of tlie
I kind—but till something occurs to inter
rupt. them),, obtains their good will far
more certainly than if he had communica
ted to them a vast variety of important in
formation, oi taking a word of pains to
correct their mistaken notions. A char
acter for the most engaging modesty falls
inevitably to the lot of of him wlmposesses
the power ot holding his tongue; the praises
of his discernment are everywhere sound
ed ; nay, he olien requires » reputation for
conversational abilities; it iH true, with re
gard to this latter point, that doubts are
sometimes expressed by some who have
been whole nignts in his company with
out hearing him utter more than a few
syllables ; but the interminable talker—
the neverfailing patron ot silent gentle
men—forgetful of his own fame in his
zeal tor that of his client, declares that
j good talents for conversation do not consist
j in the multiplication of sentences, but in
speaking succinctly to the purpose. Ad
vantages more substantial than favorable
regards do also frequently accrue to the
poses so r of this qualification ; it were end
less to recount how many large fortunes
have been secured by persons, male and
female, in the fifth, six aud seventh de
grees of kin, who, day after day, for years,
| had the fortitude to submit their ears to
the recital of the same stories and remarks
trom an old invalid bachelor relation.
Fen Picture of Beecher.
The New York correspondent of the
1 Louisville Cmuier visited Henry Ward
Beecher’s Church the other day. He
jsays:
“We found the tabernacle without es
; fort, simply by following the crowd, who
ran, rather than walked, from the ferry to
! this Sabbath show. We managed by dint
:of squeezing and elbowing, to find foot
room. We looked over a little man’s
shoulder and saw reclining upon a plat
-1 form, elevated midway between the floor
and the gallery, an elegantly dressed,
adipose, self-satisfied looking personage
his head large, his hair long and brushed
smooth behind his ears, his nose promin
ent, his eyes full and phrenologieally ex
pressive of language. After some prelim -
j inaries, such as announcements, reception
;of candidates iuto membership, a most
beautiful prayer, and the grandest congre
' gatioual singing 1 had ever heard, Mr.—
; Beecher rose.
“Brooklyn has helped to make Beecher
as much as Beecher has helped to make
himself. He has felt Brooklyns pulse, seen
the coating on Brooklyn’s tongue, notice
Brooklyn’s appetite looked into Brooklyn’s
eye, watched Brooklyn’s mood, until he
is thoroughly acquainted with Brooklyu’s
disease. It is a sort of hysterics—a morbid
craving for anew and highly seasoned
diet; a whimsical, fidgety, foolish f«»nd
ness for excitement. Beecher is exactly
the quack to deceive the patient. He
plays a sermon as Booth plays a tragedy.
Hence, whatever merits the composition
of his discourse may have, and however
much he may interest his hearers by an
artistic declamation of that composition,
he does not warm and kindle you iuto a
fervor of sympathy ; he does not melt you
into tears, not elevate you iuto rejoicing.
You watch his every motion as you would
those of a star performer; you listen to his
every word as you would to those of a fine
drama; but you feel that it is all an exhi
bition. He is continually referring to
himself. If lie speaks of a honeysuckle, it
is the honeysuckle on my porch. If h e
mentions a lark, it is the lark whose young
have nests in uiy garden. If he calls up a
historical occurrence of character, he
weaves it into play by a “wben I stood at
the tomb of Heloise in t ranee.’
fiss“ The Montgomery Mail says that
although Governor Orr, of South Carolina,
opposes the Constitutioual Amendment,
he shares the opinion of Mr. Reagan, of
Texas, that the Southern States should
adopt negro suffrage. Governor Orr
shares no such opinion. He is as deci ded
]y opposed to the one as the other.
The English had as well expect
!>lacon, Weilnosday, 18G(*.
[COMMUNICATE^. 1 ’)
Comptroller General’s ReptU'’ . <
# v *3gr C ct^^elief.
Editors Journal and Hxv
ingseen in the “Telegraph” quite a nat
tering notice of the Report ot tlie “new”
Comptroller General, Mr. Turns, I have
had some curiosity to look over it. A
friend did me the kindness toseiid me a
copy of both the Comptroller General’s
and Treasurer’s RejKirts; and having read
them both, and discovering material dis
crepances which seems lather strange,
where l*»th officers are required to report
the same things from the record, I have
concluded to point out the same aud give
you my views of both reports.
I irst, then, as to tlie Comptroller's
Report—its mecbannicnl execiijiou i.-» very
fine. It is more handsomely printed than
any of the previous Reports, and relinks
credit upon the printer. But, ju the ar
rangement of the matter ami tie style of
the Report, it is but a copy U tho, “old”
Comptroller’s Report—with some varia
tions. And having oue or tiu* errors or
statements of importance, of ilio new
Comptroller, as to the linaiui_4-o| j rations
of the State during the past year, and rel
ative to the public debt, which, I presume,
neither the books in the Tie .Hirer's o;
Comptroller’s office will justify. Ho did
very well id thus “following the copy''
left him by the old Comptroller, as, he
thereby makes his report, in this particu
lar, intelligible aud easy to understand.
But, wben he departs from the copy, and
we come to the “variations,’? then he
muddles things to a plain man like my
self. While reading them oue hardly
knows whether he is asleep and dreaming
or awake. For notwithstanding many of
us have a little property left since the' war.
and tlie tax books show that there was in
April last two hundred and twenty two
million dollars ($222,000,000) returned for
taxation, yet with the new Comptroller’s
“variations,” or calculations in gold or
greenback values in 1860 or 1866, “he
•proves by figures” that the State of Geor
gia has lost in property since 1860, eight
hundred and forty-one million ($841,000,-
000) when tiie tax books in iB6O only
showed a return of six hundred and sev
enty-two million dollars ($872,000,0110).
The Bank Stock was but a fraction o\ex 1
$9,000,000, and her Raih >v ve.,
were only estimated at $20,000,090 making
in all about $700,000,000. Thus show ing
that the State lost about one hundred and
fort// millions more property than she tv< -
possessed. But 1 will stop right here tor
the present, and take the Report in order,
and first point the material errors, or state
ments in the Comptroller's Report as to
the financial operations of the State.
Under the head of “The following re
ceipts were received into the Treasury du
ring the fiscal year 1866” I find the fol
lowing :
“ Uncurrent Notes $6,612,204 00.”
When I saw this item in the report as
having been received into the Treasury
this year, I could but wonder where all
this uncurrent money came from or from
whom received. 1 knew that most of the
taxes for 1864hud been paid into the Treas
ury during the fiscal year 1865, and 1 turn
ed to the Treasurer’s report for lighten
the subject, but 1 saw ne such item there
as having been received into the Treasury
this year. While thus looking. Ike
Treasurer’s report i .ti.er
discrepancy. The Treasurer reports:
“balance in the Treasury Oct. 15, 1865,
$5,201,086,18. The new Comptroller only
reports ‘ balance of cash in Treasury Oct.
16, ’O6 (typographical error, it ought to be
’65) $44,750. In refering to the ojd Comp
troller’s report of Oct 16, 1865, J find it re
ported 15th Oct, 1865 “cash balance in the
Treasury $5,201,060,18. If is therefore
clear that the Treasurer’s report is cornu t,
and that the present Comptroller’s report
is not correct. But laith accounts balance
and how is that? Upon examining 1 find
that the new Comptroller instead <>f re
porting according to his book, as the law
requires, and putting “balance in t e
Treasury Oct. 15,1865 $5,201,086, 18. (.5,156,
336 18 of which was in uncurrent notes”)
he only puts the $41,750, of the U. S. cur
rency then in the Treasury, as a “cash
balance in the Treasury, and then report
this $5,156,336, 18, received into the Treas
ury during the fiscal year, 1865. with sl.-
455,168, Confederate Treasury notes re
ceived into the Treasury this year, and
reports all as having been> • V> ci,vc ; l into
the Treasury for the fiscal year which
is not so—and which misled and mystifi
ed me until I saw the Treasurers report.
This disregarding the records in reporting
facts for the people, is dangerous in more
ways than one. Better “stick to the rec
ords”—it is not only the legal way, but
the safest policy.
Again, in alluding to the bonded debt
of the Htate, no! yet due, the Comptroller
says “$3,676,500 is in old bonds.” Upon
reference to the Treasurer’s report, which
gives the date, number of bonds, amount
of each, and by whom signed etc , I find
that the debt “in old bonds” not yet due,
is but $2,542,000. There can be no error
in the Treasurer’s report, as the 53,164,500,
of bonds issued thisyear makes the $5,706,-
500, which the Comptroller says is the
amount of the debt —“$2,676,500 in old
lionds” added to $3,164,500 of the new
bonds makes the bonded debi of Georgia
$-5,841,000. Anil by tlie by I would not ire
surprised if the Comptroller's report to the
Governor misled his Excellency, as I
see that the Governor in his message uses
the Comptroller’s figures of $2,676,500, tor
tbeolddebt, and in summing them up
with his other figures, makes the del t $5,-
841.000 instead of $5,706,500, the true
amount.
And now for an examination of some
of the “variations.”
The tax book in 1860 and 1866 shows the following
Results, 1860. 1866. On in Loss
Slaves, $602,604,885 802,604,865
burnt, . 101,764,065 108,112,524 68,052,481
City and town propert,., 86,8 1<, 47.6 80,896.15 t 4,20, *66
Money and solvent debts, 107,8.18,258 84,621,678 72,HU, 580
Merchandize, $ • 16,577,108 10,088,173 4.014,023
Shipping AB<l ton nugL 913,910 215,667 728,270
Stock, I 'mannfftOturesj.tCe., 4,034,262 4,120,489 86,237
Household ami kltchelticfurnMure, 2,871,281 1,132,408 1,241.800
Property not eininief 1 _y J 42,420,294 28,751,667 11,275,021
$072,292,4 17
Deduet - 222,181,787
Amt lons since, IStt* $450,108,000
Here it will seen that the loss, according
to the tax books, since 18G0 on slaves is
: the Comptroller by his “vari-
‘Still and si, nutates tlie loss $454,1142.282.
a <*. loss nn lau»i is 58.1'52,420; tiie Ckimp
it $1341,534, yns.
city and town property is
76‘{; , rFie Comptroller makes L a
loss of $13,;:12,941. Thekiss in money am!
solvent debts is s7S,t>l4/><>o ; tlioComptrol
ler makes it SIL-'vU2,:oy, that is he makes
the less $19.146,451, more than the whole
reinrti of J-Htii, winch was but $107,3363159.
And thus ho goes on with the other items,
until finaiiy he makes the lax books show
a total loss ot seven hundred anil eigthysix
millions, two hundred and fifty-four
thousand, eight hundred and seventy-six
and dlais silica I>M, when in truth the
when; amount ol property returned on the
tax itouks in Jv>d was oiqy six hundred
ami seventy-two millions, two hundred
and ninety-two thousand, fourlmudred
ami forty-seven dollars ■ $67-,3*J J,417.)
But this “disti-essing”exhibit by way of
“Variation” to cnpitaiGtsnml others whiie
our bonds are on the market, and while
our people are trying to get capital from
abroad, did not satisfy the Comptroller,
so he tries Ins hand at an “estimate of the
tosses of piOj*erty not returned upon the
Digest.” And here is his stalemeot:
“JArs es®; K.ui»oaus since’»id sls,noj).UOO
“ of Banks “ 30,090,000
Public Buildings, etc., “ 10,000,000
$55,000,000
Now w here it la known that, the capital
stock oi ad the Banks in Georgia in IH6U
was but $0,036,070, and that it was only in
creased to $9,108,58- up to 1864, it w ill puz
zle a plain common man to understand
how the Banks have lost more than they
ever had—or about $21,000,000 more than
they ever had.
Again. When it is known that all the
rail mail stuck in Georgia, including the
Western and Atlantic Railroad, was not
estimated at over 520,009,000 in 1860—aud
as most ol these comw were in operation
shortly after the close of the war, it will
be difficult to make sensible men believe
that it cost them sjs ) OdO,wnO to put them
in the conniuon lkey were in iB6O. $5,-
000,und would prouabiy he nearer the mark
viz: say cost to Western aud Atlant
ic Railroad, $4,000,000; Central Railroad,
SI,OO->,000; Georgia Railroad, S.SOO,iMKJ; Ma
„'ji>n and Western, S500.000; Muscogee
Railroadsso;>,ooo ; Atlantic and Gulf Rail
road, $>00,d00; Rome Road, $250,000; At
lanta and LaGrange Railroad, $500,000;
making in nit $1.7..n,0n0. Oue or two esti
mates may be under, while the majority
are doubtless over the amounts it cost to
put these roads in order again. There is
some didefence between $5,000,000 and
s]o,otW,wlK».
Again. 1 have not beard of more than
eight or ten counties where the court
houses, jails, churches, etc., were burned!
but suy mat they were destroyed or dam-
aged in twenty counties, aud w T e willav
< rage their rust at $20,000 to the county,
ami that is hut S49O,(MH). Say that tlie
public buildings at JMilledgeviiie were
damaged $l- o,uoo more, and that would
■on!' make s■' n.'i': i. 'J here is some differ
cm b tween jUO/ioo amlften million.
Upon, looking m t the losses in these
thme items, then, it vili be seen that $15,-
(M)iUMi would c->?e the whole, us Ihe
Banks, no doubt, have home capital left—
leaving about forty millions of losses ex
isting in the imagination of the Comptrol
ler. And fbe thing shows for itself when
he represent;; the totaf lot# of property aV
svH,iV>l,S7ti, when the highest estimate
that was ever put upon our whole proper
ty in > O was but about $700,000,000.
Now where is the sound sense and good
judgment ot a public officer displayed -in
thus attempting, by such estimates, to
magnify uur losses, and induces the world
“ami Ihe rest of mankind” to believe-that
we are wor-e ofi than we are, and do this,
too, when our State has her bonds in the
market, and our people are trying to got
capilal to mend their broken fortunes.
For my own part, I think the Comptroller
would have much better served the Htate
in this particular hy continuing to follow
the copy of his predecessor, and draw his
deductions from tiie exhibit of the Tax
Digests, and not from a false data on the
one hand, and his own imagination on
the other. It is the habit of some individ
uals I know, when they wish to accom
plish some hidden purpose, or make the
w orse appear the bcttei part, to bring into
play gold and greenback calculations; but
while the law recognizes gold and silver
and gu-euhacks the same, and all our “le
gal tenders,” and oue as good to pay a
debt as another, the public officer but cod
fuses and mystifies the public mind as to
the true state of affairs, when in his re
port he “departs from the record.” I
think I have clearly shown this. In my
next I will notice some of the Comptrol
ler’* “recommendations” as to the tax
laws, etc., aud something more about the
Treasurer’s Report.
H.
575™. The Prince Imperial was-ten years
old last March, and the Emperor was fifty
eight in April. Eleven years must there
fore transpire before the Prince attains his
majority, and the Emperor, if he lives till
that time, will be in his seventieth
year.
Extraordinary Freak of a Fox.—
A few weeks ago a curious trait in the
character of a fox wit nessed in a hay-field
at Bronwydd, Cardiganshire. While the
liay makers were busily employed at one
end of the field, their attention was sud
denly drawn to the other, where a fine dog
fox was seen to gambol in fearless confi
dence with a sheep dog, who had been
lett tlie gu trdian of tlie workmen’s victu
als under the shade o£ a fee. They were
seen to play, like a couple of puppies, in
open-mouth-feared friendship. 'On the
approach of one of the haymakers (who
feared that the amusement might cost
him his dinner', Reynard made off to a
neighboring covert, but in a few minutes
, returned in the same festive humor to re
new his gambols and secure his prize.
There can be little doubt that this beha
vior was one of Master Reynard’s cun
ning dodges to get at the food. The ob
ject of this sudden and mysterious friend
ship was evidently nothing better than
cupboard love.
Views of a Reconstructed Irish
man.—Hon. D’Arc-y McGee made a speech
lately before ilie Canadian Roeiety, and
said that if he had the ear of the Irish peo
ple lie would say : “Consider the prosper
ous condition of Scotland. Cease to pur
sue the impossible and impracticable.—
j Try, by way of novelty, something that
contains the elements of succes.” To the
imperial statesmen he would recommend
t tlie familiar American word “reconstruct
tion,” and a generous policy towards Ire-
Jand. _
Count Bismarck's wnrd,“mitteleoropee
ischostaatengreuypen,” is eclipsed by the
title of anew journal published at Hold
ers, entitled “Rousseltaerschnieuwaesk
endiginbiaad.” The paper which was un
der the auspices of the Liberal party, has
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE
MEPoraro ro* na roi as w am.
MIELEDGEVtLT.S, Nov. lli,
SENATE.
The Semite met at 10 o'clock, A. M.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Rrooks.
Tjie President appointed Messrs Moore
and Redding a isuuiniltee under a resolu
tion adopted to rejnirt on the Digest pre
pared hy B C Elam, Esq.
■Mr Butler moved to reconsider his reso
lution fixing a day (or tiie election of a l
8 Senator. Tiie motion prevailed.
Bill to amend tlie charter of the Gnat
Southern Insurance Cos, by the repeal of
tiie personal liability clause. Passed.
A resolution introduced by Mr Lvenan
was adopted that the doorkeejor should
not interrupt a speaker by the announce
ment of a messenger.
Bill to change- the line of Twiggs and
Wilkinson counties. Passed.
Bill to incorporate the Memorial Associ
ation ot Rosacea. Passed,
Bill to facilitate the sale of real estate in
Georgia, and to encourage emigration.
Passed.
Bill to provide for the raising of money
bv lottery for the education of indigent
children and orphans of soldiers. Passed.
To add the county of Lowndes to the
Judicial Circuit. Lost.
For the pardon of Wise of Butts coun
ty. Lost.
To regulate camp hunting in Irwin.
Passed.
To repeal that portion of the law which
allows persons charged with crime to be
committed in the county where arrested.
Passed.
The Senate adjourned.
house.
November lf>, ISGfI.
House met.
Prayer hy Rev. Mr. Weaver.
Mr Dußose moved to reconsider the bill
passed on yesterday to extern 1 the aid of
the State to the Macon and Brunsick Rail
road. After remarks hy Mr Barnes of
Richmond, who was in favor of the mo
tion, it was, by a vote of ayes 56 and nays
87. lost.
Tlie use of the Hall was tendered to
Gen Waddy Thompson, to deliver a lee
turo mi the great men of tlie Nation. A
sea t ou the floor was tendered Gen Thomp
son.
The committee on public education re
ported and their rei>ort was ordered print
ed.
J J Jones presented a memorial from
the Planters’ Convention.
NEW MATTER.
Mr McLendon, To empower the Inferi
or Courts to lix fees for indicting prison
ers.
Mr Moses, Resolution to pay certain
persons certain moneys to defray expenses
for burying Confederate dead at Resacca
and other places.
Mr Humphreys, To compel all persons
to give in and pay tax for freedmen who
arc in their en ploy.
Mr. Baynes, for relief of securities.
Mr Thomas, To amend charter of Mem
phis Branch Railroad an.l Steamboat C<>.
Mr Green, of Cobb, To allow Executors
from other States to qualify aud act as
such in*this State.
Mr. Gartrell, For relief of indigent wid
ows and orphans and disabled soldiers.
Mr Weaver, To amend charter of Cot
ton Hill Academy-
Mr Hardeman, To repeal section 2635 of
the ('ode.
Mr Glenn, For relief of the people.
Mr Lawson, To regulate the nuhlicutiori
ol Sheriff's sales.
Mr Ridley, Provide for public schools.
Mr Moses, To appropriate money to pay
for the burial of the Confederate dead.
THIRD UEAl>IN'(i.
To Incorporate Merchants' and Pladters’
Bank of Augusta. Postponed.
To locate the Academy for the Deaf aud
Dumb. Laid on table for present.
For relief of J B Hudson. Lost.
Adjourned.
[communicated.]
To the Georgia Legislature.
THE COUNTY COURTS.
I see a number of bills have been submit
ted to your consideration touching this
Court, some to abolish it entirely, others
to amend the law creating it. The suh
fect is of great importance to the people
and should be maturely deliberated on.
The Court, as now organized, has many
advantages, some things objectionable:
generally, justice has been fairly adminis
tered to all, and with little or no expense
to the counties ; but the trouble and tax to
the people, in the frequent requirements
of Juries, both Grand and Petit, has been
great and hence the great objection to tbe
Court-
Some such Court we must have, and I
propose a simple change which will an
swer every purpose and meet every ob
jection :—Resolve the tribunal into a Po
lice Court, retaining all the forms it now
has and let the Judge decide ail questions,
whether by law or fact. To meet the con
stitutional provisions requiring a trial by
jury I w’ould provide as follows: In all
civil eases, let the Judge decide all ques
tions presented, both of lav/ and fact, giv
ing parties the right of appeal to the Su
perior Court and trial before a special
jury, as formerly prevailed in appeals
from the Inferior to the Superior Courts,
in all criminal cases, require defendants
to elect, before trial, whether they will
abide by the decision of the County Judge
or claim a jury trial. In the former, let
the County Judge try, and finally deter
mine the case; if a jury is desired, let him
send the ease to tbe Superior Court.
With these changes you will steer clear
of all Constitutional difficulties, have the
cheapest aud most effective court ever or
ganized in tbe Htate, aud give great satis
faction to the people, as in nine cases out
of ten. parties would abide the decision of
the County Judge and not go to the Bu
perior Court.
The fees of the Judges do not give them
a proper support, but improve and com
plete the organization itself aud this can
be cured hereafter. W.
A Waterfall of Two thoi sand
Feet. —The Democrat says tin re is a fall
of water on the South Fork of the Tuo
lumne, that lays over the falls of Yo-Se
mite by seven hundred feet. The fall at
the latter place—at least the perpendicu
lar fall—is stated, we-believe, at fourteen
hundred feet, while this fall of water ou
the Tuolumne is given at two thousand
feet. Dr. King and Mr. Gardiner, under
the direction of Prof. Whitney, the State
Geologist, have been exploring the section
of country watered by the Tuolumne river
and branches, and made the discovery of
this fall. The gentlemen visited Sonora
the other day, and after remaining a day
or two, returned to the falls, where they
intend to make a complete survey. The
country i« described as beautiful, and the
valley where the falls are situated enchant
ing.
An Austrian drum-major is now in
Detroit looking for employment, who, ac
cording to his own story, has been in the
army seventeen years, has taken part in
fifty-seven battles, and been wounded
twelve times, speaks fourteen languages,
Vol. L.VISI, >o. 55.
Cottoa Cu.lUVi.uoc,
XI ADU AS VEUSI'S AUEIUcA.
Ihe elibrts to supersede the American
grown cotton by the i ucouragement of
oottou culture iu India and elsewhere,
have been very great aud long continued
receiving all the sanction and uidtheßrit
ish Government could well give. During
the war an extraordinary impulse wa.-
gi\c,i to these e lions, and hardly anything
ia the way of experiment waslelt untried.
1 ho results have not been proportionate to
the
!’>' ***• British Government and it> sub
jects in this enterprise. It is now openly
acknowledged that tlto cotton Helds of the
I'nited Stales are unequaled by thoseol
any other country.
J. ialhuys Wheeler, a resident in India,
gives a full account ol the various exj»eri
)neUls made, »ud the contents of (he pub
lic rejKjrts, in accordance with the resolu
tion of tin* liovorumcnt of iudia. Any
intelligent Aineuc.tu cotton planter can
learn clearly from this hook exactly the
conditions anil met Inals of cotton culture
in India, and why its in ids are inferior to
our ow n for that purpose. Complete sta
thdie tables accompany the descriptive
passages.
Ihe author shows conclusively tlrrxt the
difficulties attending the growth of our
long fibre cotton, in India, are very great,
and that- no oil r t>t ui;. can compete
with us in its pi .in in. \ few extracts
will serve to make this clear, viz:
bI’PEKiOKIIY OF AXI tKII'A.N COTTON.
As regards the superiority of American
cotton to Indian, Dr. Wight reported that
the American cotton was about twenty
l>er cent, more valuable than the Indian,
or uearly as oil, ia to Hjd. Again, the
American seed produced from 7? to ;i per
cent, more cotton wool than the Indian
seed ; in other words, 100 pounds of Ameri
can seed \ ielded from dkj to 10 pouuds of
clear cotton wool, w hilst 10U pouuds of In
dian seed only yielded about tii pounds of
clear cotton wool.
INDIA TOO COLD.
In the litst place it was seen that India
was not too hot for the American plant,
since in theCnrnaticif had borne unharm
ed the hot winds of May and June. On
the other hand, it was ascertained tn>.i
the cultivating season in India was, If
anything, too cold ; in other wolds, that
the climate of the Pnrnatic during the colil
months, which formed (lie cotton growing
Season in India, was actually colder than
the summer of Mississippi, which formed
the cotton growing season in America:
the American cultivating from April to
November, and the Indian Ryots from
September until April.
VSFKRICANf OTTON A NliTlti: A MFUICA V
CSIN.
He (Mr. Finnic, an exten ive Indian
cotton grower) could not, lie said, after de
voting Ins bed attention to the subject,
entertain much hope ol the sucres?, of the
American cotton. It failed in Southern
India on account of the i Id nights which
prevail after a steady monsoon. IT there
were occasional showers of rain after the
Ist of February, when tho weather became
warm, and if the ravages of insects could
be also avoided, then the American cot
ton would succeed admirably ; hut in the
absence of rain at that season, lie was
afraid that it would never become the
staple-of imji . Again, ns regards (be
A nierican gin, he could give no hop ofib
ultimate adoption by the nativi s.
There are other passages Jh w hich the
correctness of the opinion above quoted is
denied, but the w hole testimony taken
together tends tosupueit the proposition
that the cultivation of American cotton
m India lias been and i likely to be a fail
ure.
A ' .ALA.u.i' fcj'ioitY. A young lawyer,
who had clcimbcrs in t lie’Temple, had a
noddiiiK acquaintance with an old gentle
man living.mi the same staircase. The
old man was a w ialtb;, old bachelor, and
hail a place in the country, to w hich he
went lor a week every Faster. His ser
vants hud change of tho place while he
was away an old married couple who
hid lived with him twenty seven years,
and were t,> pen of fine old Euglish domes
tics. One Fasti r Tuesday, Ihe young law
yer was astouisJieil to find the old geutle
mai] on his Temple staircase, and made
some remark about it. The old man a-ked
him into his room and said he had receiv
ed a fearful shock. He had gone down,
as usual, to bis country place, had been
received with intense cordiality, had found
his dinuer cooked to perfection, and every
thing as it had been from the beginning.
When the cloth was removed, liis faithful
butier put the bottle of port on the table,
and made the customary inquiries about
master’s health, hoped master was not fa
tigued by the jouruey, had enjoyed his
cutlet, and so on. The old gentleman was
left alone, his hand was on tHe bottle of
ot port, w hen it suddenly flashed acro-s
his mind. “Here I am, a Jouely old man;
no one cares for me; there is no one here
to help me if anything should happen to
me. What if my old servant and his wife
have been cheating and robbing me all
this time? What if they want to get rid
of me and have poisoned this bottle of
wine?’’ The idea took hold of him so
strongly that lie co aid not touch his part,
When the man came in again he said he
did not feel well, would have a cup of tea ;
no, he would have a glass of water ami co
to bed. In the morning ho rang Iks bell
and no one answered. He got up, found
his way down stairs ; tiiehou.se was empty,
his two faithful old servants had vanished.
And wiien he came to look further he
found that his cellar, which ought to have
contain' and two or three thousand pounds’
worth of wine, was empty, ami the bottle
they had brought him the last night was
poisoned. —( ornhi'l Magazine.
None ok them 111.— According to the
reiterated reports of foreign newspaper
correspondents, Count Di-mark, Fowls
.Napoleon and Duron James de Roths
chiid have all been recently very ill, and
feara were ex pres '*l oi their dying. It
now appears, however’ that Jiismark has
recovered; that Napoieou has not been
ill, aud that Barmi Rothschild has been,
reading with infiinite amusement the
newspaper homilies about the “vanity of
riches,” «sec., Which have been prompted
by the anticipated death of that at pres
ent quite healthy mouey king.
In the case of the schoolmaster at
Charlestown, Mas.-., who was charged
with assault aud battery for whipping
Miss Josephine Foster, one of his pupils,
which was tried before the Superior Court
at Lowell, last week, the jury, after two
hours’ session, returned a verdict of ac
quittal. It is understood that on the first
ballot, the jury stood nine for acquittal to
thiee for conviction.
BgL. A convention of wine-growers met
in San Francisco Thursday, for the pur
pose of consulting abont what can be
doue to obtain a reduction of the tax on
DAM JOURNAL and MESSENi.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
DAILY r>n«» Mouth fi no
Uo Ojrf* Month* " 2 .XI
~,l !' "'r ' J, ,' r« «lo m*l |>*y «t '•oiMineiircment of
‘ uVvi/i'J'a 1 ?! of f 1 a woiilli will be charged,
“ r-r.KLY year In advauo*.
• ‘V * IBINO RATES as low as any
j in the city.
i Miiiedgeville Correspondence.
M irXBnOKVILLK Nov. 14 IStHS.
J/essri Editor*: No incident has oc
curred within the past week to relieve tho
dull monotoTny about the Fapital—this
insurportabie setnjpcr ectdmm which seems
to pos*.ass this General Assembly ami iu
lew visitors -the proceedings relating to
t he action of the Legislature upon the sub
ject of the rejeetiou of theproposed amend
meuts to the Constitution excited but lit
tle attention or interest, the fate of that
“odious tiling” being a fixed fact, long be
tore it ivns called for a formal disposition.
One of the most important measures
which will be determined at this session
is that relating to the Penitentiary, and
the application of proper punishments to
the various and niultudious class of critu
inal case*, winch arise out of our changed
social system in view of the large and rap
idly increasing number es convicts, it be
comes a question of great public concern
to inquire, how their labor may be most
profflitably directed and employed. It is
a hardship, to say the least of it, that th©
energies and industry ofthe peaceable amt
law-abiding portion of the community
should be taxed, from j-ear to year, to sup
port those whose indolent and vicious
habits, and criminal disregard of the
\\ boiesome and necessary restraints im
posed by society, have rendered them un
worthy to enjoy its privileges and benefits.
The lalKxr of the convicts should be so em
ployed as to make the Penitentiary a self
sustaining institution as was the origiual
dei»igu of its establishment. But the re
verse is the result of the well tried experi
ment. At almost every sessiou of the
Legislature, the State is required to make
large appropriations for iu support. It is
idle to say, that an able bodied man with
food and clothing, and materials of every
kind furnished, is unable to niaiutaiu
himself by the products of his labor ; yeti
it is true that such a result has followed
the operations of our Penitentiary system,
formally years, and, I may add through
out its eulirc history, save the brief jieriod
of its auspeusion by that sterling and em
inently practical Senator, who now repre
sents the 2otli District. That It has wdiol
ly failed to sustain itself is evident, and
the question then arises, what should hi
ilouw? To continue it at its present sit .
with a circumscribed area of less than
three acres ot ground, like results wni
characterize its operations in the
From present,judications we may reason*
ably set down the average number of cer**
vieis from 100 to 450, and it is difficult f«
conceive how tlieir labor, confined witl dtt
such a narrow compass can lie so divotii«
fled as to render it renuraerative. Itsre*
movai can be no longer a question were of
doubtful propriety. By establishing it »t
Che Stone Mountain, tho place indicai Ml
in the report of the commissioners appoi u
ted to select a suitable site, under reso.
tion ofthe General Assembly at its It. ift
session, the .abor of the convict may t •
successfully employed in quarrying th«
exhaustless granite in that locality. Ilr»
educated mechanical skill is required;for
auy convict, with sufficient sense to make
him amendable to punishment can in a
very few days learn the modwt operands
of drilling a hole in a rock. His labor
thus becomes not only hard labor, but It
becomes useful upon bis admission into
the prison, whilst under the old system,
sufficient skill in the various mechanical
kr * is not attainable Anting the peridd ol
liis confinement. The products of his
labor will find a ready market. 'The rocks
can be used in the construction of bridges,
culverts, depots etc., on tl.e line of Hlate
Road and other Kail-roads, ami of public
buildings in our cities and towns.
The report of the cornmissionrs charg< and
by ffic resolution above referred to lin*
been submitted by the Governor with an
accompanying message upon the subje< t.
These papers of much interest at this time
to the public, will be generally published,
and I will omit further allusion to them.
Mr. Thornton, the Senator from the 24ih
District has reported a very important
bill upon the subject of education, It is
now in the hands of the appropriate com
mittee. In my next communication, I
will call attention to its object and leading
provisions. Its leading idea is to educate
at tlie expense of the State, in its Univer
sity one disabled soldier from each coun
ty, the faculty upon his admission taking
liis obligation of honor to teach in the
common schools of his residence fora
period equal to his continuance at the
University. . Vidkttk.
Constitutional Amendment Post
poned.
The National Intelligencer says "the
recent electi -ns settled one point conclu
sively, at least for some time to come
the Constitutional Amendment will not
be adopted. Neither the Legislature of
Maryland nor Delaware will sanction it.
These, w ith Kentucky and the ten ex
cluded States, make thirteen opposed to it.
As it requires three-fourths of the States,
the adoption or rejection of the amend
ment is now likely to be the rallying
ground of political parties for the next
campaign, and as it is hardly possible
that the Radicals will be able to create
another wave of popular feeling which
will blind the judgment of the people, by
introducing extraneous issues, we are
likely to have a thorough discussion and a
perfect understanding on all sides of the
naure of that amendment and of the prin
ciples involved in its adoption. Tire
amendment makes so sweeping a change
as to justly entitle It to be called revolu
tionary. Yet if the people are really bent
on its adoption, after a thorough under
standing of iu< character, we can acquiesce,
while demurrhig to the wisdom of their
course. But what we have always strong
ly protested against, and shall to the bitter
en i, is the effort to make its adoption the
condition for the exercise of their un
doubted rights on the part of any section
of the country. That is to make the re
jection of changes of the organic law pun
itive, is bo introduce a style of punish
ment unknown to the law and the Con
stitution, aud to set a precedent fraught
with mischief.
“We believe, soberly that the result of
the late elections is not a verdict in favor
of the Constitutional Amendment. Wo
believe that the thinking men of the coun
try are not prepared to make such an in
mad as it proposes on the independence of
the States. We believe that the feeling of
the people against the leaders of the rebel
lion has been adroitly played upon to se
cure a triumph that cannot possibly be
maintained. So believing, we shall spare
1 no paius to make clear the eousequenoee
!of the adoption of such a revolutionary
1 change, and shall calmly await the revi
! sion of this award, which is bound in our
judgment, to lead to the reversal of the
majorities over which our Radical frienda
now so loudly exult.
An Ocean of Liuuok. —The bar of the
Southern Hotel, St. Louis Mo., paid in
ternal revenue tax of seventy thousand
dollars for .-ix months.