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JAS. G. BAILIE. )
FRANCIS COGIN. Proprietors
GEO. T. JACKSON.)
Address all Letters to the Constitu
tionalist office. AUGUSTA, GA.
FOREIGN DISPATCHES.
STORMS ON THE ENGLISH COAST.
Great Loss of Vessels and Life A
Turkish Ambassador Ordered Home.
London, November 20.—Recent gales
around the coast of Great Britain
have been terribly destructive of life
aud property. Lloyd’s agent at Do
ver telegraphs he believed thirteen
vessels had foundered on the Downs
during the storm last night, and that
forty or fifty lives were lost. It is es
timated that from five hundred to six
hundred vessels of all classes, are
now anchored in the Downs off Deal,
awaiting fair weather.
The Morning Post has a report that
the Turkish ambassador to St. Peters
burg has been suddenly summoned to
Constantinople.
Death of a Cardinal.
Rome, November 20. —Cardinal Pietro
di Siiyestri is dead.
The American Note in Spain —Further
from the Storm—Failure.
Madrid, November 20.—1 tis stated
that all foreigners tried in Cuba for
participatiou in the rebellion shall have
counsel.
The Cronista says the American note
was discussed in the Cabinet yester
day. Meanwhile, the situation is sat
isfactory and promises a favorable and
early settlement, pending the questions
relative to the United States.
London, November 20.—The first re
ports of the loss of life and vessels are
unfounded. The Pall Mall Gazette,
however, announces that the coast be
tween Yarmouth and Lowestoft is
strewn with wrecks. Three vessels are
ashore on Goodwin Sands.
Sloaue & Richards, metal brokers,
have suspended for $500,000.
Valinaseda in the Field—Calcutta
News.
Havana, November 20.—Valmaseda
went to the field of operations to-day.
London, November 20.—The Times
has a Calcutta special, which says the
alarm at Rangoon originated by a band
of robbers attempting to seize the
arsenal. There were no political sig
nifications. _
FROM TEXAS.
Difficulties Between United States
Troops aud Mexican Banditti.
Galveston, November 20.—The fol
lowing has been received from San
Antonio to-day: “Major Alexander
has arrived at Los Cueros, and reports
that forty men of the eighth cavalry
crossed this morning before his
arrival, bv Randlett’s order, Major
Clendenin having left for Ringgold to
support McNally, who was driven by
the Mexicans to the river. This was
done in violation of orders given by
me yesterday morning. I have di
rected Major Alexander to return the
troops to North Bank. He has an
swered that it will be done immedi
ately. Have carried out your instruc
tions in regard to surrendering of the
thieves and returning property. Major
Alexander reports a large number of
troops concentrating in front of him.
“(Signed) Potter, Commanding.’’
It is by no means impossible that the
Mexicans may take the offensive. Los
Cueros is a notorious deu of Cortina
and his robbers, and not less than one
thousand men could be assembled there
on short notice.
FROM RICHMOND.
Gens. Bradley Johnson and Imboden
Have a Fight.
Richmond, November 20.—Just pre
vious to the departure of the 9:20 p. m.
Northern bound train, an exciting
scene occurred on one of the cars, be
tween Gen. Bradley T. Johnson and
Gen. John D. Iniboden. The latter,
who was about going off on the train,
was approached by Gen. Johnson, who,
after telling Imboden he had been
looking for him all day, administered
sundry blows on his person with a
cowhide. Imboden at once made at
Johnson, when the latter drew a pistol,
but before he could use it they were
separated and both arrested. They
were taken to the station house, and
placed under bonds of SI,OOO for ap
pearance at the Police Court on Mon
day. The- cause of the assault is at
tributed to evidence given by Imboden
in the contested election case between
Johnson and Kuight for seats in the
State Senate.
PROM MEMPHIS.
Meeting of the Texas Pacific Conven
tion—An Appeal for Subsidy.
Memphis, November 20.—1n the
Texas Pacific Railroad Convention
there were full delegations from Arkan
sas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Cincin
nati; partial delegations from Lou
isiana, South Carolina, Missouri, Ala
bama and Kentucky. Governor Magof
fin presided. Mr. Davis responded to
repeated calls. The resolutions appeal
to the people of the North country
generally for aid, and ask Congress to
grant the national credit for the con
struction of the read.
The convention’s proposal to add St.
Louis to the list of professed termini
was debated. It was finally resolved
that the omission was not done in a
spirit of opposition or hostility to that
city. Adjourned.
Friends of the road are sanguine of
good results.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Robbery of the Mail—Postal Change-
Promotion of a Naval Officer.
Washington, November 20.—The
Post Office has advices of the robbery
of the mail on the Corpus Christi
route, supposed to be by border Mexi
cans. The mail ambulance, with its
contents, was driven off by robbers.
The Northern mail will reach here
at 1:30 p. m. on and after Monday.
Commodore Trenchard has been
made a Rear Admiral.
Sherman Going to Florida—Ames on
Hand.
Gen. Sherman goes to Florida to
spend the Winter.
Gov. Ames, of Mississippi was at
the Interior Department to-day.
Minor Telegrams.
San Francisco, November 20.—The
race has been postponed to the 25th.
The complaint of Jas. W. Simonton
against the proprietors of the Cali
fornia Alta, for libel has been filed.—
Damages $50,000. This suit is based
on an article in the Alta, of September
2lßt, accusing the plaintiff of doctoring
press dispatches and conspiring to
break the Bank of California.
New Orleans, November 20.— The
failure of Wallace & Cos., wholesale dry
goods is reported. Liabilities $75,000.
Assets $500,000.
®l)i Augusta Constitutionalist
Established 1799.
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
Robbery of an Express Wagon—Burn
ing of a Saw Mill and Factory—Mur
der and Suicide—Conviction of a De
faulter.
Chicago, November 20.— While the
driver of the United Express Company
was delivering a package, his wagon
was driven off and robbed of $40,000
worth of goods. No arrests.
Detroit, Mich., November 20. —The
large saw mill of Reynolds & Emlaw,
at Grand Haven, was burned last eve
ning. Loss about $50,000.
Cincinnati, November 20.— The fac
tory of Harshman, McKenzie & Cos.,
at Union City, Indiana, was burned
yesterday. Loss, $20,000.
Erie, Pa., November 20.— Jacob
Walneyors, aged sixty, killed his eldest
daughter and himself.
Louisville, November 20.— 1n the
case of the United States vs. G. H.
Burbridge, special supervising agent of
the Treasury, with headquarters at
New Orleans, pending since April, 1868,
for $46,000, alleged deficiency, the ver
dict was against Burbridge for $36,000.
Bridge and House Burned—Miners
Blown Up-Marine Disaster.
Philadelphia, November 20. —The
wooden bridge over the Schuylkill at
Market street was burned. The fire
originated from a defective gas pipe.
Laconia. N. H., November 20. —The
Avery building, fired a year and a half
ago, and again last Sunday, was burned
to the ground to-day.
Pottsville, Pa., November 20.—Sev
eral miners sat on a box of uitro-gly
cerine which exploded. Three are dead
another is dying.
Boston, November 20. —The ship
Favorite which arrived here to-day
from Manilla, reports that on the first
of October last, latitude seventeen de
grees, no minutes and fifty seconds
south and longitude seventy-one de
grees, no minutes and ten seconds
west, she saw a large vessel on fire and
ran down to her, but she sank in about
five minutes after reaching her. The
Favorite cruised around the spot for
two hours, but could not discover any
trace of the crew nor learn anything
to establish the vessels identity.
FROM NEW YORK.
More Failures—Absconding Debtors.
New York, November 20. —Rosen-
heim &Libman, dealers in fancy goods;
the Union Braiding Works, and Mahon
& Murray, dealers in peddlers’ supplies,
suspended yesterday.
Chas. B. Orvis, and Dexter Reid, two
dealers in hardware, occupying a room
in the same building, No. 52 Centre
street, absconded, leaving debts behind
aggregating from $75,000 to SIOO,OOO.
Bank Statement—Another Failure.
New York, November 20.— Loans de
crease $1,250,000; specie increase
$1,250,000; legal tenders decrease
$1,000,000; deposits, total decrease,
$2,250,000; reserve increase, $1,000,000.
Claudius B. Conant has failed for
SIIO,OOO.
Death of a Journalist—Suspension of
Tanneries.
Troy, November 20. —Wrn. Merriman,
a newspaper man, andj Herald war cor
respondent, is dead.
Middleton, N. Y., November 20.
Three hundred men are out of employ
ment by the suspension of work on the
tanneries. Caused by depression in the
leather trade.
Going to St. Louis.
New York, November 20. —Mayor
Wickham has appointed a delegation
of' prominent gentlemen to the St.
Louis Railroad Convention.
The Beautiful Snow.
Omaha, November 20.—Reports from
the West 3how a very heavy fall of
snow and severe storm extending from
Laramie City, on the east, and beyond
Corinne and Elks, on the west, during
the past week. To-day’s train from
the West was three hours late but all
other trains are reported as running
on time.
AN ACCOMMODATING HUSBAND.
He Gives Up His Wife to a Friend and
Marries His Adopted Daughter.
[Marshaltown Republican.!
An ambitious little railroad town in
this county was shaken from stem to
stern by a society “happening” which
recently occurred iu her midst. This
event involved so wide a departure
from the beaten track of human custom
and divine mandates, that the moral
sense of the community was greatly
shoeked, and even the gossips lifted up
their hands to disclaim against it. There
resides in this town Dr. , who, until
recently, did business as a druggist.
His family consisted of a wife and an
adopted daughter. The wife was an
amiable lady in the prime of young
womanhood, and the daughter an in
telligent and engaging young woman,
who acted as clerk in her foster father’s
drug store. Boarding with the family
was a literary gentleman of cultivated
mind and taste, who occupied a room
in the drug store, where he devoted
much of his time to driving the quill.
The family circle composed of these
four moved aloug harmoniously until
Cupid looked in upon them, and dis
covering latent love in each human
breast, he thence began making
matches—not of the regulation kind,
requiring four strokes to illumine the
darkness, but that of binding genial
hearts and hands. The literary man
secretly cherished an ardent admira
tion for the doctor’s wife, and the doc
tor more than a father’s affection far
hi 9 adopted daughter. Then followed a
mutual discovery of these facts, a mu
tual recognition of the secret passions,
a mutual agreement to allow the course
of love to “run smooth,” a mutual sep
aration of the doctor and his wife—cul
minating at last in the uniting of hands
with hearts to suit their wishes. The
doctor gave his wife to the literary
man, and accepted the hand of his
adopted daughter. They now form
two families—the literary man having
gone with his new made wife to join
the Grangers on a farm not far distant.
’Tis said the doctor obtained a divorce
from the first wife; that the latter mar
riages were legalized in a quiet way;
but this, if true, did not prevent the
gossips from using the keen dissecting
knife, and the affair awakened a greater
sensation in the town than anything
that has transpired since the Beecher-
Tilton revelation.
Supreme Court of Georgia.
Atlanta, November 19,1875.
AUGUSTA CIRCUIT.
No. 7. Argument concluded.
No. 8. Dortie vs. Dugas. Equity
from Richmond.
Salem Duteher for plaintiff in error
Hook & Webb, contra.
Pending the argument of Mr. Duteher
the court adjourned until 9 o’clock
a. m. to-morrow.
REVIVAL IN ATLANTA.
The Power of a Christian’s Dying
Request—Ex-Judge W. F. Wright
Talks to Sinners —An Unanswerable
Argument for the Genuineness and
Power of Christianity—Dr. Harrison
as a Revivalist.
[Correspondence of the Constitutionalist.]
Atlanta, November 19,1875.
The writer attended the protracted
service now going on in Dr. Harrison’s
Church(First Methodist Church, At
lanta,) one evening last week, and was
deeply interested iu the service. Rev.
W. F. Cook, pastor of Trinity Church,
presided, aud read as a lesson for the
occasion the history of the “prodigal
son.” After reading he made a brief
address, illustrating the more promi
nent ideas of this most charming pas
sage of Scripture. At the conclusion
of his remarks others were invited to
speak. Several spoke during the ser
vice. Judge James Jackson, of the
Superior Court, led off.
One who hears the Judge speak in
church, and who did not know him,
would write him down as a first-class
camp meeting preacher, and the ver
dict would not miss the mark any great
distance. There is a clearness of
thought and a pathos of voice in his
church talks that go right to the
heart of the hearer, and convince him
the unction from above is resting upon
the mind and heart of the speaker.
The greater part of the Judge’s ad
dress was in reference to the religious
experience of
GEN. HOWELL COBB.
The General’s father was a man of
noted piety, as were all his children,
except Howell. The lamented T. R. R.
Cobb was no less noted for his emi
nent piety than for his high legal at
tainments.
In his last sickness, and just before
his death, the General’s father called
all the family around his bed, aud said
to each : “ Meet me in heaven.”
“These words,” said General Cobb to
Judge Jackson, soon after the war
closed, “have followed me through all
the changing scenes of my life, but I
waut to confess to you what I’ve never
acknowledged before to any one —not
even to the wife of my bosom. I would
like to believe and live as did my
father, and I would like to die as he
died, but I cannot comprehend or be
lieve that the Great God of the Uni
verse, the Master of Heaven, the Sun,
Moon and Stars, could have become a
little child a boy and a man.” After
some farther conversation they sepa
rated for the night.
The next day Judge Jackson met the
Hon. W. Hope Hull, now of your city,
aud told him of General Cobb’s views,
and asked him if he could suggest any
book which would likely aff -rd conclu
sive proof of Christ’s divinity. Mr.
Hull said he knew the very book, and
he named the Christ of History.
This book was placed in Gen. Cobb’s
hands, and by him carefully read ; so
soon as he finished its study, yes, he
studied it, he went to his office, (J udge
Jackson was then a law partner of the
General’s) and said to Judge Jackson
“I do believe that Christ is God, the
Savior of sinners, and my Savior, and
if there is any church that will receive
a man so unworthy as I am, I will join
it at once. Soon after this conversation
he made application and was received
into the Baptist Church in Macon by
Rev. E. W. Warren now pastor of the
First Baptist church of Atlanta.
Ex-Judge W. F. Wright made a
ten minutes talk. Among other
things he said, “You all know me;
you know what my manner of life
has been for years past; you know the
places I once visited; the society I
formerly mixed with. Five months
ago “I was born again.” Have any of
you seen me at the places I once fre
quented; or with society I once sought?
No. My evenings are now spent in the
service of my Redeemer, or with my
own family. Am I not altogether a dif
ferent man? I appeal to you who know
me, could any human agency have
wrought this change?
Am not Ia living monument of the
power of Christ to save all who will
come to Him for salvation ? I call upon
all who hear me to believe upon Christ
“for the very work's sake.” The Judge
is one of the most zealous workers
among the laymen of Atlanta, and is
doing much good. It is out of your
reporter’s line of business to find fault,
but the singing in the meetings now
going on in Dr. Harrison’s church is
such a miserable failure that somebody
ought to publish it, so that some
body else may improve it. Dr.
Harrison has long been recognized
as administer of profound knowledge
and unsurpassed eloquence, and now
his hearers pronounce him the equal
of Rev. Joseph Styles of the Presby
terian church as a revivalist. There is
a deep religious influence going out
from those meetings, and though in the
Methodist church, other denominations
are heartily co-operating in the service,
some times Baptists lead, sometimes
Presbyterians, and sometimes otber
denominations. Wingfield.
The Athens Daily Paper.
The daily edition of the Athens Geor
gian has been discontinued for the waut
of adequate support, after forty-one
days struggle. It has held out about
as long as we supposed it would. A
town with less than ten thousand In
habitants will not support a daily
paper. A smaller town has never been
known to do it well. But “new men”
at the journalistic bellows must always
make the effort to publish dailies in
small towns before they can be con
vinced they “can’t do it.” No amount
of reasoning from experience will they
listen to. “Experience is a dear school,”
etc., as old Ben Franklin wrote, and
amateur journalists mu9t pay the
price. The weekly Georgian will be
continued, and we wish our friend
Carlton well. Whenever he sees old
man Christy “fixing up” for a daily,
he may be convinced that Athens is
ready for the enterprise. He has as
clear an idea of what Athens can do in
the journalistic line as any one, and he
doubtless would be glad to publish a
daily if the town could support it. Now
let brother Carlton stick to “well
enough,” and we shall wish him great
prosperity. He is a good fellow, and
we like him. — [Rome Courier.
On Thursday night Allen Womack
and Green Cofield, two negroes, had a
difficulty uear Antioch, in which Wo
mack killed Cofield with a knife.
Womack, after the murder, made his
escape. A party consisting of two
whites and several negroes, went in
search of him, and on Saturday night
surrounded a house, several miles be
yond the Alabama line, in which they
knew he was concealed. One of the
white men, named Shepherd, entered
the house and found Womack. He
refused to be arrested, cut Shepherd
severely on the arm, and was pressing
him into a corner when Shepherd shot
him with a gun and killed him.
AUGUSTA, GA.. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 31, 1875
LETTER FRO* ATLANTA.
The Gate City’s Progress and Her
Needs—The Treasurer’s Trouble —
That Tea Party—New Societies—
Dots.
[From our Regulai Correspondent ]
Atlanta, November 19th, 1875.
Occupying, as she does, an envious
position in the front rank of Southern
cities, and growing, as she is, with a
widening, swelling, far-reaching growth,
Atlanta needs pruning and shaping. To
the left or right, beautiful buildings
rear their bricky heads and present a
business picture really enchanting,
when you remember that she is only
ten years old. Fitted with all the
modern improvements, and richly
dove-tailed with an ever-springing,
ever-buoyant, ever-spiritful energy,
and capstoned with marvelous enter
prise, there are yet adjuncts to be
sought for that will make her as
she is destined to be, the New
York of the South, Some of these
essentials can only be brought about by
the lavish hand of wealth and the
measured circles of time. Rome was
not built iu a minute, neither can we
expect Atlanta to spring forth from an
ashy chaos to perfection; but in her
present condition—a city full of people,
a built-up territory spreading like rip
ples on a lake, and a great business
growing greater daily—she needs and
must have a market-house, a work
house and a couple of bridges. The
first is an absolute necessity, the second
a great want, and the third would be a j
blessing. It is thought all of these will
be built in two years, If such could
be the case, we could then invite you to !
Atlanta and feel doubly proud in show
ing you the sights. .’Tis a consumma
tion devoutly to be wished.
THE TREASURY FUSS.
Nothing of importance lias been
made known forninst this trouble. Col.
Jones’ friends are sauguine of squaring
matters to the proprr trueness within
the limit prescribed. The action of
Gov. Smith seems to, meet with ap
proval from the fact that it was a per
formance of duty, and a precaution
looking to the best interests of the
State; and whilst ii looked hard on
Jones, his best friends could not urge
a single objection when the action was
rightly and coolly considered. It is to
be hoped that matters are not so bad
after all, and that the even tenor of
things may go on undisturbed.
THE TEA PARTY.
This unique affair, given for the
benefit of the Young Men’s Library,
promises to be one of the neatest,
sweetest and most delightful entertain
ments ever given in this city. I have
described the modus operandi in a
previous letter. A gentleman of Phila
delphia has presented to the Presby
terian table a Parisian bronze statuette
of Sir Walter Raleigh. This piece will
be voted to the most, popular President
of the Association. One young lady
will appear on the occasion iu a silk
dress that was the bridal dress of her
great-great-grandmo- her in 1775.
NEW SOCIETIES.
It is now proposed to organize a
dramatic association aud a literary
society in the city, The first named
can be organized at once, as there is
sufficient talent of the kiud here to
give a performance that would startle
even a professional. Among the per
sons who would compose the literary
society are named: Mrs. M. E. Bryan,
of the Sunny South; Prof. Wm. Henry
Peck, Gen. A. G. Gariington, Col. Jas.
D. Stewart, Marcus A. Bell, Mrs. West
moreland, Judge Biekely, Cbas. W.
Hubner aud a host o:i newspaper men,
reporters and correspondents. A
society of this kiud, composed of the
above members, would soon vie with
tho Young Mens’ Library Association
in strength and numbers.
ANOTHER GOLD MINE
has been prospected, and Gen. Burnes,
Dr. Sam. Hape and Mr. Andrew Bates
have organized a company with $20,-
000, and have commenced mining ope
rations in earnest. The mine is situate
iu Douglass county and is said to be a
rich one. Is Georgia to be an El Do
rado ? Yerily, the yellow wealth crops
out In good spots, and there is no tell
ing how much genuine richness we
walk over with our plebeian shoes.
UNITED REFORMERS.
The mechanics hero are organizing a
lodge of the above on ler. It is adapted
to the working man as granges to far
mers. Its object is to reduce and sys
tematize prices of necessaries, moral
elevation, etc. The order originated
in the West, I believe, and is meeting
with much favor throughout the coun
try. It claims to bo impregnable to
politics and cannot be used for any
other purpose than its stated object.
Quite a number of the mechanics here
are moving towards the immediate or
ganization of a lodge, and hope to reap
great benefits. They say that it will
kill the grocer’s protective association
and all other combinations militating
against the working man’s interests.
It would no doubt prove a strong force,
and may accomplish some good. Noth
ing like trying it, you know, even if wo
doubt its practicability. The order will
bo carried into every city of the South.
SQUIBS.
John Bard—out-gone.
The Royal Japs are to perform here
next week. They are under the man
agement of Fred. Berger, of the Ber
ger Family Bell Ringoxs.
It cost a young man five dollars to
pucker his month for the usual whistle
in our Opera House gallery.
Colonel Sawyer, of the Evening Com
monwealth, is to take charge of the
Rome Courier, next month. The Col.
is a gladiator among tho Romans.
The foundations for the custom
house, of rock and -cement, will cost
about six thousand dollars.
The burly burglar bamboozles bed
rooms of the bourgeoisie and picks
the plethoric pockets of the proud pa
tricians here-away. The city is full of
them aud they are like the rest of
Atlanta people, deucedly enterprising
The weather is gloomy. Rain to-day
and fog at night. Mud is rampant.
Martha. .
■ m ——
“Victim”—Yes, women are unrea
sonable, and you may have remarked
that when one of them sits down in a
new silk dress on a chair where a neigh
bor’s child has carelessly deposited two
cent’s worth of taffy, she will go on
about it just as bad as if it wore two
dollar’s worth.
A Scranton physician has removed
half of a patient’s tongue successfully.
Alleiitown Chronicle. That’s good. Wo
have just eight cents that says that if
that physician will come to Easton
and remove half the tongue that gets
after us about two o’clock every morn
ing, ho shall ride in a coach with six
horses if he has any aspirations that
way. —Easton Free Press,
EDGAR A. POE.
REMINISCENCES OF THE POET.
Hon. J. H. B. Latrobe’s Address—Hia
First Meeting With a Child of
Genius—Poe’s Personal Appearance
and Extraordinary Eloquence.
[Baltimore Sun’s Report. |
About the year 1832 there was a
newspaper in Baltimore called The Sat
urday Visitor, an ephemeral publication
that aimed at amusing its readers with
light literary productions rather than
the news of the day. One of the efforts
was to procure original tales, and to
this end it offered on this occasion two
prizes, ono for the best story and the
other for the best short poem—one
hundred dollars for the first and fifty
dollars for the last. The judges ap
pointed by the editor of the Visitor
were the late John P. Kennedy, Dr.
James H. Miller, now deceased, and
myself, and accordingly we met one
pleasant afternoon in the back parlor
of my house iu Mulberry street, and
seated round a table, garnished with
some old wine and some good cigars,
commenced our critical labors. As I
happened then to be the youngest of tho
three, I was required to open the pack
ages of prose and poetry respectively,
and read the contents. Alongside of
me was a basket to hold what we might
reject.
I remember well that the first pro
duction taken from the prose pile was
in a woman’s hand, written very dis
tinctly, as, indeed, were all the articles
submitted, and so neatly that it seem
ed a pity not to award it the prize. It
was ruthlessly criticised, however, for
it was ridiculously bad—namby-pamby
in the extreme—full of sentiment, and
of the school then known as the Laura
Matilda school.
The next piece I have no recollection
of, except that a dozen lines consigned
it to the basket. I remember tiiat the
third, perhaps the fourth production,
was recognized as a translation from
the French, with a terrific denouement.
It was a poor translation, too, for, fall
ing into literal accuracy, the writer had
in many places followed the French
idioms. The story was not without
merit; but the Sir Fretful Plagiary of
a translator described the charge of
Sheridan in the Critic of being like a
beggar who had stolen another man’s
child and clothed it with his own rags.
Of the remaining productions I have
no recollection. Some were condemned
after a few sentences had been read.
Some were laid aside for reconsidera
tion—not many. These last failed to
pass muster afterwards, and the com
mittee had about made up their minds
that there was nothing before them to
which they would award a prize, when
I noticed a small quarto-bound book
that had until then accidentally es
caped attention, possibly because so
unlike, externally, the bundles of manu
script that it was to compete with.
Opening it, an envelope, with a motto
corresponding with one in the book,
appeared, and we found that our prose
examination was still incomplete. In
stead of the common cursive manu
script, the writing was in Roman char
acters—an imitation of printing.
I remember that, while reading the
first page to myself, Mr. Kennedy and
the doctor had filled their glasses and
lit their cigars, and when I said that
wo seemed, at last, to have a prospect
of awarding the prize, they laughed as
though they doubted it, and settled
themselves in their comfortable chairs,
as I began to read. I had not pro
ceeded far before my colleagues became
as much interested as myself. The
first tale finished, I went to the second,
then to the next, and did not stop
until I had gone through the volume,
interrupted only by such exclamations
as “capital!” “excellent!” “how
odd!” and tho like, from my compan
ions. There was genius iu everything
they listened to ; there was no uncer
tain grammar, no feeble phraseology,
no ill-placed punctuation, no worn-out
truisms, no strong thought elaborated
into weakness. Logic aud imagination
were combined in rare consistency.
Sometimes the writer created in his
mind a world of his own, and then de
sei ibed it—a world so wierd,so strange—
“ Far down in the dim lake of Auber.
In the misty mid-region of Wier;
Ear down by the dank tarn of Auber,
In the ghoul-haunted woodland of Wier,”
and withal, so fascinating, so wonder
fully graphic, that it seemed for the
moment to have all tho truth of a re
ality. There was an analysis of com
plicated facts— an unraveling of cir
cumstantial evidence that won the
lawyer judges—an amount of accurate
scientific knowledge that charmed
their accomplished colleague—a pure
classic diction that delighted all three.
When the reading was completed
there was a difficulty of choice. Por
tions of the tales were read again, and
finally the committee selected “A MS.
Tound in a Bottle.” One of the series
was called V A Descent into the Mael
strom,” and this was at one time pre
ferred. I cannot now recall the names
of all the tales. There must have been
six or eight. But all the circumstances
of the selection ultimately made have
been so often referred to iu conversa
tion that my memory has been kept
fresh, aud I see my fellow-judges over
their wine and cigars in their easy
chairs—both genial, hearty men, in
pleasant mood—as distinctly now as
though I were describing an event of
jesterday.
Having made the selection and
awarded the one hundred dollar prize,
not, as has been said most unjustly
and ill-naturedly, because the manu
script was legible, but because of the
unquestionable genius and great origi
nality of the writer, we were at liberty
lo open the envelope that identified
lim, and there we found in the note,
whose motto corresponded with that
of the little volume, the name, which I
see you anticipate, of Edgar Allan Poe.
The statement in Dr. Griswold’s life,
prefixed to the common edition of Poe’s
vorks, that “it was unanimously de
rided by the committee that the prize
should be given to the first genius who
lad written legibly—not another manu
script was unfolded,” is absolutely un
irue.
Refreshed by this most unexpected
change in the character of the contri
butions, the committee refilled their
glasses aud relit their cigars, and the
reader began upon the poetry. This,
Although better in the main than the
prose, was bad enough, and when we
had gone more or less thoroughly over
ihe pile of manuscript, two pieces only
were deemed worthy of consideration.
The title of one was “The Coliseum,”
the wiitten printing of which told that
it was Poe’s. The title of the other I
have forgotten, but upon opening the
Accompanying envelope we found that
the author was Mr. John H. Hewitt,
still living in Baltimore, and well
known, I believe, in the musical world,
both as a poet and composer. I am
not prepared to say that the committee
may not have been biased in awarding
the flfty-dollar prize to Mr. Hewitt by
the fact that they had already given
the SIOO prize to Mr. Poe. I
recollect, however, that we agreed that
under any circumstances the excellence
of Mr. Hewitt’s poem deserved a re
ward, and we gave the smaller prize
to him with clear consciences.
I belive that, up to this time, not one
of the committee had ever seen Mr.
Poe, and it is my impression that I
was the only one that had ever heard
of him. When his name was read I
remembered that on one occasion Mr.
William Gwynn, a prominent member
of the bar of Baltimore, had shown me
the very neat manuscript of a poem
called “A1 Aaraaf,” which he spoke of
as indicative of a tendency to any
thing but the business of matter of
fact life. Those of my hearers who
are familiar with the poet’s works, will
recollect it as one of his earlier pre
dictions. Although Mr. Gwynn, besides
being an admirable lawyer, was noted
as the author of wise and witty epi
grams in verse, “A1 Aaraaf” was not
in his vein, and what he said of the
writer had not prepared me for the
productions before the committee. His
name, I am sure, was not at the time a
familiar one.
Tho next number of the Saturday
Visitor contained the “MS. Found in a
Bottle,” and announced the author.
My office iu those days was in the
building still occupied by the Me
chanics’ Bank, aDd I was seated at my
desk on the Monday following tho pub
lication of the tale, when a gentleman
entered and introduced himself, saying
that he came to thank mo, as one of
the committee, for the award in his
favor. Of this interview, the only one
I ever had with Mr. Poe, my recollec
tion is very distinct indeed, and it re
quires but a small effort of imagination
to place him before me now as plainly
almost as I see any one of my audience.
He was, if anything, below the middle
size, and yet could not be described as
a small man. His figure was remark
ably good, and he carried himself erect
and well, as one who had been trained
to it. He was dressed in black, and his
frockcoat was buttoned to the throat,
where it met the black stock, then
almost universally worn. Not a par
.ticle of white was visible. Coat, hat
boots and gloves had very evidently
seen their best days, but so far as
meuding and brushing could go every
thing had been done apparently
to make them presentable. On most
men his clothes would have looked
shabby aud seedy, but there was some
thing about this man that prevented
one from criticising his garments, and
the details I have mentioned were only
recalled afterwards. The impression
made, however, was that the award in
Mr. Poe’s favor was not inopportune.
Gentleman was written all over him.
His manner was easy and quiet, aud
although he came to return thanks for
what he regarded as deserving them,
there was nothing obsequious in what
be said or did. His features lam able
to describe in detail. His forehead was
high and remarkable for the great de
velopment at the temple. This was the
characteristic of his head, which you
notice at once, and which I have never j
forgotten. The expression of his face
was grave, almost sad, except when he
was engaged in conversation, when it
became animated and changeable. His
voice, I remember, was very pleasing
in its tone, and well modulated, almost
mythical, and his words were well cho
sen and unhesitating. Taking a seat,
wo conversed awhile on ordinary topics,
and he informed me that Mr. Kennedy,
my colleague on the committee,on whom
he had already called, had either given
or had promised to give him a letter to
the Southern Literary Messenger, which
he hoped would procure him employ
ment. I asked whether he was then oc
cupied with any literary labor. He re
plied that he was engaged in a “voyage
to the moon,” and at once went into a
somewhat learned disquisition of the
laws of gravity, the height of the
earth’s atmosphere, and tho capacities
of balloons, warming in his speech as
he proceeded. Presently, speaking in
the first person, he began the voyage,
after describing the preliminary ar
rangements, as you will find them set
forth in one of his tales called “The
Adventures of One Hans Pfall,” and
leaving the earth, and becoming more
and more animated, he described his
sensations as he descended higher and
higher, until, at last, he reached the
point in space where the moon’s attrac
tions overcame that of the earth, when
there was a sudden bouleversement of
the car and a great confusion among
its tenants.
By this time the speaker had become
so excited, spoke so rapidly, gesticula
ting much, that wheu the turn upside
down took place, and he clapped his
hands and stamped with his foot, by
way of emphasis, I was carried along
with him, and, for aught to the contra
ry that I now remember, may have
fancied myself the companion of his
aerial journey. The climax of the tale
was the reversal I have mentioned.
When he had finished his description
he apologised for his excitability, which
he laughed at himself. The conversa
tion then turned upon other subjects,
and soon afterwards lie took his leave.
I never saw him more, Dr. Griswold’s
statement “ that Mr. Kennedy accom
panied him (Poe) to a clothing store
and purchased for him a respectable
suit, with a change of linen, and sent
him to a bath,” is a shenfcfabricatioo.
What I heard of him again and
again, year after year, is common with
all English-speaking people, more and
more, it is unnecessary to say, heard
of him in terms of praise sometimes—
sometimes iu terms of censure, as we
all have done, until now, that he has
passed away, leaving his fame behind
him to last while our language lasts. I
have grown to think of him only as the
author who gave to the world “ The
Raven,” and “ The Bells,” and many a
gem, beside, of noble verse, who illus
trated the power of the English tongue
in prose composition, not less logical
than imaginative, and I forget the
abuse, whether with or without founda
tion, that ignorance, prejudice or envy
has heaped upon his memory. Unfor
tunately, in the first biography follow
ing his death, where the author, with a
temper difficult to understand, actually
seemed to enjoy his depreciation of the
poet’s life, Edgar Allan Poe was seen
by a malignant eye, and his story was
told by an unkindly tongue, and the
efforts since made by friends to do him
justice are slowly succeeding in demon
strating that there was in him an
amount of good which, in all fairness,
should be set off against that which
we must regret while we attempt to
palliate.
To Foe there well may be applied the
verse of one of the most gifted of our
poetesses, addressed to a great name
in a very different sphere :
“The moss upon thy memory, no!
Not while one noto is rung
Of those divine, immortal lays
Milton and Hhakspeare sung;
Not till tho gloom of night enshrouds
The Anglo-Saxon tongue.”
New Series —Vol. 28, No. 91
THE SPHINX’S RIDDLE.
GRANT'S POLICY FOR A THIRD
TERM.
The President’s Craft and Ability—
His Remarkable Career and Future
Prospects.
[Philadelphia Tiroes.)
The evidences of Grant’s purpose to
make himself a candidate for another
Presidential term multiply so rapidly,
that he must be blind, indeed, who
rejects the conclusion that there must
be a desperate conflict within the
Republican party before the third term
ambition shall be defeated. It has been
only too common for both political
friends and foes of the President to
underrate the man. He is not. of the
ordinary mould ; none of the spawns
of fortunate mediocrity. In states
manship ho is a novice, nor does he
deny or regret it. It is not his ambition,
nor does he deem it a matter of public
duty to master the breadth and
depth of what the world has deemed
the first 1 essential to successful govern
ment. He believes that statesmanship
is very good in its way, very handy to
have about the house; provided, al
ways, that it does not get too trouble
some ; but it is not in his line; he
could not master it if he would, and he
would not if he could. He ruled great
armies by general orders, and that he
understands. He has ruled the Repub
lican party in the same way, and why
should ho defer to statesmanship when
statesmen have been compelled either
to bow to his commands or be
broken on the wheel of his dis
pleasure ? He can point to a Sumner,
a Schurz, a Greeley, a Trumbull, a Cur
tin, a Banks, a Grow, a Fenton, and a
score of others who dreamed that there
should come an era of statesmanship
to supplant the arrogance of personal
rule, and who dreamed only to fall
before the victorious hosts who sus
tained the autocratic President. But
while he contemptuously discards
statesmanship, alike in himself and in
his Cabinet, an essential attribute to
successful government, ho has more
method in his conviction than is gener
ally believed. He is great as a soldier,
and greatest because he is unliko all
his fellows in the field. Sherman
has more genius; Sheridan could sur
pass him in combined strategy and as
sault,and Thomas was a reproach to him
inasmuch as he never lost a battle,
never made a military mistake, and
never needlessly sacrificed the life of a
soldier; but he was a very Colossus in
leading an army though its own blood
to substantial victory. He was assign
ed the task of destroying Lee, and Lee
testified to the inexorable purpose of
his assailant at Appomattox. It mat
tered not how many had fallen in the
march, the rebellion was overthrown
by the final discomfiture of Lee. When
repulsed at Vicksburg, or in Virginia,
the one thing that he never thought of
was retreat, and when his ranks were
thinned he called for recruits. And he
won.
He has been for nearly seven years in
a position that he regards as simply
the commander-in-chief of the Repub
lican party, with the administration of
the general Government in his hands as
an incident of that command. He was
called to it without his active partici
pation in the political strategy that
made him a candidate. It is due to
him to say that he had to reconsider
a settled purpose that forbade him
leaving the life-estate of the General
ship of the Army for the doubtful
honor and certain vexation of the
Presidency. He did not seek the office.
His tastes, his ambition disinclined
him to civil trust. And he had to de
cide the embarrassing question of a
Republican or a Democratic nomina
tion when he began to entertain the
dream of the White House. He was a
Democrat by a instinct, by conviction,
be the associations of a lifetime, and
he was averse to Republican policy.
He certified the Southern people within
the wishes of President Johnson in his
early contest with Congress, and ac
cepted the Secretaryship of War, upon
the removal of Stanton, in entire ac
cord with the views and purposes of
the then President. How he came to
think and act otherwise will probably
never be told, and it will be fortunate
for the nation if the chapter
shall forever remain unwritten.—
But he did accept the Republican
proffer to give him the Presidency, and
was elected. He brought to the highest
civil trust the will, the tastes, the
imperious tone of the head-quar
ter’s tent, and Republicans learned
that the party might have wishes,
but the wishes of the President
were ever paramount, and it was idle
to complain. In 1872 many of his
ablest political lieutenants fell out of
his line, but he called for Democratic
recruits and got them. He won—not
his party, but himself, as he then
believed and as he still believes, and
he has ruled nearly another term with
out relaxing his personal domination in
the least degree. He heard the
mutterings against a third term,
and was silent; he was pleaded
with, but .was unmoved, and in his
unimpassioned way he plodded on to
ward the summit of his ambition. Even
when the thunders of the people swell
ed up to the overthrow of his party in
two-thirds of the States of the Union,
he answered the trembling leaders who
begged for his declination, that the
third term had nothing to do with It,
and that another nomination of himself
might be a necessity to save the party,
as it was in 1868 and 1872. But the
party leaders could not stand a repe
tition of defeats, and New Hampshire,
Connecticut and Pennsylvania spoke
most pointedly against a third term,
and then he broke his silence, wrote
the white letter to win the applause of
the galleries, but set in the oasket
offered to the people the office
holders’ jewel of a reservation in favor
of public duty that even Washington
did not deem necessary when he de
clined a third terra. It was a cunning
letter-one of Grant’s many most
shrewd and far-seeing political acts,
and it served its purpose. It retired
Grant from view as a mill-stone upon
the party, and the organs r ' orators
of the party declared his declination to
be sincere and absolute. When the
battle became desperate between his
ungrateful party and its enemy, he
chose a most auspicious hour to come
as the Blucher of the contest and save
Hayes in Ohio by a speech of sublime
cunning and effrontery at Des Moines,
oq the school question. It was
the master political stroke of
Grant’s career, and it was given
not a day too soon, nor a day too
late. It was no fortunate blunder. It
was the offspring of Grant himself,
oalmly considered as to time, and place
and matter, and it was a plank thrown
out to a demoralized and sinking party
that saved it from destruction; and
when the November elections were
over he grasped the twin-issue of the
school question and hurled a thunder
To Advertisers and Subscribers.
On AMD AITEB this date (April 21, 1875.) all
editions of the Constitutionalist will be sent
iree of postage.
Adybetisements must be paid for when han
ded in, unless otherwise stipulated.
Announcing or suggesting Candidates fot
office, 20 cents per line eaon insertion.
Monet maybe r?mittedatour risk by Express
or Postal Order.
Cobbespondenck invited from all sources,
and valuable special news paid for If used.
Rejected Communications will not be re
turned. and no notice taken of anonymous
letters, or articles written on both sides.
of defiance against the dilapidated “rag
baby,” as he practically said: “ I will
run in 1876 in favor of hard money and
free schools.” He has gathered up his
distracted party when almost in[ the
jaws of defeat; he has made his own
issues; he has fashioned a Cabinet to
suit his pretentions; he has inspired or
gans with patronage and silenced hostile
criticism by purchase, and he means to
be the Republican candidate for Presi
dent, and when he means it he means
it to some purpose. “Mr. Grant is a
very obstinate man,” said the estima
ble lady who ought to know him best,
and Republicanism may as well at once
gird up its loins either to fight another
battle under Grant or make a most
desperate and doubtful battle for a
new leadership. Forney ? s Washington
Chronicle tells the story, and the Press
and the organs generally will bow
obediently. The true inwardness of
the Grant administration is now open
as noon-day, and it is to be Grant or a
Democrat for next President.
GEORGIA GENERAL NEWS.
A horse fell into an unfinished well
in Elberton forty feet deep, and was
killed.
A soldier in Atlanta was fined $25 for
whistling and stamping at an opera
house performance.
The Macon Telegraph contains everj r
day an account of several burglaries
committed the previous night.
Anew military company of sixty, has
been formed in the Sixty-eighth Dis
trict, and another of eighty in Lawtou
ville.
The alligator killed by Dr. Little’s
party in the Okefenokee swamp has
reached Atlanta, and may be seen at
the office of the State Geologist.
Col. B. F. Sawyer, editor and pro
prietor of the Atlanta Commonwealth,
has accepted an offer to go to Rome
and take charge of the Rome Courier.
It is thought that either Col. D. S.
Piintup or Col. T. W. Alexander will be
elected to succeed Hon. J. W. Wofford
as Senator from the Forty-second.
There is a band of Gypsies in Rome.
There are, counting men, women and
children, some twelve or fifteen souls
in this band. Their principle business
seems to be swapping horses and tell
ing fortunes.
Mr. John Bard has been released
from jail. His friends were at last suc
cessful in raising his SSOO fine and
costs, and the amount was paid over
to the sheriff. Mr. Bard left with his
father for Montgomery, Alabama.
Messrs. Wilder & Cos., of Savannah,
cleared the American ship Union, Cap
tain Greenleaf, for Liverpool Friday,
with 3,226 bales upland cotton, weigh
ing 1,470,302 pounds, and valued at
$188,448.85.
•Henry Sauls and a young man by the
name of Rogers attacked Thomas
Downing in Dooly county and beat him
to death. Liquor was at the bottom of
the killing. Sauls and Rogers fled
from the county.
Colonel Thomas F. Lowe, an old
resident of Atlanta, and at one time
Mayor of the city, died at Mt. Airy, on
the Air-Line Railroad Road, Thursday
night, of inflammation of the stomach.
His remains will reach here at 9:40 a.
m., and be interred iu Oakland ceme
tery. Colonel Lowe was over sixty
years of age.—Constitution.
An interesting trial is now progress
ing in Cobb Superior Court. On the
24th day of November, 1874, Michael S.
Wheelan, of Marietta, was stabbed by
W. B. Carnes and subsequently died.
Carnes claims that he did the stabbing
because he was fearful Wheelan would
shoot him. There is quite an array of
legal talent on both sides.
Enough companies have assented to
the Columbus City Light Guards’ pro
position to form a regiment from Geor
gia. Whether they go to the Centen
nial or not, all are in favor of having a
general eneampment next Spring at
some central point, most probably at
Macon, There It Is proposed to elect
the necessary field officers, and decide
definitely upon the excursion to Phila
delphia.
A correspondent of the Greensboro
Home Journal, in reviewing the last
State Fair, says : “If Gen. Colquitt
wants to know what farmers think,
just say to him that since he ran his
machine without taxing your city peo
ple or our country people, and used
such economy iu all of its details, and
paid all expenses and made money,
we are perfectly willing that he should
be the next occupant of the Governor’s
mansion.”
THE SAVANNAH RACE.
An Augusta Horse Wins.
The weather being pleasant, there
was quite a large attendance at Thun
derbolt Park Course Friday after
noon to witness the trotting race for a
purse of $250, iu which Savannah, Au
gusta and Jacksonville horses were en
tered. The race was conducted under
the auspices of a committee of the Sa
vannah Jockey Club, and was mile
heats, best three in five, to harness.
The entries were as follows :
M. J. Doyle entered b. g. Faugha
ballagh.
P. Somers entered g. g., Robin Hood.
W. H. Avery entered b. g., Sleepy
Joe.
C. W. Fields entered s. g., David
Crocket.
C. Kennedy entered b. m., Maud.
J. W. Crawford entered g. g., Sand
Hill.
About half-past three o’clock the
horses were started, and a good heat
was the result—Sand Hill taking the
honors In 2:51 % ; Robin Hood second,
Sleepy Joe third, David Crocket fourrh,
Maud fifth, Faughaballagh last.
The second heat was won by Robin
Hood In 2:57)4, with Sand Hill second,
Sleepy Joe third, David Crockett
fourth, Maud last, Faughaballagh dis
tanced.
The third heat was also taken by
Robin Hood in 2.52, with Sand Hill,
David Crockett, Sleepy Joe and Maud
in the order named.
The interest in the race began to in
crease and bets were freely offered with
heavy odds that Sand Hill, the Augusta
nag, would win the next two heats.
Some small bets were taken, but there
was not a general disposition mani
fested to “invest.”
The horses were called for the fourth
heat, and a good start was effected,
Sand Hill winning in 2:42, the best
time made, and distancing all his com
petitors.
SUMMARY.
Sand Hill 1 2 2 1
Robin Hood 2 1 l dis
Sleepy Joe —3 3 4 dis
Pavia Crockett .4 4 3 dls
Maud ...5 5 5 dis
Faughaballagh 6 dis.
Time-2:51%, 2;57% 2:52, 2:42.
[News,