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ESTABLISHED i799.(NEw i 8EB I If;E f ; SOUTH CAROLINA. Hampton’s Inauguration—The Dem ocratic House and Senators Still bal loting for U. S. Senator—General Butler will Probably be the Choice The Senate and Mackey House to Adjourn Sine Die on the 22d Inst. (Special to Constitutionalist.)' Colombia, December 13, 1876. The Democratic Hoqse and Senators balloted for Senator : to-day, without result. The balloting will continue each day until an election. Indications favor Geu. M. C. Butler. The vote for Governor will be can vassed and declared to-morrow, on the basis of certified duplicates cf returns ia the hands of the Secretary of State. Hampton’s inauguration will take place to morrow afternoon. A concurrent resolution passed the Senate and Mackey House to-day to adjourn sine die on December 22d. The reasons for this move are unknown. It is probably actuated by either a want of money, fear of dissolution by the defection of members to the Demo cratic Assembly,or hopeless of success, or a desire to so embarrass the whole affair as to retain the present adminis tration on a de facto basis. The Congressional Committee is do ing good service. C. MoK. [By the Associated Press.] Counting of the Vote for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor by the Democratic House. Columbia, December 13.—The Demo cratic House to-day passed a resolu tion to count the votes for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor to-morrow, at two o’clock, p. in. The resolution was communicated to the Senate. There was another ballot for United States Senator by the Democrats to-day, but no choice. The Senate and Republi can House, in joint session, declared the election of D, T. Col bin as United States Senator. FLORIDA. The Mandamus Casa to be Argued To-Day. Tallahassee, Dec. 13.—The commit tee divided into two committees, the republicans voting against the divis ion. Argument in the mandamus case will be heard to-morrow, and a decision reached this week. LOUISIANA. Wells Before the Congressional Com mittee. New Orleans, December 13.—The Weils Returning Board, before the Congressional Committee, declined an swering the questions denying the au thority of the Committee to interro gate him as to Returning Hoard mat ters. Morrison said they would not press questions. Wells stated if the Committee would employ eight clerks in addition to the clerical force of the Board all papers could soon be copied, and with them the Committee would have information as to the votes east in the State, and the evidence which prompted the action of the Board. Other members of the Returning Board were notified they would be examined hereafter. Other witnesses were ex amined as to the late elections, but nothing new or startling developed. AN ICE DRIFT. Considerable Damage to Shipping at St. Louis - Loss Estimated ats2oo,ooo. St. Louis, December IB.—Early yes terday a rush of ice from a point north of here forced itself upon the ice iu the harbor opposite the city, and carried it down stream with great rapidity, taking witlt it several strainers lying at the bauk in the southern part of the city. Tiie Fannie Keener sank oppo site the Arseuel, uud is probably a wreck. The Southern Belle and Jennie Baldwin also sank, but the 10-s is not heavy, both being small boats. Among others carried down are the Centennial, Alex. Mitchell, Minnesota. Biyard and Davenport. Later reports show that nearly all the boats of the Keokuk Northern Line, which were in winter Quarters and supposed to be secure from damage, were forced from tbeir moorings and carried down stream. The War Eagle and Golden Eagle, two large and valuable boats, were forced on shore in such a manner as to block the passage, and other boats crowded in aud caused a complete jam. The ice moved several lines during the afternoon and uigiit, and forced boats upon one another, doing great damage. The Centennial had almost all her upper works torn away and the Mitchell is crushed nearly to pieces. The Davenport was sunk and the Bay ard almost completely destroyed. The Rock Island, War Eagle, Goideu E igle and Andy Johnson were badTv dam aged. The Kobroy and Noithwestern, which were uninjured, raised steam, and the Red Wing and Minneapolis, with lumber barges, were pulled out and taken to the bar, about a quarter of a mile below the arsenal, where they were considered safe. At midnight it was thouuht the hulls of the Centen nial and Andy Johnson would be saved. The Golden Eagle aud War Eagle might be rescued in a very broken con dition. The Joss is roughly estimated at $200,000. There is no insurance on the boats of the Keokuk Northern I*h“. The Mitchell, War Eagie, Golden E igle and Andy Johuson belonged to the K°okuk line. The Ceuteuuial was owned by Thomas L. Davidson, and cost $40,000. LITER. St. Louis, December 13.- The steam er CVureunial, about four o’clock, re ported no other notable change since Mst night. All the boats previously mentioned are still wedged tightly to gether. When the goige breaks away ttmst of them will go down with it,and cither be wholly wrecked or damaged still more than they are now. ■ i Marine Disasters New York, December 13.—The schooner Lottie, of and from Philadel phia for Pawtucket, was towed here yesterday by the steamer Spain, hav -I°2 been found in distress. New York, December 13.—Arrived, schooner Fannie Pike, from Pensacola, bhe lost her deck load of 20,000 f ee t lumber during a gale November 29th. On December 9th, she lost and split sail*, which caused the vessel to leak. WASHf.VQXQN, December tal Service Observer reports th ■lahnie K. Shaw floated fuil- - of. watecr aQ d will leave for Norfolk in tow of a Wrecking tug. CONGRESSIONAL. Proceedings of the Two Houses Yes terday. \\ ashixgton, December 13,—1n the mnfjf ’ Mr - A . nth °ny. from the Com tPnot.,nß. reported a joint of i" ° Pnut 10 - 000 extra copies of the message or the President and accompanying documents in regard to the iate election in Louisiana. § Mr. Thurman objected to its present ““ i “ —* 3idirl\i* etUi i2 t i en rea umed the con ? of . the resolution of Mr. Mitchell, providing for au inquiry into appointment of the Oregon eiec the H °use, Bland’s silver bill is under consideration. V> ashingtqn, December 18.—The House, after a long debate, passed bv \ 157 5 “• the -JaS’fc? / n ut,l,7 f the Product of the gold and silver mines, commonly known as the silver bill. It contains one short provision for coinage of silver dollars of certain weight, which are to be legal tender for all debts, public or private umess where specially provided that payment shall be made iu gold. The House then took up the bill to make the Burlington and Missouri! River Railroad, in Nebraska, a branch i of the Union Pacific Railroad. Strong ! opposition to the bill was manifested on both sides of the House. Finally, on motion of Grover, of Missouri it was recommitted, which is regarded’ as tantamount to defeat. The Senate Committee on Printing reported favorably ou the motion to pnut 5,000 copies of the statement of the manner or counting the electoral: vote from 1789 to 1873, inclusive. Laid i over. Also, iu favor of printing 1 850 I copies of the President’s Louisiana | outrage message, which was laid over Also, to print 10,000 copies of the same ' document, which was laid over. Mitchell s resolution regarding Ore gon was discussed, with a view to strike from the preamble the words “reflecting on Grover,” without action. Edmunds’ amendment was resumed. Bogy made an elaborate argument against it. The amendment was re jected by a vote of 14 to 31. Yeas— Allison, Anthony, Blaine, Burnside, Conkling, Edmunds, Ferry, Freling huysen, Hamlin, Hitchcock,' Key, Mor rill, West and Wright. Executive session. Confirmation : Cochran, postmaster at Selma. FROM WASHINGTON. News and Gossip from the National Capital. Washington, December 13.—1 tis thought at the Wat Department that additional legislation is necessary to allow Eads his first installment on jetties. The Committee on Appropriations promises to take early action to pro vide for the liquidation and awards of the Mexican Claims Commission. Walhington, December 13.—The Committee on Privileges and Elections are taking testimony concerning Benj. Williamson, a New Jersey Democratic elector, who was a United States com missioner. Gov. Beebe and Secretary of State Kelse will be summoned. A. S. Brown, superintendent of the telegraph company at New York, and Capt. L. Wbitr.ey, manager of the Western Union Telegraph office here, are summoned before tne House Com mittee sitting at New Orleans, to pro duce certain telegrams sent by Secre tary Chandler pending the canvass of votes. The Seuate Investigating Com mittee has not yet called for the tele grams. Twenty-four and a half millions of silver has been exchanged for fractional and greenback currency. See section 3,836 revised statutes. It is claimed that neither Sollaee nor Watts has yet legally voided his tenure as Postmaster. INDIANA. Action of the Democratic State Cen tral Committee. Indianapolis, December 13.—The Democratic State Central Committee met. pursuant of a request from the Democratic electors, to consider a po litical situation. A number of promi nent politicians, including Gov. Hen dricks and State officers, were present, in addition to representatives from each Congressionol District. Ex-Cou gressuian Julian, who had been to Lou isiana, being called upon, gave his opinion that the election in that State had been as quiet and peaceable as in Indiana, and Tilden hr.d carried the State overwhelmingly. He hoped the Democrats would have pluck enough to stand up for their rights and meet the crisis now. He was satisfied we shall have no war. Gov. Hendricks was called on for his views, but the Chair man reminded the meeting of the im propriety of one so personally inter ested speaking at this time. Reports from all the Congressional Districts were made by Representa tives present, stating that the Demo crats of the Districts were convinced that Tilden had been legally elected, and demanded his inauguration. A resolution was adopted calling a con vention of people, regardless of past political oniuions at each county seat, December 23d, to select and instruct delegates to assemble iu State Conven tion, at Indianapolis, January Bth, to consider public affairs and take such action as will secure the full exe cution of the Constitution and laws, a commdtee being appointed to prepare an address to the people. GOVERNOR HAYES. He is Satisfied that He is Honestly Elected. New York, December 13.—A Herald sptcial from Ciucincati, says : Gover nor Hayes, iu conversation with one of the local Republican leaders here, said : “I have examined the situation carefully and thoroughly, aud besides have solicited and obtained the opin ions of the best constitutional lawyers of the country, and 1 am now satisfied that I have been honestly elected Pres ident of the United States aud am enti tled to the office, and I fully expect to be inaugurated as such.” The Gover nor is uarcicularlv careful to avoid ex pressing very decided opinions in the presence of correspondents, but this remark was made to a gentleman who vouches for its truth. With a view to ascertain the time that would be occupied in bringing an au ironclad into action, the Admiral ( om man ding the British fleet iu Biscay Bav r&behtlv “Turn Got Vdundett r -ib'.tfcaj'mHkJle of the night, wit bp itt-any pceyjfdii fiMWWr tQ JS*,or men. ■klftWle ship M cleared, and the first gun fired within seven minutes after the alarm. ~ Airvt frnn m.nt 0% .1 FOREIGN NEWS. Changes in the French Cabinet—The Eastern Question. Paris, December 13.—The appoint ment of M. Simon as President of the Council and Minister of the Interior, and M. Martel as Minister of Justice, vice M. Dufaure and Marcere, who re tire, is officially announced to-day. The Cabinet, therefore, remains as be fore the crisis, with the exception of the above mentioned changes. London, December 18.—A dispatch from Constantinople to Reuter’s Tele graph Company, says the absence of the Porte’s representative from the preliminary conferences creates an un favorable impression. The fact that Russia, an interested party, is permit ted to sit in judgment, is disgusting. Vienna, December 13.—A corres pondent of the Times states that con firmation comes from Constantinople that quite an unexpected aud marked ! approach has been effected between the views of Russia and England. This seems due, above all, to assurances given by Gen. Ignatieff concerning (be aims of the Russian policy. Berlin, December 13.—The Federal Diet has rejected eighteen articles of the judicial laws voted by Parliament, principally relating to jurisdiction over press offenses, compulsory evidence of editors, and the publication of public functionaries. Parliament will be no tified of the Diet’s action to- day. 3*hne, December 13.—M. Herr, Vice- President of the Federal Assembly, has been elected President of the Swiss Confederation for 1877, M. Schenck is uow Vice-President. THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE. A Card to the People of the United States. Rooms of the National Dem. Com., Washington, D. C., Dec. 13. 'To the Teople of the United States: The National Democratic Committee announce, as the result of the Presi dential election held on the 7th of No vember, tbe election of Samuel J, Til den, of New York, as President, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana, as Vice-President of the United States. We congratulate you on this victory for reform. It now only remains for the two houses of Congress, in the performance of their duty on the sec ond Wednesday in February next, to give effect to the will of the people thus expressed in the constitutional mode by a majority of the electoral votes, aud confirmed by a majority of all the States, as well as by an over whelming majority of all the people of tbe United States. By order or tho Executive Commit tee. Abram S. Hewitt, Chairman. Frederick O. Prince, Sec’v. NEW YORK ITEMS. A Fast Mail Route Through to all Southern Points. New York, December 13.—1 t is an nounced that arrangements have been made for the resumption of the fast mail over tho Pennsylvania Railroad. The mail will reach Washington from New York at one o’clock and two miu utes, and connect at Cincinnati with a fast train through to Nashville, Mobile, New Orleans and the whole South, A railway postofiice car will also be at tached to the 8:00 a. m. train, which will run through to St. Louis. This train will connect at Pniladelphia with trains through to Richmond, Va., giv ing dispaich to all mail matter ac cumulating after 4:35 a. m. and prior to its departure. A New York and Washington postal car will make through connections to the Southern seaboard States, aud will be dispatch ed at 6:00 p. m. At the quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Westeru Union Telegraph Company to-day, Geu. Aaron Stager, Superintendent of the Central Division at Chicago, was elected Vice-President of the company. A dividend of Yy v per cent, for the quarter ending December 31st has been declared. New York, December 13.—A meeting of bank officers, called by tbe Tax Committee of the Clearing House, was held to-day to devise means of procur ing a reduction of the present tax on banks. Philo C. Calhoun presided. The following resolution was unani mously adopted: Besotted, That, in the opinion of the associated banks ot this city, earnest efforts of banks throughout the coun try should be made in asking for relief from the unjust aud burdensome weight of taxation. Conference of General Freight Agents at St. Louis. St. Louis, December 13. —The Gene ral Freight Agent, of the Louisville and Nashvillo, Cairo and Vincennes, New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago, Mobile and Ohio, Cairo Short Line, and St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railroads held a conference here yes terday, with representatives of various steamboat lines running between here and New Orleans, for the purpose of adjusting winter freight rates. The meeting was harmonious, but the re sult bas not yet been made public. ■ ii An Aristocratic Scandal.— The great sensation of the week in London was the hearing of a divorce suit, all the parties to which move in the most aristocratic circles. Dermot Robert Wyndarn Burke, Earl of Mayo, son of tbe assassinated Viceroy of India, is a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, has a handsome face, a very fine phys ique, and is cnly twenty-six years of age. He succeeded in alienating the affections of the wife of Lord De la Zouche four months after her marriage. The lady is a daughter of Lord Sal toun, and ia but twenty-six years old. Iu October of last year, after a quarrel about the young guardsman’s attentions, Lady De la Zouche went out riding on horseback aud never re turned to her home. At the trial Mayo made no defense. Robert Nathaniel, Cecil Geo. Curzon, Baron De la Zouche, the injured husband, was born in July, 1851, and was, therefore, the same age us his rival. Decree nisi. A pole in the Pennsylvania oil region, one hundred aud fifty feet high, has a gas pipe running to the top and fed from a natural gas well, so that at night a huge flame can be seen at a great distance. In Paris there are contractors who pay the city $20,000 per annum for the privilege of keeping the streets clean. The work is done .under the. supervis ion of the municipal authorities, and the contractors are reimbursed by tfie. sate of the mud aha qiiafc, which wtm/1 manufactured into fertilizers Is said t§ yield $600,000 annually. AUGUSTA, GA.. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 187(5. GEORGIA NEWS. Dr. Edward P. Rogers, of Savannah, is dead. Atlanta has received 70,000 bales of cotton up to date. New and rich gold mines are being constantly discovered near Gainesville. Mr. F. W. Redwine was severely hurt at a fire in Gainesville a few weeks since. A torchlight procession in honor of Tilden’s election was had in Gaines ville on Tuesday night, the 12th. Mr. W. L. Baynon, of Savannah, died Monday last, Ha was with the house of W. H. Stark & Cos., of that city. Mr. A. D. Estill, brother of Mr. J. fl. E-itill, of the Savannah News, died in Aiken, Sbtrtlf Carolina, Monday morn ing. Jeff. Vaughn was badly cut in a row at Last Chance, near Gainesville. This may prove Jeff’s last chance at refor mation.'/, j j/ TI The wife of Mr. C. R. Hanleiter died in AtlantaSuuday last. Mr. H. is well known all over the State as a newspa per man. J. D. George, Independent, was elect ed Mayor of Griffin ou Wednesday, Most of the regular ticket for Aldermen were elected. The county tax for Fullton county is smaller ttian any county in the state, being only 22 cents on the hundred dollars. Mr. C. B. Rosser was married to Miss Ada Sams, of Covington, at the resi dence of Judge W. S. Lee, by Rev. O. L. Smith, ou the 6th iust. Butler Brown, a turbulant negro, was killed by another negro last week. The Telegraph thinks the loss to the coun try can be readily repaired. A thief has stolen the new boots of the editor of tho Gainesville Southron. Next to stealing Miss Buie’s shawl, we know of nothing more reprehensible. The Enterprise declares that candi dates are so numerous and so “touchous” 1 that a “squib” stirs them up us effectually as would a batteau paddle. We learn from the Reporter that the Quitman Factory was injured to the value of $1,500 or $2,000 last Tuesday by a fire which originated in the pantry room—it is thought from a match, in the cotton. The citizens of Gainesville held a meeting last. Saturday to confer with Mr. Halliday, of New York, who con templates removing a large manufac turing establishment from that city to Gainesville. It looks very muoh as if the darkies intend to capture the fair city of Amer icas at the ensuing charter election. They have registered 337 votes and the whites 183. Gen. Apathy is a danger ous leader. Mr. G. W. Dent, formerly of Tuske gee, Ala., was found dead in his bed, at his plantation five miles below Albauy, Ga., several days ago. The Albany News thinks it questionable whether lie committed suoide or was poisoned by someone else. The celebrated wolf of Irwin and Coffee counties, who had in two years killed five huudred head of sheep, aud for whom a reward of two huudred dollars was offered, was killed last Thursday morning in Irwin county by Mr. Jacob Fusseli. The Savannah News thinks that if all the cotton gins burned this season, numbering about sixty iu the State of Georgia, and most of them put down as incendiary, could speak it would ap pear that lucifer matches were the cause of nine-tenths of the casualties. The beaver business is assuming large proportions iu upper Georgia. Barney Holland caught a beaver on Richland creek, about a mile from Greensboro, last Saturday, which weighed fifty-eight pounds' This is the forty-seventh trapped by the old man this fall. Griffin News : Small & Smith in tho Telegram mourn for Styles, with whom they have parted company. We had hoped the revenues of this little daily would have been sufficient to have fur nished all three of these talented S’s with shirts, sugar and salt sufficient to supply their necessities. At the recent Methodist Conference, in Sparta, Bishop Pierce stated that a donation of $1,700 aud three shares of Central Railroad stock had been made to the Conference, aud he asked permission to transfer the railroad shares to the account of Emory Col lege. He was given the right to do so. Miss Sallie Brown, of Kentucky, be queathed $2,000 to tbe Georgia Con ference. Bishop Pierce was appointed as a commissioner Jo divide the sum betweeu the North Georgia and the South Georgia Conferences of the con nection. when the same will be turned over to the Conferences by the executor of the donor. Columbus Enquirer: A gentleman told us Wednesday that the first couple Rev. Dr. Lovick Pierce ever married was Colonel Seaborn Jones and wife in this city. Both are long since dead. He also married Major Jack Howard, a brother-in-law (we believe) of Colonel Jones, and the daughter of this union and Colonel Charles J. Williams, all of whom are in their graves. He also officiated at the marriage of the daughter of Colonel Williams and Capt. J. A. Cody, and she was buried in Co lumbus on Wednesday. Dr. Pierce has thus out-lived the three generations, at whose marriage he officiated, and still retains his wonderful physical aud mental faculties. He has passed his ninety-first birth day. Brother Woods, of the Hawkinsvillo IDispatch, is a great man and constant benefactor to the human race. He is now running tne “Potato Remedy for Rheumatism.” Read his last deliver ance on the subject: The item in a late issue of the Dispatch suggesting that persons afflicted with rheumatism would find a certain cure for the dis ease by carrying an Irish potato in the pocket, attracted the attention of sev eral of our readers. Among others who have tried the remedy is Mr. Mark Kemp, of the Third District of Dooly. He placed a potato in his pocket four weeks ago, and says he steadily im proved until the cold euap set in last Thursday. He then placed two pota toes in his pocket, concluding that if one potato would do some good, two potatoes would do more. Right there Mr. Kemp made a fatal mistake. We plainly recommended a potato. He failed to carry out the instuctlons, and the result is he has been growing worse for several days. Now, if a doctor should prescribe six pills as a dose for a particular disease, and the patient should go beyond the prescription and take twelve pills, whose fault would it ,bajf The ttt’ecfiiflne ghotrid over-do its THE LOUISIANA CRIME. THE TILDEN COMMISSION’S AD DRESS. Au Exhaustive Review' of the Crime of the Kellogg Return Board—An Eloquent and Patriotic Appeal to the American People. [Special Dispatch to Philadelphia Times.) Washington, December 10.— The ad dress of Governor Palmer, Judge Trumbull, Governor Bigler, George W. Julian, George B. Smith and P. H. Watson, the Tilden commissioners who attended the open sessions of the Kel logg Return Board in Louisiana, has just appeared, aud I transmit its main points from an advance 00*7 just re ceived. It is a pamphlet of seventeen pages, and reviews the law and facts of the case with singular clearness, and exposes the illegal and atrocious acts of the Kellogg Board with an unsparing hand. It is addressed to Hdn. Abram S. Hewitt, at whose request the com- missioners went to Louisiana after the President had selected only Republi cans to represent the administration. It opens with reference to and extracts from the Republican reports on the Kellogg frauds of 1872 and 1874, and presents concisely the law relating to the board, and disputes its jurisdiction entirely, as tho act of 1872, under which the board is created, omits all reference to elections for Presidential electors, while the act of 1870 express ly provides for computing and certify ing such votes by the Goveror, Secre tary of State. Attorney-General and a District Judge. The jurisdiction of the Board was objected to also, on the ground that the act is unconstitutional, aud again because it was illegally con stituted for want of a minority repre sentative, os imperatively required by the law. A review of the act creating the Board shows conclusively that its powers were shamelessly abused by the Board. It is required “to canvass and compile the statements of the commissioners of election” and pro claim the result, unless the commis sioners of election or the supervisors impose additional duties by reports of intimidation or frauds accompanying the returns. It shows that no outside protest can be entertained, aud the vio lent and illegal proceedings of the Board in receiving complaints about parishes which were afterthoughts, to give some excuse for rejecting them, are characterized with just severity. The report very carefully reviews the action oT tho Board in the shifting po sitions to escape a just computation of the vote of the State, and shows that the honest return of the vote of the State gave the highest Tilden elector 8,957 majority over the lowest Hayes elector, and a majority of 6,300 for the lowest Tilden elector over the highest Hayes elector. This vote was violently changed iu secret session to give the Hayes electors from 4,G2G to 4,712, aud how the result was reached is still withheld from the public. intimidation. On the subject of intimidation, tho report deals frankly with the question. I transmit the summing up on that dis puted issue and the closing appeal of the commissioners to the country : The evidence taken on both sides, so far as it has been accessible to us, dis closes a state of lawlessness in certain parishes, not in the State generally, about the cause of which parties are not agreed. The Democrats attribute it to the inefficiency and imbecility of the State government, which they al lege to be a usurpation, resting wholly for support on the Federal army, with out the confidence or respect of the people and without tho disposition to prevent or punish crime which they can pervert to political uses. Such a state of things, as might bo expected, has led to disorder, aud, in some in stances, to the most shocking barbari ties. Tho Republicans, on tho other hand, attribute the lawlessness to the hostili ty of tho white against the colored race and as largely due to politics. The murders and outrages which have been brought to our notice are frequently committed by persons of the same race upon each other, aud iu a large majority of cuses have no po litical significance. Many such cases were brought to the notice of the board by ex parte affida vits, without regard to the time of their occurrence and when they did not have the slightest connection with the recent election. Strangely enough, it is as sumed by the Republicans, who have had complete control of the State Gov ernment for years, that if they could show chat lawlessness prevailed in cer tain localities and crime went unpun ished, that those facts furnished a rea son why they should be continued in power, notwithstanding the large ma jority of ballots cast against them. breaking down the color line Another assumption of the Republi cans is that all the colored men in the State are necessarily Republicans. This is by no means true. We were visited by a large number of colored persons from different parts of the State, in cluding the alleged disturbed districts, who made speeches and took an active part in the canvass in favor of the Democratic ticket, and who gave, among other reasons for so doing, that they had been deceived by Republican officials, who had proved dishonest and corrupt, had robbed them of their school money and burdened them with unnecessary taxes, and that they be lieved it for the interest of the colored race to unite their fortunes with the whites, whose interests, like their own, were identical with the State. It is certain that thousands of col ored persons voluntarily and actively supported the Democratic ticket. The entire vote of the State, at tho recent election, is about fifteen thousand greater than ever before ; and even in the parishes where intimidation is charged it exceeds, in the aggregate, any previous vote. The Congressional Committee, which, it is understood, will soon visit the State armed with au thority to send for persons and papers, aud inquire into all the facts connected with the recent election and the action of the Returning Board, will have greater facilities for arriving at the truth than we possess, but with the law aud such facts before us as have been disclosed by the action of the Return ing Board, we do not hesitate to de clare that its proceedings as witnessed by us were partial and unfair, and that the result it has announced is arbi trary, illegal and entitled to no respect whatever. SHALL THE MAJORITY RULE ? Fifteen years ago, when Fort Sumter was tired upon by men who sought a ;d<Btaction of <.tbs*Union,-a mifiio'h pa-' trrotr,-without regard -TO party affilia tions, sprang to its defense. Will the ft Y7"T ? ~f7T same patriotic citizens ju>w sit idly by and see representative government overthrown by usurpation mad fraud ? Shall the will of forty millions of peo ple, constitutionally expressed, be thwarted by the corrupt, arbitrary aud illegal action of an illegally-constituted Returning Board in Louisiana, whose wrongful action heretofore, in all re spects similar to its present aetF>n, has been condemned by all parties ?- it js an admitted fact that Mr. Tilden re ceived a majority of a quarter or a million of the votes at the recent elec tion. This majority is ready and will ing to submit to the rule of the minor ity when constitutionally entitled to demand such submission, but is it will ing that by an arbitrary and false declaration of votes in Louisiana the minority shall usurp power? These are dark days for the American people when such questions are forced upon their consideration. If it were true, as some insist, that neither the white nor the colored voters have in all instances been afforded an opportunity to give free expression to their wishes at the ballot box, shall we, by sustaining a fraudu lent and illegal declaration of the votes cast, stifle the voice of the millions of voters who have freely expressed their choice, and thus seek to correct a great wrong by committing another im measurably greater wrong? Can we sanction such qction of the Louisiana Returning Board, aud there by form a precedent under the author ity of which a party once in power may forever perpetuate its rule, and so end constitutional liberty ? Shall such be the fate of this Republic at the beginning of the second century of its existence? is the momentous ques tion now presented for the determina tion of the American people. John M. Palmer, Lyman Trumbull, William Bigler, George B. Smith, George W. Julian, P. H. Watson. New Orleans, December 6, 1876. THE ABBEVILLE MURDERERS NO VESTIGE OF TRUTH IN THE REPORT OF THE LYNCHING. The Good People of Abbeville Deter mined to let the Law take its Course, Although the Allen Murder was Part of a Plot to Kill the Whites Indiscriminately. (Charleston News and Courier.) Abbeville, C. H., December 11.—The sensational reports about the lynching of the Lowudesvilie prisoners are totally without foundation. The pris oners were carried from Lowudesvilie to Anderson on Friday, aud thence re moved to Walhalla jail on Saturday, by order of Judge Cooke. Three ne groes who were arrested after this batch was shipped have been brought to this place aud are now iu confine ment here. Au investigation of the Allen murder discloses that the ambush wus part of a horrible plot for the wholesale slaughter of the whites. The plot was set on foot by Osborne Rose, aud the negroes were summoned by William Cozby, who had command of the mur derers. Ou the night of the murder of Aileu all the roads leading to ville were strongly picketed by squads of from fifteen to twenty armed ne groes. Sixty or seventy negroes are implicated iu the plot. There is great indignation, but a firm determination on the part or the whites to keep the peace, and let the law take its course. Another Account—Death of One of the Murderers by His Own Hand- All Quiet. ISpecial Dispatch to the News aud Courier.) Columbia, December 11.— Positive in formation has been received hero that the Lowndesville murderers were not lyuched. They have been removed to Walhalla, in Oconee county, as a pre caution against violence. The investigation of the Allen mur der discloses the fact that the plot to murder the whites indiscriminately was 30 horrible as to arouse excitement among the whites to the extent of threatening summary punishment. Ev erything io quiet. One of the captured murderers took laudanum and died from the effects. The jury in his case rendered a verdict unanimously, as follows: “We, the jurors, upon our oaths, do say that Sam Bontou came to his death from voluntary use of laudanum takeu by himself, and received by him from tbe hands of his brother." The prisoners are now all safe in Walhalla jail. A Projected Marriage Said to be Broken Off.— Mr. James Gordon Ben nett’s marriage, which was so extensive ly announced last spring, is probably definitely given up, the breach between himself and his fiancee having been however, altogether amicable, and the result of a lirm conviction on Mr. Bennett’s part that ho was not fitted for the married state. Whatever presents Mr. Bennett gave Miss May, and they were numerous, have been retained by her at his desire.— New York Dramatic News. A prisoner was being tried for sheep stealing, and he was asked by the pre siding Judge, an Irish Chief Baron, what he had to say in his defense. •‘Ah, sure, your Lordship, didn’t me self, and my fawther, and my grand fawther all vote for your Lordship when ye put up for Tipperary? And, begorra, didn’t we carry your Lordship to the head.of the poil ?" “True, true!” murmured the Judge, aDd he was visi bly affected by ttie reminiscence. Ho looked kindly at the prisoner at the bar, and In summing up, directed the jury to acquit him, though the evidence was very strong for conviction. The jury felt the pressure put upon them, and the foreman, iu giving him the verdict, said, “Well, your Lordship, I suppose we must call him not guilty; but faith, your Lordship, there’ll not be a sheep at all left in the county.” To which his Lordship complacently replied, “Ah, never mind, gintlemen— never mind the mutton ! Acquit him, and ate beef!” And acquitted he was'. The Disguised Thief.— As a Thief was returning from the Fair with nine teen Purses iu his Pocket another Robber stole his Handkerchief. The lirst Thief thereupon held an Indigna tion Meeting and denounced the Act as the Greatest Political Outrage of tho Country. Moral— The Engineer does not think it rare Sport when he is hoist with his own Petard.— World. Oriental justice and Oriental rapaci ty are curiously illustrated in the case of the late octogenarian Governor of the Persian Province of Fars, who upon retiring from office, had his soles ■beaten H'hS flisgorged' 3300,0Q0,~ and promised trnltewm #lo,oua:,inore of his ill-gotten wealth. ■ i . BAYONET OR BALLOT. MR. PULITZER’S LETTER. The Situation at Washington anil the Outlook. Washington, December B.—The die is east. The conflict is inevitable. It will be.the fiercest parliamentary con flict ever known iu this or any other country ; and let us. hope that it will remain only a parliamentary conflict. the colored troops fought nobly. They did what they were bid to do in the three disputed States ; they were ordered to return them for Hayes, and they did so. But give honor to whom honor is due. The nineteen electoral votes of South Carolina, Louisiana aud Florida vyere practically stolen by a set of notorious thieves; and they never could have been thus stolen without Grant. It was he who did the whole business after all. Had he not sent troops for the, special protection of these Returning Boards, they never would have dared to do what tffey did. It was like stationing a squad pf po lice to protect a set of burglars from the resistance of tha robbed. Though they are mostly branded, jail-birds, these members or the returning boards exercising not only Judicial functions, but also the right of making a Presi dent of the United States, they never would have dared. I repeat, to commit this outrage without the backing or the whole Republican party ancf tbe special protection of grant and his bayonets! Yes, the bayonet is beginning ti> su persede the ballot as the counting, and not the voting, now decides the elec- tions. This reminds me of a witty re mark of Thackeray’s, in speaking about the coup d'etat of Napoleon 111, not inapplicable. The best, argument he said is that coming out of the mouth of a twenty-four pounder, and the best point that in the end of the bayonet. In the present controversy these' were by far the best points made by the Re publicans, <44 our Side are all the points of right and law, constitution and self-government, popular majority and public interest. On tbeir side, however, those convincing points are at the end of the bayonet, Speaking of Napoleon’s coup d'etat reminds mo of ite date. It was the 2d of Deoember, 1853, that saw the as sassination of the second French re public. Napoleon selected that day be cause it wa tho day of Austerlitz and the day on which his great uncle was crowned first Emperor of Franee, Rut these two eveuta are comparatively for gotten, while the ad of December ia universally remembered as the day of the coup d’etat, It is not impossible that the 6th day of December will live in American history as ■the day cn which the toundation was laid fer the great American coup d'etat, for I am firmer in the belief than ever that nothing short of auoh a coup d'etat, nothing save tho most flagrant, the most monstrous violations ot law and right can make Mr. Hayes President. now LEADING DEMOCRATS TALK. I have taken special pains to talk with the leading Democrats both in the House and Senate in order to ascertain the most probable course of the party in the impending oonflict. I have not found a single one who is not absolute ly convinced of Mr. Tildea’s election and determined to go to the full length of the letter aud the meaning of the Constitution in securing him the office to which he is elected. Tbe Constitu tion gives the House of Representa tives two powers most clearly. Firstly, to scrutinize and reject electoral re turns. Secondly, to elect the President if no candidate has received an abso lute majority of the Electoral College. Both powers are undeniable and have been previously exercised. The first when a Republican House rejected the electoral votes of throe Southern States in 1873, to-wit: Louisiana, Geor gia and Arkansas. The seeoud when the House of Representatives elected Thomas Jeffeiaou and John Quincy Adams. The present House of Repre sentatives is largely Democratic. Iu voting by States, as it has to do when a President is to be elected, it has twen ty-three out of thirty-seven votes. And MAKK MV ‘ PREDICTION. As sure as there must be a joint session ou the 14th of February for the pur pose of counting the electoral votes, Mr. Tilden will either be declared elect ed President by a majority of the Elec toral College or if neither candidate re ceives a majority, he will be elected on that very day by the House of Repre sentatives. And mark another predic tion; Just as surely as he will be elected by the House, will he take the oath of office on Sunday, the 4th of March. This is not the iine of parti sanship, but the plain line of duty. The House could do no less, even if it would, as it is commanded by the Con stitution to perform this duty, and Mr. Tilden would undoubtedly obey the wishes of the people and the require ments of the supreme law of the land which no one knows more thoroughly than he and which no one would more faithfully and conscientiously carry into execution. AND THEN? I hear the question: And what will follow if the Republican conspirators declare Hayes elected? Will it come to a physical conflict? I hope not, I think not. If it should ever come to this—and the contingency, while en tirely possible, is yet remote —there is in my opinion good reason to hope that the worst—a physical conflict or civil war—should be avoided. Despite the general demoralization, desdite the violent partisanship blinding so many men’s judgment, despite the venality of the press, despite the large number of reckless demagogues who would fan any strife and, for seltish ends, prefer turmoil to peace, despite the still larger number of those who, having neither property nor patriotism, have nothing to lose I still think that this calamity would be averted—averted, too, hy the simple expression of pubiio opinion. Between the I4th day of February— j the day on which both Hayes and Tilden may be declared elected—and the 4th of March, the day until whioh Grant remains President, I think there would, in the face of the great danger of an utter ruin of the country, be such an uprising of the people, such a stern aud serious condemnation of the coup d’etat, such expressions of the popular belief in Mr. Tllden’s election, such a perfect storm of public opinion, that the better nature of Mr. Hayes, after all, might prevail to decline the barren honor of a pretension to be president which, as he must know, is founded upon fraud, can only succeed through force and must end in ruin. Between and the 14tn day of February the Intelligent and respectable eleaienfer-o#' the Republican party W'tH'ftfob and more reeogmae tba toymans character KIX DOLLARS A YEAR of the returning boartls and tlreir re turns; the undoubtedly legal and con stitutional election of Mr. Tilden; the large majority of the people whA voted for him; the fact that his Inauguration would mead peace and order, law and prosperity, while Hayes, at the very best, would only mean a prostituted Presidency in a degenerated republic, a republic iu form but not in Tact, a le pubiic destined to decay and dissolu tion! But it may not come to this. There are certainly other contingencies, other possibilities, other probabilities solving the problem. Still it is well to remember in the heat of debate and the passion of partisanship that clouds cool judgment, that Mr. Hayes can never be, constitutionally, President ot these Luited States, and that Samuel J. Tilden, elected by the people and the electoral votes, if cheated of the electoral votes to which he is entitled, is 3'et bound to be duly and constitu tionally elected by the House of Repre sentatives. .... SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS. !•> ■ ■— Thro? thousand eight tumdrjhl and sixty-nine bales of cotton were sfiipped from Newberry during the month or November. Mr. Thomas Davis, one ot the oldest residents of Abbeville county, died on the 23d ultimo. He was born in Vir ginia in 1774. Mr. C. F. Regan lost two bales of cotton from hts gin-yard in Marion county, on Sunday night last. A Re publican voter borrowed them . The gin-house of Mr. Augustus Covin was burned last Sunday morujug near Wiliington, In Abbeville county. Total loss; no insurance. Rad. AY. C. Eison, a merchant of Maybinton, on the Greenville and Columbia EaUrOad, was run over and 5uS ll ?i.il n,UTed on Wednesday last while attempting to board a tram. His leg was cut off above the knee. In^.® e darkey’s about ten miles below Arlington, in Abbeville county, were caught in tne act of stealing. They preferred to take a small flogging to going to jail, and this being satisfac tory to the damaged party, the matter was thus settled. The Democrats all over the State in teaa to enforce the preference policy’ with firmness and discretion, and de monstrate to those of our bitterest and most pronounced political enemies that their outrages against society and law Hie no longer to be tolerated. On the 4th of November last Mr. Alexander Gregg was brutally murder ed in the woods uear his bouse, in Mariun county. Last Monday Nelson Williaoi3, Jim Thompson, Julius May Jack Burgoine, Henry Burgoine, Sid ney Johnson and Sam Brown, all color ed, were lodged iu jail, charged with this crime. Others are implicated, who have not beeu arrested. The Due AVest Democratic Club pas .-ed upon sixteen of the most vicious Radical negroes in that township last week, and the work has not been com pleted. They did not proscribe these fellows; they simply resolved that they would “prefer” giving employment to suoh colored people as conceived their interests to be identical with the in terests or the white people. “Preference” not “proscription” is the policy. Mr. James Harper, who so recently met with so great a loss at the depot iu Kingstree, was again visited bv another heavy loss on the 30th o‘f November. His turpentine shed, con taining 50 barrels of spirits turpentine, 25 barrels of virgiu rosiu, 120 cooper barrels, with strainers, &e., were des troyed by fire, which was undoubtedly set. The Are occured at 4 o’clock in the morning, during a rain. Leas from 81,200t0 81,500. No insurance. Mr. Levi Brown, residing not far trout Cades Depot in Williamsburg county, one night last week heard some disturbance at his hog pen near the house, among his fattening hogs. He went out to see about it, and was fired at but not hit. On looking ia the pen he found oue hog lying dead, whereupon he went back iDto the house to make preparations Tor hav ing it cleaned for use, and as he came out agaiu he was tired upon a second time and hit with a ball in the stomach. He lingered till next day and died. Several colored men are suspected, and one has been arrested and is now iu jail. At a meeting of the Indiaotown, Williamsburg county, Democratic club on the 18th ult., the following resolu tion was adopted: Unsolved, That a delegation of five members be appoint ed from this club to meet delegates from the other clubs in convention at Kingstree on the third Monday ic. De cember. And the delegation from tbis club is instructed to secure, if possible, from the convention uuifuimity of ac tion iu regard to the resolutions adopt ed by this club, having reference to Radical loaders and preference policy in favor of Democrats, both in employ menu and in the renting of lands. On Thursday last, Mi. B. F. Sample, living at the Havird. place, five miles beyond Bouknight’s Ferry, EdgeflePi County, shot and killed hie brother-in law. Douglass, had been trebling Ms wife badly, and she went G> her brother’s house for protection. He fol lowed her there, and was Attempting to break into the house when Sample shot him. Sample is a. peaceable, in offensive man, and R }s supposed that he must have killed Douglass either in self-defence or to protect the life of his sister. The same dav Scurry Cole man killed Trial Justice David Taylor. Taylor was a very bad character. He was run out of this county before the war for his rascality. There is an immigration agency es tablished at Gaffney City, Spartanburg eounty, on the Air-Line Railfoad, and a large semi-monthly paper published there for the purpose of disseminating knowledge in regard to the great Piedmont belt of the State, and to in duoe persons from a distance to come tiod there. An immigration aid society has been formed at Wellfor J another point on the railroad, in the f arne The upper counties are being filled up rapidly by the people from abroad, who are not poJiUoians but workingmen. They almost with out exception, unite with the * native whites and vote with theta. It is esti mated that not le*s *han two thousand lmmigrantk in this State voted *t tb last eleytpn for Tjlden and Hampton^ J. Chairman of the Demo cratic Executive Committee of Mitchell county, aji,apunm iu the OuttUla terpen that there wifi he no party ■ for comity office*;. He says “there are no. polities involved in •*c,;cfc r **etso& 1 andali are equally in terested in the choice of good and re liable officials.’*