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FROM WASHINGTON.
•Vows and Gossip from the Capital—
Dissatisfaction with Mr. Perry—The
Oregon Cas^S'o-morrow..
Washington, Deoember 28.—The Sen
ate Committee on Privileges and Elec
tions commence on the Oregon case to
morrow. The Republican electors and
Secretary of State of Oregon are here.
Speaker Randall, Judge Knott and
Oen. Hunton ate in consultation over
the difficulties thrown in the way of
the production of telegraph dispatches
called for by the committees. The
whole power of the House will be in
voked to secure these dispatches.
It is certain that Gen. Anderson did
not deposit with Mr. Ferry the Repub
lican electoral vote of Louisiana when
he was here on Christmas day. Judge
Hpofford is coming with theTilden vote
of Louisiana. There is dissatisfaction
with Feriy for withholding receipts
from Republican messengers when
there are Democratic contestants, and it
is suggested that Anderson was advis
ed to withhold the Republican vote of
Louisiana until Ferry was buli-dozed
into receipting for them.
Washington, December 28.—Commis
siouer Dueli, of tho Patent Office, has
resigned. He ombarks in the patent
law business in Now York. Chandler
accepts the resignation in flattering
terms.
Tho Senate Committee are devising
a measure for examining and verifying
the electoral vote. They had a pro
tructed session, all the ‘members being
present but Mr. Logan. The commit
the entered upon the preliminary work
by examining and discussing the course
pursued by each House for meeting in
joint convention, and their decisions,
while in such convention, in declaring
the vo e for President aud Vice-Presi
dent since tho foundation of the gov
ernment. These were taken up
and debated in some instances
quite elaborately. The members
of the committee desiring to get
all the information possible out
the journals and records of Congress,
ami from the contemporaneous politi
cal history, uo more propositions were
debated, though there was hardly a
member of the committee who had not
received some contribution on the
question from one source or another,
and which at the proper time may
prove to be of some value. The meet
ing indicated very clearly that tho
committee will be able to secure an
authentic account of each joint con
vention, both as to journals and the
debate on the same, with the excep
tion of one or two of the earlier Con
gresses, where the journal of the pro
ceedings only can be secured. The
record of the debate alone will make a
large volume. Tho committee will
meet agaiu to-morrow to resume the
discussion. They hopo by the middle
of next week to have a conference with
the House committee, v/hich resumes
its session in January. ,
The sub-committee of the House,
consisting of Messrs. Hunton, Springer
and Willard, have had a meeting for
the purpose of gathering facts for the
full committee, which will meet when
Mr. Payne, chairman, returns. When
the two committees meet in joint ses
sion all preliminary woik will have
been done, aud conclusive action may
be expected early in January.
The meeting of the special commit
tee of the House, of which Mr. Kuott
is chait man, to determine the privileges
and powers of tho House in counting
and detei mining the electoral vote, is
pushing its investigations, aud will
probably report before the joint com
mittee is ready for action.
Several members of tho Senate com
mittee are understood to be opposed
to the submission of any question
growing out of this controveisy to the
Supreme Court of the Uuitod States.
They hold that this would bo depriving
Cougress of a power as the r< presen
tatives of the people which the framers
of the Constitution evidently designed
that Cougress should alone possess
and use at its discretion. The excep
tional character or the present contro
versy is cont-iJeivd no reason why
Congress should surrender this power.
Experts have identified §7,500 from
the American express safe, burned at
Erie. A large amount is burned be
yond redemption, aud will lie lost by
the express company.
Mr. Leopold, of the Freedman’s
Bank Commissioners, writes: “We
have yours of the 10th in9r, but regret
our inability to name a time when the
next dividend will be ready for pay
ment. We are using every effort to
get an appropriation from Congress, at
its presout session, for the purchase of
our bank building property here, and
if successful we can pay another divi
dend immediately. The existing state
of political affairs may defeat our ef
forts, ia which case it will be sometime
before we can be ready, as collections
are now very slow, and sales of our
real estate assets are impossible at
present.”
The Secretary of War reports to
Congress a,s to the expediency of re
establishing the National Armory at
Harper’s Ferry : “I have the honor to
remark that it is the policy of the War
Department to concentrate ordnance
manufactories at three arsenals and
lire Spriugiield Armory, as recommend
ed in my recent annual report, and that
neither the necessities of the public
service nor a judicious economy would
render such re-eotablishmeut expe
dient.”
FLORIDA.
The Canvass of the Vote—The Su
preme Court to Review It.
Tallahassee, December 28.—General
Cocke, the other members of the Board
refusing, canvassed the vote yesterday
morning. His canvass gave Drew 497
and TilUen 94 majority. This he filed
with the clerk of the court. Subse
quently the other members agreed to
recanvass, and the full Board assem
bled. In this canvass the order of the
court was disregarded. Clay county
was thrown out, and the contested
vote of Baker couuty counted. This
gives Drew 195 and Hayes *206 majority.
Cocke tiles a protest. Court assembles
to-day to review the action of the
Board.
LATER.
Tallahassee, December 28. —The re
turn of a majority of the Canvassing
Board, in answer to the writ of the
Supreme Court, was filed about 2 p. m.
to-day. It gives the same figures sent
you last night, and arrives at this re
sult by throwing out Clay county en
tirely and adopting the Couuty Judges’
return in Baker. Gen. Wallace thinks
the Democrats ought to accept this
canvass, as it gives them the State
government, in which Gov. Stearns
will acquiesce. He does not think the
Democrats ought to make any further
contest ou account of the Presidential
election. Whether they will agree with
him remains to be seen. The Supreme
Uourt did not meet to-day. Two of
the Justices reside in Jacksonville, aad
—• * m
ex-Attorney Williams and Gen. Wal
lacewent to see Justice Wescott this
afternoon to get him to request
Ti^® tt^n (laace 01 the absent Justices.
key wdl most probably consent, and
Court be held in a day or two to act on
the return of the Board. Attorney-
General Cocke filed his protest to-day
against the action of the majority of
the Board in Clay and Baker counties.
indicates a speedy solution
or the difficulties here. The Court will
accept the present returns, or require
f wo couat * ea to be recanvassed,
which will only Squire a few moments.
LOUISIANA.
1 regress of the Investigations.
New Obi.bans, December 28.—The
Senate Investigating Committee to-day
examined B. R. Shelby, of Ouchita,
whose testimony was substantially the
same as that of Sam McEnery j'ester
day. In regard to the condition of
affairs there during the canvass, he
contradicted the statement of Esquire
Hall in reference to colored men being
forced to join clubs, and of Eliza
Pinkston as to James and Van Logan
being in the party who assaulted her
and killed her husband, as they were
at his house that night.
FROM POUT ItOYAL.
Burning of the Ship Harvey Mills.
Port Royal, S. G, December 28.
The ship Harvey Mills, lying at anchor
in the bay, loaded with cotton for Liv
erpool, was discovered to be on tire
between decks this morning at 1 o’clock.
All assistance was promptly rendered
from the fleet, steamship Huntsville
and water boats. The lire was kept
down in the hull, but not extinguished.
Ou attempting to get her up to the
wharf she grounded, and all efforts of
the steamer Huntsville to get her off
proved unavailing. At dark the steam
er Huntsville left her, and sailed up to
her wharf. Two men were suffocated
in trytng to locate the fire, which is j
still burning under her decks. The !
value of the ship and cargo is about
half a million dollars.
LATER.
New York, December 28.—Tho ship
Harvey Mills, burniug at Port Royal,
had 6,564 bales of cotton aboard, and
was about to sail for Liverpool.
NEW YORK ITEMS.
Failure of Chipman, Stone and & Co
s of Ex-Seuator Nye—Defalca
tions, Etc.
New York, December 28.—Chipman,
Stone & Cos, of 74 Pino street, and
Yokohama, Japan, one of the largest
firms engaged iu the Japanese trade,
has failed, with heavy liabilities, esti
mated at from §250,000 to $500,000-
the greater part of which is held in
this city.
Ex-Senator Jos. N. Nye is dead.
Miss Any Fawsett, English actress, is
dead.
Otis D. Swan, broker, of Wall street,
has disappeared. Before leaving, it
is stated, he misappropriated funds
held in trust for his brother and sister.
The amount is stated to be $600,000.
He is also in default of four or five
thousand dollars to the Union League
Club, of which he was ono of its
founders.
Tony Pastor’s theatre was damaged
by fire.- Frederick & O’Neill’s photo
graph gallery, in the third story, with
valuable pictures, was destroyed. Their
loss is SBO,OOO.
■
CONGRESSIONAL.
Proceedings iu the Two Houses Yes
terday.
Washington, December 28.—A bill
was introduced in tho House by Mr.
Douglass, authorizing the Treasurer to
purchase the Freedman's Savings Bank
building in ttiis city for government
uses, at a sum not exceeding $800,000;
also authorizing tho commissioners
row adjusting the affairs of the bank
to buy in Us own real estate when pii
ces offered for it at public sale shall be
too low. Mr. Douglass is chairman of
the select House committee ou Freed
man’s Bank.
Hooker introduced a bill for the im
provement of the Pearl aud Pasca
goula rivers, in Mississippi.
A resolution of inquiry will be pre
sented in the House ou Monday, as to
whether gentlemen requested by the
President to visit Southern Returning
Boards were paid from the United
States Treasury.
More Trouble from the Indians.
New York, December 28.—A Bizman,
Montana,dispatch says the agent of the
Flathead Indians has applied to Gen.
Gibbon for troops to protect himself
and the Government property at the
agency. The agent states that ever
since the breaking out of the Sioux
war the Flatheads have been insolent
and disposed to make trouble. A plot
has been discovered to resort to vio
lent measures at an early day to drive
out the agent, and seize the agency
and property, Gen. Gibbon telegraph
ed to the post commander at. Fort El
lis to send troeps at once to the aid of
the agent, and a force*of cavalry start
ed Wednesday morning for the Flat
head Agency,
-
The Missionary Society of the M. E.
Church.
Washington, December 27.—A series
of meetings belli in this city, in the in
terest of the Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, closed
this evening with a mass meeting of
the Methodists of Washington, at Wes
ley Chapel. Addresses were delivered
by Rev. Dr. R. L. Dashiel, DD., Secre
tary or the Missionary Society; Rev. C.
H. Fowler, DD., editor of the Christian
Advocate, New York, and Gen. Clinton
B. Fish. Great enthusiasm prevailed.
Resolutions pledging hearty co-opera
tion in increasiug the fends of the
Treasury were adopted.
Lookout, Ye Adulteraters of Milk.
New York, December 28. —The trial
of Daniel Schrump, for adulterating
milk, which has occupied the Court of
General Sessions for the past ten days,
was concluded this afternoon. The
jury found defendant guilty, and he
was sentenced to pay a fine of $250,
and be imprisoned ten days. A motion
for stay of judgment was denied. His
conviction has created intense excite
ment among milk dealers, someone
hundred of whom have indictments for
the same offence pending against them.
rnm m
Judge Wood not Going to Florida.
Montgomery, December 28.—United
States Circuit Court Judge Wood is at
his home in this city, and has been
holding Court until a few days ago.
He is not going to Florida. His Court
not calling him thero now, he knows no
reason for goiDg, and he has no pres
ent Intention of going.
FOREIGN DISPATCHES.
Press Opinions on the Outlook in the
East—Russia’s Position.
London, December 28. —The Post, in
its leading article, says : “The excite
ment created by tho first alarming tel
egrams from the East, has been much
toned down by those which followed,
but we have reason to believe that even
the latter exaggerate the danger.”
New York, December 28.—A special
dispatch from Paris says there is the
highest authority for stating that, not
withstanding hopeful dispatches re
cently received from Constantinople,
there is but a single chance of peace in
the East. Russia, in spite*of the in
tense ardor of her people for war, may
be obliged to yield at the last moment,
owing to her means of transport being
defective. She has been taxing her re
sources to the utmost, to get her army
into condition to strike with tho great
est possible suddenness and vigor, but
it seems now that her means of trans
port are inadequate to the task of pro-,
viding for such a large army as would
be necessary to strike a decisive blow
against Turkey.
London, December 28.—A Moscow
dispatch to the Times says tiro Gazette
declares the new Turkish Constitutions
were a mockery of the Powers. The
only way of improving the Constitu
tion of the Christiaus in Turkey is effi
cacious occupation and the granting to
Christiaus of the right to carry arms,
or depriving the Mussulman of the
right.
London, December 28.—The Pall M all
Gazette’ leading editorial article says
that probably a word may be spoken
to-day which which 'will bo followed by
instant war, threatening to involve ail
Europe sooner or later, if the Powers
demand a simple yes or no, or if the
Porte, for military and other reasons,
thinks it expedient to go straight to
the point without delay. The answer
will be a refusal, but it is more likely
not. A direct or final answer will yet
be given, not that the Porte has shown
the faintest sign of yielding
to the Russian demand. But the Pall
Mall Gazette, tracing the Russian policy
for the formidable pretension of imme
diate Russiau occupation throughout
tho various modifications to the latest
proposal for the simple introduction of
a small number of Belgians, with gens
d’aruiß to supply the nucleus for an or
ganization of a native police force,
after the model common in most Con
tinental States, concludes that Russia
is ready to accept or indeed to suggest
further modifications, because affairs
do not look well for Russia at this
time. It says tho stories of disagree
able discoveries in Russian arsenals,
and the unexpected weakness in
transport apparatus, are probably
true. The country is almost bank
iupt, and the utter failure of
the internal loan showed how little
money could be screwed out of the
people. The danger of antagonism
with Austria and thereafter with. Ger
many, and of being confronted by great
Britain at a critical point of success,
may well bring Russia to pause, and if
Turkey knows her foe would be glad
to withdraw from her arrogant posi
tion, Midhat Pasha is not unlikely to
facilitate that end. Tho question is
not so much whether the Porte will
yield to the Russian demands for the
sake of peace, but whether Russia will
abate them for the same object.
French Affairs.
Versailles, December 28. — lu the
Chumber of Deputies to-day, duriDg
the debate on the Budget, there was a
grand encounter between M. Gambetta
and Minister Simons. The former ex
horted the Chamber not to surrender
its power over the Budget. Ho urged
that the Senate hud no right to rein
sert items which were rejected by the
Deputies, and declared it might be
easy now to strangle the right of the
Deputies to initiate financial proposals,
but it would be regretted when too late.
Simons replied that the Constitution
was perfectly clear. It made no differ
ence as to the power of tho respective
houses over financial laws, except that
such laws must bo voted by the Depu
ties first. He said if tho conflict be
tween the Chambers continued it must
be solved by dissolution, of which it is
impossible to tell the consequences. It
would be profitable to take a fresh vote
on the contested items of the Budget.
The eountry wished to see peace be
tween public powers, and to enjoy the
benefits of a Republic which it had so
long ardently desired. To again sub
mit the Republic to a vote would justify
the reproach that the Republie was in
stable. If the Republic was united it
could brave all attacks.
M. Gambetta answered that the ac
knowledgement of the Senate’s rights
to reinsert grants which had been dis
allowed by the Deputies, would inevi
tably lead to further conflicts. Ho de
clared he did not fear a dissolution.
Marine Disasters.
Washington, December 28. —The Sig
nal Service reports from Kitty Hawk,
N. C., that the English bark Pinto, from
Glasgow, Scotland, to Baltimore, 600
tons, with a crew of seventeen and a
cargo of coal, went ashore four miles
north of Station No. 5 on tho 25th.
The crew were all saved by the crew of
the life saving station the next morn
ing. The vessel will go to pieces.
New York, Dec. 28.— The schooner
Froth King, from San Domingo for
Boston, was abandoned at sea, and the
captain died of exhaustion.
Minor Telegrams.
Elmira, December 28.—The boot and
shoe manufactory of D. Atwater was
burned. Loss $75,000.
New Haven, December 28.—The
steamer King Arthur sailed to-day for
Constantinople with munitions of war
for the British Government. Her cargo
is valued at $1,444,000.
Rotndoot, December 28.—Four hun
dred and fifty men in the Knicker
bocker Ice House struck for wages.
They say this is the beginning of the
movement along the entire river.
About five thousand men employed
say no ice shall be housed till the com
panies return to old prices.
New York, December 28.— Six thou
sand smuggled cigars, concealed in
India rubber bags, were seized last
night from the Havana steamer Co
lumbus, by a special agent.
Gen. Anderson, of Louisiana.
(Special Dispatch to Cincinnati Gazette.)
Washington, December 25.—General
Anderson, of the New Orleans Return
ing Board, arrived here last night, and
immediately bad a loDg conference
with some of the Cabinet and leading
Senators. To-day he has been with
the President, and to-night he left for
New Orleans by way of Atlanta. He has
put the Republicans in possession of
all the facts upon which the Returning
Board acted, and everything pertain
to the present situation. He returned
to-night by the shortest route, for the
purpose of responding to any call of
Morrison’s Committee.
AUGUSTA, GA., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 29, 1876.-
TILDEN STOCK HIS I NO.
THE FORWARD MOVEMENT BE
GUN.
Republican Discouragement—Morton
Holds the Fort— The Solid Soutß—?
Democratic Demonstrations,
[Special to the Philadelphia Times.]
Washington, December 24.— The de
cision of the Supreme Court of Florida,
that the Returning Board must count
the vote of the counties it threw out,
has had the effect of a bombshell in
the camp of the conspirators. Their
followers were already faltering, and
this last shot, coining as it does, right
on the top of General Barlow’s letteis,
is likely to precipitate the impending
break in the Senate aud throw the
whole Ilaves following into a panic.
Morion is still whistling up his cour
age, talks confidently aud outwardly
maintains a firm front. In conversa
tion this afternoon ho said ho did not
see how tho decision of the court could
affect the electoral vote of Florida.
The Electoral Colleges were required
to meet on a certain specified day and
cast their votes for President and
Vice-President. The Electoral College
of Florida, legally authorized to act,
and with legal certificates of the Re-
turning Board to show their authority,
had met on the day prescribed, had
voted according to law, and the return
of that vote duly certified to was now
in the hands of the Presided of the
Senate. Obviously anew electoral col
lege could not now be formed, and it
was clearly too late for the Supreme
Court of the State to reach the record
of the doings of the legal action. As
to the actuai result of the court’s de
cision he could not, of course, say. He
was informed that even such a recount
as the Supreme Court had ordered
would show that the Hayes electors
were clearly elected, but he supposed
it would give the Democrats control of
the State government. As usual, he
was very reticent as to any plans which
he aud his co-laborers might have for
the future.
WILL THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAME BE TRIED
AGAIN ?
The Slarot last evening foroshadows
a plan in the following editorial para
graph, which may be “inspired,” but
probably is not. It says:
“The farce lately played in South
Carolina has been re-enacted in Florida,
where the State Supreme Court has or
dered the Board of Canvassers to count
the vote of certain counties which the
Board threw out. Tho Board, it is
said, will refuse to obey the order of
the Court, ou the ground that it has no
jurisdiction over their action and can
not compel them to count certain re
turns which a law of the State author
izes them to throw out. It is probable
tho Court will follow Judge Moses* ex
ample iu South Carolina and commit
them to jail for contempt. The Board
will then appeal to the United States
Courts for release, as did the South
Carolina Canvassers.”
All the signs, however, indicute that
the Hayes leaelers are getting demor
alized as well as the rank and file.
Donn Piatt, in this morning’s Capital,
asserts squarely that Morton himself
is weakening, and declares that
on his recent trip to Indiana
he found public sentiment so unani
mous against him that he has come
back frightened aud will act very con
servatively. In answer to a question
whether the Senate committee of seven
were likely to recommend the passage
of his bill to provide for the counting
of the electoral vote, Morton said this
afternoon that he did not know ; the
committee had held only one very short
meeting, and none of the members had
alluded to his bill. The Senate com
mittee will meet again Wednesday.
the democrats jubilant.
Most of the Congressmen had left
the city for the holidays before the
news from Florida came, but the few
Democrats who were here were jubi
lant. Senator Jones, of Florida, who
has predicted such a decision as the
court has made, now reiterates his as
sertion that such a recount as is de
manded will give the Tilden electors a
very repectable majority, and show
that the Democrats have elected their
two Congressmen and the whole State
ticket. Conover admits the Congress
men and the State ticket, but still holds
with Morton that the Hayes electors
have carried the State.
Private advices from the Congres
sional Committeo now in Florida are
very encouraging for the Democrats.
It is said that the Republican members
of that committee are so fully con
vinced that frauds were committed
that they will not countenance them
and that the committee will unani
mously report that Tilden has carried
the State. Congressman Hoar, who is
a member of the House Committee of
seven, says of Louisiana that the com
mittee will present two diametrically
opposite reports, accompanied with
such a mass of testimony that Con
gress will not have time to digest it,
and a proposition will be made to refer
the question to some outside tribunal.
That proposition, he thinks, will fail,
first, because there is no provision in
the Constitution or precedent in his
tory for it; and,second, because in the
struggle of both parties for advautago
in the composition of the tribunal an
agreement would be almost impossi
ble. He further says that the Presi
dent of the Senate will count the vote,
will announce Governor Hayes elected,
the Administration will see him inaug
urated, and thero will be no conflict,
first, because nobody wants to fight;
and, second, because the Democrats
are sure of victory four years hence,
and would rather wait for it than fight
now.
tilden’s improving prospects.
Spite of all the utterances, the prob
ability that Tilden will be peacoably
inaugurated grows greater from day to
day. Confidence has taken the place
of irresolution in the Democratic ranks,
while the bluster and bravado of the
Hayes men is giving way to frequent
secret consultations and outward signs
of fear.
The Southern Hayes movement ap
pears to be pretty effectually squelched.
Senator Gordon is authority for the
assertion, in the strongest possible
way, that no such movement exists any
where amoDg the people of the South,
and if any Southern member holds
such views he is wholly without sup
port at home. Alexander Stephens, in
a letter published in the Augusta Con
stitutionalist, says, over his own sig
niture: “The statement going the
rounds of the papers that I am advis
ing a friendly acceptance by the people
of the South of the inauguration of
Mr. Hayes is. utterly unrounded. I
never have, and never shall, advise
them, or any other people, to
give a friendly acceptance of
any administration inaugurated by
tho grossest, fraud*, and tin st palpable
usurpations.” Mr. Lamar is equally
positive and explicit, iu his repudiation
of any aud every charge of complicity
ia such a movement After a thor
ough canvass of the Southern mem
bers, the whole head and front of such
a movement appears to be Ben Hill, of
Georgia, and the other Georgia mem
bers assert most positively that if he
favors such a movement he does not
represent anybody Id his own State. It
is ascertained that Hill, himself, has
already sent a private letter to a
trusted friend in Georgia, to be used,
if needed, in bis Senatorial struggle, in
which he declares, under date of some
days ago, that he is not and has not
been in sympathy with any such move
ment.
Mr. Stephens, in conversation this
evening, expressed it as his belief that
the action of the Supreme Court of
Florida will result in throwing out the
electoral vote of Florida. He consid
ers that the decision of the Supreme
Court is virtually that no legal Electo
ral College met in Florida on the day
appointed by law, and so no electoral
vote was legally cast, there being an
Informality in tho action of the Tildeu
electors, but ho does not think thut
Congress can now either count the
vote of tho TiiJen or Ilayes electors or
form a now college.
BEN HILL.
Another Review of His Letter.
(Atlanta Telegram.]
We reprint elsewhere the recent ex
planatory letter from Hon. B. 11. Hill,
sent to Col. A. B. Culberson, of this
city. We publish it in ihese columns
not simply because Mr. Hill requests
it, but because it ia a complete justifi
cation of all that we have written con-
him and his late utterances.
We hardly know either how to set
about a review of the document, since
it so fully suggests its own weakness
and barrenness of satisfactory points
Since it has come to be a most cruel
thing to twit Mr. Hill upon his vauity !
and egotism, we pass by the half of
his letter devoted to tho exhibition of
those weaknesses.
Mr. Hill has made one motion in cau
cus and it was adopted unanimously.
So far, so good, but we are left iu
doubt as to the nature, subject, matter i
and importance that one motion
threw upon tho opinions of Mr. Hill
with reference to the great question
which now agitates the public and
deeply concerns tho American Con
gress. In private conferences to which
he has been invited, Mr. Hill has made
several motions and suggestions, all of
which wore adopted, some of them
unanimously, etc. Still the same lack
of information as to what those mo
tions and suggestions were, and how
important a bearing they may have
had, or are to have, upon the questions
at issue. It may not be politic or wise
for these things to be made public, but
at least Mr. Hiil might have been cau
did enough to say that they were
things in harmony with tho Democratic
programme aud Southern sentiment.
lie denies that he has expressod dis
trust of Northern Democrats, or is
ready to make a bat gain, trade or ar
rangement with Hayes. That will bo
some relief to ills friends, but It does
not traverse ho said iu those
ratal interviews, no one of which ho
denies. Upon the contrary, in his let
ter, he admits all the material matters
of those publications, but specially
pleads against their plain and fair con
struction. Ho bases his position in
the Presidential matter upon tho
chances of a fair count of the votes of
the people, and says that without this
Mr. Tildeu cannot be President. When
Mr. Hill kuows, as he must, that an
unfair count has failed to elect Hayes,
why can he not take such a square
stand as the National Democratic Com
mittee, by its example, has commended
to all true Democrats of the Union ?
It is useless to follow Mr. lli.l fur
ther. He has failed to meet the charges
held against him ; he has failed to sat
isfy lilb friends; lie has f died to show
himself in accord with the party and,
above ail, has failed to restore him
self in the confidence of the Democracy
of Georgia.
The Telegraph Question in a Nutshell.
(Washington Oor. of tho N. Y. Suu.)
If Mr. Orton had shown tie least
sign of resistance when Ben Butler
threw his drag net into the telegraph
offices and captured all correspondence,
public and private, or had remonstra
ted with Mr. Boutwell not many months
ago, when he required the dispatches
of the Democratic Committeo iu Mis
sissippi to be produced, there would be
a good justification for his refusal to
obey the call of the Investigating Com
mitteo iu New Orleans, acting under
tho fullest authority of the House of
Representatives to send for persons
and papers.
While he bad previously complied
with the demands of the Republican
committees, he suddenly objected to
similar demands by a Democratic com
mittee. A telegraphic dispatch cannot
be considered more sacred than the
private accounts and books of an indi
vidual or corporation, which are con
stantly produced before committees
and courts.
Nobody proposes to go outside of
the ranks of proper inquiry iu the pres
ent case. If Zach Chandler and his
associates have not used the telegraph
to instruct their confederates in Louis
iana, Florida and South Carolina iu
ways that are dark, why not come for
ward, as Mr. Hewitt has done on the
other side, and authorize their dis
patches to be delivered to the commit
tee? If everything has been fair and
square, there is, of course, nothing to
conceal.
If this was a proposition to expose
the secrets and business of private
persons, and to range through the tele
grath offices indiscriminately, as Ben
Butler did, without objection from his
political friends, or any impediment
from Jhe oompany, then it might be
viewed differently. Glaring and out
rageous frauds have been perpetrated
in three States. There is an audacious
attempt to steel them, and to elect a
President over the votes of the people
by Returning Boards.
The question before the country is,
were these frauds prompted, aided or
sanctioned by Zach. Chandler and the
public men who had charge of, or who
largely co-operated in, the campaign
for Hayes ? That information belongs
to the people, in order that they may
decide for themselves whether the elec
tion has been carried fraudulently or
fairly. Great interests are dependent
upon the truth or falsity of these
charges; and if there ever was an occa
sion when the doors should be thrown
wide open and both parties should be
willing to let the sunshine into the re
cesses of strategy, it is now, when the
public peace is threatened and uncer
tainty is little less than a calamity.
HERODIAN CRUELTY.
PROFESSIONAL BEGGARS MUTI
LATING HELPLESS CHILDREN.
Eyes Stamped Out—Sightless Waifs in
the Arms of Italian Mendicants—
Unnatural Deception.
(New York Mercury.)
Attention having been called to the
unusually large number of blind chil
dren either carried in the arms or led
by the professional begging women
frcqupntiDg populous thoroughfares, a.
Mercury reporter yesterday sought a
solution of the pioblem as to whence
they came and thecauseof their blind
ness. Visits were made to various pri
vate charitable societies about town
in search of information, but beyond
an acknowledged increase in tho num
ber of bliud children that had been ie
ported this season, the officers of these
institutions were unable to give any
satisfactory replies to the reportei’s
inquiries. “If you could by any means
get at the bottom of the business,”
said ono of these officers, Mr. Mcln
tosh, to the reporter, “you would
doubtless find several places iu the
slums of the city where gangs of de
praved Italians live who have a most
EFFECTUAL WAY OF BLINDING CHILDREN,
and even grown persons, without in
any way impairing tho appearance of
the eye.” He further said he had heard
of its being done abroad, and he had
seen children in this city whose eyes
had evidently been tampered with. A
ease that came more immediately to
his notico was that of a pretty looking
child that was being carried about by
an Italian beggar woman. The child’s
eyes were perfectly bright, but it could
not Boe a particle, and the sun shone in
them without causing the little one the
slightest inconvenience. After ques
tioning the woman considerably she
finally admitted that the child was
blind and that the babe did not belong
to her. She said the mother was poor
aud got her to take care of tho child,
and so she took it about with her when
she went begging. The woman told
him that there were a good many blind
children in the city, but she didn’t
know how they came so. She said
they were always Very
GOOD BABIES AND NEVER CRIED,
and that’s what they liked, as crying
children attracted too much attention.
The doctor said that he endeavored to
obtain some further information from
the woman, but she suddenly became
reticent. In several of the rooms visit
ed by tiie reporter a number of infants
used for begging purposes were found.
Noticing that the eyes of some of the
children had a curious look and that
they groped about the floor in a blind
sort of way, the reporter asked what
was the matter with them, but was
told that they had weak eyes from
getting cold. Iu t lie course of his per
ambulations in the Dalian quarter, the
reporter found one fellow who was in
clined to be communicative. When
asked if it was true that any of his
people put out the eyes of the babies
aud young children, lie said there were
some who did it, but they were very
sly and kept themselves quiet, and it
would be almost impossible for any
one to put a finger on them.
“Have you any idea how the children
are made blind ?”
“Only from what I’ve heard. I never
saw it done. They have a kind of
STAMP WITH A BRASS PLATE,
which is heated to a certain degree,
and then held upon the closed eyelids.
It entirely destroys tho sight, but you
would uot kuow from looking the chil
dren iu the eyes that anything was the
matter with them.”
“Do you kuow what their object is
in blinding the children as you tie
scribe ?”
•‘Gao tiling is, they can’t tell any
talcs, I suppose; but I’ve heard that
THESE CHILDREN NEVER CRY.
Ti c burning seems to destroy tho
tear sac. Another, children if beaten
about in the same way would set up a
dreadful howl, but those blind chil
dren don’t open their mouths. I’ve
been oil the lookout a long time to
catch those men who make baoies
blind, and I’ll have them arrested the
moment I do. There are very few
Italian children about, and nearly all
the babies you may see in Italian
houses are American or Irish chil
dren.”
CONFRONTING A BEGGAR.
In conversation with Mrs. Mirmont,
a German woman doing business on
the Bowery, as to her experience with
beggar men and women applying at
her store for alms, she said: “One
bitter cold day, an Italian woman, car
rying in her arms a twelve or fifteen
mouths’ old baby, and leading a little
girl, entered the store, and with a piti
able look on her face, held out her
hand for charity, mumbling meanwhile
some unintelligible words.
BOTH THE CHILDREN WERE BARE-FOOTED.
The little girl was somewhat warmly
dressed, but her feet were sopping wet.
I noticed that the woman didn’t let go
of her hand for a second, but kept her
close by her side. The baby had on a
bit of a woolen dress, and the woman,
as she held the little thing on her oth
er arm, wrapped her skimpy old cotton
shawl about it, pressing it occasionally
close to her bosom. From the
contortions of the woman’s face
you’d have thought she was
suffering the most intense pain, but
l I’d dealt with so many of them that I
knew her look was all put on, and that
her A>nly thought was how many pen
nies she would receive, or whether she
would bo driven away without any
thing. The sun was shining brightly
Into the store windows, and there was
a blazing fire in the stove. The mo
ment I caught sight of that barehead
ed baby, which was being carried about
in the pinchiDg cold, my blood fairly
boiled, and 1 said, “You wretched old
woman, how dare yoh carry about that
child bareheaded ?” At first she pre
tended not to understand me, but I
loosened her tongue by threatening to
send for a policeman and have her ar
rested as a vagrant. Then she excused
herself, and said that the baby had so
j often torn off its hood that she finally
J put it in her pocket to save it from be
i ing lost. She poured out a pitiful tale
about her husband being sick and out
of work, and that she was
OBLIGED TO TAKE HER CHILDREN AND BEG
so as to get bread for the family. She
had never before these hard times beer,
obliged to beg, as her husband bad
always had work in sweeping the
streets. In reply to a question, she
told me she lived in a garret room in
Baxter street, but couldn’ttell the num
ber of the house or precisely where it
was located. The children were of
rather light complexion, one having
blue and the other hazel eyes, and I got
a plump lie to my question as to wheth
er they were her own, for they didn’t
look any more like her than they did
like me. I handed a cake to the littln
girl and one to the baby. And although
both were seemingly looking straight
into my face, neither extended a hand to
take the proffered cake, as children
generally would. I asked the woman
if anything was the matter with the
children’s eyes, and her failure to reply
excited my curiosity. I made the
woman come near the fire, into which
both the little ones apparently stared,
though there was not the slightest wink
or movement of the eyes in either.
Then they turned and the sun shone
full in their eyes, but there was no
movement whatever as if the light af
fected them.
I PATTED THE BABY OX THE CHEEK
and waved my hand in front or its
face, but the little thing took no notice
of it whatever. Thero seemed a nat
ural lustre about the eyes of both, but
the pupils were motionless, and they
only had a kind of vacant stare. It
then occurred to me that the children
were totally blind, and I asked the
woman what had been done to them. She
said they were all right, only their eyes
were weak. There were several other
persons in the store at the time, but
they could not see any signs of weak
ness in the children’s eye. I bitterly
upbraided the creature for her cruelty
to the children in carrying them about
in this condition, but she only said
‘me poor’, and slunk out of the store,
and was out of sight before I could
call a policeman, as I determined to
have the matter investigated. I spoke
to the iittle girl in the store, but she
did not seem to know what I said.
There is not the slightest doubt in
my mind but that both these children
had been made blind, though how it
was done 1 have uo idea, as their eyes
looked souud and healthy.”
I the course of further investigation
the reporter spoke to several women
with childreu who were begging along
the streets, and was surprised at dis
covering some impairment of the vis
ual organs of the little ones. Several
of the children took no notice of what
was said to them, and did not move
when a hand was suddenly placed be
fore their eyes.
A gentleman, who has extensively
traveled abroad, in answer to the re
porter’s question as to whether he had
ever heard of cripples being manufac
tured for begging purposes, and wheth
er the eyes of children were tampered
with, said: “At Rihan, Hungary, there
was discovered, not long ago, a place
where they regularly manufactured
cripples, and put them in shape for
begging purposes. Men had their arms
aud legs cut off, women were
blinded, and corrosive sublimate was
need to disfigure the face, and render
them as great objeots of pity as could
be. It was also found that they de
prived children and babes of their eye
sight, as in such condition they never
cried or made any noise. Although
the sightjwas gone the,eyes So operated
upon retained their natural lustre, but
there was a vacant stare about them.”
The gentleman hadn’t the slightest
doubt but that this operation was prac
ticed upon the scores of babies carried
by beggars about the streets. He bad
noticed that they never efied, which
showed that the tear sac had been
dried up and the vision gone. This
subject Is a good one for the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil
dren to investigate.
BT. PAUL AND TIIE PETTICOATS.
Rev. Mr. See's Trial for Allowing Wo
men to Preach—His Defense.
[From the New York Herald, December 22.)
The lecture room of the Second
Presbyterian Church, Newark, N. J.,
was filled with ladies and clergymen,
yesterday afternoon, in attendance
upon the trial of the Rev. Mr. See for
alleged violations of the church rule,
in that he disobeyed St. Paul’s injunc
tion and allowed women to preach in
his Wickliffestreet pulpit. Tues*ession
was taken up by the reverend respond
ent in a very able, interesting and ex
haustive defense of his conduct. He
was, he began, a Presbyterian by birth,
had always been connected with the
church, and knew of none other to
which he could belong. He took the
broad ground that St. Paul preached for
his own and not for all time in
all matters. The Apostle was not in
fallible. Like other great meu in God’s
Church, he was liable to err. Christ
himself had told the Jews of a coming
glory. That glory had been rising for
centuries aud illuminating dark places.
This it was doing now. The light of
truth was irradiating the caverns of
darkness. Conscience was being given
more and more liberties. Customs,
which had kept woman circumscribed
and restricted from exercising her gifts
—the gifts of the Holy Spirit—were
being put aside, and God’s best and
loveliest gift to man was being given
opportunity to prove that she, as well as
man, might preach God’s Word when
guided by the Holy Ghost. The Scrip
tures were quoted in various places to
prove that even in the times of Christ
and the Apostles women had preached.
Mary, when she proclaimed the resur
rection of the world, preached; Priscil
la preached; so did other women. Mr.
See went on to argue at great length
that wherever aud whenever the great
est liberty was given to women, then
and there was she purest and noblest.
On the contrary, wherever and when
ever women are restrained and sub
ordinated to mao, there and then
were they little removed from
slaves. He cited the great public
good that had at various times been
accomplished by women in public
spheres—iu the Fulton Btreet Church,
in the Methodist Church, which the
speaker praised highly for its wisdom
In allowing women to exercise the gifts
of public teaching wheu possessed of
it—in the West, where a noble band of
women had heroically led a crusade
against the beastly vices of intemper
ance. The more woman’s sphere in
the Church was enlarged, the purer
and more virtuous she was. Give her
the right to exhort, and her sex would
be elevated, not debased. Her morals
would be heightened so that, like the
good Mrs. Crane (a revered brother’s
wife), she might say modestly, but with
pride, and*not shame, that she was the
mother of ten children. [Sensation and
applause.] Toward bis close he said
that the voice of God was marching on
with the spirit of the times, and was in
unison with liberty of conscience as re
gards consecration of scriptural texts.
There was nothing in the law of the !
Church specifically prohibiting women
from preaching. The General Assem- ,
bly had declared that it was a matter
to be left to the discretion of elders
and pastors. All he had done was
simply to exercise his discretion.
At the close or Mr. See’s argument,
the Presbytery adjourned till next.
Wednesday. It was plain to be seen
that the audience and a considerable
portion of the Presbytery, if not a large
majority, were in sympathy with the
defendant.
SIX DOLLARS A YEAR
SOI'TH CAROLINA NEWS.
The total number of deaths ia
Columbia for the week ending Decem
ber 23,1876, were four—all colored.
News and Courier: The return of
deaths in this city for the week ending'
on the 23d * instant, show a total cl 23
—6 were whites and 17 colored.
A young lady in Charleston, Christ
mas evening, while playing with a pis
tol, accidentally shot one of her com
panions in the neck, inflicting a painful
though not. dangerous wound.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Thaddeus
Williams, the brother of Mr. A. M. Wil
liams, the proprietor of the job print
ing establishment on East Bay street.
Charleston, accidentally shot himself
in the head with a Colt’s revolver, in
flicting a dangerous and, perhaps, fatal
wound.
The annual communication of Friend
ship Lodge, No. 9, was held in Charles
ton Monday .evening last, and the fol
lowing officers were elected to servo
for the ensuing year: J. H, Loeb, W.
M.; J. W\ Hirsch, 8. W.; J. J. Loeb, J.
W.; L. H. Cohen, Secretary; A. Moroso,
Treasurer; T. M. Mordeoal. 8. D.; E.
Struss, J. D.; D. Loeb, J. Piukussohn,
Stewards; L. F. Meyer, Tiler; T. P.
O’Neale, Organist.
Death of Make Etheredge, Esq.—
This old and widely known citizen of
our county died at his home, near Pino
House depot, on Thursday morning
last, aged, if we mistake not, about
seventy years. Mr. Etheredge, who,
throughout a long life, was noted for
practical energy, business tact, many
very marked and original peculiarities,
aud many very good traitb, had long
been in a wretched state of healih, so
much so that his death had been ex
pected for vmeks.—Edgqietd Adver
tiser.
Edgefield Advertiser : The tax bill
passed by the Rump House, with the
help of the Radical Senators, and
signed by the impostor Chamberlain,
calls for 17 mills on the dollar. This
includes the regular county tax of 3
mills, but not *he special county tax of
3 mills. Add this special tax of 3 mills
t* the 17 and we have 20 mills for
Edgefield more than we have over yet
paid. Of course we will not pay one
mill of it....We are requested to an
nounce that the liev. George W. Bus
sey will preach at Mt. Tabor on the first
Sunday in January, nextjSunday week.
....The Methodist clergyman for
EJgefleld circuit during the coming
year is the Rev. S. Leard. Mr. Laard,
we understand, is a married man with
two children.... As we go to press wa
hear or the death of Wm. B. Dorn,
Esq., owner of the once rich and fa
mous “Dorn Gold Mine.” Mr. Dorn
died at his home, on the Edgefield and
Abbeville border, on Tuesday, the 26th
instant. He was a man of the utmost
kindness of heart—one whose gener
osity and unselfishness caused him to
die in comparative poverty.
A correspondent of the News ami
Courier writing from Branchville, S. 0.,
December 26th, says: “Quite a serious
shooting and stabbing affray occurred
here yesterday evening, about lialf-past
6 o’clock, in which a colored man
named Stephen liigsby was shot and
killed, Warren Wilson, colored, shot in
the leg, and Mr. J. W. Fairey stabbed
in the thigh near the groin. It appears
that there was a considerable row
brewing, and Mr. Fairey was trying to
quell the disturbance, as one of Lis
employes was complicated, when somo
unknown person stabbed him from the
rear. After this, the shooting occur
red, in which Rigsby was killed and
Wilson wounded. About hair-past 8
o’clock a second shooting affair occur
red in another portion of the town, In
which Stephen Williams, colored, was
shot aud wounded In the shoulder
slightly. The excitement ran high for
some time, but Mr. W. H. Ileedisn, In
tendant, summoned a guard of twenty
four citizens, half white and half col
ored, and placed them under the charge
of Capt. Benj. P. Izlar, who had the
streets cleared and quiet restored. Up
to this time, 12 m., everything is quiet
and the best citizens of the place will
endeavor to keep it so.
Edgefield Advertiser: It will be re
membered that Peter Keeuau, Esq., tbo
popular shoe merchant of Augueta,
offered a priza of twenty-live dollars
to the first Edgefield man who should
cross the bridge with the tidings of
the election of Hampton. No ono hav
ing appeared to claim this prize, Mr.
Keenan applies it in the f* Mowing uublu
and timely manner:
Augusta, Ga , Pec. 2J, 1870.
Mrs. Gilmer :
Dear Madam—Having heard of the
sad death or your husband bv the
bands of baibarous negroes, while
quietly going to his homo from the
Hampton meeting on the 18th of
October last, 1 hereby tender you
my sincere sympathy. with a
Christmas gift of twen y-five dollats
and beg you will accept it from one who
perhaps you have never seen, but ono
who from his infancy has learned to
hate tyranny and oppression, come in
what form they may. You have been
the innocent victim of that hated sys
tem of society, which the arch enemy
of mankind is now trying to fasten on
the grand old commonwealth of South
Carolina ; but the Knightly Hamptou
like Moses of old, has broken up the
chariots of the alien ruler, and light
soon will come the perfect deliverance
of the Palmetto State. You will 10 ,
ceive this small sum from the hands of
my friend, Capt. John T. Cheatham
Yours in respect and sympathy,
Peter Keenan.
On the Exposure of Young Cmr -
DREN TO THE CoLD.-We should ary
that no child too young to walk or run
should bo taken out when the external
temperature is below DO degrees- that
the rooms in which they live and’sleep
should never be below 58 degrees -.nl
the day room should be thrfe tout
degrees warmer. The practice of
wheeling children about in perambula
tois, sitting or reclining in one position
without exercise, is harm
ful. We would earnestly appeal to
mothers to put aside all feelings of
vanity, or what is sometimes called
natural pride, and cover the arms, neck
and legs of their children as a simnie
sanitary precaution. High frock-?
long sleeves and warm stockings should
be worn cut of doors; hats which cover
the head, had boots whioh keep the
feet dry and warm as Uu
comiDg in from our streets, nearly al
ways damp both boots and stockings
should be chanced; and if the feet be
cold, a warm foot bath should be used
Tor a few minutes. The exquisite min
; children by this use or Lot water Vr
hands and feet. We see that flannel
has yielded to merino, chiefly on ac
count of the greater convenhmce of
readj-made underclothing; but there
is nothing equal to flannel in the prop
erty of preserving warmth.