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CONSTITUTIONALIST.
FROM ATLANTA.
BLOOD UPON THE MOON.
The Constitutional Convention Bill —
The Senatorial Strusrxle—Governor
Smith Makes a Speech—An Augusta
Lobby—Gen. Toombs on the War
Path—Judge Schley and Ben Hill
Ad Daggers’ Points.
(Special to the Constitutionalist.)
Atlanta, Ga., January 22d, 77.
Mr. Howard to-day, by a very deci
ded vote, passed the first sections of a
bill calling a Constitutional Convention.
Mr. HiUyer, of Fulton, offered an
amendment, leaving it to the people.
Pending which the House adjourned.
The bill will pass in some shape or
other.
Everything is centered in the Sena
torial race. Ben Hill’s speech, it is
said, did him good. He gained, his
friends claim, twelve or fifteen votes
by it.
Gov. Smith is speaking to-night.
Mr. Norwood declines to speak.
There is a very heavy Augusta lobby
here working against Mr. Hill. Gen.
Toombs and Ex-Gov. Johnson are both
earnestly against him.
Gen. Toombs used some harsh lan
guage about tiie Legislature on Sun
day, at which Jordan, of Hancock, was
about to assault him, when the crowd
interfered.
There is no change in the situation
since by mail advices.
It is rumored that a duel may take
place between Judge Schley and Mr.
Hill, growing out of 'some remarks
made by the latter concerning Mr. Geo.
Schley and the Metcalf cotton case.
Judge Schley publishes a card, in
which he says he will wait for the text
of the speech before he proceeds to no
tice it.
The speech of Ben Hill was very ag
gressive and eloquent.
The lobby is exceedingly full. It ap
pears as if every politician in Georgia
was here. H. W. G.
Associated Press Dlspatelies,
FOREIGN DISPATCHES. “
TURKEY TAKES THE TRICK”"
The Mohammedan. True to Principle,
Racks Down the Russian Bully.
London, January 22.—A lieuter tele
gram from Constantinople says lu
natieff declared on Saturday', after the
Conference, that if the Porte should
disregard the armistice, or take any
action hostile to Montenegro or Servia,
or if the Christian inhabitants of Tur
key should be subjected to any hard
ships, Europe would treat such pro
ceedings as provocation and would
consider what course ougbt to be pur
sued. All the Plenipotentiaries as
sembled at the Austrian Embassy and
signed the final protocol.
The Chinese Embassy has arrived at
Southampton.
Viscount Gage, of Ireland, is dead.
Dju Carlos is reported at Constanti
nople.
The Berlin correspondent of the Times
telegraphs that Russia is beginning to
represent to the Powers that the de
mands of the Conference having been
rejected, it devolves upon Europe to
take more forcible proceedings, should
Europe find it impossible to agree on
joint action. Russia will be able to de
clare that the failure of the Conference
is the defeat of Europe, not Russia.
Constantinople, January 22.—The
Ambassadors of the European Powers
visited Midhat Pasha, the Grand Vi
zier, and Safoet Pasha, Minister of For
eign Affairs, to-day, to present their
charges cl’ affaires.
The Marquis of Salisbury left Con
stantinople to-day.
Suspected Hostility Between France
aud Germany.
Bkendisi, January 22.—The Marquis
of Salisbury, with his family aud secre
taries, came to this place by the Aus
trian Lloyd’s steamer Ceres, calling at
the Piralus and Corinth, His Lordship
will not go to Mentone until shortly be
fore the opening of Parliament,when he
will return to London.
A cable special from Vienna says
that semi-official letters have been re
ceived in that city from Berlin, which
state that the German Government
possesses amplejproofs of the existence
of a large monastic conspiracy in
Fiance, to endeavor to gain power in
that country for purposes hostile to
Germany.
Minor Telegrams.
Warren, Me., January 22. — The War
ren Woolen Manufacturing Company
failed. Liabilities unknown.
St. Louis, January 22.—The Mer
chants Exchange adopted resolutions
strongly endorsing the Electoral Couut
bill.
Erie, Pa., January 22. — The Walnut
’ Paper Mills burned. Loss, §40,000.
New York, January 22.—Snowiug
since this morning.
Chester, Pa., January 22.—Twenty
five hundred men are kept out of em
ployment at the ship yard in this place,
owing to the inclement weather. There
are nine new steamships under con
tract,
A Bold Robbery.
Boston, January 22.—J. N. Farrar,
cashier of the Ablngton National
Bank, had §5,000 belonging to the
bank stolen from him Saturday, while
in an eating saloon. No clue to the
thief.
®l)£ Constitutionalist
FROM WASHINGTON.
MORE CHEEK FROM GRANT.
The President Defends His Use of
Troops, and Wishes He had More of
Them—Work of the Committees—De
bate on the Electoral Vote.
Washington, January 22.— 1n the
Senate, during the morning hour, Mr.
Merrimau spoke in opposition to send
ing Committees of the Senate away
from the city to take testimony. He
said the result of sending committees
away was to deprive the States of
representation. Recently the State
of Wisconsin was without a represen
tation on the floor of the Senate when
questions of great importance were be
ing considered.
Morrison’s Louisiana Committee are
examining United States Marshal Pit
kin, of Louisiana, with closed doors.
The Committee on Privileges and
Elections of the Senate continue the
Mississippi investigation.
The Committee on Privileges and
Powers excused General Anderson un
til to-morrow.
Mr. Patterson testified that he had
collected §25,000 from Government em
ployes for election purposes.
The President is reported as speak
ing strongly in favor of the Electoral
bill and expressed his determination
to sign it should it pass.
Before the Privileges and Powers
Committee, Gen. Judson Kilpatrick
testified that he took with him to
North Carolina a letter from Chandler;
that he had no confidence in the Na
tional Republican Committee, and was
worth consideration with one hundred
dollars for expenses. Had no instruc
tions to use money or empower means
to influence the result of the election.
House.— A message from the Presi
dent was laid before the House, in re
sponse to a resolution calling for copies
of orders given for the use of troops in
Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana
aud Florida, during the election. Copies
of orders were transmitted with the
message. The President defends his
action as being simply in the perform
ance of his duty under the Constitu
tion and laws, and says that if he had
had more troops at his disposal, he
would have stationed them so as to
prevent the violation of the election
laws in those States, aud also in Ala
bama, Mississippi and Georgia,
Wood, of New York, moved to refer
the message to a solect committee of
eleven to inquire whether there has
been any unwarrantable exercise of
authority for which the President is
justly responsible.
A vote on the resolution was pre
vented by parliamentary device. It
comes up as the unfinished business
to-morrow.
Senate— Mr. Morton spoke an hour,
when ill health interrupted him. He
maintained that the President of the
Senate had power to count the vote,
claimed that Hayes was elected and
regarded the bill as yielding to the
Democrats.
Frelinghuysen followed, arguing the
constitutionality of the bill.
Cameron, of Pennsylvania, opposed
the bill as a Democratic measure.
Edmunds said he would press the
bill to a vote to-morrow, even if the
Senate would have given one night to
the counting.
Adjourned.
Confirmation—Benjaming H. Lanier,
Collector Second District of Louisiana.
The Democratic Caucus.
The Democratic caucus of the House
did nothing definite. The caucus will
be called again at the discretion of Col.
Lamar, chairman, when the Democratic
Senators will be invited to participate.
The bill is approved by the regular
joint committee of both the House and
Senate caucuses, and, it is positively
asserted, will become a law.
The Indian Bill Agreed Upon—Mar
shal Pitkin Testifies Before the Com
mittee on Privileges and Powers—
Senator Morton Argues Against the
Electoral Bill. •
The Comptroller has called for the
condition of national banks at the close
of business, Saturday, January 20.
The House Committee on Indian Af
fairs agreed to recommend the passage
of Seelye’s bill, to ratify the arrange
ments made with the Sioux Indians by
the Commissioners in October last, for
the relinquishmeut of their title to the
Black Hills country.
Marshal Pitkin was asked, in the
Privileges and Powers Committee,
whether money was paid out of United
States fuuds to witnesses brought to
New Orleans, aud whose testimony was
used by the Returning Board. Witness
said they were not so paid, so far as
he was aware, though he paid United
States witnesses in the usual course.
The committee also examined wit
ness as to the affairs of his office and
the fact was brought out that the
number of paid special deputies em
ployed by him was eight hundred and
forty, their duties being in New
Orleans. They all received pay for
only one day except seventy-five of
them who received pay for ten days.
About fifteen hundred special deputies
acted in other parts of the State but
received no pay.
The repoits of the sub committees
were read to the full committee.
The Committee on Commerce have
commenced the preparation of the
new river and harbor bill. The amount
appropriated will not exceed three
millions.
Senate— The chair laid before the
Senate a communication from the Sec
retary of War, enclosing the report of
Lieutenant Col jnel Q. A. Gilmore, of
the Engineer Corps, in reard to the
survey of the line of water communi
cation from the mouth of the St. Ma
ry’s river, Georgia, through Florida
by way of Okofeuokee Swamp, to the
Gulf of Mexico. Ordered printed and
lie on the table.
Senator Morton argued that Hayes
had been elected President. He had
supposed that all agreed in tfhe
absence of legislation that the
President of the Seuate must
count the vote. The tellers were
mere fosilites for making the calcula
tions aud keeping the account. They
counted what the President of the
Senate handed them. The counting of
the votes was a ceremony to which the
two Houses were witnesses. The Con
stitution provides that the President of
the Senate shall in the presence of the
two Houses open all the certificates
and the vote shall then be counted, and
if no candidate has a majority of all
the electoral appointed, the House
shall immediately proceed to elect.
Mr. Morton also argued that the
question of the eligibility of the elec
tors was a matter left with the States
under the injunctions of the Constitu
tion. Very few Republicans respect
this bill and it will be
taken at all as a dose of castor oil.
Senator Edmunds burned his ships
behind him when he deemed the power
of the President of the Senate to count
the votes in the absence of legislation.
He thus seems to make it a necessity
to accept this bill. This bill is a pro
duct of the Mississippi plan. The dark
shadow of intimidation has fallen upon
this chamber. There is no power to go
behind the returns of the election of
electors, as certified by the proper re
turning or canvassing officers of the
States. Neither State Courts, Unked*
States Courts or Congress, can dj|
and for Congress or this Commis
sion to go behind the decision of
the returning officers of the State
would be a revolution, and draw to
Congress the power that was intended
to be left to the States. The bill is a
compromise in which the Republican
party has yielded the vital point, and
will take a place alongside with the
compromise of 1850 and 1820. Gum
promise measures generally
for the time and result disastrously.
The vital point of the bill, and the most
objectionable, is that which confers the
jurisdiction of this commission. They
are invested with the powers widen
belong to both Houses. It is the duty
of the President of the Senate to de
termine and present the true certifi
cate from the electors of a State, and
when a certificate comes iuto his
hands he must investigate and de
termine whether it comes from the
electors of a State. He must decide
that question upon his peril and
present that certificate to the two
Houses of Congress^
Daily Constitutionalist, §6 per year
FROM NEW YORK.
Fitflit AmouAT Sailors—Alleged Breach
of Trust.
New York, January 22. — The fiie
men and sailors of the steamship Mon
tana had a quarrel. Several persons
were severely wounded. The offlceis
had great difficulty in quelling the
fight.
Wm. Allen Butler has been appointed
referee of the Continental Insurance
company.
Henry M. Williams, ex-deputy col
lector, has been arrested for complicity
in the Lawrence smuggling frauds.
Lawrence has agreed to tell all he
knows. Williams elaims that his ar
rest is a job on the part of District-At
torney Bliss for lobbyiug at Washing
ton against his reappointment.
On a Cold Trail.
New York, January 22—Suit has
been commenced on Capias in the
United States District Court against
ex-Gov. Samuel J. Tilden, to recover
§150,000, alleged balaueo due of income
tax. This afternoon, Capias was issued
on Mr. Tilden, returnable the 6th of
February.
United States Distiict Attorney Bliss
says he was directed some time ago by
Commissioners of Internal Revenue
Baum, to commence suits against all
parties who had failed to pay their in
come tax, but that he (Bliss) delayed
bringing this suit, on account of the
position of Mr. Tilden before the
public.
BOWING TO THE BAYONET.
Gov. Nicliols Reinstates a Deposed
Official,Ußecauso Gen. Auger Bays
So,
New Orleans, January 20.—1n obe
dience to the orders of Gen. Auger, the
State Librarian, who was deposed yes
terday by the appointee of Governor
Nichols’ Secretary of State, was to-day
reinstated by Governor Nichol’s au
thority. L. J. Baron, of Natchitoches,
left the Republican House to-day, and
was sworn in and seated in the Demo
cratic House.
FLORIDA.
More About the Electoral Vote.
Tallahassee, January 22. — A dis
patch says the House passed, under a
suspension of the rules, an act to de
clare and establish the appointment, by
the State of Florida, of electors for
President aud Vice-President.
ILLINOIS.
Logan Losing Ground.
Spring field, January 22—Twenty
eighth ballot, Logan, 97; Anderson, 87;
scattering, 14. Trumbull got his first
vote on this ballot.
Resolutions Urging the Passage of the
Electoral Bill.
Pittsburg, January 22.—The Cham
ber of Commerce adopted a resolution
urging the immediate passage of the
bill.
Kansas City, January 22.— The Di
rectors of the Board of Trade adopted
resolutions approving the bill,
Bennett in Town—His Future Move?
meats.
(Jacksonville Sun, 2Cth)
There need be no longer any ques
tion as to James Gordon Bennett aud
friends having been in the city, and
there is but iittie doubt that this morn
ing they are still here. The party ar
rived last Tuesday night and pro
ceeded to the St. James, where, how
ever, they remained but a short time,
and then took quarters at the Wind
sor. At this house they staid until
early Thursday morning, when they
again changed their stopping place.
They have studiously avoided any
publicity, and have impressed all with
whom they have necessarily come in
eoutact with the importance of main
taining absolute secrecy; and so well
have they succeeded that, although
apparently well-grounded rumors have
been rife upon the street to the effect
tliat the party were in town, they have
been generally discredited. The party
consists of five persons besides Mr.
Bennett, one or two of whom are
said to be attaches of the Herald. There
is nothing definite known in regard
to the future movements of the party,
aud, indeed, it is believed that the gen
tlemen themselves have no fixed plan
in regard to the matter. It was stated
last night quite positively that they
had certainly left the city, and that
probably they were in the vioinity of
Mayport, but subsequent inquiry
served to show almost conclusively
that such was not the case. There
were also rumors that they had pro
ceeded up the river.
It is quite certain that reports from the
North in regard to the condition of
May, with whom Bennett recently
fought the duel which has caused so
much interest in the great newspaper
man, will probably do more to deter
mine the future movements of the
party than anything else. 4a their
presence in this city has become so
generally known it is quite probable
that they will remain here but a short
time longer, but depart for some more
favorable locality, where the eyes of
an inquisitive public will not intrude
and reporters ate unknown.
Daily Constitutionalist, §6 per year
AUGUSTA, GA., TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1877.
THE PRUNING KNIFE
AS APPLIED TO STATE EXPENSES
BY GOV. COLQUITT.
A Review of the Expenses of the Gov
ernment—The Times Demand Eccn
omy, and the Governing Powjsr
Must Bend its Legislation in tbit
Direction.
Executive Department, i
Atlanta, Ga., January 20,1877, )
To the General Assembly:
In response to your joint resolution
of inquiry and request I beg leave to
submit the following suggestions in
gard to the financial matters of the
State, which, In anticipation of your
action, I have prepared, in order that
■ I might be able to reply promptly to
your request and save delay in the
legislation deemed necessary :
The condition of Georgia is such that
it is proper that we who have been
chosen to administer her public affairs
should try to devise some means to
lesseu the burdens of the State gov
ernment.
In the year 1876 the amount expend
ed for the public service, as reported
by the Comptroller, was §2,280,435 46.
Of this amount §1,336,177 95 was paid
on the principal aud interest of the
public debt, of which §IOO,OOO was
principal and the balance interest. The
large payment of interest included a
part of nearly three years’ defaulting
interest on the endorsed bonds of the
Macon and Bruuswick and North and
South Georgia railroads, said interest
amounting to §544.342 12. This left
the sum of §944,257 51 as expended for
the other disbursements of the State
government.
Our public debt at present, upon
which we have to pay interest by taxa
tion of the people, is §10,671,500, upon
which the yearly interest is §748,005.
Of the principal of the debt, §IOO,OOO is
to be paid this year. This makes the
sum of §848,005 necessary to be raised
by taxation for the publio debt alone.
It will be observed that I have in
cluded iu the statemert of this debt
the sum of §2,224,000, this being the
State’s liability on the endorsement of
the bonds of the Macon aud Bruns
wick, North and South Georgia, and
Memphis Branch Railroads, the two
first railroads being now in the posses
sion and uuder the control of the State.
If the current expense of the State
continue the same as last year, viz:
§944,257.51, then by adding to that
amount the sum of §848,005, that must
be paid on the public debt, we get the
large sum of §1,792,250 as the amount
to be raised this year for our public
expenditures. As the Comptroller-
General has estimated the probable re
ceipts of the State at the sum of §l,-
457,000, you will see that wo will have
a deficit of §325,256 to bo paid up by
increased taxation, by a system of
economizing, or by the plan of a tem
porary loan, as appears to have been
the custom. Increased taxation is to
be avoided if possible. Our receipts
of taxes must be ueoesgarily jess, be
cause property has depreciated in value
in the last year fifteen miffioq. dollars,
and it may be well for us to recognise
the unwelcome fact that it is probable
that property everywhere will undergo
still farther depreciations this year.
Even at the saqie rate of taxation the
income will be less as the property to
be taxed has fallen off in value, aud
therefore if we can administer the
State Government at the same tax we
shall have effected Banjo retrench
ment. The remedy for us ia to econo
mize, and I have given no little
anxious thought to this problem of
possible economy.
So far as the public debt is concerned
we need fjo lightening at pres
ent of its burdens. W e tffhst pay
promptly, principal and interest as
they fall due and we must pay the in
terest )u money,so as not to increase the
principal of the debt. J.t may h® proper
to offer our regular bond creditors the
privilege of either paj rqent in money,
or la now bonds at a Jovyer rate of in
terest.
One incident of our financial prac
tice, has been a floating debt, carried
over from one year to another, and not
included in the statement of tpe pub
lic debt proper. It is regularly report
ed under the head of temporary loan.
It would be well for us to get rid of
this as aopp as we can. Last year the
money temporarily borrowed was
§350,000, and the amount paid ont un
der this head, up to the date of the
Comptroller’s report, including inter
est, was §312,000. Y’be idea of making
this loan is not to burden the people
by taxation to pay its principal, but to
relieve by raising simply the interest
to carry it. This'temporary loan is the
part of the sum of §994,259.51, referred
to as outside of the money paid on the
public debt, being the sum covering
the general expenses of the State Gov
ernment. Take this temporary loan of
§312,000 from the §994,259, and we
have about §630,000 as the real amount
of the current expenses to be raised,
taking last year au a basis of calcula
tion. When we cau bring down oqr
taxation to cover this sum, the burden
of the government would be light on
the people, But we cannot now lessen
the State debt to any appreciable ex
tern, nor are our people in a condition
to be taxed to raise money to pay the
floating debt.
If, as has been the past experience,
the receipts will not enable us to pay
this floating debt, I would suggest as
tbe most practicable and convenient
disposition of the matter that bonds at
6 per cent, interest bo issued to retire
it and all other past floating debts. The
interest upon tbe bonds will be less
than the cost of a temporary loan,
while much inconvenience will be saved,
and the liability will be added where it
properly belongs, viz., to the regular
debt.
If there is any possibility of re
trenchment, and my judgment after
careful scrutiny is that expenses can be
reduced aud saving.made to some ex
tent, it will come from a more exact re
turn of property for taxation, a more
rigid collection of taxes, saving in the
cost of collecting the taxes, reduction
in the coat of legislation and clerk hire
of the General Assembly, diminution
in tbe outlay of tbe contingent, print
ing and building funds, in the appro
priation by the State of all perquisites,
in the reduction so far as practicable
in the number of clerks in the various
departments, and in cutting off all un
necessary offices. Small economies
practiced in every branch of the gov
ernment will aggregate a handsome
saving of the people’s money.
examination of the Comptroller’s
reports for the last twenty-five years
shows that since the war the amount
of uncollected tax and the cost of col
lecting the tax are greater, in propor
tion to the tax, than before the war.
They now average each ten per cent, of
the tax, or both twenty per cent, of the
whole. Before the war the iargest fig
ure that these two items reached was
one-sixth, or sixteen per cent, of the
whole. This was in 1854. The tax as-
sesaed that year was $449,990. The net
nix was $374,914, leaving $75,076, or
one-sixth, as the lost tax and cost of
collection. The closest and cheapest
collection of State tax was in 1853,
when the whole amount of tax uncol
lected and cost of collecting was one
tenth of the whole, aud the general
average of these two items before the
war was one-seventh, or only fourteen
per cent, of the whole. Now the aver
age is twenty per cent. In the year
1874, by way of example, the aggre
gate tax was $1,365,460, and the
whole collected tax was $1,211,628,
leaving a balance of $153,832 of un
isollected tax. The net tax was $1,092,-
029, showing as the cost of collecting
the tax the large sum of $119,599. This
includes the receivers fees. The two
items of uncollected tax and cost of
collection that year therefore summed
1 up $573,431, being one-fifth or twenty
per cent, of the whole tax. If the
i average had been the same as before
the war, of fourteen per cent, in uncol
lectod tax and cost of collecting, in
stead of twenty per cent., the saving to
the people would have been six per
cent, of the whole, or the amount of
$68,273. The rule of ordinary compen
sation for collections is that it dimin
ishes in proportion as the amount in
creases. We have here in our State
matters the cost iucreasing as the
amount to be collected becomes larger.
It will be seen, therefore, that there is
a chance to increase the public rev
enue in these two items of reducing
the cost of collection and the uncollect
ed tax.
The law of compensation of tax re
ceivers and collectors has been changed
and the law of reduced compensation
goes into effect this year. In 1876, un
der the old law, the compensation of
these officers was $135,000 for collect
ing the tax, property, poll and profes
sional, of $1,476,017, or nearly one
tenth. Under the new law the saving
will be between twenty and twenty-five
per cent., or $30,000 of the $135,000. A
consolidation in more of the small
counties of the offices of tax receiver
and collector, under a law that re
quii *9 returns of assessments to be
made as now, with a reduction of the
compensation allowed the two, would
operate a stilHurther saving
In the hasty examination given this
subject no sufficient reason occurs to
me why such a law might not be gen
eral.
We shall under the new law have a
considerable saving in the cost of col
lecting the tax. Let us sec if still
farther saving cannot justly be made.
It ought not to cost over $90,000 to
assess and collect our tax. We should
thus have a saving of $45 000. The
loss of uncollected aud insolvent tax
should not be more than five per cent.
If before the war the average of loss
was only six per cent, we ought to now
be able to do as well. Every dollar of
uncollected tax is a wrong to those
who pay their taxes promptly, There
is no justice in exempting one man’s
propertv,and burdening another's. In
stead\ $150,000 of uncollected tax
out million aml a quarter of auges-
he not one halt of
thatW’^mt./
I twjd by reference to the -Auditor’s
reporter Virginia, that the cost in
1876 of receiving the tax of $2,477,714,
was only $47,071, while iu Georgia it
was $67,961 for repefvipg $4,139,£G§ of
tax. the uncollected tax was ouly
$51,006 in Virginia while it was more
than double that in Georgia. The
practice In Virginia will show that a
Uigch closer ami cheaper collection qf
the tax can be made.
If we now add the increased tax re
sulting from a justor appralsemont of
property we can see a chance fur still
more reypnye.
'.f'aauble property is notoriously re
turned at less than its value. | fiud
by reference to the census of 1870 that
the estimated difference between the
returned aud trqe of t\\e pronep j
ty in Georgia was some forty million
of dollars, it being returned than at j
$‘427,219,519 and estimated at £26q,-
169,2t)7.
In this mattor of revenue from taxes
there is possible ground for its in
crease in other ways. It la a grave
question how far the tax laws should
be amended so as to make the tax
equal on individuals and corpora
tions whether the real and per
sonal property of every kind of
the incorporated Institutions of the
State should not ho made to pay
full State and county taxes, res
pect of course, being observed to
vested rights. Telegraph and express
companies pay too little tax in pro
portion to their wealth and transac
tions. I find that in the year 1876 the
express companies with conaideyable
property and au office in every city and
town, and doing thousands of dollars of
business only paid the State $058.12 of
tax. In Alabama it paid $2,000. The
telegraph company paid only $520.58
of tax in Georgia. The sleeping oar
company only paid $374 48. Those
seem email revenue from such large
and wealthy interests. In Virginia in
1876 the tax from telegraph companies
was $4,310 or $3,790 more than in
Georgia. In Wisconsin this tax was
$2,288, or $1,768 more than iu Georgia.
I can only call your attention to these
few details as matter for investigation.
It may be practicable to revise the
civil list. In 1852 there were twelve
judicial circuits, and the cost of the
judiciary was $33,835. In 1861 there
were sixteen circuits, costing about
$55,000. In 1876 we had twenty cir
cuits, the judiciary costing about
SBO,OOO.
If twelve Judges did the work in
1852 and sixteen in 1861, the question
arises whether less than twenty can
properly perform the same work iu
1877. In 1850 the taxable property was
$495,478,045 ; In 1861, $643,803,000, and
in 1876, $245,859,750, or one-half less
than in 1856, when twelve Judges ad
ministered the law. It is true that
while properly the material of litiga
gation decreased so much, the voting
population, the material for litigants
and criminals, has grown from 101,505
polls in 1861 to 208,939 in 1876.
This increase of polls has been due
to growth of population and the en
dowment of the colored people with
citizenship, and this increase, affected
by the demoralizing influenoe of war,
has multiplied criminals and crime.
But the undisturbed social condition
resulting from war is passing away,
and order prevails. As an offset against
the increase of criminal business there
is less civil litigation, as the result of
the decrease of property. Lawyers
everywhere in the State complain of
iusufficient business, and the large in
crease in the number of applicants for
the offices of Solicitor General and
Judge attest the lack of fees. I have
the opinion of some of the judges of
the courts that the number of circuits
can be decreased without injury to the
State. Some of the Judges have all,
they can well do. Others could easily
do more.
The increase of courts, county and
city, and the raising of the jurisdiction
of the lower courts, has rendered fewer
circuits necessary.
The reduction of the judiciary to
sixteen circuits would save the State a
large amount. I find the sum of §2 -
455 paid in 1876 uuder the Solicitor-
General’s act of 1858, and about this
amount is paid yearly. This is a com
pensation to Solicitor’s General for
cases carried to the Supreme Court,
and is about equivalent to their ex
penses in attending that Court. This
amount could be saved by having the
Attorney-General to attend to such
eases without cost, the Solicitors send
ing him briefs. This would not dimin
ish the compensation of Solicitors,
while it would save the State consider
able expense.
The offices of Superintendent of Pub
lio Works, of Wild Land Clerk, and
Physician of the Penitentiary, are un
necessary, and can, in my judgment,
be abolished without detriment to the
public interest. My present idea is to
impose the duties of Superintendent of
Puolic 'iVorks upon one of the persons
in the Executive Department. Wheth
er the clerical force in any of the de
partments can be reduced, is a proper
.matter for you to investigate aud de
termine.
I venture to suggest a very consider
able item of saving in the clerical ser
vice of your own body. The expense
of clerk hire has been thought by many
to be too large. Iu 1876 the House,
with one hundred and seventy five
membe/s, had seventy-Hour attaches;
and the Senate, with forty-four Sena
tors, had fifty attaches. The cost of
these 124 attaches for 219 members, or
one to two, was §26,343.00. Ovec §15,-
000 ought to be saved in this clerical
work.
There is good reason for the opinion
that the existing system of public
printing should be remodeled. The
profits of this work are excessive, as I
am informed by those who have tried
it. The State pays too much for the
work done, and there is too much
printing. A private individual could
and would get the work done cheaper.
The basis of cost upon which the State
pays 25 per cent, of profit has itself a
margin of profit. And the amount of
printing executed is iu excess of the
public needs. More copies of the laws
and journals are published than are re
quired. Perhaps nearly evory member
can call to oiiud iu county towns boxes
of undistributed laws and journals, or
distributed to persons not entitled to
them. It is useless to bo publishing
copies not demanded for the public
benefit.
Tho fees of Inspectors of oils and fer
tilizers are generally in excess of a
fair salary. In some places they
amount to a magnificent iuoaom. By
paying tRa inspectors a reasonable sal
ary and requiring the balance of the
fees over the salary to be paid iuto the
treasury revenue eould be derived
from this source,
I would suggest that there can be
effected an economising in eaoh one of
the foregoing items of State expense,
to which X Dave referred, amounting
in the aggregate to about the sum of
on" hundred and dfty thousand dob
lara. If tills could Be realized tho
amount saved would pay the interest
on over two millions of the publio debt.
Savings may not be practicable ia
aff of these matters, but it behooves us
to attempt iu earnest all of them that
are possible. A reduction of §150,000
of the §630,000 that it takes to pay the
current expenses of the State Govern
ment, would beau important benefit to
the lax-payers. It would be a decrease
of over one-fourth in these expenses,
If all tbe servants of the public wjll co
operate in this: attempted retrench
ment we can accomplish a great deal.
Nor does the work stop with the offi- j
cers and expend or the State. In j
county and city matters the reform Pan t
be carried on, aiding us iu our State f
retrenchment.
We find in 1870 that the tax in Qecr- f
gia was as follows ;
State tax § 045,394 |
County tax ~ 906,270
Municipal tax 775,365
§2,627,029
Qur people paid that year over two
aud a half millions of taxes. The
county aud municipal taxes were each
nearly as large as the State tax. A re- j
duction in these will relieve the tax- I
payers. While the State cannot regu- j
late tho oity tax, it can, by proper i
general laws, improve county man
agement, and county officers by good
administration can make the inevi
table burden of State taxation easier
borne.
I do not mean, in urging a policy of
reduced expenditure, to contend for
either parsimony in salaries or a crip
pling of the needed machinery of the i
government. The State must be just
to her servants aud alive to her own
necessities aud dignity. Poorly paid
officials will not render faithful ser
vice, and the administration of the
affairs of tbe commonwealth must j
not be cramped in any department,
and, while I arguo for State economy,
I would not have you understand that
in tho oaudid statement of the reasons I
for it there is eause for our being j
ashamed of our finauoiai standing, in j
comparison with other States. The !
statistics show that Georgia is in abet
ter condition, in proportion of wealth j
to debt, thau any of her sister South- 1
era States, aud our securities stand
higher in the commercial world. Our
debt has increased, but the increase is
due to an administration that unfortu
nately governed us for a few years
since the war. In spite of all the draw- i
backs of that burdensome rule and tbe j
depreciation of values last year, there
has been an iDorease in Georgia since
1870 of over §40,000,000 in wealth, and
over 40,000 polls, and our per capita
tax is far less than that of the beet
governed and most prosperous States
of tbe North and West.
In conclusion it should be borne in i
mind that the extent of your appropri
ations is the measure tf taxation.
If you limit the rate of taxation, you
must necessarily limit the appropria
tions aooordiugly, unless tho pernic
ious policy prevails of running expen
ditures beyond receipts and swelling
tho public debt. Let us proceed iu
this patriotic work of retrenchment
resolutely yet wisely aud carefully. Let
us begin at the bottom and work up.
Let the people give in their whole
property at just valuation. Let the tax
be impartially imposed and rigidly
collected. Let every department* of
the public service, city, county and
State, be economically and faithfully
administered. Let all superfluous of
fices and unnecessary expenses be cut
off. Let new debt be avoided and old
debt promptly paid. Let a high senti
ment of public duty animate all public
officials, and we shall see a most grati
fying result.
Alfred H. Colquitt.
Daily Constitutionalist, §6 per year.
Columbia is t7*have Reading beer
for the first time since the war.
GEORGIA NEWS.
Burglars In Madison.
GaffiivUle Je3Ble Boilog haß located at
Stone*Moanu?o. °' poe " monla
yWc? abundantly. WUnty pr ° m,Ma ‘°
dtld'lastTu" 661 ' ° rWeßtPo, “'.
Brooks county has paid off the last
dollar of its Indebtedness.
Social Circle boasts of eome of the
prettiest girls in Georgia.
DeKalb County New* :• Snow drifts
on the mountain three feet deep.
CoL J. B. Fitts, of Eatonton, is dead.
Me was about seventy years of age.
Mud is a caption to the local columns
of nine out of ten of our exchanges.
n Jas - 8 - Boynton, of
(jrnffln, died suddenly on Friday night.
Jackson county is out of debt, and
has some five thousand dollars in the
treasury.
Mr. A. K. Akerman and Miss Lilly
Robinson were married in Madison on
the 17th.
Many new buildings will be erected
near the Court House Square in Gaines
ville thiß summer.
Coley, of Pulaski county,
ivUled a hog a few days ago which
weighed 456 pounds.
Brooks county has paid off the last
dollar of its indebtedness, and has a
surplus in the treasury.
lhteves infest West Poiut and the
inhabitants thereof have resolved to
“shoot ’em on the spot.”
Gen. Simmons has introduced a bill
m the Legislature to abolish the
County Court of Newton.
A farmer of Emanuel county made
with one plow, last year, 320 bushels of
corn and four bales of cotton.
Oglethorpe \ Mi>. Geo. Latimer
is preparing to move to Atlanta. We
regret to loose so clever a citizen.
Dr. J. M. Mason, a first-class dentist
and gentleman, of Madison, is going to
cast his fortunes somewhere else.
The Rome Courier says : We are in
formed that the oats sowed in the fall
are not all dead, as some had thought.
The firm of Burnett & Cos., hardware
men of Madison, has been dissolved
Mr. P. V. Carbine will continue the busi
ness.
Ibe first bill Introduced by Repre
sentative A. H. Oox, of Troup, was one
to incorporate the West Point Inde
pendent Public School.
Morgan County Farmer’s Club will
hold its regular monthly meeting in
the Court House on Saturday, 27th
iust., at one o’clock p. m.
Miss Eflfie Pratt, reoently of Griffin,
married at her fatber’3 residence, near
Macon, on Wednesday night, to Mr.
George Fielder, of Macon.
Rev. T. A. Seals has preached his
first sermon as the new pastor of the
Madison Methodist Church, and gave
great satisfaction to his hearers.
There was no election for magistrate
in the 7.lst district of Burke county,
because nobody wanted the position!
What a happy condition of things.
The Quitman Importer is glad to note
the fact that the oat crop of Brooks
county has not been very seriously in
jured by the cold, and now gives prom
ise of an abhudaut yield.
Some rascal piled a lot of cross-ties
on the track of the Georgia Road near
Madison tne other day and came near
vrreokiDg the passenger train. Air
breaks and a safe engineer prevented
a catastrophe,
Rev. J. C. Humana, ’near) Carrolton,
made the past year upon a one horse
farm, seventeen bales of cotton aver
aging 450 pounds of lint, on 22 acres of
upland. Also a good crop of corn and
wheat. Fertilisers used were made at
home.
Col, Willis Hawkius, iu a card iu the
Constitution, contradicts the rumor that
he had been appointed Judge of the
Southwestern Circuit, aud sayo that he
is not an applicant for that or any
other office, and could not aooept it, if
tendered him.
The fight between the City Council
aud the State Lottery is assuming huge
proportions. The matter has got into
the Legislature, aud from interviews
published in the Comtitution, we judge
that there will be no settlement short
of a decision by the courts.
Madison Journal: Iu an altercation,
last Saturday, between Mr. Walter Hill
and Bob Toombs, colored, Mr. Hill ac
cidentally shot Solomon Cousins, an
old negro mau, who was standing on
the opposite side of the street. We
are informed that the wound is not fa
tal.
’The Quitman Reporter says : “We
hear there has been within a few weeks
past more vacant town lots sold to ac
tual settlers, for the purpose of im
provement, than for several years
past, aud still the demand has not been
supplied, aud the cry is more lots to
build upon.”
The editor of the Columbus Enquirer
is tne only editor in Georgia who is
bold enough to come out square-toed
and say he is fond of a free pass over
a railroad. \Vo like to sec editors take
a position on questions like this, and
that of the editor of the Enquirer is
absolutely impregnable.
The Greensboro Journal has the fol
lowing paragraph : “ Capt John C.
Hart reports anew malady among his
sheep that is taking them off at the
rate of from three to five u night. On
last Saturday, a party of gentlemen
dissected the head of one that had
recently died, and found a worm in such
close proximity to the brain as evident
ly to have caused the sheep’s death.”
Giiffin Frem : There is no disputing
the fact that honest country boys are
the best sort. If we wanted confirma
tion of this assertion we could have no
stronger proof than the eases of Hon.
John D. Stewart and John H. James!
One reared in Clayton and the other in
Henry county—they were brought up
between the plow handles. They have
succeeded in the world, and one to-day
is ohairmau of a committee on the Ju
diciary and the other of another one
equally as important. They are two
men that demand the respect of the
public, aod deservedly so.
The Warrenton Clipper says : “Last
Wednesday seems.to have been an un
fortunate day for children in this
county, not lees than four are reported
as victims of fire—two whites and two
colored—rone of the latter burned to
death. Among the former was the
youngest son of our fellow-townsman,
Mr. J. P. Swain. We learn from this
gentleman, however, that no serious
injury resulted. His little boy fell
against the heated andirons, but was
quickly jerked backwards and he thus
escaped the possession of a seriously 1
disfiguered face,”
SIX DOLLARS A YEAR
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
Oue firm in Camden sold over $16,000
Worth of guano last year.
The oat crop in Kershaw has beed
seriously injured by the late coin
snap.
The Grand Lodge, I. 0.0.
vened at Greenville Wednesday, Jan
uary 17.
Borne scoundrel entered the kitchen
of Mrs. Henry, at Florence, last week,
and stole the cooking stove.
Colonel J. A. Law, Hampton’s tax
collector, has met with a hearty
response at Florence
M. B. Moses, Esq., has been ap
pointed by Governor Hampton, Trial
Justice for the town of Sumter.
The Chief Justice is improving, and
expects to resume his duties on the
25th inst.
Mr. E. D. Pruiett, of Martin Town
ship, was the first tax-payer in Ander
son county to pay the ten per cent, un
der Gov. Hampton’s call.
Capt. Radciiffe, the Columbia Chief
of Police, claims all the honor of cap
turing the murderer McEvoy, and will
claim the reward.
Governor Hampton has removed B.
O. Holloway from the office of Trial
Justice at Timmonaville, and ap
pointed S. F. Cole in his stead.
Mr. H. A. Caubie, ono of the oldest
and best known citizens of Greenville,
died Wednesday, January 17, at the
advanced age of eighty-one years.
Mr. W. M. Kinder, of Kingstreo, a
few nights ago, had four shots at a
thief who was trying to break into his
corn house. He is not aware if he hit
his mark.
So-called Deputy United States Mar
shals are making themselves obnoxious
in Camden by arresting colored Demo
crats on a charge of intimidation of
voters.
The Deaf and Dumb Asylum at
Spartanburg, has been supplied with
ull immediate necessities; uo tbauks
due to the Massachusetts carpet-bag
ger, Chamberlain.
Blaok river is to be stocked with
salmon. An agent of the commis
sioners will be in at an
eaily date to put tbq young salmons
iu the river.
Dr. J. 8. Ifcjid died at Abbeville on
the IV-u Ihstant, aged eighty-three
years. Mis. Reid, his wife, died on the
llth instant, aged seventy-six years.
They were both members of the Pros
byterian Church.
The gin house of General P. H.
Bradlejr, at Abbeville, was burned Sun
day night, Jauuary 14. About three
hundred bushels of cotton seed were
consumed at the same time. The fire
was clearly incendiary.
The little pteauinnies of the Colored
Orphan Asylum know where the white
people buy their meat just now, since
the butchers refuse to furnish the meat
unless Governor Hampton agrees to see
the bill paid.
Tae taxpayers of Lexington county
have paid, for several years past, SSOO
per annum to the widow of one Coles, a
oolored man,said to have been killed by
the Ku Klux. The woman has moved
into North Carolina, and Judge T. J.
Mackey, on the 13th instant, issued an
order directing the funds to be held by
the county.
Three bales of cotton were stolen
from the warehouse of Mr. T. W. Hol
loway at Pumaria, on the night of the
llth iustaut. About 3 o’clock in the
morning, Mr. J. B. guber found that
his wagon aud two of his mules were
missiug. Pursuit was made, and the
wagon aud two bales of cotton re
covered. A wagon and team stolen
from some parties unknown, were also
recovered. The thieves escaped.
Governor Hampton has made the
following appointments in Darlington
county : Special agent—J. A. Law.
Jury Commissioner—E. W. Cannon.
Trial Justioee—J. H. Wariey, M. A.
Huggins, Darlington ; W. A. Brunson;
Florence ; S. F. Cole, Timmonsvilio
S. H. Pressley, Society Hill ; *J. W.
Williamson, Pee Dee ; Sinclair Josey,
Lydia ; W. S. King, Hartsville.
Whittemore was accorded an unique
reception at Timmonaville, Saturday,
January 13th. The train was boarded
by a number of juveniles of both colors,
aud a keg labelled “ soap grease”
placed on his seat. The band perform
ed on cow bells,horns,tin pansand other
appropriate instruments. Whittemoro
remained in his seat aud chewed the
cud of bitter reflections until the train
moved off aud the music dispensers
dispersed.
The grand jury at Abbeville con
demn the interference of armed sol
diers in the late election, and find that
Chamberlaiu’s allegations of lawless
ness and violence are untrue as regard
ing Abbeville, and are without founda
tion, and defamatory. They did not,
however, feel justified, from the infor
mation received, in making- a present
ment of any particular persons by name
for trial and criminal punishmeut ior
either of tho offenses alluded to.
Several important orders were made
by the oourt at Abbeville, Judge Cooke
presiding. An order requiring Tolbert
to Uelivor the Treasurer’s office, with
books, furniture, etc., to the chairman
of the Board of County Commission
ers ; an order against Guffin, requiring
him to show cause why he withheld
the sales-book of the Sheriff’s office
from his legally constituted successor
in office ; and an order restraining L.
H. Russell, Chamberlain’s appointee,
from determining the tax rates for the
tax levy of the present fiscal year.
Mr. U. B. Whites, Tax Agent, New
berry, opened office January 10th.
During the day he took in $1,060,
about one seventh of the proposed
amount. The people were anxious to
pay. An old colored man, Wm. DeWalt.
better known as “Uucle Billy,” Insisted
on contributing a dollar, though he
owns uo property and is exempt from
the poll tax. Mr. Pettis Chick sent his
nephew, Mr. Henderson, over to pay
his quota, and when Mr. H. returned
with a re<eipt for sl3, Mr. C. said that
wasn’t enough for Hampton, and sent
him back with SSO more. Mr. S. K.
Diok, a Georgia cotton buyer, asked
leave to contribute a tea dollar bill—
which was granted. The whole amount
called for will be paid, and paid cheer
fully.
Columbia. January 18.—The Su
preme Court met at 11 o’clock. Sug
gestions in quo warranto similar to
those tiled yesterday, were presentee
in the casts of the Treasurer, Adjutan
General and Secretary of State, thi
covering all the State offices. The tin
for answering these suggestions w
extended from seven to twenty days
A negro man named Butler cut
wife’s throat and killed her, at Hi
Spring yesterday. He was captu
to-day.
Daily per y^,