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THE GEORGIA WEEKLY TELEGRAPH.
(Smgjs®letKlg®«Itstap5
|5?*Giiurnl Grant ofl’crs for sale the Mili
tary Railroad in Texas which runs irom 15 ra-
£os Santingo to the Rio Grande. Purchasers
will be required to transport all troops at
the same rates ns charged by the New York
Central.
Acknowledgment.—We acknowledge
the receipt, yesterday, by express, of ninety
fire dollars, (#95), from Mrs. Eliza B. Bayard,
of Rome, Ga., the saftte being a contribution
of tne noble women of that little city for the
benefit of the family of Ex-President Davis.
Florida Railroad.—We learn from the
Fernandina Courier, of the 24th inst., that at
a meeting of the stockholders of this Road,
held at.their office in Gainesville, on the 31st
instant, the following named gentlemen were
chosen Directors:
D. L. Yulee, President, F. C. Barrett, Sec
retary, E. N. Dickerson, Marshall O. Roberts,
A. H. Cole, Philip Dell, James B. Dawkins,
H. A.'Corley and James T. Thomas.
National Express Compart.—Reports
having been circulated that General Joseph
E. Johnston had, or would, accept the Presi
dency of the Mobile & Ohio R. R., and that
he was not the President of the National Ex
press Company, the Savannah Republican
states, upon reliable authority, that General
Joseph E. Johnston is the President of the
National Express Company, with his head
quarters at Baltimore. That be is not, nor
will l>o oonnected with the Mobile & Ohio R.
It., and that the Stockholders of the National
Express Company, are well pleased with his
administration of their affairs. - **
The Military Commission sitting at
Charleston, S. C., recently ^onvictcd four
highly respectable citizens of murder, upon
evidence which was generally Ijelioved, in
Charleston, to have been suborned. 'Two
were sentenced to be hanged, and two to in
carceration for life in a Northern penitentiary.
Much feeling was aroused by the belief, on
the part of the citizens, that the accused had
not been fairly tried, nnd were innocent of
4he crime imputed to them.
We are glad to learn that the President
has suspended the exccutiqn of the sentence.
Revived.—We arc pleased to see that the
Book and Publishing firm of E. J. Dawson &
Co., successors to McCarter & Dawsoo, whose
house was established in Cliaricston in 1825,
and closed up at the commencement of the
war, has been revived in that city, the junior
partner of the old concern bfing now at the
head. The firm was well known to the busi
ness men of Georgia, South Carolina and Ala
bama, with whom they did a veiy heavy
trade for many years, and wo lmve
doubt their old customers would be plcasod
to renew their relations with merchants
tried integrity and long experience. Messrs.
E. J. D. & Co. have now on hand a large stock
of Law, Medical and School Books, Station
ery, Ac., &c., and would be gratified to sec
many of their old friends in Charleston again,
The Wheat Crop.—The Mt. Carmel (HI.)
Democrat says the wheat crop along the line
of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, east of
Vincennes, is looking uncommonly promis
ing, and the prospects are most flattering for
a splendid crop tlio coming season. The late
sowing, however, docs not promise well.
The Alton Telegraph says: “The pros
pect for an abundant crop of wheat was never
better than it is this spring in this part of
Illinois. We have made inquiries of parties
from all directions, and have received but one
answer, that the young crop' never looked
better at this season of the year than it does
now. The season, although nearly a month
later than usual in this latitude, has thus far
been very favorable for getting, the spring
grain into the ground, and preparing the soil
for corn.”
The Methodist General Conference.
A special to the Louisville Courier says the
Conference on the 26th elected the following
Ministers Bishops in the Methodist E. Church
South:
Dr. W. M. Wightman, of Greensboro, Ala.
Rev. E. M. Marvin, of Mo.; Dr. D. L. Dog-
gett, of Richmond, Va.; Dr. II. N. McTyicro
of Montgomery, Ala.
Rev. II. Red’ford, of Louisville, was elected
Book Agent; Dr. T. O. Summers, Book Edi
tor.
The Domestic 3Iissionaiy Board was loca
ted at Nashville, Tenn., and Dr. J. B. McFer-
rin was elected Secretary.
The following are the editors of the differ
ent church papers:
St. Louis Advoeate, Dr. D. R. McAnnally
Memphis Advocate, Rev. W. C. Johnson
Arkansas Advocate, Rev. J. E. Cobb; Texas
Advocate, Rev. J. G. Johnson, and the South
ern Christian Advocate, Dr. E. H. Myers.
The Bishops were ordained on Sunday.
THE RECONSTRUCTION REPORT.
We hoped to be able to place tbe entire re
port of the Reconstruction Committee before
our readers this morning, but it failed to
come to hand. ' They will, therefore, have to
content themselves with the telegraphic ab
stract, which, from some cause our reporter
failed to furnish over the wires, thus com.
pelling us to copy from other papers. The
abstract, however, will afford a pretty correct
idea of tho work of the committee nnd the
terms on which tho Southern States are to be
restored to their constitutional rights as
members of the Federal Union. What are
those terms ?
Tho committee say to tho Southern people,
in substance: acknowledge the negro your
equal; give him tho right to voto or reduce
your representation in proportion to tbenum
ber not voting; subscribe to your disfran
chisement at the polls until we elect three or
four more Black Republican Congresses and
another President nnd thus enjoy all the of
fices of the country, North and South;
give up all claim of compensation
for tho property of which we have robbed
you; give Congress complete and arbitrary
power over the States; sanction tho perpet
ual disfranchisement and proscription of eve
ry Southern man who held an office, execu
tive, legislative, foreign, judicial, whether
Confederate [or State, during tho war—do
these things and then send men to Congress
who can take the test catli at a single swal
low, and you shall be represented at Wash
ing, nnd restored to your rights in the Union!
Such arc the conditions offered by the
Congressional Committee, and no doubt to
be offered by Congress, under the pretext
that they are designed to restore the Union.
They know better. If they had been search
ing for a plan for perpetual exclusion of the
South and alienation of her people from the
Government, they could not have found a
better. The Southern people will spit upon
their intuiting overture?.
“ Bishop Andrew took occasion to counsel
abort ‘ speeches and few of them. Some
men spoke so much that they killed every
measure they espoused.”
Wc clip the foregoing paragraph from the
reported proceedings of the Methodic Gener-
eral Conference, now in session at New Or
leans. It is very brief, but contains a lesson
of profound wisdom, and, unfortunately, one
which the world Is very loth to learn. Igno
rance or disregard of it has destroyed the
usefulness of many a good man. and ruined
many a good cause.
In all public assemblies of our country, we
find men ever ready and anxious togire their
opinions on all imaginable subjects, and who
seem to think that the.chief object of the
meeting is to hear them talk. They jump up
on all occasions, speak to every motion, and
consider no question discussed until they
have “ had their say.” This practice is con
fined chiefly to new members and young men,
but sometimes wo find old chatterboxes who
consider it their special privilege to bore ev
ery deliberative body of which they become
members.
Now this is a great mistake, and instead
of making reputations, that reputation must
be a very firmly established one not to suffer
and finally give way altogether under this
system of perpetual loquacity. Smart young
men, wlio arc placed in responsible positions,
seem to consider that it is expected of them
to become forthwith conspicuous, falling in
to the. very grave error that notoriety is repu
tation. The very opposite is the truth.
Mqdesty is a great merit in the estimation of
all whose good opinion is worth having.—
Popularity may be based on genuine solid
worth and come from tho wise and good; or
it may be based on clap-trap demagoguism
and come from the mob. In the former case
it is valuable and enduring; in the latter it
is worthless and fleeting as the shadow.—
Which is the worthier of an honest man’s
ambition ?
With rare exceptions, t he great men of the
world have l>ccn quiet and taciturn men ^
public positions. Clay, Madison, Webster,
Callioun, Choate, though all their lives near
ly in the public councils, seldom spoke, and
when they did always on great and important
questions. The skirmishing and short-sword
business of Congress they left to inferior inen
to the talkere—but when a blow had to be
struck for liberty, or any great principle of
government, they struck it, nnd the sound
thereof was as the crash off he thunder-bolt.
It was a blow struck for all time, for genera
tions unborn, not a pop-gun fizzle to carry
an unimportant point or amuse the rabble.—
“There were giant* in tliosc days.”
Let the public men of our country thinkof
these things. Many a truly worthy man has
sacrificed himself and the truth by disregard
ing them.
The Gordon Murder.
Gordon, Ga., May 1st, -1866.
I desire, Mr. Editor, to correct some errons
in. my notice of tho murder of our townsman,
losiah II. Jones, and to giveyou some of the
facts in evidence.
Our village was thrown into a fever of cx-
citementxm Saturday morning by the report
that Mr. Jones was missing; his horse having
returned home without him. • He was last
seen by some of the neighbors about ten
o'clock at night, at which time he visited his
steam mill, in the place, and while there, in
the presence of his watchman, drew out his
pistol and fired off one barrel of it. He then
mounted his horse and rode oft Some twen
ty or thirty minutes thereafter, two pistol
shots were heard and a woman’s screams, but
no notice was taken of it at the time. The
next morning his family not finding him in
bed, nnd his horse returning without him, the
citizens turned ont “en masse” to search for
him. Mr. Brantly,—an employee of Mr.
Jones’,—rode up to the house of Mrs. Sarah
Mathis; (a tenant of Mr. Jones,) behaving
heard the pistol shots the night before. He
called Mrs. Mathis' out, and asked her if she
had seen Mr. Jones the night before. She re
plied that she had not seen him since one
o’clock Saturday: but her pale, haggard
countenance and the violent trembling satis-
Isfied Mr. Brantly that Mr. Jones was dead,
and that' she was cognizant of it A party
was immediately sent to the house of Mrs.
Mathis and a close search instituted. A large
pool of clotted blood was discovered at tbe
corner of the yard fence, covered over with
a board and rails, and a trail was found as
though some heavy body had been dragged
through the leaves. Tho trail was followed
and about one hundred yards in front of the
house a mound of earth was discovered
which proved to be the grave of our unfortu
nate fellow-citizen. One shoulder and the
tail of his coat were visible. lie was taken
up and it was discovered that he had come
to his death by a pistol ball, no was struck
in the left eye,, tho ball ranging across the
head diagonally, and lodging against the
skull, back of his -right car. The pistol must
have been within ten or twelve inches of his
face when fired, as his face was blackened
by powder, and the wound was large enough
to have admitted a small-sized hen egg.—
Upon closer examination, a second wound
was found upon the left shoulder, which was
but a flesh wound. *
A negro woman testified that lie was shot
by Sbadrach Croom, and tbe evidence was
point blank in fixing upon him the charge of
wilful murder. Mrs. Mathis testified that Mr.
Jones had shot first at Croom. 8hc had bu
ried the pistol of Mr. Jones, which was found
with but one barrel discharged, and the evi
dence was satisfactory that Jones had dis
charged that one at his will.
The negro woman swore that Croom bad
forced her to assist him in dragging off the
body of Jones, nnd that Mrs. Mathis had ta
ken her with her to turn loose Mr. Jones'
horse, cover up and erase the blood nnd stains,
and bury the pistol; and also concocted a
tale for her and the negro to tell to clear
Croom from the suspicion of being the mur
derer.
The evidence showing the premeditation
of the murder was conclusive, and the Coro
ner's Jury gave a verdict of “ Guilty of wil
ful murder” against Sbadrach Croom, and of
accessory after the fact against Mrs. Sarah
Mathis.
There has as yet been no extenuating evi
dence on the part of Croom, as his trial be
fore the civil authorities has not wc-t com
menced, and popular feeling runs strongly
against the accused, especially as Mr. Jones
was robbed of his watch and money, nnd
from the brutal manner in which lie was
thrust, face downward, in the shallow nnd
irrow grave. Much sympathy is felt toward
Mrs. Mathis, who is a si->ter-in-lnwofCroom's,
and who is connected with some of our most
spectablc families. Her connection with
ic murder itself is doubted, and her efforts
the result of a weak mind and the serious
fright she had experienced.
Mr. Jones was a mun whose loss will he
deeply deplored, lor he was, during the war,
and up to tho time of his assassination, Un
practical frie nd to the poor, the widow and
the orphan. He had, by his untiring energy,
accumulated q'uite a largo fortune, which was
almost entirely destroyed by Sherman’s army.
OUR COUNTRY—-BRAZIL
Milford, Baker County, 1
April !8th, I860, j
TUere is great Impatience in the j ublic as to the
result of tbe coming struggle! in the lower Hbiue—
of late nothing but opposition members have been
returned by the departments.
VAR RETWEEX AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA.
It would appear from all accounts that war has
bcun decided upon, between the two leading pow-
irs in Germany, tor it is hardly possible that either
Prussia or Austria can now back out—the lir-t that
shows the white feather will lose its intluencc for
ever. Should they come to blows there will be a
general conflagration In Europe, so that in fact we
Have no sooner got rid of one evil than wc are
visited with another.
. The, cholera, which did such ead havbc this
winter, has, it wonld appear, entirely disappeared
Mr. Editor.
continuance of the tc.-t oath of such torce that
the committee* cannot disregard it, and is
constrained to aid him in all proper efforts to
reach so desirable a result, and the committee
is of opinion that onq of the most Effective
means of making treason odious i- to close
all official doors against traitors, fill tho
offices of the got eminent with 1< yal men, put
no traitors on guard. This, in t ic judgment
of the committee, will sorely make treason
odious, and tend to produce harmony nnd
action between the legislative and executive
branches of the government. The committee
does not supyose that the President, when he
declared if there are but five thousand men in
Tennessee loyal to justice, these true and faith
ful men should control the work of reorgan
ization and reformation, absolutely, meant
If I do not trespass upon i Europe. . - - . ,
i • i The Sanitary Commission now sitting «t Con- mot to be- understood<as fixing a numerical
your columns, an occasional notice of ciwrent J stantinople Is, it is thought, rendering most ^ili- f limitation, hut rather as announcing a doc-
cvcnts and such local matters as are of inter-1 service; the pilgrims returning from Meeca f trine that loyal men, however few in nuin-
estf may form tho subject of comment from *' ive to undergo quarrantinfc, and nothingis neg- j b -rs, should be the sole_depositories ot politi-
time to time, during the intervals of leisure lected to ■ prevent the cholera from being again
and observation, in this my new home, since broaght to Europe by these fanatics,
the conclusion of the war. Passing from a TnE new prefect op police,
section u country, nlticL tic prosw of o Moo.lcur nan the prrfcct ot poller, .ro
century of r.inenren. nnd civilirntion tad
embellished and enriched with the arts and corrnptIon Ho will begin by waging war on all
comforts of life, but which has been fearfully the secre t hells which have of late been springing
desolated and made desolate by the ravages up like mushrooms in every quarter this winter,
of the war, in this more favored section, I Many clubs, where ecarte and racarat are allowed
anxiously watch the course of events and ^o sources of temptation to young men, and
, . . , . f . . it Is the intention of Jfonsieur Pietre to insist upon
patiently await tho solution of a great prob- none ^ authorired game8 Wclng 1)Crinl ued in the
lem, our destiny. Tho silver lining which so different circles.
recently tinged the dark cloud on our politi- There is also much gambling going on In tho
cal horizon anc. presaged hope to the friends demi-monde, where tbe agents of the police have
of constitutional liberty, has suddenly van- lately found that roulette, rouge et noir, and (rente
ished, and the passage of the “Civil Rights ? W*™"* P^yed, and where those who are
’ , , * ° . . m j • v foolish enough to frequent the houses of tftwies
Bill” and the results of recent elections North anj gunJ tQ £ fleec ^ Jn a nsrelleM manner .
have overshadowed the country with a pall Monsieur Pietre is determined to entirely put
of funereal gloom. If the Radical party are down these disreputable places of resort, and he
determined to rule or ruin, and will not res- has issued a decree that all ladles, who for the fu-
peetthe misfortunes of a brave but unfor- ture shall be found in them, will be sent to the
tunatc people; if they are determined to tram- P r! ‘°“ of fl ' llich is rescrved
pie out tho very sparkles of our asl*a, then james 8TEpnEJfa „ pAMB •
this unnatural Union can never bind willing Iba(] a few days ag0) tllc plea8nre of beln ,, 5n
hearts, and any other clime that can shut out company with the leader of the Irish Fenian move-
the memory of our wrongs, will bo a grateful I ment, which is at present causing such uneasiness
asylum to the oppressed. to the government of Great Britian. Stephens
This leads me, Mr. Editor, to speak of a was dressed very elegantly and maintained a very
...... . • . » I modest attitude all the erening; only speaking
meeting in this county on the 1 - •’ ‘ I when spoken to. Hu was questioned on his arrest,
dressed by Major Robt. Meriwether, recently j escap(!i atl d projects for the future. He affirms
from a tour to Brazil. Major 31. is that he intenda returning one day to Ireland with
i9 from Edgefield District, S. C., bit more re- au army of 200,000 men, when he will free the
centlv a planter in tills county. He WHS coni- Emerald Isle from the bated yoke of the Saxon,
missioned by the people of Edgefield District We. in France, have not much faith in the ulti-
...... , * . , . mate success of the Fenian cause, nor is it believ-
to visit Brazil, and report back upon * 1!l t | fd t ba t Stephens is of ucontrary opiuiou, but being
country. He enjoys tlio ^reputation of a die-1 now engaged in the enterprise, he will not from
crcet, and reliable gentleman,' aid his report I amourpropre withdraw. Heroism is often obstina-
was highly interesting and encouraging to cm-1 c y carried to the utmost extent,
ignition. He represents the Government to j a modern vampire,
be liberal in its principles and doing all in who was arrested some months back, will shortly
its power to develop its agricultural interests. * tried at the of p »™- 1113 hardl y P ossl *
_.f, hie to believe that in the presebt century, 6ncha
With this view, it encourages anti will assist ,.. , . . « . 1,
’ . ” , . , monster could be found to exist Some Jimc ago
emigration-paying one-tlnrei of the passage the body ofiayounggiri was diac0 vered not far
money to the Empire and famishing trans-1 from ^ MinisUrt de VIntereur; a most curious
portation to any point upon arrival, and one circumstance is, that though the head was severed
year’s subsistence. The taxes arc inoonsider- frpm the body, not a drop of blood was fouud on
able; lands are abundant, cheap, and of un- «» ground. Search was immediately made after
surpassed fertility. Tliev can be purchased Perpetrator of the horrid deed and the police
1 , „ ,, „ I at last succeeded in laying its hands on a man who
at one dollar per acre, payable in six years, ^ made an atteinpt on B , ady on her from
and will produce sixty bushels of Com and one 0 f the theatres. The monster whilst in prison,
three thousand pounds Cotton, (superior to confessed that after having killed his victims, he
that raised here in quality), per acre. The drank their blood. It is generally thought that
settled Coffee plantations cannot be bought, Philippe (for such is the name of the Vampire,) is
but lauds of like quality in a state of nature, j °f ansonDd mind
1 J ’j TUere is a grand referm now going on In the ad-
are plenty, and can be cleared at an expense mil;lstratb>n of the Academle Imperial* de Mustque
of $1 50 per acre. All manner of Tropical I or Paris Opera, which is to handed over to private
fruits abound. The climate is like that of the speculation, and will no longer be managed bv the
same latitude in tbe North Temperate Zone. State. It Is very much donbted whether the re-
The people are kind, honest, and very form wUicU ha& ukcn P t4Ca wiu benelit the P ublic -
tapiX. »„d nrc „Uo *-to.
our people come among them. Religious given to tne Director of the Opera, and
liberty is allowed and enjoyed. Major Mer- j 3 impossible that without such a grant any
riwetlicr endorses his statements by his acts manager can make the two- ends meet now-a-days,
nnd is making preparations for a removal.— when it is recollected what enormous salaries are
He is very confident with our superior knowl- K 1 ™® t0 P r ^ ne donutt and others.
, , ■ . • . • , It is evident that the majority of our theatres are
edge of agriculture, and imp <. 1 ' I far from doing good business. A commission .lias
ments, in that very rich country, ruined lor- I formed to inquire iuto the statb of our dra-
tunes can be mended. Thus it is we shall be I math: institutions. Wc hope the government will
called to witness valuable citizens leaving try to And some means to make all theatrical under-
their old homes, unless a more magnanimous ‘«ki“S* in tho country profltable, by lightening the
spirit is cherished than‘we have reason to be- J ot many taxes which now quite weigh
lieve exists at this time towards the South.
su PDon i
was all that coul-i
cal power and social i.tflucnca. This must be
tbe true interpretation of his wor.l^ for any
other would be inconsistent with his emphatic
and often-repeated denunciation of treason
and traitors. The committee further quote
from President Johnson’s speeches in the
Senate, in March, 1801. In reviewing the
letter of the Secretary ot the Treasury, the
committee say, the test oath was established
by law, and no officer had any more right to
di^jiense with it, than lie liad to dispense
with any other law. All officers should know
that the dispensing power does not exist in
tiffs government, and that ijs exercise is dan
gerous, and will not be tolerated. If the act
of July 2d, 1862, stood in the way of a pro
per execution of other lows, to the extent in
dicated by the Secretory of the Treasury, the
duty ot the President was very plain. It was
not to dispense with the law, but to assemble
Congress, and ask for a removal of the ob
stacle. Had this been done in the spring of
1865, the complications now existing in the
affairs of the nation would, in ni l probability,
have been avoided, for with the views then
entertained by the President relative to the
power of Congress over the subject of recon
struction the Legislative and executive de
partments could have worked together, with
little or no friction. Instead of calling Con
gress together, the executive department of
the government elected to dispense with the
the law of July 2, 1862, and the Secretary of
the Treasury presented the House with an
exhibit of the olficers appointed under this
dispensation.
The committee, after turtlicr argument,
say in conclusion: If the test-oath should
be so far modified ns to enable an ex-rebel to
take it, the social influence which now over
comes loyal mfti would still push them out
of the way, and force the government to be
stow its offices on the disloyal. This would
not make treason odious, nor would it pun
ish traitors. On the contrary, it would in
crease the odium which now attaches to loy
alty in the Southern States, and punish men
because of their faithfulness to the govern
ment, a community that will not respect an
officer of the United States because he has
been sufficiently loyal to the government to
allow of his taking the test oath, does not
deserve to have the advantages and conven
iences of tbe postal service extended to it;
but does deserve to have the revenue laws
enforced against it by the services of such
officers as the government may be able to se
cure. There are thousands bf loyal men in the
Southern States who can take the test oath;
and to such should the offices in those States
be given. [Let the government recognize
their claims in this regard, and loy-
country, politically and financially, to pus- tion to the future only, and no! to hT
pend the collectiou'of internal revenue taxes and if (he officer would swear to t l?
in the Southern States, except in commercial Constitution, tlia
cities, for months, if not tor years to come, qtnrod df-him.
rather than to undertake to collect them by Our Con-titution was n ulc
men not identified with the tax-payers in sym- close of the war, and our l' tthei < dkl r.',
pathy or interest. ' ' it wise to provide t-, o:,:hs, in , l\,'
•• The rebellion grew out of an antagonism hibit those who gave aid to Gr. - r
ot opinion between the people of the free and from bolding office under the Federal
slave States, the legitimate result ofiia differ- »:
ence of institutionWith the abolition of
slavery, all real differences of opinion, and all
serious causes of estrangement, ought rapidly
to disappear. It will be a calamity, the ex
tent of which cannot now be estimated, lioth
to this nation, and the cause of civil liberty
throughout tbe world, if, instead ot looking
toward reconciliation and harmony, the ac
tion of the government shall tend to harden
and intensify a sectionalism between tho Nor
thern and Southern States. It is difficult to
conceive a more unfortunate course for the
government of the United States to' pursue,
than to make tax-gatherers at the South of
men wlio are strangers to the people. It needs
no reference to history (although it is full of
lessons upon the subject) to illustrate the fa
tal consequences of such a policy.”
This is the'language of a faithful, true,
and devoted patriot, one who is not under
the influence of party passion, radicalism or
fanaticism, and whose love for bis country has
been fully tested, and never found wanting;
one wlio has been the guardian of our
finances, and acquired a reputation for honor,
purity, and statesmanship unequalled by any
of the age in which we live. Let us bury
passion, hate, and revenge, in the deep ocean
of oblivion, and rise to the true standard of
our country, forgiving our Southern brethern
tlieir past offenses, as we would that they, in
like circumstances, should forgive us. The
Secretary of the Trcasur says:
“It is true that there are still some appli
cants for office in the Southern States, who
present what they call “a true record of loy
alty,” but rare exceptions, they are persons
who would have been able to present an
equally fair record for place under the Con
federate Government it the rebellion had been
a success, or persons lacking the qualifications
whifib are needed in revenue positions.
In regard to the matter of compensation
I have only to remark that the law fixes defi
nitely the salaries and commissions of most
officers, and that tbe pay of subordinate offi
cers, is altogether inadequate to tempt North
era men to assume the risk and incur the odi
um of collecting taxes in the-Southcrn States,
except, perhaps, in the commercial cities of
the seaboard.” , ’ ;r "
In speaking of a true record for loyalty, the
Honorable Secretary does not mean to speak
snceringlv of those who have really a clean
record, as the majority report would seem to
imply, but he has reference to those who were
never placed in a situation to test their loyal
ty to the United States or so-called Confeder
ate Government.
The Honorable Postmaster General says
“As a remedy for the future I would ven
ture to suggest a modification of the oath by
inserting the word “voluntarily” immediately
preceding the word “sought,” so that the
clause would read, “That I have neither vol
untarily sought nor accepted, nor attempted
to exercise the functions ot any office what
ever, under any authority, or pretended au
thority, in hostility to the United States.”—
This would enrage the class of persons who
could qualify as postmasters and mail con
tractors, and be in harmony, as it seems to me,
with the general provisions and purposes of
the oath, and thus facilitate the speedy re
alty and respect for the laws of the United | establishment of the postal service to the
States will soon be strong enough to over- j common benefit of all sections of the coun-
come the social power, which frowns upon | try; for it must be borne in mind that while
tbcm down.
3Iay we not yet trust that President Johnson, j MODIFICATION OF THE TEST OATII1
upheld by the conservative clement of tbe
land will be able to vindicate tbe cause of I Majority and Minority Reports of the
oppressed humanity and roll back the tide
that threatens to sweep every landmark of
constitutional liberty and extinguish the last j
hope of the patriot and the philanthropist.
Alpha.
House Jndicinry Committee.
Parie ami €ontincntal Corrcspon
deuce.
Paris, April 11,1866
To the Editor of the Macon Telegraph :
Sin:—I shall be very much surprised, Mr.
Editor, if in a very short time we do not see the
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
The report of Representative Wilson, of
Iowa, from the Committee on the Judiciary,
on the message of the President of the
United States, transmitting communications
from the Secretary of the Treasury and Post
master General, suggesting a modification of
the oath of office prescribed by the act of
Congress, approved July 2,1862, contains the
following points:
The act prescribing the oath was passed
two leading powers of Germany come to blow«.J whe “ the nation was in the midst ot a gi-
_ , , 6 *. .... : . .. . "antic war, waged against it by ltsownciti-
Evcrybodythmk. that wan. inevitable, and - ^ Qo ^ ress £ t< , nded J e , t;lb , ish by
the question it which of the two wril strike ‘he u k ermanen t rule of public policy which
first blow, Hapsburg or Hohenzoflern. I gjjQyid exclude from tbe offices of tho United
The unsettled state of Germany keeps us all on states every citizen who had voluntarily
the jvi vine—as the peace of Europe depends on I abandoned his allegiance to the Government
the Emperor, all eyes are turned towards the a nd joined in the mad attempt of traitors to
Tuilleries. But Napoleon the Ill is mum. destroy it. The official positions which
A few days ago the Emperor, accompanied by j many of the leadiag traitors held under the
the Empress and the Prince Imperial, passed a government while engaged in organizing the
review of the several cavalry, regiments, and it rebellion, were sources of power without
waa expected that hi. majesty would address a which the war could not have corn-
few word, to tho taoops in allusion to the war.- “enced. Those positions gave the conspi-
. .. r . , a .. rotors a resistless influence over the people
It appears, however, that the Imperial Sphinx of tlj0 g outbera States, and supplied the
was very much disappointed at being so coldly means f or organizing forces that converted
received by the public, and that he returned one -hal f of the republic into battle-fields, on
home without having even opened his lips to I wb i c h loyalty and treason contended for four
any one—Napoleon has not yet got over the lit- years. If eveiy officer of the Government
tie eontretemp* at,the Odeon some weeks back, iiad proved true to his trust, the rebellion
ami those who come in daily contact with him, | could not hare occurred. This fact was
inform us that tout n’esi pateoulenr de rote at tho I properly appreciated by Congress and by
Tuilleries, and that something is brewing. I President Lincoln when the act of July 2nd,
THE PROJECTS op the EMPEROR. " as placed upon the statute book of the
_ ... , nation. They saw that treason derived all its
Tne coming elections at Strasbourg are new n or j^,j na | strength from the official position of
source of some anxiety for Napoleon. It is ex- lca( y n g tra i t ors. The baseness of the traitors
pectod by all who know anything about tho Em- wbo blll j g 0nc f rom Congress, from the Cabi
peror, that should the opposing candidate ho ne ^ ouJ f rom the army and navy, to give
sent to the chambers by tho electors of the Bas I character and organization and power to the
Rhine, ho will call upon tho country to dissolve rebellion, was fresh in the minds of all who
Parliament until the majority of the Prince Im-1 participated in the enactment of the oath of
perial, and'will take advantage of the German office. The Yulee letters, disclosing the
quarrel to extend tho French territory to the double villiany of tho men who conspired
ju,j ne against the Government while holding its
the evexemext, the onLE.ofisTs, axdthe h JS h l 8t °? CCS, * 1 had b f n u d ! SC0V , ere i ££
* ’ placed before the country but a short time
minister. before the passage of the act of July 2nd,
Another spectre now appears on the scene to 1862. That letter did much toward convin-
tronblc tho sleep of the head of the Empire. The c ing every true supporter of the government
Orleans family, which remained quiet during the oftlie necessity ot applying the test of unin-
lifc timeof Qnctn AmcIIc, will now no doubt be- terrupted loyalty to every public officer. So
gin to stir any article favorable to the fallen house, marked was its effect then that the commit-
published In the Paris papers, and said togivegreat I tee deem it proper to re-produce it here as
offense at the Tnilleries. Report say* that the dc- an argument in favor of maintaining tlie pol-
scription given In the Evcnement of the obsequies icy, in the adoption of ".'Inch it materially
of the Ex-Qaeen of the French, winding up with aided. The committee understand that it is
a most complimentary article for tho Count de the deliberate purpose of Congress to main-
ParL, caused great irritation in higher quarters, tain the policy of the act of July 2, 1862,
and that the minister of tho interior has had strict I which is to keep the offices of the govern-
orders not to allow anything of the sort to be again I ment in tho hands of loyal men. Treason is
inserted in any Parisian journal. ! not to be made respectable by the robes of
There la no fear of tbs Emperor’s fears not belDg 1 0 ® ce " Places of honor, trust, power anil
carried out a la Utlre, for Mans, de Persigny anj should be bestowed on the loyal only.
Mona. LavaUette will lose no opportunity of an- men can be found in the insurrectionary
noyiug the partisans of the house of Orleans. I S , tat f , to , fl11 a 1 W* P laces . ? and , n ° n0 ot l . erS
Both the 1 Emperor and Xmprras have of I a t 0 l 9llould bc selected. 2So law of the nation
been anything tut gracious to those deputies who
havetgone
portunity
every union \nan who stood by the flag of the
republic throughout the whole course of the
war. Temporary inconvenience should not
turn tho government aside from this policy.
The unhappy condition of the Southern States
cannot be improved by changing laws which
may be opposed to the views and the feelings
of those citizens who fought for four years to
destroy the government. They must learn
that obedience to law is adutynotto be light
ly regarded, and that loyalty to the govern
ment is a virtue which cannot be destroyed by
the social power of the disloyal. When these
ends aresecurcd, it may be expedient to modi
fy the test oath, but not until then. The
committee, therefore, ask to be discharged
trom the further consideration of the subject.
ought to be so changed as to render any oth
..... . - , ,er course possible; and in , this regard the
over to the tia-sj>artf, and totna op- conunitteeentireljconcur in the bold uttcr-
b allowed to go by,by the imperial pair, , ince . made bj rodent Join
sident Johnson, both while
to Bay something disagreeable to the (as they call I tbc war wafi ;J, progress, and after actual hos
them) turn coat deputies. This is tilities had ceased. The committee quote the
a dolt.le imprudence, | remarks of President Johnson, while he was
ns the numbers of the tierx}hirte are, as it it, not j Military Governor of Tennessee, to show
ry well pleased at their lat« receptions at the that his declarations tire in entire harmony
TuilicrieB, and the elections at Strasburg, may be with the policy established by the act of
tbe mean-; of bringing out many a hidden enemy of | July 2d, 1862, and when, on the 23th of
conceal the crime is considered by some as l the present dynasty. j April, 1805. He uttered an appeal for the
MINORITY report.
Washington, April 23.
The House Judiciary Committee, having
instructed the chairman, Mr. Wilson, of Iowa,
to report against the proposition submitted
to them of modifying the test oath in accord
ance with the recommendations of the Secre
tary of the Treasury and the Postmaster Gen
eral; Mr. Rogers of New’ Jersey, from the
same committee, dissenting from the views of
the majority, submitted the following minor
ity report:
Andrew J. Rogers, from the Committee on
tho Judiciary, to which was referred, by
direction of the House, the message trom his
Excellency the President of the United States,
transmitting communications from the Hon
orable Secretary of the Treasury and the
Honorable Postmaster General, recommend
ing a modification of the test oath prescribed
by act of Congress of July 2, 1862, presents
to the House a minority report in favor of a
modification of said oath, as recommended
by tbe President and said Secretaries, and
submits the following reasons:
The honorable Secretaries and the Presi
dent are in a situation to know better the ne
cessities for a modification of such oath than
any other persons. Their honesty, loyalty
and love of country cannot be justly ques
tioned, and ivhere such high authority recom
mends the passage or modification of a law,
it should have great weight, and furnishes to
the House good evidence that the oath
should be modified. It is but a small asking,
simply to urge the modification of an oatli
unknown to the Constitution, and established
in time of war, tor the purpose of war, and I
am a little surprised that they did not re
commend its entire repeal. The war is ended,
nnd peace has been proclaimed. The only
question that ought to bc raised is, are they
loyal men, and if they can take an oath to
support the Constitution. That is all
that ought or really can be required of
them. The m,ost of the people of the
South cast their fortunes with the re
bellion, upon an honest conviction that their
allegiance to State sovereignty was superior
to tueirallcgiancc to federal authority. Some
held offices under the rebel government as
the only measure they had for support. Some
aided the rebellion £o avoid conscription.—
Some were compelled by conscription to take
up arms in defense of the so-called Confed
erate States. Yet the present oath prevents
every one of them from holding auv office
under the federal government, in fact, near
ly one-half the people were compelled, by the
force of despotism, to sustain the Confeder
ate cause, and as the federal government
could not protect them, it has no right to
complain of persons who were forced to give
allegiance to the only organization that could
give them protection. The Honorable Sec
retary of the Treasury says that not one of
those who now hold otlice in the South
were movers in the disunion or unfriendly to
the government at the commencement of the
war. He says that a very slight change in
tho oath, a change that would not cover a
particle of present disloyalty, would enable
tho most of them to hold the offices they arc
now so acceptably filling. He also says:
“For those offices that must soon become
vacant if Congress should not deem it safe or
proper to r.;o ii:'y tin* 0:1th, 1 tun at a lo.-s to
know where the right men are to fie obtained
or how the revenue in many of the Southern
districts are to be collected. I deem it my
duty further to remark that I do not consider
it advisable for the Government to attempt
to collect taxes in tire Southern 8tate.-> by tite
hands of strangers. After having given the
subject careful consideration, anxious as I
am to increase the revenue and to lighten by
distributing and equalizing the burdens of
the people, with no party interest to promote,
and with nothing but tite good of the Gov
ernment at heart, I have cqjne.tp the deliber
ate conclusion that it would bc better for the
the people of the Southern States are iqost
directly interested in the restoration of this
service, the citizens of all tho other States are
also largely interested.
“It may not fie uninteresting to you to
know that of the 2,258 mail routes in opera
tion in the disloyal States at the breaking out
of the rebellion, the service of 757 only has
been restored; and that of 8,902 post offices
in those States, only 2,042 appointments of
postmasters have been made, of whom 1,177
only have been qualified for office, 757 of
them being males, and 420 females. Of the
865 who have not qualified it is believed that
quite all of them have not done so because of
the oath.”
I called upon the Honorable Secretary of
the Treasuiy to bc informed by him what
modification of the test oath would be satis-
factory to him, and was informed by him that
the amending o: the third clause in the oath,
by striking out the words “neither sought
nor accepted, nor attempted to exercise the
functions of,” and inserting the words “not
voluntarily sought,” so that it would read,
“that I have not voluntarily sought any office
whatever under any authority or pre
tended authority in hostility to the United
States,” would answer the purpose for which
the modification was recommended. I do not
deem it material that all the doings of the
President in time of war should be vindi
cated, in order to sustain his views in time
of peace. We must deal with things as
they now are, and not pursue the same
course to fallen foes that wc would pursue to
ward them were they in arms against the
government. This test oath must atlfcome
time, and that is not far distant, be repealed. 1 .
It cannot remain always, unless it is- tbe de
termination of the people to deprive the pre
sent generation in the South irom a voice in
the affairs of the nation. That cannot be,
and this country remain a republic. The
people of the South are ready and anxious to
participate in the affairs of the government,
and defend and support the Constitution of
their country. The worst despotisms of the
Old World have been established through the
forms of test oaths; and to exclude seven
millions of people from participating in Fed
eral affairs, by making the taking ot an oath
unknown to the Constitution a condition pre-,
cedent, and one which they cannot take with
out false swearing, is despotism, pure and
simple. The Constitution of the U. States
provides, in article six, that executive and
judicial officers of the United States shall be
bound by oath to support it. That is the
only oath that can be legally required of the
persons who arc to execute the offices of the
Treasury and Post Office Departments; for
they arc clearly executive offices of the Uni
ted States within the meaning of the Consti
tution. Justice Story, in his Commentaries
on the Constitution, speaking of the House
of Representatives, section 624, says:
“It would seem but fair reasoning upon the"
plainest principles of interpretation, that
when the Constitution established certain
qualifications as necessary to office, it meant
to exclude all others. From the very nature
of such a provision, tho affirmation of these
qualifications would seem to imply a negative
of all others.”
Mr. 3Iadison, in the Federalist, comment
ing upon the same subject, says :
“The qualifications oftlie elected being less
carefully and properly defined by the State
Constitutions, and being at the same time
more susceptible of uniformity, ltavo been
very properly considered and regulated by
the convention. A Representative of the
United States must be of the age of twenty-
five years; must have been seven years a citi
zen of the United States; must, at tiie time
of his election, be an inhabitant of tbe State
he is to represent, and during the time of his
service must be in no office under the United
States. Under these reasonable limitations
the door of this part of the federal govern
ment is open to merit of every description,
whether native or adoptive, whether young
or old, and without regard to poverty or good deal
wealth or to any particular profession or reli- j the river, i
gious faith.”—Federalist, Fo. 02.
The first act ot the First Congress was to
eminent. At the time of theformation .il
Constitution many of the followers ot r'i
George resided here, and continuedlu r <U
their deaths, any of whom could havell
any. office in the gift of the people, event 1
of President, by simply taking the oathlj
vided for in the Constitution. Ought t? d
tq be as charitable to our Southern brut
as were our fathers to those in this cocf
who adhered to the government of r
Britain all through the revolutionary L
Every just consideration demands tbv J
so shape our legislation as to restore p. *
and friendly relations between the ttui
tions of country. The masses of the n»I
in the South had no hand in originating
rebellion, and it was simply the result ot
action of certain leading secessionist* of 1
South and certain radicals and fanatics id
North. It is therefore uncharitable, J*
Christian, and unfair to visit punishment
on a whole people, because of the sins VI
few. Leading men and leading jotumj
the radical school in tlie North invited!
South to secede. I will only quote from
leading jourhal of the North. The
York Tribune, of February 22, 1861, mv;|
“Whenever it shall be clear that the gj
body of tbe Southern people have kJ
conclusively alienated from the UnionVj
anxious to escape it, we will da our best!
forward their views.”
Again, the same paper, of the date ]|J
2nd, 1861, we have this clear statement on?
same point:
“We have repeatedly said, and we 0
more insist, that the great principle emlioi
by Jefferson in the Declaration of Indew,
ence, that governments derive their justV
ers from the consent of the governed, i§s®
and just; and that if the slave States, •
cotton States, or tho Gulf States only, choj
to form an independent nation, they b« ;
moral right, to do so ”
But while we were in the midst of thed
3Ir. Greely, in the Tribune, on the 21s; I
February, 1863, said:
“I was willing, in the winter of I860 J
1861, to let the cotton States go if they i
desired it I was not only then willing;
the Union should in good faith make tl"
the offer, but I now deeply regret tlisiB
wast not made and acted on.”
The people of the South had at least]
couragement from the North to secede, >
had a right to believe that the principle!
pers of the Republican party enunciated !
sentiments.
The test oath ought to he repcaleil
least as to all who have received pardos, |
the legal effect of a pardon is to restored
to all the rights they enjoyed before thee
mission of tbe offense, the same as if ng
fensc had ever been committed; and as J
of them have been pardoned, the repeil
modification of the oath to them would!
make it difficult to procure suitable pep]
in the South to execute the business of]
Treasury and Postoffice Departments to
executed there. *
Chief Justice Marshall, in the case of
United States vs. Wilson, 7 Peters, 162, sp>
ing on this subject of pardons in Engir
said:
“As the power has been exercised £
time immemorial by the executive of that
tion whose language is our language, and I
whosp judicial institutions ours bear at
resemblance, we adopt their principles
specting (lie operation and effect of a par;
and into their books for the rules prescrj
the manner in which it is to be used br
persons who would avail himself of it;
In 7 Bacon’s Abridgment, page 416, ii
said; I
“It was formerly doubted whether a I
don could do more than take away the J
ishment, leaving the crime and its di&ia
consequences unremoved. But it is now 1
tied that a pardon, whether by the Kit;I
by an act of Parliament, removes not on'rl
punishment but all the legal disabilities <
quent upon the crime.'"
The doctrine is thus stated in 1 BishoJ
Criminal Law, 713:
“The effect of a full pardon is to ah j
the party from all the legai consequent I
his crime, and of bis conviction direct a
collateral, including the punishment wkj
of imprisonment, pecuniary penalty, on]
ever else the law provided.”
Also, in 5 Bacon's Abridgment it ufl
down:
“ It seems agreed that a pardon of trd
or felony, even after an attainder, so farcil
the party from the infamy, and all othetf]
sequences thereof, that he may have an*
against any wlio shall afterward call I
traitor or felon, for the pardon makes 1
it were a new man.”
Blackstonc says:
“A pardon may be pleaded in bar*
once destroying the end and purpose ofl
indictment, by remitting the punishrl
which the prosecution is calculated t;|
flict.”
Also:
“ The effect of such a pardon by the i
is to make the offender a new man; tow
him of all corporeal punishment and fa
ures annexed to that offense for which 1
tains his pardon.”
In Lilly’s Abridgment the doctrine M
laid down :
“A pardon doth discharge not onljj
punishment which was to have been in'
upon the person that did commit the <
pardoned, but also the guilt of tlip <
itsclt. It pardons culpa so clearly that
eye of the law the offender is as innocent]
he nad never committed the ofiense.”
In view of all the surrounding circun
it does appear that we should lay oar ]
prejudices aside, elevate ourselves f I
situation of affairs, and modify the
so far at least, as is recommended l;l
Honorable Secretary of the Treasury
the Honorable Postmaster General 1
the President of the United States!
is to bc hoped that our revenue will 1# I
lected, and our means of communic 1
through the Post office Department eitf
over all the vast domain of our coi
country, without the necessity of using 1
measures as will tend to alleviate the i
tions of one-third our population and e
Iish despotism over one-third of our
For the reasons heroin set forth, it is '
mended that Congress so far modify j
oath that the third clause may be "
out, and a clause inserted therein to i
follows: “That I have not voluntarily w
any office whatever under any author;
pretended authority in hostility to tbe l-
States.” _ , L
All of which is respectfully submitt I
Andrew J. R 001
BuKxrxo op tiie Steamer VT. ft.
eons.—The fine river steamer W. G. t ,; - J
Capt. Green Garnett, caught fire from
on the boiler deck forward, on Wed 1 -
afternoon, when near Ilerseman’s Lslt 1 ’'j
hundred and ten miles below August*,
cargo consisted chiefly of about five b®
bales of cotton. A high wind was J 1
at the time, and in a few minutes ajt“ I
alarm w :> r iven, the whole was euvel°r|
flames. The boat very soon bur:'. - I
raters edge, and the hull is rtilj
of the cotton was precipt £i ‘‘',
and some of it may bc .s-'b> ,
damaged condition. Only two or: 1
caped damage. A few gesseDg*^'
|3?“Lord Shaftsburyre
public meeting in London,
prescribe the oath of office, and which was as ! board, which, with the crew, wtf*
follows: transferred to the short—A'J- (l
'That the oatli or affirmation required by | ~2Sth.
the sixth article ot the Constitution of the
United States shall be administered in the
following form, to-writ: I, A B, do solemnly
swear or affirm—as the case may be—that I
will support the Constitution ot the Lnitcd
States.”
If Congress has power to add to the oath in
the Constitution, it has power to diminish it
and set it aside. If it can add the conditions
it nowdoes, it can add any number more. The
constitutional oath to be administered has rela-
ently
that. l- r ; ^
sonal observation, he has ascertain 1 1 |
adult male criminals ot that city
had fallen in«i course ot
ages of eight and sixteen years;
a young man lived an honest liteup ■
years of age. there were lbrty-ni m '
in favor anti one against him a:
abk life thereafter.
. ‘ert' v “'|
i to ti-