Weekly Georgia telegraph. (Macon [Ga.]) 1858-1869, January 08, 1869, Image 6
i , •mmmam. ■ ■— • ! r The Greorgia 'Weekly Telegraph.. THE TELEGRAPH. MACON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1869. Close of 186N—Open New Books. With these linos we clone our editorial labors foe 1868, and take holiday for the rest of the year and to-morrow. We bid our readers, in one breath, good night, a happy morrow, and a Happy New Year. We believe that 1869 ia to open a new era in Georgia. We are on the up-grade now, and wo shall reach the high table lands of prosperity before long. Oar difficulties will diminish and our speed increase with every revolution of the wheel. The Telegraph will have much to say the coming year on subjects deeply affecting private and pnblio welfare, and we hope our largo cir culation will be amply increased, until some one of our editions shall reach every family in Georgia. We hope that all our readers, who see what a power for good a judicious and in telligent newspaper can be, will fed a personal interest in disseminating the Telegraph more thoroughly in his neighborhood, so that an arti cle in its columns shall reach every reading man and woman in the State and energize the work of reform and progress. Important if True. We see it stated, on what seems to bo good au thority, that Gen. Grant informed Hon. E. B. Washunme and another Congressman, that if Con gress did not repeal tho Tenure of Office bill, ho would call Congress together after the 4th of March, and recommend its repeal in a special message. The law should be repealed, as it is of at least doubt ful constitutionality, and ties tho hands of the Pres ident to an extraordinary ex tent.—Augusta National Republican. Other accounts say that Gen. Grant has been assured that the Tenure of Office bill can’t be repealed, to which he has responded that he Will accept no can’t or won’t about the matter, and that it shall be repealed, or he will openly defy it and bring it to the test of the Judiciary. In “konsekens o’ vich,” as Air. Weller remarks, Congress, ‘motto pnt too fine a point upon it, will have to back down, repeal the act, and hand over the Executive oar to the General, for he is determined to navigate that part of the ship himself. He has declared war upon all tho seventy-odd plunder rings which centralize their operations upon the national treasury at Washington, and boldly reared the standard of universal retrench ment, reform and light taxation. It is needless to say that, however sore a thing it may be for Congress to take the back track and make the humiliating confession which the National Re publican makes for them, they have got it to do. A President who raises this banner and boldly throws down the gauntlet to its Congressional foes will be all-powerful with the people—pano plied alike in the popular heart and in Constitu tional law. Congress cannot stand against him, and the sooner they see it tho better for them. The handwriting is already on the wall, and ev ery man can read it who will open his eyes. The days of Congressional supremacy, tyranny and usurpation ore over. Whatever may be the faults of bad government, hereafter it will at least be controlled with some regard to reason, common sense and the public exigencies. movement of Xorthern Capital -South. Wo have before us, says the Augusta Consti- tutionlist, of Wednesday, a letter from one of Hie largest Real Estate Agencies of the city of New York, dated December 21st, in which it is . stated: “We think there will be a large move ment of men and money toward Georgia and the South generally in a few months.” This opinion is from men who come in daily contact with the largest capitalists of the North and are thus well prepared to draw general conclusions as to their future intentions and movements. From this and other quarters we ore pleased to see that considerable attention is attracted to ■ Georgia, through the movement lately taken -place at Macon in the reorganization of the State Agricultural Society. This Society has a great work before it, which we have no donbt from present indications, it will thoroughly and ably discharge. . _ Tire Labor Question. From all quarters we hear complaints that the ne groes are indisposed to make contracts for tho com- jng year. They seem to think that something may yet “tnm np” which will enable them to live without labor. The few who talk of plans for the next year, almost invariably desire to adopt what is called tho “tenant system, and by which they mean that the land-owner will famish them land and houses, and provide plow stock, provisions and implements and permit them to liavo the absolute control of the farm, for which they are willing to allow tho owner ono-lialf of what is"made. We dip the foregoing from the Chronicle and Sentinel of Wednesday. We hear, as yet, of no difficulty of the kind in this section. We learn from Southwestern Georgia, that the negroes are generally renewing contracts with their last year's employers, and manifest less disposition to change than at any period since the war. So far as our information extends, the negroes are quiet, well-behaved and well-disposed. The planters are in circumstances to settle promptly and liberally, and we believe they are doing it. Wo have yet heard of no case of disturbance in the yearly settlement. , On the whole, we believe the most cheerful views prevail in Middle and Southwestern Geor gia, both among employers and laborers; and we hope their mutual relations, during tho com ing year, will be more satisfactory than they have ever yet been. The (Savannah Newspapers on the Stock Bargain. The Republican of the 30th says: We observe that tho Macon Telegraph states, ap parently by authority, that Savannah, in the salo of her Gulf road stock, “had the alternative of on equally advantageous sale of her Atlantic and Gulf bo mis "to a company which wonld have given her an other independent route to Macon, and the benefit of the trade and produce of a vaBt section of Geor gia, as yet without outlet to the seaboard." We presume referenco is hero had to the Macon and Brunswick road. Tho Telegram does not say that an overture was actually made by that company, bnt wo presume it so means, else it wonld not have ar raigned Savannah for doing a thing which she had no reason to suppose it was in her power to do. We have only to say with regard to tho matter that if our City Council had an opportunity to make the same contract with tho Macon and Brunswick road as it has made with the Southwestern and Central, it has made a great mistake, so far as the future well-being of the city is concerned. It is unneces sary to elaborate this view, and wo content ourselves with a simple) expression of opinion on the point. The News copies our statement without re mark, and we are left to infer that both the Sa vannah papers see the point. As to our state ment, neither party need go far to get at the facts. Let them inquire of -people in Savannah who ought to know. Can't Come.—A friend who owes ns a small bill for advertising a treatise on the Bankrupt Law, for which he was agent, has servedus with a notice to come and prove our claim and join in the election of an assignee. Yon observe here the effect of study and meditation. That man has been poring over his treatise on bank ruptcy till he has become fairly enamored with the law, and nothing will do bnt he most take tho benefit of it. We can’t come, as he invites; bat as our claim was contracted in pursuance -of the ends of the law, we submit that it is an -exceptional case, and should be paid in fall out of the sum total of assetts, before division. Let him pass the amount over to our. agent and we wifi say no more about it. Death or a Dtstdiouished Georgian.—Dr. William C. Daniell, a widely-known and dis tinguished citizen of toi« State, died at the res idence of his daughter, Mrs. Le Hardy, in Wal- thourville, Liberty county, on Sunday night last, of pneumonia. Dr. Daniell was a native of Greene county, but early in life adopted Savan nah as his home, and continued to reside there op to his death. General Grant and Congress on the Repeal of the Tennre-oGOfflee Bill. We printed on the fourth page of yesterday's edition what the Washington correspondent of the Herald had to say upon the sharp issue al ready raised between Gen. Grant and Congress upon the repeal of tho Tenure-of-Office BilL That correspondent declared that the hill will not be repealed, and Gen. Grant, in tlie demand for it, “Aw only succeeded in precipitating a hostility tchich -was not expected to disclose itself so soon.” We copy on to-day’s outside what the Wash ington correspondent of the New York World has to say upon the same subject It is one of great practical moment—not only as affecting the relations of the President-elect with the majority party in Congress, bnt also as intimately affecting tho whole character of the Government itself. The Tenure-of-Office Bill was one of the chief in the series of measures adopted by Congress to emasculate the Execu tive Department, and render it not only power less for self-protection, but powerless to protect the people from official malversation. It prohibits the President from all removals from office without the advice and consent of the Senate, and empowers the whole army of in cumbents of executive and ministerial officers in the United States to snap their fingers in deri sion of the constitutional head of executive au thority in the United States. The incumbent may be insane or in default to any amount, and still the President is powerless to administer a remedy by removal and reappointment ad inte rim. But chiefly by stripping all patronage from the executive office and substantially vesting it in Congress, it destroys the balance of the sys tem—the influence and dignity of the Executive, and perpetuates the conquest and subjugation 1 of the Executive Department by Congress, achieved during the administration of Mr. John son. This bill was vetoed in vain as unconstitution al by Mr. Johnson. It was passed over his veto March 2, 1867, in the Senate, by a vote of 35 to 11—and in tho House on the same day, by 138 to 40—Mr. Speaker Colfax voting in the affir mative. These facts home in mind, the vital character of the issne made by Gen. Grant will be clearly comprehended. He means to go into office armed with the whole constitutional panoply of the lofty position ; for he knows he will need it all, in his great pending struggle with the hydra of universal corruption, waste, misappropriation and mismanagement, which pervade all branches of the public service, and which have raised onr Government expenditures to 8372,000,000 in 1868 from $63,000,000 in 1860! If he means to confront and correct abuses, the whole success of his administration depends upon his being a constitutional President, armed with all the rights and remedies established by law and precedent, and not the mere powerless and defenceless creature of Congress. The law and the Constitution make him a co ordinate department of the government—as su preme in his sphere as Congress in its—and the people will back him to the fullest extent in his efforts to reconquer the ancient Constitutional boundaries of the Presidential office. Congress must yield to these just and equitable demands —no matter how relnctant that body may be to give np power and confess error and wrong-do ing. If they refuse a repeal, the President will disregard and defy the act, and a second issne of Presidential impeachment under its Constitu tional provisions will not end so favorably to Congress as the last one. We hope the matter will be settled by an amicable concession by Congress of claims and powers which they will find it impossible to justify and retain. Tlie Savannah Banditti Again. Much of our outside is devoted to the atroci ties of the Savannah Banditti. They seem to have pretty well cordonned the town. They have beleagnred it by land and sea. They claim the usufruct of all the rich circumjacent garden plantations, and to employ their industrious owners in rearing pigs, chickens, cabbages and other truck gratuitously for the consumption of the African Banditti—shooting down all the un- &appy Dutch gardeners who dare dispute this peaceable acquisition. Greeley says, in this bus iness the negroes are “actuated by a rude sense of justice,” and it must be confessed their no tions of jnstice and the manner of enforcing it, are extremely rude. On the water surroundings of the city, the proceedings of the banditti seem to be equally unceremonious. They have seized upon what Governor Wise calls the oyster fundnm, and the sole control of the fisheries. The unhappy man who catches fish now-a-days stands a far better chance to catch a load of ball and buck shot in his body. In short, affairs seem to have approximated to a point in which an issne of force will have to be made to determine possession of Savannah —whether it belongs to people who have bought and paid for it, or to a set of ruffians who have determined to live by plunder, and trample un der foot all laws, human and divine. The whole of this wretched business is simply an out-cropping of negro-politics. It is the ex aggerated developement in a class of peculiarly ignorant, sottish and vicious negroes of those dnbs of lawless political rowdies which are to be found in the Northern cities—men who prey upon society for a living in a less ostentatious and daring manner, bnt who nevertheless main tain a condition of armed idleness and substan tial outlawry. Such gangs of villains as these which have be leaguered Savannah are kept in existence by the political nnsettlement and the confident, though vague, expectation, that Congress ia going to do something for them which will dispense with the necessity of labor and give them the social and political mastery of the State. These ideas un- derly every trouble which exists with the negro, and they are fortunately just now very few. We believe tho bulk of the colored race have come, at last, to the just conclusion that, like every body else, they must support themselves by their own labor; but the ignorant, stupid and vicious —those most under the baleful influence of po litical adventurers—are reluctant to accept this conclusion; and nothing short of a stem repres sion will reduce them to order. We appeal to tho conservative men in Con gress of all parties to see the great positive so. cial dangers and evils growing out of this pro longed political nnsettlement and uncertainty, and forbear their territorializing operations. Support the anthority of the State Government, and let the people amend it to suit yon. “To Ike True Hearted People of Georgia.” On our fourth page, this morning, we publish a touching appeal, to which we call the attention of our readers. To further the objects therein announced, the ladies have arranged for a series of concerts, to be given in the different large cities of the State, in the month of January. The party will con sist of Mr. B. K. Hines, Manager, Mrs. R. K. Hines, Mr. J. M. Ogden, Mrs. J. M. Ogden, Mrs. A. Bacon, Miss Lila Howard, Miss M. J. Green, Prof. Schmidt, Sidney Lanier and Mr. Maas. We trust and believe the citizens of every point in the State, visited by the party, will gen erously respond to the appeals of a cause, with so many claims upon their humanity as that which is set forth in the beantifnl address on onr fourth page. We copy the foregoing from the Atlanta Con stitution, with onr hearty endorsement. -We have heretofore, editorially, called attention to this praiseworthy enterprise, and refer the reader to the ontside of this issue for the Ad dress referred to. Gen. Grant’s Policy. The Tribune of the 24th gives this version of Gen. Grant’s declaration against any further railway subsidies and for economy. It was not a little emphatic: Washington, D. C., ) Wednesday, Dec. 23, 1868.) A Senator of tho United States called on Gen. Grant to-day and asked a favor, which the Gen eral declined to grant, because it was impossi ble. The Senator remarked that he was going away, and would not return for some weeks.— The General replied that he was sorry he was going, bnt if he was in favor of expending any more money from the Government Treasury to aid Pacific or other railways, he hoped that he would go away and stay away. Several members of Congress were present, and brief discussion ensued on the subject of Government subsidies to railroads and other corporations. The President elect spoke with emphasis against any further aid being given to the Pacific Railroads, He said, substantially, it was very apparent to every man in the coun try that our finances needed the closest atten tion, and that it is vitally important, if we in tend to pay off the national debt and lighten taxation, to practice the most rigid economy, and the place to begin with is the bills that are pending in Congress, granting further sub sidies to tlie Pacific and other railroads. No matter what may be said about the prospect ive benefit we are to derive from these roads, it is too long to wait, and we should make tho best possible use of the present re sources, without increasing the burden of our debt by incurring expensive risks which are haz ardous. The Congressmen who were at the in terview were astonished at the frankness with which the General expressed his views, while they one and all pledged him their support. The General at the same time gave his opinion that there should bo an extra session of the XLIst Congress. The existence of the present Congress is for so short a time, that there will be just barely time to pass the appropriation' bills, and it is doubtful whether the great question of our finances can be properly cared for. Every sign indicates that Gen. Grant will go into the Presidential chair with the determination to be President, and that the days of congression al supremacy and absolutism will soon be over. The long parliament will meet its Cromwell, and and all its devices to reduce the executive to a cypher will be brushed aside like cobwebs. We are glad of it. No government can be worse than that of a legislature holding no responsibili ty to the Constitution, and subdividing respon sibility to the people so minutely that it has no controlling power. The Amenities of the Press. The Atlanta New Era, of yesterday, copies onr article upon the amenities of the press, and adds, as follows: Tlie above article we copy from the Macon Telegraph, and give its argument onr unquali fied indorsement; but while the Telegraph sin gled out a paragraph in the New Era having ref erence to the Savannah Republican, it singularly forgot to remember a prior one in the Republi can having reference to the editor of the Era. Here it is: PERSONAL. “ We have no answer to the language used toward the editor of this paper by the drunken Sing Sing blackguard who presides over that “ common sewer of filth and falsehood.” tlie Atlanta New Era. He is worthy personally of the infamous party he repre sents, and being wholly irresponsible in every sense of the term, and without the first instinct of a gen tleman, we dismiss him and his paper forever, and only regret that a creature so destitute of every sense of moral obligation and decency should have found his way into the j oumalism of Georgia. Such a man is a disgrace to humanity, much less to tho ranks of an honorable profession. In all liis wan derings he has never yet found a community so cor rupt that it did not spew him forth. Is Georgia to be the exception?” When the above appeared in the Republican, the Telegraph did not see fit to vindicate the editor of the Era, whom it brutally assails, al beit the editor of the Telegraph probably knew that the editor of the Era was neither “drunk en" nor a “blackguard.” We ask tho Telegraph to publish this, that its readers may know pre cisely how matters stand between the editor of the Era and the editor of the Republican. The lat ter was among the very first to open a bitter and unrelenting war upon this paper, and we have only defended ourself, and, in the main, have used only sneh weapons as were hurled at us, distasteful as they were to us. We wish to be gin the new year, and end it, with a spirit that will commend journalism to the better tastes of its readers. We never wished to do otherwise. We wish to observe a true, not a strained, dig nity, which will elevate the press in the estima tion of highminded people. All this but strengthens the argument of the article and shows still stronger the necessity of reform. We gave one illustration of abuse, and now add another—it was impossible to multiply them in a short article. It is time to quit all such stuff, and to remember, if we would occupy the position of gentlemen, we must at least con cede it. On the night of the Old year we bid all onr contemporaries of the Georgia Press a Happy New Year. Gentlemen, may peace, hap piness and prosperity attend you in the year 1869. May you see your own business flourish in a general recuperation of Georgia. May every interest of the State take a new and fresh impulse, the coming year—and Georgia enter upon a career of material reconstruction which shall never cease until she becomes the most wealthy and prosperous State of the Union. Stobm in Germany.—A correspondent of the New York Herald, writing under date of Berlin, December 10th, says: On Tuesday last, this city and its environs were visited by one of the most severe storms on record for several years past. Considerable damage was done to buildings, roofs, etc., and telegraphic communication temporarily stopped. Accounts which have since arrived show that it has spread over the greater part of Germany. In the Hessian town of Fritzlar, tho steeple of a church was blown down through the roof of the building, killing twenty of the worshipersassem- bled for early matins. Li Dresdon, the storm was of such violence that many of the inhabi tants actually believed they experienced a shock as of an earthquake. Buildings were unroofed, trees uprooted, and not only private vehicles, bnt also heavy railway wogons, turned topsy turvy. Previous to the setting in of this hurri cane, a most unusual heat for this season of the year was observable, the thermometer ranging at twelve degrees above zero, Reanmnr, while to-day it is at its more normal position of five degrees below zero. Sales of Real Estate in Columbia.—-The Co lumbia Phoenix of Tuesday reports sales of real property in that city, in which we see that Sen ator Spragne, of Rhode Island, was a considera ble purchaser. The Phoenix says: The property disposed of yesterday brought fair prices, considering the times. There was considerable competition. The following are the principal sales: The “ Kinsler Hall” lot, comer of Richardson and Taylor streets, containing one-fourth of an acre, was bought by Mr. G. Diercks at $7,200. The Kinsler brickyard prop erty was bought by Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, for -22,250. The Kinsler “ homestead’ ’ lot, in Cotton Town, two and a half acres, $4200. The “old homestead,” on Richardson street, near Blanding, brought sums varying from $120 to $360 per acre. We understand that Governor Scott and several other parties have purchased, at good prices, several lots along the canal, with the intention of erecting manufactories. Social Equality.—-The Cleaveland Plain- dealer says: An American citizen of African descent sued the directors of the skating rink of this city for ejecting him from that rendezvous of white gentlemen, white ladies and children, and the “colored gemman" wanted $2000 damages for not being permitted to perfume the rink; but a jury thought that figure was too high, so they generously awarded him $300 for the indignity pnt on him. The directors of the rink have ap pealed the case to the Supreme Court, but that institution having “negro on the brain" will probably sustain the decision of the jury. When we get niggers on the equality in rinks, railway cars, hotels, churches, theaters, etc., “let ns have peace.” Mobile and Girard Railroad Bridge.—The Columbus Son, of Wednesday, says that an en* gine and tender crossed this bridge the day be fore, and passenger trains would pass over on Wednesday. The piers of the bridge are of brick I upon stone, and the cost of the structure was about twenty-five thousand dollars. Cabinet Speculations. “Leo,” of the Charleston Courier, says: As to the new Cabinet we have some glimmer ings. Gen. Grant appears to be on the best possible terms with Attorney General Evarts. They are personally intimate. That, together with the fact that Mr. Evarts is content to be here induces many to believe that he will be the Attorney General under Grant’s administration. Thus Mr. Durant, of Louisiana, will be shot ont of that office and the doors of the Cabinet will be closed also to New York publicists. But one Cabinet place will be given to New York, and Mr. Evarts may fill that, with the approbation too of his professional brethren in every part of the country. An imbroglio was likely to occur as to a selec tion of a Cabinet officer from that State, and it will be settled by retaining Mr. Evarts. Mr. Greeley will therefore be relieved from the quandary which bis appointment as Postmaster General would place him in. He could not fill that office, and yet take the more potent one of editor of the Tribune. But a still greater ad vantage will be obtained by Gene™ Grant in thus shirking New York. He could not carry out big own honest ideas of financial reform and recuperation, if he should be compelled to ac cept a New York politician as his financial min ister. The men of New York most competent for the position are necessarily affiliated with cliques and ring3, with which they must act in concert, or meet with a most disparaging and reckless opposition. The New York financial rings wonld pay more regard to a financial min ister who wonld be entirely independent of and unknown to them, than to one who, however able, had been associated with them. Tho two gentlemen who have been most prominently brought forward for the post of Secretary of the Treasury are Mr. E. B. Wash- hum, of Illinois, and Gov. Morton, now Sena tor from Indiana. Tho subject has been brought to their notice, and both have played the “non episcoprL\\ Both have plead delicate health and preference for their situations as reasons for de clining the arduous duties of the Treasury. Still either one or the other may take the post when offered. One thing is to be taken for granted—that Mr. B. B. Washburn may have any place in the Government under Grant tnat he desires. It is believed, however, by his friends that he would like to go abroad, in a diplomatic capacity, hav ing once visited Europe with much benefit to his health, ns a private citizen. General Grunt will, without donbt, take from the reconstructed States one Cabinet member, No one has been named as likely to receive the appointment except Mr. Durant, of Louisiana, and the office assigned to him by conjecture is now more likely to be given to the present in cumbent, Mr. Evarts. The Ogeeehee Negro Rebellion. From the Savannah Republican.] The extraordinary condition of affairs on the Judge Tason on the Civil Statu. We find the following response to Coi. Tift's letter in the Albany News of the 1st instant: From Washington. Special to the Louisville Courier-Journal.] Washington, December 28.—The fear among the Republicans of a rapture between Grant and the Radical ^arty is deepening daily. Grant is known to be in favor of repealing the tenure-of- office law; of the passage of Jencko’s civil serv ice bill; of the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department; of stopping subsidies to railroads, and of breaking np all the Radical thieving rings throughout the country. Fearing* his power, the Radicals appear determined to hold on to the civil tenure act, in order that, when they get one pf their own kind in office, they may bo able to keep him there. By the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department they will lose a large amount of patronage in the appointment of agents, super intendents, and other officers, and a large amount of per centages in contract annuities. Jenckes’ Civil Service bill would cut off the immense revenue of public plunderers, whose appoint ments the Radicals hope to control for party purposes, instead of making the offices contin gent on the capacity of candidates. To all of these sorrows of the Radicals is added a feather which will probably complete the burden of their endurance. This is the assertion of Grant recently, that he considered the faithful admin istration of public business head and shoulders above the claims of party, and that he is an ene my henceforth of the principle that party ser vices are a claim for public office. General Grant declares that he will not re move officers who have been faithful to their trust, merely because any political party de mands it. This being his declared intention, the question comes as to the disposition of the large number of faithful officers already in the Government whom the Radicals desire to get out of the way, in order to make room for those who have been of greater service to the party. The Radicals are also incensed at Grant’s reti cence on Cabinet matters. They advise him very freely, bnt they cemplain that he does not manifest any disposition to act on their advice, and that they are ignorant as to his preferences of men. Altogether, the fight seems to have fairly begun, and it may he looked forward to by outsiders with rare interest. The effect of the amnesty proclamation is the subject of some speculation and especially as to the indictment against Davis. To dispose of tho latter, it is suggested that he must surrender himself into custody, and get ont a writ of ha beas corpus, etc. There is no donbt here among officials abont the process or mode to he pur sued. The proclamation has pardoned Davis of the offense upon which he is held under the in dictment. The attorney for the Government can move a dismissal or nolle prosequi and ho will undoubtedly do so. Or, if it should become necessary, the attorney for the defendant would make a motion for the discharge of his client based upon the proclamation. Special to the Cincinnati Commercial.] Tho first thing Congress will receive from the President, on its return, is a veto of the bill re pealing the one prohibiting the organization of militia by the Johnsonized State Governments. Persons nsually informed believe that the veto will he devoted principally to showing that, as the people have the right to bear arms, Con gress has no right to legislate on the subject. Senator Trumbull is actively working the Geor gia Senatorial case, referred to the Judiciary Committee, of whtch he is Chairman. It is un derstood that the Illinois Senator favors tho ad mission of Hon. Joshua Hill. There are likely to be two reports, as Senator Edmunds is strong ly opposed to tho recognition of the Senators. fully called on for protection, and if they are to stand idly by, deaf to the appeals of citizens who have been driven from their homes and their all destroyed by a military organization, we can not see the use of going to the expense of keep ing np any such institution. We have no doubt the sheriff is doing the impossible duty assigned to him by his advisers as well as he can, but nothing can come of it, from the simple fact that it is not his province to cope with an armed force of such magnitude, and it is unreasonable to expect it of him. We hope the Mayor, or Ordinary, or some other officer, will telegraph tho President forth- wit, stating the facts and asking for protection. We have no doubt it will be promptly granted; and in tho meantime, should onr citizens move in the matter, let them doit effectively, not with magistrates’ warrants and hesitating as to wheth er the law would justify this or that, but like men alive to the true nature of the trouble and resolved to use the only practicable mode for its suppression. To talk about a legal way of pro tecting the lives and homes of our citizens in the midstof organized rebellion and war, is the worst of folly. The Colombia County Tragedy. The Chroniclo & Sentinel of the 30th, fur nishes the following additional particulars of this horrid affair: Mr. Gabriel Martin and two maiden sisters, rather advanced inlife, resided in a small double cabin in Columbia county, situated about five miles from the town of Appling. They were respectable people, living in the hnmbler walk of life, and the brother was supposed to have a considerable amount of specie in his posses sion, his earnings, which he had put by, from time to time, as a reserve fund for old age. On Thursday night the family retired to rest at the usual hour, the three occupying one room, and that room had no chimney to it; there be ing but two rooms in the house, one with a chim ney used as a kitchen and dining room, the other as a sleeping apartment. Sometime after ward tho neighbors who lived at some distance discovered, by some means, that the Martina’ house was on fire and hastened to their assis tance. By the time they arrived, however, the flames had make snch progress that to check them or to rescue the Inmates was impossible. The building was entirely consumed and in it the bodies of Martin and his two sisters. It was at first imagined that the fire was acci dental ; but subsequent discoveries prove that it must have been a most horrible murder, com mitted for the sake of a few paltry dollars. The house was what is known as a double log cabin, two rooms with a passage open at both ends, between them. The occupants slept in one end of the building, the fire, if accidental, must have originated in the other. We can hardly be so credulous as to believe that the fire could con sume one portion of the house and then the hall, without awakening the sleepers, who were persons advanced in life and not sleeping with the heaviness which characterizes the slumbers of children. An examination of the ruins revealed the pres ence of a mattock near the bodies of the Mar tins, and that their skulls had been fractured be fore they were burnt. Suspicion rested upon three negroes named Ned Adams, Starling Craw ford and George Bormn. Hie latter was irate employ of a gentleman living not far froovtbe Martins, and, on the evening of the fire, started to visit a relative living some miles distant, ta king with him some fresh pork m a present. . It was discovered that instead of doing this he had concealed the pork in the woods, and was seen, at a late hoar, lurking near Martin's house. Soon after their arrest, one of the party, Borum, confessed the act, and stated that he knew where the money was, offering to disoover the same. After search, however, -which proved futile, he denied all knowledge of the transaction, and, with his accomplices, is still in custody at Thomson. Diligent search is being made for proof, and there is no doubt but what the whole matter will be thoroughly investigated Ogeeehee plantations, full details of which have Albany Obihjh Denember -M iftfis been given from day to day, continues to exist, ~ Deoember, 24, X868. not only without abatement, but with an excess of lawlessness and outrage that promise to make what is already serious, most alarming. The management of . the civil, authorities in its meas ures for the suppression of the outbreak, has up to this time most signally failed. Sensible men, we apprehend, looked for ho other result, for the whole thing bos been managed with a degree of indecision and pnerilty that is little short of dis graceful. The sheriff, with his posse, made a second attempt yesterday at something—we do not know exactly what—bnt he had papers in bin pocket for somebody’s arrest, and returned to the city without accomplishing anything, his means being inadequate to the end. In the mean time tho white inhabitants, men, women and children, have all been driven from their homes, their houses gutted or delivered to the flame, and the results of the entire year’s labor and capital of one of the wealthiest districts of the South, either destroyed or appropriated by the insurrectionists. Thus matters stand at present, and now the question is, what is to be done ? The great trou ble in the whole matter seems to be that neither the civil nor military authorities appear to com prehend the situation. They have mistaken the true character of the outbreak, and like igno rant physicians, are attempting to apply a rem edy under an entire misapprehension of the true nature of the disease. A hurried recitation of the facts, we think, will make this dear. Dis turbances of a more or less flagrant character have existed in the settlement for several months past, and for more than a year the ne groes, who have been permitted to hire valua ble plantations and live upon them with little or no work, have been organizing and preparing for some kind of unfriendly demonstration. But the beginning of the present troubles may be said to be the appearance, a week or ten days ago, of an armed band at one of the neighbor ing plantations, the firing upon the sentinels, the driving off of the residents, and the forcible removal of the crop, consisting of some twenty- five hundred bushels of rice. A number of these desperadoes could be identified, and, upon information filed, warrants were duly issued and placed in the hands of the sheriff of the county for their arrest. This was all entirely right and regular. The sheriff, with a small posse and a guide or two, visited the plantations and arrested a small party and marched them to No. 1, Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, for tho purpose of taking the train and' bringing liis prisoners to the city. They were not long at the place before several hundred armed ne groes appeared, rescued the prisoners, and with muskets pointed at the officers of the law, took away their arms, money, papers, etc., and with a threat against their lives if they ever returned, ordered them to leave on foot. Every manner of indignity, except personal violence, was of fered the sheriff and his party. They were told that no legal processes should be served in their neighborhood, that they had posssession of the country and a government of their own, and no white man or officer of the State should molest them with impunity. The organization, it is said, numbers from eight hundred to a thou sand—perhaps oven greater—and all are thor oughly armed and provided with ammunition. They have officers of every grade, and means of intercommunication that are almost equal to the facilities of a regular signal corps. Such are the facts, and what do they indicate ? An outbreak in character and numbers such as tho civil authorities are expected to control and bring the guilty parties to punishment, or is it a regularly organized rebellion against the au thority of the State—an army in the field and ready for war ? We think no sensible man can have but one view of this question. Tho origi nal attack on the plantation and carrying off tho crop was a small affair, and has become merged in a general outbreak and the appearance of hundreds of armed negroes in the field ready for action. The very idea of approaching snch a hostile body with warrants from Justices of the Peace, and after what has already happened, is the very extreme of absurdity. It is an army in the field, and must be opposed by force or left free to accomplish its wilh The outbreak is of a magnitude which the law never contem plated should be snbdned by a Sheriff and his posse, or any other civil means, and our Con stitution empowers the Governor to call out the militia in order to suppress them. Private citi zens, unorganized and poorly armed, can never effect the object except at a serious sacrifice. But the Federal Government has deprived us of the militia, and upon the regular army now rests the duty of our protection, what ever General Meade or others may think of it. It was never before in our history required of citizens, as a mere Sheriffs posse, to put down an insurrection on snch a scale, and to talk abont serving warrants upon such a body ia pre posterous in the extreme. It is manifest that the civil authorities were never expected to impro vise an army for such a purpose from the citizens at large,armed and equipped as best they can, and without stores or munitions of war or any pub lic funds for their purchase. There never was a case in which the army could be more right- Hon. Nelson Tift—Dear Sir:—In answer to your communication, I hasten the following re- ply: 1. The laws of Georgia are as faithfully en forced now as they ever have been at any time. 2. There is no organized or other resistance to the execution of the laws in this State. 3. The civil officers are faithful and active in the discharge of their duties—indeed crime is more surely and speedily punished now, in State, than before the war. Crimes committed by negroes when they were slaves, were some times not punished, because of the popularity of their owner, or on account of his personal influ ence, and often they were run off by their mas ters. Now they take their chances with the white man, and they are not without friends when they get into trouble. The lawyers, as a body, stand by them, and they are always ably and often successfully defended without fee or reward. 4. The state of feeling between white persons and colored is as good here as it is in any country between the rich and poor, or capital and labor. Persons who were slaveholders almost univer sally entertain kind feelings towards the negroes particularly such as belonged to them; among the educated whites this is very nearly without exception, and it will always be so with our good people, who do now, and will always, control their votes. 5. Differences of opinion on political matters are tolerated here as much as in any part of New England. Our people do not love persons who differ with them on political questions, but do respect them if they are themselves respectable. There is very great prejudice against “ carpet baggers,” and “ scalawags,” but in this section of the State there are but few of these, and with rare exceptions they are now and always have been without character or friends. They are reckless adventurers trying to get a living by of fice,. and to that end they have sought to delude the ignorant freedmen, and the first lesson they teach them is to hate the whites, and their old masters in particular. In this effort they have measurably been foiled, and hence their slan ders upon our people. It is not generally known, but snch is the fact, that, whilst on a recent political campaign these adventurers eat and slept with the colored peo ple, bnt they conld not now be received or en tertained by good men of that race. C. All of onr people feel interested in enconr- aging Northern men to locate here, and in my opinion a gentleman from any of the Northern States would be just as safe and secure in Dough erty county as any of our people would be in any State North. Onr people are not afraid of their political opinions, or their former prejudice against ns. We know that the Northern people are intelligent, industrious and thrifty, and that when permanently located among us for legiti mate pursuits they soon become identified with us in such a manner as secures their cordial co operation in political as well as other matters important to us as a people. We need North ern capital and enterprise in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits, and are suffering for want of educated experience in our workshops. We want economy, industry, energy, and well considered plans, to remould onr labor system, improve our modes of culture, and thus bring about a real and permanent restoration of toil war-scourged, yet God-blessed section of our common country. The hand of a kind Providence is ready to di rect and bless our honest efforts for deliverance, but who will move ought in tins matter ? Es tablish law; banish political doctors, with their sickening nostrums; and let Statesmanship take the helm, and proclaim civil liberty to all, as set forth in the Constitution of the country, and you will see, even here, a people, a free people, as if it were “bom in a day,” and earnest ef fort, intelligent enterprise, and well-secured capital, will do more for us than all the Korans of the jlaw-givers of the world. “Let us have peace!” Break the spears, turn the bayonets into sub-soilers, and all the implements of Mars into useful articles of husbandry, and peace and plenty will again smile on all our land. Very truly, D. A. Vason. BY TELEGRAPH. Mr. Dickson Declines. The Augusta Constitutionalist learns that Mr. David Dickson declines the Presidency of the Georgia State Agricultural Society, and says: i> • It was so predicted by his friends, and the Society would have done well to remember Mr. Dickson’s retired habits, great opposition to a sound policy of immigration and almost undi vided attention to cotton. Whether these qual ifications make him the proper choice, we will not now discuss. The State Agricultural Socie ty will have some other man to ohoose, who combines with a knowledge of cotton raising a profound acquaintance with political economy generally, and who is able to recommend ways and means how best to furthor all of the indus trial interests of the State. A Startling Prediction.—Professor Leoni das, an astrologist of Indianapolis, publishes the following prediction: I observe by the planets that a dreadful plague will commenco in Russia, originating from silks brought over from Cairo, Egypt, and Turkey. It will extend across the Baltic Sea, and will desolate Germany, cause immense mortality in England, and then spread to toe United States. This dreadful epidemic will spot the people like a leopard, and turn their flesh to a purple black. The pestilence will carry off such an amount of mortals that there will not be enough left to bury toe dead, or give them Christian burial. The streets of our cities, towns and villages will be swarmed with toe dead and dying. The groans and yells of horror will fill every breast with consternation. On all sides confusion will abound. The death knell will cease to toll as the malady rages in fury. The stench of toe dead will become so common that the survivors will not heed it Larkin G. Mead, toe Vermont 6enlptor, has married an Italian lady with large black eyes and a fair complexion. She has a very queenly manner, and is much teller to*n her husband. She ia just beginning to talk English. When Mr. Mead married her she conld not speak a word of English, nor he a word of Italian. All his friends in this country were very much opposed to his marrying an Italian woman, but he whis pered that if he did go it dumb, he didn’t go it blind. He lived in toe house with her for tone years. Mead is short and slender, and weighs less than his young wife. Bonaventube.—A proposal to sell this ceme tery to toe city, says toe Savannah Morning News, has again been made, and too matter is now before a committee of Counted If they should report favorably, and Council should take a notion to buy the place, we hope it will not do so until there is a public road from the city to toe cemetery, which all can travel without having to pay a heavy tax for visiting the graves of loved ones. From Virginia. Richmond, December 81.—At Norfolk this morn ing about daylight, a messenger of the Virginia Ex press Company, while on his way to the cars, was knocked down and robbed of ten thousand dollars. There have been thirty-three hundred bankrupt cases in Virginia up to date. PmL.VDET.pinA, December 31.—Gen. Grant visited the Girard College to-day. He has a reception here to-morrow. Richmond. January 2.—For two days past a Con ference of some of the leading men in the State has been in session, attended by Hon. H. H. Stuart, of Stanton; Hon. Thos. S. Flournoy, formerly the Whig candidate for Governor; JohnL. Marye, Jr., present conservative candidate for Attorney Gener al; Wyndham Robertson, formerly a Whig and act ing Governor of State; Geo. W. Boling and Job. F. Johnson, former Whig Senator; Frank G. Ruffin, Gen. John Echols: W. T. Sutherlin, and others. Last night after midnight they agreed on a pream ble and resolution, which set forth, that while the people of Virginia do not believe that the negroes, in their uneducated condition, are as yet fit for suf frage, yet, in view of the expression of public opinion in too recent national election, and in restoring har mony and union, they are willing to accept universal suffrage, coupled with universal amnesty. A committee of nine was appointed to visit Wash ington and urge Congress to legislate, so as to secure these to toe people of the State. The com mittee is composed of A H. H. Stuart, Wyndham E. Robertson, J. B. Baldwin, Jas. Neeson, W. T. Sutherlin. John L. Marye, J. F. Slaughter, J. F. Johnson and M. L. Owen. A resolution was adopted recommending toe peo ple of the State to hold a Convention on February 10 to, in Richmond, to receive toe report of the com mittee and arrange for the canvass. “This conference is toe result of a movement on toe part of too “Do Sometomgs," as distinguished from the “ Do Nothings.” The former desiring to make some advance towards meeting too recon struction acts, and towards averting the disabilities of test oaths, etc., of toe new Constitution, and toe latter believing that the people of the 8tate should, under no circumstances, sanction negro suffrage, which they believe to be disastrous and degrading. Richmond, January 2.—R. W. Hobson, ex-Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, was brought here to night, charged with def.iuding toe Revenue De partment by not accounting for $26,000 received by him. He was bailed in the sum of $10,000, to an swer. _ General News. Washington, January 1.—To-day was very disa greeable. There were, however, the usual number of receptions, a noticeable feature of which was toe absence of wines and liquors. Butler and MortOD visited toe President to-day. Grant’s staff called in a body. No commercial news received here. PirHADTr.-pma, January 1.—Mayor Fox was inau gurated to-day., The weather is sleety and disagreeable. Chicago, January 1.—The Jury in toe Kbel suit . of Mrs. Wilkinson vs. toe Chicago Tribune, found for the complainant, seven thousand five hundred dollars. New Orleans, January 2.—A dispatch from Jef ferson, Texas, reports tho arrest, by toe military, of OoL B. H. Crump, Dr. Marshall, B. T. Thompson, B. V. McGill, ex-Cnief of Police, and two freedmen, on charges not known. Many others are said to be spotted for arrest „ , • „ „ Generals Babcock and Porter, of Gen. Grant s staff, are here. Bprjnoheld. Mass., January 2.—Furious snow. Trains obstructed. Washington, January 2.—Wharton W. Bates is dead. Albany; N. Y., January 2.—The Union Car Facto ry baa been crushed by the weight of snow. Philadelphia, January 2.—Twitchell was convict ed of murder in the first degree. foreign Sews. “ Manchester, December 31-Wm. Bruncer 4 Co amnection *’ a*. Constantinople, December 31.—The Cretan i, aurgents have made a submission to the lv-w 80V8nmsnt Madrid December Sl—The threatened di st5r bances at Sevffie have subsided, and toe country* entirely tranquil. y a Paris, January 1.—The conference on Eas'ert questions, has been postponed. Its meeting is no » Improbable. * Windsor, Canada, January 1.-Morton ant Thompson, Express robbers, were handed over to toe United States authorities this evening. Madrid, January 1.—Disturbances have occurred in Malaga, where the barricades were erected ia the streets by a portion of the people. The disorder h likely to be easily suppressed. The Carlist agitation continues in Navarre. CoNNSTANTEtoPLE, January 1—The Turkish Gov- emment, since too departure of toe Greek envoi- shows good feeling toward toe Greek residents o' that city. The “ Turquie" newspaper says toe Porte has not accepted, and probably will not approve, the propel sition of a European Conference. P Park, January 1.—The official journals ear that the Emperor Napoleon, in addressing the forekp' Ambassadors on New Year’s day, will complimen- them upon the exertions made by toe powers to set tle the eastern question, as a newpledgo of a peae-1 ful policy which Europe desires. It is reported that toe Conference, if held, will adhere to toe Turkish ultimatum. A dispatch from Athens says toe Greek war JEt, ister’s Aid has gone to Cerigo to disband the vote- teers raised in that Island. St. Petersburg, January 1.—The Journal of St. Petersburg editorially expresses the hope that the Porte will withdraw his ultimatum, sent to Greece before toe Conference assembles. London, January 1.—A dispatch from Wigan r. ports a terrible explosion at toe Haydock Collier-. Twenty-two dead bodies have already been taken oat of toe mine. Dublin, January 1—Col. Butts, Jnstice of the Peace at Tipperary, was shot dead by unknown par ties to-day. No arrests. Madrid. January 2.—The Malaga Insurgent-) re fuse to submit. Gen. Deroda defeated them in the streets. Order is restored. Constantinople, January 2.—The Government received an invitation to toe Conference. It is as serted that Fand Pasha has been appointed to re present toe Sultan. Date of the Conference is not fixed. London. January 2 Burlingame departed for Paris after agreeing with Clarendon on the follow ing principles for toe future British policy toward- China: First. Necessary observation of tlie existing treaty. Second. Negotiations to be conducted with toe Central Government, and not with local authori ties. Third. Before inaugurating war, disputes should bo referred to some government. The general principles of toe Ameaiean treatvwere discussed. Parts, January 2.—It is now more than probable that both Turkey and Greece will participate in. the conference, Alexdria Bego Baugabe representing Greece. London, January 2 Later advices from Hong kong confirm toe restoration of Mikado at Jeddo. It is proposed that the owners of yachts of equal tonnage with toe Dauntless accept Bennett's chal lenge. Toronto, January 2.—A well-known rifle-shot named Giles was accidentally shot dead to-day at a shooting match. Savannah. January 2.—Arrived Yesterday, steam ship Cleopatra, New York; United States "schoouer Bache, Key West. Arrived to-day, brig Alatoona. Boston; ship Lady Havelock, Sre Thomas: brie Plato, Bio Janeiro; bark Albert, Cork; bark Bain:. Spain, Cleared, steamers San Jacinto and Hunts ville. New York; Wyoming, Philadelphia; schooner Fred Fish, Portland; ship Star of toe West Am sterdam, From Washington Washington, December 31.—Gov. Swann, of 3k- ryland, has too pneumonia. All the departments will be closed here to-moirv Washington, January 2.—The weather continv= erv bad. The Secretary of War orders Gen. Gillem, com manding toe Fourth District, and Gen. Reynold:, lately commanding toe Fifth District, to repon here. Customs from December 26th to date $2,421,000. From Savannah. Savannah, December 31 The Ogeeehee trout!) still continues. Middleton’s house was burned las night. Crops are rained. AR whites have come fe toe city, with the exception of one man, who hi.* not been seen since toe first of toe trouble. The Sheriff, with a posse, went out this momiK without making arrests. The negroes are fully armed and in large forte, and are determined to resist the authorities. Scouts sent out this afternoon stopped six mils from toe city. They report all of the six roads le&i ing to toe city picketed by negroes. A public meeting was held at toe court-house t- day, at which affairs were discussed by Gen. Jacks:: and others. Action as to what course to pursue v* postponed until to-morrow at noon. Latest from the Banditti. Savannah, January 2.—Affairs on tho Ogeecha are without change for toe better. The negroes sr still armod, and in large bodies are driving off tie whites and plundering houses and farms of every thing valuable. No demonstration against them kfc yet been made. The matter is under consideration, and a desire is felt to quell toe insurrection withou: bloodshed. Definite steps will probably be taken to-morrow or Monday. From Alabama. Montgomery, January 2.—Gov. Smith lias K~ pointed J. L. Pennington, A. J. Walker and Cirri* A. Miller commissioners to Florida, to negotiate its annexing West Florida to Alabama. They will p»!“ ably start next week for Tallahassee. A dispatch has been received in thii city that the Congressional committee investigating w charges against Judge Busteed will visit Montg®- ery at an early day. From Lousi&na. Marks ville Register, who is also Clerk of the Sev enth J udirial District Court, reports the total dee trac tion of his paper by a mob, led on by toe Marks villa Villager, a Democratic paper published at toe same place. The Jury in the ease of W. G. Mauk, on trial for mi.fl robbery, can’t agree. They have been in con sultation since yesterday, and are unable to agree though the evidence against him ia pretty strong* Hank wae • Brigadier General in toe Union service during the war. General Bousseau testified his coh dierty qualities and that be ocmmwided one of the finest ragnneaiSa in the Union army. widow of Mr Ammstna fliekfina. brother of Charles Dick* New Orleans, December Sl.-The editor of the enL at fa^oitod by telegraph. ^ halinve tontto« wife of Mr. Augustus Dickens 1 ? Homicides in Albant.—There seeni3 to Ia Tf been a batch of colored discrepancies in the city of Albany, during the holidays. The Yews says: On Saturday night last, in this city, a ookrt^ husband killed the destroyer of his domestic top* piness, with a knife, for the very trifling offend of “pillowing there where no head save iij should lie.” Particulars : Erring wife, injures and enraged husband, big knife, dead nigger. On Monday or Tuesday, another negro sent one of his race to “de happy land ob freedom- Particulars : Whisky, location some where intti 5 county. OnMondaynight, another was shot and killed by a gemon of color, a few miles below the city- for using insulting language. "We have heard of several cases of minor acl less fatal knife and pistol practice, but deec them too unimportant to chronicle. We have heard of no moving of troops, anl all’s quiet along the raging Thronateeska. Radicals Approte the President’s AmnesH Proclamation.—“Data,” in the Baltimore Son- says: Several Radical members of Congress ha« unhesitatingly given their approval of the Am nesty proclamation, and legislation in Con gress is suggested in consonance with toe spir it of that document. Senator Ferry, it is said will, at an early day, introduce a bill for the purpose of removing all disabilities whatever from persons who participated in the rebellion Of course, as compensatory for this magnanua' ity, a universal suffrage amendment, ana some instances impartial suffrage amendment to the Constitution is expected. Is it Scandal ob Not?—The New York Time’ The death by suicide of the reputed; ~ r of Chari believe that toe wife of Mr. Augustus L.— still living in England, and has been by Charles Dickens ever since her husband. 0 to thfa country in company ■witK thft lw decease is now axmotinoed. is thaln- W*NDE» Phillips says: “There - ~ - « dian, a race who have cost us » lion of dollars." But,air, thaw 4* race which hat cost tsa three of in less than eight years. What you to that? And the sort of tMa negro naw is stffl going on st the rate of three or foot hundred miUions a year.