About Weekly Georgia telegraph. (Macon [Ga.]) 1858-1869 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1869)
Tlie Greorgia, Weekly Telegraph. ME TELEGRAPH. MACON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1BG9. The Limit of the Cotton Crop. The Columbus Enquirer says the trouble they hare had in getting their new cotton picked ont Inn admonished many planters of the danger of planting too largely of the staple. The Enquirer here indicates the grand prac tical point of limitation to the cotton crop. Im proved labor-saving machinery, and a liberalnso of fertilizers, might set almost any amount of cotton growing and maturing. Various have been the attempts to construct a mechanical cotton-picker, and some of these, we think, have been patented; bnt the fact that we hear nothing of the practical introduction of these machines, is conclusive that the difficulties have not been surmounted. Every few months brings the announcement of the invention of some new type-settingmachine. It is described at length in terms of glowing eulogy, and then we hear no more of it. The troth is, neither of the processes are me chanical. Both demand the constant exercise of an intelligent will and discretion; and it may well bo questioned whether mechanism can con trive a more effective instrument for executing the decrees of human volition, in respect to both cotton in the boll and type in the case, than the human arm and hand. We are not, therefore, at all sanguine in regard to the application of labor-saving machinery to these purposes. Emancipation diminished the cotton product chiefly by withdrawing from the fields the labor of women; and we need not hope to see it re introduced to any great extent Some of our shifty planters are able to avail themselves of it, to a small extent, daring the crises in the crop and in picking season, by offering.tempting compensation to the wives and daughters of their laborers. In this way, they are enabled to har vest a greater crop than their regular laborers could possibly manage. When crops are grassy, or there is a great deal of cotton open, they can, by a little judicious liberality, add, in this way, perhaps a third to their effective working force. Bat, as a matter of common usage, the negro women will no longer work in the field. The African is essentially an imitative being. He wants to follow the fashions of the whites.— “White women don’t work in the field, and why should we colored ladies?” Hence, thongh throughout all Europe and many parts of the Northern States, white women labor in the field, and thongh a portion of them should do so in the South, Mrs. Guffee would not turn her hand to it except upon occasion, unless ole missis and her daughters should set the fashion. As this cannot be done, we must make up our minds to get along substantially without Mrs. Coffee in tho field, and that fact reduces our quantum of field labor from twenty-five to fifty per cent., and scales down our four million crop to twenty- five hundred thousand. But the active young planter, while compelled to make this enforced homage to the imitative spirit of the African laborer, may also take ad vantage of it by setting himself an example of Sturdy labor to his hired hands. Let him show them that he can work, and be will establish a better morale among them than in almost any other way. Most of our success in planting must now de. pend upon the activity and management of the planter himself. He must not only set his hands an example of diligence, but he must study the art of controling and influencing them. He must inspire respect by the exercise of justice, self-control and sound judgment; and he has uses for all his sagacity and tact in meeting exi gencies, and bringing every agency possible to the accomplishment of tho ends he seeks. Pro perly considered, we think there is much in the management of a Southern plantation, under present circumstances, to improve and develope a true manhood. The man who gets along well with his freedmen and shows handsome crop results, may be well pronounced a man able to control himself and manage others. TIIE MACON FACTORY. A Walk through a Large Cotton Man ufactory. The Machinery need and the Manner ot Turning the Raw Material Into Cloth. s The other afternoon the writer walked ont to the Macon Factory for the sole purpose of tak ing a look through that extensive establishment,. and with a hope of getting a sufficient amount ol material ont of which to moke an interesting article for these columns. ns ORIGIN. Tho Macon Factory Company was formed in 1850-’l, with a capital of §100,000. It was the first enterprise of the kind ever started here, and from its novelty in the community the rais ing of the necessary amount of money to put it in operation was attended with a great deal of difficulty. People then, as now, did not under stand the workings of such an establishment and were exceedingly chary about putting their money into it. The projectors, by dint of a good deal of persuasive power, at last got $100,- 000 worth of stock taken and set about putting their project in operation. THE BUILDINGS. A level plat of ground at the southern terminus of Second street was selected, near the present track of the Macon and Western Railroad. A very large four story (including the basement), substantial brick building was erected. It was designed and arranged by the architect for the especial purpose for which it is used. A front view of it now is exceedingly attractive. It is a beautiful sight after nightfall, when all the floors are brilliantly illuminated with gas. It has a wilderness of windows in it, through which the light streams after dark very much like a house illuminated upon some public occasion. THE FIRST FLOOR—THE ENGINE. Accompanied by the Financial Agent, Mr. John E. Jones, we entered tho first or basement floor. The greatest object of attraction here are the boilers, of which there are three in num ber, and their ponderous marine engine, of one hundred horse power. Herein is the motive power, the great first cause, of the whole estab lishment under review. The engine is a gigan tic affair. It was built at Providence, Rhode Island, by Corliss & Nightingale, in 1851. Here we met Mr. Benj. Burdick, Superintendent of the Factory, whom we found to bo a very courteous gentleman. On the extreme left we entered what is called “The Opening Room.” Hero the bales of cotton are first brought, and the ties and bagging cut off. It is thrown into a complicated machine called Kitzen’s Opener where, by means of brushes and fans, the dirt and all other impuri ties are knocked out as far as possible. By its own motion a strong current of air is sent through a condenser, extending from this ma chine to the second floor, bent in the shape of a swan’s neck, bnt of a flat structure. Through this condenser and upon this current of air the cotton is carried to the pickers on the floor above. Even a planter will be astonished to learn that at least twenty-five pounds of dirt, chiefly sand, is taken from every bale. On this floor we also found the press for pack ing bales of cloth, a bnfthing press which gives it its last finishing touches when it descends from the rooms above, and extensive machinery for repairs. THE SECOND FLOOR. Going up a short flight of stairs wo were ush ered into another division of the Factouy. Pass ing to the left we entered a room where the con denser delivers its cotton. Here aro located four machines called pickers. We found three little boys at work there. One was engaged in taking cotton from the floor and placing it upon a pair of counter scales, carefully weighing sev enteen pounds at a time. When the scales in dicated that that amount was upon them the in telligent looking little fellow would take it off and pass it first to one and then to an other boy upon the pickers. The boy upon the picker would carefully spread each seven teen pounds upon rollers. There is a black strip at alternate distances upon these rollers, placed there to indicate to the boy how far to spread his cutter, and which furnishes him the most accurate gaage as to the thickness each bunch of cotton should be spread. After pass- Plant Peas and Irish Potatoes. Now is the time for gardening operations in respect to peas and Irish potatoes. As to the former, our method is to trench by a lino to the depth and width of a spade. Put in four or five “8 ***”& 111080 machine3 > il for inches of earth well enriched with rottedmanure. 1 11 P 88803 upon what we Under- Set your peasticks handsomely in the centre of stand to be whjch stand ln . racks the trench, and let them be well branched and around the room, ready for the operatives in six feet high. Scatter tho peas plentifully and ™°“* 111010 010 «“* cards - evenly on both sides of these sticks; put on a were in full operation, making an un- little more manure, and then cover to the Snr-1 ea rihly face with soil. There maybe plenty of other better plans, but we are sure this one will do, and it has this advantage: When yon have planted your peas In these cards the cotton is [ separated into hundreds of little threads, which ] ran ont from them and pass down through a common hole into a receptacle below, which carries them along underneath the machines to the work is substantially done. A little hoeing the upper end of the room, to the frames. From and mellowing of the soil on either side of the slacks, now and then, is all that will be necessary. The vines will take fast hold of the sticks so soon as they pot ont their tendrils, and will not be the frames it is carried to tho speeders, where the threads are twisted and sent to the spinning room. These speeders are new. They were introduced into the factory last year, at a cost ▼ere you, bnt we cannot respect your theories in this, and reject them as you rejected the ideas of the generation before you. This-wound up our inspection of the main building. OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST. The capacity of the Macon Factory is five thousand yards of cloth per day, consuming two thousand pounds of raw cotton. It finds a mar ket all over the United States daring the sum mer months, bnt in the winter months the mer chants of Macon buy quite all it manufactures. After it is baled it is either sold here or sent off to commission merchants in New York, Lou isville, or to such other points as its financial agent may determine upon. It purchases all its cotton at our warehouses, amounting to an average of $12,000 per month. The company started with a capital of $100,000, but the entire cost of Hie mill was $160,000. The capital stock is now $130,000. It last year declared 1C per cent, dividend. Although a great dealof new machinery has been introduced since the war, its dividends have never fallen below 10 per cent It clears about $30,000 every year. The Company is exceedingly anxious to build an additional Factory of seven or ten thousand spindles upon a lot adjoining the present one. It will take $200,000 to do so. An effort was made last year to raise the money, which failed; bat it is hoped the abundance of capital now in the country will be expended upon enterprises of this character. THE OPERATIVES. Grant’s Views el Pnblic Men. Hit Vietcs of Washburn e, Fessenden,. Phillips, Butler, McClellan, Bawlins, Greeley, Itay- mond, Beecher and others—What he’Thinks and Says, etc. - Special Correspondence of the Nne York World.} Washington, January 2. It is a very great mistake to suppose General Grant Is as reticent as papers and people say he iB. If he ever had a special object in being deaf and dumb as a candidate, the policy and the ne cessity have passed away with his election as President. Grant talks freely with his friends abont his friends, and about public men who axe not his friends, and he has decided opinions, some of which I propose to give you in neatly the same words in which he has very recently expressed his views to friends and coixespond- enta who have asked him about certain public He has spoken with entire .freedom con cerning the Tenure of Office bill, grants to rail way companies, and other matters; and without pretending to entire verbal accuracy, I am able now to give you his expressed opinions abont some other matters, and especially about men concerning whom he would naturally talk about this time. The Company own fourteen houses on the right of the Factory, which are set apart for the use of their operatives. Of these there are one hundred and twenty-five. No one gets less than fifty cents per day. Wages range from $15 to $35 per month together with house rent free to those who wi3h to occupy tho houses of the Com pany. This factory is the pride and boast of Macon. Its cloth adds not a little to the reputation of the city. It is known as of a far superior qual ity to that of any other mill in the South, whilst it has few equals in the United States. We re gret that there are not fifty mills just like it in this city. GENERAL REHARES. There are now about 50,000,000 spindles in operation in the whole world. Of this amount Great Britain has 25,000,000 and the United States 8,000,000. They are rapidly on the in crease, and especially in the Southern States, where the great bulk of cotton, and that, too, of the finest grade, is grown. The time cannot be far distant when all the staple grown here will be manufactured on the spot and shipped to market in bales of goods instead of bales of cotton, as is the practice now. Wo do not reap much over half the benefit of our labor, but the Yankee and the Briton make as much, if not more, than we do. As we have passed into a new era and entered upon a new age, we cannot come to any other than the conclusion that this whole business will be speedily revolutionized. Wo not only demand more Factories for the fabrication of white cloth, but for the‘manu facture of every species of goods into which cotton enters as a leading element A recent idea has been advanced that our country is di vided into three parts: the North-east makes, the West feeds and tho South clothes. This last is not altogether true, but it would be if we manufactured as largely as wo produce. It is unnatural for us to ship the raw material to New and Old England, there have it made, and then go there and buy our clothing. This is an in sult to the laws of commerce, which will, sooner or later, be corrected. HIS OPINION OF ELIHTj B. WASHBUBNE. General Grant likes to talk abont his friends, about Washbume particularly, and of Wash- burao General Grant says: “Ho is a strictly honest man—a rare thing, I sometimes think, among politicians. His hobby is economy in the administration of government; a very cred itable hobby, but men who ride hobbies are very apt to have circumscribed views. I do not think Washbume desires a place in my Cabinet. I think his ambition is to succeed Yates in the Senate. He has never intimated to me a wish for any appointment under me. I could not well refuse him anything he asked, unless it was clearly inconsistent with tho public interests.— Washbume was my friend whenl needed friends, when it was no advantage to be my friend, and when I had very few friends anywhere—scarce ly any outside of tho army. My friends aro very numerous now. I often wonder how many of them would remain my friends if my position and patronage were taken away from me. Tho friends of my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to re lieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity. Tho newspapers cannot alienate me 1 ron Washbume by any abuse of him or ridicule of his supposed influence with and over mo.— Whether Washbume should bo a member of my Cabinet or not, I shall always listen to his coun sel with great respect.” WHAT GRANT THINES OF WM. P. FESSENDEN. Gen. Grant says of Fessenden: “I regard him as the ablest statesman in the Senate. He a man of a high order of intellect, of catholic views, of large and well-improved experience, and has that moral courage which is far more commendable as it is far rarer than physical courage. I have differed from his opinions sometimes. When I did, I involuntarily re called the kind words of Mr. Lincoln: ‘I am satisfied now that you were right and I was wrong.’ ” ABOUT SUMNER. “Senator Sumne>\” savs Gen. Grant, “is a great scholar and a finished orator. I am not well qualified to jndgo such men as Sumner. He is a faithful representative of his State. If he had not been chosen by Massachusetts I do not believe he would ever have been a member of tho United States Senate.” “I know nothing personally,” said General Grant, lately, “of Mr. Phillips. I have never read any of his speeches, except those attacking me. I should have respected him, and accred ited him with more honesty of purpsse, if he had opposed my election. I certainly could never support a man I thought as weak and bad a man as he professed to believe ms to be. I have survived bis attacks, and hope he may sur vive his malice toward me.” Employ blown down by the March winds, as is frequently I of §12,000. They make one thousand revolu- the case, when the peas are drilled in two rows I tions per minute. and the sticks afterwards placed in tho center. I to this department we found girls and bpys Moreover, being first placod in the trench from ten to fifteen years of age employed. Al- beforo sowing, and then supported by the five though their occupation is incessant and tedious or six inches additional soil thrown in, they are I the work they do is really light As soon as we firm, and will never be disturbed by tho wind. f entered the room they greeted us with the most The pea rows should be five or six feet apart, searching looks—especially the girls, and with The peas we like best are the wrinkled varieties, girlish curiosity. We noticed one beautiful —Daniel OTtoqrk for tho early crop, and Cham- little black-eyed creature who cast roguish pion of England for the later, are two varieties I glances in our direction, and then at a girl over ■which cannot well be improved upon. The Early 1 the way, when both of them would laugh. Poor Washington is a very forward pea, but it is children! We hope they are happy, strong and ill-flavored to our taste. Both of Here again the ear was thrilled with the harsh the varieties we speak of can be found in abnnd-1 est music. The voice had to be raised to a high ance at tho Macon seed store, at Hunt’s, Zeilin’s, Ellis’s, and, in fact, wherever seeds are kept in Macon. As for Irish potatoes, the experience of the last two years has developed a great success in this region in the production of these staple es- note to be heard at all, and we may have mis understood some of the explanations of our guide. THE FOURTH FLOOR—THE SPINNING ROOM. From the second wo ascended to the fourth floor, in order to follow the cotton from its start- culents. The favorite variety, we think, was the 1 ing point in the opening room to its conclusion, Early Goodrich. Pink Eye is a great bearer, I or finishing touches. Here we found five thou- bnt a poor potato, though a great deal better I sand spindles in operation. But a curious ar- Georgia raised, than the imported seed. We I rangement was that which is called “Mules.” notice that Messrs. George T. Rodgers & Son They spin the filling, whilst another machine are the first who have advertised seed potatoes I called “Frames” spins the warping. They are of these varieties. The Early Rose is a com-1 known as spinning frames. The thread goes on paratively recent variety, advertised at a dollar I to spools, from thenco it is beamed and carried per pound, but it is not like some of Sam Wei-1 to the dressers. ler’s viands “werry fillin at the price.” | To a stranger in such a place, the ingenuity of Every body has his plan of planting Irish po- the inventors of all flh curious machinery is tatoes, and it is a crop which rarely fails. Upon I very striking. They have been engaged upon dry, sandy land, undoubtedly the best plan is to I it for one hundred years, and still they are not cover them with leaves, or straw, in order to in- satisfied with its present results. The First Proposition to Negro Troops. This appears to have come from “Mad An thony” Wayne, while in command of tho Conti nentals at Ebenezer, McIntosh coonty, State of Georgia. A friend—not exactly what old Peter Martyr calls “a venerabel antiquite,” bnt a young gentleman with a commendable love for the ancient lore of history, has famished us with the original of the letter below, which we have copied verbatim et literatim. It is writ ten in an excellent hand, upon the'rough-edged, deeply water-lined, pure linen, paper of that period, and is in perfect preservation. At its date the war of independence had substantially closed. Lord Cornwallis, and his army had been captured in Yorktown just four months, that surrender taking place October 19, 1781. Congress was not at that time engaged in recon structing Georgia, but Georgia was very busy in trying to construct a national independ ence, from which a combination of States threaten now to eject her. It is a curious old document which the reader will take pleasure in perusing: TTtmt» Quarters Ebenezer 19th Feby 1782 Dear Sir, In compliance with your request, I take the jerty sending to your Honor my Ideas of the heads of two Proclamations which I hope will be very productive of salutary consequence to this State, that designed for the Germans ought to be translated into that language & several copies defused among tho soldiers in Savanah—that for opening a door for the return of the Citizens may be drop’t in town & copies of it fixed up in different places in the vicinity of Savannah, I am so fully convinced that a perminant force can secure the Independence of America—that I have no difficulty in giving it as my decided Opinion, for you to exert every power for the immediate Completion of yonr Quota of Conti nental troops, offering a bounty similar to that given by South Carolina bnt not to introduce a competition .otherwise those people who would inlist as Boldlers will be induced to join that State who offers the most liberal bounty, & which from experience has been found very detrimental to the Service. I wold also beg leave to suggest the of adopting the same kind of plan with Caroli na for embodying a Corps of Negroes in propor tion to your circumstances and local Situation— Indeed this measure will become a matter of ne cessity if the report is true of the enemy form ing black Corps in Charleston & Savannah. Should my advice or assistance be deemed ne* oessary on this or any other occation, be assured of being served with the best wishes of Your Honor’s Most Obt His Honor & very John Martin Esq Hum Servt Govt of Georgia Airrr Wayne THE DRESSING ROOM AND THE LOOMS. On the third floor, to the extreme left, we | came upon the Dressing Machine. Through this the thread is run and starched, passod over cylinder heated by steam which dries it, and tercept and return the evaporation from the go as to give the growing plants plenty of moisture. Let your ground be well enriched. Break up thoroughly. Draw as many furrows as you can with a plow, plowing only in one direction. Drop the cuttings fourteen inches I jjj en 8eri t; to the looms. Of these there are one apart Cover lightly with manure and rich I an fi thirty. Standing in the door of the earth. Put on abundance of half-rotted Dressing Room, we had a full view of all the leaves, or straw and trash. Pine straw will do, 1 ac tual operation. It was certainly an but it is of no use to the land. In this method g^ma^d scene. They are attended by grown you will have a great product of potatoes to a womeilj w ij 0 are overlooked by two head men. small area of land. Of course, if this land is We fl* rooms beldw were. noisy, bnt poor, it will not stand so much crowding. In ^ere jj. ^3 deafening. Each operative attend- low, moist land the covering of leaves will be e q f our Oar grandmothers, who needless, and then space must be left for culti- I jjiougbt the weaving of one yard yer day was vation. extraordinary work, would look upon one of Our remarks as to both peas and potatoes are, I ^^se little looms as it runs a thousand times of course, intended to apply merely to family fagter theirs did, with credulity. They gardens. « 1 never would believe that the work was being The Legal Tender Cases. — The Courier- done right, or that it would “last” three days. Journal telegrams say: “ It appears to be defi- l,But it in reality is done a great deal better, xdtely understood that the Supreme Court will I They would at once determine all this inachin not render any decision in the legal tender cases I ery as “outlandish,” and an innovation upon ttQ near the doee of the session in May next. | virtuous age. But, grandmas, we love and re- Mr. Burke the correct one. Peace means recon ciliation. In my final report of the. operations of my armies, I expressed the hope that we might live in perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor. As we are compelled to live together, it is far better that we should forget our differences and strive together to eradicate all the ill feelings engendered by the war.” NEGRO SUFFRAGE. In answer to my inquiry as to his views upon negro suffrage (in the same conversation) he said: “Negro suffrage is inevitable. I was bit terly opposed to it until it was forced npon us by the lope of events. The extension of suffrage will not forbid the supremacy of intelligence. SENATOR MORGAN. “Morgan always seemed to me,” says Grant, “to be a mere bag of dollars—shake the dollars out and there would be nothing left but the bag. His labors as s. Senator seem to be simply to se cure his re-election. “While I have never heard his integrity questioned, I never knew an officer appointed at nis request who did not have the reputation of being a corrupt man. I think the defeat of Morgan would be a heavy blow to the whiskey ring in New York.” GENERAL BAWLINS. “I feel tho same delicacy in talking of Raw lins that I would if he were my own brother. There is no man with whom I was ever as sociated to whom I feel so much indebted for my success as to him. He is a man of the very first order of intellect. The country does not know its obligations to him. His sterling in-' tegrity, his unselfish patriotism, his untiring energy, his wonderful adaptability to circum stances, his keen judgment of men, his facility of acquiring the art of war, is so well known to tho army teat you have only to ask any of my subordinate officers to know what a debt of grat itude the country owes him. He came to me in the full vigor of robust health. He has been an invalid ever since the Corinth campaign. His health is improving, and I trust he may have the fullest opportunity for tho development of his rare powers. He is equal to the duties of any position within the gift of a President. I should cheerfully offer him a place in my cabinet, but Rawlins is poor, very poor. At the same time, without any personal extravagance, he is a man of liberal views. It is impossible for a cabinet officer to live in a style becoming his position at the present salary. For this‘reason, if for no other, I do not think Rawlins would accept a cabinet appointment. There is no man better fitted for it, or who would be more acceptable tome. HORACE CHMPPJPC. In answer to a direct question whether he thought of inviting Mr. Greeley to accept the appointment as Postmaster-General, the Gene ral replied: “Mr. Greeley has published some unpalable things abont me, but I have no doubt he thought at the time they were true. Greeley is a good man, a great man, and a faithful, hon est and efficient advocate of the cause of human liberty. He always seemed to me to exaggerate the bright side of human nature, and underrate its dark side. He exaggerates the capacity of the negro, while he underrates the crimes of Jeff. Davis. Such men are always the dupes of men of inferior abilities, who are cunning and dishonest. This is a creditable failing. The world is better for Greeley having lived in it and erred in it. I like Greeley better than I have any reason to suppose he likes me.” ■■ ' WENDELL PHILLIPS. CONCERNING BUTLER. Concerning Butler, the General talks freely, as follows: “Butler is not so bad a man as his enemies imagine him to be. I have no ill will towards him, and am satisfied that there would never have been any difference between us, if it had not been for the misrepresentations of thirdpar- ties. There is no truth in the report that George Wilkes had arranged our difficulties. There is nothing in common between Mr. Wilkes and me, except our fondness for horses and the turf. Mr. Wilkes could advice me on no other subjects than these. General Butler is a man of very great force of character. He would be a leader in any country in which he lived, and any cause which he espoused. The Republican party could better afford to lose almost any oth er of its captains. No one deprecates more than I do the attempt to take from him the confidence of tiie party. He has won that confidence by a manly, fearless, persistent, and most powerful advocacy of its principles, and the vote by which he was re-elected shows the weakness of his as sailants. I was exceedingly gratified at the re sult of that election.” GENERAL M’CLELLAN AND THE CABINET. In answer to tho inquiry about the newspaper story that he had offered a Cabinet portfolio to General McClellan, General Grant said: ‘ ‘There is no truth in the report that I have offered General McClellan a place in my Cabinet” After a moment’s reflection, he added: I do not saytont I have not thought of doing it, and if I do it, I know of no ono who has a right to object. When I am inaugurated, I shall be President of tho United States—not the head of a party. I shall be the executive officer of the whole people—not of a mere majority. If the interests of the people can best be served by any man, I would have no right to set him aside because he did not vote forme. Of course, all Of Mr. Henry VIard Beecher the Generalsays: I guess Beecher don’t want any office; bnt he would be a better preacher if he were less a pol itician, and a better politician if he were less a preacher. It is impossible for a man to have a philanthropy that will cover a whole nation and yet fit Plymouth Church. Beecher favored the Cleveland Convention until Plymouth Chrujch repudiated the platform. ' He was heart and soul for Chase until Plymouth Church ratified the Chicago nominations. I often wonder that Beecher is content to remain in a suburb of New York whoso prosperity is due to the advan tages of economy. Plymouth Church could not fill Beecher’s place; Beecher could build up a larger and better church in any city. I should like to see his intellect and heart have full play —he would soon have a history equal to Wilber- force. He should be persuaded to leave Brook lyn and Plymouth Church and go to New York, which is cosmopolitan, and where philanthropy and fraud, devotion and devilment are all exer cised on the largest scale.” Bill to Regulate the Price of Cotton. Senator Rice, of Minnesota, yesterday intro duced into the Senate of the United States “ a bill to regulate the price of cotton and to encore* age the growth of the same.” What cab this bill propose ? The Congress of the United States has a commendable confidence in its own powers and prerogatives. They entertain a profound convic tion of their own supremacy over allmoral and po litical forces in the world; bnt can it be that they imagine they can regulate values, and by a simple statute upset all the laws of trade ? Perhaps so. The bill looks like it. And as for that “encour aging the growth" of cotton- - Jo they also sup pose that Congress, by a special enactment, can provide timely rains and sunshine—stop the rav ages of the caterpillar and boll worm, and, in short, supersede nature, as they have done the laws of supply and demand ? We are curious to see Senator Rice’s bill. preference might justly decide tho competition. Bnt I shall never remove a good man and a competent officer who is a Democrat, to make place for a bad 'man, or an incompetent man, who is a Republican. I know something of politicians. While I believe I was the first choice of tho masses of the Republican party, I believe I was the last choice of a majority of its leaders. If these latter had imagined there was any possibility of electing any body else, they never would have nomi- inated me. As we soldiers say of things wo don’t like to do, or doubt tiie right of doing, it is a military necessity; so the politic ians considered my nomination a party necessi ty. Therefore, while I fully appreciate my in debtedness to the men who voted for me, I do not overrate my obligations to the men who nominated me. I do not wish you to under stand that I have not a warm sympathy with the Republican party. As a party I like it better than I like the Democratic party. As to the masses who compose the parties, I regard them as equally loyal, equally honest and equally in telligent. As to the leaders, I think there are good men and bad men in each party: but I think the controlling element in the Republican party is more loyal, more honest and more intelligent than the controlling element in tho Democratic party. The great objection to either party, in my mind, is the want of independent action on the part of its members. If any man should tell me that • he has never thought his party wrong in any of its actions or policies, I should regard him os lacking either honesty or intelligence. I shall sup port the Republican party whenever its policy commends itself tomy judgment and conscience, and I shall observe the same conduct toward the Democratic party. So, in regard to appoint ments, if I thinV the interests of the country will be subserved by placing in office a man who opposed my election, this latter fact will not de ter me from making the appointment. McClel lan, continued Gen. Grant, is an able soldier, a good citizen and a pure man. He has great powers of organization. The army of the Po tomac was the best organized, the best equipped and the best disciplined army the world ever saw. For accomplishing this at least the coun try is indeb ted to McClellan. Another remarka ble fact is that, while McClellan lost the confi dence of tho country, he never lost the confi dence of his army. I know full well that when I succeeded to the command of that army I did not supplant him in its affections. He was its first love. It was natural and just. I should dislike to think that I was supplanted in the af fections of my old army of the Tennessee by either of my worthy successors.” HENRY WARD BEECHER. CHARLES A. DANA. “Dana is a man,” said Grant, “for whom I ought to have a great contempt, bnt to whom I owe nothing but good will. He came to me a spy upon my conduct. He reported favorably. If it had not been for his favorable report I should probably bave been removed from my command. He is a shrewd man and a man of letters. He is very susceptible to flattery. My staff react him and captured him. So far as I know, he is not an applicant for office under me. Ho is eminently fitted for journalism, and I should consult his interest in declining to re move him to any other sphere.” Call ftr a Tennessee River Improve ment Convention, State op Tennessee, Executive Department, V Nashville, January 1, 1869. / Whereas, I have received from the Executive Committee appointed by the Tennessee River Improvement Convention, which met at Chatta nooga, Term., on the 18th day of March, 1868, a communication in the words and figures, to- wit: ‘ " “ Rooms Executive Committee, ") Tennessee River Improvement, - Chattanooga, ^Tenn., Nov. 24th, 1868. ) “ To His Excellency, Wm. G. Brownlow, Gov ernor of Tennessee:. # “ At the Convention of Delegates represent ing the people of the Valley of Tennesse River, held in Chattanooga, March 18th, 1868, among others, the following resolutions were adopted : “ ‘Resolved, That the interests of the people of the Tennessee Valley require that the Ten nessee River, from its mouth to the head of navigation, should be cleared of all obstructions, and the said river remain free from all tolls and tributes. ‘“Resolved, That we deem the same a mat ter of rational interest, and that, in the opinion of this Convention, it is the duty and should be the policy of the Government of the United States to furnish the necessary means.’ “By another resolution a committee was ap pointed for and on behalf of the Convention to prepare and draft a memorial to the Congress'of the United States, setting forth the purposes of that Convention, and urging a speedy action of Congress to aid in its objects. A memorial was accordingly drafted, extensively circulated in the Tennessee Valley for signatures, and pre sented to the 40th Congress; a copy of which is herewith presented. “ The 40th. Congress, after the reception of the report of the survey of the Tennessee river, made, under an act of the ."fHh Congress, in the low water season of 1867-8, influenced by the representations of thh memorial and other man ifestations of public opinion in favor of this measure, appropriated $85,000 to the improve ment of the Tennessee, to be expended under the direction of Bvt. Maj. Gen. Weitzel, Maj. U. S. Engineers. This was directed by him to be applied to the removal of the obstructions in the upper river, known as Ross’ Bar, the Tum bling Shoals, Suck, Boiling Pot, Gunter’s Bar, etc., and a number of minor obstructions be tween Florence, Ala., andPaducah, Ky.,making the navigation of the river practically unob structed at ordinary stages, except at Muscle Shoals. “Immediate action on the part of the people is now required, in order that there be no ces sation in the work now going on, from the fail ure by Congress to provide the means to begin at once the repair and completion of the canal projected and partially built around Muscle Shoals in 1838; as such failure would result not only in seriously retarding the development of the resources of these States, but the work already in progress under previous appropriations will be of little value unless the two sections of the river, embracing 257 miles of navigation below the Shoals and 3G8 miles above them to Knox ville, wit!? a high water navigation in addition, upon its tributaries, of not less than 1,000 miles, cease to be divided by an,impassable barrier at Muscle Shoals. According to tiie census of I860, there were expended upon the canal at Muscle Shoals, in 1838, §1,400,000, but this was insuf ficient to build a canal completely around tho shoals, and there being impassable obstacles be low the canal as constructed, it was never used, and no return has been or can bo received from the money expended on it, until the entire work has been completed. The cause of the failure of the people to urge the matter upon Congress at the time that the work was suspended, was, the belief that the lino of railroad eastwards from Memphis, via Chattanooga to Lynchburg, then projected, would supply the necessities of the country; bnt since the completion of that line, and especially since the partial develop ment of the mineral resources of tho country, experience has demonstrated to them, as it has to all others in like circumstances, that no de velopment of either mining, manufacturing, or even of agricultural interests, can be attained until cheap and constant water transportation for their products can be had. You can readily see that one item onT^ freight cm 2,500,000 bushels of corn people of Georgia, from this section. Z b,lk « tox of sufficient importance to e^itelLw* 1 But when the amount which wifi be saved other articles is taken into consideration 3$ Convention. We toil* StTe freight annually saved to the people of (W ■° t Alabama and Mississippi by &e success efforts will more than equal the entire I** ‘’T?*' WewiU be leased to meet any of your friends. 105 °t Your obedient servant, _ , Tomlinson Fori Sec y Ex. Com. Tenn. Ri v . The Mitchell €©nnty Anthropopha*. A Mitchell county patron, scandalized bvT* he thinks sharp practice on the part of, citizens of Baker, sends us the following. *** Baker Cqusrr, Ga., January Gth lRro , Messrs. Editors: I have read and heard’ 8?°^ various parts of the smee the war, and many of them have doukw been exagerated. But the one of which if j about to write, and which has lately appearance in Mitchell county, is certain® ' out exaggeration, the greatest and most feiS monster of them alL I will not attempt to describe this huge Ster * onl y 8a y that it has great h- - powerful head, with two rows of long sham and he is of great size, and has an appetite e <rui to a thousand hungry lions, ana lives exclnsiif npon live negroes. ‘‘J Now had it not been for some of the good 1* pie of Baker county, who warned the negroM* Mitchell of their great danger, and furnish; them means of escape from that terrible ffi0 «' ster, I dare say that half of the poor created would have been destroyed ere this. It appe** that the monster cannot cross the river, and H- only mission is to devour the freedmen of ilit^ ell county; so you see as soon as we can gets freedman across the river into Baker, he is aaf. and many are the freedmen who owe their lira to their friends in Baker for their timely ware, ing and assistance. Baker county has becomi the county of refuge. There-are yet a fev freedmen in Michell, and unless they hear the warning end take the advice of some of the 3T good citizens of Baker, they must of a certaintr be devoured. 11 Ajid now, Mr. Editor, if you please, allow me, for the sake of poor suffering humanity, to the columns of your valuable paper as a medimi through which the poor freedmen, still remare, ing in Mitchell county, may be more speedily warned of the great danger that awaits them. Fly. freedmen, fly! yonr lives and all yot hold dear is at stake. Fly to the county of re. fuge; fly to your friends in Baker, ere it is toe late and you are devoured by the terrible mot. ster. There aro a great many evil men in this county, even in Baker, who will tell you there is no danger in Mitchell; bnt hear teem not, your danger is great!. Fly! fly! fly to the conn- ty of refuge; fly to your friends in Baker—wa have lands and mules for you, do not delay. A, Good Man. A. Republican Estimate of Carpct-Ba; Congressmen. Don Piatt, the 'Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, writes as follows of the carpet-bag Congressmen from tho South: And, in all sober earnestness, to write in “1 frank and manly way." the nett purport ami r.p- shot of our reconstruction measures at the South, as seen in Congress, is not pleasant.' No amonat of certificates of election and formalities of re oath can make these gentlemen of the Imnd-bag. gage real M. C.s. When one makes his appear- ance on the floor, we cannot look each other in the countenance without audible smiles that are indecorous. If the gentlemen would only in- dulge in a little disguise to help on the delusion, something might be gained; but not only is the voice of toe enemy, but toe look, manner, dress, and above all, toe vote, is the vote of the alien. The antagonism between New England civili zation and that of too South, previous to the war, was not more deadly than is too antago- be fid “The report of the survey authorized by the of interest now between those'localities to Confess shows the Liability of'con- h J nt JAMES GORDON BENNETT. HBennett is a Scotchman; no man bom in Scotland ever became acclimated in this country. His grandsons may, but neither he nor his sons are ever true Americans. I am of this descent myself, and therefore speak candidly. No Scotchman ever expatriates himself except from necessity, and nothing hero is equal to ‘Auidlang syne.’ Bennett, like a true Scotchman, is ever ready to trade upon toe misfortunes of his adopt ed country. He cares not how terrible a time it is for toe country if it is a good time for news- ; papers. He made his paper famous by making : ’t infamous. It mattered nothing to him who was harmed so that he made money. He always conducted his journal upon toe principle enun ciated by too Scotchman who advised his son John: “When you marry, marry a woman who has money. For any woman may turn out ill, but Gad toe money never will.” RAYMOND, SEWARD AND WEED. “Raymond always reminds me,” he replied, “of a jumping-jack He is heads np or tails up, just as Seward and Weed move him. When Raymond goes wrong I always feel like forgiv ing him, for he knows not what he does; no body supposes him to be anything bntthe month piece of Seward and Weed, though he is a bril liant writer, if he would be independent, and strike ont on his own hook. Seward is a man of very great ability and very little principle. If he had not entrusted his politics to Weed, he might have been a Statesman. Weed being a very corrupt politician,. Seward was dragged down from toe elevation of Statesmanship to toe lowest depths of demagoguery. Johnson would have remained a pure man, a true patri ot, and a wise President, if he had been remov ed from the balefnl influence of Seward." Improvement of the Tennessee River. Wo invite attention to the circular on our JOHN A. LOO AN. " ‘ ; “Logon,” General Grant thinks, “is toe com ing man of Illinois. When Douglas died, his mantle fell npon John A. Logan. His E gyp tain antecedents have been urged to keep him back from his proper position. His skill, his gtdan- try, his success in toe field, are notproperiy ap preciated by toe leaders of the party. He Is the idol of the masses in his State, and he will make his history among the foremost of the times. SENATOR MOBTON. “Morton,” according to Grant, “is too much of a politician to be a safe financier. He makes a greater effort^o make his views popular than to demonstrate their soundness. Few men in toe nation are equal to the mastery of our finan cial problem. No man can be who attempts to appease or listens to the popular clamor. When Morton adopted toe greenback fallacy of Pen dleton, he underrated the integrity of the maies ; when he undertakes to show the road to specie resumption, he overrates the popular avarice. My study of Morton (for whose abili ty I have great respect) has convinced me that a politician is utterly unfitted to manage our national finances.” 39th Congress shows toe practability stracting a canal completely around the Muscle Shoals, and that toe portion previously built is in good repair and can be utilized in toe present enterprise, while the cost will be but small in comparison with toe benefits to be derived from the development of commerce, agriculture, mining and manufactures, consequent thereup on. The increased revenue from toe augment ed productive capacity of thisvalley willin a few years repay to toe Government, with interest, toe appropriations now demanded for toe im provement of toe river. “At toe Convention of delegates of toe peo ple of toe Tennessee Valley, heretofore men tioned, representing toe States of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and North Carolina, we, W. P. Ratobum, J. L.‘Di vine, T. E. Stanley, J. W. James, P. 1>. Sims, R. K. Bird and Tomlinson Fort, were appointed an Executive Committee to represent the people of these States in this behalf, with full discre tionary power to f take any action which, in our judgment, might best tend to promote the im provement of toe Tennessee River. “ In toe exercise of this discretionary power, we have thought that a Convention of delegates from the States drained by toe Tennessee River, as well as from those whose commercial relations are likely to be favorably affected by toe pro posed improvements, which Convention should set forth toe great benefits to accrue to toe whole country from such a measure, and toe impera tive necessity of too adoption of such course by Congress, to enable these States to recuperate from the desolation of war, would have great weight with Congress. “And we would, therefore, respectfully re quest your Excellency, in concert with the Gov ernors of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missis sippi, Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, and other States, to issue a call, reciting this com munication, for a convention of delegates from these States, to be held in Chattanooga, Term., on Wednesday, the 24to day of February, 1869, for toe sole purpose of urging npon Congress toe necessity of making such appropriations from time to time as toe estimate of toe United States Engineer in charge of toe work may call for, un til toe Muscle Shoals are no longer an obstacle to toe commerce of the country. And we would further respectfully recom mend, that the cities, counties, and business as sociations of the country, be invited to send to this Convention two delegates each. W. P. Rathrurn, Chairman. J. L. Divine, T. B. Stanley, J. W. James, P. I). Sims, • R. K. Byrd, Tomlinson Fort, Sec’y, Executive Com. Tenn. River Improvement. Now, therefore, I, William G. Brownlow, Gov ernor of the State of Tennessee, together with extra dickey, follow New England, and vote i2‘ the time against toe interests of their own mb- stituents. I had a long talk with one of these represaiJ. atives ad interim last night, and tried to con vince him that it would be well, just for the ap pearance or toe thing, to cast a vote now ail then for toe region he claimed to represent But, no! I found my friend had an intense cot tempt for one-half of his people, and a dead!; hatred for toe other half. It was a Connection Congressman elected in toe South. Having no very high opinion of myself, andi contempt for toe rest of humanity. I can put tp with toe grotesque and absurd as well as any om. But there is a point, yon know, beyond which I find it difficult to keep my countenance, and fe New England carpet-bagger carries me there. I wrinkle and haw-haw—I can’t help it—when & gentleman of toe paper dickey, from New Enj- ' and, gravely takes his seat as a represents tin from toe South. Better cut toe South into provinces, and gin them military Governors to keep toe peace until toe negroes are educated, the white master stir dued, and time, toe consoler,.heals too wotreli of war, than thus to make a carricature of a re presentative Government and stultify ourselves. HIS VIEWS WITH BEOA2ED TO TuraETJL “I am in favor,” said Gen. Grant to a friend, “of general amnesty. When toe war ended, I was in favor of a more general amnesty than was Mr. Lincoln or Mr. Johnson. I was in favor of amnesty to all except the men who organized toe Confederate Government, or rather those lead ers who organized the movement which declared . the rebel States out of the Union. Those who A Curious Case.—A curious and interesting aase yras lately tried at toe Court of Exchequer, London, in which a Hebrew butcher was plain tiff and toe chief rabbi of. England the defend ant. The batcher charged that the rabbi had injured and broken up his business by pronoun cing his meat “tripher”—unclean ana unfit for Hebrews—and thus preventing him from selling to Israelites. It appeared in evidence that the Hebrew law or immemorial custom placed all butchers under ecclesiastical supervision and regulation, and that no man could slaughter or sell “kosher”—i. e. clean meat fit for Israelites —without being first examined and licensed by the ecclesiastical authorities of the district in frtnv+L paoa « it IT T Ult5 UUl Ul LUt) U III OH. 111086 WHO fourth page, addressed us by the Tennessee In- J adhered to their States after they had established ternal Improvement Committee, upon the sub- J a dt facto government, and had nothing to do in ject of a Convention, at Chattanooga, on the organizing the rebellion, I thought it best to ad- 24th February next, in'which, for reasons set ? il Now \ would ma ^ e n .° exce P' forth, i. i. coorttod highly ,hrt m. [ oos and Central Georgia should be represented. 1 in favor of peace, and I toinlr the definition of which he lived ; that the plaintiff had set np a butchers’ shop without this license, and refused to obey ecclesiastical directions in regard to his business ; and that therefore the Jewish commu nity had been warned not to buy of his meat The Court held that the authorities were justi fied in so doing, and that the plaintiff had no case. ne ich Alexander II. Stephens- On a certain occasion Hon. AlexanderH. Stephens, of Georgia, was engaged in a politic! discussion with Hon. Benjamin H. Hill, of till State, when the latter charged him with sapt that he (Stephens) could eat Judge .Cone lx breakfast, himself, (Mr. Hill) for dinner, red Governor Cobb for supper. • To which Mi Stephens quietly replied: “I never said it;ba if I had, the arrangement of the meals wow have been somewhat different I should t* have taken Mr. Hill at dinner, where he b* placed himself, that being toe heartiest meala toe day. In fact, I should prefer.him for sap per, in accordance with that wise rule of uit®: cine, which prescribes a light (lift to sleep on- At another time Mr. A. R. Wright, of Georcit is said to have drawn the fire of toe “Great Grf- gian” in toe following way: Mr. Stephens, atoe time of toe great Know Nothing conflicting South, was accompanied by a favorite 0? named Rio, and toe intelligent animal was J most as well known on toe hustings as toe stats- TtC ffr umu. , Mr. Wright at toe dose of a political sp«j» turned to Mr. Stephens and said : “Sir, I & mand a list of your appointments. Iinfci J that toe people shall have information. I *** to know when and where you are to speak. ; 1 ’ I intend to dog you all around this Congress* al District” u retorted Mr. Stephens, pointing eiuw Ul uiu umhu ui icimcrwcc, lufjuuici wiui 1 “Then, ruiunou JL11. Oicpuciw, ——3 , toe Governors of other States, uniting in this long toin finger to his dog sleeping on the- 5 ®" call, and whose signatures' are subscribed here- | at his feet, and lifting his, fife-like voice to 18 to, do hereby give notice, that at toe city of Chattanooga, on toe 24to day of February, A. D. 1869, a Convention will be held for the purposes alone which are expressed in toe foregoing com munication. We, toe Governors aforesaid, most earnestly reoommend that the cities, villages, and coun ties of toe Tennessee Valley, ana the country adjacent thereto, toe Boards of Trade and other business associations throughout the country, be represented in the Convention. The impor tance of providing free transportation by water for the vast products of toe country drained by the Tennessee river cannot be overestimated. To toe people of the whole South and West, to the entire country, the measure is of the greatest importance, and as a commercial mat ter an imperative necessity. A consultation of representative men cannot fail to advance it. Rufus B. Bullock, Governor of Georgia. Samuel MVht:tt t. Governor of Iowa. Thos. O. Fletcher, Governor of Miaaouri. W. G. Brownlow, Gov. of Tennessee. IVic. H. Smith, Gov. of Alabama. John W. Stevenson, Gov. of Kentucky. Rooks Executive Committee, k Tennessee River Improvement, - Chattanooga, Tenn., January 5, 1869. ) Jos. Clisby, Esq., Editor Macon Telegraph, Mo- con, Ga. : My Dear Bib—In behalf of the Executive Committee, I write to ask toe active support of your people to the object of this Convention. Macon supplies itself with com, flour, bacon, highest note—“then I shall send Bio h®* One dog at a time is enough.” Among toe thousands who have read “* speech of Vice President Stephens, of Georg* against secession, made November 14, If 1 -” there are probably few who have heard of amusing incident that followed it. At the c -'- of toe speech the leader of the opposition Hon. Robert Toombs, arose, and after corcf“j menting Mr. Stephens as one of toe pure£ patriots, moved that the meeting give tW* cheers for him and adjourn, whicn was dow- Governor Herechei V. Johnson, who was ori ent, met Toombs on their return to the 00 and said to him, in substance: “8ir,yourac0 to-night, coming from so prominent ft ^ sionist, deserves all praise, and I, for oae ’^ not forbear to congratulate you upon such nft®*" some conduct and admirable behavior.” Toombs put on that droll look which ah'*,^ precedes his best hits, and said, dryly, xes, always behave myself at a funeral. ’ . An overgrown political opponent o0C f took to sneer at toe diminutive size of Mr. phens, and said, “I could put a little salad 0 yon, and swaHowyou whole.” To which Stephens at once replied, “And if y° n 01 "Z would have more brains in your bowels tnaR.’ ever had in your head.’’—Harper's Magasint- The Mule Trade in Middle Geoboia.—S*J* the Atlanta New Era of Wednesday: An astonishingly large Briber arriving at and passing w’ooA We met, on yesterday,_^ laij of Indianapolis, Ind., who was passing to Macon, with sixty head of wefi bro . I and seventeen horses. This gwitleman I us that since the war ha has shipped over I ty-flve hundred mules to the South. staUtil Macon supplies itself with com, Hour, oaeon, - n( s salestaW; Iron, etc., nrom a section of country north end , just opened a regnla rjr^ 00 the east and west of Chattanooga. A meat deal of j Macon, and wOl3n fntoe °“ft“ , deei i el4 * it is new shipped along expensive lines of rail- extensively tom roads. Our^erohanta th£k that toe success of | “ ^l^SXiThave an*^ the efforts we are now making to open the river “da* this stock. I wifi reduce the freights on com from Cincinnati ; “apply this species of iw ^ to Chattanooga from 29 to 17 oents par bushel t \ . . -m-Mhlngtor * and thatrates on all other Western produco from 1 Governor wtora1 : “ .”~3f on SL Louis, Cincinnati and Louisyiliewtilbe re- i doubtless wishes to forestall 2—a iTiv- 11 1 Conservative Committee. Christmas day. daosd in the same proportion.
