About Weekly Georgia telegraph. (Macon [Ga.]) 1858-1869 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1869)
Tlie Greorsda 'W'eekly Teloe:rar>li. THE TELEGRAPH MACON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1869. Georgia Weekly Press Convention. The LaGrange Reporter, still pressing the scheme for a convention of the Georgia weekly press, suggests Macon as the place, and the 14th of March next as the time for the convention. We shall be pleased to see the editorial fraternity of Georgia in this city, and doubt not the city authorities will take pleasure in providing them n place of meeting and the conveniences for the transaction of their business. Onr Atlanta Reporter. Our Atlanta Reporter is informed that his Saturday’s Reports were not received till Mon day afternoon, when they had been superseded by an abstract prepared in the office from the Atlanta papers. "We wish to get them always by next morning’s train. The papers ordered by him for subscribers are mailed at this office with scrupulous regularity. Letter from lion. A. II. Stephens. We copy from the Augusta Chronicle & Sen- fined a letter from this distinguished Georgian, making a* unimportant correction in a statement of the correspondent of the Macon Telegraph, hut substantially affirming all onr correspondent said in regard to Ms views and present position. We would call the attention of our readers to 'the card of the Georgia Mutual Fire and Life In- surance Company of this city. This company not only insures against firo accidents, but also con- duets a banking business. We are glad to add •one mere to the list of onr institutions of that kind and cheerfully commend it to the confl uence of the public. The President, Board of Directors, Cashier and Secretary are all men of •our community, who rank Mgh as gentlemen of ^business qualifications and integrity. The •CasMer, Mr. S. M. Farrar, has, in years past, managed bank agencies for the bank of Savan nah, with great success and satisfaction, in Americas and Columbns. Disability Peddling. The Times vents itself upon the bills before Congress for “removing political disabilities” wMch are passed, now and then, to gratify the poor creatures who can consent to play the part of daoquers to the Radical party. .The Times says: If the time has come when disabilities may be safely removed, the better method of proce dure would seem to be the adoption of a general measure, based upon n just and intelligible principle, and obviating all suspicion of invidi- •ousness or partiality. The present plan may mot be designedly partial, bnt it looks so; and the impression upon the Southern mind is not ifavorable to the fairness or generosity of the •Government. By enacting a comprehensive measure, the only remaining source of irritation in the reconstructed States would be removed, and the magnanimous promise of the Chicago Convention would be fulfilled. It would be bet ter to except from relief the “men who had gone from the Senate chamber to organize re bellion”—whose continued exclusion from office Air. Trumbull demands—than to adhere to a f process by which the removal of disabilities is : mafic Vj wear the semblance of partisan favor. ‘Hfrtherime has come,” etc. There never was 'bnt one method of dealing with the matter, and -’that was, either to have declared at once uni versal amnesty and restoration, or to have driven (the people out of the country or exterminated them. The idea of harassing and mortifying . six or eight millions of people by prosecution .gnd disqualification into loyal and affectionate supporters of tho Federal Government, seems to }J3 about on a par with negro suffrage and Con- •gresffional reconstruction generally. “Loyalty” • 5s not .to be won by blows or by contumely. Mobile Correspondence. Trip Down the Bay—The Fleet—A Steel Ship 1 —Bar—Harbor Improvements—Mobile Trade Prospects—Okra Paper—Gold Life Insur ance, and so on. Mobile, February 19, 1869, The gay, festive and hospitable Mobilians had the Press Convention, in one respect, at disad vantage. The round of their hospitalities was pretty nearly as ceaseless as the diurnal motion of the earth; bat they could send freshmen into the field every day, while the veriest Tro jan in the Convention must flag under the wear and tear of so protracted a campaign. Most of the Convention, however, stood up to the work wonderfully. Some half a dozen of the older members were frequently missing at roll call, bnt the younger and better soldiers steadily reported for duty. At 8 o’clock on Friday morning, a large and pleasant party gathered on the decks of the steamer Annie for an excursion, in Mobile par lance, “ down to the fleet” Some very interest ing and accomplished young ladies of the city honored the occasion with their presence and seemed to enjoy the trip very much. Many gentlemen of the Board of Trade discharged the duty of entertainers with much cordiality and grace—a band of music—oceans of choice wine, and, as the bills say, “ all the delicacies of the season” were among the other preparations for enjoyment The steamer was fast and in‘beau tiful order—Capt Baldwin very polite and at tentive—the morning, though not bright, was a very pleasant one, and we started off on our trip of tMrty miles in the most satisfactory condition possible. As all our readers are aware, in consequence of a bar in Mobile Bay, vessels of heavy draft are compelled to receive and discharge their cargoes by lighterage at a distance of abont thirty miles from the wharves. These vessels in waiting are styled “the fleet” We counted twenty-seven of them—all but one or two large cotton sMps, and moored within a radius, say, of three or four miles. The anchorage is good, and, although the bay has an ocean-like ex panse of surface at this point it is very well protected by a narrow entrance from the swell of the sea, and it is a singular and fortunate circumstance that Mobile Bay hasnever been vis- ited by those terrible hurricanes and cyclones wMch have frequently scourged the cost of Flor ida in very near the same latitude. The only vessel wo boarded at the bar was one of an entirely new class to us. She was a ^Sequels of Sunshine.” rtUlwfe sends a man to Congress by the name ’ of John A. Logan. Beside being a member of that learned body, he has, we believe, some re putation at home of being a soldier. In the progress of the late riotous proceedings this Congressman made a speech in defence of old Ben Wade who was abont to be consured. We copy the following specimen brick: “ Yon aro asked to censure a man who has been thirty years in harness, a man who has done duty in tho vanguard of liberty and free dom for that time—the old captain of the legions of universal freedom, upon whose head Heaven has showered its boquets of sunshine, and who ••stands to-day a great living monument of the ;advance of this great age. You aro asked to •stretch forth the alighting hand of censure and ■wither the flowers that wreath his manly brow, •and to place a thorn in the peace of his fnture •existence by passing this resolution, because he unintentionally did what some conceive to bean unintentional wrong.” Here are some refreshing metaphors: “A man who has been thirty years in harness, then tamed into a soldier “upon whose head heaven has showered its boquets of sunshine, “ and who stands to-day a great living monument of the advance of this ago.” “Yon are asked •to stretch forth the blighting hand of censnre and wither the dowers,” etc. In another por tion of his speech he says Old Ben had at one time been “a great pillar" beneath the “rock ing and reeling fabrio of an assaulted and man gled constitution.” success has been remarkable. In the last two months they received $45,000 in gold premiums, and they are making arrangements to push their business in all parts of the country. They ex pect to do far more of it North than South of Mason and Dixon’s line. I have spoken of the oysters of Mobile, and am indebted to my friends, D. J. Files & Co., wholesale and retail dealers in oysters, foot of St. Francis street, for some noble specimens, wMch I should like to show to an assembled world of doubters who do not believe that oys ters get to be four or five inches long. These gentlemen sMp oysters in every form all over the South and West, and I cannot see why they should not do a business amounting to millions a year. I shall leave this fair city fip-morrow, inditing you one more letter before bidding it good-bye. C. The Mississippi Bill.—Tho 40th Congress is •virtually dead. The session has passed away without anything of much importance being •done with reconstruction. Strong efforts were made at various periods to take the case of Mississippi in hand; bnt the fall of that bill is told in the following Washington dispatch of the 20th: “Mr. Boutwell, who had charge of •the bill, stated that he understood that Demo cratic members proposed to contest the passage •on every point, and as it was certain that the President would veto it, under these circum stances, he weald not report the bill, bnt at the same time he would give notice to those on the other side of the Honse that they would see it passed immediately on the assembling of the 41st Congress.” The London Thm on the Alabama. Claims. Referring to the treaty of Reverdy Johnson with England, that the Alabama claims should be set tled by an international boardof arbitration, the London Times says: “We have done our best; we have gone to the verge of national humiliation to Recnre a settlement of the question at issue. We shall now wait for a proposition from the new admin istration of Gen. Grant.” This treaty, it will be remembered, was re ceived with scorn, and rejected. England re plies in the paragraph quoted, and we now see a disposition on the part of Congress to accept it. The effort to bully John Bull into payment whether or no is a failure, as might have been supposed. Cincinnati and Charleston.—A railroad is now being constructed between Cincinnati and Knoxville. Its -ultimate termination has been fixed at Charleston. It is tho aim of the com pany to make it as direct as possible and open a shorter and superior route from the OMo to the sea than is now in operation. The people at the brftui point will furnish most of the capital, for at tho other end there is little money to be had for t.hia or any other purpose. Magazines.—Putnam's for March, Lettell’s living Age for 20th February, and the Galaxy (for March, were received yesterday. They can he had of Messrs. Havens A Brown. A Bet.—The reticence of General Grant touching his cabinet appointments has very much puzzled Washington circles and set them to guessing. Naturally this has run into betting, ana it is said that a bet was offered at Willard s a few days since of $1,000 that Governor Car- tin, of Pennsylvania, would not be invited to a jmat in the cabinet. steel sMp—one of four said to have been origi nally built for transport service in the late Brit ish Abysinnian expedition, for the purpose, (as we suppose,) of combining great strength and carrying capacity with lightness of draft Ex cept her decks—a strip of timber about her waist, and her lighter spars, she was built wholly of steel plates. Her masts and bowsprit were made of these plates bent in a tubular form and rivetted boiler fasMon, and must have combined great strength with unexampled lightness. The plates used for her spars and upper works were three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and that was said of all the plates used in her con struction ; bnt I think down near the water-line they increased to a thickness of a half or five- eights. Her rigging was composed chiefly of steel wire, bnt the mainstays were wound in the ordinary fashion. At the time we boarded her she had on board 3587 bales of cotton and did not draw quite sev enteen feet of water. Her bold was nearly full, but with deck and cabin storage she could have considerably exceeded four thousand bales. She was, of course, an English sMp, and when we left, after a very Mnd reception, she dipped her flag—manned her yards and gave us three hear ty cheers. The cross of St. George was the only flag floating off the bar, though much of the sMpping there was American. Among the many important schemes cherished by the Mobilians to improve their trade, per haps the most favorite one is the deepening of the water on this bar to a sufficient point to ad mit heavy vessels to the wharves of the city. This done, they feel that a glorious future is as sured. Their town is very healthy. Their com munications with the interior numerous and cheap. They lie in the direct track of trade be tween the great productive regions of the West, and the most important West Indian and South American ports, and if oriental trade, as it pro bably will, is to find its main passage through a canal across the Isthmus of Darien, that will be just in their hand also. All that is wanted is a deep and permanent channel through a quarter of a mile of bar. They think it can be obtained at no great ex pense by dredging, and afterwards kept open by closing up one or two of the snperflons out lets of the Mobile river to the bay, and so in creasing the force and volume of tho main cur rent to the ocean. They are shaping their ef- forts to test this problem, at their own expense, if the government will not help them. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad now gives them a direct connection with the whole lake, river and railroad system of the West. The Mobile and Montgomery Railroad opens communica tion with the South and East—their great rivers —the Alabama and its tributaries—the Tombig- bee and Black Warrior and their tributaries— give them extraordinary facilities for Stato trade. They Aave already commenced a railroad direct to New Orleans, and with all the disadvantages of the bar they are receiving a good deal of cotton from that city for shipment, because they can ship it more cheaply. All these points consid ered, one is compelled to take a flattering view of the commercial prospects of Mobile, which I hope will be realized to the fullest extent. We have digressed largely from the steamboat party, but may just as well close that account by saying that what with good company, princely entertainment at the table, fine music, joke, mirth, and a capital display of amateur ventrilo quism from Carr,a Memphis editor, the trip was as pleasant as it could bo. At tho table CoL Clarke was drawn into a dis course upon manufacturing in general, and par ticularly upon paper-making. CoL Clarke was enthused upon the result of some experiments in manufacturing paper from the okra plant, and was confident that it would be each a suc cess as to open a mine of wealth to the Sonth, where alone the okra can be advantageously raised. Every part of the plant is used, and the ge latinous nature of tho pulp produces a strong, smooth paper, of so good a surface that sizing was unnecessary to adapt it to writing purposes. We have some samples of the paper manufac tured purely of the okra and in combination with rags. It is undoubtedly a valuable discov ery, and in a very short time the okra plant, cut dried and baled for the paper manufactories, will be another market crop of the Southern States. Mobile is wide awake in every department— pulling all the strings of progress and prosper ity. Among the recent projects of her mer chants is “ The Alabama Gold Ufa Insurance Company,” which started three months ago un der the auspices of her leading merchants, upon a paid in capital of $200,000 in gold. This was founded, first, to stop the drain upon Mobile Capital in Northern life insurance premiums. It was found to exceed $350,000 annually in Mo bile alone. Secondly, they have no great confi dence that a Life Insurance capital in bonds and green backs will do to bet on. They think it may turn up missing some of these days, and the whole vast Insurance capital based on gov- vemment paper go with it. They have, there fore/ organized on a gold basis, with premiums and losses payable in American gold only. Their Things In Atlanta. From our Special Correspondent.] Atlanta, Saturday night, February 20. REPUBLICAN MEETING. According to previous announcement, that wing of the party calling themselves “ Conserv ative Republicans” heldtheir adjourned meeting to-night. Yon will remember that the crowd, with Sam Bard at its head, had to fly from the hall of Representatives, last Thurday night, and make way for the “black cloud” which is spread ing over the land. Accordingly, theyfixed upon this night for delighting the people and telling them that Georgia is in the Union. Well, how in the Union? how reconstructed? I’ll tell you. Sam Bard, the ingenious J. E. Bryant, and that low est of all hypocrites, J. C. Caldwell, have found out a new “ trick," which is, that we are recon structed “ according to law” bnt not “ in fact" Would not the world be surprised to hear such language coming from the lips of men? but, coming from such men, who, that knows them, will be astonished ? Attempting, with the sweet odor of loyalty thrown around them, to choatthe very Congress they pretend to love, and venting their spleen, as disappointed sharers in the booty, against those who were fortunate enough to head them off in the race of plunder. It is an indisputable fact that rogues will fall out sooner or later; but there is a big one above Mason and Dixon’s line who watches over all and prevents the plundered and the honest from getting their own. Now, Sam was “trooly” happy to-night And why was ho so ? Why, because he was “monarch of all he surveyed.” Having the chair and the right to “dictate terms” to all around, and every body knows that he loves to be ordering, Sam uel Bard was in Ms glory, and in fact the prince of good fellows. Let me give you a short sum mary of the proceedings. Mr. Bard took the chair by previous arrange ment and called tho meeting to order. There was a military band in attendance wMch he or dered to play a piece and they did play and play well, for they are in truth excellent musicians. The music having suspended itself, Sam ordered J. E. Bryant, who was his “right bower” on the occasion, to speak a piece, and said Bryant did speak. Bryant said he was an honest man and would not go before tljo people now and tell them that the State was not reconstructed after he and all such telling them in the Presidential campaign that she was. There was no consistency in such conduct and if any person or number of persons said he was not a Republican because he would not do so he conld only reply that he did not care what they called him. He proved accord ing to the acts of Congress and tho authority of leading Radicals at the North (such as Boutwell) that it never was the intention of Congress to apply the iron clad oath to the members of the General Assembly in any Southern State, and the fact that there may be some men in that body in the State of Georgia was no reason why the entire General Assembly should be broken up. Why he argued, men have from time to time been sent to Congress who were ineligible, but who ever thonght of breaking up the entire Congress on that account ? The idea was absurd and none bnt evil disposed persons would think of it. He did not say that Georgia was reconstruct- in fact, but as a lawyer he would say that she was reconstructed according to law and the re construction act of Congress, all of which she had complied with. In fact, he could not see much difference between the Democratic party now and the party to wMch he belonged, only that the Democrats denied the negroes the right to fill the position of legislators. He, for his part, would argue against it in the same way they do, if he were a Democrat. But, said the highly gifted orator, they are fast coming to it, and I have no doubt that they will abide by the decision of the Supreme Court in that case. So far, they (the Democrats) had the best of the argument, but if the matter went to the Supreme Court and that tribunal decided that the negroes were entitled to hold office, then it would re main to be seen what the Democrats would do. If they, after that, persisted in denying the col ored people their rights, then the Republican party could go before the people and have the best of the argument. He was proud that he, with his party, had reconstructed Georgia. It was the boast of Ms life that he was in any way instrumental in bringing it about, and he hoped that, with Grant for President and the great Republican party directing the affairs of the nation, we would soon be in theUMon on a more solid basis. He said a great many other things wMch would be of no earthly use to the people, and I leave them to the Era to record. The Chairman then said, “Let there be mu sic,” and there was music by the band. While Bryant was speaking, the Honorable and Rev. J. H. Caldwell, who had been ap pointed one of a committee of five to draft res olutions, made Ms appearanco, and read the same; stating both before he commenced to read and after he got through, that the commit tee had recommended that he should address the meeting, to expound the principles of the resolutions. He was brimful and burning with thought, and he would make a speech. The Chairman said, “Thou shalt have a few minutes when Mr. Bryant is through,” and ac cordingly, when that gentleman concluded, the other gentleman intruded and proceeded, the Chairman, however, assuring the meeting that it was only for a fow minutes. Never before hath Samuel made such a blun der in his life. A person would have thought he knew Ms man better than to let Mm take the floor. The gentleman proceeded in a most ex quisite tone and style to address the audience, wMch, before he had spoken ten minutes, com menced to grow beautifully less by the dozen. Such a canting rigmarole it would be hard to imagine, and many a “few minutes” passed away ere it was ended. The audience began to weary and it was only those who had deter mined to “see the thing out” that remained. It was more than evident that he was up for all night, and if his hearers did not kill time laugh ing at him they would have been in a sorry con dition indeed. He came to his concluding, and last word, abont two dozen times, as if he would keep the attention of the patient assem blage by making them believe that he was go ing to quit. He did quit, however, and the resolutions were adopted, when the Chair announced that there would be music, adding, in his own mod est way, “and after that a short address, if the audience chooses, by the Chair.” This delicate invitation of himself to make a speech, on the part of the presiding offioer, createdsome laugh ter, bnt Sam. passed it off as one of Ms jokes. His speech being nothing more nor less than what you see every day in the Era, barring the melifluons melody of Ms agile tongue, I shall not bother you with any of it here,Dut simply say that, loyal and eloquent as it was, he aid not forget to tell them to subscribe for the New Era, and thus commence a new era in the histo ry of the country. The Doctor considers every rnnn reconstructed that takes the Era, and I have no doubt that when he gets on Grant’s cabinet, as I understand be expects to do, he will recommend all his readers for pardons. He’s very funny, and deals considerably in hard, dry jokes, but the principal part of his oratory consists in impertinence and open defiance of his audience and everybody else bnt General Grant. He felt mightily hurt abont being out witted by his colored brethren Thursday night, but being one of the meekest and mildest and THE CONVENTION. Rumor still continues to bring the Convention of. 1868 together. It would be hard to tell how it is to be convened. Parrott, tho president, persists in refusing to obey Bullock, and says he will not have anything to do with it, bnt it is thought the Governor will find a. ready tool in the vice-president, J. E. Dunning, and there seems to be no doubt that the matter must be done, for Bullock is bound to succeed in his de signs. The Radicals now play a game of scare with the Democrats, who have a majority in the Legislature. No sooner do the latter attempt to do anything, wMch does not meet the approba tion of the former, than they are told at once, “stop, or we’ll tell Congress—Congress will make that all right” And indeed I was told by a Radical to-day, that if the Democrats had moral courage in them or manhood, or would act up to their principles, they would go on and legislate, not thinking of Congress. That is to say, they would not pay any attention to a power in wMch they do not believe, bnt taking the po sition that the State is a sovereign State in the Union they would act independently of Congress, and tell that body that it had no right to inter fere in their State government. This, said my friend, would be the true Democratic faith and the only course wMch is left for the Democratic party. He concluded by saying that, were he one of the party, such would be Ms position, because it would not moke any difference with Congress any way nor change its action, and that he knew it was nothing but fear that kept them from impeaching Bullock and taking the State road out of the hands of the party. The weather is very gloomy and damp here, wMch seems to cause a slack in business about town. t*i most forgiving of men, he does not hate them. When he addressed himself to Hie colored friends, a few of whom sat in the gallery, one of them stood up, and made desperate tracks for the door, so that not even the importunities of the Great Mogul, of Republicanism could get Mm to come Back. The poor darkey couldn’t standit, and he made his way through the seats in the gallery, no doubt halloing to himself “my kingdom for a velocipede!” The Chairman,after concluding, issued another mandate, accompanied by a dignified wave of grams. Mf.kend to the Band to play ‘‘the Star Span- ness-like character of the debate and the direct- gled Banner,” wMch no donbt he hoped the hearers would sink to sleep and dream of, and awake on the glorious Sabbath morning recon structed and ‘Trooly loiV’feelingsorrowfor their position and folly determined to sin no more against the most glorious government the world ever saw. There does not appear to be any hope of a reconciliation between the belligerents; and Bryant, who appears to be-Bard’s angel, I have understood, says that if the Democrats do not present articles of impeachment against Bullock he will do it himself. WASHINGTON S BIRTHDAY. There does not appear to be much preparation making for a celebration on Monday, and save the adjournment of the Senate I do not know of anything in that line, unless it is a ball in the basement of the Opera House by the owner, Mr. Kimball, on Monday night. I understand that nearly all of the Legislature have been invited to attend and I know that active arrangements are being made to give whoever goes an oppor tunity of indulging their taste for dancing. STATE PATRONAGE. I suppose you have seen in the New Era, of this city, that its publisher is quite wrothy because the Daily Intelligencer is gaining rap idly in favor with the Governor, and sooth to say, it is causing no little surprise among the friends of the latter paper, who assert that they cannot believe it until they get much better oroof than tho word of tho Era. They aro oath to give up their old’and time honored idol, for the Ietelligencor has long stood Mgh in the affections of the wMte men of Georgia, and I trust that, whatever way tho matter terminates, its respected proprietor will maintain that in tegrity and Mgh gentlemanly bearing wMch have ever characterized Mm. Do not take the authority of a disappointed rival, however, in such a matter as this, and who can say why the Intelligencer should not do business for the State of Georgia, as well as the Era; or who will assert that it has not a better right to get it? The Congressional Election. la WIN TON, Ga., February 19, 1869. Editors Telegraph : I noticed in your paper, of the 18th instant, an inquiry relative to the will of theDemocratio party of the Fourth Con- Ijressional District, as to a representative in the As to Wilkinson, I think she asks no other than the Hon. Thos. G. Lawson. He stands fair before all, and has both an educated head and heart—which makes Mm well suited to the position. Wilkinson. Presuming that there will be no movement to change the ticket, although some of tho nomi nations were conditionally made, in event the bill to bring on an election becomes a law, we will reprint the ticket at the head of our col umns and do what we can to insure its success. An Era of Better Feeling North and South. A Washington dispatch says: “A meeting of prominent Radicals and South* em Conservatives was held a few nights since, wMch was intended to ba private until other meetings of a similar character could be held. It has, however, leaked out that there were present about forty persons, including General ?remont, Col. Forney, Congressman Cooke, Morrill and Morehead, Generals Longstreet, Ridgeway and Barbour, of Virginia, and Colo nel Duncan, of Kentucky, and several Southern Senators. The object of the gathering was an interchange of views towards harmonizing the people of the two sections. “Forney said the time had arrived for the ex ercise of a wise and magnanimous legislative policy toward the South, so as to bnng that people into full accord and brotherhood, and he avowed his intention to devote Ms energies to this great purpose. Fremont endorsed heartily his views, and others spoke in a similar strain. Forney’s conservatism has surprised Ms friends, who are mostly the intensest Radicals.” It is indeed gratifying to note this change. All good men of both sections will hardily re spond to it. With the inaugaration of General Grant, we hope the angry quarrel wMch has distracted the country for fifty years, will cease. The country has everything to gain and nothing to lose by bringing about an era of better feel ing between the North and the South. Letter from Hon. A. H. Stephens. Crawfobdville, Ga., 19th February, 1869. Dr. H. IL Casey, of Waverly, Columbia coun ty, Ga. Mx Dear Sip.—Your kind letter of last week was duly received, but it found me in an almost helpless condition. I could neither move or be moved without the most excrutiatingpain. This was the result of an accident. I went to open a large gate, not noticing that it was barely stand ing against the posts, without hinges; and on my giving it a pull to open, it tumbled over, and earned me under it, straining the left ankle and seriously injuring the sciatic nerve of the left Mp. I am now slowly recovering, and though not yet able to stand or walk, I can slip from tho bed to a chair on rollers, and thus be moved about the room. You ask if the statement of the correspondent of the Macon Temoraph, recently published, of an interview with me,. is correct ? In reply, I can only briefly say that it is sub stantially correct—though there must have been some great typograpMoal errors in the publica tion. For instance, I did not say that the pro duct of my tenants was one-fourth of what it formerly was; bat what I did say was, that tho then average prodnot was abont one-f ourth short of what it formerly was. What I said of the com crop of the United States, (East of the Pacific slope,) last year, was that of the nine hundred and odd millions of bushels produced, five hundred and odd mil lions of these were produced in the thirteen Southern States 1 I was speaking of com, not cotton. The cotton crop at an average price would be over two hundred and sixty millions of dollars, more than half the exports of the whole country! This the statistical paper at Wash ington, referred to by me, clearly showed. What I was reported to have said of General Grant and Mr. Pollard’s article, is entirely cor rect. Yours, truly, Alexander H. Stephens. Planting Corn.—The Bainbridge Argus of the 20th, says: Some of our fanners are be ginning to plant com, and the plantations here about present quite a lively and animating sceno, the plowers being engaged everywhere actively turning up the. sou, preparatory to planting. Our advice to fanners is to plant grain large ly, and also sugar cane, potatoes, etc., and raise plenty of stock of all kinds, taking oare to pro tect them against tMeves. The Southern Press Convention, Editorial Oorretpondence of tie TtUprapi.} Mobile, February 18, 1869. Some forty-odd delegates were in attendance upon the Press Convention to-day, representing nearly as many Southern newspapers. Some constitutional amendments were adopted and a long conversational debate took place upon the subject of a new arrangement for press tele- I was struck with the practiced busi ness, point, force and brevity of all the speeches made. No decisive action on the point was taken to-day, and the Convention adjourned from one to five o’clock p. m. to-morrow. The fact is, the overflowing hospitality of the Mobilians makes business np-hill work. It would be difficult to overstate their kindness. The Board of Trade have turned over their hall to us, and at 12 m. to-day served up a splendid lunch to the members. Invitations and propo sitions for rides, fetes, drives, and entertain- ments of divers sorts, are as tMck as bills to amend the Code in the Georgia Legislature. think the engagements ahead will pretty much fill up the time till Saturday 12 midnight ’ To-day there was, as I have said, the collation at noon. Then a parade of the fire department, to show us their steamers, at 4 o’clock. A visit to the theatre at 8. A reception by the Manas sas Club afterward. To-morrow, an excursion down the bay—then a grand drive on the shell- road, and sundry other appointments and invita tions in city and country. The Board of Trade follow us with civilities every where, and they have even placed the livery stables at our disposaL Their hospital ities are boundless and magnificent. The Western Union Telegraph also placed their lines at our disposal for social purposes. And the last invitation filed was one from tho St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans, to visit that city and accept entertainment daring onr stay at that grand Southern hostelrie. Wherever we go, in Mobile, the hand of welcome grasps us and a proffer of attention and service is heard with the first opening of the lip. The display of steamers this afternoon was very fine. Five of them were out, all of dif ferent patterns, and most of them of great power. They moved down to city wharf, put their suction hose into the river, stationed them selves abreast about seventy-five feet apart, and played at right angles with the course of tho water. But as the breeze was blowing pretty sharply from the bay, and discomposed their jets very much, they all, with one accord, obliqued and played as nearly as possible in the direction of the wind. Now, whether by accident or design, I am un able to say, but so it happened, No. 5 gave the hose men of No. 4 a dash of their water. No. 4 suddenly reversed stream and returned com pliment. No. 5 then rallied to the charge in force, and erst ensued a watery duello of grand proportions. The engineers put on all steam and sounded the onslaught with their wMstles. Men and boys cheered, shouted and cleared the field to give the combatants a wide berth. Hiss ed and sputtered the water fiercer and faster. Louder and louder hummed and moaned the brassy smoke-vomiting and water-propelling imps. Firmly and more firmly grasped their noz zles, and braced themselves the water-spouting and water-defying heroes of the strife, gasping under the seething floods. But all fights must have an end. “Honest Abe” himself said yon cannot fight always,” and so it happened with this battle of the squirts. No. 5’s stream at last took No. 4 fairly off its legs. They lost hold of their nozzle and scattered, leaving their hose to gyrate and sputter about promiscuously on friend and foe. To illustrate what may be called an excess of friendly complaisance, take this: Night before last as Col. T. of the News was looking at the lions under the escort of the excellent Captain Maguire, the Colonel observed, every now and then, a cast iron wheel with a handle, attached to an iron post projecting upward from the curb stone. “What is that?” said the ColoneL “Sir," said Capt. M., “it is a fire alarm. Should I turn that wheel every fire alarm in the city would sound in a second.” “I should like of ollthing8 to see it operate,” said the Colonel. “Most certainly you shall see and hear it, if you wish,” said the friendly Capt. M., and with a single turn of the wheel, he had Mobile in a general uproar in half a minute. Unfortunately an envious negro policeman beheld the Captain in the act, and this morning the latter was summoned before the Mayor to r. The Captain plead that it was only proper deference to the curiosity of a distin guished guest of the city; but the Mayor could not see it, and fined tho Captain fifty dollars. The fish and oysters of Mobile are almost be yond praise. The latter exceed in size all that I have ever seen elsewhere. Speaking of them to-day at lunch, a friend took me down to the establishment of D. J. Files & Co., Oyster Packers, and here I saw monsters as large as any lady’s hand ought to be, and as fat and white as oysters ever are. The largest were five orsix inches in length. They lack flavor just now, owing to the fresh; bnt undoubtedly the Mobile oysters distance in size and beanty any I ever saw in any part of the world. But I must close tMs hasty scrawl. C. Manufactories at Columbus.—In and witMu two miles of Columbns there aro three cotton manufactories that run 14,000 cotton and wool len spindles, and consume daily, on an average, ten bales of cotton and several thousand pounds of wool. Within the radins of two.nty-five miles are six factories, running 20,000 spindles and consuming fifteen bales of cotton per day. A fourth factory is to be in operation by next falL By that time, Columbus alone will have four nulls, of a total capacity of 30,000 spindles and average daily consumption of thirty bales of cotton, and in tMs immediate neighborhood, manufactories running in the total 36,000 spin dles, and working up daily at least thirty-eight bales of cotton, besides many thousand pounds of wooL No place can claim superior or equal water power with Columbus. One factory only is run by steam. By next winter the manufac tories of Columbus and vicinity will be enabled to consume some 11,000 or 12,000 bales of cot ton per year of 300 working days.—Columbus Su n and Times. by ^legraph, FB&q ATLANTA. Honor to a Bhqngutohed Rebel. Removal or the Capitol Gaining Fritudg. Hopeless Split In iUdieal Ranks. Special to the Macon Telegraph.] Atlanta, February 22cL This being the birthday of the Father of his Country, the Senate by a resolution on Saturday ad journed until Tuesday. House.—The friends for the removal of the Capi tol to Milledge villa are gaining ground. . Mr. Sisson, of Fulton, made an effort, which fail ed, to reconsider the reading of McComb’a bill for the first time, touching that subject. The point made was that the rules had not been suspended. Fitzpatrick moved to reconsider the hill passed on last Saturday, to elect the municipal officers of Ma con, Ga., bat the motion was lost. The Honse refused to adjourn on Fitzpatrick’s motion in honor of Washington’s birth day. The Educational bill of Rryant was taken up. He consumed most of the session in discussion, the main point of which was, that if the negroes were not educated, they would relapse into barbarism. Scott replied, butyielding the floor to Fitzpatrick, he finally carried his motion to adjourn in honor of the birth of Washington. The friends who favor the movement of re-assem bling the State Convention seem about to abandon the scheme. Blodgett is here, and hence arises the thought that Congress will yet interfere—not, how ever, before Grant comes into office. So many se cret plans are agitating the Republican ranks that it is jocularly thonght they are turning to Ku-klux. The fact is apparent that the party is split into frag ments—one wing for peace and Grant and the other po peace. W. Badical Wranglings in Atlanta. Atlanta, February 22.—Foster Blodgett, Chair man of the Stato Central Committee of the Repub lican party, issued a call on Saturday for tho com mittee to assemble in Atlanta to-day. Many of the committee living at a distance were not able to come at such short notice. The meeting was packed and finally broke up in confusion. Judge Harris, CoL Bryant and Dr. Bard were contending for peace and harmony, bnt finally retired, leaving the committee without a quorum. The Convention will be called here on the 5th of March. From Washington. Washington, Febmaiy 22.—Senator Saulsbury fell from a carriage to-day and broke his leg. E. B. Washbume is improving. Gen. Breckinridge is here. He leaves to-night to see his children at Washington College. In replying to the Committee inviting Mm to Bal timore, Mr. Johnson said: “His whole aim had been for the general good of the country, without regard to any present or future personal popularity. His constant aim was the restoration of prosperity to the country and the happiness and peace of all its citizens.” In vetoing the copper bill, the President says: Tho bill would diminiRh the public receipts and impose an additional tax on an overburdened peo ple, who shonld not be further impoverished; that monopolies may bo fostered and corporations en riched : but it will be detrimental to the sMpping in terests, and would increase tho price of blue vitriol wMch enters into many industries. The seventy per cent depression in copper mining is attributable to the newly discovered and rich mines, and the substitution of other materials for copper; hence the tariff, instead of fostering into existence the new industry, would simply be imposing a perpetual tax on the people to support an unprofitable busi ness.” In a Senatorial caucus this afternoon, 22 Senators voted to postpone action on the tenure-of-office bill until the next session. The bolters hope, with the aid of the Democrats, to secure an immediate and unconditional repeal. Tho friends of the 32d parallel road are mnch elated over the House’s action to-day, claiming that the vote indicates a determination on the part of the House to foster Southern interests. Congressional. Washington, February 22.—The Senate has cau- cussed on tho repeal of tho Tenure-of-Office Act. The caucus was quite stormy—Morton, Thayer, and Bobertson favoring repeal, said it was not a fit caucus question and they would vote regardless of caucus dictation. The Senate took a business recess to 7 o’clock this evening, ostensibly to honor the day, but really for the caucus. The House is filibustering on the Memphis Elpa- so Railroad. The Reconstruction Committee have considered Texas matters without action, and is also preparing another renewal of disability bills. The President vetoed the copper tariff act. Fremont’s 32d parallel (known as the Memphis and Elpaso) road bill will pass the House. It asks nothing from the Government bnt the right of way and an act declaring it a post road. The following bills were introduced under tho reg ular call: A bill recognizing the independence of Cuba: a bill devoting a part of tbe public lands in Alabama to internal improvements. The joint resolution granting right of way to the Memphis, Eipaso and Pacific Railroad, from Elpaso to the Pacific, was passed by 122 to 45. In discussing the precedence of business it was stated that the Legislative, Judiciary and Postoffice appropriations were pending, and there are seven privileged reports from the committees wMch may provoke debate. Schenck’s bill to strengthen the public credit was considered without action. House went into Committee of tbe Whole on the Postoffice appropriation bill, providing for the exten sion of the letter canying system to cities having ton thousand inhabitants. The bill passed. Recess. Low Tide.—For the past three or four days the tide has fallen unprecedentedly low in the river and along tMs coast. At Fort Pulaski, we learn, the water at low tide subsided to such an extent that a person conld walk upon the beach around the point upon wMch the fort stands— wMch is something very unusuaL We also leam that the man who attends to the sonth light has had no ocoasion to use his boat for several evenings past to reach the light, there being a path left for him to walk over when the tide went out wMch is something that has never occurred before, so far as we can learn.—Sa vannah News. Retributive Justice.—The Knoxville Press and Herald says that the days of miracles have not passed away. Some months ago the Rev. Mr. Neal, a minister of the Methodist Church South, was tied to a tree and flogged, while on his way home from church. The perpetrators of the outrage were not arrested, but says the Press, “a stronger power Hum that whioh ad ministers human law has brought retention upon them. Out of the entire nnmberof ruf fians three have since died, one was recently thrown from his hone and received injuries wMoh are belived to be mortal, while another is now lying in jail for crime. Even tho tree to wMch Mr. Neal was tied by his peneontoro has been smitten by the same unseen, bnt over- watchful power, and is dead.” , Mss. Lincoln.—In reply to Mrs. Lincoln's application to Congress for a pension, the fol lowing statement is made in regard to her in come last year: “From her husband's estate, $30,000; from Congress $25,000; from general contributions, $50,000—grand total, $105,000.” From North. Carolina. Raleigh, February 22.—It is well understood that the Supreme Court sustains the injunction against the Chatham road. It is supposed that this decision cuts off nearly three millions of recent appropria tions. The Legislature is engaged on the revenue bill, but adjourned early to-day in honor of Washing ton’s birth day. Great Republican Meeting la Atlanta. Large and Enthusiastic Demonstr*. Hon. GEORGIA DECLARED RECONSTRUCTED. , Vi 6 AuwMAia, vuo w mo most re. spectable ever assembled in Atlanta—of Be publicans who believe reconstruction a fact M law—was held at the Hall of Representatives lastnight Sfhcoordance with the action of a previous meeting, Dr. Sam. Bard, of the New Era M mmed the Chair, and Mr. A. J. Williams ’% (barged the duties of Secretary. On taking the Chair, the Doctor very briefly at*ted the object of the meeting, and announced ths Chair ready for business. On motion of Mr. J. H. Caldwell, a committee of five was appointed to prepare business for themeeting. That committee consisted of Mr CaUwell, Gen. Bethune, Mr. Holden, Mr. Os', good, and Mr. Spalding. Duing the absence of the committee, after a tune by Hie fine band wMch was in attendance Hon. J. E. Bryant addressed the meeting. Before Mr. Bryant concluded, the committee returned, and, through its chairman, reported a series of resolutions, wMch affirm as follows: That Georgia was legally reconstructed when the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted by the Legislature; when the Governor was inangu. rated, taking the oath prescribed by the Confti. tution; when military authority became subor dinate to civil, and when six Representatives of the State were admitted to seats in Congress- that no subsequent act of the Legislature could invalidate the proceedings by wMch Georgia was restored to the UMon. We believe Con. greBs has full power to protect, by appropriate legislation, all inhabitants of the State in the fufl enjoyment of all the rights, privileges and immunities secured them in the Constitution of the State and United States. We recognize the election of Grant and Colfax as the voice of the American people, calling for peace and a basis of true loyalty, and pledge onr firm support to the incoming administration. That these reso. lutions be adopted as a whole, and a copy for- warded to the President of the United States. The meeting was a large and respectable as. semblage, many ladies being present. The ut most harmony and good order prevailed.— The galleries were filled with wMte and colored people. Resolutions endorsing Gen. Grant and plat form, and also resolutions endorsing General Meade’s administration, were adopted The meeting then adjourned while the band was playing the Star Spangled Banner, Dixie and Hail Columbia,—Atlanta Era. GEORGIA LEGISLATURE. From the Atlanta Constitution.1 Saturday’s Session, Feb. 20, 1869. Senate.—The Senate reconsidered its vote of yesterday concurring in the House resolution ap pointing a joint committee to save the State the loss of $35,000, etc. An ineffectual attempt was made to pass a resolution from the Auditory Committee, direct ing the Secretaiy of the Senate to discharge fourteen clerks from Ms list. The vote upoa the resolution was yeas 14, nays nineteen. Think of that and weep. Finally, a resolution submitted by Mr. Wellborn was adopted, that a special committee of five be appointed to look into the clerical department, what deduction should be made and in what manner. The following resolution submitted by Mr. Speer was adopted: That, in respect to the Father of his Country, no session be held on the 22d, and that when this body adjourn to-day, it adjourn till Tuesday next, 10 a. m. The bill to amend the charter of the city of Macon, providing for an election in December, passed and was certified to the Senate. House—Mr. O’Neal moved to reconsider so mnch of the journal as relates to the appoint ment of a keeper to take charge of the furniture lately removed to Atianta from Milledgeville. A bill to legalize the election of Jnstice of the Peace in the 451st district of Ware county. Mr. Hundson moved to amend by legalizing the election of Justice of the Peace and Con stables in January, 1869. The bill, as amended, passed. _ A bill to appropriate money now due colleges and schools for the education of indigentmaimed soldiers. Passed and transmitted to the Senate. A bill to prevent laborers and tenants dispos ing of crops. Laid on the table. A bill to facilitate settlements between copart ners in case of death. Passed and transmitted to the Senate. A bill to repeal an act changing lines between the counties of Irwin and Berrien. Passed. A bill for the encouragement of agricultural interests in tMs State. Passed. An act to regulate the hiring out of convicts. Laid on the table. A bill to exempt from taxation all capital, foreign and domestic, invested in this State, in the manufacture of cotton, wools, and other fibrous material, and also all invested in the manufacture of agricultural implements, for the space of five years. Mr. Lane moved to amend so that all capital both foreign and domestic, that shall be invest ed in the culture of cotton, com, wheat, oats and rye, within the next three years, shall be exempt from tax return for the space of five years from the time of investment. On motion, this bill was made the special or der for Wednesday next. A bill to change the time of holding the Su perior Court of Cherokee county was taken up and Senate amendment agreed to. On motion, the bill changing the line between the counties of Quitman and Clay, and Miller and Baker, was taken np and Senate amend ment agreed to. On motion, the substitute of the Special Com mittee reported for the Land and Immigration bill was made the special order for Monday next. A bill to reorganize the Georgia Military In stitute and appropriate the buildings at Milledge ville, was read the second time and referred to the Educational Committee. A bill to repeal an act changing the line be tween the counties of Upson ana Crawford.— Passed. A bill for the relief of debtors, and the ad justment of debts. Passed. A bill to amend section 12 of an act to set aside a Homestead. Passed. A bill to change section 1055 of twin’s Code. Passed. A bill to change the line between the counties of Habersham and WMte. Passed. A bill for the relief of S. K. O’Neal and oil ers of Talbot county. Laid on the table. A bill to provide for the election of a Mays and Council for the city of Macon. Indefinite ly postponed. A message was received from the Gove mo-' approving the resolution appointing a Commit tee to examine the claims of the Brunswick a? 1 Albany Railroad against the State of Georgia. From New Orleans. New Orleans, February 22.—The day being ob served as a holiday, the Legislature adjourned. The pnblio offices are closed, and the newspaper and foreign Consular offices are flying their flags. The 1st Infantry and 4th Artillery, and a number of German Turner societies paraded. A number of members of the Southern Press Convention are here on invitation, at the St. Charles hoteL From Coba. Havana, February 22—The Havana merchants have agreed to guarantee eight million dollars in legal tenders. Dulce wants a list of the American residents. The steamer Louisiana has arrived from Vera Cruz with three millions in specie. A telegram from the City of Mexico says: “Negrete, at Hie head of a revolutionary army, is within thirty leagues of the capital, on which he is marching.” Rumors regarding the situation was conflicting. One report says Negrete defeated Cuella, the command ing general of the national troops. Another says Negrete was routed and forced to fly. Dan has de feated the rebel forces at Pachuca. General News. Auburn, February 22.—The Catholic congregation is resisting the removal of Father O’Flaherty, who had been their Pastor for twenty-three years. A large number of members, pushing their way to the altar, took the newly appointed Pastor by the arm and led him from the church. At a meeting it was resolved that the new Paator should not occupy the paetorage. Foreign News. Tbest, February 22.—The frigate Bediaky ex ploded her powder magazine in the Adriatic, killing nearly all the officers and crew. Madrid, February 22.—The ironclad Yietena has been ordered to Cuba. Bremen, February 22.—The North German bark Beinenkorb has sailed on a Polar expedition. The horrible sufferings off tho African co*st of the wrecked crew and passengers of the b* :E Florence Nightingale, are recounted by the lish journals. The twenty persons ;mclah^ seven women) were nine days in an open boat, during which they drifted 200 miles under a tropical sun, and had only twenty pounds « provisions and not a drop of water all the tin* Their provisions were soon exhausted andtwf began to drink sea water, wMch soon made man, a sailor named Brown, crazy. When all Oj food was exhausted, they drew lots who shoi* Mil Brown before he died. The lot fell on> colored boy, who, however, refused. At tnjj moment the Captain caught a fish, three pouiw» weight, having made a fish-hook from a worn® hair-pin, wMch he bated with a portion crab caught in a seaweed. While the fish ’•** being devoured Brown expired and was thro*“ overboard. Previous to this the crew and gers had greedily sucked up some blood ww came from Brown’s body when the Captain hi him to moderate his frenzy; some crabsw butterflies were also voraciously devoured. ^ 9“ > were finally rescued by an American whaler. Tax Returns of Barer County.—W- Spurlin, Esq., Hie popular and efficient Receive of Tax Returns of D&ker county—who is new. a carpet-bagger nor Radical—sends us the 1 lowing statement as the returns for 1868: Number of white polls. jj Number of professions. gji Number of negro polls 1708# Number of acres of land • •• Valued at Total amount of property........: This is a remarkable exMbition of one of best landed counties, and, before emancipa** one of the wealthiest counties in the State, land, it will be seen, some of which used cheap at twenty and thirty dollars, is valneui an average, at one dollar and fifty-six cent* r acre. —Bainbridge Argus. The Mcrderkb of Dr. Bcrdell.—-R . ported that Jeffords, who was murdered Sing, left a confession that he was the muro*£ of Dr. BurdeU, abont twelve yeara ago, connection with Mr*. Cunningham o»®*e° much excitement HHH EHMnni
