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Old Series-—'Vol. Us* No.
THE CONSTITUTIONALIST.
Jas. G. Bailie, Francis Cogin, Geo. T. Jackson,
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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST
SATURDAY, dune 5, 187").
The Washington, Wilkes county, Ga
zette nominates General Joseph E.
Johnston for Governor of Georgia.
The superstitious will devour with
avidity the strange signs in the hea
vens, seen by “Chalmette,” our Lincoln
county correspondent.
Steam on Canals.— Steamboats on
the Erie Canal have proved a great
success. The days of horse transpor
tation aie numbered.
We acknowledge an invitation to at
tend a Barbecue of the Beech Island
Farmer’s Club to-day. A special com
mittee of the Club was in town yester
day buying mutton from Augusta Butch
ers for the dinner. What a commen
tary !
We acknowledge the receipt of a
Catalogue of the Officers and Students
of the University of Georgia; also the
admirable address of Chancellor Tuck
er before the Georgia Legislature, dur
ing the last session of that body. The
number of students in attendance at
the University is 229.
It rains all around Augusta but pro
vokingly slights the town. Old Jupiter
Pluvtus thinks that our water works
ought to supply enough without pester
ing him. Our gardens are parching to
death for the want of moisture. We
are glad, however, that the farmers
are getting flue showers.
Our cable telegrams report, on
French authority, that Germauy has
reopened the Belgian question. The
gravamen of offense seems to be Ro
man Catholic processions. It seems to
us that Trince Bismarck might be bet
ter emplo5 7 ed than interfering with the
customs, religious or civic, of an inde
pendent Kingdom.
Mining troubles in Pennsylvania con
tinue. Blood has been shed and prop
erty destroyed. An angry peace pre
vails in some regions, but there is no
telling when hostilities will be resumed.
Miners are working in some collieries
under a military guard. This is a bad
state of affairs, and demonstrates that
"banditti” exist outside of Louisiana
and in "truly loyal” States.
The people of Macon are in a state
of feverish excitement over the ulti
mate fate of the Macon and Brunswick
Railroad. Wadley is the habitual
inightmare of the otherwise phlegmatic
Maconian. His dire apprehension now
as that Wadley will buy out the road
find mash off all its tail from Hawkins
ville to Brunswick. To prevent this
demolition, a solemn committee, pre
ceded by tho Mayor, has gone to At
lanta to set up with Gov. Smith.
Disclosures. —The New Y’ork Star
says it has information concerning cer
tain extraordinary discoveries made by
the District Attorney and an agent of
the Government, which, when finally
known, will astound and dismay the
mind. It says these discov
eries affect the credit and honor of
some of the greatest houses in the
world, dealers in silks, crapes, shawls,
&c. It is predicted the full force of the
blow will be felt in a week.
Well, “twimkle, twinkle, little Star,
how we wonder what they are I”
Curious Litigation. —A curious liti
gation is going on in Bloomington, 111.
About thirty years ago, one Stephen
Griffith had some 1,500 head of cattle
and the same number of hogs. Corn
was high, stock on the decline, and
Stephen, in dealy fear of losing all his
property, entered into a covenant with
God that if He would help him out of
the difficulty he would make over all
the property he might in future ac
quire, .above enough to support him, to
rhe Lord. During his fife fie gave away
almost $1, 00b, 000 to various religious
and charitable institutions. When he
died, at the age pf eighty, ho was
thought to be insane, for he had previ
ously conveyed property valued at
$150,000 to the Orphan Institute in Flat
Rock, Ohio, the Freedmen’s Aid So
ciety, the Christian Union, the Ameri
can Bible Society, the Tract, and the
Church Extension Society. These con
veyances his heirs propose to set aside.
FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The Legislature Appeals to Law.
Concord, June 3. —The House unani
mously adopted a resolution request
ing the Supreme Court to give an early
hearing to the questioned seats in the
Senate,
(tin* Sails limstitutuTualist
FROM WASHINGTON.
President Grant and the Democracy—
Hon. Montgomery Blair on the Third
Term Letter—His Views on the Com
ing Democratic Nomination for Pres
ident —Monopoly and Anti-Monopoly
Issues.
[Special Disp itch to the Baltim re Sun ]
Washington, June 2.—The publica
tion of the President’s third term let
ter has been followed by publications
in New York and elsewhere, asserting,
on the alleged authority of Hot;. Mont
gomery Blair, that General Grant had
almost daily visited Mr. Blair’s house
in 1867-68 to consummate negotiations
looking to bringing him out as to the
Democratic nominee for the Presiden
cy in 1868. These statements were
brought to the attention of the Presi
dent to-day. He pronounced them en
tirely untrue, and said that he had
never entered into any negotiations
with Mr. Blair with any such object in
view, and bad never entertained any
such idea.
Mr. Blair’s attention was subse
quently called to the matter, and he
said the publications alluded to were
made without any authority from him.
He remarked, however, that when in
the Summer of 1867 he brought for
ward Gen. Grant’s name as a suitable
person to be nominated for the Presi
dency by the Democratic party he felt
thoroughly satisfied that it met with
Gen Grant’s approval. Mr. Blair says
that the late Gen. Rawlins, who, as is
well known, was the bosom inend of
Gen. Grant, was at this time thoroughly
in favor of Gen, Grant receiving the
Democratic nomination. Gen. Grant
was not at this time in sympathy with
the Republican part y or with its leaders.
He had an intense distike to Mr. Stan
ton, and had before this time told Presi
dent Johnson that if Stanton was to re
main in the Cabinet he did not want to
stay in Washington, but would like to
remove the army headquarters. Mr.
Blair says he was very much surprised
when, after all this, Gen. Grant did con
clude the bargain by which he became
the nominee of the Republican party.
Mr. Blair on the Third Term.
In regard to the third term letter
Mr. Blair says that it does hot alter the
situation one particle ; that of course
General Grant does not want, a third
term if he cannot get it, but if the
chance is presented to him he will
clutch it with alacrity. He looks upon
Grant as by odds the strongest man in
the Republican party, and his strength
will be much greater if, as is almost
certain, the Republican party is de
feated in the elections this Fall. Then,
when the Republican Convention comes
together, quarreling will ensue between
the friends of Blaine, Morton, Bristow
and the other aspirants, and the end of
it will be that tho Convention will settle
down upon Grant as the most availa
ble mau, “Grant,” said Mr. Blair, “is
a very able man in his way. He is not
a statesman and is destitute of culture,
but his ability is undoubted. I have
often talked to Sumner about him, and
tried to impress this upon him. But.
Sumner never thought anything of
Grant, even long before his quarrel
with him.” Mr. Blair says that the
President has an extraordinary ca
pacity for discovering the meaner side
of men’s natures, and by taking ad
vantage of this he attaches them to his
fortunes.
Tlie Democratic Nomination.
In the event of the Democracy nom
inating a Bourbon for the Presidency,
which is not probable, there need be
very little doubt, says Mr. Blair, that
Gen. Grant, who is almost certain to
be the nominee of the Republicans,
will be president for a third term. But
Mr. Blair says that he is more con
vinced than ever that John W. Gar
rett will be the Democratic nominee
for the Presidency. The paramount
issue will be monopoly and anti-mo
nopoly, of which latter John W. Gar
rett will be the central figure. Mr.
Garrett, he says, comes up as a fresh
man, entirely unfettered hj r any of the
issues of the past. The officers of his
road are not paid high salaries to run
around the country looking alter poli
ties, but are required to tend to their
legitimate duties. This has been ob
served by the people of the country,
who are thoroughly conversant with
the position of Mr. Grarett, The West,
Mr. Blair says, will be for the nomina
tion of Mr. Garrett, and in fact the de
mand for the nomination will be taken
up all over the country.
Jewell on the Rampage—Seizure of a
Smuggled Dress of the Empress Eu-
genie—The Treasury Theft.
Postmaster General Jewell is about
making an extensive Western trip, to
see for himself how things are worked.
Masterly inactivity still characterizes
the councils of the Indians. Standing
Rock says his laud has neithv i wings
nor legs.
A smuggled lace dress of the Em
press Eugenie, bought at one of her
Majesty’s sales, was seized here to-day.
Value, SIO,OOO.
There has been considerable excite
ment in the Treasury to-day over ru
mors that the party who committed
the large theft ou Wednesday had been
arrested, but the officers of the Secret
Service division, as well as Acting Sec
retary Couant, deny that any one has
yet been arrested.
i—- - * —
FROM NEW YORK.
A Teller Decamua with the Cash —
Enormous Delinquencies of County
Treasurers —Masonic Installation.
New York, June 4.— Duncan Sher
man Company's teller decamped with
$12,000.
Grand Officers of the Masonic Lodge
were installed to-day. There were
23,682 in procession Wednesday, exclu
sive of bands.
Albany, June 4—The Attorney Gen
eral served a formalsmnmons ou fifteen
County Treasurers for delinquency in
tax returns. The delinquencies aggre
gate $600,000.
FROM ATLANTA.
Execution of a Negro—He Dies Like a
IflSavage and Compares Himself to a
Pig.
Atlanta, Juue 4. —The negro Ariug
was hung to-day. He died fearless and
had nothing to say bat “good-by.” He
wrote a letter to his father this morn
ing and concluded by saying, “I expect
to be a dead man iu 4 hours, I expect
to be slain under galles, aud I hope at
this time to be asleep as a dead pig in
the sunshine.” When urged to correct
the last sentence he refused, stating
that a dead pig would know nothing,
and so would he.
Marine Disaster.
New York, June 4.—The bark Ruuer,
from Savannah, via Queenstown for
Finland, is stranded iu the Gulf of
Bothnia. The cargo will probably be
lost.
AUGUSTA, GUY., SATURDAY MORNING, JITISTE 5, 1875.
REIGN OF TERROR.
THE MINER’S WAR IN PENNSYL
VANIA.
More Rioting, Bloodshed and Incen
diarism—Arrival of the Military—
Where is Sheridan?
Mahony City, Pa., June 4. —At 3 p.
in., yesterday, Sheriff Werner tele
graphed that his posse had been fired
upon, and asked for military assistance.
The first disturbance occurred at King.
Tyler & Co.’s colliery, when the sheriff
with his posse ordered the rioters to
disperse. One of the chiefs replied
they could not drive them away, and
fired on the sheriff. Firing became
general and about two hundred shots
were discharged. The Sheriff being
overpowered retreated to town and re
organized his force. Citizens are volun
teering. Eight raiders were wounded
and one killed. Several citizens are
wounded. The military arrived and all
is quiet.
Pottsville, June 4.—A1l the collieries
that had been compelled to suspend
work by the raiders resumed work this
morning, being assured of military
protection. The citizens think it will be
necessary to retain troops in their
midst, for several days to insure con
tinuance of work begun. There was an
alarm occasioned by firing in the upper
end of Mahanoy City at midnight and
troops were got ready for any emergency
Shots were fired by a mob of raiders.
At Shenandoah quiet prevails since the
arrival of troops. At Mount Carmel,
Wilson, Cheminek & Co.’s colliery was
destroyed by fire last night, being fired
by a mob of one hundred men. At t his
colliery men had been working for two
days at a reduced rate of wages. The
excitement continues in the vicinity of
St. Clair, one thousand men aud boys
being in line again this morning,
coming .Jrom Glen Carbon, Hecksper
ville and adjacent towns. At Wades
ville, miners at work in Dering &
Co’s mines were driven from work by
the strikers.
Adjutaut General Latla arrived here
from Philadelphia lust night, and was
met at the depot by Gen. Siegfried, aud
during the night the Generals were
closeted together and fully discussed
affairs and the situation. This morning
they went by a special train to Shen
andoah and Mabony City, to make
necessary arrangements for the cam
paign.
St. Clair, Pa., June 4.—Miners com
pelled to quit work report two soldiers
shot by raiders.
FOREIGN "nEWS^
Drowning in Portugal—Germany
Pouncing 011 Belgium Again —Mis
taken Zeal of Prussian Police.
Portugal, June 4.—Sixty persons
were drowned by the capsizing or a
lighter on the Tagus.
Paris, June 4. — La Republique Fran
caise reports that Count Von Perpou
cher, German Ambassador at Brussels,
has made fresh representations to t lie
Belgian Government in regard to
Catholic processions.
Brussels, June 4.—Forty persons
were arrested at St. Nicholas for taking
part in an affray growing out of an in
terference with a, religious procession.
London, June 4.— The Daily Tele
graph's Beilin dispatch says the Ger
man Government possesses proofs that
the charges of conspiracy made against
Danin are unfounded. Danin’s arrest
was due to the excessive zeal of a
Prussian police agent and the prisoner
"ill soon be released. Weather hot.
A Steamer on Fire Saved by Intrepid
Officer.
Havana, June 4.—The steamer Cres
cent City, from New York, arrived yes
terday afternoon. On Tuesday, at 7:30
p. m., when the steamer was opposite
Sombrero light, some flues in the for
ward boiler burst. Ihe steam escaped
into the furnaces and threw the burn
ing cinders from three of them into the
coal bunkers. The coal instantly took
fire and the bunkers were soon in a
blaze, the flames risiug ten feet
rushing up the ventilator, to the upper
deck. The engineers closed the venti
lator before the wood work above was
ignited. An alarm was given, and
owing to the admirable discipline main
tained by Capt. Curtis every man was
at the post designated for fiim before
hand for such emergencies in less than
two minutes. In three minutes, three
streams of water were pouring on
the lire and within ten minutes
the flames were extinguished. The
chief engineer closed the door of
the engine room to prevent a draft of
air and locked himself in with his men,
while the Captain directed thehosemen
where to play upon the fire. Some of
the men, by his orders, removed the
furniture from the saloons so as to
leave the fire nothing to feed upon
should it spread. Preparations were,
also made to run the steamer ashore
in case of necessity, but the
fire did not extend beyond the
engine room from the moment the
ventilator and door were closed. The
passengers give the highest praise to
the Captain and Chief Engineer for
their coolness, courage aud presence
of mind, and to the crew for the
promptness and order with which they
acted.
~ consecration”.
Grand Ceremonies at the Installation
of the Archbishop of Wisconsin.
Milwaukee, June 4. Archbishop
Henni was consecrated yesterday with
most imposing ceremonies. The Ca
thedra.! was crowded at 9a. m. The in
terior was beautifully decorated with
flowers. Mass began at 10. Bishop Heiss,
of LaCrosse, was the celebrant aud
Bishop Ryan, of St. Louis, delivered
the sermon. At tho close of mass,
Bishop Henni appeared in his arche
piscopal robes. The Bull and Brief of
the Pope conferring the pallium was
read.
Monsignor Roncetti, Ablegate, ad
vanced to the foot of the Archbishop’s
throne, and iu a lengthy speech in Latin
delivered his mission as delegate.:! by
His Holiness. Archbishop Henni then
read ids acceptance of the dignity
conferred upon him Bishop Heiss
then conferred the Pallium upon Arch
bishop Henni, who knelt to receive it
at the foot of the altar. The choir
burst forth into a grand hallelujah and
the bells of the cathedral were rung.
The Archbishop gave the benediction,
and the singing of Te Deum closed the
ceremony.
In the evening there was a grand,
twilight procession of ail Catholic so
cieties in the city’. It was two miles in
length, and there were five thousand
torches. After marching through the
principal streets, the procession halted
in front of the Archbishop’s residence
when tflere was a salute of guns aid
ringing of bells of all Catholic Churches
in the city. Addresses were read to the
Papal Ablegate and the Archbiship and
responses made, These exercises were
interspersed with music, and at their
conclusion the procession separated.
THE NEGRO IN LOUISIANA.
THE BEST LABOR IN THE WORLD
WHEN CONTROLLED.
Virtues and Vices of the Blacks—Hon
est in Money Matters but Rogues in
Many Other Things—Cows, Pigs and
Chickens the Devil’s Bait for a Dar
key’s Soul—Wages—Tenants—Land
Owners—Mechanics-Colored Schools
and Churches—ldleness of Women—
Non-Intervention of the Federal
Power the Great Desideratum.
[New York Herald.]
The planters, without exception, so
far I have heard them speak, are
thoroughly satisfied with the colored
man as a laborer. I do not mean to
say that they have no fault to find ;
but they say that the negroes are or
derly, docile, faithful to their engage
ments, steady laborers in the field,
readily submitting to directions and
instructions, and easily managed and
made contented. This applies to cot
tou as well as sugar planters, and all is
summed up iu the phrase I most fre
quently heard used : “We have the
best laboring class iu tbe world.”—
Their faults are mainly carelessness
with such property as mule.s and farm
ing implements and killing cattle and
hogs. As to the first, several planters
told me they had found it useful to
give the charge of animals entirely to a
special person, who fed aud cared for
them. But it appears to mako no dif
ference whether the mules belong to
the planter or to the laborer. The lat
ter is as conscientiously careless of his
owu as of another’s property. It is part
of tho heedlessuess bre<l of slavery, aud
it will take time to be bred out, as it was
bied iu. As to killing cattle and hogs,
this is a custom which arises in part out
of a slovenly way of letting animals
run half wild in the woods without that
care which marks special ownership.
It is a matter which the planters are
meeting gradually by letting tbe labo
rers keep stock of their own, and thus
making it to their iuterest to put down
the indiscriminate theft. A planter
told me that he had brought Horn the
North thirty-four cows and all had
been killed but two, which, for safety,
he now kept within the door yard of
his dwelling. I asked him if his labo
rers were generally dishonest, aud ho
replied emphatically, no; ho would
trust any one of them, he said, with
SIO,OOO to carry to town without fear of
loss; he had never missed any articles
from his house, where he had colored
servants and where the women from
the quarters often came. But he could
keep chickens and turkeys only with
the utmost difficulty and care, and as
for cows aud hogs it was entiiely out of
the question.
AY ages.
The laborers on the sugar planta
tions receive from sl3 to sls per mouth,
a cottage, usually of two rooms, and a
garden patch near it; a ration of pork
and corn meal, rather more than enough
for a hearty mau, and a corn patch,
which the laborer cultivates for himself
on Saturday afternoon with the plant
er’s teams. About their cottages they
can keep chickens and pigs if they like;
and often they’ have a horse, a cow and
even an old carriage of some kiuii, in
which they’ drive out on Sunday with
great satisfaction, crowding in wife and
children. The planter usually has on
his place a store where necessaries and
luxuries are sold, aud among the for
mer whiskey is reckoned, I am sorry’to
say. They tell me the blacks will have
it, and that it is better to sell it iu mod
eration on the place than to compel
them to go to a distance for it. As the
sugar plantations are all situated upon
navigable streams they are exposed to
a serious nuisance in tfie shape of ped
dling boats, which sail up and down
with a license from the State to sell
various matters, among which whiskey
is prominent. These will auchor op
posite a plantation for a day or two and
carry away, not only all the* spare cash,
but chickens and other " truck ” which
the colored people may have raised.
The negro is fond of credit and apt
to misuse it. Few of them, I fiud, are
sufficiently forehanded to deal for
cash. They have credit at the store,
aud it is the planter’s object to so
manage the laborer’s account that he
shall have a pretty little sum at Christ
mas, which he thereupon mostly spends
during Christmas week, with very
great satisfaction. ]f he has been al
lowed to draw out all of his account
beforehand, he is dissatisfied, and likes
to remove, thinking that he has not
done well—no matter how clearly he
is shown that he was wasteful during
the year. Only a very few lay by
money ; but occasionally a negro was
pointed out to me who had several
hundred dollars ahead. One thing
greatly pleased me—the black man
pays his debts. All the petty shop
keepers, of whom the country is full,
are ready to give credit to the negroes.
It was a question I asked very often
and always received the same reply :
“They always pay up.” Among the
rice planters where the blacks work by
the day they frequently hire cottages,
and the owner of some of these told mo
he would rather have negroes than
whites for tenants, because they paid
more promptly. A country storkeeper
said to me : “ Ninety per cent, of my
sales are to colored people, and ninety
per cent, of my bad debts are owed by
whites,”
I had read somewhere in the North
complaint that tho planters refused to
sell land to the negroes. The ease I
found stands thus: Iu the sugar
country the negro does not aim to buy
twenty or forty acres and to plant cane
for himself. He would need to have
it ground ; and the business is too hur
ried at the close of the season to get
this done with certainty aud at the
proper time. But they like to own an
acre or two on which they place a cabin,
aud this homestead makes them con
tented. Unluckily’ they do not improve
their places ; invariably I have found
them In tho roughest and most disor
deily condition. Now, naturally, no
man likes to sell a corner of his estate
to such purchasers ; and the planters
very justly and very generally refuse
to sell such little patches to negroes.
Some would divide their estates iu hun
dred acre tracts, but there were few pur
chasers for such parcels. Many others
would hold on to their large estates even
when they have not capital enough to
work them, and I have seen some plant
ations which were not worked at all, but
on which the owners paid the taxes
and waited for better times. For my
part Ido not much blame them. No
body, except a land speculator, likes to
sell land, especially where it has been
his home. And these people are not
land speculators. It is not uncommon,
however, for a speculator to buy a
hundred acres near a town and divide
it into two-acre tracts which are tidily
sold to colored people at a great ad
vance. I have seen several such Vil
lages, and certaiuly the regular rows of
neatly whitewashed cabjos on the plan
tation look and are far more eomfoit-
able. In the cotton country it is not
very uncommon to find a negro owning
twenty or forty acres; and they can al
ways buy land if they want to. The
great majority, however, prefer to cul
tivate the land on shares, either fur
nishing their own teams or only their
iabor; and in rich Louisiana bottoms
they make handsome returns in this
way.
Cotton Raising.
\ ery few cotton planters in Louisi
ana pay wages. The colored man pre
fers to take the land on shares, and it
is by far the best wey. Where they rent
land in the rich bottoms they pay from
i'6 to $lO per acre, or, which is more
usual, 80 pounds of clean cotton. In
some cases the planter furnishes land,
house, fuel, a corn patch, teams, tools
and feed for the animals, and takes
half the crop. If the colored tenant
wants to undertake corn as well as cot
ton, that, too, is planted at halves.
They usually work in squads and un
dertake about 15 acres of cotton and 10
of corn to the hand. Cotton will average
three-quarters of a bale to the acre,
and I judge that the laborer with a fail
crop may live through the year
and have $l5O in cash at the
close of the season, neither he
nor his family having suffered
for anything in the meantime. The re
turns are very satisfactory to the la
borer, and Northern farmers who save
as well as work could easily .grow rich
on the Mississippi and Red River bot
tom lands. Everybody tells me that
the colored men save but little. In one
cotton parish a Republican who has
taken great interest in the welfare of
the negroes said, in answer to my ques
tion, ‘‘They are not worth a dollar a
head of the population to-day.” “That
man had $l5O due him last Christmas
for his cotton,” said another planter to
me ; “he spent it ail in ten days, and
bought the greatest lot of trash you
ever saw ; but he and his wife and
children were satisfied and happy, and
when I reproached him he said, ‘What’s
the use of living if a man can’t have
the good of his labor?’”
Colored Mechanics.
New Orleans has a considerable num
ber of colored mechanics, who are spo
ken of as skillful and competent men.
Elsewhere in the State I have seen col
ored men working as masons and car
penters and occasionally shoemakers,
and they are skillful blacksmiths, I am
told. Iu the towns a considerable pro
portion of the colored people own the
houses iu which they live, and they all
have a strong desire, as 1 have said, to
own small lots of laud. But in a par
ish which lias a negro population of
over 12,000, a planter who has taken
much interest in the colored people
told me he knew not more than twenty
men who owned farms, and some of
these, he thought, would not make
their payments on the price, by reason
of improvidence. This was in the cot
ton country, where the colored people
can readily buy laud, and at a reason
able rate.
The women do not regularly work in
the fields. They receive from $8 to $lO
a month as field hands, and in the cot
ton picking time women and children
turn iu to this work. In the sugar
country, too, the planters employ wo
men in the fields at certain seasons. If
the colored laborer is forehanded he
prefers that, his wife shall not work iu
the field.
Colored Schools.
Of schools most of the parishes have
a sufficient, number, aud the colored peo
ple are generally better supplied than
the whites with free schools. This arises
in part from the fact that school teach
ers are made use of as politicians. The
notion that the negro race is dying out
is absurd and one never hears it men
tioned here. The whole country is full
of hearty, shiny little piccaninnies,
fat, quiet, generally nicely dressed,
and in the towns and villages the larg
er children look very neat and happy
as they go to and from school or Suu
day school. The colored people are
almost universally, I am told, anxious
to send their children to school, and in
my conversation with them, the most
frequent complaint I heard was of the
mismanagement or inefficiency of
schools. I never heard any complaint
of a lack of schools, though some outly
ing parishes are not well supplied. In
a eouutry parisli on a Sunday I fell in
conversation with three colored men
whom I met in my walk. One had his
little children with him. He complain
ed that the school was not kept open—
“not more than one day in the week.
It was a shame when they hud a good
school house; but the teacher was no
account.” I said they ought to cure
that by choosing good officers at elec
tions, and one replied that they always
got cheated. Tlieir own party office
holders were as bad as conservatives,
and he would just as soon trust one as
the other. “And if we put our own
color in, somebody comes along and
shoves money in their pockets and
makes them forget their own people.”
Churches.
As to churches in the cotton country
the colored people are mostly either
Methodists or Baptists, and they have
their own churches and preachers of
their own color. The meeting is a
curiosity. The preacher is almost
always so far illiterate that he often
uses large words in a wrong sense ; but
he freely Renounces the sins of the con
gregation. Then come screams, violent
contortions, jumping, dancing and
shouting—not more violent or ghastly
than I have seen in Western camp
meetings among white people in my
younger days, I must own. You hear
it commonly said that the preachers
are not good men and do not live up
to their calling, but I doubt it. They
are politicians, as preachers, lawyers
aud doctors are usually among white
men. But even thougn the form which
Christianity takes among these people
is repugnant to my colder nature I
found no upright, thoughtful planter
who did not acknowledge that the
Church is a restraining influence upon
them, and in one ease where I put the
question the planter told me that he
had noticed that almost all the crime,
lawsuits and troubles generally in his
parish which came before the courts
originated on those plantations where
there was no meeting house. “As for
me,” he said,“l thiuk it au economy to
support both church and Sunday school
among the colored people on my plan
tations.”
In Southern Louisiana a large part
of the colored population are Catholics
and have not separate churches. A
Protestant, as I am, is put to shame
when he compares the course of the
Catholio Church toward its members,
the equality it insists on within the
church between different races and con
ditions with the careless and, as it
seems to me, unchristian distinctions
made iu Protestant churches. Why
should not the white planter and Ids
family worship God on Sunday in a
church to which his laborers and
tenants should also be invited ? The
Christian Church ought to be the most
powerful instrument for removing pre
judices, for raising the lowly and train
idg the weak and ignorant. The Roman
Catholic Church has, in my view, many
serious faults; but it has one great
glory—it brings together, within its
communion here in the South, and i
suppose everywhere, all its members,
regardless of condition, color or race,
as a universal brotherhood before God.
Those Protestants who sincerely desire
the elevation of the colored people
ought to see to it that distinctions
within tne church are removed, and
that white and black shall be called on
Sunday to the same Sunday School and
the same church service.
The Negroes the Chief Working
Force.
The colored people are the main
working force of the State. It is not
fair to say that they are the only work
ers, as is sometimes rashly asserted,
for there is a considerable population
of white farmers scattered over the
State. In the Arcadian country these
people, who are called “ ’Cadians,” are
industrious aud prosperous. They
speak French and retain many of their
old French customs. They live a good
deal among themselves, and do not
even care to trade with the Ameri
cans, whom, though they have occu
pied the country ever since the acqui
sition of Louisiana, the Arcadian still
regards as interlopers. In other parts
of the State there is a population of
white farmers who cultivate the thin
uplands. They have been much neg
lected, and are not very highly thought
of by their neghbors In the lowlands. .
To conclude, the industrial pros
pects of the colored people in Louisia
na are satisfactory. They do work, and
they receive a fair and even handsome
return for their labor ; and working so
largely on shares, they have incentives
to faithful work which day laborers in
the North are often without. Louisiana
is an extraordinarily rich State ; mil
lions of acres of the most fertile soil lie
uncultivated and may be oblaiued at a
price so low that an industrious man
may pay for a farm from the saving
of two cotton crops. These lands are
open to the colored people, and when
time aud a longer experience of
liberty have taught them self-denial,
economy and business habits, they
will largely become independent farm
ers. It is my belief that they ought
now to be finally—in this State—left to
themselves, so far as the political inter
ference of the Federal Government is
concerned. They know how to help
themselves, and it is, in the opinion of
the best Republicans I met in the State
a danger to social order that the
negroes, preyed upon as they are by
demagogues of both colors, shall any
longer have cause to believe that the
Federal power stands behind them to
protect them against the results of
their misconduct, or to maintain them
in places for which they are, by lack of
education and of training and experi
ence, unfit.
Charles Nordhoff.
LETTISH FROM LINCOLN COUNTY.
Crop News—Mortality Among Freed
lueu—Strange Apparitions iu the
Heavens A liaby Tornado.
[From our Regular Correspondeut.l
Goshen, Lincoln County, Ga., (
June, 2, 1875. j
Siuce I wrote you last week I have
been in the lower portion of the county
aud have made some inquiries about
the crops. I learn that the farmers
generally have either planted or intend
planting enough corn for their own use,
should the crop not be cut off by some
thing unforeseen. Whether or not the
farmers throughout the county have
planted less cotton this year than last
I am not prepared to say ; but I have
heard of a few who have shortened
their crop. Where there are stands of
the plant it is looking very well. Corn
is also looking well, though both are
needing rain very much.
A larger quautity of small grain has
been sown the past season than for
some years by those who make any at
tempt at raising it. There are, how
ever, some who have not only not
planted auy wheat the past season, but
have not sown any for several years.
They give as a reason that their lands
will not produce a good wheat crop,
and it is cheaper to raise something
else, to buy their flour.
The oat and wheat crops wifi be con
siderably shorted by the dry weather,
aud as a consequence those who sowed
oats to help out their corn cribs will
fiud some difficulty in “making both
ends meet.”
In the middle and upper portions of
the county planters are preparing to
harvest their grain.
We have had no rain of consequence
since the tornado that passed through
here about May Ist, and we are long
ing to see some refreshing showers.
Not only are the field crops suffering
for rain, but our gardens are being
parched up. To the credit, however, of
the people of Lincoln county, I will say
I have heard less complaining and
grumbling from the Lincolnites about
the weather and the crop prospects
than from any people among whom I
have ever lived. Notwithstanding the
long wet spell in the first part of the
year, and the continued dry weather at
present, they all along have appeared
to be hopeful, and are still so.
Considerable mortality has taken
place among the rreedmeu in the
neighborhood of Double Branches. I
heard it stated as coming from a phy
sician that about ten have in that
locality recently, and the principle com
plaint seems to be consumption.
Some strange sights have been seen
in the heavens throughout this section.
About a month or six weeks since, what
appeared to be a large ball of fire was
seen by several persons in the western
sky about sundown, and before it dis
appeared, it seemed to burst into a
thousand pieces. Did not see it myself,
but suppose it must have been a meteor.
And again. Inst week, after sunrise, a
gentleman whose word will stand,
states that he saw near the sun, a black
spot very much resembling a coffin,
and it remained for some time, when it
disappeared, and then two very bright
stars were seen, which remained visible
for an hour or more. Several other
persons saw the stars. Mr. Editor, we
are not given much to signs, &c., but
we would like to know something of
these singular scenes in the heavens.
Another tornado, though considera
bly smaller in extent than either of the
former ones, yet quite destructive, vis
ited a small portion of Lincoln county
last Wednesday afternoon. A small
cloud on that day gathered over Mr.
Zack Willingham’s (Sheriff of the coun
ty) farm, about two miles north of Lm
cclnton, which was the occasion of a
very considerable wind aud some rain.
Thu wind was strong enough to unrocf
his corn crib and an outhouse, and to
blow down fences, trees, bee gums, &e.
I learn from him that it did not extend
over au area of about 100 acres, and
lasted about t a n or fifteen minutes.
Ife has neighbors liviug on either side
of him within three-quarters of a mile,
and their farms were not touched.
These storms are becoming so frequent
throughout here that many become un
easy every time a cloud of any size
makes it appearance,
j lours, &c., Chalmette.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
PRESBYTERIANS IN COUNCIL.
The Louisville Muddle —Consequences
Apprehended from its Settlement-
Dr. Wilson—Pan-Presbyterian Coun
cil —Odds and Ends—Adjournment.
IFrom Our Regular Correspondent.]
St. Louis, Mo., i
Late Saturday Night, May 29th. ]
After each minister and eider had
exhausted, the court’s patience, and
many of them had exhausted the sub
ject by simply repeating what others
had said, though it must be admitted
that it would be hard to find any as
sembly of Presbyterians on the globe
with so many able debaters in the
ranks t of the eldership—lawyers, judges,
governors and ex-governors—men of
great talent and burning piety ; well
everybody was tired, their bodies were
exhausted, their minds were exhausted,
their patience was exhausted, their
hopes of effecting harmony and peace
were exhausted, After 'seven long,
weary, sweltering days the Court came
to a vote which stands as follows :
1. “Sustain the complaint” of the mi
nority of Presbytery, and therefore
sustain Dr. Wilson. Votes, one.
2. Sustain it in part. Votes, thirty
eight.
3. Not sustain, but dismiss. Votes,
sixty-seven.
So ends this weary case. The proper
ty is thrown into Chancery and is worth
SIOO,OOO. Dr. Wilson aud the party
tidhering to him will likely gain the suit.
So our Southern Assembly wifi most
likely lose Dr. Wilson, tho property
and the majority who cling to hiui.
This is to be regretted. Dr. Wilson is a
gentleman of no ordinary powers of
mind, and has been a leader in the As
sembly since its organization. He is the
author of a treatise, to which the ex
cising act of excommunication by the
Northern Assembly gave birth. The
treatise is entitled the
“ Declaration aud Testimony,”
and 1 question if ever such a noble
defense of the monarchy of Jesus
Christ was given to the world since
the “National Covenant” of Scotland
was published. It will stand by the
“Covenants” and “the Act and Testi
mony”
of the best men iu Scotland as “ a pil
lar aud ground of truth” so long as
Presbyterianism shall live. Hence the
cause of Presbytery is under deep
obligations to Dr. Wilson, which was
stated and reiterated by many of the
leading minds of the Assembly and on
the floor of the House, and also by not
a lew voting against the minority who
took his side in this very painful
squabble.
The best beads aud purest hearts of
tho Assembly are much distressed by
this unfortunate trouble, and great
fears are entertained as to the effect of
the present finding. Time may heal
the painful wound which strife aud
temper have united iu opening.
Sabbath was another day of
General Preaching.
The Committee on Devotions again ex
ercised their gifts at discretion in se
lecting and appointing to the different
churches whomsoever they would.
They pounced ou Dr. Palmer, Dr.
Robinson, Dr. Hoge, Dr. Irvine and
others for two sermons each.
Dr. Robinson backed out. Dr. Pal
mer, one of the best natured men living,
obeyed orders. Dr. Irvine took refuge
iu the country and escaped Plymouth
pulpit and Dr. Brooks’ too. He had re
ceived a letter from a merchant on
Second street, who lives ten miles out
at Webster, on the Pacific Railroad.
This merchant left Canada in 1858,
armed with a letter from Dr. Irvine and
commended to the world as a poor,
but honest and industrious boy. His
labors aud industries have been crown
ed with success. He has built him a
beautiful house on a fine property at
Webster, and is a leading man in the
Presbyterian Church at "that place.—
His min ster came down to the city on
Friday and invited Dr. Irvine to occupy
his church. The day was fine, the
•attendance large, and it was a relief to
get a breath of fresh country air after
being cooped up for ten days in Pine
Street Church.
On returning to St. Loui3, Dr. Irvine
was just in time to attend service iu a
Methodist Church across the street
from his hospitable quarters, where Dr.
Moses Hoge, the Moderator of the As
sembly, preached. His discourse was
an able and most impressive disquisi
tion on the language of Cain, “Am I
my brother’s keeper?” I never heard
Dr. Hogo before, but felt amply re
warded, indeed delighted, with his per
formance.
It is confidently hoped that the As
sembly will close its unfinished busi
ness by Tuesday night. The Commit
tee on “Leave of Absence” are getting
crusty, and many of the members of
the House are cutting their speeches
short.
St. Louis, Mo., i
Monday, May 31, 1875. [
The last day of the Assembly lias
fortunately arrived. The morning diet
was occupied in electing Dr. Gerardeau
to the vacant chair at Columbia, and
other small work. The question of tile
Pan-Presbyterian Council
was again introduced by a resolution
offered by Dr. Stuart Robinson, which
was spoken to by Dr. Palmer, Dr. Murk
laud, Dr. Irvine and others. The ques
tion was postponed.
At 3 p. m. the Court resolved to meet
at 8 and continue in session until the
business shall be finished.
At 8 p. m. the Assembly met to finish
up
Odds and Ends.
Dr. Boggs offered a paper to the ef
fect that a committee, consisting of the
Moderators, Dr3. Brown and Reid, be
appointed to explain certain phrases in
our past records, which to some may
seem ambiguous. The paper was adop
ted.
Dr. Gerardeau presented a paper ex
plaining the purport of the finding of
the court in the case ot Dr. S. R. Wilson
and Rev. J. J. Cooke. The paper was
amended by a substitute offered by
Judge Clapp.
This amendment raised a discussion,
and the reconsideration of the ques
tion was moved. Dr. Palmer and others
took part. Dr. Palmer wished it to be
put on record that the thirty-eight who
voted “Sustain in part” 6imply meant
that the Presbytery had only trans
cended their legitimate and constitu
tional powers in a few points. The
question of Pan-Presbyterian Council
was again introduced. Several speakers
were warm in advocating the propriety
of our church going into it.
The motion of Dr. Robinsou was dis
cussed at length by Drs. Palmer, Ger-
New Series—Vol. 3. No. 112
ardeau, Robinson and Irvine. At 10 30
p. m the vote was taken. The Assem
bly divided when it appeared that the
house stood 37 against and 41 in favor
of appointing a committee to corres
pond with other committees on this
continent touching the coming council
It was, therefore, resolved that the
Assembly goes into the Pan-Presbyte
rian movement. The yeas and nays
were called for, when the vote stood 27
against and 44 in favor it. Drs. Palm
er and Robinson stood on opposite
sides.
At 11 p. m. the House resolved to
continue in session until the docket be
finished.
There were a few minor matters taken
up in accordance with this resolution,
introduced and discussed by the speak
mg members in five minutes addresses.
Governor Moryea, of Virginia, moved
a vote of thanks to the families,
churches, railroad companies and post
master of the city for all their acts of
courtesies to the Assembly.
meet at Savannah in 1876.
Augusta.
GEORGIA CROP NEWS.
The Crops in Richmond County.
Brothersville, June 4.
Mr. Editor : After three or four
weeks of dry weather, we have had
fine showers of rain within the last
few days. The ground is not thorough
!y wet, but enough rain has fallen iu
this vicinity to keep cropi in fine grow
ing condition. Corn and cotton'look
well. Farmers have had a fine time
during the dry weather to get their
crops in good condition. I think they
have generally improved it. I think
white and black in this community are
working industriously to make some
thing to live on another year. My
judgment is that more corn is being
cultivated this year than last
Yours, respectfully,
Richmond.
The first cotton square has made its
appearance in Columbus.
Ihe Albany Central City reports the
drought still very severe in that sec
tion, though farmers would prefer to
ha\ e it now, than later, and are getting
their crops in splendid order. “Thieves,”
it reports have been active the past
week in this county and some of the
law-breakers have broke into jail. The
chicken thief is not so common as he
used to he, on account of the delega
tion recently sent to the penitentiary—■
but he is about, in small numbers.
We agree with the Columbus En
quirer when it says that the laws pro
tect the growers of hogs as amply as
they do the growers of cotton. Hog
stealing is puuished as severely as cat
tle stealing. Not less than two, nor
more than four, years in the peniten
tiary would protect the hogs if the law
was strictly enforced, as it should be.
Instead of saying that it is impossible
to profitably raise hogs in the State ou
account of thieves—which is not true,
let us see that tho evil-doers arc
promptly detected, arrested and tried,
and the iaw will do the rest.
Oglethorpe Echo: On Wednesday
night last we had a very hard rain, ac
companied by hail and wind. It was
much needed by our planters, as the
crops were beginning to droop under
the hot, sultry days. Our citizens,
from the pecoliar noises in the heav
ens, feared they were going to have an
other tornado, and were prepared to
leave at the first intimation of the same.
Happily, all passed off without damage.
The thunder had that grating sound
that a train makes in passing around a
curve, and other unusual noises were
heard in the heavens. From what we
can learn, the rain extended over the
entire county.
The Irwinto l Southerner gives the
following intelligence concerning the
crops: Since oar last issue this section
has been refreshed with several fine
showers of rain, which have had a
beneficial effect upon the growing crop
of cotton and corn. Our farmers have
worked their crops very industriously
aud have them now clean, chopped to
a stand, and iu a splendid condition to
be benefitted by the refreshing rains
which they expect Jupiter Pluvius to
shower upon them. The harvest sea
son is now at hand, aud last week was
commenced the work of cutting the
ripe and abundant crops of wheat and
oats which cover our fields and which
are good. * * * This abundant
grain crop will enable most of our far
mers to go through the year without
buying corn. Lam Deo for that.
Washington Gazette: It is entirely
too early to make any prediction as to
the yield of our two great crops, cotton
and corn, but at present the prospect
is very flattering. These crops, parti
cularly the cotton is backward on ac
count of the late unfavorable Spring,
but with good seasons and good work
will make a very full crop. The corn
is in good order and will need only rain
and a little more work to yield all that
the soil can. The wheat promises to
turn out very fine. We have heard lit
tle or no complaint of the rust this
year. Oats will probably turn out very
finely. Fears were entertained for this
crop on account of the dry weather,
but we think the rains have come in
time to save them and wo doubt if a
better crop has ever been harvested
than will be this year. Avery large
amount of ground has been sown in
this most useful grain, and the return
promises to reward the farmers for
their pains.
Macon Telegraph : We are please 4 to
learn from Rev. Mr. Owen, of Cuthbert,
that on Sunday evening a general and
most refreshing raiu fell all over Ran
dolph county, which will do a world of
good in that region. Previous to that
period a long and disastrous drought
had dwarfed the corn, prevented the
setting out of potato drawers, and al
most ruined vegetable gardens. We
trust the blessing was general.
Iu tiroes of excessive rain, surplus
water can usually be gotten rid of by
judicious drainage. But against drought
every effort is powerless, though fre
quent stirring of the soil tends to give
the plant air, admits the gently distilled
dew, and by the suppression of weeds
and grass enables the soil to impart all
of its virtue.
Here in Macon also, rain is greatly
needed, and day after day the most
promising clouds dissolve and fade
away without depositing one pearly
drop. Let us hope for the best, how
ever.
Carpenter. Seuator Carpenter, a
short time back, called to his valet,
and, pointing to an immense pile of let
ters and papers, said : “ Rooert, I want
you to go over those carefully, and de
stroy everythring that can by any pos
sibility remind Qie that I ever was in
politics.” It is due to Senator Carpen
ter to state that he recommended some
of the worst men in office and put out
some of the best.