Newspaper Page Text
Old Series—VoL 25, No. 122.
THE CONSTITUTIONALIST.
Jau G. Bailie, Francis Cogin, Geo. T. Jackson,
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nications, or articles written on both sides.
Money may be remitted at our risk by Ex
press or postal order.
All letters should be addressed to
H. C. STEVENSON, Manager,
Augusta, Ga.
The greatest freshet in Kentucky
appears to be a Democratic one. See
election news by telegraph.
Our Athens letter this morning will
repay perusal. It is a frank and prac
tical document. The extract appended
from the Chronicle of 1804 will be
conned over with peculiar interest by
our old folks.
The strikes among operatives in cot
ton mills in England continue to as
sume immense proportions. The whole
world seems to be deranged commer
cially and morally. O, fora jubilee of
peace and plenty !
Strenuous efforts are beiug made to
protect letters of credit issued by Dun
can, Sherman & Cos. It is to be hoped
they will succeed, as the failure to do
so will cast an enduring shadow upon
what is left of the broken firm’s good
name.
If any one will diive from Augusta
to Sand-Bar Ferry he will see some of
the most magnificent crops of corn and
cotton the eye of man ever beheld in
this region. The warm, dry weather
had no visibly bad effect upon the
plantations along the river.
The reopening of the Beecher-Til
ton nastiness is like digging up a pu
trefied dead body. Every decent man
and woman should prepare to disinfect
the atmosphere while the nuisance is
above ground. Tilton must have tho
voracity of a carrion crow and the di
gestion of a buzzard.
i m —,
The Carlists are at present in a bad
way, if reports from Madrid and Lon
don are to be credited. Spanish in
surgents are hard to suppress, and
while Dorregaray sticks to his moun
tain fastnesses, he cannot be easily
subdued. He seems to have made the
Basque Provinces a confederacy of his
own.
Very alarming reports continue to
arrive by telegraph concerning the
Western waters. Tho overflow in
many places is unprecedented and un
seasonable. It is to be hoped that
Madame Venus will soon be satisfied
with her wild work and trouble us no
more for many years to come. Now
let some male planet interfere and
regulate matters favorably.
The News and Courier of yesterday
reports, editorially, that while iu many
portions of the South the crops have
been almost ruined by drouth, the
crops in the North and West are ruined
by floods and rain storms. Another
singular fact is that almost every city
iu the North and West, and almost
every village in this State, were visited
by rains, while Charleston is still suf
fering for want of water.
A correspondent writing from Ports
mouth makes serious charges against
one of the conductors of the Pullman
.ears running on the C., C. & A. R. R.
Tiht' writer of the letter is a man of
big’li standing and thoroughly respon
sible.. If Pullman & Cos. are so care
less iif Southern customers, belonging
to the white race, the sooner he loses
his cut 'tom and leaves our railways the
better. ~ Col. Wadley, of the Central
Railway,, long ago took this bull by the
horns and established sleeping coaches
of his own. The Georgia Road has
done the same thing. We shall be glad
when all other roads follow suit.
Mas. Johnson, wife of the late ex-
President.is reported so greatly shocked
by her husband’s death as to be in
great danger of her own life. She has
been long an invalid and it is but meet
that she should follow’ the man she
loved so devotedly into the spiritual
world. When Andrew Johnson’s life
shall be written his wife will be truly
pictured as his guardian angel. She
taught him how'to read, sustained him
in his bitter struggles, and never asked
to share the laurels he won, although
they were more than half her own. No
nobler woman has ever adorned Ameri
can history and the hearts of all gener
ous persons will deeply sympathize
with her in the hour of affliction.
In our Georgia News Column, a few
days ago, an extract was copied from
the Macon Telegraph correspondence
reflecting very severely upon the fare
and accommodations at the Indian
Spring. An Augusta gentleman, just
returned from that place, informs us
that a great injustice has been done
our Georgia Summer resort; that he
found the eating and everything else,
including the water, much better than
similar things at several of the more
noted Virginia Springs. We regret
that an unintentional slight should
have been put upon our home institu
tion, which is mainly neglected because
it is within our own borders, and be
cause a majority of people are prone to
praise everything outside of their own
confines.
JUPITER PLUYIUS.
THE MOVEMENT OF THE WATERS.
Signal Office Report—The Wabasli On
a Rampage—An Isolated City Amid
the Whirling Flood—Wholesale De
struction of Bridges—The Tempest
at Long Branch.
Washington, August 3.— The Signal
Office reports continued rain in New
England. There was light rain last
night from the Lower Lakes to Ten
nessee and the South Atlantic States.
The Ohio and Central Mississippi rivers
have risen rapidly. The Monougahela
has risen five feet at Morgautown.
Terre Haute, August 3. —The Wa
bash is a few inches higher than in the
great inundation of 1828. The river is
three miles wide opposite this city and
slowly swelling. We shall have no in
tercourse in any direction and no
mails for four days at least, there be
ing no less than thirty bridges, besides
trestles and embankments, completely
gone.
Long Branch, July 3. —The East End
bridge, bath house and Mansion House
have been swept and railroads flooded.
Au Unparalleled Flood—Arkansas
Water Lines.
Lafayette, lowa, August 3.— The
Wabash is several inches higher than
it has been known since the settlement
of the country. The destruction of the
Wabash and Erie Canal, between here
and Fort Wayne, is complete.
Little Rock, August 3.—The river
rose several hours last night at the
rate of a foot an hour. It is still
swelling here, but reported falling
above.
Prodigious Losses of Railways and
Crops—A Canal Broken—l error of
Lowland Families —Gfas Works In
undated—No Trains or Mails.
Jacksonville, 111., August 3.—Dam
age to crops, bridges and railroads on
the Central Illinois is immense. The
loss is estimated at $1,000,000; that of
Morgan county alone, $250,000.
Cincinnati August 3.—A special
from Chiliicothe says the rains con
tinue and the flood gains strength. The
canal broke below the city and swept
5,000 bushels of wheat into the river.
People living in bottom lands are mov
ing their families, fearing au inundation.
At Ironton the Ohio is rising 5 inches
per hour ;it is also rising rapidly at
Cincinnati, where already it has in
vaded the lower stories and houses on
Water street, and bids fair to go as
high as ever known before. A special
from New Albany says trains on New
Albany and Chicago Railroad were
taken off to-day at tho Gosport track,
which was covered from White river a
distance of three miles. A heavy force
of men are at work trying to prevent the
large Railroad bridge from floating
away.
White River, at this point, is twelve
feet higher than ever known. Trains
south from Lafayette go no farther
than Crawfordsviile. The track has
been washed out in many places. A
special from Athens, Ohio, says at mid
night the river attained the height of
eight inches of the greatest elevation
known. The gas works are flooded.
The people of the asylum across the
valley have built a boat and ferry pro
vi-ious over. No trains are running,
and no mails since Saturday.
Official Itiver Reports.
7:30 P. M. —During the past 24 hours
the Ohio river has riseu rapidly at
Pittsburg, Cincinnati and Louisville,
and is now one foot above the danger
line at Pittsburg, and one foot below
at Cincinnati and Louisville. The Mo
nongahela river is eight feet nine
inches above the danger line at
New Geneva, but it is now reported
falling. The Mississippi has riseu nine
inches at St. Louis where it is but two
inches below the danger line. It has
risen eleven inches at Cario, where it is
t hree feet and eight inches above the
danger line. The Cumberland has fallen
at Nashville. The Missouri and Red
rivers have remained stationary. Light
rains have fallen in the regions of the
Upper Mississippi and Upper Ohio
Valley.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
Idle Looms and Sullen Operatives—
Preparing to Put on the Screws—
Money vs. Necessity.
Fall River, August 3. —About 1,500
operatives iu this city are idle and
probably will be for thirty days,
although rumors prevail that work will
be resumed in a week. A great deal of
dissatisfaction exists, and many are
willing to work, including a good part
of the spinners who have heretofore
acted almost as a unit. How long the
mills will remain closed it is impossible
to say. Manufacturers say they do uot
know themselves. One thing that will
influence the matter very much is, that
it is hard upon operatives who are op
posed to the strike and who are wil
ling to work at a reduction. Should
they be locked out, many storekeepers
have given notice that if help can
afford a vacation of thirty days they
can afford to pay cash for goods. No
credit will be given until they get to
work. Every mill is stopped with the
exception of the Stafford, which will
soon close.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Bishop-Elect Accleston Writes a Letter.
Davenport, lowa, August 2. —A letter
from Reverend J. H. Accleston, of
Philadelphia, Bishop-elect of this
Episcopal Diocese, was received by the
Chairman of the Standing Committee,
who states he had delayed responding
to the announcement of his election in
May last because of a protest against
the manner of election that had been
sent here. He had carefully weighed
the evidence on both sides,and sees no
good ground for the charge made. He
therefore leaves the final result with
the Standing Committees throughout
the country and the House of Bishops.
With their decision he will be content.
FROM MEMPHIS.
A “Crooked” Railroad—Waddy Thomp
son’s Case.
Memphis, August 3. —C. H. Allen has
been appointed Receiver of the Padu
cah aud Memphis Road, with W. H.
Smithers as the company’s receiver.
The jury who disagreed in the
Thompson case were discharged. Judge
Flippen regarded the former bond,
SIO,OOO, as good and unforfeited, but
added $2,000, which has not yet been
given.
Election News.
Louisville, August 3. —So far as
heard MeCreery’s majorities are greater
than Leslie's in 1871.
Galveston, August 3. —Fifty-one vo
ting precincts show a small majority in
favor of a Constitutional Convention.
The vote is light.
AUGUSTA, GA.. WEDNESDAY MORNING, YATTOTTST 4, 1875.
FOREIGN DISPATCHES.
The English Strike—The Faraday Not
at Deal—Success of the Alfonsists
—lmportant Articles in the Projected.
Spanish Constitution—More Bones of
Contention.
London, August 3. —Telegrams from
Oldham announce the strike almost
univeral. Eighteen thousand opera
tives idle. Tne feeling against employ
ers is very bitter.
Nothing public or current here con
cerning the steamship Faraday. No
papers except the Shipping Gazette an
nounced her arrival at Deal. Inquiry
fails to develop information negativing
the strong probability that the Faraday
has failed to repair the direct cable as
heretofore rumored in London.
A special dispatch from Madrid to
the Times says Alfonsist troops con
tinue successful in their operations
against the Carlists. Several impor
rant victories were gained last week.
The Carlist forces are evidently ap-
proaching a dissolution.
Oen. Lizzaran, with 3,000 Carlists, is
in the citadel at Sea De Urgel.
Spanish funds have riseu, owing to
the improved prospect.
The projected constitution declares
the State religion to be Roman Catho
lic. The nation is obliged to maintain
its worship and its ministers, but
nobody shall be molested in
Spanish territory for religious opinions
or in exercise of their respective wor
ships, as long as respect due to a
Christian morality is paid. Neverthe
less other public ceremonies or demon
strations than those of the State re
ligion are prohibited. Canovas del
Castieldo, President of the Constitu
tional Committee, declares the mean
ing of this to be that Protestants may
have churches with open doors and
celebrate worship inside, but there
must be no manifestations in the street.
It is believed that the Cortes will be
summoned to meet soon, when the pro
posed constitution will be submitted
thereto. Consequently political agita
tion is recommencing.
Route of Cai-list Forces—An English
Review of the Breadstuff’s Market.
Madrid, August 3.—An official dis
patch announces that General VVeiler
has routed tho Carlists under Saballs
and other leaders in Catalonia. The
Carlist General Dorregaray is at Borga,
in the Province of Barcelona.
London, August 3. —The Mark Lane
Express, in its weekly review of
the corn trade, says: “The cereal
crop just reaching maturity has been
saved by fine weather. We may yet
have a moderate harvest in good,
order. The upward movement has
stopped, and prices have relapsed,
partly in consequence of foreign ar
rivals which are unusually free, but
current rates scarcely reach the aver
age, and are little below those of
last year. Harvest in France is pro
gressing rapidly, but general reports
indicate less thau a fair average yield,
although in Palis and Marseilles prices
have fallen two shillings. The Belgian
and German markets show similar
changes. Oflicial accounts of the crops
in Austria and Hungary show there is
more likelihood of a deficiency thau a
surplus.”
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Mexican Claim Dismissed—Yellow’
Fever Bulletin.
Washington, August 3. —The Mexi
can Mixed Commission case, Bernar
dino and Francisco Garcia Nurguerzo
vs. the United States, was dismissed by
the umpire. This was a claim arising
out of the pillage and destruction of a
stock of merchandise in the town of
Bagdad, Mexico, January sth, 1866.
The town had been in the occupation
of the French, when, on the morning in
question, an attack was made and the
town captured by a force organized in,
and starting from, the United States.
Whereupon the town was pillaged.
It was claimed by Mexico that the
force was composed of United States
soldiers, and that the United States
should have prevented the expedition
from starting, aud not having done so
the United States was responsible. The
umpire holds that, though the expedi
tion was organized in American terri
tory, it was organized under the direc
tion of Gen. Escabedo, of the Mexican
army, and other commissioned Mexi
can officers; and that there was no
lack of due diligeuce on the part of the
United States in preventing its starting,
and that Mexico, and uot the United
States, is responsible for the acts of
the capturing force.
The following telegram was received
to-day :
Fort Barrancas, Aug. 3.
To the Surgeon General of the United
States Army:
No new case since my report of yes
terday. Two deaths. Dr. Sternberg is
doing splendidly and we think he will
recover. No new case from Fort
Pickens for eight days.
I Signed] J. M. Brannon,
Bv’t Maj. Gen. U. S. A.
No public business was transacted
to-day.
FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
Australian New r s—The Celebration of
O’Connell’s Centenary—Marine Dis
asters—Moody aud San key.
San Francisco, August 3. —Arrived,
the steamship Mikado, from Mel
bourne.
The O’Connell centenary was to be
celebrated.
The Chinese difficulty in the colony
of Queensland was assuming formid
able proportions. Miners are greatly
opposed to the presence of Chinese in
the colony.
Fearful gales have prevailed on the
coast of New Zealand, and many ma
rine disasters are reported. The schoo
ner Success, of Auckland, was lost in
Cook’s Straits, with all on board.
Dunedin, of New Zealand, has de
cided to offer engagements to Moody
and Sankey.
MRS. ANDREW JOHNSON.
She is not Expected to Survive her
Husband’s Death.
Greenville, August 3.—Mr. Johnson’s
children attended the funeral except
Mrs. Brown, who remains with her
mother, who it is feared will not long
survive the shock of Mr. Johnson’s
death. The coffin bears a silver plate
with this inscription : “Andrew John
son, aged 67.
m
Minor Telegrams.
Cincinnati, August 3. — Robert A.
McFarland, financial editor of the En
quirer, died last night.
St. Louis, August 3.—Avery plead
pot guilty to three indictments. He has
uot yet given bond,
FROM NEW YORK.
More “True Inwardness’’—Death of
Alexander Hamilton—Duncan, Sher
man & Cos. Striving to Protect Confid
ing Tourists.
New York, August 3. —Tilton’s law
yers have served notice of anew trial
on Beecher’s lawyers.
Alexander Hamilton, the son of the
great statesman, is dead, aged 90.
The Tribune says : Information was
obtained yesterday from an intimate
friend of Duncan, Sherman & Cos., that
arrangements have been in progress
for several days to secure all their
creditors who are traveling abroad
with letters of credit and circular
notes for which they already have
paid for iu cash, and who have been
unable to use them since the failure of
the firm. Alexander Duncan, of Scot
land, father of Wm. B. Duncan, has
offered to guarantee these credits, if'
the Union Bank, or some other institu
tion iu London, will undertake pay-1
ments. It is believed that final ar
rangements for this purpose will be
consummated to-day. Even if the
present plan should fail, some other
arrangement will be made by which
the desired object will be attained, and
all further inconvenience to persons
t raveling abroad on the credit of Dun
can, Sherman & Cos. will be removed.”
Tilton’s Lawyers Say— More
Edges and Caves of Gloom
for Beecher.
Mr. Morris, counsel of Tilton, says un
doubtedly the new trial will be short as
they propose now to try Beecher for
adultery as he has been tried on several
outside collateral matters. He says
there is testimony of great importance
which will materially alter the com
plexion of things and which will prove
Beecher guilty. Gen. Pryor says three
leading witnesses for Tilton in the next
trial will be Lees, the druggist, Henry
C. Bowen and Joseph Richards, Mrs.
Tilton’s brother.
Gov. Tilden and the Swindling Canal
Contractors.
Albany, August 3. —The first report
of the Governor’s Canal Investigating
Commission relates mainly to Denison’s
contract between Fort Schuyler and
the lower Mohawk aqueduct, on which
more than $400,000 have been paid for
work contracted to have been done for
less than SBO,OOO.
In this report the commission havo
developed a profligate system, upon
which extraordinary repairs have been
made for the last eight or ten years
throughout the eastern division of the
canals. It is understood that the re
port will be followed by a succession
of reports on other contracts, as fast
as they can be put into form, and that
the suits to be brought by the Attor
ney General against, Denison, Belding
Sc Cos. are based upon facts set forth in
this report.
THE BALLOONATICS.
“Wliat are the Wild Waves Saying?”
Chicago, August 3. —A bottle, with the
following card, was picked up on the
lake shore: July 16, 2 a. m., we can
not stay up more than an hour longer,
as the gas is rapidly escaping. N. S. G.
This date is that of the night on which
the balloon sailed.
LETTER FROM PORTSMOUTH.
A Gross Outrage on a Pullman Car—
A White Lady With a Sick Child In
sulted by a Conductor—Civil eights
With a Vengeance.
[Special Correspondence Constitutionalist.)
Portsmouth, Va., July 30.
The meanest, most despicable trans
action that has come to the knowledge
of your correspondent since Milroy
left Winchester is the following: Soon
after the 4:15 p, m. train left Augusta
over the C., C. & A. R. R., your corres
pondent discovered on board a Georgia
lady with three small children, going to
New York. As night came on she and
others engaged bunks in the Pullman
sleeping car attached to the train, and
managed by a conductor who is a white
man with a black heart, as the sequel
will show. Soon her children were laid
in the bunk, but the mother seemed
anxious and watchful, and did not re
tire but occupied a seat in rear of the
bunk in which the children lay, watch
ing them, saying to another person on
board that one of her children was sick,
and she did not intend to lie down, but
would sit up. About 10 o’clock the
aforesaid conductor passed through the
train, and finding the lady on the seat,
said to her, that she could have the
bunk if she wished, but that if she sat
there on the seat should have to pay
for it whether she used it or not. To
this the lady and a gentleman on board
replied that one of her children was sick,
that she did wish to lie down and
would be glad if she was allowed a
seat by her sick child until morniug.
Her request was refused, and she was
notified to pay two dollars or vacate.
This was said in the hearing of the
other lady, who could stand it no
longer, and made some remark, such
as that this looked like negro-ridden
South Carolina. Whereupon the afore
said conductor retired to the vestibule
of the car, aud in a few moments a
black buck nigger came in to say to
the lady that she could not “hab dat
dare bunk dis time,” as he was going
to sleep there himself, withdrawing with
such pomposity as Cuffee only could do.
Soon the porter of the train arranged the
bunk and black buck returned, shucked
his boots and pants and turned in. This
outrage was done to insult the
Georgia lady who made the remark as
to South Carolina being nigger-ridden,
the said bunk being opposite her own.
She, however, managed to exchange
for one further up. The two ladies
having now their blood up gave the
said conductor a full benefit of their
opinion of such contemptible conduct.
He stood very near for some time
listening, but they concluded to pour
hot shot into him, when that worthy
not being able to stand it any longer
called to the gentleman and said pri
vately to him that the ladies must hush
their talk—that it disturbed the other
pasengers. The gentleman replied
that if he (the conductor) would leave
and cease to eavesdrop the ladies, and
remove himself far enough to allow
them to be quiet, that there would
be no further talk or trouble; which
being done, proved correct.
Your correspondent will ask two
questions and close; Ought not the
newspaper press hand around the afore
said conductor? And ought not South
ern Railroads remove Pullman Sleep
ing cars from off their lines? The said
conductor asserted that he was a Vir
ginian and true to the South. But
your correspondent felt that to say so
by such a person was an insult to the
grand old State. Cos. A.
New moon visjble last night,
LETTER FROM ATHENS.
UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT.
| On the Road—No Great Crow d—Un
limited Hacks—Hotel Accommoda
tions—The University and its Great
Need—Gov. Smith’s Views—Sopho
phomore Day—Declamation.
[Special Correspondence Constitutionalist. ]
Athens, Ga., August 2, 1875.
Although a night ride from Augusta
to the classic city of Georgia is not al
together pleasant, still if one will take
a berth in a sleeping car he will arrive
at 6:30 a. in., not too much fatigued to
enter upon the business and the enjoy
ments of the day.
Newspaper dispatches had led me
to suppose that trains coming in
this direction were filled with passen
gers, and that the hotel here was
crowded to i u(location. The fact was
that only three of us weie on board
from Augusta, and at Union Point our
| party was joined by seven or eight
| citizens of Atlanta. When we reached
1 the depot at Athens there was upon au
| average of one passenger to eacn hack
in readiness to carry us up town. In
the supply of hacks this Comtneuce
tnent is a complete success, if nothing
else. There was no trouble in finding
accommodations at the hotel, and the
greatest abundance of provisions upon
its table, consisting of those purely
country articles which a citizen of a
city occasionally enjoys so well.
The University.
Your modern readers are perhaps
familiar with the history of the rise
and progress of the University, from
whose walls so many Georgia youths
had gone forth to fill the world with
their fame. The idea was born in the
brain of John Milledgo at the begin
ning of this century, who located it
here on the headwaters of the Oconee
and gave to the town the name of the
Greek City, so celebrated in song, in
story and history. As we look upon it
to-day by contrast with the Universi
ties of almost all the States of the mid
dle and northern, latitudes it suffers by
the comparison.
Whilst progress in the architecture
of its buildings has been slow, there
have been some wholesome changes
and real revolutions in the mode and
manner of teaching. The establish
ment of the Agricultural Department
was a masterly stroke, approved by
the people, as is amply shown in the
number of students in attendance.
Whilst this is true of that division, the
Literary departments are either at a
stand still or on the retrograde. Your
paper proposed the selection of a great
man, whose very name would arouse
the University and fill its halls with
boys from all quarters of tho South,
but the Board of Trustees have reject
ed the idea uud re-elected Chancellor
Tucker, lie is now our Chancellor, and,
as good and loyal citizens, we must
give him our support and not relax the
all-important influence of the press in
sustaining this great institution.
With Gov. Smith.
Almost the first gentleman I met this
morning was the enlightened Governor
of Georgia and ex-officio President of
the Board of Trustees. He is a man
of progress, and therefore an advocate
of many revolutionary measures for the
advancement of the University. One
of these ideas is the reduction of the
Board from thirty-two, its present num
ber, to three active energetic members
who can and will instantaneously act
upon every emergency the day it arises.
The present number is so large that it
is cumbersome, unwieldy and impossi
ble to gather into a quorum more than
once a year. There are many other
changes he wishes to make, all looking
to the making of the institution wholly
modern, and he perfectly agrees with
you in strengthening the ability of the
Faculty.
Sophomore Day.
The ringing of a bell in the chapel
was the signal for all strangers to unan
imously move towards the Campus and
into the building. The room was clev
erly full, but not at all crowded.
Promptly at 10:30 o’clock the Trustees,
headed by Dr. Tucker, marched through
the aisles and mounted the platform.
Among the number on the stage I no
ticed Gov. Smith, Senator Gordon, ex-
Gov. Brown, Representative-elect Cand
ler, Judge Vasou, Treasurer Jack Jones,
Mark A. Cooper, Gen. Evans, Gen. Law
ton, Ben Yancey and Sam Hall.
The Chancellor introduced General
Evans, of our city, who offered up a
short prayer to the Throne of Grace.
Sophomore Declamation.
Senator Gordon has two sons in the
University. The first effort made this
morning was by his son F. H., who re
peated an oration someone had pro
nounced upon Lafayette. He spoke
only moderately well and among his
audience he had no more attentive lis
tener than the famous Leopard of the
army of Northern Virginia, his father.
Then stepped forth young Philip
Cook, a manly boy, who delivered
Emmett’s famous speech to his Judges,
excellently well. We next had C. M.,
the son of the Representative elect of
the Atlanta District, C. M. Candler.
He was followed by W. M. Howard, of
British Honduras, who was received
with applause by the audience, and
who repeated the speech S. S. Pren
tiss made in the Louisville Court House
in defence of a Mississippian who had
killed two tailors in a fight there forty
years ago. It was a plain case of mur
der but Prentiss cleared the man by
sheer force of that eloquence Clay said
he had never heard equaled.
W. E. Dozier, of Troup county, was
introduced, ami spoke “.South Carolina
during the Revolution.” W. H. Thomp
son, of Gainesville, delivered an ex
tract from Webster’s Reply to Hayne
in splendid style. He was the finest
looking young man who appeared upon
the platform during the day, and men
around me during his speaking pre
dicted a distinguished future for him.
The next remarkable effort was that
of D. P. Hill, of Atlanta, who spoke and
acted the Rum Maniac in a manner
that would have elicited applause in a
critical audience of theatre-goers.
The speaking was concluded by J. G.
Zaehry, of Rockdale county, the son of
Gea. Zaehry. He perhaps made the
mast eloquent effort of the morning.
Other speeches were made, but I must
hasten along or else become prosy. I
must not, however, omit to mention
W.I. Rhodes, of our own county of
Richmond, who repeated “Regqlus to
the Carthaginians” in fine style.
The First Commencement, June, 1804.
Mr. Carlton, editor of the Athens
Northeast Georgian, while delving in
the archives of the University, came
across a file of the Augusta Chronicle
of June 3d, 1804, from which he made
the following extract, which he has
kindly furnished me in advance of pub
lication in his own paper:
[From the Augusta Chronicle, Juno 23, 1304]
THE FIRST COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNI
VERSITY OF GEORGIA.
Athens, Saturday, June 2d, 1804.
Qa Wednesday last a Board of the
Trustees of the University of the State
met in this place, and at noon attended
with a large number of citizens, to hear
a sermon addressed by appointment,
by the Rev. Robert M. Cunningham, to
the candidates for degrees.
In this discourse the most important
moral and religious duties were ably
pointed out, and the observance and
fulfilment of them strongly and firmly
recommended and enforced. The board
has ordered this discourse to be printed
and published.
In the evening the board attended
the exercises of the junior students in
public speaking, and expressed their
approbation of their performances.
On Thursday, the day of our first
Commencement, a proeessiou was form
ed under the direction of the Sheriff of
tho county, and proceeded from the
college to a stage under a spacious
arbor, in the following order, viz: The
Freshman, Sophomore and Junior
classes, followed by the candidates, the
executive authority of the University,
the members of the Board of Trustees,
consisting of his Excellency Governor
Milledge, Gen. Clarke, Rev. Mr. Cun
ningham. Col. O’Neal, Gen. Stewart,
Gen. Mitchell, Rev. Mr. Hull and Col.
Carnes, several members of the Board
of Visitors, and other respectable citi
zens.
After sacred music, w’ith prayer, by
the Rev. Mr. Marshall, the academic
exercises of the day were performed iu
tho following order:
1. A Latin Salutatory oration, by Wm.
H. Jackson.
2. An English oration in praise of
Freedom, and descriptive of the supe
rior advantages possessed by the
United States over the Governments
of Europe, by Jeptha V. Harris.
3. Au oration in praise of Virtue, and
on the necessity of recommending it by
example, by Thomas Irwiu.
4. An English poetic oration, descrip
tive of the ferocity of the original pos
sessors of this country—contrasting its
present with its former situation ; and
predicting its future glory and pros
perity, by Augustin S. Clayton.
5. A humorous dialogue, by W.
Williamson, W. H. Jackson and J. V.
Harris.
6. An oration exciting to gratitude
for the aid of France during the Revo
lutionary war, and on the advantages
to bo expected from the cession of
Louisiana, by James W. D. Jackson.
7. An oration on the Dignity of Man,
and recommending the encouragement
of agriculture, and of arts and sciences,
by Robert Rutherford.
8. An oration in praise of Represent
ative Government, and on the necessi
ty of a general diffusion of knowledge
for its establishment and continuance,
by William Williamson.
9. A humorous dialogue, by J. Erwin,
J. W. D. Jackson, R. Rutherford and A.
S. Clayton.
10. An English oration, by Ebenezer
H. Cummings, A. 8., of Hampden Syd
ney College in Virginia.
11. The valedictory English oration,
describing tho baneful effects of super
stition and religious intolerance, and
the prospect of a more happy anti im
proved state of society, from the en
couragement of good education and
liberal principles, concluding with affec
tionate and respectful addresses to his
class, to the junior classes, to the ex
ecutive authority of the State and to
the Board of Trustees.
The President, with tho public con
sent of the Board, conferred, in the
usual form, the degree of Bachelor of
Arts on the following young gentle
men, all alumni of this University, viz :
Gibson Clarke, of Elbert county.
Augustin S. Clayton, of Richmond.
Jeptha V. Harris, of Greene.
Thomas Irwin, of Washington.
Jared Irwin, of Washington.
Wm. H. Jackson, of Chatham.
J. W. D. Jackson, of Chatham.
Robert Rutherford, of Washington.
Wm. Williamson, of Wilkes.
Mr. Ebenezer H. Cummings, A. 8., of
Hampden Sydney; John Forsyth, A. M.,
of Princeton; and Elijah Clarke, A. B.;
Henry Meigs, A. M.; and Wm. Prince,
A. M., of Yale College, were respective
ly admitted ad eundem.
The public exercises of the day were
finished with sacred music, and a prayer
by the Rev. Mr. Hull.
The Board of Trustees have directed
that an order for an elegant philosoph
ical apparatus shall be immediately
forwarded to London. They have ap
pointed Addin Lewis, A. B. of Yale
College, Tutor in the University, with
a salary of $800; they have unani
mously resolved that the salary of the
President shall be $2,000 ; they have
ordered a spacious building to be erec
ted for the purpose of a Grammar and
English school, and have resolved that
the salary of its master shall be S6OO.
A respectable number of the board
of visitors attended the public exer
cises. A numerous audience paid the
most decent and pointed attention; and
scarcely a symptom of riot or disorder
appeared during the whole period of
the public transactions.
When the difficulties and embarrass
ments which this institution has en
countered are candidly considered, and
its present progress is compared with
that of similar institutions in our coun
try in their early days, we are confident
that the minds of all good men will
rejoice in the rational hope that the
patriotic and virtuous intentions of its
first patrons and foundeis, of whom
many are now mingled with the dead,
will not bo lost.
At Night—Debate Between the Socie
ties.
The rather dull aud monotonous exer
cises of the day were brought to a glori
ous termination by a debate in the
chapel between the societies, and a
full audience, which exhibited every
mark of the highest appreciation and
interest.
Senator Gordon acted as Chairman
aud Judge, and at 8 o’clock ascended
the platform at the head of the six de
baters—three from the Demosthenian
and three from tho Phi Kappa. One of
the young gentlemen announced the
question :
“Would it be expedient, for the United
States as States to a<k>pt a compulsory
system of education.
On the Affirmative— P. A. Stovall, of
Augusta, li. M. Hodge, of Houston
county and Lott Warren, of Americus.
The Negative— F. li. Clark, of Augusta,
J. T. Graves, of Leesburg, Lee county,
and J. H. Lumpkin, of Athens.
Each speaker was allowed fifteen
minutes with three minutes grace.
Mr. Stovall had the floor. He led
off in a style which at once attracted
the attention of the audience, and
aroused the deepest interest in the
subject, and convinced every one that
a rich treat was in immediate store.
Mr. S. is a rapitl speaker, analytical,
never at a loss for an idea or language
to express it. It would, however, re
quire three or four columns to present
the ideas advanoed on either side, and
I will not do so.
He was followed by Mr. Clark, of
Augusta, who made a very able argu
ment, and he, by Mr. Hodge, of Hous
ton, who, I am told, is one of the most
promising young men at the Univer
sity.
The speech of the debate and the
night if not of the whole Commence
ment was made by J. T. Graves. This
young man has the blood of John C.
Calhouu in his veins, being a direct de
scendant of his brother, familiarly
known as “stuttering Billy Calhoun.”
He electrified the house. He astonish
ed those of us somewhat accustomed
to listen to the great men of our State
and country.
There were many characteristics in
his delivery of his illustrious ancestor.
His delivery was rapid, his mind ana
lytical, whilst his language flowed like
a fresh, limpid mountain brook. I
doubt if there was a man among his
listeners, and they included a loug list
of Congressmen, Judges, members of
the Legislature and the Bar, who could
make a more masterly effort after one
week’s preparation. The country will
hear from that boy one of these days.
If he lives and struggles he will be a
statesman.
Lott Warren, of Americus, and J. H.
Lumpkin, of Athens, rose to almost the
truest eloquence. It was refreshing to
hear these young men fresh from the
classics. Their metaphors and similes,
whilst as pure as Bessamer steel, had
the additional charm of the interpola
tion of the ideas and the language of
the great masters of old.
Tlie Decision.
The debate lasted exactly one hun
dred and eight minutes, at the conclu
sion of which Senator Gordon rose
from his place on the right of the plat
form and acknowledged that lie had
never heard such efforts in his life. He
told the young men and the audience
that lie kuew the country would hear
from them again, and otherwise spoke
of them in the most complimentary
terms. He gave his decision for the
negative, but the young men of the
affirmative had the satisfaction of
hearing a great many say they differed
with the Senator.
Foot Notes.
The address before the Societies will
be delivered this afternoon by Mr. Van
Epps. To-morrow is Commencement
proper.
To-morrow night the whole occasion
will wind up with a grand fancy dress
ball at Dupree’s Hall.
James Jackson was the orator elect
of the Alumni, but Governor Smith
gave him a peremptory order to go to
Atlanta and take his seat on the Su
premo Bench. The newly appointed
Judge somewhat demurred, but the
Governor ended the matter by telling
him ho must report immediately or he
would rescind the appointment.
As telegraphed you last night the
old Faculty was re-elected throughout.
There were many objections raised to
some of the Professors, but no well or
ganized opposition, and no Gen. Jack
son on tlie ground to illustrate his im
mortal motto. “ Desperate courage
makes one a majority.”
Jean Valjean.
A SPORTING QUARREL.
WHY UEOIIUE WILiKJsiM ATTACK
ED McGRATH.
Gambling in its Relation to the Turf—
Wealth and Avarice of Leading Sport
ing Men—“Gath” Gives an Inside
View of the Ring.
[Philadelphia Times,]
Saratoga, July 27.—The attack made
a few days ago by Price McGrath, of
Kentucky, upon George Wilkes, editor
of a sporting paper founded by him in
1856, was in itself a trivial incident.—
The attack was slight, the resistence
was more effective than the attack,
both men walked away unscratched
and the principal bruises were in the
unpleasant notoriety, for Saratoga is a
well-bred Summer resort. Drunken
ness is almost unknown, fighting is
quite unknown. It is the issue be
tween professional gaming men and
the rich amateurs of the turf that is
incidentally to be pressed on this fight
wherein is consequence. The turf in
America has been twice or thrice in a
flourishing condition, but invariably an
incursion of gamblers has robbed it of
respectability. They broke up racing
at Berkeley/the Sweet and other Vir
ginia springs ; they made disreputable
the Washington race course, where Sir
Charles and Eclipse brought together
the greatest crowd ever seen in Ameri
ca in the time of John Quincy Adams ;
they closed the great careers of Flora
Temple and George M. Patcheu by as
sailing the latter horse on Suffolk track,
Philadelphia ; they have disgraced the
Long Island courses, and have well
nigh extinguished the reputation of
Monmouth Park already.
Racing without betting is almost ab
surd ; the whole world has attached a
prize to every race from tho time of
the Olympian games ; no law can be
framed to prevent collateral private
wagering; the introduction of pool
selling and of “mutual pools,” on the
French plan, has been in the interests
of order rather than of disorder. Field
pools were first sold at Lexington by
Dr. Underwood to prevent fighting over
the adjudication of stakes held by pri
vate parties, nor have we ever had
fighting over pools in America; the
auction block has superseded hallooing
and haggling, and the tender of odds
or even in sight of the audience. The
light between Wilkes and McGrath is
the fruit of the first public charge yet
made that the horses, not the pools,
are manipulated by the owners, and
that the owners of such horses, having
been public faro gamblers, are just as
apt to rob with horses as with dice.
Wilkes charges that McGrath, with the
best stable in America, ran his horses
victoriously all the fore part of a sea
son in order to have his horses backed
by the multitude, and that he then ar
ranged for them to lose in order to
rake in the odds. He privately charges
that Tom Bowling was weighted
with a bucket of .water two years
ago and made to lose, and that Aris
tides, a fortnight ago, was doctored in
the same way, and her owner, betting
privately against her, won enormous
sums of money in the pools, Mr.
Wilkes adduces no evidence for either
charge, except his belief, which he
founds upon the previous reputation of
McGrath as a faro gambler. Men of
the turf do not generally indorse
Wilkes’ opinion, and ascribe it to an
old contention between Wilkes’ and
McGrath’s ex-associate, the well-known
gambler, Chamberlaine, But the
oharge is annoying to the rich turf
amateurs like Belmont, Lorrillard,
Sanford and Doswell, who have expend
ed and lost largo sums in improving
the thoroughbred stock of the coun
try, and receive little else in return
than a fair racing season. All these
men back their horses liberally; they
cannot be cheated, as their steeds must
be beaten to make them lose; if the
best horse is compelled to lose by ma
nipulation the great rabble of betting
gentry is depleted in pocket—that rnot-
JNew Series—\ r ol. 8. !No.
ly crowd of liverymen, young heirs,
jockeys and “sports” which follows the
auctioneer and his bids on the pools.
But the amateur gentry apprehend
that they are approaching the place
where they must investigate the limi
tations of gambling as it is related to
the turf.
I will go back a few years to explain
the complications of McGrath’s assault
on Wilkes.
The American turf was almost extinct
at the close of the war. There were
some good colts and sires in the coun
try, but all the fine animals had been
killed or run down in the conflict. A
number of gentlemen in New York,
chief of whom were the brokers, Tra
vers, Jerome and Belmont, began to
import thoroughbreds and establish
breeding farms. This horse stock
grows rapidly, and the higher demands
of agriculture made it very valuable.
From caprice, or taste, or commerce,
many new men went upon the turf.
Long Island, northern New Jersey,
eastern Pennsylvania and the blue
grass region of Kentucky were sprink
led with training courses, brood mare
stables and stock farms. Mr, Belmont
has spent $30,000 upon a private track
alone. The sum of SIO,OOO has fre
quently been paid for a race horse in the
past ten years. Kentuckians, Virginians,
New Yorkers, Missourians and Ala
bamians compete together upon the
annual summer courses of the North,
at Jerome Park, Pimlico, Saratoga,
Lexington, Louisville and Long Branch,
and it is claimed that $1,000,000 were
invested last year in pools at Saratoga,
while the premiums and sweepstakes
amounted to $45,000. A great winner
is put in the stud as soon as he is dis
abled and made anew source of profit,
so that there are three chances on the
turf: the prize, betting and breedin ■.
You will find in the same coterie on
race day at Saratoga the banker, Bel
mont; the cotton manufacturer, San
ford; the hemp merchant, McGrath;
the ex-slave dealer, McDaniel; the to
bacco merchant, Lorillard; Morgan, the
brother of the guerilla; the son of
General Harney; Cammaek, the broker,
and two or three regular gamesters.
Jerome Park is the great metropoli
tan course of the North ; it was prece
ded in point of time by the Saratoga
Park, of which John Morrissey and
the broker Travers —a son-in-law of
Reverdy Johnson —got control. Mor
rissey’s rival as a gamester was
Chamberlaine, who made a rival course
at Long Branch. These men were
inimical to each other. During the
war, when the profits of gambling were
enormous, Morrissey, Chamberlaine
and McGrath had been partners ; after
the war they separated, and McGrath
went into business with Chamberlaine.
Morrissey erected a great hotel club at
Saratoga, kept off the turf personally,
gained the confidence of the resident
people, and prospered. Chamberlaine
erected a similar club at Long Branch,
took control of the course and went on
the turf, which he knew nothing about.
McGrath was an old turfman, and
speedily raised a magnificent stock
farm in Kentucky, and turned into that
investment the profits on hemp and
faro. The turf grew, until it has come
to comprise above 300 racing horses,
worth probably $1,000,000. Around it
have grown up a literature of sporting
weeklies, stud books and racing diaries,
and it may be said to have eclipsed
yatching and to be the aristocratic
brother of base ball as the national
sport.
George Wilkes was the proprietor of
the senior sporting paper among half a
dozen published in the city of New
York. He is a betting man in politics,
but does not game at cards, aud he
took an aggressive position soon after
the revival of the Northern turf on the
propriety of men who gambled profes
sionally entering horses for these lead
ing races. Two years ago his turf re
porter, a young Englishman from Ep
som, alleged that McGrath’s horse,
Tom Bowling, had been given a flying
start on Chamberlain’s course as a
gambling trick. Chamberlaine took
occasion to tear the free badge off
Wilkes’ reporter. At once Wilkes pub
lished a series of articles ou Chamber
laine —domestic, personal and fierce—
which resulted in an indictment for
libel. The sui was compromised, and
the quarrel did not break out again
until a fortuight ago, when McGrath’s
brilliant career of the season was sud
denly stopped, and his favorite lost im
portant races. Wilkes returned to the
attack, coupled McGrath with Cham
berlaine, accused them both of play
ing false cards aud selling races,
and being no better than high
way robbers. Wilkes came to Saratoga
as soon as he made this attack; in due
time McGrath followed; they stopped
at the same hotel. The next morning,
after McGrath's arrival, occurred the
brief and bloodless collision I have
mentioned. Next day Mr. McGrath,
disappointed in the result of his shindy,
had Wilkes indited for libel in accusing
him of selling a race, with damages
claimed at $25,000. McGrath was also
bound over to keep the peace, If this
suit is ever tried, and there be anything
iri Wilkes’ charges, we shall have the
first investigation of the Northern turf.
McGrath says he only attacked Wilkes
because he would have been afraid to
present himself in Kentucky after such
charges without striking a blow for
himself. He sajs his horses were ruu
to pieces before Aristides 'essayed the
final trial at the Branch, and their fail
ure here indicated that they were
broken up.
Price McGrath is 61 years of age,
the head of the turf iu Kentucky and
a bluff, giizzled, shrewd man of the
world. He has won ou his victories
this year about $50,000. Every one of
these turfmen, higli and low, bet money,
aud I do not know that it is considered
unprofessional to “hedge” against one’s
own horse. For instance, if a man
knows his horse is broken, and still be
ing entered for the race the public de
mand the horse to run, should tho
owner decline to avail himself of the
knowledge ? As I never bet, Ido not
know. But what is betting but advan
tage ? The turf ought to maintain itself
without all these gambling accessories,
but as it never did it probably never
will. The speed of our native thorough
breds is steadily increasing ; they are
said to beat the best English time.
This year an almost unknown horse,
Grinstead, ran down Springbok, the fa
vorite from last year, and McDaniel’s
stable loses its superstition.
A newly-arrived family was lately
gazing at a shop window in llockport,
111. Little girl—“Oh, mamma, is that
a s en?” Mamma—“No, my child, that
is a howl.” Father—“No, my wife and
daughter; that is noither a *en or a
howl, bqfc it is a heagle, the hemblem of
this blarsted country!”
When a Duluth woman wants to know
why in the biases her husband didn’t
order the wood, he looks at her in a
chilling, dignified way and replies: ‘ I
do not wish to go to the Black Hills,
but do not press me—do not arouse the
tiger 1”