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Old Series—VoL 25, No. 122. THE CONSTITUTIONALIST. Jau G. Bailie, Francis Cogin, Geo. T. Jackson, PROPRIETORS. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Daily, one year SlO 00 t; months 6 oc 3 months 2 5o Tri-Weekly, one year 6 00 " t> months 250 Weekly, one your 2 oo “ fi months ion Single copies, 5 cents. r lo news dealers, 2% cents. On and after this date (April 21, 1875 J all editions of the Constitutionalist will be sent free of postage. Subscriptions must in all cases be paid in advance. The paper will be discontinued at the expiration of the time paid for. Advertisements must be paid for when hand ed in, unless otherwise stipulated. Correspondence invited from all sources, and valuable special news paid for if used. Rejected communications will not be return ed, and no notice taken of anonymous commu 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”