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About Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877 | View Entire Issue (May 9, 1866)
tUccklg Constitutionalist. BY STOCKTON & CO, OUR TERMS. The following are the rates of Subscription and Ad vertising in the Cosstitijtm?salist : "Weekly— 3 Months. $ 75 6 Months 1 50 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS: $1 per Square for Ist insertion, and 75 cents for each additional time. Special Notices will be charged 25 per cent, on the above rates. The European Drama. napoleon’s preparations. 1 Paris (April 7) Correspondence of London Times. It is announced that Marshal Niel, who com mands one of the great military divisions of France, has been in Paris for some days, incog nito, and has had several interviews with the Emperor. The inference drawn from this is, that if war breaks out between Prussia and .1 tw in's, a corps of observation would be formed qn the Rhine , and that Marshal Neil would have the command of it. You may not have forgot ten that it was Marshal Niel who was sent to Turin some months before the commencement, oi the Italian war to demand the hand of the Princess Clotilde for Prince Napoleon, the other object of his mission being to prepare with the Piedmontese Government for the great events that were then expected. TRENCH REPORT OP THE WAR PREPARATIONS OF AUSTRIA. [ Paris (April 10) Correspondence of London Times. A correspondence from Berlin, quoted in the Journal dts Debits, evidently to justify M. Bis mark’s Warlike policy, speaks ot an Annexe to that minister's circular dispatch containing de tails of the preparations of Austria for a great war. According to that document the coun cils of marshals, tinder the presidency of the Emperor, began to sit on the 7th of March, when they resolved to reinforce all the branches ot the service, so as to place the army, m a very short time, on a complete war footing ; while at the same time the Government forbade the press to speak about the movement of the troops. All the arsenals and military work shops have been, and now are, in full activity. The service of the military post has been reor ganized, and Government agents are buying up horses everywhere in Hungary and Croatia. Numbers of military surgeons have been ap pointed. The railroad directors have orders to be ready at the shortest notice to transport all the troops the military authorities may think proper to move, and to take measures that the communications on the lines connecting Bohe mia and Moravia on the one hand, and Moravia and Galicia on the other, shall suffer no inter ruption. The colonels have been ordered to concentrate their regiments on points close to the railroad stations, that there may be no de lay whatever in sending the men off. The greatest part of the reserves of the Imperial army have been called out. The disposable corps of Galicia have been sent to Cracow and into Austrian Silesia, and those of Hungary and Croatia into Bohemia and Moravia by the Northern Austrian railway. All soldiers on furlough have been ordered up to the chief towns of their respective districts, to he armed and to join their regiments. The Annexe enumerates the Austrian regi ments which have already received their com plement, or those which have already marched to the frontier, or, having terminated their pre parations, were hourly expecting orders to move. For instance, the Martini regiment, in garrison at Prague, has been completed, the regiment of the Duke of Wurtcmbcrg, also com pleted, has been sent to Triebau, in Bohemia. The regiments of Hesse and Belgium, forming thp Yellow and Black brigade, the Ninth ehas sieurs and the Second brigade of cavalry have ill got their reserves and were ready to march from Vicnnato Bohemia. The Scbmerjing regi ment has moved from Lemberg to Cracow, where throe regiments of hussars, detached from the corps of Galicia, were expected soon to ar rive. A portion of the garrison of Buda and the Eighteenth regiment of infantry have marched to Bohemia, where the Radetsky hus sars, wiio were ordered fram Saltzburg, and the Hulans of Mensdort and of Charles 111., were to jo.n them. These Hulans were preparing to leave Transylvania, where the Clam Hulans only were to remain. All these corps are es teemed the very best of the Austrian army, and they are not inferior to the best regiments of Prussia. The Annexe contains other news relative to the arming of the forts of Bohemia and Mora via, where defensive preparations on a large scale are made, and to the movements of artil lery. The batteries of Karlstadt and Agram and those of Temesvar (Hungary) were collect ed at Wiener-Neustadt, whence they were to be forwarded, part to the fortresses in the north of the Empire, and part to thdrailroad stations nearest the frontier of Silesia. A vast quantity of munitions of war has been dispatched from the depots of Vienna into Bohemia, and the artillery of the Thomas Brigade of Tscharno witz scut by Lemberg to Cracow. Cracow it self is to be transformed into a vast place darmes, and the works necessary for that trans formation are already commenced. ACTION OF RUSSIA. It is believed that the Russian offer 'of me diation arrived too late. A telegram from Cracow announces that sev eral Russian staff officers have recently been in specting the line of the Gallacian frontier. It is stated that the two letters from the Czar, delivered by the Prussian General Richter, to she King of Prussia and the Emperor of Aus tria, are not identical in their contents. The letter to the King of Prussia is said to he ex pressed in more cordial terms than that to the Emperor of Austria, which is more exclusively of a formal character. Neither of the commu nications contains any offer of mediation ; both merely express a desire for the preservation of peace. [From the London Times, April 11. WHAT ENGLAND THINKS. The communications hitherto exchanged be tween Austria and Prussia must appear im mensely wide of the mark. On the only ques tion really of interest these documents observe in absolute silence. Neither Count Karolyi nor Count Bismark so much as mentions the name °* Schleswig or Holstein. For all that the w_orld can discern in the language or argument °f the notes, the difference between the two powers amounts to nothing but a vague and baseless sentiment of mutual distrust. Each ■ barges the other with assuming an attitude of hostility, and requests to know what such an attitude means, and how it can be justified.— Austria said that Prussia was calling out her •"oops, and yet laying all the blame of the pro reding on the Government of Vienna. Prussia retorted that Austria had taken the initiative in he armaments,and compelled her to follow the phd. But then Count Karolyi declared for the -niperor of Austria that lie had not the slight- P' intention of attacking Prussia, and Count i-mark, when thus challenged, replied that AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 9, 1866. the King of Prussia had not the remotest idea of hostilities against Austria. Though, howev er, in this reply Prussia had given the assurance which was asked for, it was not accepted as sat isfactory. Austria resumed the correspondence by asserting that Count Bismark had spoken of war as inevitable, and that the armaments of Austria had been occasioned by that declara tion. She alleged, too, that Prussia had been intriguing against her in Italy, and demanded that the Pussian armies should be forthwith placed upon a peace footing again, as evidence that no war was intended. This method of conducting the controversy suits the purpose of both sides, for neither chooses as yet to speak plainly about the true question at issue. The real bone of contention is Schleswig-Holstein, of which, while Austria holds one end and Prussia the other, Prussia desires all. Recent proceedings on the part of Count Bismark gave reasonable grounds for the suspicion that the Government of Berlin meditates tiie actual annexation of two duchies by some manoeuvre or other. The small force which now occupies Holstein on behalf of Austria could easily he overpowered by a Prussian army, and it was to meet this contin gency that Austria is said to have massed troops on the Eastern frontiers of Prussia. Prussia replied to this alleged menace by similar arma ments, and thus ensue 4 the position of aftiiirs which the two powers are now circuitously discussing. The true question is what Prussia is prepared to do in the Duchies, and what Austria is prepared to permit. So long as there, is no agreement on this question, and the con tingency of war is possible, the armaments on one side are just as justifiable as the, armaments on the other. If tiie two powers think ot fight ing, they are of course warranted in making timely preparations, though each is naturally dcsirious of throwing on the other the odium of the first blow. The present attitude of Austria, it must he owned, is strange enough to occasion some un feigned embarrassment at Berlin. Count Bis mark may naturally wonder that Austria, after going with him thus far, should now so posi tively refuse to go any further. He must have overshot the mark in pretension and menace. Otherwise Austria would never have turned round with the anger which not only her Gov ernment but her people are now displaying. It is probable that she suspected and disliked the policy of Prussia from the beginning; but after she had once embraced it and joined her arms with those of Prussia for the spoliation of Denmark, there could be in Count Bisraark’s eyes but one end to the transaction. If Schles wig and Holstein were to be wrested from the Danish crown, and yet not assigned under a new prinoe to the Germanic Confederation, they must devolve upon the conquering pow ers, and ultimately upon Prussia alone. It might suit the purpose of the moment to make a temporary partition of the plunder and divide the occupation of the Duchies between the two invading armies; but Austria wanted no terri tory in those regions, nor could Holstein be a desirable possession in her eyes. Sooner or later, as Count Bismark might fairly calculate, Austria would be willing to part with her share in the spoil, not, indeed, for nothing, hut for an equivalent in some shape or other. Nor would Prussia have been unreasonable at ttiis point of the business.— Count Bismark was ready to buy Austria out at a fair valuation. He offered between £7,000,000 and £8,000,000 in money, and would have been open to any other reasonable proposal in the way of barter or sale. But Austria has upset all these calculations. Whether she has at length determined to resist the aggrandizement of Prussia, or whether she has been incensed by the overbearing insolence of her rival, it is needless to conjecture; but now, at the eleventh hour, she has announced a policy which is fatal to the expectations of Prussia. She no longer admits that the Danish Duchies have lapsed, in default of lawful claimant, to the conquering Powers. She treats the question of succession as if it had been merely suspended, and con templates the possible establishment of certain pretensions to the title. Finally, she talks of referring the dispute to the tribunal provided by the Germanic constitution—that is, to that very Assembly tiie authority of which she com bined with Prussia at the outset Os this busi ness to repudiate. The question now is to what extremity the two powers are prepared to go in support of their respective demands. Briefly and plainly Prussia demands both Schleswig and Holstein for herself, being ready at the same time to pay an indemnity for the cession of Holstein. Aus tria demands the abandonment of these projects altogether, and transfer the Duchies to tiie Confederation for disposal or allotment. If Prussia yields this, she yields all; but it is not probable that Count Bismark is prepared for any such concession. His design was to ply Austria by a variety of measures at once, to lead her and drive her at the same time; to bribe her with one hand and threaten her with the other. But his threats were carried too far, and Austria, when menaced with war, sud denly accepted the issue. She could not at tempt to save her small army of occupation in Holstein, but she could threaten Silesia. So she concentrated her troops on the Prussian frontier, and then, when Prussia responded by similar concentrations, demanded to know the intentions of her antagonist. The Cabinet of Berlin replies as we now sec, and the two governments vie with each other in disclaiming any intention of aggression. In this disclaimer, as far as the letter of the protest goes, they are both sincere, for each desires to leave the other with the responsibility of commencing the war, if war there must be. But all this, however “ categorical!y” the notes may be framed, is empty talk. Sooner or later, either openly or covertly, a different question must he asked and answered, and that is, what Prussia intends 'to do with Schleswig and Holstein. At present Austria thinks that Prussia means to seize tiie Duchies by force, and she prepares force in return. Prussia, for the present, hesitates; but if Austria persists, the Court of Berlin must necessarily sacrifice either its ambitious projects or its hopes of peace. THE FINANCIAL SITUATION. [From the London Times (city article,) April 10.) The advices from Frankfort describe inces sant fluctuations on the Bourse during the past week or two. A fete days ago there was a com plete panic. Orders for sale came in on all sides. Next morning everything went in an opposite direction, and peaceable rumors from Berlin sent up Austrian stocks five per cent, in two days. Then came a sudden relapse, which was almost instantly followed by an improve ment. The final result is best illustrated by the fluctuation" 1 , of the five per cent Nationals. Before the war rumors the quotation was about 61; on Easter Sunday they were iw low as .>% and they closed on Saturday at Vienna currency went down from 115 to 10- ar ‘d i* now Notwithstanding a!! this alarm very few people, it is said, believed in ultimate war, provided the controversy should he re stricted to Austria and Prussia; but there was a general uneasiness that, after all, Biarritz might have been a second Plombleres, and this feeling was strengthened by tiie statement of the Paris Constitutionnel concerning French neutrality. The idea of Prussia attacking Aus- trta and the German Diet without being backed by Na/nileon, it is observed, “ was too incompatible with common sense to be readily credited. The apprehension that there might be an under standing with the French Emperor was tiie only reason for the state of alarm which has now subsided, but which might prevail at any moment as long as nothing definite is known about the intentions of France.” The amount of business transacted during the week was enormous. American bonds continue four per cent, below New York quotations in conse quence of the large speculative operations and the great mass of these bonds held by parties who have engaged for options. Money remains moderately easy, discount in the open market being at 4%. Several large firms in Vienna, the Anglo-Aus trian bank included, have advised their foreign correspondents not to draw any bills on them, as the Austrian bank declines to discount bills drawn on Vienna from abroad. The position of the Austrian bank continues to improve. The circulation is reduced to 325,987,972 florins, while the bullion amounts to 125,006,322 florius. The Georgia Dead at Gettysburg. Dr. Camak, of Athens, Ga., who has lately visited tiie locality, gives us the following in teresting information in reference to the battle field ot Gettysburg aud the Georgia soldiers who fell and are buried there : Our over a space seven miles long by three wide, and our dead are buried within these twenty-one square miles. The following list of graves of Geof*gia soldiers that can easily be identified was furnished Dr. Camak by Mr. H. Warren, who lives in the vicinity. Mr. Warren says that he feels sure of the identi fication of these, and there may be more whose graves can be distinguished : Joseph Powell, 38th Ga.; J. Branch, 61st Ga.; Lieut. Wood, 38th Ga.: Frank Botts, 61st Ga. ; Clint Buchaler, 61st Ga.; J. N. Harboro, 61st Ga.; Capt. C.M. Ballard, Bth Ga.; Wm. Young Cos. A, 61st Ga.; Maj. P. Brenan,6lst Ga.;Col. J. Wasden, 22d Ga.; Capt. J. W. Lander, 22d Ga.; Capt. Wm. Lee; Capt. S. W. Glass, Cos. E, 53d Ga.; Capt. At kins,Co. A, 53d Ga.; P. Lynch,Co. E, Kith Ga.; Lt. W. Michum.Co. B, 13th Ga.; W.B. Butler,Co. 11, 4th Ga.; T. Howell, Cos. E, 3d Ga.; Jas.Conncr,Co. H, Bth Ga.; J. T. Haden, Cos. E, 13th Ga.; Richard Jault, Cos. F, 51st Ga,; W. Brueewell, Cos. G, 49th Ga.; Lieut. C. L. Waller, Cos F, 26th Ga.; E. F. Johnson, Cos I, 18tli Ga ; E. A. Ward, Cos. C, 50th Ga.; J. R. Crosby, Cos. B, 16th Ga.;J. L. Reed, Cos. C, 16th Ga.; J. H. B. Nichols, Cobb’s Legion; W. B. Elrod, 16th Ga.; J. C. Odam or Adam, 18th Ga.; J. A. Unis, Cos. E, Cobb’s Le gion ; W. P. Hubbard, Cos. H, 18th Ga.; J. E. Davis, Cos. I, 11th Ga.; G. W. Gilbert, Cos. I, 11th Ga., Corp. or Capt. Win, Cos. 11, lltli Ga.; W. H. Watson, Cos. K, lltli Ga.; L. J. W. Bunn, Cos. K, lltli Ga.; Capt. J. M. D. Bond, 53d Ga.; Sergt. Alfred Bureh, 50th Ga.; Lieut. Col. Kearse, 50th Ga.; Capt. Buckhaltcr, 50th Ga.; E. Newton, Cos. A, 50th Ga.; Capt. E. M. D., Cos. A, 50th Ga.; J. F. Weekly, Cos. 1,50 th Ga.; T. H. Lawrence, Cos. G. 24tli Ga.; W. F. Brown, Cos. B, 16th Ga.; W. F. Noah, Cos. G, 9th Ga.; Sergt. W. L. Brenner, Cos. K, 51st Fa.; G. A. Bagly, Cos. A, 10th Ga.; J. B. Toneslcr, 24th Ga.; J, B. Willoughby, Cos. G. 38th Ga.; N. S. Pugh, Cobb’s Legion ; Lieut. J. W. Cheesboro ; C. C. Brook, Georgia Legion; Noah C. Strickland, Jackson co., Ga.; T. R. Barrett, Cos. H, Georgia Legion; Lieut. T. House, Cos. C, Georgia Le gion ;W. T. Morgan, 35tli Ga.; T. Herns, 35th Ga.; Lieut. J. T. Key, Cos. E, 10th Ga.; H. A. Morrow, Cos. E, 10th Ga. In reference to the present condition of the field of battle, Dr. Camak says: “In some cases the graves have been ploughed over, but in a very few instances ; hut by another year many will be. o Dr. C. proposes the purchase of a spot on tiie battle field as a burial ground for all our dead, and wc commend this suggestion to the con sideration of the people of the State. He says: oAt the School House Hospital three,hundred of our men are buried. This place can lie pur chased, say six acres, at SSO per acre. Can we not, have all our buried soldiers removed to this spot?” The purchase of the place is of course an easy matter, so far as the raising of the small sum is concerned. But it is proper that tbe question should be canvassed and public senti ment in reference to it manifested, as all parts of the State are interested in anything that con cerns the honored Southern dead al Gettysburg. If the proposition receives favorable considera tion —as wo doubt not, it will—the means of raising the sum necessary to improve the grounds, collect the remains of tiie dead, and put up suitable tombstones, can next lie con sidered. Those who desire further or more particular information concerning the Confederate dead at Gettysburg, can address Mr. 11. Warren, Gettysburg, Pa. Dr. Camak says that his state ments may be relied on.— Columbus Enquirer. Another Murder. —Through some young gentlemen from Fayetteville, we have been able to gather the following particulars of an atro cious murder which occurred near that place on Monday last. A gentleman by the name of Padgett had bought a piece of land in conjunction with one of his neighbors, whose name our informant had forgotten, and a difficulty arose in regard to the division olthe fence, On Saturday, Pad gett being from home, the other man had the fence torn down, and the rails thrown partly on Padgett’s land, and partly on his own. On Monday, young Padgett, known as Bud Pad gett, went out and commenced rebuilding the fence. While engaged in this work, two young men, the sons of the man who was contending with Padgett, came up witii a double-barrelled shot gun, and shot young Padgett down, killing him almost instantly. Seeing his son thus mur dered, the old gentleman assailed the murderers with a knife, and entand stabbed both of them so badly that it is thought that neither of them will recover. Botli of them are at their homes, with tbe house guarded. The guard will be kept up un till the murderers die, or are able to undergo a legal examination. The affair has caused a very great excitement, as the parties were all in good standing and well thought of. Padgett served through the war as a lieutenant, and escaped unhurt, and now he is doomed to be shot down in one of those useless brawls that even sensi ble men are sometimes seduced into .—Atlanta Sew Era. Last week, on the lake shore, some eight miles above Holland colony, Mieliigan, a party rather arbitrarily executed judgment in the shape of a coat of “ tar and feathers,” on a cer tain married woman accused of being engaged in enticing young girls away from tlieir parents with a view to their prostitution. The neigh bors, becoming aware of these intentions, wait ed upon her, and, ordering her to si rip, daubed on the tar and feathers to their entire satisfac tion. Mary Nepper, of Cleveland, Ohio, in com pany with several other girls, built a bonfire on Monday, and while holding a kind of fairy dance about the burning pile, her clothes took lire and she was burned to a crisp. Her mother was also fatally burned in attempting to rescue her. The Georgia Dead at Franklin, Tennessee. We learn from the Nashville papers that Miss M. A. Gray, of Decatur, in this State, has, with tiie means placed at her disposal for that pur pose, finished the work of re-interring the Tex as dead at Franklin, numbering in all sixty nine, who fell in the memorable battle near Franklin, in the winter of 1864. Most of the remains of the troops from Mississippi and West Tennessee, as well as from Texas, have been removed from the field and re-interred, where their last resting place is marked, so that friends may be able so identify the graves of tlieir sleeping heroes. We regret to notice that Georgia mid Alabama are still unrepresent ed in this noble enterprise, there having been no funds raised in either State to defray the expense attending the removal. Miss Gray proposes receiving appropriations for this pur pose, and will see that tiie funds are properly applied. Rev. R F. Bunting, chaplain of the Texas Rangers, at present pastor of tiie First Presby terian Church at Nashville, writes to the Union and American as follows: “ The Texas Dead at Franklin.— Messrs. Editors: —But,a few weeks ago Miss M. A. H. Gray, of Decatur, Ga., was soliciting aid in this city for the landable purpose of reinterriug the Texans of “ Graubury’s brigade,” who fell on the bloody battle-field of Franklin. Visiting that place H r the purpose of removing the re mains of a brother, who had fallen In that brig ade, her heart was moved witii sympathy when she saw his gallant comrades all neglected, and sleeping there so far from tlieir own sunny home. The citizens responded, and soon she raised four hundred dollars, which she deposited with Mr. \V". O’N. Perkins, of Franklin, for this object. The bodies of some sixty-live Texans have been reinterred in the “ Soldiers’ Ceme tery,” on the plantation of Col. John McGavoek, and thus her wishes have been carried out. They were coffined, buried in rows of twenty, with cedar head-boards, lettered, for five dol lars and forty cents each. The balance on hand she requested should be expended in reinterring Arkansians, and the work is going on. The Missourians and a portion of the Tennesseeans, are already buried near the Texans. It is hoped that ere many weeks all the bodies on the bat tle-field will be removed to this beautiful ceme tery. Contributions are continually coining in to the committee, at Franklin, for that purpose. Miss Gray will lie remembered with gratitude for her noble offers in behalf of the Confederate dead, by those, everywhere, who admire hero ism.” Let the dead he gathered up, wherever they sleep, and have a respectable interment. We hope the people of Georgia will not per mit the last resting place of their brave dead to become obliterated by the ploughshare, and thus place their identification beyond all possibility, when, in future years, friends may desire to pay tribute to the memory of their heroic friends. This will he the ease, however, unless sufficient means is contributed to remove them, arid re inter them in decent order. This is a subject which should meet with a prompt and liberal response, and, we doubt not, such will be the result.— Atlanta New Era. [From tlio Richmond Times. The Great Moral North. Conjugal infidelity among the ancients had a very good excuse, because their gods all set them very shocking examples. , Jupiter, espe cially, was renowned in this respect, and is re ported to have exhibited such general gallantry as to have greatly disgusted Juno, who, although something ot a termagant and seold, is said 10 have been a very virtuous nnd loyal wife. It is not surprising that tiie early Greeks and Ro mans, with such instructions from their deities, should have been very wicked reprobates. But when Christianity overthrew the heathen my thology—when the inspired word built its church upon the Inins of the Pantheon, man kind might reasonably have expected that the pure religion ol Jehovah would have induced a system of morals, superior to what prevailed under the auspices of Jupiter. But it does not seem so. Unfaithful husbands and wives, in the large cities and densely populated portions of the North, are as numerous as they were when the nations of antiquity were dying of corruption, and their vitality yielding to moral putrescence and decay. Nay, it may he thought fully inquired whether the institution of mar riage is as sacred with us as with the ancients ; whether the violations of marriage vows is as seriously regarded, or chastity as much adored, and its breaches as severely punished ? Has modern society afforded any spectacle like that presented in the ease of Lueretia, or in the Still more tragic scene of Virginia’s death at the hands of a. loved parent to save her from the embraces of a libertine ? Have we vestal vir gins watching the sacred fire of tlieir goddess as it burns upon her consecrated altars, who, If they broke their vows, were buried alive, and whose seducers were scourged to death in the Forum? No; but we, have Free Love and Mormons, and Strong divorce cases, and every species of matrimonial wickedness and infeli city, of which a people boasting Christianity and civilization ought to be thoroughly ashamed. Social Pharisees and hypocrites may prate about the “purity” and “morality” of the present age, hut we are unable to see as much as they do, or perhaps our moral sense is not as acute. All that they say may be so, but we doubt it. When we see our Northern exchanges corning to us filled with daily accounts of bigamy, se duction, fornication, adultery wives abscond ing with paramours from their husbands, and husbands acting similarly towards their wives, wc are forced to the conclusion that if tiie world is not destroyed during the present year, as Gumming alleges, it ought to be. The daily press is a capital moral thermometer, by which to measure and ascertain the vice and wicked ness of the people, and the mcreury seems just now to have ri.-in above fever heat. And while all this is transpiring, the North ern press and politicians are talking about sending additional parsons, matrons and school marms down South, to improve the moral and religious condition of the poor negro! Why Cuffee is an angel of light and a paragon of vir tue to the vicious people ol whose misdeeds the Northern papers are so full. A single issue from the daily press of any one of the New York journals discloses a greater amount of crime and vice titan Cuffee, in his worst days, ever dreamed of. Let them clean out the Augean stables al home, before they come down here, to sweep out Cunee’g cabin with moral and religious brooms of doubtful efficiency. We tell them plainly, that they will get a cart load of social and moral muck at home, as a reward for their labors, much more easily than they can collect a spade-full down South. Like the Gospel, which was first preached to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, their reformatory efforts should commence among their own people. When tfiey have worked upon them for a century or two, with all the help they can get from the rest of the world, then they may be in a condition to assist the negro witii their proffers of a superior article of morals and religion. At this time it is manifestly evident to every one that they have not a surplus to place at the disposal of anybody. VOL. 24. NO. 19. [From the New York Herald. Troubles in a New York Methodist Church. Alleged Frattduletii Election of Trustees—Affi davits of Members of the Church—Comical Scenes at an Ecclesiastical Election —Political Primaries Outdone, etc. SUPREME COURT—UIIAMHERS—-BEFORE JUDGE CI.EHKK. The People ex ret. Henry Hume vs. William P. Corbitt and others. —The present legal difficul ties between these parties has grown out of the election of three trustees of the Alanson Methodist Episcopal Church, situated iu Nor folk street, between Grand and Broome streets. The affidavit of Mr. Henry Home, who has been Secretary of the Church for a number of years, which was read in tiie court yesterday, sets forth the following facts: The Alanson Church was possed of nine trustees, divided into three classes, consisting each of three persons. On the 16th of March of the present year, the term of office of three of those trus tees expired, when anew election was ordered for the 19th. Rev. William F. Cohbittis pastor of the Church, being in possession of the registry of names of persons who were and are members of the church ; and it is also al leged he still keeps this hook and refused to produce it nt the election, rendering it impos sible to determine the qualification of voters, and many who did vote were not members of tiie church, and, therefore, not entitled to vote; that previous to this election 1 a scheme was put on foot to elect Messrs. Alanson T. Briggs, Washington Bunco, and Rucben Smith, as sueb trustees, nnil that fraudulent votes were put in to serve that end, one Theodore S. Jones, who Is In the, cinplby of Briggs, assisting the scheme. The registry book not being produced by the pastor, several votes were east by those not members of the church. That at the time appointed for such eloctlon, Jones openly nominated Briggs to preside nt and upon said election ; whereupon, notwithstanding the open opposition and pro test, of deponent and certain other members of’ the church then present, ns unqualified and Improper, said Jones and a large crowd who were not members ol' the church assumed to vote for Briggs, nnd declared Briggs elected; and he thereupon took upon himself to preside and act as presiding officer at the election. That deponent and other members of the church, Including a large majority of she members of the church present, protested and objected thereto, nnd deponent offered to read the law of this State iu respect to church elections, which deponent had with him ; but lie was not. permitted to do so by Briggs and Jones and their crowd, who, with great noise and clamor and excitement, would not listen to anything adverse to their plan, which had, evidently, already been pre determined, or permit any light to be given to the doubtful members ol tlieir party. The affidavit, after slating some further mat ters in relation to the election, goes on to state that on that occasion Briggs, in a loud voice, shouted out that any one had a good t ight to vote who had contributed to tbe support of the church, no matter whether they had been mem bers of tiie church for a year or not; and that lie knew that said persons were good Voters; and he shouted out that lie would bet one hun dred dollars to one cent that they were good voters; and the tellers, though against the. pro test and objections of deponent and of dther well known members of f,ho church, received the ballots ol said persons ns voters! all of whom, with some few exceptions, as depqnent verily believes, voted for said Briggs, and Bunco; and Smith. That frequently during the evening Briggs shouted out froth his place on the platform, “Come, walk up, gentlemen, nnd deposit your votes —all you who have contri buted anything to the support of this church, whether yon are members or not,” or words to that effect; aml his chief assistant, Jones, would shoutout, “Free seats, free church, free gos pel; here’s the regular ticket; walk up and vote for the regular ticket, all you who have given anything to this church, no matter If you are not members -and your names arc not on the church register—come, walk up and vote the regular ticket,” or words of the like Im port. That the said Jones and the Briggs party kept up a continual noise, clamor and shout ing; and Briggs procured to attend therein the same room, and immediately in front, of the place where flic ballots were being received, t.vo policemen, in uniform, and for tlm pur* pose, as deponent believes, of sustaining him self. The affidavit concludes by stating that Messrs. Henry McCormack, James Ncweombe and Richard Donne were the legally elected trustees. The case came up yesterday on an order granted by Judge Barnard to show cause why the register should not lie given up and why the last named gentlemen should not be grant ed certificates of election. Mr. fl. Sanxay argued the ease on behalf of the applicants, and Mr. E. L. Fanchett in oppo sition, when Judge Clerkc reserved his deci sion. ' • m> Senator Wilson's Letter About Clement 0. Olay. Several paragraphs have appeared within a few days in a Philadelphia and New York pa per, staling that the published memorandum of a letter of Senator Wilson, recommending the release of Clement C. Clay, was a garbled re port of the original. In order to put at rest all controversy about wbnt tliat letter con tained, I send a copy of the same, verbatim et literatim ■ United Htateh Senate Chamber, ) Washington, March 3, 1866. ( To his Excellency the President,of the United States: Sir : Mrs. Clay, the wife of Clement C. Clay, is now in this city, and has requested me to obtain permission for her husband to go to his home on parole. His father Is said to be at the point of death, his mother recently deceased, and if there be no objections or reasons un known to me why the request of Mrs. Clay should he denied, 1 have no hesitation In re commending the favorable consideration, if only from motives of humanity, as I have no doubt. Mr. Clay will be forthcoming when his presence is again required by the Government. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, H. Wilson. Those who seek to make It appear that Sena tor Wilson wishes to modify or take back any thing contained in this letter do him great in justice. Mr. Wilson long since advised the President to release all the Confederate leaders who are held upon charge of treason, and he has no reason now for (Ranging his opinion on that subject, the motivejwhieh prompt him in making tills recommendation are such as should commend themselves to at least tiie ealni con sideration of all well disposed citizens, and will on a fitting occasion tie made known by Sena tor Wilson himself.— Northern Paper. Alfred 11. Kernion, a respected citizen of New Orleans, and for some years Cashier of the Canal Bank, is dead.
