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About Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1866)
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTIONALIST. Beecher Supports the “Bepublican” Party and Tilton Explains the ‘‘Bepublican” Principles. Rev. Henry Ward Beecher delivered an ad dress at the Brooklyn Academy ot Music on Monday night, in which he advocated the pass age of the Constitutional Amendment as a ne cessity, and expressed his confidence in the good faith of the South. He characterized the Republican party as the true guardians of the interests of the Government, and declared it to be the duty of the North to educate the South into a recognition of the entire justice ol the amendment. The following extracts are from the report of the New Tork Tribune of yester day. Os the Constitutional Amendment he says: “There may be some of the Constitutional Amendments which, as a matter ol statesman ship, I would prefer to have had put otherwise; but the need of the Constitutional Amendments I have urged, first and middle and last, and still urge and insist upon, and 1 have had full faith that they would be passed, whether the South ern States were in or out, and with more cer tainty as to some of them, if they were in than if they were out. In short, the amendments are equitable and useful, and ought to be made.— The evils that would accrue if they should not pass, I, to be sure, think less considerable than do many others ; I am more courageous than they are, or more hopeful ol the future. But in all human probability they are sure to pass.— If there be anything that has not occurred of which we may be certain, it is that these Consti tutional Amendments will pass. Meanwhile, I thought and think still that the whole nation would be in a better condition if many of those States were at once admitted, and society in them thereby settled; but I am not the Repub lican party. I am only a free member of it, with liberty to express my judgment of what has been done and is to be done as everybody else has the same right to express his views. And when, not in a matter of principle, not in a matter of truth, but in a mere matter of policy, I am- overruled, what shall Ido ? Sulk and refuse to work ? No. The same reason that led me once to urge the admission of the South ern States without waiting for these changes in the Constitution now leads me to urge the South to a prompt acceptance of the Amend ments, that the whole of the reconstruction work may be speedily done up and put out ot the way. [Applause.] The Democrats, as I understand it, would leave the blacks wholly to local law. I, on the contrary, believe the nation to be under the most solemn obligations to secure to the freedmen the liberty they have earned. What shall secure it is a matter which may well divide men’s opinions. Some men may be more sanguine than others ; some men may be far more courageous and hopeful than others, but that it is to be secured beyond per adventure it seems to me that no just and rea sonable man can deny. lam in favor of legis lation, but let it be speedy. It has seemed to me that delay is in and of itself an evil. Further on he says: “ I deem it important at this time that the testimony of the North should be given with a volume, a vastness and a decisiveness, that shall admit of no misunderstanding, and that when they who represent the people again take their places it shall be with all the North behind them and endorsing them. It is a good lesson for the South. It is a good lesson for those among them that might be mischief-makers.— And it will do no harm to them who are not mischief-makers. When once our power is gone we can then have our own atheisms among ourselves. There is a right to diversity of opin ion in the Republican party. We have a right to discuss the expediency of measures. But whenever they have been settled and deter mined upon, then it is our duty to stand hand in hand, and shoulder to shoulder, and with locked step and unbroken rank, to go forward and to maintain the Government of the coun try.” After the close of Mr. Beecher’s address Mr. Theodore Tilton spoke briefly. He said— “ Though I am a member of the Republican party, when the Syracuse Convention of the Republican party ot this State said that when one State , after ano her accepted the pending Constitutional Amendment, they shall come back to their places in Congress, f, for one, said ‘Never!’ [Applause and hisses.J When the National Committee of the Republican party— many of whom are noble and eminent men— saia that when those States shall accept the pending Constitutional Amendment they shall return to their places, I again say never. [Ap plause and a hiss.l Ah, my friend, do not hiss. I used to hear William L. Yancey utter senti ments in the Cooper Institute at which my soul revolted, but I never hissed. [Applause.J Ten States are out of the Union. Ten States knock at the door. Ten States are waiting to come in. The problem is how to reconstruct those ten. Who are the men who are to have opinions that shall be valid in regard to the construction of those ten States ? I say that they are the loyal citizens of those States. [Applause.] I went a few weeks ago to Philadelphia, and I sat in a Convention representing the loyal citizens of those ten unreconstructed States —white men and black. Those men, representing those ten unreconstructed States, said that the pending Constitutional Amendment before the Republi can party is a good thing in its way—a proper measure, just and equitable, and we hope it will pass. But considered as a scheme for the re construction of the Union, it is no better than a tariff bill or neutrality law, good for its own ease, but it does not touch the case. Igo for the pending amendment in its spirit. Ido not go for the pending amendment as a right con dition in which the Union is to be reconstruct ed, for I say the only true theory is the theory of the equal rights of citizens before the law. — This day those men lilt up their hands aud their hearts to Heaven and pray for the success of the Republican party. I join my prayer to that; I clasp my hands with those of the party. But I also hear another and further —and I think a nobler —pledge, and that is for the triumph of the great principle of political equality for all American citizens. God favor it.” [Prolonged applause.] A Eeply to Beecher, Hon. 8. 8. Cox, of Ohio, delivered an eloquent address at the Democratic Wigwam, in Brook lyn, in which he reviewed and criticised the re cent speech of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. We have only room lor the following brief extract. In regard to the spirit of Mr. Beecher’s speech he says: Is retaliation the best means of union ? If it leads to separation is it not just what secession desired? [A Voice—*Yes.”] Now that seces sion has failed and is in ashes, and those who sought it as a remedy seek their oid associa tions with us ; now that all insubordination, as General Grant tells us, to the Federal authority has ceased, it is for the interest and honor of the land to blot out with reconciling tears the memory of the frailty and folly which wrestled with us to separate the nation. Passions have been generated as well in the hearts of the victor as the vanquished. They are the offsprings of a love of the brave who have fallen, and con nected with patriotic feelings, with past suff erings and privations, with home and bereave ments, with those of both sexes and amid all conditions. But these passions Mr. Beecher now harnesses to his party car. They become as dogs of war. They furnish food for hatred and revenge. Surely such a spirit thns nursed is as incompatible with love of country as it is with Christian brotherhood. [Applause. | Not attempting at present to discuss the legal or Con stitutional aspects of the question, and coming to the plain point at issue, I declare that it is most unwise—nay, it is fiendish—to hold aloof the dif fering sections, exhibiting the scars of each for perpetual hate, and making forever a census of the dead. It has been proved that secession can be put down by arms; but it remains yet to be proved whether Union can be restored by the head nnd heart. It can never be done so long as the Christian ministry cultivate hatred, and not love of the brethren of the same coun try. [Applause.J You are honored in Brook lyn with a church intimately connected with the State. The pastor of Plymouth Church, by the fervor aud humor of his eloquence, with a felicity of illustratian calculated to tickle the ear and please the heart, has become a power to the State. His utterances during the Sum mer were like the breath of God on the sea— giving calm. When he wrote his epistle of the 30th of August, it seemed’urspired by a wis dom so nnusual that the world took note of it, that he had been with Jesus, had caught the spirit of that Bermon on the Mount, and of the divine forgiveness which creates the beauti tudes for man. It was as if his own big organ were in his own breast, and some angel hands were touching the keys! When he made his recantation the organ sounded, in comparison, like the squeak of a penny trumpet. That grand orgnn of his, intertwisting its rare threads of melody with one rich diapason of praise, how it thrilled the great heart of the country. How unlike that organ, when, dur ing the junketing of the Southern loyalists in Plymouth Church, a ribald song was sung in unison with its tones. Do you remember it ? One could almost hear the mockery of the in terlining music to which it was accustomed on the Sabbath: “We will hang Jeff. Davis on a sour apple tree, Praise God from whom all blessings flow ! We will hang Jeff. Davis on a sour apple tree, Praise Him all creatures here below! As we go marching on I” The Situation in Baltimore—The Radicals Prepared for Oivil War—An Outbreak Imminent. There is serious cause to apprehend a san guinary riot in Baltimore if Goverhor Swann shall find it his duty to remove, for mis-conduct at the recent municipal election, the present Radical Police Commissioners of Baltimore.— The situation will be best explained by the fol lowing, which we condense from the Baltimore American of Saturday: On Thursday evening John M. Carter, Esq., Secretary of State, called upon the Board of Police Commissioners of this city, and handed each of them a summons from Gov. Swanu, or dering their appearance before him in the Exec utive Chamber, at Annapolis, on Monday next, for trial on a series of allegations submitted to Mr. Swann by a representative of the "South ern sympathizers " of Baltimore city on Thurs day last. Festerday the Commissioners had interviews with a number of members of the bar, but the result of their deliberations, or what line ot ac tion they agreed upon, has not been made pub lic, and it is not known whether Messrs. Hines and Woods will respond to the Governor’s cita tion or not. It was rumored last evening that Hon. Henry Stockbridge had proceeded to An napolis to examine the affidavits on which the charges are based. In response to a call issued yesterday after noon, by order of the Commanding General, Brevet Major General A. W. Denison, a large meeting of the “ Boys in Blue” was held last evening, at the headquarters of the State Cen tral Committee of the Unconditional Union party. Colonel E. F. M. Faelitz stated that the meet ing had been called by permission of General Denison, Commander-in-Chief, for the purpose of taking measures to support the Police Com missioners in the attack made upon them by Governor Swann and his rebel friends, witli a view of removing them in order that the rebels may get control of the city and State. The Secretary read a dispatch from General Denison, dated at Harrisburg, authorizing the call for the meeting, and offering to return im mediately if his services were needed. TENDER OF SUPPORT TO THE AUTHORITIES. Colonel Faehtz moved the appointment of a committee of five, with instructions to wait upon the Police Commissioners immediately, and tender the services of the “ Boys in Blue ” in auy emergency which they may be needed. Lieutenant F. Collins Smith suggested that measures 6hould be taken at once for the more thorough organization of the several wards. Colonel Adreon thereupon moved that a com- ! mittee of two from each ward be appointed to ; canvass the several wards to-morrow for the purpose of enlisting ail loyal men who are will ing to join the “ Boys in Blue ” in the present emergency, and to report the strength of the respective organizations at eight o’clock this evening, at an adjourned meeting to be held at , 128 West Baltimore street. This was cordially j approved. General Woolley said he at first supposed that , Mr. Swann did not possess the moral courage to carry out the programme he has laid out, but upon consultation with those who were better informed in regard to the movements of Swann and his friends, he had ascertained that they were prepared to do any mean thing to carry out their designs. He hoped there would be united effort in all the wards, and that the “Boys in Blue” would stand shoulder to shoul der in this contest, as they had done in the field, and that to-morrow night they would have a report of every man willing to take up arms and fight rebels in the rear as they had fought them in the front. The following call was then authorized to be published : BOYS IN BLUE, ATTENTION. The events now transpiring in this city make it incumbent upon us once more to assemble in massed column to resist the attempts of the traitors in our midst of depriving the loyal men of this city of the control of its affairs, and leav ing us to the tender mercies of onr deadliest enemies. You will at once report yourselves to your officers for assignment to duty, and hold your selves ready at a moment’s notice to defend our chartered lights, now being menaced and en dangered by the same despicable traitors whose ready sympathy was always and ever for the rebels in arms, and whose curses always follow ed ns on every bloody field. Men of the Mary land line! we have fought and conquered the rebels who had the manliness to face us in the field; we have now to regulate these heroes who, for the last four years, have stood with yard stick and crockery-ware in hand, ready to furnish to their dear friends of the South their valuable sympathy. The loyal Police Board of Baltimore must be sustained at all hazards and at every cost. BE READY! BE PROMPT ! Each ward will report its strength and organ ization this (Saturday) night at eight o’clock, at the headquarters of the Unconditional Union Central Committee. Bv order of the General commanding. Fred. C. Tarr, Colonel and Chief of Staff. The wards were called for the purpose of as certaining the state of the several organizations, and it was stated that twelve of them were already thoroughly organized and prepared to report at a moment’s warning. Preliminary ar rangements had been effected in the other wards. Captain George F. Armor, of Baltimore coun tv, here appeared and assured the meeting that the “ Boys in Blue” ol Baltimore county were in full sympathy with this movement to thwart Mr. Swann and his rebel friends, and their as sistance could be relied upon. He thought the matter should be thoroughly understood in all the counties of the State, and he therefore of ferred the following resolution, which was a<l ßesolved, That communication be opened with the “Boys in Blue” in the counties, explaining to them the imminent danger now threatening the city of Baltimore, aDd asking that they may organize aud hold themselves in readiness to render whatever aid may be required in case of necessity. LOYAL CITIZENS CALLED ON. Ou motion of Colonel Tarr, it was determined that all loyal citizens who are willing to enlist tor this campaign be recognized as “Boys in Blue.” The meeting then adjourned with hearty cheers for the Police Commissioners, Congress, Hon. John L. Thomas, Jr., and J. J. Stewart. Considering the fact that meetings were be ing held in several of the wards at the same time, this meeting must tie regarded as a re markable exhibition of the determination of the “ Boys in Blue ” to maintain their rights under the Constitution nnd laws by supporting the Police Commissioners, if need be, by arms, in their contest with Governor Swauu and his rebel adherents. A meeting of unconditional Union men in the tenth ward was held last night, which was addressed by Joseph J. Stewart, Esq., nnd a similar meeting in the seventh ward was ad dressed by Hon. W. L. Marshall. In the elev enth, twelfth and nineteenth wards meetings were also held, and the East Baltimore Union League was in council. At a meeting held la; night in the seventh ward, a preamble nnd resolutions were adopt ed, nnd the several wards were requested to elect delegates on Monday evening to a con vention, to be held on the following evening, to adopt measures in accordance with tha spirit of the resolutions. They are ns follows : Whereat, Since the base desertion by the Governor of the party that elected him to his present position, and the reckless prostitution of his office for the selfish ends and partisan purposes, rebels and their sympathizers have become emboldened, and appear to look upon the elective franchise ns n right which no act which they could possibly do could divest them; and Whereas, The spirit that animates them now is the same that brought on the late rebellion ; therefore, be it Resolved, lsf. That any attempt on the part of the Governor to interfere in our local affairs will be looked upon by us as an attack upon the liberties of the peoplo and well calculated to incite riot nnd insurrection, which is the bounden duty ot the Governor to allay instead of inciting. 2d. That the loyal men of this State do not mean to be bound hand and foot for the pur pose of giving rebels a lease on power, which they have proved themselves incapahle of wielding, except to the detriment of loyal peo- \ pie. 3d. That the men whb deterred the rebel Legislature at Frederick from selling us out still live, and arc animated by the same noble purpose now as they were then, to die freemen rather than live as slaves under the domination of rebels. 4tli. That this meeting elect five persons to represent this ward in convention, to be com posed of a similar number of delegates from ' each of the other wards of the city, to take ' into consideration such measures as the times and circumstances demand. sth. That our sister wards nre requested to ; meet in ward meetings on Monday evening | next, the 22d instant, to elect five delegates to meet in convention on Tuesday evening, the 23d instant, to adopt fncasuros in accordance 1 with the above resolutions. The delegates chosen in pursuance of the above from the Seventh Ward nre ns follows : Dr. Joseph D. Brooks, John H. Westwood, Colonel S. Marsh, Joshua Adams and William P. Kimball. » “ THE PATH TO THE CAPITAL.” The Radical Press ot the North generally have taken up the quarrel of their brethren in Baltimore, and are doing nil in their power to fan the fires of discord and to precipitate a collision. Forney, of course, is amongst the moat violent, and abuses Governor Swann and the majority of the people of Maryland with out stint or pause. It is evidently the Intention of the Radicals, should a collision come be tween the Governor of Maryland nnd the Balti more city government, to overwhelm the for mer by an inundation of “ Boys in Blue ” and other Radical roughs from Philadelphia, and to work this rowdy element iuto a proper temper for such a crusade is clearly the object of the Radical journals. As evidence, we give an ex tract from an editorial in the Philadelphia North American of Friday, headed “ The Path to the Capital ” .- Our fear is that the Administration at Wash ington aud the Copperhead managers will de luge Baltimore with Northern and Southern bullies to oveepower the Union men at the en suing election, and the Union men of Baltimore must organize to resist this invasion of their rights. They have the undoubted right to de fend their ballot boxes against such outrages os the Missouri border ruffians perpetrated in Kansas, and which are now contemplated and being prepared for by the enemy. Fortunately the Mayor and Police Commissioners of Balti more are staunch Union men, and they have a police that will tell a good story on election day if any of the returned rebels or imported Northern bullies should attempt to dominate the polls. Our Union friends who live in Balti more, or anywhere else in Maryland, and who are away on business, need not be apprehen sive in regard to returning home. They may do so with perfect safety, and will be amply protected in their rights. Maryland will be fought for literally this time if necessary, and by men prepared for the emergency. The adhe sion of Maryland to the Union cause is as abso lutely required now as it was when General McClellan arrested its Legislature to prevent secession. It stands between the National Cap ital and the great and triumphant North, and to surrender it now to the enemy would be to place a barrier between our own States and the seat of Government. Under the perilous circumstances of Jhe times, with the openly threatened plots of the President and bis associated Copperheads, it would be dangerous in the extreme to give up Maryland, lor then Congress, however staunch ly Republican, would be completely surrounded by the enemy’s country, and subject to' intimi dation and evil influences of all kinds. We trust our friends will no’, think lightly of this warning. We could belter spares Northern State at this time than we could Maryland. We ask nothing but what is right. We demand that she shall not be dragged into the rebel mire by lawless means. We ask that the illegal votes of returned rebels shall be excluded under the laws of Maryland, and that the Union men shall be protected in doing this. Let thegener ous givers of Philadelphia, who have now the opportunity of saving a great State from Cop perheadism, aid our friends in Maryland to the extent of their means, for they stand in need of all the money and all the documents that can be sent them. It should not be forgotten that" in Maryland the danger is fully as great as at any time since 1860. Distinouised Arrivals.— Gen. Beauregard has arrived home from his European tour, and has already assumed the duties in his office of the Jackson Railroad Company. He has im proved in health and spirits, and expresses him self firm in the belief of a better future for onr people. While in France be was treated in a manner that was due so renowned a soldier and civilian. His presence and abilities will have a cheering effect on interna! improvements.— While in Europe, distance lent an enchantment to the scene of his former trials, and enabled him to look on our affairs with mental eyes less vlsonary tban when he was blinded by ideas warped by immediate surroundings of a limited character.—*Y. O. Commercial. The Baltimore Troubles. Hon. Reverdy Johnson has been applied to by a committee of the citizeus of Baltimore, to act as their counsel in their appeal for the re moval of the Polico Commissioners. Other professional engagements prevent his acceding to the reqnest, but he writes a letter, from which we make the following extracts: Has the Governor, in the recess of the Gen eral Assembly, the power to remove the Police Commissioners of the city for "official mis couduct ?’’ I have no doubt that he has. The words of the law are so plain as to ad mit of but one construction. The dnties of the Board are prescribed, and to gourd against failure to perform them, (a contiugency that might happen,) the law says, " for official mis conduct, any of the said Commissioners may be removed by a concurrent vote of the two houses of the General Assembly, or by the Gov ernor during the recess thereof." This is the only provision on the subject. The offense guarded agalust is “official mis conduct." The penalty 4or it is not fine or Im prisonment, but removal from office alone, and the authority to investigate all the facts and enforce the penalty is, if in session, the General Assembly; if not in session, the Governor. There being now a legislative recess, the juris diction and the power to award the penalty is in the Governor. It is suggested, Inm told, that before he can remove the Commissioners, the fact of their official misconduct must be tried by a court and jury. This is absurd: First. Because the. courts are not named in the law, either expressly or implied, as having any jurisdiction in the case. Second. Because the Governor, who can alone render the judgment of removal, has de volved upon him the entire responsibility ; and that being so, it must be for him exclusively to investigate nnd decide the fact, and not avoid responsibility by refering it to the courtn. Third. Because he has no right to call upon a court or a jury to assist him, aud no ono else has such right. Fourth. Because no matter what a court might find to be the fact, It could not, if found one way, award the only penalty f lint can ho rendered, or if fouud in the other, deprive the. Governor of his power to award it, or absolvo him from tho duty of doing so. And lastly, because his power, during a legis lative recess, is the same over the facts nnd penalty as that 5f the General Asscmblv when in session, and 1 suppose that no ono will hold that that body could only act in association with or in subordination to any of the courts of the State. It is impossible, I think, for a sound mind to eutertain a doubt upou the point. Tho long aud well settled doctrine of tho President’s power to remove, officers under the Constitution of the United States, Is in conflict with such a theory. It is now, nnd has besu since the organization ot the Government, set tled that the power exists. The only doubt ever entertained about It was that it was not coincident to the power of ap pointment; but that, as that power was in the President aud Senate Jointly, a removal required the sanction of both. Neither in the debate, when the quostion was first agitated, or In any that huß since been lmd, was it Intimated that if the power had been given in express terms to the President, ho could not exercise It, or that it was not his duty to do so without tho aid of any other body, legislative or Judicial. Upon the whole, therefore, I have no doubt that it is given to the Governor alone (the Legislature not being in session) to investigate into the truth of tho alleged misconduct of the Police Commissioners, and to remove them, If lie be satisfied that they have been guilty of “ official misconduct.” Yours, respectfully, Reverdy Johnson. The “Boys in Blue” nre active in their de monstrations, and nre holding meetings and pledging themselves to sustain the Commis sioners nt all hazards. The Sun says : The Police Commissioners, Snrnucl Hlndes and Nicholas L. Woods, Esqs., have employed as their counsel Thomas R. Alexander, Archi bald Stirling, Jr., and 11. Stockbridge, Esqs., who will represent them nt the hearing to com mence to-day before the Governor nt Annapo lis, in respect to the charges of “official mis conduct” connected with the late municipal election, preferred by the committee of conser vative citizens of Baltimore. The committee of twenty-five will lie represented by Win. Schley, John 11. B. Lntrobe and J. M. Frazier, Esqs. The affidavits filed with the Governor In sup port of the charges preferred In the numerous memorials presented to him are said to number one hundred and fifty, five of which charge di rect action within the line of “ official miscon duct” on the part of the Commissioners, and the remainder chnrge acts of Illegality nnd op pression on the part of the judges of election and the regular and special policemen, with the assent of the Commissioners. The Hebrew Race.— ln the journal of the Satistical Society of Paris, and the annnis of Hygiene aud Legal Medicine of the same city, we find some exceedingly interesting fiiets con cerning the Hebrew race. We give them below for the information of the Hebrew population of our city: “ The history of the Hebrew is, in many re spects, one of the grand episodes of modern civilization. We cannot but wonder at their persistent and eventually vlctorions struggle against implacable persecutions, Instigated as well by religious hatred as by a desire to become possessed of their great riches ; their force of expansion, which led them to emigrate to all parts of the known world ; the concentration in their hands of a large part of international trade ; the triple agency—l, of an admirably special .aptitude for trade and finance; 2, of sounder notions of the power of credit, at a time when unproductive concealment and hoarding were the methods of saving ; 3, the exclusion, by the laws of countries which toler ated their stay in them, from all active employ ment ; the adhesion to their religion, notwith standing the incessant endeavors to proselyte, which were often strengthened by the secular arm ; the not less determined retention, Ih the land ot their erile. of the manners, customs and traditions of Judea : their refusal to mix with the races by which they were surrounded ; finally a certain vitality, superior to those races which enables them to he readily acclimated in all parts of the world. « » * * » t Their sobriety has always been known; In toxication is rare—habitual drunkard* can hardly be found. here a'practlcal com mentary on the saying of the celebrated Halier, that by far the larger of those who were noted for their longevity were sober and lived plainly. ##*-•••# The Hebrew population in the different coun tries of Europe, is estimated in a table before us, to be 3,6112,132, Prussia not. included. Rus sia contains the largest number, 1,425,784. tNext comes Austria, 1,048,174. Third on the list is Poland, 500,875. England shows 45,000, and Irclaud, the lowest figure of all, being only 322. The National Almanac, for 1864,sets down the Hebrew population of the United States at 200,000. This is an estimate evidently not too high.” The kite war was not wanting in illustrations of Israeiitish bravery and devotion, disployed in the service ot the South. Many fell gallantly on the field of battle, and sealed their faith with their blood. Louisiana, we believe, furnished an entire regiment, and Charleston, New Or leans and other Southern cities, furnished hun dreds of Hebrew soldiers, and millions of He brew wealth to carry on the war, which Domi nated so disastrously for them and for us all. John C. Breckinridge has left London with his family, and gone to Genera. [From the Richmond Whig. The National Express Company. A general meeting of the stockholders, In pur suance of a cull made through the public press, was held lit this city on the 9th instant. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Barber, of Georgia, Bogey, of St. Louis, Nixon, of New Orleans, Norvell, of Lynchburg, Chricton and Perot, of Baltimore, and Skiddy, of New York, wai appointed to make a complete investiga tion into the condition and affairs of the com pany, nnd then recommend such course of ac tion bv the stockholders as might best lend to the interests of the company. The committee made a thorough examination into all matters connected with the present condition and future prospect of the company, and made an elabor ate report, iu which they recommended that, in order to release the company of its present dif ficulties, re-establish iu credit and render 1U success sure, the present subscribed stock of about four millions of dollars ought to becon solidated nnd brought down to oue-tonrth of its nominal amount, and that upon the payment by every stockholder of an aggregate sum of $25 on each share of his stock ana tho surren der of his serlp, full paid stock, not liable to any further assessment, should be issued to him in proportion of one share, full paid, for four now held by him, which would reduce the capi tal stock now existing to about a million of dollars, full paid; would relieve the company of Its debts; h ave it in full possession of its present valuable property, such as horses, wagons, furniture, Ac., and moreover leave con siderable ready cash in Its treasury^ The charter of the .company fixes the capital at five millions, which the directors are empow ered to increase to ten millions, and requires that one-third of the five millions shall be sub scribed, or iu other words, the company are re quired to have one million six huudred and sixty-six thousand dollars subscribed capital, under the charter. Now, as the consolidation above suggested will reduce the capital stock to somewhat over a million, tho committee advise that there bo issued six hundred thousand dol lars of eight per cent, stock, to be sold at par. These recommendations of tho committee met the unanimous approval of tho stockhold ers, and then a committee was chosen to visit New York, and enter into negotiations with parties there for a sale of this preferred stock, or a large proportion of It. The chairman of this committee, Mr. Barber, of Georgia, since that meeting, returned to Richmond with several members of his com mittee, and at another meeting of the stock holders, held in this cli.y on the 19th instant, he reported most gratifying results from their mission to New York. On this gratifying re sult being made known to the stockholders, they resolved to adjourn the meeting to Mon day, 291 h Instant, at same hour mid place, and inasmuch as tho whole amount of tho preferred stock may not be taken In New York, it was thought advisable to solicit subscriptions to it in all the towns and cities where tha stock of the company is held now. Accordingly, the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That a committee qf three stock holders be appointed in each town and city to solicit subscriptions to tho preferred stock, and report to the adjourned meeting. From facts which have come to our know ledge, we enn now say that the company lias secured substantial and reliable co-operative aid in tho North, by becoming allied with a power ful organization ulready existing there, and all tlmt is-needed now is that the South should do its duty. If tho recommendations of the able and Influential men who have conducted the investigations and visited New York, be carrlod out, there is no earthly doubt of the corapieto success of the enterprise. It would, indeed, bo a poor commentary on the patriotism and ener gy of the Southern people, now that they have it in their power to push forward to coinplcto success an organization beneficial to themselves and tlie gallant men who fought for them, to have it to say that they let it fall through. [From the Baltimore Bun. Catholic Oounoil*—The Object of the Coun cil. In the Catholic Church there are recognized two councils, the General Coun cil, held by the Pope, and consisting ofall the bishops in the world, and the Particular Coun cil; the latter being subdivided as follows: First, the National Council, composed of all the bishops of a nation ; second, the Provincial Council, composed of the archbishop of a pro vince and his suffragnn bishop; third, n Dioce san Synod, which is a convention of tho clergy of a diocese, presided over by a bishop. The authority of “Senc-ral Councils” Is universal, while tho authority of the Particular Councils extends only to the limits of the nation which It represents, and its decrees must be submitted to the Popo before made public. In this country there have been, Including the present one, two National Councils and eight Provincial. The first National Council was held In this city In 1832, presided over by tho most Kcv. Archbishop Francis Patrick Kcnrlck, apostolic delegate, there being present six archbishops and twenty-six bishops. The first Provincial Council was held In this city In 1829, by Archbishop Whitfield, and consisted of six prelates; the second was convened under the same prelate In 1833; the third In 183 TANARUS, un der Archbishop Eccleston; tho fourth In 1840, by the tame prelate; the firth In 1843, and the sixth In 1846, and the seventh In 1849, all by Archbishop Eecleston. These councils, by their actions, suggested great changes In the diocesan government of this country, resulting iq the erection of six archbishoprics and some forty bishoprics. In 1852 the authority of apostolic delegate was confcrcd on the Archbishop of Baltimore, thus making him Primate of the United Stales. The objects of the present Council os stated recently In a sermon by Arohblsbop Spalding, arc the following: The securing of greater uniformity of discipline, by bringing local va riations back to the standard of general usage, so far os circumstances will allow; the pro claiming of the faith as already settled and de fined, with the condemnation of all opposing, especially the current errors of the day; the recommendation of New Sees to be erected, and the presentation to the Holy See of new candidates for the episcopacy, so os to widen the sphere of normal church action, In accordance with their territorial extension ; to adopt such practical means as may seem best calculated to increase the fervor by quickening the zeal of the people; to save from being led astray, and to convert those unhappily wandering outside the pale of the church, and to provide for the religious instruction and training of the color ed race, so greatly needing pastoral care. Vai.uabi.i Lace. —A lady has presented some lace 800 years old to the Southern Relief Fair in St. Louis. In her lettar accompanying the gift, she says: “ With only 800 years over * its head,’ it has the present boast and unique boast of standing without its peer in the art of the needle. lam speaking of the class of laces of which I send you this specimen. Os the speci men itself, it stands aloue In America. Mrs. Carter, of New York, has offered me $5,000 for it. ft is a singular fact that und'-r the micro scope the thread used in it is of the same ex quisite flue texture as tlmt employed iu finest point (Taugille in Brussels and finer than the lloulton of England.” A wicked but pretty little chambermaid stole a lady’s jewels at the St. James Hotel in New York, valued at $6,000. She cried dreadfully when a detective discovered them in her palpi tating corset.
