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About Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1866)
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTIONALIST * [Correspondence of the Constitutionalist. Letter from Baltimore.» Baltimore, Md., Dec. 14, 1806. Mr. Editor : “ A nameless fondness for our native clime Triumphs o’er change and ali-dcvouring time; Our next regards, our friends and kindred claim, And every bosom feels the sympathetic flame.” We read in the Good Book that j>rior to the winding up of sublunary affairs thSt the presid ing autocrat of the Hadeal regions is to have a brief reign of o thousand years ou this terres tial sphere. But not being a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, the undersigned is unable to state with absolute certainty the precise period of time at which the notorious personage al luded to was or is to begin the sway of a scep tre of unlimited power over us poor mortals. But if he is not in full regalia, aud on the throne of his greatness in a portion of the North American Continent at least, at the pre sent writing, then the optical and auditory fac ulties of your correspondent are eclipsed and the “rest of mankind” seem most amazingly bewil dered. Judging by”the latitude from which some of his high priests are wont to hail, and their daily operations upott the “ Constitution,” now in its last expiring struggle, I should say that his Satanic Majesty ascended to power, and began his reign at, or about, the time of the landing of the “ May Flower,” and that we are, therefore, as a consequence, in the third century of his term. Great precision is, of course, un attainable on this subject, but we may approxi mate sufficiently near to assure the present, aud a few succeeding generations, that our aud their terrestrial interests have or are all about “ gone to the d—l.” For particulars on this subject, see daily, and other, actings and doings at the capitol of the United States “ so called.” Some of the leading men of the Presbyterian denomination in this city and vicinity, have been compelled by the action of the General As sembly of that church North, to sever the con nection of their congregations from its jurisdic tion, and set up anew Presbytery for them selves. I have had some conversations with two of their leading clergymen of this city, and find that 1 had no previous conception of the tyranny with which it was intended the pastors and people should be ruled, who sympathised with us in our late struggle to establish a secure constitutional government, under which men of all shades of opinion aud religious V'lief, might live in harmony and peace with each other. However unwillingly it may be to teeord the words, my pen must write what is seen by others than myself, that unless some great change should occur in the programme which the Radicals appear to have arranged for the future, “ the reign of terror,” will ere long be enacted upon this continent with all its unhal lowed and bloody characters in full costume. A horoscope is not needed to observe, in ad vance, such scenes as those that were enacted in France, under the dominion of Robespierre, Marat, and their satanie confreres of the last century, unless the interposing hand of kind Heaven should arrest tne dominant party in their career of madness and folly. If there ever was a time in the history of our people, when unity of purpose and of feeling, -and harmony and concert of action were necessary, that time is now. A “ masterly inactivity ” is demanded bv every consideration of duty to the iving and decent respect, not to say justice, to the memory of our dead. Our votes would be powerless and our voices scorned or unheeded if represented at Washington at the present time.; and Ido hope for the honor of our suf fering land that we may never so far forget our manhood as to attempt t o,purchase plans for our representatives at Washington at the price of universal negro suffrage. I say attempt, for so surely as the so-called Constitutional Amend ment should be adopted by us, just so surely would greater, more monstrous and degrading demands be made, conditions precedent to their admission. Let us rather remain firmly united upon the deck of our dear old Southern ship in the face of the storm, and then if the fates should decree we should not ride out the tempest, with au untarnished flag of honor nailed securely to the mast, wc could all go, leaving our deeds and our names encircled in a halo of glory for the admiration and emulation of the noble and the good of all Juture genera tions of men. But let us turn from this gloomy picture, to the contemplation of the beautiful outlines of the white winged angel of mercy now hovering in our midst, and leading the noble women of Baltimore to further deeds of charity and love for our people. A fair for raising funds to erect an asylum in Richmond for the support and education of the orphans of our soldiers, will be opened here on the 20th instant, under the auspices of some of the first ladies of the city. Prominent among them we have learned the name of Mrs. Col. Polk, a near connexion of our good and noble ex-Governor, Herschel V. Johnson. Truly have the ladies of Balti more proven themselves ministering angels to our poor and destitute, aud their noble deeds should ever live in the hearts and memories of our people like the Oasis of the desert, which exist to gladden the eye and cheer the weary traveler. General Custis Lee, a 3on of our great cap tain, has recently been elected President and Professor of Mathematics in the Maryland Agricultural College, near Bladensburg, and 1 presume has, or will, accept the position. By the by, was not one of G*en. Robert E. Lee’s sons elected to Professorship in the University of Athens, some time' ago? I either heard or saw in scare publication such an announce ment. The steamship line between this city and Liverpool has proven a complete sucaeess. It could scarcely have been otherwise, however, as it is owned and projected by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. Goods can now be laid on the shelves of merchants in Cincin nati and Louisville, in from sixteen to seven teen days from the date of their invoices in Liverpool. The rapidly increasing trade of Baltimore will soon render necessary the estab lishment of other steamship lines with Europe, when our people will be able to purchase every thing they can want, and on as good terms as can be effected at any other place on this con tinent. Hoping that bright “ visions ” of fat turkeys, and the etcetras, are “ flitting palpably before you,” as you sit by your sanctum table this cold day, and that you may have several gas tronomic realizations of them at, and about Christmas, I subscribe myself, in lively hopes of a simila%fate, Tours, truly, H. L. B. (From our Special Correspondent. Our New York Letter, New York, December 15,1866. As an illustration of my oft-repeated remark, that the Northern Conservatives have been al most certain to adopt, in any givet year, the position of the Radicals the previous year, I have now to write, that there is a growing and now almost unanimous wish among the Con servatives that the Southern States should adopt the Constitutional' Amendment, and put themselves in position to demand, on Radical grounds, immediate admission to Congress. Those who advocate this from a conservative stand-point, say that many of the penalties there imposed upon Southern leaders, are left in the bands of Congress; and, with more con servative strength in that body, could be re moved altogether. The disabilities respecting representation, could not take effect till 1873, when the first Congress under the new appor tionment will meet. Before the time for the census shall arrive, there will be such changes of population, as to modify materially the effect of the restrictions upon the Southern States, even while excluding the negroes from suffrage. But while urging these arguments, it is now admitted that the present, nor the next House of Representatives, could be likely to adm.t Southern Representatives, on the terms of the adoption of the Amendment. The Senate, probably, would. There seems already to be a wide defined schism betweeu the House aud the Senate. The Senate proposes to stand by the Constitutional Amendmcut. The House is disposed to “go marching on” to new con quests. The temper of the people is just now with the Senate. But what reliance. I ask, can be placed upon those Philadelphia Conveutiou ists, who but a tew months ago, expressed such concern for Southern .honor, aud now ask the South to do what they have solemnly declared to be dishonorable. If the careers of Bex. Butler, Secretary Staxtox and James Holt, are not sufficient to learn the South what sort of stuff their special champions at the North are made, she is in a fair way of receiving new lessons. Secretary Stanton has been in this city for a week, with a view to arranging a plan by which he may be elevated to the Presidency. He has not made much progress. The Republicans have been H-w.ited ad nauseam to Northern Breckinridge Democrats, (whom they thought they thought they were defeating when they elected Lincoln in I860,) and they propose to themselves a Republican administration yet. They thiuk the party has been disgraced by the over-jealous conduct qf the late Democratic Ex tremists, who have placed themselves at the head of affairs. Mr. Stanton’is endeavoring to thrust himself lorward as a compromise be tween Chase and Butler. But the facility with which he has betrayed every interest that has ever trusted him, is not forgotten ; and except among a few political rumps of the Seward school, he is pretty generally ignored. TUNNELLING NEW YORK. A proposition has been agreed upon by a special committee of the Legislature, to tunnel New York, from the Battery to Harlem, (ten miles,) for the purposes of a steam railroad. Several practical propositions for the building of elevated railways are also being agitated. I thiuk it very doubtful if The tunuclling expe dient is ever carried out. It will be too expen sive, aud difficult. MEXICO. We have the intelligence to-day by private Cable reports, that the Empress Carlotta, of Mexico, is dead. The reports from Mexico, for some days; have seemed to indicate that Maxi milian will be able to hold on. There seems to he something very disgraceful in this whole business. The paltering and double-dealing of Mr. Seward, the truculence of Louis Napoleon, and the fluttering Maximilian, have brought Mexican affairs to a position that must excite universal scorn. Congress is to be commended for refusing any part in them. M*ORE “CIVILIZATION.” An effort is to be made at the coming session of the Legislature to enact a law for the licens ing and regulating of bawdy houses in this city. The insolence with which such establishments are set up in the best quarters of the city, is one plea. It is estimated that there are thirty thou sand prostitutes in this city ; and their control, somewhat after the system in vogue in Paris, is to be strongly urged. The acknowledgment that this hideous evil is incurable, and must be recognized and regulated, has not yet been made by our law-makers, and they will be loth to take any new step. BUSINESS MATTERS. The activity and buoyancy in cotton the early part of the week has subsided, and prices one cent lower than the highest point on Wednes day. The accounts from Liverpool are not so strong, and the telegrams from the South in the morning papers report liberal receipts at all ports. The speculative movement in bread stuffs, long expected and long delayed, has set in strong, when it was not fully expected, and flour has advanced 50@75 cents per barrel since my last. Pork and hog products are again de clining. There is more general trade, and business circles wear a more cheerful aspect. Gold is steady, but it seems hardly possible to prevent n fall to 130 in January. Then there will be heavy payments of gold from the Treasury and increased demand for money, under which the course of the premium will be precisely the same under the same influences/as in Novem ber. European advices predict easy money in her money centres, and for this reason the ex port of cotton is likely to be stimulated. Willoughby. [From our Special Correspondent. Letter from Washington. Washington, December 18,1866. The President is very much gratified at the rejection by the Southern States of the Consti tutional Amendment. The more fanatical of the Radicals are also well pleased with this re sult. But they are not pleased for the same reason. The President considers the refusal of the South to accept the terms proposed as an argument in favor of his policy. The more ex treme Radicals consider that it brings them nearer to their cherished idea of negro suffrage. They hope that the failure of the Constitutional Amendment will increase the antagonism of the North towards the South, and render them more willing to impose harder terms. One of the peculiar features of this session is the presence of the so-called Southern loyalists, who are very active in trying to enforce their views upon Congress. This class of men con sider themselves entitled to the positions of power and honorat the South, and not being able to obtain them under the existing regime, they call for an entire change of programme. They are both advocates and witnesses. They argue their ease exclusively, and they prove it by their own evidence. They represent themselves and the negroes as verv badly treated iudeed.— According to some of their accounts, one would suppose an ordinary amusement South was shooting negroes and loyalists. 1 think it is very obvious that this Congress will turn over the subject of reconstruction to the next Congress. The bills now introduced in regard to overturning the existing State gov ernments South, are intended to sound public sentiment North. The general impression is that the next Congress will be far more violent than this. The Supreme Court still withhold their opin ion as to the test oath for lawyers. It is welf understood that at the last term the Court, by one majority, was in favor of setting the oath aside. Indeed, it was at the instance of the Chief Justice that Mr. Stevens introduced into the House his resolution to repeal the law on the subject. The hesitancy of the Court can only be accounted for by their timidity. The Judiciary is even losing its independence, which is one of the most gloomy signs of the times. The debate between Wade and Sumner, as to whether the Southern States should be admit ted to representation in the event of the ac ceptance of the Constitutional Amendment, has excited a great deal of comment. There is scarcely any doubt, however, but that the Con gress would have admitted representation from the Southern States if they had ratified the Con stitutional Amendment. Enough of the Radi cal party, with the small minority of Demo crats, would have voted lor admission to have secured it. The feeling among the financiers of New York is one of great uneasiness about the fu ture. They are in great doubt and perplexity. They are watching with intense interest to see what Congress is going to do both in regard j to the currency and the Southern States. Avery strong effort will be made to pass a 1 bankrupt bill this session, and the friends of' the measure speak very confidently of its pass ing. Many of the President’s friends greatly re gret that he did not, while the act of Congress expressly authorized him, issue a general am nesty. Congress will repeal this law. While It will not affect his general constitutional power of pardoning, yet it bikes, in a certain degree, from him the usual sanction of being sustained by Congressional legislation. [From the Edgefield Advertiser. Miss Buie's Appeal. Every person remembers at the close of the war what a ruined and desolated country was left in the line of the march of Gen. Sherman through the couutry; wherever he went, his footsteps left ruin and desolation, poverty and distress. In the highest circles of society, or in private walks of life, his terrible presence has alike been felt. The clouds of poverty east gloom over the brightest hopes of the future; aud were it not for Charity—the child of heaven —the blankest feelings of despair would now be entertained tor the fate of thousands of poor innocent orphans whose fathersgave up their lives in defence of the South. They left their happy homes, now in ruins aud ashe3, never to return. Their bones are every where on many battle fields. They were brave men, and died on tlie .Itar of Patriotism. Many o! them left names that will live on the brightest pages of fame, if they did fall in the lost cause. In Uie terrible struggle past, the hero ism of Southerners surpassed in fame all Ro wan or Grecian story, which claims the admi ration of the world. Siuce the fatal day of the destruction of Colum bia no people on earth have deserved more sympathy and admiration. They were first in war, and are first iu peace. The city is going up with astonishing success. They had 84 squares, out of 120, left in ashes and ruins. The old Capital of the State, six churches, cleveu bank ing establishments, all the schools of learning, the shrines of benevolence aud industry, the Convent of Nuns and Sisters of Mercy, all art buried in one ruin. By the energy and enter prise of Bishop Lynch ihe schools "of the Cath olics will be rebuilt—in process of time. Now, in the ruined South, there are thou sands of promising children of intelligent pa rents who will'remain iu ignorance and ob scurity unless cared for by the grateful and charitable who were spared so terrible a fate. Ladies of the land, will your patriotism per mit you to turn heedlessly away from the cries of the young and rising generation ? You all, everywhere, can encourage and support us in this arduous work. It is educatiou that will unite and build up the country. The stability, the prosperity, the moral tone, and glory ol the nation depend upon education. Donations are earnestly solicited for Colum bia. Agents will be supplied with commissions. They are to send all the commissions to Mr. Mcßay, who will hold them, and Gen. Ilaanp ton has kindly consented to receive them and appropriate them for the ruined orphans of the State. M. A. B. A Planet in a Blaze—ls it our turn next ? To the Editor of the Hartford Times : The belief that this earth is eventually to be destroyed by fire is substantiated by the discovery that planets exceeding the earth in size have been subjected to heat so intense as to entirely annihilate them from the firmament. The keen eye of the telescope, gathering rays from the planets which are visible and fixed, has afforded to the vision of the astronomer sufficient light for him to assert that nearly two thousand of these stars have disappeared from the firmament within the last four centuries. A few evenings since, while watching the ftrmanent, with the moon ot her full, my atten tion was attracted to a large star winch stood a few degrees above the eastern horizon, and ap parently on fire. It represented very nearly a revolving beacon light alternating in color — first its face presented a bright, crimson color, then followed a pale bluish tint, then it would relapse into its natural whiteness—presenting all the phenomena of a large conflagration when acted upon by a strong wind. I am of the opinion that the star was being consumed by fire. yß’ev. A. Webster Mills. Lebanon, Coun., Dec. 1, 1866. Yankee Iron Clad Destroyed by Fire.— Philadelphia, December 16.—About one o’clock this morning the iron-plated frigate “ New Ironsides,” lying at Legue Island, was discov ered to be in flan res. Owing to the distance from the city considerable time elapsed before any fire engines reached the spot, and they were able to do but little towards saving the noble ship. She continued to burn until this after noon, aud is a total loss. No other of the fleet anchored near her were injured. The naval officers know nothing about the affair, but the fire is believed to have been the work of design. The New Irousides was built at Philadelphia in 1863, and was christened by the veteran Com modore Stewart. She.was a prominent actor in the events of the war on the Southern coast, and received many hard knocks from the Rebel batteries, but was never injured by them, nor was she much damaged by the torpedo the Rebels exploded under her in Charleston har bor. The event causes great regret here, where every citizen felt a pride in her history. She was about three thousand five hundred tons burthen, and cost over $1,000,000 as she went to sea. [The Southern people will be able to bear this disaster the more philosophically when they ‘ reflect; on the fact that the iron-clad in question 1 was a very prominent actor in the events of the war on the Southern coast.” To us the most touching, pathetic line in the ac count is the last—and Bhe “ costs over SI,OOO, 000!” Southern pockets will be taxed to make this good.— Richmond Times. Burning of the Orleans Theatre.— The telegraph has already announced the burning of the Orleans Theatre, and its fifty years of amusement and gayety will live henceforth iu the minds of old citizens only. The ruined ap pearance of the building—which, by the way, exhibited La Tour de Nesle One of the gloomiest and darkest tragedies ever written upon its last performance night—is at present a fair repre sentation of the fortunes of those who were in any way interested in it at the time of its de struction. The Theatre was valued at SIOO,OOO, and the proprietor is said to have paid $65,000 in gold for it before the war. The manager of the theatrical company invested 80,000f. (about $20,000 greenbacks,) in his unfortunate enter prise, and Hypolite, who had charge of the cof fee-house, fruit room, ball room, and was ad ding an eating-house saloon, had, according to his own statement, spent $14,000 in patting his premises in order and obtaining his stock. Os this sum he only loses SB,OOO, as 4 the remainder of his investment was covered by insurance. The present season has been au unfortunate one for the theatrical world, and recalls to mind the terrible tragedy of the Evening filar. Count ing the failure of Mrs. Howard at the Olympic, and the loss of some stage properties at the Va rieties by the sinking of the Evening Star, the Bt. Charles remains as the only theatre which has so far escaped any losses whatever. The dissolution of three theatrical companies alone is an event, we believe, which has never been chronicled in this city before in one season, and as the misfortunes of managers and actors are the misfortunes of the public, are such we trust as will never occur again. New Orleans Commercial. Yankee Doctors Killed in Battle.— The report of the Surgeon General shows that an army surgeon is oftentimes exposed in battle to ail the dangers which belong to the so-called “ combatant officers.” In all, 336 surgeons died during the war. Os these, 29 were killed in battle; 10 died from wounds; 12 wer# acci dentally killed ; 4 died in prison; 7 of yellow fever; 3of cholera, and 271 died of other dis eases. Os actual casualties in battle there were 64, of whom 39 died. The Dawn of Day in Southern Agriculture. Editors Southern Cultivator : I regard Mr. Hull’s communication in the October num ber of the Southern Cultivator as containing matter at once so truthful, important aud en couraging that it may be characterized as re vealing pretty clearly the dawn ot a bright and happy day for Southern agriculture. Some twenty years ago the writer was laughed at by planters in Burke county, Georgia, for the folly of attempting to teach them, in a public lecture, “how to raise grass, when they had been all their lives laboring to kill gross on their plantations.” The general nakedness of the land impressed me strongly ut that time. It appeared to me that something was wanting on the surlace of the ground to hold exceedingly fine particles of mould, clay and sand to their places, and prevent heavy Southern rains washing these fertilizing particles ot 6oil off from cultivated fields, and thereby avoid their becoming pre maturely impoverished. Perennial grasses be ing nature’s contrivance for holding loose earthy atoms together on the bosom of our common mother earth, it struck me that the introduction ofthfe grasses, in connection with planting, would at least lessen the number of denuded old fields, and save Southern agricul ture from the discredit of sending a thousand miles for hay to meet the wants of the public. All suggestions and reasoning of this kind received little consideration, whether made iu the Cultivator or in public addresses; for the fulluess of time had not arrived when necessity compelled attention to the true principles ol tillage and husbandry. Now these principles have become subjects of paramount impor tance ; and they need only study for oue to un derstand how easy it is to make, as Mr. Hull has done, from seven to ten thousand pounds of superior clover hay in twelve consecutive months, on one acre of old field, red clay soli, with au uneven surface, where I happen to know that hard, sterile granite is not far below the clay. This pregnant fact is most encourag ing ; for while Col. Uroom, of Alabama, l)r. Phillips, of Mississippi, and others in Louisi ana and Texas, lmd demonstrated that rich lime lands would produce clover for indefinite years in those States, it was doubtful whether non calcareous, and comparative poor soils, in cot ton districts, would ulso favor the growth of this most renovating plant. The Southern Cul tivator for August, 1850, contains two letters written by Col. J. Uroom, from which I cite a few remarks as worthy of uotice iu this con nection : “I sow Ted clover exclusively on prairie or lime 60ils. It sustains, indeed, a luxuriant growth of clover longer than auy soli I have seen or read of. Miue is as luxuriant at this time as it ever has been, (the 14ih year) with out resowing or replowing, and grazed all the time except iu very rigorous weather in the winter.” Properly mannged, clover is substantially a perennial. Os its value Colonel C. remarks ; “ You would scarcely believe me when I tell you how value my clover is to me.* Besides the grazing of my sheep, calves, colts, &e., it nets me fifty dollars per acre in pork alone. In addition, it requires no expense, and the laud is improving all the time.” The united testimony of Mr. Hull and the gentle nan above named ought to satisfy every farmer and planter that clover deserves a fair trial. I brought seed with me from Georgia that grew on my place near Athens before the war, which sown in February last, have germi nated and grown;in a satisfactory manner; thus adding anew fact as to the tenacity of the vital principle in clover seed ; and 1 have a pretty fair stand of plants on land planted In corn last year, from seed dropt before the ground was broken up for corn. Mnny valuable grasses will reseed the ground like indigenous •crab grass. 1 have gathered Blue Grass roots from propagation in Green county, Georgia, that first sprang from seed sown fifty years before, without ever once being reseeded by man. These facts prove that neither the climate nor soil of the South forbids the profitable cul tivation of clover and grass. It would be a great advantage to the South if reliable men like Mr. Hull would raise grass seed for sale.— Many will be wanted till farmers gene rally cultivate grass and save seed as they do corn and potatoes. Although much grass seed is raised in East Tennesssee, it is difficult to get good seed. Timothy has sold in Knoxville this year at $8 a bushel and clover at from $lO to sl2. Cincinnati is the best market in which to purchase grass and clover seed. To know how to raise grass and clover skill fully in the South is one thing, and how to use them to the best advantage is another quite different thing. Long experience in New York lias shown that the production of milk from forage plants and the manufacture of butter aud cheese yield the surest income. By extend ing his pastures and meadows, it would be easy to keep 100 dairy cows on Mr. Hull’s Ogle thorpe farm, which would give 300 pounds of cheese to each in a year. This at 20 cents a pound would lie S6O a head, and $6,000 for the herd. Some dairies in Herkimer County, New York, have yielded over OOOjiounds to the cow. In Georgia, however, it would pay best to make only some 200 pounds of cheese to the cow, and raise witli the milk as many calves of supe rior milking blood as possible. Forty years ago, in the township of Concord, Erie County, New York, I bought good cows for sl2abead; now, a cheese factory is able to work up the milk of 1,500 cows daily in that place, and such cows as I purchased lor sl2, sell at over SIOO. Choice dairy stock is destined to rise still higher in value as our fanning improves, to convert grass into money. and. LEE. dap Creek, Knox County, Tenn. NO PROFIT IN CULTIVATING POOR LAND WITH OUT MANURE. Editors Southern Cultivator : My expe rience under the new system of labor has con-i vinced me more thoroughly than ever, that it will not pay to cultivate poor land. To make this truth appear to any one who will take the j trouble to read this article, I will throw it in the form of an account. Many acres in the Southern States within the last twenty years, have been planted in corn and cotton, which have not produced more than eight bushels of corn, or two hundred pounds of cotton in the seed. First, let us take one acre of such land and plant It in corn, with what most planters think good culture, that is to say, break the land well, plant properly, and give it three thoi ongb plow ings and two hoeings. For one man and horse one day to break up one acre $1 50 For one man and horse one day to plant one acre 1 50 For one man aud horse two days to plow three times 3 00 For one man two days to hoe twice, at 75 cents per day l 50 For pne man two days to gather corn and fodder 1 50 Cost of cultivating an acre in corn in the ordinary way $9 00 Cr. by 8 bushels corn, at $1 50 sl2 00 by 80 lbs. fodder 1 20 13 20 Nett profit on one acre in corn.. $4 20 at present prices. Now take the same acre and manure it high ly, so as to make it produce sixty bushels of corn. Ordinary expense of cultivation and gathering as above 9 00 Add one man and two horses one day to subsoil 2 00 For IpOO pounds superphosphate at 3c., 30 00 200 pounds Peruvian guano at 6c... 12 00 one man 3 additional days, to gather, at 75c 2 25 $55 25 Cr. by 60 bushels corn at#l 50.590 00 By 600 lbs. fodder at $1 50. 900 Total product 1 enriched acre corn,‘99 00 Deduct expenses 55 00 Nett profit on one acre at same rate as before $43 75 All will admit that the corn and fodder from the rich acre will be heavier and better than from the poor. In the case of cotton the dif ference is still more marked. The acre which would with ordinary cnltnre produce eight bushels of corn, would produce two hundred pounds of cotton. The account would run thus ; For one man and horse one day to break up one acre ; $ 1 50 For one man and horse one day to bed up one acre 1 50 For one man and horse one day to plant one acre 1 50 For one man and horse two days to plow three times 8 00 One man five days to'hoc over three times at 75c *■.. 3 75 One man five days £ather crop 375 Cost of cultivating 1 acre in Cotton with hired labor 15 00 Cr. by 200 lbs. Cotton at Bc. per lb., pre sent price in seed 16 00 Net profit on 1 acre of Cotton without manure .. 100 An experience of twerty-flve years in plant ing has satisfied me that it is easier to cultivate a rich acre in cotton than a poor one. In the first place, there are fewer rows (bfliug wider apart on rich land) to hoe, and fewer stalks in each row to hoe around, ahd lastly, the cotton growing off much faster, enables the plowman sooner to “ lap the dirt ” about the plant. But suppose it cost just the same. Now make the aero above considered rich enough to produce two thousand pounds of cotton; the neeonnt will run thus: Cost of ordinary cultivation ns above.. .sls 00 For one man and horse oue additional day to follow with coulter 150 For one man one day to distribute ma nure 75 For one man five additional days to gather crop 3 75 For 1,000 lbs. Superphosphate at 3c 30 00 For 200 lbs. Peruvian Guano at 6c 12 00 Entire cost of cultivating and making rich 63 00 Credit by 2,000 lbs. Cotton at Bc. (in seed) SIOO 00 Net profit on one acre rich land.. 97 00 My observation convinces me that 1,000 lbs. Superphosphate and 200 lbs. Peruvian Guano, with the additional deep culture will inako an acre produce 2,000 lbs. which produced only 200 lbs. seed cotton before, without immure. With n ciear profit of $97, the land will be left at least 100 per cent, better for nnother crop. Why will sensible men waste their time and monoy on poor laud when rich land only pays? But many will say we have not the means to purchase tho fertilizers. Then devote more time to making and saving good manure, and less to running over so mnnv barren acres. I once manured due acre with the scrapings ot tho yard around iny dwelling, and made a bale of beautiful cotton, when the balance of icy cot ton crop (near two hundred acres) produced au average of one bale to eight nfres. W. R. Athens, November 15th, 1866. In the purchase of manures wo should prefer to divide the money more equally. Wo think four hundred weight of Guano nnd tho balance in Superphosphate would make the acre more productive. Both manures have their value aud are needed to make large crops.—Ed. So. Cult. Specie Payments and TnE Legal Tender Currency.—Mr. E. G. Spaulding, of the Farm ers’ and Mechanics’ National Bank of Buffalo, having, in a letter to Secretary McCulloch, ex pressed the opinion that the currency could be moderatfly contracted “so as to preserve a tolerably easy money market, In order to be able to fund the compound sixes and the seven thirties into long gold bearing bonds, between this nnd the 15th day-of July, 1868 ; and that tiie specie standard could be reached with at least, $250,000,000 of plain legal tender United States notes still outstanding,” Mr. McCulloch replied as follows; Treasury Department, ) Washington, December 7,1866, ) Dear Sir: Your favor of the 4th instant Is received. You mill receive a copy of my re port through theTiompti oiler of the4’urrency. ft was very hastily written, but is, I think, sound In doctrine. What we need Is an Increase of labor. If we could have tiie productive industry of the country In full yxercise, we could return to specie payments without any very large cur tailment of United States notes. My object has been to keep the market steady, and to work' back to specie payments without a finan cial collapse. I shall act in the future as I have in the past, with great caution, and attempt no impracticable thing. I am, very truly, yours, H. McCulloch. Napoleon’s. Retreats.— The Unita Catlo lica, of Rome, of November 27th, contains an article entitled “ The Fall of the First nnd Se cond Empire,” from which the following is an extract: “ Since the Steele and the Temps, of Paris, speak openly of the downfall of the jPopcs, we may speak a little of the downfall of tiie second empire. Napoleon the Third has fallen back ;he is lost. He has retreated from Poland from fear of Russia ; he has retreated from Germany from fear of the needle gun ; he lias retreated from Mexiao from fear of the United States; he has retreated from Rome from fear ofOrslna and Massini.” The clerical jonrnal prints two columns in the same strain, and concludes by saying, that it sends the article in print to the Emperor at Compiegne, to Gen Floury, to M. de Malaret, arid tffM. de Sartiges, iu order that they may put it in their archives, and take it down for perusal when the proper time shall have come. Tiie True Life.— The mere lapse of years is not life. To cat and drink and sleep; to be ex posed to darkness and the light; to pace round the mill of habit, and turn the wheel of wealth, to make reason our book-keeper, nnd turn thought into an implement of trade—this is not life. In all this but a poor fraction of the ci<n scionsness of humanity is awakened, ahd the sanctities still slumber which make it most worth while living. Knowledge, truth, love, beauty, faith, alone can give vitality to the me chanism of existence, the laugh of mirth which vibrates through the heart, the tears that freshen the dry waste within, the music that brings childhood back, the prayer that calls tiie future, the doubt which makes us meditate, the death which startles us with mystery, the hardships that force us to struggle, the anxiety that ends in trust, are the true nonrishment of rational beings. The LaGrange Reporter says; “JPerhaps • there is no place of the size of LaGrange that can boast of so many lawyers.. There are nine teen lawyers now practicing in LaGrange.” Wei), “practice makes perfect,” but the clients ? Miss Virginia Penny, of Louisvilie, whipped her pupil, Adam Haag, severely, and the senior Haag sued her. He recovered one cent and costs. “ Penny rise and pound foolish.” Oliver Wendell Holmes is writing a novel for the Atlantic. Probably a sea story.
