Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by the R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation in partnership with the Atlanta History Center.
About Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877 | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1867)
THE WEEKLY 00B8TITUTI0NALTST Superior Cot'Kß.—The court luct at half past eight o’clock, Tuesday, his Honor Judge licesc, of the Oconee Circuit, presiding. Judge Gould presented the report of the committee appointed by the members of the Bar, held during the recent session of the City Court, with respect to the decease of John Harvie Hull, Esq.' and moved that the report be spread upon the minutes of the court. Solicitor General J. P. C. Whitehead seconded the motion, and delivered a graceful and elo quent eulogy upon his deceased triend and brother practitioner, which was, in substance, as follows: May it please your ITonor, in rising to Bec loud the motion of Judge Gould to'have the report of the committee spread upou the min utes of this Court, I cannot refrain from add ing my mite ol tribute to the memory of our departed friend and brother, John Harvie Hull. Perhaps no member of this bar wa# on terms of greater intimacy with the deceased thin myself. I have kuownhim long—l loved him well, and his demise has stirred within uie emotions of grief of the profoundest char acter. Cnpt. Hull, as wc all know, was unusually graced with those of head and heart which rendered him at once the agreeable companion and the chosen friend. And while such would be the nature of the tribute due from the general acquaintance, how well do wc know, who knew him inti mately, the generosity, the charity, the chival ry of his character. Sordid selfishucss and venomous malignity were strangers to his na ture. Asa friend ;ah ! sir, how can I speak of him in that capacity—since its very thought causes run pain, while I am happy to say, at the same time, affords me solace. Duriug my connec tion with the University of Georgia, our com mon Alma Mater—days “ marked with a white stone ”by every alumnus—the hospitality en joyed beneath the roof of the noble sire of this worthy son and the companionship of my friend form the brightest and happiest associa tion of this bright and happy period. But ’twas as the devoted patriot and gallant soldier that I loved him most. During our late unsuc cessful but just and holy struggle for independ ence, I was on terms not only of social but official intimacy with him ol the closest char acter. And notwithstanding the vicissitudes and trials of the camp,whether in bivouac or on the march—whether as the shurer of his blanket or in the hour of batt’c as the admiring friend of my brave comrade I ever found him honor able, just and true. But he is gone, and the “ place which once knew him shall know him no more forever,” as the vacant chair within this bar and the aching void in ray heart so surely attest. But though gone, he has bequeathed us a legacy by a life characterized with the most admirable at tributes, both intellectual and social, that will remain fresh in our memories until we too shall find our lasting resting places, and'which must and will be victorious even over the si lence of the grave. “ Leave* have their time to fall, And flower* to wither at the north wind’s breath, And star* to set I but all; Thou hast all seasons for thine own, oh I death.” His Honor granted the motion, and ordered the proceedings recorded. | The proceedings, it will be retaembered, ap peared in these columns a few days since.] Several common law cases were disposed of by jury verdicts. Several appeals were taken by couscnt and, will be contested when that docket is called. The most important matter was the decree of the court iu the following bill: Jacob Davis, guanfiun of Solomon Cohen, lunatic vs. George A. Weeks, et. al— ln equity in Ricbtnoud Superior Court. This was a bill filed by the guardian of Cohen, a lunatic, for direction as to the distribution ol Cohen’s estate among his creditors—the estate being insolvent. The bill alleged that at the time of the appointment of Davis as guardian, certain suits were pendiug in the Superior Court and City Court against Cohen, that sever al of the suits were prosecuted to judgment against Davis as guardian; and that the holders of these judgments insisted that they were en titled to priority in the distribution of Cohen’s estate. The other creditors who had uot such, claimed that as the judgments were uot obtain ed at the time of the appointment of Davis as guardian, thf judgment creditors could only share equally with those who had uot obtained judgment, the bill prayed that a decree might be had distributing the assets so that the guardian might not incur any liability. The court held that auditors could not obtain a priority by prosecuting suits, commenced against Cohen, to judgment against the guar dian and that the auditors should all be paid pro rata from the assets, except those who had obtained judgment prior to the appointment of the guardian. Pickpocket Arrested.—A young man named Charles Welsh was arrested Tuesday in the act of pickiug the pocket of a one-armed ex-Coufederate soldier in the crowd at Day & Inman’s auction store. Welsh was taken be fore Judge Me Laws and after a preliminary examination committed to jail. It is believed that Welsh is one of a regularly organized gang. He was watched very closely on Friday night at Masonic Hall by a couple of amateur detectives. Politicians, Take Notice.—John D. Smith, Esq., Sheriff of this county, notifies ajl persous who contemplate holding political meetings iu his bailiwick, that he must of the time and place, iu order that he may be there, in conformity with orders from General John D. Pope, commaud'ng the Third Military Dis trict of the United States This, it is plainly to be seen, guarantees the right of the people to meet together and discuss the policy to be pur sued in this great and gloriously free country. We regret to lcaru, says the Atlauta Intelli gencer, that Judge Erskiue, of the United States District Court for this State, is detained at the North owiug to the illness-of a member of his family. It is his purpose, if possible, to hold the Court o! Bankruptcy iu this city by theSoth instant, at which time the Registers in Bankruptcy nominated by the Chief Justice will probably be approved and commissioned. The Bankruptcy Court will be opened at Savannah for the Southern District, shortly after the scssiou in the Northern District. Baltimore and Charleston. Messrs. Courtenay and Trenholm advertise the “ Fal con” aud “ Sea Gull” as composing a line be tween these two dltics. Produce of all descrip tion will be taken at very low rates, full infor mation of which can be gathered from the agents iu Charleston. Meal.—We learn that Messrs. Geo. T. Jack son aud Cos. are selling at wholesaler white bolted meal for $1 60 per bushel, cleaned grits for f 1 85. The retail price is ten cents per bushel higher. The Lottery.—An understanding has been arrived at by the managers of the Masonic Or phans’ Home Lottery and the municipal au thorities, and the sale of tickets has been re sumed. See advertisement. Our Hew York Correspondence. NE’at York, June 6. M e have a philosopher in this city, who has reviewed through the daily press the prophe cies respecting the weather, which used to gi aee the cheap almanacs, and was considered in them a precious bit of humbuggery. The prophecies of this philosopher are somewhat Bunebyish at times—they are seldom so direct and positive as those of bis predecessors, the almanac makers, but he can claim to have made one or two “hits.” For instance, the other day, he told os that, for nineteen hours from a given moment, there would be no rain ; and, incredible as the propheey seemed, in of the deluge we have suffered for two months, it was actually realized. .Attaching little importance to the claims of this person, that the weather may be accurately predicted on philosophic principles, but inclin ing to the opinion that all observing persons are equally weather-wise, still the great im portance of the subject to all persons iu agri cultural pursuits has led me to give more than usual thought to it, through which I have reached some conclusions that may be worth noting. It may be premised that, in the main features, the weather on the Atlantic coast, from Florida to New Foundland, is much the same, differing only in degree. This vast ex tent of latitude is under the direct influence of the Gulf stream, and the rules and observa tions that apply toor.c portion of the coast, are applicable, in modified degaees, to all others. It has beeu observed that the weather “sets” for the year in December, January, &e.; that, eommeucing with June, the weather for the fast six mouths will be the opposite to the first—that, last December and January, having been very boisterous and cold (January re markably so, the “January thaw” being entire ly omitted,) therefore, June and July will be extremely hot and dry ; that February, having been unreasonably mild, August will be un reasonably cold and wet, with danger of frost in the more Northern and threaten ing damage to cotton; September being mod erately fine, and the two later fall months all that could be desired for the ripening and se curing of crops. In brief, that the coming season will not be materially different from the last half of 1866, except that the heat and drought ol June and July promises to be less severe, aud the storms of August rather more damaging. I take it that, under these circum stances, the prospects for corn and other grain in the South are more favorable, and of cotton, rather less so than last year. And this amounts to the prediction of cheaper food and steadier prices for cotton, unless, indeed, a much great er area is planted to that crop, and the grain crops of the Northwest suffer from a recur rer.ee of the storms which so seriously injured their quality last August. MORE “SUBJUGATION.” The subjugation of the Radicals by Horace Greeley occasions many a Bmile, when no word reveals the thought. Note the proceedings of the Republican catfPbs, preliminary to the assembling of the Constitutional Convention. Horace Greeley moved this. Horace Greeley moved that. He named all the officers of the convention. He named the standing commit tee. He was driver and big dog under the wagon. This, after a serious proposition to read him out of the party, illustrates more forcibly than any mere rhetoric, how much service the Northern Democrats might have done to humanity and liberty, had they resisted Lincoln’s war in 1861; and still later, how much Johnson and Seward might lighten the burdens of the South if thev would do and dare according to their declarations. Is it possible that history will record that the South having trusted Butler, and Stanton, and Shep ley, aud Dix, and Dickinson in 1860, were most foully betrayed, and nearly ruined ; and having trusted Johnson, and Seward, and Weed, aud Raymond, and Doolittle in 1866, were left naked to their enemies, at last found vigilant championship and effective protection in Herace Greeley, the editor of the chief Abolition daily press—that only in bis “puerile humanitari anism ” could be found the courage and vigor to declare and maintain the rights of the South ern people as a Christian community ? Apropos, let me ask you to make place for a morceau from a Tribune of last week, fespecting the starving prisoners. I will wager a small sum that when Secretary Stanton read it he roared as he would if a red hot icon had been applied to bis flesh. The blistering satire of the following has rarely been equalled : “ A correspondent, wh6 thinks we possess 4 plain, common sense,’ asks us a string ol ques tions, whereof the gist is as follows : “‘ls not Jeffersou Davis reponsible for tiie fiendish atrocities, by which our soldiers in Southern prison pens were maimed, broken down and murdered ? Is not Robert E. Lee, who was Geueral-in-Chief, responsible also for the same terrible crime ?’ ” “ .4»siper.—We do not know. It certainly seems to us that a Committee of Congress ought to have inquired into the whole matter of the treatment ot prisoners of war long since. It also seems that the 4 Bureau of Military Jus tice,’ whereof the Hon. Jacob Holt is the head (under the general direction of Secretary Stan ton), ought long since to have probed this mat ter to the core, and had somebody indicted, as suming that anybody is guilty beyond those who are now dead. .We once prompted a reso lution of inquiry in Congress, intended to draw out the material facts in the premises; bat nothing came of it. “ Now, then, if our correspondent knows the facts to be as he supposes, il is his business to see that the necessary legal proceedings are in stituted. We suppose the 'day of arbitrary ar rests and 4 little bells ’ to be over, so that, men arc no longer to be condemned and punished by arbitrary edict or mob vengeance. W?*be lieve it would uot be difficult to convict and punish any oue who shall be fairly proved guilty of wanton cruelty to prisoners of war. Then let us have no more idle words, but hurry up the necessary information aud indict ments.” - . THE PUBLIC DEBT. The statement of the public debt for the Ist ot Juue, has beeu coddled up so as to represent an apparent decrease in the aggregate of about five millions. It makes some queer revelations, iu view Qf Mr. McCulloch’s late Boston letter If he were “ short of gold aud stocks,” he could not have more powerfully contributed to a de cline. It was suspicion of this, justified bv the finaueial history of the past two years, that in duced me tft write a word of cautiou last week. Mr. McCulloch not ouly “ contracted” over six millions in . May, but he locked up thirty uiue millions iu currency, making forty-five million in all, and he has added more than fifteen millions to the volume of gold on the market. The rate of discount has advanced on these extraordinary manipulations from sto 7 per cent. But for the very great extent to which the products of the country have been marketed, the crops of cotton, wool and bread stuffs having nearly all been passed to cousmnp tion, Mr. McCulloch wrould have witnessed a nice little panic, and those in his secrets would have made large sums of money. It Is propos ed to reduce the balances in the treasury in paying off compound interest notes, and seven thirties which fall due, but “it is” very plain that he contemplates further contractions to the extent of fnlly twenty millions, and I feel oblig ed to renew my caution against operations lor a rise, at least during the coming two months. Mr. MuCulloch is one ot bankers, who find it impossible to take iu an idea of the relations that his duties have to the public. Where he a bank officer or a private bauker, his course would be correct; but as chief of the Federal treasury, bis course excites wide-spread dissatisfaction. If he be honest, he is very unfortunate in doing many things that look dishonest. YANKEE MORALS ON A RAID. New York City has a sufficincy of mere vul gar crimes—murder, robbery, burglary, and for gery—such as have from time immemorial, il lustrated the depravity of poor human nature ; but to find what baseness the human form is capable of, one must invade the rural districts, where Radicalism has little to dispute its com plete supremacy. The tragedy at Albany, in volving the death of a leading member of the Constitutional Convention that has just as sembled there, is a case in point A prominent Radical goes to the war to “ fight for the Union,” and another prominei t Radical, a per sonal friend, whom the family of the soldier was to regard as friend, embraces the op portunity to attempt to debauch the wife and family, raped her ! All this in .the intensely Radical county of Ouondaga ; and by a man who has received high political honors.* It does not seem possible that such a crime could be committed any where else. The hot-beds of the depravity which leads to sueh crime are the. new-fangled colleges which have sprain up throughout the North, at which the attendance ot males and females indiscriminately is per mltted. It is mainly through these*’that the sense of the relations of the sexes, is reduced to about the level of that practiced among the ue groes. The Oberliu College in Ohio, the Lima College in Western New' York, are leading in stitutions of this character. They have aptly been described as a 44 cross between a lunatic asylum and a brothel.” The amount of mis chief they work is beyond computation. I have recOTtly been made acquainted with some of their inside workings, aud of the 44 careers ol many of their graduates.” The recital was simply sickening, aud the Albany tragedy has recalled it to my mind with unpleasant fresh ness. By the way, the ruffian Lindslcy, who whipped his little boy to death for stubborn ness in saying his prayers, has had anew trial, and got off with a fine of $250! THE EXPLOSION OP THE IMPEACHMENT PRO GRAMME. The refusal of the Judiciary Committee to report in favor of the impeachment of the Pres ident has made scarcely a ripple beyond the inner political circles. It is felt that after what Mr. Johnson has submitted to, in the past few months, at the hands of the Radical majority iu Congress renders any further degradation of him so unnecessary to Radical purposes that it would likely to excite sympathy in his behalf. The man who calmly allows himself to be kick ed and spit upon, lest greater calamity over take him, wheu he has ample power to defend himself, is wqrse than dead to all honorable miuds. Mr. Johnson is President of the United States but in name ; he is practically* but a figure-head upon which the Radicals may dis charge their filth. DICK BUSTEED AND HI3 VAGARIES. The vagaries of Dick Busteed, the Uuited States District Judge for Alabama, some ac count of which has ftjaehed us, excite a smile, but occasion no surprise. Dick was lortnerly a pressman in the office of the Commercial Ad vertiser. He picked up a smattering of law— aud with a good stock of 44 cheek” and a 44 gift of gab,” set up as a lawyer—taking a grade scarcely above that of a 44 Tombs shyster.” He attained some notoriety through systematic puffing in the Sunday papers, for whose uoticcs he paid five dollars each. He attempted the office of Brigadier General, and one of the Sunday newspapers, which jie had paid so many five dollars for puffs, was so uugrateful as to pub lish an amusing travesty, from which it appear ed that a reermiting officer palmed off two or three companies upop Busteed as a whole regiment, by adroit countermarching and changing of front! His military career soon ended ; but being at the tail of the clique known as 44 Lincoln’s beats,” with Forney at the head, he was renominated as District Judge for Alabama. It was universally denounced as a shameful appointment. Bnt from a vehement champion of.the South he had become a violent Radical and his confirmation by the Senate was accomplished. The people of Alabama are to be pitied. THE POLICE. People are enjoying a little practical joke that is being played off oa the police. There is no question that we have an admirable police organization ; but it has been flattered and petted too much, and it had begun to put on airs. One of the force shot a noted desperado, and was promoted and rewarded, when straight way other members of the force were seized with a passion to 44 do something notable.” The consequence was that various acts of petty tyranny, and the police Jjiavc become a subject for caricature in the comic* papers, and the daily Dress filled with complaints against them. Many of these complaints are whimsical enough, so that the public, while sympathizing with the well meant efforts of the police, are enjoying a quiet laugh at their expense. Willoughby. Gov. Perry. The admirable letter of ex-Provisioual Gov ernor B. F. Perry, of South Carolina, comes in good time to arrest the downward tendency of Southern statesmanship. There is undeniable “ despondency ” in the Southern heart, but ut terances like this will go for to re-assure it. We were too surely verging upon that degener ccy so vividly depicted by Cowper : “ But the age of virtuous politics is past, And we are deep in that of eold pretence. Patriots are grown too shrewd to be sincere, And we too wise to trust them.” No man in the whole South has been more thoroughly identified with the Union party of the South in all its struggles, since 1830, than B. F. Perr£ Nine-tenths of all the old, tried, consistent leading Union men, from the days of Gen. Jackson to secession, agree with him. Nine-tenths of the people hold up their manacled hands in mule applause of his noble sentiments. There is scarcely a man this side of Washington City, who ever read Horace that does not fold that letter in his heart, whis pering, as he does so. “ Juetum et tenacem propositi vhrnn Non civium ardor prava jubentium, Non vultus instantis tyranni, Mente quatit solida.” I am more and more convinced that the will calmly— not defiantly, sorrowfully;, but firmly, resolutely, despairingly perhaps, but finally and ever—reject the Military Bill Then comes the “tug of war ” with you in the North. The “ North is to be reconstructed.”— You 11 unreconstructed Coppeftieads” are des tined to feci the wrongs you now see your dis tant countrymen subjected to. Is not that the moaning of Sumner’s bill to regulate your suf frage ? Does not Wilson’s bill mean the same thing? Is Senator Dixon mistakeu about it? Read his manly, p itriotic speech in response to his welcome iu Hartford. Is this not plainly set down in Sumner’s letter to the Reverent Tilton ? “ Act ol Congress ” can do it, in “ a happy mom; ut” of forgetfulness of States Rights and constitutional prohibitions; and it must be doue to meet the exigencies of the coming “ Presidential election !” That is all! — the spoils must be had, per fas aut nefus. — Look to it! The ruin hangs like a noised ava lanche on its dissolving mountain crag. One blast of the party bugle will shake it loose ! The South will uot vote at all, and you will vote, if at all, with the bayonet at vour throat, you “ unreconstructed Copperheads ” Warwick. Speech of Gov. Orr.—At the earnest solici tation of many friends, his Excellency Gov. James L. Orr consented to address the people of Anderson District, on last Monday, m the Court House, upon the political condition of the couutry. After reviewing the various plans presented since the war tor the reconstruction of the Government, he earnestly insisted upon the ac ceptance, by the people of South Carolina, of toe plan of reconstruction now proposed, as the only ineaus of preventing the .administra tion of the affairs of this country from passing into the hands exclusively of the ignorant, and consequently the barbarian aud the tyrant, and as the only hope of making this couutry even tolerable. He showed, from the cen sus of IS6O, the great preponderance of colored over white voters in the State, aud our utter inability to defeat a convention, or to protect ourselves whenever we make an issue directly with the colored people. According no rwin ceu , sns 1860, U appears that there are 60,000 colored voters in the State, while there w hite voters ; leaving a majority of JO,OOO colored voters. It is true, perhaps, that there are not as many colored men in Sonth Carolina now as in 1860, but it is almost sure that the proportionate decrease ha 6 been much greater with the white than with the col m tiie State i since tlje commencement kov. Orr insisted npon the ot most cordial and kind rela two races in the South, and thc formation of no alliance with the two great political parties of the nation. [Anderson Intelligencer. ■ William Jordan, for thirty years the editor ol the London Literary Gazette, in an autobio graphical work lately published, savs that Hood’s “ Song of the Shirt ” was begun and so far proceeded with under the title of “ Tale of a Shirt, befor.e the ludicrous equivoque struck the intense mind of the author. (From the Baltimore Gazette. The Pacific fiailroad. ITS MORAL. The great Pacific Railroad, of which so much has been heard of late years, is now being pushed on with an energy that bids fair to insure its completion at the dale fixed by the company, which is the year 1870. Among the grand aud startling achievements which science and capital have combined to perform of late years, the present undertaking is one of the most interesting and gigantic. * It was thought to be a very wonderful thing to run the Balti more and Ohio Railway over the Allegbanies, but we afterwards saw heavy trains crossing rivers on bridges simp’y suspended from the banks, and are expecting the day when they will run under the Alps instead of over them, and perhaps ply between France and England far down below the fretful waves of the British Channel. But the Pacific Railroad, the con necting link between New York and San Fran cisco, passes through some nineteen hundred miles of au almost unbroken wilderness, and scales innumerable ranges of the Rocky Moun tains and the Sierra Nevada. It is already in operation between Omaha and a point -three hundred miles* westward of that city, and it will be completed beyond Fort Laramie by the first of next September. Steadily and swiftly it is striding onward rail by rail through the do mains of the red man, the bear and the bison, and these recede into the further wilds — doomed races which may have ceased to exist ou this continent before this eventful century shall have fully run its course. What a wide field is opened for thoughtful contemplation as we dwell upon the rapid disappearance from the earth of the races of men and animals whose progenitors have occupied this land for thou sands of years belore Columbus discovered it, aud before the Mayflower planted the seeds of the greed and fanaticism which lfave brought couutless woes upou its inhabitants; as we think of the wondrous changes which like magic will transform the face of nature—for many of the very men who are now carry ing on this work amid primeval forests aud over uncultivated plains will live to pass over the line and look, as they ride, at thriv ing villages and peaceful farms scattered at short intervals between the Mississippi and the Pacific. But if it be satisfactory to reflect upon the magnitude and value of the magni ficent region that is to be so rapidly thrown open to the American people, and upon the development and material prosperity which may await it, it is a difficult matter to venture upon any conjectures concerning its political future. It is perfectly clear to us that this country can no longer be governed under our old Constitution as now interpreted. As a confederation of ‘independent, sovereign States we might, with some few modifications of our former system, have gone on in tolera ble harmony for years to come. Asa consoli dated empire we cannot get along with Repub lican institutions. In so largS a territory con flicting sectional interests ot a violent charac ter and on a stupendous scale will constantly manifest themselves. With these Congress will be constantly meddling, and as they will all have their vehement representatives and ad vocates on the floor, that body will mostjy fail to reconcile them, and it will always embitter growing enmities. The attempt to maintain in this country the political system under which wc lived before the war will inevitably fail. The Government will be compelled to organ ize permanently in the North and West the crushing despotism it has set up in the South, or else this generation will live either to see the United States resolved into several nations or to witness repudiation and more civil war. The Pacific Railroad gives the country practi cal possession of a maguificent domain, which is soon to teem with a thriving population and to grow powerful in wealth and resources, but whether good or evil is to result from its development, remains to be seen. A Letter from B. F. Butler—He Advocates Confiscation. The following letter from Dr. B. F. Butler was read to a mass meeting of negroes held iu Washington City, on Thursday night : Washington, June 5. Wm. H. Chase , Esq , Chairman of the Radical Republican Committee of the City of Washing ton : Sir—While acknowledging the receipt of your courteoui invitation to attend a meeting of my Republican fellow-citizens of the District to celebrate the glorious victory achieved on Monday last, I am. grieved to be obliged to say that engagements of the most pressing charac ter prevent my availing myself of the intended honor. ****** Specially is your action timely and important at the present "moment, because even now the Executive is preparing to hinder the true ope ration of the beneficent acts of Congress for the reconstruction of the South declaring that the provisional governments, illegally established by himself, without warrant of law, in usurpation of Executive power, are the supreme law of the land, vesting in the officers ot such governments (late iebels) the conduct of the civil administration in the insurgent States. Already has an authoritive opinion of his law officer been promulgated, which le stores to political power almost all those en gaged iu the rebellion, whom Congress deemed It necessary, for the safety of the Republic, to disfranchise for their attempted overthrow of the Government, thus evading the law aud thwarting aud overruling the wise orders of the Generals in command, regulating the regis tration of loyal men ouly as voters. In a few days, unless checked by the near ap proach of the meeting of Congress, an Execu tive order will be promulgated, proclaiming that the military reconstruction act docs uot give to the commanding officers of the districts any right or power to interfere with the civil government of these States. If that be so,*ft follows that the removal of the red-handed Mayor Monroe, of New Orleans, by Sheridan ; the suppression of the riot fostering city gov ernment of Mobile by Pope, and the" wise and much needed legislative orders of Sickles', re ducing South Carolina to live under a govern ment of law, are illegal and void. It must fol low as a logical sequence, now that the fear of immediate impeachment seems to be removed, that the gallant Sheridan will he superseded to give place to some officer supposed to be more pliant to the will of the Administration. And to what end ? That the present organi zation ol the governments of these States may remain intact, to perpetuate a landed aristoc racy fatal to the advance of the cause of liberty and equal rights. Is it not a self-evident politi cal truth that where the land is owned in large tracts by the employer, to be tilled by the em ployed, there can be no just and true field lor tbe exercise of republican citizenship. And it is one of the pressing exigencies of the coun try, as the very basis of reconstruction, that some plan must be devised by which the lands of the Sonfti'may be divided among those who shall occapy them and till tham. With regrets at not being able to be with you to elaborate these suggestions 1 have made, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your ob’t serv’t, Benj. F. Butler. New' York Gossip—The Lady in Central Park.— New York, June 3.—Any frequenter of the Central Park will hardly have failed to notice a peculiar turnout, with spirited horse, driven by a lady, who always is seen reclining lazily back in the open carriage—so far back as to be almost in a recumbent position—holding a rein in each hand with great nonchalance, her boot ed feet protruding very prominently and very far apart, presenting a picture on the whole more striking than elegant, and winning the fixed regards of all idlers or tie maSculiuegen der. The lady is the wife of and military gentle man high in rank, and is well known in society chiefly by her eccentricities and brusqueric arid her reckless manner of launching the shafts of scand%l at her fair neighbors. Sue has traveled all over the United States, sojourned in Texas and mingled iu various scenes of adventure in the Southwest; hence, perhaps, her abruptness, that is often rudeness, and her barbaric disre gard oi the feelings of others. Had she beauty, she plight emulate the fast fame of another fashionable dame, now residing in Paris, whose husband has come to seek a “limited divorce” on the allegation that his spouse will have her fattier and mother to live with her! A New Letter by Artemus Ward. Iu the “Savage Club Papers” is given the following letter, by Artemus Ward, which wc believe has never been printed in America. It is worth printing, on this account He says: I was sitting in the bar, quietly smokin. a fru gal pipe, when two middle-aged and stern lookin fepiales, and a yong aud pretty female, suddenly entered the room. They were accom panied bv two umbrellas and a iiegro gentle man. 44 Do you feel for the down-trodden ?” said one of the females, a thin-taced and sharp voiced person in green spectacles. 44 Do I feel for it ?” anserd the lan’lord iu a puzzled voice— -44 Do 1 feel for it ?” 44 Yes; for the oppressed, the beuited ?” 44 Inasmuch ns to which ?” said the lan’lord. “You see this "man?” said the female, pinling her utnbreUer at the negro gen tleman. “Yes, maria, I see him.” “Yes!” said the female, raisin her voice to a exceedin !»!'’k,» llc * I ’vr U y oa him, and he’s vour bro ther! ‘ No, I’m darned if he is!”'said the lau lord, hastily retreatin to his beer casks. 44 And yours!” shouted the excited female, ad dressin me, “he is also your brother.” 44 No I thiuk uot, marm,” I pleasantly replied, 44 the nearest we come to that color in ourlamily was iu the case of my brother John. He had the janders for sev’ral years, but they finally left him. lam happy to state that, at the present time, he hasn’t a solitary jauder.” 44 Look at this man !” screamed the temsrie. 1 looked at him. He was an able-bodied, well-dressed, cora lortable-lookin negro. He looked as though he might heave three or four good meals a day into him without a murmur. 44 Look at that down trodden man !” cried the female. “ Who trod ou him?” I inquired. “Villins! despots!” 44 Well,” said the lan’lord, 44 why don’t you go to the villiusabout it ? Why do you come here, telliu us niggers is our brothers, and brandishin your umbrellers round like a lot of lunyties ? You’re wuss than the sperit-rapper!” “Have you,” said middle-aged female No. 2, who wafl a quieter sort of person, “have yon uo senti ment—-no poetry in your soul—no love for the beautiful? Dost"nevei*go into the green fields to cull the beautiful flowers?” “1 not Only never dost,” said the lan’lord, in an angry voice, “but I’ll bet you five pound you can’t bring a man as dares say I durst.” “The little birds,” continued the female, “dost not love to gaze onto them ?” “I would I were a bird, that I might fly to thou!” I humorously sung, cast ing a sweet glance-at the pretty young woman. “Don’t you look in that way at my dawter,” said female No. 1 in a violent voice; “you’re old enough to be her father.” 44 ’Twas an innocent look dear madam,” I softly said. “You behold in me an emblem of innocence and purity. In tack, I start for Rome by the first train to morrer, to sit as a model to a celebrated artist who is about to sculp a statue to be called Sweet Innocence. Do you s’pose a sculptor would send for me for that purpose onless he know’d I was cverflowin with innocence? Don’t make a error about me,” “It is my opiniyn,” said the leadin female, “that you’re«a scoffer and a wretch ! Your mind is in a wusser beclouded state than the poor negroes we are seekin to aid. You are a groper in the dark cellar of sin. O sinful man! There is a sparkling fount, Come O come and dnnk. No : you will not come and drink.” 44 Yes he will,” said the landlord, “if you’ll treat. Jest try him.” 44 As for you,” said the enraged female to the lan’lord, “you’re a degraded bein, too low and wulgar to talk to.” 44 This is the sparklin fount for me, dear sister !” cried the lan’lord, drawin an drinkin a mug of beer. Havin uttered which goak, he gave a low rura blin larf, and relapsed into silence. “My colerd fren’,” I said to the negro kindly, 44 what is it all about ?” He said they was tryin to raise money to send missionaries to the Southern States in America to preach to the vast numbers of negroes recently made free there. He 6aid they were without the gospel. They were without tracts. I said, 44 My fren, this is a serious matter. I admire you for tryin to help the race to which you belong, aud far be it from me to say anything agin carryin the gospel among the blacks of the South. Let the gos pel go to them by all means. But I h&ppen to individooally know that there are some thou sands of liberated blacks in the South who are starviu. I don’t blame any body for this, but it is a very sad fact. Some are really floo ill to work, some can’t get work to do, and others are too foolish to sec any ne cessity for workin. I was down there last win ter, and I observed that this class had plenty of preaebtu for their souls, but skurce any vittles for their stummux. Now, if it is proposed to send flour and bacon along with the gospel, the idea is really a excellent one. If on the t’other hand it is proposed to send preachin alone, all I can say is thqt it’s a hard case for the niggers. It you expect a coloured persoa to get deeply interested in a tract when his slummuck is empty, you expect too much.” I gave the ne gro as much as 1 could afford, and the kind hearted lan’lord did the same.’ I said, 44 Fare well, my coloured fren. I wish you well, cer tainly. You are now as free as the eagle. Be like him and soar. But don’t attempt to con vert a Ethiopian person while his sttunmuck yearns for vittles. And you, ladies—l hope you are ready to help the poor and unfortunate at home as you seem to help the poor and un fortunate abroad.” When they had gone the lan’lord said, “Come into the garden, Ward.” And we went and culled some carrots for din ner. [From the New York World. A Sad Case. There is really something diabolical in the astuteness ol Senator Sumner. Ilis hatred of Secretary Seward is no secret, but uo intensity of hatred can excuse a professed philanthropist for trifling with the life* and happiness of one human being, no matter how humble, in his eagerness to chastise the arrogance of another human being, no matter how exalted in station. Determined to defeat Secretary Seward’s triumph over the sale of Walrussia by the Czar to the United States, Senator Sumner hit upon the horrible expedient of first inditiug a gigan tic speech in lavor of, the purchase and then causing that speech to be translated into Rus sian and forwarded to St. Petersburg. ) Upon receiving the‘first copy in Russian of this speech, which was brought to him by seven pack-mules, Prince Gortscbakofl' at once adopted the course which Sumner had calculat ed upon his taking; “Worthless as Wal russia is to us,” exclaimed the Russian pre mier, “and convenient as it is to receive even millions of dollars, even though a large per centage thereof be paid in old monitors, I will hot complete the transac tion under suqji a penalty as reading this speech.” The speech was at once returned to Minister Clay, and the bargain for Walrnssia broken off. Senator Sumner has achieved his purpose; but the wretched instrument of his cunning, the unfortunate man who had been compelled to tqinslate his speech, now lies in a condition, from which, if he ever recovers, it will be with the entire loss of his reason. He babbles not of “green fields,” but of “Walrus sia,” and “isothermal lines,” and then sudden ly relapses into absolute imbecility, giving no sign of life save an incessant mechanical mo tion of his hand frpm left to right, as in tbe of inditing innumerable pages of manu script. The people of Massachusetts have al ready justly incurred a vast deal of reproach by their scandalous condonation of the crimes ol men like Sereno Howe, and of the peccadil loes of men like Banks. If they manifest a ■ iKe indifference to this. last aj»d most cruel act of their chief Senator, they will merit outlaw ry from the family of civilized States. Here and There.—An Indiana correspond ent of the New York Times writes: Judge Lynch, to our disgrace be it said, is at present doing a most extensive business in In diana. Sixteen cases of mob law have been recorded during the past two months, and there are prospects of further accessions to this num ber. Kelly got up a disturbance in Mobile, and forthwith the civil government was done away with. The government of New Orleans was re moved because there had been a riot—that of Selma, we suppose, because there might be a riot. But in Indiana, a Republican State, there were sixteen cases of mob law in two months. Are there no Sheridans or Swaynes for Indi ana ?—Selma Messenger. Criminal Execution.—The unfortunate man, S. D. Hodge, was executed yesterday, be tween the hours of eleven and one. [Columbia Phoenix, Bth. [From the Selma Time*. A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. On the 21st of March last, a villain and scoun drel, calling himself R. F. Naff, having sold a portion of his wife’s property, amounting to several hundred dollars, which he feloniously pocketed, abandoned her, since which time nothing has been heard of him, except that he took the stage at Blue Mountain, the present terminus of the Alabama and Tennessee Rail road, going in the direction of Rome, 6a. The public, especially females and the Masonic Fraternity, are hereby cautioned against this demon in human form, inasmuch as, beyond a doubt, be has two living wives, both of whom are without reprpach, aud whom he has shame fully and wickedly abandoned in great poverty and destitution. lie claimed, too, to be a member of thfe 44 Mystic Tie,” said he was mado a Mason in Constantine Lodge No. 120, in Mis souri, is quite bright, and usually wears a breastpin composed of a square and compass enclosed within a circle; said that he was born and raised in Missouri; was an engineer on the Missippi river for many years, and during the late war was a captain in General Marma duke's command. While in this section he conducted a steam saw mill, aud seemed par ticularly fond of that occupation. Iu addition to the above, 1 subjoin an ex tract from a letter of the Rev. J. M. P. Hicker son, P. E., Clarkcsville District, Arkansas Con ference, received a few days ago : Dover, Pope Cos., Ark., April 25, 1867. *' * # # “ I was once acquainted with one Captain R. * ‘ ol?’ 0r giving the sound as in safe. “,lhis gentleman came to Smithville, Arkan- Missouri, In the winter or spring of 1868—was a Confederate captain in Gen. Mar maduke’s command. He claimed to be a wid ower, and in the summer of 1863 was married to Mrs. , an estimable widow lady ot that place.* After the surrender, he sold his wife’s property, except her household goods, borrow ed several hundred dollars from James R. Barnes, a merchant of Smithville, aud started to Memphis to lay in supplies for himself and other families, who sent money by him. He remained about Memphis for several weeks, and sent for his family, stating that he had bought an interest in a steam saw mill near that city. His family went to him. His creditors, and those who had sent money by him for supplies, attached what little property was left, aud sold it, but got very little towards their claims on him. 44 About the Inst days of June, 1866, he sold off his property near Memphis, as he Baid, with a view to remove to Smithville again; he Bold the mill, and having collected all the money for property—mill and all, including his partner’s interest—he started to Memphis, about the first of July, with all the money to deposit in bank, until he conld get ready to start to Smithville, since which time he has not been heard of. 4i T was in Memphis a few days after this oc currence, and was assured by business men gen erally, that there could be no doubt that he nad been robbed of bis money and that of his part ner’s., say several thousand dollars, and mur dered and his body thrown into the Mississippi •river. His wife and friends were of this opin ion. She remained there in sadness and pover ty and grief for several months, and by Masonic charity was taken back to Smithville. where she now resides in deep poverty and destitution, in the belief that Capt. Naff was murdered last July.” It will thus, at a glance, appear that this is the same villain whom I have mentioned as having absconded, and who, while here, deceiv ed innocent and unsuspecting females, robbing and plandering the widow and orphan, ana who will, doubtless, in other places attempt a repetition of bis cowardly and base design. Naff is a man about 40 years of age, stout and square built, height about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches, very broad across the shoulders, large head and full round face, and weighs about 190 or 200 pounds ; hair originally black, but now inclin ed to be grey, wears a grey gOatee, has pene trating grey or blue eyes, is quite affable aud agreeable in bis manners, is fond of jokes, and at times is quite lively and communicative as .to his adventures in the war and os engineer on the Mississippi river, and seems to be well acquainted about Meinpnis and St. Louis. The San Antonio Express says : “On the 11th ult., as Mr. Gooch and a number of his neighbors were driving abont 1,000 head of* cattle in the head waters of the Concho, to de liver them to Contractor Adams, of New Mexi co, to supply the Indian reservation of Fort Sumner, they were attacked by a party of eighty Southern Camanches of Kickapoos, ail the cattle captured arid one man killed. The body of the latter was afterward? found, skin ned down to the waist, and the head complete ly severed; the supposition being that he was skinned before death, as these fiendish deeds are only inflicaed for torture. Another herd of the same size was taken the same day, twelve miles west of the head waters of the Concho, aud a third lot taken near Horse Head Cross ing, on the Pecos, about sixteen miles from Fort Stockton. Troops have been sent in pur suit from Camp Verde; no results yet known. General Edward Hatch starts from here im mediately, with four companies of the 9th cav alry, to be stationed in the vicinity of Fort Stockton. A permanent camp, consisting of troops of the 4tli cavalry, is ordered to the headwaters of the main Concho. This is deem ed sufficient to guard against such wholesale depredations in the future.” The same paper says that two men were attacked near Bandern, and one of them, named Grier, was severely wounded. Four companies of the 9th cavalry left their camp at the head of San v Pedro Springs, a few days siuce, for Fort Davis. We are sorry to observe that in their South ern tours, so far, the Republican orators have omitted to touch or speak at Napoleon, Natch ez, Vicksburg, Jackson, and other places ol the saiqe stamp. Doubtless the towns-along the river and in the interior of Mississippi are not the pleasantest in which to try the experiment of free 6peeeh,, but for that very reason they are the places where we want and ought to hold Republican meetings. [ Philadelphia Press. This extract from one of D. D. Forney’s “ two papers, both daily,” tells its own story. Kelley returned to Washington last week and reported that he had been favorably received everywhere at the South excepting at Mobile. The Press is anxious to have him try Natchez, and a few “ Other places of the same stamp,” where a riot, or at least a row, could easily be created. “For that very reason,” says the Press, “ they are the places where we want and ought to hold Republican meetings.” This fnlly discloses the. animus of tbe Radical ad venturers who have been perambulating the Sonthern States, but the pressing “ want ” now for a riot “in the interior of Mississippi ” is a confession that no capital can be made from the . recent attempt at Mobile. — N. Y. World. A Warning— Over the river, in our good sister State of Georgia, there are traveling through the country men who pretend to have authority from the Government for selling land scrip to the colored people. They inform their i iguorant victims that the Government will in * few days confiscate the lands of Southern white men and give them to the former slaves. From one to five dollars is charged for these certifi cates, and that obtained the scoundrels go on !in their w ork of fraud and stealing. It may be 1 well to give our colored people a timely warn , ing against these scrip peddlers. Although we I have not yet beard of any of them amongst the freedmen in this section, it cannot*be amiss to spread their character in advance of their footsteps. —Abbeville Netet. Murder in Donaldsvilltb.— We are inform ed that a young man named Pitts was brutally murdered near Donaldsville, in this District, on Tuesday of last week. An inqnestwas held on the body, and the facts elicited by an exami nation of those-with whom Mr. Pitts was work ing? were such as to cause the Immediate arrest of a negro man who was employed in the vicinity where the murder was committed. He was brought to this place on the following day, and committed to jail. Since his imprisonment we learn he has made a confession of hia guilt. [Abbeville Banner. An imbecile daughter of a drunkard named Murray died at Worcester, Mass., on Sunday, alone, from neglect and want, in giving birth to a child, which had been begotten by a young maivin that city who had taken advantage ot hermfirmity and then deserted her.
