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TEE WEEKLY 00K8TmJTI0KALI8T Remarkable Duels. *OMF, INTERESTING HISTORICAL FACTS— i DUELS HT EMINENT MEN—F,XPI/>ITS OF f’F.MALK DUF.LINTB—HOW UEVKRDY JOHN- I SO S LOOT AN EYE, ETC . In the year 1777 a duel occurred In New York city between Lieutenant Feather- j >tonehaugh, of the Seventv-sixth, and Cap tain McPherson, of the Forty-second Hr; ! tish regiment, in regard to the manner of eating an ear of corn, one contending that the eating was from the cob, and the other that the grain should be cut off from the cob before eating. Lieutenant Feather-1 stonehaugh lost his right arm, the bail from liis antagonist s pistol shattering the limb dreadfully, so much so that it had to be amputated. In lib? Hon. George Thatcher, a Repre sentative from Massachusetts, was chal lenged by Mr Hionnt. tffMiM see, fora verbal crlticisril on a resolution offered bv Die latter. Mr. 1. received the challenge while abed, and treated it with contemptu ous ridicule, promising to write to his wife in Massachusetts for her views on the subject. The peculiar treatment afforded gnat amusement at Lhe expense of his chivalrous adversary. Mr. Hlount was soon after ex pelled from Congress for treasonable trans actions with the Spanish Governor of New < >rlc:a ns. In JTt»?s a duel took place on Boston Com mon between Henry Phillips and Benjamin Wood bridge, in which Wo dbridge was killed. It was fought by moonlight with swords, and without seconds, Wood bridge’* body was found at daylight next morning, ' and great excitement was created. Phillips escaped on a man-of-war, then in the har bor, and died in France, suffering all the horrors of remorse. .Mademoiselle de Maupin, a female duel ist. was born in France in 1763. Whenever he desired 1o indulge in a frolic, or re venge an insult, she laid aside the female and assumed the male attire. One even ing, lining at a masked ball given at the Calais Royal by Monsieur the King’s brother, and, as usual, disguised as a man, she indulged in some freedom toward a lady of rank, which was ill received, and railed forth the indignation of three of the lady’s friends, who Invited the intruder to .(•company them down to the garden. La Maupin complied on the instant, drew her sword, engaged the three companions suc cessfully, and laid them all lifeless on the ground. Then* coolly returning to the ball room, she made herself known to his Royal Highness, and obtained a free pardon. In the “good old days” of France, Ma dame de Nesle, brought up in an old cha teau in Anjou, was very beautiful and very romantic. She made her first appearance at the petilM mu-pera of the Kcgencv as a Bar-haute, seated between the Duchess of Merry and Madame Duveru. She soon be come the rival of Madame de Polignac in the affections of Richelieu, and she chal lenged her antagonist to single combat.— The duel took place near the Pore Maillot. Madame de Nesle saluted Madame de I’o lignae; Madame de Polignac returned the salutation to Madame de Nelse. They were attended by two squires as witnesses. The pistols were loaded, and it was ar ranged that the two rivals should walk to ward one another as far as a scarf, with permission to fire at any time during the advance. Madame de Nesle fired first, without effect; Madame de Polignac re served her fire, and wounded her antago nist, in the shoulder. This duel created a great sensation at the lime, but it did not bring back the inconstant, Duke to the feet of Madamc de Nesle. The famous duel fought between Burr m»l Hamilton took place In July, 1804. d'he details of which, and the intense ex citement which it occasioned, are too well known to require repeating. In INOS Henry (-lav fought with old Humphrey Marshall. They exchanged two or three shots, and both wore slightly wounded. A duel between Mr. McDuffie, for many yearswt member of Congress from South Carolina, ami Colonel Camming, took place in 1822. The former received a severe wound in the back, which lamed him • for life. The papers of the day were filled with squibs and ridicule in regard to the duel, and Mr. McDuffie's wound, though it proved no joke to him, causing a sort of gait, resembling the spring halt of an old man. from which he suffered till death, iu 1851. Graham. Major Noah's assistant on the j National Advocate, lost his life in 1827, at the dueling ground at Hoboken, with Bar- i ton, the son-itt-law of Edward Livingstone, j in a dispute about ‘ what was trumps” in u game of cards. lieverdy Johnson, our present Minister to Eugbiml, lost an eye by the rebound of a 1 t-istoi bull, while practicing at a-target.— He was selected as the second, and expect- j ed to be called on as such, in a duel incou tcmplation at Washington in 1843, which never took place. In 1842, a Mr. Cochrane, a young law student, twenty years old, was killed near Washington by Julian May, for some trifliug or Imaginary affront at an evening party. Cochrane went to the field in a coach and four, in high spirits, humming an operatic air. When tiie combatants were placed in position, and asked by the seconds if they were ready, Cochrane promptly answered “ Yes !” tossing tip his liat in the air. He was shot through the head at the first tire. Mr. May was after ward unpointed a lieutenant in the mounted rifles, and distinguished himself in the Mexican war ; he is now dead. lu 1851 IT. Bouliguy, formerly United States Senator from Louisiana, was chal lenged and killed by Mr. Cummings, at New Orleans. The newspapers threw consider able ridicule on the affair, saying Mr. B. re ceived his adversary's shot somewhat in the rear, just above his h p joint. Colonel Montgomery was shot in- a duel about a dog ; Colonel Ramsey in one about a servant ; Mr. Featherstone in one about a goose; General Barry was challenged bv a Captain Smith for declining wine at a din ner on a steamboat, although the General pleaded as an excuse that wine invariably made him sick.; Lieutenant Crowther lost his life in a duel because he was refused ad mittance to a club of pigeon shooters. Presidential Piety. vtuat presidents have been pious— STATEMENTS OF A BOSTON CORRESPOND ENT-ONLY ONE PIOUS PRESIDENT. The New York correspondent of a Bos ton paper says: “ The fact that Gen. Grant passed a Sab bath at West Point aud did not attend church, though the post chaplain officiated near him, has been commented on by the press generally. It is somewhat a singular fact that, as far as It is known, no Presi dent of the United States, since the days of Washington, has been a communicant in a church. John Adams was the representa tive of the liberal community of his day. Jefferson was styled a l'rte thinker. An attempt was made, when Jefferson was a young man, to make the Episcopal Church the established religion of Virginia. John John Iceland, a traveling Baptist minister, preached a sermon in the presence of Jeffer son on what he called the ‘ incestuous con-I nection of the church and state ’ This ser mon converted Jefferson to that doctrine, i Hm persistent opposition to a state religion caused him to be stigmatized as an infidel, j Mrs Ma lison was a communicant at the Episcopal Church. Her husband was not. Monroe was a member of an Episcopal parish, but not a communicant. John (Quincy Adams, %1 though a tneral>er of a Unitarian parish in Massachusetts, held a pf’w in the Second Presbyterian Church in Washington, of which he w as a trustee, and there he worshipped until his death. In a violent snow storm I saw him walking to Church, one Sunday, with the snow up to j his loins, and he was one of the seven per sons who composed the congregation that morning. He never communed in the i church. Gen. Jackson was a regular at- U-.nd.tut ou .Sunday morning. He wor shipped in the Second Presbyterian Church until his quarrel w ith the pastor about Mrs. ! Hester. He then left for the Four-and-a-! half street church, and took his Cabinet with him. He always came early and en tered hi- pew, which was on the right side of the church as he? entered. Earnest and devout attention he gave to the sermon. It l was his custom, at the close of the sermon, to ri-*• in his pew and make a very conrte-; ou* bow to#the minister, and then walk out, the audience wait ug in their pews till he had reached the vestibule. Van Buren’s home church at K inderhook was Reformed Dutch. At Washington, when he went to church, he attended St. John’s (Episcopal) ! in tiie morning. Mrs. Polk was a devout and earnest Christian woman, belonging to the Presbyterian Church. “ Mr. Polk accompanied his family every Sunday morning to the Fotir-and-a-half' church. Mrs. Polk usually attended the’ Second Presbyterian Church in the after- 1 noon, where she held a pew. The Presi dent seldom accompanied her at the second service. General Taylor was not a profess- > or of religion. When he attended church | he sat. in the President’s pew at St. John’s. President Pierce was a member of the Con- 1 gregatlonal Society, in Concord, N. II ,but not of the church. He was very regular lu his attendance at the Presbyterian church j ou F street, near the White House. This; was his religious home during ..is long sen- j utorial life. He was not a member of the church, lie came to worship usually on I foot and unattended. His pew was on the side, about two-thirds of the wav from the way from the door. lie usually walked up the aisle with a cut-like step, went to the extreme end of the pew, curled himself up i in the corner, and seldom moved till the service closed. He rarely spoke to any one, and hastened from the church to the White House. Mrs. Lincoln was a commu nicant at the New York Avenue Presbyte rian church. Mr. Lincoln was not. But he was a regular attendant at worship.— .Johnson seems to have no religious home, but rather iucliued to the Lutheran. Geu. Grant is not a professor of religion. He is a trustee of the National church at Washington, and is a frequei "attendant ou the preaching of that church.” Tiie Salutirity of Aiken.—A correspond ent writes to the New Y jrk Evening Post: Invalids now at Aiken, from Northern ' states, are much pleaded with the climate, and | Die accommodations and fare of the hotel. We i are happy to notice this as the expel ience of | many, as flic hotel accommodations at those place sat the Soulh most frequented by inva- I lids iyive not been altogether .-atisfactorY. The climate of Aiken has proved so benefl ! c ' | il to those suffering from any affection of the ! throat or lungs, or lrom general debility, that a company lias been formed of eminent ptaysi i clans to establish, ou an extensive scale, at j Aiken, a sanatorium. One of the company, 1 Hr. Riskwell, of Connecticut, is-now on his ' way then to make preparations for the recep- I lion of invalids at an early day. The Rev. Mr. Cornish is also engaged in a similar enterprise for invalid clergymen. In : addition to the benefits to be derived from the j climate, he designs setting his brethren of the J clergy entirely at ease as to the rates of fare by making them welcome without any charge for board. We hope his benevolent design will meet with a liberal response from ail who fed I an ineresj in the welfare of the clergy. He has issued a pamphlet, which contains | much valuable information for invalids. Iu ' particular, we would rail attention to an article in it “ On Climate in the Treatment of Pulmo , nary, Tuberculosis, Are. By Amory Coffin, M. D.” The pamphlet may be obtained gratis at J the book store of Pott & Amery, Nos. 5 and 13, Cooper Union, or at Derby’s Athemeum, Broad wny. The statements of Dr. Coffin with respect tG i the dim *te of Aiken are fully endorsed by . Samuel Henry Dickson, M. D . Professor Prac 1 tice in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, j formerly of the South Carolina Medical Col j lege, and of the New York University. He ' says : “ I am in the ha' i> of expressing myself more strongly on the subject than he has .lone, j and have advised many patients to spend their Winters there, and have seen numerous in stances of unequivocal benefit from its pure air and pleasant climate.”— Charleston News. Death of a Distinguished Georgian.— The Memphis Avalanche records the death of Hon. William L. Harris, w hich occurred in that | city, of which he had recently become a resi dent, on Thursday last, in the 61st year of his age. Judge Harris was a native of Elbert county, J in this State, and in early life resided and prac ticed his profession at Washington, in Wilkes 1 county, in co-partnership with the late Hon. Daniel Chandler, of Mobile. He married a half i sister ot the late Gen. Paul J St mines, and re moved to Columbus, Mississippi, in the early settlement ot that State. There he attained to great celebrity as a lawyer, was associated with Judge Sharkey in compiling the Revised Code ot Mississippi, and subsequently elected a Judge of the High Court of Appeals. The Avalanche i has a long and deserved tribute to his worth as a jurist and a citizen, from which we make the following extract : He was a man.of comprehensive intellect, of finished education ; a classical and belles lettres scholar; a habitual student ; a tine writer upou general topics, and a powerful advocate and de bater. During his occupancy of the bench of the High Court ot Mississippi, Judge Harris was tendered by Mr. Buchanau the seat iu the Supreme Court ot the United States, made va cant by the death of Hon. P. V. Daniel; but the political troubles which resulted in the late war having been partially inaugurated, he, ot course, declined the appointment, preferring to share , the dangers which menaced his native land, rather than to wear the ermine of that proud judicial station, under the patronag • of Federal | power. He retained, by re-election, bis seat in i the High Court of Mississippi, until the inde j pendenee of that tribunal was threatened by the i presence of Federal bayonets, when he resigned | the position, in connection with the other members of the court, and became a resident I of this State.— Savannah Republican. Sudden Death of a Gallant Confede rate General. —Every Carolinian remembers the fame and services of Gen. Nat. Evans—a 1 brother-in-law of onr townsman, Gen. M. W. Gary. We regret to annonnee that the latter gentleman received, on Monday last, a tele gram announcing the sndden death of General Evans. For a year or more past, he had been living at Midway, Alabama; and there, a few days back, he departed this life. Gen. Evans’ malady, if we mistake not, was disease ot the heart. His spirit and valor illustrated South ern character most worthily during the war* and his name and fame deserve to be kept alive in South Caroliua. He leaves a widow and four children.— Ex. James Dudley, E>q., a member of the bar of Horry District, S. C., was drowned receutly i near Cherry Grove Beach, while on a visit to the plantation of Mr. Thomas Graham, in the j above named district. Tke Savannah 'fragedy. From the Morning Seva, of the 7ih, we ex tract as follows concerning the recent tragedV near Savannah : George Wagener, sworn and with: Yesterday evening about a quarter to nine o’clock Mr Mastic k and myself fott his ( M .stickhouse to go out on the Shell road on duty, as special police. We were to meet a party at the toll j g-Ue to perform patrol or police duiv \\\- met tV party at the toH gate, on the Skidawsv Shell road, in Chatham eountv. The persons who composed the party which was to perforin E 22 s>r5 >r 1 were Jacob Klein. Henrv I r Frederlc * i Hirt. Frederick *' l *’ John 9“ ,nt * Mr. Ohl, Fritz Broad baeker, and myself, George Wagener. We ill waikt-d up and down Shell road until about a quarter to eleven o'eioek at night, when we i beard a noise just as we were in lending to go j v, ome - , Th , e , noise appeared to be near I Mr. Sehutz s i.qaor store. There was ecu-i Mderableot a fuss there. Mr. Broad backer : and his men whistled for us to come hack to i u i? , tr>, , e- We went L:iok and found Broadbackera party again. We walked a *hort di-tauce towards town, and met a party ot abom five or six negro men. Broad back r i walked up to them and caught hold ot one of i the negroes, and asked him who made the i noise Ihe negro said I don’t know. Mr. Broad backer told Mr. Mas tick and myself to hoffi the man that he had caught, and lie would get another one. As soon as Mr. i Broad backer stepped away from us, a large | party of negroes came up toward us; and as j soon as Broadbacker got hold ot another ms j gto man, the negroes commenced tiring upon | us. Ihe first shot fired by the negroes killed 1 Die deceased, Mr. Broad.-acker. Alter that, i Die negroes all commenced firing upon us, and we returned the fire. There were only four or five of our parly who had firearms. Two had guns and the other three bad revolvers. As soon as our ammunition w»s exhausted we retreated, through the field ou the South side of the road. I heard the ne groes shouting and screaming, and calling to us—come hae i again, yon —— .. j heard one negro say; ()! leave that man alone, he’s gone now. Another stid : I want revenge on the . I heard this while we were retreating. After the crowd of negroes went off, three of us went back to the Shell road, and there we met two others of our party. Mr. Klein, Mr. Ohl and myself went back to see whether there was anv wounded. We heard somebody hallooing. We halted several times to listen and ascertain whether it was any of our party. Sotnebodv whistled—l believe it was Mr. Brickman—aud halloeod, “Come on, boys, I’m a friend.” Wu walked up to him and found him lying in the field, a little way off from the Shell road, wounded. He fold us to get a wagon and carry him home. Mr. Ohl and rm’self went to Mr. Broadbacker’s house and got a wagon, and brought them hornp. Broadbacker we found lying dead in the road. Quint was carried to Mr. Ilirt’s home. He was wounded. Mr. Mastiek was wounded, and walked home. I saw Mr. Mastiek this mohiing, and he was wounded. The killing of Mr. Broadbacker was ou the sth o 18C8, about 11 o’clock. The crowd was so large, and it was so very dark that 1 did not see Mr. Broadbacker fall. There were at least thirty or forty negroes. He was a little ahead of our party, about twenty feet in advance of us. After we retreated, one of the negroes followed Mr. Hirt into the field and abut at uo five or six limes. The firing sound ed as though done with a pistol. The negroes were coming out of town when we met them. They were making a great deal of disturbance. The negroes fired first upon us. They all seemed to be armed, judging by their shoot ing. Our party were acting as special police, appointed by the Mayor of Savannah, and all except myself and Mr. Hirt had city police badges on. Sixty or seventy shots were fired at u*. I know, of mv own knowledge, that (here is a special police force out in this neigh borhood, to preserve the pea:e in the suburbs of the city, and protect the public roads, Ac. I have seen them act as such frequent l )’. Mr. Broadbacker was a member of that police force, and was in the discharge o 1 bis duty last night. Henry II M a flick sworn and saitli : I was one of the special policemen on duty last night , the sth of December, 1868. I was in company with Frederick Broadbacker, and others. There were nine of us altogether. We went trom my house, aud up through the 101 l gate, towards town. We heard some noise on the road, just at the time we had con cluded to break up and return home. There i was a crowd ot negroes coming up, whooping | and yelling, and we went towards them. De | ceased, someone of our party and myself stop ped one of the negroes, aud arrested him. Broadbacker left me, Mid went ahead towards | Die crowd of negroes, aud I heard the firing of guns. From fitly to one hundred shots were tired. At that time I still laid one of the ne groes in my custody. I was shot then in three place*. (Wounds exhil ited.) I tried to carry otl the negro that I had to secure and keep him as a prisoner, but could not do it. Brickman told me that he was shot, and asked me to help him. He said : Mastiek, come and kelp me, lam shot. I said : Brickman, I am shot myself; look out for yourself as well as you can. I did not know that Broadbacker was Killed until this morning. After 1 was shot, I went towards my house. When I got near Verm's house, I heard negroes curse aud abuse him, and threaten to set his house ou tire. They halted there, and struck matches. They went along the road cursing, whooping l and yelling, and said: “Come out, you police, you!” When they got to my house they said : “ Come out, you red headed Mastiek !” I have no idea how many negroes j were present when the firing first occurred. It was very dark There were about fifteen in ihe party whocauie down to Verm’s houseaud mine, after the tiring. I was close to this party, but they did not see me. The shot which struck me came Iron the crowd of negroes towards which Mr. Broadbacker went. 1 was shot | while I was holding the negro. I think some i of the shot struck him as he cried out as if he I was hurt. The firing came trom all directions ( in front of us. I saw where the shot which I struck me came from I saw the man standing l on the right hand side of the road. I think | the same man shot me and Brickman. Broad : backer went towards the negro by himself, i The gun which shot me was loaded with buck i shot. The shot came from the North side of | the Skidaway Shell road. The negroes were coming from town when we met them. The road wus full of men. Their conduct was very violeut. I thiuk that they were country ne | groes belonging ou the farms around the city, i I was in charge of the police force. Mr Broad i backer acted under my orders; we conducted ourselves iu a quiet aud peaceable manner in ! the performance of our duty. We gave the I uegroes no cause for au attack upon us. If j they had not fired upon us first, we would not have fired upou them. Our only object in be j ing out was to preserve the public peace. The I general conduct of the negroes iu this neigh i borhood has been pretty bad, which was the j reason why we asked Mayor Anderson to or ganize the special poliee force. Joseph Ohl sworn and saith : I was present when Mr. Broadbacker was killed ; about eleven I o’clock last night. He was killed by a negro. J The uegro was within a few yards ofc him. I i was about seven or eight steps from Broad backer wheu he was killed. The negro was very close to him. He was shot with a gun. I saw the flash when he fired. I saw Mr. Broadbacker fall. There were at least thirty or l tortv shots fired by the negroes. The first'was i fired by a negro. Four of our party were shot —three were wounded and one killed. Tbe jury taayjng heard thi6 evidence retired i for deliberation, aud returned a verdict as fol ! lows: “ We, the jury, find from the evidence given I before us, that the deceased, Frederick Broad backer, came to his death while in the discharge ! of his duty as a special policeman, on the Thun | dei bolt road, in the eouuty of Chatham, from i gunshot wounds in the head, received from a j gun in the hands of a negro, one ot a party who were disturbing the peace on Thunderbolt ! Shell road ; aud we earnestly recommend that the State and county authorities take actiou in > order to protect the citizens of this county from the brutalities of the negro population.” THE DECEASED. j Frederick Broadbacker, the victim of this I terribly tragic affair, was a native of Germaoy, and wa« bom near the city of Mavence, on the Rhine, in Heeae Darmstadt. He was thirty-two years and five months old, and had been in this coootry eleven years. He came over here and remained a year, then returned to Majence, was married, and returned back with his wife. He has long been known as a market gardener, and his place on Lover’s Lane has always been a favorite resort. He bad erected a fine saloon there, which be kept in the German style, had a handsome dancing hall, and his place was much frequented by citizens. He was a quiet man, a member of the Germauia Fir** Company, of the Turnverein Society and DeKaih Rifleg. H e leaves a wife and four l * >e but four months old. He was much respected in the commu nity, and a favorite among the Germans. THK OTHER WOUNDED MEN—THEIR CONDITION. John Quint is aleo a gardener. It will he remembered that during a heavy thuutier storm last Summer, bis house was strnck bv light ning, and one of his children killed. Qnint is mortally wounded, and was considered past re covery la«t night. Frederick Brickman is also a gardener, re siding on Lover’s Lane. He was in a very had condition, and should he recover, which is doubtful, he will probably be crippled for life. The wound was so sniili that it could not he proned. Both men are being attended bv Dr. Read. Mastiek was not very badly wounded, and although suffering considerable pain, was able to be about yesterday. THE PARTY OP MURDERERS was composed of country negroes entirely, aud they marched off down the country, after ac- j eoinplishing their deadly purpose. There may 1 have been some of the Bryan Row vagabonds among them. INDIGNATION AMONG CITIZENS. The tragedy created great excitement and Indignation among the citizens, especially among the German population. Woe to any party or gang that attempts any such thing ! hereafter. MEASURES FOB SAFETY. We have time aud again called upon the City Council to provide a special force of mounted i men for the protection of the outskirts of the city. Such a force, to be employed day and I night, is imperatively needed, and should be organized at once. The cily and county should unite in this project, aud have no delay about it. Our public highways are no longer safe ; it is dangerous to reside without the city, in the present condition of affairs. Such a force would cause these negroes to cease their vil lainous, murderous acts, by making it unsafe for them to commit crime. But above all should we strive to secure the emigration of while men, of Germans, Scotch and Irish, to this section, that the country may become thickly settled with white men. We have presented the details of this fearful occurrence at length. The statements of all parties prove it to have been a regularly or ganized plot to murder. The patrol guard, part of them armed, were ambuscaded and shot down without provocation, and even the dead body was kicked and beaten. The negroes lay in the hushes with murder in their hearts; and they perpetrated one of the most fearful crimes ever heard of in this section. May they be brought to justice is the prayer of citizens, aud, though they may escape for a time, sooner or later “ murder will out,” aud the punishment is sure to come, [From the New York World, Dee. 2, Destruction of Fort Lafayette. THE FORT IN RUINS —A TERRIBLE EXPLOSION ANTICIPATED—EXODUS OFTHK SURROUNDING POPULATION—THE BURNING FORT ABAN DONED, tVC. Yesterday afternoon the alarming report reached this cily that Fort Lafayette was ou fire. The news wis eagerly caught up, aud great consternation prevailed among those whose residences were in that neighborhood hut whose business called them to New York. The alarm was not groundless, (he danger w >s im minent, and every one was on the qui v>ve for information. For the past few weeks, it ap pears, workmen bad been employed in building anew roof, ami quantities of limber, lumber, and shingles had been stored in the fort for that purpose. The work so far had been only Die preparation of the framework of the roof, and consequently the space inside the fori presented more the appearance of a carpenter’s shop than a warlike fort. Several thousand feet of lum ber and pine shingles sufficient to cover the space included within the walls of Die fort were stored therein, and, strangely culpable as it may seem, they were nil piled within a few feet of Die entrance to the powder migazine. The work of building the roof and other similar work in hand was in charge of a super intendent of the engineer’s department under General Newlc n, and strict orders had been is sued by him against lighting any fires by the workmen engaged. Notwithstanding these orders, however, a workman, it is alleged, lighted a fire for the purpose of heating some coffee for his lunch, and while the workmen were all idling away the usual dinner hour, a dense smoke was seen to issue from the work shop. A general rush waa made thereto, when it was found that the shavings, workshop and lumber were all on fire. Every effort possible was made to quench Die fl imes, but without the means of forcing water, without even fire hose or water buckets, the most strenuous efforts would have been of lilDe avail, and a panic seizing the workmen, owing to their knowledge of the proximity of the powder magazine, a general stampede for Fort Hamilton was made. The sergeant and three men, the only soldieis on duty at the fort, immediately reported to their proper officers, and a number of men were sent over to the fort to endeavor to quell the fire, but w’ith no effect. The united work of several steam engines would scarcely have been sufficient to stay the progress of the fl ones, added to which very few could be found hardy enough to brave the reported aud greatly exaggerated danger of an explosion. The fort was consequently desert ed, and the fire given full play, and well did it use the liberty thus given it The fire was first discovered al ten miumes to one o’clock, and in less than an hour irom that time the fl ttm*s were bursting through the roof, casting a red glare, even in the bright light of noonday, on the waters aronnd. At the time of the brctvte# ing out of the fire, there were u-n carpenters and four laborers at work, the fort being in charge of a sergeant and Ilu ce men. Through out the whole of the afternoon the fire burnt fiercely, the Amies bursting out in forked , longues innumerable above the outer walls of the fort, ca-ting their red glare all around and spreading consternation on all sides. As the darkness of night closed in, the scene was grand beyond description The waters of the harbor reflected tin* red light of the fire for miles. In the midst of the water, made more solitary by Die gloom caused by the shore, was to be seen the firm walls of the fort enclosing a seething, hissing mass of fire, which ever and anon shot lorlh iu short hut bright sheets of fl ime. GENERAL CONSTERNATION. No sooner was it known th it Fort Lafa yette was on fire than a general consternation seized on all within the neighborhood. Ru mors, exaggerated as rumors always are, said that an immense quantity of powder wa« stored in the fort, and all parties living near deserted their booses and took flight for a safer place. Inspector Polk, witht wemy-six men of the poliee force, was speedily on the ground, and they at once took charge of the deserted dwellings. Happily, np to this time, no explosion of any consequence has taken place to warrant snch fear, but the fact that ten tons of powder is actually stored in the maga zine is sufficient to give cause for some alarm, whieh, however, is allayed by the fact that the powder magazine is strongly-bnift of brick, fire-proof, and the entrance guarded by two doors, placed seven feet apart, and at the pres ent \ r ritiug Die fire in that corner of the fort has nearly died ont. The result of the fire can only be the entire demolition of Fort Lafa yette; bat beyond the lo>s of a few thousand ! dollars’ of lumber, some shot and shell, which latter exploded continually during the night, the loss will not be Very great. DESCRIPTION OF FORT I.AFATETTE. Fort Lafayette was built subsequent to the j close of our war with Eoglani, for the purpose i ot more effectually guarding the ocean entrance t,.. to the metropolis. It stands on the Long Is and side ot the bay, altool six miles below the cily, and almost opposite to Fort Wads worth, on Bu*ten Island. It was built on a reef about three hundred yards from the shore, aud at low tide it is surrounded by about six lect of water. The structure was quaint in apjH’wr auee from the outride as well as within. The inner wall is di.tmoud s.najK'd, and rises five or six icel higher than the wall surrounding it.— Ihe lop surface of the inner wall si opes to wards the centre, and it is upon this strong ram pari that the heavy guns of the fort were mounted. For a long series of years this fort h i* stood like a sturdy sentinel guarding the ; ates of the Empire City, without 'once having had the satisfaction of discharging a bundred j O.inder across the bow of a hostile man-of war. Bat it has done other service. During the late civtl war u was made to help Secretary Stan,on disgrace the land it was made to protect, and the name or the distinguished -oldi- r under whose name it was christened.— During these four years oT suite, hundreds of men who, bad they been granted a fair trial Ik-- fore anv tribunal, could have been found guilty of nothing, suffered confinement for mouths and years iu its dungeons. There will he many victim* who will rejoice when they hear of the demoh.iou bv fire oi Diis American bas ilic. About forty-four yeatsago Fort Lafayette presented a very different appearance than it does to day. Thru the gallant Lafayette, from whom it subsequently took its name, was re visiling the country lor whose liberties he had fought, when its government was iu course ol inception. Then its walls* find camion bad cl-angcd for a time their warlike aspect, and were decked with wreaths of flowers, and French and American flags, and nations that were typical of freedom of speech and thought, a part of the grand old principles upon which Die new republic had but recently been found 1. On that glorious occasion, when Lalh\ ( tie, in presenting to Washington the key of lhe baslile as a token of that tyranny anil intoler ance which he hoped would never disgrace this fair laud, gave utterance to the following words ; “ Permit me, my dear General, to offer you a picture representing ttie Baslile, such as U was some days after I had given orders for i.s demolition. I make you homage also of Die principal key of litis fortress of despotism.” The historian relates that Washington received the key with reverence, as “token of victory gained by liberty over despotism.” The friend of Washington if tic dreamed at that time that the very fort which it was intended should commemorate and honor his name should at la -i itself become a bastile, Die thing whieh lie held iu such uiler abhorrence. [From the New York Commercial Bulle.in. Tea. The arrival of tea of the new crop which we may soon expect in considerable qnauDDes, will impart new interest to this branch of trade. The shipments to England front ports have thus far largely exceeded the shipments for the same fitnc in 1867, but this would seem to arise lrom an earlier marketing of Die crop rather ihau from any great excess in the quantity of it.— The following review from the London Pro duce .Markets Review’ will bo found interesting: “In common with most articles of produce tea has suffered from the unseiilcd state of the country, consequent upon the near approach ol the election and the transactions this week have been below Die average of the season.— The eoulinued large deliveries, however, give Lone to Die market; and as slocks in the hands of both wholesale and retail dealers are ex tremely light, there is a constant and steady de mand going on, although not sufficient to k *ep pace with tiie large quantity of tea now being poured into this inarkeL. There is no falling off in Die demand for common tea, w hich lias been taken largely, both for export and home use; there are now very few parcels of old irn poi i in first hands, and no great quantity is held by speculators, as a large propoiliou of this class of lea which has recently been sold belonged to the latter, having been bought iu Die spring of the year at Is 3d lo Is 4d. This scan ity has caused a slight advance in common Congou, but it has not (Receded j s 'd $ lb. The last telegram from China, dated Hong Kong, October 19. gives the export to dale, 106.000 600 tbs., or an increase of only about 4,500,000 lb-, for Die fortnight. This would seem to indicate that the advices from here have at last produced some good effect, and that a more rational course of pro ceedings would naturally follow, but, as a tele gram from Shanghai, dated October 14, refers to the tea maria t as firm, with an active de mand, we confess we are unable to understand such an anomalous state of things, especially as we are assured upon positive testimony, that merchants are now losing upon nearly every contract made, and as the state of the market here must have been well known in China be fore the 14th of October. We arc glad to no tice that Die later arrivals from Foo Chow bring a belter class of Kaisow's than we bad by the earlier ships, as alibougbt here have been but very few parcels of line tea, the medium kinds have lately sold extremely cheap. A small sale of Indian tea was held on Tuesday, and as a large proportion consisted of tea of really desirable character, there was fair c om petition, and nearly (he whole sold at lull prices. There is a seusible increase in Die de maud for fine Asarns, in consequence ot the general inferiority of the China crop. In Greens there has not been much doing, al though prices are much lower than they were last year. In scented teas aud Oolongs there is no change. Common Oolong is slightly dear er, but brokcu leaf, beiug rather more pleuli lul, has slightly declined. Eight Hour System. - Ihe Government’s supervising architect, Mr. H. B. Mullett, in his report to the Secretary of the Treasury, says he has been embarrassed also by tbe eight hour system on Government work, and he thinks that the operation of the eight hour rule has been to retard the progress of public buildings, aud to increase their price. He adds that not only has he not been able to get as much work in eight hoars as in ten, but that his experi ence is that in most cases much less work per hour has been done than uuder the old system. He further says; It appears to me that the law in force up to tbe passage of the act which authorized Gov ernment officers to conform to the rules and prices established by custom in the different localities, was not only eminently ju6t, but liberal; the uniform practice on all works under charge of this department having been to pay full market rates for labor, and to give the mechanics and laborers employed the full advantages of the local customs on all points, and to avoid interference in any manner with these questions. It is also, in discussing this subject, worthy of remark, that a workman can earn a larger sum per annum when em ployed on public than on private buildings, at the same per diem pay—there being a much smaller per centage es lost time, and employ ment being more permanent. It appears mani fest that the system of pay.ng the mechanic who is employed on Government work the same price for eight hours that the one employ ed bv private persons receives for ten hours, work is unjust. It hts, at any rate, increased the cost of public buildings from 20 to 25 per ceDt. beyond the amount for which 1 can con sent to be held responsible. [LaCrosse Democrat. Destruction of Stumps.—We have always objected to the use of machinery of any sort to take np large stamps in ordinary arable land, that they would take up inevitably a lar«re quanuly of earth with each, and leaves hole almost as objectionable as the stump; and moreover that after the stumps were out ihere was trouble in disposing of Diem. The follow ing suggestions w hich we fake from our neigh bor, the Baltimore Weekly Leader , may be quite practicable, while they are not liable to the same objections. They are at feast worthy Os trial: “ We have heard of two methods of getting rid of stumps which, as they appear feasible and inexpensive, we hoj»e some reader will try and report upon : Bore with a two inch augur to the heart of Die stump; fill the cavity thus made whh sulphuric acid, or with crude petro leum. In the first case, the aciu becomes Die destructive agent within a few months, in the latter, w!icn the slump becomes saturated wiih the oil it is fired, and will then burn out to the lasl particle, like a candle. —Amcri an Farmer. The Ticknor divoVce ca*e i* again in the Chi cago courts, News Items. The Macon T Ugmph an rn that a coinparinorf ol the cotton receipt* at Macon np to the lAUi of November, 1867, with the receipt* up to the same date this venr, shows a falling off in the receipts of the present year of 3.97S bale* On the 15th of November, 1867, midditngs soid In Macon at 14 cent*; same date this rear they sold at 21X cent*. * On Tuesday, 20 shares of South Western Railroad stock were sold In Savannah for f93 per share, and 15 of Central Railroad stock for FIS3 50 per share. David Anderson, Esq., of Gwinnett county, offers a premium of a silver pitcher worth ten dollars, to the farmer producing the largest quantity ot cotton per acre ginned at hi* gin. Mr. Joseph Massey, of Thomasville, send* the editor of the Enterprise two stalks ot sugar cane weighing 16 pounds, measuring twenty feet, and yielding one gallou and one quart of juice. Mon. W. M. Butts, member of Georgia of Representatives from Marion county, died suddenly while out hunting a few days ago, it is supposed from apoplexy. The Empire and the Atlantic Coast Mail Steamships from Savannah to N.-w York have made arrangements to insure freight at their offices, wheu desired, for halt per cent. The Newnan Herald, of 1 »st week, chronicles Die death ot a negro who was killed bv a gun shot wound, inflicted by Mr. Kinebeu Well born, w ho made good his escape. Iu one cf the cantons of Switzerland an edict has been issued forbidding any youth under eighteen years of age to smoke, under a severe penalty. The costumes of the ladies who promenade Broadway now surpass those of the theatre iu gorgeousness. Such brilliancy in colors was never before witnessed on the arena of fashiou. Francis Joseph has settled upon a title for himself, which is “ Emperor <of Austria, Kiug ot Bohemia, etc., aud Apostolic Kiug of Hun gary.” Lee, Massachusetts, proposes to have its streets lighted by a lamp iu lhe front window/ of every house. Jesse Thompson has been arrested at Vicks burg on the charge of being the assassiu of Geu. Hindman, he having confessed to a uegro that he did the deed, but now denies it. A physician for the insane save that Wall street is the great harvest field from which he “ gathers them iu.” All the Congressmen elect from Indiana, in cluding Julian and Voorhees, have received their certificates of election. Mr. Alden Goldsmith, of New York, has sold Ills celebrated trotting mare, Goldsmith Maid, tor $20,000. Paris has taken a census of its cats, and finds that it has 700,824. San Francisco is trying to iuvent earthquake proof houses. To be virtuous is to be happy ; and this may lie said to be the quickest ami best way to that elysianic goal. One of the comforts of travel ing there is that the road is never impeded by excessive tr avel. Gov. Bullock has set aside the recent elec tion held in Muscogee county, for coroner, sheriff and clerk, on the ground that it was not advertised according to law. A cabbage baa been grown near Jackson, Miss., with thirteen solid heads. Enough lor a email family! Tied to a Tree.—A Government Official in a Tight Place.—On Friday, Colonel E. D. Lyons, Government detective, attached to the Quartermaster’s Department, and at pre sent stationed at Nashville, Tenn., we learn, was ordered to Bridgeport, Ala., to investigate some bounty claims, believed to be fraudulent, that had been paid to loyal colored soldiers, residing in the vicinity. The colonel arrived at his destination on Tuesday evening, and en gaged quarters for the night in the hotel. A darkey porter in the employ ol the house po litely escorted the colonel to his room. With the suavity lor which Colonel Lyons is justly j celebrated, he entered info conversation with ; Die porter, and by a course of pumping, learn from him Die whereabouts of Die eight colored loyalists for whom he was seeking. The port er after much solicitation, and aided by the offer of greenbacks, agreed to accompany the detective to the settlement where the parties lived, which was about five miles from Bridge port. Dismissing bis informant, the colonel retired. Early next morning he arose, and after the necessary ablutions, went down to breakfast. After eating heartily lie looked round for the porter, but not descrying him, the colonel went to hifi room and belted on his revolver, besides placing eight pairs of handcuffs in his pockets, intending when lie arrived at the settlement to call upon the authorities lor assistance in ar resting the culprits. Going ciown stairs once more, nnd finding that the darkey was non eat, he concluded lo go without him. After traveling a short dis tance into the woods, lie was naturally sur prised to find six men spring out from a by path, and seize him. Remonstrating with them, they informed him that they were the fire-tried loyalists he was in search of, and tak ing a pair of handcuffs from his pockets, they tightened them upon the frightened detective. After lightening him of his revolver, they tied him lightly to the trank of a tree, and left him to his ihouirhls. Colonel Lyons remained in bis trying and unpleasant position for about two hours, wheu he was released by a farmer, who was attracted to the scene by the cries of the bonnd man. Colonel Lyons returned to his post of duty at Nashville, a sadder if not a wiser man. He is of the opinion that his treatment by the Ka Klux of that region, last Summer, was far su perior to the hostile reception accorded to him by the loyal colored men. [Knoxville Press % Herald. Officers in Bankruptcy —Charles McKin ley, Esq., Register in Bankruptcy for Ihe Third District, died a few days since. We learn that Judge Erskine will select Lawson Black, K<q., Register in Bankruptcy in the Bevenlh District, to wind up the unfinished business left bv McKinley, and will also in struct the clerks to refer cases which may here after arise in the third district to Mr. Black for adjudication. Ovv ing to the promotion of Garnett Andrews, E-ap, to be a Judge «>f the Superior Court, Mr. Register Foster, wt hear, has been selected to attend lo the business in Judge Andrews’ late district. Mr. Register Hesseltine, of the second dis trict, atteniiS to the bankruptcy business in the first district, which was the district of llou. Joshua Hill, lately elected & member of the United States Senate. f Savannah Republican , 2d inst, A Negro Kills Another for Ten Cents —A negro killed another negro at Taylor’s Mill, in this couuly, last Saturday, under the following circumstances, as related to us: The former owed the latter ten cents, and, after some dispute over it, the money was handed over, across a fire piaee; the bill fell into the fire and was burned. The one claimed the money paid ; the other denied it; a quarrel en sued, when the one lo whom the money was due struck the other over head with a piece ot board and killed him/ “ Let us have peace.” —Forsvlh Advertiser. The Best Example of Georgia Planting. —A friend, writing to the Telegraph , says that David Dickson, of Hancock, w 1 make this year 800 bales of cotlon on 800 acr s o and. Let us foot up the net results, as we have good reason to believe them to be : 800 bales of cotton $-80,000 Less labor $20,000 Manures 10,000 CouliDgenls 8,000-$35,000 Net receipts $42,000 The world looks with res peek upon an ackt ov jasliss, hot heave up tbeir hats at a dis play or mersev. Yet the one is the strength ov virtue, while the other tz most often its great est weakness.— Josh Billings.