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Beecher to Brownlow. Henry Ward Beecher has written the subjoined letter to “ Governor’’ Brownlow: * Brooklyn, N. Y., Jan. 7, 1867. My Dear Sir: I have just been talking with a friend returned from Tennesse, and have learned a little more in detail than I before knew of your State, and what you propose to do. Pray, do not think me meddling with your business when I express my anxi ety for your success in the thorough and permanent.enfranchisemcnt of the negro, for Tennessee is in some sense the representative of the new nation. — What the whole people above all things need just now is that one of the Southern States should of its own will and by vote of its own people come up fully on to the platform of “equal rights and full citizenship for allmen.” Then there will be a model to work for in other States. They will have courage to believe that such things can be done. Suffrage for a whole people I deem a natural right. I should urge it as a matter of “justice.” Should you secure it, it will raise the conscience of the whole nation many degress higher than it is. But in your case, it is also a matter of political safety. If some fear that such meas ure will kill them, so 1 am sure want of it will kill them. To die for prin ciple is to make suro resurrection ; while political death, without and ev en against principle, is death perpetu al and resurrectionless. Should Ten nessee remain firm and work out this great truth and duty of universal suf frage, not fortified by crime, I shall regard it as the turn of night. The day star will have arisen, and light will grow stronger and darkness weaker every moment thereafter. I hope that God will be gracious to you and reinvigorate your frame. lie has made your life precious to those who wish well to the country. Into the struggle of the next campaign you n ;n uul only the State of Ten nessee, but of the whole South, and so of the nation. May God go with you, and bless you, and bring you out victorious. Then, if you wish to de part, we will rejoice with your inherit ance of that rest which remaineth for ,thc people of God. I am, dear sir, truly yours, 11. W. Beecher. Dr. ZJaycs Adventure with a While /.Bear. —The following story is told by ; Dr. Ilayes, in his work on “The Open PolarGea,” and gives us a somewhat , different idea of Polar bears from that whioh-we have been accustomed to } hear from -travellers : ... Strolling one day along tho shore, I *wa* tobsermr.g with much interest the -effect tis theTecent spring tides upon the ice foot,-«7hen rounding a point of land, I suddenly found mysolf confron ted in the faint moonlight by an cnor t.mous bear. IHe had just sprung down {from the-land-dsc, and was meeting ,meat a full trot. We caught sight of , each other at 1 the same instant. Be ing without, a-nfle or other means of defense,. I-. wheeled suddenly towards the ship, with, Lfuacy, much the same , reflections about discretion and valor as those wbioli. crossed the mind of , old Jack Falstaff -when tho Douglas - set upon him ; butrfiuding, after a few lengthy strides,- that I was not gobbled -zip,. I looked baek-awer my shoulder, .when, as much to toy-surprise as grati fication,-I saw the bear tearing away to the open water with a celerity .w.hich left no doubles to the state of -his mind. I suppose .it would be dif ific-ult to determine -which was tho -.worst frightened—the hear or I. The Word with the. Baric On. —ln ■the Southern News, of -the 21st, ap pears the fallowing over the proper .signature of the editor: “We desire to state most emphati cally that we hold ourself—politically, morally and personally, responsible for everything which appears under our editorial head. Those correspondents who write anything obnoxious to pub lio sentiment, will have to shoulder the responsibility ; and if they use our columns to convey any offensive per, sonalities, they will have, if any fight ing is to be done, either to fight tlioso ■whom they have- assailed, or to fight us. We do not mean to lend this pa per to the utterance of private malice; but we have given tho above hint, for fear that without a careful examination of tho manuscript, something of that sort might appear. Ycrbum sat sa pienti l” The Germans. —It is noticed that Germans havo settled in almost every partof the world. Besides being round in all parts of Europe, and forming a large and valublo portion of the popu lation of every State of (ho Union, a large German society is flourishing iu Hong Kong, in China ; and Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, has a population of 50,000 Germans. They have pene trated to the most remote regions of Africa, and in Abysinia have a flour ishing colony, which controls the man ufacture of gunpowder, and is regarded by the king of that country as a valu able addition to his people. Industri ous and energetic wherever they go, the Germans, in all parts of the world, are held up as examples of thrift and prosperity. V&'ht a certain boarding house, not far off, they had chicken soup a few days ago. “They jest let a chickon wade through it,” said one boarder.— “If they did, he waded on stilts,” re joined another. Gen. Grant’s pay is 818,678 per year, and Lieut. Gen. Sherman’s 813,- 518. Each is allowed fifty horses. A Major General gets 85,800 per year, and is allowed five horses. The pay sis a Brigadier is $3,040. SEMI-WEEKLY jimiiljcnt (feterjitm L. C- BRYAN, : : : : Editor. THOMASVILLB, QA.: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1867. LECTURES. Let it be remembered that Rev. Josephus Anderson is announced to Lecture at the Court House, on Mon day and Tuesday nights next. These Lectures are designed to edify and in struct, and knowing the lecturer to be a profound thinker, and thoroughly acquainted with his subjects, wo pro mise not only instruction, but a splen. did entertainment to the lovers of good literature. Come and hear him. AMENDE HONORABLE. That is to say, we would not have our readers to neglect or avoid the es tablishment of our friend on the other side of the street, because wo told them last Tuesday that lie was not sufficiently enlightened to know tho benefits of advertising. We are told by a disinterested advocate of his, that he is really in straightened circum stances, notwithstanding his display of merchandise, and that he is really a clever fellow. We have always dpne a great deal of gratuitous advertising, and if the above be true and “ Greeny” will send us his Card, we will try our powers for his benefit, gratuitously. One person has asked why we did not notice some other persons in town —he does uot know our record ; but r, notorious character, named Ebcrharf, was arrested in Savannah a few days ago, for asking the police a like iuiper tiuent question of “ why don’t you ar rest white men V Is this answer enough 7” STRIKE AMONG LABORERS. W e learn from the Republican , that the laborers of Savannah aro on a “ strike,” or rather a frolic of “ nulli fication.” The City Council passed an ordinance levying a tax of 810.00 on laborers, for the privilege of laboring in that city, and, determined not to submit to so great injustice, instead of paying the tax, all labor ceased on Saturday last, and the Republican represents tho city as having the ap. pcarance of keeping a thanksgiving day, and as having suffered great dam age. How Jgng this state of things will continue wo do not know, but the city authorities are advised to repeal the law to prevent further mischief.— Tho towns and cities of the country seem to be following in tho footsteps of the General Government, and in creasing tho expense of administration in every way possible, and frequently upon tho most frivolous and foolish pretences. Why should it cost more now to govern a little town or city than it did a few years ago 7 Because, perhaps, a greedy desire for gain , has taken the placo of patriotism and hon esty. The “Strike ” Aoatn.— -We lenrn from tho Savannah Republican, which commended the strikers, and then ap plauded the successful action of tho city authorities, that the “strike” among the laborers of that city culmi nated in a demonstration of forcible resistance to the tax ordim rice, and the prompt putting down of tiro same by tho polico f'oroo of tho city. All is represented now quiet in tho city, though much damage resulted to tho prosperity of the city and many vessels wero obliged to leave in ballast for the want of hands to ship their cargoes. CITY GOVERNMENT OF ♦ ATLANTA. The citizens of Atlanta aro just now in a state of bewildered excitement over tho revelation of tho astounding defalcation of their City Treasurer. — Tho Finance Committee have investi gated the receipts and disbursements of tho City Government, ns well as the general transaction of business by tho City Officers, nnd the result has shown a degree of peculation nnd corruption existing in tho City officials that may well alarm tho citizens, who have borne tho burden of taxation. The Treasurer had so imperfectly kept the records, papers and so forth that tho Coiumitteo found it impossible from that source to arrive at his receipts and disbursements, and could ouly do so by collating the mass of vouchors and receipts. Ho was however found to bo defaulter to the amount of §47,- 000,00, and the whole City Govern, tnent havo been requested to resign. The Intelligencer confesses with shame and regret tho criminality of tho City Government, nnd proceeds toconuncut with much severity upon their acts. YANKEE STEAMER BURNT BY NEGROES. The Steamer Gen. Sheplcy, taking its name from Gen. Shcpley ot Maine, and owned by northern nten, was burnt at Ossabaw on Saturday night last while lying at the lnnding of Capt. Fly’s plantation, for the purpose of taking on cotton. It seems that tho negroes on the place were refractory on accouut of the difficulty which reoently occur ed there about the ownership of the land, and having been ousted they refused to contrnot for labor or leave tho premises. The Sheplcy took down ftom Savannah a file of soldiers to hold them in check, and for this reason they fired her tho following night, and she became a total loes. Wonder if Thad. Stevens will hear of it 7 This Steamer was destroyed by the “loyal" people of the South. The facts con nected with the above were obtained from the Savannah Republican. RAILROAD MEETING. We learn from the Argus, that a Railroad meeting was held by the pco plo of Decatur, at Bainbridge, on Tues day, the 22nd ultimo, at which 830,- 000 were subscribed and the Inferior Court recommended to subscribe $50,- 000 more to the stock of the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad, on condition of the completion of said road to certain points within a given time. The City Council of Bainbridge are also repre sented as favoring the subscription of 850,000 by the City, for the same pur pose. These amounts foot up 8130,- 000, which, if obtained, will greatly facilitate the operations of the Com pany. Once more, we wish cur Bain bridge friends success in their under taking—but wo do not wish the road to stop at Bainbridge. AVe wish to sec it running into Pensacola. ALBANY PATRIOT. This paper has been purchased by Mr. S S. Sweet, recently of Macon, and he has written a sensible and prac tical salutatory. The Patriot is now greatly improved in appearance, and we have no doubt will be sustained by the prosperous section of country in which it is located. Albany is one of the most flourishing towns in Southern Georgia, but she needs the completion of the South Georgia & Florida Rail road, to give her a Gulf connection, and open up to her Merchants and traders, the sixty miles of country which seperates her from Thomasville. Let her people join hands with us in tho construction of this road, and it will give her an impetus which will soon double her population and im portance, DEFUNCT. By reference to the proceedings of Congress, it will be seen that Thad. Stevens’s “ Enabling” Bill, to reduce the Southern States to Territories, has been referred, says tho Macon Tele< graph, to that “Tomb of the Capu lets,” the Reconstruction Committee, and Mr. Stevens himself considers it a death blow to his hopes. He used all his powers to prevent it, but the bill was referred, and tho fact gives us gratifying assurance that the arch en emy ol the South is not omnipotent, even in a Radical Congress. RECEIPT FOR LONGEVITY. Our Cook, “ old aunt Lina,” a col ored woman, says she knew an old lady who drank constantly from the skin of a Rattlesnake, and lived to see twelve years of Sundays. Os course, the old lady was born a few centuries before tho flood, as she diod within aunt Lina’s remembrance. Congressional Proceedings. SENATE. Washington, January. 28, p. m.— A mnng a nttinhftr r\V potitiona, la ono for tho National Bureau of Education. The Millitary Committee reported a bill forever prohibiting peonage. The Library Committee reported a bill amending acts regarding copy rights, which was passed. The President was directed to in form tho Senate why the Governor of Colorado was absent from his post ? Why here 7 Who paid his expenses 7 When and how often nbsent from his post ? Same inquiry was ordered re garding other Territorial Governors and tho Indian agents. The Judicial Bill goes baok to the House with amendments. It pro scribes the machinery of the habeas corpus, but exoepts from its operations military offenders or those tainted with rebellion prior to date of October. The Tnriff Bill was taken up when the Senate adjourned. HOUSE. Trimble, of Kentucky, introduced a bill repealing the cotton and sugar tax ; referred to tho Ways and Means Committee. Bill to mend the District Franchise, extending it regardless of sex, was in. troduoed. A motion to refer it to a Special Committee off) was lost; yeas 45), nays 73. Tho bill was referred to the Distriot Comniittcov An unsuccessful attempt was made to rofer tho impeachment question to a Committee of seven, on tho ground that tho Judiciary Committee lacked time. Tho Chairman said the Com mittee had time, and in answer to a question asking what the Committee was doing, ho said. “It would bo known at tho proper time, No one outside of tho committee know, he said, and he branded all reports sent North as false.” The bill passod creating a commis sion to examine into the Treasury Do. partment. The Postmaster was ordered to ro port what amount was duo contractors in Tennessee on tho opening of rebel, lion. Stevens’ bill was taken up. Ju lian opposed the bill, as ho favored keeping Southern States from repre sentation indefinitely. Stevens modified his bill materially. Ho appealed to Bingham to withdraw his motion to refer, so tho bill might bo completed. Bingham declined, wishing tho House to deoide. Stc. vens said the reference of tho bill would be its death. Then ensued a bitter colloquy between Bingham and Stevens. The Speaker called Stevens to order for saying ho did not believe a word Bingham said. The bill was referred to tho Reconstruction Committee by a vote of 88 to 05. The Houso then adjourned. Notice This, —Executors and Ad ministrators are required novf, by-law to state in their advertisement of sales tho terms of the sale. Sheriffs must advertise 40, instead of 30 daye, as formerly. Cable Dispatches. Berlin, January 29, Noon —Count Bismark has been nominated for the German Parliment to represent the city of Berlin. London, January 29, Noon—Dis. patches have been received here which state that the Cretan war has been re newed ; that the terms of the Sublime Porte for peace have been scornfully rejected by the Cretans; that a battle has since been fought, but the result has not been stated. Apparently there was much enthusiasm on both sides, and the war had spread to the neigh boring islands. Liverpool, January 29. —The Great Eastern, on the 19tlx inst., was safely placed on the Gridiron at Birkenhead, opposite this city, by Captain Sir James Anderson An examination showed her to be in good condition, and she will positively sail lor Ameri ca on tho 20th of March next. Florence, January 29. Admiral Persario has been acquited of the charge of cowardice. Yiena, January 29.—The American breechbading rifle has been given to a portion of the Austrian army. Paris, January 29, P. M.—The United States bonds have made a fur ther advance of 1-8. Liverpool, January 29.—The cotton market is steady and prices are unr changed, with sales to day of 8000 bales. Tie market for goods and yarns is quiet. The prices are dearer. Athens. January 29.—The Greek Ministry propose to raise the effective force of tie army to 31,000 men, in. eluding 14,000 reserves. The action is taken on account of the military preparations and tho threatening atti tude taken by the Sublime Porto. Abolition in Account With tho Negro. A few days ago, Qcn. Howard, the Chief r.f tho Frcedmen’s Bureau, re ported officially to the Secretary of War the number of freedmen now liv ing in eleven of tho principal late slaveholding States, as follows, estima ting by the latest and best reports from his subordinates, with the excep tion of Mississippi, where a census has been taken during the past year : Virginia, . . . 500,000 North Carolina, . . 360,000 South Carolina, . . 375,000 Georgia, . . , 400,000 Florida, . . . 62,000 Mississippi, (by census) 820,000 Louisiana, . . . 350,000 Texas, . * . 200,000 Missouri, ; . : 100,000 Arkansas, . . . 100,000 Tennessee, . . . 300,000 Total . . . 3,067,000 By turning t'o the United States census of 1860, the reader will find that the negro population of these same eleven States, in June of that year, was 3,335,000. This leaves » deficit, in actual count, of 268,000 souls, lost %o t-U* world by tho eiYorta of tbo North to better their condition, Ilow shall wc account for these missing people 7 If an hundred thousand from these States lost their lives in fighting for “ the Union,” there is still a deficiency of ono hundred and sixty eight thousand whose bodies arc moul dering in the grave to satiate the Mol och of Abolitionism. But this is scarcely a titho of the actual state of the case. In the de oade between the years 1850 and 1860, the ratio of increase of slaves in the eleven States abovo named, was, accor ding to the last census, something more than fifty-two per cent. At the same rate for the past six years, tho natural increase of that class of our population in the States named, would have been 1,040,000 —and there should have been in June, 1866, 4,375,000, instead of 3,067,000- showing, according to all statistical rules, a deficit of 1,308,000 in the ne> gro population of thoso eleven States ? What could bo moro startling—what more meloncholy or distressing to tho true philanthropist than the sacrifice thus made!’ Instead of an ansrcl of mercy, the hypooritical friends of the black man buvo come to him as tho angel of death, and has darkened every cabin in the South with the shadow of mour ning, ami substituted destruction and discontent. — Nash. Union and Dts patcch. Military Tyranny in Texas. Galveston, Jan. 25.—There is great excitement here over (Jen. Gril tin’s interference with Gen. Johnstou’s obsequies. Gen. Griffin demanded pledges which tho Mayor refused, under which he al lowed the remains to bo taken to tho Epicopal Church for services. The body remained in tho open air all day and was visited by thousands. Busi» ness was suspended and the house drap ed in mourning. Htf-Tlio Lincoln Monument Asso ciation now has 8130,000 in funds, tho Illinois Legislature having appropria. ted 850,000 to the object. The sum of 8200,000 is, however, still required to carry out the designs of tho Associa tion. Hajj-Thcre are in tho United States 30,000 miles of railway, which cost $1,380,000,000. In Europe, 35,000 miles, costing $3,500,000,000. In America there are 90,000 miles of tele graph, and in Europe 60,000. was decided in tho New \ ork Court of common I’leas on Thursday, that the liability of a baggage express man was not limited by the words ex pressed on a check, “will not be liable lor an amount exceeding SSO upon any article," and that the word “article" applied to each item of the contents of the trunk, and not the trunk itself. RECONSTRUCTION. An Interesting Debate in the Ilonse— Sterens Dissected b j a Radical. From the proceedings of the United States House of Representatives (so called) on the 16th instant, we extract as follows. It will be borne in mjnd that all the speakers are Republicans, save the last, Mr. Dawson : SPEECH OF MR. PAINE. The House then took up the bill introduced by Mr. Stevens for the re construction of the rebel States. Mr. Bingham, being entitled to the floor, yielded to Mr. Paine, who spoke at length in opposition to tlje second sec. tion. He declared that he could not vote for the second section of the bill, recognizing the present State Govern ments for municipal purposes, and if that section were not struck out he would vote against the hill. He de nounced them as practical Govern ments, which up to this time had rest, ed on the souls of Andrew Jehnson and his Northern and Southern satel lites, but would henceforth rest on the soul of the rash youn J gentlemen from Pennsylvania, (Mr. Stevens.) AVhy was that gentleman so anxious to share the responsibility and guilt of Andrew Johnson 7 The diabolical outrages perpetrated under those piratical Gov ernments were daily this hall; and yet here was"an effort to re cognize them. If this had been pro posed eighteen months ago, there might have been some excuse for it, but now there was none. That gen tleman had intimated something about the Presidential expectations of Mr. Spaulding, but it would really seem that, that gentlemen (Stevens) himself had some longing for the Presidential bread and butter. [Laughter, j SPEECH OF MR. BINGHAM. Mr. Bingham culled the attention of the House to the departure by the proposed measures from what had hith erto been done and sanctioned by the Committee on Reconstruction, by Con gress, and by the people. He would not limit the power of the people to establish guarantees and safeguards.— It was because he recognized the right that he opposed tho measure proposed by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr. Stevens,) arid liis own colleague, (Mr. Ashley.) The Committee on Reconstruction, representing the judg ment of the loyal people, came to the conclusion there was no safety for the future of the Government, except by such an amendment of the Constitu tion as made all men born in the couiv. try citizens of the Republic, as dc. prived States of the right to deny per sons within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, as placed re presentation upon population, as dis franchised rebels, as made tho national debt inviolable, and as authorized Con cross to enforce those provisions. He believed that tho safety of the people depended upon the incorporation into tho Constitution of that great Amend ment. He stood upon the proposition that Congress, by its vote, did give out that Amendment as the basis of restoration, and the people of the Uni ted States accepted it. Many mem bers owed their re-election to the fact that State Republican Conventions ac cepted tho Amendment as such basis of restoration. That, however, did not restrict Congress from further leg islation in regard to those States, not inconsistent with tho Constitution. — But this bill neither stood with the Constitutional Amendment, nor with tho duty of Congress to give due pro tection to citizens of the United States within tho disorganized States. This bill gave no such protection to any body, loyal or disloyal, therefore he opposed it; and he opposed it also bo cause it was at variance with the Con stitutional Amendment. Let the fu ture safety of the Republic rest upon irrepealaldo guarantees, embodied in the Constitution, and not upon repeal able legislation in the insurgent States. The American nationality, as a po litical organization, never existed an hour cxcep' through the governments of regularly organized States -nd or ganized constitutional State Govern ments. There could bo no represen tative branch of legislation savo thro’ organized States. Ho repeated, there was no American nationality save through tho States. Tho gentleman from Pennsylvania (Stevens) had sta ted, the other day, that it was absurd to supposo that one of the lately rebel States could take any act in ratifying the Constitutional Amendment, but the Committee on Reconstruction had thought otherwise, lor it proved by the ratification of it by those States half the States of the Union to-day had exercised tho functions of Stato Gov ernments beforo they actually bccauio States, and tho ratification of those acts by Congress made them legal from tho beginning. So ho would have the lately rebel States go on and perform acts for the ratification of tho Constitutional Amendment, even tho’ they were not regularly organized States, and the ratification of their acts subsequently by Congress would legal ize them. As to the Supreme Court, its powers wore limited. Its appellate powers depended upon the will of Con gress. If gentlemen were apprehen sive of tho improper exercise of those powers, there was a very easy remedy- Congress could take away the appel late powers of that Court, and let it sit simply to hear cases arising out of treatise, See, The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Stevens) had frequent ly expressed the idea that the rebel States were not States of tho Ameri can Union, but were alicd enemies, subject to all tho penalties of con quest; and had often quoted tho prize cases to sustain that view; but he (Bihgham) denied that the decision in the prize eases covered any such ground. This bill was very offensive to him. It attempted to restrict thb r jgi,t 0 f petition. The Father of All exuded that right to all bis people, ana the Constitution of tfae United States clared that Congress should pass no law restricting the right of petition ; but this bill proposed to do so. It looked as if diawn by a crowned des pot. It declared that all persons who were in the rebellion, and had once taken an oath to the Constitution of the United States, and could not be come so ezeept through the form of naturalization. He submitted to tho Houec and to the country that the Congress of the United States had no colorable authority for declaring, first, that a million of the people of this country were no longer citizens; and, second, that they could take no steps for organizing State Governments un til Congress passed an disabling act permitting them to do so. Tn answer to a question, what remedy he himself proposed, he said he wished the meas ure to be referred to the Joint Com mittee on Reconstruction. The sixth section of the bill disfranchised a mil lion of men, which was a clear depar ture from the Constitutional Amend ment, which imposed no disability ex cept the disability to hold office. This bill not only decitizcnized a million of people, bnt it disfranchised them also. Mr. Maynard inquired whether the rebels had not denuded themselves of citizenship, and whether the ques tion was not now one of franchisemcut, and not one of disfranchisement. Mr. Bingham admitted that when citizens engaged in arrnel rebellion against the Government they were subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Cos ogress of the United States. — Congress had already legislated on the subject, and declared to what disabili ties those persons shall be subjected. These disabilities wero deprivation of the right to hold office, State or Fed eral. Mr. Bingliam’shourherc closed, but he was permitted to proceed for a quarter of an hour longer. Resuming he recapitula’.ed his objections to the bill. Although the people of the South had been traitors, he still recognized in them the rights which this bill would annual, of meeting and petition ing Congress for a redress of grievan ces. He denounced the provisions of the fourth section as a most monstrous atrocity, declaring, as it did, that no person should be deprived of his right to vote because of conviction and sen tence for any crime other than the crime of treason, insurrection or mis prison of treason. It was declaring in effect that thieves, robbers, murder ers and midnight assassins should nev er be deprived of tho elective franchise on accouut of their being convicted of such crimes. While he was willing to assert all the rightful powers of this Government, he would never consent to incorparate by law in the status of the nation a provision that would de prive the people of the right of alter, ing or am nding their legislation—a provision wliioli tliU bill contained. - Congress had not even the color of a right to pass such a law. lie was not going under pretence of protecting the colored people of the South, to declare that the pcoplo of any State were not to have the right to alter and amend their laws at pleasure. This provision not only attempts to fetter the States in this way, but it also attempted to fetter future Congress in the same way. lie declared that this bill, instead of being a bill of reconstruction, was a bill of destruction; instead of being a bill of restoration, it was a bill of dis union and perpetual dismemberment. Referring to Mr. Ashley’s bill, ho showed how absurd it was to deny that the rebel States were States, for the Executive, the Judiciary and even Congress had recognized them. Con gress had made appropriations for Judges of the United States in the States of Florida, Alabama and other districts. The bill of his colleague was nothing but a bill of anarchy, for it swept away all the laws now exist ing there, and a people without law were as miserable as a people without God. lie looked upon both bills as departures from the constitutional amendment. It might be but justice to punish tho rebels severely, but there was something grander in mag nanimity and mercy titan in even handed justice. He knew that those rebels had ridged tho land over with graves. He know that 400,000 citi zens had fallen martyrs to their faith to tho country and the Constitution, and it was in view of their great trans gression that the proposed act of uni versal forgiveness rose in the sublime, nnd challenged a parallel in history since man began to be on earth. He protested against the bill as being for eign to the purposes of tho constitu tional amendment. It was inquired of Mr. Bingham how many of the rebel iitates had ac cepted the constitutional amendment. Mr. Bingham admitted that all the rebel States, which had considered it in their Legislatures, with the excep tion, perhaps, of Arkansas, had rejec ted it, but it did not follow that they would not yet accept it, and if three fourths of the organized States adopted it, it would bind the rest and give them the benefit of it, while in the meant-mo it would bind Congress For these reasons he asked that the bill ho referred to the Committoe on Re* construction. SPEECH OF MR. DAWSON. Mr. Dawson followed in an argu ment to prove that the Presidential policy was the true solution of the na tional difficulties. He showed bow the rebels, having laid down their arms, and abandoned the objects for which they had taken them up, had since been submissive to the laws and had con ducted themselves as good citizens. And that on the other hand, the course pursued by Congress had been based on tho assumption that the reconstruc tion of the Government, as to thow States*was what it was called upon to achieve. Congress had assumed that the old Government and the Constitu tion of 1789 have been as to those States destroyed. If sd, wherein add ’*ow 7 Not certainly by the decisive success of the Union armies, anM not by tu» surrender of the rebel armies, their complete abandonment of the is sue for vhich they had resorted to force of arias, and their prompt return to obedience to the paramount law. Tho Government therefore had not been broken up, and no reconstruction was necessary. He argued that there was no warrant in the Constitution for iib posing the Amendment as a condition in re-admitting the rebel States to rep resentation in Congress. He imputed to New England a scifisb purpose in Wishing to exclude from Congress tho representatives of the great agricultu ral interests of the South, lest, in con junction with the representatives of tho agricultural interests of the West, her practical policy might be endangered and her manufacturing interests injur, ed- In regard to the punishment of tho people South, he submitted that thd failure ot the rebels was a sufficient, penalty on them, and he argued, as a matter of law, that no person can be legally punished for rendering Obedi ence to de faelo Government, illustra ting that argument by reference to English history in the time of tbO Commonwealth of the accession of Charles 11. In contrast with the course of Congress he eulogized the patriotic and humane policy of tbtf President. The storm of partisan fury would rage against him in vain. He might break under, but ho would not bend. Whatever obstacle might oppose him, lie would, he trusted, stem the torrent and gain the shore in safety. The historian would record that chiefly owing to the efforts of Mr. Johnson in Congress the great Home stead Law was on the statife book. He contended that it was impossible to act jut the principal embraced by tbe majority in Congress, without estab lishing a consol dated centralized forttl of government. The Speaker’s hammer fell on the termination of the hour, and before Mr. Dawson had concluded his speech. Mr. Spaulding moved an ex* tension of time, but Mr. Stevens ob« jected, stating that he had given no tice when Mr. Bingham’s time was ex tended that was the last extension of time he could consent to. Mr. Dawson said he then gare »o tico that there should not be another extension of time so long as he was a member of the House, Mr. Scruggs, former editor of th« Era, and of Columbus papers, is about to start anew daily in Atlanta, to bo called “The Daily Opinion.” TO THE PUBLIC. Important Lectures- The Itev. Josephus Anderson may be expected to deliver two Lectures in Ihoin asville, in tbe Const House; tlie first on Monday night, Feb. 4th, at 7} o’clock, on “ The Bible and Astronomy and the se cond on Tuesday, Feb. 6th, at 7$ I’. M., on “ The Bible and Geology.” These Lectures will embrace matured views of a deeply interesting character on these important subjects. I’riee of admittance 50 cents. Tickets to be had at the door, and at the store o-f Hardaway & McKinnon, and G. A. Jeffers & Son. jan 22 OICITLAKI. Departed this life on tho night of the .4th of January, MARY GERTRUDE HARDJVICK, Only daughter of T. W. & M. E. Hardwick ; aged thirteen years, 4 months and twenty nine days. Full of life, endowned witii fine intellec tual abilities, and possessed of a most do cile, amiable, and affectionate disposition, Frkdik had closely endeared herself to all who knew her. Having faithfully accomplished her mis sion on earl it, she has exchanged its scenes of disappointment, care, sorrow nnd deatii, for the more congenial and abiding homo of the pure nnd blessed. God loved her and took her to Himself. “Early, bright, transient, Chaste as morning dew. She sparkled, was exhaled, And went to Heaven.” ATTENTION FIREMEN! \KPTUjj[E Engine, Protection No. I—yon will attend a Regular Meeting of vour company at the Secretary’® Office, on Tuesday next, 6t)i February, at 7 o’clock. P. M. Ily order of the Foreman. L. DFKLE, Sec’y. The attention of the company is called to the following Resolution, passed at a Special Meet ing, held on the JHf li ult: UlAor.VKn, That from and nft«*r thia dnto, ih« laws of this Company as to Dues uud Fiuee, will he resumed and enforced. Approved and ordered to be pnhlished. Ily the Foreman, G. A. JEFFERS. Feb 1 2t LOST HORSE. MY Pluck Horse escaped from me on Wed* nesday morning last, the 30th ultimo, while out on a hunting excursion, seven or eiffht miles south of Tbomasville. and in the ncighborho«»d of OchlockoLee Church. He had on saddle and hridle at the tim# of his es ca|>e. Any information concerning him *ill he thankfully received hy H DICKEY. Feb 1 ts Duncanvills, Ga. Administrator's Sale. CKOKOIX—T !»•«•» A GREEABLE to an order of the Court of i\ Ordinary of Tboma* County, will he *oNj at public omrrv. before the Courthonee door in the Town of thomatville, the following indi vid-ml notes belonging to tbe eeUte of j. 8. Neely, deceased: Note on Henry Morgan for 1186 00. dqe Mar. let, 1861 Note ow John M Dyson for (460 00. dee Mar. 8.1861. Note on A Holline for SSOO 00. doe Jen I. *63. Note on J h W-nn for SJ73 7'J, due March 20, 18J? Note on D S R*y for $lB7 13, due Jan. 9, '6l. Note on II C Bowen for sls*B 48, doe Mar. 4, 1861 Note on Gilbert Donaldson for S2OO 80 inter est from April 27,1857. doe Jan. 1.1858. Note on T U Danes for $1037 46, dee Jen. 4, Note on W A I»ey for $75 00, doe Oct. S. *B4. I Term* cash. JAMKS N WINN, reb 1 304 Ada r.