Southern enterprise. (Thomasville, Ga.) 1867-1867, June 25, 1867, Image 2

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Southern enterprise., June 25, 1867, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextWho Can Register. Every man in the State twcnty.one years of age and upwards, a citizen resident in the State for twelve months preceding the election, whether he be white or colored, is entitled to regis ter, unless he shall have been Ist. Convicted of Felony. 2d. Or having held a Federal office previous to the war and aftetwards engaged in or gave aid and support to the late war against the United States. 3d. Having held an office, either ex ecutive, legislative or judicial, under the State Govornment and ta> hen an oath to support the Constitu tion of the United States, afterward engaged in the late war, or gave aid and support to the Confederate Gov ernment. 4th. All persons can register who, in good faith, can take the oath pre scribed by the Sherman Bill, which is as follows: I, , do solemnly swear, or af firm, in the presence of Almighty God, that I am a citizen of the State of ; that I have resided in the State for months, next prcce. ding this day, and now reside in the county of , or parish of , in said State, as the case may be; that I am twenty-one years old ; that I have not been distianchiscd for par ticipation in any rebellion or civil wr.r against the United States, nor for fel ony committed against the laws of any State or of the United States; that I have never been a member of any State Legislature, nor held any execu tive or judicial office in any State and afterwards engaged in insurrection against the United States, and given aid and comfort to the enemies thereof; that I have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United States, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or ju dicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, and afterward engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will faithfully support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States; and will, to the best of my ability, encourage others to do so —So help me God. Which oath or affirmation may be adininistcr ,ed by any registering officer. -Letter from Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens has addressed the following letter to the editor of the Washington Chionicle: Lancaster, Pa , June 13,1867. I think it proper to suggest the propriety of having a quorum in Con gress on the Ist proximo. The opin ions of the Attorney General seem to require some explanation or supple mental acts. I need not point out the errors in favor of the rebels, as there are many of them easily seen. For in stance, it is provided that to entitle to be registered requires one year’s residence in the State. Every man can see that this means continuous •residence immediately before tho elec tion. The Attorney General holds that the party may take nine months when he was a boy and three months now. Andrew Johnson, by going a month before the election to North Carolina, where he lived thirty years ago, could vote. So with regard to clerks, military and civil officers and the holding of Confederate offices while in rebellion. But I will not take time to criticise now. A mistake more objectionable than either is the fact of usurpation by the Attorney General in acting at all in the question, and treating his directions as binding officially. The Attorney General has no more right to interfere than the President had to re construct, when pretension Congross has settled, since it has been adjudged that the conquered States aro to be treated as subdued territory, rebuilt .without reference to their former con, dition by the legislative power alone. It is to be. supposed that Congress alone is to be appealed to in case of difficulty. It is true that the Attor ney General is too good a lawyer to act under the constitution, as it is well decided that, admitting new States, •and, of course, rebuilding conquered territory, docs not come within the provision of that instrument. His opinion is just as good as any other good lawyer’s, and no better. It is the attempt to treat it as official that is objectionable. When he rules what shall be evidence, if obeyed, he docs great v rong. lie has a fair excuse, ■however, under the invitation of the commanding generals. I have said this much with great reluctance, but, finding my colleagues indifferent to .the question, I have not been able to refrain. 1 feel painful fear lest it should be thought that I obtrude my •opinions too often in public matters, but my anxiety, possibly, my over ex citod anxiety, relative to reconstruc tion, must be my excuse. With great respect, your obedient servant, Thaddeus Stevens. Gen. Sickles’ Letter. Washington, June 22.—The follow ing is Gen. Sickles’ lotter addressed to the Adjudant General: 11 1 havo the honor to request that I may be relieved from commanding this District, and I respectfully demand a court of inquiry upon my official ac tion, that I may vindicate myself from the accusation of the Attorney Gener al, published, it is presumed, with the approval cf the President. Congress having declared the so-called State governments illegal, the declaration of ithe Attorney General that military au thority has not superseded them pre vents the execution of the Ileconstruo fcion Act, disarms me of means to pro tect life and property or the rights of citizens, and menaces all interests in those States frith ruin. [Signed] Daniel E. Sickles, Major General,” JSotttjjcnt Enterprise (SEMI-WEEKLY.) L. C. BRYAN, : s : : Editor. THOMASVILLE, GA.: TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1807. Railroad Meeting. A meeting will be held at the Court House, in Thomasville, at 11 o’clock, A. M., on Saturday next, 29 th inst., for the purpose of discussing the sub ject of the South Georgia & Florida Railroad, and ascertaining the senti ments of the citizens of Thomas county on the subject. The audience will be addressed by gentlemen of experience and ability, and who are thoroughly posted on the merits of the proposed Railroad. Tho citizens generally, and the voters especially, both white and black, are requested to attend and par ticipate in the proceedings. THE NEGROES TOJBE DRI VEN FROM AMERICA. But a short time ago advising some of the leading colored men of Thomas county, we told them that in less than Jive years the “ Yankee friends” who are now so loudly clamoring for negro suffrage, equality of rights, and using all their influence and power to in flame tho minds of the colored people against the white people of the South —that the sc Yankee friends would be the first to send them out of the coun try by forced immigration. The only safety of the colored people was in the friendship of the Southern white people, who had need of their labor; this friendship lost, the colored man would soon be compelled to seek his home in Africa, or perish by tyranny and oppression ii: America. We did not think at that time we should so soon have convincing proof of the ' truth of our s'atcment; but wo have now to inform the colored people of the country, that the Yankee war upon them has already begun, and that the notorious Helper, who did more, per. haps, than any other man in the North, to inflame the minds of the people and get up the lato war, has already writ' ten a book and sent it forth to tho world, advocating the extermination or banishment of tho entire colored race from the United States. This man Helper, though a villain ous revolutionist, understands the ma terial upon which he has to operate, and we have proof in the fata! success of the “Impending Crisis ” a vile tissue of slander and falsehood written by him before the war, that his views, however false and destructive of true principle and good government, will take root among Northern people and flourish in the highest as well as low est circles. But no remarks of ours can furnish an adequate idea of the bitterness and hostility written in this book against the negro race, and wo will close by adding below Hel per’s apology for his conversion from the principles of the “Impending Cri sis,” reserving other important extracts for future issues of the Enterprise : “ There is, it is believed, a peculiar fitness in the fact that this expo-urc of the utter unworthiness and worthless, ness of tho negroes, should bo made by. one who had previously made a thorough exposition of the political folios and corruptions of the nego owncs themselves. The little David hereof, having, therefore, first attack ed and overcome tho strongest and the subtlest of mankind now advances to wago vigorous and effective warefuro against the weakest and the meanest— and woe to the black, woo to the brown, who allows himself to be con fronted anywhere on tho soil of Amer ica! Evidences shall no longer be wan ted that good nicn, the very best men in all the world—the real salt of the earth—maybe hearty haters of slavery and at the same time, unconditional detesters of darkies.” NOTES ON THE SITUATION Wo agree witli tho Macon Tele> graph, that tho entire burden of re sponsibilit.y of advising tho people of the South as to their ogurso during tho momentous crisis of our affairs, has heretofore devolved upon the press. Tho leaders of tho South have seemed to bo spell bound or bewildered, and silent ever since the close of the war; and with one or two noble exceptions, none have raised their voices to adviso their defeated followers. Tho duty therefore devolved upon tho pross, and they havo certainly bocn bold in dis charging it, whether for good or for evil. Wo are glad to see, however, that some of our statesmen are rousing themselves lrom their lothargy, and beginning to speak boldly and patriot!, cally. The Chronicle !i Sentinel, of Augusta, is now publishing a scries of articles, “ Notes on tho Situation,”" written by tho lion. B. 11. Hill, in the usual unanswerable logic and vi gor of his well known style, and we propose to publish them in the Enter* jerisc as fast as we can mako room for them. Wc begin this issue with num ber three. Line of Steamers to New Orleans. —A weekly line of steamers has been established between Bainbridgo and Apalachicola to New Orleans. Tho steamer C. D. Fry, of the Barnett through line, will run betwoen Bain bridge and Apalaohicola, making close connections with ocean steamers thcuce to New Orleans. COME TO THE MEETING. We publish to-day a call for a Rail road meeting at the Court House, on Saturday next, and hope the voters at least, of Thomas county, will turn out and let their sentiments be known. Some have been enquiring about the progress of the South Georgia & Flo rida Railroad, and some about its mer its. Let all attend this mooting and everything will be explained to their satisfaction. The day appointed is ap propriate, the last of the week, when you can all come to town without de triment to your farms. Come then, and let us counsel together for the public good. ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT. The President has issued his order to the Military Commanders, and di rects them to construe the reconstruc tion acts of Congress in accordance with the opinion of the Attorney Gen. eral- Gen. Dan. Sickles, cptnmatider of the 2d District, pretends to be greatly offended at the President’s presumption, and tenders his resigna tion. It is to bo hoped.the President will accept it without the slightest hesitation, and that Sheridan will be requested to tender his immediately. lie Macon Telegraph bids an affectionate farewell to Rev. Col. G. L. Eberhardt, bureau agent, superin tendent of negro education, and man of all work for the Radical party of Georgia, who, it says, left tho city a few days ago, on his way to Europe, to look after a large fortune left to his wife by her father, in Bath, England. The estate is valued at a million dol lars, to be divided between three heirs. Now he can assist the darkies; but will lie do it? SOUTH GEORGIA & FLORIDA RAILROAD. We commend to bur readers the following very sensible article on the above subject, from the Miliedge ville Southern Recorder. There seems to bo hut one opinion about the practicability and importance of the construction of this Rjilr-.ad, and wc are encouraged in the work by all who examine its purposes and location. — Let our own people show that they are also fully sensible o( its importance to them, N- xt Tuesday is the day of election, when the people of Thomas county must decide, whether or not they will be taxed to build the road. Rail Roads. Wc sec from the Thomasville En terprise, that the question of building tho South Georgia <& Florida Railroad is agitating the minds of the people of Thomas and Mitchell counties. We can hardly suppose that there can be any serious opposition to such an en terprise, and if there is, it is for the want of means on the part of those who urge objections. The South Georgia & Florida Rail road will run, when constructed, from Albany to Tliomasville, and perhaps in time, extend itself to Monticello or Tallahassee in Florida. At present, it is the intention of the friends of the road, to. build from Thomasville to Albany. A glance at the map will convince the observer, that it is all important that the Road from Albany shoqld strike at Thomasville, and had it not been for the war, wo have but little doubt, that the Road would have been built long since. It is but ex tending one of the great railroad arte, lies of our State, and perfecting the system of important and indispensablo communication direct with tho differ ent sections of our growing and great old State. The argument of competition, or in juring built Iloads by building others or extending them, is an obsolete idea, and has given way in this progressive age and day. We want to see Geor gia roticuluted with roads; and the more wo havo, and the greater tho competition, greater will be tho in ducemonts to improve the lands, invite immigration, and settle up the coun try. The day for big plantations are past, and we expect to see in a few yours counties that can voto only a thousand whites now, voting several thousand, and the country dotted all over with snug little farms of one hun dred acres, well cultivated, and a thri. ving, industrious and energetic people developing and improving the natural resources ol’ our land. Transportation to market is the great incentive now a days, and tho greater the advantages, tho greater tho inducements to settle. There need bo no doubts about Kail lloads not pay ing good dividends. Our State is not one-third settled up. Wo can support 3,000,000 of people on our soil, from its resources alone ; but at present, wo have only 1,024,000 whitos and blacks all told. With our unsurpassed ad vantages in soil and climate, thero is no roason why Georgia should not bo one of the first States in this Union, for thoro is no Stato, except Alabama, that can begin to cotnparo with us in natural advantages. As population increases, so will our advantages bo developed, and tho only sensible way at present for our people to invest their money—the result of their crops, will be to build rail roads, and hold out inducements for labor and capital to como among us. Our lands will increase in the snmo ratio, as we build roads, and it would be well to keep that fact in view. A planta. tion that is now twonty or thirty miles from a railroad, would be worth 50 per ccnt.more, if a road ran within ten miles of it, or nearer. Rail Hoads stimulate other enter prises, independent of increasing tho price of land. It encourages the build ing .up of towns, of factories of all kinds, and gives a lively spur to busi ness ; it wakes up the energies of a people, and puts their brains to think, ing, and money in their pockets. Wc are glad to Bee our people, tho’ surrounded with financial difficulties, and depressed by unfriendly national legislation, have not yielded to utter despondency. Three different roads are now being constructed, viz: The extension of the Road from Thomasville to Bainbridge, a distance of some 45 miles, and when finished, there will be direct communication with Savannah a distance of 245 miles. The Augusta and Macon Road will be finished to Millodgcvillc by fall, and the Macon and Brunswick Road is be ing pushed on as fast as possibla, es pecially from Brunswick to the Initial Point on tho Savannah and Gulf Hoad. We hope in a year or two to announce the completion of tho Read from Al bany to Thomasville, and the filling up of the gap between Eatonton and Madison; With the Roads now con templated and constructing, when fin ished, wc will have just begun the great work that lies before us and our children to do, to make Georgia what she should be, and take that rank among her sisters that her proud posi tion demands. Georgia should be the .Ga*e State to the Atlantic Ocean for all these States, West and North West of her, and when such is the fact, she will bear the same relation to the South that New Yo:k does to the North. — Let our watchvords, as Georgians bo— Onward and Upward—internal Im provements and Industry.— Southern Recorder. Notes on the Situation—No. 3. r ! by a. It. IHLL. ?r^ When any measure of legislation in America is presented for our accept ance or approval, the first should al ways be, Is it constitutional ? or, bet ter phraseology would be, Is it author ized by tho Constitution ? For in America, the distinctive, distinguish ing fiature of Government, State and Federal, is tho written Constitution. This is the Alpha and Omega of all true American statesmanship. It is also the only impregnable fortress for American liberty. The written Con stitution are words which should bo re peated by every citizen every day and every hour, and held as indispensable to the preservation of American politi cal life, as is air, or water, or meat and drink to the preservation of animal lifo. In entering on the discussion of the Military Bills, the first remarkable fact which strikes us, is the general con cession and they are not in accordance with the Federal Constitution. In the delates on the passage of the Supple mental bill, some of the advocates of these measures insisted upon submit ting to tho people of tho soveral States affected, to decide “for or against” the State Convention through which the purposes aro to be accomplished, be cause if the people should vote for a Convention and thereby admit and ap prove the, propriety and necessity for the measures, the whole plan would be relieved of tho unconstitutional objec tions ! Thus even Radical fanatics found it necessary to provide some ex cuse for their consciences 1 And this excuse consists in an attempt to secure the consent of the people—yea of tho people to be degraded to the scheme which is to degrade them, and thus to rest the legality of the plan not upon the Constitution but upon the consent of the people 1 And this eonscut is to be secured by disfranchising intelli gence, by military rule, by threats, and last, though not least, by bribery ! The negro race, duped by emissaries and aided by deserters from their own blood, is to give consent for the white race 1 Mr. Stanbery, in bis argument be fore the Supremo Court, though deny ing tho jurisdiction of the Court in the case mado, felt it necessary to disclaim any admission that the bills were con stitutional, but admitted the contrary, and hoped, when the pro p c r case should bo made, which he admitted could bo made in many ways, tho Court would discharge its duty. It is true that Mr. Sumner and such as he claims that Congress has tho right, under the Constitution, to pass such bills and fur all tho States, and locates tho power in two clauses of the Constitution ; that which requires tho United States to “guarantee a Repub lican” government to each Stato, and the latter clause of tho fourteenth amendment which authorizes Congress “by appropriate legislation to enforce” tho emancipation of the slave. Hut whatever may be claimed for Mr. Sumner otherwise, it is certain ho is not respectable authority on ques tions of constitutional law. No fanati cal mind can be regarded as safe, or become respectable as an expounder of law ; beoauso fanatical minds will accept nothing as true except what they desire to bo true. Hut law is an inflexible rule, and none but inflexible minds, rigid in spito of theories and hard laws, can either truly learn, greatly love, or safely expound tho law. Hut oycn if Mr. Sumner and such as he had reputation as lawyers, such reputation would bo destroyed by the very positions assumed ; for no legal, or logical or woll-balanecd mind can say it is necessary or proper to disi franchise whito pooplo ; to abolish the trial by jury ; and to suspend the pri vilege of habeas corpus in time of peaoo tor all races and colors, in order to guarantee republican government to the States, or to enforoo tho oiunn, cipation of the slave. It may be safely assume!, therefore, that all respectable legal minds in America, whether for or against these military bills as a plan of reconstruc. tion, admit that the bills are not au thorized by any provision in the Con stitution. Indeed, the advocates of these hills find the authority for their adoption, not in the Constitution, but in certain circumstances outside of the Constitution —in a condition of things not anticipated and not provided for by the Constitution ; and some find the power in necessity, some in hu manity, and soJne in international law! Before I conclude the notes it is my purpose to devote seperatc and special attention to each of the apologies for these bills (for they arc n o t argu. rnents); but I wish to say, now, that if these positions, or any of them be true, then Congress has found for it self a much broader grant of power outside of tho Constitution than exists inside of that instrument. Indeed they have found, outside, a power by which they can destroy the Constitu tion by which alono the Congress it self was created and has being. If this be so, our fathers did a silly work in providing a written Constitution. Then, we may safely say that, what legal minds admit is true to wit: That these Military Bills are not authorized by any provision of the Constitution ; and, if justifiable at all, they must be justified by circumstances, by some condition, by some authority, outside of the Constitution. And now, wise, prudent, patriotic readers, propound and answer this question : If Con gress has a sphere, a dominion, an exis tence, outside of the Constitution, whence did it come, where does it lie, and what is its extent, its length and breadth? Do ycu know there is no dominion outside of the Constitution and laws, but the dominion of anarchy —grim, bloody, lawless, thriftless, • hopeiess anarchy ? Do you not know that the very definition of anarchy is, outside of laiv, disregard of law. aban donment of law ? Have not ail peo ple who have gone into anarchy, and reaped her riot of ruin, done so under the pressure of bad men and circum stances ? And will Americans, black or white, abandon the well-defined boundaries —the safe expositions—the well-tried, ever-sufficicnt and glorious protection of a written Constitution, and rush into the wild outside to find safety for person, or for property, or for liberty ? But the argument must not stop here. These Military Bills are not on ly not authorized by, but are directly contrary to the Constitution. They subject citizens to trial for eapital and infamous offences without indictment by a Grand Jury; and this the Con stitution says, shall not be done They authorize trial without a jury, which, the Constitution says, shall not be done ; and the Constitution, on this subject, is so tender of liberty that it does not trust the matter simoly to a prohibition, but it declares, with re peated emphasis, the right: “The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury.” “ In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury.” They suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus when there is neither insurrection nor in vasion, which the Constitution says shall not be done. In these and other respects, then, military bills aro in direct conflict with the plainest and most solemn injunc tions and guarantees of the Constitu tion. Hut these bills not only thus most flagrantly violate the provisions of the Federal Constitution, but they abro gate and destroy in whole the Consti tutions of ten States formed by the people, and authorize anew people to form constitutions, not according to tho wishes of either the new or the old electors, but according to the wishes and under the direct dictation of the authors of these military bills, not rne of whom resides in cither of the ten States thus trampled on, or can be subject to the government of the Con stitutions which they thus dictate. Nor is all yet tcld. These bills not only violate and destroy governments, but they destroy—-most ruthlessly de stroy —tho very principles on which all American constitutions and govern ments are based, and to secure and perpetuate which, constitutions, State and Federal, were made. Magna Charter; Hill of Rights; Petition of Rights; the Settlement; the glorious principles of tho Common Law ; the compact wisdom of centuries; the fruits of many bloody revolutions; all tho guarantees which p'a trio t s, states men, judges and people, by sword and by pen, for eight hundred years have bceu providing and perfecting to build up and make immortal, that most won derful blessing of human genius and power —tho structure of Anglo Saxon liberty—arc abrogated and withdrawn from ten millions of people, of all col ors, sexes and classes, who live in the ten unheard and excluded States, and that, too, by men, l repeat, who do not live in these States, and who nover think of them but to hate, and never enter them but to insult! Surely this is enough, but the argu ment requires me to add that the body of men who enacted these military abominations were not tho Congress and had no authority to legislate. By tho Constitution all Federal legislative powers arc vested in a “Congress of tho United Statos.” This Congress “shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.’’ The House “shall bo composetl of members chosen by the people of tho ter era l States.” The Senate “shall be composed of two Se nators from each State” Now, was the body of men who pretended to enact these bills so compose*! T If not, they did not —they could not —be the Congress. Why wore they not so composed ? By their own act. Mem bers to compose the Congress were chosen by the people and all the States for the House and the Senate.' Hut the members from ten States were excluded from their seats by the mem bers of the other States, thus reducing what would have been a Congress to a fragmentary conclave of members. No sophistry, uo fanaticism, no ambi tion, no perjury and no force can es cape the coclusien: These military bills have no authority. 1. Because they are not authorized by the Con stitution. 2. Because they are con trary to —absolutely annul—the Con stitution; and 3. Because they have never been passed by the Congress. Naturalists tell us of a venomous rep tile which sometimes becomes so furi ously enraged, it sticks its fangs in its own flesh and dies of its own poison. And it does seem fitting that these mad violators of the Constitution they were sworn to support, these wild ex terminators of States, these adroit but furious murderers of law and liberty, should first, by their own act, have destroyed themselves in their prepara tion and desire to destroy others. I do not shrink from, but do most heartily rejoice at, the inevitable con clusion to which the argument, nerved by the very sinews of logic and warm ed by the purest love of country, must lead; and if American patriotism shall not finally and forever die, but shall wake from the trance into which am bition and lust for place have thrown it, then will lines—dark lines—yea, lines as black as unstarred night, be drawn, and with a power nervous with indignation, around all the records and tho bastard official existence of these fragmentary conclaves of Re publicanism, “ libellers'” and all will be declared to constitute no part of authorized American law, or of legiti mate American will. Time was 1 Ah, yes, the time was, when to say to an American citizen a proposed measure was not authorized by the Constitution was enough. It was rejected. And lias the final pow er, or that power which, in Republics, is worse and mightier and more to be avoided than war—which is the father of wars—which begot our war, and which seems determined with an adulterous mania to multiply its hell vissaged brood—the corruption of par ty manipulators, wrought so great a change? . And has the time already come when Americans—even South can Americans—can entertain, as a question, whether they will accept* and, by that acceptance make valid, a proposition which is not authorized by the Constitution; which is contrary to the Constitution ; which destroys the Constitution; which mocks the very principles which made, which gave sou) to the Constitution; and which tramples thus on the Constitution in order to destroy existing Southern State governments founded in the'con sent of the people, and to form others not founded in tl e consent of the peo ple; and which in forming these new governments, disfranch’ses existing electors distinguished for intelligence, and enfranchises new electors notori ous for ignorance ; and while new gov ernments so formed are not to suit ei ther new or old, learned or ignorant, black or white electors who are to live under them, but must suit men who uever lived in these States, who never expected to live in these States, and who forget their own oaths and the in terests of their own people to indulge the hatred by which they oppress the people of these Southern States. And have we some of these same party manipulators who were born un der our skies, who have been trusted by our people, who boast of their hon ors, who now advise and try, coax and labor to persuade, and by turns threat en, deceive, and slander to compel us to accept this iniquity ? Oh, depths of infamy ! Open, open, far deeper depths for the dwelling of these cunning monsters of treachery, that they shame not with their pres ence the lowest of the damned spirits which now inhabit your lubryioths! Another. Order.— Some of the New York papers publish this goak on “Little Phil: ” New York, June 10 18G7. I have just received the following : New Orleans, June 10, 18G7. —Gen- eral Sheridan has just issued the fol lowing order : N. 0.. Juno 10, 1867. Special Orders No. 8,990,561,732. Andrew Johnson, tho President of the United States, being an impedi ment in the way of the proper enforce ment of the Reconstruction Act, is re moved from his office. It is not thought necessary to fill the office, tho General commanding this Department feeling himself competent to run tho machine. P. 11. Sheridan, Military Persecution in Virginia. — Richmond, June 20.—Mark Denney and Thomas H. White, two well known citzens, were arraigned before the Uni ted States Commissioner this morning, charged with perjury in having taken tho registration oath yesterday. The United States District Attorney said that in tho first case tho prosecution would be tho ground that the State constitution adopted by the conven tion at Alexandria disfranchised all persons who aided the rebellion after April, 1864. This constitution, it is claimed, is not set aside by the Recon struction bill. About pine-tenths of tho whites in the State will be disfran. ohisod if the District Attorney’s ground is sustained. Both cases were continued till to-morrow. There is great interest manifested by all classes of citizens in the oases. The Radicals Preparing for a Southern Campaign. —There was a meeting in Washington last week of a number of tho leadi rs of the Radical party to take into consideration the policy to be pursued to protect the in terests and developc the strength of the Radical party in the Southern States. The discussions is reported to have been harmonious, and that on the questions of the conduct of the campaign iu the South there was evin ced perfect concord and unison. This meeting, it is said, will result in a call for a meeting of the National Commit tee at an early day. Inferior Court. IN CHAMBERS, J Thomasville, June 8, 1867. y AGREEABLY to an Act of the Legislature of the State of Georgia, panned and as sented to on 12th of December, 1866. author izing the Inferior Court to issue Bonds to the amount of One Hundred Thousand Dollars, in subscription to the South Georgia &. Florida Railroad Comptany, which said Act is herewith published It is ordered, that an election he held at the several precincts in this county, ore Tuesday, July 2d, 1867, aud all voters in tavor of subscribing the said amount of Stock to the South Georgia &. Florida Rail Road, will vote “subscription," and all voters opposed to sub scribing stock to said Railroad, will vote "no subscription,” The condition of subscribing stock to said Railroad is this. Every tax payer shall tic en titled to a special Tax Receipt for tlie amount of his Railroad tax, and when he has receipts amounting to the value of one or more shares of stock in said Railroad, the said tax payer may present said receipts to the County Clerk, and nave turned over to him certificates of paid up stock in the said Railroad Coinnanv to the full amount of his receipts. Said Tax'Re ceipts shall be payable to bearer, aud when said receipts shalloe presented to the County Clerk, in sums of one or more hundred dollars, ho shall issue to the holder of said receipts, certificates of stock for the same, in the said Railroad. All managers of said election will make prompt returns of the votes cast at each pre cinct to the County Clerk, properly attested. R. H HARDAWAY, J, I. c. ANSEL DEKLE, J. i. c. HEN. MITCHELL, j. t. c. Attest: Lien BE us Dekle, Clerk. AN ACT to authorize the Inferior Courts of Thomas and Mitchell to issue bonds for the Plumose of taking stock in the South Georgia A Florida Kailroad 20. Section I. Be it enacted, et., That the Inferior Courts of the counties of Thomas and Mitchell be, and they are hereby authorized to issue bonds to the amounts, respectively, of ono hundred' thousand dollars, and twenty five thousand dollars to be issued in such sums und payable at such times as said Inferior Courts rosy deem proper • interest of sever, per cent, per annum, payable severally at their respec tive county sites ; -provided , ilie citizens ortho aforesaid counties give their consent thereto before such stock is taken and such bonds issued. 21. Sec. 11. The Inferior Courts of said coun ties shall designate a day when the legal vo ters of said counties shall assemble at their re spect! ve election precincts to givetheir consent to said subscription. Sec. 111. Repeals conflicting laws. Assented to 21st December, 1866. June 11 til The Liberty Granted to the Con federates. — Admiral Seinraes, editor of the Memphis Bulletin* makes tbe following excellent reply to Thurlow Weed, who said, in the New York Commercial Advertiser, that be (Sem nies) had made a poor nse of tbe lib erty accordeJ to him by the Govern, ment. Admiral Semmes says: “As for 3lr. Weed’s remark, that we arc making very poor use of tbe liberty which has been granted us, &c., wc have onTy to observe that wo are under no obligations to the United S ates lor any liberty granted us. The 4 liberty ’ which we received at tho surrender of Gen. Joe. Johnston, in whose army we held a command, was a quid pro quo. It ws» given to us for a consideration, and that conside ration was, that we would lay down our arms that we still had in our bands. Our liberty was the result of a treaty made with the enemy on the field of buttle, and even savages observe suefc treaties. But tho United States, with a want of faith of which a savage should he ashamed, violated it* pligh ted word of honor to us, and arrested and held us in confinement for threo months. During our confinement, we demanded our release of the President, under our parole, and it was accorded to us. We are exercising the ‘liber ty’ which belongs to us, because we purchased it, and not by tolerance and as a favor, as Mr. Weed would in sinuate.’’ Wonderful Trick of a Chinese Ma gician.—A marvellous trick, perform ed by a Chinese magician, is thus dc sc ibed by Ibu Batatu, an Arab, who travelled in tbe fourteenth century : “lie took a wooden ball with several holes in it, through which long thong* were passed, and laying hold of one of 1 hesc, Blung it into the air. It went so high we Lst sight of it altogether. There now remained only a little of the end of the thong in the conjurer’s hand, and he desired one of the boys who assisted him to lay hold of it and mount. He did so, climbing by the thong, aud we lost sight of him also. The conjurer then called to him three times, but getting no answer, snatched up a knife, as if in a great rage, laid lioliT of the thong, and disappeared also. By and by he threw down one of the boy’s bands, then a loot, then the trunk, and then the other hand aud foot, and last of all the boy’s head. Then he came down himself, all puf fing and panting, and with his clothes all bloody; but presently ho took the boy’s limbs and laid them together in their places, and gave a kick, when presto ! there was the boy, who got up and stood before them.” I_. 2L INT X> IS FOR SALE. THE undersigned of- HZMWI -ft. for -ill* In* plants f >" Thomas county, Ihmß II midway betwoen Thom -* l <»vill.< ainl Monticello -sJasa— -ifn.it.il about ten miles from either, and o» the Hue ot ike contemplated Meulh Cr«r||is A’ Florida Railroad: There nre seven and a half lots of Land, ag gregating Three Thousand Six Hundred and Sfvenly-flve Acre*, with 1300 At'HKS CLEARED. These I .amts are mostly Pise, but mixed, and changing into Ham mock, On Ward’s Creek, a hold stream running through the plantation, and dividing it into Two Good Settlements, | With honses on each The principal ooa has a very good I,og Dwelling finite*. New, Gin House and Massey Cotton Press, good Bams. Stables, Air , with"a large nnmberof excellent negro cabins. Th* Land ie GoOtt Pl#t hud, produce* well and has been kept up as a farm it i* well supplied with good water, both by wells and nainral streams, and is a healthy location I will sell separately or all together, to suit purchaser*, and at Tery Law Rases. A Cash sale woald he made greatly to tbe , advantage of the purr baser W C MITCHEI.I Thomaeville Ga Jane 28 6tn