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SOUTHERN BANNER: MARCH 5, 1878. H. H. CARLTON, - Editor. Terms ot Subsorlptlpn. ONE COPY, One Year...... £2 ONE COPY, Six Months. 1 °° ONE COPY, Three Months 30 LEGAL ADVERTISEMENTS. gKS£K3SaSBSte=fi8 A pplic ation lor Letters of Dismission Admin- # ^ Appll’Son'iw’SiSSw'tH'DtenSsiwrSniurdiim 5 25 Application for Leave to Soil Lands 5 00 Notice to Debtors and Creditors fi * ™ lalrsPerishtbfe'p^rty. lO day's,"persq... 1 50 ISfrltf 5 00 Tax Collector's bales, per squaie...... Hon. B. H. Hill. of Clarke county. Rates of AdvertlslnB* Advertisements will be inserted at ONE DOl^ f Cr ncr souare lor the first insertion, and FI FT Y CENTS i>er square for each continuance, for any time Ti n deVone month. For‘onRger periods A lib eral deduction will he made. A square equal co te Nou£i 8 i°n'lical column, less than a square, 20 cents a line. The President’s veto message; “ a charge of fraud by a fraud,” that’s the way Sunset Cox puts it. We return thanks to the good peo ple of Jackson county for their most liberal subscriptions to the Banner during court week. \Ye are in receipt ot several inter esting communications which arc unavoidable crowded out this week. Thcv will appear in our next issue. The vote in the house by which the Silver hill was passed over the President’s veto was yeas 106, nays 73. The vo*e in the Senate was yeas 46, nays 19. Sunset Cox of New York remarks that the President’s message to Con gress accompanying his veto ot the Silver Bill, was “ a charge of fraud by a fraud.” Good for Cox. Senator Hill voted to pass the Silver Bill over the President’s veto, and while better late than never, yet this wiil not prove sufficient to quiet the dissatisfaction of his constituency a3 to his original opposition to what they considered for their best interest While the passage of the Silver Bill is a great, just and most gratifying victory of the South and W est over the bond holders of the Eastern and New England .States, yet it is to be regretted that the all important ques tion of government'finances should have to be one of sectional an tagonism. Attention is hereby called to cur agricultural columns, and wo most earnestly and respectfully request our agricultural friends to aid us in this feature of the Banner by furnishing such articles on practical agriculture, gardening, horticulture, etc. as they may feel inclined to contribute. We desire to make this one of the most attractive, interesting and valuable features of our paper, and we greatly trust our friends will come to our assistance. President Hayes thinks the Silver Bill is in the judgement of mankind, an act of bad faith on the part of the Government. This comes with bad grace from a President who obtained his position as Chief Executive through an Electoral Commission, which was an over-ridipg of the constitution he is sworn to support, and proved the biggest fraud, the most outrageous robbery, and the most dangerous blow ever given our republican institution, the rights and liberties of the American people. Let Mr. Hayes first iustify his presidency, then may he with more consistency make the charge of had faith on the part of Congress. The silver bill has now become law and our people confidently expect bet ter times in the country. Well let them aid this financial measuie by their own efforts to retain our hard earnings in our own midst, and the bringing about a self-sustaining condi tion in our agricultural, manufactur ing and various industrial interests, j such as wiil enable them to use the cotton crop of the South, for building us again into wealth and material prosperity, and as certain as such a judicious course marks their future conduct of these interests, so certain will they realize their fond and cher ished hopes of financial relief. Having been an earnest and active supporter of Mr. Hill for the United States Senate, wo feel that it is onr privilege to make a passing review of his position on the Silver bill. We are widely and altogether dis- agreed'with the Senator in his posi tion upon the currency question, and arc convinced that the very large majority, if not all of his constituents, are likewise disagreed with his hard money views. Though not disposed to call into question Mr. Hill’s hon esty of purpose in his opposition to the Silver bill, yet, we must con fess our utter inability to conceive wherein lie expects to subserve the best interest of his people, his section and his country, by a coalition with those whose selfish interests have un doubtedly determined their financial views. Even granting that Mr. Hill is perfectly honesi in his convictions, and most soundly convinced that his position on this question is for the best interest of his people, yet, he cannot successfully defend his course. Although Mr. Hill received no in structions, as did Mr. Lamar, from Mississippi, from the legislature of his State, still, he full well knew that the popular sentiment of the people of his section was largely, ves, over whelmingly, in favor of the silver hill; and in justice to those who had con fided to him the highest position and tru-t within their bestowal, he- should have respected their wishesin this matter, if Mr. Hill is -oundly and thoroughly convinced that his views upon ihe financial question would ulti mately result for the best interest ofliis people, then, we can hut commend the manhood which induces him so to assert. But while claiming for himself these convictions upon which he had honestly based his position, and in no wise yielding his manhood or changing his position, he could, without inconsistency, and should have given his vote for the Silver bill, claiming the light to enter upon the records his protest. Either this course, or his resignation, in view of the fact that the whole people, or the very large majority of his people in Georgia, and indeed, throughout the whole 'South, were in favor of the passage of the Silver bill, was his plain aiul unquestionable duty. We fire sorry of Mr. Hill’s position oil this question which so effects the vital interest of our whole country, and while wc do not incline to that severe crimination and re crimination of him which has been so freely indulged in, it being neither just nor argumentative, still, wc are frank, and feel it to he our duty as a journalist, to say that not only do we consider him in error as to hispesitioa upon the money question, so far as affecting the true interest of his peo ple and his section, hut that lie has been equally in error in not i cspecting the wishes of his constituency. Now J. Madison, Jet. us beseech you in behalf of this suffering country, be calm, and follow the advice of your beau-ideal of a President, and “ let us have peace.” For God’s sake, let your patriotism get.the bet ter of you, and teach you that it is “ better to bear the iils you have ” than plunge this whole country into an internecine war. .. Is Athens Growing?, As to whether Athens is growing in commercial importance, is u-ques tion hardly necessary to he pro pounded to those who are daily wit nesses of our rapid progress. But for those abroad and who arc locking with interest to our advancement as a city of comm'ercial importance, and as a proof of all we claim for Athens, we give the following facts which wc get from the voucheis of the Nor®, eastern Railroad Agent at Athens: Collections at Athens Agency, from September 1st, 1876, to March 1st, 1878, $108,000 00. . COMPARATIVE COLLECTIONS. Sept. 1870—$2,911 33....Sept. 1877—$f7,866 58 Oct. 1876— 6,142 34....Oct. 1877— 11,078 91 Nov. 1S76— 3,528 76....Nov. 1877— 10,523 85 Dec. 1876— 3,057 1 9....Dec. 1877 - 7,785 68 Jar.. 1877— 4,240 42.... Jan. 1878— 8,364 74 The Beiigerent WeUs. J. Madison Wells has published a letter in the New York Times in which lie fiercely assails Judge Whitaker, Attorney General Ogden and Assistant Attorney General Ea gan. Pie charges, that they ai e viie and corrupt and engaged in a most unjustifiable and malicious prosecu tion and persecution of himself and General Anderson, instituted and sustained by and with the advice and pecuniary assistance of the National Democratic Executive Committee, lie further charges, that it is a con test for the office of President of the United States, and the patronage of Executive Departments of the Feder al Government, and that David Dud ley Field is chief manager. Mat is evidently becoming rebell ious as well as beiigerent in his feel ings, hear how he concludes his wail of woe, his bellicose pronunciamento. “ This is a national not a personal question. It is a renewal in ail in sidious guise of the tremendous con flict of 1876, perhaps of 1861. It becomes the Republicans of the North to be on their guard and give Louis iana hirelings to understand that it is time for them to be quiet or be prepared for open, determined and unrelenting war.’’ $19,880 04 $45,619 76 Increase of the past five months over and above the receipts for the same five months of tiie preceding year, 825,739 72. Increase per month, 85,147 94. The above is a statement of the receipts ai d collections for the incom ing freights at the Alhci s depot, and dots not include the onl-going freights from Alliens, and which are large and greatly inei eased to what they were twelve months ago. Those are unmistakable evidences of the commercial growth and. pros perity of Athens, and further, goes to prove that the endorsement of the Northeastern Railroad bonds l>y Governor Colquitt was a safe action as regards the liability which the Slate thereby incurs. The receipts to this road since the engine made its first trip between Athjjps and Lula, its junction with the Air-Line road, have been over and above all expenses of the road, and since, within a few months of thefiomple- tion of this forty miles, have^heen so far in excess of all expenses as to meet the interest on the bqmls and leave a considerable surfjlasrecoipt to the road. With the above showing, and with the rapidly increasing re ceipts to the Northeastern Railroad, there can he no question as to the road’s ability to meet the interest on their endorsed bonds, and besides, proves conclusively that Athens is fast growing in commercial impor tance, making it one of the best markets in Georgia, and that the slock in the Northeastern Riihoad is second to none in this or any other Southern State. The Washington telegrams state that quite a sensation has beep created at the White House, the president having recieved a letter, from what is considered a reliable source, stating that negroes had been kidnapped in Florida, transported across the Gulf of Mexico into Cuba and there sold into slavery. The President has dispatched Judge Leonard, the Re publican member from Louisiana in the House of Representatives, as a confidential agent to Cuba, that he may ascertain if there is any truth in this statement. Should this informa tion given the President prove correct, of course, immediate measures will be adopted to prevent all suefy future outrages upon the colored citizens of Florida and violations of international law. But should it prove to be sim ply a radical trick for the purpose of creating a sensation in Congress aud firing the Northern heart, then the fact should be exposed and the in formant hoisted by his own petard. •' [Advertisement.] An Active Deputy. The newlv appointed Deputy Mar shal, ]. E. Ritch, has signalized him self by arresting Mr. Oliver and Mr. Collins under a charge of retailing blockade whisky. Mr. Collins is a citizen of Union county and Mr. Oli ver is a young gentleman, son of D. S. Oliver, one of the most prominent citizens of Habersham. They are both now confined in the Clarke countv jail. The evidence against them is, we learn, entirely circum stantial in its character, but if the gallant Captain brings anything like the ability into his prosecution that he exerts in his political campaigns the persumption of innocence will avail them nothing. In the mean time they have our heartfelt sympa thy.—Southern Watchman. Mr Editor—The above appeared in the last issue of the Southern Watchman, and in reply thereto, I beg leave to make the following statements: 1st. I have no doubt but that Mr. Speer, now editing that paper, is the true author of the article, as it hears so plainly his ear mark. 2nd. The statement that the men captured by me were captured upon circumstantial evidence is absolutely and altogether false, as I do not pro ceed in the exercise of the duties of my office in that way, and Mr. Speer nor no one else had authority for mak ing such a statement. 3rd. The allusion to my using my office for political purposes is likewise false, and as malicious as it is false. I know no politics in the discharge ot the duties of niv office, and such a practice, as is well known to be the case on the part of the author of the above, is the father of the thought, or suggestion. I accepted thu position I now occupy with the distinct under standing, and the full obligation on my part to discharge faithfully and impartially the duties of said office, and shall do so to the best of my ability, though it should interrupt Mr. Speer and his political plans. As he was loitering around the jail in Athens Sunday evening after the arrest of the parlies mentioned, I suppose in the diw.iarge of my duty, I had interrupted some of his whisky clique, and thereby some of his con gressional arraugements. I am sorry for the parties concerned in this violation. I know them well and know them to be clever men. but at the same-time they were violating the known laws of the country, and I have no fears that while they would have l*eeu glad to have escaped, they will at least give me credit for having done my duty, and carried out the obligations of my office as a faithful officer. Pardon me, Mr. Editor, for thus troubling you aud the public with this communication, but, as several inuen- does regarding me in the discharge of the duties of my office have appeared in the Watchman, 1 deemed it but justice to myself, the service and the public to make the above statements. Very Respectfully, J. E. Ritch, Deputy U. S. Marshall Northern District of Georgia. Be virtuous and you’ll he happy—hut you wan’t have much fun.’’—Chroni cle tfe Constitutionalist' We would like to know if Govern- I or Vance speaks from experience. Letter from Jefferson. Jeffer30n, Ga., March 1st, 1878. Dr II. H. Carlton : Dear Sir The Spring term of Jackson county Superior Court convened on Monday last, His Honor, Judge Rice, presid ing. We did not have the pleasure of hearing liis Honor’s charge to the Grand Jury, but heard it spoken of as having been replete with legal advice and wisdom, and characterized by a spirit of determination to make the law a terror to evil doers if properly' the surrounding hills are beautiful There will be no delay in carrying out the provisions of . the silver bill. The Secretary of the Treasury has already made the necessary arrange ments for the coinnge of silver dollars. He has prepared the form of the silver certificate and approved the device for the new silver dollar, which was sub mitted to him by the Director of the Mint. Generals Banning and Bragg, who were Union Generals during the late war, are at Washington urging the passage of the bills proposing to correct the abuses which have grown up in the army. These bills contem plate great reduction iu the, now extravagant, pay of army officers and such reorganization ot the army as will muster out of service all useless officers. This is much needed and healthful legislation, and it is the great desire of the country that such reform and retrenchment should at once be inaugurated, notwithstanding it pro duces great excitement and unrest in military circles. This country is now at peace within itself, and with all the nations of the earth, and a large and expensive standing army is a great outrage, a gross injustice to the already burdened and oppressed tax-payers. A Few days since Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, of Richmond, Va., requested permission from Govern or Vance for the Walker Light Guard to pass through the State of North Carolina, on their way to Charleston. Governor Vance responded ns follows: " Permission granted to pass through North Carolina with your command. supported by the law-abiding citizens of the county the bar. In addition to the local bar, com posed of the Messrs. Howard, Cols. Pike, Silman and Morris, we note the presence of the following visiting At torneys : Col. Nash, of Danielsville; Maj. Walker, of Monroe; Judge Floyd, of Covington; Cols Thurmond, A. S. Erwin, T W. Rucker, Emory Speer, P. G. Thompson, L. W. Thomas and Solicitor General Mitchell, ot Athens; Cols. Es;es, Langston, Marler, C. It. Simmons and G. H. Prior, of Gainesville; B. F. Wofford and R. T. Nelms, of Harmony Grove, and Geo. Bell, Esq., of Forsyth, son of Col. II. P. Bell. We learn Mr. Bell was in r.tteiidance 'upon Court for the purpose of suggesting certain recommendations to he embodied in the Grand Jury presentments. llUSINK.SS of the court. j Monday and Tuesday were devoted ) to the trial of civil cases. The case which attracted most attention under this head was that of Crane, vs. Jackson, for the payment of a guano claim—T. W. Rucker, Esq., for plaintiff, and L. W. Thomas for de fendant. The jury rendered a verdict for plaintiff, hut we learn the counsel for the defense will take the case up. The civil docket having been closed on Tuesday evening, on Wednesday morning theciiminal docket was tak n up. The most important case called was that of the state vs. J. N. Simp kins. Our readers are already familiar with the charge against Mr. Simpkins, as his case has been in court for several sessions. Suffice it, after two da vs hard labor on the part of sheriffs and bailiffs, who rode day and night, a jury was secured for the ttaal of the cause, about 11 o’clock this a. m. Sol. Gen. Mitchell, (than whom Georgia has not a better officer) assisted in the prosecution by Col. Barrow, of Athens, after the jury had been made up, were confident of a speedy consumma tion of this much regretted trial; but, just as the examination of witnesses was about to begin Mr. Simkins, fearing the tide was against him, and by virtue of a good bond feeling he had some privileges, walked out of the court house, and when called did not answer. The other cases that will come be fore His Honor during the session of the Court will be of minor importance, and on Saturday evening we dare say, the hall of justice will be closed for another six mouths. politics. A stranger in our midst would be surprised to witness the interest felt in the politics of the country, and allow me, Mr. Editor, to say, that your firm advocacy of an organized Democracy and your splendid editorial in the last issue of the Banner on the “ Silver Bill ’’ has made your paper many friends. The people are aware of your able advocacy of Mr. Hill for the Senatorship, and after he took the position he did on the questicn of finances, were anxious to have your views on that question. Allow me to say that a large majority of the people of Jackson think that von are on the right line as to money and party politics, and only trust that you may continue to give battlu to “ax-grinders” and the enemies of good government generally. FARMING INTERESTS. ( I It is gratifying to know that the farmers aro in better condition than since the war. One of the best farmers in the country said to your correspondent that at the spring term of the court last year, drovers offered their stock in vain to farmers because they had no money with which to buy. This year, lie said, a number of mules and horses had teen sold for the cash, and many farmers thought they had corn and meat enough to do them. (After all I would like to ask, by w ay of paren thesis, if this is not the solution to the financial problem.) Much of the land intended for cultivation the present year has already been broken and is now ready to receive the seed. Fertilizers are being very extensively used. JEFFERSON. This ancient village is somewhat romantic in appeal ance, and while on plateaus upon which the village could have been built, still the founs der thereof, on account of two mag nificent springs which com sc their way through the valley, determined to plant jthe village in the valley. We admire his judgement The question of building a now- court house is being agitated. The old structure being of ancient de sign, and greatly out of rep; ir, and Jackson county having a surplus ot over three thousand dal la is in her Treasury, we would be very ghul to see a more comely court-house than they now have. MARTIN INSTITUTE. This time-honored institution is still the pride of the county, and the principals thereof, Messrs. Orr and Glenn, are second to none as educa tors. The attendance upon t e spring term is not so full as usual, nor is it thought it will increase a great deal This is owing, we suppose, to the fact that a majority of the fund is in Georgia railroad stock and that corporation having failed to de clare a dividend will temporarily diminish the resources of the Institu tion. While speaking of the Institution we will be pardaned lor suggesting, (and believe we will be seconded in the suggestion by a majority of the good citizens) that the Institute he properly inclosed by a substantial fence. It is known to all the peo ple that there is an organization which follows the court known as the “Hoise Brigade”—men who follow horse-swapping as a pro fession. The jockey grounds at Jefferson embrace the yard and grounds of the Institute, and not un- frequently the teachers have to leave their classes and go out and comm and the peace. Besides this, it is impossi ble for children to study when there isso much confusion and so much to draw their attention away from their books. “THE FOREST NEW'S.” Jackson county boasts of one of the best country papers in the State in the Forest Feins. The Editor, J. G. N. Wilson, is an accomplished writer, whose opinions on all general questions arc universally respected. The Business Managers, Messrs. W. GV and R. S. Howard, are shrewd financiers, and by their efficient management, the paper has been made a paying investment to the stockholders. Mr. M. Stafford, to whom the company is largely indebted for the success of the paper, is an excellent and industrious worker in the “ art preservative,” nr d never allows the paper to “fall behind’'in mechanical appearance. A SAD FAMILY. Sadness pervaded the entire town when the announcement was made, at 4 o’clock on Thursday evening last, that little Joshua Hammond, intant sou of Mr J. E and Elizabeth C. Randolph, was dead. This dear little hoy W38 the first born of parents whose ties of love had existed for many years before the iqarital union was cousumated. The loud hopes of father and mother were centered upon the little prattler, and just about, the time when his infant tongue was about to be unloosed, when lie could say mama, papa! the destroyer came. The last, sun of the barren winter was about to set beneath a cloudless sky. Its victims lere and there had been numbered by thou sands, but before being succeeded by balmy spring, another had to be added, and hovering around the bed side of suffering little Joshua Ran dolph, the tender little form was touched by the icy coldness of the lingering season, and he passed awav from earth. May the God of love comfort the bereaved parents and friends in this sad dispensation of Providence. A Friend.