Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 1.
COURANT CORRESPONDENCE.
'•uJfcfX*X’TIONS OF THE CIVIL SEII
\ ICK Or THE CONFEDERATE
GOVERNMENT.
r.y it. n. caters.
CHAPTER fIT.
While the ‘national’ democrats at the
North, w ere manifesting their opjiosition
tocoersive measures on the part of the
federal govermnentf there was also a
very respectable minority among the
Whigs ami the republicans in that sec
tion who had declared against the policy,
if, indeed, they had previously advoca
ted the right of coercion. Mr. Seward,
in addressing the Senate of the United
States, Jan. 12tli, of this year, declared
his principles to tie the ‘Union before
Republicanism.’ He urged not only the
repeal of the personal liberty bill, and
the enforcement of the fugitive slave
law, hut urged the federal government
to prevent the invasion of one state by
the people of another. The bitter man
ner in which this conservative address of
the Massachusetts senator was denoun
ced by ihe radical wing of the republican
party clearly evidenced that it was not
the gn at constitutional question involv
ed in the act of secession, hut just such a
fanatical zeal as John Brown had evi
denced in his pretended opposition to the
institution of slavery, that was facing
the federal authorities to over-ride the
constitution. The position taken and
earnestly maintained in the New York
Tribune by Mr. Greely, was in direct op
position to the spirit of the majority of
bis party. While lie considered the se
cesshm of the Southern states an error,
lie emphatically urged that ‘the erring
isters bo allowed to go in peace.’ In
accord with the expression of the lead
ing republican journal of the North, the
New York News published at the time,
the names of seventy newspapers, re
ceived as exchanges from different north
ern states, opposing all coersive measures
on the part of the government as being
both unconstitutional and impolititic.
Even Mr. Lincoln, the president-elect of
the radical republicans, in his Spring
field, Illinois, speech, in January, 1861,
did not, in move than equivocal terms,
Indicate a conviction that the federal
government had, or would exercise, the
right of forcing a state into submission to
the will of his party. He ended this
meaningless address by frankly admit
ting that, lie had asserted nothing, and
had asked a few questions very difficult
to answer.
Tims it was that from the assembly of
the provisional confederate congress, on
(lie ttli of February, until the delivery
at Washington City of the inaugural
message of the radical president, on the
tth of March, there was nothing to indi
cate a clearly defined policy on the part
of the federal government or of the po
litical party that had accidentally come
Into the possession of its machinery. For
these reasons, taken in connection with
the further fact already mentioned, that
the seceded states were exercising a
right of sovereignty, asserted and main
tained in the highest courts of adjudica
tion known to our government, from the
foundation of the union of states, the
provisional congress of the federal states
made no further provision for the exi
gencies of the revolution than was nec
essary to maintain the government on
the basis of a peace establishment,
As soon as the act providing for the
loan had become a law, Mr. Memtninger
began the work of preparing the repre
sentatives of our confederate credit. So
exclusively agricultural had been, ami
were the pursuits of the people of the
South, and so long accustomed to depend
upon the northern manufacturers, and
upon the resources of European nations,
that at the very outset of his labors, the
confederate secretary found serious dif
tieultv in providing the coupon bonds,
certificates, and treasury notes, which
were to represent the financial resources
of his government. In none of the south
ern cities could engravers on steel or
stone be found. Under these circum
stances resort was had to the facilities
~, 'ored through the active co-operation
0 f \*r. G. 15. Lamar, president of the
hank o * lhe republic, in New York City.
Acting as our agent, Mr. Lamar entered
into a eonti'At't with the American Bank
Note Company. t*>r the engraving and
printing of the bonds and treasury notes.
•Hu, work was handsomely executed, on
the best of bank note and bond paper,
butjwitb all the precaution taken by Mr.
LamA', the entire issue fell into the
hands of the vigilant servants of the
federal government, and was seized as
being contraband of war. lienee it was
that we were driven to the expedient of
importing engravers from abroad, and
were compelled to resort to such ap
pliances as could be improvised at home.
The few paper mills in the South were
manufacturing only an ordinary grade
of newspaper or the common wrapping
paper used in the shops. For some time
we had jo rely upon the banknote paper
that could be imported through partially j
rlosed ports or that was run across the j
1 Harder frontier by our trusted agent.
Tim enterprise of Messrs. Evans, Cogs- j
well ec t 0., of Charleston, S. t., sup
plied the coupon Umds. but the difficulty
of engraving ami printing the treasury
notes was not solved until after the re
moval of the executive departments of
oar government from Montgomery to
Richmond, Va. Here, Messrs. Hoyer
and I.ml wig. skilled German engravers,
were established by the secretary of the
treasury, and under the supervision of
an officer, specially appointed for the
purpose, upon old and inferior stones
used before for ordinary placards, the
first treasury notes were engraved and
printed upon banknote paper furnished
from Baltimore by agents employed in
THE CARTERSVILLE COURANT.
the special service of the treasury depart
ment. This statement will explain why
the confederate currency was at tirst so
objectionable in appearance and will
also justify the delay in furnishing it.
Until the Richmond paper millls had
provided the necessary machinery and
stock for the manufacture of banknote
paper, our supply was drawn entirely
from the northern cities, through relia
ble friends in Maryland, whose expe
dients to secure the safe delivery in
Richmond of the much needed paper
have often furnished to me a story of
adventure abounding in Ingenious de
vice.
In perfecting the organization of the
several divisions and subdivisions of the
treasury department, the system of Al
exander Hamilton, still in use at Wash
ington City, was adopted by Mr. Mem
minger. At an early day in his admin
istration, the secretary was fortunate in
securing the valuable services of a num
ber of gentlemen whose social and polit
ical sympathies prompted them to re
sign prominent positions in the United
States Treasury Department, and to ten
der their services to the confederacy.
Mr. Phillip Clayton, who had been
assistant secretary of the United States
Treasury under Mr. Cobh, becarno as
sistant secretary of the confederate treas
ury. Having a knowledge of the forms
of proceedure and of the general work
ings of the system, lie rendered valuable
services in the organization of our de
partment. Accompanying Mr. Clayton
to Montgomery from Washington, was
Mr. Charles T. Jones, who for years had
served in the United States Treasury,
and who possessed an accurate knowl
edge of the business formulas. He
brought with him copies of all of the
forms in use in all of the several bu
reaus. To the willing spirit and indefat
igable labors of Mr. Jones we were more
indebted than to any single individual
for the rapid and perfect organization of
the department in all of its details. Mr.
Jones was a native of Indiana, a gentle
man of many excellent social virtues, and
as a careful and systematic business man
superior to any I have ever known. On
tlie 20th of March, one month after the
appointment of the secretary to office,
the treasury department of the confeder
acy was thoroughly organized, with the
following officers on duty.
Executive office: C. G. Memminger,
secretary; Phillip Clayton, of Georgia,
assistant secretary; IT. D. Capers, chief
clerk and disbursing officer; J. A. Craw
ford, warrant clerk; Henry Sparniek,
Edmund Randolph, J. K. Popham, re
cord clerks; Thompson Allen, book
keeper.
Comptroller, Lewis Cruger; Jno. Ott,
chief clerk.
Ist auditor, Bolling Baker. W. W.
Lester, chief clerk; J. W, Robertson,
M. F. Govan, clerks.
2d auditor, W. H. S. Taylor. J.C.
Ball, chief clerk.
Register, A. B. Clilherall. Chas. T.
Jones, chief clerk.
Treasurer, Ed C. Elmore. T. T.
Green, chief clerk.
I regret that l have not the memoran
da with which to refresh my recollec
tion of the names of all tho clerks who
were at this date assisting in the several
bureaus of the department. 1 have given
above only such names as I am enabled
to recall from memory after a lapse of
many years. Excellent gentlemen and
superior business men were among oth
ers whose faces I can distinctly recall,
but whose names have been lost among
the multitude l have sineo met with in
the varied associations of tho past twen
ty-three years.
Among tho first officers of the United
States navy to report for duty to Presi
dent Davis, was Commander Raphael
Semmes. Having at this early day no
navy, and, in fact, at this time no navy
department was organized, Commander
Semmes was temporarily assigned to duty
in the treasury department, and placed
in charge of the ‘Light House Bureau.’
His services were not long required
there. Short as was his stay in the de
partment, I formed an attachment for
this genial gentleman and gallant sailor,
which readily grew out of his superior
social qualities, and to me, most inter
esting surroundings. Although nomi
nally the supervisor of ‘light houses,’ his
accomplishments as a naval officer were
brought into requisition at an early day
by the president in the execution of an
enterprise which tilled the world with
admiration for his daring courage and
skillful seamanship, iiis office opened
directly into mine, and there 1 often
went to be highly entertained by him,
in unfolding the details of the work in
which he was,engaged. Ascertaining
through the collector of customs, at New
Orleans, Mr. Frank Hatch, that a mer
chant steamer belonging ft) the New Or
leans and Havana trade could l>o pur
chased, Commander Semmes was com
missioned by the president to examine
this vessekus-V if he approved her con
struction to arrange at once for her
transfer into a confederate privatier. On
his return from New Orleans the oom
j mander brought with him a lithograph
| print of the steamer. Entering his of
fice, shortly after his return to Mont-
gomery, I found him busily engaged
with the plans and estimates for the
necessary changes in the construction of
the ves-el. Show ing the picture of the
steamer to me, he remarked, with char
acteristic enthusiasm:
“Shins a good craft, sir. a gxxl craft.
When I strengthen her timbers and cut
her down to lighting trim, my word for
it, she'll do brave work, sir.”
This steamer was none other than the
famous “Sumpter,” whose career as a
privateer on the high seas, under the
command of my gallant frieud, will
make for all time one of the most bril
liant chapters in naval warfare. After
explaining many of the steamer’s good
CARTERSYILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1885.
points the commander informed me that
he would leave the next day for New Or
leans, and asked if 1 knew whether her
register had been prepared.
A ship's register is a commission set
ting forth her character and tonage. By
the precedents we were following, it
should be issued by the department of
commerce, which, in our government,
was embraced in the treasury, and was a
very formal document, issued under the
seol of the government to which the ship
belonged. Calling the attention of Sec
retary Memminger to the matter, he at
once directed me to have tlie document
prepared for his signature as soon as
possible. Following a form furnished
me by Commander Semmes, with the
aid of a skilled penman, this first com
mission for a confederate ship of any
kind was handsomely prepared on parch
ment, and in due time submitted to the
secretary for his signature. To have ap
plied the seal of the department to the
register, would have been easily done,
if there had been a seal, but in these
early days, with a hundred details of or
ganization demanding our attention, this
important evidence of authority had
been overlooked. No time was to be lost
in hunting up an engraver; indeed, as I
have already stated, there was no en
graver to be found. Under these cir
cumstances, providing a block of box
wood, a large type from the Advertiser
office, the commander and myself spent
several hours in improvising a seal,
which, though crude enough in the ex
pression of its characters, answered in
the end the purpose for which it was in
tended. The design was a Palmetto
tree, complimentary to the secretary’s
native state, surrounded with six stars,
beneath which was cut “Treasury De
partment.” and over which “Confeder
ate States of America.” I think we
should have utterly failed in our under
taking had not an ingenious young sur
geon, who Dr. DeLeon, of the army,
brought to our aid, applied his steady
hand to the work of carving the hard
wood. After awhile, at the expense of
two or three pocket knives, the seal was
finished, and when applied to the wafer
made a very fair impression. With this
register for the “Sumpter,” and his com
mission as a captain in the confederate
navy, our gallant friend bade us good
bye, and shortly after began a career on
the ocean, which will illustrate for ages
the character of the chivalrous gentle
man and the bravest and best of Ameri
can seamen.
(TO ISK CONTINUED.
Charleston, S. C., Sept. 4, ’BS.
Col. 11. D. Capers—Dear Sir: I
have to tliank you for your attention in
sending ine the copies of the Courant
which contains your kind and graphic
recollections of the small beginnings of
the confederate government. If you
were to receive from your countrymen
all the consideration to which you are
entitled for your faithful work in those
days, you would have no wants unsup
plied in this world. Very truly yours,
(Signed) C. G. Memminger.
For the Ck,chant.
THE HAY FEVER SUFFERERS.
While every person of Christian feeling
sympathizes with the sufferers from hay
fevers, there seems something pre
sumptuous and conceited in their custom
of holding a national convention every
year, as they are now doing at Bethlehem,
New Hampshire, •
The practice indicates a sort of exclu
siveness of feeling which is foreign to
American ideas. Nobody can obtain ad
mission to the body or the privilege of
taking part in the proceedings unless he
be an aetual sufferer. It Ims a certain
class distinction altogether foreign to the
spirit of the American constitution.
Those who imagine that there is no
pleasure to be derived from a convoca
tion of this character have never experi
enced the charm there is in exchanging
invalid experiences. Misery likes com
pany ; nothing is pleasanter than for one
man who has a peculiar ailment, particu
larly if it bo hay fever (chronic), to meet
another who is suffering with the same
disease. Each listens to the other with
the deepest attention and even the
minutes details are not tiresome.
When several hundred of these hypo
chondriacs are gathered in council, as at
Bethlehem, and all are moved to con
tribute to the common experience and
enjoyment, the charm of this interchange
is, according to their universal testi
mony, as exquisite as it is unique. The
delegates neglect their regular business
and travel hundreds of miles to be pres
i ent. As soon as one meeting is over and
| they separate, the anticipation ot the
: next is a bright spot for contemplation
! throughout the whole of the following
j twelve months. v
The conclave is, with an obvious pro
priety, always arranged for the hay fever
season, when the disease is prevailing
with its greatest violence. But there is
no doubt that many painfully wrong im
pressions of the delegates are derived
from their outward aspect, by strangers
who happen- to encounter them in the
town where the convention sits, and who 1
do not take the trouble to make inquiry.
The general aspect of the hay fever suf
ferer at this period of the year is that of a
man who h s been on a “hoot” of at least
three months duration. His nose is very
large, and as red as fire; his eyes are
water}’ and blood-shot, and his face and
head swelled to an appalling size, until,
in fact, he has to put on his hat with a
shoe horn. His voice has that peculiar
choking hoarseness and huskiness which
nothing except this consist nt or a long
indulgence in the strongest kind of stiin
ulents can produce. The consequence is
that when you meet a hay fever patient
about the end of August, when his
trouble begins, your instant conviction
is, however respectable a man he may be,
unless you happen to remember his mal
ady, is that he has been away decorating
the watering places in the brightest of
rosy hues, ever since the first of June.
The impulse to recommend a course of bro
mide and retirement is irresistable. The
truth is, however, thatthe hay fever suf
ferers as a body are necessarily exceed
ingly temperate. Mr. Beecher, it will
tie remembered, is a shining light in the
fraternity, and may be described as a
typical martyr to the disease.
It is surprising how little progress is
made, notwithstanding the annual recur
rence of the convention and its vast
number of personal experiences con
tributed, in the acquirement of real
knowledge about the bay fever, and in
the successful treatment of the malady—
if anything the disorder is increasing
and rapidly embracing new victims.
The most curious thing is that so few
women suffer with it in comparison with
the other sex, and that people who cat lit
tle or no meat are seldom affected; then
too, there are some folks who may reside
in tfie most affected localities and defy
all rules and precautions and yet enjoy
a perfect immunity..
The novelty in this year’s convention
is the discussion of the new remedy
cocoaine, which is said to be the most
efficacious ye‘ brought forward. It is an
interesting fact for everybody that, ac
cording to all accounts, this admirable
drug will stop an ordinary cold in the
head in a couple of hours. Hay fever re
quires two or three days treatment, but
with perseverance is sure to be ultimately
routed; toothache and neuralgia yield to
Its subtle charm. The real value of the
remedy, however, is probably to be more
slowly and certainly determined.
PETTIT’S CREEK FARMERS’ CLCR.
The club held their last meeting at the
residence of W. A. Jackson. Four mem
bers were necessarily absent. Mr. Rus
sel Lowry, of Chattooga county, was a
visitor.
Secretary made report of correspond
ence in relation to various articles giv
ing the wholesale prices at which the
club can purchase by combining orders.
Tho unanimous desire of the club was,
however, that we would prefer to buy
everything from our home merchants,
having no doubt w T e could make satisfac
tory arrangements with them in regard
to articles of which we expected to pur
chase considerable quantities.
The most entertaining part of the
meeting was the report of tho commit
tees who had examined and rqpasured an
acre of cotton and one of corn for those
of the club who were contesting for the
premium acre. As different committees
inspected the crops, it is hard to decide
who will be ahead, but gathering time is
near, so it will soon be decided.
After the club adjourned, to meet at
the residence of Geo. M. Jackson, Ist
Saturday in October, several of the mem
bers went out to examine tlie excellent
acre of corn of our host, and the contest
ants for the premium acre of corn werp
noticed inspecting it very closgly.
It would be better tor an parties con
cerned to abolish the railroad commis
sion, an unmixed blessing though it is
to the people of Georgia, than to pass the
bill agreed to by the senate railroad com
mittee regulating its powers. This sub
stitute for the bill as it passed the house
could not have originated in the mind of
a committee not hostile to the commis
sion. There are too many senators in
the active enjoyment of free railroad
passes and possible future employment as
railroad attorneys and imagined predes
tined free judicial transportation in the
senate for the public good. The cities
are hostile to the commission because it
gives to the country towns the same pro
tection from unjust discrimination that
the cities enjoy, and thus affords the
country and town merchants exactly the
same opportunities to supply their cus
tomers that had previously been exclu
sively enjoyed by the favored merchants
of the cities. It lays low the advantages
which the railroads afforded the cities in
their competition with country towns for
the country trade. Hence this commis
sion is not favored, nor will it ever be,
by the citb s, their representatives, or
senators, or press; or by those country
representatives and senators who belong
to them. This is clear to our mind.
Self-interest will be found to remain the
controlling sentiment in legislation ag in
business life; few men rise above it. The
hope of the people of Georgia for protec
tion from monopoly lies with the coun
try representatives and senators, upheld
and sustained by a fearless and inde
pendent country press. May they never
be hoodwinked or beguiled by sophistry
or plausibly concealed diplomacy,—Spar
ta Ishinmlite.
There are many cases in which farm
horses need no shoes in the summer and
would be better without them. A horse,
owned by the writer, had hard, dry hoofs,
and contracted feet, which was caused by
a natural tendency, increased by shoeing
with high calks. For want of use, the
frog had withered away, and the horse
was always lame. The shoes were taken
off, and tips only were used. These were
thin plates, reaching around the hoofs on
ly, to protect the toes from wearing away.
The frog and the heels thus came to the
ground at every step ; the bars were able
to spread, and the proper functions of the
feet, to preserve healthful action and
growth were given full play. The horse
soon became sound, the frog grew health
fully, while the exjiense of shoeing was
greatly reduced.
Spasmodic convulsions are frequently
caused by worms gnawing at the vitals ;
‘ therefore, at the first indications of worms,
i Shriner’s Indian Vermifuge should be ad
-1 ministered according to directions.
THE HOPE AND SHOTGUN.
Terrible Scenes for two Days in Chatta
nooga, Tennessee.
Chattanooga Commercial.!
Never before has our city passed
through scenes of blood and terror such
as transpired here during the past two
days, growing out of the wanton murder
of Polk Mitchell, the street car driver, by
Charles Williams, the colored desperado,
and the subsequent scenes connected
with the lynching of the murderer by a
mob.
Mr. Mitchell was about forty years old,
and leaves a wife and three children.
He was a resident of Nashville for many
years, having been employed as a guard
at\he penitentiary. lie was a member
of the Chattanooga police for two years.
He had been driving a car for six months.
Williams, who was intoxicated, smoked
a cigar, used vulgar language and refus
ed to put his fare in the box. Mitchell
made Williams leave* the car, and the
negro declared he would get even with
him. He followed the car to a switch on
Whiteside street, and started toward
Mitchell, who told him to keep his dis
tance, at the same time seizing a car
hook, with which he intended to defend
himself. Williams fired three shots at
Mitchell, who fell. While his victim
was lying on the ground, Williams stood
over him and sent two bullets into his
body.
Williams was pursued beyond Chatta
nooga creek nearly two miles and cap
tured. A large crowd followed the small
posse of officers, and there were many
threats, but the prisoner was jailed with
out serious interference. About 11
o’clock a mob of nearly two hundred
men marched from the fifth ward down
Market street, up Seventh to the county
jail. A large number were armed with
shotguns and rillcs. Advance guards
with muffled faces turned down the
street gas lights. The crowd yelled oc
casionally and was so noisy as to seem
but little dangerous. At the corner of
Seventh street and Georgia Avenue, near
the jail, some of the crowd attempted to
turn out the street lamp, but a voice
from under the shadow of the court
house shouting “shoot the man who
turns down that light,” prevented any
action being taken. At the jail two com
panies of the local militia had been drawn
up in line to assist the sheriff'and depu
ties, but they were without orders from
the governor and repeated telegrams to
Nashville failed to reach him. The
crowd stopped in front of the militia.
Finally the crowd broke the fence in
front of the militia line and poured in
past the right tlank of the soldiers, who
had no loads in their guns. The sheriff
and deputies endeavored in vain to dis
suade them from their intentions. A de
mand that the jail doors be opened was
refused. The crowd procured a box of
tools belonging to the street force and
broke down the office doors; they de
manded the keys to the cells, but these
the few deputies in the jail claimed not
to have in their possession.
About 11 :45 some one fired a shot out
side the jail, and a general fusilade was
participated in. All the shots fired were
pistol shots. It was during this fusilade
that William Nanny, a white spectator,
and Hen Palmer, a colored man, were
shot and killed.
At 12:15 the crowd succeeded by the
aid of chisels and crowbars in forcing an
entrance into Williams’ cell. There was
a great yell as they accomplished their
purpose. Williams was cowering in a
corner of the cell and was nearly dead
with fright. He begged to be taken to
see his father and mother again. With
their prisoner captured the crowd was at
a loss for a rope, hut they twisted a mos
quito bar from ;yi office bed, and witli
this improvised a rope, and carried the
prisoner to the upper corridor. His arms
and feet were tied together, and while
two of the men held him up others ad
justed the rope to an iron bar over the
cell entrance on the second floor. Then
he was let drop. The fall was very
short, not over eighteen inches, and his
feet were but eigiiteen inches from the
floor. Williams struggled but little
when the twisted mosquito bar broke and
he dropped fainting to the floor.
“Get a rope,” was shouted on every
side. Almost instantly a small piece of
clothes line was furnished from some
where and Williams was strung up, this •
time to stay. The prisoner died by
strangulation, the fall being too short to
break his neck. Their work accomplish
ed, the desperate leaders of the mob
quietly disappeared, but hundreds of
people crowded the cell in the corner to
get a sight of the swinging prisoner. Tire
leader of the mob, when stopped by the j
military, asserted teat if the latter could I
show orders trom the governor to act the
crowd would disperse.
Charles Williams, the negro mobbed,
was a short, thickset mulatto, who was a
slate roofer by trade, and has lived here
many years. He was regarded as a des
perate character. The body hung for an
hour in the jail corridor when it was cut
down by the officials and the jail cleared.
The mob were but poorly disguised, a
few wearing only handkerchiefs muffled
around their faces, while fully half at
tempted no disguise whatever. A more
determined display of force would have
prevented the lynching, in the opinion
of many, but on the other hand, might S
have led to serious sacrifice of life. The
ringleaders of the crowd were heavily
armed. The mob was made up mostly of
workingmen from the fifth ward. Ow
ing to rumors that the negro population
had sworn vengeance upon the lynchers
and threats of revenge made at several
meetings held by them in the suburbs,
there was much anxiety and fears of fur
ther trouble yesterday and last night.
The military was held in readiness at
their armories and armed men patrolled
the street®, but no demonstation was
made. It is believed that the worst is
over. The city is quiet this morning.
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE RAIL
ROADS.
Rome Courier.
It is to be hoped that the Georgia legis
lators, during the pendency of the bill to
abridge the powers of the Railroad Com
mission, are keeping an eye on the move
ments of the railroad companies, with a
view to ascertaining the real cause of the
alleged unprofitableness of their busi
ness, If, while they are combining to
demand of the Legislature the right to
establish their own rates, they were at
the same time showing a disposition to
adopt fair and uniform rates of their own
choice, they would make the appeal with
more reason and justice. But we see
that even while the bill is before the Leg
islature they are “throat cutting” each
other, and giving competitive points rates
ruinously low, to compensate for which
loss they must impose high rates on
points that have competition. This is
precisely the unjust discrimination which
the constitution of the State makes oblig
atory on the Legislature to prohibit or
break up, and members faithful to their
trust will carry out the intent of the con
stitution.
President Brown of the W. & A. road,
protests against the right of the Legisla
ture to regulate his road, and especially
a3 regards its pooling arrangements;
and within less than a week after the
publication of his protest, the most ex
traordinary pooling and cutting arrange
ments ever known in the South is an
nounced from Chattanooga, and his road
is a party to it. The roads in tlie pool
have reduced passenger fares to Wash
ington city, a distance of fully five hun
dred miles, to $8.50, and to other North
ern points in proportion. We are told
that the W. & A. road took the initiative
in this cut, and that it is especially aimed
at the East Tennessee system. The cut
may commence at a point outside of the
State of Georgia, but its main object is
understood to be the crippling of a rival
Georgia line.
The claim of President Brown that
the State surrendered all control over
his road by leasing it to his company has
herein an elucidation that shows how un
tenable it is. Did the State surrender to
his company the unrestricted right to
make a combination or pool with roads
outside the State, tlie main object of
which is to cripple or break down an
other Georgia road? Tho E. TANARUS., V. & G.
road was chartered by the otate under
the new constitution, which prohibits
such pooling and combinations. Did not
this imply the right and duty of the State
to protect it, as far as its jurisdiction or
control extends, from combinations for
bidden by the constitution ? Here are
two railroads chartered by the State and
entitled to its protecting care. Has tlie
Legislature surrendered its right to pro
tect the one from the aggression of the
other —to forbid the one from forming a
combination witli roads outside of the
State to injure the other?
Tiie “ pool,” consisting as it docs of
several roads, will divide the losses in.
curred.by this extraordinary cut, or make
up for them by high rates to points at
which they have no competition, but the
E. TANARUS., V. it G., being one line to Wash
ington City, must sustain the whole loss
if it meets the cut. It thus appears that
tlie State’s own road, under management
of lessees claiming unrestricted powers
to do as they please with it, forms combi
nations with the roads of other States to
break down a rival road in Georgia, and
ultimately to make places at its mercy
pay in high rates for the losses sustained
by this effort to free itself of competition
chartered by the State. If Georgia legis
lators think that they have no power to
prevent this, or that it is not their duty
to exercise a control that will protect
both the roads and the people from prac
tices clearly forbidden by the constitu
tion, they bad better abdicate their use
less positions and surrender tlie whole
government of tlie State to tlie railroads.
FREE PASSES.
From the Savannah News.]
The debate on the bill relative to rail
road passes in the House on Monday dis
closed the fact that there is a great differ
ence of opinion among the members
respecting their right, from a moral
standpoint, to accept passes. The ac
ceptance of passes from railroads by
State and National officials, particularly
"by members of Congress, State Legisla
tures and juilgeg has frequently been
condemned as a great evil. The excuse
that was offered in the Legislature dur
ing Monday’s dela’e, that “passes are a
courtesy between gentlemen,” will hard
ly pass muster. A gentleman who ac
cepts a favor from another expects to re
ciprocate at some future time. If he
thought that he would not have the op
portunity or the power to do so he would
not accept the favor.
But how do the judges and the legisla
tors expect to reciprocate? What do they
expect to give the railroads in return for
the valuable privilege extended to them?
They can do nothing but that which they
ought to do without the passes, and the
passes ought not to influence them to do
anything that is not right.
If tiie granting of passes to members
of the Legislature is merely an exhibi
tion of courtesy on the part of the rail-
I roads, why was riot the courtesy extended
i to the same gentlemen before they be
came members ? Presenting the question
in this way, it becomes apparent at once
that the passes are granted to the official,
and not to the man. And why to the
official. Because it is in the power of the
official to do the railroads harm.
If the railroads were certain that the
withholding of passes would not provoke
a feeling of hostility to them, would they
be so ready to grant them? Of course
they would not. In fact, they would be
very glad to get rid of the pass burden.
NUMBER 33.
It is a heavy tax on them, for which they
receive no return.
It is probably true that the members of
the Georgia Legislature do not ask for
passes, but do they not expect them ? The
truth is, perhaps, that the passes are is
sued not as a matter of courtesy*, but to
prevent, as far as possible, attempts at
hostile legislation. The passes may not
have that effect, but it is doubtless hoped
that they will.
I’here is no doubt that the free pass
system costs this State many thousands of
dollars every time the Legislature meets.
The cost of the Legislature is about $1
000 a day. The free passes enables mem
bers to go to their homes frequently. This
consequence is that business is delayed on
account of the absence of members.
Days and days are wasted because there
is no Quorum present, or because impor
tant bills cannot be acted upon on account
of the absence of the leading members of
the committees which have them in
charge.
When the Constitution fixed the forty*
days limit for the biennial session the
free pass system was not taken into con
sideration. If it had been it would have
foreseen doubtless, that the Legislature
every two years, would bo in session
nearer one hundred and forty days than
forty. With free passes to go to their
homes, look after their business affairs
and return as often as tHoy please, mem
bers are not so anxious for adjournment
as if they had to remain continuously at
the capital until through with their legis
lative work. Who can say* that the treo
pass system hasn’t added $50,000 to the
cost of the present Legislature?
THE HOOD BELIEF FUND.
It will be remembered that Mrs. Anna
Marie Hood, the devoted wife of Gen.
John B. Hood, died in New Orleans,
August 24,1570, and that Gen. Hood, the
bereaved husband, died on the 30th of
the same month. They left eleven chil
dren of tender y*ears. Lydia, the eldest,
died on the same day that her father died.
Immediately following these sad events
the “Association of the Army of North
ern Virginia and Tennessee” appointed
a committee to raise a sum sufficient to
support, maintain and educate these or
phans, who were left destitute and with
out relatives. The committee, having
the matter in charge, has published a
small pamphlet giving a statement of the
result of their efforts.
The following gives the ages of the
Hood children in 1879, and the names of
those under whose care they are at the
present time:
Anna Bell and Ethel Genevieve, twins,
9 years old. Under care of Mr. and Mrs.
John A. Morris, New Orleans.
John Bell, Jr., 8 years old. Under
care of Mr. and Mrs. David M. Bussell,
Conoma, Miss.
Duncan Norbert, (P.< years old. Under
c ire of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Morris,
New Orleans.
Lillian Marie and Marion Maude,
twins, SJJ years old. Under care of Mr.
and Mrs? Thatcher M. Adams, New
York city.
Odilie Mussou and Ida Richardson,
twins, 3 years old. Under care of Mr.
and Mrs. George F. McGehee, Woodville,
Wilkinson county, Miss.
Oswald, 1 year old. Under care of
Charles M. Harney, Scarsdale, Westches
ter county, N. Y.
The youngest child left, a baby girl,
died among loying friends in Columbus,
Ga., in 1880.
The total net contribution to the fund
were:
Louisiana Sfii.2B2 15
Georgia 3,580 97
Texas 1.772 72
New York 1,<105 00
Alabama 1.406 <8
Kentucky 1,017 02
California BSB 00
Maryland 848 10
Soutli-Carolina 810 81
Virginia 709 47
Pennsylvania 501 00
Mississippi 402 80
Missouri a ‘4s 70
Arkansas ISO f*o
North Carolina 11l S4
Poland 100 00
District of Columbia 08 50
Oregon 55 25
Tennessee - 1®
France 00
Poland 20 00
T0ta1.... *1,85 60
Col. W. R. Lyman, chairman, and Col.
J. A. Chalaron, secretary*, in behalf of
the committee, have submitted the fol
lowing statement, made up to August
Ist, 1885:
Funds invested in U. S. 4 per cent. bands,
coupons next due October Ist, 1885. The Ismds
are deposited in State Deposit Vault, New Or
leans, and as coupons mature, the funds arising
from same are reinvested in the same class of
bonds.
RECEIPTS TO JULY 31, 1885.
Donations in cash from various
sources $19,368 50
From sale llood family pictures 425 00
Interest on bonds 4,809 66
Total, receipts $2-1,001 10
DISBURSEMENTS TO JULY 31, 18S5.
Paid for $22,700 United States! per cent.
bonds $24,317 25
Paid fer safe deposit vauk, five years,
at $5 2S 00
Paid for advertising 10 00
Paid P>r telegrams and iostage 11 10
Total disbursements $24,363 25
Ou band.... 237 81
$24,601 10
Average cost of bonds, 1.07, 124.
Purchased $22,700
Donated by Mar
garet 5fT
On hand $23,200 worth 123 or $28,536 00
Cash in State National Dank 237 81
Making total values now-in hand of the
committee $28.773 81
Donations, including Margaret’s bond. $19,866 50
Increase in the fund from interest, and
market value of bonds, 8,907 31
$28,773 81
Reduced postage and other causes have
increased the correspondence of the world.
Bess than fifty years ago the average of
letters received by each person per an
num was only 55 iu the United Kingdom,
and is now 517 letters and 4 postal cards.
The latest reliable ascertained comparison
(for 1882. when the average was 35 in
Great Britain) gives the average per head
in the United-States at 21; Germany, 17;
France, 16; Italy, 7; and Spain, 5.
Moscow lias an enormous new eathf
dral.