Newspaper Page Text
JButbhflfc §ndcpsndtt.
i|. UAU.AHRR, Editor.
♦
<ll SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1874.
a LEI JIUTICISBE DONE.
RTm liate been, ro now, and expect to bo
,n advocate of hi) impartial administration
it the law. Let the law Jw vindicated in
Siting it* penal tin* upon the offender ir
"jpeoiive of moe, color or previous condi
gn of!ervitude. We have a rooe distinct
tbm onr own to live with and to deal with,
io*e civil and political right* nro equal
l onr*, but politically, Uiey Niro weak,
ey aro In a hopelces minority, they are
Wiedncntod and wanting iA luteligenoo.
minority and inferiority in a polit
mnae render* them powerloaa. In
ie administration of jnalioe they ham t a
tword to nay. When they violate the law
?n*y never eaonpo the penalty. There
on', when their person and property is
jiitnigod and abused, and they invoke the
Urong arm of the law, it should not be
Withheld. If the weak are oppressed
tho strong, the judiciid scepter,
),o.'ld las wielded in tlieir favor.
?boir weakness it known to via, and it
hould make them object* of onr sympathy,
re should take no advantage of their in
feriority. The highest evidence of tho sn
xiriority of onr race ou bo most bean ti
dily demonstrated in doing Strict justice
the weaker class, nud protecting them
,n nil their right*.
More than twelve month* ago we an
nounced through our prospectus that vie
yvouid expose error, in whatever shape it
presented itself. Now, we think from the
twst information we emi gather that .m er
ror wa* committed in our County Court
hist week; this seems to be tho opinion of
every body that has talked with us on the
Bjthjlct. We do not impugn the motives
of the Judge, or charge him with a par
tial administration of tho law;hut the facts
as stated to us, shows clearly a very great
error in judgomout. Tho facts ore that
a negro woman was badly beaten by n
white nuui in this comity, who is a good
citizen and u clever man. But in this in
stance lie acted hastily and if tho facts ns
stated to us arc true, he acted cruelly. No
doubt hut the conduct of tho woman had
provoked him to anger, but as we under
stand tho facts, the provocation was not
sufficient to justify him in assaulting and
beating her. But the Court thought other
wise and discharged the defendant, and in
this acquit.nl wo think there was a mani
fest error, and we think oft repeated, errors
like this will have a bad influence in our
County. Therefore, we say when tho poor
black man or woman appeals to tho Courts
for justice let their prayers bo heard
and answered. If the bluek man or wo
man's rights aro abused let the law come
to their relief and redress their wrongs. If
their persons are assailed and maltreated
by the white man, let tho penalty of the
law bo visited upon him. If tho black
man has a right to testify in tho Courts,
lot oil the rules of testimony apply-to-bim.
If his testimony is to bo discredited let it
bo done upon the same principle that ap
plies to the white man’s testimony, there
sre rules by which witnesses testimony is,
or may be weakaned, or invalidated, but
they rule make uo distinction as to color,
and it is a dangerous precedent for the
Courts to establish, that the nuimpcached
testimony of three colored witnesses (ro-
cognized by the law as admiaable and com
j intent witness'.®) should bo sot aside
and disregarded npoo the statement of n
white defendant not under oath. Ami if
their testimony is to hove no weight in the
the Courts of the country, it is ft judicial
farce, either to compel or permit them to
give evidence. Iu the trial of tlio cose to
whioh this article has reference, wo uro in
formed that the pr. socutrix, a black wo
man, swore positively that tbo wliito man
assailed her and beat her without mercy,
exhibiting her wounds not yet healed, ami
her testimony in every particular was co
roberated by two other black women whose
testimony was not assailed and in no wise
contradicted except by the statement of,the
defendant not under oath. Tsia wo think
is a now role by which witnesses are to be
discredited, and we do not think that the
Court can find a justifiable precedent for
setting aside the testimony of these wit
nesses. Wo are a personal friend to the
defendant, whose name we think unneces
sary to mention, ns wo are aiming at prin
ciple and not tovposo names, we are also
personally friendly to the Judge who tried
the ease, llut we think of him in this ease,
as we i.*ve often thought of Superior Court
Judges, that iu the administration of jus
tice he erl and orod egregiously. We think
that the defendant in this ease, and other
like offenders ought to have been taught
by the Court that the person of the colored
Jjjiuuj and wouau is sacred to thorn, and is
entitled to the protection of the law. We
think it would have been better for the
defendant, if be hud bet a punished to au
extent that would restrain his omitablu and .
impetuous temperament iu tho future, aud
we feel confident that it would have been
a more salutary precedent to go before the
ouuutry. Tho Comity Court had jurisdic
tion of the pertain of the defendant and
the subject mutter. The investigation lavs
bpen had and the defendant discharged,
and whether right or wrong, the question
is fiiiully settled. But there is another er
ror about to. be ciynmittod far moro start
ling than the one we have übove referred
to, The United, States Commissioner for
this District has issued a warrant for the
same party, aud for the same offense, the
trial of which will take place about the time
our, paper goes to press aud too lato for
publication in this issue.
We will give an account of the proceed
ings of that Court with all. of its emu's iu
oar next issue. Wo will, make every ef
fort to iiseeitaia where the United States
Cam mission or gets authority for the arrest
of a citizen for the offense of assault aud
• attery.
I'KOM THOMASVILLE.
[Hpis-Ul Dispatch to GaUahoi '• Independent.)
Thomasvhxk, Ga., April 17th, 1874.
The three negro murderers of Mr. Juni
per Hall were hung at ten o'clock twelve
minutes, this morning, at this place all
avowed their innocence. Tho last one
died bravely. Webster Lyon, wife mur
derer, hung at same time. It was a light
matter with him, as lie laughed freely at
the odity of shaking hands tied behind his
hook. Two Military Companies and
strong special police appointed lif’the town
which was very qniot. No crowd.
THE GREAT SOUTHERN RAILWAY
lino whieh will connect with the Atlantic
& (lull Railroad at Jesqp, is anew line
in firoocss of oonstrnction and will ho of
infinite advantage to Jacksonville snd Sa
vannah, and wo think of but very little in
jury if any to the Atlantic & Gulf Road,
from the fact that all passenger* from Sa
vannah to Jacksonville will have to pass
over that part of tho rood from Savannah
to Josup, a distance of 57 miles, Wlmt is
lost in the distance from Jesup to Live
Oak will he made up by the immense in
crease of travel. Tho distance from Josup
to Jacksonville l>y the present line of rail
roads is 205 miles, or übont that distance.
The distance from Jesup by tho now line
is 95 miles, 107 miles shorter than the
present line. This new line completed
tho branch of the A. & O. It. It. from
Lawton to Live Oak will cease to lie profi
table and will necessarily linvo to he
abandoned. Then it will be to the inter-
est of tho Company to look out for an
other section of tho country into, and
through which they may profitably send
out another brunch from which to draw
support. From Qnitnmn to Mouticello,
Flu., by an air line is about 20 miles,
which would shorten the distance by that
route from this point to Jacksonville about
10 miles and shorten the distance from this
point to Tallahassee, and points west of
that about 11)0 miles, also shortening tho
distance from Tallahassee to Savannah 40
miles. We mean by this that the distance
will bo shorter tlmn the present lino of
railroads. By reference to the map it will
be seen that Mouticello is almost on a di
rect lino from Savannah via. Quitman.
This short line can ho built by the A. &
G. R. It. at but little cost as tho iron on
its bruuch from Lawton to Live Oak
which will necessarily have to bo aban
doned for want of patronage can ho used
in building the brunch roud from Quitman
j to Mouticello, and we have no doubt that
the citizens at each end mid on the line
will take stock sufficient to do tho grading.
This connection being made it will make
this tho direct and most practicable line
for -all the travel and transportation of
produce from Middle and West Floridu to
Savannah. A branch from this place to
Mouticello will ho of much greater advan
tage to the A. & G. Road and to Savannah
than a branch from Thomasvillo to Monti
cello. The distance from Quitman and
Thomasvillo to Mouticello is about the
samti. From Mouticello to Sava mall via
Thomasville 220; via Quitman, direct 11)4,
a saving in distance of 2(3 miles. Tho road
from Thomasvillo to Montioello will bring
Macon and Atlanta in direct competition
with Savannah f>r the Middle Florida
trade. It will also divert a great deal of
the travel that now goes to and by way of
Savannah; to and by way of Macon and
Atlanta. As wo are now dead heading the
oity of Savannah and tho A. A G. R. R ,
we make these suggestions for the consid
eration of tho enterprising citizens of tho
eity, and tho company aud officers of the
road.
The Slidell Estates.
The celebrated Slidell confiscation case
was argued in tho Supreme Court to.dny.
Tho history of this ease has therefore been
given in t hese dispatches. The effort is on
the part of tho heirs of tho late Hon. John
Slidell to recover the valuable real estate
belonging to him in the city of New Or
leans, which was seized and sold under tho
confiscation act of July 17, 1874. The
ease was argued to-day by Assistant Attor
ney General Hill, for the government, aud
by Thos. Allen Clarke, of New Orleans,
fortlio heirs. Mr. Clurko is tho executor
of Mr. Slidell. The Assistant Attorney
General did not confine liiiuself altogether
to the legal point involved; but took tho
occasion to lug in political allusions. He
said that Mr. Slidell was the most obnoxi
ous of all tho rebels, and hud done more
to bring on the war than any one eke, and
he urged that for liim particularly, what
ever harshness there might be in tho law,
should not be abridged or abated.
Mr. Clarke, iu his reply, alluded to the
maganiuiolis disposition shown by Mr.
Lincoln to impose as few hardships as
possible in the conduct of tho war, and the
willingness always shown by him to remit all
penalties wherever it oould be done with
safety to the cause. He said that this
feeling op tho part of President Lincoln,
which was known to the people of the
South, had dono more in tho end to dis
solve the Southern Confederacy than the
armies in the field. He spoke of the divi
sions of families during the war, instanc
ing Mr. Lincoln's own ease several of
those who were connected with him being
among tho stougest sympathizers with the
South. Had Mr. Slidell died without issue,
those who would be the defendants in
this oa. o would be his two sisters, the wid
ow of Commodore Muttew C. Perry and
tho wife of Commodore C. P. Rodgers,
the two sorrowing sous of Alexander Slidell
McKenzie, now in tho military service of
the country whose brother was killed
abroad iu the same service, and Colonel
\V. J. Slidell, the only son of tho Into chief
justice of Louisiana, who was appointed
a lieutenant by Mr. Lincoln, and saved
during the war, rising to tho grade of a
colonel. The three daughters of Mr. Sli
dell, who are the defenders iu thiso so, are
: all married to noblemen and are now liv
j iug abroad. One is the Baroness Erlan-
I ger, of Germany, the second is theVieoiu
i teas ltiviere de St. Roman, of France, and
i the third Baldness do Pfyft'er Hiudigy, of
I Switzerland.— Washington telegram to lial-
I tomore Sun.
The value of the lost steamship Europe
was about SI,21)0,001), anti she was insured
; in French insurance companies for about
] two thirds of her value. Her cargo was a
! very valuable one, chiefly of
j ailks, wines and sardines. Her agents think
j she probably carried a great quantity of
| extra fine goods for the spring trade, and
that the value of her cargo could not have
; tieen lies than 5i,000,000. The greater
i portion of these goods was preliably in
sured. Their exact value can not ofcourse
lie ascertained till the arrival of her mani
fest,
i
[COMUCMCATKI.J
Latter From Thomas County.
Thomas County, April 9, 1874.
Editor hutrj/rndunt:
I have concluded to give yon a short
verison of a very tragift affair which has
just been brought to light in this neigh
borhood. About the first of January last,
a man appeared in this noigliliorhood
seeking work, and was employed by Mr.
R. F. Linton, to work at' his mill —said
man giving his name os Walker. HOon af
ter, ho moved his wife and three small
children upon the place of Mr. Linton.
Things went on smoothly and excited the
suspicion of no one. A few days since a
matt camo.in the neighborhood inquiring
for a man whoso description suited Wal
ker. Ho was told by some negroes that
Walker, tho man whom hu hail so well dis
cribed, had gone on that evening with
Mr. Linton, to Thomasvillo with a load of
cotton, and that ho would find them camp
ed on tho roud that night. Ho followed
on, and just after dark rode up to tho
camp, and us he approached the fire,
Walker gave him the dodge, unseen by
the pursuer. Ho stayed with Mr. L.
the remainder of tho night and also went
with him to Thomasville and back the
next day, hut seen nor heard nothing of
Walker. On tho Friday following, (which
was last Friday) ho understood that Mr.
C., an old friend of his, lived in the
neighborhood. He at once proceeded to
his house and told the following story:
That his name was Richardson, (whieh,
as I said before, was so, for Mr. C. and his
father had lived neighbors twenty-five
years in Alabama) and that Walker’s right
name was Mattox, and that ho identified
him in various ways, hut more particularly
by going in tho chimney-corner of M ittox,
utins Walker’s house at night, recognizing
his wifo and children. Aud that said Mat
tox, alius Walker, had iiffDtcember last,
in Taylor county, Fla., shot ami killed his
younger brother. That his younger
brother owned a large stock of hogs that
ranged near Mattox, alius Walker’s place,
j and when he returned from Cedar Keys,
be was told by various persons that Mat
tor,alias Walker, had been killing his hogs
ami hauling them off by tho cart load.
The young man at once proceeded to
the place where his hogs Winged, to look
j after them; but had no weapon with him,
whatever, and while there he met Mattox
and his wifo, and Mattox hud a double
barrel gun. The distnneo was one and a
half miles from Mattox’ house. His
brother missed bis hogs and asked Mattox
about their disappearance, when Mattox
insulted him, and in return, his brother
dealt him a blow with his fist. Mattox
ran back a few steps when Richardson
turned to go home as he said "I will see
you again.” Aud as Richardson walked
off Mattox shot him in tho buck with
eleven buck shot.
Mattox disappeared and his wife went
and told some of the neighbors where
| they could find the dead body of young
i Richardson. They had her arrested and
earned bo fore; a Justice of the Pepce and
she swore as stated above. lie further sta
ted that he;had a warrant for Mattox, alias
Walker, in his possession. Also, that the
Governor of Florida had offered a reward
of S4OO for tho ai rest of Mattox, and hi'
aud his fatlior had offered SIOO additional.
After telling this the murdered man’s
brother left, saying that ho intended to
have Mattox before ho stopped. Since
Richardson’s appearance first, Mattox bus
been hiding about. But wo lmve not
heard from Richardson since ho made his
story known to Mr. C.
Rumor says that Mattox, alias Walker,
was about to make ready to “hide” with
self and family, when, on Sunday night,
the sth inst., his wife brought forth three
living children—two sons aud one daugh
ter. Tho two male infants died in thirty
six hours, the daughter is peart and is
likely to live.
On last night a few of us, with proper
authority, armed ourselves and on learning
that he]would be at home last night, for the
first in some time, we proceeded to liis
house while “it was yet night” aud before
“the cock crowed thrice” wo had his
house under guard.
We soon grew tired of waiting for auro
ra to break forth and concluded to depart
from our original place of waiting until
daylight, and immediately called out for
“Walker.” The woman replied that he was
not there, that he had left tho morning
before. We told her to open the doors
and let us search, and, after a considerable
time, we were admitted, and in thirty sec
onds thereafter, found him “rammed and
crammed” into a trunk. It was u trunk
full of man, mid it was with some difficulty
that he extricated himself.
It w:is a scene sufficient to arouse all the
simpathy within a man to hear the tear
ful sobs of wife aud mother, and to behold
the sad anxiety depicted on tho oouutc
nuuoe of each little one, as if to say, “what
are you going to do with my papa ?”
We carried him up to Capt. Cl.'s ami
gave him a good warm breakfast. After
that wo did not loose much time iu secur
ing him with a rope, and starting forJMou
lioelln, Florida. On arriving there we
wore advised by a lawyer to proceed to
Tallahassee with tboJprisoiuT at once. Af
ter obtaining a copy of the Tallahassee
Sentinel, saw the proclamation of tho Gov
ernor, offering S2UO reward for tho arrest
of Win. Mattox, we did so, and arrived
there soon after nightfall, delivered him to
the Sheriff, took liis receipt for him and next
morning, early, demanded the reward of
the Govenor Stearns. He seemed to be
very proud that wo had brought him,
saying, that wo had ennght a notorious
villian, when Attorney General, Cooke,
turuod to Capt. G. and Mr. R., (of our
party) and said: “Yes, Mattox has killed
a? good a Republican as there is in this
country. ”
The Governor said that the Sheriff of
Taylor county must come and demand him
before tho reward could be paid, from the
fuot that some of the prisoner's friends
could relievo him on r writ of fattens cor
pus.
Mattox made several alight attempts to
escape while on his wav to jail, and after
aeeing that all had failed, he begged to be
killed, saying that he had rather die, then
and thero.tlmn to stand his trial. Mr. Jno.
11. Hutton, Honator from Taylor county,
informed us thut Mattox was an ontlaw of
a desperate ehuraeter, lint an arraut'eoward.
It is said thut he has, for n long time, keen
getting his living by stealing and false
swearing—freqnontly bringing honest men
into trouble. . Mr. Sutton also informed
us (through Capt. G.jand Mr. R. as I failed
to state aljove) thut tho Richardson’s were
ultra Helicals. Homo very bad reports are
afloat about them—l know not how true
they may be.
W. H.
-—
A DESTRUCTIVE RAIN STORM.
Isms of UA,
The Columbus Enquirer gives tho fol
-1 iwing account of the recent ruin storm at
nud near that city:
NOIITH AND SOUTH HAIMS'AD.
A culvert, one nud a half miles from Co
lumbus, is washed away, and another,
three and a half miles distant. The water
opening at- No. fiisgone; also two bents at
No 4j and seven bents nt No. 7—thus
making five hreuks in the road.
The bridge over Huwhatchio creek is
safe, and also that oker the Mulberry.
THE SOUTHWESTERN BAII.BOAD.
At the three mile cross roads *> culvert
nnd fifty feet of embankment arc gone. Hix
miles distant from Columbus a small tres
tle is washed awny. At Rocky creek,
eight miles away, a trestle is gone, nud in
the creek is an engine with three jiassenger
cars.
This train left Columbus yesterday
morning under charge of Conductor Welch
and Engineer Mathews and Fireman .
The train plunged without warning into
the creek. The parties on board saved
themselves by jumping,off before the de
scent. The accident happened in day
light.
At Cox’s creek, eighteen miles above Co
lumbus, thirty to fifty feet of the embank
ment on the eastern abutment is washed
away.
THE HOBIMt AND 01/I.VBD UAIUIOAD.
The small bridge ov*r the Cochacolc
boo creek fifty miles from Columbus, with
some embankment is washed away. Other
washes are reported at intervals. The
passenger train is reported at Thomasville,
ami the road is damaged on Isith sides.
There is a bed break it Chunnenuggec.
It is doubtful whether tiuiua can run
through before Sunday.
at the <rrr.
Home six inches must have fallen Wed
nesday night. Water acorns to have come j
iu solid sheets. It was impossible for onr 1
sewers to carry it off, coming in the rush it j
did from the surrounding hills, aud hence ]
some portions of the city were flooded.
The northern and eastern sections suffer
ed a good deal in the watering of cellars
aud submersion of gardens, but the south- !
eastern portion suffered most. The ditch 1
leading out in the. direction of the brick I
yards seemed to bo filled up, and all the I
waters from that qitarer seemed to strict) j
over certain quarters of the city.
The view from the cupola of tho conrt :
house wua very grand. ’ Looking to the ■
southeast appeared a vast sea, dotted with
verdant islands of glee* trees anil white
house.
Thomas street- appeared ns a lake, two
or three feet in depth. On the east com
mons was a house, occupied by colored
people, to which ingress and egress could
only be obtained by Knits. Wo beard
several say that iu the lower part of the
city the water entered their house. On
Thomas street the water was over the
track, and at one time entered tho lire
boxes of the engines which passed on the
truck.
BTOPPAOSS AMI THE BIVKK.
Ali the river factories except the Colum
-Ims were sloped at an early hour. The
public schools gave holiday because the
pupils could not wade through. Rome of
tho morning papers were not delivered for
the same reason.
The river, to last night, had risen twenty
feet.
DEATHS PnOM DROU NINO.
At Ba. xi., on Thomas street, Stephen
Bride, colored, aged about sixty years,
who lacked ouly one month of having been
twenty-five years on the corporation foroe,
was wading about at the intersection of
Troup street, to push drift wood from the
mouth of the sewer. The bridge at tiiis
point had been floated from its position by
the rushing current. Deputy Marshal
Robinson and Aldermen Schuesslor aud
Andrews had ordered him from the place,
but he had taken three drinks, and per
sisted in staying where he was. Once he
lost his balance, and the flood carried him
into the sewer. The body was recovered a
short distance below lute iu the afternoon.
Ho still held a spade in his hand. This
stuck in the mud, or else the body would
have been carried to the river. He died
faithful to his post.
About 3p. m. somo little boys were
playing on a plank near the month of the
sewer, paddling about. One of them.
Bob, a thirteen year old son of Mr. Geo.
Huugerford, fell off aud was immediately
sucked into the sewer. Jehu M’ells, col
ored, caught a son of Prof G. W. Chase,
aud prevented him from following his com
panion. The body of young Hvmgerforil
has not yet been found. John Wells, who
discovered the body of thy colored man,
went through the sewer as faros the Co
lumbus Iron Works, but could not find it.
Lost evening many parties were engaged
iu dragging the river. The drowned boy
was au only son.
Another little boy, John Harris, a car
rier for thispujior, fell from the Southern
railroad bridge into u swollen branch, lie
flouted down some distance and was pulled
out senseless. He is now all right.
Other casualties were reported, but
these are all that are authentic.
The Massachusetts Senatorial La
bob. — Boston April 11. — Twenty-first bal
lot: Dawes 08, Hoar 54, Curtis 63, Adams
14, Sanford 7, Banks 0, Wushburn 4, A.
11. Bullock 15, Learned 3, Judge Pittman
aud Whittier 1 each. The convention ad
jourued until Monday,
Boston, April 16. — Twenty-third ballot:
Dawes 87, Hoar 71, Curtis 70, Adams 13,
Bullock 0, Bunks 6, Sanford 2, Pierce 2,
Wasliburno 8, Whittier, Pittman and
Learned, 1 each.
Cahi.r Intkihicetion’.— Lont/on, April
14.—During a terrific hurricane, yester
dav, off the southwest coast of Ireland, the
j Atlantic cable which was laid in 1866
1 ceased working. The fault is not yet pre
cisely located, but is reported to be nbout
twenty-five miles from Valentis and was
the consequence of shallow water. As
there are still two cables in good working
order, messages will not be delayed to any
appreciable extent. The laud lines be
tween Valentin and London were interrup
ted yesterday, for a short time, in conse
quence of a severe storm.
THE MYBTERY EXPLAIND.
How Bon Hill Rascned Georgia from
Radical Rule.
HOW HE FIRST OSTRACISED AND THEN
HtJNEYFCGLED THE RADICALS.
The Bush Arbor Speech, The Kimball
House Banquet, And the
State Road Lease.
PARTS OF A GRAND SCHEME OF
BTATEGIC STATESMANSHIP.
HOW THE LEGISLATURE WAS HELD AND
OEN. GRANT CONCILIATED.
A Glorious Time at “Poase and his
Wife’s.”
THE KHA OK CONFIDENCE AND GOOD
FEEDING RESTORED.
Ii n and Boh Touch Glaatc* nd Affection
ately Embrace.
(From tlio Atlanta Herald, April 12.)
TOOMIIH AND HIM, AT THE VANCE SI'ITUII.
Letter writers from Atlanta have made ]
statements as to scenes and sayings at th
supper given to Gov. Vance, at Pease’s,
which are calculated to create a very
wrong impression. The writer of these
lines was present, und knows tho occasion I
was one of entire good feeling and bur- 1
raony from beginning to end, and the
dramatic speech said to have been ad
dressed by General Toombs to Mr. Hill
was not made. There was some speaking
aud much wit, but not the slightest ill-na
tured remark made by either of these gen
tlemen, or any one else. The following
incidents did occur:
Governor Vance alluded to the superior
com lit ion of Georgia over all her confeder
ate sisters us remarkable, and while much
gratified with the fact, he did not under
stand how this btutc of things was brought
about.
Mr. Hill said: “The explanation in- \
, volves a long story, Governor, hut one
I chief reason is this: In other Htates, in
cluding your own, a white man was allowed
| to be a Radical in full fellowship with the
| negroes and carpet-baggers, and still re
[ tain bis social respectability with decent
people. We did not allow that in Geor
gia.”
This remark brought into the discussion
Mr. Hill’s "bush arbor” speech, in 18(38,
and Mr. E. Y. Clark proposed a toast to
“the author of the greatest aud most elo
quent speech ever delivered in any age or
country.”
This toast was heartily received, and ,
Gen, Toombs declared that that speech did j
save Georgia, for it was history’that not a
single white man iu the State ever joined
tile Radicals aftt r it was made. It was
glorious speech, aud he grew happy und
wept for joy when he heard it.
A call was made for Mr. Hill, but lie
ouly said, sitting, “I am certainly flattered
by this demonstration. I can never forget
tho occasion alluded to. Some people
thought that speech was impulsive. This
whs a mistake. No speech was ever more
deliberate, or made with n more distinct
purpose. It was clear to my mind that the
only way tu save Georgia from the horrors
which now afflict South Carolina and other 1
States was to consolidate the white peo
ple, for the white race consolidated must
win finally. The only way to consolidate
the white people was to make Radicalism
odious. That, speech was made to accom
plish that purpose; it did accomplish it,
and I believe it did save Georgia.”
“It did,” said Gen. Toombs, with groat
earnestness, “there is no doubt about it;
j and, Ben, you ought to lmvo died after
i making that speech.”
“You are mistaken, General.” said Mr.
, Hill. While that speech did all that conhl
; then be done, perhaps, still the Radical
party hud possession of tin l government of
Georgia— every department of it—and if 1
had died then, they wonhl have hatl pos
session of it now, and you would have been
one of its victims.”
General Toombs—“l don’t understand
that, Ben, and I can't think so,”
Mr. Hill—“I know you don’t understand
it. General; you have not been in a posi
tion to understand it. It is the only ques
tion I ever know you to be stupid upon.”
Finally, Mr. Hill yielded to repeated
calls and made a short speech. He ex
plained the condition of things in Georgia
in 1870, and the untold terrors of bank
ruptcy and degradation which must result
to onr people if Radical rule should be
prolonged by the result of this election of
members of the legislature for that year.
"I fixed that,” interrupted General
Toombs.
“You are mistaken," said Mr. Hill.
“You did help carry the election, but that
was comparatively easy work. Every elec
tion in Georgia under reconstruction has
really gone Democratic. The great point
was to hold tho Legislature after electing
it. This was the hard task I undertook,
and in it I received uo help, either from
my friends or anybody else, ami much
abuse from you and nearly everybody else.
True, the Radicals had passed a bill ex
pressly to enable them to carry the elec
tion. But they, as I had reason to know,
had determined, if they failed to elect a
Legislature, to make one, ns they did in
1870, by turning out elected Democrats
and putting in defeated Radicals. This
effort was made. J. was np to the liilt in
that fight. Grant refused to interfere and
the effort failed. Even Bullock then
abandoned it. This is tho debt wo owe
President Grant.”
Mr. Hill then proceeded with a state
ment of facts on this subject to which the
whole meeting listened with the closest
attention. He said ho examined carefully
the sources of Radical power in Georgia.
They were two—“internal robberies and
external Federal protection.” The reve
nues from their robberies were derived
from the State road, aud their issue of
bonds aud their hypothecation in New
York and elsewhere. The remedy was to
get the State road qnt of their hands, and
prevent another reconstruction of the Leg
islature, aud thus stop the issue of bonds.
The only way to prevent the reconstruc
tion of tlie Legislature was to avoid inter
ference by the Federal administration.
How was this to lie done ? Here was the
great problem. To its solution, both hon
orably and effectually, lie gave all liis
thoughts. He visited the North twice to
acquaint himself fully with the opinions,
purposes and tendencies of the Democratic
party. By these means he fully satisfied
himself in 1870 ns to wliat would be the
Democratic platform of 1872 —that the
Democrats of the North would submit to
any usurpation committed under the forms
of law. If tho South resisted, the Demo
crats would whip us into submission. It
was our business, then, to take care of our
selves and Bubmit to wbat we did not ap
prove, and could not resist. By taking
that position in advance, when neither
party expected it, he might for a time be
misunderstood by his friends, but he would
get in a position to be heard by the Radi
cal authority at Washington, and thus de
feat the eoutinuauoe of Radical domina
tion in Georgia, aud 1872 would place him
right with his frionds. He explained his:
connection w ith the lease; his business as
sociation with men for whom ho had no I
political respect; his presence and speech
at the Delano banquet; the final flight cf
Bullock uani the rescue of the Stute gov
ernment, in every department, from Radi
cjil rule, aud the avoidance of martial law
in the Stute in 1871. He continued;
“I have been greatly abused—ignor
antly by many, selfishly and designedly by
some. Hut Georgia lias been saved, aud
Georgia, not myself, I was Becking to save;
und I never road in the papers, or hear
from our distinguished friend (Gov. \ auce)
allusions to tLis great and glorious result
without feeling a comfort I would not ex
change ‘for the crown the Bourbon lost.’;
The Democratic party in 1872, took the
position I foresaw would be taken, only it
went further on that line than I expected.
But I followed the party, und if ail our
friends had done likewise, not only Geor
gia, but all our afflicted sisters might have
been redeemed, aud now rejoicing in hope
instead of weeping in despair. 80, while
my friend (General Toombs) and his fol
lowers were cursing me for supposed de
sertion to Radicalism, I was saving him
and them from the uocursed domination of
Radicalism, This is a social lueetiug of
friends, and you will know how to pardon
the seeming egotism of w hat I have said.
! 1 have stated real facts—the alphabet of a
! history which the details would most fully
I confirm.”
Gov. Vance—“l am glad yon have said
to us this inneb, Mr. Hill. I have misun
derstood you myself, though I always be
lieved there was an explanation. I under
stand you now. I see through it all, and I
am gratified. I know many of the public
facts you state are true, und I now see
their significance.”
Mr. Flynn—“l know Mr. Hill's state
ments are ‘more truth than poetry.’ I was
in position at the time to know some of the
facts he stated.”
Gen. Toombs—“l am satisfied, Ben, I
did misunderstand you. I see your mean
ing now, aud I say anything was right to
g t rid of the d—d scoundrels.”
Gen. Toombs also said, laughingly and
in manifest good humor, as all clearly saw:
“I did think, lieu, you had gone and
turned rascal, but .now I see you were
right. ”
The foregoing is a truthful version of
what occurred on the occasion referred to,
as will be verified by every gentleman
present who gave attention to what was
going on. Whilst much freedom of
speech, nud perhaps some not strictly dig
nified familiarity, were allowed, at no time
during the evening W'us ail offense intended
by any one around the festive board, nor
anything that was said considered in that
■ ease.
CREMATION GAINING GROUND.
The Corpse of B New York Crews* to be
Converted Into Light nod Flowers.
One of the wealthiest persons in New
York has made the following codicil to a
testament drawn up long ago, and be
queathing all the profits to public useful
purposes. The codicil reals thus:
“Not wishing that my body, after death,
shall add to the injury produced by poison
ous effluvia diff used from cemeteries among
their surroundings, I direct that the una
voidable dissolution of my remains into
; gaseous and earthly matters shall bo has
tened by cremation, instead of being re
i tarried by burial; thus utilizing its mate
rial directly fur tho vegetable kingdom, to
which we uil must once furnish food, aud
at the Runic time guarding myself against
the awful possibility of resurrection iu a
! closed and buried coffin.
“The ancients, in burning the bodies of
■ their dead, supposed that the so-called soul
or spirit ascended to heaven with the
flames. Chemistry bos taught us in our
country that something more real ascends, ;
namely, different rases, especially divers j
carbon compounds, which may at once be
utilized, mid that the remaining ashes may
be kept separate, and prevented from be
ing mixed with those of the fuel by the
details prescribed in this will namely:
“I direct that my remains, after mani
festing the only sure sign of death, green
ish discoloration of the abdomen, may be
submitted to an autopsy by tome profes
sors of the mcdicul department of tlie Uni
versity of New York, if they think that it
may be useful for the progress of seieuce.
My remains shall then be injected with
petroleum, eresile alcohol, or its disinfect
ing equivalents, be laid in a metalic (iron)
coffin, as small as practicable, and a burial
service held at my residence, presided over
by tho Rev. Dr. , or , or any
other enlightened clergymau. Immedi
ately after the close of said service, the
hearse, conveying the coffin with my re
mains, shall proceed to the Manhattan Gas
Works, where the lid shall be removed,
and with due solemnity be placed in one
: of the retorts, and the same closed for the
| space of three or four hours, the usual heat
i applied, so that all the moisture and gase
| ous ingredients may he driven off, partially
| condensed, passed through the purifiers,
' while the nitrogenized compounds will be
j collected as ammonia, as usual, and the
j hydro-carbons add their share to the duty
of illuminating the city,
i “The retort shall then be opened so as
| to admitair to tho heated mutter, in order
! to burn as much as possible of the carbon
j remaining into carbonic acid escaping. If
any respectable party or association ex
| presses a desire to preserve my ashes,
they shall be placed in an urn, or other
, substantial vessel, and delivered to the
same. If no such desire is *• expressed, I
direct that my ashes shall be delivered to
the Central Park Commissioners, to be
used as fertilizing matter on one of the
flower beds near the music stand iu the
Central Park.
“The President, Vice-President and
Secretary of the New York Liberal Club
are herewith appointed executors to see
that this part of my will is duly fulfilled.”
Relieved. —A bachelor, who was some
what stricken in years, had been for some
time enamored with one of the sisterhood
but could not muster courage to pop the
question. One morning lie was resolved
to make the attempt. He accordingly
went to tlie house of the lady, knocked at
the door, and she made her appearance.
After a mutual nod, the following laconic
dialogue ensued: “Do you want to change
yonr condition 7" “No.” “Nor I.” And
turning about, our bachelor concluded the
conversation with, “Thank Heaven ! I got
that loud off my stomach 1”
One Thousand Dollars tor a Kiss.—
Helen Crager, an attractive young school
teacher, whs kissed against her will by a
conductor on the Chicago and Northwest
ern railroad. She caused him to be arres
ted on a charge of assault and battery,
and he was fined and discharged from
his position. She then went for the rail
road company, and has just recovered one
thousand dollars damages, the Circuit court
of Sauk county, Wisconsin, ruling as a mat
ter of law that the company was liable to
the plaintiff for actual damage occasioned
by the wrongful act of the conductor. Now j
let railroad companies take warning, and '
employ no conductor (of vehement oscula- j
tory propensities.
A gentleman in answer to a lady’s in- j
qniry if he liked tea, said, “yes, but Ij
like tho next letter in the alphabet better.” '
A National Infamy.
We almost regrot the Hanliora swindle
has been investigated at all. We wish tho
abuses and wrongs perpetrated through
such instruments and the Treasury De
partment could have been quietly and pri
vately corrected and the country have obj
tained the good resulting from such col
lection without liuving to eDdnre tho evil
of its exposure. Itseemes however, that
nothing less than a public exposure, wi.h
the storm of indignutiou which must ac.
company it, could have been effective IB
securing even ft mitigation of the abuses.
But this is a costly price to pay, iu view
of the world’s criticism, even for so great
a boon ns the removal ol dishonest officials
and the stopping of leaks upon the revenue
and oppression to the business of the
country.
Two glaring and astounding abuses have
been exposed. The moiety system, ae
pursued iu New York, thq, largest import
ing city of the country, and the method
in which the collection of internal revenue
has been farmed out to favorites. In this
nominally free country a “special agent"
could menace importers or their emplyees
with handcuffs, bnlly by threats of arrest
and false charges officials more honest thuu
himself, and could control the whole ma
chinery of the law department of the
government to wring ruinous blackmail
form the business men of the country.
This Jayne has done time and again, and
it has been so proven by not only the most
respectable merchants of New York and
Boston, but by the very scoundrels who
abused the prerogatives of their places and
profited by villainous practices. And all
this record has gone out to the world to
astonish the nations who have regarded as
as a republic; to plant suspicion and dis
trust in the minus if the mercantile classes
of other lands. It has been shown to all
foreign nations that at the receipts of cus
toms of a land professedly the freest on
earth, an hundred leeches, in the guise of
revenue officials, stand ready to po .nee
upon the most insignificant mistake in
invoice, to rob their customers of fortunes
in the shape of fines or “compromise*.”
Aye, more, that cormorants, armed with
authority to invade, capriciously, the
counting-rooms of merchants and carry off
their books and correspondence without a
moment’s notice, subject ‘hose books and
private memoranda to the inspection of
men who would not scrapie to distort
facts or change figures for the plunder it
would bring them, have been tolerated for
years. That a “specialagent,” like Javne,
can bribe with impunity clerks to falsify
books and betray trusts; that he cun perse
cute and plunder at w ill; cun arrest merch
ants and place handcuffs upon their w rists,
and bring in speciul detectives to affright
them with the prospect cf incarceration in
jail to extort from the victim he finds it to
bis interest to persecute a ransom in morny,
und thut such a scoundrel is blacked by
law officer’s of tlie government who are to
share iu the agent’s plunder. The fiercest,
vilest, most intolerable despotism on tho
face of tho earth could do no more, and
yet this has been going on year after year
rhe eyes of the Treasury Department of the
United States, and has been defended and
connived at by that department.
Is it at all surprising that business has
been damaged and depressed, and can wo
wonder that foreign merchants regard ns
with suspicion and distrust ? But on tho
heel of this infamy comes the astounding
| revelations of the Sanborn swindle, in
which the lute aud present heads of tlio
Treasury Department ere more than com
promised, Under a law sneaked through
Congress naan amendment toaievnnebill,
Mr. Boutwell made contracts with favori
j tea' for the collection of w hat was iudefi
ltely termed “unpaid taxes.” Through
‘ the then .Assistant and now actual Becere
t try of the Treasury these contracts were
| made with the notorious Sanborn. For
j the acts of his subordinates Mr. Bout
well was resposibie; and it is immaterial
| whether bo personally made or porfited
jby these contracts, he is, repsonsible for
j what wrong was done through them dur-
iug bis term of office. The present Secre
tary, however, cannot possibly find a loop
hole to escape from the gross violations
o: law and morals perporated by these
favorites. He assumed from the first the
control and direction of the whole thing,
taking no one in liis confidence but Solici
tor Barefield, Contractor Sanborn aud his
congressional backers. The Commission
er of InUvual Revnue was utterly ignored,
though the contractor was licensed to
rummage his department at will, to ex
plore the books of collectors and assessors,
and to collect revenue taxes and return
them direct to the Treasury Department
instead of through the chnDel designated
by law. Tho inquiries of Commissioner
Douglass in regard to this invader of his
privilges and duties were left unanswered,
and the contractor was more effectuully
backed by the legal machinery of tl e
government than was the Commissioner
himself.
A secret so lucratve to those concerned
; and so criminal in its character could not
:be kept always. Hungry Congressmen
| looked on more favored colleagues, who
! were assisting District Attornies in San
\ born’s interest, in violation of law, saw
i them drawing pay as Congressmen and
District Attorneys, from the government,
and sharing the spoils with the contractor,
and they were bound to talk. People,
j from whom these taxes were collected
without effort, wondered at the new order
of proceedings, and the whole job was
brought to the attention of Congress in
such away as to compel its attention.
' And now investigation lias devloped an
I attitude and practices on the part of
Mr. Richardson never before charged
j upon a cabinet officer of this country.
The Secretary of the Treasury is arraigned
i for crimes, which, considering his place,
its grave responsibilities, great powers
| and high duties, should subject ‘ him to
the sternest penalties of the criminal code
i Downright dishonesty is fastened upon
| him, despite his treacherous memory. He
' lias played a part which place him in col
i fusion with schemers who have plundered
the government and the people at a time
when the country was groaning under a
burden of debt when its llnances were de
ranged, when a financial storm, such as it
has Dot witnessed since its birth, was
sweeping over it, wrecking fortunes,
puralizing industry, and spreading ruin,
want and distress on every hand. Is it
to be wondered that our country is regard
ed with suspicion abroad, and could we
blame the capitalists of Europe who have
invested in our bonds if they despaired of
our solvency ?
A fearful humiliation is involved in the
exposures at Washington. Secretary
Richardson has failed to clear his skirts of
complicity in as infamous a swindle as ever
was prepetrated by a public officer of either
high or low degree. He has shown hiir -
self not only incompetent as a financial
officer, but unworthy as a man to occupy
any place of trust, muchless one of snch
vast responsibility, and the country is
humiliated at the exposure of his malfeaa
auoe.—Baltimore Sunday Telegram.
The Indian Famine. —A special telegram
from Calcutta to the London Sandard, re
ports that the famine is every where under
control. The accumulations of provisions
made by the government arp more than
sufficient to meet the demand; and further
aid is superfluous.