About Georgia weekly opinion. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1867-1868 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 1868)
THE WEEKLY OPINION. BT V. 1. fCBUOOf AHD J. B. BUMBLE OFFICIAL FAFBB FOB IBS C0UNTIB8 OF Baker, Baldwin, Bartow, Bibb, Butta, CarroU, Chattooga, Clayton, Cobb, Dado, Do Kalb, Fayatto, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Oroana, Owlnnott, Banralaon, Hoard, Hanry, Jaapar, Laa, Honroo, Hurray, Newton, Paulding, Folk, (paldlng, Sumtor, Upton. Omitted.—Wo linve received thfougli the malls the proceedings of a public meeting held In tho Southern portion of this State, and also tho Preamble andi Res olutions adopted by said meeting, with a request to publish tho tame in the Opinion. As It does not appear at ic/iol plate the meeting was held, wo will have to defer publication until this omission is rectified. Original Secessionists and the’Con vention.—Some of the Democratic, nntl- Rceonstructlon papers are endeavoring to malic capital out of an assumption flint, among the members of the Constitutional Convention aro gentlemen who acted with the Secession party 111 1801. We know not to what extent this assumption mar be true; hut we do know,-and It is lather a hopeful indication than otherwise, that several members of that body were good Confederate soldiers. Like Genera! Loxc- stii kt, General Jew. Thompson, and thou sands of other brave and true men, they acknowledge themselves beaten in the Held,'recognise the issues upon which the Secession movement wus predicated as for ever settled, concede the right of the victor to impose the terms of .settlement, and now advocate Reconstruction as the only mcaps of restoring good government and mate rial prosperity. There may he original Secessionists in that Convention. We have never taken the pains to inquire. Rut what of that ? Was not Sadi- of Tarsus, once a leader of those who persecuted the primitive Chris tians? And did that fact impair his zeal, or ills usefulness in tin: cause of T'litlu after the M scales ” fell from Ids eyes? A man is never so inconsistent as when in* is convinced of error, and yet refuses lo acknowledge it, either by word or deed. As the respectability of the South, dur ing the war. was not found exclusively in bomb-proof positions; so neither is the Intelligence nud virtue of tin* Confederate soldiery at this day, confined to those wiio neither learn nor forget anything. The war is over; the question of Shivery in the Territories, and of State Rights have been settled—settled, let us hope, forever. We have now entered a new epoch 111 our —•iimud history, and lie alone Is wise who can realize IMeVu„„,. ling to live In the Present instead of tlic l’ast. Financial Condition or tiie State.— During the early days of the session of the Convention, a resolution was Introduced, calling upon the olllcials connected with all the financial departments of the State lor full reports as to tho condition of the Treasury and the public indebtedness. Un der the rule the resolution went upon the table, and contrary to rule it was not called up In Its regular order. This Is an Impor tant matter, and Its consideration should not be delayed. Without light on the suli- Jcct, as contemplated by the resolution, it 1 will be impossible for tho Finance Com mittee to report, or the Convention lo vote, advisedly, upon one of the most Important features that will have to be engrafted Into the new Constitution. We hope I he iuforaa- tlon will ho called for; If for no other rea son, because it will give the people the In formation they have been accustomed to receive annually. C®'It Is a fact worthy of notice that at the United States Marshal's sale In this city, on Tuesday last, a valuable property which cost over 810,000 la gold lief,ire tho war, and upon which great Improvements have since been made, was sold for a trifle over $7,000 in greenbacks. Sueli an in stance of sacrifice Is more potent tluin n volume of argument In favor of relief. True, the action of the Convention could not reach cases from the United States Courts; but similar sacraflecs, nnd oven worse, would result from an uncontrolled action of our State Courts. Something should be done, wltliou t delay. Tbc people are expecting something substantial, and they must and will have it. Business in Montgomery.—Parties from Alabama Inform us that business in Mont gomery, as almost everywhere else South, Is at a standstill. Some heavy failures are daily expected In commercial circles. The plan ters arc greatly discouraged. Very little cotton will be planted. A great number of negroes are out of employment, and aro seeking contraeta atjgrcatly reduced wages. Laborers, our Informant tells us, can be bad at eight dollars tier mouth. Vary few fanners arc disposed to pay oven that. Unless there lie some change for the hotter, considerable quantities of Inml will be Idle this year. Thk Planting Interests.—We arc In receipt ofletten from farmers In various portions of the State, from tho tenor of which we Infer that very little cotton will bo planted tho ensuing season, There seems to bo a very general determination on the part of farmora to abandon the old style, and turn their attention mainly to the cereals and.provUlon crops. This Is sensible. ;■ -, ■ i Suggestive.—A planter who lost'two thousand dollars In 1806, by attempting to raise cotton, cleared three thbuwtii thll year by raising wheat. IBB AIR LINE RAILROAD, When half the property .in tho State la In tho hands of the- Sheriff; 1 whan ftilly one-third of our population are destitute even tho common necoaaltlea of life; end when we are, to nil intents and purposes, in a state of anarchy and financial pros tration—without money, without credit, and even without civil government—It may seem like mockery to advocate the projection of railroads or tho appropria tion by the State of funds for flic comple tion of roads already projected. It is evi dent, therefore, that tho Jtret thing to be douo Is to restore civil government; nnd thereby Insure public confidence. This done, we will soon reeovjr from our pres- ent helpless, and apparently hopeless con dition; tho spirit of our people, now bro ken, will be lifted up; Industry and enter prise will umk o new epoch In Georgia; and a degree of material prosperity will follow, heretofore unknown to the South ern country,. Rut assured of the fact that we are, os a people, too. utlliUrkm to permit the pres ent State of things to continue a great while longer; and bellovlug that tho Con vention now in session In this city, pos sesses too much talent and patriotism to allow the present opportunity to pass un Improved forthc rcatortloti ofclv|l Govern ment. we venture a few suggestions rela tive to the pro|K>sed Air Line Railway from this city via Cliurlottc. North Carolina, to New Vork. This enterprise has liecn under content- piiitiou tor a number of years. The sur vey has been completed; ft large amount of stock has been taken,nnd a considerable portion of the Road is already under con tract. Capitalists in New Vork haveman- iftmtcil great interest in the enterprise; many of them have subscribed a largo number of shares, whilst others arojrllllng to lio so. so soon as the States through which the Road Is projected to run. are restored to the Union, nnd placed under some stable Airm of civil government. In, deed, we have no hesitancy In sa tng that tint completion of tho ltoail may he regard ed as a certainty, when onr political trou bles shall have been settled, and confidence ngnln restored. Tho value of such a throughhiro to Xoriir-i-asiiTii Georgia, to Atlanta, anil to Hie Stale generally, would he almost In calculable. It would open up and place in direct contact with the great Commercial Centres of the North and East, a portion of our State, which Is now effectually ex cluded from thf commercial world—a coun try comparatively undeveloped, hut unsur passed In mineral and agricultural resourc es. It uouhlopcn a market for the hundreds and thousands of acres of land In Northern and Eastern Georgia, now tcuniitlcss and almost valueless; turn tlio tide of erolgra- "■■■■ Mm bleak and barren regions of the Northwest to the geni.ii oi— llrn . ducllvc regions of Georgia, nud Infuse Into our people a degree of activity and enter prise worthy of n country which abounds In so many and such great natural advant' ages. ItwoulilniakcAtlantatnGeorgiaand Alabama, what Cincinnati now is to Ohio and Indiana; and do more to develop the State and place her upon it commercial footing with the Middle and Western States, than all other enterprises of the kind combined. It Is not necessary to argue these points 111 detail. Let tlic reader glance ot the map: lie contemplates a vast and fertile region of country tn North Eastern Geor gia. hitherto wholly lintlcvcloped—a coun try half as large as France, infinitely inure fertile In soil nnd mineral resources, nnd which only wants it markot. a dense popu lation. nml good government to make it tho rival of any country on earth. Tills region, ill Its present undeveloped state, affords comparatively little revenue to the State. Opened np to the markets of the World, Slid titled np with ah enterprising Imputa tion, its revenues would he Immense. At lanta, already the great entire de|iot and commercial center of Georgia, would then become the best market this side of New York for the cities not only of .Southern, Western nnd Northern Georgia, but for those Of Alabama anil Eastern Mississippi ns well. In view of these filets, we suggested, nearly twelve months ago, the policy of an appropriation by tho State For thb comple tion of this Rond. Such un appropriation woifid be returned, with compound inter est, within less than ton ycora after tho road shall have been completed. But wo repent now; What we stated then, that Mill and all other great enterprise*, looking to the development of the State, mnil be pre ceded l'j the restoration of the Union, and the eetablishment of cltft government in the State. UNicitumoua folitical wabfabb. The great point pressed upon tho people of Georgia, by the opponents of restora tion, Is the chargo that the registration of Toien was corruptly made, tho elections dishonorably conducted, and the returns fraudulently made. 'Also, that MaJ. Gen. Pori was aware that the proceedings up to the time the report of the vote was made to his office, had been Irregular In all the particulars named, and that he connived at such trickery by issuing a proclamation declaring a result entirely at variance with the diets, and calling together a bogus con vention. It would be Idle to refer to tho initiatory steps token in the work of reconstruction, and, to follow them up to tho meeting of the convention. To do so would l>e equiva lent to challenging tho good sense of the people of the State. Such as have not de termined to bo blindly misled, fully under stand tho unscrupulous character of tho warfare that Is being prosecuted to defeat restoration. At home, In Georgia, the ma chinations of tho fogy politicians arc ap preciated. They cannot retard tho work. But abroad, among those who are watch ing our progress with the greatest Inter est, harm has been done, nnd much more may be accomplished, If a universal ver- dict Is made up, based upon the assertions, not evidenced facts, that have been for months, and arc uow, dally trumpeted to the people of the whole country, by the disappointed and secretly defiant leaders who control tho great majority of the presses of the State We beg our coteinporaries at the North to remember that believing the wholesale charges given birth to in Georgia, Involve* the conclusion that Major General Pok»K nnd all under him were a set of knave* and villains, whoso official acts were a series of unparalleled rogueries. We ask tho men, also, who have originated these slanders, to locate the frauds they charge to have been committed. General Pora’s orders arc public property—tho records in ail the offices, from the highest to the Invest, arc opeu for examination—the lists of regis tered voters, nnd the names of those who voted, have beeu preserved—tho officials who conducted the proceedings, from be- gining to end, can yet be found. Why, then, should unscrupulous charges be de pended upon? Why cannot such ns make charges substantiate them, if true? And why will not such as aro seeking after the truth go behind the me ( assertions of Interested political wire-workers, nnd get the truth ? In asserting that tho action of the offi cers charged with tho conduct of the work of Recount ration as far as It has progress ed, has ln.cn corrupt, those who desire to contluc the present disorganized condition of tlic country have overlooked the enor mity of the criminality they ascribe to the officers Implicated. They forget that they are arraign mg men n« criminals who have. In many instances, stood among the high est in character in our State. And those abroad who accept these Hinds as truths, arc too credulous for tlic good of our |hjo- pic. To those wo would say—investigate for yourselves; you need not bo deceived; you have every opportunity of arriving at the truth. Do Justice to your own Judg ments and you will soou he Just to the of ficer* who have been engaged in the work of reconstructing Georgia, and to the (am ple of Georgia. Examine and conclude upon ascertained frets, nml do not decide tipon iiiiwurranted statements. Vur the GEORGIA STATE CONVENTION. THIRTEENTH DATA' and to male. It known to lilm that tho Con- ventiou welcomes him to this Military Dis trict *d4 Will take pleasure in co-operating [Eire it in airsxsiLY ros ran DAiLtorimOx.l. RccomtracUmi^ctt’oftkin" WNDNE4DAT, BtOIuamB Convention met at 10 o’clock, a. -Hi p* •uant to adjournment, and Was 'opens with prayer by the Chaplain. AWV?" the roll waa ordered, when the following delegate, responded to the call ■ Mem re. Adkins Akcrman, Asliburn, liedford, Baldwin, 7 thorpe; Bell, of Banks ;Bowi bee, Blount, Brown, Burnett, Cam: „ , ford, Crayton, Crumley, Dinkins, tHmuIng, Ellington, Flynn, Foster, of raiildlug; Gilbert, Goodwin, Cloves, Gouldlng, UHmn; Guilford, Harris of Newton; Harr Hancock; Hlgbcc, Iligdcn, JR) Houston, Holcomb, norland;Hook Key, Knox, Lee, Under, LumpL den, Maul, Martin, pf Carroll; Martin, of Habersham; McIIan, McCoy, McWhorter, Moore, of Columbia; Noble, Palmer, Par rott, Prince, Reynolds, Rice, Richardson; Itozar, Robertson, Saffold, Sautter, Shields, Seeley, Sherman, Smith, Ot Charlton; Speer, Shumate, Supple, Stone, Strickland, Trammell. TraywTck, Turner, Walton, Wallace, Waddell, Welch. Whitaker. White head, of Burke: Whltply, Williams, Woodcy, Wooten, Ycotcs. A quorum being present, the jonnial was read and approved. Tho regular order—a call of the roll for the introduction of new business—ivai proceeded with, when tbc following ordi nance. and resolutions were Introduced: Mr. BELL, of Banks, a resolution Mint there bo Incorporated in the Constitution a clause requiring the General Assembly to foster improvements, nnd particularly tlic Air Line Railroad, by aid from tlic Treasury or from tlic credit of the State. Mr. BLOUNT, an ordinance to declare null and void all inn s or the State of Geor gia, while In rebellion against the United States, by which money lias been raised for tho purpose of Carrying on mill sus taining tlic into war against the United States, aud all notes, bills, bond, nnd con tracts founded on the same. By tho same, an ordinance to declare Ille gal, null and void all notes, bonds nnd ex ecutions for tliu purchase of slaves. By the same, a resolution of w elcome tn General Mcmle, as follow Resolved. That a committee of three he Death of a Distinguished Floridian. The Tallahassee Floridian announces the deatli in that «ity, on the 27th ult, of Gen. William Bailey, iq tho seventy-ninth year of ids ago. — ;-»»♦»» ■— , ■'■■'in CSS'.Tho gouth Carolina Constitutional Convention uss^mbles.at Charleston oft tho lltli Inst. Tho delegates stand fifty-five white,sixty-ninecolored. .1 tho convulsion was slight, if trss clearly perceptible. 1ST In Kalitas CUy, Missouri;last year, one hundred and teventy-two new build ing* werq eteoted at a cost of WMOq. ‘fcfjj'rott - -..—Tlic papers of Macon are comiiiatuiiig of ah Increased number °T *, t y c .t beggars in thatyHy, , Hr’Tire Ditoberatttr party ttv Georgia tire advertising ft>r stump Ipttkers- Whero H Ben Hill? »tq< ; -d: la* onl : A majority of the peuple of my county are Democrats, and they are opposed to the principles of tlic Republican party—they are opposed to tlic Convention, but it is useless to deny tile fact Mint they will not accept of any Constitution which does nut give the people RELIEF. They do not want exemption from their debts, because they are dishonest, blit liccause circum stances have brought about tills distressed condition of tile country over which they havo had no control—consequently it Is not dishonesty—It. Is not a disposition to evade the payment of honest debts, hut from the the fact that tho scarcity of the currency, the depreciation of property nml the want of labor compels the people to demand aid of some sort. Some will any take the ben efit of the Bankrupt law, when It Is well known that this law cau only benefit cer tain classe* for whom It waa intended. Tho actual cost to obtain the benefits of thU law ivpuld require $266; and I would ask In all candor how would It benefit the poor meclianlu or common farjRQt, who. would bo utterly unable to obtalli such benefits. We can live without ojd. debts—wo - have dona without some eight year*, and cap still continue to do so; yet, I am aware that some of these money loaners who have been loaning monoy at 10 per cent. $ month, and who are such great atlcklers for contrasts would, no dpubt, oppose relief In any form. If they will pay bock some of this Ill-gotten gain Obtained by 10 per cent, a month, and scatter It through the commuulty, thlt of Itself would give great relief to Uio suffer ing poor, mado so by these ungodly de mands in tlic shapo of interest; and If Air EaawiqUa'tte-LAn-earthquake was felt In tho city this morning. Although *W*a of UtaWlMt* landlords who have been grinding the faces of the poor,by fabulous prices for Wits ever since tho surrender* were to fork jottr a llUlo too* It wonld be another source of relief. These: two classes of. men have ilono much Iff producing the present embarrassed condition of the coubtry. ’ ■ 1 At a Conservative—ind I havo heard others express the same desire—I would like to : know tho position of tho Demo cratic party upon tho subject of ffeffrA l hope tho Intelligencer will*give thi nOOO»- Mtyinformation,'>2inui 1 Bam. and Invite him to visit this Con vention nt his pleasure, nnd that this Con vention do welcome him in behalf of tli citizens of Georgia, ns Commanding Get eml of the Third MUUaiy District. By tho same, an ordinance declaring null nnd void nil note*, bond*, executions and contracts for service or litre as substi tutes in the Confederate army, By the same, an ordinance declaring null and void the Ordinance of Secession pass ed in 1801, and other ordinance* of a kid* dred nature. By Mr. ROWERS, an ordltiftijed rela tive to tho qualification* of civil officers in tilts State—disqualifying nil whoropy here after send or accept a challenge. Bv Mr. BUT ANT, n resolution to amend the 21st rule of the roiivcntjob so n« to provide for the ap|iolntnient of.a Commit tee on Corporation*, and a Commlttc on Resolution*. By Mr. BURNETT, an ordinance for the relief of the people of Georgia. By Mr. CLIFT, an ordinance declaring the relations of the (icnplo pf Georgia to the Government of the Unite S ates. ByMr.COXLKY.au ordinance tbr the relief of tlio people of Georgia—providing that only 25 per cent, of any Indebtedness contracted prior to 18d5. shall lie polloctod, nnd that all debts for the purchase of s’avt; property, lie declared null and vifiri By Mr. DAVIS, a resolution n-que.-t ing the Legislative Committee to renort nprnk vision to prevent the sain of spli-ltiinn* liquor, on election days. By Mr. IIIGBKK, an ordinance providing for a homestead of 80 acres and, pnrsonal property to tlw amount of $800, to, bc.io.x- empt from execution. By Mr. HOLCOMBE, a,resolution In structing the Committee on Election* to report to-morrow morning tlio rl(rht. ; ef delegates to occupy scats in .the Conven tion. By Mr.* HOTCltKlSS; a rMolntlon for the appointment of a committee of five to wait upon Gen. Mcado. By Mr. MERRICK, an oi^llntnco tor the relief of person* holding chpuge, bills ;oC the Western and Atlantic Railroad, issued by Superintendent Rowland,,. , n !. ,« By Mr. RICHARDSON* an ,ar;llnAi>ro for the relief of tlic people, and to protect them against fraud from the^liicqoesoL lotteries. By Mr. SEELEY, an jtn> dare null and void certain AciUpiiqdc* nnd resolutions of the Secession’ Conreiillpft, pf 1861. i- ■ -»dT ; r ; n By Mr. TRAMMKLL, n* redidotlni^tp amend the order of tho day*! By Mr. WALLACE* a resolution sttbipit- tlng the lobattdn'ef tlic ktate Capital to a vote of the people 6f the &thtk* <Rh1 of order. * ‘Tlic 1 CltAIR appointed the following cbjfitrttttee, under the foVegoing resolution: <srs. Blount, Bryant, Waddell, J. L. anlng and N.P. Hotchkiss. 4 motion of Mr. MILLER, the rules were unanimously suspended, for the pur pose of considering a proposition to amend the yules, so as to provide that tho third order of the day shall be the reception of ropprti, of standing committees, and tho rules were so amended. . Ordinances read third time, and referred, &b follows: An ordinance for the relief of widows, piihors, etc.; referred to Committee on Relief. r . An ordinance regulating the fees of State and County Officers. Mr. WinTELY objected to the onlln- artec, as being of a purely legislative char acter, aud under the rule inadmissible. It was not the province of this Convention to fix salaries; that was a peculiar provlnco of the Legislature, which he did not wish to Interfere with. Mr. SHROPSHIRE thought differently, nud urged that In the present Impoverished condition of the country it was highly essential that every safeguard should be thrown around the Treasury of the people. An orditmucc to afford relief to tho peo- pic of Georgia. Referred to Committee on Relief. An ordinance to dissolvo the courts of this State known as Inferior Courts, and for other purposes. Referred. An ordinance for tlio relief ot the people of this State, from Indebtedness contracted for the purchase of slaves. Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. An ordinance for tho relief of the pcoplo, so fur as debts contracted prior to tbc first day of July, 1SG5. are concerned. Referred to Committee on Relief. Au ordinance providing for u homestead. Referred JJto* the Committee on Bill of Rights. An ordiuauco revoking the orders or de crees of the Probate Courts in relation to apprenticing minors. Ruled out of order. An ordinance for the relief of creditors .III this State. Referred to Committee on Relief. An ordinance vacating the civil offices of the. State, and for other purposes. Laid upou the table for one day. An ordinance for the relief of the people of Georgia. Referred to the Committee on Relief. Aii ordinance to reduce the number of Senators and members of the House of Representatives of tills State, and naming the districts. Referred to the Committee oil Legislative Department. Mr. GIBSON moved to suspend the rules to allow the consideration of Ills resolu tions contemplating the removal of politi cal disabilities from such citizens of this j}uite as are honestly laboring to restore tJie State to the Union. 3Iotion lost. An ordinance to amend the relief ordi nance offered by Mr. Whitehead. Refer red to tho Cnnimittcc-on Bill of Right*. An ordinance to provide for a homestead Same reference. An ordinance. Introduced by Mr. STAX- FORI), as a substitute for ull other ordi nances in rtdarion to a homestead. Same reference. An ordinance for the relief of the pco^ pie of the State, introduced by Mr. SPEER, exempting from levy or sale property to the amount of ffux). Referred to the Committee on Relief. Ait ordinauaiice tu reference to future, lective privilege*, alid for other purposes. Uefcrlrd tb tlic Committee on Franchise. Ail qryliiiitiicc providing a homestead. Referred to Com uitteo on Rill of Rights. Ou motion of Mr. PARROTT Mr.Con ley In the Clnitr. the rules were *u*|ieiuled, md the rules amended so a* to pro\ Ido for the consideration of resolutions a* a regu lar order. Mr. HOLCOMBE moved to suspend the rules'to take tip Ids resolution directing immediate enquiry ns to the rights bt egutes to seat*. He wished to pursue it course which would settle n question much discussed, and establish beyond’cavil the Icwiijty Vif the Convention. Mr. ^KERMAN op|K)«cd the motion, flic resolution went too far.' Gun. Pope’s qrder bad designated who were entitled ot scuts^rit the organization, and with this he was satisfied until such time** the commit tee on Elections should report. ' The motion to suspend Was lost; whnre- ypon.tiic Convention adjourned until 10 ■•VJoek to-morrpW. By Mr. TURNER, a rcsolntiOn'lMflar/ns ^ •h3v2vi2. ® Special Ditpatcheft to tha Maw *'-rk Mmm.) I Atrrains n»i finonuu— Washington, Dec. HJttM'I*, Hltf;.Ksq~ rreajdfnt ur the Na- thiinl Iff |iW of Gerirkla, lit Atlanta, la In tiilaeltj’ cm hi* Hvajr.Nmith. Mr. Rlae Is a Nortln-rn man ut' large baalneta expe- rii'urt, who. on the sunprcstlon ot than- hellion, at ohfc put a largo capital within reai li of the Southern kiiiiners community. Hh Is. therefore, qualified to .peak of the It the dnty of tho Cohventinn 'frf'iopyk without delay for the *n*()»tV*i«h u, the collection of taxes. ■ " *• By Mr. STRICKLAm a p^ut/on rt- questing a continuance of tho exlttei eOrf the Freedman’s Bureau. , jn * u “ uo < Mr, BLOUNT m^ved a *uspensi6tf ,f rules to consider the reaoIufftmV Gen. Meade to tho Third Dili motion prevailed, and tho iollowinp stltute, offered by Ur. AKKRMAN waa adopted! 1 Rnixft atOsiU dohdn g^^ms a« UMfloorofHwOsnnuiMftKi*«i mu i Resolved, That a committee.of!<1 ’o he appointed by tho i’resldonkjU) prew t the foregoing resolution to Mu. GnmNeafe It Ion of ..affairs there, which ha do- — at present one of much deprea- eral belief in the ultimate failure of recon- I it ruction on Che Uongreealonal plan, ^■thf greater portion of tho will tea, ■MiHid reinoriil of Gen., l’ope at this I tlWewBi isiiecially iinlbrtunate, because of ■ the-iniluence' lie was able to exert upon the ^avcnilon.and that he waa exerting his a tho Convention to tution, discard pro- ftd measures and |uro an organic act which would by, the people nnd at once ac- Congress. A new commander, cannot have a ilka influence. ian “ Auxllllary Emigre- Bradley county, Tennes see. of wlilch P. M. Cralgmllli, of land,ii f resident, and R. O. Cross, Clevo- A Word About Free School.. Mr, Editor; Tour extract from the re port of t|ie Hon. Horace Mann, In Monday’s issue, upon the subject of Free School*, abounds, not only in sound philosophy, but in sound, common sense. Wc hope every person will read It, anil especially ttiosc who are about framing for tlic State a Con stitution. It la to be hoped that an important fea ture in the forth coming Constitution will be a law making it obligatory on nil prop erty holders to pay a tax sufficient to maintain Frco Schools in every county nnd township. On the other hand, we should like to see it made an imperative duty on the part of every parent to send Ills child to school, and thus prepare him to dis charge the duties of a good citizen. The one should be as binding as the other. We fee not how it la possible to escape frhm the conclusion at which Mr. Mann arrives, who, after showing the natural claim which children have to tlio means of mental culture, Bays: “The natural life of an Infant should be extinguished as soon at it is born, or the means should bo pro vided to savo that life from being a curse to Its possessor, and, therefore, every Stato it morally bound to enact a code of laws legalizing and enforcing Infanticide, or a code of laws establishing Free .Schools.” Tho Alabama Convention has certainly elaborated one good feature in tlieir recent ly framed Constitution. Asido from vari ous other important sources of revenue to the Free School ftind, one-fifth of the en tire aggregate arising from taxation is to bo devoted to the cause of education. This Froo School System is the boast and glory of the most prosperous State of our Union. It has made Prussia what site Is, one of tlio most powerful and intelligent kingdoms of modern Europe. It is bound to work out its legitimate fruits wherever established. A word of caution, however, may be necessary to our present legislators. The benefits arising from Free Schools arc not intended for any one privileged class. Willie due regard to tlio rights of tlio ne gro. should be observed, tlic legislation should yet he of such a character us to give him all the benefits. To prevent tills, pro vision should bo mado for the Instruction of children, not iu common, but in separate schools. To attempt to carry out tlio prin ciple of equality in tilts respect, anil thus stifle the feeling of repugnance that must ever exist between tlic black and white races. Is not only absurd, but utterly Im possible. It cannot be done. It ought nut to be done. Humanity would revolt at It. Tia not enougli to say provision should be made for tho education of all, Irrespective of color, for then one class or the other would be the sole recipient of the benefits. Oil and water will not unite. Unless tills 'point is guarded, better not legislate nt all on the subject. We shall sec what our wise Convention- Ists think of this matter. Aliiuh. The Suicide or Mrs. Priest—A Sod Store—An Affectionate Letter.—On New- Year's Eve, while the Joy hells were ring ing forth Joyous peals in honor of the ad vent of the New Year, ami whilst a thous and hearts beat happy with nniielputlona of pleasure, a devoted woman s it in tier lonely apartment, weeping ns she |h-umciI tlic Uueaofsad farewell that told the storv of nnrvquitted love, and the heart-broken creature’s determination to seek an escape from an unbearaole misery in sell destruc tion. The nnmc of the woman was Mrs. J. tlio Orica I S. * OS*, suu sue ilia Bit. Ill, particulars o( her sad and palli'u Her husband, who resides iu New separated from her. when alone ami un friended ahucatne to New York. and. after wyne time spent III an unavailing struggle to obtain sultajne.employment, she wn» at length engag'd In the cap.-u-ltv nf cfesnli-i- at the Wetmore Hohsii. Being unable to sllseburge Hiq duties of till* position, ami being abMuteJy tired of exlsten e. tliu m - fortunate wuipan determined on connnii- ting suicide. 1 Accordingly she procured a ijtmntlly ofoplum. with which onTnewiny Slw en.irled her design Into ex,-, tuion. A number of letter* were ft under lo r .^llldwvamntigtlicm die following to l„-r DkckMIIXE 61.—Dear, dear SI— When you get rhts-t-sm no more. All I a-ke-l t.,r in tide world waa-your love; It was denied me. Y/ou. hay*.cast me from you ns you Wtfl'MlSmi-C Wh.ot live without you; my’huff W broken; 1 have left jour inml- ly pfrturiss and your slippers will, Anne AsEllre. Tfyou wish you can write tn her the will give you ftirther particulars. May you be happy and rememla-r your eVcr-lovlng but heart-broken Millie. In a letter ao the friend above alluded In. t ie unfortunate woman aays: "When I saw ted that It „ .1 upon me. When you said 1 looked pale. I intended to tell you butmy heart tolled me. 1 waadl • charged this morning, but dear Annie, ii waa not my toult. 1 have tried to do tny beaL 1 wish my husband to think of times when I waa happy—yea I was very liappv once, but I nave been a hcart-hmkrii woman for a long time. Tell nit- hit baud I forgive him and lore him as much ex ever.” This- letter wae addressed to Mrs. Anna Asmlre, No. 42 Jane street, elty. Coroner ttehtrmer held an Inquest on the body this afternoon. The evidence show- si that the deceased had committed suicide - ty taking poison, and the Jury round a ver- lict accordingly.—A r . Y. Exprete. id. Cm Eitonox ik Knoxville—Rerun. tlCEK TciUHru.—A'norfffc, 7>i»,„ j„ n ,w,« 4s-ln the elty election to-day. tlo- Iteput. •lean ticket wu elected by a maturity <>r three hundred. Tho aid board of officers hare given notice, that an Injunction *° n Ul be preyed fbr before Judge Trigg of tha United States Court, on the part of nou-resldent property hoidera, forbldlng the new officers from being qualified, on the ground that the election was Illegal. Charges of illegal voting among the blacks “to made. PniCS OF liABOK IN CHEROKEE GEOEOIA. Last year good field hands—men—got an average ofebout ten dollars a month. This year, so far aa wa have heard, the averago price for tho same claw Is below eight dol lars. Let the poor deluded negroee con tinue to follow the advice of carpet-bag politicians and native demagogues who are willing to sell their oountry Tier office, rose, Score- and they will soon be Iu a starring condl- | tlon.—Some Qoterier, 7th,
