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THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION ATT,,nvTA. G-A.. TUESDAY DECEMBER 1G 1884. TWELVE PAGES. “GOOD AND EVIL,” DR.TALMADGE'S SERMON IN GAL VESTON, TEXAS; YESTERDAY, ••It la He That 81tt«th Upon the Circle of the 15 earth." Six Thou land Years Ago Ood none the World Out of His Right Band -Other Religious Matters, Etc. G.avtuo*, Tex., December 14.—[Special.] Dr.T. DeWitt Talmagc,the celebrated Brooklyn divine, preached his first sermon in the state of Texas this season to-day, bis subject being "Reactions of Good and Evil.” Thousands flecked to hear him and such an enormous audience has rarely been seen in Texas, After on introductory religious hymn Dr. Talmage announced his text from Isaiah xl 22: "It is he that sitteth upon the circle the earth.” While yet people thought that the world was flat, said the preacher, thousands of years be fore they found ont that it was round, Isaiah in my text intimated the shape of it—God sitting upon the circle of the earth. The most beautiful figure in all geometry is the circle, God made the universe on the plan of a circle, Thero are in the natural world straight lines, angles, parallelograms, diagonals, quadran gles: but these evidently are not God’s favor ites. Almost everywhere where you find cither geonaetrizing you find the circle domi nant, and if not tho circle, then the curve, which is a circle that lied young. If it had lived long enough it would have been a full orb, a periphery. An ellipse is a circle pressed only a little too hard at the sides, Giant's causeway, in Ireland, shows what God thinks of mathematics. Thero aro over 35,• 000 columns of rooks—octagonal, hexagonal, pentagonal. These rocks seem to have becu made by rule and by compass. Every artist hat his moulding room where he may make fitly shapes; but he chooses one shape as pre ferable to all the others. I will not say that the Giant's causeway was tho world’s mould ing room, but I do say, out ol a great many figures God seems to have selected the circlo as the best. "It is Ho that sitteth on the cir cle of tho earth.” The stars in a circle, tho moon in a circle, the sun in a*circle, the uni verse in a circlo, and the throne of God tho centro of that circle. When men build churches thoy ought to imitate the idea of the Great Architect and put the audience iu a circle, krowiug that tho tides of emotion roll more easily that way than in straight lines. Six thou*aud years ago God (lung this world out of his ’ ’ ‘ hand, but He did not throw itoutin a str line but curvilinear, with a leash.of love hold ing it so as to bring it back again. The world started from His hand puro and Edcnic. has been rolling on through regions of moral ice and distemper. How long It will roll ~ ’ only knows, but it will In duo time ms complete circuit and eorao back to tho placo where it started— tho hand of God pure and Edeuic. The history of tho world goes iu a circle. Why is it that the shipping iu our day is im proving so rapidly? it is because men aro imitating tho old model o! Noah's ark. A ship carpenter gives that as his opinion. Al though so much derided by small wits, that ship of Noah's time beat tho Gallia and the Arizona ol which wo boast so much. Where is the ship on tho sea to-day that could outrido a delugo in which the heaven and the earth were wrecked, landing all tho pas sengers in safety—two of each kind of living creatures, thousands ot species? Pomology will go on with its achievements until after many centuries the world will have plums and pears equal to tho Paradisaical. Tho art of gardening will'grow for centuries and after ' the Downing! ami Mitchells of tho world havo done their best in tho far future, the art of gardening will come up to the arborcscnnca of tho year I. If the makers of colored glass go on improving they may In some centuries bo able to make something equal to thn cast window of York minster which was built in 1200. Wo are six centuries behind thoso artists, hut tho world must keep on toiling until it shall make tho complete circuit and come up to the skill of those very men. If tho world continues to ininrovo in masonary, wo shall havo after awhile, perhaps, after the advance ot centur ies, mortar equal to that which I onco saw in the wall of an exhumed English city, built in the time ol the Romans, sixteen hundred years ago; that mortar to-day as good as tho day in which it waa made, having outlasted tho brick and tho stone. 1 say after hundreds of years masonry may advance to that point. If the world stands long enough we may have a oity five I I _ the potteries of England, and you find them making cups and vases after the style of tho cups and vases exhumed from Pompeii. Tho world is not going book. Oh. no; but it is swinging in a circle, and will come beck to tho styles of pottery, known so long ago as tho days ol Pompeii. The world, must keep on progressing until it mokos the complete cir cuit. The cunro is in the right direction, and the curve will keep on until it becomes the circle. Well now, my friends, what is true in the material universo is true in God's morsl gov ernment and spiritual arrangement. That is the moaning of Ezekiel's wheel. All common tatora agree insa, ’ God's providence. unless ft turn and if it turn it turns around, and it 1t turn around it moves in a ci.-cle. What then? Arc wo parts of a great iron ma chine whirled around whether we will or not, the victims of inexorable fate? No! So far from that. I will show yon that we ourselves start the circlo of good or had actions and that it will surely come around again to us unless by divine intervention it be hin dered. Tnoso bad or good actions may make the circuit of many years, but come back to us they will os certainly as that God •ito on the circle of the earth. Jezebel, the worst woman of tho Bibles slew Naboth be came she wanted his vineyard. While the dogs were eating tho body of Naboth, Elisha, the prophet, put down his compass and mark ed a circle from those dogs clear ground to the dogs that should eat the body of Jezebel, the murderess. "Impossible!''the people said, "that will never happen.” Who is Mut being flung out of the pslaee window? Jezebel. A few hours after they came around hoping to bury her they find only the palms of Tier hind, and tb. .bull. The dog* that devoured •I. rebel ood tbedoei that devoured Naboth. Oh wb.t a swift, what an awful circuit! But it is MDietime. the cat. that tbl» circle •weepe through a century or through many centuries. The world started with a theoerecy for government: that Is. Uod was the president «E<fcinp<ror of the world. People got tired of a theocracy. They said: “W« don’t want God directly interfering with tho affair, of th. world; giv. ns * monarchy." Th* world h.d a monarchy; from a monarchy it b going to have a limited monarchy. After awhile th. limited monarchy will be given up, and the republican form of gorernmsnt will be every where dominant and recognized. Then the world will get tired of tho republican farm of government and it will have an an- nrrhy, which is no government at ail; and then, all nations finding out that man ie not capable of righteoueiy governing man will cry nt again for a theocracy end cay: "Let <»*1 coma back and conduct tb. affair, of the world." Every step—monarchy, limited moa- arehy, republicanism, anarchy, only different steps between the first theoerecy and the last theocracy or segment, of the crest circle of the earth on which God aits. But do not be come impatient because you cannot sea the curve of event. and therefore conclude that God’s government ie going to brack dowa. History tells us th it ia the making of the pyramids it look two years to draw a circle? Shall we take our lit- « which we have to wind up ever night lest it run down and hold it upbesidt tho clock of eternal ages? If, according to tbo Bible, a thousand years are in God's right as one day, then according to that calculation the alx thousand years of tho world's existence has 5*°“ ®®ly to God ss from Monday to Saturday* But it is often the cue that the rebound is quicker and the circle sooner completed. \ cu resolve that you will do what good you can. In one week you put a word or counsel in the heart of a Sabbath school child. Du ring that same week you give a letter of intro duction to a young man strugglinginbusiness, During the samo week you make an exhorts- tion in a prayer meeting. It is all gone. You will never hear of it perhaps, you think. A few yeors alter a man cemes up to you and says: "You don't know me, do you?” Yon say: "No, I don’t remember ever to have seen you.” "Why,” ho says, “I was in the Sabbath school class, over which you were the teacher: one Sunday you iuvited me to Christ, I accepted the offer; you see that church with two towers yonder?” "Yes,” you say. He stys, "that is where I preach.” Or, "Do you see that governor's house? that is where I live.” One day a man comes to you and says "Good morning.” You look at him and say not place you.” He says remember thirty years a letter of introduction to a young man—a loiter of introduction to Moses If. Grinell?” "Yes, yes, I do?” He says, "I sm the man. that was my first step toward "Don’t you ago giving fortune, but I havo rotired from business now and am giving my time to philanthropies and public interests. Come up to my country seat nnd see me.” Or a man comes to you and •ays: "I want to introduce myself to you. f went into a prayer meeting some years ago, I sat back by the door, you arose to make an exhortation; that talk changed the course of my life, and it I ever get to heaven under God, I will owe my salvation to you.” In only ten, twenty or thirty years the circle swept out and swept back again to your own greateful heart. But sometimes it is a wider circle and docs not return for a great while. I saw a bill of expenses for burning Latimer and Ridley. The bill of expense says: One load of fire fagots .... "s 4d Cat tago for four loads of wood 2* Item, a post is 4d Item, two chain /. .....3* 4c Item, two staples G< Item, four laborers 2s 8d That was cheap fire, considering all the circumstances; but it kindled a light which shone all around the world and aroused the martyr spirit, and out from that burning of Latimer and Ridley rolled the circle wider and wider, starting other circles, convolving, overturning, circumscribing, ovcrarchiug all heaven—a circlo. But what is true of the good is just as truo ot tho bad. You utter a slander against your neigh l>or. It has 'gone forth from your teeth; it will never come back, vou think. You havo dono the man all tho mischief you con. You rejoice to ceo him wince. You say: "Didn't I givo it to him.” That word has gono out, that slanderous word on its poisonous and blasted way. You think it will never do you any harm. But I am watching that word, and I soo it beginning to curve, and it curves around, and it is aiming at your heart, and you had better dodge it. You cannot dodge it. It rolls into your bosom, and after it rolls in a word of au old book,, which soys: "With what measure ye mote it shall be measured to you again.” You moltro nt an aged parent, you begrudge him tho room in your house; you aro impa tient of his whimsicalities and garruility; it makes you mad to hear him tell the same sto ry twice; you give him food ho cannot masti cate: you wish ho was away: you wondor if hois going to live forever; no will be gono very soon; his steps ore shorter and he is going to stop. But God has on account to settle with you on that subject. After awhile your oye will bo dim and your gait will hnlt and tho sound of the grinding will be low and you will tell the samo story twice and your children will won der if you are going to live forever and wondor if you will never be taken away. Thoy called you father onco, now thoy call you tbo 'old man.’ It you live a few yoars longer they will call you the 'ola chapr What those rough words with which your children aro accosting you? They are the echo of the very words used in the ear of your old father forty years ago. What isthat which you aro trying to chew but finditinmasticable and your jaws acho end you surrender tho attempt? Perhaps it may be the gristlo which you gave to your Inthcr for his breakfast forty years ago? A S cntlcman passing along tho street saw a ion ragging his father into tho street by tbo hair of the head. The gentleman outraged at this brutal conduct was about to punish the offend er, when the old man arose and said: "Don’t hurt him; its all right; forty years ago this morning I dragged out my lather by the hair of his head I” Ft is a circlo. My father lived into tbo eighties and he had a very wido ex perience, and he said that maltreatment of 8 went* was always punished iu this world. thcr sins may bo adjourned to tho next world, but maltreatment of parents is punish ed in this world. f id to work ss slowly as that, cannot God in tbo boilding of tho eternities afford to wait? What though God should take ten thousand The circle turns quickly,very quickly. Oh f bat a stupendous thought! that tho good and ie evil we start oomo back to us! Do you know that the judgment day will bo only the point! at wliieh the circles Join, tho good and tho bad we bavo done coming back to us with welcome of delight or curse of couderanation? Oh! I would Into to sco Paul, tho invalid missionary, at the moment when his intluenco come* to full orb; his influence rolling on through Antioch, through Cyprus, through Lystra. through Corinth, through Athens, through Asia, through Europe, through Amer ica, through tho first century, through fivo centuries, through twenty centuries, through all the succeeding centuries, through earth, through heaven: and at last the wave of influ ence having made full circuit strikes his great soul. Oh, then I would like to soo him! no one can tell the wide sweep of tho circlo of bis influence, save the one who is seated on the circle of tho earth. I should not want to see the countenance of Voltaire when his influoaco comes to full orb. When the fatal hemor rhage seized him at eighty-three years of age his influence did not cease. The most brill iant man of bis century he had used all his faculties for assaulting Christianity; his bad influence widening through France, widening out through Germany, widening through all Europe, widening through America, widening through the one hundred and six years that have gone by since be died, widening through -earth, widening through hell, until at last tho accumulated influence of bis bad life in fiery surge of on* nipoteat wroth will beat against his destroyed f pirit,snd at that momcntTt will be enough to make the black hair ol eternal darknest'turn whits with the horror. No one cen toll how that bad man's influence girded the earth save the one who is seated on the circle of the certh—the Lord God Almighty. "Well, now,” say some people, "this In tome respects is a very glad theory and in others a very sad one; we would like to have all the good we have ever done come beck to us, but the thought of oil the sins we have ever com mitted will come beck to us, fills us with affright.” My brother, I have to tell you God can break that circle and will do so at your call. I can bring twenty passages o! Scripture to prove that when God for Christ's sake for gives a man, the ains of hie past life never come back. The wheel may roll on and roll on, but you take your i*osition behind the cross and the wheel strikes the cr<rj* and is shattered forever. The sins fly off from the circle into the perpendicular, falling at right angles with complete oblivion. Forgiven I Forgiven I The meanett thing a man can do is after some difficulty has been settled to bring it up again; and God will not be so mean as that. God's memory is mighty enough to hold all the events of thosget, bat there is one thing that is sure to sup Ifis memory, one thing be is sure to forget, and that iifardoced transgression. How do I know it? I will prove It. "Their sins »n I tbeir iniquities will I remember no more,” Come into that state now, my dear brother,my dear filter. "Blessed is the ene whoss trans gressions are forgiven.” But do not make the mistake of thinking that this doctrine of the circle stops wills this life: "it rolls on through heaven. You might quote in opposition to me what St. John says about tbtf city of heaven. He says it "licth four tquare.” That docs seem to militate against this idea; but you know thero is many a rqusro house that has a family circle lacing each other, and in a circlo moving, and I can prove that this is so in regard to heaven^ St. John says: "I heard the voico of many angels.round about the throne, and the beasts and the ciders.” And again he says: "I saw round about the throne four and twenty seats.” And again ho says: "Thore was a rainbow round about the throne” The two formor in stances a circlei: the last, either a circle or t semicircle. The scats facing each other, tho angels facing each other, men facing each other, Heaven an amphi theatre of glory. Circumference of patriarch and prophet, and apostle. Circumferenco of Scotch covenanters and Theban ^legion and Albigenses. Circumference of tbo good of all ages. Periphery of splendor unimagined and indescribable. A circle! A circle! But every circumference must have a cantor, and what is the center of this heivenly cir cumference? Christ. His all the glory! His all the praise I His all tho crowns! All Heaven wreathed into a garland round about Him! Take off the imperial sandal from His foot and behold the sear of the spike. Lift the coronet ef dominion from His brow and see where was the laceration of the briers. Come closer, all Heaven! Narrow the circle around his great heart! O! Christ, the Savior! Of Christ, the man! O! Christ, the God l Keep thy throne forever seated on the circle of the earth, seated on tho circle of the Heaven. "On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; AH other ground is shifting sand.” METHODIST CENTENNIAL. Procedlngs of the Centenary Conference in Baltimore. Baltimore, Md., December 10.—Tho cen tennial conference of the Methodists assem bled this morning at ML Vernon church, one of the most beautlftil and costly church edi fices in tho laud, located in Mt. Vernon square, under the shadow ot Waihinton mon ument. ( Bishop Andrews announced that tho Bible, from which the Ids son had been read, was once the property of John Wesley, Bishop Foster read the second lesson of the day from the 17th chapter of fit. John’s gospel, llo then delivered tho sermon appointed for tho opening day. He said t Brother Alternates: A common bond draws us together for the hundredth anniversary of our life as a chunh. We must ponder on thepa<t, prepare lor the emergency of the present and plan for the coming century. A shadow has been cast over the one of brightness is eclipsed—our two great standard beaters aro absent. Thoy looked for ward to onr assembling; they even formulated wotds for our welcome. The platform in empty of the presence of (Uorgc Foster Pierce and Mat- thew Simpson. Their fame shorn* for 40 years. Bishop rjerro was born February ml. Bishop Simpson four months later. Each madoa mis take iu choosing a profession. Pierce turned to the law and Blmpson to medicine. Both were delegates to theconlerencc of 1830. Simpson was made bishop In 1852, and Pierce in 1854. They were appointed respectively as speaker and alter nate to make tho opening address at this confer ence. We cannot doubt that, in whatever world they aro to-day, they aro deeply Interested in humanity. They may be assigned to new duties, but they cannot nut be our fellow-workers: not for to-dsy, but for all time. We cannot linger at the grave. We must renew tbo work which they be queathed to us, gird ourselves with coursgo and hope, and advance to renewed work. Wo know wlnttbeircummand would bc^- u Clo*o up ranks and forward!" They would speak from their pulpits iu tho sky tones of solemnity. The progrsmtno arranged for the comluc days of the conference confines my duty on this occasion to a dose field. Wo aro here, not so much for rotucmbranco as for counrel: not to celebrate a victory, but to gird our loins to devise wise and skillful methods; to bo strong tomcct tliademogogucry of our ago ss our father!* met It in their days. The dawn of a century Is a time for thought. Infidelity then stalked abroad. Rebuked Christendom seemed to be fading in 1781. Tbo opening of the Dmi cen tenary, if uotasdark, is dork enough. Tho con dition ol home and society aro being revolution ized. Ancient, time-honored theories aro being exploded, fioered institutions are put to tho strain of great tests. We are In the grip of a great combat for tho final dominion of tho world. Tho falro and groundless will pass away. The fortress of lies J>ns kept the wnrid in slavery. Thero will be a conflict, but zlou will be left with no rout in her foundation, no breach In her walls. The prog ress will be slow, but will be founded on eternal tiutlu Tho church abides forever. Individual churches have no such promise. Tho only hope of any church is the fact of tho trnth it pnssetscs, and the ability to cast out tbo errors it inherits. It was important tlmt Calvinism went down. AU Its great truth could not float its error. Theab- criticism. Bishop Foster then spoke of platitude in the pulpit ami said: To-day there Is a vaat>mount of endless and dritlecs preaching. The greatest need is a revi- .Alof the pulpit in all Prou*taut!sm, and more than all, in the Methodist church. The bishop mads an appeal for temperance, after which the Hallelt^jah with a chorus was sung and the session closed with tho benodio- tion. Baltimore, Doeember 11.—At the centen- iary conference this morning, Bishop Wilson, of the M. E. church, south, occupied tho chair. Prayer was offered by Rev. A. 8. Hunt, president of the American Biblo society, after which the minutes were read by Rev. J. 8. Martin, of West Virginia. A resolution call ing for a grand tempersneo demonstration during the session of the coufereuce, was re ferred to tho executive committee. Tlir DATA or A8BVBY. The special order of the day, a review of the iu peril! tendency ot Asbury, and whnt ho did for Methodism, by Rev. Jasso Boring, of the M. K. church, south, was retd by Wm. 8. Thompson, tne venerablo Dr. Boring being unequal to tne task. Theeieay was a 1 —,. yo | the labors of Asbury, the overcame and tha success that ultimately crowned his work. The rcadiugof the essay on Asbury was followed by an address by ifev. Alfred Wheel er, on the relations of John Wesley to Ameri can Methodism. This was followed by a general discussion on the subject of itineraey. Bishop Andrews made a report recommend ing that two temperance mass meetings bo held on Saturday next, under the auspices of tho conference, which was adopted. Ad journed. At the afternoon session, papers on the statistical results and membership and educa tional and financial statistics were read re spectively by Rev. Daniel Dorchester and Rev.fi. It. Carlisle. The session to-night is for the reception of fraternal delegates. Baltimore, December 12.—Bishop Fowler presided at the Methodist centenary confer ence this morning. In apite of the driving rain storm, there was a large attendance, many of those preaent being visitors from a distance. Rev. John B. Martin, of West Virginia, read the opening Psalm: "Give ear to my prayer, OfLord!” After the reading of tbo minutas of yesterday's session, several resolutions were offered and referred to appropriate committees. One of the resolutions, offered by Bov. C. K. Marshall, of Mississippi, proposed a uniform hymn book (o bo used by tne various branches of Methodists. Bishop Campbell, of the Afri’ can M. E. church, speaking In refer ence to the work acooroplisbad In the colored churches, said Methodism bad done much for his race, and he proposed to file a paper with the records of this conference, showing what had been accomplished. Tne colored man may thsnk the Episcopalians and others, bat Methodism had Seen his most faithful and constant friend. Rev. II. 8. Tbsll, ot 8sn Antonio, Texas, hojwd that tne conference would turn its eyes to the great work done by Methodism among the aborigines within the boundaries of the United States. He thought it would be inter esting fur tha coeferange to order a statistical table, showing the result of the missions among the Indians. The ipedsl mbjcct ol th. dor, "Uetho>!- iun in lit* and iu outlook." «u retd br Kor. C. H. Warren. Bst. J. D. B!aekwe!I read s i«per on "hfetbodum in ISM and it* ontlook.* Kev. B. y. Lee diicuued th* "e*nte* of tho •Of cm. of Methodlem," end Ber. J. It. Via com tho "poeoiblo du,en to faturo Uotfa- AB0VE ALL OTHERS RISES WASHINGTON'S MONUMENT AS ROSE HIS CHARACTER. up there In tho goto end rein looked mere .peck, to the thousands of eyee fixed on thorn from every direction. The lut pyramid*! •tone, weighing :l,30t> pound., wm lowered into place, end Superintendent McLaughlin iciewed on tho alumnlum point to protect it ftom lightning. Then * United States flog wm run up twenty feet above tho lop of tho monument. It iu the •ignnl for tho firing ol cannon In tho field below, and the waving of handkcrchlelii from Wifntxr.ro*. December 9.-[8peeial Cor- I ."‘.mddi'ng l/to lw nm*od through hole. left reipondcnce.]—On Saturday altornoon, about in tho monument and taken down .piece hr two o'clock, groups of people could bo aeon I picco through tho inside. These holes will Tbs Lay lag of Its Ospstoas in Gals and XUtn -Thou sands of Sycsrixfd on tho Lofty Point—EU- tory of the Work, and Whst Is Yet to bs Sons-Kotcs of tho Da> k standing at various points in Washington in tho diluting rain, gating intently toward the southwest. Thousands of windows in^ tho city were filled with faces turned iu thosauio direction* The demand for telescopes, field glasses, opera glasses, for anything to annihi late distance, was worthy of tho transit of Venus or *ome other Stella phenomenon. While tho object of this general curiosity was mundane, it aspired a long way toward the heavens. It was nothing less than the Washington monument and the occasion of its extraordinary attract iveness was the laying of its espstone and tho setting of the aluminum point to glittor at tho dizzy height of 555 feet. Tho monument hat so long been a by word of incompleteness, jest for clowns, and minstrels, and hard press ed newspaper paragraphed, that I hesitate to handle, howsoever reverently, the threadbare them© of its history. A few dry facta may bo pardoned. In December,. *1790, while tho coun try was fresh stricken with }ho grief at Washington's death, congress re solved that a marble monument should bo erected st tho new capital to commemorate his virtues nnd, with the consent of his fam ily, to cover his ashes. In 1800 (bo houso agreed to a resolution appropriating $100,000 to begin the work, but for some reason it failed to pass tho senate. Year-* rolled by until it *eemcd that tho monument was to bo erected only on paper. In 1833, however, somo citizens »f Washington took tho enter prise in hand, formed au association to promoto it, and appealed to congress for aid. Chief Justico Marshall was the first, and ex- President Madison the second, president of tho association. Congressional aid was oxpccted, but an appeal was also made for a popular subscription. I havo heard several old gentle men sfHtak of their juvenile offerings to this then bo filled with perfectly fitting stones leaving only tho narrow windows open. The finishing touch st tho summit of the mighty pilo was done under unpropltlous skies, out this morning the clouds' nad rolled away. Tho air was clear as crystal* Wp against tho unilecked blue rose the snowy shaft bathed in the golden ra diance of tho suu. The polished point caught the rays and throw them glittering down to tho shadowed city. Above all floated the fairest flag on earth, trembling under the kisses of a breeze soft and sweet as the breath of May. F. H. U.. J SHERMAN AND DAVIS. An Interesting Chapter Concerning the Uontrovery Between Thom. Tux newspapers aro still dismissing the question of veracity between Mr. Jefferson Daris and Gen eral Shcrmnn. The latter adheres to bis first state ment to tho effect that while actively engaged In the field he saw a letter from Mr. Davis to a con federate ’ who Is now in tho United States senate, hinting that a southern dictatorship would meet Ms approbation, pro viding, of course, that Mr. Davis was tlio dictator. A strong southern plutocracy should be the character of tho now government, and If any of the states resisted Lee's array should be turned against them. SInco Mr. Daris has de nounced General Sherman as "a base slauderor,” the general has had a special sgtut busily engaged at Washington looking up the letter referred to. It Is claimed by those who know General Uhcrman well that on tho march to tho sea the geiitral cap tured the letter before it bad been delivered to tho party to whom it wm addressed, a prominent .southern gentleman, who Is now In thosonntc. This letter was turned over to the war depart ment and Is supposed to bo there still. One of Shermun's friends says that this letter will not only corroborate tho clmrgo heretofore mode, but will give tho public au outline of a plot more damnable than anything that has yet como to the sur/tco regarding tho confederacy. This loiter will bo copied and Incorporated In Sherman's an- . — . . swerto Davis. If it cannot be found, fcdicrmau patriotic fund. It l» probably that much of will probably itato It* lubitanco In an aindavlt. Iii tbo meautlmo somo of the newspaper* protest •gainst a revival of what they call "the Issues of ancient history." Tho New York Tribune prints tho following telegram concerning the coutrovery hot ween Shetrann and Davis: Wahiimuton, December—Interest In the con troversy between General Sherman and Jefferson Dsvls Is revived by tbo publication In to-dsy'* Tribuueof a dispatch saying that Geuorsl Bher* Louis somo weeks ago. There Is somo reason to believe that tbe letter will not bo found. When tho Rovemmcut began tho work of collecting and the money that dropped into the contribution boxes from tbo bonds of a grateful ncoplo leaked out before it reached tho association. Fourteen years after tho collections began the total amount was $87,000. It was resolved to be^in with this and to trust to I’rovidonco.and patriotism for a continua tion of tho work. Congress was good enough to donate any site that might be chosen on tho government reservation for tho monument. A STBANOR SKLRCTIOX was made in one of the lowest parts of tho city, right on the banks of tho Potomac. It may have been chosen because it was the spot which had been designated years before for a statue in honor of tho revolution. Washing ton selected this sito for tho proposod national trophy and that fact gave rise to a sentimental belief that ho would , uw.u«u »u v . u havo preferred it for a monument to himself. I id<>y Manus J.l Wright, Is to n major It i. * lourca of common regret that thia noble I *r‘i other document* rolatln* lo tho war.* Honor- would have been raised still nearer to tho | nl Wright'* personal nnd olllcUl relatlous with clouds, and to stand a mighty and porpotua! j Mr. Davis nnd bis advisers, a* well m with many sentinel over tho capitol itself. On the ttli of July, 1848, tho cornerstone was laid with imposing ccremouios, iu tho presenco of a great multitude. Tho oratiou wss delivered l»y HobertC. Winthrop, of Mas sachusetts, the?* tho speaker of the houso Ami tho beau ideal of tho young wliigs. If God •pares hit life *ml gives him strength this grand old gentleman will dclivor tho oration over tho completed shaft on the 22d of next February. From tho lay ing of the eornerstono to 1851 about $250,000 General Wright, It is said, U of thn opinion that tho letter is not among tho rabel arch Ives now Iii possession of tho wardupartmeut. The fact that It has not been publlidied fa no evl- dci ce, however, that It docs not exist.. port of General Sherman's spcoch published ihoKt. Lout* Globe-Democrat, he Is represent assaying: "I havo seen a letter from Jsilsn Davis to a man who** name I cannot mention i causo he la a United Htutcs senator. I km hml been expended, and tho monument hail \ fitterhoTah? 1 ^howould ^tum^Leo'?»rmyagainst attained a height of 171 feet. Thoa tho money any Htatc that might attempt to secwle from tho gave out. Congress would do nothing, and I southern confederacy." Who is tho United States (aura, ho Is a United Htutcs senator. I know DnvN’s writing, and saw his sfgrature, and In that ho i old he would *— late that might att md I southern confederacy.” Who Is the United Hutee huge, blunt*pile stood there yeeT after hv m ycpr. HOli! it threatened to beenma a ruin ba- *„ lhMK!aSS?*V.S5? foro it becamo a monument. Tho revival of I of North Carolina, Is tbo man, ^—"*-*- tho MCMORtKa or SRVaXTV-SIX in our centennial year quickened tho con science of congress for this work. An act was _ „ __ _ _ passed creating a commission for tho continu- I fe weif known thatras governor oi OeofiHa, hi •ncc and completion of tho monument. * **■ ----- * fiinco that time tne work has progressed with but few intermission*. It was found that tho old masonry had settled a little. Tho dofec _ __ tion of its axis wss only about an inch and n I went much further at'one 'tiae. Hu was first half, but it had to bo corrected, of course, and elected Boyernor In Wa as an original Vunlon fer tbo enormous weight it was to sustain. I the discharge of his duties a* governor oaHcptem The marble of tbo old structure Is Inferior. And I ber 8.1802, and was hardly warm In Ms sent before n distinct line marks the first layer of tho ( be bream? involved iu a hot controversy with ths whiter and unstained stone. The latter work manship is also superior. The total weight of tho monument is 80,378 tons, being a pressure of fivo tons to the square foot. The base is 55 foot onq aid a half incites square and fifteen feet thick. At tho height of fiooTcot the shaft is *** ' ’' inches square and eighteen inches .uii.ijiiii, in iuu inn',, niiuuiHuvntuiu« that hols Henstor Brown, of Georgia- i» opinion In both oases is founded on tho spur' ‘ ‘ ■ the way of it* enforcement in tho state by the officer* of the confederate government. As gov ernor of North Carolina, however, Senator Vance is in tho rebel archives division, the records nnd papers of which are in tho most chaotic condition owing to the small and insufficient clerical force employed thero. Tho secretary added: "I don't even know whether such a letter is supposed to be hero or not At any rate I will not search for it unless at tho re quest of General Sherman.” ANDREW JACKSON'S NOSE. How It was Fullea by Lieutenant Ran dolph. When I was st Alexandria last week, writes a Washington correspondent of tbo Cleveland Leader, I heard an old man’s statement of how President Jackson’s noso was pulled by Lfenten- snt Kendo!ph In tbe summer of 1833. He said— "President JlckfOA was passing Alexandria on bis Way to celebrate the building of a monument of Washington's mother at Fredericksburg. Tho steamer stopped at Alexandria to get the mall. Jackson was sitting in the cabin bACk of a table smoking s pipe, aud there was hardly room to pass him. Ills pipe was a long-stemmed one, and it hung almost to bis knee. A few men .Including Major Donclson, Jackson's adopted son, were standing about, and there were others who had come on board to sec tbe president and to look at the boat. Among these was Lieutenant lUndolpb, a connection ot the noted Randolph family to which John Randolph belonged. He bad been dismissed from the navy by Jackson for some trouble In hit accounts. Ho was a straight young man mid not bad looking. He carao on the boat and pushed bis way through the crowd until he reached tbe cabin. This ho entered and went up to Jsdksou os though ho would speak to him. President Jackson did not know him, but held out Ills bond, asking him to excuse him from rising. As he did so Randolph- with a quick gesture, seized Jackson’s nose and gave It threo strong pulls. It was done so quickly that uo ono had a chance to Interfere. Old Hick ory threw bis pipenp Into tho air as if to strlko Randolph with It, but before he could Uo any thing Randolph had started off, and lio wss help ed by the bystanders ou to tbo wharf. He quickly mounted a horse and rode off Into the county. Jack ion's excitement wm intense. His noio wav as red m fire, mid I am sure it did not regain its color for days. Ho sold angrily, 'If I had an Idea that 1 was going to be assaulted I should havo been pre pared. Randolph 1* the first villain who has ever escaped me.' Hereupon a bystander Mid, If you will pardou mo for the crime,! will kill Randolph within the next fifteen intuntes.' This Jackson refused to prombe, I think ail indictment of av sault with Intent to kill wav filed against Ran dolph in tbe courts at Alexandria, bat this was afterward no]led by Major Donelson." ITEMS OF INDUSTRY. ha became involved In a hot control , Richmond government. On Hcptamber u ho wrote to Mr. Randolph, secretary of _ _ __ inr: him not to confer anUiorfty/ui*on cnhft •clary of war, request- — ■ —»rfty upon confodsrato 0 cullst men In North 1’sroJlna until they bad first obtained the governor's consent, and to revoke such antborUy In cases where it hadboeu granted to persona not citizens of tho state. fifx weeks later, on October 25, Governor Vanco wrote to JcfllTwra Davis a letter in which he said: "The late elections, after sixteen months of war •nd mt’mbcnhln with U10 confederacy, show c-m« • Imivcly that too original advocates of oocesslon no loDger hold tho ear of our people. Without the warm aud ardsnt support os the old uniou men. North Carolina could not so promptly and generously havo been brought to the port of tho ■'Sfii no . ir qg sup- samo influence con- k. At this point the apex begins. Tho •t height of tne monument fs 555 feet ami four inches. Tho ascent on the inride is made by means of an elevator or up a stairway, which hat UOO stern and takes your time fer twenty minute* and your musclaa for a severe strain. The cost of tbe work has been about $1,150,000. There are memorial atones from all tho states, which are to ho pol ished and set on tho inride of the shaft. Several foreign countries have sent stonee to betoken their respect tor the character which "no country could claim; .no people appropriate;” among these was a beautiful piece of African marblo, taken from tho au- cient temple of Concord and ssnt by Tope Tins IX with tno inscription ''Rome to America." When the fenatlcaf kvow xoTHijra csazk was At its height a band of Armed end dis guised men surrounded the monument one night, terrified tho guard and seized this stone. They took it off in a cart and it is sup posed threw it in tbe river. Tbe monument Is the highest •fracture ever retrod by man. It towers sway , „— Ci -—* —— — .bov. Cheep, .nd the other prr.mid.; .bore l'Mhlec|,| < »ltlonto)hepollcr oi. lhe e ? i;l. HI- Pefor** *»d St. Built, ft it more thn S'pS lupjwrterwnifrU’^dmToWr.tto^ HI. - - letter ot October 25 to Davis certainly ealled fora *...- -- - * - >Iy to tly aud unremlltlnRly given, tho present is could not be maintained forty-eight boars. * I believe, sir, most sincerely, that tbo onscrlpt law 00aId not have k * ran of different antecedents ' raong onr people. • * • Mi -J»«t they went not another col state until provision la mado for her own do- feme." That tbe Richmond government regarded Gov ernor Vanco’a attltudo m hostile Is ehownby an extract from a letter about tbe conscription act written to him by General Italin, who *ald: "do Tar from opposition, wo haveealeufated upon yonr assistance in thia matter." OnHcpterobcrSi. 1*0, Governor Vance wrote to General O. W, Smith pro- toting against tbe removal of the confederate cavalry from eastern North Carolina, and saying: "If It la not tho intention of the prerideut to protect us. we must protect ourselves." fcoon afterward. It Is said. Governor Vance visited Richmond, and when ho returned to North Caro- twice es high aa the dome of the capitol. It it thirty feet five inebea higher than tbe (sliest needle of Cologne cathedral, which is tbe next highest structure, though it will bo topped by tho tower of the new city hall in Philadelphia, thus giving to tbs United States the two highest structures iu the world. In many re spects tbe Washington monument is ths most remarkable piece of masonry ever 00 Since 1878 not a life hi lost or a serious injury during all the dangerous and delicate work by cny of tbe many artisans engagsd upon it. Colonel Carey, the superintendent, refers to this fact with more pride than to the perfec tion of his engineering. The abaft is finished, but the entire work will not be completed for a year or two. The interior ie to be cemented to keen out ell moisture; as improved eleva tor is to be pat in to carry passengers up tbe long electric lit oseent to the narrow windows from which they can see the eity IX DIZSY DfSTAYCB below end gain a glorious vision of tbs roman tic country through which the Poto mac seeks the eea. Sixteen miles befew can be dimly descried Mount Vernon. The pilgrim to the simple tomb of Washington can catch a glimpse of the grand monument which wss intended to guard his da«L Directly acrou the river, on a majestic eminence, stands Arlington, the historic home of tbe Lett, with twelve thousand brave man who were the blue sleeping beneath its mighty oekt. Tbe base of the monument is to he sur rounded by massive masonry, the design of which bss not. yet been selected, though sev eral plena are under consideration. Very fewpersons were allowed to stand on tha pisiform warn tha capstone was set, and tha znetslie point fixed. Those who stood away 1 espouse, but it Is said that no copy of a reply to "' be found amone tbe confederate records In Jon of tbe war dspirtment. fir. Lous, December 10^—General Sherman, this evening, In reply to a question by a rep resentative of tbe associated press, as to whather or not he intended to reply to the letter of Jefferson Davis, recently published this city, said no might do so at 1 future time, but he should consult bis own convenience; that Davis hod not Addressed him but the fit. Louis Republi can, end that if he made any reply it would only b« through the war deportment. lie funher said that bs did not suppose eny re porter wse at the meeting of the Frank Blefr oet on tbe night be i|»oke, ae tbe Grand Army .j an organization only for the soefel inter change of personal memories, still bs admitted that lie reports published contained much of tiutb,but not all. He has most of his Louisiana be said, to make good his assertion civil war wss forced upon the people ol Lruisiane, by conspirator* in Waihington, end that during the progress of the rebellion Davis changed bis views of the doctrine of se- eeesion, and threatened to use force in case any state of the confederacy should attempt what was then known aa "separate state action.” The general has already sent to Washington some letters and pspars bearing on the ease, but as to their publication ho stated that the Authorities there mast be consulted. Washixotox, December II.—Secretary Lin coln said to-day, in speaking of the fihermaa- Davis controversy, that he hal received no eommunieallon whatever, from General Sherman on tbe •ubs'eet. and be knew ebolulely nothing •Lant the alleged conspiracy letter. If sueb a letter is in the wtr department, he said, it Frqm the Ccdsrtowu, Ge., Advertiser. Mr. R. A. Adams, yesterday killed a hog which weighed when cut up, 462 pounds, nnd was only fourteen months old. It was a pig from a fins Berk shire sow of Dr. Thompson's which he ordered from Tennessee. From the Griffin, ua„ News. A large quantity of apples from Fayotto county have tu n Mold from wagon* on the streets tne tail two week*,nnd all offen excellent quality..Fayette is said to ralio more apples thau all the other counties in the state put together, and beside* many other place*. Mipplie* Griffin and Atlauta with their best fruit. From the Wajeros*, Ga., Headlight, We have been informed that an aceoasioti of seventeen new colonists have boon mado to Glen- more, part of thorn with families, aud thing* gen erally st Uletunore I* In a flourishing condition. These persons who havo recently gono there como with the Intention of remaining and brought with them three car loads of household and kitchen furniture. Thero are two mills, ono grivt, saw and planing mill for the manufacture of buggies and carriages. The "Saturday Night" man threatens to raid Glannioro before many moon* have como and gono. EFFECTS OF THE SEASON. Mr. John K.Braeowell, of Lauren* county,killed a hog on hut Saturday weighing 420 pound*. Ou enoday of lastwcok Mr. Duncan Graham killed three hogs weighing 300, 283 ana 280. ThoNewnan Herald exclaims: "Only about two more weeks between this aud Christmas. To tho eager children It will seem an age, but to tho older people the time will fly on downy wings. It is a singular fact that tbo older a person get*, tho more rccklesaly does old Tempus Ilyin hi* glow ing chariot." A Ncwnan oorrcspomlcut writes: The young folks had a lively hop at Mr. George Moore's on but Thnrvlny night. The time of f esr hsz como when inunh* goes out of tho soul nto the feet. I reckon If i^opio would dance to tncrtd music It would bo scriptural and right, for J don't think David aud his folk* knew anything about Jig music. Tbe girls around Augusta aro kiiittfn woolen socks lor Blit Moore ns Cbrhtma* prcicnta. A WONDERFUL LAND. Whnt » Traveller Im* Discovered In n Un explored Region of Africa. From the 1'hilsdclpbls Dress. H glr. Joseph Thorn>011 ought to bo reckoned m one of the world's benefactors, for bo basdiscov- ered a corner ol it totally uuknown boferc.aud filled u Ilh w Gliders and a field for adventures be fore whlili Slnhad’s Journey beoomoa a* com mon piece aa trips In a street car. lie penetrated int» an unexplored region in Afri-a, where lions are as common is foxc* and l oss thick as file*. Ifo parsed over deserts strewn with tho (arrases of rotting cattle, aud um obliged to subsist on them. Ho wm surrounded by a guard, cvrry man of whom wm at heart n murderer and thief, an ‘ Ucaute they believe*' > being 6,7( peak icier at 1 level. the bale, the 1 ‘•bov wa* InonvycoHiov* wm* tuvc*, ,u wuica waum tribe* live. These tribes, the Masai, arc "a finely modeled, handsome race, with the spirit ol incar- nsle devils." They do not marry nutll they are tn the verge of old age. Before tnst Ums they live on milk and meat alone, takings purely milk diet fer a month and tbca mat only for the same do- ilod. Alter marriage they can eat vsgetabuf, moke and otlicrwlre enjoy tho reward* of n vlr tuouslife, before they wrap tbo drap-ry ol death about them and are thrown to tho rulturea, which is the Morale way of dhporiug of tho great ma jority. , A Double lilopcincnt. A special dispatch, dated Izaballa, Co., Dseom* Ur 7th, says: Tyty, a town twelvo mllc< from this place, baa been the soeno of modi ex-dteaient since yesterday morning over tho doubfe elope- mentand marriage of Meesra. Frank and James Fletcher, aud Misses rarrie and Mary Lon Haw- klns-lhc former brothers aud the latter sinters. Yesterday morning a son of Hou. W. If. Hawkia* entered bis father's study and aaid: "Father, Cattle and Mary Lou havo ran a way and married Frank and James Fletcher.” The trion- Ubed father turned pale and fell tuck In a faint. When restored, be cailed for bis shot-gun and said: "I will track them to the end of the earth. Their lives shall atone for tbe outrage.” Tbe household was tbeseene of yrild disorder. Tha two young ladies bad gone away on a pretense of visiting nclghbors.and bod eloped with th# young men. The young ladle* ha l been receiving attentions from them for sometime. •xain>t tbe wbbee of the parents. They finally decided to run sway, and did so. The father aa l son arrived here to-night, determined to kill tbe FietcUr boys. Tbe young people aro a be In Albany. Tbe aflhlr bos created a In this recifea of the state, on account of the prominent 0/ the famine*. THE BLAINE LI8EL. JWqaest Made to Stay Further Pro ceedings. JSDiAXAroLt". lad., December 1>.-Iti the Blslnc J-tntJuf I libel suit fa the federal co »rt* to- day, John C. Bbocmakcr, president oi the Senti nel company, filed an affidavit asking that further preercdings be stayed uulil the plaintiff ha* *n- * e IntcrrugallV"" which were filed with led bill, of iliaoorcry. Holt is rat i»r trial for l>«r,-in»*r .■ i and Judge W**odt will Utbly rule un Monday <>n the request fe.* a stay of further proceedings.