Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 2.
t. x. vrntvK, w. a. dk wolf,
JOHN H. MARTIN, JOHN M. STKWAItT.
Wynne, DeWolf & Cos.
FuMUkern and Proprietor*.
D AILY, (in ndynnce) per annum, $7 (X)
“ six tuouths ... 4 00
• three months 2 00
•• one month 75
WKKItLY, one year 1 20Q
(Shorter termsiu proportion.)
BATIN DP AUVKRTItiINfi.
Square, one week..*..... 3 00
Oue Square, one m0nth....ff. ...... ~!h?. 800
One Square, six months.. 28 00
Transiout advertisements SI.OO tor first inner
on, and 50 cents for each subsequent Insertion.
Fifty per eent. additional in Local column.
Liberal rates to larger advertisements.
AN ARKANSAS DUEL.
The legislature of Arkansas held a ses
sion shortly alter the organization of the
atate government. Everything, of course,
waa in a condition of half chaotic transition
The “loaves and fishes” of office had not
yet been fully divided, and monopoly was
knocking noisily at the door of the “public
crib,” clamorous to be admitted. Intense
was the fury of partizans within the house,
• and as fierce the excitement raging in the
community without. The members mostly
went to their places armed to the teeth, and,
besides the choice of weapons, worn in their
bosoms, or protruding lrom their pockets
each kept an ample supply of revolving
pistols in the writing-desk before him.
There were munitions of war enough in the
hall to have answered the purposes of a
small army.
Every evening after adjournment, there
waa a general tiring oft' and reloading in
order to have their “tools” of death in prime
condition for the emergencies of the morrow.
I was frequently staftled from sleep at the
hour of midnight, by the roar ot incessant
explosions, heard at different points in the
city. Many legislators also during the day
would be out practicing to learn the difficult
art of cutting a tape string at tan paces, or
of driving the centre out of a silver quarter,
at twelve. They used as their pistol-gallery
a little grove of pine trees, immediately on
the aouth bank of the Arkansas river, and
not more than fifty yards from the state
house, where every report was fearfully aud
ible; and admonished certain independent
members of the doom they might expect,
provided their votes were not cast in favor
of the banks! The derringer pistol and the
bowie-knife governed. Power lesided in
gunpowder; and popularity hovered around
the points of naked daggers.
Among the most agitating measures call
ing into exercise the wisdom of the western
sages, was the institution of the real estate
bank. Its establishment was strongly and
steadily, but ineffectually opposed by ailen
dcr minority. All the wealthiest men in the
state, all the leading legislators took shares
of iU capital stock; and John Wilson, spea
ker of the lower house, was elected presi
dent. As this person was one of the chief
actors in the tragedy, soon to be recorded, a
brief designation of his appearance and
character becomes necessary.
Every public man in the backwoods had
a lobru/uet, bestowed op account ol some
real or fancied peculiarity, by the whimsi
cal humors of his constituents. Speaker
Wilson was called “Horse Ears,” from his
possessing an accident never before heard of
in the natural history of the species. When
excited by any violent emotion, his ears
worked up and down flexibly, like those of
a horse. A man of extraordinary looks,
nothing in his features or countenance deno
ted the desperado, eave a strange, wild, twin
kling expression of his infantile grey eyes,
always in motion, with cold, keen glances,
as if watefrin; out for some secret enemy.
He bad fought half a-dozen duels with uni
form sucreM. and had been engaged in sev
eral more off-hand affrays, in none of which
he had received even the honor of a scar.
Hence, as may well be supposed, bis prow
ess inspired almost universal fear; and few
were tbe dead shots to be lound in Arkansas,
who would voluntarily seek a quarrel with
“old Horse-Ears.” As to the rest, he was
the owner of a large cotton farm, rich ari l
influential, honest, liberal, and courteous in
bis manners; exceeding amiable in his do
mestic relations, beloved by his family and
adored by his staves. Such are often the
iaeonaiatencies of human Dature, which
seems utterly incapable of producing unal
loyed typea of either good or evil—angels or
devils!
During the session, previously specified,
there was a member of tbe lower house, by
the name of Abel Anthony, in no way re
markable except for his opposition to the
banks and his sly, quiet wit, addicted to
practical jokes, in the parlance ol frontier
technics, he belonged to the category of
“peaceable men,” having never in all his
life before had a mortal rencounter. He
was even deemed a coward, for he had been
known to pocket open insults without so
much as showing a sign of resentment.
One day tbe bill to provide for the more
effectual rewarding of wolf-slayers, denomr
mated, in short, “the wolf scalp bill,” came
up for discussion. This had been a standing
reform measure from the earliest settlement
of Arkansas, and will probably continue to
be so long as tbe Oxark mountains shall rear
their black, bristling crests in the western
divisions of the state, or the Mississippi
swamps shall occupy e large an area in the
east. Accordingly, whenever the wolf
calp bill is taken up, a tremendous debate
ensues. The contest then is no longer
between tbe ins and outs of power. Whigs
and Democrats alike overleap the iron lines
of party demarkation, and begin a general
massacre of ebancemedley. It is a battle
war to the knife, and the !;nife to the handle
—of every member against every other, the
object being, as to who shall urge the most
annihilating statues against their common
foes, the wolves, because that is the great
pivot-question on which hinges the popular
ity of each and all.
The present occasion was the more arous
ing, as there had happened lately a laugha
ble, but most annoying, instance in fraud of
the previous territorial law. It Seems that
a cunning Yankee fiesh from the land
growing “wooden nutmegs,” had conceived
a notable acbeme of rearing wolves of his
own; so that by butchering a hairy whelp,
a* bis option, and taking its ears to a justice
of the peace, he could obtain a certificate af
“wolf-scalp,” entitling him to ten dollars
out of the county treasury. It was said that
thia enterprising genius had already in his
pens a number of fine looking breeders, and
expressed sanguine bopes of soon realizing
a handsome fortune!
Numerous were the provisions advocated
to prevent such scandalous evasions in
future. Among others, Brown C. Roberts
of Marion, moved "that each certificate of
a genuine wolf scalp be based on not les3
than four affidavits, and be signed by at
least four justices, and one judge of tbe cir
cuit court. •
Abel Anthony moved to amend by adding,
“and by the president of the real estate
bank,”
This was intended by the mover merely
as u jest, to throw ridicule on the complica
ted machinery of Robert’s hill, and accord
ingly it excited a general smile. But very
different was the effect on Mr. Speaker
Wilson, president of the real estate'bank.
He saw fit to interpret the amendment as
the deadliest insult!
I glanced toward the honorable chairman,
expecting to see him enjoying the joke, but
the moment I beheld his countenance, I was
absolutely horrified at its savage expression.
His face was ol ashy paleness; and there, on
those thin, white lips, as if in devilish mock
ery of malice, sat that grim, snake-like,
wriihing smile, which merely moved the
curled mouth, spreading no further, nor
affecting any other feature—that significant
smile of murder, so peculiar to almost the
whole class of desperadoes, when about to
do some deed of death. There was, how
ever, brief space for speculation as physi
ognomic signs; for hardly had the offensive
word* left Anthony’s lips, when Witaon
sprang to his feet and imperiously ordered
the other to sit down.
Anthony, manifesting no token of either
surprise or alarm, replied mildly, that lie
was entitled to the floor.
•Srt down!’ Wilson repeated, and this
time in a voice like thunder.
“I am entitled to the floor and will not
resign it,” said Anthony, apparently without
anger, but giving back a look of calm, im
movable resolution.
Speaker Wilson then left the chair, drew
his bowie knife, descended the steps of the
platlbrm, and slowly and deliberately ad
vanced jhrongh the hall some forty feet in
the direction of his foe — all the while that
ghastly horrid smile, coiling up his pallid
lips, and his ears moving backwards and lor
wards, with those strange, short, sharp vi
brations which had won for him long before
the nick-name of “Horse-Ears,”
As Anthony was commonly considered a
coward, when the spectators beheld the far
famed and all-dreaded duelist advancing
upon him with uplifted blade, glancing aloft
in the air, as ready for the fatal blow, all
supposed the reputed craven would flee in
terror from ins place. No ope believed that
he was armed, or that he would fight u~der
any circnmstances. or with any odds ol pos
ition or weapons But in this opinion every
body was mistaken, and no one, perhaps,
more so than his infuriate adversary. While
that ferocious man was coming towards
him, he stood calm and motionless a* a
pillar or marble. His color did not change
one shade. All his limbs were rigid as iron.
His only evidence of unusual emotion was
a copious efflux of tears! At the sight of
this we all shuddered, for we knew the
weeper would conquer or perish. In the
backwoods experience has demonstrated two
unmistakable tokens ofthorough desperation
—frozen smiles and hot-gushing tears; and
tears may always be regarded as far the most
dangerous. Such a conclusion was verified
fully in the present instance; lor as soon as
ihe speaker approached within ten feet ot
his weeping enemy, the latter suddenly un
sheathed a bowie-knife from his bosom, and
stepped boldly forward to the proffered bat
tle. And then commenced a struggle for
life and death, the most obstmnte, bloody,
and frightfully protracted ever witnessed in
the southwest.
Wilson's knife was long, and keen, and
so highly polished that you might see your
self in the reflection of its smooth, bright
surface, as in the most perfect looking-glass
The image being an extremely small min
iature, so symmetrical was the rounding of
the fine glittering steel. On each side ol the
flashing blade was a picture, the fac simile
of the other, wrought in exquisite gold en
amel, of two Indians in their wild, native
costume engaged -in mortal combat, with
bowje-kuives.
The weapon of Anthony was one of the
largest size of the class, called in that coun
try “Arkansas tooth-picks,” the most mur
derous implement of destruction, before
which a human foe ever quailed. On one
side of its broad gleaming blade was the
picture of a fight betwixt a hunter and a
black bear. The bear seemed to be squeez
ing the man to death in its iron hug, while
he was fiercely diggging at the monster's
heart with the point of his knife.
Such devices are common on the arms of
the most notorious desperadoes on the Iron
tiers, and are the object of as intense a
pride to their owners, as were the insignia
ol the most exalted chivalry to the knights
of the heroic ages. For all men are poets;
and the idea seeks for evermore to render
himself incarnate in the material form—to
speak in knowing signs to the senses. Des
tructiveness will have i’s images as well as
devotion.
Wilson made the first pass, a determined
thrust aimed at the pit of his antagonist’*
stomach, while the other dexterously par
ried. Far a time both parties fought with
admirable coolnes*, and with such consum
mate skill, that only slight wounds were
inflictad, and those on the head and face,
whence blood began to trickle Ireely And
■till —omnious and awful visions—while the
contest raged, tbe opposite and characteris
tic sign* of desperation remained fixed,
sculptured by tbe hand of horrible vengeance
in either countenance. The cold smile, now
converted into a fiendish grin of immeasur
able malice, still lingered on Wilson’s livid
lips; and the tears still flowed, mingling
now with warm blood from Anthony’s black
blazing eyes! The clatter of the knives,
thrusting and fending off, and sharply ring
ing against each other, was hideous to hear,
and alone broke the silence that reigned
throughout the hall.
At length, both foes, maddened at the
prolonged obstinacy of the struggle, and
blinded by the gore from the red gashes
about their eyes, lost all caution, coolness
and equanimity, and battled wildly more
like devils than living men. Eeah one more
intent on taking the life of his enemy than
in guarding his own, exerted every nerve
and muscle with a truculent fury that struck
the very beholders with icy fear. Both
parties were soon severely wounded in diff
erent parts of the body; but still there came
no pause in the combat, till Anthony,strik
ing a heavy, overhanded blow, cut his ad
versary's arm half off at the wrist! Wilson
changed his bowie-knife into his left hand,
and, lor an instant, ran several steps back
wards, as if to decline any further contest.
He then stopped, and, smiling more fright
fully than ever—a fearless, infernal look—
again rushed forward. Previously, at this
crisis, when certain victory was within his
grasp, Anthony committed the folly of fling
ing his knife at the other’s bosom, which,
missing its aim, felt with a ‘olid, ringing
noise on the floor, more than thirty feet
distant, This error decided the tremendous
combat. Anthony was entirely disarmed
and at the mercy of the tiger-man. Wilson
darted upon him with a hoarse cry of anger
and hellish joy—there, powerless to resist,
and yet too brave to fly. One sharp thrust
ripped open the victim’s bowels, and he
caught them as they were falling, in his
hands! Another stroke, directed at the neck,
severed the main artery, and the blood
spouted out With a gurgling noise, sprink
ling tbe robes, and even the faces, of some
members who sat nearest the horrid scene.
The last act of the tragedy was closed, and
the curtain of death dropped on the stage.
Anthony without a groan or a sign, fell in
COLUMBUS, GA., THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 14, 187(5.
his place a corpse, and Wilson, fainting
from loss of blood, sunk down beside him.
Up to this moment, although sixty legis
lators were in their seats, and more than a
hundred lookers-on in the lobby, and jew
elled bevies of bright-eyed ladies in the
gallery, still no one, save those raging mad
men, had movixi: no sound had disturbed
the whisperless silence, hilt the clangors of
their concessive steel. But then, as both
tumbled on the floor, like luitips ol lead, a
single wild, wailing, heart-shiverina shriek
as if some other soul were parting with its
mortal clay, arose in the crowd of females,
and all was again still; blit whether that
deep cry of an orphaned spirit was uttered
by the maiden ol poor Anthony's bosom,
who had hoped to-morrow to be his bride,
or by tiie beautiful little daughter of Wilson,
or by some pitying stranger, could never he
ascertained.
Wilson recovered, and is ycl alive; and
there is scarcely ail inch square on his face
that does not show ils deep sear, as a me,
meuto of.lhe matchless combat. He was
expelled from the house; hailed by a merci
ful judge, brought to trial, and acquitted.
There was never a jury yet in the back
woods that would convict a person for slay
ing another ill a fair fight! Foi the desperado
is the backwoods’ hero, whom all men
worship.
THK ARMY mil!-(WIMTAL
Troop- Collecting In Washington
Hearty to do the BlddiiiK—ot Whom?
THE RADICALS PREPARING THE MILITA
TARY MATERIALS FOR A
COUP d’etat.
S;,ei-iul correspondence of tho World.]
Washington, Dec. 7.—We had a
fresh arrival of troops here the other
day, and I suppnso reinforcements
wiil coutinue to pour iu every week
untii, long before the day iu Febru
ary appointed for counting tho elee
torral vote shall arrive, President
Grant will-be ready for his roup
d’etat. Whether he or Hayes will be
the beneficiary the Republican lead
ers cannot tell, and even Grant him
self does not know now. He holds
a strong band already ; he will draw
himself all the additional cards he
can get, and as fortune favors him
he will play it. Ho is a bold and yet
withal a cautious player. Cunning,
ambitious, secretive, with a face and
eye that betray nothing to the most
astute observer, he is a puzzle to the
politicians of botli parties for whom
he has tiie contempt so often felt by
professional soldiers. His xiolicy
can only be iuferred from iris acts.
Words to him are like men —
only instruments, and lie uses a
phrase just as he would employ a
Spencer or a Patterson, meaning
nothing by it except to gain his end.
His faculty of deception is apparent
ly infinite. Witln such a cold unim
pressive and subtle character an up
right and ingenuous man like Mr.
liewitt stands no chance whatever.
To judge of Grant by a single inter
view is like guessing at tiie size and
style of a house by a brick. The
only safe way is to infer his char
acter aud purposes from his past
career. He has said “Let us have
peace;” he promised President
Johnson that lie would hold onto
the War Department aud force Mr.
Stanton to appeal to the courts; he
declared but the other day his desire
for a fair count in South Carolina and
Louisiana, and I am not sure but
that, like a dream, the shrewdest
way to interpret him is by contraries.
In short I regard him as most dan
gerous when he makes tbe most fair
and friendly professions. His recent
avowals cost him nothing. His acts,
you will please observe, are nil
in one direction. The man is dan
gerous. Everything indicates that
we are entering upon a crisis which
will be his grand opportunity. Those
who despise him because he cannot
write a message or make a speech,
have not read history. Military dy
nasties, according to my reading,
have never been founded in that sort
of way, but by bold men who kuew
how to take advantage of the chupter
of accidents.
It was no part of my plan to go into
these general observations orto make
a prophecy of the strange drama on
which we seem to be entering. I
have been struck with the introduc
tion of a large force of regulars into
this city. Before Congress came the
city had quite a military flavor. The
hotels overflowed with officers. Just
now these gentry ure somewhat in
the background, but we all know
that their number is not diminished.
The soldiers are kept out of sight,
but they are near at hand. Republi
cans tell you that the army is ready
to do whatever Grant may order
t hem, and I fear this is only too true,
Republicans assume that in the carry
ing out of the plot to count out
Tilden and. inaugurate Hayes the
firmy may be fujly depended on.
Already the prophecy is rreely made
that if the House shall assert its
rights under the Constitution in the
counting of the vote, soldiers will be
marched into the Hall “to preserve
order,” as they say. Why not? Is
there any reason why soldiers should
not be brought into the deliberations
of the House that would not apply to
Louisiana and South Carolina? The
cases are similar in principle, but, if
there be any difference, there is
obviously a greater show of proprie
ty in the United States Executive
“preserving order” in its own Con
gress than in doing so in the State
Legislature.
An attempt has been made to ex
plain away or e.xeuse the present in
troduction of the army into Wash
ington by the allegation that a con
spiracy exists in Maryland and Vir
ginia to interfere with the inaugura
tion, and it is said that this is only
doing what was done by Mr. Buch
anan in the winter of 1860-61. Tyrants
never want a pretext for arbitrary
acts, and whether true or false they
care little. The cases or 1860-61 and
1876-77 are widely different. When
Congress met in December, 1860, act
ive preparations for secession had
been made in at least six or seven
States; a secession party strong in
numbers existed in the adjacent
States of Maryland and Virginia.
There were military organizations? in
both States, the members of which
were hostile to the National Gov
ernment. It is true that the form of
hostility adopted by them was by
secession as distinguished from a
revolution or attempt to seize the
Capitol; but it was quite a possible
event that the inflamed feeling which
existed in Maryland and Virginia
might lead to aets of disorder and
violence in the city on or before the
occasion of the inauguration. The
apprehensions which existed led to i
the pnssuge of a resolution of Inquiry
by the House of Representatives'
on the 20th January, who made!
a careful inquiry into all of
the facts, and unanimously re- 1
ported on the ICth February that!
there was uo proof of a secret con-1
spiracy having for its object an at-1
tack upon the capital or an interrup
tion of tho functions of government.
In addition to this proceeding the
House of Representatives on the lltii
February called upon tho President
for tiie reasons which had induced ;
him to assemble and keep sach a
largo number of troops in the city, j
and whether he had any information !
of a conspiracy to seizo the Capitol
and prevent the inauguration of the
President-elect. To this inquiry Mr.
Buchanan replied in a brief message,
dated the Ist March, 1801, in which
lie stated that the number of troops
assembled here was not lurge, being
only 653|men, exclusive of Hie marines
who were at the Navy Yard, their
appropriate and usual station. He
added these pregnant words: “These
were ordered here to act us a posse
comitatus in strict subordination to
the civil authority, for the purpose
of preservivg peace and order in tho
city of Washington should this be
necessary before or at the period of
inauguration of the President-elect.”
The urmy was here at that time,
therefore, to aid in preserving peace
and order in tho city during an ad
ministration [Mr. jluehauan’s) the
validity of which nobody disputed,
and to secure the peaceable inaug
uration of a President (Mr. Lincoln)
whose election was undoubted. No
body ever pretended that Mr. Lincoln
was not duly elected according to all
the forms of the Constitution. He
was not “counted in.” There was uo
throwing out of tho votes of this or
that county by unscrupulous return
ing boards in order to give him the
votes of States in which he had been
beaten. There was uo dispute over
the returns; no pretense of “intimi
dation,” ballot-box stuffing or a false
count. This was long before Don
Cameron and Jay Gould had as
sumed tiie management and shaped
the morals of the Republican party.
The army is not in Washington
City to-day to protect the inaugura
tion of the President elect, but to
prevent it by force and violence and
to aid a usurper, who was rejected
by the people at the polls, in seizing
the Presidential office. So far from
defending the National Government,
they are ordered here to overturn it.
They are not ordered here tothrottle
a secret conspiracy when it shows
its head, bat, to give the protection
of their bayonets to carry out the
secret conspiracy hatched by tiie
Radical leaders months before the
Presidential election, to set it aside
by fraud and force iu case it should
go against them, as they apprehended
it might, The purpose is not to use
Uieartny and uphold the Constitu
tion and the laws, but to overturn
both and substitute a military gov
ernment for that provided by the
Constitution. I am by uo means
sure that they will not succeed.
Tiie Constitution provides a mode
for counting the electoral votes. It is
done with certain formalities by the
two houses of Congress. In the joint
convention ir, is absolutely certain
that the frauds of Florida, Louisiana
and South Carolina will not be coun
ted, and that Mr. Hayes will not be
legally declared to be President. Mr.
Tildeu has the legal majority of elec
toral votes, and will be declared to
have received a majority, unless tho
Senate shall make itself a party to
the frauds of the returning board. If
no candidate shall be found and de
clared, according to the rules of the
Constitution, to have received a ma
jority of the whole number of elec
tors appointed, it will then be the
duty of tho House under tho Consti
tution, to proceed to elect a Presi
dent by States, and Mr. Tilden will
be elected.
At this stage of the affair, if we
may believe the assertions of those
near to the conspirators and knowing
all their purposes, there will be an
other step taken by them alike fla
grant and revolutionary. Failing to
succeed in tbe joint convention to ac
complish their coup d’etat (and they
will fail unless Grant orders in his
Boldiers to drive out obnoxious mem
bers of the House of Representa
tives), the game is for the Radical
Senate, on their own responsibility,
to declare Hayes elected, and for
Grant to install him over the govern
ment offices at Washington by mili
tary force. This is what the soldiers
are wanted for; this is the coup d’etat
which our Ctesar is preparing for us.
If he sees no favorable conjuncture
to declare himself as President de
facto to “preserve order,” as they call
it—according to the Caleb Cushing
programme—he will have the cere
mony performed of swearing in Gov.
Hayes as President, and will turn
over to him tho Executive depart
ments. This is the programme by
which a usurper is to be foisted iff as
President upon a free people. The
theory of the conspirators is that
they will submit.
There are many features of this
plot which I have not now time to
give your readers. One thing is
known. The revolutionary leaders
have now uo hopoof installing Huyes
according to the forms of the Consti
tution, and their present plan is a
amp d’etat to seize tbe city und exec
utive departments on the 4th of
March—like the French, who, when
they make a revolution, begin by
seizing Paris. In a word, they pro
pose to do the very thing which it
was feared the secessionists might
attempt to do in 1860-61, namely, to
capture tho Federal capital by a
quick, bold military movement, seize
the Government offices and trust to
the love of peace and quiet on the
part of tho people for submission
to the revolution. Unluckily for the
secessionists of 1860-G1 they ht*fl no
such leaders as Cameron, Jay Gould,
Sherman and Morton ; and they thus
lost their opportunity. These men
aro playing the same game with a
boldness, a vigor and an audacity
that cither of the two Napoleons |
could hardly surpass. Hayes is noth
ing in himself. But we read in his
tory of many.cases where a weak pre
tender to the throne-ra child or a
woman, maybe—was carried into
power by cunning, bold conspirators
who had their profit to make by the
operation. W.
—“What do you "charge a quart for
your milk.here ?” asked a man, as he put
ids head in at tiie door of a milk shop.
“Eight cents,” was the reply. “Ain’t you
got any for seven cents ?” “No” said tbe
proprietor, “but,” lie added,” we can soon
I make you some.”
ALABAMA LKCnLATIRIt.
Tuesday, Bee. litfi:—ln the Senate,
Mr. Chambers, from, the committee
of conference, reported a UUP de
ll niug the number and compensation
of subordinate officors of the two
Houses; passed.
The following, among other now
bills, were introduced in the Senate:
Mr. Padgett, to amend section 5539
of tho Revised Code.
Algo, to provido for the punish
ment of executors, administrators and
guardians.
Mr. Saffold, to repeal tho act re
quiring publication ot notice before
application for pardon or remittal of
line can be made.
Mr. Harrison, from special com
mittee, reported favorably to abolish
the office of county treasurer and de
volve the duties of the same on the
circuit clerks at half tho pay now al
lowed to treasurers. It further pro
vides that if the clerk fails to give
the additional bond required, the
county commissioners shall elect a
treasurer. Mr. Robinson moved to
lay the bill on the table; carried.
Tho Senate again took up, amend
meuded and passed the bill exempt
ing certain property from taxation.
[lt strikes out subdivisions 7 and 8 of
section 1, chapter 2, and exempts all
family portraits, supplies for the tax
payer for the current year, all wear
ing apparel, farming implements to
the amount of S3O, one work horse or
mule, or yoke of oxen, and all poul
try, but the same to be listed as other
property.]
Mr. lvnox presented a protest
against the bill, passed yesterday,
providing for the selection of more
competent jurors in oertain counties.
In the House, the bill for the tem
porary regulation of the public school
system, which was pending when the
House adjourned on yesterday, was
taken tip and passed.
Mr. Hollis, from a special commit
tee to inquire into the propriety of
abolishing the office of County Bu
perintendent, reported a resolution
that tiie officer in question is indis
pensable in conducting the public
schools; the report was laid upon
the table.
Mr. Herndon, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported favorably on
Senate bill to amend section 2 of an
act to establish tho City Court of
Selma—passed.
The committee of reference repor
ted as pay for officers of the Legisla
ture: Secretary of Senate and as
sistant, and Clerk of the House and
assistant at $6 per day ; engrossing
and enrolling clerk each $5; door
keeper $4.50; pages und messengers
$2.50; servants $2.50; committee
cleiks $4. The report was concurred
in.
The following Judiciary committee,
in accordance with a resolution to in
quire into the validity of an act to
establish, organize und regulate a
system of public instruction for the
State.of Alabama, reported that such
act was null and void. Received.
Also, reported a substitute for bill
to prescribe the time in which appeals
may be taken by bill of exemptions.
Substitute adopted and bill passed.
The committe of Ways and Means
returned the bill taxing emigrant
agent in Barbour county, which, on
motion of Mr. McElroy, was referred
to a committee of five.
Seriate bill to secure more compe
tent jurors in the counties of Lowndes,
Bullock, Ferry and Dallas, was read
one time aud ordered to a second
reading to-morroy.
Tiie Judiciary Committee reported—
Favorably on bill to enable judges of
circuit courts more promptly to dispose
of the business of such courts; passed.
Also, reported a substitute for bill to
regulate tbe sale of witnesses certificates.
Substitute adopted and bill passed.
Also, favorably on bill to regulate ap
peals from justice’s court in criminal
cases; passed.
Also, favorably with amendment on
bill to regulate the collection of costs in
criminal cases in which defendants are
sentenced to tbe penitentiary; amendment
adopted and bill ordered to be engrossed
for a third reading.
Also, favorably with amendment on
bill to prevent certain county officers from
serving on grand juries; amendment
adopted and bill ordered to tie engrossed
(or a third reading.
Tbe Speaker announced as special com
mittee on the bill imposing a license tax
on emigrant agents in Barbour county,
Messrs. McKleroy, Gere, Fletcher, Glenn
and Prowell.
TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY.
Washington, Dee. 13--It is thought at
tho War Department that additional leg
islation is necessary to allow Eads his
first installment on the jetties appropria
tions.
The Committee promise to take early
action to provido for tho legislation of
awards of the Mexican Claims Commis
sion.
San Francisco, Deo. 13.--Steamer City
of Peking arrived, sixteen days from Yo
kahoma.
Berne, Switzerland, Dec. 13.—M. Heer,
Vice President of the Federal
elected President of the Swiss Confedera
tion for 1877. M. Schenek is now Vice
President.
New York, Dec. 13.-jAt the quarterly
meeting of the board of directors of the
Western Union Telegraph Company, to
day, General Austin Stager, Superinten
dent of Central Division at Chicago, was
elected Vice President of the Company.
A dividend I V, per cent, for the quarter
ending December 31 was declared.
KDLI.ACE AND WATTB.
THE HAVE NDT YET LEGALLY RESIGNED
THE POSTMASTERS HITS.
Washington, Doo. 13.—See section
3,83 Cof the revised statutes. It is
claimed that neither Soliace nor
Watts has yet legally voided his ten
ure as postmaster.
Western Freight*.
Sr. Louts, Dec. 13,-General freight
Agents of the Louisville aud Nash
j ville, Cairo and Vincennes, New Or
j leans, St. Louis and Chicago, Mo
bile and Ohio, Cairo Short Line, and
St. Louis, Iron Mountain and South
ern Railroad# held a conference Here
yesterday, witli representatives of
various steamboat lines running be
tween here and New Orleans, for the
purpose of adjusting winter freight
rates. The meeting was harmoni
ous, but the result is not yet made
l public.
CONGRESSIONAL.
HEX ATE.
Washington, Dec. 13.~1n the Sen
ate Mr. Anthony, from Committee
on Printing, reported a joint resolu
tion to print 10,000 extra copies of
tho message of the Piesident and ac
companying dooumonts in rogard to
the lute election in Louisiana.
Mr. Thurman objected to its pres
ent consideration, and it went over
until to-morrow.
The [Senate then resumed con
sideration of the resolution of Mr.
Mitchell, providing foi* an inquiry
into the appointment of the Oregon
Electors.
The committee on Printing report
ed favorably on the motion to print
5,000 copies of the statement of the
mannner of counting the Electoral
vote from 1789 t0’1873 inclusive-laid
over.
Also in favor of printing 1,850 copies
of the President’s Louisiana outrage
message—laid over.
Also to print 10,000 copies of same
document—laid over.
Mitchell’s resolution regarding
Oregon was discussed with a view to
strike from the preamble the words
“reflecting on GroVer.” Without
action.
Edmunds’ Senatorial amendment
was resumed.
Bogy made an elaborate argument
against it.
The amendment was rejeoted—l4 to
31.
Yeas—Allison, Anthony, Burnside,
Blaine, Conkling, Edmunds, Freling
huyseu, Hamlin, Hitchcock, Key,
Morrill, West and Wright.
In executive session, confirmation
of Cochran as postmaster at Selma,
Ala.
1(0 (THE.
Blands silver bill up.
Washington, Dec. 13.— The House,
after long debate, passed— lo 7to 56
a substitute for bill to utilize the pro
duct of the gold and silver mines,
commonly known as the silver bill.
It contains one short provision for
thecoinage of silver dollars of a cer
tain weight, which are to be a legal
tender for all debts,public or private,
unless where specially provided that,
payment shall be in gold.
The House then took up the bill to
make the Burlington & Missouri
River Railroad in Nebraska a branch
of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Strong opposition to the bill was
manifested on both sides of the
House. Finally, on motion of Mr.
Grover of Missouri, it was recommit
ted, which is regarded tantamount to
a defeat.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
■— .
TBE DEMOCRATIC MOURE WILL
COUNT THE VOTES FOR GOV
ERNOR TO-DAY.
O .i. i
Columbia, S. C., Dee. 13.—The
Democratic House to-day passed a
resolution to count the votes for
Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernor to-morrow at 2p. m. The reso
lution was communicated to tho Sen
ate. ,
Anoiber ballot for United States
Senator by tbe Democrats to-day—
no choice.
Tbe Senate and Republican House,
in joint session, declared the election
of D. T. Corbin as U. 8. Senator.
WASHINGTON NEWS.
MOURE COMMITTEE CALLING FOR
CHANDLER'S TELEGRAMS.
A NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC ELECTOR
CHALLENGED.
Washington, Dec. 13.—The Com
mittee on Privileges aud Elections
are taking testimony concerning
Benjamin Williamson, a New Jersey
Democratic Elector, wiio was United
States Commissioner. Gov. Beebe
and Secretary of State Keelse will be
summoned.
A. 8. Brown, manager of tbe tele
graph office iu New York, and Capt.
L. Whitney, manager of the Western
Union telegraph office here, are sum
moned before the House committee
at New Orleans, to produce certain
telegrams sent by Secretary Chandler
pending the canvass of Votes.
The Senate investigating commit
tee has not yet called for telegrams.
Twenty-four and a half millions of
silver have been exchanged for frac
tional and greenback currency.
Fast Mall Trains.
New York, Dec. 13.-It Is announced
that arrangements have been made for the
resumption of the fast mail over the
Pennsylvania Railroad. The mail will
reach Washington from New York at 10
o’clock and 2 minutes, aud connect at Cin
cinnati with a fast train through to Nash
ville, Mobile, New Orleans, and the whole
South. A railway post-office car will also
be attached to the 8:30 A. M. train, which
will run through to St. Louis. This train
will connect at Philadelphia with the train
through to Richmond, Va., giving dis
patch to all mail matter accumulating;
after 4 :35 A. M. and prior to its departure.
A New York and Washington postal car
will make through connections to the
Southern seaboard States, and will be dis
patched at 6 p. m.
Weather To-Day.
Washington, Dec. 13.—1n the South
Atlantic and Gulf States, on Thursday,
there will be increasing oloudinese, and
possibly local rains, with continued warm
southeast to southwest winds, and sta
tionary or slowly falling barometer,
TILDEN AND HENDRICKS ELECTED.
AXXOVXCEMCXT IT THE NATIrtN.
AL DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE.
Rooms ok theNat’l Democratic j
rnVIMITTFP ■
Washington. Dec. 13 me. )
To the People of the United States:
The National Democratic commit
tee announces as the result ot the
Presidential election held on the 7th
of November, the elootion of Samuel
J. Tildeu, of New York, as President,
and Thos. A. Hendricks, of Indiana,
as Vice President of the United States.
We congratulate you on this victory
for reform.
It now ouly remains for the two
Houses of Congress in tiie perform
ance of their duty on the second
Wednesday in February next, to give
effect to the will of the people tjius
expressed in the constitutional mode
by a majority of tiie Electoral votes
and confirmed by a majority of the
States, as well as by an overwhelm
ing majority of all the people of the
United States.
By order of the Executive Commit
tee.
Aduam S. Hewitt, Chairman.
Frederick O. Prince, Secretary.
HAVER HEARD FROM.
He Think* He la “Honestly” Elected t
New York, Dec. 13.—A Herald
special from Cincinnati says Gqv.
Hayes, in a conversation with one of
the loeal Republican leaders here,
said: "I have examined the situa
tion carefully and thoroughly, and
besides have solicited and obtained
the opinions of the best constitution
al lawyers of the country, and I am
now satisfied that I have been honest
ly elected President of the United
States, and am entitled to the office,
and I fully expect to be inaugurat
ed as such.”
The Governor is particularly care
ful to avoid expressing very decided
opinions iu the presence of corres
pondents, but this remark was made
to a gentleman who vouches for its
truth.
IUE BREAK AT ST. LOUIS.
GREAT DAMAGE TO STEAMERS.
■ - - ♦ - ■■■
St. Louis, Dec. 13.—Early yesterday
a rush of ice from a point north of
here forced itself upon the ice in the
harbor opposite the city, and carried
it down stream with great rapidity,
taking with it several steamers lying
at the bank in the southern part of
the city. The Fannie Keener sank
opposite the arsenal—probably a
wreck. The Southern Belleaad Jen
nie Baldwin also sank—loss not
heavy,.being small boats. Among
others Affrpied down are the Centen
nial, Alex. Mitchell, Minnesota, Bay
ard and Davenport.
Later reports show that nearly all
the boats of the Keokuk Northern
Line were in winter quarters and sup
posed to be secure.
When the ice started these steam
ers were forced from their moorings
and carried down stream. The War
Eagle and Golden Eagle, two large
and valuable boats, were forced on
shore in such a manner as to block
the passage, and other boats crowd
ed in and caused a complete jam.
The ice moved several times during
the afternoon and night, and forced
the boats upon one another, doing
great damage. The Centennial had
almost all her upper work? torn
away; the Mitchell was crushed
nearly to pieces; the Davenport
sunk; the Bayard almost completely
destroyed; the Bock Island, War
Eagle, Golden Eagle, and the Andy
Johnson badly damaged. The
Rob Boy and Northwestern, which
were uninjured, raised steam, and
the Bed Wing and Minneapolis with
lumber barges, were pulled out and
taken te the bar almost quarter of a
mile below the arsenal, where they
wore considered safe.
At midnigut It was thought that
the hulls of the Centennial and Andy
Johnson would be saved; the Golden
Eagle and War Eagle might be res
cued in a very broken condition.
The loss is roughly estimated at
$200,000.. No insurance on boats of
the Keokuk Northern Line. The
Mitchell, War Eagle, Golden Eagle
and Johnson belonged to the Keokuk
Line. The Centennial was owned by
J. Pavidson, and cost $40,000.
St. Louis, Dec. 13.—The steamer
Centennial sunk about four o’clock.
No other notable change since last
night. All the boats previously
mentioned are still wedged tight to
gether. When the gorge breaks
away most of them will go down with
it, and either be wholly wrecked or
damaged still more than they are
now.
French faUlnrt Changes.
Paris, Dec. 13.—The appointment
of M. Simon as President of the Coun
cil and Minister of the Interior, and
M. Martel as Minister of Justice, vice
M. Dufaure and Marcere, who retire,
is officially announced to-day. The
Cabinet therefore remains as before
the crisis with the exception of the
above mentioned changes.
New York, Dec. 13 .—Schooner
Lottie, of and from Philadelphia,
for Pawtucket, was towed here yes
terday by steamer Spain, having been
found in distress.
NO. 234