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THE WIRE-GRASS REPORTER. VtTeiTTnilovtTwauAMfcuNTrsw THOMASVIIJjE, GA: i WEPKESPAY, WOY’BEH ■ IM. Declarations in Assumpsit. Pjr Wo Imre joat printed perhaps th neatest and most beautiful form of Declaration in Assumpsit that lint ever made its ap pearance in Tbouaasville or any where else. )t is a treat for an Attorney to fill one out. Call and see them. A general assortment of other Low Blanks always on hs'nd. We hare also )uat added couaiderably to oar stock •f Job Type, and are now prepared to do all manner of hand-bills, pamphlets, See., in the neatest style and at the shortest notice, Both the editor* of the Wtr- Crass Reporter, are at this time absent from ThoniMvllle on professional business. r AR THUR P. WrWST, Esq., has kindly eonaented to ooeupy the editorial ebalr for two or three weeks until our return. - <== FLETCHEH IMBTITTJTE. The above Institution linsnow about one hundred and fifty scholars; owing to the wise management of ita chief, Milton Wil der, Esq. It ia nHelens for u* to say any thing of Mr. Wilder or liia able assistants— they need no recommendation, try thorn, they are tbo beat references themselves. If you have a ton or daughter to educate, send them to Fletcher Institute, and if the preseut corps of teachers cannot “put them through” you had better put that boy or girl to plowing or weaving, for you have then shifted the responsibility. Wo intended to give Fletcher a long notice but we know how averse Mr. Wilder is to newspaper notoriety, therefore we desist. Cp* Wo are under many obligations to I'eterson Thweatt, Esq., Comptroller of our State, for a copy of his excellent report to the Governor on the finances of our good common wealth. For want of timo wo have had to take a synopsis from the Georgia Tel egraph. It should bo read by every one who ia anxiens to know the condition of our fi nances. There are bnt few such Comptroller as our friend Thweatt. for ho puts every thing in such a form that there need be no erring. IFIVo are pleased to lcar from the Grif fin Empire Stale that J. L. Alexander, who was shot in a difficulty with Wm. M. Cline, Esq* ia pronounced by his physicians out, of danger. For the benefit of our American friends, we give them the Information that senator Crittenden of Kentucky, has written a lettor laudatory of senator Douglas’ position on the Lecompton question. We know -they will not see the letter in their own papers. Ex-Governor Mcßae of Mississippi, the successor of the gallant Quitmnn, has writ ten a letter in fuvor of rc-opcning the slave trade. : TEMFZBANGS UUJBADIH. The above paper will be moved from Pen field to Atlanta on the last of this month.— The Editor announces the fact that Mrs. Mary E. Bryan, of this placo, the Editress, will superintend personally the editorial de partment. Wc know that Mrs. Bryan will carry with her the well-wishes of onr citi zens, and wo know that she will be useful in any avocation of life. THO*. B. B. COBB'S IITTEB. The above named gentleman is out in a letter in the Southern Banner on the subject es how the proceeds of the State ltoad stieuhl lest be appropriated, lie thinks that they had batter be appropriated for ed ucational purposes, and his propositions are as follows; Ist. That the trustees of the Stato Univer sity, and other Colleges of the State, should board, clothe and educate freo of expense a specified number of your young men selected by a suitable tribunal in each county in tho t State. 2d. Requires that tho young man so edu cated shall return to his own county, and for a competent salary, to spend the snino num ber of years in teaching a common school that ho has enjoyed at tbe University. lie concludes by an able defence of the manner in which the Trustees of the State University have managed tho funds given to them by the State, showing that they linvo been doublod in tlib Trustees’ hands in stead of decreasing, as has been charged. * JUDGE HARDEMAN. The Macon Telegraph of the 2Stli ultimo, says ; We wero pleased to hoar on Saturday that Hardeman was convalescent.— Wc hope he will continue to mend, and soon he able to resume a position on tho bench which he bar adorned by unswerving integ rity, ability, impartiality, and uniform digni ty and courtesy in the discharge of his im portant official functions. FUSED—MOSAIES—BED WHITE AND BIDE. The Black Republicans and Know Noth ings have united on a county ticket in,New York, and are engaged in large business in swopping, trading, judggling, &c. Tho pro gramme seems to give the Black Republi cans the Congressmen, while the “Merikins” take the Lion’s sbaro of the county officers. This is what our opposition friends call “cul tivating an intense American sentiment.” Col. Kinney informs the San Antonia (Texas) Herald that he has concluded his negotiation with the Mormons for the sale of his interest in Central America, and has re ceived an earnest of 8200,000 as part of the purchase money, He is to receive £2,000,- 000. AI ELECTIVE JBDICIABY. Below will be found the manly letter of Judge Forteiyof Peaaaylvania, resigning his seat on the Supreme Bench. Let every one read it and ponder over the suggestions made. We hare ever been, and expect to continue to be, opposed to an elective Judiciary, we are no alarmist, but we believe the tenden cies es such a system will, if not in tbo pres ent, in the future be fatal. We ask of our present Legislature to re vise this system, and make the term, of office six instead of four years, snd make the office ineligible to one who has held it for two terms, at the same time requiring the Judges in the Slate to alternate. Our object it not to go into an argument, but to give to the Legislature the cause why the present sys tem was adopted. Well do we recollect a conversation with the originator of this change. He was patriotic, and he thought hia aystem would work well, but his great ob ject was to remove a Judge from the bench to whom be was violently opposed, both per sonally and politically. He succeeded, and since then he has gone to his long reward. — Like most men, he had Ins faults, but liia vir tues shone bright above them. He remind ed one, in his Legislative career, more of Mirabeau. as he is described, than any oth er wo have ever known, without Mirabeau’s great intellect. -But he of whom we speak was no ordinary man, and long will bo the time before lie is forgotten by the legislators of Georgia. / ” To such hands was thes change submitted, i and with popular feeling in his favor, with i both personal nnd political revenge to urge him on, victory was the result. Let the Leg islature review this whole system, and make such alterations as the ago requires. BEBIONATION OF JUDGE POBTEB, OF PENN SYLVANIA. PMLAdklpiiia, Oct. 16th, 1868. Hit Excellency William F. Packer, Uov ernor of Pcuntylcania —Dear Hir : On the first day of your entrance on official duty, 1 received from your hand a commission ns u Judge of the Supreme Court ot Pennsylva nia. The event then considered possible, perhaps I should say probable, has just been realized. I have little to say of the means which produced it. On receiving the ap pointment, 1 thought that being a Judge, ac tually sitting on the bench and deciding on tho rights ot men of all shades of political opinion, I ought not to write a political let ter, nor to make a political speech. Iu the first place, I was not willing to hide my claims to the office, however small, in the shadow of a mere political question. In the next place, I was and 1 am thoroughly con vinced, by reading and reflection, that when ever a Judge can be cl&ted by reason of bis sentiments oil any question of politics, that moment tho real power of the judicial office will nppenr. Possibly this may be a very erroneous doctrine, very inopportunely ex pressed, but I shall maintain it, wiiile 1 pos sess, a moral sense or retain a rational facul ty. In the certain prospect of a defeat far more disastrous, not one lmirsbreadtli of it should be abated. The roverso which lias occurred to the party, is of less consequence than we nro apt to suppose. The Democratic parly is coeval with tho Government itself, and it will exist so long as the Republic endures. Within its ranks men will always be found, who remain there only to do with more success tho'work of disorganisation. The Party itself, though depressed, is not destroyed. The point of its lowest depression is that from which it will, of necessity, begin to rise. At this mo ment, I solemnly believe it to be the best and strongest political organization which lias ever existed for preserving the interests of the whole country. Now to the point. lam not weak enough to suppose that tho enclosed commission has had much to do in causing the present polit ical excitement. Nevertheless, it is plain that the people of Pennsylvania prefer anoth er person as a Judge of their Supreme Court In these circumstances,’ it seems to me a simple dictate of delicacy and propriety to retire from the office, in addition to this, 1 ought (o stnte that there are several import ant causes pending, in which I wish to take part ns counsel, nnd these require immediate attention. I therefore, enclose my resigna tion. Tho offico was tendered by’ you very kind ly, without solicitation on my part. 1 resign it gratefully, and without, ns 1 hope, having brought upon it a stain of dishonor. Less was accomplished than I could have wished, but 1 am not conscious of an act which does not meet the approval of my own senso of duty. To yourself personally, and to those friends who aro sending me their sympathy, j 1 beg to say, in a word, that there is no cause for regret. I return to a profession which I i was conscious of abandoning too soon, and to a position at the bar as honorable as that \ which is now relinquished, and so much more remunerative that comparison is out of I the question. Gertaiqly I ought to regard it! no hardship to exchange for the comfort of home that wandering life which tho law ot Pennsylvania compels her Judges to lead.— | If 1 have Hiiy regret it is in parting with those pure nnd upright men who will remain : to discharge their arduous aud unrequired. work.. Wishing you a prosperous administration of public ufi'airs, I am Very respectfully and truly, yours, Wm. A. I‘oktek. THE BOSTON BANKS. Tho system that lias worked so well, by which the i>uffolk Bank at Boston under takes to redeem the notes of the New Kng laud Banks at par for an agreed considera tion, has recently met with great opposition by other Banks in Massachusetts, which are excluded from tho arrangement. The charge of confederacy against the Suffolk and other Banks, parties to the arrangement, has been made. A legal opinion, signed by B. F. But ler, B. R. Curtis, and Caleb Cushing, is pub lished in tbe Boston papers—asserting the association to be a criminal confederacy, sub jecting those engaged in it to indictment.— Rufus Choate, Josiah. G. Abbott, SyJney Bartlett, and other eminent counsel, have ex pressed an opposite opinion. The above names are among the moat eminent on the legal role of Boston, and shows the uncer- j tamty of legal advice. SAILBOATS, i Below will be found ati article from tlie Atlanta Intelligencer. Citizens of Thomas vill read and re-read it, and if you will fol-; low out the example of Atlanta and other | cities you wilt see what a glorious future is in store for you. Listen to no advice, hot j rely on your own practical views, and build not only your Albany, but make speedily a connection with Monticello or Tallahassee, whichever you prefer afler consultation with those interested. V From tlio'Atlsiits lutellieencer. THE EFFECT OF HAILBOADS—ATLANTA. Every body knows something about the effect of Railroads, and everybody once ac customed to them appreciate them as a mat ter of convenience; but there are but a few who know and understand fully the wonder ful effect on the varied interests of society. Tbcir influence in increasing the value of property is more tangible than in any other light, and as remarkable and unreasonable as the proposition may at first seem, their influence in increasing the value of property ndjoined to their localities, is three to four fold over the increase of population, as a general tiling. This will appear from the following facts in regard to Georgia. Accor ding to the U. 8. Census of ISSO, the entire property of Georgia of that year (leaving off the fractious of n million,) was. 000 000 According to the report of the Comptroller General of Georgia, iu JB6G, the taxable property of the State was .8495 000 000 Showing an increase, iu six years “of. 8160 000 000 In 1857, according to the same report, the taxable property wasßs2B 000 000 Showing an increase in one year of 833 900 000 which is at a higher rate of increase than that shown for the six previous years, and making nn increase in seven years, in Georgia of 8193 000 opo That at least three-fourths ot this increase is the result of Railroads, all experience and past history will readily show. And what is also w orthy of note, is the fact, that not more than one half of tho State, of Georgia has, as yet, been accommodated by Railroads, or felt any benefit from them. So that this vast increased value of property in the State, of 8193,000,000, is confined to, and enjoyed by, about one half of the State. An exam ination of the amounts of the respective counties, on and off the Railroader-wduckjEfi. need not take up the room to give, will show this for distance, Morgan county, witli its red fields and small territo ry j it returns 86,705,000, and Franklin coun ty, with one third more territory, and as good soil, returns 82,928,000. The effect on market towns has kept pace with the increase of the country. Augusta and Savannah, each, have tliribblcd in pnptt j lation and wealth within the era of railroads. ! Macon nnd Columbus have both improved I under their influence, anil Atlanta has sprung | from nothing to what she is, lrotn the same : cause. Full statistics from all parts of the Uni ted States can only he obtained once in ten years, through the United States Census.— But an evidently accurate estimate was made by the “ Railroad Record,” a few years ago, of tire increased value of property iu the State of Ohio by Railroads, and the amount was placed at 8300,000,000 in six, or seven years. From a pamphlet, published in Pittsburg, which we have before us, we gather the fol lowing facts in regard to Western’ towns; and as it will be seen, the increase of pop ulation in those towns has been in proportion to the number of Railroads of which they are the centres. That the increase of wealth, even in these towns, lias been greater than the increase of population, there can bo no dunbt. ~7~ Tho population of I'hicuK” Cincinnati! Louisville St. Louis Pittsburg 1840 4,470 46,338 21,210 16,46.0 28,9:ll 1850 29,963 115,435 43,149 80,598 79,873 1857 110,000 200,000 85,1KK) 120,000 138,5:!4 Chicago is the centre of 14 or 15~KaiU roads; Cincinnatti the centre of 10; Louis ville the centre of 3or 4; St. Louis the cen tre of 7 or “8; Pittsburg the centre of 9. Roads. Thus we. find, that while these Western cities have increased in population with greater rapidity probably than any oth er cities of the world, this increase has been iu proportion to the number of Railroads of which they have become the centres. A line run around these five cities, straight from city to city, would enclose but very lit tle more territory than is contained’ ill the State of Georgia. The aggregate popula tion is over 750,000. , There aro other towns in the vicinity or j intermediate of these cities, tho centres of I Railroads, of considerable importance. In | 1856, Sandusky contained 10,000 people; j Telledo, 15,000 ; Columbus, 30,000 ; ludi j aunpolis, 25,000 ; Cleveland, 55,000. | It may be said that the resources, mineral | nnd agricultural, arc greater in that than our j region of country, nnd wo will suppose they are ; but ia these reports the difference, when I we take into account cotton nnd soino other i productions not suited to that country, is nest Iso great as is generally supposed, i It may be said that emigration like a flock : of sheep turned one way, has been rushing that direction. But it is safe to say, that ; town in any free country can only grow as ! the resources of the surrounding country are | developed, and it is also safe to say, that J Railroads, by rapidly developing the rcsour- I cos of theconntry, cause towns to have a rap id and prosperous growth. M by, it may be asked, have not Railroads | tlieu caused towns to grow up rapidly Jat the South? Well, the truth is, taking in jto cousidciation the barriers, such as a want j of necessity for wealth, barren regions, fcc., which nature has thrown around our sea | board cities, they have grown with rapidity. and bcCii paid tenfold for their enterprise in Railroads. As to the interior our own city is no mean example, when it is known to be an incidental result of Railroads, built exclusively to promote the prosperity of otli :er cities. Why, it may be asked, have not towns of the interior of the South had a ! growth somewhat comparable with Western towns ? Onesjrand reason is, we have only about .one third as many roads, according to territory, as they have in the West. In the next place, we have found but few, it more than one centre, with other conditions favor able to the growth of tbwns—that one ex emption wc may say, is Atlanta, which has, as yet, been under the ban or leading strings of older towns. * But whether we look to climate, health or resources for trade, manufacturing and me chanical arts, few, if any towns of the West, surpass Atlanta, and there is no good reason why a city should not spring up here to ,ri val many of the Western cities, if the same means that have caused them to be great | were employed here. The county of Alleganey, in which Pitts ■ burg is sitnated, is said to have done more ! in a county capacity, for the construction of railroads, than any other county in the Union, and well have the people been -paid for therr enterprise and liberality, Pittsburg is | the centre of nine Railroads, carried through | mountains and over rivers. This little work, from which we have quo ted, gives a full account of the mercantile and manufacturing operations of the places. And among others, the county contained, in “ 1857 five Cotton Factories, having 33,660 spindles, 659 looms, and employing 1,330 hnnd. These mills consume 13,600 bales of cotton, and produce article in that line to the value of $1,269,655, among which are 8,- j 100,449 yards sheetings, and 82,870,000 lbs ! of yarns. Correspondence of the Wire-Grass Reporter. THAT BPRIMG. “ I am not able to inform you what will be the virtues ot this spring, but it is the pre sumption that some medicinal properties will he attributed tu it, as it is the intention of the proprietor to have it dealt out at a dime a glass. As the spring will be located hut a few yards from the public thoroughfare and great mail route from Savannah and Bruns wick, via Dry Lake, to Thoinasville, it may he well for travelers (on this line) when wea ried and fatigued from staging, to inform themselves of the virtues of this spring. 1 have no doubt it will he a favorite watering place.” Ho ! travelers on the Brunswick line— will it, can it, be well for you to inform your selves of the virtues of that prospective spring, whose waters will, be teeming with that poison that “ biteth like a serpent and stingeth liko an adder 1 ?” Virtuosi well, well, I know one who was young and beautiful—is young still—alas! for a dreary life; but the roses have faded from her cheek, her step is languid and toil-’ worn.” She knows, she can tell you of the virtues of a like' 1 institution. She under- •sta-nds its medicinal properties. For many -tunes has taken care of a husband in his fits of beastly intoxication; and he, even he, can testify, when sober long enough, aside from those plain indications of a bloated face and downcast eye, as to the particular virtues of his “ favorite watering place.” The same old story ; yes, the same old story—only adding one more to the thousands upon thou sands now’ on record, as a loudly crying pro test against such establishments. Husbands, do not go in there; carry not, into the sa cred precincts of home, the contaminating odor of a drum shop. Brothers, pollute not j a sisters lips with a breath of that verily j soul-staining ten cent drink. May mv fel low passengers taste it not, lest-you go away more thirsty than you came. “ Dealt out at a dime a glcss !” Ha ! the waters of God’s springs are free. Come sec it dripping tempt ingly. Jiom the • old Oaken Bucket” by the road side, tip up the Bucket, put your lips to its mossy side, it is good. No matter if you do disturb the lofty perch of the mocking bird, you will not interrupt his song—a few airy eirclcstjuid a wilder, richer burst of mu sic—and ere the pole has stopped its swing ing from the impetus givan in letting go your hold, he will he again in his accustomed place, on the sweep, as sweetly inviting oth er weary ones to partake of the cooling -draught below. Look yonder bubbling from the hillside— see it sparkling and glittering in the sunlight —the oak shades the fountain head—the willow dips its pendant branches in the glas sy tide, and sprinkles the blossoms on its edge. The red bird chirping in. the boughs above, hops lightly down, and clinging to some tangled root, reaches bejow, ripples the surface a moment, then tin owing hack his head, lie seems to look upward ns if iu silent thanksgiving for the precious drop. Jump out fired traveler, take off your hat. down on your knees man, this is God’s spring ; dip your hand in tbo bright water, bathe your fevered brow and throbbing tem ples, and distracting business thoughts are lulled into a calm, it is not quite so far home as you had thought, the driver is not so cross after all, the passengers are more sociable the rest of* the way ; in fact, you begin to think you will at ltomc to tea, whereas, a few mo ments before you impatiently exclaimed, a half the night on this horrible road!”- Ah ! ha! blessings on cold water. Tkktotai.hr. - Thomas county, Oct. 22, 1858. THE SUCCESSOR OF HON. JAMES L. OHR. The Anderson (S. C.) Gazette, of the 20th j inst., uses the following language in refer ence to Col. John 1). Ashmore, elected to | Congress from the Fifth District in South j Carolina, and the district formerly represent i ed by the lion. James L. Orr : Col. John D, Ashmore has been chosen by the people of the Fifth Congressional : District to succeed our present able and dis tinguished representative, the lion. James L. Orr. And it is not for the purpose of en lightening our citizens, to whom he is most favorably known, but to give to the whole j country our estimate of his character, that jwe indite this article We have takeu no po sition in our paper during the recent cam ; paign for Col. Ashmore, because we regard the contest entirely on the personal merits of the candidates, and think that editors, at least, should keep aloof from the public- ad vocacy of men, when there were no practi cal measures involved, moreover, his com petitor, Maj. T. 0. P. Vernon, we regarded |as an honorable and worthy gentleman, en titled to the confidence ol an intelligent coni stitucncy, If they saw proper to place him in office. For these reasons, then, we did not wield our.pen in behalf of our fellow-towns-: man. Now, the people of our Congression-. al District have selected him as their future representative, and it i proper that we ex- j press our .gratification .at tbq result, and ac-j cord to Col. Ashmore the just jneed of praise. Tcol. Ashmore, as the majority of our rea- j ders know, was born in Greenville district,, and lived there until about the ago of four teen years, when he went to Pendleton, and became a clerk, we think,|for a firm still ex isting there. He afterward left this district, locating in Sumpter District, pursued the study of law. Soon after being admitted to the practice of law, lie married. At an early age, the citizens sent him to represent them, in the lower branch of the legislature, which posi tion they repeatedly assigned him, and which lie filled with marked and consummate ability. For several years, although a young member, he was chairman of Ways and Means, the most important committee of the House. In 1853 lie was elected by the leg islature to the responsible office of Comp troller General of the State, the duties of which he discharged with admirable exact ness and correct understanding. Iu 1854 lie removed his family to our town, bought lands a few milesin the country, and while com pleting the term of his office, pursued at the same time the vocation of a farmer, in which, wc have heard his immediate neighbors aver, he was most successful. Asa politician he has ever upheld the : principles of pure, consistent, Jeffersonian Democracy. Iu 1851 lie was a co-operation ist, and during the recent canvass, he has re peatedly declared himself a States Rights Democrat, and willing to supprort the present organization of the Democratic party, believ ing it to be the only true and reliable party in the Union. In all respects, so far as we have heard his speeches, wc see little difler cnce between his political creed and that of nur present Representative. Col. A. is fear less in the expression of his views, a ready debater, and possessed of the cncvgy and force of character . which foreshadow the working and useful member. lif person, Col. Ashmore is above the me- j dium height, commanding figure, dark hair aud black piercing eyes —affable and courte ous in manners, lie speedily wins the affections of bis fellow-men, and their admiration of him where best known amounts to enthusi asm. Asa public speaker, lie lias a gallant, dashing style that interests the hearer, am* asserts that lie is imbued with the true graces of oratory. We p'edict for Col. Ashmore an honor ed career in the Federal Legislature. ■ “ From the Georgia Telegraph. STATE FIHAHCEB. We are indebted to the courtesy of the in defatigable Comptroller General, for a proof impression of his furthcoming Report, to be laid before the next General Assembly, and glean from it the following interesting tacts : Ot’the Reccpts into the Treasury during ttic fis cal year, 1858, there was received : tin account of the (ieucral ’fax, 1857.. (§6190,897 20 Net earnings. Western and Atiaiitie Railroad 200,000 00 Hank tax...... 51,120 M From Bank dividend* 20,575 00 Railroad tax ..’ - 0,204, 01 From miscellaneous items 5,775 88 Sale of bonds to the Atlantic ami Gulf Railroad... 100,000 OO Totnl reeeipts $700,570 10 Add to this balance available liinds in the treasury. 21st Oct,’ 1857....... .112,102 10 And wsi have a total fund of $*7,5,835 20 Os the disbursements of tbo Treasury during the same time, there has lieen paid : On account ofeivil establishment 1H57 16,990 00 Contingent fund, 1857 2,1 *2 82 Printing fund, 1857 1,7 J 5 67 Pool school fund j 1857 . .. 110,604 00 Special appropriations of 1856,... 750 47 Civil establishment, 1858 40,205 OO Contingent fund; 1858 8,181 70 Printing fund, 1858 18,449 85 Over payments, 1858 /1.......... 2,054 57 For pay of members and officer* of the Legislature 114,242 25 Redaction of the public debt 40,722 22 Interest on do do 161,990 83 Subscription to Atlantic and GnlfKail- Road 100,000 00 Lunatic Asylum—for building 57,500 00 do do do furniture 5,000 00 do do do support of pauper patients........ 15,000 00 do do do sal. snp’t 1,800 00 do do do of officers and nerv’ts 9,412 50 Deaf and Dumb Asylum—for support of the pupils 8,000 00 Academy for the blind, —for buildings. 15,000 (SI do do do support of pupils. 4,500 00 Georgia Military Institute—support of cadets 2,000 00 Savannah Medical College, for build ings, Sc 15,000 00 Atlanta medical college, for build ings, &c 15,000 00 Penitentiary—for purchase of provi sions. e. 2,500 00 Other miscellaneous appropriations, which will be seen in an abstract accompanying this report,amount ing in all to. 57,706 50 T0ta1...... $715,474 64 Showing an available balance in the Tre asury of $130,360 65 To meet balance un paid on appropriations of $110,130 43. The estimates for the Fiscal year, 1859, amount to $548,575, and the estimate State revenue (inducing $500,000 income from the W. &, A. Railroad) is $7119.921 04. The State debt, including $900,000 bonds yet to be is sued to the Main Trunk Railroad, is $3,531, 000. On the principal of these Ronds. $45,- 000 falls due next year ; $40,0(\0 in 1860 ; $30,000 in 1861 J $142,500 in 1862 ; and $lll,OOO in 1863. The following are the consolidated Tax Returns for 1858 : Rolls. 97,040 Professions ....... 2.978 Free persons of ejahus ...... .’ l ,093 33,780,505 acres of land val’d at. $1.38,859,000 ,432,124 slaves 227,468,927 Money and solvent debts . 89,762,798 City or Town proprrty G. ■■ :;()■! 10.244 Foreign Bank capital 77.3.41.3 Merchandise 10,462.511 Capital cmp’ld in ship’g &. tonnage. .763.235 , ‘ ■ do Manufactories, &c.. .3,866,736 Household and Kitchen furniture over S3OO. 2,064,505 Other property not enumerated. -34,928,856 Ag’gate value of wbol pro’ty. .$539,055,114 Valuation in 1857.... 527,828,963 Increase in 1858 ‘....$ 11226,151 Average value efland per acre in 1857, #4 10; average value of slaves per held, $524 97. Average value of land per act #in 1858, $4 10 ; average value of slaves per bead, $526 39. These returns, however, the Comptroller- General thinks very defective. Ho says on the supposition that tho population__of the State maintains the ratio of increase from 1840 to 1850, there should he 110 to 115,- 000 polls—some 50,000 more slaves than are returned, and some 6 to seven million jof acres of land are also nnreturned . 1 }•• present rate of State taxation in Geor gia is extremely low—being only three fourths of a mill on the dollar, or seventy-five cents on every thousand dollars’ valuation. In Kentucky it is 17 cents on the hundred dollars valuation-in Texas 12* cents—in Mississippi 16—in Florida 16 2-3—in Vir ginia 40—in Alabama 20—in Ohio 31—Illi nois 67. ‘1 he Report is a voluminous document compiled evidently with great care—and ap pended to it are statistical tables made up with much patient labor, developing the re sources of each county in land, slaves, town property—population, &c., number of poor clnldreu—the total amount drawn by each i county from the State Treasury— the total ! “mount contributed by each to the State rev enue, and various other material and interest ing facts collected together, not under stress l ot official duty—(for the law has imposed no such laborious task upon the Comptroller) but Volunteered in a desire to be serviceable , lb® State, which lias ever characterized ’ this able and patriotic officer. The Report j also furnishes at length numerous suggestions upon remedial legislation necessary in equal j izing taxation or facilitation its collection. . A zealous, able, indefatigable and oblig ing officer iu the position of Col. Thweatt, has rare opportunities for rendering public service, which increase every year with his increasing knowledge of the resource’s and condition of the State and people. Wc hope Col. 1. will long illustrate and adorn his pre sent position, and the value of a model Comp troller, which we certainly hold him to be. MAJOR COOPER’S RAILROAD COMPtETED. We find the following note from the Hon. Mark, A. Cooper, iu the Cartcrsville Express of the 22d inst: Etowah, Ga,. 0ct.,19, 1858. To the Editor of the Cartcrsville Express : Dear Sir railroad has this day been completed, and the trains are regularly running in j connection with the passenger trains of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. This being an era in our history, the event was distinguished by the firing of a salute,- from ordinance made afrd cast at Etowah Foundary. Mr. L. Kendrick was our con tractor for the'building of the road, and Eu gene LeHnrdy the chief Engineer. As soon as arrangements are made we will duly celebrate the occasion.„ Morning guns will be fired till the celebration. Yours respectfully, Mark A. Coopkr, President Etowah Railroad. Major Cooper is a Napoleon of work, and docs whilst others speculate. At the last> session of the Legislature, he applied for aid to build a railroad from his Iron Works at Etowah to the State Road,, upon conditions which would secure the .State from the possi bility ot loss, and showed that his enterprise was entitled to it, if any is, from the fact tint lie gives to the State road, from his own b - siness at Etowah, us much freight as it re ceives from any of the. way stations between’ Atlanta and Chattanooga. 11 is application was considered and rejected, and ip the mean time he has taken all the stock oil the road, S which is several miles long, built it himself I without aid from any quarter, atul celebrated its completion with a salute from ordinance, ; which he has cast for tho purpose. We take great pleasure in publishing and endorsing : the remarks which the Express appends to j his note : It will be seen from tho above that Maj. j Cooper has completed his railroad. And while it reflects the highest credit upon him, it stands as an evidence of shame to ihgso of our citizens who refused him the little aid ho asked, to bring this road to our town. The incredulous hooted at tho idea that a road would ever be built to the Etowah Works, and this very incredulity has thrown our town beyond its benefits. It was a shame, j we say, that a people so vastly interested in j this movement, shriuld have stood idly by : and allowed Maj. Cooper to bear the entire | burthen, when tlie benefits to them would j have been so great. The Stqte, too, actua i ted by a blind- policy, lias ever refused to render the least assistance to Cooper— a man that has done more for her than any ’ other. Her legislators will now have an of-- 1 portunity to show their statesmanship, for ; this road will be extended, and is destined to pay more and do more for tho interests of our people than any enterprise we know of. W e extend to Maj Cooper our sincere con gratulations that his road has reached its completion. He certaiuly deservesfthc ad miration and kindest wishes of all who have the good of our State at heart. Long may he prosper, and may this be the dawuing of a brighter and more glorious future for him ami lhe enterprises he has cmbnrkcd-in. Wo believe that the great heart’ of our people, with its warmest enthusiasm and sineeie ad miration, will domand for him the just claims he so richly merits, from the hands of our legislature. We can assure Maj. Cooper that Hie Express—one of his best wishers — will gladly be one of those to celebrate with, him his jubilee. ■*- GEOEOIA—"THEBE SHE STANDS LOOK AT HER.” Georgia has over twelve hundred miles of railroad built and paid for, and yielding to the stockholders more than an average of se ven per cent, yearly dividends. ; - Within the next year, two hundred miles of additional road, completed and equipped, will bo in operation. These roads, with but <a single exception, are mainly the results of the enterprise, the cqprgy and capital of pur own people. We have cotton, and wool, and paper sac-. torie6, rolling urilb, foundries, and machine shops, merchant mills, marble yards, gold and copper and coal mines, all in a Nourishing condition and remunerating the proprietors by handsome retjurhs on the capital invested. Tim cotton ertip of the present j’cnr will bring twenty-five millions of dollars at pies ent prices. The crop of cereals is worth twice that some—the sugar and tobacco cr#ps not being included in tho acoount. The State tax is not quite one-twelfth of ne per cent.—the net income of tho Stato road will be three hundred thousand dollars. The State debt amounts- to about two mil lions, and a tax of one-fifth of one per cent, would pay it -in two years. Our banks are solvent—our mcrohants in the best of credit, and the people generally out of debt, with full crops of cotton, corn, &a.. on hand. Tim country is healthy, with tho exception of the epidemic iu Savannah. Wc have six malo