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About Tri-weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 18??-1877 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1869)
CONSTITUTIONALIST. AUGUSTA. G-A. THURSDAY MORNING. FEB. 25, 1889 the irrepressible pigtail. The various discussions in Congress on the proposed Fifteenth Amendment have brought into prominence the Mongolian raoe at the expense of the “ everlasting nigger.” Sambo is no longer the only mon ster in the .‘ence; John Chinaman pops up with unexpected importunity and threatens to become .is great a bore as his more dusky “ man and brother.” The Missouri Repub lican notes how glaringly ignorant and in consistent the Radical party has shown It self through all this debate. The negro has been made a citizen in the District of Columbia; eleven sovereign States are ruled by him, to a greater or less degree; and now it is proposed to vest in him almost absolute authority in certain sections. — Whenever there is a presentation of the Ethiopian, he is swallowed without so mueh as a sneeze by Congressmen; but even the suggestion of Chinese diet is equal in effect to a veritable proffer of puppy-pie. This startling exhibition of delight in the one case and nausea in the other has start ed inquiry, and we are not surprised that comparisons are made, for the benefit of stupid Congressmen, between the Chinese and the Negro. The Republican says: “And who are these Chinamen who thus rise like Banquo’s ghost, to startle our Representa tives and temporarily block the advancing wheels of 1 progress ?’ They are the natives of a country which extends over 74J>£ degrees of longitude and 38 of latitude, with an external frontier of 12,550 miles, and a coast line of 3,350; with a population of five hundred mil lions of people, and a total area of-more than five million square miles —or nearly one-tenth of the whole habitable globe. They belong to a race which can boast a history five thousand years old, and an anthentic chronology two thousand two hundred years before the birth of Christ; a race which had a language, a litera ture and a government fifteen centuries before Greece was heard of, and a system of philoso phy taught by one of the moat profound think ers the world has ever known, two centuries before Plato was born. Their religion is the most venerable the earth can show, and ages before the smoke of Jewish sacrifices ascended from the temple at Jerusalem there were shriues and offerings and worshippers at Pekin. Their aucestors had invented ships, clocks, mu sical instruments, coins, weights and measures, before Homer suug or Romulus reared the walls of Rome, and when Englaud and Europe wore but the home of savage beasts and more savage men. Socrates and Bacon have hardly contributed more wisdom to humanity than Confucius, and scarcely a single so-called ‘mod ern discovery’ but was in successlul operation in China when Christendom could neither read nor write. “ These are some of the antecedents of John Chinaman, whom our grave and learned legis lators declare to be the intellectual inferior of Sambo! This is a brief outline of the career of that. Mongolian race which is unworthy to associate on an equal tooting with the African! Africa is a wilderness and a desert, aud her children have been barbarians from creation until now. China was a fruitful garden, and her people were riel), prosoerous and happy before Cheops built the pyramids of Egypt. Between the negro and the Chinaman, so far as their average mental calibre Is concerned, aud what they have each done to promote the growth of civilization, there is no nioro com parison than between the darkness of midnight and the brightness of noon-day. Yet gentle men claiming common sense and ordinary in formation, presume to insult their constituents and stutify themselves by lorma[ly proclaiming that the negro is fit to vote and the Chinaman is not!” Apropos of this subject, and in spite of its seeming invincibility, we are very authen tically informed, from a high quarter, that universal negro suffrage is by no mean3 as steady on its pins as it might be; that Grant is against further meddling with re construction — on the se rre of economy alone. If he persist in opposition, the Radical party will either have to succumb or disin tegrate. The finances have arrived at such a condition of rottenness that retrenchment is imperative, and so reconstruction may collapse because it will not pay. Uncler these circumstances, we of the South should still set our faces against endorsing any enormities of suffrage by our own volition. A few more months of endurance, and we shall escape the trap. The wretched men who are eager to fall into it at this late day had just as well hang themselves at once. The Negro as a “ moral idea ” is about to be dropped. Those who choose to specu late noon the next aggression of our euemy may And abundant food in forecasting a re ligions agitation. REDIYIVUS. We flnrl in the Macon Telegraph, of the 23d inst., a graphic and interesting letter from Mobile. This correspondence is evi dently the production of Mr. Clisby, and, like everything emanating from him, is conceived in the happiest vein. Among other topics, our venerable brother thus treats of the Gulf City’s champagne days and ambrosial nights: “The gay, festive and hospitable Mobilians had the Press Convention, in one respect, at disadvantage. The round of their hospitali ties was pretty nearly as ceaseless as the diur nal moliou of the earth ; bnt they could send fresh men into the field every day, while the veriest Trojan in the convention must flag under the wear and tear of so protracted a campaign. Most of the convention, however, stood up to the work wonderfully. Some half a dozen of the older members were frequently missing at roll call, but the younger and better soldiers steadily reported for duty.” As one of the survivors of every bout, we return to our professional tread-mill little the worse for wear, but just a trifle out of concert pitch for editorial composition. Among those who were frequently reported “’.lead on the field of honor,” we mu9t men tion the grave and reverend Seignior of the lelegraph. From the diligence, how ever, with which he kept his paper posted, we suspect that while the impetuous youth of the party were perpetually engaged in friendly combat with the Mobilians, he was neither dead nor sleeping, but quietly shedding ink and consuming paper. We give him due credit for this flank movement, in return for the applause he bestows upon others of his associates who really could And no spare minutes for anything bnt pleasure. On the morrow, we propose to speak in detail of our Mobile experience, and trust to gather a few grapes for popular delecta tion, which our more ancient and expe rienced seniors have spared or disregarded in the vineyard. —mmrn If a young woman wishes to have herself published as “ fascinatiug, beautiful, and ac complished," let her pack up her best clothes io a dirty towel, crawl out of the back up-stairs wiudow some dark, rainy night, and elope with the man that feeds and curries her father’s horses. It’s a big price to pay for compli ments, but it will bring them just as certain as a dirty barrel will beget mosquitpes. In fact, we never knew a woman to make a very de cided fool of herself, in any way, without en hancing her charms two or three hundred per cent, by the time it got into the papers. [Special Correspondence Baltimore Grzette. From Washington. .AFFAIRS IN TEXAS—THE BURNING OF JEFFERSON —THE KILLING OF A CARPET BAGGER—A CURIOUS STORY —MILITARY ARRESTS—AN APPEAL TO WASHINGTON — EXTRAORDINARY REMARKS OF SECRETARY SCHOFIELD. Washington, February 21, 1869. It will be remembered that some time last Fall the public were startled by the an nouncement that a mob at Jefferson, Texas, had killed one Smith, who was a member of the constitutional convention. The whole affair was ascribed to the disloyally of the people of that city, and the circum stance was made the pretext for sending additional troops to Jefferson to keep the peace. Only one-half the story has been made public, the other Half having just been pre sented to the Secretary of War for his con sideration. No circumstances can ever justify a mob in taking life, yet no one can be surprised at what happened after learn ing all the facts as they have been present ed to President Johnsqn and to General Schofield. Smith was a Texas carpet-bagger who associated alone with negroes, wh® taught them that the whites were their natural enemies, and who,in this way succeeded in obtaining a wonderfnl influence over the ignorant freedmen. He was selected a mem ber of the constitutional convention, but re ceived not a single white vote. In January, 1868, the city of Jefferson was laid in ashes—the work of an incen diary. Such gen eral destruction has scarce ly ever occurred in any city,’ nearly every business house having been destroyed. A general conviction, from circumstantial evi dence, pervaded the community that Smith had instigated the burning, to be revenged upon the white people. Months passed away and Smith went to and relumed from the convention. He alleged that he had been robbed of his carpet-bag by some un known person, and charged that this harl been done because of his politics. He de manded of the Mayor and Council of Jeffer son that they should produce his carpet-bag or he would burn their city. The Mayor replied that he would willingly render him any assistance in his power, and advised him to prefer charges against the guilty party, which Smith declined to do. The military commander of the post was next called on for assistance to make a search. This assistance was promptly tendered, if he would prefer charges against any one. Smith then publicly denounced the civil and military authorities as in sympathy with the rebels and secessionists, and de clared his determination to organize a force and make the search he desired. This threat created intense excitement, and just at dark on the same day he and his negro gang; shot several white men passing the. street, wounding two very severely. He was at once arrested by the military au thorities and placed in jail, and a few days afterwards a mob gathered, the guard over powered and killed him. In December last a large military force was concentrated at Jefferson, and it was soon rumored that a number of the most prominent merchants and citizens of the place were to be arrestod. Several of these gentlemen promptly called at army head quarters, and stating what they had heard, said they had come to surrender themselves and to demand an investigation. About fifteen were either arresled or detained, and have been in close confinement for three months, without beiug permitted to conler even with counsel, except in the presence of an ofllcer. In vain have they appealed for an investigation or a trial. The have sued out writs of habeas carpus, but the military decline to pay any respect what ever to these writs. The declared purpose of those who hold them in prison is to retain them until after General Grant shall have been inaugurated President, and then to have them tried by a court-martial. Yesterday morning Messrs. Epperson and Burke, of Texas, in company with Senator Hendricks, of Indiana, called upon Presi dent Johnson in behalf of these prisoners, and asked for them a trial by jury, as guar anteed by the Constitution of the United States. They ask not for a discharge, but for a trial according to the laws of the land.. The President said he was helpless, and advised an appeal to the Secretary of War. These gentlemen then called upon General Schofield, to whom they stated the purpose of their visit, and declaring as their honest conviction that the prisoners were good men, and if they were to be hung they ought to be hung in the regular way. The Secretary of War answered them that the people of Texas themselves did not hang men in the regular way, and that they were as rebellious as ever. He proceeded to enumerate qu'te a number of outrages they had committed. His visitors told the Sec retary that the prisoners did not ask to be discharged, but only to be granted their constitutional right of a trial by jury. The Secretary answered that military courts were the best courts in the world— that they convicted nine out ten, while civil courts only convicted one out of that num ber. He said this resulted from the fact that in trials by jury one man could pre vent- a conviction, while in military trials a -majority could convict; and from the other fact that men were rarely ever put on trial before military courts unless they were guilty. When the attention of the Secre tary was called to the provision of the Con stitution semiring to every man a speedy and impartial trial by jury; that these men had been confined for three months with out even an investigation, and that milita ry officers had refused to obey a writ of habeas corpus, General Schofield replied with the greatest nonchalance that he once knew a man confined in a New York jail for a whole year while an officer was hunting up evidence to convict him, and that he would favor the retention of these men In prison for five years, if necessary, to procure evi dence against them, but that these men would be brought to trial as soon as Gen. Canby should order it, as neither himself nor the President had anything to do with the matter, the subject being within the ex clusive control of Canby, who now com mands in Texas. These details are given in view of the fact that they clearly illustrate the views of the army in regard to civil government. Gen. Schofield is regarded' as a fair man and one honest in his convictions, and he doubtless reflects the sentiments of the army. To what extent Gen. Grant holds snch views is not yet known. The result of the interview yesterday satisfied the Texas gentlemen that there were no hopes of redress from either the President or the Secretary of War—the President having no power in the premises, and the Secretary of War claiming to have neither power nor Inclination. E. The following communication from Mr. Kim ball was read in the House this morning : Office H. I. Kimball. 1 Atlanta, Ga., February 20,1869. s To the Honorable the House of Representatives : Gentlemen: In response to a resolution passed by your honorable body on the 18th in stant, which is as follows: “ A RESOLUTION. Whereas, It appears in the majority report of the Finance Committee that the Railroad Committee gave assnranccs by word, or in some other way that his Excellency, the Governor, would be sustained in advances made Mr. Kim ball, for the completion of the Opera House; be it Resolved, That Mr. Kimball be requested to furnish at once to the House the names of mem bers of said committee giving him assurance referred to in preamble of this resolution—” I beg leave to report that at the time the Railroad Committee met at the Opera House I had no personal acquaitMnce with but very few of the members of said committee, and do not know even at this day who are the members (or were at that time,) of said committee. I was introduced to them on that day but re member only the names of Mr. McCullough, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Burris and Mr. Conly. As my memory serves me, there were some teu or twelve present, and I only heard one man dis approve of heating the building by steam, viz : Mr. McCullough, and at the time the question was asked if these gentlemen present wonld lend their influence to have an appropriation made by the Legislature to pay for beating by steam, I do not remember a single dissenting voice. The names of the other gentlemen present I am unable to give. Very respectfully, H. I. Kimball. “ Humble as I am,” said a bullying Yankee sponter to a mass meeting' of the unterri&ed, “ I shall remember that I am a fraction of ibis magnificent republic.” “ Yon are, indeed,” said a bystander, “ and a vulgar one into the bargain.” A man with a scolding wife, on being asked what he did for a living, replied that be kept a hot-house. [From the Atlanta Intelligencer. GEORGIA. LEGISLATURE. Tuesday, February 23. SENATE. The Benate met pursuant to adjournment. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Adams. The roll being called and there being a quo rum present, the Secretary read the Journal of yesterday. RECONSIDERED. Mr. Burns moved to reconsider a bill to bring on a settlement with the former Treas urer and Comptroller General, aud the present Treasurer. Motion prevailed, the bill was amended, and recommitted to the Finance Committee. HOUSE BILLS ON THIRD READING. To incorporate the Americus Manufacturing Company and the Fort Valley Manufacturing Company, and for other purposes, amended. Passed. SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY. A bill to be entitled an aet to establish a sys tem of public instruction. Mr. Nunnally moved to lay the bill on the tahle for the present. Lost. Mr. Nunnally moved to refer the bill back to the Commettee on Education. Withdrawn. Mr. Moore moved to postpone action on the bill until Saturday. Lost. Mr. Candler moved that the bill be indefi nitely postponed. Lost. Mr. Nunnally moved an amendment to first section. Lost. The bill was then taken up and voted on by sections, when the hour arrived for reading Senate bills first time. Mr. To incorporate the city of Cov ington. Mr. Lester—To incorporate the Working men’s Mutual Relief Association of Georgia. Also, to incorporate the People’s Insurance and Banking Company. Mr. Smith, of the 36lh—To amend an act ex tending the charter of the Atlanta & West Point Railroad Company. Mr. Wellborne—For the relief of Mrs. Nancy Ingram. Mr. Adkins—To prevent homicide, and for other purposes. HOUSE BILL ON FIRST READINO. To lend credit of the State to the Memphis Branch Railroad. To legalize the election of justices in certain districts of Ware county. To incorporate the town of Kingston. To amend an act changing lines of Crawford and Worth. To ameud section 12 of the act to set aside homestead, by inserting “and the children of a deceased husband by a former marriage.” SENATE BILLS SECOND READING. To change times of bolding Superior Courts in Glynn. To incorporate the City Bank of Albany. To authorize Robert Grant, of Fnlton county, to peddle without lioense. A bill to change the liue between the counties of Bartow and Gordon. Senate adjourned. HOUSE. House met at 10 a. m.—Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Crumley. journal read and approved. Rules were suspended that the House might take up the following bills : A bill to incorporate the Trion Railroad Company. Passed and transmitted to the Senate. A bill to incorporate St. Mariah’s Lodge, No. 260, in Walker county. Passed and transmit ted to the Senate. The educational bill being the unfinished busi ness of yesterday, was takeu up. Mr. Soott, of Floyd, thought the State of Georgia too impoverished to inaugurate this school system at present. He read an article (6th) from the constitution, which article re quired the establishment of a thorough school system, and stated that the establishment of such a system would cost ten millions of dollars and necessarily bankrupt the State. The article, provided that the Legislature should establish a system of public instruction at its first session after the adoption of the con stitution, and no provisiou having been made lor schools last session, Mr. Scott claimed that the State was relieved from all obligation re ferred to. He moved to lay the bill on the table, as the scheme was Impracticable, which motion was lost. Mr. Shumate —A resolution referring the bill and substitute to a joint committee of three from the Senate and five from the House.— Adopted, and resolution transmitted to the Senate. On motion or Mr. Shumate, the House went into a committee of the whole, (Mr. Harper, of Terrell, in the Chair), on the land and im migration bill, the same being the special order for to-day. After some discussion the com mittee of the whole arose aud reported the bill back to the House without amendment. Mr. Duncan moved to lay the bill on the table. Motion prevailed. Mr. Williams, of Morgan—A resolution to give tax collectors power to garnishee em ployers for taxes due by their employees. Not taken np. The House took up the report of the com mittee on the bill to levy and collect a tax tor the. support of the government during the year 1869. On motion of Mr. Hudson, the bill was taken up by sections. The report of the committee, as amended, was agreed to, and the bill was read the third time and passed. The bill incorporating the Americus Manu facturing Company was taken np, the Senate amendments thereto concurred in, and the hill sent back to the Senate. BILLS ON THIRD READING. A bill to authorize the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company to loan inouey to, and en dorse bonds of, the Macon and Augusta Rail road Company. Passed. A bill to define the liabilities of sheriffs and other ministerial officers in certain cases.— Passed. Mr. Duncan —A resolution requiring the Fi nance Committee to report the general appro priation bill by Thursday next, and excusing said committee until that time. A bill to appropriate money to James E. McGuire, for damages sustained while in the employ of the State Road. Reported back without amendment,and indefinitely postponed. A bill to amend the charter of the town of Sandersville. Passed. On motion of Mr. Williams, of Morgan, a message trom the Governor was taken up aud read. His Excellency returned, without his appro val, the bill to briug on an election in the city of Oolnrabus. Mr. Grimes moved to take up the bill, in or der to pass it over tbe Governor’s veto. Mo tion prevailed. Pending the discussiou of the above bill the hour of adjournment arrived, and the House adjourned. [Special Dispatch to the Courier. South Carolina Legislature. Columbia, February 23. SENATE. Hayne introduced a resolution to adjourn sine die March 4th. Laid over until to-morrow. Amim introduced a bill to re-ebarter the bridge across Savannah river at Hamburg. The following bills were rend a second time and ordered to be engrossed : A bill to provide a lien on buildings and lands to parties furnish ing labor and materials therein ; a bill to re charter Youngiver’s F* rry. The following bills were passed and sent to the House: A bill to further amend acts incorporating the South Carolina University. A bill to regulate the distillation Os liqnors. A bill to incorporate the Wateree and North Carolina Railroad Company. The bill to renew the charter of the Charles ton Ancient Artillery Society was passed, its title changed to an act, and ordered to be en rolled. HOUSE. The following bills were introduced : By Dennis —A bill to incorporate the Charles ton Loan Company : By Stoeher—A hill to amend an act incorpo rating the village of Marion. A resolution from the Senate to adjourn sine die on the 25th instant was tabled. Ferriter presented a memorial from the citi zens of Cneraw in favor of granting aid to the Chatham Railroad Company. The following bills were passed and sent to the Senate: A bill to incorporate the Carmel Church in Pickens county. J A bill to renew the charter of the ferry across the Congareft river. A bill to provide for the revision and con solidation of the statnte laws of the gtate was read a second time and ordered to be en grossed. End of the Spoils Ppan.—Oar ancestors of not the most honorable memory held that “to the victor beloogs the spoils.” This was a fig ure drawn from tho experiences of war, bnt of war in an age that did not understand the trae spirit that gives power to armies. Grant be longs to an age that knows something better, and he of all men is well aware that nothing is so powerful in the rnin of an army as spoil.— The army that plunders cannot be kept togeth er. Grant, therefore, will not demoralize his party by any scramble for fat places, lie will not remove those who opposed him or appoint those who favored him. He will act from no party reason, but from “the necessities of the service.”—.V. Y. Herald. The Atlanta Constitution says a railroad is projected between Hell’s Half Acre and Go pberville. Elegant localities, judging by the names. The Southern Press Association. The second day wa3 devoted to receiving and discussing the report of the business commit tee. In pursuance to the recommendations of the report, tbe following gentlemen were ap pointed to put in shape the designs of the con vention : James Gardner, of the Augusta Con stitutionalist. ; J. A. Englehard, Wilmington uoumal; W. W. Screws, Montgomery Advir tiser ; Joseph Clisby, Macon Telegraph ; F. W. Dawson, Charleston Netes. , At the session of the convention on Friday the committee made the fol owing report, which, after Some discussion, was adopted : The committee to whom was referred (lie consideration of the whole subject of te'e graphic news service, report the following as the chief objections to thesystem now in force: 1. The territory represented in this conven tion pays about 150,000 annually to the New York Associated Press for telegraphic news, which 850,000 is not in any way controlled by the Southern Press Association, bat is collect ed and remitted by the local agents of the New York Associated Press. 2. The New York Associated Press claim the right to admit, and has admitted, papers to the benefit of the Southern news system without the consent of tbe Southern Press. 3. This Association has no control whatever over the appointment of local agents. 4. The press dispatches of members of this Association may be cut off at any time, at the arbitrary wilt of the New Yoik Associated Press. 5. The assessment and tolls may be, and have been, increased at will by the New York Asso ciated Press, so that the Sonthern Press have been uncertain as to what would be tbe cost ot their dispatches, and have been subjected to nnnsua] and unjust exactions. Your committee, therefore, respectfully re commend : 1. That this Association contract as a body tor obtaining the telegraphic news which its members require, and pay for the same through its financial agent or treasnrer. 2. That the Executive Committee assess tbe amount to be paid weekly lor telegraphic news by each member of this Association. S. That this convention protest against the exercise by the New York Associated Press of the assumed right to admit new papers to the privilege of receiving its Southern, tele graphic news, and claim that the right belongs exelnsivety 10 the Southern Press Association. 4. That the Southern Press Association claim the right of nominating the local telegraphic news agents within Us territory, and that the power of appointing them be vested in tbe Executive Committee. 5. That the Executive Committee be author ized and instructed to negotiate with the New York Associated Press, or the Western Union Telegraph Company, or with other companies, and to contract for the supplying of telegraphic news to this Association upon snch terms and in such a manner as will prevent the continu ance of the glaring evils of which complaint is made. Respectfully submitted. On motion of Mr. Englehard, the following dispatch was read, from Mr. Orton of the Western Union Telegraph Company : New York, February 18, 1869.—T0 A. R. Lamar, President Southern Press Association : This company is always ready to negotiate witli the Press, either associated or separately, for the transmission of commercial, political and general news for publication. Wm. Orton, President. The convention then proceeded to the elec tion of officers. Mr. Steele moved that the provision of the constitution which provides that the election of officers shall be by ballot be suspended, and the officers lie elected by acclamation. Ctrried. Mr. Englehard moved that Colonel Lamar lie nominated for the office ol President. Carried. Col. Lamar was re-elected. Mr. M. J. Williams, of the Selma Times was, on motion of Mr. Carr, nominated lor Vice- President and elected. Mr. Reese was re-elected Secretary and Trea surer. The following gentlemen were elected as a Board of Directors for the ensuing year : Mr. Dawson, of South Carolina; Mr. Engle hard, of North Carolina'; Mr. Gardner, of Geor gia ; Mr. Screws, of Alabama; Mr. Ramage, of Tennessee; Mr. Armstrong, of Mississippi. The President read a letter from Mr. O. E. Hall, of the St. Charles Hotel, extending nn invitation to the members ot the convention to be his guests, should they visit New Orleans. Mr. Screws moved that the Secretary be au thorized to transmit a letter of thanks to*.Col. Hall for his invitation. Carried. Mr. Steele asked leave to withdraw a motion submitted by him at a previous meeting.— Granted- Mr. Forsyth, on bnlmlf of the Board of Trade, presented an invitation to I lie convention that their next anuual meeting be held in this city. Mr. Limnr (Mr. Steele in the. chair) took ttie floor, and in a neat speech tliankinir the Board of Trade lor tlieir invitation, but thought It was imposing on good nature to accept the invita tion tendered by Mr. Forsyth ; and while rdl liis feelings led to the acceptation of tbe Boaed of Trade’s invitation, his .judgment leaned another way, he therefore moved that the Board of Di rectors lie authoriz 'd to name the next place of raeeiiti'. Mr. Clislvy moved Lhat Mobile be the next point of meeting of this Association. Mr. Lamar moved that Mr. Clisby’s motion be indefinitely postponed. Lost. Mr. Gurduer moved to amend Mr. Clisby’s motion, that the place for the next annual meet ing of this eouvention be left to the Board of Directors, with the expression of the souse of this eouvention that it would be agreeable lor the convention to meet at Mobile. Carried. Mr. Englehard offered the following resolu tion which was unanimously adopted : Resolved, That the thanks of this Association are due, and are hereby tendered, to the Board of Trade, to the members of the Manassas Club, the Mobile Fire Department, and to the citi zens of Mobile generally, (or the exceeding kindness of their greeting, and for the generous and large-hearted hospitality with which they have entertained ihc members of the Southern Press Association. Mr. Dawson moved that when this conven tion adjourn it adjourn to meet at 1 o’clock to morrow. Carried. Mr. Randal! offered the following resolution which was unanimously adopted : Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be tendered to the officers of the Wilmington and Weldon, Wjimiugton and Manchester, the South Carolina, Georgia, Atlanta and West Point, West Poiot and Montgomery, Mont gomery and Mobile, Mobile and Ohio, Selma and Meridian, Selrua, Rome and Dalton Rail roads, for their courtesy in furnishing passes to delegates. Mr. Garduer offered the following resolu tion. Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be tendered to the President, Col. A. R. Lamar, as an evidence ol their appreciation of the dignity, courtesy, and ability with which he has discharged the arduous duties of his position. Which was unanimously adopted. Col. Lamar, in a few remarks, thanked the convention for the compliments tendered him. Mr. Dawson offered itie following resolution, which was adapted: Resolved, That the thanks of ties Association be returned to the Secretary and Treasurer, A. W. Reese, Esq., lor the rapidity, skill and fidelity with which lie has discharged the difficult duties ol his office. Mr. Englehard offered the following resolu tion, which was adopted : Resolved, That we return onr thanks to the reporters of the Mobile Register and Tribune for the accuracy and completeness with which they have reported the proceedings of the Association. The following was offered by Mr. Walsh, which was adopted: Resolved, That the thanks of the Association be tendered to tbe Western Union Telegraph Company for courtesies extended the members of this convention in allowing tbe use of the wires for the transmission of social and family messages. The following resolution was offered by Mr. Reese, which was adopted : Resolved, That tbe tb inks of ibis convention are specially due and are hereby tendered to Capt. Baldwin, of the steamer Annie, for the kind offer of his boat Air the excursion down the bay, acceptod this morning, and which was so greatly enjoyed hy this Association. Mr. Steele moved that ihe Secretary prepare and be authorised to publish two hundred copies of the proceedings o| the convention. — Carried. The convention then adjourned. The convention inetnt 1, p. tc., pursuant to adjournment—the members of the Board of Trade being present by invitation. The reading of the minutes of the last meet ing was dispensed with. Col. Lamar then stated the object of the meeting, as follows: Mr. President of the Board of Trade : The contention oyer which j have the honor to preside desire me to express thpir sincere thanks to you, and through you to the mem bers of the Board of Trade and to the people ot Mobile, for the manifold and munificent kindness, hospitality and courtesy which we have received, collectively ag well as indjvldpal ly. Nearly all of ns came here strangers to you and your people, and wc can only Bay we leave here adding another link in the gratefnl memories of onr lives. We recollect the history of Mobile in time past when she was justly styled the Queen of the Gulf, and no city stood higher for the liber ality and hospitality of her people, and the en terprise, prosperity and energy of her mer chants- We reeollect in those dark and dreary days, when nought save n fishing smack or a Government steamer, carrying supplies to the garrisons, appeared in yonr beautiful bay, save nowand then daring the darkness of the night, when a stealthy blockader would silently pass out, carrying a few locks of the “ Hoary King” to foreign parts. In those days we recollect. sir how tbe peonle of Mobile ban Jed together, and stood firm a'nd faithful to their brethren of the Bouth. On the excursion yesterday down this same bay, we saw a portion of your merchant navy ; and even when lighted up by the battle fires from the fleet oi the gallaut Buchanan, tbe bay never shown brighter than on this occasion, being lighted up with the bright eyes of Mobile’s fair daughters. 1 am deputed to make you a testimonial, and if we had presented you one in value proportionate and in keeping with our feelings and the hospitality which we have re ceived, why, sir, it would bankrupt the whole Southern Press. Col. L. T. Woodruff 1 , President of the Board of Trade, replied, thanking the President for the complimentary manner in which he had spoken of Mobile and her people, and the con vention for the testimonial which will be re tained by the Board of Trade as a remembrnnce of the meeting of the Southern Press Associa tion in Mobile, which afforded him and the members of the Board of Trade aud other citi zens tbe opportunity of making the acquaint ance of so large a number of the gentlemen of the Southern Press. He asked that the President and the gentlemen of the convention would carry to their respective cities and their merchants the highest regards and compli ments of the Mobile Board of Trade; and in conclusion wished the members of the conven tion a happy and pleasant return home. Major Steele then stated that the object of tbe session having beeu accomplished, be moved that the convention adjourn, subject to the call of tbe President and Board of Direc tors. The present was a pair of silver goblets lined with gold and inscribed as follows: “ Presented to The Mobile Board of Trade by x tfe Southern Press Association, Mobile, February 20,1869. Commercial Independence, and the Freedom of the Press. In these signs we Conquer.” After tbe presentation the members of the two Associations joined in a friendly glass of champagne at the Old Arcade. Thus ended one of the most pleasant reunions that we have ever had the good fortune to attend. Georgia Items. Tax Returns of Baker County.—W. L. Spurlin, Esq., the popular and efficient receiver of tax returns of Baker county—who is neither a carpet-bagger nor Radical—sends us the fol lowing statement as the returns lor 1868 : Number of white polls 237 Number of professions 14 Number of negro polls 201 -• Number of acres of land 170,893 Valued at $269,833 Total amount of property $482,699 This is a remarkable exhibition of one of the l ost landed counties, and, before emancipation, one of the wealthiest counties in the State. The land, it will be seen—some of which used to be cheap at twenty aud thirty dollars—is valued, on an average, at one dollar and fifty six cents per acre.— Bainbridge Argus. Decatur county scrip brings ninety cents on the dollar. That’s ahead of Chatham consider ably. A young lady liv'yig in tbe country adjacent to Atlanta, has four suitors, aged respectively thirteen, eighteen, thirty-five and sixty. She is tweuty-four, and has the haul’ seasons to choose from. Muscogee county roads are so bad that the Columbus Sun says it requires the united strength of six oxen to draw a bale of cottou to that city. Columbus has eleven privates and two cap tains ot police. The force costs the city $8,040 a year in the way ot salaries. Marietta lias an old fire engine which the Council is going to have repaired to start a fire department with. The dead body of a white man, in a state of decomposition, was found iu the woods near Warrenton last week. Many of the country papers were so occu pied in acknowledging the receipt, ot valeutines that they forgot to pul in any news items last week. The Georgian says that there was never be fore so much freight trausportaliou to Griffin as now. John’s Mountain, near Dalton, has been dis covered to be a mass of coal. There are three cotton factories at Columbus, and another about to he started. That’6 the. right sort of reconstruction. Columbus is to have a municipal election, but it don’t know exactly when. Rev. Grouby, o( the Early County News, an nounces it a< his opinion that Jobu Wilkes Booth is not dead. The Atlanta papers want some good local ed itors. Sparta talks of having anew Catholic church. 30,000 mutes have been shipped over the Western and Atlantic Road since October Ist, 1868. The LaGrange Reporter is endeavoring to awaken the people of that section to the im portance of building a railroad from that point to Columbus. [Prom the Southern Banner. Walton Court. We spent two days at Monroe during the early part of the present week. Up lo the time we left on Wednesday nothing of general inter j cst was done. Judge Knight, of the Blue Ridge Circuit, was present, and presided in several cases in wfiicli Judge Davis was interest ed before his elevation to the bench. THE LEGISLATURE DENOUNCED. On Tuesday a meeting was held to denounce the extravagance of tbe Legislature, and to ask that body to adjourn. Judge B. Sheats presid ed, and Judge A. B. Whit.hcnd acted as Se cretary. Colonel Thurmond made a short speech, reviewing the reckless waste of money by the Legislature, in protracting their session to an unprecedented extent; in demanding $9, a day for about three hour’s service; in em ploying 50 clerks ; in having already consumed over $300,000, which is wrong lrom an im poverished people, while they have done little ( or nothing of interest or importance. He especially condemned the failure to provide a general jury bill, and to manifest, in some way, an interest, in immigration. He closed by call ing upon the people of Walton, and of every other county in the State, to meet and condemn the shameful action of the Legislature aud call on them to adjourn-. A committee was appointed to prepare reso lutions for the action ot he meeting. The fol'owing resolutions were reported : [We returned too late to publish the resolu tions this week. | Without further discussion the resolutions were unanimously adopted, and ordered to be published in the Athens, Augusta and Atlanta papers. PERBONAL. Among the attorneys present we noticed Hon. N. G. Foster, 001. J. A. Billups, and Col. Isham Fannin. A Bridal I’arty in Arkansas Attacked nr Negro Militia—Several Persons Kill ed and Wounded.— Little Rock, February 17. —lntelligence of a frightful outrage, perpe trated near Pine Knob, in Johnson county, has just reached this city. Invitations had been sent out for several days to a wedding which was to take place on Fri day night last. The parties were highly re spectable, the bride being a young and beauti ful girl, niece of one of the former Judges of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. Just after the company had assembled, and before the marriage ceremony was performed, a company of negro militia, commanded by a white man, the place, and, putting out I lie lights, laid violent hands on the tedies. The gentlemen present were fortnnately not without arms, and after a sharp fight they drove the marauders off. .A sister of the bride was seri ously, and perhaps mortally, wounded. Four of the militia were shot in the melee. Tbe af fair created great excitement, and the people turned out. in pursuit. The Radicals say the object of the negroes was not rape, but that they wanted to arrest a man. Gov. Clayton continues to declare that he will do nothing, saying that the negroes may do as they please. His object seems to be to provoke disturbance as an excuse for his acts of Executive violence. [Louisville Courier-Journal. A fellow who has been shaved in China says that the barber first stropped the razor ou his leg, and then did the shaving without any lather. The customer remonstrated, but was told that lather was entirely useless, and had a tendency to make the hair stiff and tough, and was, therefore, uever used by persons who had any knowledge of the fape and its appendages. After tbe beard b(d been faken off—and }t was done in a very short time—the barber took a long, sharp, needle-shaped spoon, and began to exarqine his customer’s ears. He brought up from nupierous littfe crevices bits of wax and dirt that bad been accumulating since child hood. The barhei' suddenly twjsted his sub ject’s neck to one side in sneh a manner that it cracked as if tbe vertebrae had been dislocated. “ Hold on !” shouted the party, alarmed for the safety of his neck. ** AH right,” replied the tonsor, “ me no hurt you and he continued to jerk and twist the until it was limber as an old woman’s d)sh rag. He then fell tq beat ing the back, breast, arms and side 6 with his fists, and pummelled the muscles until they fairly glowed with the beating they had re ceived. He then dashed a oucket of cold water over tis man, dried the skin with towel 6, and declared that fils work was done. Price, two cents. BY TELEGRAPH. [Special Dispatch to the Constitutionalist. Georgia Legislature* Atlanta, February 24. The Senate consumed most of the morning in continuation of the discussion and perfec tion of tbe education bill. Au amendment was adopted that each district in which a school was located should provide the school house with fuel, lights, <&c. A section providing, that by a-vote, white and colored children could be sent to the same school, wns strickcu out. — Adkins gave notice that lie would move to re consider the same, liigbee contending strongly that we had no right to deprive any person from sending to whatever school he chose.’ He had the right to invite colored persons into his house on social equality. The thing would govern itself aud cannot be debarred by law. The section as amended reads : But children of the white and colored races shall not be allowed to he taught together in any district in the State. The bill passed—yeas 20 ; nays 15. Fears are entertaiued that the House will re ject the bill. Hence the motion of Candler to transmit was lost, he being in opposition.. The House was engaged in the consideration of tlie hill vetoed in reference to municipal elections in Columbus and Milledgeville. The veto was sustained—yeas, 65 ; nays, 37. Endeavors were made frequently to suspend the rulos for various purposes, but lost. The hill to exempt foreign capital engaged iu manufactures lrom taxation passed—yeas, 97 ; nays, 2S. The bill iu reference to the removal of the Capital was referred to a special committee. The report of the committee on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, appointed to examine the general management ot the same, is said to be very voluminous, aud will be read to-mor row. [Associated Press Dispatches. "W ashington. Washington, February 24—Noou. The Reconstruction Committee is consider ing the Senate amendments to the disability hill, and makintr slow progress. Shackelford, of Virginia, was stricken from the list. Judge Parker, of Virginia, whom Sumner calls altro cious, was retained by a vote of 4 to 3, Bing ham voting yea. Nothing important in either House. Washington, February 24—F. M. It is believed that Grant will notify his Cabi net oflicci’R between now and Monday. Cushing’s treaty for a Rhip canal over the Isthmus of Darien was favorably considered in the Senate by the Committee on Foreign Rela tions. Colonel Parker, of Indian descent, and here tofore on General Grant’s staff, is prominent as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Sherman is expected on Friday next. Sheridan will succeed Sherman as Lieutenant General. Grant’s Cabinet, it is conceded, will consist of moderate Republicans. The Globe continues to publish Congression al debates. Schenck’s bill, to strengthen the public credit by pledging the faith of the Government to pay the bonds in gold or its equivalent, passed the House by 119 to 6. The body ot the unfortunate Capt. Wirz, ex ecuted for allesred outrage as keeper of Confed erate prisons, was delivered lo his friends. Senator Wilson introdrfeed a hill regarding Mississippi, providiler lor the abrogation of the provisional government and the instaction of officers elected a, the recent election, with a provision tliit where a person elected could not take the required oath, the office should de volve upon the person receiving tbe next high est vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee resolved lo take no further action this session on removals ot political disabilities. The Reconstruction Committee made but lit tle progress to-day in considering the Senate amendments to the House bill relieving politi cal disabilities. The impression is strong that nothing more will he done this session, the House being cer tain to erase some names which will require the bills to return to the Senate for concurrence. Both Houses cnucus Tuesday next, regard ing officers for the ensuing session. Any fur ther business in either House is regarded as improbable. The managers of eauensses earnestly urge new members to be present. Congressional. Washington, February 24. Senate.—The Judiciary Committee asked to he discharged from the consideration of several bills, memorials and papers regarding Con gressional interference with Georgia. The Committee on Commerce was discharged from the consideration of various hills. Several amendments to the army apnropria tion hill were adopted, involving its return to the House lor concurrence. The MaGarrahsn case was discussed to recess. House.—Beyond what is reported elsewhere, entirely unimportant. Virginia. Richmond, February 25. Tyler, a colored porter, was arrested, charged with poisoning his wife, who died this morn ing. It appears that Tyler had ravished his step-daughter, and his wife was cognizant ol the fact, and was poisoned out of the way by him. North Carolina. Raleigh, February 24. The House passed the revenue bill to-day. It, will pass the Senate in a few days. It is said to he ample for a'l demands of the current year. The Senate is engaged on the school bill. The Supreme Court adjourns on Monday. Tennessee. Chattanooga, February 24. The Tennessee River Convention, comprising delegates lrom Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania, met ■at 10 o’clock. Gov. Patton, of Alabama, temporary chairman spoke a short time, calling the attention of the convention to the vast importance of the great object for which they had met, and gave some in forma l ion about the work already done on the river, repeating efforts had been made from time to time to improve the navigation. Temporary secretaries were appointed from the several Modes represented. Kirby, of Tennessee, on the committee of two from e tch Stale on perm anent orgauiz ilion, was appointed, and Wilder ami Rntllhurn, oi Tennessee. Oil the call ot States. 176 i'e!<!4it. s reported present. While til 1 committee on orgauiz • ti ■ >u were out, Gaw, Engineer of the Tennessee River Im proverucni, was cited for, »nd for h.lt' oi hour he poured forth facts and figures (■■•nneeted with the improvement ot the rim r, lo ivhieli the convention listened with great all, nuon The committee on orgauiz .tion reported for permanent officers : Gov. Bullock, ot G, orgia, President; Vice-President and Secretaries from tbe other States ; Vice-Presidents from Ten nessee—Chamberlain, Byrd, and Divine ; Sec retaries, Kirby and Kendrick. On taking the chair, Bullock read his acknowl edgements for the honor conferred. The committee of three fiom each State on resolutions, namely : 001. F. Young, Genera 1 Wheeler, Ratnage and James, Tennessee. A letter was read from Gov. Brownlow, ap proving the convention and expressing his in terest and sympathy in the objects of tbo moot ing, promising to use his best efforts to secure a sufficient appropriation for the completion of the proposed improvement The convention met at 2 o’clock. The committee on resolutions reported through Col. Gaskill, of Georgia. The resolutions recite the feasibility of the proposed improvement iu the Teunessee river at a moderate cost, as demonstrated by the re port of Generals Hamphreys, Weitzel and Gaw. The United States census shows that its opening to navigation is demanded by large mercantile and popular meetings in various portions of the United States, and calls the at tention of Congress to the importance of the work to-lie done, and resolves that a committee of three he appointed to memorialize Congress on the subject. After offering tbe resolution, Oaskill dwelt nt some length on the importance to the State of Georgia of the opening of the river. The report was adopted. Gaw, Barrow and fatten ycre appointed as the committee'to tnemornliite (Jongreig. Boknm, Immigration Commissioner for Ten nessee, addressed the convention on tbe subject of immigration, as connected with cheap trans portation over routes. Gep. \yildcr addressed the convention, re lating bis sqccessfnl experience in manufactur ing iron frotp ray ijnt} pay cqa], in Roau coqu tv, Tennessee. By a unanimous yote, Wilder was added to the committee to memorialize Congress. An Executive Committee was appointed tp conduct the business of the convention during the recess. Hulbert and Gaskill, of Georgia, and Pattoq and Q’Neaj, of Alabama, with Governors of States represented, were added to the Executive Committee. Adjourned to meet at call of the Executive j Committee. I Louisiana. Naw Orleans, February 24. Chief Justice Ludeling, of the Supreme Court, to-day delivered an opinion reversing the decisiou of the Seventh District Court, that the one per ccut. tax was unconstitutional, and dissolving the injunctions against the collec tion of the tax. * A large fire occurred at two o’cloek this morning, in Camp street, opposite the Times newspaper office, destroying Heath’s house fur nishing store, and badly damaging John W. Madden’s slatioucry and Burrey’s grocery house, the upper stories of which were occu pied by photographers, book bluders, aud as offices. Loss, SIOO,OOO on stocks, two-thirds insured. The buildings were owned in New York and fully insured. Foreign. [by cable.] Madrid, February 24. The provisional government has retired.— The Cortes eutrust Serano with tbe formation of a Cabinet. Cabellera de Phoda succeeds Dulce at Havana. Constantinople, February 24. Hostilities between the Turks and Russians is suspended. Havana. Havana, February 23. Three thousand troops depart inland to morrow. City quiet. The rebels are burning plantation’s in Villa Clara and Jaquay Districts. The expedition against Guanaja consists of twenty-five hundred men, including cavalry. A decree which has just been issued imposes an export duty, from March first, of fitty cents per box and one dollar and a quarter per hogs head on sugar; dollar per bale on tobacco ; silty cent per thousand on cigars ; five per cent. In creas on import duties, twenty per cent, on in ternal taxes; proceeds to secure eight million dollars. Dulce assures the volunteers of a vigorous campaign against rebels in arms. Salutes iu honor of Washington’s birth day frightened the people. The Insurgents live off the inhabitants, pre fering to live off tbe Spaniards. Marine News. Charleston, February 24. Arrived —Schrs. Frank and Emily, from Car denas, and W. H. Steele, from Baracoa. Sailed—Steamers Jas. Adger, for New York, and Prometheus, for Philadelphia ; schrs. S. T. Baker, for Providence; Shiloh, for Baltimore; Ida Richardson, for New York ; Nellie Carr, for West Indies. Savannah, February 24. Arrived—Steamers Huntsville and San Jacin to, from New York. Cleared—Ship Nonpariel, for Liverpool. Below —A bark. Wilmington, February 24. Arrived—R. P. Clyde, from New York, and Gary, from Baltimore. Markets. FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. Liverpool, February 24—Noon. Cotton quiet: uplands, 12@12%; Orleans, 12%@12% ; sales, 10,000 bales. London, February 24—Noon. Consols unchanged. Bonds, 79. Common Rosin, 6s. 6d. Sugar dull on spot and afloat. Liverpool, February 24—Aiternoon. Cotton flat; uplands, 12; Orleans, 12%; sales, 7,000 bales. Liverpool, February 24—Evening. Cotton declining; uplands, 12; Orleans, 12%; sales, 7,000 bales; Bombay shipments to 19th, 33,000 hales. Turpentine, 325. New York, February 24—Noon. Pacific Mail weak ; other stocks strong. Ex change, 9%. Gold, 132%. ’62’s, 14% ; North Caroiinas, 63 ; new, 58% ; Virginias, ex cou pon, 57 ; new, 61; Tennessres, ex coupon, 63%; new, 60% ; Louisianas, 73% ; Levees, 69%. New York, February 24—P. M. Governments closed strong aud advancing ; ’62’s, 15. Money continued easy to the close at 5%. — Sterling quiet at 9. Gold declined to 132% dur ing the afternoon, but closed nt, 132%@133. Southern Securities weaker ; Tennessees, 66%; new, 65% ; North Caroiinas, new, 59% ; Lou isiana Levees, 67% ; Georgia 7’s, 93. Stocks generally firm. New York, February 24—Noon. Flour s@lo lower. Wheat dull and drooping. Corn dull and a shade lower. Pork firmer ; new Mess, s3l 75@31 87%. Steam Lard steady ; barrels, 18%@19. Cotton a shade easier at. 29% @29%. Turpentine quiet and steady at 55. lioain unchanged at $2 45@2 50. Freights quiet. New York, February 24—P. M. Colton dull and %@% lower; sales, 1,300 bales at 29%@29%. Flour dull; superfine and State, $5 76; city, $5 ; common to fair extra Southern, $6 40@6 95. Wheat heavy. Corn shade easier; new white Southern, 94@98. Pork firmer, with a moderate demand at s3l 75 @32. Lard firmer; kettle, 19%@19%. Whisky dull at 95. Rice dull. Sugar active and firm; Havana, 13@14%. Molasses quiet at. 87%@90. Freights firmer ; wheat, steam, 4%@4%. Baltimore, February 24. Virginia 6’s, oid inscribed, 50%; ’6G’s, 54; ’67’s, 51%; coupons, old, 57; new, 62; North Caroliuas, old, 63% ; new, 62. Cincinnati, February 24. Whisky in good demand, 93. Pork irregular; city sold at s3l 25 ; held at SB2. Bacon nomi nally unchanged ; shoulders, 14; clear sides, 17%; sugar cured hams active, 19%. Lard dull, held at 19%. St. Louis, February 24. Whisky—no buyers. Bulk meats firmer.— Bacon aud Lard, nothing doing. Wilmington, February 24. Spirits Turpentine % better. Rosin better at $1 80@3 75. Crude Turpentine, steady at $1 85@2 90. Tar, $2 95@3. Cotton quiet; middling, 27%. Mobile, February 24. Cotton—nothing done; receipts, 262 bales; exports, 3,669. New Orleans, February 24. Cotton—Demand light; %c. lower ; mid dling, 28% ; sties, 2,100 hales ; receipts, 3,750 ; exports, 3,040 hales. Gold. 132%. Sterling, 44%; Commercial, 42%@43%. Flour easier; SODerfine, $6 25 ; double extra, $7; tivhie ex tra, $7 37%. Corn easier at 82@85. Oats, 75. Bran unchanged. Hay unchanged. Mess Pork dull and declining—s3l 25. Bacon dull; shoulders, 14%; clear rib sides, 17; clear, 17%. Lard dull and unchanged. Sugar firm ; common, 12%@13; prime, 15% ; yellow clari fied, 16%@17%. Molasses firm, at 79@82%. Whisky and Coffee steady and unchanged. Savannah, February 24. Cotton quiet; transactions light; middling, nominally, 28% ; receipts, 657 hales ; exports to Liverpool, 3,298 bales. Weather clear mid cold; wind strong, W. N. W. Charleston, February 24. Colton opened steady but closed quiet; sales, 450 bales ; middling, 25%@28%; receipts, 919; exports coastwise, 1,288 bales. Augusta Market, Offich Daily Constitutionalist, ( Wsdnssday, February 24—P. M. s FINANCIAL GOLD—Buying at 135 and selling nt 137. SlLVEß—Buying at 130 and soiling nt 133. COTTON.—In consnqnencc of unfavorable advices from Liverpool and New York, the market lias ruled quiet all day with light offerings and few *«!» ; middling nominally, 27 M ; sales, 182 balee; receipts, 179 ba'es. BACON.—Stock large; light demand. We quote C. Sides, 20; C. It. Sides, 19%; B. B. Sides, 19; Shoulders, 16k@17; Haras, 17@28; Dry Salt Should ers, 15X ; Dry Balt C. R. Sides, 18(f. CORN—Supply large. White, (1 20; mixed, $1 16, from depot; in ear, $1 20. WHEAT-We quote white, $2 40@2 BO; rod, $2 @2 20. FLOUij.—Pity tyilU, (10 qo@l3 CjO ;at retail, $1 f barrel higher. Country, (10 00@12 00, according to qnailly. CORN MEAL—SIIS at wholesale, and $1 25 at re tail. OATS—(I 10@1 20. PEAS—Scarce atsl 2651 40. RYE—sl 75. wy ■ y, GEOR&I4 Weekly Press Contention.— The LaGrange Reporter, still pressing the pro ject for a convention ot the Georgia weekly press, suggests iiacon as the place and the 14th of March next as the t'.qle for tlje convention. We shall be pleased to sec the editorial frater nity of Georgia in this city, and doubt not the city authorities will take pleasure in providing thetp a plage ot meeting and the conveniences for (be transaction of their business. [Macon Telegraph. Local News. The Grand Orwu.—DEß Freyschutz.— Concert Hall contained another brilliant and highly appreciative audience last night, who enjoyed intensely the splendid Opera of Der Freyschutz. It has this interesting history: “ Among the superstitions with which the middle ages abounded, was one peculiar to that class of persons who were employed by owners of large tracts of forest to look after the limber, furnish game for the owner’s tabic and keep the ground clear of poachers, a class of regular huntsmen, who spent their whole life in the darkness of tbe old woods. This superstition was to the effect that there was an evil spir it abiding in the forest—an adaptation of the gen eral idea of the devil to the peculiar habit*, no tions and pursuits of the huntsman—layiug snares to gain the souls of honest hunters by the tempting offers of unerring bullets. On this is founded the story of the • Frelschutz,’ which name, literally translated Free-shooter, means a person who shoots with bullets, which, through the aid of magic and deviltry, always hit the mark. '* Some time during the seventeenth century there lived on the domains of Prince Ottokar, of Bohemia, close upon the border of the im mense forests of that country, an old, trusty forester, by the name ot Kuno. He was a widower, and had an only child, a daughter, who was, at the time when our story opens, just on the verge of womanhood. Agathe— this was her uarne—was betrothed to oue Max, a young hunter, in the employ of her Hither, loved by him like a son, and withal a young man of excellent qualities and well skilled iii his calling. Kuno desired to retire from his post, which was hereditary, but hating no son, he had requested the Prince to appoint his fu- ture son-in-law his successor in office. Tbe Prince had kindly consented, on condition that the young man should prove himself out a good marksman in a trial-shot, which wns to take place before the Prince in person. On the issue of this trial shot depended the union of the two lovers. Now by the secret influence of the evil spirit above mentioned, Max had for a couple of weeks before the appointed trinl dny beeu very unsuccessful in the chase. His eye and hand seemed to fail him ; the game escaped from him, unharmed by his bullets. — Nay, more: on the very evening before the trial-day, at a shooting match got up by the peasants of an adjoining village, he had not bit the target once, and had been the subject of merciless raillery from the peasantry. (First act, first scene. ) Dejected in spirit and filled with gloomy lorehodiiig*, the youth was left to his thoughts l>.y the merry crowd of villagers, who, when evening set. in, repaired to the vil lage inn to close tin; festival with a dance. “ Max had a comrade in service, named Cas par, a reckless, licentious, devil-may-care fel low, loved by none, shunned and suspected of evil practices by many, who lmd entered iut» a compact wiili tiie evil spirt. Zamiel. The lat ter was to supply Caspar with charmed bullets for a certain tune, at the close ot which Caspar was to yield life and soul to him. This com pact expired on the very day of Max’s ordeal, or trial of skill. Caspar, desirous of obtaining a respite from Znuiel, by bringing oue new victim, perhaps two within his reach, took ad van tare of Max’s Htate of mind after the un lucky shooting match, to force himself in his confidence. He dwelt upon his misfortune, his pqpr chance of success in the morrow’s trial, paiuted to him Agathe’s despair at his failing iu the most vivid colors, and finally threw out a hint that by the aid of magic bullets his success might be made a certainty. Max laughed at the 1 magic bullets,’ whereupon the other, scan ning the sky, and discovering an eagle at an immense height right above them, handed his rifle to him, and pointing up to the eagle, asked Max to shoot. Max took the rifle, aimed and fired, and to his amazement—for he knew the eagle to be quite out of the range of any rifle— the bird fell at his feet. He desired more of these enchanted bullets. Caspar had no more ; the last one had killed the eagle. But we can cast some, said he. Meet me in the Wolf’s Glen, an hour before midnight. Mix shud dered at the mention of tills plaee, and wavered. But the evil spirit already had a hold on him. He yielded, promised his comrade to be at the appointed place, and hurried off to bid a hasty • good night” to his beloved Agathe. “ Agathe had been haunted bv strange pre sentiments that some terrible disaster would attend her wedding day. The portrait of old Kuno’s ancestor, the first one who had filled the hereditary post, had tumbled down twice. The box sent from the milliner’s contained a black fhneral wreath instead of the myrtle wreath of white and green. In vain strove Anncheu, a young relative and friend of the ranger’s daughter, to impart some of her own cheerfulness to her sad friend. Agathe found comfort only in prayer. “Max had proceeded to the Wolf’s Glen at the appointed hour. Undaunted by apparitions which tried to impede his progress, he made his way to the magic circle, where Caspar was already, waiting for him. Caspar pronounced the incantation. Frightful apparitions crowded around, the air was filled witli unearthly noises, which increased ns the hour of midnight, drew near. At last sever, bullets were cast—the magic number. The clock struck midnight, and the spectres vanished. The two hunters divided the bullets—four fell to Max’s lot ; Cas par took three. Six out of these seven bullets would fly ns the will of the hunter directed them; but the seventh—that is, the last one fired—Ziniel reserves for himself, and directs it as be wills. This seventh bullet Caspar look care to leave to Max to fire, by quickly squan dering his owu threo bullets on small game, as soon as Max had got out of hearing distance. “On the trial-day Max had made three ex cellent shots, which so delighted the Friuee that he desired still new proofs of the superior marksmanship of the young hunter. Max grew concerned lest his stock should give out. He applied to Caspar for more; but he had none. At length the Prince consented to be sat isfied with one more shot. A white dove ho vered round a tree close by. “ Bring down the dove,” the Prince commanded. Max raised his rifle, which contained the fatal seventh bullet. “Do not fire! lam the white dove I” exclaimed Agathc, just approaching the scene. It was too late; Max fired. A loud shriek was heard from Agathe; she foil tainting in the arms ot her bridesmaids. But tlie bullet had not harmed her. She wore a precious relic about her person, which was proof to every charm. Z iruitl, defeated in his fell purpose, had then directed the bullet t.o the heart of Caspar, from whom loud groans and oaths were now heard to proceed. Max confessed liis credulity and folly, and was banished by the Prince. Here an auged hermit, whom every body liitfii 1 y revered, interposed in favor of Mux. ‘ Through him speaks Heaven,’, said the Prince, and yielded to Hie sentence he pro nounced. Max was to pass one ordeal-ycar, and then, if irreproachable, receive Agathe in marriage. The trial-shot was abolished for ever.” Marie Frederick as Agathe, had a very happy conception of the character, and played it vory charmingly. Clara Lang Zeigler, we thought, ns Annchen, very superior Indeed, and Him mer, iu Max, was even better to our taste than ns Diavolo. Weinlich plnyed Caspar in grand style, and elicited much applause. Er mitt, Ottakar, Kudo and Zamiel and Killian, personated bv Bach, Armand, Wiegand, Clare and Steinecke, were all good, hut we have no space for detail. The “Incantation Scene” was startling and beautiful and made an excel lent impression on the audience. To night will be presented that grand Opera of Gounod’s, Faust, which is acknowledged to be one of the best. Go early to secure good scats. The Knickerbocker.—Wc arc very mueh pleased to loam Hiat Mr, John L. Ells has been appointed by Mij. J. V. H. Allen, the efficient and popular geueru! agent oft lie above company, special agent tor the counties of Burke, Colum bia, Lincoln, Wilkes, Hancock, Warren, and Edgefield, S. C. The Knickerbocker is one of the best insurance companies in the United States, and has the credit of paying losses to Southerners on policius forfeited during the war, thus showing not only liberality but a higli sense of moral obligation in its managers. The assets of the company amount to five mil lions of dollars. We earnestly commend our friend Elis, and the company he represeats, to all our people everywhere. Thu Velocipede.—The far-ramed velocipede has at last made Its appearance in our city, and being a rapid traveler when properly Jireeled aud managed, it came very appropriately by way of the Southern Express Company. It has only two wheels, ope djroctly in front of thp other, and a small seat for the rider, but we di<} not seo any one unhitch it from the door of the office for the purpose of testing its good quali ties. ft was examined during the d»y by qrany of our citizens, all of whom seemed perfectly Willing to let the Hanlon’s try their skill In Its management, “Wiring in and wiring oat. . Leaving the peopltj »li in Whether the thing that |U» a nd« the t»ok going Nortfc or coning back. The Alarm op Fm*. on yestertjay, about hall-past one o’clock, was caused by a chimney taking Are near Concert Hall. Washington No. 1 and Georgia were the only engines opt, we learn, as the fire was extinguished without damage or trouble,
