Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1877, June 27, 1866, Image 1

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OLD SERIES, VOL. LXXV. Cipuirl? k li'iitinel. ♦ HENRY MOORE, V A. R. WRmGHT, k Bard Case. James Kagan, a ckizen <X South Carolina, who wiH arrested last fall and tried by a Hili-i tary Court for murder, aad sentenced to (serve a term of twenty years in the New York State jirir on at Utica, was, as our readers aro doubt* 1* - t aware, recently discharged from prison by order of Judge Nelson, Assistant Justice of the Supreme Court of the Ifnited States. Upon being role i- ■*!, Eagan returned to bis borne in South Carolina and quietly resumed his agrl cultural vocation. Iln thought, and so did the poop! * of the Mouth, that there was an end of his cm •, that at It ist no farther persecution or punishment would be attempted by the mili* tary authorities. The opinion of Judge Nel • fli/u, uiunii- wu tiqbihhed, upon the rights of I arruy or navy of the fruited States, was sound, cogent r.nd conclusive. We have not heard a single di- u entfoiis Judicial voice throughout the wliolo country as to the correctness of that de cision. It s eras, however, that (lie military authori ties in Ponth Carolina have caused this aged man to lie again arrested and imprisoned. We presnm/: that Cion. Sickles has decided that the d' l ision of Judge Nelson was wrong. What, then, will he do? Eagan has been tiied, con*, victed, sentenced, and his sentence approved by the power that ordered aud convened the pretended Court. By that sentence Eagan was ordered to serve twenty years in the prison at Utica. It is "very clear that the sentence can not now ho amended. He must be imprisoned, il at all, in the prison at Utica. It is equally clear that, so long as Judge Nelson sits upon tliu bench in New Yoik, Eagan cannot be kept in confinement under sentence of the South Carolina military commission. Gen. Sickles may arrest, confine and punish whosoever he pleases iu bis own Department, because the people there are denied the just protection of law ; hut when he attempts to punish his vic tims in the free State of New York, ho finds that his authority is disregarded aud ignored. Will lie attempt to try Eagan again? Will he even go so far as so change tho terms of tho original sentuuce, so far as relates to the place of punishment? It is true that, according to the decision of Judge Nelson and all other un prejudided Judges, he has as much right to cpnuji tho sentence now, as he had originally ■to try the case or pronounce the sentence. Gen Sipkles, wo believe, is a lawyer of some Btauding in his profession. Ho knows that by no rule of law, civil or military, can he chauge Kagan’s sentence. What then, we again inquire, does ho propose to do with this poor old man ? It would he worse than a mockery to send him back to Utica—he cannot older him elsewhere. Is the life of this old citizen to lie worn out and wasted away i:i the gloomy dungeons of the South Carolina military prisons, alter he has keen pronounced by competent judicial author ity not amenable to military law ? We invoke the power ot the President in bohalf of the * "rTgfft ‘dr ftltgirn (6 his fuir; free and perfect liber ty. It Is the duty ol the executive to see that the decrees and orders of the Judicial Depart ments ate enforced and obeyed. The United States District Court of tho Stute of Now York, has issued an order or judgment declaring that James Ergan was Improperly and illegally tried, and his sentence to confinement in prison was unlawful. The military commander In South Carotin i, in defiance of that judgment, has re arrested aud imprisoned the party. Will the Government at Washington remain a quiet spectator of this open dilianeo ot tho just au thority ot a co ordinate branch of the Govern ment, and see iis decrees trampled under foot by military chieftains, without punishment or rebuke? We think not. Hl.h Freights. We uro informed Hint produce can lie ship ped fiom Cincinnati and St. Louis to tliiß place by way of Baltimore and Savannah, at a cheap er rate than by the direct lino of Railroad— through Memphis, Naßhville and Atlanta. — Trade will take that direction almost entirely this (all we are reliably informed, if the rates of freights by the Railroad .lines West of us ure not materially reduced. We canuot see how produce can bo trans ported by rad a distance of six hundred miles from Cincinnati to Baltimore, shipped by water thence to Savannah, and then re-ahippod by rail 132 miles to this place,, tvs cheaply us it mbjiit be by rail direct from Cincinnati yia Nashville and Atlanta, a distance of about 800 miles. From St. Louis to Baltimore, the distances is over eleven hundred miles, to this city it is nine hundred and forty seven miles. Yet our'iu for aunt says produce can be lauded here from St. Louis via Baltimore and Savannah, cheaper than by the short direct line via Mouud City, Corinth aud Chattanooga. We call the attention of those controlling ou# Western Railroad con nection, to these statements, and would earn estly impress upon them the importance of an early and decided change in their freight tar iff. Not only, should the freights be reduced, but arrangements should be made at once to bring corn, wheat, flour, bacon, without break ing bulk ou the transit. The iuterost of the inland cities of the State_ absolutely require that the prico of freights from the West should be greatly reduced. It is quite as important to the railroad companies themselves, that a schedule ot charges be adopted which will cause a diversion of the immeuse traffic now seeking an outlet at Bal timore, to their owa shorter and more direct routes. Cotton Blocms —The Editor ct the Montgo mery Mail has been shown several large aud healthy cotton blooms, from different planta tions in that county, among them two very lines ones from the plantations of Messrs. Oadie, Miller & Graham, and from the Cham bers place, by Air. Glenn. The blooms were gathered on the 13;h of this month. Watermelons were offered for sale in the same city on the 14th at ? 1 it)each. Several meteoric stones fell at Nashville on the 12th, near the railroad depot. They were of a bluish color, aud were quite hot when j first discovered. Geologists say that nothing j similar has been found in any other part ot the | world. Oce speeimeu has been forwarded to ; Washington, and another to New York, for j further examination. A young lady being to!d that her lover was suddenly killed, exclaimed, “Oh. that splendid gold witcii ot bis 1 Give me that—give me something to remember him by At bis own request, made before his death, the remains of Gen. Scolt were wrapped in a large American flag made for him, in the spring ot 1881 hy a young lady of Washington. Result of the Strike in new York. The New York ship carpenters joiners and caulkers have for several mouths beeu on a strike to inaugurate the eight hour system. Tr,i= strike was so general that the ship-build ing interest came to almost a dead halt. The carpenters and joiners have at last returned to their work, having reduced themselves to utter want, and they find business disorganized and the chance for getting good wages worse than before. The caulkers still hoid out, hoping to derive means of support from their brother workmen, and they, unselfish and free hearted as mechanics ever are, will doubtless divide their hard earned wages with the«e ob stinate idlers, who, in the end, will “come down” and accept the situation as it is de fined by their employers. T hese collisions be tween labor and capital are unfortunate for the necessities of the laborer, sooner or later place him at disadvantage, and ho must yield to the interests of capital. This strike illus trates, on a large scale, the injurious tendency of such combinations, and ought to. impress it~ LftgllUiflQfe,as a lesson ui. owing colfiiteaee and «oa ference between laborers and their employers. It is to tho interest of employers to lender their operatives satisfied with their positions. A growling, discontented workman is a nuis ance. Therefore candid and reasonable re monstrance from workmen seldom fails to se cure reasonable concessions fiorr. employers. We rejoice that in this instance the employees have triumphed over the eight hour business. It is an absurd crotchet of a low reformers, led off by a few presses anxious to conciliate the working men, while it is full of mischief to the labor interest. Labor is the lever that is to relieve the necks of tho people from the yoke of heavy taxes and a paper currency, and it wore wiser to add to, than to take from, the productive energies of tho people, for a time, that the incumbus of debt be the more speedily removed. There fore let there be no more eight hour strikes, or other foolish collisions between labor and capital ; but let all unite for “a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether” until we get the wheel of iudustry lubricated and on the track of progress again. If the crazy humanitarians who aro always shrieking for somebodya’ redemption from this evil or that, would look in on the families of their dupes and see the care of anxious wives and hear the cries of hungry children, caused by these hopeless and foolish strikes, they might be induced to iet the working men alone, If they must have a hobby, we commend to them the suffering chickens and turtles, whom thty can take to their tender embraces without doing harm to anybody, and if applause is their object we have no doubt every chanticleer in the land will Bound their pruiscs, while the voiceless turtles will look whole volumes of gratitude. The Frccdmrn’s Bureau in Lrillln —The Freedmeu Denounce It. We have noticed the election, by the Freed* men of Griffin, of two anti-Eureau delegate- to tho Equal Rights’ Convention soon to be held in this city. The Griffin Star, of the 19th, says that quite an excitement was created the day before by the arrest of George Pitts and Hen derson Ikck, the delegates elected. It appears that tho disappointed candidates and their friends reported to the Bureau that George and Henderson had made remarks to their constit uents very disrespectful to the Bureau at Grif fin, which was the cause of tho arrest. The investigation drew a large audieuce, both white and black. The Deputy, who claimed to bo the “temporary President of the Bureau,” was disposed to carry things with a high hand, as ho denied to the prisoners the right to bo hoard throngh their counsel, Col. Normally, and also said he would “be damned” if he would allow the negroes to apeak disrespect fully ol his Bureau, or words to that effect; but he was rather overruled by City Marshal Johnson, who seems to have considerable au thority in this hermaphrodite court. The pris oners, however, seemed to be pretty well able to defend themselves, both making speeches, and posted with authorities, drawing rounds of applause from the audience. They declared that their remarks were not at the GuQiu Bureau in particular, but against the Bureau in general, and that they were willing to trust to the laws of the country and their old masters aud friends for justice, and thought the Bureau system, although well in tended ia the outset, had been abused, and had a tendency to create disturbances betweon the races, when it was to the interest of both white and black ‘hat they should all be friends. The .freed van who brought the charges either failed to appear, or gave different versions from the first reports to the Bureau, and George John son summarily dismissed the prisoners, who triumphantly retired amidst tho plaudits of their Iriends, who composed nine t< uths of the blacks, aud pretty much all the white people present. “War and Kumars ®l War.” If there is anything in the “war and rumors of war’’ theory, the world has never been near er a collapse than just now. The smoke of battle has scarcely been cleared the fields where Fenians and Kanucks met in dreadful conflict, upon the plains of Mexico, never yet free from hostile bands, the Mexicans are fighting Max aud the Imperialists. A little farther down on the map, we find the Peruvians waging dire war with the Spaniards, witli Chili to help. Then just over the way, the sons of Paraguay are measuring arms with those of Brazil and the Argentine Confederation. Dark war clouds hover over all Europe, aud from every quarter, iu that unsettled region, comes the cry : Pre pare for battle ! The life blood of Russians and Bokaharrlans is flowing in a commingled stream. The gongs of the armies of China have been brought into requisition to frighten off the Mangoiians aud the Tartars with whom Chinesemen are now at war, and last, bat not least, succeeding the shock of battle which rocked this country from centre to circumfer ence, comes the war between the defenders of the Constitution and the blatant, wicked - hearted dupes ot fanaticism. Surely, the end is fast approaching, and the day is not far dis tant when he that is on the housetop shall not come down to secure his household goods. A Friuhtfcl Accident. —A Paris Setter, says a frightful accident took place in that city in the latter part of May, on the premises of M. Anbin, the well-known manufacturer of fire-* I works. In consequence of an explosion at the 1 moment when all the woik people were occu ; pied, seventeen persons—twelve women and I five men- -met their death. The bodies were l extracted from the ruins in almost a carboniz led state One poor woman was found to have given birth to an infant at the moment of the accident. The circumstance has created a great sensation. The Emperor immediately sent five thousand francs to the families of*the sufferers. H®, afterwards drove in person to the scene of the disaster, and was enthusiasti cally greeted by the entire population of the neighborhood. LETTERS FROM NEW ORLEANS. New- Orleans, June 14, 1866. REPUDIATING THE POLITICIANS. The people here are repudiating politicians and giving more attention than at any previous period in the history of Louisiana to the mate rial development of he. vast resources. Our local elections are controlled less by ties of party allegiance than by a general disposition to elevate to official position the most worthy men, without reference to past political prefer ences. The late election of Gen. Harry T. Hays for Sheriff was a forcible illustration of the independence of a people in the selection of their public servants. That gentleman was opposed by the candidate of another organiza tion, an old party hack, who has twice been a regular office-sponger, but whom the voters al most unanimously repu iiated at the polls. BUSINESS OF THE CITY. The business of the city is better than usual at this season of the year, and the old custom of suspending active transactions during the summer mouths seems to be regarded as obso lete or unworthy a continuance. Oae steamer, brought in this morning from st. Louis iffTfif; sacks of com at barrels of flour. The Indiana, also from St. Louis, arrived this morning with 3,360 sacks of corn and 1,000 barrels oi pork, besides other freight, THROUGH FREIGHT AM) FAST FREIGHT. i! Much of this freight is intended for trans-ship ment, and is sent forward with the smallest possible delay to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York or Boston, by steamship lines making connections by through bills of lading, and at low rates of transportation. Anew steam el evator for the more rapid trans-shipment of wheat and corn, will be ready for operation on the river, in a lew weeks. It is not stationary, but floating, and can be moved from point to point. This will save storage aud diayage. As Augusta has profited by through freights and fast freights, so Now Orleans proposes to profit also. The Mississippi Valley Transportation Com pany are doing a large business in towing barges laden with freight from St. Louis. Some of the barges come through from St Paul without breaking bulk. CANAI, STREET. Canal streot is daily improving, progressing and extending Its commercial houses. Dwell ing houses have been converted into marts of retail trado, with doors wide open evenings, un til Canal street, by gas light, has become one of the most brilliant and dazzling promenades in the world. Some of the Augusta streets are quite as beautifully eudowed by nature, and are capable of equal improvements. THE STREET RAILWAY SCHEMES . New Orleans, when the roads now commenc ed are completed, will be clasped in a reseau of street railways, authorized by the city gov ernment. and constructed by private enterprise, six or eight new and entirely distinct roads will be running by the first of September, and citizens or visitors may ride in auy direction for five cents. TUB LAKE SHORE RAILWAY. A more magnificent scheme than any other is that of a railroad to encircle the city, aud to run along the lake Ponchartrain shore, in the rear of the city. The subject is before the city government, and the charter applied for will probably be granted, so that health and pleasure may be sought by the thousands who can afford to become patrons of the horse oars IMPORTATION OF CARS. Practically, tho South does less to encourage its own mechanics than the theory of some most demonstrative gentlemen would be like ly to approve. For instance, Gen. Beauregard, at the head of a street raiiroad association be tween thiscity and Carrollton, ordered sixty cars from Philadeljihia, and all the other new roads order either from New York, Philadelphia or St. Louis, cars that could be built and finished here, thus giving employment to our own me chanics. CROP PROSPECTS. From a careful reading of Texas newspapers the conclusion is reached that the wheat crop there is unusually large, hut cotton will bo light. Western Louisiana and Mississippi will not produce more than two-thirds as much cotton as wa3 anticipated two months ago. The sugar crop is unusually promising, except in the inundated sections. New Orleans, June 15, 1806. THE CROPS MOKE HOPEFUL. Texas and lied River papers received to-day present a more hopeful aspect of the crop pros pect, and even the more melancholy Mississip pi journals appear less inclined to gratify them selves with gloomy forebodings after a few days of suusliiae. SOUTHERN RAILROADS. Much interest is -expressed through the col umns of the press in reference to the multi plication of Southern railroads. The opinion is that no railroad can be constructed in any portion of the South without contributing to a greater or less degree to the prosperity of the whole. Tho Southern Pacific Railroad via Shreveport and Marshall to El Paso meets with much favor, and the stock will be taken for its completion much sooner than was anticipated a few months siuce. The road will be open to Marshall about the first of August. The Railroad connection of Cincinnati and Mobile or Peusacoi3, or both these latter cities, must indirectly benefit New Orleans if it does not directly profit our merchants. The trade, now considerable between this city and Mobile, will be greater when cur neighbor across the Gulf enlarges her population and multiplies her fa° cilitiesfor communication with the interior. Tho steam lines are more numerous, prompt aud frequent than wheu the year commenced, The Pensacola trade will also be enlarged between that point aud this city, whenever population centra there and business improves, a result certain to follow the superior railroad facilities which are promised. OVERFLOW AND INVASION. Nearly nine-tenths ot the alluvial lands of Avoyelles Parish are under water, and four filths of the cotton and corn planted are de stroyed bj the overflow. In the districts where the water has not done the mischief, myriads of grasshoppers are at work, in advance of the caterpillar invasion, eating up everything iu the fields. THE LEVEES. The Chamber of Commerce, a body composed of merchants, politicians and professional gen tiemen, sent a delegation to Washington a short time since, to memorialize Congress on the subject of rendeting assistance to the State | for the protection of the i-.vees of the Missis | sippi. The lev, e commissioners also sent a j delegation theie. Congressional action has • already been taken, and it is believed the ma i jority of that august organ'zation will be will i ing to reconstruct the levee# if they do refuse I to reconstruct the people. STEAM TO VERA CELL, j Steam to Vera Cruz wilt enable New Orleans to communicate more rapidly and certainly AUGUSTA, GA„ WEDNESDAY MORNING. JUNE 27, 1860, [ with that port than heretofore. One steamer I left here last, week, aud another will follow in a few days Shortly, we shall obtain Mexican dates and mails direct, instead of by the cir cuitous route via New York. Freights for Mexico offer largely. PRODUCE FROM ABOVE. The Mississippi Valley Transportation Com pany, lowed down by the steamboat Bee, four barges with two thousand tons of freight last evening. The total cargo was 20,401 sacks corn, 4,807 sacks oats, 1.844 sacks bran, 408 sacks malt, 900 bbls flour, 177 bbls pork, 150 tierces lard, 300 kegs lard, BC3 bales hay..— Another steamboat brought from St. Louis this morning 2.084 bbls flour and 9,677 sacks corn. Yet another brought in 9,541 sacks corn, 1.504 sacks oita, 988 bbls flour. This is a heavier produce arrival than New Orleans has ever had before at this season of the year; THE PRES3. The New Orleans Commercial is the latest paper established here. An association of editors, reporters and printers run it, with a prospect of suecess. They divide the losses, and will pocket the profits. Wm. M. Burwell, ranks during” the war, mis VieSselccfOTaWWS- 1 tor of this’journal. It advocates vigorously, the commeicial independence of the South by an increase of its mechanical aud manufacturing products. It is said that three or four other dailies wdl be established here by tho fiist of September. There is room for alt. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The examination of the forty-two public schools of this city, progresses satisfactorily. It was commenced two weeks ago. The whole number of pupils registered is 16,749. Aver age daily attendance 9;782. * HONORS TO THE DEAD. The memory of four Confederate soldiers, who fell on the soil of Tennessee, was honored yesterday, by members of the Louisiana Guard Artillery, Washington Artillery, Gibson’s Bri gade, Hays’ Brigade, Stafford’s Brigade, Cres cent Regiment und Dreux's Battalion. SUPPORT FOR THE LIVING. God. Hays announces to-day, as President of Hays’ Brigade Relief Association, a mods of relief for its old membeis who arc in need of sympathy or aisistence. * Sews ol thc Day. Anew Democratic paper will be issued in St. Louis on the Ist of July. John M. Botts is to be tho 4th of July orator in Baltimore. The Tennessee Journal, a German paper pub lished at Nashville, has been suspended for want of patronage, T. L. Clingman, Senator elect from North Carolina is now stopping in Washington. Rev. Dyer Re! l , a missionary of the Amer ican Board, since 1838, died in China on the 27th of Ma rch last. The Senate Finance Committee have agreed to fix the salary of the Commissioner of Inter nal Revenue at $6,000. Dr. Peabody, Chaplain of Harvard College, has gone to Euiope. He will visit the Holy Land. The School Board of Cincinnati have recent ly increased the salaries of all public teachers of that city ten per cent. The friends of Gov. Andrew propose to rim him for Congress this Fall. It is generally believed that Gen. Dodge wiil defeat J. A. Kasson for the congressional nomination in the Desmoiues dirtrict. The President’s message vetoing tho Now York aad Montana Mining Bill, was sent to the Senate on the 16th inst. Prof. E W. Gunle'r, organist of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Louisville, Ky., was thrown from a rockaway on the 13th instant aud instantly killed. Leman W. Cutler has been elected State C omptroller of Connecticut. Mr. F. O. C. Darley, the artist, has gone to Europe for a summer tour. Advices from Rautan, Honduras, report that there has been a grand celebration there in honor of the anniversary of the emancipation of the Jamaica negroes. Com. Maury has received a present of $15,- 000 from some Os his secession friends in Eng land. Tho Vermont Republican Convention assem bled at Montpelier on the 20th. The trial of Maj. Geo, at Raleigh, N. C., was concluded on the 13th inst. The case • was submitted without argument. Surgeon John B. Sumners, U. S. A.has been appointed Medical Director of the Department of the Cumberland. There ate twenty-four Major and nineteen Brigadier General of the volunteer staff still in the service. Many of these are in the Bureau Department. The Columbus Ohio fire insurance compa nies recently presented each member of the City Fire Department with a $2,000 policy in the Accident Company. The regular army is receiving recruits at the rate of tbreo thousand per month, Its ranks will soon bo full. The House Committee on Foreign Relations will report resolutions mildly censuring the coivae of the Government on tho Fenian move ment. A Pittsfield woman presented her husband on Sunday night with three nice, fat, boy babies, all at one birth. Poor fellow ! A. T. Stewart, Esq., has agents abroad pur* chasing \*orks of art for the palace which he is erecting on Fifth Avenue, New York.— Powers and other sculptors have received com missions. State items. It is in contemplatatian to erect a large manufacturing establishment at Cedar Shoals, near Oxford. The water power thereabouts is immense. The revival meetings iu the Columbus Metnodist churches still continue. The inter est increases as the meetings progress. Some two hundred and twenty-two sacks, containing about five hundred and three bushels of corn, a third of the quota of Musco gee county, has arrived at Columbus. The work of widening the track ou the Montgomery and West Point Railroad is pro gressing as rapidly as circumstances will ad mit. Last Sunday the Macon Police arrested a mulatto man named George Hall. The tele graph sav3 the negro is believed to have stolen SS,OUO in Augusta, Hal! formerly belonged to Col. Logan, and w3s well known in Macon. A recent letter to the Macon telegraph, from the Indian Spring, alluding to the tornado which recently passed over that vicinity, doing great damage and causing several deaths, says Near High Falls a family o: four whites and two negroes were severely injured, and two of the whites and the two "died from tbeir injuries. The writer also mentions that Mrs. Hale, near the Springs died from injuries received from the tornado. Much of the wheat whieh had bepn cut and shocked in the fields was scattered bv the wind and lost. FROM WASHINGTON. jottings troji the cmm. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Washington, Thursday June 14. The Radicals are in high feather at the pas sage of the new constitutional amendment. Although the measure was shorn of its most savage feature by the action of the Senate in striking out the section which proposed to dis franchise the white men ot the South for the next four years, yet its final triumph,even in the modified form in which it came from the Senate, was attended by circumstances well calculated to exhilarate the extremists. In the first place, the vote in its favor, in the Senate as well as in the Home, was largely in excess of the requisite two thirds. And seconds iy, it gained the support of both the Radical and moderate wings of the Republican party with an unanimity that had not hitherto marked the passage of any important party measure. This unanimity was especially re markable amongst THE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES. When the roll ot the House.was called on the liWiYßlWiiwftif AW vin ihg Senate modifi cations of the ameudmeat, every member wbfc■ had been elected as an avowed Republican, in* eluding seveial who have hitherto voted with the Democrats in support of the President, an swered aye. This sudden adherence of John son.Republicaus to the Radical programme ex cited general surprise, especially in the cases ot Phelps, of Maryland, Green Olay Smith, of Kentucky, and Whaley, of West Virginia. Stevens and his body guard of extremists swallowed tho amended measure—“ emascu lated,” as they called it—with the best possible grace, declaring that they did eo on the princi ple of taking the best they could get, and ‘ because Congress waß composed of men and not of angels.’' The amendment having thus received tho assent of Congress, the next step wiil toe tc submit it to the ACTION Off THE STATE LEGISLATURES, three-fourths ot which must ratify it before it can become a part of tho Constitution. And here I may mention that it. is no part of the Radical plan to submit tho joint resolution embracing the amendment, to the President, for his approval. They kffow that he would veto it and thus cause a delay very dangerous to them, evpn if his disapproval of the meas - ure should otherwise seriously embarrass them. They have, therefore, taken the bold ground that Executive approval is not neces l ? sary to give validity to the joint resolution, and Speaker Colfax has instructed the clerk of the House of Representatives not to send it to the President at ail. This is in open violation of all law and precedent, for iho Constitution expressly says that all the bills and joint reso lutions of Congress shall be submitted to the President, for his approval or veto. Every constitutional amendment thus far adopted has received the signature, of the Executive— not excepting that by which slavery was abol ished and.whieh autograph of Abra ham Lincoln. Wftftt steps, if any, President Johnson can tab resent this impudent in vasion of his Aonal privilege, it is difficult W, 1 flatter, however, there can bo. • ' \!> Os THE ISSUE. Either Congress must recede, or the Presi dent must submit to an extraordinary snub bing, A concurrent res olution is to be passed by Congress, directing the President to com municate to the State Legislatures for their ac tion thereon, the joint resolution, unsigned as it is, save by the presiding officers of the House and Senate. It the President should comply, he will, practically, admit that he is a cypher in tho Government. If ho should refuse, there will be a crisis —an open conflict of authority —the result oi which will be as uncertain as the effect of tho collision of an immovable body with an irresistiblo force. Thus, the re. lations between Congress and the Executive just now are more ticklish than ever. A BID FOR TENNESSEE. Meantime the Radicals are moving heaven and earth to secure the assont of the doubtful States to the proposed constitutional amend ment. I know that a letter, signed by forty of the most influential Radicals, was sent off this morning to “Governer” Brownlow of Ten* nessee, urging him to call the Legislature of that State together at once, in order that they may take action "upon the amendment; and giving him the most solemn pledges that, if that action should be favorable, the admission of the Tennessee delegation into Congress will immediately follow. It is by schemes of this character that our enemies hero hope to buy the support of a sufficient number of the South ern States to enable them to bind the rest, hand and foot. But let me pass to MORE AGREEABLE THEME?, Tho legislation of Congress, as the close of tho session draws near, grows active and inter* eating. It will be gratifying to everybody in terested in cotton, to know that the Senate will cut down the tax on that staple from five* cents, as fixed by the House, to two cents—the rate fixed by the existing law. Anew army bill* is to be reported by the House Committee on Military Affairs next week, fixing the regular standing army of the United-States at fifty regiments of infantry, six of cavalry and five of artillery. E ; ght of the infantry regiments are to be colored troops. Both Houses of Congress have passed a bill donating forty-six millions of acres of Govern ment land in the various Southern States, in homestead grants, to actual settlers “irrespec tive. of color.” j THE NEW POSTAL LAW which has just been signed by the President, provides, amongst other things, that pre-paid aud free letters are to be forwarded at the re quest of the party addressed, from one post office to another without additional postage charge, and returned dead letters are to be re stored to the writers thereof free of postage. TEE ROUSSEAU-GRINNELL FRACAS is the leading topic of gossip to-day, and ex cites universal mirth. The telegraph has doubt less given you the main facts of the affair.— Nobody sympathies particularly with Rousseau and his wounded honor, and. as for Grinnell, the universal popular verdict is, “served him tight. 1 ’ The Radicals are howling dreadfully over the caning of one of their Dumber; they declare in alarm that it is a return of “planta tion manners;’'’ and that the “Southern aristo crats” have aheady inaugurated the regime of bullying and ‘he bludgeon. Under the in fluence of this absurd outcry, the House will probably expel Rousseau. If thiE should be the upshot of the matter, our people at the South need waste no lamen tations over his fate. Ho is a very shabby * specimen of those terrible “Southern aristo crats” who arc rarely seen iu Washington now a-days. Ia fact, "he is a pompous military coxcomb, whoso constant and boastful allu sions to his insignificant exploits, as a Federal officer, have disgusted everybody. MERE MENTION. The secession speech of Harris of Maryland, on the floor of the House of Representatives to-day, was characteristic of the man. He fairly stunned the Radicals by his boldness. I trust that yon will reproduce his remarks, so that your readers may see that there is at least one man in Congress who is not afraid to ex press bis convictions. The committee on Ways and Means intend to recommend a very high tariff on foreign wool. A movement ia on foot to establish a Park here, on the plan of the New York Central Park. The city is growing rapidly in size, business, and vice. Speaking of vice, Menken, the she- Mazeppa, is soon to appear at one of the thea tres here. Butternut. THE i’; PENDING UAH ! Abandonment of the Proposed Conference. Austria’s Reservations. The ‘Toys” confirms the news that tho Aus trian reply accepts, in principle, the invitations to a Conference,-but with such reservations and conditions as necessitate the exchange of tur* ther communications between the neutral Tow* ers and the Austrian Government. Tho “Memorial Diplomatique” says: “Aus tria will not ask for territorial changes, but will not oppose a lieu and loyal discussion upon the pretensions of other States.” French Accounts. A Paris telegram of the sth says : “The French Government has sent a note to Vienna ia reference to the reply given by Austria to the invitation for a Conference.” The French Government regrets that this reply must bo considered as a refusal to take part in the Con ference, and, therefore, as frustrating the efforts for the preservation of peace. England aud Russia!. England aud Russia have declared, through their representatives in Paris, that, in their opinion, tho reservations made by Austria in her reply to the invitation of the neutral Pow ers would prevent the Conference from having a useful result. Wo Hopes of Peace. • The Loudon Times of the 6th says : “Daily, almost hourly, tho chances of peace fade away. Should the sword bo drawn it is from the. Elbe Duchies that we shall probably hear of the first seriou? event of the war, but the contest in this quarter cannot compare in importance with that which is impending on the frontier ot two monarchies. At any moment the Austrians may burst into Silesia. It is not unlikely that the first great move of Austria will be an at tempt to possess herself ot this province. It would almost seem to be the prize of the con queror in the coming campaign The Emperor has probably been led to look for compensation in the province that was wrested from his house in the last war. This is to counterbalance Hol stein to rnake tw for Venetia, if Veuetia should be lost. Here Prussia must defend herseli, tor there is no one to help her. Even if she had a Western ally he could not penetrate into the heart of Europe Tho only aid must come from Prussia, aud the Czar is now quite indis posed to take up arms on behalf ot tho North ern Power. If Prussia seized Holstein it is therefore not unlikely that Austria will at once cross the frontier. The Emperor is nat* urally desirous to show his strength and to gain reputation at the outset by a decided success. Whether Benedek will advance through Saxony or Berlin, or content himself with a provincial campaign for the conquest of Silesia itself, the firsi few days of the war must determine, but in either case all the resources of the Prussian monarchy must be called :h in order to make head against its late «!;y’ The Conference Abandoned . The Loudon 'Times of the stli inst., annouu>< ces the abandonment of the proposed Con ference. It says.: “It is with the deepest re gret wc announce that the hopes of settling, by a Conference, the. disputes which now agitate Europe, must be abandoned. The French Government has telegraphed to our own that in consequence of the persistence of Austria in imposing conditions, which would make the discussions nugatory, the Conference will not be hold, it wouid indeed, be a mockery to call together the Representatives of the great Powers on toims which would necessarily involve their immediate saparation. We fear then that matters stand as they stood three weeks since, and that it now rests with the armed Powers to compose their dispute by negotiation between themselves, or to icsort to the final arbitrament of war.” Prussia lo Declare War. The Daily News of the 6f,h says : Appear ances indicate that the declaration of war,or the manifesto equivalent to it, will proceed from Prussia. The King’s Govsrnnlent has issued a circular not to the neutral Power?, charging the Government of Austria with a flagrant breach treaties by referring the Holstein suc cession to the Diet, and a similar accusation has been formally made in the official State Gazette. The object of both publications ap pears to be to establish a casus belli. The Austrian Government repels tho imputation in another circular, and declares that it will ob serve tho Gastein Convention until a regular anil final settlement of the affairs of the Dutch ies is made by the Diet of the Confederation. These seem to be tho last words of Powers about to appeal to the sword. In fact the King of Prussia has reviewed his body guards and sent them to the frontier, and is preparing to leave for headquarters. Crop Prospects. Virginia. —The Abingdon Virginian, says the wheat crop in that section will be almost a total failure—at best, not more than a fourth of tho usual jield. To make amends, how ever, the prospect is excellent for an unusually large corn crop. An assistant of tho Freedmen 7 s Bureau, who has traveled throughout tho South, thinks the work on some of the plantations wiil have to be abandoned for want ol food for the work men. The wheat crop in this section which has been commenced to be harvested, is proving a better yield of a first rate quality than was hoped for three weeks ago; the average being considerably, a3 we are informed, more than half of au average crop. Micsouri —The St. Joseph Union of June 10 says: “The past few days of settled weather have done much toward maturing the wheat crop, and we can safely say that the prospect bids fair for a heavy yield of this great cereal in Northwestern Missouri, than ever before known. We are glad of this, for the gather ing of the present crop must reduce the price of flour.” Texas.—A gentleman who traveled lately through Northern and Central Texas, Bays the people have harvested the finest crop of wheat ever raised, and have since planted the same ground in corn, the crop of which promises to be exceedingly fine. Alajuma. —The Mobile Tribune contains the following extract from the letter of a planter at Montgomery, who has planted 2,500 acres in cotton. It is dated Ifth ins;: We are hopelessly in the grass. I have 500 acres or more of cotton that have not been touched with a hoe lam satisfied that a large area will be thrown out from grass, whilst the rivers and creeks have overflown their bottoms and partially or wholly destroyed the crops. I saw a man Saturday who has lost every acre, and say3 many of his neighbors are in the same sad fix I have lowered my figu-es to half a crop, say 500 bales, and think it a full estimate, unless with more than usually favorable sea sons. The stands wrre had to start with, and are being daily injured more and more inefforls to get the grass and briars cleaned away, which in all the most fertlio spots completely en* velopo the bottom. There v/ili not be as much corn raised as there.v.as last year. Truly W. C B.” In anticipation of C authorizing the cieatioa of more National Banks several .State banks have already filed their applications for conversion into the same wish currency bureau. Thq total number of banks is 10515 ; circula tion $280,263,bhU, of which amount $1,358,- 215 were issued last we. k. Par dined. —John ohetman, sentenced at the last term of Bussell Circuit Court, to con finement in the Penitentiary for three years, for hotse stealing, has bi.en pardoned by Gov. Pat ton.—Alabama paper. NEW SERIES, VOL. XXV Ntßgg? THE «OV£RNIH£IIT ANID THE SOI) fHERA' RAILWAYS. iQisstatf nicnts as lo Ihc President’s Course in Regard to the Railways In the south—Pads off the Case, with the Official Figures. Correspondence of tho New York Times. Washington, May 27, 18GC Amoug the most malicious of all tho malicious statements made b y the Washington correspon dent of the New York Tribune, for the purpose of injuring the President, and placing him in a false position belore the people, is that em braced in the following paragraph, . which appeared among the Washington telegrams in the Tribune a few days ago. “Without the authority of law President Johusou, among his earliest acts of reconstruc tion, ordered the safe of Government railroads and railroad running stock, iron and materials, to an enormous amount to Southern men, on credit; he directed the Quartermaster in charge to turn over the properity, and take the pur - chasers’ notes, payable monthly, up ,to two years ; the value of the property thus nomi nally sold, but iu reality given away, was pro bably $20,00(5,000. Ut -course the notes, as they fell due; were not paid, and it was never intended they should be paid They are under protest here to millions. The Government holds chattel mortgages on property, all in rebel bauds ; that has been consumed iu large part ; in part has changed hands ; and tho balance oi which ia used in defiant disregard of the contract of purchase. The President refuses to permit proceedings to compel pay ment, or to recover possession of any portion to,Uys. amount of the public prop eflff* *“ .... - The above has been copied'toxTenshiWpSy the Radical Press, and referred to as illustrating the “President’s policy,” and as showing his “reckless partiality tor tho Southern people.” Had tho unscrupulous writer of that paragraph taxed iiis canning to its utmost, he could not have produced a greater number of untruth ful assertions in the same number ot lines. In ail that was done with reference to the sale aud turning over of the railroads and rolling stock, ttrt President, the Secretary of War, Maj. Gun. Thomas, and the Quartermaster- General had full authority of law. Except as to one matter, of recent date, Johnson had, personally, nothing to do with the disposition of the roads and stock, save to approve the General Orders prepared by the Secretary of War, under which the sales or transfers took place. Those Gonefal Orders were published in all the leading journals, and set fortn tho terms and conditions of tiunsfer aud 6ale. The times and places of sales were well known, and when the latter took place they were at tended by the leading railroad men and capita lists cd the country. The whole amount of sales for cash and credit was about $20,000,- 000. About twoxthirds of tho entire sum was for cash, which was, of course, deposited with the United States Treasurer to the proper credit. As shown by the statement in detail hereinafter set forth, and copied from, the official records, the sum total of sates on credit was $7,400,» 690,61. The total indebtedness of the railroads STATEMENT OE SALES 01’ RAILWAY MATERIAL MADE BY THE UNITED STATES TO RAILROAD COMPANIES UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDERS. m , „ , „. . . _ u Interest lo Total Balance , noad. Original I nrchaseg April 1, ? 6G Indebtedness Payments April I,’GG Wills Valley $30,248 52 S!»C0 58 $31,209 10 $1,300 00 $29,909 10 Edgefield and Kentucky 114,772 80 3,424 25 118,197 11 118 197 11 Mucon and Bruuswiok 93,237 50 000 02 93,897 52 07,002 21 20325 31 Montgomery and West Point 38,559 00 1,140 1G 39,699 82 5,506 76 34 133 06 Southwestern 40,159 89 46,159 89 40,159 89 K° me u . ,™. 22,086 05 491 25 22,577 30 3,010 45 19,560 85 Memphis and Ohio 106.929 13 3,222 28 110,151 41 15,283 57 94 867 84 Memphis, Clarksville&Louisv. 337,082 36 9,216 89 340,299 25 150 00 340’149 25 Mississippi and Tennessee 127,750 52 3,237 30 130,987 82 27 414 70 103573 12 Alabama and Florida 79,021 04 1,743 98 80,705 02 7,233 75 73531 27 East Teunessoo aud Georgia 366,183 02 13,714 69 379,897 71 23,644 60 356 253 11 Muscogee 5,244 20 164 12 5,408 32 .1,316 45 4,091 87 Macon and Western 83,638 15 ' 83,638 15 59,305 04 27,333 11 Nashville and Cbattauooga 1,566,551 73 58,280 50 1,624 832 23 59,995 24 1 664 836 99 Term A Alabama Central 84,143 00 3,168 36 87,311 36 20,779 39 06,531 97 Mobile and Ohio 505,143 70 12,985 89 318,12 949 123,890 35 394.233 14 Mobile and Great Northern 18,036 72 399 75 18,436 47 1484 62 10 951 85 Memphis and Charleston 547,495 09 ’9,321 79 556,815 18 14’,089 07 542 126 51 Alabama & Tennessee River 183,270 40 5,452 41 188:728 99 15 340 18 173.'588 7 2 Miss, Gainesv. & .Tuscaloosa 33,476 39 1,096 45 34 572 84 ’ 34 572 84 Ga. Railroad and Banking Cos. 11 935 05 11,935 05 11 935 05' ’ New Orleans & Ohio 32,160 00 981 65 33 13165 ’ 33 13160 Naßhville & Decatur 135,171 92 2,726 14 137,898 06 22 046 25 115 251 85 Western and Atlantic 472,944 66 17,209 54 490,154 20 ' 490’154 2G Central Southern 77,180 32 2,900 48 80,092 80 19 059 45 01 033 31 V. Tennessee & Virginia 205,055 65 10,195 15 275,850 70 7,150 94 268 099 75 Southwestern Iron Company 32:515 00 32 515 00 32 515 00 Adams Express Company $4,301 45 4 361 45 4 36145 Nashvi'!e& Northwestern 622,995 20 21,352 13 544,347 39 21445 20 52” 902 19 Mississippi Central 63,960 00 1,181 38 65,141 38 5 468 03 59’673 35 N. Orleans, Jackson &Gt. N. 200,797 58 4,276 56 205 074 14 34 418 75 170’055 39 Tennessee & Alabama 108,692 68 4,096 83 112,789 51 20,802 59 85986 92 Selma & Meridian 146,327 92 3,651 23 149,979 15 53 967 78 96 011 37 Virginia & Tennessee 102,880 00 2,040 44 104,920 44 ■ 1049‘>0 44 Wilmington & Weldon 110,000 00 1,575 04 111.573 04 3,947 65 1071625 39 Atlantic A North Carolina 51,453 93 1,207 91 52,66184 4 854 28 47 807 50 Western North Carolina 14,269 82 311 44 14 581 26 1863 88 12717 38 Petersburg 65,000 00 503 83 65.503 83 14,797 23 50700 60 Virginia Central 70,000 00 3,158 87 73,158 87 4 424 71 68 734 16 Richmond, tred’gh & Potomac 7,449 27 7,449 27 7 449 27 OraDge & Alexandria 90,395 74 90,395 74 ’ 90 395 74 Alexandria, Loudou & Damps 62,592 96 1,142 31 63,735 27 63 735 27 Manassas Gap 4,623 51 06 74 4* 690 25 309 09 4,381 10 McMinnville k Manchester 20,310 00 182 79 20 492 79 20 492 79 South Carolina 23,458 50 211 12 33,608 02 23 669 62 Memphis & Little Rock .151,979 73 151,979 73 151 979 73 Sao Antonio At Mexican Gulf 48,775 19 48 775 19 to N. O , Opelousas & Gt. West, 113,773 45 113,773 45 113,773 45 . „ .. ® 7 ;f o0 ’. 6yo 01 *207,655 35 $7,608,345 96 $768,055 47 $6,839,690 49 In addition to, the siGB,Go.> 47 paid (which has been, about half in cash and half in vouchers .or transportation services) there are also, undergoing adjustment in the Treasury Department, about $200,000 of accounts, duo the railroad companies tor transportation services, applicable to tbeir indebtedness. The I’ostoffice Department is withholding perhaps, abont $50,000 of ac counts due for mail services, also applicable. The Public Detlol Alabama. The public debt of Alabama is thus stated by Gov. Patton in his message to the legislature: Description of bonds. Am’t. An’l int. Int. due. Five per cent, coupon bonds, payable in New York $2,109,000 $105,450 $308,400 Five per cent, coupon bonds, payable in London 648,000 32,400 32,400 Six per cent, coupon bonds, payable in London 688,000 41,000 41,280 Aggregate Am’t. $3,445,080 $179,130 $442,080 The above is entirely a part from the domes tic debt, which is held chiefly by the common school 16th section fund. The comptroller, Hon. M. A. Chisholm, gives the following figures : Annual int. Six per cents, issued to the School Fund $1,710,00844 $102,600 50 Eight per cents, issued to University Fund 300,000 00 24,000 00 Eight per cents, issued to Valueless 16th Sec tion Fund 97,091 21 7,767 30 Aggregate Amount, $2,107,099 61 $134,367 80 Which interest is paid by an annual appro priation, the principal sums being considered irredeemable trust funds. The debt contracted during the late war, and which has been repudiated under President Johnson’s conditions precedent to state recon struction, was briefly as follows: Eight per cents, payable principal and interest at Mobile $ 673,500 00 Eight per cents, payable principal and interest at the State Treas ury % 3,171,000 00 Six per cents, payable principal and interest at the State Treasury 2,085,000 00 State Treasury notes issued, without interest 4,042,680 00 State Treasury notes (change bills) without interest 3,122,551 95 Aggregate amount issued, $13,094,731 95 The last two paragraphs have been inserted simply parenthetically as matters of record. The domestic debt is a matter of local- impor tance only, and the war debt no longer exists. Our subsequent remarks will therefore be con fined strictly to the debt proper, or that which is held beyond the limits of the State. The interest on the New York series of bonds is payable semi-annually, May Ist, and Novem ber Ist. The amount ol interest to be Fovided annually for these bonds is $lO5, 4- • ® ?. e interest paid included that due, * o '" , ’ ’ and hence at the same date in 80 0 . h But of due four years interest, or $4 > • this amount $53,400 had already been P»»d Ihe Bank of Mobile for distribution, so that the balance due and unpaid is I ss by that amount, namely, $368,400. to the Government, Including interest up to the Ist of April, 18GG, was $7,608,345 90. Ou this there have been paymeuts amounting to $768,655 47; leaving a balance due the Gov ernment, on the Ist day of April, of $6,839,090 49, from which is to be deducted about $250,- 000 of accounts In favor of railroads for trans portation, etc , now undergoing adjustment. So that the whole indebtedness to the Govern! ment is at this time about $0,600,000. This is secured by bonds to double the amount of original Indebtedness, and the Government has, beside, a lien upon the property sold and turned over to the Railroad Companies, wh'ch authorizes the seizure ‘of the property upon default of payment of any of the installments when due. All the property sold or turned over was first appraised by disinterested persons, and a fair valuation fixed by them. The Government' never owned the railroads proper; they were, many of them, owned in whole or in part by' the State. A State cannot commit treason, and the property thus owned could not be confis cated. The roads were turned over to their owners, and the rolling stock, etc., captured from the rebels as rebel property, and also that furnished by our Government was all that was sold. In one iustanco recently—the case already referred to -the President was applied to for an order to stay proceedings against a railroad, and to prevent the summary seizure .ul the road under the lien which the Govern ment Tiolds. •"' The President found that this company haJ paid up the interest due the United States, and part of the principal, that it had been paying off the accumulated coupons and indebtedness that had accrued during the rebellion, and that these extraordinary payments wero about as much as could bo asked ot the railroad, which would be seriously embarrassed, and probably ruined, if also compelled at once to pay the an nual installments due the Government. The payments already made had enhanced the Government’s security to that extent, and a stay of legal proceedings would not jeopardize the interests of the United States. Under these circumstances the President signed an order to stay proceedings for the present. And this is his only act or participaa tion personally in the whole matter of sales and transfers on railroads, rolling etook, &0., since his approval of the General Orders here tofore referred to. The other failure to pay the monthly installments has boen brought to Mr. Johnson’s notice, and he does not, there fore, refuse ‘‘to permit proceedings to compol payment,” as charged by the Tribune. The notes of these railroad companies are not “un der protest here to millions,” aud the whole statement of the Tribune’s correspondent, from beginning to end, is made up of exaggeration and reckless misstatements of facts. The fol lowing, taken from the olhcial records, is a correct The interest on the London bonds, which is payable semi.-annually, January 1 and July 1, was paid up to January 1, 1865, and hence at the same date, 1866, only one years’ interest was due and unpaid, viz : on the five per cent. $32,400, and on six per cents $41,280, or to gether $73,680 United States District Court .--Judge Bus * teed Presiding—Lad Day’s Proceedings. —This Court met at its usual hour. A number of cases were finally disposed of on the payment of costs. Cross motions having been made by Caw kins, Moiris et al.\fo bail the justly celebrated Mitchel cotton, (193 bales,) they were denied, and an order was given that the marshal sell the property at the expiration of thirty days, if the Attorney General, ad interim, does not di rect a stoppage of the proceedings in this Court against the cotton. The whole of the docket was then adjourned over until the November term. • Thus has closed the session of this National Court in our midst. The Judge and Cierk, we presume, will go to the milder climate of tho North, there to enjoy the steamingj weather ; the District Attorney will proceed to generate more “costs,’’ and the enterprising Marshal will once more take himself to his rounds, hunting up the “faithful few.”— Montgomery Mail, 15 Ih. Arkansas.—A cotemporary states that some excitement was created in the neighborhood of Mrs. Babb, opposite Friar’s Point, a week ago, by the repeated assertions of one of the negroes that a mule had spoken to him, a fact which his actions seemed to corroborate. Ihe circumstances, as related to us by'good author ity are as follows : The negro was plowing with the mule, when he became exasperated at its slowness and began to whip it unmercH fully; whereupon the mule shook the harness otf of himself, und confronting th * negro or-* dered him to “cease whipping him, but to go home aud prepare, for the day of judgment , was soon coming and he would meet his j ust reward.” The negro immediately fled to tbe house and related the occurrence, laboring the while, under the most intense excitement. The negro is now a raving maniac and has to be confined; but before tbe attack of the malady he could not under any circumstances be in duced to go near the prophesying mule. Prince Humbert, son of Victor 'Emanuel, was offered the comm nd of a corps d' arrnes, and declined it. *‘ll I command a corps,” be is reported to have said, “and am defeated, people will say that this comes of giving im portant commands to inexperienced persons. If I am Victorious, my chief of staff will get all the credit. 1 prefer commanding a divi sion and doing what I am ordered.” The greatest test ol agricultural implements ever made in America, will begin at Auburn, N. Y- July 20,.h, under tho auspices of tbe New York State Agricultural Society.