Newspaper Page Text
(fhvoniclc & Sentinel.
II HOBHIIf®* MARCH2?<
Kxtent of Ihr m-rranr hDrmcnt I nder
Ihc Slier™* o BHi*
TL • Now York World, in its issue of the
1 v li instant, has an article under the aixive
i ' [Jin", so completely wrong .in its con
, 'u-i 'iis. that we feel called upon to set that
usually correct journal right in some of its
figures. It says:
“Wo suppose that the average of the
w ] lo l,, body of office-holders in any State
range somewhere between forty
juj.l liftv, but nearer fifty than forty.”
We confess that, upon first reading the j
al vc, we were at a loss to determine
whether or not a mistake had been made
I,y the printer iri setting up the Worlds
article, but, upon a thorough examination :
of the wliolc article, we were compelled to
l dieve that it was printed as' written.
The W'rrld was counting upon a statement !
niadc by a correspondent of the Philadel
phia /’ -css, writing from Iliehmond, in j
which it was affirmed that, by a failure to
incorporate in the revised code of that
.State, in 1 *59, the oath of office requiring
all State officers to take an oath to sup
j. „ t the Constitution of the United States,
that there were not more than fifteen
hundred State officers in Virginia who
w re disfranchised by the Military Bill.
The ItvrW also thinks, that as there was
f„r years Is.-fore the war less tendency to
rotation in office in the Southern than in
the N< rthern States, the disfranchised
class must lie very small.
it further argues that very few of the
white males of the South now thirty years
swppoM* 0»«t the
Wc have taken boiiio puo.s to ascertain
lie jirohdAc number disfranchised in this
State, and find it more than one hundred
limes greater than the World supposes it
lobe. We have one hundred and thirty
two counties in the State, thirty-seven of
the largest of which have two Representa
tives in the State Legislature, and the
balance one Representative each. We
have forty-four Senatorial districts, each
having one Senator, and for several years
before the war each county was also en
titled to a Senator.
Supposing that there are now living
an average in each county of eight men
who have been in the Legislature (arid the
calculation i not a large one), and we have
<ii.-franchised, of that class alone, om: thou
sand anil fifty-sir, persons.
I',nil county in the State has five
.Inotices of the Inferior Court—a part of
our Judiciary system—who are elected
every four years. As these officers re
ceived no jnty, the position was not much
-ought after before the war. We hardly
think that there are now living more than
an average of ten person of this class in
each county. That number would give us
in the entire State thirteen hundred and
her,ii;/ excluded on this ground.
Previous to the war there were in com
mission as Justices of the Peace in the
different Militia Districts of the State
fifteen hundred of these officers. There
are now living perhaps as many as three
full sets of those Justices—their commis
sion running for four years. This would
givens forty jive hundred, excluded on this
ground.
There wore eight, hundred and forty-eight
post offices in the State previous to the
war. These officers were not often
changed, particularly in the county and
village offices when the emoluments were
.small. Wc may perhaps safely estimate
that there are now more than ten sets of
these officers now living in the State.
This would give us sixteen hundred and
ninety-six who are disfranchised on this
ground.
Custom House Officers, District and
Circuit Court Officers, West Pointers, Ac.,
we may safely estimate at about one hun
dred. State House Officers, Clerks of the
Legislatures and Executive Departments
of the State, Superior and Supreme Court
•fudges, members of Congress, and Gover
nors, wiil not exceed perhaps one hundred.
These are all the officers which we
believe are disfranchised by the Sherman
Bill. The recapitulation will stand thus:
Former members of the State Legis
lature 1,056
Justices of tlio Inferior Courts 1,320
.1 ustiees oftlio Peace ; 4,500
Cost Masters I,OiK»
Custom House and District Court
Oilieers 100
•State House Oilieers, Judges, Ae._... luO
Total disfranchised 5,772
Wc believe that the number excluded
will be found rather greater than under
the above estimate. This excluded class
embraces those who have heretofore been
considered the most intelligent, experienced
ami sagacious of our people. They embrace
the very flower of Southern intellect and
Southern wisdom. They have been and
are distinguished, not only for their intel
lectual attainments hut they'embrace the
best murals of the whole country. We do
not believe that any country can be certain
to exist which disfranchises and drives
from office and power the first intellects
and purest patriots among its citizens.
Freed men's Celebration.
A N UII’ORX AN X ME EXIN (I.
The Columbia Carolinian, of Tuesday,
contains a three-column account of “one
of the most remarkable meetings” ever
convened in South Carolina, which was
held in that city on Monday, the occasion
being a celebration by the colored men of
the city of the passage of the Slierman
shellabarger Hill, investing them with the
right of suffrage and recognising their
political equality in the eye of the law.
The Ctroiinian says:
“ In anticipation of the event, their Com
mittee of Arrangements selected the
speakers for the occasion, and it is a
significant and noteworthy fact that, not
withstanding the presence in the city of
their Northern friends and sympathizers,
the gentlemen called upon to*address this
assemblage were our own citizens, who
had been identified in person with the
war int'ii who have been disfranchised
by the same act which has created this
political equality between the two races,
and yet men who heartily possess the
confidence of the entire community.”
The speakers on the occasion were Hon.
W. I’. RoNaussuro, formerly a Senator in j
('•ingress, Hon. Kdward Arthur, Hon. XV.
U.Talley..lamest;.Uibbes,and Kev. David j
i’iekettand 1 loverly Nash (both colored). ;
The Oice/. .ihi«, referring to the speeches,
savs:
“The sentiments uttered on the occasion
arc worthy ol'thc time, worthy of our peo
ple, black and white, and are a living evi
dence of that honor which, thank God, still
stirs the common heart. The speeches by
11« v. Georg.' Pickett and l{overly Nasi)
(both colored), were models of excellence
and deserving of all praise as emanations
if sensible thought frCiu a source that
should be appreciated. Speaking for their
nice, they treated in the present condition
of attains in a spirit of common sense,
which we confess was dot anticipated, and
which encourages the belief that the rela
tions between the white and colored men
of the state are too intimately connected
to permit an antagonism or diversity of
interests now or hereafter.”
'b n. XVado Hampton made an effective
address, winch will be published in full.
1 le said :
i> 'am/.ii'g fully the new obligations
•" and upon the colored man as a citizen,
, ls . , “* IU as to the manner in which
‘ .hereafter conduct himself as a
'••““■aunity. He alluded
u' -o. i o,nii vt n r° 0 f ity OI education, but
i a 11... nt... ''n h the people among whom
the negro was born and reared, whose iu
u ' 11 “ ''ay different from liis
“■ 111,1 " ! K ' S0 Policy was to be in the fu
1V *t' lew him * The bUck
o. t.u white. Ihe speaker referred like
wise to the importance of harmony in a’l
the lvlations between the two races -is ■
sential in determining the welfare’ of the
people and securing a permauent peace
and prosperity.
The following is the substance of the
speech made by Beverly Nash colored •
Fellow-Citixen* l hat been *.&k?n *om«whit k
,„rpris »ml *m not prepared to »!l thu 1 ..»•
tint occmiou; but ui* know whit we lure com- here
j,,r. We have come to Celebrate tbe right of
the one thing needful to place u* on a common platform
. citizen* The quest.-n Yu been asked, whether we
tnrt liiaiGf our people for tlieir donbts on tin a inject, b*
c*a*e oar former condition vru calculated to make them
doubt ; but » nether we a»e prepared ot not, we are now
« ulitlcd to vote, uud«r the recent lew. I mutt confess
that I do not iike that ktr in all respect*. because it du
fraucbiM-i jreutletcen in whom we have more confidence
tl. ui anyoody else, and forbid* them to repreaeut our
country it should be represented in the councils of the
peoT»ie. My doctrine it, that every man, whether 1/-
normit or not. who is compelled to pay to '.axes, is
entitled to vote. It is a matter of public policy that we
should be. because there is a discouteuted element in
o, ir midst, composed of the ignorant people of both
classes, which would be greatly dislurbed if they w ere
prevented by a Convention of the State from exereisiuc
the right to vote, and we should have a revolution
i, a tea-kettle. For (be purpoae of peace iu»d quiet,
therefore, in our Suite, I want to aee everybody vote
extent tlie women. I -relieve, my Irieudx uid fellow
oittrem. we are not prepared for this suffrage, But we
..in learn. Give a man toois, and let him commence to
oae them, and, in time, he will learn a trade. Soltis
with voting. We may not understand it at the atari,
but., in time, we shall learn to doousduU.
It has been mid that Calhoaa waa iwfr of South
( .. »;.na, I lay the dilator ot Kentucky. and WebMtr
the emperor of Massachusetts. But hereafter we are to
vote f-*j principles, not men. And we have good menjo
and have proved, Py their acta, that they are the friend*of
th-- .State. In these gcntlenmn we must have confidence,
until they hav e proved that they do not and. serve it I d
you will reason with him about these things, will not ,
agree with what 1 hav. We recognize the Southern j
white man iu the tnus friend «f :lie War* u.ar.. Vo» »« |
upon that banner the word* •• United we stand, Divided I
naaand the hladt m ai/s tand i nf 'whli their am-* locked j
we deal re** \Ve feel that the while man Las not under- I
stood the black man t* the black man ha* understood the j
acted, aft*rr the close of the war, as these gentlemen j
have done to-day. and spoken their kind stutiLrieDt* a* j
freely, our .State wouid not regret the low of twenty j
thousand colored citizens who have gone abroad because i
they hid not auflicieta* confidence to stay. After the I
remark* we have heard to-day, we believe there i* a |
better time com ng Twelve month* ago, Mr. Gibbes i
*aid “ Fellow-citizens, we are willing to meet you i
halfway;” and we are glad to any that the represents- |
tivea and pnblic men of t'.ichl&nd district have done so on i
the present occasion. We feel that we are understood
here, and we believe that colored men will hereafter
! enjoy the rights and privilege* which now he!on? to their
! race. There i* less prejudice her*-, les* prejudice every
where South of the Potomac against the colored man
j than there .* North of it. [Applause.] I saw iu Wash-
I iugton, a few da- s ago, men more violently opposed to ]
our advancement than any gentleman here; and we j
know that the State* of New Hampshire, Ohio, and per- j
hnpa some others, have refused that political equality •.
It is our duty, therefore, to identify ourselves with this *
soil. Here, we have grown from childhood to manhood, j
Many of u*. white and hiack. have been brought up j
together; we love the people, we respect tbeir honor; ,
we know tbetr worth, and I ask whether, under these
circumstances, having the power to do so, we ought not j
oJt that portion of our people frciu the elective franchise ;
in whom we have such long tried confidence.
If u>ar-t.»h;*\.- • ■ ,v. ;,tion in th • ."tat* for the pur*
Ot changing it* constitution, let it bo it c invention i
f ill of intellect and power. If the black man ii to east a j
\.,t*- 1.-t him r'ot that Vet s upon a -.Uirbud of ability. 1
.. V. | n |
coinp*teiit t * disc ha rzr the high duties that will be re- .
onired ol them. We know the old laying Unit "fool* rush
in where aitgei* feir to tread/-' If, thvn for-, you elect
ign* r.intm-’i.yoH will have a lead constitution. Hive u* u
then, th*• g* '*-1 uu*n of J-tate. 1 would rati.'-r trust •
himWhot"* k up anus and wont to the battle-th hi, and
has **>me h *'u<- with his houorabh scan. I*lieving
in the justice of his cans*-, than ho win- 4tuifeed from
duty, and now claim* to Ik* a Union man. i Cheer*.J Such
a 0r..- 1, riiiwu :liy tla-conf-uipl'.rii-cu a:, ....... ( wouM
rather tm-jt General Hampton riding at the head of nis
column, and shouting to hi* men to follow, than any man
wh" has stay I at home ftnd« wheu his o nintry was in
danger, hunted for an iron-clad or a rat hole. [Cheers.l
And so would you. [* that’s We don t believe in
| those people who, .-jn--the war, hav* dodged .rouud the
cornera declai •*' th-> were Union men” [No, no.]
When I he ir a S Hither:, man say »*u “Union man/
I know in- in a traitor. When 1 hear a Xorthu*-:» man *ty
he was a Southern man during th? war, I know he is a
traitor, hut, when I hear a colored man Bay he was a
Union man, I believe him from hit heart. Whenever
Vi.* M- i". ■ ! ■ victor.*, the black
Wn (if p-'ir . .;i*!**Vith whom w>* wautto vote on the
great oii‘ntion-1 of the day, and by whom we wish to be
counseled and directed.
It i* not our de*ir** to be a discordant element in the
rommunity, or to unite the pom against the rich. We
want t*» ij/e together in harmony-to goto work and re
-tore the I*.*! • iu*Pt AsGeneral Hampton has
iai*l "ourdestinies i.ther ” T!r white
man In* land, the black man has atiu h»bo. is worth
nothing without capital. We must help to create that
capital hy restoring ooniidenre. and wo can only restore
confidence by electing proper men to fill our public
offices.
There are said to be sixty thousand colored voters and
forty thousand whit- voters in South Carolina. U«*ok
what a power you h.tyo fop (p*od or for evil ! But, fellow
citizens ‘l* -we you use mat lj Vt i]b intelligence, and
V, the end thus So»tn Carolina, wjt|, which your i'utpr
ests are all i(lentule:i, may enjoy tjie prosperity which it
gives. When citiz- ujcome roi-Uiird arul ijin-t mas gen
tlemen have done t w« have no right to d*>ubt the
future. 1 l «»kup < n ti>iluy as our fourth of .lulv. And it
vxc and ourduty.w.* Nhall pr.»ve oursulves worthy of the
great Mi\ ilegewifh which we have U-ninvested, it true,
the majority of, ;i) loreU im-n may not be able to vote in
teMigently, bift y**u wd* educate.!. In the four weeks
preceding the first pjeetiofi ]n district, you will be
taught more about voting than th- pcop’o of M'eUml or
HugL«t«*l -yer did know. There* never a people who
have gained *.=. n.m hus We have done. But a little v/hilo
ago, wc w-reJarVu. we rue freemen. It b, n
declared tlmt wr shall hav- 4 voinu public allairs. In
thes * public affairs we must unifa with "iir white fellow
riti/nilh. They t-ll us that they have beyn dbfrau
chisml, yet we tellth- North that we will never let tfin
hail* of ('(.mg i sbe silent until we remove that disability.
Can weap><l tobmeffom the <-..nm ils of the Mate our
men t Can w*»iA r« judges from the bench ? On
wv put fools or el rangers in their position? No, fe|<>w-
Cltl/M.s, po! Gloomy would fie dav. indeed. We
want in charm* of our iiitereds oh!y our bust api} ablest
men. And then. *«Mi a strong pull,a iong PUHniid a pull
altogether, up goes routh f’urolina, (Cheers),
IDport Os Hie Retrcnchmaiit (Oiiimit
t«e on the Claim of the RlclimamJ
Banks.
Mr. Van Wyck, from tlio Committee of
Iletrenclnnent, to which was referred the
claim of the Richmond Banks to certain
coin now on deposit in the United States
Treasury, makes the following report:
On the I4th dav of March, 1805, the Leg
islature of Virginia passed an act author
izing a Loan to the Commonwealth of
$300,000 in gold and silsar coin by the
hanks, and tho application thereof to the.
use of the. Army of Northern Virginia, or
dering the Auditor to pay over tlio same,
on the tooting of a loan to tho Confederate
States, either to the Secretary of War or to
tho General-in-eUief of the Confederate
army, as the Governor may doom most ex
pedient to bo used exclusively for tho pur
pose ofprocuringsubsistencofor the Army
of Northern Virginia, direclingtho Gover
nor to obtain from the Confederate author
ities tho best security they may have in
their power to offer.
Accordingly, seven banks furnished
$300,000, receiving State bonds as security
therefor, SIOO,OOO of which is now in tho
Treasury of tho United States, and is the
subject of tliis report. The money was de
posited by the State to its credit in three
banks, which wore public depositaries, as
follows: Bank of Virginia $108,000; Far
mers' Bank, $112,000; Exchange Bank,
SBO,OOO.
The Secretary oftlio Confederate Treasu
ry caused to bo delivered to the Governor
of the State the following order:
Riciikokp, Maroh 28,1805.
A. Roane, Ksq., Chief /'i nduce Roan
Bureau :
Sir: Tlio State of Virginia has advanced
$300,000 in coin to the Government for tlio
use oftlio Commissary Department, uud
agrees to receive, in absolute payment for
the same, cotton at the rate of 15 cents per
pound. You are hereby authorized to issue
ail order to tlio fiscal bfßcer of tlio State for
two million pound* of cotton, in payment
of the same, Ac. G. .4. '! iMvNiloi.sr,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Captain Strother, of tlio Confederate
army, had authority to receive the $300,06j5,
Just before the evacuation of Richmond
ho did receive $271,000, tho banks retain
ing $20,000. lie disbursed $25,000 at Rich
mond, leaving $240,000, of which $54,000
were in checks, drawn by the Bank of
Virginia and tho Exchange Bank on their
branches at Lynchburg.
Captain .Strother left Richmond <m the
2d of April, 1805, with this sum under his
control, in company with officers of the
banks, who hail in charge between two
and three hundred thousand dollars in
coin belonging to the banks, each party in
control of its own funds. At Danville; on
tho Bth ot April, Captain Strother agreed
with the officers of tho bank that in the
event of his being out oil’ from Gen. Lee’s
army, he would restore the remainder of
tlio fund to them, to be credited on the
bonds of tlio State which tlio bunas held. —
They then proceeded to Washington, Geor
gia. Captain Strother, on the 21st of April,
Ist*s, hud remaining $223,!)2!t, which lie paid
to the bank officers, taking a receipt Jor
tho same, stating that tho same should be
credited on the bonds, provided the said
coin and specie checks shall be delivered in
Richmond. There was no statute authori
ty authorizing this payment by Captain
Strother, The bank officers cancelled and
destroyed tlio checks—§s4,ooo —and held
tlio remainder of the funds, together w ith
their own coin.
In May, ISiio, the banks of Richmond
obtained' a permit from Gen. Patrick to
bring back their effects from Georgia, and
started with the coin—about $450,000. Os
tiiis, #I7O,iKA) was of tlie fund received from
(’apt. Strother.
About eighteen miles from XVaslilngtou
they wore robin tl by Confederate soldiers,
disguised in Federal uniforms, oi $250,000
in coin. Os this, $105,000 belonged to the
bunk of Viiginia, and #l t;i,/)00 had belong
ed to the Strother fund. The day after the
robbers restored to the bank officers
$lll,OOO. Os lliis, one bag of SO,OOO w.as
identified as the property of the banks.—
The remainder could not be so identified.
After paying expenses, the fund recovered
amounted to about #IOO,OOO, subsequently
delivered to Gen. fctteeuinan at Augusta,
and now on deposit in the Treasury.
This matter has several times been ar
gued by attorneys for the claimants and
the Government before the Secretary of
the Treasury ami the President.
The above films ere those agreed upon
at tlie last argument. The bad faith com
menced by Captain Simile. ivns continued
by the banks. Atone time thaip petition
stated that there existed no eonwoct or
dealings botwei'n the banks and tiie Cork
federate Government by which it was en
titled to, or had any interest in,one dollar
of tlie money in question. The officers of
the iianks verified by their oaths this state
ment : yet its error is apparent from tlieir
own subsequently admitted facts. They
als.x furnished affidavits from the officers
of tlie Confederate Treasury Department
that the coin had not been under their
control. From these allegations the So
licitor of the United States Treasury then
said: “As to any interest of the Confed
erate Government in the coin, the only
reason for supposing that any such ever
existed apj ear. from the fie t that coin
was removed from Richmond simulta
neously with tlie departure of the rebel .
authorities therefrom : but this was cer
tainly in no way inconsistent with the
private ownership asserted. Thu latter is
directly and positively asserted by sworn
.statements of the officers of the banks ap
plying, and tiie former is negatived, so far
as'it well could be, by the statements of a i
person in the employ of the rebel Treusurv
Departmeut.
The President of the United States then
issued an order for the restoration of the
coin to tlie banks on certain conditions,
which, in the judgment of the United
States Treasurer, were not complied with.
Certain United States officers wore still
suspicious, and satisfied that the coin had
belonged to the Confederate Government,
when it was at last discovered that the
negotiation had been carried on with the
Confederate War, instead of the Treasury
Department. This concealment and
duplicity on the part of the bank shows
the character of tie ir claim.
There can lie no dispute that the banks ■
loaned the State of X'irginia Slot),000 in
coin expressly to be advanced to the rebel 1
Government. The banks received State
bonds as security, and the State received a
Confederate order for $2,000,000 pounds of
cotton in payment. The contract was com
plete. From that time the coin became
forfeited to the United States Govern- i
ment.
Before the 21st of April, to wit, on the
oth, General Lee had surrendered. On the
lnh Johnston commenced negotiating for
surrender. The Chief of the Confederacy
"as disguised and in flight. The head
quarters of the rebellion, with all its
hopes and treasure, werein an army wagon
hastening to get beyond the Mississippi,
it is idle to pretend that Captain Strother
mat the shadow of right to act as adminis
>r , re r ° f . U V '- rtVcts of the dead Confed-
WM ’ defr » u d this Government of its
Tc. 01 vvar - After the surrender of
I.V tW i. property of the Confederacy
United lo the control of the
no Lore'rtem f TUlncnt - stri >Uier had
g . ... < r *i,h‘k h v 8} ve the Richmond banks
l TTs’ h, V‘i t lad l°K‘ ve Uiem223,000 m us
ki ts, bad they been in his possession. It was
the agents of
Uk banks " ere />ar deeps criminit, and the
| banks should not deriveany benefit there
i from. No matter what became of the
; property afterwards, it was u conversion
for the full amount at thC time they took
it. The coin taken from Strother, with
their own, was safely deposited in Wash
ington by the bank agents. They hud no
right to attempt its removal to Richmond,
and, therefore, became liable to the Gov
ernment for the amount, no matter how
lost. It would lie an easy matter to have
a robbery by concert. The robliers took
>445.000 of the Strother fund and $105,000 of
the hanks' money. How did tlio robbers
get a knowledge of the facts, and by what
reason did they return $lll,OOO, a few
thousand more than the banks’ money,
stolen? Had the banks succeeded in
putting in their vaults at Richmond the
>223,!*20, w ould they not have- been clearly
responsible to the Cuited States in that
sum?
They have no claim to the SIOO,OOO now
on deposit in the United States Treasury,
but should be held liable for the $29,000
retained by the banks from the $300,000,
for the checks they destroyed for $54,000,
the amount of coin they saved of the
Strother fund, 825,000, and" the balance
taken by the robbers and not restored.
The banks owned no bullion, no part of
the three hundred thousand dollars loaned
to the Confederate Government was in
bullion, yet a part of this hundred thou
sand dollars are fifty-seven pieces of bul
lion, evidently taken early in the rebellion
from the United States mints at Charlotte
and Dahlonega.
[The report closes with following resolu
tion] :
Be it resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives <jf the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the
SIOO,OOO or thereabouts in coin and bullion
now on special deposit in the Treasury of
the United States be sold, and the monev
derived therefrom covered in the Treasury,
and that the claimants thereto, the Rich
mond banks, may contest their right to
the same in the Court of Claims.
A Picture of a Thousand.
We find the following in an exchange
without credit. It is a very interesting
incident, well told :
When Sherman’s army entered Colum
bia, there lay upon a bed of sickness, in a
hospital, the widowed mother of two lit
tle girls, who, innocently and in blissful
ignorance of their sad situation, amused
- .
which their poor moth s bad retreated as
the only refuge m uur Lciples-snusK She
u..u* Ir'Hij Georgia to atte i her husband,
uno wrio tf&s feoon relieved SVom misery
an' dread scenes to come by death. Hi
poor wife soon took his place in the sick
list, and her only children, the two little
girls, remained as guests of this place,
where infancy was so strangely associated
with disease with all of its horrors, and
bcoaino familiar with Death, who, attend
ed by famine, maintained his hideous
vigils over the sick, wounded and dying
inmates.
The thunders of tho approaching army,
the roar of flames, the ringing of bells, the
falling of houses, the bursting of shells,
and the general clamor of panic, distress
and grief, so shockedthe feeble sick woman
in the hospital, that she died from grief
and fright, bestowing a last glance, in ut
ter despair, upon her two little children,
whose fate it was to ho left at such a
time amongst strangers, far from home
and perfectly helpless. Who can tell the
anguish-of that poor mother at passing
away from the world and leaving her ten
der offspring to the mercies and chances
of that perilous day! It was indeed a
mercy that the pang and the agony were
brief.
The mother died, and was buried by order
of Gen. Sherman, who also ordered that
the two infants should be sent to the
asylum. A general famine followed in the
march of that general officer, and there
being nothing wherewith to feed tho
inmates of the asylum, there was no
recourse but to send them away. Here
was another phase of that extreme human
misery which chills the blood even to read
of. The feeble, the sick, the lame and the
halt, and the helpless, who found refuge
in that asylum, were to go forth, as there
was nothing there to feed them. Where
were they to go ? and what to do ? What
became of them all, none can tell. Death
ended the sorrows of many.
In the midst of this sad community were
the two motherless girls, mere infants, un
conscious of their lot. People cams from
ail quarters to see what oould bo done for
the dispersing household. Among those
who came on this errand was a lady of
great worth and refinement, who was once
mistress of a mansion, where all that
wealth, and elegance, and taste could con
tribute to comfort and enjoyment was
gathered together. She had fled from the
fine estates of her husband in Beaufort,
and the fair and rich domain she looked on
;js hers was now parcelled out amongst her
late slaves. Living in wliat may be called
poverty in Columbia, she yet needed some
assistance in her house keeping for herself
and family, and repaired to the asylum to
j obtain, if possible, a servant girl. There
! her eyes were attracted by the two little
| girk thinly clad, sitting in a corner on tho
| sunny side of (lie house, on a chilly April
day, hugging each other to keep warm.
- They were remarkable for their beauty,
and very symmetrical and delicate figures.
! The lady made inquiry and learned their
history. Her heart yearned towards them;
! but what goffid she do, in her poverty?
Contemplating them in their forlorn con
dition, yet so bright am] .so unconscious of
I their fate, cheerfully endeavoring to bor
row from the sun that warmth which
man’s inhumanity had deprived them of,
s);e was oppressed with the force of the
tender sympathy which she felt she was'
too poor to gratify. She turned away
abruptly and hurried .towards her home.
But those two tender and bright faces —
those two babes, with neither home por
relative, were before her. She could not
sJ.i.'t them out. Her pity and sympathy
grew as she widened the distance between
her and them, gpd at last, completely over
come by her solicitude,, she turned back
and in the multitude of hiisiTS-bles sought
the children, and taking one in caeii hiJJid,
walked up with them, in delight.
| Since then, until a few days ago, that
* noble lady J;:is maintained these children
under al! the privations of her own situa
tion. Site had sought, to vain for a place
of refuge for them. Some tw,. weeks ago
she wi®fe to Miss Emily Mason, not? jn
Baltimore—tliat indefatigable lady who
had clone so much ts relieve the unfortu
nate and afflicted of theca; times—inquir
ing if same provision could not be made
for these children. Miss Mason had tilled
all the places she succeeded in finding, and
had written a letter saying that nothing
could then be done for the;)) —when, as
it were by Providential design, a letter
catue from St. Louis, offering place,
for twelve Southern children, the means
for the support and education of whom had
been provided by the liber*! citizens of that
city. Miss Mason, with a delfgfcl all who
know her can well imagine, re-opened iJte
letter to her Columbia friend and wrote a
postscript, in which she was requested to
send on “Beulah” and “Lula” —for these
were the names of the motherless little
fawns—at once, that thev might go on to
the homes just found fhr them. Poor
children 1 who will not offer up » grayer
that they may now be happy for life r
This is, indeed, a picture of a thousand,
and no one can road the facts, we are sure,
without being impressed more forcibly
with the solemn duty at suefe a time as
this of contributing to the aid and succor
of thoas brought to dependence and 3esu
tutioii by .events of the war.
A Most Singfelk* Affair.
A MAN IS CARRIED XO TIIE GRAVEYARD J*.
j HIS COFFIN, AND ON REACHING THERE,
j la FtJJ ND TO BE STILL LIVING.
; Some two or ikik- months ago, says the
i Mobile Register, a jar wxgnining about
three hundred dollars, in counterfeit
; money, was found on the premises of
■■ Joseph fjuistra, an Italian, living in this
city, and he was arrested and lodged in the
j county jail. On Thursday last he was
taken before the United States District
Court, and afterwards remanded to jail, the
ease having been continued till to-morrow.
About t> o'clock that evening he complain-
ed of f’eehhg unwell, and the next morning
was reported dead. Tlie United States
Marshall body to be buried,
and an undertaker was sent for to ekoeute
the order. A coffin was taken to the jail,
the body was placed iu jt : and the hearse,
accompanied by a few friends of the de
ceased, was driven to the graveyard- On
arriving there, his friends became satisfied,
from certain indications, that Guistra was
not dead. They immediately opened the
coffin, and on examining the body, found
that it exhibited signs of life. The heart
was not yet still, and the temples and the
pulse at the wrist still throbbed with the
vital spark. A physician was sent for, hut
when he reached the graveyard the man
was dead. He was buried that night.
Yeuterdav morning Coroner Pelchamps
was noticed of the facts stated above, and
went out to hold ?n inquest. To do this
it was of course necessary to disinter the
body. Tlie post mortem examination
showed that Guistra was suffering at the
time of his reported death from congestion
of the lungs, and it was supposed that this
might have caused his death , it was
proved bv several witnesses, however, that
life was'not extinct when the body was
taken to the graveyard, nor for sometime
thereafter. The verdict of the jury was.
“That the deceased came to his death
from a diseased condition ot the lungs,
which would have produced death m a short
time, as shown by a jyost mortem examina
tion performed before this Jury by I r. '\ .
H. Hicklin, and further, that we believe
that the immediate cause of death was a
premature attempt to bury the said Guis
tra and confinement in the coffin for two
hours, while being carried to the graveyard
and there the evidence of witnesses prov
ing that life was not extinct tor some hours
after the body was put in the coffin.”
Since the above was written we have
seen Mr. Aite, who was present at the
examination of the body of Guistra. He j
is satified, from the testimony of the wit
nesses, that the affair was the result of j
gross neglect on the part of somebody,
though upon the part of whom he does not
pretend to know.
The Third Military District of the
South—General Pope Placed in Com
mand.—General Orders No. 13, from the
headquarters of the army, issued by Gen
eral Grant Monday, are as follows :
The President directs that the following
change be made, at the request of Major
General Thomas, in the arrangement an
nounced in General Orders No. 10, of
March 11th, 1867, of commanders of dis
tricts under the act of Congress entitled
“An act to proride for the more efficient
government of the rebel States,” and of
the Department of the Cumberland, creat
ed in General Orders No. 14, of March 12,
1867 :
Brevet Major General John Pope to
command the Third District, consisting of
the States of Georgia,. Florida and Ala
bama ; and Major General George 11.
Thomas to command the Department of
the Cumberland.
TRiurrE of Respect to General Scho
field.—The Intelligencer says: The
recent order of General Schofield, so re
spectful to the people ot Virginia and
regardful of their feelings, is the best pos
sible negative to the libels upon them
which are even now used to fire the North
ern heart. Referring to the subject, the
Richmond Dispatch has occasion, we are
glad to say, for using the following lan
guage:
“We find that the rigors of the situation
are mitigated by the official good sqpse of
a gentleman. No unprovoked and unne
cessary harshness has marked the inau
-1 ’ ilitary despotism
:n Virginia. The temple of our civil lihufe
ties has not been demolished by a brief
order No civil officer has been disturbed
bargeof his duties. The
dictator inaugurated amid a bias? of
trumpets, the roar of cannon, the clash of
sabres, and the shouts of the soldi tv.
Governors, legislators, and judges perform
their functions with assurances of aid and
protection in the discharge o‘s their legiti
mate duties.”
Poor Maryland.—lt seems that an
attempt is to be made to reconstruct Mary
land, and she may be known ere long as
District No. G. Mr. Thomas, one of the
Representatives from Maryland, is leading
the ball, and on Monday he introduced
the following significant resolution, which
was passed without debate :
Resolved, That the testimony taken by
the Judiciary Committee of the last House
of Representatives in pursuance of instruc
tions of that House concerning, to some
extent, publie affairs in Maryland, and
now in custody of the Clerk of the House,
be committed to the Committee on the Ju
diciary, with instructions to complete the
inquiries which the last committee was in
structed to make, and to inquire whether
the people of Maryland have a State gov
ernment, republican in form, and Such as
Congress can consistently with the require
ments of tho Constitution of the United
States recognize and guarantee.
The Financial Crisis. —A few days
since a paragraph was published referring
to heavy failures at Providence, R. I. The
New York Post says :
“There has been considerable excitement
in Providence, R. 1., in consequence of
the failure of Taft & Cos. for $1,500,000, and
that of Amasa Morton for about $900,000,
and Bailey & Eaton for $500,000, and
much anxiety has been felt for the safety
of others whoso business is considerably
extended ; but a more quiet feeling pre
vails, and no more trouble is now antici
pated. Edward P. and Cyrus Taft are
said to iiave speculated largely in print
cloths and other goods. Os their indebted
ness of one and a half million of dollars,
creditors to tho amount of three-fourths to
seven-eighths of the whole are said to hold
securities. With the suspension of this
house, work,on their mill at Occum, Conn.,
which was to have been the largest in the
world, lias been stopped in consequence of
the execution of a mortgage of $560,000 held
by Resolved Waterman, of that city.
Although the paper of this well-known
firm has been offered quite freely in New
York and Boston for several months past,
we are informed that the banks of both
cities have but little if any of it. There
are, however, it is said, Boston firms who
are creditors to some extent of the Union
Horse Shoe Company, of which one or
more of tho members of the above house
are understood to be directors.”
Municipal Election.— ln order to do
! away with any undue excitement which
might possibly grow out of the approach
j ing municipal election, it is doubtless
i best, under all the circumstances, fur the
j city authorities to be governed by the case
! hero presented:
j All State and Municipal Elections
I to be Postponed—Present Incumbents
j of Offices to Hold Over. —On Satur
| day, Messrs. Saunders, Lee and Scott,
members of the City Council, visited Gen-
J eral Schofield informally and unofficially,
j to learn his wishes and intentions as to
I the municipal election of tho city of Rich
mond, which in duo course of law should
| be held on the 3d day of April next, and
the order for the holding of which lias
already been issued by the City Council.
Their visit was in every respect pleasant
and satisfactory. General Schofield said
he thought it better that no .elections
should be held in the State until after the
registration of voters should be complet
ed ; this course wouid obviate excitement
and confusion. But he much preferred
that the State authorities themselves
should postpone tlio elections of their
own motion,, and not leave the duty to
iliffi to perform. He had ordered the post
ponenjf-nji ol the municipal elections of
Fredericksburg and Portsmouth, but
thought it desirable ii>.;t the local or State
authorities should manage the matters
themselves, where they could do so.—
Richmond Times.
itJififßO Militia Disbanded by Order
of General bpuofield.—We learn, says
the Richmond Times of Monday, that Gen
eral Schofield has ordered the officers of
»t.e negro battalion of this city to disband
their org&flizations. These officers were
summoned before i.ijn on Friday last, and
to his question of the object of their or
ganization, they replied that it was to
serve in the militia. The General told
them that the recent order forbade all such
organizations, and they must disband. He
titoo refused their request that they might
remain organized until after the 3d of
April, they stati.-ig that uniforms and
equipments had been purchased and every :
preparation made for a grand parade on !
that day.
The Dg/.J'GE.— The Lynchburg Repub
lican says that cm the East Tennessee and
A irginia road, the bridges at Limestone,
Strawberry Plains, and flat Creek have
been washed away. The bridge at the
Plains, which is a large one, was some sixty
feet above low Water mark. Three spans
of it are gone. The other two hare been
repaired by this time. On the East Ten
neasoo spd Georgia road, the bridges across
the Tennessee at Loudon, and Hiwassee at
Charleston, were destroy ed. Doth of these
were large bridges, and it will require some
time to replace them. The bridge at
Bridgeport, on the Nashville and Chatta
nooga tuki we are also informed, is gone.
It was quite a large one.
Dawson.—Ttie Columbus Sun says;
We are pleased to learn through our ex
■ changes of the spirit ol enterprise so man
j ifbst in many of the towns of the State,
j Says the Dawson Journal, of' that place;
Notwithstanding the fact that Dawson par
ticipates to a great extent ip the general
depression of all classes of business, occa
sioned by the action of the political here
tics at W ashington, we cannot perceive any
, abatement in the disposition of our people
for improvement. All seem to hope for
the early dawning of a better day, and want
to be up with their neighbors in the race
for tortune when it dawns.
Dead !— The Nashville
Gazette says:
The city was disturbed muchly yesterday
by rumors of Brownlow's serious illness.
'Twas evc-n said on the streets that he had
died. Our private opiniou is that Brown
low has been dead lex the past twelve
months, and that the personage at the
Capitol is no other than Old Nick himself,
who has assumed temporarily the shape
and features of. the ex-Parson.
The Searcy Record , of the 2d, states
that a young man named Hobson was
drowned near that place whilst attempting
to rescue his sister, who had taken refuge
on top of her house from the rising waters.
He swam in on horseback, but failed to
reach the house, and turned back, but re
called by her cries, he renewed the attempt,
and when near the house his horse sank
and both perished in her sight. She re
mained on the house nearly three days be
fore she was rescued.
The Last Snow Storm.— The Rich
mond Enquirer of Monday says that the
snow storm which prevailed there during 1
Friday and Saturday, extended over a i
wide area. It was heavy at New York,
and Philadelphia, and snow fell briskly
at St Louis all the morning also. At i
Harrisburg the railroad trains were de
layed somewhat by the storm.
Comparative Number qi White and
Black Voters hi Gesrgia under the
Sherman Bill. *
I he fears ofo t people, '■ has occurred
us > have bee i hecdlessi.v aroused at
wiiat tuey suppose to l e the ifeet of the Re
construction act n niacin'-' the control of
the legislation of ne Stnte in the hands of
the negro popn] Etion _ \y.. Lave examined
into t.ie U nited N.ates censi -of 1850—the
last that has reat :ied us—and find that in
Georgia there wc. then ' .i. twenty■•evon
counties which had more negroes than
whites. Those jounties were, Baldwin,
Bryan, Burke, C.-mdei. thain. Colum
bia. t rawford, ..vim. Grtene, Hancock,
Harris, Jasper, J -al'rson, Jones, Mclntosh,
Monroe Morgan, Ogle liivrpe, Putnam,
Scnven, Talbot, Taliaferro aud Wilkes.”—
Macon Messenger.
Our usually correct cotemporary, of the
Macon Journal Messenger, is in error
in supposing that there are but twenty
seven counties iu the State in which the
blacks have a majority of voters. We have
before us the tax returns for the year 1866,
and from these it appears that in addition
to the counties named by the “ Messenger,"
there were a majority of negro “polls,”
which embraces male adults above the age
of twenty-one and under sixty in the fol
lowing counties: Baker, Calhoun, Chat
tahoochee, Decatur, Dougherty. Early,
Elbert, Houston, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln,
Lowndes, Macon, Merriwe'her, Mitchell,
Quitman, Randolph, -Schley, Stewart,
Sumpter, Terrel:, Thomas, Troup, Twiggs
and M arren.
These tax tables show, also, that two of
the counties given in the Messenger as
having a majority of negroes, to^wit:
Bryan and Chatham—have now a majority
of white male adults. They show, also, that
the whole number of the counties which
have a majority of blacks is forty-five. We
give below a full list of these, with the
number of white red black polls in each, as
tr*do on c-1' *r> sh“ Stste ’Tax Receiver of
STIES. itVir.TKS.I BLACKS.
Baker. iVi’ij 950
Camden I _!;> 277
Calhoun I 288i G 23
1 Chatteiho-.-cnee 4:«> -**«
Columbia 463 1,359
Crawford 547 760
Decatur 928 1,012
Dougherty 371 1,537
Early 365 674
Elbert 805 . 811
Glynn 204 370
Greene 690 1,263
1 Hancock 7ID 1,188
| Harris I*Bl 1,159
j Houston 8071 2,145
! Jasper 607 902
i Jefferson 598 938
Jones 4981 840
Liberty j 365 556
Lincoln j 300 605
Lowndes j 520 600
Lee...... 1 305 1,339
Macon 597 1,053
Merriwether 3,091 1,219
Mitchell 430 566
i Monroe.. 887 1,266
Morgan 583 1,016
| Oglethorpe 668 1,110
j Putnam 478 913
Randolph 707 802
Quitman 238 312
Schley 358 378
Screven 531 589
Stewart 804 3,373
Sumpter 880 1,282
Talbot 7-10 1,100
Taliaferro 328 440
Terrell..a 522 703
Thomas 781 1,325
Troup 078 1,146
Twiggs 403 879
Warren 020 708
Wilkes 554 1,121
The Question of Confiscation.
We have on -several occasions recently
given our opinion as to the proba
bility of the passage of any further confis
cation laws, in which we have assured our
readers that we did not have the remotest
idea that any further legislation on the
subject would be enacted. The Montgomery
Mail, in a recent article on this subject,
says:
“Let us examine this question. Congress
has passed an act of Confiscation as sweep
ing in its terms as. any which could bo
passed by the present or any succeeding
Congress. The Confiscation Act of 1802,
which has never been repealed, frees the
slaves and confiscates 1 all other property
of persons assisting, engaged with, or giv
ing aid or comfort to the Rebellion.’ What
could be more sweeping?
“It is asked, why may not Congress put
this law into full force and effect the very
moment Alabama rejects the Constitution
al Amendment and universal suffrage?
The answer is plain and direct—because
the Supreme Court has passed upon the
law, and declared how far the President
shall execute it—because the President
will execute it only so far as tlio Supremo
Court has declared it to be good law—and
because the Congress lias not dared to de
clare themselves hostile to tlie Constitution
which is the supreme law of tho land.
Congress has violated what a large major
ity of the people of tho United States be
lieve to be the just construction of the
Constitution, but Congress has not yet
dared and will not dare to violate a plain
and palpable construction of the Constitu
tion by the Supreme tribunal.
“The Supreme Court has laid down the
law of confiscation, under the act of 1882,
so plainly, that there need bo no doubt on
the subject.
“I. Confiscation can only follow by the
laws of war acting upon belligerent ene
mies—or
“2. From some statute of tlio United
States punishing individual insurgents or
traitors.
“l.» It cannot follow from the laws of
war, because the law ot nations does not
permit the confiscation, or destruction of
private property. It was adjudgod by tho
Supreme Court of the United States in
tlio case ot Brown vs. the United States
(Cranch, Bth) that enemy’s property found
on land was not liable to confiscation by
the mors fact of the hostile character of the
owner, and without an Act of Congress
expressly subjecting it to confiscation.
“ 2. But the Act of Congress exonerates
from confiscation ail who have taken the
prescribed oath of allegiance and received
the pardon of the President. If Congress
should attempt to set aside the oaths and
pardons in order to reach our people with j
anew Act more stringent than that of 1562, j
it would be an ex post facto law, which the j
Constitution declares and the Supreme
Court has repeatedly declared to be no j
law.
“ So plain is the law on this subject that,
in February', Tsri I, President Lincoln or
dered the Attorney General to send to the
United States District Attorneys a circular
letter, of which the following is an ex
tract :
“XX T ashington, Feb. 21, 1864.
“Sir: —Many persons against whom
property proceedings, under the confisca
tion laws, are pending in the Courts of tiie
United States, growing out of the partici
pation of such persons in the existing
rebellion, have in good faith taken the oath
prescribed by the Proclamation of the
President of Dec. Bth, 1863, and have, there
fore, entitled themselves to the full pardon
and restoration oi ail rights of property,
except as tr .ye , and where the rights
of third pi ies have intervened, which
that prodamai offers and secures. The
President’s pa: ■_ > a person guilty of
acts of rebellion w, I of course relieve that
person from the j rialties incurred by his
crime. « * * *
“Very respectfully, Ac.,
Titian 1. Coffee,
Ae;'g Att’y Gen.
£• ear-
A Woman Did It. —It seems that the
women are at the bottom of everything
good. The New York Times, speaking of
the Bill now bcfoi Congtos appropriating
a million of cjoHars to relieve she distress
of the South, say :
“ It is due to.the ‘truth of history’ to'say
that the springs which hy.v brought about
this noble result w ere set in motion by the j
gracious genius of a woman, Mrs. Jessie j
B. Fremont, to v, hem aLo we are indebt- 1
ed for the contribution oxA national ship, ;
tlie Dundjarton, now Lading at this port !
with stores for the immediate relief of the
Southern States.”
Bishop Doggctt, of the Methodist Epis
copal Church South, gives notice that the
annual meeting of the Bishops of that
Church will be held in Nashville, Tenn.,
on the loth of April next.
Death of John M. Gorkie.—The
Marianna (Fla.) Courier of the 24th inst.,
announces the dc: th of this gentleman.
e served in the last two sessions ol the
Lcgis,ature of this State as Senater from
i , ra , nk: ‘ :: .’ , wh ere he won for himself a
n.g i position a3 one among the most
promising young men of our State.
Horace Greet, v in- New Orleans.—
mfh 7 ° fthe ltth ounces
n\ al, m that citv < t ♦ i.--
n . , - 1/1 1116 I>h;.o:,opher of the
Tribune, andexpre- lh „ ~ l .
... , * -s the hope that he
"ill have an oppertunitv —r • ~
) “unity of seeing all
classes of the people and becoming well
acquainted with their characters and opin
ions.
Editorial Change. We regre t to
see that Colonel Henry D. Capers has, for
reasons not stated, retired from the edito
rial chair of the Saudersville Georgian a
post which he has filled with dignitv and
ability for some months past. Mr. J. D.
Anthony succeeds bin.
The Columbia Meeting.
W c give below the comments of two of I
the Radieal presses of New York upon the
Columbia, S. C., meeting. The other
Radical journal, the Herald , merely men
tions in its news columns the fact of the
meeting having been held. The Times
heads its article, and says as follows :
“THE NEW Kit A.
“There was a remarkable meeting yes
terday at Columbia, the capital of South
Carolina—a gathering of colored men to re
joice over the passage of the Reconstruc
tion Rill, wnich gives them the right of
suffrage. It seems strange to read that
among the speakers who came to applaud
and encourage these negroes were General
Wade Hampton, lion. William F. DeSaus
sure, formerly United States Senator; Hon.
Wm. Talley, Edward Arthur and James
Gibbes, all eminent leading men of the
State. Two colored men of note also made
addresses, and the whole spirit of the
meeting is represented to have been of the
most cordial good feeling. Such a fact
goes a great way to explode the studious
misrepresentations of Southern feeling
sent up or invented here by extremists.
That in the heart of South Carolina —a
State in which tho blacks are largely in the
majority—one of the foremost of the Con
federate Generals, and himself once the
largest slaveholder in the country, should
meet his former chattels in this frank and
manly style, and so unreservedly acccept
the situation, is afact to out-weigh volumes
ofhostile invective and misrepresentation.”
The Tribune article is as follows :
“NEW SOUTH CAROLINA.
“The tidings we print fhis morning from
the capital of South Carolina are calculated
to astonish the Rip Van Winkles of the
North. A great meeting of tho People has
been held preliminary to a reconstruction
of the State under the recent act of Con
gress, and such eminent chiefs of the late
Oligarchy as Gen. Wade Hampton have
fraternized heartily with the most capable
and trusted negroes; the leading Whites
and Blanks vying wit! each other in ex
pressions of mutual confidence and good
will. The Whitt.- concede: the Blacks
every rigid which they! iaiin f r hem
selvea ;. while the Blacks hike the lead in
asking Coiigieos 10 repeal ...1 disabling and
disfranchising acts, so as to allow the
State to command tho services of her ablest
and most trusted citizens. In short,
South Carolina has already taken her
stand on tho true, broad, generous Na
tional Platform of Universal Amnesty with
Impartial Suffrage, and will soon be in
Congress, shaming the obstinate owls of
the Middle and Western States out of their
lingering prejudices and affectations of
prejudice against a recognition At tl: - in
alienable Rights of Man.”
Opinion of Senator Parsons.
A gentleman of Montgomery lias receiv
ed a letter from Hon. Lewis E. Parsons,
our Senator elect, the portion of which
pertaining to public matters we find pub
lished in the Mail, as follows :
Washington, March 15, 1807.
Dear Sir :
* * * One word as to the Martial Law
Bill. Why should our peoole hasten to
make this monstrous act of Congressional
usurpation their act, before its constitu
tionality has been passed on ? As it now
stands it is forced on us. li'jve adopt it, it
becomes ours, and from that moment we
preclude ourselves. * * * *
Yours truly, Lewis E. Parsons.
Governor Parsons was a Union man
before, during its continuance, and since
the war. He is, however, not so badly
frightened or so thoroughly subjugated by
the Radical majority as to lose his good
sense, his honor or his patriotism. What
a noble example he sets for tho rabid s<?-
cessionists of Georgia, who have been en
deavoring to induce the people to make
this “Congressional usurpation tlieir act,''
even before it had become a law.
The Relief Meeting in Philadelphia.
The Relief meeting held in Philadelphia
on Friday, the 15th, to adopt measures to
relieve the starving people of the South,
was largely attended by the leading mer
chants and business men of the city. Mayor
McMichael presided, and among-the reso
lutions adopted were the following:
The citizens of Philadelphia, in town
meeting assembled, are deeply concerned
to hear that, by reason of the failure of the
crops and other causes, there is a state of
famine prevailing through large portions
of the Southern States. There is accumu
lative evidence to show that many thou
sands of our countrymen are at this mo
ment threatened with actual starvation.
We assure our fellow-citizens of the
South of our cordial sympathy in their
sufferings, and our earliest desire to aid in
mitigating tho great calamity which has
overtaken them.
Representing, as we (10, a city which a
benign Providence has blessed with a re
dundant prosperity, and which, from the
days of William Penn until now, has never
turned a deaf ear to any appeal on behalf
of human suffering, vve respectfully invite
our fellow-citizens, of all parties, sects and
occupations, to unite in a prompt and gen
erous effort for the relief of our famishing
countrymen.
The meeting was addressed by the Rev.
Drs. Boardman and Brooks, and John
Welsh, Esq. Committees were appointed
to canvass the whole city, and a large
amount of money, it is believed, will be
collected. During the meeting the follow
ing subscriptions were made: S. <fc W.
Welsh, 5500 ; Drcxel & Cos., $500; James,
Kent, Santee & Cos., $500; Geo. W. Childs,
$500; Massey, Houston & Cos., $500; John
A. Brown, $500; Joseph H. Dulles, $500;
Newliu, Fernley <fc Cos., $500; Win C. Pat
terson, SSOO, besides six others for SIOO
each.
Senator Wilson toStumF the South
The Baltimore Gazette's correspondent,
giving an account of the debate in the
Senate on Friday, the 15th, on the Sup
plemental Bill, says:
“Wilson declared that the conditions
‘laid down’ were those ‘dictated by the con
querors to the conquered ’ that they
were not in the nature of offers to be
accepted, but of mandates to be obey
ed. Adverting to the fear of Senators,
which he said were tin? parents of
these projects of delay, he pledged himself
that the communities to be organized
under these laws would stand to the Re
publican party. That the blacks would
be taugbt to know their friends—that he
himself would be their teacher, intending
to take the stump throughout the So; ah—
that tlie negroes alone were in a clear ma
jority in three of the now unrepresen te 1
States, and with their white allies e tjcl
control the other seven—and that the hole
of these ‘reconstructed States’ would bo*
surer supporters of the Radical candidate
in 1868 than many of the Northern States
now represented hv Radical Senators. His
speech, which was delivered with great
earnestness, seemed to calm the apprehen
sions of many Senators, and will doubtless
effect a junction of the FessendeD hypo
critical dodge.
Wheat Crop, &c.—Ti*e Charlotte
Times , of 1 uesday, says ;
“ We have never seen a more promising
appearance than the wheat crop now pre
sents. More than the average breadth
has been sown; the stand remarkably
good, and the stock green and vigorous.
We conversed, yesterday, with many
growers, who assured us that it was pot far
enough advanced to be injured by the late
unparalleled spell of cold. All the early
peaches, apricots, &c., are doubtless killed,
but the apples and late peaches, cherries,
>kc., have so far eaeapeej. We have every
prospect of an abundant harvest, apd it
becomes our people to see to it that all
the corn and meat be saved for home con
sumption. liaise necessaries first, and |
then cotton. With the smiles of Provi-1
dence on our labors, we can still manage to 1
draw a comfortable living from the fruitful
bosom of the earth. Let no one relax his
efforts by reason of our present difficulties.
Whether we vote or no, all must eat, and
the wherewithal can only be gotten by the j
sweat of the brow.”
Quitman, —The Banner , published at
Quitman, in this State, calls att r.tion to
the flourishing condition of that place, and
says •
Less than seven years ago, The site of
our present prosperous, thriving and
beautiful town was a pine forest Wealth,
enterprise, energy and muscle have been
lavish in their expenditures, and we can
now point to the result —the most prosper
ous interior town in the State. Last year,
in the neighborhood of one hundred build
ings were erected —some of them magnifi
cent brick structures—and the mechanic's
saw 5 hammer and plane continue to notify
us, from early morn till dewy eve. that the
work of improvement and progress still
goes on. The rise, progress and prospect
ive future of Quitman, stands without a
parallel at the South.
An Item for the Travelling Public.
I rom the following despatch it will he
seen that regular travel in the direction of
Nashville may now be resumed :
Chattanooga, March 20.
1 Peck, Esq., Master Transportation;
The Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
will run to the Bridgeport bridge and
passengers there hv Saturday
next. They have a space six miles west ol'
°P en - Running Water
W -‘i te .?, o , ne to-day. Chattanooga
creek bridge will be done by Friday. Boats
r ’ l / 1 , m here to Decatur, leaving everv
otner clay. It is impossible to get to the i
coal mines before Saturday. !
J. l'\ B. Jackson. i
ij^u? R Liverpool. —Messrs. Brigham,
ilolst A Cos. yesterday cleared the” ship
Northampton, Capt. Barker commanding,
tor Liverpool, with 193 bales sea island
S°ooS n ’ 3,119 I)ales upland cotton, and
4, J —oak staves. —Savannah Herald, 21st.
OIU WASHINGTON C'OUBESPONDENCI. 1
Deconstruction becoming Complicated — :
fears that the Newly Franchised will i
\ ote Wrong—A Decided Ditch hi the 1
Impeachinent Programme—Unwilling
ness of JSeio Members of Congress to
leave the Capitol—Sumner on a High
Horse—His Aspirations- Who is to be
H’ty some of the
Didders will Fad— Colfax in the Ascend
ant—l he late flection in New Hamp
shireand the cortitng one in Connecticut
--N<. Fat ride s Dag—Laying of a New
Corner- iitene, etc., etc.
Washington, March 17.
The question of reconstructing the
South, of “providing for the more efficient
governments'’ for the States of that sec
tion, gets to he daily more and more com
plicated. The Senate had a late session
yesterday on that very topic, and continued
in its consideration of the measure until
the late hour of eleven at night, and then
demolished the Supplementary enactment
of the House to the Sherman Hill, by
adopting one in the nature of a substitute
thereof. The amendments which were
accented and rejected were legion. No
two Senators seemed to entertain the same
views, and but for the fact that the major
ity iii the lower House are very anxious to
go home, it is not improbable that there
would be a long delay in patching up the
desired supplement to the original hill.
There will he an agreement of some kind,
however, even if it has to be brought about
by a Committee of Conference; and then
it is expected that the work of providing
more efficient governments will he put in
immediate practical operation, and possibly
by the next meeting of Congress the rep
resentatives from the States which have
so long been excluded from their just privi
leges will take their seats. Who they will
be, and what manner of men they are
to be, is just now problematical. The great
fear here is that the black element
in the South will cast the boon of
suffrage just bestowed upon them
in favor of their late masters, and all
means will, of course, be employed to pre
vent that. It is very certain that the
dominant party are not altogether as
sured of their influence over the negro
population, nor do the more sensible and
less vindictive members of that party ex
press full faith in the set of political ad
venturers who have located themselves in
different portions of the national territory
South of the Potomac. The extreme lust
for place, and indecent anxiety to come to
Congress by all of this adventurous class,
is too apparent. Even the intelligent ne
gro can well understand this.
There seems to be a difficult hitch some
where in the impeachment programme,
which, for the past week, has defied the
most ardent attempts of the Butlcrites and
Ashlcymeu to loosen. Tho utter indiffer
ence of the President, and the perfect wil
lingness of Some of his friends—members
of the Democratic party to have the trial
proceeded with—that the extreme Radicals
(it is now plainly evident that there arc
Conservative Radicals), were so violently
demanding, during the first two or three
days of this Fortieth Congress. We shall
probably not # ascertain how tho ranting
portion of the majority will get out of their
present dilemma, until the additional sec
tions to the Reconstruction Bill are spread
on the statute books, and even then it may
he convenient in order to let time set all
things even to ignore for an another season
all questions relating to the trial of the
President, and proceed to the considera
tion of other business. There is the bill
for appropriating a million dollars for the
relief of' the destitute in the South which
is not yet settled in the House, and there
is aiso to be some agreement upon the time
for the meeting of the next session. Upon
that point as yet there are many “dis
agreeing votes." The newly elected Radical
members are deeidedly averse to ad
journing or taking a recess beyond tho
month of May, when everything is soft
and beauteous in the vicinity' of the
metropolis, _ and the sadly proportioned
grounds which encircle the Capitol build
ing are teeming with fragrance and per
fume, and all the endowments which nature,
aided by the art of man, lias placed there
for the purpose of pleasing the eye of the
wise legislators and others whose pleasure
or duty calls them to a close proximity
with all its liveliness. Indeed, some of' the
members of Congress are objecting to going
home at all. They greatly prefer an ex
istence here to that anywhere else, and
one Senator, anew man, Mr. Drake, of
Missouri, who has quacked considerably
more than his share iu the short period in
which he has been among the legislators,
does not see why the Fortieth Congress
met on the 4th of March, instant, if they
were to adjourn and abandon the public
business immediately.
Some few people having honored the
classical Sumner with the appellation of
leader of the Senate, and that title having
appeared several times in print in several
of the leading Republican journals of the
North, the subject thereof is so pleased
with the idea of being exalted above his
fellow-men of like principles, who are act
ing in the sphere with himself, that lie has
of late been more than ordinarily an ex
pounder of the true faith (/) and, in his
enthusiasm, has attempted to ride rough
shod over Fessenden, Sherman, and two
or three others, who are'disgusted with the
Massachusetts Senator, and on two or
three occasions of late have retorted very
severely upon their “distinguished friend.”
These little episodes are now of daily oc
currence, and it is requiring all the diplomacy
there is in the Radical circle to harmonize
these slight _ differences. Sumner has
changed his mind about retiring to private
life at the close of his present torm. The
honors that cluster so thickly pow upon
his senatorial brow, are far too much for
his yielding nature, and the future pros
pect, when Johnson is impeached, and.
Wade is President, of stepping into Mr.
| Seward’s State Department shoes, is too
j great an incentive to continue in public
life not to he heeded. A correspondent’s
word for it, Sumner is not politically laid
on the .shell' for a long day yet. “’Tis
true, ’tis pity, and pity ’tis, ’tis true.”
A prominent question is presenting it
self to the world at large just now, and
particularly to the generation of this Re
public in who is to be next President.
Grant is not so much talked of as former
ly, although the leaders in the ranks of
the Republican party lay claim to him—
and perhaps justly, judging from.recent
events—as before ; hut still he is not alto
gether the choice ; because Butler’s influ
ence in the campaign is an expectant all
powerful one, and it would he an unheard
of sacrifice for that individual to stump
the North for the General wlio “bottled”
him up in his first report as C’ommander
in-Chief. Wade is slightly in the back
ground, and it is admitted that Fessenden i
would not do. fie is too cynical. Butler
'! would not carry weight, although his am
bition runs directly that way, and Thad is
too old, though not generally regarded as
venerable. Consequently the choice seems
likely to fall upon Speaker Colfax, with a
pair of shoulder straps on the ticket with
him. The Speaker is consistent enough
for the entire party, and his personal
popularity is unquestionable. Even his
political foes delight to do him honor
m this respect. _He is youn°-.
i accounted good looking, und has been
j thrcci times in succession elected to
j 1 , speakership, grid his friends say
i could have been Senator had lie so desired
; it. 1 !icse arc the feathers in his cap, and
!he may be regarded the rising man. Uis
nomination would he a death-blow to the
hopes of several other aspirants; but his
is the most likely to bo made. The Demo
crats have not yet declared in favor of any
one. They will bide the time, and wait the
issues of the present. Let us not speculate i
further; but trust to the restoration of the
Lmon to furnish better evidences upon
which to base future probabilities.
; The results of the New Hampshire elec
’ turn were not too favorable to the victors,
j Like Oliver Twist, they wanted a few more
and failed to get it. The majorities, though
sufficient to give them ail the powerdesira
ble, would, nevertheless, have been more
welcome if they had been at least a thou
sand more, as was counted on. The next
I struggle is in Connecticut, and there a
; great fight is going on. The candidates
are General Ilowley and Mr.'English ; the
former an ex-soldier, and the latter an ex-
Rcpresentative in Congress, who of course,
is a Copperhead, although he voted for the
abolition of slavery in this District, and
was lauded by Mr. Greeley for so doing.—
The Republicans admit that they will lose
one District; but all with whom I have
ventured to speak touching the campaign
m Connecticut, express themselves saw mine
of defeating 31 r. English. If he should be
elected, it may justly be regarded a great
triumph of Conservativeism.
This, St. Patrick’s day, was ushered in
with regal style. \ esterday morn opened
with a regular old fashioned snow storm ;
all day- long the feathery flakes descended
and night closed with an increase of the
favors of winter that Jupiter Pluvius oc
casionally vouchsafes the land . South of
New England. This morning opened
bright and fhir; the north wind is blowing,
but the sunlight “on tiie breast of the
new fallen snow” beibre travel is sufficiently
inaugurated for the day to demolish the
beauty of the white mantle, makes everv
i thing appear in a state of icy gorgeousness.'
j A great event is set apart for to-day,
j wind and weather permitting. It is the
laying of the corner-stone of anew Catholic
I Cathedral. Let me digress and assert,
< without fear of contradiction, that Wash
: ington is fast rivalling Brooklyn as a city of
I churches. It is the new St. Patrick’s
' Church, and this morning the Rev. Dr.
Foley, of Baltimore, will preach the pane
gyric of St. Patrick at the old church, and
this afternoon Archbishop Spalding will
lay the corner-stone of the new edifice. It
is to be hoped that the weather will not be
too boisterous to interfere with the de
monstration which has been laid out, as it
will be at once imposing and grand.
To-morrow evening the Hibernian
Benevolent Society will give their annual
festival. Arlington. I
The Duty of the Hour.
No. I.
Messrs. Editors : I admit this is dark ! \
and vet there is light euougli to road the
handwriting on th.e wall. This is even so
legible that he who runs may read. There
is no mistaking its interpretation. Our
fate is sealed—irrevocably sealed for weal
or woe! We are in the condition of a
sick man whom the attendant physician
had despaired of recovering, and, leaving
him to the tender care of his family and
nurse, and with a sad heart at his ill suc
cess and theloss of a valuable and respected
citizen, he proceeds on his daily round of
duties to his numerous patients. We are
now the friends and nurses of our sick and
dying country. Shall we, too, despair?
Bus all been done that can be done to
arrest the progress of the devouring flames
o' the disease? “While there is life
there is hope, ” is the involuntary ejacula
tion of the parent over the sinking form of
his dying child. This hope has, thousands
of. times, combatted reason, wrestled with
science, or, by her perseverance, has, in
very many cases, had the unmistakable
joy of seeing the disease arrested, tlie
grave cheated of its victim, and the patient
restored to a long life of peace, plentv and
happiness.
’There is life in the old land yet,” and
if we are true to our trust, true to ourselves
and true to our posterity, we may yet live
to make our country prosperous and hap
py. The present anomalous condition of
our country cannot exist always. Calm,
temperate, and yet determined action upon
tho part of the whole people of these States
may save us from any permanent injury
from the Sheruian-Shellabarger Military
Bill. But we cannot accomplish this by
“masterly inactivity.” It is the history of
all ages and all people, however great,
powerful or high-toned, when conquered in
honorable combat, or forced at the point of
the bayonet to accept degrading and in
human terms, and have, in no instance on
record, tarnished their escutcheon by mean
ly taking advantage of such measures as
best secured them iu the possession of
life and property from the avarice of their
conquerors. And yet they accepted of, 1
such terms as were offered them.
Let us try- to prove ourselves great in
the midst of our misfortunes. There are
certain great duties which we owe to our- j
selves, to our wives and children, to our j
aged parents and the widows and orphans
of the land. These demand our constant
vigilance and care.
Forsake these and we would be unworthy
the boon transmitted to us by our noble
ancestry. Even under the late military
act we are not divested of all rights, and
those few that are left us, let us not for
bear to exercise in a judicious and intelli
gent manner. Let us not shrink from a
discharge of our whole dutv, in this, the
darkest hour of our adversity. Indiffer
ence and inaction will most surely compro
mise you as well as your posterity. Let
the proffered hour again pass without
nobly and manfully meeting the crisis, and
your posterity will rise up to curse your
memory and record your faithlessness and
your infamy-. The day is not distant when
there must he a change, and if we will but
do our duty, we may restore the mangled
form of American liberty, and once more
behold that proud bird lifted from the
ground and elevated to her lofty eyry,
where she may remain in her unmoved
contemplation of her holy mission, with
her eye steadfastly fixed upon the star of
liberty and independence, and, with her
wings spread from sea to soa, and
from the ice-bound lakes of the North
to the orange groves of the South, and the
songs of liberty will again he heard on the
hill-tops and in tho valloys, and a thrill of
joy will onoe more animate the heart of
every patriot in the land ; confidence will
then be restored, business will ho revived,
joy wiil gladden every heart, and tho
cliuroh bells will then proclaim the glad
tidings in every city, town and hamlet
throughout the land, and the applause of
posterity will do honor to your memories
when your bodies shall be mouldering in
the grave.
Then let your hearts anu your minds he
reanimated with confidence; you have
yet a moiety of your liberty left— use it, but
use it with judgment for tho good of your
selves and your bleeding country. Your
rule of notion is no longer the Constitution
—for this is dead —nor is it laws made iu
“pursuance ” of that great magnaffiharta, of
our former liberties, or by humane legisla
tors, but by tyrants and despots, who arc
remorselessly driving the car of juggernaut
over the_ crushed, mangled and bleeding
forms of their victims of vindictive hate
and malice.
Under the Sherman Military Bill and its
Supplement, only a little over three
thousand of the citizens of Georgia
are disfranchised, it is true, these
are among the learned, the experienced
and wise statesmen of our State, but
their influence and their councils are
not lost to the country. Their precepts in
tho past, as well as their riper judgments
and experience, may guide, unseen, the
affairs of State. _ Let us look to them for
advice and council in this the hour of our
adversity. There are yot one hundred
thousand voters in the State of Georgia,
independent of the freedmen’s votes, who
are, or may bo, entitled to the privileges
of the ballot under the Military “ Act to
provide for the more, efficient government
of the Rebel States,” and, if all men will
but discharge their duty, take the pro
posed oath, with a consciousness of its
unconstitutionally, hut with a steadfast
purpose of obeying and carrying out its
mandates, under a manly and dignified
protest, we may continue to hold the
reigns of government in our own hands,
and thus defeat, in a great measure, the
wily machinations of our enemies in the
subversion of our liberties and transferring
tjie control of the government of those
States into the hands of unprincipled
# 11 UUjll
whites and the illiterate freedmen.
The choice given us is humiliating, but
not more so than the consequences of our
neglect to accept the terms proposed. Wo
must pocket our pride in an imperious
discharge of a great and high duty to our
selves, our posterity, and our country.
Under the law the negro male population
of these States, twenty-one years of age
and upwards, are placed upon a political
equality with their former masters, and
arc entitled to all the privileges of the bal
lot vouchsafed to the white man, and
which should be implicitly or sacredly re
spected by all. It may bo humiliating to
thousands to go up to the polls and vote
side by side with his former slaves; but
pocket your humiliation and, with the con
fidence which the negro has in your supe
rior judgment, and his dependence upon
you for the means of support, you may
carry them to the polls to vote them in your
interest ortho interest of the State.
The negro now has rights and immuni
tiesof citizens of these States which ought to
be.rcspected, and must if we would approx
imate to a state of good government, peace
j and prosperity.
, In the beginning of our late civil strug
glc I was opposed to secession, but when
j the State of Georgia seceded, and holding
i my citizenship within her limits, and as a
State-Rights Democrat, I felt that she
carried me with her; and, though a resi
dent or sojourner in the District of Co
lumbia, I cast my fortunes with her for
weal or for woe, though taking no part
in the war, 'either by bearing arms
against the government of the United
.States, or by precepts encouraging the
Confederate Government in the prosecu
tion of tho war; and yet my sympathies
were with the people of the South, though
often expressing my doubts of her success.
I over lamented the effort to destroy and
break up a government, however many
her faults; yet the best upon which the
light of Ileaven has shown. I feared, and
even predicted its disastrous termination.
J hough these States lay prostrate and bleed
ing, I have not nor shall not forsake them.
I heir destiny must be my destiny ; their in
terest shall be my interest; and, as acitizen
of Georgia, I shall not stop to consult my own
pride when the path of duty is plain, and '
the interest of the State, and the honor of:
her people, and the pride of posterity 1
require me to act at the polls or elsewhere.
My children will expect me to do my duty.
1 j !s , s .“. d o *® the best of my judgment
and ability. / shall obey the laic, and
insist upon its obedience by others. We
cate yet a wise and able statesman at the
heim—a friend of humanity—in the person
oi Andrew Johnson ; and if we will but be
true to ourselves he will be truo to us.
Y\ c are upon the eve of a great and mighty
batt.e bloodless, I hope—but none the
less important because of that fact—and
m which it is expected that every man
wdl do hu duty. More anon.
M . C. P. C.
Killed by Liuhtninu—Remarkable
1-act -On Wednesday, 13th March, Jas.
Cloud, a son of Mr. Jas. F. Cloud, of this
District, was killed by lightning. It was
cluring the exercises of the school, while
the little boy was just tvalking up to the
teacher with slate in hand, that he received
the ffital stroke.
Several of the otl>cr pupils received
severe shocks; but one of the most re
markable facts is that the teacher (a lady
whose name we have not learned) was bad
ly stunned, the fiery fluid burning her
breast and melting one of her ear-rings.— j
Winnsboro ’ News.
_ From Philadelphia.—The steamship
ionawanda, Capt. Catharine, arrived here
yesterday morning from Philadelphia, witli
a large freight. She had rather a rough
passage, experiencing strong gales from
northwest to northeast. While off Cape
Hatteras she passed the disabled steamship
Saragossa, in tow of the steamship Chas.
P. Lord; also passed two steamers sup-
Eoseil to be the Alliance and Moneka,
ound north.— Savannah Herald, 21st.
We record, with sorrow, the death of
Judge Jones, formerly an ’esteemed citi
zen of Newberry, anu our intimate friend
and companion "in happy days long gone.
We add our tribute of praise to his worth
as a man and a friend, that in all the re!a- i
tions of life he stood irreproachable.—
Newberry Herald. I
From Washington.
Spatial ■
T t^ C f' ,r m " Mandate—Fes
dilute for the iZlc mu lr W l
Turning Couscnatwc LlU ~^^n
Washington, March it me- •
I enclose you a copy of the “ml’i • ‘>■
Bill rs it finally passed the q* UL U “ ery
o’clock last night the Senate at 11
It will be perceived that it l eavcs
Southcru people proper no alternative a°
to them, it is a mandate. The i'lfi- A
provision requiring a majority 0 f
registered, however, places its accenting
at the option of the negroes, who the
military satraps will take care to put i-, ~,
available attitude to accomplish such ■,
purpose as was shamelessly intimated by
Senator H ilson when he avowed their
Kauical proclivities, Tho proposition of
Fessenden to fairly present the ques
tion of acceptance to the Legis
latures of the unrepresented States
was unceremoniously voted down.
It will also bo observed that the white
voter is to ho subjected; before being rcris
tered, to a stringent oath, and that noper
soms eligible to act as a Register or Judge
of ttie Elections who is unable or unwillinl
- take the ‘iron-clad test oath” of July
2C, 1862, pronounced by the Supreme
tourt to Of course
this, in nine out often of every county in
the Southern States, will exclude every
one except Northern soldiers and nc-roes
from so acting With this “machinery,”
and with the boasted Radicalism of the
satraps in supreme command, the result
ot the ‘elections’.’ and the character of
the constitutions” to be adopted may
easily enough he conjectured. But, to
jane a “bond fate” itself, the subtle and
ingenious contrivers of this bill have man
aged (in case the “constitutions” of those
States do not by their provisions render
the electoral vote for the Radical candi
date in IS6S certain), that their admission
as States after all shall be left to the
caprice of Congress. Neither the parent
iniquity nor this ‘supplemental’ bill make
it obligatory upon Congress to accord rep-
resentation upon full and punctilious com
pliance wjth all the demands made. Tho
sth section of the Supplement provides
that, “if the said constitution shall he
declared to bo in conformity with the pro
visions of the act to which this is supple
mentary, and the other provisions of said
act shaft have been complied with, and the
said constitution shall he approved by
! Congress, the State shall bo declared enti
tled to representation.” If plenary power
: had not been reserved, under which Con
-1 gross might for any reason or for no reason,
; at ail, reject the constitutions, and so
1 indefinitely keep the States out of the
j Union, the hill could not have been passed.
; It was manifestly the argument that these
| bills settled nothing whatever, and were in
j 110 wise binding upon Congress, that
j ensured their adoption. Such is the
mouse that the mountain, in labor for the
past eighteen months, has brought forth!
At this moment “Reconstruction is no
nearer accomplishment than it v,- year
ago.
Besides, this bill (a substitute for Tho
House hill—not an amendment) is yet to
be acted upon by the latter body. Li the
| Senate the Democrats and Conservatives
! (with the exception of Mr. Johnson who
voted for, and Messrs. Buckalew and Hen
dricks who voted against it), refused to
take any part in this proceeding. They
neither discussed the disgusting proposi
tions made, voted on the final passage of
the bill. This course was eminently wise, and
commends itself to imitation in the other
House. Let the Budieals flounder along
with tlieir own plan. Let them monopolize
all the glory pertaining to their delectable
project. No power m either House, or in
the Exccuti'-o branch of the Government
exists to thwart tlieir purposes, and the
feouth is utterly disabled from interposing
any obstacles. Therefore, it would seem
to be in the highest degree proper that
tney should not only be permitted to grope
their way along unmolested and. unopposed,
hut to all the advantages of their schemes,
together with tlieir Rill and awful respon
sibility. it appears to he anticipated that
the Hon so will largely increase the diffi
culties of executing the plan proposed
v aen the measuro comes before them on
Monday, and the Radical organ thinks
that Em bill may finally be referred to a
conference committee. It may, indeed, bo
defeated altogether !
Tho debate yesterday and last night was
very spicy. Wilson is now classed among
the Conservatives.” Ho extended his
arms widely and professed a desire to
embrace the whole South, but when
closely catechised by Nye and Howard he
consented to exclude Rebels from his uni
versal ' hug.” A place so near his heart
was reserved for his favored “race and
color He, nevertheless, indignantly re
buked.those Senators for demagogueism in
revamping the senseless abuses of “red
handed Rebels”—the stale lies about
Andersonville starvation,” “cruelties to
negroes, and such like—which he con
tended were well enough in time of war,
but utterly out of place in these times
of profound peace. It was retorted by
Nye that what he had just uttered and
w hich was considered by Wilson as “dema
gogueism he had heard uttered a thousand
times bv his rebuker, and Howard
charged him with entertaining a purpose
(attempted to he concealed by pre
tended friendliness to the South) of
erecting negro governments there—a thing
Mr. Howard affected to consider of most
monstrous iniquity. To an unsophisticated
listener this sort of language would be
considered as evidence of a real difference
ot political views among the Radicals, and
indicative of a “burst up” of the party,
or at least of the dawning of less revenge
fill feelings against the South. But to
those who have heard gr.avc and rever
end Seignors cai! one anot her liars and a
moment after address them as their
honorable friends—to those who have heard
Senators one day declare that they never
would consent to disfranchise any portion
of the Southern people, when enfranchis
ing the whole ot their late slaves, and the
very- next day do that very thing—to those
who have witnessed these tergiversations,
the debate of yesterday, although confused
and wrangling, and inconsistent and con
tradictory enough, was all “leather and
prunella.”
One remark made by Sir. Wilson, how
ever, is important to tjie North, and con
tains a world of warning. He said he was
anxious for the immediate admission of
the South, with universal negro suffrage,
chiefly because it would secure the right of
the negro to vote in every Northern State !
Doubtless the subjugation of the Southern
people will be swiftly followed by the
humiliation of' the Northern States. Nor
can it be expected that Southern represen
tatives, of whatever kind, will interpose
any difficulties in the way of accomplishing
such an object by Congress, whfU still
smarting under the exactions com: .need
by its constituency. X.
Impeachment—Singular Rei > nas.—l
have been put in possession of some facts
which shed a flood of light upon the ques
tion of impeachment. It seems that some
time ago a scheme was concocted by which
the act of Congress providing for the sue
cession of the Presidency was to be so al
tered that the Speaker of the House
should succeed in case of the death or re
moval of both President and Vice-Presi
dent. Wade got wind of this project in
time to stifle it before it matured. In
revenge, the friends of Colfax, especially
those on the Judiciary Committee, clan
destinely set their faces against the im
peachment, and interposed obstacles which
induced abortive attempts to take tho mat
ter out of their hands, and refer it to a
special committee. The , equei is known.
It is now further stated that, in conse
quence of these intrigues, the parties in the
interest of the. Speaker have been some
what favored in the matter of Executive
patronage, so much so that the amiable
President of the Senate emphatically as
severates that tho “party” lias become
demoralized, and that never iill now has
he feared the power of the President to
reud it asunder.— Letter m Baltimore Ga
zette.
>St. Michael’s Chimes. —Under the
auspices of Mr. James C. Lacoste, to
whose energy may largely be attributed
this speedy success, the bells of St.
Michael’s, recently released from tho Cus
tom House, were subjected to their first
trial yesterday evening, and as they chimed
the familiar sounds of “Home Again,”
the eyes of not a few of our readers were
bedewed with grateful tears. The bells
were found to be in perfect condition, and
hereafter we may hope to have them ring
in many Sabbaths of prosperity and peace.
— Courier, 22d.
Frost and Ice at Columbus. The
\ Enquirer of the J 9th says : On Sunday
! morning there was ice and a thin frozen
crust on lately ploughed ground—we saw
both; and on Monday morning there was
a heavy white frost. No doubt. some of
the fruit was killed, and more of it injured
—but we still hope that there will be a suf
ficiency of the early-bloomm > fruit, such
as peaches and plums, it is hardly prob
able that the apple crop lias yet been much
injured. _ -All tender garden vegetation
not specialty protected must have suffered. ' 1
AN Unfortunate Aitair.-Oii Tues
day last, a difficulty took place on the front
' porch of the old hotel, between George A.
Brown and Richard Daniels. Several
shots were exchanged between the parties,
two of Mr. Daniel s shots entering the per
son of Mr Brown, one lodged in the left
side, anu the other the corner of the left
eye, which it is thought he will loose. Mr.
r-a- re r\ ed I ’° injury whatever. The
difficulty has long been brewing', and was
expected to take place whenever the
parties met. Mr. Brown is suffering fiorn
the ball that entered the eye, which has
not yet been extracted. —Americus Re
publican.