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OLD SERIES, VOL. LXXVI.
X in-oniric & Sentinel.
111-:>'HV MOOKEi
A. ft. WIUOIIT.
PvTI'ICK IV U slf, Associate Editor
ADOt’HTA. <iA :
«rn\KSim mokmag dkckibkr 30.
TjikColu*hia A A f OUST A Railroad.
We art* informed that ihe injunction case
of the South Carolina Railroad Company
against tiro Columbia A Augusta Railroad
Company, will be dissolved by the decis
ion of Judge Platt, which orders a jury to
assess damages. Under (his ruling of the
Court work will, we understand, be re
sulted immediately and the road pushed
through to Augusta w ith all poas.ble speed.
MottH OK TUB STOCKN SIO,OOO Recover
ed.— Experience seems to prove more
forcibly every day that in this, the age of
p tli * Telegrapha.td the Ditectlve, it ia al
ir:->-*t linpo-eibio for the thief who takos
a large amount to get oil iu safety with
his spoils. The men who robbed Mr.
J Colon, Os eighth >:pe county, of SIO,OOO
souio Cute since, as reported in tins paper,
have proved nooxceptiou to this rule. Two
Oftnotn were captured some time since
with a portion of the booty, yesterday’s
Atlanta Era Inform 1 ns $1,20J additio al
has lieen found, and ere long we thiuk the
whole of it will be recovered.
Urine Krkioiits,—A carload of cotton
which lilt Vicks mrg on the 10th instant,
via Atlanta ami Augusta, arrived in j
Chai lesion, whence it was shipped i>y
steuiner and will arrive in New York on j
24th instant, making the round trip from !
Vicks!) irg to New York by rail anil steam
in the short sp ice of eight days. There is ;
no change of cars between Vicksburg and
Charleston. This is certainly a progree-i
e,ye movement, and rellects credit on all |
who wore instrumental in bringing it j
ub ut It is not only profitable for rail-!
rose corporations, bat it is aiso profitable
to the public immediately interested, i
whom it relieves from trouble and ex-j
pense. L
l'l-RTHKB Particulars ok the Burn- \
iso of Klbektos.—Our Elberton oorre- !
spon, lent gives us furthor particulars ol
the Ureal that place. The losses as or- !
tai :ied of the diHeront parties are as fob j
iov. : Col. Treuchard’s loi s, idciuding his I
ini inoss house, is about $25,(100; William
Wa: ' iii.ni, in the same house, $2,500; B. I
Chedi'i Jew eller; same housesl,2oo; James
A. Sanders $i00; P. J. Shannon SSOJ; F. \V. j
Smith sl,o;in; John 1) James $5,0 )0; S. ;
Franklin A < $2 000; Mas, ...• Lo lg , :
$0000; John \l. Brown $1 800; Win. A. I
Brown $300; II -star a Lumpkin’s loss |
heavy, the amount unknown; It. Hester
s‘ <l| (i; Mrs. NJ. Swift $1,500; Edmunds A j
Marcus $1,200; J. 11. Jones $1,0X1; S. N.
Carpenter (Elbarton (iazette) loss very j
heavy and amount unknown. Soveral
other parties lost proporty to a con- j
sidorablo amount.
Tic lire originated on the inside of Colo
nel Trenehard’s store. Mr. Walsetuanand
iamily were sloeping up stairs in ttio store
and came very near being consumed, only
getting out a few minutes before the house
was biown up by the powder that was in it.
’I iu* lire is supposed to have been acci
dental. It took almost superhuman ex
ertions to prevent the whole town from
being consumed.
But very little of tho proporty was in
sured.
Some of the suflforors have come to this
city in search of assistance to start iu
business again. We tiope they will have j
extended to them that kind reception for j
which Augusta is noted.
The Banner of the-South.- The last
number of this popular Sou hern weekly
is more than usually attractive. The ori
ginal matter is of tho highest order; while
great ta to and skill is shown io its selec
tions, the latter comprising tho cream of
the periodical press flic following is the
table of contents Golden Oleums —The i
Karls of Sutherland—-James Montaine —■ I
I.etter from Gin. Early Christmas \
Stone for Children— Essays, Editorial,
etc., and the usual amount of poetry, be- ;
sides more than the ordinary amount ot j
space devoted to tho memories of the
Causo, lost, but uot forgotten.
Compliment to Gkoikha Mancfac-
TUKKs —The Charleston iXcws says ftuit
Senator Sprague, of Rhode Island, at a
dinner party given to him the other day at
the Charleston Hotel, by a few leading
citizens, said that “it would surprise the
people of the South, and still more sur
prise the peoplo of the North, to know—
wluit is a sact —that tho best cotton faotory
of its size and kind in America is to be
l'ouud in the city of Augusta, Georgia ;
and timt in looking at the subjeot from a
manufacturer's point ot view, taking tho
productions per hand and per spiudle, and
comparing them with tho work in other
mills tunning on the same class of goods,
he found that these Southern goods were
equal to any of their kind seen in tho
Northern markets.”
The Bankrupt Act.— The Washing
ton correspondent of tho New York Tri
bune has the following We suppose it
has reference to the clause which enables a
debtor to take the benefit of the act with
out paying anything:
"Mr. Jenokes, of Rhode Island, intends
to present a bill extending the limit of the
operations of the bankrupt act, after tho
holiday recess. Ho feels confident that
the Senate will agreo to pass it, and that
with the aid of the S nit hern members he
wiil get it through tho House.”
Tiik Sonn Carolina Conference. —
Wo had a call Wednesday from Mr. C.
Canuiiiic, of the firm of J. W. Burke&Co.,
and wj iearu from him that tijo above
named eonfereuoo, which this year held its
session at Abbeville Court House, ad
journed Monday night, the Jlst, at 11 $ p.
in. For the information of our subscri
be! in Abbeville and Edgefield, we give
below the appointments there for the en
suing year. This was the first conference
ever held at Abbeville, and the proceed
ings were attended with great interest by
the people of that section. The preachers
and vLitors speak in terms of the highest
gratification of the elegant and unbounded
hospitality of the people of Abbeville. Mr
Canning represented the Southern Chris
fit,a .Li core at the conference, and we
are gratifi. 1 to learn that the report from
the l’uCi phers exhibits a prosperous cou
ditiou of the affairs of that paper for the
year just closed, The appointments for
Abbt ville are: Manning Brown and T. S
Daniel; Ninety six, T G Herbert; Saluda
River M n, R. M Harrison; Doru’s
Mine, J ' Traywiek; Edgefield, J. T.
Kilgore lho next conference will be held
at Cher.: ", S. C.
AR&IHSAS.
MORE TF.UUiBI.E "ITRAOES BY CLAYTON'S
MU.ITIA.
Memphis, December 19. —The dw-j
lanchi s Little R )?k special of to-night
says, reliable inf urination states that ou
the mori mg ot the loth, four companies of
militia, ooimnaoie 1 by Col-Gray Williams,
from R atio and Mathews counties, the
latter colored, entered Lewisburg, shoot
ing in every direction They marched to
the store of Breetu A Casey and set fire to
it, after pouring coal oil on the floor.
Howard A Wells’store was also burned.
La-can's store was saved by great exertion.
During the fire Mr. Casey was shot down
ami his body thrown into the flames alter
riflrng his pockets. The town is stilt oc
cupied by the militia, who go shooting and
shouting through the streets. No one is
j eriuitted to leave without a pass. All
quiet at Augusta, It is said that promi
nent citizens prevented an attack on the
militia, fearing misrepresentation abroad.
The people desire the interference of the
United States troops in their behalf. In a
arge meeting at Batesville to day, all
parties participated, declaring for peace
under any circumstances, promising to
support the civil authorities, and calling
tn other counties to hold similar meetings.
?lie arrest of William Merriwether, a
prominent Radical of Independence county,
pyGeti Upbam at Augusta, on the charge
of discouraging enlistment* in the iuimia,
creates some sensation.
This is the reconstruction Bullock and
Blodgett want to prevail in Georgia.
.'out Radical.
Governor Bullock to-day receiveda dis
patch announcing the assassination of
.Sneriff Norris, of Warren county, on the
uigiitof the 14th ibst. He was the only
Republican .Sheriff left in the State.—
Wash. Oorr ., New York Times . *
We have the authority from a citizen of
Vi arren county,and a warm personal friend
of Mr. Norris, for saying that the latter is
not a Radical. He says that Sheriff
Norris, so far from being a Radical, voted
for Seymour and Blair. We have not
heard anything in relation to the shooting
of Norris which shows that it was provok
ed or inspired by political prejudice or
animosity.
Doubtless the Express Agent will attempt
to wake the Radicals in Congress believe
that the shooting of Norris was purely on
account of Lis politics, and that a large I
number of Republican Sheriffs have been
assassinated in this State. “He was the
odl>- Repub’ican *Sheriff left in the State!”
What a fearful destiny has befallen Radi
cal Sheriff-! Bullock would have Congress
believe that Norris was the “last of an
illustrious line” of Radical Sheriffs, when
the truth io, the whole number of Radical
Sheriffs elected in this State was, if we are !
rightly informed, just one, and that one
Albert G. Ruffin, of Richmond.
W ooden Kali ways.
We clip from the New York Tribune,
tho following brief sketch of the Adiron
dank Wooden> Railway, in operation at
Clifton, New York, aud which was fur
nixhed by a correspondent of the Montreal
Gazette. We published, pome days sioce,
the report made by a member of the Cana
dian Parliament upon the construction and
j operations of this road. We return to the
subject to-day in order that our people may
| see how easy if will he to construe*; these
Wooden Railways over such routes as are
now too remote from our great trunk lines
j to he benefitted by the latter,
i Our friends io Columbia are agitating
; * feasibility of constructing one of these
roads through that county into Lincoln arid
Eihert, and perhaps as far up as Carnes
i villo and Clarksville. The success of such
j roads is now placed beyond doubt. They
j can be built for less than one-third the
cost of an ordinary plank road, and the
; rails will last quite as long as iron rails
now last on our great through freight lines
The estimates of Mr. Hulbert are based
; upon practical tests made by himself.
| With the right of way granted and the
road located through a timbered country,
he estimates the cost of the road at fifteen
1 hundred dollars per mile. It will be re
j rnembered that little or no grading is re
j quired—that the entire costs are limited
to grubbing and preparing tho road bed
! for the rails and the cost of the rails and
j ties themselves.
| The distance from this city to Elberton, :
; via Appling and Lincolnton, is, we believe,
less than seventy miles. Allowing Mr.
j Hulbert’s estimate for the superstructure
i of tho road—say fifteen hundred dollars
per mile, and the further costs of five
hundred dollars per railo lor grubbing and
ditching—we find that the entire cost of
the road would be, to Elberton, something
less than one hundred and forty thousand
dollars.
We know that even this is a large sum of !
money, but wo feel quite confident that !
the people, alone, of the three counties j
through which the road would pass, can j
raise, if they try, tile desired amount, j
All that is necessary to accomplish ihe j
work is for the people, along the con
templated line, to set to work with the
determination of building tho road them
selves. They must not look elsewhere for
help until they show their own willingness
*" vA)urrtto.oa.. -vwi O'up, <u -L-i, -LHUj., I
to secure its completion. We beliivo that
Augusta will contribute her share toward j
the project, but we seriously doubt whether |
our poople will take the initiative in the |
work of organization and subscriptions.
If the people along the line of the pro j
posed road will organize and open sub
scription books, they can in,‘a few weeks
determine whether the amount necessary
to build and equip the road can be raised
in the country. If they should fall short
of the desired amount, then let them call
upon Augusta to help them out. The
merchants, property holders and capitalists
of the city have never failed to respond j
promptly to all fair and legitimate demands
whioh have been made upon them to open
new channels of trade or increase the
facilities for intercourse with the surround
ing country.
But we merely intended to day to call
attention to the extract from tho Tribune,
which is as follows :
The grading is the same as for an iron
road, except that stiffer grades can be as
cended. The ties are of the ordinary de
scription, but aro not squared on any side,
and on the Clifton road are placed at the
usual distance of three feet apart, except
ou the trestles, where there are three ties
to every two yards. In future, however,
the engineer proposes to put the three ties j
to every two yards, as ho proposes running
heavier eugines. The rails are of maple,
six inches by four ; but in future their
shape will be altered a little without in- ;
creasing the quautity of timber, making
them three and a half inches on top by
seven inches deep, so as to be bi tter adapt
ed to the increased weight of engines (14
tuus instead of 10). Notches are cut in
the round ties to such a depth as to keep
the bottom of the rail about two inches
from the ground after i he road is ballasted,
and the rail projects sufficiently above the
notched tie to allow the flange of the wheel
to pass. The rails are fastened to the ties
by a couple of hard wood wedges, driven
in opposite directions on the outside of the
rail, within the notch. This has the effect
of making the whole superstructure oue
solid mass, without the addition of any
spikes or pins. In maxing the curves the
rail it.-e's is bent to the required shape, so
that there is no angularity whatever in the
lino of rails. The trestles are of the
simplest description. They consist of two
upright sticks of square timber imme
diately under the rails, let into a
transverse stick, which are braced to
the sticks of timber laid lengthwise from
one trestle to another, immediately under
the Hue of rails, in each direction. This
is further supported by a similar stick of
timber at each side, from the head of the
trestle to ihe base, in a slanting direction,
the whole of which islet into a squared
log at the base. The wooden rail is not a
new invention, but Mr. Hulbert, the en
gineer, has succeeded in rnakiug it avail
able without using a particle of iron in the
whole structure, ana has, moreover, de
mon-tratod that such railways can be used
tor long di-tance at a moderate cost, and
this through a country where an iron line,
as ordinarily eon-rructed, would be prac
tical^ - an engineering impossibility. Mr
Hulbert says that he is willing to contract
to lay the superstructure of a wooden rail
way ot his own improved construction at
the rate ot $1,500, American currency, a
mile, where maple and hemlock can be ob
tained at reasonable rates. Since my visit
I have become so convinced of the extreme
usefulness of such lines of railways in de
vebping the resources of anew country
and acting as feeders to the trunk lines,
that I have no hesitation in prophesying
that before many years we shall find them
i runuing in all directions through the Do
minion.
Beast Bailer's Bill.
We present below to the readers of the
Chronicle A Sentinel the plan of the
New Orleans Butcher for replacing a niiii.
tary despotism over the people of this
State. Whether this or any bill containing
such oppressive and cruel features will be
passed by Congress, we are unable to say.
We adhere to the opinioh previously given,
that while the State may not be remitted,
in terms, to the arbitrary rule of an irre
sponsible despotism, we may expect at least
such legislation as will enable the misera
ble creature Bollock to prosecute and out
rage our people through the agency of a
strong military force placed at his disposal
| by the action ol the present Congress.
We, therefore, caution our friends not to be
too sanguine, and advise them to move with
great prudence and caution in making
arrangements for the coming year. It is
quite probable that our labor will be again
1 greatly deranged, and the cropj will suffer
in consequence thereof :
A bill to enforce the laws cf the United
States in the Sipte of Georgia.
Be it enacted by the >enaje and House
Representatives of the United States oj
America in Congress assembbd. That ail
enactments and proceedings of the Provis
ional Legislature of the State of Georgia,
which assembled on the tourth day of July
and adjourned on the sixth day of October,
eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, are
hereby declared to be inoperative, void,
and of non-effect.
Sec. 2 And be it further enacted, That
the provisional Governor of Georgia, elect
ed at an election held on the twentieth,
twenty first, twenty-second, and twenty
third days of April, eighteen hundred and
sixty eight, is empowered and authorized
to suspend or remove from office, any civil
officer, either executive, administrative or
judicial, claiming to hold or exercise the !
duties of any office, under any authority
derived from or granted by the provisional !
government of the State of Georgia, oraDy
portion of the people thereof, and to ap
point other officers in their stead, who are
authorized to perform the duties, and in
vested with the powers of such officers so
removed, and to fill all vacancies otherwise i
occurring in said offices.
Sec. 3 And be U further enacted. That
said provisional Governor elect is hereby
a;ithoriz i 'd and directed to assemble at the
city of Atlanta, on or before the 'first
Wednesday in ' April next, by proclamation
published at least thirty days before the i
day of meeting, that persons elected at
said elections as members of the two
Houses of the Legislature known as tho
General Assembly of the State of Georgia,
who shall have first taken and subscribed
the oath of office prescribed by htw for
officers of the United States, or whose disa
bility so to do, if any, shall have been re
moved by act of Congress, which said oath
shall be taken and subscribed before said
provisional Governor eject (who is au-
I thorized to administer the same), on the
day of said assembling, or as soon-there
! after as may be. And any false swearing.
; in taking said oath may be punished as
: perjury under the laws of the United States
before any Court competent to try like
offences
Sec. 4 And be it further enacted, That
whoever shall exercise, or claim to exer
! eise, the powers Slid dutifis of any office,
j either legislative, executive, judicial, or
j administrative, being disqualified by any
i law of the United States because of par
! ticipation in any manner in the late re
| hellion, shall he punished by imprisonment
not less than one year, nor more than five
; years, aud, in addition, be forever disquali
fied from holding any office of honor or
profit, under the laws of the Unite ! States
Sec 5. And be it further enacted That
'he members of said G.ueral Asseuibly so
qualified inly organize' their respective
Houses, and are invested with authority
to make such enactments, and have such
; legislative probeedings as are authorized
; by the laws of the Uuited States, and the
Constitution of the State of Georgia, rati
fied at the election aforesaid, when the
same shall become operative, in accordance
with the provisions of said laws.
Sec. 6 And be it further enacted, That
whenever, because of riots, disturbances of
i the public peace, interference with the
I freedom of elections, or the free expression
i of opinion, or the peaceful assemblage of
tho people for any purpose whatever, which
has been heretofore or may hereafter be
done, it shall become necessary, in the
opini in of the provisional Governor elect
so to do, he may declare and proclaim the
inhabitants residing io any portion of said
State to be in a condition of resistance to,
or non execution of the laws thereof, and
that the proper administration of the gov
ernment thereof is hindered and impeded
by domestic violence; and upon such dee
laration, said provisional Governor may re
quire' from the President of the United
; States such portion of tho army of the
United States not exceeding three regi
ments, which number shall be specified iri
said requisition to bes irthwith sent to the i
aid of said provisional Governor elect and
placed under his orders, to protect the j
government of the State from domestic !
violence; but in case of'armed resistance, I
said provisional Governor elect may re- I
quire such portion of the army as he mav j
deem necessary to subdue the same; and
it shall be the duty of the President to fill j
the requsition without delay, upon the re- '
ccint. thereof.
Sec 7. And be itJurther enacted, mat
in case of the death, resignation, or the >
refusal to act of the provisional Governor I
elect as heretofore provided, then the Gen- !
eral of the Army may detail some officers j
thereof to do and perforin all the duties j
and exercise all the powers hereinbefore \
vested in said provisional Governor elect.
Sec. 8. Andbe it further enacted, That i
any person knowingly hindering,delaying or
preventing the due execution of the pro- !
visions of this act may be punished thero- ;
for iu tho manner aud to the extent pro j
vided for in the fourth section thereof.
The University System.
We present to our readers,to-day,an able ■
and comprehensive defence of what are ;
called “Denominational Colleges,” and !
which were somewhat rudely assailed in
our columns by our New York correspond
ent“ Tyrone Powers.” We are glad the at
tack was made, not that we approved it
then or now, but because it has been the i
means of eliciting from Dr. Tucker this !
splendid defence of those institutions. We
hope that, we shall also have the views of
otherdistinguishedgentlemen,who are and
have been identified for a long time past
with the educational interests of the coun- j
try. • !
It will bo seen that the Dootor opposes j
the idea throwm out by us when first notice- I
ing this subject, that the denominational ]
colleges should be made auxiliary to the j
S ate University and not be continued as
now,rivals of ihat institution. The argu
ment of our learned correspondent upon
this point is, in our opinion, exceedingly
lame. Indeed it is fully answered by him
self in the opening pages of his owu argu
ment. We have not the time to-day to
point out the weakness of this portion of
his letter, nor do we intend just now to
present our own views in extenso upon this
important subject. We desire to elicit the
views of those in our midst whose position
and pursuits qualify them for giving
valuable information and suggestions on
thisquestion.
We trust that the advocates of a uni
versity proper, will respond to the views
presented so eloquently by Dr. Tucker.
i Discussion, if confined within the limits of
calm, dignified and respectful argument
; (and which characterizes Dr. T.’s letter),
must be beneficial to the country. Within
the limits of our circumscribed space, we
invite such discussion through the columns
of the Chronicle A Sentinel. W ill not
; the newly elected professor of History in
the State University furnish the public
with his views?
The subject of Education is aa import
ant one, and should command the study
and attention of our greatest miuds in all
the departments of life. We want the
views of our leading statesmen and pat
riots— Toombs, Hill, John-on, Nesfatt,
and of our great teachers— Lipscomb, M ell,
Thomas, Means, Brnnell, Waddell and
others. Let this great subject be iilumined
by the minds of these great men of the
State. What do you say, gentlemen?
The Suffrage Question.
As the fortieth Congress draws near to |
its final dissolution, it becomes more and j
more apparent that no conclusion will be
reached by it in relatiou to the question of i
suffrage. Quite a number of bills have
been introduced in both Houses since the
opening of the present session, providing
for uniform suffrage in all the States, and
more than a score of amendments to the
Constitution have been proposed in,rela
tion to the same subject. These different
schemes develope an antagonism of views
even among the extreme Radicals which
leads us to the conclusion that no legisla
tion on this subject can be consummated
by the present Congress.
The discussions in and out of Congress
which have been elicited by these various
projects show that there is not only indi
vidual differences of opinion existing in
the Radical ranks, but, which is of far
greater moment, that there are sectional
disagreements which cannot be harmonized
or overcome.
The Eastern States demand that the
Federal Government shall guarantee to the
citizens of the several States the right of
1 impar.PVFsuffrage, while the West demands
Al GUST A, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNfG. DECEMBER 30, 868
that it be made universal. These are often
used «s convertible terms, but upon investi
gation it will be found that they are far from
being synonymous. By impart laZvuffrage is
meant that system which, while it admits
. qualifications for suffrage, requires that
such- qualifications, when imposed, shall be
applied to all classes alike —that no restric
tions shall be imposed upon one man orone
class of men which are not alike applicable
to ail. On the other hand,universal sulfrage
is what its name fairly implies, the right
• to vote given to every adult without limit
or qualification except as to age and sex.
As we have said, the Eastern States
favor impartial or qualified suffrage. The
West wants unlimited or universal
suffrage. There is quite au animated dis
cussion of the merits of the two plans going
on in the papers of these respective sec
tions. Tho East would have in some
States an intelligence qualification,in others
a qualification bised upon property, while
in others still they would fix upon suffrage
both property and intelligence qualifica- |
tions. A few of their most -ultra orgms j
and leading fanatics would require moral
qualifications—such, we presume, as tern
perance, going to church on the Lord’s J
day, denounciqg “the sin of slavery,” and
the like.
The West meets this demand of the East
for impartial suffrage by charging that it
is an attempt" to' set up an aristocracy
of wealth whioh will-thus be clothed
with power to oppress and further
degrado their already dependent and
powerless working classes. The East, they
say. would set up their money lords and
shoddy princes as the true ruling class in
the eounlry, and would soon demand such
a change in the character of the Govern
ment as would recognize aqd protect them
in their pretensions as aristocratic riders.
The East retorts by charging the Wes
with a desire to get control of the Govern
ments through the suffrage of vast hordes
of European emigrants which these Eastern
aristocrats declare are too ignorant to un
derstand the u-o or the value of the ballot.
These ignorant foreigners, say they, will in
a few years more give the West entite su
premacy in the General Government and
enable that section to throw off the shackles
now imposed upon thetii by the East in
the enforcement of hign protective tariffs,
navigation laws, and the odious financial
systems which concentrate- capital iti East
ern cities to the great injury of the several
cities of the West.
These are the main points of difference
; between the East and West upon this ini
portant question. , It is somewhat singular
that the Eastern idea that the ballot, j
placed in the hands of the ignorant masses, !
would endanger the Government, never
occurred to them when legislating for the
South. Puritan New' England looks
with fear and trembling, if not with j
actual repugnance, to all efforts made in
behalf of universal suffrage among white
people, and embraces, with cordial delight, I
all propositions for conferring this priv- !
j ilege upon ignorant blacks. The struggle j
j between the East and West, upon this j
suffrage question, promises to become j
more and more intense and bitter. We I
are glad to see this controversy. We are i
opposed to any action of Congress on the j
question of suffrage, because we deny that, !
under the Constitution, it ha3 any right )
: to interfere with the internal polity of the
; several States. Each State should be
| permitted to regulate their election laws
,as will best suit their own people. We
shall not, like the fox who lost his brush,
! advocate tho extension by Congress over
the Northern Statesof the power which they
; have already exercised over the South— i
to regulate tho franchise for Massachusetts
: ana Ohio. We believe their avcenerence
with the laws of Georgia upon this sub
i ject was unconstitutional, revolutionary I
j and void, and hence we must oppose any
I extension of such wrongs, even if the pro- i
I posed subject of the contemplated wrongs
jbe one of our bitterest enemies—one
whioh voted to place our people under the !
heel of the power which now threatens to ;
! put manacles upon them also.
We know that there is a growing
j sentiment in the South in favor
of qualified or impartial suffrage,
but even the advocates of this
charge claim that it can be made only
by the people of the State. We are not
prepared to say whether or not, in the
present condition of the South, it would
be wise to make such a change in our
franchise laws. But we do say that if
made it can only be rightfully done by the
States. We, therefore, trust that our
Southern Representatives in Congress—
not tho carpet-baggers, we have nothing
to do or say to them—wiil oppose any
and al! action by that body which proposes
to interfere with the suff rage question in
any way, either by Congressional enact
ment or propositions to amend the Consti
tution of the United States.
A Republican View of the Leorgia Situa
tion.
The following article, clipped from the I
columns of the Washington Republican, j
presents a fair view of the condition of j
this State under the operations of the lie- .
construction acts. Its brief review of
the Express Agent’s tergmsation
on this question is clear and strong.
If we had any confidence in the honesty or
fairness of the Radical leaders we should
be content to rest the case upon this logical
and conclusive argument.
We think we trace the pen of Mr. Hill,
one of the Senators elect, in the prepara- |
tion of the article, and we are satisfied that ■
he inspired, if he did not write out, the i
whole of the argument.
We regret to learn that certain ineonsid- !
erate parties are laboring to precipitate the |
Senate iuto a capital blunder—the rejection
of the Hon. Joshua Hill, who claims a
[-seat as Senator from Georgia. The pretext I
; for this effort is that the Legislature which
! elected him was an illegal- body, because !
! the members did not like the test oath, re I
I quired of officers of the juited States, com
monly known as the “ifon elad” oath.
It is true that the supplemental Recon
strnetion Acts ot July -19, 1567, enacted
that this oath should be taken by all per
sons thereafter elected to office in the
Southern nilitary districts “under any so
called State authority. ’ ’ But Gen. Meade,
the commander of the district including
Georgia, did not construe this as applying
to officers chosen under the new conscitu
tions of the Southern States; for though i
the State government was provisional at 1
the time of their election, their official !
du-ieswere mainly to be performed after I
the provisional character of the govern- j
ineut should cease, on the completion of |
reconstruction. And in this course Gen. ,
Meade was sustained by high military :
authority at Washington. The omissvoc
to require this oath of the members of the
Legislature was. at the time, to wit: in
July last, well known in Georvia, well 1
known at the War Department and arniy
headquarters, and well known to Congress, i
then in session. Yet no disapprobation j
was expressed by the Genera! in Chief, by
the Secretary of War, or by Congress. On |
the contrary, one branch of Congress—the i
House of Representatives—solemnly recog
nized this Legislature as a legal body by
admitting six members from Georgia,
which, under the Reconstruction Acts,
could not be done untii a legal Legislature
had complied with certain fundamental
conditions prescribed in those acts. There
fore, it is to assert either that no error was
committed, or that the error has gone be
yond remedy by the default ot those who
should have corrected it at the time % We
support the former proposition. We are
1 not prepared to bring a grave impeach
ment against Gen. Meade, Gen. Grant,
and the House of Represen atives. We
believe that a rule prescribed for provision
al officers was not intended to operate on
officers chosen, indeed, under the pro-
I visional government, but chosen to serve
under the permanent government to which
the provisional government was about to
j give place.
The complaint of the omission to require
the oath of the members of the Legislature
is formally made to Congress by the G jv
i ernor of Georgia, Hon. R B Bullock. In
this memorial he styles himself "Provis.
ional Governor.” .Anjj it is a matter of
history that hoonce in that charac
ter by appoiutmentotUeneralMeade. But
, it is also true that ia Jaff last he was
transmuted from a prorvisiqial Governor
under the Reconstruction as« into an or
dinary Governor under th» Constitution-
He went through the cerenfbny of inaugu
ration. He celebrated tht restoration of
Georgia to her place in thfUnion by fes
tive rejoicings at He bascom
! missioned hundreds of ofifers in Georgia,
! requiring of them no oats but that pre
scribed by the laws of thaibtate. He has
approved of laws passe!, by this same
Legi iature, and is enfortfg them as tig
Executive of the State, jHe issued tfe
very commission which Mi Hill produced
in Lb -i Senate last Mrndajas evidence of
his title to a seat. He saws his sa’ary
from the State Treasury a# Constirurion
a! Governor, and not f'dU the United
States Treasury as a Provionai Governor
under the Reconstruction Bs. After five
months’ daily recognition i this Legisla
ture as a legal body, by tl-'e and similar
acts, it is passing stranglhat he should
now come to Congress Witfthe complaint
that the body never had afegal existence.
Georgia had no right, pder the joint
resolution of Congresjof jly 20 1808, to
vote for President until si complied with
certain conditions requirij the action of a
legal Legislature. Herjpeople thought
that she ought io vote iqhe into election,
and she did so (end, incur judgment,
voted for the w ong cijdidate). Both
parties held conv.ntions,iominated rheir
electors, and agit-red thertate with a live
ly canvass. According !< Governor Bul
lock's present tbeiiy, all ills agitation was
foolish and nugatory, ft ritlie vote of the
State ought not to ogdyted.
But our main objejtior to the denial of a
seat to Mr. Hill, resg on higher grounds
than the foregoing; i is something bad to
stultify Gov. Bulloek.Gen, Meade, Gen.
Grant, the House of ilepreseutative?, and
the people of Georgiafcut it is worse to
undo the reconstruction of an important
Southern State. We qnnot agree with
President Johnson, that reconstruction is
a lailure. Reeon-tructiin was a terrible
problem. The Republican party has met
it. bravely, and, wc beiive, successfully
Let it not plead guilty o bungling. The
peace of the country forbjls any backward
step.
If the reconstructed government of
; Georgia is unable, through the perversity
of her Democratic citizetji, to proteet her
j people of all races, colorl and politics, a
j remedy is iu the hands ojCongress, under
; 'he last amendment to na Constitution.
! No good man will object), to the vigorous
i exercise of the powers Herein conferred,
whenever the State law tjils. Our iuform
! ation leads us to euppoe that interven
[ lion by Congress is now necessary. The
! admission of a legal Senior will not stand
in the way of such intervmiion. bu'. rather
secure valuable aid in making it effectual.
Cotton is bid.
We believe that the Siuth, through the
p >wer given her by Irovidence in her
peculiar agricultural productions, has now
I the opportunity to demand of Congress,
I with the ability to sustain hat demand,
that do further unjust and proscriptive
legislation must be exaetec against her
people aud their interests. The financial
system of the Federal Government is about
to topple under the immense pressure of
the public debt and the continued wasteful
ness and extravagance of Radical legislation.
The cotton crop of the South, alone, sus
tains to-day .the public credit. Withdraw
this crop from the market and at once the
trade balances against us ia Europe will
require the exportation of such sums of
coin as will inevitably destroy the National
Banks and our present system of Nation
al finances. The same results would be
reached if the cotton planters should de
mand gold and gold alone in exchange for
their cotton.
We shall not stop to inquire whether j
such a course on the part of our planters j
would bo generous or patriotic. We wiil
admit that it would not be. But we in
sist that the Southern planter is undei no
moral obligations to the Federal Govern
ment, which would require of him the sac
-:c"7 Eifi* iivaui interests to promote
the interests oi ttie Northern public No
one will be rash enough to oLira that we
artusdsi a.,) 1 legal obligatiou to sustain
the national credit at the expense of in
dividual interests. Tho Federal Govern- j
rnent had the power and the opportunity
to have long since softened the animosities !
of our people, engendered by tho war, to
ward that Government. If they had
even treated us with common justice tho
soothing hand of tiino would,long ere this,
have effaced frompiur memories the rec
ollections of past wrongs and sufferings,
or if they still lingered in the breasts of a
few, would have chastened aud ameliorated
thomfto a very considerable extent.
Instead, however, of making efforts to
console and“cheer the poor South, when
bowed down with the crushing blows of the
actual conflict and its humiliating results,
the North has kept up a system
of cruel and unjust exactions which would
have shamed the flinty heart of a Nero or
a Caligula. Ever since the close of the
war the Federal legislation toward the
Southern people has been dictated and car
ried into execution with a view solely to
mortify, degrade and injure our people.
The course of Congress has been apparent
ly adapted with the desire to make the
South hate tho General Government.—
And if such has actually been their inten
tion we admit that they have succeeded to
the utmost of their heart’s desire. There
is less of respect and love for the Federal
Government in the South to-day than there
was three months after tho surrender of
Lee and Johnston. Whether a return by
Congress to a just and magnanimous treat
ment of our people wiil produce a speody
change in popular sentiment here we are
not now prepared to say. We believe,
however, that the Southern heart can be
i won and Southern love for the Federal
Government revived by the adoption of a
1 just policy and liberal treatment toward
: our suffering people. But until we have
! some reasonable hope that such a system
will be inaugurated for the relief of the
; South, we shall continue to urge, as jve
i have in the past, the use of all the means
; which our circumstances will admit to force
j the North to a recognition of our rights
j under the Constitution of the United
1 States. The great—almost unlimited—pow
| er which the control of three mi'lioas of
I dollars in gold places in the hands of
; Sou hern planters should be used in such
; a manner as to force a recognition of our
, rights by those who now torture and op-
I press us.
If the Southern planters will unite in
the determination to receive nothing but j
gold for their cotton, Congress will very
soon be compelled to take some favorable j
notice of our condition. There need be no
fear that the gold would not be forthcom
ing insufficient quantities to move the crop..
Planters should consider this sact —cotton
is sold by every one who deals in it, except
the planter, for gold and gold alone. The
planter sells for greenbacks to parties here
who use the greenbacks furnished by
Northern capitalists, and these in turn sell
the cotton thus bought from the planter
with irredeemable paper money to Euro
pean shippers or capitalists for gold. We
would simply extend the gold transactions
for cotton so as to enable the planter to
receive his money in that currency.
If’ the North should fail to send gold
here to purchase the crop, English
buyers would send the gold here for it
which they now send to New York. We
have heard of no scarcity of gold in Texas
since the war. Yet all the cotton and
other products of that State are sold en
tirely for gold. The truth is, and we want
the planter to understand it fully, cotton
iis gold. Wherever the cotton is, gold will
I flow in for it. The necessities of the world
require cotton in large abundance. If
nothing else will purchase it gold will be
1 speedily forthooming. and in sufficient
quantities to absorb the whole crop.
The following letter, received from a
planter in the interior, has the ring of the
true metal. We hope to hear from our
friend again on this subject. It is one
well worthy of his graceful and vigorous
pen :
j/ t Js Editors : You are right. Cot
ton i/orth gold. Gold tcill come for it.
You re on D ver U iat moves the world.
The ia^CTuai ’ s so '* S° ul h'
sink end is under the U S. Treasury—
n// in the hands of Radicals. Give t a
ft, and until Congress takes its bauds off
f us, keep prising. If you do, and the
eople are wise enough to demand gold for
heir cotton, the present movements in
(Congress will go to the winds, or the
Treasury must be bankrupt as most of us
are Why not have some more company
in our misfortunes? It is time tor the
bondholders to be sorry some, too.
Demanding gold for cotton is better than
a snort crop, or no crop at all. And better
still in its operations for the good of the
South than a tax of 5 ceut3 per lb hy Con-
gf e s s -
Let everybody demand gold for cotton.
Citizens of Georgia, you redeemed your
State in November from the thraldom of
: Radical rule, now complete the work by
1 throwing off the yoke of bondholders and
public plunderers.
Gold for the remainder of the cotton will
work like a charm. Demand gold for cot
■ ton and we will again Prosper.
lmpor ant decision.
In the ease of Gould vs. Miller, from
Richmond Superior Court, the Supreme
Court has sustained the decision of Judge
Gibson, who held that the consideration of
a note given lor borrowed Confederate
money was a good and valid one. The
plea was the failure of consideration, in
that Confederate money was an illegal cur
rency—not money or any other thing of
value.
Justices Warner and McCay sustain
the decision of the Court below, while
Chief Justice Brown delivered a dissenting
opinion. We shall give the decision in full
to-morrow.
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
[->PEOIAL CJRRJEsP fNDENC* OT THS CHRONICLE 4t SENTINEL.
Tne Russian Mission—The late Thaddeus
Stevens—Senator Edmunds' Georgia
Bill — Mmard,the Negro Member—Rad
ical Hypocrisy —tluic the People are
Swii died by the Blasted Bondholders
I An Executive Palace.
Washington, Dec. 18.,18G8.
It is stated that Henry A. Smythe, of
New York, who lias been nominated by
the President for the position ot Minister
to Russia, exerted himself very strongly
!a-t night toward securing an executive
-ession of the Senate this morning before
the commencement of tho obituary speech
es ou the death of Mr. Stevens, it being
I thought by his friends that if he could se
j cure an executive session at that time, it
! would be considered a favorable indication,
j bur both he and his friends were doomed
!to disappointment, the nomination not
having been even referred to during the
j executive session, which was very brief.
Mr. Smythe has no earthly chance of being
I confirmed, even if he is a Grant manttow,
as his friends assert boldly, and it is widely
j known that he has been, in the course of
his present official career, a first rate
j Johnson man. This blowiug hot and cold
| with the same breath does not suit Con
! gress. The report will probably be almost
unanimously against the confi' mation, yet
! hopes are still entertained by Mr. Smythe
| and his friends that sufficient influence cao
[be brought to bear upon the Senate to
I reverse the decision of the Committee.
In the Senate, to day, a considerable
portion of the time was devoted to eulogis
tic obituaries of Mr. Stevens. Senator
Cameron led off and was followed by Mr.
Buekalew, who made one of the prettiest
speeches that has been delivered on a like
subject for some time. His references to Mr.
| Stevens’ universally acknowledged faults
; were frank and manly and charitably ex
! pressed, vthilo the well known virtues of
I the deceased “ Commoner” were dwelt
[ upon with unusual eloquence and fervor.
Senator Edmunds, of Vermont, to day,
| introduced a bill to repeal so much of the
i Reconstruction Acts as admits the State
of Georgia to representation in Congress
and providing a Provisional Government
for that State. The expulsion of the ne
gro members of tho Legislature of that
State is cited in the preamble as the basis
of the proposed legislation. The bill was
ordered to be printed and referred to the
Committee on tl.o Jaiiiciarv The prob
-LUUI ~—C r >'<" Unitin' WILU
the Sta e of Georgia during the whole of
the present session and her members will
thus be kept out of their seats.
The credentials of Menard, tho negro
; claimant for a seat in Congress, from tho
i Second District of Louisiana, were pre
, seated in the House by Mr. Sypher of
that State, to day, and were at once re
ferred to the Committee oo Elections with
out a word of debate. There is an evident
reluctance on the part of Congress to dab
ble with Menard. They don’t want to
recognize negro members, notwithstanding
all their hypocritical professions, and the
Committee will,in all probability, get rid of
the whole subject by giving the scat to
Mr. Hunt, who was Mr. Mann’s (the de
ceased member whose seat is claimed by
Menard) competitor.
In order to show what sort of combina
tions ean be made in connection with tho
National banking system, it may be stated
that the National Metropolitan Bank of
this city, which went into voluntary liquida- j
tion some four years ago, had on deposit
in the Treasury several hundred thousand
dollars worthof bonds, ou which its stock
holders have been drawing semi-annual
gold interest. This matter having been
brought to the attention of Congress, a
resolution was passed iu that body to-day
instructing the Comptroller of the cur
rency to report, what legislation is necessa
ry iu order to win i up its affairs.
A bill was introduced in the Senate to
day in relation to the erection of anew
Executive Mansion on Meridian, hill ad
journing the northern boundary of this
city, arid appropriating one hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars for that pur
pose. It was referred to the Committee
on Public Buildings and Grounds, and will
probably pass. J. C,
Railroad Meeiing at Harmony Grove,for
Jackson,Madison and Banks Counties.
Harmony Grove, 1
Jackson county, Georgia, X
December 12th, 1868. )
A Railroad meeting was held this day at
Harmony Grove, Jacksou county.
The meeting was organized by calling
I Capt. W. J Freenan to the Chair and
requesting Dr. M F. Alexander to act as
I Secretary.
On motion o! Dr. W. J B. Hardman,
i the Chairman was requested toexplain the
object of the meeting, to which the Chair
res-ionded briefly, setting forth the object
to he that of taking into consideration the
building of the Northeast Georgia Rail
road, from Athens to Rabun Gap—its
great importance to Northeast Georgia and
the many superior advantages of the route
| by way of Harmony Grove and Maysville.
On motion of H. A. Bennett,* Esq., of
Jackson county, the following nain-d gen
tlemen were appointed by the Chair to !
prepare business for the action of the
meeting, viz : Dr. W. J. B. Hardman,
H. A. Bennett, C Coleman, A. Wilson of j
Jackson county; D J. Chandier of Madi
son county; D. J. Sanders, Esq., of Banks.
The Committee submitted the following
preamble and resolutions, which were read
and, on motion of Dr. W. J. B. Hardman,
were unanimously adopted.
It being the determination of the Georgia
Railroad Company to extend said road
from some point near Athens to the Rabun
Gap, we the citizens of Jackson, Banks
and Madison counteis, have met iaapublto
meeting to give an expression favorable to
aiding the building of said road, starting at
the mo : t practicable point on the Georgia
Railroad, near the city of Athens, running
by way of Harmony Grove, Maysville to
Poplar Spring, thence to Rabun Gap.
This route, in our judgment, possesses
advantages over all other routes between
the points sta'ed; first, because Providence
ha3 given it the preference over all other
routes; second, there will not be a bridge
on the line; third, because it is the cheapest
and shortest route to the Gap; fourthly,
because it will run near the South Carolina
Railroad, thereby drawing a strong sup
port from a good section of country that
would otherwise go to the South Carolina
Railroad. Therefore, be it
Resohed, Ist. That we do hereby give
our entire support to this route, and will
give to the Company the right of way
through our lands on said route.
Resolved, 2 d. That we will give all the
aid both in means and labor as far as our
ability will permit.
Resolved , Zrd. That we will further
pledge as much aid to said road as can be
secured on any other route above Athens
in building the road.
Dr. W. J. R- Hardman then spoke
briefly in support of the enterprise.
On motion ofD. J. Chandler, Esq., of
1 Madison county,- the proceedings of the
meeting were directed to be forwarded to
the Chronicle & Sentinel and Augusta
Constitutionalist with the reqaest to pub
lish the same; and also to the Athens pa
pers.
On mot'on of D. J. Sanders, of Banks
county, m.-etiog then adjourned.
W. J. Freeman, Chairman.
M. P. Alexander, Sec'ty.
FJB THS CHRONICLE A BENTINKI .
Colleges, I nlverstiles, Academies, State
Aid, Ac.
Messrs. Editors: As you have done me the
honor to say that you would be pleased to
have my views in"regard to our Colleges
and Universities, especially in connection
with an article on that subject from your
New York correspondent, I respectfu ly
submit my opinions ; premising them
with some statements of fact which, but
for your kind invitation. I should have
considered obtrusive. Your correspond
ent bas fallen into some inaccuracies
which, doubtless, he will be glad to have
corrected. Iu the first place, he imagines
that the Colleges iu Georgia whioh are
called “i>enomiuationa!,"aresupported, in
whole or iu part, at the expense of the
State. I thiuk lam safe in saying, that
not one of them has ever received any
aid from the State. One of them, Mercer
University, over which I have the honor
to preside, has never either asked or re
ceived one dollar from the State ; on the
contrary, the State has both asked aud re
ceived pecuniary aid from the institution ;
that is to say. the State of Georgia, needing
money, has put its bonds on tiie market
seeking loans, and the University has
loaned its money to the State on the faith
of the bouds. True, the amount is not
large; still, the fact is that we have never
used one dollar of the State’s money, but
the State has, for many years, been using
ours, aud is still usi.ig it. Besides this,
our institution supplies about eight thou
sand dollars of the railroad capital of
Georgia,and thus contributes indirectly, if
not dirCbtlv, to the benefit of the State and
of all its citizens. In addition to this again,
we have a considerable amount, periiaps
twenty thousand dollars, loaned to various
corporations and individuals, thus increas
ing business facilities and promoting
general prosperity. If a foreigner lends
us his capital to aid us in our business
operations, we feel that we are greatly in
debted to him, although ho removes his
dividends, and spends theui in a far coun
try. But ottr dividends are all spent in
the State, and thus, in a certain sense, w
pay back to the borrower the very interest
on the money loaned. From these state
ments of facts, it will bo perceived that we
are tho benefactors of the State aud not
its beneficiaries. Your New York corre
spondent will also be happy to learn. Iroin
what nas been said, that wo are not in the
"half starved” condition which he sup
posed. It is almost needless to say, that
your correspondent is mistaken in sup
posing that such institutions are “numer
ous,” so vory numerous as to constitu.e i
“multitude.” I am sorry to say that ihe
number is small. There are but three
Denominational Colleges in Georgin. The
other two may not be in as good financial
condition a- the one I have oe-cribed. I
sincerely wish that both of them were
even as we are, especially with reference
to the “bonds.”
It is a nnsapi rehensiou to suppose thai
these Institutions are merely t heological
Seminaries, or indeed that there is the
least trace or iotaof sectarian influence in
the iustructious imparted. The sense,
and the only sense iu which they are sec
tarian, is tins: that the money which built
them and endowed them, was the volun
tary contribution of religious people pro
fessing tho same faith. Tne course ol
■study is precisely the same with that pur
sued al tne University supported by tbo
bounty of ihe State. It is neither lower
nor higher, nor different in any material
respect w hatever. With the exception of |
Moral Philosophy, which is taught in
thes, Denominational Colleges exactly as
it is taught iu all colleges in Christendom,
a student might take the whole course
from matriculation to graduation, and
never discover whether his instructors
were Protestants, Cat-olios, Jews, Mo
hammedans or Mormons. A Professor of
Mathematics discoursing on angles and
triangles, equations, surds, asymptotes
and the calculus; oi a Professor of Chem- I
istry with his gallipots, retorts and cru j
cibies; or a Professor of Engineering with
his Theodolite and chain; or a Professor
of Languages exhibitiug the beauties ol
Horace aud Homer; ora Professor of Lo
gic hand in hand with Aristotle who died
scores of centuries ago, must needs go very
far out of his way to discover to his pupils
to what religious sect he belongs, or whe
ther he belongs to any. A man disposed
to fly oil at such a tangent from his round
of professional duties, might do so in a
State University, as well as any where else.
The truth is that those institutions, though
colled Denominational, are not so in any
proper sense whatever. As well might a
cart built by a Baptist be called a Baptist
cart, or a horse raised by a Methodist be
called a Methodist horse; or as well might [
tho State became it uses our money be
called a Baptist State, and the Legislature j
a denominational oody. True, there is at J
one of these denominational colleges a ;
theological department, but the studeuts of |
the literary and scientific department have
no more to do with this than they have |
with the Medical College of Augusta, or '
than they have with the religious instim- I
tions of japan. The Theological Seminary
and the College proper are, iu fact, two
separate and distinct institutions operating
uT..u. —-- -True charter, ana me
or “States Rights not being interfered
with bj higher powers, is rigidly applied.
Having made these statements to correct
misapprehension, allow me to present a
few considerations in favor of tho increase,
support and encouragement of the colleges
called ‘ Denominat onal,” and of all other
colleges not supported bv the State.
1. In the first place,whatever favorsedu
cation at all, applies to these institutions
as well as to any others ; whatever argu
ments there are for a University built at
public expense, are just as good iu favor
of another University exactly like it, not
built at public expense. The result arrived
at is education. What dilferance can it
make where the money comes from that
produces this result? Is it right or wise to
destroy or discourage that which is good
and is doinggood,simply because the public
are not taxed for its support? Would it be
expedient for the State of Pennsylvania to
exert its power agaiust Girard College, or
for us all to unite iu hostility to the Smith
sonian Institute, because these magnifi
cent institutions were ejected by indi
vidual liberality? Shall a man, or a body
of men, be rebuked for opening fountains
of knowledge in a country where, above
all, knowledge is needed? Shall the
prophet whoso wand brings watei from
the rock be ostracised by the very multi
tudes whose lliirst is slaked by his over
flowing bounty? .Shalt the stream be
dried up because the people are not t->xed
for it and it costs them nothing? Nay,
rather, if institutions of learning are worth
paying for, they are worth as much when
not paid for, and the more of them *e have
the better, no matter where the money
comes from that sustains them.
2 Another reason in favor of colleges
built by voluntary contribution, is that
they stimulate each other and also stimu
late institutions supported by the State
If the State University were without a
peer or a rival and without competition, it
might at sometime take undue advantages
of its position. Monopolies are apt to be
come rich, proud and indolent. The ex
perience of the old world is, tlffct monopo
lies often become totally worthless, and
sometimes worse th u worthless If it
would bo unwise to give to auy man or
corporate body a monopoly of commerce,
or of manufactures,it would be just as un
wise, nay far more so, to establish a mo
nopoly of education. This would be taxing
people to prevent education, As matters
now stand, State Institutions must keep at
full speed or they will lie outstripped. Re
move the stimulus and if the need of it be
not soon afterward discovered,then all hu
man experience is at fault. However well
my merchant, or banker or physeiau may
serve me, I shoo'd have more confidence
in being permanently, well served if
another merchant, or banker or physcian,
quite as good as miije, were c ose by his
sido and anxious by all honorable means
to extend his business. There is as much
human nature in tho management of col
leges as in any other business, and compe
tition,so far from being discountenanced,
ought to be in cited and cherished. While
; the institutions spoken of stimulates the
State University, the latter also stimulates
them. They have no influence like that of
the Stale to fall back upon. They must
reiy on their merits, and unless they are
fully up to the demands of the times, they
are apt to be distanced and mortifyingly
outdone. Os course,their pride,if nothing
else, will prompt them to effort, and this
very effort, w hile it helps them, and will in
sure a reasonable degree of success to them,
is an additional spur to the State Uuiver
j sity, which thus enjoys a reflex benefit
| from its own excellence.
3. Another reason in favor of colleges
established by private liberality is this : j
That public institutions are liable to fall j
into the hands of dominant political par- i
ties, and under this manipula ion may ;
degenerate into mere machines used for i
party purposes ; and in this event, it is
well to have it in our power to resort
to other institutions which cannot be
c mtroiled in this way ; and, in fact,
the very existence of such institutions
tends to prevent the abuses above de
scribed. I could mention one instance at
least, where, if I am not misinformed, an
immense educational interest is in Un
hands of a political party ; and the ap
pointments, many in number, are all made
without the least reference to the com
petency or moral character of the persons
appoin ted,but solely with reference to their
political associations and on a p'edge that
they will use their influence for the benefit
of the party. For this outrage aud tyranny
the peopiehave no remedy but to establish
private schools. We have not met with
such misfortune in Georgia, but we may
yet live to see the unhappy dav, when tho
; able, and learned, and elegant men who
eomjiose U e faculty otourmuch loved aud
honored State University may be thrust
aside to make ./ay for strangers. I have
been informed that the University of A.a
bama has passed into the hands of men
unknown to the people of that State and
said to be wholly incompetent. I under
stand, also, that the University of North
I Carolina is closed, and s that the University
i of South Carolina is bleeJiug from the
arteries. In the event of such a calamity
• in Georgia it would be well to have other
institutions,-supplying the very best facil
ities, to which ouryoung gentlemen might
repair. Such institutions we have, aud
their very existence operates as a policy of
insurance against the evil described. By
1 all means, then, let such institutions be en
' couraged and patronized ; the benefit will
be partly to them, and just as much to the
public.
4. One reason more in f-.vor of what are
called, out wrongly called. Denominational
\ Colleges, will be adduced. Let it be
; premised that it is a popular error
to su*jose that a college is in.
NEW SERIES, VOL. XXVII. NO. 52.
; tended merely for boys; it is in
! tended for men; it is a school for tin
Faculty as well asfor tho student; it is no
meant merely to impart tho rudiments ol
| education to youth; it has a higher mis
sion seldom thought of in this countiy, bn
not forgotten in Europe, to afford the lies
possible opportunities for the highest pos
sible attainments to a few men who are t
be the great lights of the world. Some men,
at least, ought to be devoted wholly l
study. We should develop a few men t'
be our champions and protectors. WV
need such men at all times, but their valu
is particularly obvious in time of war.
When Archimedes turned his powerfu
engines against Marcellus and when In
burned the enemy’s ships, the people oi
Syracuse saw, if not before, the value oi
philosophic study, aud learned that tin
intellectual forces of the student may pro
huce the greatest results, practical auu
material. The chemists and the engineers
furnished by our denominational am
other colleges contributed no little; con
tributed, iu fact, a sine qua non, during tbi
recent struggle to the upholding of om
cause Professor Mallet, oftbe Umversiu
of Alabama, was at the head of the Labora
tories of the Confederate States, and.quaii
fied for his position by great orgauiz'mc
power as well as by high scioutifie attain
nients, reduced the Deparuueut to admir
able system, aud supplied o ar armies with
ammunition during the war. It is wiili
pleasure aud pride that I refer, also, i<
Professor Jones, of the Uuiversity ol
Georgia, and to my celleague, Professoi
Wilier, of Mercer University,who renders,
mosi efficient ami indispensable assistants
to the distinguished bead of the Depar 1 -
ment iu his delicate aud important work
The learning aud skill acquired by these
Bccomplished men in our College Labora
tories enabled them, among other wonder
of ingenuity, to supply the army with per
cussion caps, at a time when the ordinary
and proper materials for the manufacture
of caps were not to be had. Tue thunders
of battle were the echoes of their power.
While these were thus engaged, Professoi
Woodrow, of Oglethorpe University, wa
at the head of the Medical Laboratory in
South Carolina, and Professor Broun, oi
the University ofGeorgia, was rendering
valuable scientific services in Virginia. T
describe the services of this kind rendered
by our college otfioors, would be t > write ■>
volume. Without these services we should
have been as helplessas a ho de of sav
ages. Without science and scientific men
war is impossible. But there is alwoys a
need for learned men; their knowledge is
always valuable, and there is no plae*
where a man is likely to develope
into a philosopher as in the Professor's
chair at an institution consecrated to
science. Especially is this the case when
other institutions arenea l and other Pro
fessors not far off, whose merits iuspir<
emulation. Now a S ate institution, i)
alone, would, in the first place, lack the
inspiration which is always the result o
strong competi ion; and in the second piace
it can afford posiuous ol this kiud to only
a few. Suppose a body of men, whether
religious or not (and if religions, sureli
that fact should be uo objection to them;,
nropose to open other places of the same
kind, aud afford opportunities toother men
to become distinguished in science or in
letters, am. thus increase the number oi
thorough bred scholars and practical phi
losopners, are they not conferring a great
benefit on their country? The country
needs nothing so much as men. Lot us
sustain denominational colleges whether
such iu name or in fact, or any other col
leges by name, which will supply us with
men.
Allow mo to lioticeonoor two objections
that have been urged agaiust all colleges
uot supported by the State.
I It is said that these institutions di
minish the patronage of the State institu
tions. Admitting this to be so, it
involves no great misfortune ; aud
even it it does, the nrs orlune is more
than counterbalanced u, the advan
tages set forth in tho preceding ai giunent.
But such is not the fact- Precisely the re
verse of this, these institutions increase
the patronage of the State University, and
in fact every oollego increases the patron
age of every other. Every college has an
influence of its own. and a power of its
>wn, and a patronage of its own. Thus
many are brougat to enjoy the benefits of
education, who 1 would otherwise never have
received them. These go out into the
world and increase the educational spirit,
and diffuse at on«e the blessings cf learn
ing aud the desire for it. Some of the
be>tfee ersoftbe Uuiversity of Georgia,
are schools taught by graduates of Mercer
University, who, but for the existence of
the latter, would probably have never re
ceived c illegiate education. It is a strange
objection and a strange argument, indeed,
that increasing the opportunities for edu
cation, should diminish the number ol
educated people, and a strange thought it
is that the increased prevalence of educa
cation and of tho lone of it, should ditiiin -
ish the patronage of a Stato University.
2. It is objected by some who have not
considered the facts in t-ho case, that ti*
influence of colleges called “denomina
tional,” is to degrade the standard o;
scholarship, and that “higher facilities for
eclilCauon- count on aiiOiut-d witUoutthei. -
than with them. This has already been
answered in theory, on the principle that
competition is bettor than monopoly. In
regard to the facts of the case, the answer
is just as easy. The largest, oldest and
best colleges iu the United States are de
nominational. Thosoeount their yea r s by
the century and their graduates by the
thousand, and their fame is commensurate
with theeivilized world. It will scarcely
be said that tAe.se degrade the standard of
scholarship. But without reference to
these, and regarding th ise of fewer years,
and less distinction aud nearer home, it
may be said that in al! tho colleges in
Georgia, including the college of the State,
the text books are substantially die same,
the course of study is literally or in effect
til-same, and ttie methods of instruction
are tbo same. Ifone introduces improve
ments, the others re sure to follow suit ;
and I have the satisfaction of knowing
that Mercer University was the first col
lege in Georgia to introduce the improved
method of written examinations adopted
uow, I believe, by all. As for tbp
officers, it is w H known that they are fre
quently interchanged. Within a com
paratively brief period, Mercer University
has furni hod trorn its Faculty three Pro
fessors to as many different State Univer
sities—ono to the University of Mississip
pi, one to the University of South Caro
lina, and one to the University of Georgia.
The two last named, are holding the posi
tions in question and filling them with
distinction at this very time. As to our
graduates,they occupy honorable rank in
all the learned professions, on the bench,
in our legislative halls and in our best
institutions of learning. One of them.
Col. RicWrd M. Johnston, was recently a
Professors' tne University of Georgia.
There is scarcely one of all our Alumni
who is not at this moment in some posi
tion of respectaoility and influence. In
fact, his diploma gives him position, and
if he has merit he is sure to hold it. I
speak of Vtercer University, but doubt
less other Denominational Colleges can
show as good a record In fact, if the
great and good men furnished to tho coun
try by Yale, arid Princeton, and Brown,
and other Denominational Colleg s, were
taken away, the number of distinguished
and scholarly men loft to us would be
few indeed.
As to students now in attendance at col
lege, it is well known that there is a con
slant ebb and flow of students from one
institution to another, and experience has
shown that tue scholarship of a student
depends much more on his own idiosyn
craeies than it does on the college from
which he comes.
Before closing, I beg leave to make a
few rem'arks on the editorial views pre
sented by the CHRONICLE A SENTINEL.
The Denominational Colleges are spoken
of by tho editor as -‘serious rivals of the
State University.” If by this, it is meant
that the’-e is.on the part of any of th-so
“rival” colleges, the least degree of un
kindness, jealousy, envy or fear, I beg
leave most respectfully to put in my pro
test. Not one of these institutions, so far
as I know or believe, would d-traci in tne
least from the prosperity of either of the
others. On the contrary, each rejoices in
the success of all the rest When the sala
ries of the officers of the State Institution
were suspended by order of General Pope,
the only person whom 1 heard propose to
raise the amount by private suoscrip
tion and head the list himself, was
an officer in one of our Denomina
tional Colleges. I am happy to
say that there is harmony in the brother
hood of letters. But if by “rivalry” it is
meant that there is on the part of each a
desire and a determin 'tion not to bo out
done in the good work of impar ing valua
ble instruction, then I for one plead guilty,
and so I doubt not would all. A generous
rival y such as this we all practice and we
all solicit.
Ancthor view of the editor of the
Chronicle & Sentinel is, that all other
colleges in the State should be made “aux
iliary” to the Univer-ity of the Slate ;
whieh is to say, in other words that with
out lowering the character of the others,
the State University should bo so elevated
that the others which are now its “rivals”
should become its feeder . sustaining tin
same relation to it that i.-.iruca 'em:. - now
sustain to us. From this view I ffi-simt
entirely. The idea seems to be that we
need and should have a University here,
which would hold rank with the celebra
ted Universitie- of Europe. Without dis
cussing the theory, let me sug est three dif
ficulties, each intensely practical, which are
in the way ofreducingthisscheine toau ac
complished fact. In the first place, if each
of the States had such an institution we
should be obliged to import our Professors
from Europe, for there are not enough
learned men in this country to lilt the
Chairs in somanyinsti utious of such high
grade. It may be said that in Georgia we
need only one such University. lam not
sure that it would be easy to fill the Chairs
even in one. But as a milter of practice it
may be sife to assume that Georgia is not
likely to be greatly in advance of other
States, and that when our grand University
is set on f iot, many others of equal preten
sions will spring up to rival it. Asa prac
tical illustration of my remarks let me re
mind yon that only a short time ago
Princeton College, being unable to find a
suitable President in the United States, im
ported Dr, McCosh from Scotland. In the
second pi ice, we should hive to import the
students, for in this country there are very
few young mm, I might almost sat none,
who are capaole oi receiving such instruc
tions to advantage, and stilt fewer perhaps
who would desire each instructions, aud
doubtless fewer still who would be wil
ling to submit to the years of toil,
without practical result, which such eclu-
•itioa implies, and certainly fewer still
vho would have the means to do all this.
[• the third place, if we had any large
lumber of these imported s uueuts, and
especially if every State had thou', we
1 lould be obliged on their graduation to
send them back to Europe to find a mar
tot for their literary and scientific attain
ments, tor in this country great 'ear dug is
not in great demand. We must have a
few learned men, but it is with difficulty
•ve sustain the lew we have. If theirnum
oer were very largely increased, they
:ould commai and no greater emoluments
iban men having a tithe of their attnin
nents, and they Would be forced to go to
'tiler countries where they could be un
lerstood and appreciated. These three
lithcullies meet us at the threshold of the
-etieme proposed. Itis in vain for us, in
his new country, to ape the great institu
utions of the Old World. They are uot
wlapted to our wants, oor to the genius of
>ur people. Time and advancing civiliza
tion will devel pe them Two centuries
nonce it is possible tbit such an insinu
ation will be needed in Georgia.
When we need it wo shall be like
y to have it. The demand will
urnish its own su,ply. But any
itiempt to make the institutions of
i youthful and expanding country
•qual to those of a mature country w here
civilization is ripe, and where two thou
sand years have done their work,will 01 ly
nd iu ridiculous failure, I’he little hoy
nay put on his father’s boots and coat,
uid in this way may make his appearance
grotesque enough, but be cannot hasten
uis manhood ; he only makes his pu rile
iatnre more conspicuous. Centuries hence,
when ihe necessities of the coOutry aid
lie tastes of the people call for it, ihe
University of Georgia and our other col
egos, too, may rival the University of
Berlin. For the present, such lire elisions
■could be absurd, s s they now are, our
institutions are adapted to their surround
ings; let them so remain until time de-
change Let us endeavor first to
educe to actual practice our present
lieory; or, in other worm-, let us try to put
■ursei ves in such position that we snail l»e
u>le to insure in all our students that <ie
ree both of scholarship and of general
culture which our present course of study
implies, before we introduce other
. heories and erect other standards
still farther beyond our capac ly. —
It would he worse than useless at
present to elerate the standards of schol
arship in our colleges. every college
officer in the United stoles knows, ami not
one of them will deny, th a it is very difficult
to obtain students thoroughly and property
prepared even for such classes us we have.
Os what avail could it be to raise these
classes a grade higher? When a man las
to leap a fence which is too high for him,
he usually takes a rail off'; it womd lie
strange indeed to put another rail on If
our standards were gr.-atly elevated, and
it the advanced requirements were en
fo. ced, our col eges would soon he without
students altogether The attempt has
e u made. The standards in our ordi
nary college have been raised—on piper ,
mt it has been found, in practice, lum Hie
■cholarship is just wuere it was before.
U 1 such efforts are vain; all ideas of
forced growth are visionary; all legisla
non a century or even a doze i years iu
advance of the times, is inoperative. The
dea of great improvements in our col
leges in ty please ihe people; it may gr.ai
fy them to image that goods are more
valuable because the price is marked
higher; and a few meu may make
themselves popu.ar by descautiug on
this enhanced value, ano by presenting
plausible but impracticable scheme-; but
no good can come, for the present, from
trying to make European scholars of the
great mass of American students. Even
il we could secure the requisite amount of
mere hook-knowledge, socieiy is not in
such condtti'in and will not bn, for many
years, as to give to the great body of our
young men that general culture lrom out
side influences without which not many
men can shine in the world of let ere.
If we wish really to advance our educa
tional interests, the place to begin is not
at the toj), but at the bottom Our col
leges are already as far in advance of the
times as itis possili eto put them—so f.r
in advance that it is very hard to sustain
them iu their present position. Wo need
to increast the number of our good acad
emies. There is wti re t'qp new impulse is
wanted. If wo had young moil better
prepared for col lege, we should furnish the
world with bettor scholars ill our grad
uates Let the number of our really good
schools be largely multiplied, anu with
advancing society, the great University
which tills the minds of enthusiastic men,
would eventually grow out of the facts.
But the stock of a large tree planted in the
ground without roots will not grow, nor
will it he a tree ; it will oe only a stock,
and will only cumber the ground, and will
finally rot.
When our academies are so improved,
and increased, and regulated, that our
colleges can draw sufficient and suitable
supplies from them, and thus be able to
insis'. rigidly on their own standard, a
tiling which at present is prob ibty not done
ni any part of the United at ales, then it
-"’a be wuc to rai • iJUBPP
■ i ades ; and if this be done by proper de
grees and judiciously, we shill be on the
! road to the higtie-l culture, and to the
greatest advancement iu science, letters
and the arts.
I am, Mr. Editor,
Very respectfully
Your ob’t serv’t,
Hexry h. Tucker,
Pknfield, Ga., Doc. 17, 1868.
FKOH WASHINGTON.
The Suits of the Government against Fra
ser, Peenholm dt Cos. —lino the matter
stands.
From the Charleston News
Washington, Deceintnr2l.—lt instated
that the Government will proceed to-attach
the properly ot Fraser, Trenholiu & Cos.
ona judgment tbr SSOO 000, and that the
proceedings wili commence at the opening
ot the new year. The statement hereto
fore made to the effect that large sums
Mere due the late Confederate (i ivernment
by French and E iglish firms, is uow be
lieved to have been a mere pretence The
Confederacy had drawn its last dollar in
money, and about all that couM bes iund
to which the United States Government
could lay claim, was such properly as had
not been shipped, or which being shipped
had uotbeen delivered prior to the surren
der, and was ordered back to the parties
who ha 1 shipped it. M ich of that prop
erty had its marks removed to prevent
identification, though some of it has since
been discovered by reason of disputes aris
ing among pariies concerned In the suits
of the United Cjiates vs Fraser, Treuholm
li Cos., it is claimed that there was an
agreement that judgment should bo con
fessed for a reasonable amount by the de
fendants, and it is said, that in con
sequence of their failure to do this that the
Government has determined to seek either
in Charleston or iu England a judgment
for $500,000.
Emory College —From the report of
the President submitted to us by ordir of
tiie Conference, we learn, with profound
pleasure that the collegiate year just
closed, has been one of signal prosperity.
Perhaps at uo period of its history, con
sidering the trying ordeal through which
it has passed, has this Institution given
evidence of greater vitality and heal thf ill
ness.
Young men from all portions of our
tStaie, with commendable zeal, are pur
suing in the halls of Emory those branches
of education which will qualify them for
enlightened citizenship and positions ot
power, influence aud usefulness.
Regarding money as the synonym of ig
norance aud shame, if' i can be exchanged
for knowledge, esteeming toil ami sacrifice
as an insignificeot price to be paid for sanc
tified learning, the youth of the land, rich
and poor, are seeking in this institution
I that which shall survive the muiatiousof
[ fortune and the desolations if poverty,
i Meeting a cordial and Christian welcome
: from the able and accomplished Faculty of
I tne College, study becomes a pleasure, and
| the path of instruction attractive. It- corner
stone, laid amidst the prayers and teats of
I those venerated fathers who lived in the
■ heroic days of Geoi gia Methodism, it must
I -ie-ccnd to their off-pnng and successors,
j the holiest memory in the records of the
liast, and the richest jewel in the diadem
of the future. Emory, erect and without
ja biush of shame may point to her grad-
I uates in every department of honorable
; life, and proudly exciaim as did the mother
I of the Gracchi —
“These are my jewels ” -
During the scholastic year just closed,
! 245 students have been in attendance, and
■ th-: year 1869, promises a gran tying increase.
; We should present cea-eles.-, gratitude to
| God for the wonderful weik of
! grace with which the uollege has been re
) ceutly visited. < Asa significant, indication,
| we call attention to the fact, that the tui
i tion fees have thus far duiina the present
j year, met* the salaries of the Faculty, leav
ing the endowment Fund to be expended
on the grounds, building and apparatus.
Rep Com to (la. Conference.
A Most Creditable Undertaking.—
We understand ttiat some of the most gift
ed ladies of the South —among the number
Macon, Alb my and Cos urnbus are repre
sented very ably—intend to give five c-in
certs, one in Columbus, Savannah, Au
gusta, Macon and Atlanta, for the benefit
of the Georgia Memorial Association
This Association ouly r iceivoJ $2,000
from the Legislature, aud it nee. Is slu,ooo
more. Now the question i-, wi.e eisit to
come from? 'ihe-e ladies have, at the
earnest requestor Mrs- William -and Miss
Green, Trustees ot the Institution, com
menced in good style. It is needle-- to say
that we predict for them a gloriou- -uc
cess. The ladies arc Mrs. Ogden an 1 Mrs.
Bacon, or Mac >n, Mr.-, i lines, oi A >'■ iy,
and Mi-s II ward, of Co'umbus.
{ The first Concert w.ff be giveu uC ii am
bus on the 4th day of Janu.ry, a . i tfie
j others in a week or ten days immediately
after. —Macon Telegraph.