Newspaper Page Text
OLD SERIES, VOL. LXXVI.
(Chronicle & jlentmcl
HKNUY MOOREi
A. WBIGIIT,
PATRICK Associate Editor
AUOCHTA, f.A :
H KD.VKSDAI MIIKMMi. MARCH 10.
Correction. —We are requested lo
state that in the list of scalawags at the
meeting on Saturday night there was an
error in the spelling of one of the names ;
it should have been Phillips instead of
Philip.
The First Cotton Factory in New
York.—Tohn Shedden, a Scotchman, is
said to have built the first cotton factory in
the State of N'ew York, ft was establish
ed in 1770, and located on Manhattan Isl
and, on a spot now covert and by the most
populous portion of New York city.
Will some of our reader friends inform
us where and when and by whom the first
factory in Georgia was erected ?
The Closing Exercises ok the Medi
cal College.—Yesterday at Id o'clock
was the time appointed for the distribution
of diplomas to the graduating class of the
Georgia Medical College and the address
and valedictory usual upon such occasions.
The Masonic Hall, the place selected for
the ceremony, was well filled by ladies and ,
gentlemen drawn thither either to see
friends or relatives receive the much covet
ed honor, from anxiety to hear the dis
tinguishedgeutlcman who, itwas aunounc- I
ed, would deliver the annual address,
or merely from that curiosity which so
often guides our actions. Withi > a few
minutes after 12 o’clock the procession
coming from the Medical College filed into
the building, headed by the Trustees and
Faculty of the Institution, and the orator
of the day, the graduating class immedi
ately in their roar, the remainder of the
students following next, while the cadets of
the Richmond Academy and their Super
intendent marched last in order. And,
here we may remark, these same cadets,
clad in their tasteful uniforms of Confeder
ate gray, were one of the most interesting
features of the exhibition.
ft seems they have been regular attend-
ants at the course of scientific lectures at
the College fortbo past four months, given
by Prof. Rains, who is also Regent of the
Academy, and thus have had the same ad
vantages in this respect as the Medical
students themselves.
They were mostly clad in a very neat and
becoming gray uniform, and marched with
the regular step of trained soldiers, show
ing that military discipline is considered an
essentia! part of tho Academic course. !
We think this entirely commendable, in
deed important in a lad’s education, for
habits of trained obedience to superiors
does not terminate with the drill-ground
or Academic Hall, but carries with it
through life a disposition to conform to
law and order.
This feature of the Academy will, doubt
less, commend itself to general approba
tion, for it evidently tends to make the pu
pils more orderly and studious, and gives
them a better and more manly carriage,
renders them moro obedient to parents,
and in after years more valuable members
to society.
Re-entering the room the Trustees <
and Faculty, consisting of the Dean, Dr.
Dugas, Professors Ford, Kvc, Weddings,
Coleman, Doughty, PeSaussuro Ford,
Rains and Campbell, with Rev. Arminius
Wright and Hon. J. S. Hook, took their
seats on tho elevated platform in front of
the audience; the medical students sat on
bonohos placed immediately in front of the
dignitaries and the cadets took places on
the right of tho platform. Tho exercises
wore opened by Rev. Arminius Wright
with a short, hut very appropriate prayer.
At its conclusion tho Dean of tho Collego
road a report of the flourishing condition
of the institution, the number of students in
attendance at.their past terra—B3; of whom
73 are from Georgia and the remainder
(Voiu other Southern States—and the
names and number of the graduating class,
which was composed of the following
named gentlemen: B F Bates, Spartan
burg co., S. C.; J C Brigham, Burke co.,
Ga.; M li Brookfield, Richmond co., Ga.;
Green Bell, Emanuel co., Ga.; J I) Calla
way, Chumcnnugga, Ala.; J F Carter,
Cha übers co., Ala ; W W Evaus,Newton
co. Ga.; Paul Fitzsimmons, Augusta, Ga.:
C E Fuller, Lawroneeville, S. C.; RO
Goroke, Montgomery, Ala.; J D Graves,
Covington, Ga ; W J Moore, Scrivcn co.,
Ga.; W R MoDaniel, Gwinnett co., Ga.;
A C Perry, Nowton co., Ga.; J A P Rob
son, Millodgcville, Ga : W S Shepard,
Edgefield co., S. C.; J W Wimberly, Jef
fersonville, Ga.; W E Swinney, Augusta,
Ga.; W L York, West Point, Ga.; honor
ary degree conferred upon N. A. Perry,
Jasper 00., Ga.—2o. A short hut able
discourse was then delivered by C. F. Mc-
Cay, Esq., to the graduates, and at its
conclusion, calling them by name, they
stepped forward and received their diplo
mas. Several of the young Doctors were
so fortunate as to he the recipients of
beautiful boquets, from lair hands, this
fact proving that their devotions at the
altar of .Kseulapius, had not prevented
sacrifices at the shrine of Venus.
Hon. J. S. Hook, when the delivery of;
the diplomas was finished, introduced by
Mr. MoCay to the audience, made an inter
esting and beautiful address ou the Science
of Medicine; asserted its great importance,
ranking first among the sciences and giv
ing to the graduates much useful advice as
to their conduct in the useful and honor
able profession which they had chosen.
Dr. W. S. Spheperd, on the part of the
graduates, delivered the valedictory, which
was well composed, well spoken and well
received. This last closed the exhi
bition, and, alder a benediction, pro
nounced by Rev. Arminius Wright, the
the audience dispersed, Augusta has
certainly great reason to be proud of her
Medical College, which,under the manage
ment of some of the most learned men of
their profession,in the State, year after year
sends forth so many talented and promis
ing young men, and it is indeed a -hame
las Judge Hook remarked yesterday),
that Southerners should send their sons to
the Colleges of Europe and Yankeedom,
instead of patronizing this, our own
most deserving home institution. It is but
fair to state, however, that eaeh year it
seems to increase in popularity and pros
perity, and already ranks as the best school
ot mediciuo in the Southern States.
Ji’stick co Skowbegan. —Tho attack
on J. E. Bryant, contained in the }>re- ■
amble to the resolutions adopted at the
scalawag mtoriug ou Saturday night, in
which ho is classed as a secret ecetnv to
the Republican party, is being rapidly
followed up by his quondam allies. Seeing
the account in Sunday morning’s Chron
icle k Sentinel of what transpired while
the committee of twenty-one, with doors
and windows jealously closed, were en
gaged in plotting insurrection, the scala
wig? at once cime to the conclusion that
it oould only have become known through
the treachery ot one of the committee,
■ and that the Skowheganite was the traitor.
In this supposition they do an injustice to
Skowhegan which he does not deserve.
Captain Bryant was not acting as reporter
for the Chronicle & Sentinel on that
occasion and gave us no information about
the meeting. On the contrary, we think
that we oould, if we wished, post the
worthy carpet-bagger himself as to how
the cards were stocked by the Little Per
jurer against him at a meeting held at a
negro church in this city a short time pre
vious to the pow-wnw at the City Hall
and Bryant’s arrival from Atlanta.
Don't Bead It '.
The article printed this morning in an
other column of our paper, taken from the
Richmond Whiff, upon one of the crying
evils of the times, will not he relished by
some of our lady readers. Perhaps the
writer, who wields a polisheu Damascus
blade, cuts too deep in some of his home
; thrusts. On the whole, however, we com
mend its perusal to the matrons of the
land. To the class of young folks, of both
sexes, who rejoice in the application of the
epithet “last people,’ we would say, don’t
read it It will, perhaps, make you feel
badly, and, in the end, do no good.
Granl’t Cabinet.
The latest news from Washington would
seem to indicate that there is a probability
that at least one member of the Cabinet
will he taken from the South.
Among the names mentioned in this con
nection wc find Joshua Hill aod Alexander
11. Stephens, of this State, Horace May
nard, of Tennessee, Thomas J. Durant, of
Louisiana, and Judge Paschal, of Texas.
From other sources we learn that a strong
influence will be brought to bear in favor
of the Hon. Henry W. Hilliard, of this
city, .who is warmly urged for the position
of Attorney General.
The Emigration Scheino.
We are glad to be able to announce the
defeat of the State emigration scheme
which, under different shapes, has been
before the Legislature for some weeks
past.
Asa public journalist, representing in
part the material interests of a portion of
the people of the State, e have felt it to
be our duty to lend our influence for the
defeat of this measure. We have not
been actuated by any feelings of hostility
or repugance to the emigrants ostensibly
sought to be introduced. On the con
trary, wo would be rejoiced to welcome
ttmong us the oppressed sons of Toil in
Ireland, Germany and other foreign States,
and would go as far to promote their in
terests, and protect their rights here as
the most loud-mouthed of the advocates
of the late scheme. Our opposition was
not to emigration itself, Itut the mode by
which U was sought to be promoted and
fostered.
From the beginning of the- discussion
upon the question we were convinced that
it was gotten up principaliy in the interests
of a few persons, and for the purpose of
furnishing soft and lucrative places for a
class of men who have never succeeded in
any of their private affairs, aud who, wo
thought, would developo the same degree
of unthriftiness as agents, commissioners,
and sub commissioners of an Emigration
Bureau. In other words, we looked upon
it as a “big job,” which was to filch
from the people’s pockets large sums of
money for the benefit of a few persons
who were in “the ring.” We may have
been mistaken in these views. We hope !
that we were. Yet we do not regret our
opposition to the scheme.
We are anxious to have the broad
fields of toe State, now lying waste and
uncultivated, brought under the care and I
subjected to the renovating influences of an
improved and intelligent culture, and
we believe that the hard-fisted sons of
Toil from the older countries of Europe
would render valuable assistance in ac
complishing such results. We would be
glad to sec the broom sage lands of Middle
Georgia placed under the intelligent hus
bandry of foreign labor, but we are not so
anxious to have them eo ne among us as to
make us willing to perpetrate a fraud
upon them and an injury to the people of
the State to get them here. If the plan
proposed in Atlanta had been carried
’through the Legislature it would have en
tailed injury upon the State and gross wrongs
upontho emigrant himself. He would have
been induced to come here under the prom
ise and belief that the people of the State
would furnish him lands free, and that
comfortable homes, amply supplied with
necessary provisions, woul 1 be provided.
In this he would have been doomed to
utter disappointment. The Southern peo
ple are too poor themselves to attempt the
inauguration of a scheme which would
make such heavy drafts upon their gene
rosity and capacity.
The people of the South, and particu
larly of Georgia, would welcome, with out
' stretched hands and warm hearts, all set
tlers among them from the old world—
they would divide liberally their scanty
means with the emigrant; at the same time
it is notoriously true that we are too poor
to contribute much to the support of our
friends.
A large influx of emigrants here from
the North or from Europe would not con
duce to the interests of our own people or
the happiness of the emigrant. We must
move very cautiously in thisauatter. While
we should cordially invite persons to settle
among us, we should be careful not to
raise expectations which we must know
cannot be realized. We believe that for a
year or two to come, private enterprise,
aided by the healthfulness of our climate,
the fertility of our soil aud the highly re
munerative prices winch our productions
command, will bring within our borders as
many emigrants as our limited resources
will enable us to provide for properly.
Entertaining these views, we have op
posed the late scheme for a State Emigra
tion Bureau. We want the matter left
with the people for a whi c longer at least.
Grant's Policy Toward the South.
We have what we consider very reliable
authority for stating that General Grant
does not favor any action on the part of
Congress looking to the reconstrution of
the State or the denial of her full and
equal rights as a member of the Union.
We believe that, through his known op
position to the Edmunds’ Bill, that par
tisan and unjust measure has been permit
ted to die of its own demerits. While he
has been reticent upon general subjects of
legislation he has not, on this important
question, failed or refused to declare his
views very tully and clearly. His own,
and the influence of his friends in both
Houses of Congress, has been actively ex
erted to prevent any action by the present
Congress. In this they have fully sue'
ceeded. No measure looking to interfer
ence with our status can now be passed by
the Fortieth Congress. The President
could and would defeat it by pocketing the
Bill.
The next Congress will not be able to
pass any bill on this subject over General
Grant’s veto. The peace, quiet and good
order of the South and the general pros
perity ol'the whole country rests, therefore,
in the hollow of Grant’s hands. From
what we learn of his views we are content
with this condition of affairs. A few days
more will develop the fact whether our
confidence is well founded.
Important to Tobacconists.—As some
of our tobacco dealers are ignorant of the
recent legislation of Congress with regard
to the regulations for stamping and label
ing of manufactured tobacco, wc have ob
tained the following information on the
subject from the Revenue authorities of
this city and publish it for the benefit of
those concerned :
Parties are not liable to re-stamp their
tobacco unless sold, or offered for sale.
Holders of tax paid tobacco, who have
complied with Sec. 7S, Act July 20th.
1668, on turnishing satisfactory proof
thereof, will not be required to re-stamp
their tobacco, but they must be packed in
packages as required by law, on each of
which the label required by law must be
affixed. These packages must be packed
in cas s, on which the inspector will affix
his brand as required by special order No.
63.
Holders of tobacco are considered as
manufacturers in the eye of the law and
will be in the same manner treated for its
iolatioo. .
Georgia in the Forty-First Congress.
The ease of Georgia was under discus
sion by the Reconstruction Committee at
1 their meeting to-day. The Committee is
' considering a bill declaring the Representa
tives of that State to be ineligible, on the
ground that both the State and Legislature
i have failed to comply with the Reconstruc
tion Acts. If the bill is reported, as it
( probably will be, and passed, the Clerk
will not put the names <3f the Representa
tives from Georgia on the roll-call lor the
XLlst Congress.
It seems to be settled that the Clerk will
not call the name l of the Representatives
from the States of Georgia and Louisiana
on the assembling of the next Congress.
Excluding these States, and several con
tested seats, where neither party holds a
certificate of election, the House will stand
137 Republicans to 62 Democrats. —Sac
York Tribune.
A great deal of nonsense is being written
and printed about the probable action of
the House of Representatives in organiz
ing the forty-first Congress next Friday.
The leading Northern and Southern jour
nals have advised their readers that the
Reconstruction Committee of the 40th
Congress and the present Clerk have de
termined not to cal! the roll of the Georgia
members of the next Congress, and this
determination of an irresponsible Commit
tee and Clerk of the present Congress is
assumed to be an authoritative decision
excluding Georgia from representation in
the next Congress. The New York Tri
bune announces, with the assumed authori
ty of a Sir Oracle, that “the Clerk will
not put the names of-the representatives
from Georgia on the roll call for the XLI
Congress,” but it fails entirely to under
stand or explain why the names are to be
omitted.
The simple truth is, Georgia has not
elected Representatives for the Forty-first
Congress. Consequently, there will he no
Representatives in Washington, oil the stb,
from this State seeking admission. It has
been stated—and we believe not denied —
that Bullock has caused the persons now in
Congress from this State, and who were
elected to the XLth Congress, also, as
Members of the next XLlst Congress, and
the decision, if any has been made by the
Reconstruction Committee and the present
Clerk,applies to these unlawful certificates
of election issued by Bullock.
Even the intensely Radical element of
the House Reconstruction Committee will
not endorse or approve this illegal action
of the Georgia Express Agent. Theystill
adhere ostensibly to the theory that Rep
resentatives must be chosen and elected by
the people, and that if the people fail to
elect representation they must be content
with non representation.
In the case of Georgia it is not the fault
of the people that no election has been
held for members of the new Congress.
The Legislature at its session last Summer,
passed a bill providing for a Congressional
election in the fall. The bill was vetoed by
his Expresslency, and failed to become a
law. Bullock himself prevented an elec
tion and then undertook to select members
of the 41st Congress for the people of the
State. It is Bullock’s appointed Congress
men who have been denied admission, if
any, by the Congressional Radicals.
Georgia has no representatives applying
for seats in the Forty-first Congress. If
the Radical appointees of Bullock are ex
cluded by their Radical friends, then the
people of the old Commonwealth will have
cause to thank Radicalism for an act of
justice toward them and their section.
The Proposed Amendment-Article Fif
teen.
The amendment to be known as the
fifteenth article of the Constitution of the
United States, having been passed by the
requisite majority in both branches of the
Federal Congress, it will be now submitted
to tho Legislatures of tho several States
for decision and final action. In very
many of the States their Legislative bodies
are now in session, and we presume that a
very few days will develop the fact wheth
er the people will approve or reject this
new feature.
Tho first thought which occurs, in con
templating this hasty and confessedly par
tisan action of Congress, is the fact that it
was introduced, perfected, advocated and
prepared by the members of a party organ
ization as a party measure, whose plat
form of principles, laid down in Chicago
last J une, by the grand sachems of the
party, and accepted as the authorized
creed of its members, solemnly declared
that “the question of suffrage in all
“the loyal States properly belongs to the
“people of those States.’’
Upon this platform the Republican
party went before the people of the whole
Union, and upon it they were sustained
by the popular vote. From Gen. Grant,
their candidate for President, down to
the lowest State officials, all their candi
dates were pledged to sustain and support
this declaration. Every Republican mem
ber of the State Legislatures elected last
fall was under a pledge to the people of his
district, township or county, to sustain, in
its broadest and fullest extent,the principle
that the people of the respective States
were alone the judges of the qualifications
for the elective franchise, and that they
alone'had power and jurisdiction over the
subject.
In the teeth of this solemn pledge to the
country, made by the authorized represen
tatives of the party iu National Convention
assembled, the Radical leaders in Con
gress have passed the following proposed
amendment to the Constitution, and have
■ ordered it to be submitted to the present
i legislatures in the several States :
“The right of citizens of the United Sta’es
to vote shall not be denied or abridged by
1 the United States, nor by any State, on
account of race, color, or previous condi- j
tion of servitude.”
Efforts were made in the Senate and in
the House to have this proposed amend- :
ment submitted to Conventions of the peo
ple in their respective States, members to
which would be chosen with a view to take
action on the proposition, which were de
feated. It was then proposed to have the
submission made to the State Legislatures
hereafter to be chosen, with a like result.
Both of these propositions were made with
the view to give the people an opportunity
to be heard directly on the grave question
involved. The theory of our Government
is, that it expresses the will and receives
the sanction of the people. How the
people’s voice is to be heard, unless an op
portunity be given them to speak, we are
at a loss to conceive. But this theory was
openly repudiated by the leading Radical
members of the Senate who snoke upon
the question. It was admitted that the
only chance to get the amendment ratified
was to have it submitted to the present
elected legislative bodies, and the Senate
confessed that if the people of the several
States were permitted to elect Legislatures
in direct reference to this amendment, it
would be defeated—that the people must
be ehtated into a supposed ratification.
This was, to be sure, a humiliating and a
damning confession, yet it was openly and
boldly made on the floor of tho Senate by
a number of leading Radicals.
But putting aside for the present, the
bad faith of the Radical party in so soon
backing down from the principles declared
in the Chicago Platform, let us consider the
proposition as it is presented to us, and
seek to discover the line of action demanded
by the best interests of our State and of
the whole country.
It has been long accepted as an axiom
in the political discussions upon our system
of Government, that its security and the
prosperity of the people under it depend
upon the intelligence, and virtue, and hon
esty, and patriotism of the governing
classes. That the chief safeguard of Con
stitutional liberty is to be found in
the purity of the ballot-box. Any
, action which would tend to debase that
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 10, ISO 9
protecting shield would strike a death-blow
to the whole system. Evidently these were
the views entertained by the framers of the
Constitution. The debates upon the ques
tion of suffrage show this very fully.
Among the many reasons given for leaving
the question of suffrage entirely with the
States, it was contended that the States
were more directly concerned in the subject
and would be more vigilant in preserving
and protecting the ballot from improper or
impure interference.
Bes.des.it was contended that to deprive
the severai States of this right, would
strike a direct blow at the very founda
tion of the Federal theory that the States
were complete and thorough political or
ganization.-, perfectly free and un
controlled in all local and State affairs
except so far as they might surren
der a portion of their rights for
the good of the whole Confedera
tion of States. This right to regulate and
control the elective franchise, was not one
of those powers which was claimed for the
Federal Government, to enable it to prop
erly perform the functions required of
it as the representative of the several
States and it was left with the people of
their respective States.
We can see no reason now, why the
whole character of our Government should
be changed, as it would be by the ratifica
tion of this proposed amendment. The
only arguments which we have heard in
favor of the scheme are those founded
upon the supposed necessity growing out of
the action of the Fortieth Congress in
conferring the ballot upon the negroes in
the Southern States. It is true that it
has been urged by Mr. Sumner and those
of his school that its adoption would great
ly strengthen the Radical party in the
North and West by giving to it the whole
body of colored people proposed to be en
franchised, and give several of the smaller
States, now slightly Democratic, to their
own party. . The negro vote in Connecticut
and New Jersey, it is claimed, would give
those States to Radicalism. This, however,
is the lowest motive which should in
fluence honorable minds in its favor.
Our own Legislature, now in session,
will be called upon in a few days to pass
upon this question. Independent of the
anomalous condition of the State, as
respects its relations to the Federal Union,
it presents an important and grave issue
to members. We trust that it will be
met in the spirit of candor, fairness and
impartiality which should always charac
terize important legislative action. No
low or selfish or unworthy motives should
influence the votes of members. They
should examine it as statesmen and as
patriots. It isa grave and very important
question and demands the very highest
order of statesmanship in its investigation
and discussion.
Neither would we have it regarded as a
mere party issue,although the declarations
of its friends while under discussion in
Congress and their refusal to permit the
people of the country to pass upon it, would
perhaps justify the Democratic members
of the Legislature in regarding it wholly as
a party question. It is of quite too much
importance to be treated in this way. It
should be examined in the light thrown
around it by the history of (he Convention
which framed the Constitution and the
practical workings of our system since the
organization of the Federal Government.
Viewed in these lights and weighed in the
balance of a pure and unselfish patriotism
wc arc at no loss to divine the action of our
representatives. They will reject the
proposition as one fraught with danger to
the whole common country and in its ef
fects subversive of regulated free govern
ment.
We dismiss from ourminds, a3 unworthy
of permanent lodgment there, the statement
which has obtained some currency within
the last few days that some of the mem
bers of our Legislature have declared their
intention to vote for the ratification as a
retaliatory measure upon the people
of the North and West. Such action
as this, founded upon motives si un
worthy of statesmen, cannot and will
not meet the approval of the people of
Georgia. We have insisted that the action
of Congress,in forcing negro suffrage upon
us, was cruel, vindictive and illegal. We
hope that, at no distant day, the intelli
gent masses in the North and West will
reach the same conclusion. As long as the
Constitution remains unchanged upon
this point, so long will there be a chance
that under the influences of the second
sober thought, our ’Northern and Western
friends will aid us in procuring for the
people of the State an opportunity to be
heard on the question of negro suffrage
here. But, independent of any future in
terest which wc may have in securing to
the people of the several States the right
which they now possess, to regulate the
Elective franchise in their own way, with
out let or hindrance from Congress or the
Federal Government, we should remem
ber that right is right, abstractly and not
relatively, and that a wrong inflicted upon
us does not justify us in perpetrating the
same wrong upon others.
In no view of the question which w
can take, do we find any valid reason why
we should ratify this proposed amendment.
On the contrary, we might, if time and
space allowed, give nmny further and
I equally strong objections to this Raaica]
; project to destroy the Constitution of our
! fathers. Let us examine the ground care-
I fully before we proceed to make such
I sweeping i -novations upon the old Consti
tution. The mania for Constitutional
changes seems to be increasing. Let the
real Conservative element of the country
firmly plant itself in opposition to all violent
changes. In caution there is safety.
An Opera Ilouse.
We cheerfully publish the lollowing
communication and cordially endorse the
proposition and views of Mr. Watkins.
Augusta should have an Opera House,
and some of our prominent and enterpris
ing fellow-citizens should move in the
matter. If the proper steps are taken we
are assured that Mr. Watkins will devote
his time in superintending the erection of
the building:
i Editors Chronicle & Sentinel :
Dear Sirs : Believing that a sufficient
spirit of enterprise exists in this commu
nity to erect an Opera House, that shall
: be both an ornament and a profit to the
i city, I am induced, before leaving to fulfil
my engagements at the North, to make an
attempt, however feeble, to stir up that
| dormant spirit and put it in motion. It
seems hardiy necessary to state to business
men how much a well conducted place of
amusement contributes to the prosperity
of a town. How it attracts frequent and
prolonged visits from country people re
siding within a certain radius. How
stranger* travelling ior pleasure or pros
peering for investments are led to remain
a night or two longer at the hotels by the
knowledge that is a place where they
can really pass a pleasant evening, and
how parties, who have thus enjoyed them
selves, are impressed with the idea that so
and so is a flourishing city, and how this
impression is disseminated in letters to
their friends, or in conversations after their
return home. No more eligible plaD could
be adooted for the purpose of advertising a
city than the erection and maintenance of
a good place of amusement, and proper
advertising is as necessary for the improve
ment of a city as it is for the increase of a
man's business.
To ensure the success of the Opera
House, after it is ready ior occupation, as
great a number of persons as possible
should be interested in securing that suc
cess. By erecting a building that would
cost from 150,000 to 75.000 a sufficient
portion could be let out for business pur
poses to realize a fair per cenutge (say
eight per cent,) on the whole investment—
whatever might accrue from the part de
voted to theatrical purposes being so much
to the good. Placing the shares at SIOO
each would enable parties of limited means
to hold a stock that would bring them more
interest than is allowed by aDy of the
Savings-Banks. Os course to moneyed men,
eight per cent, offers but a slight tempta
tion for investment, but their profit (for
in ail cases self-interest must be appealed
is to be derived from that general en
hancement in the value of all property
which surely marks the progress of a city
that has won the enviable reputation of
containing an enterprising and flourishing
people. Cannot some person, in whom
the community has confidence, take hold of
this thing and put it through f I believe
it can be done, and am willing to start the
bail by subscribing for five shares, SSOO.
Respectfully, Harry Watkins.
The Press Gang at Mobile.
The writer, having paid a flying visit to
Mobile on the occasion of the recent an
nual Press gathering at that city, takes the
earliest opportunity, on his return home, to
refer, briefly, to a visit in and around which
will long cluster many very pleasant rec
ollections of associations formed and hos
pitalities extended and enjoyed.
The Board of Trade of Mobile, the local
press, and the citizens generally, received
the members of the Press Convention with
that cordiality and hospitality characteristic
of ante bellum times, when the people of
Mobile counted their wealth by millions.
But though war and its sad reverses have
deprived them of their property and, in a
great measure, of their political rights and
privileges, they still retain those attributes
of nature which no misfortune can despoil
—high culture, urbanity and generous
hospitality.
The Board of Trade placed at the dis
posal of the Press steamboats, carriages
horses, hotels and theatres, and the mem
bers of the Board were unremitting in their
attentions to supply the wants and gratifi
cations of their guests,
The Manassas Club, the great social and
convivial institution of the city, laid out a
magnificent banquet, at which were as
sembled the prominent citizens of Mobile,
who vied with each other in attentions to
the members of the ioirth estate, who, it
is needless to say, did full justice to the
banquet.
The proprietors, editars and attaches of
the Tribune and Register, were omniscient
and omnipresent, here, there and every
where, escorting and introducing their
visiting confreres to the notables and prom
inent institutions of their beautiful city.
While it would be gratifying to the
writer to spread forth ia detail the varied
bills of fare embraced in the programme of
festivities and to detail minutely the per
sonnel of the participants and the parts per
formed by each individual, he is reminded
that, a rehearsal of’ the afair might not be
equally interesting to the reader at a dis
tance from the scene cf anion. Besides,
the detail might prove stale and uninter
esting, as the ground lug been already
canvassed by our gifted friend and com
panion, Randdl,' of the Constitutionalist,
who has done full and ample justice to the
subject.
Asa fitting close to the munificent hos
pitality of the Mobiiians, the members of
the Convention presented to the Board of
Trade a pair of silver goblets as a testi
monial of appreciation of the generous
hospitality received and enjoyed. Colonel
Lamar, in behalf of the Fiess, made the
presentation speech, which was responded
to by President Woodruff, of the Board of
Trade.
In this connection wo return our thanks
to Superintendent Johnson, of the Georgia
Road, and to Superintendent Jordan, of’
the Mobile & Montgomery Railroad, for
free passes over their respective roads.
Mr. W.G. Herndon, of the Atlanta & West
Point Road, will be remembered by the
press-gang as a very genial companion
and a capital host.
Large Sale of Blooded Stock.
A sale of the fine-blooded horses of the
late John M. Botts was made at public
auction onthe 17th ult., on his farm near
Brandy Station, Va This stock is consider
ed the finest in the country,but sold for very
low prices. The fine horse Engineer, by
Revenue, brought the highest price, and
was knocked off at seven hundred dollars.
Ten others, including several “Glencoe”
and “Revenue” fillys were sold at prices
ranging from $275 to $550 dollars.
A County Sheriff Appointid.—For
many months past—since the mysterious
killing of Ruffin, on the day of the last
Presidential, olection—Richmond county
has been without a Sheriff. From that
time up to Tuesday last the Coroner of the
county, W. P. Rhodes, has been acting in
that capacity nominally, while really the
duties of the office have been performed
by Wm. Doyle, better known as the
“Dead Man’s Deputy.” In accordance
with the laws of the State an election
should have been held long ago to fill the
vacancy which existed, and this course the
people of the county earnestly demanded
should be pursued; but it has not yet been
done, nor do we believe that there is much
prospect that it will be by the present au
thorities. Seeing no prospect of an elec
tion, and having but little confidence in
the mongrel scalawag whom Ruffin had
chosen for his deputy, strenuous exertions,
we believe, have been made to procure the
appointment of some man of respectabili
ty and goed standing in the community.
But this attempt has also, it seems, been a
complete failure, as on Tuesday the Ordi
nary appointed Wm. Doyle to fill the va
cant position. At the same time he wrote
a letter to His Expresselency, telling him
what he had done, but also stating that,
according to sections 245,238 and 383 of
the code, he believed an election should be
ordered, and asking the Governor to refer
the matter to H. P. Farrow, the Attorney
: General, and get him to deliver an opinion
on the subject. Mr. Doyle offered bond,
was accepted, the oath taken by him, and
he is now Sheriff of the county. His se
curities are nearly all of the same name—
Anna Doyle, Adolphus Doyle, Mary Doyle,
Julia M. Doyle, and Anna B. Tutt, and
swore that they we-e worth property
which, in value, amomted to more ‘than
ten thousand dollars.
The Land We Love.— We have re-1
ceived the March number of this ;
valuable magazine anl find its table of j
contents varied and attractive. General
Hill deserves much praise for his energy and j
enterprise in establishing this really val
uable Southern journal, and we trust that
he will continue to meet a generous :
patronage.
The Land We Love is to be consolidated ;
with the new Southern Eclectic, lately es
tablished‘in Raltimow, and, in future,
■The Land We Love anc Southern Eclectic
will be published in the latter place, un
der the control and supavision of General
Hill.
A New Manufactory in Augusta.—
We are gratified to announce another ad
dition to the manufactories of our city
and one sustained by Northern capitalists,
too, which the monstrous slanders circu
lated by the Radical press at home and
abroad, concerning the insecurity of life
and property in the Sotth, has hitherto
kept away. A gentleman, from near
Syracuse, in New York State, arrived in
Augusta not long ago in search of an eligi
ble site for the kcation of a helve manu
factory, aware that, from the vast timber
resources of Georgia and its consequent
cheapness, an establishment of that
character would be certain to yield a large
profit on the capital invested. Fortunately
while in this city, he learned that the
property known as Nelson Bobbin factory
was offered for sale by its owner. An ex
amination convinced him that this was the
very place he needed, and accordingly,
after some little negotiation, it was pur
chased. Since that time he has gone
I steadily to work, improved the building,
1 erected his lathes and other machinery,
| aDd the manufactory will goon be in full
blast, turning out helves for Northern
consumption. This gentleman is also a
partner in a large establishment at his
former home, near Syracuse, which is en
gaged in making hoes, shovels, spades,
rakes, pitchforks, axes, etc., andj the
handles that are made by his machinery
here will be shipped to the former place for
use. He has found no difficulty in procur
ing the timber suitable for this purpose,
and has already contracted with one party
for nearly four hundred cords of poplar
wood, and with another for nearly three
hundred cords of the same material
. A Good Sign.—lt is a good sigD, says
the Macon Journal & Messenger, to see
the energy displayed by our manufacturing
enterprises. The Newton Factory was
burned to the ground not a month since,
but new machinery has already been pur
chased and will soon be in operation.
The Great Railroad War.—Some
time since, in an article on this subject, we
announced that the City Council Railr ,ad
Committee, to which had been referred the
petition of the Columbia & Augusta Rail
road, for permission to build a bridge across
the Savannah river and enter the city, and
also the counter petition of the South Car
olina Railroad, was anxious to have an in
terview with the Presidents of the rival
corporations, in order, if possible, to ar
range the matter amicably. Accordingly,
President Johnston, of the Columbia
road, appeared before the Committee and
gave them his views on the subject, and on
last Monday evening President Magrath,
of the South Carolina road, came here
from Charleston for the same purpose. On
Monday night there was an informal meet
ing of the Committee, at which Mr. Mv
grath was present, and yesterday morning
the latter gentleman returned to Charles
on. All that was done at this meeting
has not yet fully transpired; but we have
gathered information enough from the beet
authority to warrant us in stating that no
compromise of any kind has been, effected,
and the indications are that the war to the
knife which has been commenced between
these two Railway companies, will con
tinue until some tribunal is found that can
final y a-id effectually settle the quarrel.
We cannot sec what further steps our city
authorities can take in the matter, if the
two Presidents cannot be brought to agree,
and it is said that the Committee will
make a report on the subject at the next
meeting of Council, which body wii! then
attempt to come to some decision on the
two petitions. The general impression
seems to be that the City Council will give
tlie permission asked for by the Columbia
road, to cross the river and enter the city ;
for, by the contract made with this Com
pany, the city is to be indemnified for any
damage it may sustain from the other cor
poration if the affair ends in a lawsuit.
We have never had much hope of a com
promise between these railway Capulets
and Montagues, and believe the whole af
fair will have to be finally settled by judi
cial authority.
A Republican Action.—Among the
numerous fables and legends of the My
thologists, the most instructive, the most
interesting is the oDe concerning the great
huntsman, Actreon. This personage, as
the fable reads, was the son of Aristseris,
and exceedingly fond of the pleasures of
the chase, So much infatuated was he
with this amusemont that, with a large
pack of hounds which he had himself
carefully trained, he passed his whole life
hunting on the mountain sides of Par
nassus. On one fatal day, however, he
incurred the wrath of Diana and the irate
Goddess transforming him into the like
ness of a stag, he was devoured by the
very hounds with which he had formerly
hunted, and which he himself had so assid
uously trained. This fable is susceptible
of many interpretations, .but the best
illustration of it which we have seen was
given on Saturday night at the scalawag
meeting, where J. E. Bryant, the Repub
lican Actseon, was devoured by his own
dogs, the negro Radicals of this city.
Like him of Mythology, he had carefully
trained his hounds, the negroes aforesaid,
until at one time he had but to speak for
them to obey, yet th - minute ho incurred
the anger of the Little Perjurer, the whole
pack, “Tray, Blanche and Sweet
heart,” were yelping at his heels despite
his arduous services in their be
half,” despite “loans of money and other
assistance.” Bryant came to this city
immediately upon the termination of hostil
ities in 1805, and from that time up to
within a few months since he has exercised
an influence over the negroes of Au usta as
powerful as it was pernicious. He was the
founder of the Radical party here ; first
implanting and then carefully fostering in
the minds of the colored race that delight
ful vision of equality—social as well as
political—which they have since striven so
hard to realize. His theory of social
equality he never hesitated to carry into
practice, and delighted as well as astonish
ed his ebony followers, by associating with
them as he would with persons of his own
color. The effect of this treatment was
magical. Bryant was made almost a God
and nearly the entire negro population
were his worshippers ; every action of his
was applauded and a whisper from his
lips treated as a commandment from on
High. Through his agency the little Per
jurer and the other white Sealawags were
received into the confidence of the negroes
and many of them elected to the offices
which they now enjoy. He built up the
Union Leagues and Lodges, and set in
motion all the political machinery of the
Radical party, the influence of which was
I so powerful in the election for a convention
and a State government, and which re
| quired the shock of the successive defeats
sustained in the Presidential and Munici
pal contests to destroy. Yet, on one fatal
day in Atlanta,a desperate quarrel is said to
have taken place between himself and the
Little Perjurer, rumor even stated that he
administered corporal punishment to the
latter, and from that time has his power
been on the wane. Whilst be has been
enjoying some of the fruits of his labor in
the capital at Atlanta, as a legislator, his
enemy and his emissaries have so well
employed their time here, that (as was re
lated in the Chronicle & Sentinel of
Sunday) at the meeting of the negroes on
Saturday night the resolutions drawn up
by himsell were treated with contumely,
not a single voice beside his own being
raised in their favor, and the once mighty
Bryant left the hall before the meeting was
over, the recipient of insult and derision at
the hands of the negroes. Certainly was
Actason devoured by his own dogs.
A Desperate Shooting Affray.—
Wednesday evening between the hours of
two and three o’clock the city was thrown
into great excitement by a report that
there had been a desperate affray just
across the river, in the town of Hamburg,
in which several men had been engaged
and in which one had been instantly killed
—the latter, the Marshal of Edgefield
county. Anxious to get full and reli'jLle
particulars of the unfortunate affair, we,
at once, hastened over the Savannah to
the scene of the encounter. Arriving there,
it was discovered that, as usual, rumor
with her hundred tongues, had greatly
exaggerated what had happened; that the
Marshal was not killed, tut was seriously
wounded, not necessarily fatally so, how
ever. The folowing seems to be the gener
al and most correct version of the occur
rence, though of course where so many
people were witnesses each one’s account
varies somewhat from his neighbor’s:
On yesterday morning there was an auc
i tion sale of bank furniture in Hamburg in
I front of a store on the corner of Centre and
: Mercer streets. While the sale was in
progress a Mr. Sharpton, with two packs
\ of fire crackers in his pockets, aided hy a
young man, William W. Kennedy—the
County Marshal—set fire to one of the
packs in the streets and then slipped back
into the crowd without being detected.
The noise made by the explosion was
heard by the County Commissioner, J. J.
Kennedy—an uncle of the Marshal- who
attempted to discover the authors of the
disturbance, but unsuccessfully. He having
retired, \Y . \\. Kennedy and a young
man, J. Henry Keyes, procured more of
the fire crackers, and the former holding,
the latter set them on fire. This repetition
of the offence, again brought out the
Commissioner, and still unable to discover
the perpetrators, in a very excited manner
he exclaimed aloud, that whoever did it
was a G—d d—d rascal. At this remark
Keyes stepped forward, and said “I shot
the crackers, and am no more a G—d
d—d rascal than you arc.” The cider
Kennedy then drew a pistol from his side,
and Keyes whipped out a large knife,
while at the same time the younger Ken
nedy, taking his relative's part, drew a
revolver and fired ion Keyes, but missed
his target. Keyes immediately turned
and left the place, saying that he was un
armed, but would return in a little while
better prepared. When he had gone,
Kennedy, the Commissioner, entered a
house near the corner,while Kennedy,the
Marshal, remained to await his antago
nist's return. In a few minutes Keyes
was seen advancing down the street to
ward Kennedy, with a pistol presented,
and the latter jumping behind the trunk of
a large tree wlrch grew on the edge of the
pavement, fired upon the former,hu: again
missing. Without returning the fire, Keyes
still advanced, when Kennedy fired again,
but still without effect, hut at the second
fire Keyes himself shot and, a portion of
his antagonist's person being uncovered by
a “bend” in the tree-trunk, the ball en
tered his groin, inflicting a very danger
ous wound. Though shot, Kennedy fired
twice again, but with no better success
than formerly, and then, his ammunition
being exhausted, he stepped from befcind
the tree, begging Keyes not to shoot, as
he was unarmed. Keyes’ friends also in
terposing he put up his pistol, and Ken
nedy, sinking rapidly, was carried away,
in what was supposed to be a dying con
dition. While the fight was progressing
below, the elder Kennedy, from a second
story window, is said to have tired on Mr.
Robt. Kernighan, one of Keyes’ friends,
but did not hit his mark. Dr. Flournoy
Carter, summoned to attend Mr. Kennedy,
pronounced the wound dangerous, but,
perhaps, not mortal. We understand
that there has, for some time, been bad
blood between the two families, caused by
Commissioner Kennedy’s believed com
plicity in the aryest of young Keyes’ father,
last year, and subsequent brutal treatment,
by the Federal soldiers at Aiken, which
fact may throw some light on the bloody
affair. No arrests have, as yet, been made
ofany of the parties concerned.
OUT TRAVELLING OOKREBPONDECE.
On the Wing, Feb. 27,1869.
Editors Chronicle & Sentinel;
The Taliaferro Court convened on the
18th inst., Judge Andrews presiding. The
civil docket was taken up and disposed of,
a few cases involving considerable litigation.
Two criminal cases were on docket for
trial, one, in the language of a certain
iguoramus, charged with an insalt and a
battery, and the other with the offence of
murder. Both were released, the evidence,
it was thought, not being sufficient to
convict.
The murder case excited great feeling
and interest among the people and was
truly a horrible affair. It seems that on
the morning of the 17th inst. an old man
by the name of Axt was found in his bed
dead. A hatchet tjjid been driven into his
temples to the depth of one or two inches,
with other violent blows upon the head
with the same instrument, and his throat
cut from ear to ear. All over and around
the bed was covered with blood, which was
traced into other rooms of the house.
The circumstances of the accusation
against the son of the old man, as the per
petrator of this foul deed, were about as
follows:
The son wished to marry his half sister,
a mulatto girl, and daughter of his father,
to which the father objected on" the ground
that such an alliance would not be tolerated
by the laws of the country. The son be
came so public in his criminal intimacy
with the girl as to induce too father to use
the lash on him, which brought out impre
cations and threats of murder.
The known corrupt intentions of this
young man, the implements with which
the deed was committed being found in
ihe house, a portion of the old man’s
money hid away in the cellar, and various
other corroborating circumstances, led to
the conclusion that an inmate of the house
was guilty of the deed.
He was indicted by the Grand Jury,
and tried for his life, but as the evidence
was altogether circumstantial, was released,
although l think it is generally believed he
is gtiihy.
Judge Andrews evinced his usual ability
in the disposition of the business of the
Court, and gave entire satisfaction in his
constructions of the law, and its applica
tion to all cases tried before him. Among the
gentlemen of the bar present, were Judges
Reese and Stephens, General Dubose,
Cols. Read and Lewis, and the Solicitor.
Th« Court adjourned on Thursday morning
and I left for Thompson. Shortly after
my arrival at this place, an immense con
course of people assembled to witness the
aerial feats of Professor Bond. Like a
squirrel he ascended by a couple ot
small ropes to the wire suspended
from 30 to 50 feet high, where he perform
ed antics wonderful to behold. First
hanging by one hand, then uy one foot,
then lying on his back, whirling over and
turning a summerset, every part clear of
i the wire, but his leg strikes and he hangs.
I Old men trembling, young ladies in tears
I vail their faces, little girls crying, from ex
i cited sympathy for the hero oi the wire,
but he that had walked over the great
Niagara, and had performed world re
nowned feats before the gazing millions of
Europe and America, was not to be killed
in Thompson. Professor Bond is a jovial
and clever little feliqw, and I think comes
fully up to all his bill proposes.
I retired from the exciting scenes of the
evening to enjoy the hospitality and kind
ness of Brother Thrasher and his
excellent family. He and Brother Rush
have souls big enough for all Thompson,
and I shall remember, with gratitude, their
uniform courtesy and kindness to me. In
this often cold and contracted world such
genial friendship is truly refreshing. I
awoke next morning to behold the planes
and house tops clothed in white robe3,
let down from the heavens during the
night. But a heavy fog, with succeeding
sunshine, soon dissipated the snow, and
we had a bright and pleasant day.
Traveller.
P. 8. —Allow me to extend my thanks
to that active and efficient little news
agent, Johnny Quinn, for his uniform
kindness in presenting me the papers. He
is full of life, fun and zeal in his business,
and doubtless successful. T.
OIK NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
bpxcial oorkespondiscx ot thx eHW>Kiot* Sl eisnstt.
New York, February 27th, 1869.
Editors Chronicle <£• Sentind :
Yankee diplomatists are certainly the
most meddlesome, members of a prying
race. Not only were the European Min
isters at the bottom of the late Cretan dif
ficulty, a difficulty that has just been
settled by a Conference of the Great Pow
ers in a way that shows the United States
Government was entirely in the wrong,
bat for much of the bloodshed and anarchy
in the Argentine war the same breed are
responsible. More even than this, and of
special note as being the latest exhibition
of this meddlesome disposition, the in
formation received here from the West
India Islands is that the United States
Consuls and Vice Consuls there are the
most prominent instigators of the revolu
tions now progressing. In Hayti it is a
matter of notoriety that the chief impetus
given the savage internecine wars of the
i negroes is from a "ring” which is steadily
NEW SERIES, VOL. XXVIII. NO. 1
buying up the island and purchasing its
debts at the low rates occasioned by the
continued anarchy and strife. When all is
bought up that can be, the idea is for the
United States to annex the island and
thereby, of course, enable the “ring” to
get well paid for its real estate possessions
and to receive payment of the debt at
par. In Cuba the same avaricious and
meddling influences are at work. Sev
eral of the United States Consuls have
been highly instrumental in foment- 1
ing insurrectionary tires, and unless the I
Spanish forces prevail against the revolu- ;
tionists. may look to see the Q icen of
the Antilles reduced to the same lament
able condition as Hayti and San Domingo.
In ordinary times, Cuba, which is not over
the size of this State, produces to the
value of $130,000,000 (in gold) per annum, i
and how great a loss to the wealth of the
world the destruction of this extreme
productiveness would be, can at once be
seen in the light of so large an exhibit.
And yet, utterly regardless of any con
sideration of this nature and undeterred
by the example of the other West India
Islands, the wild and frantic spirit of Rad
icalism is animating an effort to erect poor
Cubajinto a rotten, negro-equality borough
after the fashion Reconstruction seeks to
create in the South. Ol courso it is all
done in the name of “progress” and “hu
manity” and “liberal ideas” and “liberty,
equality and fraternity,” and all the rest
of th se Robespierrian falsities in whioli
the Radical party deals so largely, but if
successful we may look to see all those
magnificently fertile islands in the Carib
bean become to all intents and purposes
mere plague spots in the ocean, given over
to idleness, poverty and ruin under the
bloody and ignorant rule of lately eman
cipated negro slaves.
To remember how these productive re
gions were onee made to bloom and blos
som as the rose, brings a regret that this
diabolical Puritan philosophy of change
for change sake, this pestilent and eauso
less intermeddling with other people’s
business, should have reduced so many of
them to distress, and now bo busied in the
attempt to ruin more. Spain, however, is
yet strong, the tendencies of the day are
reactionary and conservative, and the evil j
example of Hayti, on the one hand, and
the good results flowing from the reduction j
of the negroes in Jamaica to their proper !
subordination on the other, may servo to
foil the busy bodies now at work, and spare
us the sight of beautiful Cuba turned from
a garden to a waste.
As before this letter sees print Grant
will have lifted the veil and removed the
pressure —(how this “sublimo reticence”
of his, as his sycophants call it, resembles
the lucubrations of poor crazy J. N.) —it
is hardly • worth while to indulge in any
speculations as to his Cabinet or course.
In the former, it is said, however, there is
to bea “Southern Unionist,” perhaps Josh
Hill.
There is no end of sport and ridicule
made here about the Cabinet, for the loil
are fast reaching that point where, having
adored and beslobbered their idol,they are
now ready to kick him in the dirt and
trample him when down. The Rost, a
strong Radical paper, sneers at “Mum’s;
Cabinet;” and another keen thrust goes j
the rounds that “My Cabinet is as big a;
humbug as My Policy,” It is understood
that Grant’s most positive declaration on
the subject of Reconstruction is that he
thoroughly agrees with and endorses J udge
Pierrepoint’s position thereon. This posi
tion is very extreme. 'Pierrepoint is ODe of
those flesh-pot Northern Democrats who
made their peace with the moloch of
“loyalty” by double distilled hate and
venom toward the South, and in the
question of Reconstruction takes a root
and branch view. According to him, the
South has no rights, is a rebel, traitor, un
hung conspirator and should be happy to
escape with its life, from the “just ven
geance of the great heart of the nation.”
That Grant should acquiesce in these mad
ravings, is the worst sign of the future
that now appears. That he does
coincide with this fellow Pierrepoint
seems almost beyond doubt, and, from this
and other signs, it would appear that the
peace-man has a pet plan of reconstruction
of his owu. The groundwork of it is, of
course, the free use of the military power,
aud the first toward its operation will be
the reinstatement in command of those
tyrannical satraps so justly removed by Mr.
Johnson. This is a gloomy view, but still
one must chronicle things as they appear
to make one’s information of value, and
every indication is that Grant takes
the ultra view that the South forfeited all
rights by the “rebellion.” It maybe that
his hobby of economy may restrain him
from any eourse that will necessitate the
heavy expenditures of the plan now in
'operation, but the chances, it would seem,
are about even as to what tack he will
take. A significant indication of the tone
of the Radicals toward him look place the
other day on change. It seems that as
soon as he had declared there was to be
a Pennsylvanian in his Cabinet, the poli
ticians at once settled down that it was to
be a person named Stuart, of Philadel
phia, and made desperate onslaughts on
him to know if this were the man. For a
time the smokis' was mum, but finally,
after intense badgering, a dispatch came
to Wall street saying Grant had admitted
it was not Stuart. At this a fierce yell of
exultation went up from the crowd at the
Board, the telegram being taken to mean
that the politicians had whipped him into
a compliance with their demand for in
formation.
Considerable discussion is now going on
in Northern Legislatures on the subject
of the death penalty. In Maine a move is
making to abolish it, and merely put the
poor, dear murderer in a comfortable cell
for a few years, while, to the contrary, in
Wisconsin and Illinois, where there is no
hanging by law, murder is so rife that
steps are taking to restore the gallows.
It has been found that the maudlin,
mawkish sentimentality which abolished
the death penalty has opened the gate to
a furore of assassination and the stern
teachings of experience are, therefore, so
far getting the better of “progress” as to
make it seem advisable only to cease put
ting murderers to death, when murderers
cease killing in turn. Thus, one by one,
old principles approve themselves and
even the great enlightened Yankee nation
is forced, yes forced, for all its boasting
and its power, to conform to the same
rules as apply to humanity and have ap
plied, in all other times and countries.
The shameful monetary corruption of
Congress is singularly developed in the
transactions of Wall Street for some days
past. A powerful and wealthy clique, or
“ring,” in that locality has the credit of
owning the great portion of the House of
Representatives and is said to make the
Honorable thieves of that synagogue of
Satan to dance to its bidding. The pres
ent idea of the “ring” is to hull govern
ments and hear gold, or, in less technical
language, to make United States bonds sell
for more and gold to bear a less premium,
and in strict accordance with their instruc
tions the House parses this bill, or defeats
that to further the gambling s hemes of its
Wall street master. Yesterday the Senate
blocked the game by refusing to pass one
bill, and to an outsider it might have ap
peared as though some spasm of returning
honesty had seized upon that body. But
not so. It was merely a “strike” on the
part of the Senate for more wages. It was
not willing to help the Wall street ring,
unless the ring planked down the purcha e
money in advance. Os course this will be
done. Something like thirty five Honor
able Senators must be bought, and the
ring is quite able and perfectly willing to
give each $25,000, a full year’s President
ial salary, for the single vote. It is not a
million, all told, and that million and
many more the ring can gouge out of the
people under the hill. Pleasant exhibit,
is it not, of this God aud morality party
that its chosen leaders should be up for
sale like beeves in a pen to the highest
bidder.
It is pleasant in these deplorable regions
to read the Southern press. Amid many
difficulties its tone is so moderate, s.
scholarly, at times even so eloquent with
an eloquence that renews the golden age
of journalism, and above all so consistent
in its devotion to principle that to hear its
words from time to time amid the clumsy
trash of the day, is really refreshing. And
chief among these journals it is cheering
to read the little up-country papers. In
cities the tone is generally given, but in the
weeklies and semi- weeklies printed at the
Court House or in some lesser county
town, one gets nearer the people and in
the tone of the editorials and temper of
the occasional communications, sees, as it
were, what the bulk of the community
think and feel and mean. This disposition
is so excellent, so full of hope and good
sense, and unyielding opposition to tyranny
that one may well augur great things for a
people so sound and so true at heart, under
the pressure of much despotism, and in
the face of many alluring enticements.
Wendell Phillips says the “rebels” stand
and stand like so many rocks, receiving,
apparently, without any results, the most
tremendous blows; and so the Southern
people do. They are as firm and steady as
the deep seated cliff whioh remains still
steadfast, and still mighty, whon the wild
waves have sobbed out aud surged out
against it their frantic strokes. Long may
it so remain ! Persistency lias been the
! great instrumentality by which* the North
has done so much, and it would be an al
most laughable _ retribution if the South
should yet beat it at its own game.
.John C. Breckinridge was lately here,
and, it comes on very good authority, is no
ways averse to running for Governor of
Kentucky, that proposition being mooted.
It would make a stir his so why
not ? The sooner this spirit of opposition
to the Southern people choosing whom
they please for office is met and faced, rim
better. It will be a nine -ays wonder, and
then die out.
The Northern Democracy arc getting to
be very sweet on Southern men. “Rebel
stock has riz,” and Democratic prospects
in the North are improving too.
Tyrone Powers.
Bound Dancing.
“Tempora mutantur, cl nos mutamur in
Hits.”
With this maxim, as being at once the
most truthful and most appropriate, 1
begin. That the times have changed, the
chaotic confusion of our political world
bears terrible witness, and that ic< have
changed with them, the present state of
society attests. Chiefly is this alteration
in the manners of A irginians seen at balls,
which now no longer deserve a better
name than that they so o!t*n bear of
“Hops.”
Someone of us who, being farther re
moved from Yankee rule (is consequently
uninitiated in the “new regime ' of society),
enters a ball-room, drawn thither by the
magnetic attraction of bright eyes, lovely
faces and graceful tones. He' hears the
voluptuous music as it floats on the per
fumed air ; he is for a moment bewildered
by the brilliant glare of lights, and the
myriads of fairy-like creatures gliding
past. He looks around for some familiar
face, but a vision meets his eyes, which,
for a moment, appals him, and sends the
hot blood to his cheek. Approaching him
he sees a sylph, clad in robes of floating
white, the bare neck and arms more per
fectly moulded, more purely fair,
than sculptured Venus. The un
dulating, pliant figure moves in
unison with the music. But horrible !
The slender waist is cneireled by a mascu
line arm ; the riel, brown curls are
resting on the shoulders of her partner !
She raises her Hushed face as she passes,
and he sees the creature he lias wor
shipped as a “woman, yet a spirit, too,”
brought in an instant from her high pedes
tal in his heart a broken idol, a woman
bereft of ber greatest charm.
“And what is left the poet here ?
For Greeks a blush, for Greece a tear.
Maidens, do you not remember the time
when, if a lover, whose honor was as un
sullied as his heart was pure and true, if
he, in chivalrous devotion, might touch
the rosy tips of your soft, white fingers,
he felt himself most honored above man
kind. And now, oh grievous truth !
“Our loveliest and our fairest ones"
are whirled around in the arms of men
whose hearts are as stained as their mous
taches, which, thanks to Mr. Blair, are of
a banditti-like blackness, and whose ac
quaintance dated back to 11 one" short
minute ago,
But in this degeneracy, woman is not
worthy of all blame. Every result can be
traced to its cause or causes, and in this
instance, they are the blind following of
Yankee fashions and t.iso degeneracy of
our men. At the North, as here, the ex
tremists 'of fashion are the moneyed
aristocracy, or rather those whose only
claim to position in society is their purse.
Imitators of European fashion and fast
ness, they introduced round dancing. That
there is a deficiency of charms when fast
ness is resorted to, is so true that it may
claim the credence of an oxiom. How
strange, then, that knowirg this, and that
knowing round dancing is opposed to true
refinement, ladies', both North and South,
should have taken the infection, and now
wo behold those in whose veins course the
blood of Presidents and gentlemen follow
ing iashion set by women whose pedigree
extends as far back as the discovery of a
Petroleum'* well or shoddy. They who
would not yield one inch in any question of
superiority, yet tacitly confess their inferi
ority by adopting this disgrace to gentility.
Dancing in the old way, such a .quad
rilles, reels, etc., was one of the greatest
privileges a woman possessed. It relieved
the tedium of sitting quietly for half a
night, and was only exercise enough to
bring a roseate tint to her check. It gave
the young people an opportunity of tortvi
mg new acquaintances, and hy a constant
change of partners, prevented a young
lady being disagreeably monopolized.
Ladies of Virginia, have those days fled
for aye ?
There is a class of men whose interest it
i is to keep up a corrupt state of society,
; 'else they would be treated with the con
j tempt they merit—wouid-be fashionables,
who neither deserve nor shall obtain farther
; notice. But gentlemen who still retain a
love lor purity in woman, who would blush
to see their sisters threading the mazes of
the German dance, will yet spend hours
enjoying the same “ pleasure ” witii
other men’s sisters, as dear to their
brothers as his arc to him. To such
I say, carry your principles farther, and
stop round dancing yourselves. Notwith
standing the talk of ‘woman’s rights,” the
majority of women are not of the class styled
strong minded,” and these look to man
for guidance—look to him as possessing a
I “mind which will elevate her own” (how
often without grounds for such a theory 1)
I and will Virginians, who so long “have
j borne without abuse the grand old name of
gentlemen," who, so long sheathed in the
j armor of honor, have won themselves a
niche in the Temple of Fame, will they, at
this late day; in place of elevating the
minds and characters of our ladies, set
them an example whicli will forever east
clouds over their honor ?
To Riohmond, the capital of our State,
Virginia looks lor an example, and espe
cially is it necessary for the Richmond
ladies to discard round dancing. To all,
both ladies and gentlemen, we say,' cast it
to the winds. Still, still let the names of
our ladies be synonimous with purity and
loveliness; else how will they appear by the
side of the chaste dames of former years ?
—those whose characters have stood the
prismatic touch of Time, and the test
served but to show what glorious colors and
shadings formed the perfect whole.
If tor no other reason than the honor of
our beloved State, “stop it." Behold
Virginia ! she whose victorious foot has
so long rested on the tyrant’s bosom, is
herslf enchained —led captiveby her form
er prostrate foe. The blood streams
from her many wounds 1 The laurel wreath
torn from her brow lies at her feet, bedew
ed with blood; she raises aloft her beaute
ous hands, and her mountain ranges re
echo the clanking of her manacles —and
yet she sees in all her woe a spectacle more
terrible than chains or blood. Her unnatu
ral children, who should be pouring halm
in th-se wounds, who should bind
up that broken heart, mock at
her grief by throwing away their one re
maining treasure—their spotless purity !
She weeps! Ah, well she may ! Bend
down thy stricken head, oh, conquered
Queen, and wash thy children’s crimes
away in mingled tears and blood !
She faintly calls her children. Shall
that call be in vain ? Let our great patriot
Lee, whose name stands side by side with
Washington -let him but speak a few
well chosen words against these “hops”
and “German clubs,” and they will vanish
to the clime whence first they came. Let
the press, Hercules-like, come forth with
invincible strength and crush this hydra.
Let him who, most of all Virginians, so
well deserves the name of “Wise,”
“The courtier’s, soldier’s,statesman’s eye,
tongue, sword !”
Let his clear voice, whose eloquent music
is only equalled by the richness of his
thought, re-echo odcc again through all
Virginia’s hearts. He hath ceased to be
our Governor politically, but still, in the
moral world, may the Niagara like flow of
his genius sweep away these excrescents of
vice. Many more there are, too numerous
to mention, who may assist their weeping
State. iO all we say, ''Rescue for Vir
ginia !’’ She needs you—she calls you:
refuse not your assistance. It must, it will
be stopped—this amusement, so pernicious
to the morals of our people; and God grant
j that ere another New Year dawn, it may
! be wrapped in Enthanasia.
SirGalahau.
I —Richmond Whig.
Raw Rone Superphosphate or Lime.
Messrs. Claghorn , Herring & Cos., Au
gusta, Ga.:
Dear Sirs—ln reference to your inquir
ies-in regard to iny experience in the use
ofWhann’s Raw Bone Superphosphate of
Lime, I would state that in the year 1867
I planted in Barnwell District, South Caro
lina,and used three tons of Whang’s Phos
phate with very satisfactory results. I
used at the same time, on land alongside,
pure Peruvian Guano. Both yielded well.
It would be hard to say which did best.
Other phosphates ot high character v/Sre
used by my neighbors, but I am siti.-fied
that none of them produced as good crops
from tho use of them as I did from the
use of Whann’s. W. M. Dunrar.
feb22 —12
