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OLD SERIES, VOL. LXXVIH.
(Lltrouicle & Sentinel.
o
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WKD.Uf.IAI MOL'I.>6, .1 4.H AKf 25.
Editorial Acquisition.
We have inadvertently neglected to
notice the fact that Ooi.
Peoples has taken charge of the editorial
department of the Atlanta Sun. to c
congratulate the Sun and its readers upon
this valuable acquisition to its columns.
Col. Peoples is a gentleman of largo ex
I cricnce in political affairs, a sound thinker
and vigorous water. His familiarity with
the leading men and measures of the
last twenty-five years, will enable him to
make the columns of the Sun attractive,
instructive and useful.
We tender to Col. Peoples the right
hand of fellowship and warmly welcome
him into the brotherhood of the craft.
Dangerous Power of Kallroad Corpora
lions. •
In his annual message to the Legisla
ture of Illinois, Governor Palmer says
that the railroad corporations of that
State have grown to be a power greater
than the Stale itself. He, in this connec
tion, recommended appropriate legislation
to control these greedy corporations so as
to prevent extortion, aggression or unjust
discrimination against or in favor of locali
ties or individuals, or to investigate their
management ar.d prevent the employment
of the vast sums of money under their
control for the purposes of corruption.
These arc important suggestions, and
would be worthy the consideration of our
So tc authorities. The railway corpora
tions of this country have grown into each
immense power that they are afilo by more
ways than one to control legislation, and i
wield tlie government itself. They have \
almost unlimited means at their command, I
and car), arid do, buy up Legislatures as j
they please. It is time that steps were J
taken to check this threatening evil, or to |
place it under some restraint. We are j
not the enemy of railroads, nor do we. seek
to cripple them in any way, but we do be
lieve there is danger to be apprehended
Irom the concentration of so much capital
and ihe placing of it uuder the control of j
unscrupulous met) like Fisk and Gould, of
New York, or such a ring as controls the
Union Pacific Railroad. If the people of |
this State should determine to have a cor.- |
stitutional convention, it would bs well to i
look into this question and see if some j
guards cannot ho erected against the dan
gers which threaten us from this question, i
Our Pittrburg cotemporary, The Paper, j
strikes a timely note of Warning in the !
above extract, which we take from its
oolumns—ono which the poople of this
country should seriously consider. Every
day develops the vait powers of these al
ready powerful corporations. They have
already made sorious encroachments on
the legislative departments of the country.
Their power over the legislation of Con
greea ar.d of the different States has been
painfu'ly manifest for the last ten years.
In the Siutli wc have boon comparatively
free from their political influence until
within the past five years. Now however,
they have begun to show thoir power. Wc
have in this Htate become familiar with
their influence upon reconstructed legisla
t oh, and already feel the effect of their
skillful combinations upon the bcvcral de
partments of the State government.
If stringent laws arc not enacted against
their interfering with the legislation of the
country—if they are not checked in their
attempts to control the executive and
judicial departments of the government,
wo shall soon And ourselves wholly at their
mercy and dependent upon their will. It
will not bo denied that railroads have done
much for the country, but they should bo
prevented by timely and severe legislation
from using the powerful influence of their
combination agaitnt the interests of the
people and of the State.
The State Hotul Lease-Major j
Jackson’s Card.
Wo cheerfully accord the use of’ our !
columns to Maj. .Jackson to place him- j
self right before 'he public in relation to
the lease of the State Road. It will be !
seer, that while he favored the policy of |
celling or leasing the road, under proper I
limitations and restrictions, he does not j
favor the nresent lease, although he thinks j
twenty-five thousand dollars a month fair
rental considering the present condition cf
the road.
There is a very great difference between
favoring a proper and suitably protected
lea i' as an independent proposition and
the endorsement of the present lease of
the Brown-Carueron Company. Many of
the leading business men of the State
have, for years past, favored the general
policy of a lease or sale. A correspondent
of the Chronicle AJSentinel, a day or
two since, reminded us that twenty years
ago, under the administration of Governor
Cobb, there was a stroDg feeling in the
State in favor of leasing the road. We
know that many of our ablest statesmen
have, in years gone by, favored snoh a
disposition of this valuable property.
But it is somewhat remarkable that
when the matter was brought before the
Legislature in 1861, by Col. A. C. Walker,
then a representative from this county,
Judge King and the Georgia Railroad in
terest opposed the project, or at best fail
ed to give it their support. That proposi
tion was a fair and honest one, and if it
could have been consummated, would have
been highly advantageous to the State and
ail of our railroad interests. The Chron
icle & Sentinel advocated, as late as the
past summer, the policy of a lease or sale
of a two thirds iuterest iu the road to the
two great trunk lines in the State, to wit,
the Central and the Georgia Railroads.
That proposition was favorably received
by the press of the State, and, if it had
been adopted, would have given general
satisfaction to the people of the State.
We have never been willing that this val
uni ie property, built by the hard earnings
of our people —when by its extensive and j
valuable Western connections it had be
came, or ought to have become, a source
of great revenue—should pass into the 1
hands of Northern railroad gamblers and
h few favored partisans in onr own State.
A careful analysis of the jtersonel of the
present leasing company, shows that elev
en and a half shares of the twenty-three
shar» of the capital stock, or one-half
thereof, are owned by persons living out
of the State. It is true that we have
in tiiis classification placed Kimball and
Riant with those who do not reside in the
State. They, we believe, claim residence
here note, but ueither of them ever con- 1
tributed one dollar towards the construe- '
tion of the road. The people who paid j
for its constructin' who are identified j
with its interests and with the general in- I
terest- of the State, should have had the
preterence, all other things being equal, in
the lease. Instead of this being done,
Georgians were excluded, so that Gamer
on, the well-known railroad gambler of
Pennsylvania, and Delano, of Grant’s Cab
inet, could get a lion’s share of the fat
‘• job." We greatly mistake the temper
of onr people if they quietly submit to
this barefaced outrage npon their rights.
Satn Rambo, a colored individual in
Rome, belongs to the red-hots. He tried
to burn his wife up. He is in jail, and
she is in pain.
Judge Stephens’ Letter.
In another column we print Judge
Stephens’ letter in reply to the false
charge* contained in the letter of uuiioek
td a “distinguished Democrat,’’ in re'a
i tion to elections in the s’h District.
This letter is a withering, crushing re
ply to the Bullock Ganders. It presents
very cogently and ably the legality cf tie
| Sparta e cction proceedings, and vindicates
i the correctness of the advice given in his
! and General Toombs’ letter upon Consti
tutional grounds.
A Wolf insliet p’i Clothing.
' Just before the Lte election, Mr. Robert
! Toombs and Judge L nton a ephens, two
extreme Democrats, counseled, in a puolic
circular, resistance to the law under which
1 the election was held, pronouncing it void
lon constitutional grounds. But their ad
vice was unheeded, save in a portion of
their own Congressional district, thus
showing that these or<ee popular leaders
have ceased to be influential even with
their own party.
The above paragraph is taken from a
letter wiittin from Atlanta, on the 30th
inst., signed “R. W. t ” and published in
the New York Journal of Commerce on
the 14th-
The writer pretends to be conservative
and Democratic in his views, but the above
paragraph from his letter and one in re
latiop to the recent summersault of Mr.
B. H. Hill, him to be an enemy to
constitutional government, and heDce op- j
posed to the principles of the Democratic |
party. In this morning’s paper we print j
the able, dignified and unanswerable letter !
of Judge Stephens in reply to similar j
charges made by the political friend of
“R. W.”—the man who, by fraud, was j
“counted in” the Guberatorial chair of the
State.
In justice to Judge Stephens and Gen
eral Toombs, we ask the Journal of Com
merce to publish the letter of Judge
Stephens
To Unfits H. Bullock, Acting
Governor of Georgia.
| Sir —In a letter of yours, published a
j few days ago in rep’y to “a prominent
i Democrat,” who had “done you the
i honor” to ask your opinion as to what
| ought to be done about the recent Demo
cratic victory in this State, your habit of
misrepresenting the people ar.d affairs of
I Georgia, breaks forth upon me (in com
mon with General Toombs and the whole j
sth Congressional Ditrict), in such calum- !
nious charges, as justify me in exposing
I both the Cilutimy and the cunning purpose
I it was intended to serve.
While graciously conceding the general
j fairness and validity of the election in all
other parts of the State, you make a spe
j eial exception of the sth Congressional
I District. You say that in that District
j “a distinguished secession leader, and a
| learned attorney, have made a law unto
j themselves, and, either through fear of, I
[ or affection for these leaders, the white
j citizens generally have holloaed their ad- j
| vioe, and have sot aside and at defiance |
| the laws of the State which were constitu
tionally enacted, and are of force until
| constitutionally declared void.”
Again ; you speak of the election in the
j sth District as a case “where a whole Dis
j trict set the law at defiance, and under the
| advice of leading public men nullified the
j whole system provided by law for holding
the election, overawed, arrested and con
! fined the legally constituted managers,
and plaoed others of thpir own unau
thorized appointment in their stead.” And
yet, again; you characterize the conduct of
the whole sth District as an “insurrection
and usurpation.”
Now all this obviously alludes to nothing
but the legal prosecution of the managers
of election in the siogle county of Hancock,
and the general adoption of the advice
given in an address, which was submitted
| to the people of Georgia just before tho
election, signed by Gen. Toombs and my
self ; and (as it appeared in the Chroni-
cle & Sentinel) signed also ly General
Wright, Chairman of the Democratic
Executive Committee of the sth Congres
sional District. You will not pretend to
deny that these are the sole facts on which
you have based your charges. The ma
terial question tnen is, what are these
tacts? Wliat is the character of that ad
vice which was generally followed in cases
where there was occasion for its applica
tion? What were tbe grounds on whieh,
and the mode in which, the arrest and j
commitment of tbe managers in Hancock
were accomplished? The address speaks
for itself- A candid perusal of it will
utterly refute everything which you have
said of its character, and brand you as a
oalumiator. 1 challenge you to point out
any part of it which advises “insurrec
tion” or “usurpation” for the setting
aside of any law ‘ constitutionally en
acted,” or any part which makes for its
authors a law “unto themselves.” On
the contrary, I affirm that it was, from be
ginning to end, in letter and in spirit, an
earnest appeal to the people to invoke
and sustain the Constitution and the
laws, not indeed as they had bece de
clared by you acd your Legislature, but
as they should be expounded and ad
ministered by the Courts. The address
does indeed demonstrate by argument that
a certain declaratory act of the Legisla
ture, pronouncing the poll tax for the
years 1868, 1869 atd 1870, to bo illegal, is
false , unconstitutional, null acd void; and
that certain parts of the Akerman election
act, requiring managers of election to allow
certain classes of persons to vote who do
not possess tho qualifications prescribed
for voters by the Constitution, are also
unconstitutional, null and void.
This opinion, so far as tho An-erman aot
l is concerned, is manifestly held by your
! own Attorney General, Mr. Farrow, a very
' prominent member of your own branch ot
the Republican party; for he, notwith-
staedmg these provisions of the Akertcan I
act, said in his published opinion that the j
managers had a right, before receiving the j
ballot of any suspected illegal voter, to
require him to take an oath that he had !
all the qualifications prescribed for voters !
by the Constitution. It has also been i
stated in the A'lunta Constitution newt- i
paper, “by authority,” that ex-Governor 1
Brown, then Chief Justice of the .State, j
another most promineut member of your !
party, held the same opinior. Will you
include Chief Justice Brown and Mr. At- j
terney General Farrow in your charges of
“insurrection,” "usurpation,” the setting
aside of "laws constitutionally enacted,” 1
and "mskiDg a law unto themselves?” 1
You ought to do so, or else withdraw these
grave charges from the sth Congressional :
District and from Gen. Toombs and myself.
Yon ought not to refuse thisjnstiee wen to ;
the “distinguished secession leader,” Gen. :
Toombs; for when, a; some hazard to
yourself, sir. you shift the question from
matter ot evidence to matter of character,
as is sometimes done in desperate crimi
nal cases, the parallel between him and
: these, your two confederates, is no less
complete in their secession antecedents
i than 1 have shown it to be in their opin
l ions of some of your “laws constitutional
ly enacted.” I know it is a fashion with
you and your party (with occasional ex
! eeptions) to give the name and force of
j “laws” to all acts of Congress, and all acts
of State Legislatures passed to advance
i voar partisan objects, although such acts
• may be in plain violation or avowedly
“outside” of the Constitution from which
the legislative body derives all its powers.
But a Very different view of the matter is
taken, not only by the address in question
, by the people of Hancock, the people of
the sth Congressional District, and the
1 people of Georgia; but also by other !
' States which have spoken in recent elec
! tions at the North and at the South, and I
' firmly believe by the great mass of the
| people of the United States, The common
; creed of all Americans who prefer coo
stituiional government to the despotism of
; usurpers, is that acts of the legislative
| fiodv in violation or “outside” of the Con
stitution, from which it derives its powers,
are not “laws," but usurpations'; and that
! the men who enact them, and the men,
and tribunals, and executives who uphold
and enforce them with a knowledge of their
i want of constitutional authority, are.
; traitors to the cause of public liberty.
W ten you accuse me of opposing usur- i
pations like these, and appealing to the I
courts for their suppression, do you not
perceive that you do but hold me up as
the defender of the Constitution and the
laws, and show that it is you who are
the advocate of “usurpation," and that it
is you who truly have “made a law unto
yourself ? ’ You shall not be allowed to (
i ignore the fact that the specific advice
given by tbe address was lhat these un
constitutional acts should be set aside, no/
by law lex* violence, but by judicial puui-h
--: rnent of tbe criminals who might take
1 refuge under them.
This brings me to the prosecution of the
managers of election in Hancock. . They
excluded a mac from voting who was of
full age, was a resident of the county, and
had not previously voted in that elect on ;
and who was, therefore, by the express
terms of the Akerman set, not to tie ex
cluded- They unanimously excluded him
on the ground that he wss an admitted
convicted Lion ; thus holding that the
! Akerman act conflicted with the Constitu
tion in this case ; and-, to the extent of
j this conflict, was void. Yet after this,
three of them (constituting a majority) re-
I ceived the votes of several persons who
I confessedly had not paid their poll
| tax for the year rext preceding the
I election, as required by the Constitution.
After the arrest of several of these ilhgal
j voters, ntder warrants judiciously issued,
j the three managers were also arrested by
| judicial warrant charging them, under the
| laws of this State, as principals in the
second degree, with tbe crime of illegal
j and felonious voting. beiDg present, aiding
j and abetting the commission of tbe crime.
| They placed their defense, on their oatb,
| under the Akerman act, requiring them .
to receive the votes of ail persons who I
were of full age, were residents of tbe
county, and liad not previously voted in
that election ; and also on the aforesaid
declaratory act of the Legislature, pro
nouncing sentence of illegality and nullity
upon tbe poll tax.
The Judge, after hearing argument on
; both sides, adjudged tho oath as construed
; by the accused to be in conflict with the
l Constitution, just, as they themselves had
I held it to be in their previous exclusion of
the felon ; and he also adjudged the afore
said declaratory act, as to the poll tax, to
be false, unconstitutional and void. He
over-ruled the defense as bad in law, and
committed the accused to jail with privi
lege of bail. The Judge, James Clarence
Simmons, who issupd tbe warrant and
passed the judgment of commitment, was
one of your own appointment. The source
from which he received his appointment is
stated simply as a fact, and not at all to
his discredit for his heroic maintenance of
judicial integrity on this occasion, his
name deserves a high place on the roll
of the defenders c f Constitutional Liberty.
The "three managers—headed by Judge
Gonder, a man of marked ability and un
doubted courage, and being within sight
of the United States soldiers, sent there
under pretense of executing the Enforce
ment Act of Congress—quietly submitted
to the judgment of the court, and decli
ning to offer bail, went to jail; not be
cause they were “ overawed,” but because
they were only duly awed by the power
of truth, and the majesty of law as ad
ministered by a judicial tribunal. If you
deny the validity of Georgia laws as ex
pour ded and applied by the proper tribu
nal, will you not at least admit, that these
three managers were guilty under the fa
mous Enforcement Act of Congress, which
you claim as “law,” and which, in its 19th
section, provides a penalty of three years
imprisonment and SSOO fine, for those
who, in any Congressional election shall
knowingly and willfully receive the vote
of any person not entitled to vote under
the laws of his State. You will make this
admission unless you have the hardihood
to deuv that the Constitution of the State
is a higher law than acts of the Legisla
ture. After the three managers had been
committed to jail, the other two declined
to act; and anew beard was organised,
and proceeded to hold the election de no
vo, not under a “law made unto them
selves,” but uuder the Code of the State,
providing that an election may be held by
as many ns three freeholders, if, after ten
o’clock, a. ra., tbe managers designa
ted by law, shall fail to act. This is the
true history of the election in Hancock.
It is a record of which her people are
justly proud. The only violation of law
was on tho part of the first managers, aud
was corrected by judicial interposition at
tho instance of Democrats. These are tbe
facts, showing how utterly unfounded are
all your charges- But there are still other
facts which show these charges to be not
only unfounded, but absolutely prepos
terous. How could the laws been
set aside, and a reign cf “insurrection and
usurpation” introduced either in tho sth
District or anywhere else by Democrats?
Under the infamous Akerman act, three
out of the five managers at every polling
place were appointed by you, and the
other two had to be confirmed by the Sen
ate, of whom a majority were your par
tisans, and some were the creatures of a
joint manipulation between you and Gene
ral Terry. These five manager;-, thus ap
pointed, were clothed with most extraor
dinary powers over the liberty of the citi
zen, and supplied with United States
soldiers to execute their orders in most, if
not absolutely all counties of the State,
certainly all of the sth District! Intimi
dation, usurpation, and lawlessness of ail
kinds, were, under tfiis machinery, almost
impossible to Democrats-, and that they
were not practiced by Democrats in tbe
sth District is plainly proven by the fact
that your managers made no call for the
interference of the military at any place
in that District. Can just-thinking peo
ple allow you to escape from the weight of
these crushing facts?
And now allow me to ask you, even if
the conduct of Hancock county had been
such as you represented it, how is it that
you seek to hold the election in a whole
Congressional District to be invalidated
by the action of a single county, whoso
entire vote could not possibly change the
result? If the entire election in Hancock
were set aside; nay, if the highest vote
ever cast by the county in any previous
election were counted as an ent.irerty in
favor of your party, the Democratic can
didates, Corker and Dußose, would still
be elected by over three thousand major
ity 1
How is it, also, that even if the address
were of the character which you have as
cribed to it, yon seek to fasten all its sins
upon a single district when it was made
to the whole people of Georgia, and its
advice was followed to a less or greater
extent in all sections and all districts of
the State? The public will be curious to
know the motive for the concentration of
your entire attack upon one district, when
all the districts stand substantially upon
the same footing Your gracious exemp
tion of the other districts is as insidious
I aud cunning as your charges against the
sth are false and calumnious. “Timeo
Danaos et ilona ftrentes.” When you
grow gracious let Democrats beware! 1
There being no jnst ground for discrimina
tion among the Congressional Districts of
the State, was impunity' for all the others ;
the price with which yon hoped t<> buy ]
their co-operation, or, at least, their
silence in your crusade against the
sth ? Did you have still further hopes
that your patronizing kindness might not
only cause them to tolerate a foul outrage
upon their brethren of the s:b, but might
also seduce them into a repudiation of the
principles emblazoned on the banner an- J
der which our coromoD, splendid victory j
has beer, woo ? If so, you are mistaken, j
Victory is the signal, not for retreat, but i
for renewed onsets, each still more vigor- j
ous than the last, until the forces of usur- J
pation shall be driven frum their last j
refuge. Under the inspiring influence of j
success, tiue men will become as bold as
they are true. Thi3 banner, hoisted at I
Atlanta h.-t August, pledging the Dem
ocratic party of Georgia to the principles
of the Demccratio party of the Union,
who-o last utterance was at New York in
IS'B. denouncing the whole reconstruction
scheme ot Congress as revolutionary, un
constitutional, null and void, wuj hailed
with unthusiasm when it was first thrown
to the breeze. You may rest assured that
! it loses nothing in the affections of Dem
ocrats ail over the Union, when it is cow
seen floating triumphant in victory, hast
I tattered where it teas borne boldest and
i held highest in the conflict.
Linton Stephens.
16th January, 1871.
(communicated. )
I have no idea,Messrs-Editors, that what
ever opinion I may entertain concerning
the leasing ot the State Road, can be of
the slightest interest to your readers; but,
inasmuch as that opinion has been brought
before the public, upon that question, it
is important to me that I should be cor
rectly understood. While I am, and have
been, in favor of basing or selling the State
Road, and think twenty-five thousand per
month a fair rental, still / do not favor
“ the ” lease, nor the bill under which the
road was leased.
It is not necessary, at present, to state
my objections. Geo. T. Jackson.
The corps of engineers engaged in sur
vey ing the Ocmulgee and North Georgia
Railroad have reached a point in Coweta
county.
Henry Christian, a mulatto from Augus
ta, killed Jack Williams, a mulatto, in
Columbus, on Saturday.
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1871.
[COMMUNICATED. |
j Editors Chronicle dr Sentinel :
] I regret to trouble you further on the
| subject cf the endorsement for the lessees
jof the State Road. It is said by one of
j the negatives that my correction in Friday
! morning’s issue is not entirely accurate,
] and in justice to all parties, I wish no
mistake:, even in coimporant matters.
To be more explicit then, Dr. Hamil
ton, of Athens, and Mr. Gee. T. Jackson,
ot Augusta, stated that they voted in the
negative. The opposition was so silent
and the action of all ether roads so
prompt and reported to be so unanimous,
that ah recollection of any opposition had
escaped me. But these gentlemen ate
truthful, and 1 do not question their state
mentF. Mr. Jackson states that he is
still opposed to the endorsement, on prin
ciple, but in favor of the lease and be
lieves the rental a fair one for the prop
erty in its present condition. I, there
fore, mistook his approbation of the lease
for his approbation of the endorsement.
Whilst on this subject, perhaps for the '
last time, allow me to say that you mis
take the meaning of my reference to
“political criticisms” in my first letter.
This is of ru practical importance, bnt
truth requires me to say that I had no
reference to any stricture- you had made,
but rather to my own course for several
years bach. At the date of my letter,
you had indulged in no strictures that
were not equally applicable to Mr. Ste
phens, upon whom or whose conduct, it
was not supposed you would be offensively
severe. J. p. K.
P. S. Sinoe the above was written, my
attention has been called to a communica
tion in the Chronicle & Sentinel,
signed “Stockholder.” There ean be no ob
jection to a free and temperate discussion cf
the subject, and especially by the “stock
holders.” By your permission, I may, if
time permits, take some further notice of
this communication. J. p. K
Note by Editoes.— As Judge King dis
avows any intention, in his first letter, to
provoke from us a reply to the*several in
quiries which he put to the “ critics,” and
also disclaims any allusions to ns in his
reply to “Wilkes,” we withhold farther
comment upon his connexion with the
lease of the State Road, and leave him
and “ Wilkes” and “ A Stockholder” to
fight it out between them. From our
knowledge of the character of these three
gentlemen, we are fully assured that the
discussion, if continued, will be conduct
ed fairly and courteously.
In another column we present the reply
of “Wilkes” to Judge King’s first letter.
Since the letter of “Wilkes” was written,
Judge King has explained bis mistake in
the statement that the action of his board
of directors was “ unanimous” in direct
ing the President to bind the company as
security to the Brown-Oameron leaseing
company. Our correspondent had evident
ly not seen this reply and explnnation of
Judge King when he penned the letter
which wc print to day.
Kndosemt nr of the State Hoad Lease by
the t-eorgta Kail road-Reply of
‘ Wilkes” to Judge Klng’B Letter.
Musrs. Editors —l have just seen
Judge King’s letter in reply to my com
munication printed in your paper on the
Bth inst, and I am disappointed in the
substance of the reply. I propounded
several questions to Judge King which I
think are important and require some an
swer-
judge King answers only one of my
inquiries, that in relation to his authority
for pledging the road as security for theleage
ofthe State Road. In answer to my inquiry
“whether the Hoard of Directors have
committed themselves to those private
speculations” Judge Iking says “yes, and
not only for King and Peters, but for the
whole twenty-three lessees as well. Wilkes
and nearly all of Middle Georgia were
ably represented at tAe Board, and the
decision was prompt and unanimous." I
do not believe that Judge King would
intentionally misrepresent the facts in re
gard to this matter, but I am satisfied
from information received from Directors
who were present when the matter was
laid before tbe Board that the decision was
neither prompt nor unanimous. If I am
correctly informed, when the Board met,
only nine out ofthe fifteen Directors were
present. During the discussion of the
proposition one of the members left the
meeting. This left only eight members—
a bare quorum. Os this number two voted
against, the endorsement — six voting tor
it. Os the six voting for it were Judge
King and Mr. Peters. Certainly in a case
where their personal and private interests
were concerned, they ought not to have
voted- Taking out then their two votes, I
find that only four out of the
fifteen Directors constituting a full
board voted for the endorsement. If Judge
King’s and Mr. Peters’ votes are counted,
only six out of the fifteen favored the pro
position.
I may be wrong in this statement; but
1 have the information from a gentleman
who was present and whose word has
never been doubted, I know- tha -one of
the four who voted for the endorsement
has since said that he did so without fair
ly comprehending the full extent of that
action. I have been also informed that
titna for fuller consideration was asked by
some of the board, and Judge King and
Peters insisted upon immediate action.
Directors wished for an opportunity to
examine the matter fully— to investigate
whether they had the right to act in ac
cordance with the wishes ot Judge King
and Director Peters. Time was refused,
aud a vote forced on the board. "Will
Judge King answer whether these state
ments made on the information furnished
bv a member of his board are true or not?
I asked in my former letter what au
thority Judge King and the Directors pres
ent had for committing the property of
the stockholders as security for the per
sonal speculations of himself and Direc
tor Peters. To this inquiry, Judge King |
has made no reply. I again repeat the in- j
quiry, and beg * that the information de
sired may be furnished by Judge King.
I desired Judge King to let the stock- j
holders know whether the charter of our j
company authorized the President and !
Directors to pledge the road as security j
for the private debt of any of the stock
holders ; and if so, in what portion of the
charter this authority is found. I repeat
that inquiry now.
If Judge King answers, as I suppose he
will, that the charter confers no such pow
er, I beg that he will inform me and the
stockholders. where he derived the author,-
Sty under which he has acted. If there has
j been passed an amendment to the cfcar
| ter authorizing this action—of which fact
j I have no knowledge—will Judge King let
I me know whether the stockholders have
j accepted such amendmiect ? I have heard
j of no such acceptance and ratification of
■ amendments.
i Judge King says that other stockhold
; er (than myself) want “r-gnhr dividends,”
I and for the purpose of gratifying these
I wants, and securing “regular dividends.”
i he has pledged the entire road as a securi
ty for a speculation of Judge King and
I Director Peters. I confess that I am too
I dull to perceive how the endorsement of
| the road for Judge King and Director
' Peters in a private speculation of theirs
will secure regular dividends to the mass
!of stockholder’. Perhaps Judge King’s
superior railroad knowledge will enable
i him to explain this matter so that I can
i understand it.
You have, Messrs. Editors, shown how
utterly untenable is the pretense that ii the
Georgia Railroad had not lent its aid as
security for the new company, the inter
ests of onr road might have suffered. The
plam provisions of the bill under which the
lease of the State Road was made supply
all '.he protection our interests needed,
without the necessity, or even the proprie
ty, if our road becoming entangled in this
dirty lease.
W ith the politioal aspect sought to be
given to the transaction by Judge King, I
have nothing to do. I mean business, aud
business alone. My property and the
property of hundreds of stockholders haß
been pledged, and, a* I think, illegally
and unwarrantably pledged, to secure the
debt of Judge King and Mr. Peters. This
pledge has been secured through the
votes of these gentlemen themselves,
and without letting tho stockholders know
anything about the matter. Although
the road and its credit are the prop
erty of the stockholders they are
not even consulted about a transaction
wherein their whole property is pledged
: for the debt of two of their number. 1
do rot consider this lair, leeal or just.
Entertaining these views I have felt com
j peiied ro ass for information. J trust that
mo-e light will be thrown upon the subject
i by Judge King. Wilkes.
[COMM["MOATED ]
Editors Chronicle & Sentinel:
The present controversy in regard to
the lease of the State Road, recalls to
mind a fact probably long since forgotten.
| In Governor Cobb’s 1 ist message to the
I the Legislature be recommended that the
I road be leased to responsible parties for
j the term of twenty years. His reasons
I then were cogent and conclusive- Col.
} A. C. Walker, then in part representing
Richmond county, and Chairman of the j
Committee on Internal Improvements, with j
the Governor’s assistance, draughted and
introduced a bill to lease the road tor |
twenty years, in consideration ot, I think, i
$300,000 annual payment to the State, j
Tne lessees were required to be citizens ot
the State, and under this limitation it was,
at that time, scarcely possible to effect a
lease without the aid ot the aggregate
capital and knowledge of the
Central and Georgia Adlroads. In fact
•he success ot the measure depended al
most entirely upon the active interest
manifested by these corporations, but
their Presidents, Messrs. Cuyier and King,
exhibited, I may say, a contemptuous
indifference t.o the whole affair, which
created in the mind of the writer a de
gree of surprise which has never been
lessened. The State Road thus had no
corapetitor. It was even then of gigantic
proportion?, end its future development
was potent to the dullest comprehensions.
Aided by the active irfluenee of the Cen
tra! and Georgia, the measure could have
been carried. It did not have even their
inert sanction, aud being, of course, bitter
ly opposed by the whole of Cherokee
Georgia, it failed. Twenty years after
these two great corporations view the
matter in a different light, a sufficient
reason I suppose is to be found in tho
trite maxim— tempora multautur et nos I
mutamur in iUis.
Senex. j
From Wilmington (N. C.) Daily Journal .
Tiie Truth of History.
We find the following letter in that
sterling and useful paper, the Banner of
the South and Planters' Journal, which is
so correct an account of a most interesting
and important crisis in the great battle of
Spottsylvanis, Court House, that we cheer
fully give it publicity, especially as just
credit is given to troops little used to hav
ing justice done them in the newspaper
reports of battles since the close of the
war. A« an eye witness of this particular
incident of the battle, the writer can
testify to the correctness of the state
ments ofthe ldtter.
The left regiment of Lane’s Brigade,
which had been thrown forward to connect
with Stewart’s right, was the 38th North
Carolina, commanded by the -lamented
Colonel John J). Barry, of this city. When
the Federal forces broke through General
Johnson’s line, they swept down our lines
to tho right. Owing to a dense forest aud
tho early morning fog, their movements
were concealed, and the left companies of
Colonel Barry’s regiment were involved
the fate of the larger part of Stuart’s com
mand. Among those captured in tliia
salient, were Captain T. C. Lewis, and
Mr. A. D. Cook, ot this city, and Captain
Frank Wooten, of the Wilmington, Char
lotte and Rutherford Railroad. The rest
of the regiment did fall back to the rifle
pits at right angle to the line of fortifica
tion:-, and with the other troops of Lane’s
Brigade, swept the Federal troops from
the salient, and- drove them across and
several hundred yards in. front of the
works Toe writer rode forward to de
liver the order withdrawing them from
their advanced position.
In this salient, covering an acre or two,
the dead and wounded were more numer
ous, so far as our observation extends, than
at any other place during the entire war,
not even excepting the “Mine” at Peters
burg.
This was the turning point of the battle.
If Lane’s left had been turned, nothing
Would have prevented General Grant from
occupying Spottsylvania Court House,
with the command of all the roads leading
to Richmond.
It. was while this attack was at its
height, and the crisis imminent, that we
saw General Lee take charge of one of tho
guns of Williams’ North Carolina Battery,
and serve it with telling effect upon the
right wing of the Federal attacking column,
the flank jot which was exposed to his un
erring aim.
We do riot believe that the statement in
regard to the operations of General Gor
don’s command are erroneous. It is our
recollection that the Federal troops divi
ded after breaking our lines, and General
Gordon's forces mot and drove back the
column which moved to our left. So that
both the writer of the letter and the au
thor of the “Swinton article” are correct
in their accounts We distinctly recollect
having been sent by General Lee, in com
pany with a staff officer of General Ear
ly’s, to ascertain if his lines were intact
immediately after the Federal repulse,and
that General Gordon’s troops occupied the
works on Lane’s left, showing that he had
driven the enemy out, and occupied the
line vacated by Johnson’s forces. Our
companion did not return to bear the wel
come news t.o our beloved Commander-in-
Cliief that the line of battle was fully re
stored. but w-as brought out upon a litter
to fill a soldier’s grave.
The achievements and glory of the
“Bloody Salient” were sufficiently great
to divide among all the troops which bore
ati honorable part in that terrible “ncoun
tor. Justice can be done to Gordon and
Lane, and still not detract from the deeds
of McGowan’s South Carolinians, and the
Alabamians under Perrin, of South Caro
lina, who fell in the charge at the head of
his devoted men. It was beyond question
the most terrific engagement of infantry
during the war. We measured and oak
tree , just in rear of McGowan's line,
twenty-four inches in diameter, and we
have the measure still marked on the scab
bard of our sword, CUT DOWN BY THE
MINNIE BALLS FIRED BY THE FEDERAL
soldiers. Its fall killed and injured seve
ral members of the First South Carolina
Rifle-.
[Note. —The letter referred to has al
ready been published in these columns. —
Ed. C. & S. ]
Bullock and tlie State Bonds.
The State Financial Agent in Aetc. York
Refuses, by Governor Bullock's In
struction, to report to the Treasurer
About the State Bonds.
In conformity with law, the State Tress- i
urer has to make his anuuai report ot the ;
Sta’e finances. In this matter an import- j
ai t item is the State bonus. The follow
ing letter and dispatch shows , how the
Governor is withholding this important
information :
Atlanta, Ga , January 4, 1871.
Messrs. Henry Clews & Cos., New York:
Devr Sir ; Governor Bnilock a.vises
me that you ere the Georgia State. Road
agent in New York, and being such, hts
Excellency has requested me to give you a
description of the Georgia State hoods,
matured aDa maturing. I have therefore
instructed my son to call on you for this
! purpose, and in coanectinj with this sub
! ject, learn from you what amount ot Geor
i g : ,a gold and currency State bonds of 1870
: have been sold, if any, or hypothecated,
and what amount of money has been
realized by sale, or hypothecation ; and
what amount of Georgia State bonds, gold
i and currency, of 1870, have been received
i by you, and the na'ure and description of
j the same. Al-e, what amount of Georgia
l matured bonds you have paid.
The above facts it is absolutely neces
i sary Ur me to know in order to conform to
I the requirements of the law in making
! my annual report.
Very respectfully yours,
N. L. Anger,
Georgia State Treasurer.
[dispatch.]
New York, January 12,1871.
N. L. Anger ; Presented your letter to
Henry Clews & Cos. Clews immediately
telegraphed Bullock what I wanted. Bul
lock telegraphed Clews pot to give me any
information whatever in relation to the
deposition of Georgia bonds, or any of
, the iefermation you desired. Clews de
clined therefore to tell me anything.
Alton Angier.
Comment is needless- Three or four
millions of bonds are in New York to raise
a half a million of do.lare. Tne people
want to know something of these trans
actions thus hidden from them, and the
officer authorized to know. Constitution.
Little Annie Ilearn, of Savannah, who
mysteriously disappeared a few days ago,
has been heard of. She had hired herself
out as a nurse.
Grand Jury Presentments,
The Grand Jury for the first week of
January term, 1871, ot Richmond County
Superior Court, respectfully make the fol
lowing presentments:
ROADS.
Me have, by Committee, examined the
roads aud bridges in the county, and the
Committee reports the roads generally in
good order, with the exception of that lead
ing by McDade’s Mill, which is in bad or
der. We would recommend that this road
be changed so as to have but one bridge,
where there are now three. For a more
particular report ot the condition of the |
roads and bridges, we refer to the report
of Hon. S Levy, Ordinary, herewith sub
mitted, which we request should be pub
lished for information of the citizens of
the county.
POOR HOUSE.
| The Committee report the Poor House
! to be in a good condition, finding tw-elve
; (12) inmates, who report that they are
carefully and humanely treated by the
j present Keeper, Mr. William Deas.
We would recommend tbe discontinu
ance of the County Farm for market pur
poses. From a careful estimate made by
a Committee of the Grand Jury, the ex
expenses for conducting the farm for the
past year has beeu • ~.5644 00
The income for the same period is. 463 59
Showing a loss to the county 0f..5190 41
Hence, we recommend that all agricultu
ral work be abandoned, except wiiat is ab
solutely necessary to furnish provisions
for the inmates of the Poor House. We
also recommend that no persons shall be
allowed to pasture any stock upon the
Poor House lands, except it be persons
connected with the institution, and then
only for the use of the inmates.
JAIL.
We have also, by Committee, examined
the condition of the County Jail, who re
port that the same is in good condition,
and with the repairs now being made, will
soon be in complete order. The Commit
tee find twenty-two (22) inmates—five (5)
whites, and seventeen (17) blacks —who all
express themselves well satisfied with the
treatment received from the present Jailer,
Mr. T. 0. Bridges.
ORDINARY.
We have, by Committee, examined into
the condition of the Ordinary’s Office, and
we are pleased to report the same in good
condition, his records all being brought up
to date, and his papers all properly labeled
and filed away.
CLERK SUPERIOR COURT.
We have, also, by the same Committee,
examined into the condition ot the office
of the Clerk of the Superior Court, and
find the record of deeds and mortgages
fully completed. By personal examina
tion of deeds on record, the Committee are
satisfied as to their correctness. The re
cord of writs is not entirely completed,
but the Deputy Clerk is now industriously
engaged in bringing up the entire records
up to tbe commencement of this term of
the court, and tbe Committee report that
all of the records are kept in a neat and
creditable manner.
COUNTY TREASURER.
We have, also, by Committee, made a
very careful examination into the books
and accounts of Mr. W. H. Stallings, the
County Treasurer, and find that he had on
hand, March Ist, 1870, as per report of
Committee of Grand Jury..; $2,984 11
That be received from J. A. Boh
ler, Tax Collector, for taxes of
1809 2,200 00
From S. Levy, Ordinary, for the
proceeds of notes made at the
National Bank, for county pur
poses : 5,006
From J. A. Bolder, Tax Oollect
' or, for taxes for 1870 20,500 00
From G. A. Snead, J. P., for
State costs 20 00
From S. Levy, Ordinary, for tax
es on shows and exhibitions
since May 1, 1870 226 00
From S. Levy, Ordinary, for
liquor license since March 1,
1870 550 00
From S. Levy, Ordinary, for pro
ceeds of Poor House farm,
since March. 1, 1870 427 89
Making total amount received...s3l,9l4 48
And lias paid out, sustained by
proper vouchers, each sepa
rately examined :
For Paupers $6,680 03
For R’ds and Bridges 3,548 98
For Poor House.... 2,434 43
For Court Expenses. 6,691 18
For Salaries 1,900 00
For Elect’ll Expenses 620 75
For Freedmen s Hos
pital 1,548 88
For Commission due
Treasurer 1,426 21
For Return to Grand
Jury, Jan’arv term,
1871 4 00
For Notes at National
Bank paid . 5,100 00—29,954 46
Balance in hand $1,900 02
Add error in bill of T.
A. Kunze, voucher
No. 65, $65 is $57. 8 00
$1,968 02
Deduct error in addi
tion in voucher 318
and 412, inclusive,
$224 is $244 20 00
Total balance in his
hands * $1,948 02
The Committee find his books to be
neatly and correctly kept, and bis vouch
ers properly numbered consecutively and
filed away.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
We have also had under mature con
sideration the important subjeo f of Public
Schools. A late act of the Legislature
totally abolishes the system formerly in
use in this county and State, and has sub
stituted one hitherto untried, and, in cur
opinion, entirely unsuited to the wants of
oar people. B? reference to the report of
the Ordinary, it appears that 6,242 pupils,
both white and colored, have been educa
ted during the year 1870 at an expense
averaging about $2 40 to each pupil, and
from the report of the Hoc. H. W. Hil
Hard, Superintendent of Public Schools
(which we herewith append, with a re
quest for publication), it appears that the
system heretofore practiced has workrd
well, and given en'ire satisfaction to sll
classes. Under the former system wc find |
that in the First Ward there were two
Publit Schools, one white and one. colored;
in the Second Ward, three, for white and
colored; in the Third Ward, three', in the
Fourth Ward, nine for white and colored,
and in the county at large, eighteen for
white and colored. In addition to this, j
there is also located in the First Ward (or !
120th District) the Houghton Institute, 1
employing sis teachers, and capable of i
accommodating ac least 300 pupils, with
out any expense to the county. In the ;
Second Ward there is also the Augusta ;
Free School, capable of accommodating |
| 250 pupils with an efficient number ot i
teachers, the rent of the bail ling, fuel, I
books aDd stationery costing the county j
nothing. Besides the a.hove named, there
are a number of private schools for those !
who do not come to avail themselves ,fa
: public school education. With all these
named facilities, we caonot see the necessi
ty of burdening the people with additional ]
taxation ; and as, in ail probability, the i
Board and Trustees recently elected under
the new system cannot thoroughly organ- !
ize within a year, we recommend that the
present system remain as heretofore, under
the charge of the Ordinary and Board of
Education, with authority to establish
schools in such districts where they may
be needed, and that the Ordinary be au
thorized to levy a tax not exceeding ten
thousand dollars for educational purposes
j for the current year, to be disbursed as
heretofore; and we further recommend
that our Senators and Representatives in
the next Legislature take immediate steps
j to have the late act repealed, at least so
; far as relates to this county, and a special
' act passed for Richmond county alone-
COMMISSIONERS OF ROADS AND REVENUE
We have had brought to our notice an
act lately passed by the Legislature of
■ Georgia, creating a Board of Commis
-1 sioDers for Roads and Revenue for this
county. This act was passed, so far as we
know or believe, without the knowledge
i or consent of the legal voters and tax
payers of the county. By this act his
’ Honor the Jadge of the Superior Court,
in conjunction with the Ordinary and
j Sheriff, were authorized to appoint a
1 Board of Commissioners {who arc not re
-1 qutred to give bond), to take charge of the
Roads and Revenue, to alter and change
Militia Districts and Election Precincts,
and to assess such general and specific
taxes as they may think fit, and that with
! out the recommendation of any Grand
Jury, who, we believe, are the proper per
j sons to recommend the levying of any tax
for county purposes. Under the system
in use before the passage of this act, the
i Roads and Bridges have been properly
and economically worked, and, as we be
! lieve, to the satisfaction of the people of
the county, and under the superintendence
of an officer under bond for the faithful
discharge of bis duties. We, therefore,
urgently request that the officer named in
said act make no appointment irom this
; Bounty, but Gave the matter as it now
stands, as we learn from the Ordinary that
I he bad aheady, previous to his knowledge
; of any such act, oontracted lor the wsrk
| ing of the roads and bridges for the cur
rent year, and we recommend and urge a
! speedy repeal of said act.
PAUPERS.
By reference to the report cf the Ordi
nary it will be seen that he now has charge
ot all paupers in the oity and county, and
during
maintaining'them amounted to $7,990 38;
this includes the entire amount of Sex
ton’s ftes, ootfins, wood, provisions, and
cash advanced.
The expense to the city al me for the}
year ending January 1,1870, amounted to
sll 899 Oi, thus showing a saving to the
county of nearly $5,000 in this item rime
through the judicious management of the
Ordinary.
RECEIVING AND DISBURSING OFFICERS
Wo would also recommend that the
Sheriff, Ordinary and Treasurer of thu
County be required to publish uuder oath
on the Ist of July of each and every year
a detailed statement of all rcoeipts and
disbursements up to date of such report,
as wo bjlievc that it will greatly facilitate
the action cf future Grand Juries in ex
•lmtr.g the business of their several de
partments, and give the public a more
satisfactory idea of matters which interests
every tax payer.
SOLICITOR GENERAL.
We would also recommend that his
Honor the Judge instruct the Ordinary to
pay to Mr. J. R. Prescott, Solicitor Gene
ral, such sum as he is legally entitled to
for his valuable services at this term of
Court.
VIOLATION OF SABBATH.
It having been brought to our notice by
more than one person that numerous par
ties are repeatedly in the habit of violating
the law with regard to shooting and hunt
ing on the Sabbath, we strongly reoom
mend that the proper county authorities
take notice of such violations, and
promptly report the offenders to the near
est Magistrate having jut isdiction.
VAGRANTS.
We recommend to the city authorities a
rigid enforcement of Section Ninth of the
General Ordinances of the city, believing
that a proper attention to this ordinance
will tend to prevent vagrancy, especially
that of children, and relieve our citizens of
much annoyance from street beggars.
CONCEALED WEAPONS AND LEWD HOUSES.
It has been our earnest desire to inves
tigate the matter of carrying concealed
weapons at elections and od public tho
roughfares, and the keeping of lewd and
disorderly houses, as given us under the
charge of the Honorable Court, but our
time having been so much occupied with
business tis importance, we are compelled
to leave these matters for our successors,
and trust that the same will command
their earnest attention
In conclusion, the Grand Jury tender
their thanks to His Honor William Gib
sno, Judge ; to J. R. Prescott, Srlieitor
General, and to all the other officers of
this Court, for courtesies extended to this
body during their term of service. And
we request that these presentments be
published in tbe Constitutionalist and
Chronicle & Sentinel.
Wm. B. Davidson, Foreman.
Patrick F. Dunn, M. L. Speaks.
James 0- Gorman, A. E Inglett,
Michaellob, Benj B. Russell,
Wm. C. Barber, J. B Preston,
James J Broom, Henry Myers,
T. W. Croskery, F. H. Shaw,
Dan F Tanner, J W. Burch,
Wm. W. Rhodes, Wm. T. Cone,
John Bappold.
GEORGIA, RICHMOND COUNTY.
This is to certify that the foregoing
transcript is a true copy of the Pre
sentments of the Grand Jury of Richmond
Superior Court, as taken from the Minutes
of said Court, foliios 489, 490, 491, 492 and
493.
Witness my hand and official signature,
this 14th day of January. A. D , 1871.
E. M. BRAYTON,
Clerk S C.
REPORT OF HON. H. W. HILLIARD,
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLS. .
To the Board of Education of Richmond
County:
I have the honor to present the follow
ing report :
For two years I had occupied a seat as
a member of the Board of Eduoation.
No provision was made by law for any
supervision of the Public Schools, it was
my wish to retire from the Board, a place
to which I had been appointed without
any solicitation on my part, and which I
had accepted with reluctance. I had fill
ed it with much inconvenience to myself •
I was induced to continue to serve another
year, and at the same time consented to
act as Superintendent of the Pubiio
Schools, and to give them such attention
as I might think it necessary to bestow
upon them. It was my wish to make my
self acquainted with the system, and to
suggrst such improvements as I might
think proper, lo give it increased effi
ciency. Meauwbile, a law was enacted
which is to inaugurate anew and compre
hensive plan for public instruction
throughout the State.
The object is one of the very highest
that belongs to our civilization. To pro
vide by law for the organization of a num
ber of Public Schools for the instruction of
all rlasses of children is an enterprise so
noble that it commends itsdf to universal
approval Heretofore too little system
has been introduced ioto the plan lor con
ducting Public Schools. Teachers have
offered themselves frcm time to time for
that great purl c trust, aed they have or
ganized schools at such places as they
thought proper. The want of school
houses has imposed on t.eacherd the bur
den ol providing suitable rooms for con
ducting their schools. Some time since
the Board of Education lor Richmond
county adopted a syrtem of rules forsccur
icg competent 'leachers ; for protecting
competent Teachers who had already or
ganized schodt agamst the intrusion of
other- persons who might wish to open
schodt in the same neighborhood ; and for
the conduct of the schools, embracing and
defining the duties both of Teachers and
Pupil.-- It is a very remarkable fact, that
under al the disadvantages of the thn
there has been great suocees. In gen ral,
the schools have been well attended and
well conducted. The faithful manrn-r in
which the Teachers have performed their
labors is worthy of all praise. They have
been earnest, attentive and laborious.
They have taught thoroughly in most in
stances, conducting their method of in
struction in such a way as to make the
pupil fully comprehend what they study.
I have impressed upon the Teachers the
importance of teaching upon this plan. I
have insisted that it is not of so much im
portance to advance the pupil rapidly, to
| make him go over a great extent of terri
tory, as it is to learn thoroughly, and to
j become really aequaintei with the ground
1 over which he passes.
Education is a system of discipline. It
; does not undertake simply to impart a
certain amount of instruction, or a particu
j lar share of knowledge, but to train the
I faculties, so as to enable the pupil to use
; them in after life with advantage, and to
j acquire for himself the treasures that lie
concealed in the great field of learning.
| Supeficial instruction is to be avoided ; it
i is hurtful in more ways than one; it de
moralizes the intellect and impairs the
tone of character. Thorough instruction
is the aim of every good system of educa
tion.
I have been highly gratified to observe
that this principle has characterized the
instruction in the Public Schools that have
come under my observation during the
present year.
Graded schools are to be desired. They
work to the advantage both of the teach
ers and the pupils. In all the departments
of the natural world classification is to be
i observed; it reigns in the heavens and it
pervades the earth. We see it in the con
| steliations, in the march of the seasons,
i and in the productions of the natural
world. In all human affairs order is es
| sential to high success —rank rising above
rank, and the inferior ascending to the su
i perior.
I But under the system which has hither
i to prevailed with us, it has not been found
practicable to organize public graded
schools. I have, however, insisted upon
a thorough classification of the pupils in
each school. To group pupils of different
j ages and attainments into the same class,
and to pnt into their hands books unsuited
to their capacity, must work badly.—
Classes should be thoroughly arranged
with reference to the capacity and the
degree of culture of each pupil that com
r- ie3,them.
It is very important, too, to provide text
NEW SERIES, VOL. XXIV. NO. 4.
books suited to the degree of advancement
of the pupil. This is done to some extent
in this country. Some of the books are
really admirable. The use of the black
board is no w general in our Public Schools,
and it enables the teacher to employ the
most satisfactory method of instruction.
It is suited to instruction not only in math
ematics, but in tbe languages,in geography,
and almost every branch of learning.
Some of the schools are provided with
charts, and two of them with globes ad
mirably constructed, aud which exhibit
not only the structure of the earth, but
the relation which its diversified inliabi
tants hear to each other.
The law of kindness prevails very gen
erally in the schools, while a salutary sys
tem of discipline is maintained. ’ The
harsh plan of holding the pupils in terror
works badly. It results often from a want
of patience on the part of the teacher,
and while it is intended to save labor, the
good and gentle labor of thorough instruc
tion, it accomplishes no good. I have been
gratified to observe that a spirit of emula
tion is awakened in the schools, which en
courages study and promises vigilance.
Certain peculiarities have attended our
system of public instruction which it was
apprehended might hinder or disturb its
success.
But I have encountered no difficulty in
conducting the system in a way to give
perfect satisfaction to all who are interest
ed in it.
There are two races to be educated
Both are entitled to the benefits of our
system, aud both should enjoy the amplest
provision for their advancement. Mixed
schools ought not to be organized ; they
would generate irreparable evils. ’ The
present system in operation in Richmond
county has worked well; and so far as
my observation extends, not the slightest
jealousy exists in our borders. Compe
tent teachers are provided for the children
of both races ; they are taught in separate
schools, and equal advantages are provi
ded for all. lam very confident that this
plan, as it has been organized with ns, oan
not be improved. Any modification of it
would only injure it.
My connection with the Pul l c School <
is about to close. If it were to continue
I should give my time to it thorougily,
with the hope of introducing such improve
ments as might serve to make it even more
efficient; My obseivation satisfies me that
certain improvements might be introduced
into the j lan without disturbing the sepa
rate organization of the schoi Is for the two
races—an organization which, as I have
already said, ought not to he changed ;
bnt as the present system is about to give
place to that recently adopted by the Leg
islature for the wbdj State, I forbear to
make any suggestions.
I have found in mycolhagein the Board
of Education, and in the teachers, the
heartiest disposition to cc -operate with me
in proving success to the present system
of public education.
Henry W. Hilliard,
Member of the Board of Education and
Superintendent of Pul 1 c Schools.
Augusta, Ga., December 28. 1870.
Statement of Number of Teachers and
Pupils in Public Schools of Richmond
County for the year ending December,
1870.
Pupils. Teachers.
Ist Quarter 1,329 29
2d “ L 387 30
3d “ 997 20
4th “ 940 19
Total whites...,. 4,659
Ist Quarter 300 4
2d “ 321 5
3d' “ 387 5
4th “ 575 7
Total colored 1,583
White and colored
pupils, total. ..... 6.224
Henry W. Hilliard,
Member of Board of Education and Super
intendent of Public Schools.
ORDINARY’S REPORT.
Ordinary’s Office, Richmond Cos. , [
Augusta, Ga , Jar. 9,1871- )
To the Grand Jury Superior Court, Jan
uary Term, 1871 ;
Gentlemen : I have the honor to report
to your honorable body the following num
ber of children who attended the Free
Schools in the year 1870 :
Children. Teachers.
First Quarter 1,629 33
Second Quarter 1,708 35
Third Quarter 1,384 34
Fourth Quarter 1,521 26
White and col. child’n.6,242
No teacher is permitti and to teach more
than sixty (60) pupils without employing
assistants.
Thera are seven regularly organized
colored eohools in the city, raid by the
oounty.
The teachers of both white and colored
sehoih are paid regularly.
During she year just rlised the poor
schorls in the city and county proper have
bien iu a generally flourishing couditior.
All the schools are supplied with ap
proved text books.
Teachers receive seven (7) cents a day
for each pupil in actual attendance.
POOR HOUSE.
The Pjo r House is in very good condi
tion- The inmates are well fed and well
eared for. The laud is ad fenced in.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The roads are all in good condition, also
bridges with a few exceptions, which have
beeD either bade or repaired. The f v flow
ing bridges have been bud", during the
past year by the read hands :
Two bridges at B lleville Factory,
one 40 feet and the other 50 feet
long, 90 feet of bridging and
causeway, cost $250 00
Two at l ine Grove, on Meßean,
one 90 feet at stream, 18 feet iu
causeway, 108 feet long of
bridging, cost 248 50
Two at Patterson’s, on Briar
Creek, one 100 feet, one 80 feet
long, 180 feet of bridging and
causeway, cost 016 23
Repairs on bridges at McDade’s Mill
and all others included with the dirt work.
PAUPERS.
Since January Ist, 1870, I have taken
charge of and cared for all the paupers in
the city, as well as those living outside tl e
corporation, at an expense of $7,970 38.
This amount intrudes the amount paid to
City Sexton, coffins, wood, meal, cash,
&c., and here I would respectfully call the
attention of your honorable body to the
fact that the City Councd paid, from .Jan
uary Ist, 1869, to January, 1870, the
amount of $11,899 07 for charity alone.
This shows that 1 have reduced the ex
penses in this item between hvo and six
thousand dollars, at least.
LH4UOR LICENSES.
I herewith present you with a list of the
persona who have taken out Liquor
Licenses expiring this year :
DATS OF |
UAH £*. KXPUtA’x j LOCALITY.
iSuT”!
MarkG rtnaa Jan’y. 19 iCo”. of Ra e Track.
Morris Bohr March 2.|Roi“ arll.e.
•JimM Planchad.... “ 10 [Ddlaifle** Gate.
Jo#€j>li Rawif 10. KiHovillf*.
Denote E. Davia *• 29 -Sirannah Koad.
Evan- April 9.j 3 ivannub Hoad.
Kanny Q ilan ** 2l.‘tf vkerwHle.
Timothy Biww .... May u js. W. Plan* Hoad
K. (J. Easter in* •* 2s. I ta.it Bour»<lar Street.
Jag. A. Butler (June 1 i MilletUevUie Hoad.
Ilamdem Baxoii....| " 14. Near Race bourse,
Joseph Moffit ;Jjl? l*. HarrUonvil’e.
ThGs. Galiaher j “ 22. |H >rk;ravlile>
Jas. C’Gorman 1 “ 26.! Athlone.
» muel PeareoG !Au*. It. Louisville & Sav Hoad.
C. H. Johansen 3ept. 5 EL
Wrn. a. G r ivee •* 1 i. , Station.
Bridge't Hao°y — 11-trae'svilie
John Brown Ot. JO.l,Duvall’#.
G. vv. Beatraan “ 1* • DeLalgle’* Gate.
K. b. Hendries* Nov t y K-ndrLck’g MiG.
Wm. tj. Dunbar. . •* I*. Mechanic’* Hi 1.
A U «dl- D.c. 12 iMechanic's Hill.
U. H. Sfcaupp ! “ 20.!Ne»' Race Oounv
ViifiEDMAN’s HOSPITAL.
I have made arrangements with the City
Council to pay them seven dollars per
month for each pauper in the Freedman’s
llo3pital, and pay the same monthly.
Since January, 1870, I have collected
and paid to the County Treasury, as per
receipt from the County Treasurer, the
following amounts;
From Liquor License $625 00
From Exhibitions 306 00
From Cotton (less expense) 341 89
From Melons 63 25
From Potatoes 17 75
From Old Sacks 20 00
From Old Mattress 5 70
Board Freedman’s Hospital 5 00
$1,484 59
In conclusion, I refer your honorable
body, for the condition of the county fi
nances. to the books of the County Tax
Collector and County Treasurer, and to
my minutes for oounty purposes; and in
relation to the disbursements of the Edu
cational Fond, I refer you to my Accounts,
Check and Bank Book.
Respectfully submitted.
SAMUEL LEVY, Ordinary.
P. S.—Besides the amount above named
paid to the County Treasurer, to wit,
$1,479 59, I have borrowed from the Na-
tbnal Bank at 7 per cent, an.; paid ver to
the Treasurer the following amounts:
April 9th, SI,OOO, less interest...sl,27o 15
•i un<> Bth, SI,BOO, less interest,
T * 33 'V,' 1,767 00
June 20th, $2,000, less iuteresi,
G; ’ 1,968 33
„ $«,48« 07
* ery respectfully, he.,
SAM’L LEVY.
I’rom the Chicago Evening Journal, Jan. 4.
lUlmbold’s Pirates.
THE LEADER OP THE CHICAGO GANG MEETS
WITH SUMMARY JUSTICE— A WARNING
TO COUNTERFEITERS OP DK. HENRY T.
, HELMBOLD’S ** BUCHU.”
Some six months since Dr. Henry T.
Helmbold, of New York city, the proprie
tor of “Helmbold’s Fluid Extract Buchu,”
of world-wide reputation, learned through
the course of his numerous detectives
throughout the United States that the
country was being fiooded with spurious
medicinal preparations bearing the name
‘ Helmbold,” and he at once took the
most prompt and vivornna t 0
ascertain toe source of the supply, and the
authors of the fraud. The manufactory
of the bogus article was finally traced to
and found to be located in the rear of No.
100 'Washington street, this city, the man
ufacturer being one Whittier, formerly a
“specialist” doctor, ard at present engaged
in the manufacture of sprius beds.
It appears that Whittier, in his purpose
of pirating the name and fair fame of Dr.
II elm bold’s medicines, discovered, by ref
erence to the city’s directory, that there
were two persons by the name of
Helmbold in Chicago. These are Ger
mans, one being a mere hoy, and neither
speaks the English language, their names
being George F. and Fritz Helmbold, and
being ignorant, both were simple anu un
sophisticated, and admirably fitted to be
easily duped. They agreed, by a written
contract with Whittier, for the stun of
SI,OOO per year, to engage in the con
struction of spring beds, and also for tue
additional snm of $lO per month to allow
their name to be used iD connection with
any medicinal preparation, which Whit
tier might wish to make.
The counterfeiter had but just com
menced to issue this fraud upon the Doc
tor’s preparation (which is universally
known as the most efficacious medicinal
remedy for the disease for which it is rec
ommended the world has ever known) ;
and to preserve the purity of his reputa
tion, as well as to guard the public against
deleterious drugs purporting to issue from
him, is (he secret of the unstinted exer
tions of the Doctor to bring these roguos
to justice. Upon learning of the workings
of the fraud, the Doctor acted with char
acteristic promptness, and, having pos
sessed himself of a:l the facts, moved upon
the counterfeiter. Whittier was at once
served with aa injunction from Judge
Drummond, of the Uuited States Circuit
Court, restraining him from further pro
ceedings—the Doctor’s attorney’s sworn
affidavits of the two men, George and
Fr tz Hembold, disclosing fully the man
ner in which their names hud been ob
tained ; and Whittier foui and himself
defendant in a suit for s2o,ot>o damages.
Concluding, wisely but too late, that he
bad made an unfortunate choice in select
ing as a victim Dr. H. T. Helmbold, he at
onee‘sought peace in the surrender of the
k.y to his laboratory, with all its con
tents —the lithograph stones, electro-plates,
with plates, stamps, dies, and all tho ma
terial and equipment of his “Buchu” bu
siness, with a list of all the parties who
had purchased his spurious compounds,
and all of his confederates in o’her parts
of the country, which wiii be made publio
at convenient season. Whittier has en
tered into bonds to abstain from like tres
pass in the future.
This is a grave warning to all persons
who may delude themselves and others
with the idea that they caD imitate Whit
tier’s experiment and escape punishment.
It can more safely be attempted to rob a
bank than meddle with the- trade mirk of
Dr. Henry T. Hembold. The Doctor
ixoends immense sums for advcriising
Ins medicines and bringing home to
the people a knowledge of their merits;
and being by this method brought to the
eyes of all the world, his medicines could
not retain their popularity upon any other
than the solid ground of merit. This be
ing the case, the Doctor cannot sit idly by
and see foisted upon the public these bo
gus preparations of unprincipled moo.
The public is not to he duped, and if such
villainous compounds are to be imposed
upon them for the genuine manufacture of
Doctor Helmbold, the hard-earned repu
tation of the Doctor is jeopardized there
-1 y, and he is determined, ly the aid of the
strong arm of the law, to extinguish effec
tually both the traffic and Hie traffickers
in these counterfeits, and vindicate the
purity of his preparations in the eyes of'
the people/
The Troubles in Union, >. C.
The following letter, to the Columbia
Plurnix, gives a fair and lucid statement
in explanation of the recent outrages in
Union District, S. C. It will be seen that
Scott's militia began the difficulty, and
are responsible for all that followed:
Mr- Editor : Some two weeks ago, the
militia were from sundown to daylight,
every night, firing around our little vil
lage of Union. No one could soundly and
sweetly sleep, especially our female por
tion of the community. There was a resi
dence above town, on the Spartanburg
road, one June Mobley s, where these or
ganized bands of militia seemed to con
centrate and annoy us They cautiously
approached the house of Mr. .T H. Gali
man, a white man and a good citizen, in
the deep hours of the night, and fired
upon him, lodging two balls in the bed
where his little niece lay, fortunately
hurting no one A short time after this
they fired upon Mr. Tom Hughes, a white
man, and frightened him and his wife to
extreme. Shortly after this they attacked
poor one-armed Mat Stephens in the road,
and brutally murdered him, thro ing his
dead body over the fence in concealment.
The good oit zsds of our village under
took to ferret out this bru’ai murder, and
with the authorities of the law, commenced
making arrests. Mr. Daniel Smith, white,
while in the discharge ci his dati<-» as
deputy, was fired upon and kilted. Up to
this time two white men were murdered,
and nineteen militia were put in jdii, of'
wnom some have confessed, and a ma
jority of them will be convicted. Unfor
tunately for us, two nights afterwards,
some barditti unknown, who are called
Ku Klux, surrounded the jail, took out
five of those implicated in the murder,
shot two to death, about a mile above
town, and wounded the other three, who
are now in jail—one of them mortally
wounded, who has confessed his guiit. Our
law-abidiog citizens, who are certainly in
majority in this vicinity, deplore this state
of things, and have since used every vigi
lrnce to prevent such di.-asters.
Now we have peace and quick to per
fection. We hear no more militia guns.
The night is not made hideous ty Sends.
We condemn the Ku Klux. both white
and black, but it has terminated, we think,
in a small fight between extremists—two
whites killed first, and three ireedmen.
We do not thick martial law ought to be
declared in this county, because of the
tew who do wroog. If martial taw should
be declared, ail farming interest and busi
ness operations must be paralyzed to such
an extent it will ruin both white and col
ored.
We see that our Representative, Mr.
M- bley — l ‘than ’whom a greater skunk
vreerliceti. r ’ —wh ites to force the Governor
to visit our community. If the Governor
will visit u=, we wii. meet him at aoy
point designated, and surround hint with
our best citizens and welcome hi a in
Uiion, where he will learn the true
-t .ie of things. We will be glad to see
l int, and will guarantee him safety and
protection. A Voice From Union.
The Griffin people have presented Ward,
the Irish comedian, with agoid watch and
chain.
Captain Charles A. Ifrockaway leaves
Columbus for Galveston, Texas, where he
will engage in the steamboat business.
W. 11. Young has been re elected Presi
dent, and W. L. Salisbury Vice-President,
of the Columbus Industrial Association.
A white-equiriel affords the Columbus
newspaper reporters the opportunity of
varying the monotony of that dreary town.
BlosterFodgc-tt is bragging around that
| the debt of the State Road is more than
| $600,000.
; Col. Cothran sent dowD the Coosa River
yesterday about fifty-three negroes to the
Cornwall Iron Works. He is operating
largely in that vicinity, and greatly de
veloping the resources of Alabama.—
Rome Commercial-
Some workmen digging a ditch last week
from the por,d on the farm of L. M.
Houser, in Houston eouaty, found niue
young alligators, seveu cf which were
killed.
