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About Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1877 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 1871)
H ‘ Z" OLD SERIES—VOL. LXXVJII. GUpnule & Sentinel. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. DAILY. One month 1 00 Three month* 2 50 One year 10 00 TKMVEEKI.Y. One year $ f. f‘o Hi* month* 3 50 Three month 2 00 VVEKKLY. Three months I 1 00 Mix months 1 50 One year 3 00 WKDmUAY MORWMn, AKIItf 9. THK YVASHIWifOV ii.47.KfTK A\ D TilK JihW DKI'AKTI'KK. The Washington Gazette wakes up, io its issue of the 28tb cf July to the "errera of the New Departure,” and is extremely solicitioua lest the readers of the Chroni cle & Sentinel— “unsophisticated peo ple—might think that the Chronicle had become too cautious upon the great issues now before the country.” For the infor mation of the Gazc'te, we state, what the readers of the Chiionicle it Sentinel well know, that so early as the 28th day of May last, immediately after Mr. Vallan- I dighacn promulgated his New Departure, tho editors of the Chronicle <sc Sentinel I WQTO prompt to #ivo dooiJoti oMproonioo | of their opinion upon the policy of this new movtmen*. We must confess, how ever, we have no heart for a fight in which tho guns are not to be directed against the common enemy, but against friends and allies in the Democratic racks, partic ularly in the present juncture of affairs. KKfiILATINU BAILItOiDS BYLAW. A bill for the regulation of railroad pas senger fares, prepared by the Railroad Committee of tho Connecticut Legislature, has been submitted to that body with a recomrncodaii in from the committee that it be accorded immediateaod favorable con- Lderatior. The pill is modeled after that which went into operation in the State of Illinois on the Ist instant, provides in ef fect that no company shall charge more than four cents per mile, per head, for the transportation of passengers and baggage over its road. Over roads oarning profits to tho ameunt of 8 per cent, per annum, tho limit is fixed at three cents per mile, per head ; and on roads earning annual profit to the amount of 10 per cent., two and onc-half oents is the legal maximum charge. Ac exception to this rule is mado in the case of way passengers, which may bo charged leu cents between any two stations, without regard to distance. For any violation of this law the com panies arc punished by a fine of S2O; onc-half of which goes to the person over charged. All companies aic required to post in conspicuous places in all their ticket offices and public waiting-rooms, printed schedules, showing the rates of faro oharged between ail poiuts to which tickets are issued, under a penalty of a fine of $5 fer each day’s neglect. It is probable that tl.ii law will pass, as it has boon favorably reoeived by the Legisla ture, and it is also probable that, as in Il linois, its enforcement will bo resisted in the Courts. Wo regard suoh laws as additional stimulus to “ stock watering.” Kxpcrt “Jim Fiskcs” will tako delight in all such enactments, and tho ol jeot of the legislature, which is cheap transporta tion; will not bo reached. This can be only attained by competition. COLLKUKS IS OKOUtiIA. In that remarkable conglomerate public document entitled Report of the Com missioner of Fiducation made to the Sec retary of the Interior (of what ?) for the year 1870, with accompanying papers, ” Georgia is mado to rank as th# fifth State of tho Union as to tho number of colleger. Tho wholo number of colleges enumerated is threo hundred and sixty-nine, of which Georgia claims twenty-sne. Thtso twenty one are as follows : Tho University of Georgia, Emory College, Mercer Uni versity, Bowden Collegiato Institution ; OglethorpeUnivcrsitv, Atlanta University, Wesleyan Femalo College, Cuthbert Fe male College, Southern Female College, Hamilton Female College, LaGrange Femalo College, Griffin Female College, Forsyth Femalo College, Perry Female College, Masonio Femalo College, Cov ington; Femalo College, Amerious; Ma sonio Femalo College, Lumpkin; Madison Femalo College, Marietta Femalo College, La Vert Femalo College, Atlanta Female College. This is a vciy creditable array ; but tho most creditable appearing is the effort displayed for tho education of females. Hut we venture tho assertion that tho aggregate endowment funds of all those oolloges does not equal the en dowment fund of Harvard or Yale, or Dartmouth, or Princeton, or the Uni versity of New York, or of Illinois, or the Cornell University, and others that might bo named. With us there is great offoit greatly diffused ; but North and East of us concentration and combination is the characteristic ; and this brings suc cess and influence. The distribution of tho three hundred and sixty-nine colleges is as follows : Io Alabama, 4, Arkansas, l ; California, 15; Connecticut, 3 ; Delaware, 2 ; Georgia, 21 ; Illinois, 28 ; Indiana, 19 ; lowa, 13 ; Kansas, 7 ; Kentucky, 10 ; Louisiana, 7 ; Maine, 4 ; Maryland, 10 ; Massachusetts, 6 ; Michigan, 7 ; Minnesota, 2 ; Missis sippi, 5 ; Missouri, 14 ; New Hampshire, 1 ; New Jersey, 6; New York, 27 ; North Carolina, 10 ; Ohio, 35 ; Oregon, 4 ; Pennsylvania, 34 ; Rhode Island, 1; South Carolina, 7 ; Tennessee, 20 ; Texas, 4 ; Vermont, 3: Virginia, 11; Wisconsin, 14; West Virginia, 3; District of Co lumbia, 1 ; Utah Territory, 1 ; Washing ton Territory, 1. MICOK AND KNOIVILLK BAHBOIO. Iu a recent letter, Mr. DeGraffenried, the j President of a company formed under the j charter for this projected road, points out > the fact that tour of his dirco'ors arc from the Central and Southwestern II tilroad Companies, and makes special acknowledg ment of essential aid afforded by them to defray the cists of survey. Just now the peoplo of Kncxville, Tennessee, are agita ted upon the subject of anew line cf rail road direct from Macon, Georgia, through Polk county, Tennessee, to Knoxville. This road, it is justly claimed, wott'd pass immediately by the copper mines of Polk county, and through a very rich part of East Tennessee. There is, however, an other project on foot, which proposes a different route, vi* : a grand trunk road, tc leave Polk oounty on the west acd pass through Murphy county. North Carolina, which should be the joint property of all j the reads having their termini at Clayton, ; Rabun oounty, Georgia. Aeeo'.ding to ] the latter plan, this tvou'.d be made a com- , mon centre for the Blue llidge Railroad from Charleston, S. C-, and any other railroads in Georgia desirous of obtaining the trade of East Tennessee and the North west, which would all have to terminate at Clayton, and then jointly build and own the proposed Grand Trunk Road from that point to Knoxville, Tennessee. This latter plan would seem to be rather complicated and dependent upon too many contingencies, while the former is both direct and feasible. The initiative must, in either case, be taken in Georgia in concert with the Bine Ridge Railroad of South Carolina—the latter road owning the charter from Clayton to Knoxville— and as a centra! part of Tennessee is worth gaining by any railroad in Georgia or South Carolina, leaving even out of con sideration the trade of the Northwest. We may expect shortly, says the Wash* ingtop, (D. C.) Patriot, to hear that a com pany has been chartered and operations actively commenced, whieh, when com pleted, will prove of the greatest impor tance to that section of the South. A BEMAKKABLB CONFKSSIOX OF A RADICAL FROM THK SCAFFOLD. .....* 1 00 .... 1 50 .... 3 00 Ned Meyers and Lewis Coppedge, both ntgroes, were Lung, having been convicted of the murder of James W. Redfearn, a white man and an estimable citizen, on the twenty-first instant, at Wadesboro, Anson county. North Carolina. Thefacts relative to this muider, as elicited on the trial, are as follows: On Thursday, the 18th of M;y last, the design was broached to Liwis, by Ned Meyers, who solicited his co-opcratior. This proposition was rejected by Lewis, heat the same time in quiring of Ned his motives for the com mission of the deed, and Ned replying that Mr. liedfearn was in the possession of a large amount of money, which would contribute greatly to replenishing their pockets. Lewis tcid him that he thought he could devise a plan by which they could get the money without resorting to marder. He proposed, when Mr. Red fearn was absent from the store, »o break in and abstract the money from the drawer. But Ned, doubting the rcafzi tion of uiuih profit from this plan, insist ed upon Killing Mr. Redfcarn, as first suggested. After a little, Lewis consented to become a partner in his crimp. The plan they devised was on the next night to con ceal themselves—Ned behind the well curb and Lewis behind a house a short distance from the store, so that when Mr. Redfcarn left the store he would pass within a few *eet of them. Something occurred to mar the execution of this plan on the first night agreed upon. On the following Sat urday night, between eleven and twelve o’clock, Ned and Lewis proceeded to carry out the diabolical scheme they had con trived. About midnight Mr. Redfcarn left his store, went to the rtable, as was his usual custom, and fed his horses, and then started for homo. Ho had no*' advanced very far before Nod approached him from the well curb and attacked him from the rear. Ned having stealthily advanced within striking distance, struck him three blows on the head with a piece of plank about one inch thick and about three or lour inches wide, whieh ho had broken off a fonco near by. Lewis then approached the senseless body and inflicted still another blow. After the deed was accomplished they commenced to reap tho fruits of their crime. They completely rifled the pockets of Mr. Red fearn, abstracting therefrom $470 in green backs and a Smith & Wesson pistol. Lewis, to escape detection, fled to South Carolina, but Ned remained in the neigh borhood. Early Sunday morning Dr. Mc- Rao discovered tho body lying on the ground. Having given information of the fact, many neighbors were immediately summoned to the spot. Their suspicions soon centered on Lewis Coppedge as the perpetrator of the deed. Posters were printed and sent to Cberaw, South Carolina, whither Lewis had gone. There, under the assumed name cf Lewis Chavcrs, ho purchased a large quantity of goods from Mr. W. S. Reid, a merchant in that place, and Mr. Reid thus discovered that Lewis was ia pooocjniuu of’nu unnsuallv large amount for a negro. He interrogated Lewis as to what was the secret of his great fortune. Lewis not being able to give a satisfactory reply, Mr. Reid procured bis arrest, sus pecting that ho was the murderer of Mr. Redfearn. Lewis protested his innocence. Through the assistance of the United States troops then stationed at Cberaw lie was delivered into the hands of the offi cers of tho county. On his way from Cheraw to White Store, the place to which lie was carried, he made a full confession of his participation in the crime, at the same time implicating Ned Myers, Jim Coppedge, George Chambers, Lottie My ers and Lewis Henry. A Court of Oyer and Terminer was held by Ralph P. Braxton, one of the Superior Court Judges, for the trial of tho five ne groes charged with the murder, on the 20th of May, of Janies W. Redfearn. Ned Myers ami Lewis Copperge were clearly proved guilty and sentenced to be banged on Friday, the 21st day of July. At tho time appointed for executing tho sentence of tho law, while both of tho convicts wero upon the fcaffjld, the Sheriff gave pci mission to Lewis to “make some remarks” to tho spectators, in ac cordance with a wish that he had pre viously expressed, who delivered himself as follows: lewis’ speech. “I say, I went to the store on Wed nesday night, aud I stayed there until Saturday night, and I killed Mas’r Jim Redfcarn. I had a mother then, and from ber I got soiii''thing to rat, and then it was that I told her goodby. She know nothing about my going to kill Mas’r Jim- I think that she thought I was gone over the river. I stayed there until Saturday night. I killed Mas’r Jim myself, and none but God and myself knows anything about it. They say that I wantod to kill Sam Redfearn, and that I said I warted to kill him. That ain’t so. I never did say ar.y such thing. My brother Jim and Ned Myers, who now stands by mo on the gallows to be bung, bad nothirg to do with it and knew nothing about it. Where is Mas’r Townley Redfearn ? I knows that I wronged the Itedfoarns. I knows I wronged them badly, and cow I ask their forgiveness for it. I abused them by my acts and I know 1 did wrong, and I ask forgiveness. I hope they will all for give me, as I am soon to go to meet my Gcd. Thero was nobody there but me. I tell all you black folks yoa must never steal anything, and if you have stolen anything never steal anything more. Never go where there is bad men, WICKED MEN. LOOK AND SEE WHERE IT HAS BROUGHT ME. THERE IS A PARTY THEY CALL THE UNION PARTY—TIIS Radical party. They never do us no good. They no us harm. They make us do mean things. No Radical ever come to me and S3y, Lewis, here is some thing before you die. I advise you all to take care of yourselves. Good many of you tnav ihiuk my brother Jim and father had something to do with it, but the God on high knows that no one else had but me. I picked up a piece of plank, slip ped up behind him and knocked him down. I took his money. It was all he had. 1 hope to meet you all in the king dom. I know there is a Saviour on Hi throno that will save me. lam not afraid of them ropes aad this platform. I«m afraid of my 9onl. My time is short, but I hope to meet you all at a better day. This dying confession of the misguided j negro is particularly remarkable for the warning which he gives his fellows. Id the face of tho awfol doom which awaited him the next minute, while penitent to watds those whem he had cruelly wronged in the ermmission of a foul deed, he is yet anxious that his advice and example should be of benefit to his race. He warns them not to go where bad men are. and tells where they are to be found—in “the Union party—the Radical party.” This is the calamity which he would aveit from his race—the Union party—Radical par( y_ w here thieving and robbery and murder is planned and executed. Our colored population would do well to heed the dying declarations of Lewis Coppedge, whose life of Radical association ter minated upon tho gallows. A foot race between freedmen for a purse of SSO, distance three-quarters of a mile, was to take place in Columbus on Satur day. There were numerous entries and much fuu anticipated. Letter from Baltimore. [SPECIAL corhespondence of toe chron icle k SENTINEL. 1 Editors Chronicle <fc Sentinel: The great Wharton poisoning case has had its day of scc3ation and horror. People do not talk much about it any more, but are patiently awaiting some other topic for gossip. The women arc all in favor of hanging Mrs. Wharton ; the men, while generally believing in her guilt, are willing to await the developments of tbe trial. Meanwhile, the public mind is bemg care fully prepared for the plea of insanity, the most peculiar phase of whieh hmge3 uj od the intimate connection existing between epiiepi-y and homicidal mania. If this the ory be correct, I, for one, will takcespeciaj pains to avoid any friends subject toepilep sy, and never, under any pretense, takemilk punches or frosted pies at their houses. In Mrs. Wharton’s case there seems to be a prodigious amount of method in her madness. All who are supposed to have been poisoned were creditors, save one, and lie bad liis life insured for a very large arnouut. The poison used was a terrible instrument of destruction. The least bit of tarter-emetic applied to the external skin, as an ointment, makes fearful sores. Think of twenty grains taken into the delicate recesses of one’s stomach ! I don’t wonder poor Gen. Ketclium mutilated bis cheeks and abdomen in uncontrollable agony. Tbe great consolation with the Baltimore people is that Mrs. Wharton is tt rViJIID.) 1 nuiiittu aud UUO Us Uj© ** trOOiy loll.” " Following appropriately upon the Whar toD imbroglio is a spasmodic attempt to get up a Know Nothing party. Several obscure and disappointed office-seekers are just now engaged in a furious but, I think, futile attempt to array the Protestant ele ment against the Catholics cf this city. Their great grievance seems to bo the political power of the Catholics, and a fear that the “sacred right of parade” is iu imminent jeopardy. The political power of the Catholics is consequent upon their numbers. As this is a tree country, so called, and as numbers are supposed to be requisite for carrying elections, the Catholics cannot bo blamed if they do here as people generally do elsewhere, viz : look out for number one- As to the “ sacred rights of parade,” if men were half as tender and auxious about “6acred rights,” iar more important, it would be a deal better for the country at large. Straining at a gnat and swallow ing a camel is nothing to fussing about the “ sacred right of parade” and pas sively permitting the sacred lights of Con stitutional Libcr t y to go to the dogs. The men who are now agitating this folly are, no doubt, like the New York rioters, poor Christians and worse citiz.ms. It may help Radicalism, but cannot help Democ racy. The people here are disposed to let it severely alone. If they do, this pestilent “new movement” will die out or fizzle out very promptly. Polities and religion are bad mixtures; but dema gogues and effiec--lookers will always try to make havoc out of the most solemn things. Several weeks ago a prominent politi cian here told me who would be the nomi nees for different offices in this State. Sure enough, when the nominating convention met, the very meu he picked out were the fortunate candidates. I asked my friend how he was able to name the favorites. “0,” ho answered, “a few .of us fixed all that a year or two ago!” It is a fact that while the people think they are run ning the machine, it is really put in mo tion and managed by a very few adroit politicians. The most noted one hero is named Fowler. There appeais to bo no escape from bis capacious net. Here, as elsewhere, the money-ohangor? and moDev-rine favor tbe “ new depart ure” of Vallandigham. They want silt cess for the spoils it brings. As to princi ple in politics, I don’t think they comprehend its significance. I know, for certain, that the men who aro most de lighted at the “ new departure” aro Radicals. These are never weary of con soling themselves that if Democracy should possibly succeed on the Vallaodig ham platform it is a triumph of Repub licanism , but your shrewd Radical never for a moment doubts that Grant or any other man oan boat euoh Democracy os that into everlasting smash. From present indications, Augusta will presently have anew railroad, that pro jected from Sumter, S. 0., to Augusta, via Columbia. I know that the parties con trolling tlie Wilmington and Weldon and Wilmington and Manchester Railways are men ot' immense wealth and unflagging enterprise. Their engineers are now sur veying the route from Columbia to Au gusta, and if they determine to accomplish this projeot, I do not see what can prevent them. They come southward as lona fide capitalists, and not as State-aid adven timers. So far as tbe people of Augusta are concerned I presume that they will welcome all the roads that choose to push toward them, especially when built by men who are willing to risk their own money in the expirement. Roundabout. Reconstruction.—Several of cur ex changes have published a paragraph giving the statistics of the cotton factory at Augusta, Ga., but none seem to have appreciated their full force as argu ments in favor of tho protective policy, Dor their influence in bringing about a peace ful and satisfactory solution of the vexed reconstruction problem. Tho gross earnings of these Augusta cotton mills, together with i'ne interest for tbe year ending June 10th, were $196,- 649 53, and gross expenses $51,108 79, leaving as net earnings $145,504 84, from which four dividends of five per cent, each have been paid, amounting to $120,000, leaving $25,540 84 to go to profit and loss, and making $258,836 17 tho amount now standing to the credit of that acecunf. During the year 6,851 bales of o„tton, av eraging 440 pounds each, at an average cost of 15.26 cents per pound, were con sumed, the product of which was 10,185 bales of goods, measuring 5.525,728 yards, of which 10,121 bales were sold during tbe year, leaving on hand at date of report 64 bales. It was resolved to build anew mill with 15,000 additional spindles, at a coast of $450,000. This presents one among the numerous and now rapidly increasing instances in which the policy of protection is at this hour vindicating itself and bringing con tusion to its enemies. Hero is real, prac tical, genuine and satisfactory reconstruc tion —reconstruction which will be perma nent and far-reaching. Let us now hold fast to the present f-ysten , in spite of the British manufacturers and their allies in this country, and the day is not far distant when almost the entire cotton crop will be manu r actured in‘o yarn before leaving the South. With the increased prosperiiy which must corns to her from this and other diversified industries, she wi:l forget her wounded pride, become as truly loyal as Pennsylvania, and marvel at her own madness in having warred against the Union.— Philade’phii lYess. y The Witness Taliaferro.—Col. Sal fold, of the Selma Times, speaking ot this infamous fellow, says : We helped to lury. one Sabbath after noon in the fall of 1564, at our eld home in Madison, Gr., fivu Yankee prisoners, whom Capt. Taliaferro and two other as sassins like himself had foully murdered. Well do you remember his tolling us of how four of the men had pleaded for their lives, telling him that they were his prisoners, that they were soldiers, that they had their wives and little ones at homes, and that they ought not to be killed for doing nothing else than defend ing their flag ; then we remember how one brave spit it told him to kill, that he was an iefamous hound, destitute of all heart and soul, of courage and man hood, and that he could kill whenever he got ready, that a man had bat one time to die, and that the tied prisoner without any chance for his life would show Lim how a man could die. The infamous Taliaferro placed a pistol to the heart of ' the brave fellow and fired; not satisfied ! with kilhrg the prisoner, he mutilated him • by firing three or four shots into his head and face. Taliaferro told us this himself j before we went to where the prisoners . were dead ; and the fact of the killing ! sustained his statement of the butchery. Georgia Female College, Madison, f* 4 - The next academic year of this col lege begins Monday, September 18. It is situated in the delightful town of Madisoc, a place noted for its healthfulness and good society. Tee college is presided over by Rev. Geo. T. Browne, a gentleman of high attainments, and who is assisted by an ex cellent corps of instructors. The course of studies is very complete, and young la dies are offered every facility for acquiring a liberal education. AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, 1871. [From the Cincinnati Commercial, July 24.] A Brilliant Achievement. Gigantic Work on the Ohio and Missis sippi Road—The Gauge Changed in Seven Hours —How it tezs Accomplished. Between the hours of 4 and 11 a. m. yesterday the Ohio and Mississippi Rail road (main line) from Cincinnati to St. L mis was translb'med from a broad gauge io a Darrow gauge. Io seven hours 2,500 men reduced the gauge of 340 miles of railroad fifteen inches—seven and a haif inches on each side. Even to those actually engaged in the work this seemed an impossibility. Up to 1 o’clock yester day morning broad gauge trains were rushing over the road, east and west, seeking yards from whieh they were Dover to roll again on the wide trucks ot the pa.-t. By 11 o’clock a- m. yesterday new i engines, drawing the wide parlor cars mounted on narrow trucks, were travers ing the entire length of the transformed road. HOW TOPS CHANGE WAS ACCOMPLISHED we will endeavor to explain as clearly as possible- The road was divided into sixty eight section®, of five miles each ; aod an average force of iorty meD to the section— -2 720 men in the 340 miles —was secured to jump to the work simultaneously, at all points on the road, at daybreak yesterday. All along the line between thL city and East S‘. Louis these working gangs com menced at daylight yesterday. Each section gang was divided into two parties that worked towaid each other from the extreme points of their five miles, aiming to middle, making two and the time cccupied by forty average werkers in changing five miles would be the time devoted to the whole work by the entire force- OUR OBESRVATIONS of this vast but quick work were made by special train from this city to Seymour. A big, new freight engine, No. 100, run by N. Robeson, and drawing a post office car and a drawing room car, conveyed T. D. Lovett, chief engineer of the entire line; T. Van Name, superintendent of the Eastern and Louisville division ; A. Hay ward, chief operator, Vincennes office, and our reporter. Tbe men on the first sec tion worked west from tbe city and east from the ancient and renowned stink fac tory of the great and only Si Keck, meet ing opposite D. Thew. Wright’s residence at 7:40 a, in. At that point Mr. Hayward, the train having slowly followed tho men working west, tapped the wire and tele graphed the time of the completion of the section to both this city and St. Louis. Even at that early hour reports of the completion of sections were being tele graphed from many points west. The Os good section was reported finished at 7 a. in. * DETAILS OP THE WORK. The task of the day was to move the rails inward seven and a half inches on each side and spike them firmly to their new place—altogether 080 miles of rails of the main lino, beside many miles of switches with their frogs. Already, in the course of two months of easy work the new lines for the rails on both sides bad been fixed by the driving of the inside spikes, under the tops of which the inside “web” or shank of the rail could be im mediately fitted. Maoy miles of new rails which it was thought necessary to lay at tbe curves on the outside bad already been put down, rendering it unnecessary to im mediately move the old outside rails. The “dentists,” as they might appropriately be called, two on each side, led the van with their big claw leavers, jerking out the in side spikes of tbe broad gauge. After them, two on each side also, came the “liners,” whose business it was to push the nails inward to the new lines and “line up” the rails firmly, while the squad of “spikers” that followed drove the spikes firmly in over eacli “web,” on about every other tie, leaving the completion of tbe spiking to be accomplished in a more leis urely manner. RAPID WORK. Our reporter vouches for the active and energetic work of such squads as he had an opportunity to observe in their opera tions. They made a full mile to tho hour, each squad followed by a hand-ear bearing tools and by boys who carried buckets of water Ibr them. Oue following tlieae men and watching their work closely would have to stop out briskly at times to keep up with them. Their progress seemed almost incredible as they pushed forward with constantly rising and falling mauls and tho incessant ring of continuous blows on spikes and rails. At a distance from them the metalic click, click, click, that raDg from the shifting rails aod was caught up by the iron lines far ahead seemed to come fiom under the earth, making a perfect acoustic illusion. The reader will boar in mind that with the Fish-joint the rails form a continuous lino, and were Bhificd in that form, the work of the “liners” being directed first on tho joints and then at the middle of the rail '. Look ing ahead over a space cot yet completed by the laborers there could always be seen a strip of the old gauge suddenly narrow ing into the new. COMPEIITORY ENERGY. The majority of the men thus employed at 25 cents per hour seemed to partake of the spirit of tho occasion, and to work with enthusia-m as well as for pay. They seemed to realize that they were engaged as actors iu one of the greatest transfor mation scenes of the age. A scene at Delhi will suffice to illustrate. In one-tof the gangs working to a junction there a small, rather iflim Irishman who seemed possessed of the genius of energy. Ho kept three or four meu on tho keen jump to follow him in adjusting a frog and switch. He was very dirty and quite slimy with perspiration, and his hands were bleeding from several rough cuts re ceived in the work. Looking up and noticing a squad of men stealing a moment’s rest he was completely over come- “ Luck at thim luiers,” said he. “ D—n ’em, they’ll niver Deed to change their gauge ; they’re small onus now” — and away he went to help “line up close” ahead. The work from Cincinnati to Os good, as reported by Roadmaster Burke, was all completed by 9 o'clock. ALONG THE ROAD the people flocked to tho various scenes of industry and watched the proceedings with much interest, and at the stations crowds collected and cheered “the first narrow gauge train.” One of the most interested spectators was Father Kline, the Catholic priest at Aurora. He joined the party on tho train after the hundred men that lie bid sent to the work bad done tlieir full duty ; and in a glass ot champagne toasted tbe “narrow gauge,” “for,” said he, “you know it is a narrow road that leads to Heaven, and the broad one leads to—well, too far south.” The Vice-President of tho road, Mr. A. M. Chrystie, who bail overtaken the train on a locomotive, drank to this toast, together with the others —“To the narrow gauge that at least leads to tbe haven of finan cial security.” Father Kline was the most enthusiastic man over tbe change to be found. A fast lriend of the road ever since it hauled the first stone to build his church many years since, he had done all iu his power to secure men to work on “my section,” and had driven tLe first spike. THE LISES OF THE NEW ROAD, as presented to the view from either front or rear of the train, were four in number. There were the long straight lines and curves of the rails, and outside ot them the two light streaks in the weather-bat tered ties that marked where they had rested of old. As the engineer of No. 100 squinted along them, and noticed the response of his iron horse, lie remarked, with much satisfaction : “ This work is mighty well done, as well as quickly. This engine never did any work before ; she s raw, and the way she acts tell how the road feels to her.” WHY THE CHANGE WAS MADE it is hardly necessary to tell; but it cm be done in a lew words. The wider the track the heavier the rolling stock, the faster the destruction of the costly rails, ami the more the expense of keeping up a good road-bed —all of which count up in big figures in a year. Aud there is the ad ditional original cost ot running-gear and bodies of cars and of repairs, together with many other items. In this country breed gauge roads are a pronounced finan cial failure, and must, for the present reach of railroad foresight, at least, yield to the narrow. Some three years ago the managers of the Ohio and Mississippi decided on the change, and went largely into the work of preparation, purchasing many cars- They were forced to abandon the enterprise for a time, but revived it a year ago, and pushed it vigorously to the success attained yesterday. THE EQUIPMENT. The task of narrowing the road was not the only heavy one. They had to obtain (by changes of trucks and works and by purchases of new rolling stock) the com plete narrow gauge equipment for this long line, of which tire following is an approximate list; Eoginp? + 127 Box freight earr.q 1,000 Coal cars * 375 Flat car? 275 Stock cars a 100 Fasseager oars, lirf-class 46 Baggage car? * 18 Express cars 6 Mail cars 5 Parlor cars 4 Wrecking cars— 4 Officers’ car 1 Paymaster's car... 1 Total 1,972 TOHESGINE3 of this road are rerfectly uniform in ap pearance. They c mbeT up to 127 inclu sive, and the numbrs are all ia full. They are plain—“painfiilly plain,” a lady on the road remarkd yesterday. Much money has been swed in dispensing with unnecessary paint, but there they are, great, black, heary, puffing, grunting monsters, ready t< tug faithfully ud tie heavy grades arotnd the " canals” and dash over the jniries of Illinois, with their heavy burden of living and inani mate freight. Tho? can get along very well without fancy jaiutieg, aod the names of railroad Presidmts and Superintend ents, ani towns and cities. Over ihe road. On all the divisions of the road engines were drawing cars containing the officers yesterday inspectirg the work. ' These trains ran east fran St. Louis and west from this city, ineetng those in both di rections from Vincjnnes. By 4 p. m., evert foot, of Lonn tested and round perfect anA teaflrfor l ‘ ie trains to start out on their usnai tune table to-day, and make time everywhere. I>y the time this reaches the eye of the reader, trains will be running east and west just as if nothing had happened. The indefatigable W ier, of the Adams, proclaims as follows: “The first through car of the Adams Express Company, from New York to St. Louis, via tbe narrow gauge Ohio and Mississippi route, arrived in this city last night, and will go forward on (he first train this morning.” | COMMUNICATED.] Editors Chronicle & Sentinel: Some time since, after you hail published the speech of Dr. Casey, made before tbe Stockholder’s Convention of the Augusta aud Hartwell Railroad, you say, tho pre face thereto would not have been publish ed owing to tho strictures on Charles R. Abbott, if you had read them before pub lishing. Now, as I understand this to mean, that you know nothing against Abbott, I propose to enlighten you and your readers as to what the author of that preface meant, especially as Abbott is filling a public position—that of Secretary of an important railroad enterprise ; aud, moreover, tho acknowledged tool and ex ponent of Geo. D. Chapman, whom you have frequently exposed and denounced. The writer of tbe preface knew just enough ot tlie history of Chas. R. Abbott to convince him, as “ strong as proofs of holy writ,” that he had “ many a time aud oft,” for dishonest purposes, left un done those tilings which he ought to have done, and done these things which he ought not to have done, anil that there was no honesty in him. I, however, claim to bo in possession of several documents and facts, incoutrovertable, and I purpose giving them to the public, in order that they may know what “ manner of man” they have in their midst, and what cre dence to give anything he may do or say. The people of the South, ever siocc the sur ender, have been the victims of adventurers and carpet-baggers of “low degree,” but in no single instance have they been more grossly outraged than by tho presence of this maD. Ho is the con fidential friend of the notorious Geo. D. Chapman, and right well does he play his part. Chapman knew his man- He can never kick at any work however dirty, for if does ho i3 instantly reined up and has flourished over his head, in terrorem, his former dark deeds, which, like Baminn’s ghost, will never down, Out will forever flit before his mental vision.in apparitions cf this complexion: City of Philadelphia, ss. The Commonwealth of Pesnsylvavia. To any Constable ana to the Keeper of the Philadelphia Corn,tg Prison, Greeting: f,—■—. 1 These are to authorize and re ■< L. S. > quire you the said Constable, (■—) toitbwith to convey and deliver into the custody of the Keeper of the said Prison, the body of Charles H. Abbott, charged before Joseph Eaew, Recorder of the said city, on tho oath of O. 11. R-im buger, with a misdemeanor —emb?zzlem(nt of $3,827 05, as Treasurer of the Passen ger Ra-lroad Relief Association. Aud you the said Keeper arc hereby required to receive the said Charles R. Abbitt into your custody in the s aid pris on, and him there safely to keep until the next Court of Q. Sand O- TANARUS., or until he shall theDce be delivered by due course of law. And for so doing this shall be your sufficient warrant. Given under my hand and seal, this 13tb day of December, 1804. Joseph Enew, Recorder. Bail demanded, $5 000. I certify the above to be truly copied from the original commitment. JoiinMirkie, Sr., Keeper of the Philadelphia County Prison. Discharged by the Clerk of Quarter Sessions, January 7, 1805. City of Philadelphia, ss. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To any Constable and to the Keeper of the Philadelphia County Prison, Greeting : r ) Thesf, are to authorizo and re ?l.s. > quire you, tho said Constable, (—• I forthwith to convey and deliver into the custody of the Keeper of the said Prison, the body of Charles R. Abbott, charged before Joseph Enew. Recorder of said city, on the oath of James West, President, with forgery, in falsely and fraudulently issuing a certificate for seven ty-nine shares of the strek of the South wark & Frankford Passenger Railway Company. And you the said Keeper are hereby re quired to receive the said Charles B. Ab bott into your custody in the said prison, and him theresafely to keep until the next Court of Q S. and O. TANARUS., or until he shall thence be delivered by due course of law. And for so doing this shall be your suffi cient warrant. Given under my hand and seal, this 19th day ol December, 1864. Joseph Enew, Recorder. I certify the above to be truly copied from the original commitment. John Miricie, Sr., Keeper of the Philadelphia County Prison. D'seharged January 7, ’65, by the Clerk of Q. Sessions. In regard to vlio above writs of com mitments, I would state that gentlemen of responsibility, well-known in this com munity, have seen a letter from the State’s Attorney of Pennsylvania, in which he asserts that Abbott was discharged solely by bis friends pecuniarily satisfying the wrong and causing the prosecutors to withdraw. And. now then, sad as ’his “ sorry sight” would bo to a “ contrite heart,” it has no such effect upon him, for, with a brazen affrontery, almost sublime, this carpet-bag ger deliberately sits down in our midst ard thus writes ol the purest of men, when we were mourning him as a dead hero aDd Christian gentleman: * * * * ♦ * “Gen. Lee is dead and the papers are in black, and the Mayor recommended a general suspension of business to day, bnt I have not seen the suspension yet. The idea, the hero of a hundred battles! and yet they were used up. The Christian gen tleman ! Ahem; remained on General Scott’s staff until he was informed of all his plans and then took command of the army against us. High-toned, honorable, F. F. V., alias traitor. Write soon. Truly, vours, Abbott.” * * * * * * Can carpet-bag impudence go father than this? Can the patience and for bearance of a people be more fully estab lished? I think not. But briefly, Ido tbink if the Ku-Klnx were the horrid peo ple they are represented, he would long, ere this, have adorned a lamp-post in il lustration of their summary justice. Northerner. Despotism vs. Republicanism.— The Teue IssrE befoie the country is thus per spicuously stated by Judge Trumbull, the (Republican) Senator from Ilinois ; The question is whether we are to revolu tionize this Government, and no longer have a Republic composed of separate States, but a centralized, consolielaUd Government—to strike out thirty-seven stars, and have but one. Letter from Crawfonlville. Crawfordcille the* to a Barbecue in Wilkes county —The Wagon Crowd— Crops by the Wayside—The “Cue" — Gen. D. M. Du Bose s Speech on Poli tics. Crawfordvili.e, July 27, 1871. Editors Chronicle & Sentinel : At half-past seven this morning, a com pany seated in a two horse wagon belong ing to Hon. A. H. Stephens, started en route to a barbecue at Philips’ Church, Wilkes cou-ty. This was thimmortal wagon crowd of whom the distinguished were Judge Hammack, Mr. Mercier, Air. Wilberforce Daniel (of your city), Mr. Hargrove and yours to command or drive —tbe writer. Some were seated upon chairs placed upon the floor of the wagon body, while others made themselves comfortable, rest ing themselves upon pieces of plank laid upon the sides and reaching across the wagon body. In this style the driver having cracked Lis whip, and taking his course in a northwardly direction, we set out. Before aud behind us, plebian bug gies filled the road, each cairyicg two persons, who demeaned themselves as if tLey had the cares of the world and a Radical Congressional Ku-Klux Commit tee on their shoulders aud in tlieir hearts. Not so with us. Our journey was a pleasant one, enlivened throughout its length by discussions between a cotton dealer and a bacon dealer, relative to the importance of their professions to the coun were now and again seasoned with jokes, bringing infinite merriment and provoking laughter. Occasionally our Judge’s opin ion was evoked to decide between the talk ist?. This was always given fearlessly and boldly, with that dignity and candor which distinguishes his character, never forgetting to refer to the most excellent cotton gins of his manufacture, nor omitting sorrowful regrets at the blindness of the miserable Ku-Kluxed generation that pat ronize Gullet and other Ku-Klux manu facturers of Northern cotton gins. The crops on the road side of our jour ney are very good. They begin to show, however, the need of rain. Upon our arrival at the church we found a largo assembly of ladies and gcntluneD, Washington, Raytown, and other neigh boring towns, sending full representations, scattered in groups under the oaks, or seated in the house—all enjoying them selves in friendly converse, discussing fate, free will, taxation. General Grant, and the price of tho next cotton crop. Thus passed the hours until dinner was an nounced. Tbe ladies, in accordance with Georgia’s custom, were the solo partakers at the first table; after them came the sterner and “worsest” sex. The “cue” could not bo surpassed. The wagon crowd did themselves and it full justice. After dinner the crowd assembled in the ohurcb, and called upon General D. M. Dußoso for a speech. At first modesty hesitated, but afier a while consenting, was introduced to the audience by Mr. SlataD, and spoke for half an hour upon the political topics of the day. He told several jokes on Beast Butler and other Radical Congressmen, which received loud applause from tne audieDoe. He said he believed that the leaders of the Radical parly arc working for a centralized gov ernment. He believes in States Rights, ignores the K. K. bill, believes the New Departure to be Radicalism under anew name, and agrees with the policy expressed by Mr. Stephens in his paper, of ignoring the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Federal Constitution. I think Gen. Dußose represented tbe sentiments of tbe greater part of tho audience. After his speech several others were called upon but refused. The crowd new began to dis perse, and buggies and carriages might be seen going in every direction. Everybody wa3 well pleased, and there was no one who regretted his trip. Our wagon crowd met, got into our wagon and went home over the same road, thanking the good people of Wilkes for their kindness, and hoping to be able to return the compliment. J. W. R. Receipib of Wheat at St. Louis.— The Bt. liOuis Democrat publishes somo interesting tables comparing the receipts of wheat at Chicago and St. Louis, as follows: RECEIPTS OF WHEAT FOR A SERIES OF YEARS. Chicago. St. Louis. 4 852 937,436 1,645,387 1853 1,687.465 2.075 872 1854 3,038,955 2,126,272 1855 7,535,097 3,312,854 1856 8,867,760 3,747,224 1857 10,554,761 3,218,410 1858 9,639,614 3,835,759 1859 8,060,766 3,568,732 1860..’. 14 927,083 3 555,871 1861 17 385 002 2,654,738 1862 13,978,116 3 550,336 1863 11,408,161 2,621,020 1864 12,184,977 3 315,828 1865 9,266,410 2,452,722 1866 11.978,753 4,410,305 1867 13,695.244 3,571,593 1868 14.722 094 4 353,591 1860 16 876.760 6,736,454 1870 17 394,409 6,638,253 1871 (6 months) 4,339,675 3,322,756 Though this table does not show that St. Louis ha3 gained what Chicago has lost (for a considerable portion of it is going by way of Duluth from Mississippi river points), still, it will be seen that the receipts at St. Louis have about doubled iu the last six years, and, with a reduction in the oost of transportation on the Lower Mississippi, a further increase may be ex peoted. The Confederate Monumental As sociation. —We learn that the police organization of this city and the city offi cers have determined to subscribe to the Confederate Monumental Lottery. When the list was presented to our worthy Mayor, Charles Estes, E.-q., he subscribed for twenly ticket?, or SIOO, his name being first on the list. We aro also pleased to chronicle the fact that “Jennie Woodbine” (Mrs. Par due) has accepted tbe agency of the Asso ciation, tendered her by the General Agent?, and will canvass our city and county. In this conueotion, we are authorized to state that those courteous offietrs of the Southern Expr ss Company, General Su perintendent, M. J. O’Brien, and State Superintendent Hugh Dempsey, E q®., have tendered to the General Agents of the Monumental Association, L. & A. H. McLaw?, the privilege of sending pack ages free of charge to any part of the South. We corgratulate the Association upon the generous conduct of the Southern Ex press Company, which will materially re duce their necessary expense?. Stamp Tax.— The number of adhesive stamps issued by the Commissioner of Interna! Revenue daring the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, was 411,603,888, representing a value of $15,019,074, as follows : Documentary stamDS, 100,786,- 432, value, $10,820,066 ; proprietary stamps, for matches, patent medicines, etc., 304,877,456, value, $4,199,007. The result, as compared with the previous fis cal year, is as follows : Decrease in the number of documentary stamps issued, 58,011,278, and the money decrease on the same is $2,096,100 ; increase in proprie tary stamps, 7,184,870; the value in money increase, $24,047 ; aggregate de crease, 50,826,418, end $2,072,052, mainly io the two and five cent, denominations, formerly used to stamp receipts and pro missory notes of a less sum than SIOO, the tax upon which was abolished by the Act of July 14, 1870. Cotton Stealings. —The Commercial Advertiser says the cotton dealers are cast ing about to find some remedy for the im mense loss of weight, occasioned by pilfer ing from the bah by vagabonds, big and little. One plan suggested is the concen tration of the cotton at a few points, where it can be under surveillance all the time. It is proposed to establish gieat ware houses at Communipaw, Red Hook and at the Atlantic docks in Brooklyn. The Furvey of the line of the Griffin, Monticello and Madison Railroad was oommeneed on Saturday, The Ku-Klux MHk committee. TOUGH STORIES FOR STOUT RADICAL STOMACHS, Tho sub-Ku Kiux Committee, consist ing of Senator S:ott and Representatives Stevenson and Van Trump, visited Wash ington tc-day, returning from a sojonrn of four weeks in various parts of South Carolina, "here they have been in po t ing Ku-Klux outrages on the whites where they occurred. They first visited tho capital, Columbia. Moro than one hundred refugees, who had fled from vio lence in various ooumies, were there ; but after examining witnesses for two days, tho committe determined to go to the scenes of alleged violenco, and went to Spartanbuig. They expected to remain there only threo or four days, but stayed eleven. When word git out throueh Spartanburg county that they were there, whites and negroes, the victims of vio lence, came in by scores every day, from all directions. Murders and cruel whip pings by Ku-Klux bands had so terrified them that in many neighborhoods nearly every negro man and Republican white man had Uept in Hie woods for months every night. They showed scarified backs, gunshot wounds, maimed ears, and other proof's of violence they had suffered. In L’mestone Spring township 118 cases of whipping were proved. The commit tee awoke every morning to find in tho yard, by the hotel, anew crowd of victims of the Ku-Klux, some ineluuing whites who had suffered outrages which canmt be described with decency, after being whipped. The victims, well known per son?, were often commanded, under pain Vs '“U,’"' nnhlish a card renouncing tho Republican party. In a hie ol the boutn Carolina Spartan, a Democratic nows paper, forty-two such cards were found, recently published. At Uunionsvillo the committee remained two day?. Not rn avowed white Republican was found iu the place, though a member of the com mittee was privately assured by a tew that they would avow themselves if protected. The terror of the negroes here is complete. The last election was carried by a Republi can majority, but the Republican county officers received Ku-Klnx notices and all resigned or fhd. Tho policy there has been more towards murder and less to wards whipping. Tho killing of ten negroes, taken from jail by several hun dred Ku-Klnx, aoiing under a military organization, was investigated. A promi nent lawyer, on cross-iximinatioo, stated to the committee that he believed almost every respectable unmarried mania the county belonged to the Ku-Klux, and be believed a thousand Ku Klux were within a few days’ march of the vil lage. A negro Methodist preacher,named L. Thompson, who had an appointment, June 11, at Goshen Hill Church, Union county, received a Ku-Klux notico in the usual form not to preach. He preached, notwithstanding, to a very few, most of the congregation fhomg when they saw the notice. In the evening a klan of twenty mounted Ku-Klux came, tied him and whipped him, led him off several miles, dragging him part of the way tied to the horses, and whipped him again until his death ; mutilated him in a way that cannot, with propriety, bo described; hung him and threw tho body into tho Tiger river, leaving a notice forbidding any one to bury him. Before the oommittee returned, Senator Scott sent Thompson’s brother, now a refugee, from Columbia to Union oounfy with a letter, to insure him a strong guard of United States cavalry, to go to bury tho body which is reported to be still lying half decomposed on the water’s edge. Two more days were spent in examining witnesses in Columbia on returning from SpurtaDsburg. Ono day was occupied in hearing tho statements and general views of General Wade Hampton and General Butler, the Demo cratic candidate for Governor last fall. The committee then visited York county, where they remained nearly a week. They discovered at Yorkville a bitter spirit among the association after supper at the hotel. The evening of their arrival, Major Jas. Berry threw a pitcher of milk over Hon. A. S. Wal lace, the Representative of the district, and Hon. T. Stevenson. The ocmrnittee were just seating themselves at tho table and not a word had been spoken. Mr. Wallace jerked out a revolver and raised it to shoot Berry, the ladies screaming, but the landlord threw himself before Berry, and Mr. Stevenson coolly caught Wallace’s hand and ordered the landlord to take that man out of the room. Half a dozen friends gathered around Berry and he went out. In the course of half an hour several citizens of prominence called to apologize in ample manner in behalf of Berry, who was willing to go on his knees for what he alleged was an unintentional affront to Mr. Stevenson. It was subse quently ascertained that the business had been discussed by Berry and his friends, during the afternoon it was to be carried out, and that Berry had proposed to use hot coffee, but'finally concluded on milk. A colored band serenaded tho committee later in the evening. A crowd of young white men fflled the porch of the hotel, and were about the band, fre quently cursing tbe negrues and Yankees in an insulting manner. As the band went away, the crowd followed and near ly filled the sidewalk. Tho band and those with it, negroes, were kept by two village policemen from the sidewalk. One Degro was thrust off by a policeman, who says the negro resisted and struck him. A negro and two men close by, say the negro struggled to get away from the grip of tho policeman, who seized, cursed and struck him. Trio policeman tired at tho negro, and continued firing until ho had inflicted five wounds. The man wa3 still livitig when the committee left. Tho testimony showed that the policeman and tho Mayor were membors of the Ku-Klux, as no one was arrested. Tho community in York county were found in almost utter social and political demoralization, the civil au thorities being a helpless farce and mock ery. Co 1 . Graymcn, in commr.nd of a small force stationed there, an officer of high character and great energy, laid be fore tho committee details of sixty-eight cases of outrages whieh he had investi gated, some of them most revolting and horrible. It was found impossible for tho committee to examine more than a small part of the crowds of whipped, maimed or terror-stricken wretches who had fl icked in upon hearing of their coming. When the committee adjjurned, the buildiDg in which they sat was filled-stairs, halls and porches—with those waiting to be heard. The usual course pursued on ar riving at a place was to divide the time they expected to remain between the ma jority and minority of tho committee. Judge Van Trump usually called two or three of tbe most prominent lawyers, who each occupied several hours, setting forth the Democratic view of affairs, giving their opinions on the two races, the ineffi ciency and corruption of the Stale govern ment, and the feeling < f the white people toward the General Government. They always said they had of Ku-Klux, but never saw one. Generally they seemed to regard them as a virilance committee or irregular local police, and did not con sider them under any genera! organization, but simply to repress outbreaks. The ma jority then called for those who had seen and felt the Ku-K!ux. The oaths and forms of proceeding in the Klan councils, and modes of operation when on raids, were fully developed. Scores of men, whom the proof showed to be Ku-Klux, were examined, all of whom, except a few, whose disclosures were full and im portant, denied any knowledge whatever of Ku Klux. One who was shown to have been at several outrages, swore he had never heard of the existence of Ku-Klux in his life. Judge Van Trump subjected all the witnesses called by the majority to a most searching cross-examination. A Democratic Fusion op Holland and Belgium. —The Peuple Beige says : We are informed that a vast associa tion will be formed, having for its object the fusion of Belgium and Holland under the name of the Federal Republic of the Netherlands. It appears that this idea meets with numerous adherents in the two countries. The union of Belgium and Holland under a truly regublican govern ment would be, indeed, an immense ad vantage for their common prosperity. Bel gium would bring to the association her flourishing industry : Holland her rich commerce and her colonies. Uaited, they would soon form a powerful republic, which other nations would be obliged to respect. Bullock’s Bonds and the Testi mony Before the Ku-Klux Committee. Washington, July 31.—Bullock's finan cial agents in New York are movmg heaven and earth to counteract the effeot produced by the testimony of Generals Wright aod Gordon and Treasurer Angier, before the Ku-Klux Committee. The pub lication of the testimony played the devil with Bullock’s bonds.— Special Dispatch to Savannah Advertiser. Some of the upper counties of the State are flooded with Kimball Bhio-plasters. NEW SERIES—VOL. XXIY. NO. 32. Tbe belief Law. Important Decision of the Sapreme Court —The Law Sustained. [Reported Specially for the Atlanta Daily Sun.] Yesterday we published the Head Notes ot the decision of the Supreme Court io a case involving the constitutionality of the Relief Law passed by the late Legislature, in which that law is held to bo constitu tional. Wc take the earliest opporlunity to lay before our readers tbe full opinion of the Chief Justico in this highly important case, that the legal fraternity and the people everywhere may see the reasons given for sustaining that law: James B. Walker, ) Relief—Aot vs. >of 1870 Baker Wit. H. Whitehead.) County. Locurane, C. Ji Plaintiff brought his action for the re covery of a note due him from, defendant. The Court dismissed the case on the ground that the plaintiff had Dot filed his affidavit, required under the second section of tho act of 13th October, 1870, and granted an order dismissing said action, which judg ment was excepted to. It is contended that the act in question is unconstitutional, upon the various grounds which have been argued and re argued before this Court, until tbe path has both weakened down and the general authorities become familiar to every court and lawyer. In tbe view which we en tertain of this case, it would be a waste of time to review these various lists of authorities, which have been presented, in relation to the inlringement or impair ment ot contracts. tins question lias been adjudicated under the previous acts, so far as principal and analogy render them applicable to the case at bar. But we do not think that the case arising under the act of October 13, 1870, invokes any re view ot tbe principles of these former de cisions. The Legislature of Georgia has declared by the act in question that onr courts shall be closed to tho enforcement of claims, until the legal taxes due thereon shall be paid, and more than six months wero allowed within which parties plain tiff designing to use the processes of court, should conform to the requirements laid upon them. Had the State of Georgia, through her Legislature, the constitutional power to pass this act? If she had, then this question is settled. Before expre«siug an opinion upon this general proposition, let us first see what the act does. It requires a party, before using the processes of our courts, to pay all legal taxes chargeable by law upon such claims. Need we discuss the general power of the Legislature? Section 5, article one of the Constitu tion, Code § 5145, declares, “ The Gene ral Assembly shall have power to make all laws and ordinances, consistent with the Constitution, and not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, whioh they shall deem necessary anil proper to the welfare of the State.” This grant of power, delegated by the people in conven tion to the legislative branch of the gov ernment, is as broad as the limits of the State, aud as exten-ive as the public in terest or public welfare, in the opinion of tlie Legislature, may demand. It is aright restrained in its terms by only two limita tions : first, tbe Constitution of the State itself, and second, the Constitution of the United States. By reference to the Constitution of Georgia, the power of taxation is declared to exist over tho whole State, and shall be exercised by the General Assombly. Ibo Constitution of the United States conlains no prohibition upoD this exercise of tho sovereign power of the State ; nor, in deed, could it be in any manner invaded, without an infrignment of the social com pact. If it then be conceded as a right that tho State has power to impo?o tax, it follows as tho primary proposition, that she may also provide the means of their collection, and impose penalties upon all whs* may fail in their compliance with hor legitimate demands, and the power, there fore, to impose tax and collect tho same, is one which can be questioned by do au thority whatever ; nor is it in Ihe pro vince of the courts to pass upon the wis dom or policy of the Legislative acts, or restrain their enforcement, exoept thero be a clear violation of some constitutional provision. We, then, go to the Constitution of tho United State?. Articlo 1, 8 lotion 10, Code $ 5023, oontains the limitations of the powers of tho individual States ; and it declares, among other thingp, that no State shall pass any law impairing the obligation ot contracts. Does Act in question fall within this constitutional in hibition ? The preamble, whioh is the in tent of the Legislature of Georgia, as to the character and purposo of this Aot, declares it to be “an Aot to extend tho lien of sot tff and recoupncnt, as against debts contracted before tho first day of June, 1865, and to deny to such debts the aid of tho Courts until tho taxes thereon have been paid.” Thus it will be seen that the declared purpose of tho Act, so far as tho Legislative declaration is con cerned, is not to interfere with tho con tract in any manner whatever, nor to im pair its obligation, but is simply in tffoot to oompcl parties to pay tlieir legal taxos chargeable by law, or to deolare tho samo to have been paid, htfjro tho Courts of Georgia will give the benefit of its pro cesses and powers and the use cf tho legal offices, to enforce the contraot or obliga tions. But it will bo said this law is -’unningly dovised to afford debtors some relief against the payment of their debts, because of the right of tho State Court to dismiss cases where the legal tax has not been paid ; as a legal proposition, it is not denied that the State may imposo a tax upon such claims. Tho United States has passed laws for the collection of taxos, and a paper failing to bear upon its faco tho proper stamps that are due upon suoh contracts or promissory notos will be re jected id evidence, and the United States Courts will not entertain juiisdiction. The law of Congress has not nrcscribcd for the dismission of suoh actions, but will not allow the Federal Courts to enforce them ; and such denial is not considered an im pairment of the obligation of contracts, but arises from the fault of tho plaintiff id not affixing to tho evidence, in the manner prescribed by the laws of tho United States to the instrument which ho brings into Court and invokes the processes of the Court, to enforce if, the stamp or tax re quired by law ; and this general pnociplo iu the law shows that the Legislative power of the State or National Govern ment has the right to prescribe not only the rules of evidence in relation to the payment of such taxes, but to direct the dismissal of such suits as may fi-ll within the rules of evidence thus proscribed. We arc accustomed to take too limited a view oi the great powers which are legitimately in the Legislative departments of tbo Government. While in theory the other departments, judicial and executive, are oc-ordinate, yet the people look to the Legislature as the fountain of power, whose right it is to direct the action and enlarge or limit the powers (xercisod by the others. The Supreme Court of the United States may adopt rules to-day which the Legislature will tc-morrow re voke, and this Court, it its plentitude of power, is alike the lulject of State legisla tion. And when the Legislature, by the Aot of 1870, prescribes that it shall be the du ty ot the plaintiff to file his affidavit that all legal taxes chargeable by law on con tracts have been duly paid, and that he expect; to prove the same on trial, And upon failure to file such affidavit, the suit shall be dismissed, it only laid down a rule of evidence, incumbent on the plaintiff, the neglect of which will result in the dis missal of his suit, and this rule is in con sonance with the others equally arbitrary and equally disastrous, if not complied with. Case after case, involving great le gal righte a few terms ago, are dismissed for non-complianoe with 000 of the rules of this Court, and to-day, the failure to file a bill of exceptions in proper form and in proper time, or to furnish the proper briefs, would be visited with equally dis astrous consequences.. Mistakes in plead ing or a misconception of duty would en tail the same resultp. The Legislature prescribes the machinery of the Court, the mode and manner of bringing actions, the times within which they must be brought, the rules of evidence governing them and the form in which theo must te presented—and we may here remark that great substantial changes have been made in the judicial system of our State, which are recognized as beneficial. Much has been said io_ argument as. to the character of this legislation as being against tha policy oflhe Federal Constitu tion, which we do not feel called upon to decide. By reference to the powers ol the General Assembly, we find they are invest ed with the power to maze such laws as they deem neoessary to tho welfare ot the Htate ; as to what may be tho wcllare of the State, they are constituted the sole judges. Nor is this anew power, found only io the Constitution of 1868, but it is found iu tho other Constitutions preceding it, and belongs to a series of Legislative acts, oommenoing with the great revolution through whioh we pasted, and designed to protect the peoplo on the little that had been left from a disastrous war. It was considered propor and legitimate for tho Legislature to save what could bo from the wreck and ruin, and intorpose its power against exactions by thoso who, with tho process of the Courts, would have plunged the uofortunato deb tors still further into ruin. To logislato for tho publio welfare, whioh was a Con stitutional duty of tho Legislature, invoked tho very highest degree of statesmanship. With singular unanimity they and their successors have endeavored to preservo tho public wolfaro and to protect tho in dividual and save what oould bo saved out of the unfortunato rosults of war. This last Act under review is more Constitu tional as to tho legitimate powers exercised under the Constitution, in view of tho publio welfare, than the legislative ordi nance of 1865, whioh has been held by this Court to be Constitutional. In Slaughter vs. Culpepper, 35 Georgia ltoports, pago 27, this Court, in construing tho scooud Section of tho Ordinance of 1865,. and in replying to tho argument that this Ordi nance was violative of tho Constitution of the United Slates, whioh forbids any State from passing any law ‘‘impairing the ob ligation of contracts,” says: ‘‘Wo oan not think this olauso of tho Or dinance obnoxious to the objcotioD. It docs no more, really, than chango a rule regulating tho admission of testi mony in Courts of law.” _ “Who is pre pared to deny,” savs this Court, by a unanimous dcoision, “ that tho Logislaturo may not, at its discretion, alter and amend old rules of evidence —establish now l Who, that it may not obliterate all dis tlnuMuua wUloti m»v* vjtiuirictcii-o «mo*loy of prooeduro in Courts of law andTlourts of equity, and to oommand, if they ro enact, that tho broad and liberal principles upon whioh justioo is administered on tho equity side of our Suporior Courts, shall apply to and oontrol tho vordiots ot jutios on its law sido?” May not tho Government thon demand the payment of tho legal taxos due, before its Courts shall be used for the enforoomeut of suoh contracts upon which legal taxes are duo and ohargeable, and to grant timo within which suoh taxes shall be paid and to prcscribo tho tnodo by whioh suoh facts shall appear ? Away back of 1865, we found the same prinoiplo of publio well'aro incorporated into tho publio acts of this State, finding its ex pression in laws intended to protect tho people ftom tho cxigonoios by which they were then surrounded. This scries of en actments has no wdrd of import to vary the obligations of oontraots, but simply to impose now rules of ovidonco by whioh tho conditions arising out of tho war may bo established by testimony. Tho condition into whioh tho State was plunged by tho war invokes the samo legislation for tho Sublio wolfaro. Slavery was abolished. Ivory speoies of property bad mingled in the general ruin. The protection of prot erty had been neglected by tho law. Tho crops wero mado contributory to tho Confederate Commissioners. Our peoplo wero heavily in debt. Tho ourrcncy of tho Unitod States, in which these debts might havo boon paid, was prohibited oiroulation under a penalty, and nothing was left undamaged, savo tho cvidcucos of debt, which had been regarded as worth less, while tho oorfliet was ragmg, but came to light by the restoration of peaoe, and whioh, by their enforcement, would have left the Stato of Georgia a republic of paupers. Wo think tho legislation propor, and demanded by tho publio wel fare; that it exhibits tho wisdom of tho Legislature, and should bo sustained by the Court, to protect the people from over whelming ruin. Unless restrained by tho constitutional prohibition, they should bo sustained on tho ground of constitutional right ; and in the oaso at bar, wo havo no doubt. As to tho particular aot, wo think the Legislature had tho right to deny its processes and tho powers ot its own courts to all persons who lail to pay the legal taxes due and chargeable thereon, and de clare to the people wliut shall be tho evi dence that this is done, and we ooofirm tho action of tho Court below, in dismis sing the case. Those taxes ought to havo been paid to the Comptroller Genoral, and tho party mado affidavit as prescribed by the statute, aod upon bis failing to do so, and filing the affidavit, it was only carry ing into cffcot tho plain prescribed term& of tho aot itself, to dismiss the case and grant an order ot dismissal. Nothiug can to clearor than that tho oontraot shall remain untouched. Thcro is not a word of the act impairing the con tract, nor is tho remedy providod by law denied. Both tho obligation and the remedy nro distinctly left as they existed, nor is thcro any unroasouable burden im posed. Tho duty to pay tax is one of tho highest duties of citizenship known to tho law, and whon any olass of men evado their payment, tho act is not only in vio lation of law, but imposes upon others an additional burden of taxes to make good the default. Wo do not see why tho plaintiff or owner of tho noto should com plaio. If ho has paid tho legal lax duo and ohargablo thereon, then ho is entitled to his contract, and tho Courts are opon to him ; but if ho has not paid it, why should tho Government opon its Courts to ono who has confessedly failed to comply with his duties as a citizen, and has failed to pay his legal taxes due to tho Stato. It it is a sovereign right to prevent tho citi zen from voting, who fails to pay his tax, has not the State the samo right to pre vent him also from the enforcement of his claims in her Courts, until tho taxes on them arc paid? It is said that it is ex post facto. By ref erence to tho act itself we find tho answer. It imposes no new taxes, provides no for feiture. Amplo time is allowed —six months aro given within which this law may he oomplied with, and after a consideration of the whole caso, we havo como to tho con clusion which I shall now read as tho judgment of this Court in tho ease at bar. Brazil. —New York , July 26. —A pri vate lotter received by last stoamor from an American resident at Para, Brazil, dated July 4, says tho yellow fever lias assumed a very malignant form at Para ; nearly every stranger in this oity has died. The English Consul died a few days ago, and I hear to day that his wife is dying. Drs. Lamar, Watohcr, Guadcraß and Laßas, and all tho other Brazilian phy sicians, are losing nearly all their patients with yellow fever. All strangers aro liable to tako tho fever in Para, and nearly overy Portugese who emigrated to Para in the last six or oight months has died. Several steamers which lately arrived at New York from Para, havo been quaran tined in tho lower bay; tho last stoamcr from Rio was permitted to reach hor dock, though she had touched at Para. Nashville and Chattanooga Rail road Suit Compromised.— Tho suit of tho United States vs. Tho Nashvillo and Chattanooga Railroad Company, which has been pending since Novomber, 1869, in the Circuit Court of the United States, has been compromised. The railroad com pany pays to the United Stales $1,000,000 in bonds oi the company, bearing 4 per cent, interest, and running twenty and forty ycarp. The amount in controversy was about $1,750,000, and was the amount claimed by the Government for rolling stock, material and improvements whioh tho road received during and at tho closo of tho war. An Elegant Extract.—Ah compli mentary opinions of Gen. Grant are now in order, aod lest there be any mis akc in re gard to Goo. John A. Logan’s chaste ideas of his availability, wo transcribe them from the Chicago Republican : “ Our soldier Senator was asked a few day* ago, in his room at the Treraonl, how he thought Grant would run. 'Run I’ said he, ‘he’d run like h—l, with a tin kettle tied to his tail.’ ” In the matter of delicate appreciation and eloquent expression, Gen. John A. Logan is evidently a worthy representa tive of a Republican Slato iu the United States Senate. Southern Claims Commission. —Tie Commissioners have so ohanged tho rule concerning the taking of testimony as to provide that in any case not over $3,000 in amount, claimants may apply to any of the special commissioners appointed iu the Southern States to take the testimony in their ease for the use of the Commis sioners at Washington, and that applioa tiou need no longer be made to tho Com missioners themselves. Tho application must be a written one, and contain infor mation best expressed in a form prepared by the Comaiissioners, of whioh speoimon copies will bo ready for thoso concerned in a few days,
