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About Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1877 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1874)
a*ntJ SmrtneL WEDNESDAY... .JANUARY 21, 187*. THE SALARY GRAB. The salary grab has at last been dis posed of. Ou yesterday the act repeal ing the act by which the salaries of Congressmen were raised five thousand dollars per term received the Executiv* signature and is now a law. It was at first supposed that the President would veto the bill in order to save those ol his Congressional friends who voted foi the compuls on the feai of their constituents’ anger—but who thought the President/would save them by refusing to give it his sanction. But General Grant, as*his own increased salary was nntonchcd, has refused to throw himself into the breach for his Tr ends, and Congressmen will now have to live for three months on five thou sand dollars, their mileage and the very liberal perquisites; which they receive. Sad, is it not ? GHAUT'S “BOOMERANG." The Liberal Republicans are chuck ling over the discovery of the letter hmong the Confederate archive* which caused the Senate to reject the; nomina tion of Mr. Caleb Cushing. It will b< remembered that these archives were purchased from the Confederate Colonel, J C Pickett, in the Summer of 18r2, j for the snug little sum of seventy-five j thousand dollars. The ostensible rea son for this purchase was the desire ol the Government to get evidence of the disloyalty of parties who were claiming compensation for property destroyed b> the Federal armies dnr.ngthe war of the "Rebellion.” But the real reason was shrewdly suspected to be tbe belief that they which would •ho w that Horace Greeley had been in correspondence, dur.ng the strug- K IV with the Confederate Government. \ vigilant search failed to bring to light any such paper, and General Grant got nothing by the purchase. But when lu nominated Mr. Cushing to be Chief Jus tice tbe archives returned to plague him. Though they did not '‘criminate” Mr. Greeley, they did "criminate” Mr. Ccshino, and caused his rejection. If we uro not mistaken, the President’s boomerang will yet do further execution among his friends. It will not do to •examine those musty old papers too closely, or some more of these Radical saints will turn out to be rebel sinners. immigration for the south. A New York dispatch, published on Tuesday morning, stated that the Com missioners of Emigration in that city contemplated " paying the fares of a large number' of idle able-bodied emi grants to poriions of the South where workingmen aro scarce.” The Southern States need immigrants, especially South Carolina and G oigia, but it is of the utmost importance that they get the right kind of laborers, and wo con fess that this contemplated gene rosity of the New York Commis sioners looks decidedly fishy. It is very well known that the South has heretofore been unable to obtain many of the desirable class of foreign immigrants because of the superior ad vantages which tho Western apd North western States have been able to offer. Wisconsin, Kansas, lowa and Nebraska pay their railway fares, give them fertile land upon which to settle or found colonies, and carry them where they may have the society and companionship of their own people. Tho South is un able to do these things, and can only hope for immigration after the West has become settled, or by means of di rect trade through some Southern port. Wo are, therefore, afraid that tho generous offer of the New York Commissioners means that a swarm of lazy and worthless lazzaroni, which the West refuses to bo burdened with, is to bo turnod loose upon us. We don’t care for this kind of immigration, nor foi this class of immigrants, and, if our con jecture be correct, we hope the New Yorkers will keep their "idle aud able bodied men” to themselves. THE CONVENTION QUESTION. The Herald, of Tuesday, states that the Chronicle and Sentinel and tin Convention men are not agreed on the Convention question. Our Atlanta co temporary further says: "The friends of a Convention, both in and oiftside of tho Legislature, take ground greatly in advance of the Chroni cle. They wish the present Legislature actually to order an election of delegates in April, to a Convention to be held in May. What have our Augusta friends to say to that proposition ?” Wo have this to say, that tliero is no difference of opinion between the advo cates of a Convention, whether in the Legislature or outside of it, aud the Chronicle and Sentinel. The position of the Chronicle is that the Legislature should give the people an opportunity to vote at an early day on the naked issue, “Convention or No Convention. This is the liuo of policy maintained by tho advocates of the measure in the Legislature, so that there is really no difference of opinion between us and the friends of a Convention. We sug gested au election in October, but we certainly do not object to one a little earlier. Our information from Atlanta is that the question will bo submitted to the people. The Legislature will not undertake tho responsibility of calling a Convention, nor do the advocates and friends of the measure really desire to force that issue, but they will insist that the Legislature has no right to prevent the people from voting for or against a Constitutional Convention. At the proper time the Herald will as certain that the Chronicle and the friends of a Convention in the Legis lature are in accord as to the policy to be pursued and the issue to be present ed to the people. THE TEXAS TROUBLES. The bold aud decided stand taken by tho Democracy of Texas in the recent complications in that State has met with its fitting reward. The Radicals have been compelled to abandon the Louis iana programme of violence and usurpa tion which they had* intended to pursue, and their leader, Davis, failing to in timidate the legally elected Governor and Legislature, has retired from the Executive office. There can be no doubt that if the Radicals had received assistance or even encouragement from General Grant that they would have endeavored to retain possession of the government by force. But when thev saw that tho Administration was not disposed to brave such another storm of iudiguation as that aroused by its in terference with the alfairs of Louisiana, thev perceived the hopelessness of their undertaking and wisely abandoned it, It is unfortunate that General Grant did not send the same answer to Kel logg's application for United States sol diers that he did tc the requisition made by Davis. If he bad, the legal govern ment of that unhappy State would now have control of her affairs. It is non sense to say—as some of Grant’s apolo gias have said—that he only interfered for thw’ purpose of enforcing, with the power ot the Federal arms, the decrees of a Federal Court. Admitting this to be the case, thers 'would have been no decrees to enforce ha n °t the con spirators been assured of iJ® support of the Administration. It was only because they knew their scheme to be accept able to the President that they deter mined to carry it out. Texas Radicals had just the same right to appeal to the courts as did their brethren in Louisi ana, and they certainly had a much bet ter case. But, perhaps, they knew very well that the Federal Court in Texas would take its cue from the Administra- j tion just as did Doasw. in New Orleans and declined fce enaounter certain de feet. THE ROME COMMERCIAL. The last issue of the Rome Commer cial annouuces that Col. 8. Focuhb will in future preside ov«the politi cal department of that paper. Colonel Fcrohb is a well k*own citizen of Northern Georgia, a distinguished law yer and a vigorous and effeotive writer. We have no doubt that the Commercial will become more, prosperous and flour ishing than ever under his administra tion. We are glad to learn that while the great Southern humorist, Maj. C. 11. Sh.th (Bill Akpj lias retired from active duty as editor of the Commer cial, ho will still continue his contribu tions to its columns. A DESERVED COMPLIMENT. We find the following in the editorial columns of the New Orleans IHcayune : Gen. John B. Gordon, the Georgia Senator, as eloquent as lie is brave, at.d with a face seamed by the scars of bat tle, was charged with opposing the in crease of salaries of Union officers on the ground that, having been a Confed erate, he was actuated by spite. It was to these suggestions That he replied in the Senate ou Monday last. His speech commanded the undivided attention of the Senate and the galleries, and made a most favorable impression. There is no better man in the Senate than Gordon. He was the setting sun of the Confeder acy, and we predict he will be the ris ing sun of the South. This is a high but deserved tribute to the talents, the patriotism and the elo ! qnence of Georgia’s Soldier Senator. ! His recent speech upon the national i finances has attracted much attention i throughout the country, and tho North | is beginning to feel that the men of the 1 New South aro in every way the equals j of those who represented the Old. A LANDAULET inquiry. The resolution of Mr. Small in the House of Representatives, on Friday, having for its object an inquiry into the extent to whioh Government officers have gone into the business of purchas ing private carriages with public moneys, was evidently prompted by the revela tions made regarding the 81,600 landau lat in which the family of the Attorney General are wont to air themselves. The resolution failed of adoption owing to tho objection of General Butler, who is ever ready to prevent an exposure of official abases, but it is to be hoped that the subject will be taken in hand by the House and tho inquiry contem plated by tho resolution made. It is all nonsense to talk of cutting off abuses if no stops aro taken to ascertain just •vhat abuses prevail. “ TIIE DEACON SMITH GAME." Tho New York Sun has hammered away for we kuow not how many years at Deacou Smith, the "truly good” editor of the Cincinnati Gazette, who has “wicked partners,” which latter are by the Sun ironically held responsible for whatever appears in the Gazette cal culated to provoke public displeasure. We had become rather tired of the Sun’s interminable twaddle on this theme, and had supposed that it would produce fruits. But we see now that anew phrase has been added to the English | language, and au expressive formula been invented, as a consequence of this uhronio warfare upon Deacou Smith. The President of the United States hav ing been excused for nominating incom petent men for various offices on the ground that ho was imposed upon by his Cabinet officers or other friends, the World at once dubs this sort of apology "the Deacon Smith Game,” and every reader will see at once that it is a most expressive p rase. The "wicked part ners” are Cueswkll and Robeson, and Fish and Richardson, and the rest of tho Cabinet officers, as well as Morton, Conkling, Carpenter, and other per sonal friends of the President. Indeed, anybody who may mislead the unsus pecting Grant must be included amongst these “wicked partners.” “The Deacon Smith Game” is a phrase that is likely to survive the war between the Sun and the Gazette. LETTER FROM ATLANTA. [editorial correspondence of the OH ONIOLE AND SENTINEL.] Atlanta, Ga., January 21, 1874. To-day was a regular field day in the Senate. Tho prospective repeal of the lien law elicited a lively discussion. I send you the views of Senators pro and con, written out from memory, which will serve to show the opinions enter tained by tho prominent Senators who took part in the disoussion. The lion law is made the scape-goat for all the ills which the farming interests of the State suffer. The repeal of tho law may now be regarded as a certainty, though there will be some opposition to its passage in the House, as it is regarded by some of tbe small farmers, who con duct their business on the credit sys tem, as a positive hardship. The op position will not, however, bo formida ble as tliero is a general clamor from all portions of the State in favor of re peal. If the law has worked disas trously to the planting interest of the State, and that seems to be the impres sion, it ought to be repealed. Tiie measure originated with the planters who had it enacted for the purpose of obtaining credit to enable them to carry on their business. The unfortunate re sults of the present year’s crop have been di#istrous alike to the interests of planters and factors. While as a class, to their credit be it said the producers have met their obligations promptly, tho low price of ootton rendered it im possible for them to pay the merchants in full, thereby compelling the latter to tide their customers over for another year. But where this condition of af fairs does not exist, the meichant nnd factors have determined to curtail their advances, liens or no lions. The State Grange of Patrons of Hus bandry met in Convention in tbe House of Representatives this morning. There are over three hundred delegates ill at tendance. The number of lodges iu the State is four hundred and sixty, with a membership of fifteen thousand. The Convention sits with closed doors. I am informed that the morning session was occupied in organization. In the afternoon a resolution was passed recom mending the Legislature to pass a strin gent law suppressing the traffic in agri cultural products between sunset aud sunrise. I have it on good authority that the repeal of the lien law was dis cussed, aud that the bill which passed the Senate meets with the approval of the Grangers. The Convention was in session last night, and will meet again to-morrow. The accoustio properties of the Hall of the House of Representatives are simply wretched. Dr. Flewellex, Superintendent of Public Works, Las tried to improve them by stretching wires across the hall. Some of the Grangers became facetious, and during their deliberations it was suggested that speakers could be heard better if cotton was spread over the wiree and ribbons suspended from them. Other Grangers suggested that if that was the best At lanta could do for a capitol, the capitol ought to be moved to Dahlonega or some other seaport town. Hon. C. A. Netting, the able Chair man of tbe Finance Committee, submit ted to the House on yesterday the gene ral tax and appropriation acts for the currentyear. The general feature* of both acts are not materially different from chose i the last. There has been some increase ! ' i n pertain specific taxes. Both suggest" - - in skeleton shape, aud bills are merely. actioa it is impossible to anticip.. j of the Legislature in reference This mnch, however, may be accepted, that the State tax will not be less than four-tenths of one per cent. The expen ditures for the past year were $2,250,- 232 49, and the estimated expenditures for the current year are $1,673,660. The object for continuing the present rate of taxation is to provide a fund to meet maturing bonds and for retiring annual ly three or four hundred thousand dol lars of ths outstanding bonds. The present rate of taxation i» not onerous when oompared with that of other States. The Chairman of the Finance- Committee, Colonel Nutting, has ren-i dered the State signal service. His financial ability saved the credit of Georgia and the people from submit ting to the odious bond compromise so urgently pressed by certain interest ed parties during the last session of the Legislature. In consideration of the valuable services rendered by the patriotic and efficient Treasurer, Colonel John Jones, the Finance Committee re commend compensation for extra servi ces rendered in negotiating the Nutting bonds. This has been done without the knowledge of CoL Jonh -. As an appre ciation of valuable services rendered the State, and as a testimonial to a tried and faithful official the recommendation of the committee will meet with the ap proval of the General Assembly and- the people will endorse it also. Shonld the Civil Rights bill, now be fore Congress, become a law, one of its immediate effects will be to break up the public school system of the State.— If this bill passes the appropriation for school purposes will be withheld, and the system abandoned. The State School Commissioner, Rev. Gustavus J. Orr has submitted an elaborate report to the General Assembly. The Finance Committee of the House has wisely agreed to report adverse to the re-enaetment of the usury law. The Senate Committee will take similar action. With the recommendation of both committees, it is not possible that this effete aud stupid measure will meet with much consideration in either House. It is folly to make laws that no man will respect. Mr. Peab jdy’s bill in reference to the issuing of bonds for county and munici pal purposes has been so amended by the Judiciary Committee as to require a majority of the qualified voters aud property owners voting. At the recom mendation of Mr. Foster, a clause was inserted in the bill providing that nothing contained in the act shall re strain the City Council of Augusta from issuing bonds to complete tbe enlarge ment of the Augusta Canal. I enclose you copies of hills intro duced by Dr. Carlton, of Athens, aud Mr. Lyon, of Albany. Dr. Carlton’s bill is to prevent fraud in the sale of commercial fertilizers, and Mr. Lyon’s to prevent the sale of agricultural pro ducts after dark, upon which the Grang ers have recommended legislative action. The law in reference to the inspection of fertilizers will come up before the Grangers. Whatever that body reooin mends will be carried through the Legis lature. If it is deemed advisable to abolish the office of inspector, it is more than likely it will be done. It would perhaps be better for the plan ters to have the present law so amended as to make it effective. Senator Simmons, of Bibb, has in troduced a bill in the Senate to repeal the clause in the tax act which taxes dealers in malt liquors $250 for license, and to approve tho action of the Gover nor in suspending the collection of the same. This measure was intended as a protective tariff for homo breweries. How it slipped in to the tax act is a mys tery. There is no justieo in it. As it stands it amounts to a prohibition. The tax will be repealed. Atlanta is happy. Tbe city is crowd ed with visitors. A delegate to the State Grange in forms me that a largo majority of the Grangers are in favor of giving the people an opportunity of voting upon the question of a Constitutional Con vention. • A TRIBUTE TO MEDIOCRITY. The most flattering tribute to medioc rity which lias yet been paid was the unanimous confirmation by the Senate of Mr. Morrison R. Waite to be Chief Justice of the United States. The nomi nee was so little known that nothing could be said against him. And when the two Senators from Ohio—one a Democrat the otner a Republican—de clared that they knew him, that ho was a man of good moral character, was not a partisan, and was a lawyer of fair abili ty and legal attainments, both parties professed themselves satisfied, aud voted for his confirmation. It was such a re lief to discover that somebody knew him beside the President that the Senators cannot be much blatned for their action. Mediocrity has won the race, and nega tive virtues are better than either learn ing or statesmanship. REPORT OP THE STATE SCHOOL COMMISSIONER. The second annual report of Hon. Gustavus J. Orr, State School Com missioner, is before us. The Commis sioner discusses, at considerable length and with marked ability, the financial question, on a proper disposition of which depends the success of the great interest he has thus far so efficiently maifaqed. He earnestly advocates con ferring on the county boards of educa tion, organized under the provisions of the general school law, the power of lo oal taxation, and advances powerful ar guments, backed up by a formidable ar ray of facts, in support of that policy. Noting the fact that the Atlanta Univer sity (colored), to which the last General Assembly appropriated SB,OOO, is under the control and patronage of a society at the North known as the American Missionary Association, composed of different denominations, but with a largely predominant element from the Congregationalist Church, he submits the consideration by the General Assem bly of the question as to whether the making the appropriation referred to does not violate that provision of the Constitution which forbids donations to sectarian corporations, etc. He urges that the great want of the colored peo ple is a sufficient supply of competent teachers of the elementary branches of an English education, and suggests an annual appropriation equal to or greater than that ghen to the Atlanta Universi ty last year, for establishing and sup porting a normal school for colored pu pils, to be manned with teachers of our own selecting. We gather from the report the follow ing statistics: Children between the ages of six and eighteen in the State, 198,516 white, 150,198 colored; scholars admitted into the public schools the past scholastic year, in thirty counties operating nnder the general law, 58,499 white, 17,658 colored; private elementary schools reported, white, 551; colored, 25 —pupils, 22,363 white, 1,234 colored; high schools reported, 16 1 —pupils, fi,- 450. Os the amount ($176,287) raised by special tax to pay teachers for services rendered in 1871, $2,237 remain in the Treasury. Briefly, the Commissioner makes re commendations as follows: 1. That provision be made for paying the interest on the permanent school fund. ! 2. That the amount of funds of which this department was deprived under the operations of the act of July 28, 1870, and not restored by the act of August 10,1872, be replaced in the Treasury to : the credit of the sohool fund. 3. That the constitutional provision i for a school tax upon the sale of spiri tuous liquors be enforced by appropri ate legislations. 4. That all parents, on entering their children in the schools, be required to produce a tax receipt, showing that they have paid all school taxes required of j them by law. | 5. That the power of local taxation *** school purposes, with proper safe wrongful sxiycise, be guards * .. Gaanty Boards o» conferred upon the Education. 1 6. That the law be so changed as to require the ennmeration of the school population triennially orquadriennially, instead of annually. 7. That express provision of law ba made for an annual convention of County School Commissioner* for de> liberation and consultation, the Con [ vention to bo called by tho State School | Commissioner only when adjudged ne i cessary by the State Board Educa tion. THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GRANGES. The Lien Law Dead In tho Senate — Campbell Disposed Of—The Governor to be a Railroad President the Grangers on Fertilizers Direct Trade. [special telegram to the chronicle AND SENTINEL.] Atlanta, Ga., January 22.—1n the Senate, a motion to reconsider yes’ter day’s action on the lien law was laid on the table by a vote of yeas, 25 ; nays, 14. The House resolution relative to the Atlanta Colored University was con curred in. The Houser resolution ap pointing a joint committee, to whom all questions relative to wild lauds shall be referred, was adopted. The contested election case of Tunis G. Campbell versus H. Mattox, the special order, came up. The committee reported that Mr. Mattox was entitled to the seat. Mr. Bradbury moved to adopt the report. Messrs. Deveaux and Clark advocated the claims of Campbell. Mr. Harris sustained the report of the committee aud called the previous question. The report was adopted by a vote of yeas 37. nays 2. A number of bills were rtad the second time and some local bills passed ou a third reading. The Senate concurred in the House resolution for a Joint Committee on printing to report if any matter already printed is being reprinted. Adjourned. In the House the tax and appropria tion acts were read the second ume aud referred to the Finance Committee. Mr. Longley introduced a bill to hire out the State convicts. The following bills passed on a third reading: i’o define the place of hohliug the sheriff sales of Baldwin; to straighten the lines between Worth and Colquitt; to set apart the twenty-sixth of April as a public holiday; to prescribe tne pun ishment for burning unoccupied dwel ling bouse3 on farms, plantations or elsewhere; to establish a County Court in Thomas; to protect the deer, par tridges, wild turkeys and mockiug birds in Bryan, Chatham and Liberty; to re peal tuo act changing the lines between Baker and Liberty; to. transfer Glass cock to the Northern Judicial Circuit; to repeal the act repealing the act creating the Lincoln County Court; to amend an act creating a Board of Com mission’ rs for Mitchell county. A message from tho Governor with a petitition from the merchants of Atlanta, Columbus, Macon aud Savan nah in reference to the suspension of the collection of the malt liquor tax, was received and referred to the Finance Committee. Mr. Murphy introduced n resolution that a joint committee of two from the House and two from the Senate be appointed and with the Gover nor constitute a board of directors who shall take charge of and manage the Macon and Brunswick and all other roads which may fail to pay the interest on the bonds indorsed by the State. Referred to a joint special com mittee. A bill was introduced that the Governor shall appoint five commissioners who, with a receiver, shall have power to sell or lease the Ma con & Brunswick Railroad for one mil lion live hundred thousand dollars. It al so authorizes tho employment of convict labor to extend the road from Macon to some point on the Georgia Railroad. The bill was introduced by Mr. Peabody, of Columbus, aud ordered printed, The Senate concurred in the House resolu tion condemning the civil rights bill, aud that the effect of its passage will be to destroy the public schools. Mr. Cal houn presented a memorial from Senator George Ilillyer for a year and a half's ser vices as commissioner to audit claims against the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Referred to the Finance Committee. Ad journed. The State Grange recommends that the bill to abolish the inspection of fer tilizers do not pass, but that the law be made stringent and effective. The im pression is out that the State will pro pose to pay the interest ou the Macon and Brunswick Railroad bonds f. r two years, and give the company au oppor tunity to extend the road from Macon to Covington, and give conviot labor for that purpose. It is stated positively that General MoLaws will bo appointed postmaster at Augusta or United States Marshall for frpnrfnn.. The Grange adopted a report to form a company for direct trade with a capital stock of 8100,000. The books for sub scription were opened and several thous and dollars subscribed. Tho National Grange has one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the treasuay—a por tion of which will be subscribed for di rect trade purposes. The Joint Finance Committee agreed to surrender the State’s stock 'in the Atlantic and Gulf Road on certain conditions. \V. REPEAL OF THE LIEN LAW. A Field Day in the Senate—The Lien Law Up—For and Against—The De bate-Views of Senators. [SPECIALLY REPORTED FOR THE CHRONICLE AND SENTINEL. ] Atlanta, Ga., January 21,1874. The Senate, in Committee of the Whole, had under consideration this morning the question of the repeal of the lien laws. The Judiciary Commit tee, to whom was referred the bill intro duced by Judge William M, Reese, pre pared a substitute not.differing mate rially from the original bill, which sub stitute repeals section 1978 of the Code, except as to landlords who have a lien on the annual crops of tenants. The liens of factors, merchants and dealers in fertilizers and of all other persons are repealed. The provisions of the law to go into effect on the Ist of November. The bill gave rise to an ani mated and protracted debate, the advo cates and opponents of the measure going over the whole ground. Senator Winn, of the Twenty fourth District, opened the ball, and fired away against the repeal of the law, taking the ground that there was nothing in it that commanded a farmer to give a lien to a merchant or factor or anybody else, unless by his own free will and consent. The law says no man shall give a lien on his growing crop, but he may do so if he will, it is not mandatory in any sense but entirely optional with the planter. People who had arrived at the age of maturity and wlfo were of sound mind needed no guardians to manage their affairs. Senator Bianee, of the Thirty-eighth Distric t made a fierce onslaught on the lien laws. The people all over the State demanded their immediate repeal. The farmers were prosperous before their enactment, but now they had been brought to the verge of bankruptcy by the operations of a pernicious system of credit which had well nigh ruined the State. The time had come for their im mediate repeal. Senator Hudson, of the Twenty-eighth District, spoke from experience. He had seen the sad effects of the credit system. Under its operation farmers became extravagant and lived beyond their means. People dressed and lived extravagantly because they could obtain credit from ’ the factor aud merchant, who charged them high rates ofintere t. The lien laws had injured the best in terests of the State and their repeal would be a blessing to the people of Georgia. Senator Gilmore, of the Twentieth District, spoke in favor of the law and against its repeal. The people in his District were satisfied with it. They needed credit to carry on their farming interests. It was all very well for the planter who had money. He needed no | credit. But what was the poor man to i do who has no money and can obtain no ! credit ? The lien law as it stands is his j only hope of obtaining advances to en able him to make a crop. Had it not | been for the credit system, the planters [ in his section of the State would have ! fared badly. They wanted the law to | stand just as it is because it is their j basis of credit. Break this cjpwn and | you throw them upon their own resonr- Ices without any means of obtaining ad ! vances and supplies. The law was not ' arbitrary. It was not oppressive. It left ! every man free to act according to ; his circumstances and best judgment. Senator Jones 6aid that he had intro ! dueed the dog iaw, and he believed that it was a good one. He had also intro duced a bill for the repeal of the lien law “oon afte •he took his seat, and if now, upon the close of his Senatorial term, he could only have that wiped from the statute books, he would, like Simeon of old, on beholding the coming of the Saviour, say, f ‘Xow, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in pease.’ 1 Pat rick Henry had said he had only one way of judging the future, and that was by the past, and as the Bibig says, “Ye shall judge a tree by its fruits.” He bad the sad experience of the past and of the bitter fruit borne by the lien law. It : was ruinous to the inters I s °f Georgia, carrying the people nC?' lloD £ into waste and extravagance of every sort. It was the duty of the Legisla ture to protect the people and avert the general ruin which threatened our mi teziai interests. The law should be re- I pealed. and tfie people would have am mat between mow qnd November to p lti —prepaiatfomi. make the —'httii&t it was not Senator Hester thoi. ft . * ~ the fault of the law, but of tuo r The law did not make men wasteful and , extravegant—men made themselves so, j and that being the case it was wrong to attribute all the evils of the farmer to the existence of the lien law*, which bad served to give him credit when he need ed it most. Without credit the people in his district would have been in a bad way, having no money to run their planting interests. Some Senators assert that the credit system compels farmers to sell cotton when the market is de pressed and ootton is low—that un der the operation of liens tbe factor aud merchant compel the planter to sell in November, and that tho speculator knowing this takes advantage of the ne cessities of the planter. His experi ience had beem, that the planter who sold his cotton a3 soon as ha could get it to market made the most in the end. He did not baiiete in holding cotton for higher prices. The expense aud risk in curred thereby were too great, and unless the advance was .material, the planter generally lost by holding for a higher marktt. The lien laws were a necessity of our unfortunate condition, growing out of the war. They had served anil would eontinue to serve a good purpose. Men who were careful and prudent had been benefltted, but those who were ex travagant and neglectful had suffered.— Believing that the lien laws were a necessity he opposed their repeal as con trary to the interest of the people at this time. The planters could not get along without credit. Senator Mathews, of the Twenty-fifth District, favored their repeal as the only means of avert ng tho general ruin which threatens the farming interests of Georgia. The time had come when the legislature should in terpose its severe gu power and save tiie people. The credit system had been a curse to the State instead of a blessing. Senator Peavey, of the Thirty-sixth, ad vocated the profpecti'e repeal of the law. The time had come when this per nicious system of extravagant credit should cease. Ihe lien laws had sub served their purpose. The people should return to a prudent and safe plan in the management of their farming operations. The sooner a sound and healthy eeouo my was established for the conduct of our most important interests the sooner would the State aijoy substantial pros perity. So long as the lien laws con tinue in operation so long will our ma terial interests sfcffer. Senator Wafford, of the Forty-second District, offered * substitute repealing all liens whether to landlords or merchants or factors. Ho saw no good reason why any exception should be made in favor of the landlord. The credi system had been a blessing to the people of his sec tion of Georgia. When tho war closed they had been despoil»?d of everything. Horses, mules, cattle, hogs, corn had been swept away by contending armies. The receding tide of war had left them destitute—helpless in their poverty.— The system of credit gave them the means of making bread and meat. Without it want and starvation stared them in the face. If the lien law is to be repealed, then there should be no exceptions. Competition is the life of trade. The tenant should not be held in subjection to the landlord. No such grinding monopoly should be establish ed in favor of one class alone. He fa vored the law as it stands, because it is founded on equity and justice ondsouud public policy. But if it is to be re pealed let there be no exception in favor of any priviledged class. Senator Brown opposed tbe repeal of tbe law. H? favored the substitute of Mr. Wofford if the bill had to be re pealed. It was not the fault of the lien law, but of the people, that they were extravagant He considered the law a good one. The credit system was essen tial to the people of his section. Judge Reese favored repeal and gave reasons why landlords should have a lien for supplies aud rent. He favored no monopolies, but the owner of the laud should be protected as a matter of right. Being tho only party whose interests are involved under the operations of the new law, when it goes into effect, his in terests should be protected The substitute of Gen. Wofford was lost. Ou the call for the yeas and nays ou the bill reported by the Judiciary Committee repealing all liens, except as to landlords, the vote stood—yeas, 30; nays, 13. The bill goes to the House. W. A DAUGHTER'S LOVE. A Romance of New York In the recent terrible fire which oc curred in New York, destroying the large and handsome and \ elling of Mr. Jacob Stiner, a millionaire. Mr. Stiner, his wife, one daughter and a servant girllost their lives. The New York Sun,in giving an account of the affair and the escape of one of the daughters, says : “Manuel De Forest had opened his bath-room windows, and stretching out as far as he could, told Florence, who was nearest him. to hold out her arms towards nim. He seized her and drew her in, aud then asked Deborah to do the same; but she had discovered that her mother was not with her, and said, as she turned to enter the window, that she could not leave her mother to die. She did not return, but lost her life in the exercise of that filial love for which she was noted. Mother and daughter were smothered in the smoke but a few feet from the roof, whence they could have been easily rescued. Such heroism is rare. The touching at tachment of Miss Stiner to her mother stands out in bold relief among the no blest recorded exhibitions of filial love. Few.men would have been capable of the same self-sacrifice, or have met death with the same calm courage. Woman ulone is capable of the whole-hearted de votion which offer up even life itself as a sacrifice to a loved object, and seldom has this quality of tender love rising to heroism been more strikiugly exempli fied than in the ease of Miss Stiner. Mr. Stiner and his family had just returned from a military ball, and all being great ly fatigued, their sleep was so profound that the flames had made great headway before they were awakened. Five com panies appearing upon the scene, tbe flames were under control in a little more than an hour, and Foreman James Sadler, of Hook and Ladder Company, No. 2, first entered the apartments of Mr. and Mrs. Stiner. He found the lat ter’s charred remains lying across the bed, one arm over the face as though to shut out the smoke. Her hair and fea tures were utterly burned away. The flesh was baked dry on her jewelled hands, and on her arms and bosom it was roasted. Half on the same bed and half on a chair by its side reclined the form of Deborah. She was even more terribly burned than her mother. Her head was also clasped by one arm, but tha arm was burned almost to a cinder. Ou tbe finger bone from which the flesh had been burned shone a plain gold en gagement ring. With the other hand she had tried to keep out the smoke by crowding a piece of the bedding into her mouth. But the fire had afterwards reached her face and bosom, and left hardly a semblance of humanity. Os five persons in this once happy and pros perous family, only two aro living—a brother and sister. Southern Democracy and Southern Radicalism. • [From the Charleston News.] A great deal has been said about the relative economy wi ll which Democratic and Republican States in the South are governed. In such questions general statements carry with them but little weight. Figures like those given in the annual message of Gov. Smith, of Geor gia, show best the difference between honesty and rascality. Three lines are enough: Georgia. S. C. Legislative expanses of lS73.Sloii.aoo $291,339 Printing of 1873 20.000 45J.000 State tax of 1574 4i mUIs 12 mills. The great Democratic State of Geor gia, with taxable property valued at 3250,000,00, will only spend $2,- 722,836 this year, which includes the sum of $823,460 devoted to the payment of the public debt and interest. Robber ridden South Carolina, with taxable property not worth much more than 3100,000,000, is taxed this >ear to the amount of $3,000,000, of which amount $176,956 is promised to be paid out in interest, if the holders of the State bonds will consentto give upoO percent, of the principal of their securities. The bonds of Democratic Georgia were readily negotiated last venr.at par. The nands of South Carolina, with three years’ overdue interest on them, sell at ten cents on the dollar. Again, it is said that a Democratic State will not educate the poor. The State of Georgia appro priates $250,000 to the free sohools, and pavs the money. This supports the schools for three months. Whatever else is required must be, and is, raised by local taxation. One moie compari son between Democratic honesty and Ring rule extravagance and rascality ! The Georgia University costs 532,(X)0 a year, and three hundred and eighteen students matriculated in 1873. It re ceived $10,540 from tuition fees, and $10,234 from interest on the Agricultu ral Land Scrip fund. All thatthe State was required to give was §B,OOO. ihe South Carolina University has no stu dents save a few colored men, the Agri cultural Land Scrip has been s ol “- an « not a dollar has accrued therefrom to tha State, and §50,000 are demanded for So support "< «>• <■* present year! “Why do you your, Mg, on the chair, Mr. Jones r sa ty~, ,lT landladv one morning at breakfast. it is so very weak, madam, I thougnt i would let it rest. ’’ “Does one woman in fifty„fiil the •—a-.* h a [/ gs fier lungs wite air ? is tbe lovve. * sanitary exchange.— stern inquiry o. -• ft av«r heard the THE GREAT SOUTH. ITS COXBI'-’IOJN' AND NEEDS. Mr. Edward King Defends the Accu racy and Sincerity of his Deserlptlons The Coudltiois on which Northern Capital will Aid Southern Manufac tures -Time tint New England Went South. To the Editor of the Tribune : Sir—There are two manners of treat ing of the present couditiou of the Sout hern States. One consists in setting forth in glowing eulogy the resources which there await development, asserting that such and such localities are certain to furnish abundant prosperity to every one who settles in them, etc. Those who employ this manner avoid all men tion of a disorganized labor system, and of occasional stagnation and severe pri vation. The other, and, I think, the more honest and effective manner is. while detailing the advantages and possibili ties, to also show plainly the needs. But as soon as oue attempts to do that, some gentleman cautious him, saying that he is likely to damage the South, and that he creates false impressions. Let us look a little into this matter. For instance, I tell you that one seo tion of Alabama isiu temporary distress; that in these counties wh°re the ail-cot ton theory of planting has been adhered to the people have, in consequence of failure of crops and pressure iu the money market, come to grief. Where upon a gentleman living in another sec tion of the State writes that he fears such statements are “damaging.” He does not controvert any article of my testimony, but in a vague and general manner thinks it exaggerated. He fears that “too wide a range of sympathy’ may do harm rather than good. He ad mits what I have said about the suffer ing, but is apparently afraid that any advent of capitil may be cheeked by a plain statement of facts. He justly at tributes many of the trying circumstan ces to the “false teachings and faithless promises” of the carpet-bag govern ments, and alleges that there is no ground for the “plea for an investment of capital iu the St*te as a sort of charity.” Now, capital is not likely to plunge headlong into the development of Ala bama, or other sections of the South, in any case. A vast number of North erners who invested in plantations and farms both in Alabama and elsewhere, hist after the war, lost all the money t ev risked, and are consequently in no mood for listening to proposals. Had they invested more liberally in the es tablishment of manufactures of staples in the same States where they failed iu agriculture, they might have told a dif ferent tale at present. The whole sprit of the South, too, has uudergoue a wide chauge since that time. Ail infu sion of new capital and new energy would not only be welcome in a very different manner, but would be met with much more hearty co-operation than the people of the section were then iu a condition to offer. Facilities for transportation have been immensely increased since 1866. All that men could do under the circumstances, the South ern people have done. Those portions of the population, who, at the war’s close, had not yet relinquished their dreams of the continuance of a patri archal aristocracy, now accept gladly the new order of things, and consider trade and manufacturing honorable. In the Cotton States, especially, another essav at success on the part of the Northerner would be gladly welcomed, and would, doubtless in the line of cot ton manufacture, be highly successful. The average Northern moneyed man has a host of reasons, which he considers perfectly good, why he should not invest in the South. One of the least import ant and most frequent of these is that “the Southern peoplo will not help themselves.” “Look,” he will say, “at the condition of certain places”—suppose we say those portions of Alabama lying in the Tennessee Valley, which, accord ing to an intelligent English observer, “consist for the most part of planta tions in a state o! semi-ruin, and planta tions of which the ruin is for the present complete”—“if,” the Northern capitalist will -fiy, “the inhabitants of that section would work half as hard as the New England farmer does, they would be all right, and could develop the South themselves, as they ought, without ask ing us to look into the matter.” And he may add, that inasmuch as there are a thousand opportunities for investment near home, he roes not intend to go into a section where politics nre utterly de tanged, and whe e people seem too idle to help themselves. Ten thousand fiery paragraphs concerning the boundless resources of the State will not move him. But his opinions are somewhat modi fied, and his objections nre a little checked by a cars fill explanation of the great difficulties which the Southern people in various States have had to en counter since the close of the war. If he is told how hard they have struggled under the new and anomalous condi tions of free labor in the cotton States to win success from the growth of one single staple, and how, when at last they have come to see that diversity of crops and division of plantations into small farms are requisites for self-support, they have not sufficient means, in many cases, to undertake these experiments without exterior aid, he will certainly be more lenient and just iu his judgments. Let the Mobile gentleman rest assured that if there is any spare capital in the North or in the West to bo used in de veloping the South by establishing manufactures there, or by other methods, it will not be sent tlnther un til the average capitalist has been di vested of the popular impressi nos his class that the South is able, yet too idle, to help itself. At the same time is it not wise to show the evils which have befall en many people in the bfates of Alaba ma, Mississippi and Louisiana, in con sequence of the sudden break up of the old labor system, and the loss of capital caused by an immediate emancipation ? Certain Southern people are too apt to premise that the North understands all about their condition, and that, under standing everything, it scoffs at their dilemma. But the North does not ac tually realize it; knows comparatively little about it. A distinguished writer on the subject has said that the “New England manufacturer and the Old Eng land farmer would be equally astonish ed at the recital of the conditions 'of land, capital, and labor as they exist ori the cotton plantations of the Southern States.” The mass of people in this section are not aware that the absolute lack of ready money with which to car ry on planting has compelled the intro duction of the “share system,” one which, although it has many advantages, also has great drawbacks, and has been characterized as “more like a half way slavery than any relation of capital and labor‘of an advanced type.” The fact is, that it is one of the first steps up and out of the slave system, and that as soon as the Southern planters get a chance generally to improve their farms and diversify their crops, this system will be effaced. Still, the planter is pretty well satisfied with it at present, although he is sometimes a sufferer by it. If he wishes to make any improve ments on the plantation,' or employ any labor other than that directly engaged in raising the crop, the laborers require him to pay ready money for it; and this hinders him from improving as he would ha rrlnrl In Tn short it is because there I is very little money in circulation in the Cotton States i'uat the planters and far mers there are able to do so little toward helping themselves; that they are some times reduced to grievous straits, and that emigration from tnose States is as suming large proportions. The creation of centers for manufac turing in which the staples should be made up, in the South, and especi Ilyin the Cotton States—where all who have visited them agree the facilities are re markable and the dividends from exist ing establishments large—would put money into ciroulation there, and would gradually lift the people out of their embarrassment. Mr. Price thinks “capitalists will hardly go to a country where people are said to be so defioieut in management” as to be suffering from the ills, which I, in common with many more authoritative witnesses, have al luded to. But Mr. Price will perhaps admit that the circumstances in which many of the planters who would be glad to improve now find themselves, are not likely to be bettered unless outside aid does arrive. Why, then, is this not as good a time as any other for the capi talist; and why should he shrink from establishing cotton factories at points where labor and provisions are cheaper by half than in the North, when cash is paid for them, and where he is pretty sure to be followed by industrious and ambitious immigrants in due time? The reorganization of the labor sys tem throughout a great portion of the Cotton States is not only imperatively necessary, but unless tho system is re organized pretty soon, and unless there is an infusion of new laboring classes and new money, a partial paralysis of production in that section will follow. The Southern people are not able, under existing political and social conditions, to effect themselves all the desired change. They must, unaided, go on very much as they have heretofore since the war, crushed to inactivity by everv contraction «Ctisequent on a finan- j cial crisis, in daily need of a capital ! which has been utterly destroyed, bnt; for which nothing has been substituted. ■ They have done what they could in e»- I tablishing as many manufactures as their limited means would allow, ana ib 1 doubling the ootton erop as fast as po - sible. They teemed determined to fol- low, as a rule, the oxoellent example of \ Alabama, in exempting manufacturers j entirely from taxation. The South has as many advantages as 1 a manufacturer as she has as » producer. [ The flourishing cotton factories at Col umbus and Augusta, Ga.; at Granite-! Tille, S. C.,; at Tallassee, Ala.; at Nash ville, T’cnn and at Petersburg, Va., i show that dividends beyond those at- j tamable at the North are possible. Geu. : Banks never said a truer word than when ] he declared “that tho principles and j processes of Lowell will never be fully carried out uutil our raw material is j manufactured on the ground where it is j produced;” aud that those principles enunciated by so able a mind as Low ell’s, “compose the only solid basis on ! which industrial edifices can permanent ly stand.” If the Soutji should ever get a fair start in manufacturing cotton say on the strength of capital sent over from England—tiie North certainly could not compete with her. It is about time, as the Southern papers sometimes say, that New England should go South; that the mills should go to thooottou; that the talent of tho North should see what it can do toward helping to reor ganize labor aud increase tho volume of production in the South, insuring gen eral prosperity there, anil securing itself against a possibility of a future danger ous competition, at the same time that it pockets a handsome profit for its en terprise. Some of the States are stron? euough to take care of themselves, and are ad vancing with astonishing rapidity. But j the majority of the Cotton States suffer from a good many ills which require n speedy remedy. There are so many opinions upon this important subject thatal present mine with all due defer ence to those of abler students of the matter. But I totally disoiaim any de sire to exaggerate either the advantages or the needs; aud if I err by unsjudg tnent or an excess of zeal, will stand cor rected. Edward Ki.no. New York, January 14, 1874. [Savannah Advertiser.] The State Road War Ro-Openod. The Seago combinaton, embracing such men as A. K. Seago, A. 0. aud B. F. Wylie, J. It. Wallace, Hightower, Harwell, et al., of Atlanta, have filed a bill in equity against the Western and Atlantic Railroad Company and Foster Blodgett. This is, doubtless, the initia tive of a mammoth controversy, which the Consti utiou considers will be one of ihe most interesting ever started in this country. The combination above alluded to was a contestant against Gov. Brown and others for the lease of tho road, but tne latter, it will bo remembered, came out triumphantly. Soago and his friends now propose to prove that fraud was used to secure the lease, as set forth in the bill, which charges that on the 26th day of October, 1870, Rufus B. Bullock, Governor of Georgia, for the purpose gl carrying out an aet of the Legislature, approved the 24th day of Ootober, 1870, issued a public notice “ for pro posals for tho lease of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, with all of its appur tenances, for the term of twenty years,” upon the conditions therein named; that said notice required bidders to state fully their names, residences, value of their property, and character of security they oould offer, which proposals were receivable until the 25ch day of Decem ber next following ; that complainants, on the 24th day of December, 1870, made out a proposal for the lease of said road, in strict compliance with the terms of said notioe, by which proposals com plainants bound themselves to pay the State of Georgia a monthly rental of $34,500 ; that said proposal conformed entirely with tho law authorizing said lease, and that complainants are now ready to carry out their contract; that complainants were tho highest bidders for said lease, aud that they demanded the same. Tho bill further charges that on said 24th day of December, 1870, proposals for said lease were also made and pre sented by Simon Cameron, ct al. (here follows the namesof thepresent lessees); that said bid was but for $25,000 per mouth, being more than SIO,OOO per mouth less than tho bid of complainants, and that their security was better by above four millions of dollars ; that on the 26th day of December, 1870, one William B. Johnson, a Director of the Central Railroad and Banking Com pany, fraudulently acting ns its -agent, and falsely pretending that he was in formed by rumor that somo unknown persons had tendered said road as se curity on a bond, informed Governor Bullock that the tender of complainants was unauthorized, and tendered said corporation as security on the bond of fered by defendant’s company, of which said Johnson was a member; that on the same day William S. Holt, President of the Southwestern Railroad Company, and A. J. White, President of the Ma con and Western Railroad Company, without authority made the same repre sentations and tenders of their compa nies; that complainants had abundant reason to believe that they were fully authorized to tender said companies as security, and still believe it; that com plainants were prepared to offer other roads as security if such should be re quired; that said Johnson, Holt and White were at the time members of a company organized to bid for said lease, and knowu as the Macon com pany; that said Macon and defendant’s companies combined to defraud com plainants, and formed anew company, and made their bid of $25,000. That Governor Bullock, with full know ledge of these fraudulent practices, re fused to entertain complainants’ bid, unless other security was offered at once; that complainants, although the demand was illegal, at once renewed their as surance of their ability to give the secu rity offered, and offered, in case of fad lire, persounl security worth $8,000,000; that ou the2Bth day of December, 1870, well knowing complainants’ ability to give said security, fraudulently awarded said lease to said Kimball, Cameron, Brown and others, for the sum of $25,- 000, and accepted a fraudulent bond.— The bill further alleges that the execu tion of the bond by Joseph E. Brown, as President of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, was without authority of law; that the defendants realize annually the sum of $500,000 from the lease. The bill concludes with a prayer that the lease may bo declared fraudulent, and awarded to complainants, and is signed by Robert Toombs. A Card. —lt was a Mr. Simmons’ deal. I was the oldest man, and the blind was three—calls seven. Ike Haggles saw it; then it was risen by Jones to fifteen for to play. Brown came in, and also the dealer stayed. Then it took me twelve to make it good, which I put up, and I remarked to the society that it would cost only twenty-five more for to draw. Every last gentleman stayed, but it was not risen any higher. Then the dealer says to me, “ How many will you Says I, “ A card.” I had kings, and got an aec in the jk e (oo |! three and Jones but Brown bad enough, and tiii'd tire dealer to help his seU, which he took only five. There was now about 190 chips on the board. Ike bet one ; Jones went ten better, and Brown raised it to twenty—because lie stood pat. The dealer said that his’n was valued at twenty more. Then said I, “How many does it take me?” Some oi.e said “forty chips,” which I invested likewise, with sixty better. Then all passed up to Brown, and I wanted him bad to stay with his steal, but his sand gave out, aud he passed. Says tin dealer to me, “ How many did you draw?” Says I, “A card.” “Well,” says • he, “I don’t want to lay down this hand; I will bet sixty more than you 1" Now tfte dealer was a stranger like to our party. He was from the country, and didn’t know much about and. p. So I thought it was my charitable duty to let him down easy, and I only called him. “What have you got?” said I. “Two pairs !” said the Mr. Simmons. Then it was my time to be sorry that I had an aee full on kings. “But,” says the genigl Mr- Simmons, “mine is two pairs of jacks 1” Then I said “0 !” and put on my hat and went down in the streei to look for Christmas. As I went out the door, Brown asked me “How many I took ?” But Brown always was a per son which will kick a man when he is down. An Ex-New York State Senator Sent to the Pesitkntiart. —A remarkable feature in the proceedings of the United States Circuit Court, in New York Tues day, before Judge Benedict, was the sentence of ten years’ imp isoument which he imposed upon ex-Senator Wil liam M. Graham, who had been recently convicted of embezzling about one hun dred and seventy thousand dollars, the property of the WalkiU National Bank, of which establishment he had been President. Judge Benedict, addressing the prisoner, said : “There are, indeed, no extenuating circumstances in your case. You were the President of the National Bank, and as such you shame fully abused the confidence reposed in you, and stole the capital of the bank to use in your own private speculations.— I, therefore, feel justified in inflicting upon you the highest punishment allow ed by law. The sentence of the Court is, that yon be imprisoned at hard labor for ten years in the Albany penitentiary. ” Horton, the cashier, who has been ac cused qf participating in the fraud, is a fugitive from justice, Wfc M X Scene in coo** . judge—“ Have you anythin® * 0 o ff er to the court before sen tence is° passed on yon ?” Prisoner — “No, Judge; I had tea dollars, but my lawyers took that." CHASE’* SUCCESSOR. Sketch of Mr. Matte’s Life. I Toledo, 0., January 19.—The nomi- 1 nation of Mr. Waite for Chief Justice is j received by his neighbors with expres- j sions of gieat satisfaction by all parties, j To-morrow morning’s Cormncroiul. will give a brief sketch of Mr. Waite’s life, from whioh it appears that ho ia the son of the late Chief Justice Waite, of Con necticut, one of the leading jurists of New England. He is now in his fifty eighth year. He graduated at Yale Ool lego at the age of 22, oamo to Toledo iu 1838, and studied law with S. M. Young, now of Toledo, with whom he praotioed for eighteen years. He has for many years stood at the head of the bar of Northwestern Ohio, and has twice de clined a seat ou the Supremo bench of Ohio. In 1849 he was elected a mem ber of the Legislature, Reiving with dis tinction. In 1862 ho was a candidate for Congress, and, though defeated, he received a majority of twelve hundred in Toledo. In December, 1871, ho was appoiuted n3 a counselor to Genova, which position he tilled with honor. He is now serving as a member and the President of tho. Ohio Constitutional Convention, to which ho was chosen by the unanimous vote of both parties. Tho present appointment, like all other public honors, has como to him without tho slightest seeking on his part, he lraviug discharged his personal friends from efforts to seoure the place for him. His neighbors feel every as surance that iu this, as in every other trust, he will abundantly justify the confidence reposed iu him. THE LION AND THE BEAR. England and Russia Lie Down To gether—-A Little Child Shall Lead Them—The Royal Alliance— Festivi ties ui Bt. Petersburg and England. New York, January 19. V St. Peters burg letter says : “On Sunday, the 17tli inst., the Duke of Edinburgh ar rived at St. Petersburg in good health and capital spirits. About an hour pre viously the imperial carriage and sledges arrived at the railway station to receive him, and presently a guard of honor, with a bauii as its head, and the Rus sian eagle displayed, was drawn up on the platform. Soon after tho Grand Duke Alexis appeared on the scene, ami. saluting the guard with a hearty ‘good morning, soldiers,’ was received with a a stentorian response. Next came the Graud Duke Nicholas, wild received tin same greeting, and it now only remained for the Emperor to arrive, which he did a few minutes after 2 o’clock, accom panied by a brilliant staff, among whom was the British Ambassador. So soon as tho train had entered tho station the Duke of Edinburgh jumped out ami ad vanced to the Emperor, who gave him a most affectionate welcome, as did also the Grand Duke Alexis in turn, tho band meanwhile playing ‘God Save the Queen.’ The chief thoroughfares were gayly decorated with flags, chiefly Rus sian and English. When the Duke ar rived at the Winter Palace he was re ceived by the Empress and Princess Marie, together with the imperial house hold.” With this event the reigning family of Great Britain will b® allied by marriage to Russia, Germany an 1 Den mark. Sx. Petersburg, January 23.—The marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh to the Grand Duchess Mario was solemn ized at oue o’clock this afternoon. The day was observed as a holiday, and since early morning, when s dates were tired, the streets have been crowded with peo ple. Tho festivities in celebration of the event will contiuue several days. The city is gaily decorated, and it will be illuminated to-night,, Saturday.and Sunday night. On Monday a grand military review will take place in front of the Winter Palace. Tho troops par ticipating will consist of forty-uue bat talions of infantry, thirty-seven squad rons of cavalry, and an artillery force oi one hundred and forty pieces. The weather is delightful and sleighing splendid. • London, January 23.—Flags were dis played from all the publio and many private buildings in honor of the mar riage of the Duke of Edinburgh. Wind sor Castle, the residence of tho Prince of Wales at Sandringham, and other buildings occupied by the Royal family, are profusely decorated with bunting. Throughout tho entire country bells are ringing in honor of tho nuptials, and marriage services are being celebrated in the English churches. Mr. Butler’s “Prejudices." [From tho New York World ] Mr. B. F. Butler lias made a speech in Congress in favor of the scheme to bestow the proceeds of the sale of the public lauds upon the States in propor tion to their “illiteracy.” This proposi tion appears to have been inspired by the interesting maps of illiteracy in tin last census returns. The author of the bill evidently thought it would be a pity j and a shame to let those works of art I pass away without hearing fruit in legis lation. His bill endeavors to dispense with the need of that pity and to avert that shame by giving away yearly, ac cording to his own estimate, from one to two millions of public money. That seems to us rather a high price to pay for the sake of vindicating the value of maps of comparative illiteracy. Our view of the matter has been taken in the House of Representatives by Mr. Cox, who has opposed tho bill iu a cleat speech, and what would be a cogent j speech addressed to almost any other body than that to which it was uttered But the opposite view has been ta ken by many members, and among others by Mr. Butler as aforesaid. The provision of the bill which seems chiefly to have warmed Mr, Butler towards it was ouo which insisted that the money to be given under it should fall not merely upon tho just aud the u just, upon the black and the white, but upon the black and tho white indiscriminately —that is to say, iu “mixed schools.” The abstract notion of universal education is calculated to arouse a certain degi#e of enthusiasm even among persons who are not fascinated by tho concrete pro position that their awn children shall be taught in the same school looms with the sons of the freedraeu, or taught, at the general charge, not at all. Mr. But ler is very likely no more charmed than other citizens would be at the prospect of this fate befalling his own children ir, Massachusetts; but lie is delighted at the prospect that this bill will innke the Confederate lion to lie down with the African lamb in North Carolina, while a female teacher from Massachusetts shall lead them. The ground upon which he justifies his fervor is the well-worn plea that the colored troops fought nobly and the fact that ho once, undfer oiicum stanoes of peculiar solemnity, took an ; oath. Tho circumst&r.oes, according to Mr. Butler, wer® that 3,i 00 colored troops Under ui ß command had made a chargee* gallantry upon some Con “therate works, and that lie (Mr. Butler) “rode among the dead after the fight and saw their bronze faces turned up to the morning sun.” The oath, according to Mr. Butler, was as follows : “ Among my dead comrades there I swore to myself a solemn oath—‘ may my right hand forget its cunniDg and my tongue cleave to the roof of mv month; if I ever fail to defeud the rights 0 f these men who have given their blood for me and my country this day aud for their race forever’—and* God helping me, I will keep that oath. [Great ap plause on tho floor and in tho galleries.] From that hour all prejudice was gone, and an old-time State Eights Democrat, a lover of the negro race; and as long as their rights are not equal to the rights of other men under this Government l am with them against ail comers, aud when their lights are assured, as other men’s rights are held sacred, then, I trust, wn shall have what we ought to have—aj united country North aud South, white and black, under one glorious flag, for which we and our fathers have fought with an equal and not to bo distin- ! guished valor. [Applause. ]" It is altogether possible that Mr. Butler “swore to himself” on this ocou* sion and on many others; but we fail tq j see that Mr. Butler’s swearing “to him I j self” furnishes any reason why an an]! uual million or two should be granted • to “mixed schools,” Nor do wo see j that Mr. Butler is entitled to the credit i which the galleries generously gave j him for foregoing on that occasion hi* previous prejudices. The most bigoted frontiersmen have been known to admit that there was one inoffensive Indium to-wit, “a dead Injun.” Aud a hater of the negro so bitter that he could not bp satisfied with less than fifty-seven votes for Jefferson Davis to be President qi the United States must have had his hatred somewhat appeased and folt.hls ‘prejudice”' weakening at the sight of seveial hundred dead "niggers,” as Mr. Butler while yet ho was in tho gali <>t iniquity was wont to describe liis color ed fellow-citizens. But alas for Mr. Butler’s _ exquisite reason. Mr. Cox intimated a priori that the future historian might uot set this Electing incident in the same light in which air. Butler set it, and now comes into court a witness, in the per son of the editor of the Portsmouth (Vm) Enterprise, to confute Mr. Butler aijd to declare of his own knowledge, first, that the heroic charge of Mr. Butler’s three thousand colored troops was ne pulsed by oge company of Confederate ariillery and two companies of Confede rate infantry; second, that the colored troops did not behave well, but very badly; and third, that Mr. Boiler was not in a position to Bee the bronze fades of the dead among his command, for if he had been he would have been in a position to be seen (and shot at) fr#m the Confederate line#. Upon the whole, the testimony of tbl* Virginian editor, while it will furnish Mr. Butler with fresh occasion for “ swearing to himself,” has a tendency to invalidate tho argument which Mr. Butler deduced from his recollections of tho war in fa-orof granting a million and more every year for “mired schools.” FROM ATLANTA. Proceedings of the Legislature—Bills Introduced In tho House—Tho Cry la Still They Come—Augusta Dots— Tho Cotton Weighing Bill. [Special Dispatch to tlia Chroniols and fionti nt)!.] Atlanta, Oa., January 21, 1874. In tho House the following bills were introduced on first roading : By Mr. Lyon : A bill to establish n legal rata of interest in the £tato. By Mr. Heard : To amend the to ohsrter tho railroad from Elborton an tho interest of the New York and Now Orleans Air Line Railroad. By Mr. Towers : To incor porate the Bank of Rome. By Mr. Tow ers : To provide a settlelnent between 0. P. MoOalla aud tho State. By Mr. Eakes : To amend tho act incorporating tho Norcross and Dalton Georgia Rail road Company. By Mr. Calhoun ; To incorporate tlio Bank of Dalton. By Mr. Murphy : To require Solicitor Gen erals to proseoule in tho manner to be proscribed by law. By Mr. Turner: To make it penal to vote iu olcctious without flaying all taxes. By Mr. Welch: To transfer the Dalton (Ga.) Academy arul grounds to tho North Georgia Agricultural Coll, ge; a bill to charter the Direct, Trade Uniou of Grangers By Mr. Shi: To amend and alter tho charter of Forsyth. By Mr. Peabody: To protect tho interests of tho State mi the bonds of the North and South Railroad. By Mr. Cabling: For tho relief of the Lunatic Asylum. By Mr. Slie\vmake: To pay the members expelled by bayonets from tho Legisla ture of 1870. By Mr. Mills: To prohibit tho oalolnng of iisii in certain parts of Chatham county. By Mr. Foster: To collect and preserve tho number and value of negroes emancipated by tho proclamation of the President of tho Ui ‘ State*. By Mr. Foster: To pre vel ‘ > lestruotkm of insectivorous birds. Py Air. Foster: To provide the mode ai.d defining the pay of sheriff, clerk and bailiffs ns refers to tho Superior Court of Richmond county. By Mr. Walsh: To incorporate tho Eastern aud Western Manu facturing Company. By Mr. Walsh To incorporate the Belle Greene Alin ing Company. By Mr. Dell: Dec laratory of the Law of Protest on Com mercial Paper. By Mr. Dell: To amend tho claim laws of tho State. By Mr. fionglcy: To amend tho aet to authorize Judges of the Superior Court, Ordinaries and Justices of the Peace to sell certain property. By Mr. Stewart: That the QlrtP keep a copy of the Revised ,tc on his desk. A commuuttwtratr from tho State Grange was received and read. Leaves of übgence were granted to several mem bers. The lull by Mr. sJonee, yesterday, in reference to the weighing of cotton, is the same that was rejected last ses sion. Much interest iH felt iu its pas sage. Adjourned at 1:30, till Moinlav, at 10, a. tn. The Clinch Rifles aud Irish Volun teers will have the provisions of the act incorporating the Chatham Artillery ex tended to them. The Governor has or dered an election to be held for officers of Oglethorpe Infantry, Company B. W. TUB “FIRST GUN." Walt Whitman’s Account of tlia r x , clement frt New York. The news of the first actual fl r j n g on the national flag—the attack on Fort Sumter—was received in New York late at night (13th April, 1861), ar„l W us im mediately sent out in extras G s the news papers. I had been to the opera that night, and after tho performance was walking down Broadway, alter eleven o’clock, on iny way to Brooklyn, when I heard in the distance the loud or.ies of the neWsboys, who°amo presently tear ing and yelling up tho street rushing from side to side even nio fe furiously than usual. I felt that subtle magnetic .something winch runs one, on pronounced occasions- -bought an extra (10 cents), and t() th „ Metropo ] titan Hotel (Niblo ii ) j where the great lamps wore still orightly blazing, and, with a small cnr iV j of others, who gath ered impioinv,tu, read tho news, which was evidently authentic. For the benefit ot s ime v, no had no papers one of us lean th telegram aloud, while nil listen ( e m .‘l'iih’ and very attentive. No remark w in by any of the crowd, which had merer si. I to thirty or forty, but all stood u minute or two, I remember, be fore they dispersed, I can almost see them there now, under the lamps at midnight again. The bull lmd been opened, then ! Not only the first gun had been fired—and us if to show that it was no mere tweak of puHsion, deliber ately by an aged, highly educated, aud wealthy Southerner—but continued rounds from wellorganized batteries. (Said first gun was tired by Edmund Ruffin, a prominent Virginian, seventy years of age. To anticipate a little I will give the gloomy conclusion of thfa enthusiastic personal episode, ns it took place in less than fiv.» years. Soon after the surrender of General Lee and the collapse of tho r< ‘hellion Mr. Ruffin committed suicide, June, ’65, at his resi dence in Amelia county, Virginia, near Muttuox. He wi’.s seventy-lour years old. Iho Richmond Whig t a couple of days after, gave tho folic,wing account: “It is now said that Mr. Ruffin’s mind bad been very percents ,jy affected since tho evacuation of Ri’jhiniihd aud the surrender of tho Confederate armies. For a week previous to terminating his life, Air. Ruffin Kept liis chamber, busily employed in writing what subsequently tnri led out to be a history of hi* political life. He also wrote letters, and in ouo of them he left directions as to tii e disposal of his body, tie bathed himself, put oil clean under and outer clothing, and directed that his body should bo burii -d iu the habili ments he had put ou, without shroud or coffin. Ho then reatec! himself in a chair, put a loaded musket to his mouth, and, loaning back, struck tho trigger with his hickory stick. Tho first cp.p did not explode, and he re placed it by another, which discharged the musket, tho charge of ball and buck blowing off the crown of the ven erablo old gentleman’s head, and scat tering his braina.and snowy h air ngHiuat the ceiling of the room. \Vh en the fam ily, alarmed by the repoit., reached Mr. Ruffin’s room he was found lying back m his chair, tlio gun le.iinug against him, and life gone. A paragraph in tho letter left lor tho perusal of family and friends explained tho tr agio deed. It reads:‘l cannot survive t’he loee of tho liberties of my country.”’) THE GHANG EBS. i The Michigan Htafe G«-i nge andTratu portatiou . Kai,am izoo, Michioa.' i, January 24..- I L’iie Stute Grange, which has bee,ri ii ! session here for several days, has a/’iopt j ed the report of the Obi nmittee on '"frnns 1 portation, which is to the effect, tha railroads are amenable to State• regain lion ns much as plank and gr avel roa companies, and that the Legir Jut lire ha as much right, to regulate t’.n.jj* charge as to fix turnpike lolls or t i, e charge c millers for grinding grair..' Accoiupan patiying the report of tb o committee i the following resolution : Resolved, That whi.le we deprecat any and all attempts to cripple or dt stroy railroad intero/ to, we would re mind them that our interests are identi cal; we implore tb C m not to kill tie goose that lays tho golden egg by tnxini us exorbitant rub 3s to enable them t< compete with otl , cr great trunk linei leading from tr e West to tho East Ihe other rpsr lotions deprecate clasi legislation, and declare that the pnblii lands should ’ ~c devoted rigidly to tin purpose of %r tual settlement. IlFsouitct s os Texas. — Wit h one single field of coa', covering G,OOO square mile* with nppi irently inexhaustible coppei and irt*u stores; with lead and silver mines; r ith 20,000,0000f ncres of cotton bearing land; and with iigrieultnral re source' j equal to those of any State in the rjiuou, Texas can enter upon her new career confidently and joyously. As a re fuge for the ruined of our last great revolution, she is beneficent; ns an ele ment of greatness in the progress of the United States, she has no superior. She has peculiar advantages over her sister Southern States; while they court emi gration in vain, the tide - flows freely across her borders, and spreads out over her vast plains. Whatever danger there may boos p litical disagreements and distort »auous within her borders, noth ing Cf.n permanently trouble her pro gress. Lying below the sn, W line, blio furnirhes tho best route to the Pacific and fronting on the Gulf, she w ill some day have a commercial navv whoso masts will be seen in every European port— Edward King in “Glimpses of Texas;" Scribner's for February. New York, January 24.— The mass meeting of workingmen called by Ger man Free Thinkers was a failure. Un der the advice of the police, the proprie tors of the Hall withheld the keys. Two thousaud of them then proceeded to an other hall aud authorized the officials to engag# Cooper Institute Jo* a meeting.
