Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1877 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1876)
OLO SERIES—VOL. ICI NEW SERIES- VOL. XL. TERMS. THE DAILY CHRONICLE It SENTINEL, the oldeet newspaper in the South, is published doilv, except Monday. Term* : Per yeir, $lO ; six month*. $5 , three months, *2 SO. THE WEEKLY CHRONICLE * SENTINEL is published every Wednesday. Terms : One year, $2; six months, sl. THE TRI WEEKLY CHRONICLE & SENTI NEL t published every 'Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Terms : One year, $5; six months, t'l 50. SUBSCRIPTIONS in all cases in advance, and no paper continued after the expiration of the time paid for. RATES OP ADVERTISING IN DAILY.—AU transient advertisements will be charged at the rate of il per e-luare each insertion for the first week. Advertisements in Tn-Week ly, #1 perequare: in Weekly. *1 per square. Marriage and Funeral Notices, il each. Special Notices, il per square. Special ratee will be made for advertisements running for one month or longer. ALL COMMUNICATIONS announcing candi dates for office—from County Constable to members of Congress—will be charged at the rate of twenty cents per line. All announce ments must be paid for in advance. Addrese WALSH A WRIGHT, Chboitole A SgnTOiEU-Augusta^Ga^ Chronicle and Sentinel. WEDNESDAY ....MAY 17. 1876. The Georgia delegation to Cincinnati seems to be a little mixed. It will final ly centre on Blaise or Morton. We publish this inorniDg Judge Pot tle’s charge to the grand jury of Wilkes county. It is an exceedingly able charge and well worth reading. The “ten gentlemen who met in At lanta” last January do not seem to be in any hurry to select delegates to St. Louis. What has become of Harde man & Cos.? The Boston (/lobe publishes a capital picture of Piper, the belfry murderer, but, through a mistake, puts Secretary Bristow’s name under it. Hither rough on the Reformer. Almanac observation for Mr. John H. James : About this time beware of the newspaper correspondent who offers to “write you up for the campaign.” He will take your money pnd then laugh at you, John. H. We publish this morning in full thejletter written by Fitzhooh, the Door keeper of Congress. The Democrats had better abolish the office, if there be no other way to stop the hee-hawing of this long eared animal. One who knows states positively that the Georgia delegation to Cincinnati stands thirteen for Morton, seven for Blaine and Bristow, and two for Conk lino. Score one for the incarnadined undergarment in Georgia. The Griffin News says it is “authori tatively btated" that Gov. H. V. John son will support Colquitt. Who makes the statement, and by what authority ? Gov. Johnson’s position seems to worry the politicians and the “special corres pondents” a great deal. Ip the East must snpply the candidate, there are Bavard and Hancock and Eaton —all good man. If the nominee must come from the West, there are Pendleton and Hendricks and Kerb. If financial issues be ignored, where can a atrouger candidate be found thun old Bill Allen? The entries for the Senatorial race to date -are: Thou. M. Norwood, present incumbent; and Benj. H. Hill, repre sentative from the Ninth District. Sup pose the friends of Alexander H. Steph ens should enter him; what then? “Uncle Aleck” would make it more lively than pleasant for the field. Represent atiVEB of the Georgia Press will hold a meeting in Savannah to morrow. Of course, no business of any importance will be transacted. But the trip will be a pleasant change for over worked and underpaid journalists, amt a few days of social intercourse will give the brethren a sharper appetite to abuse each other when they get home. , When the office seeks the man, ought he to accept it ? Judge Bartlett, who was in the city yesterday,was taken at one time for General Colquitt, and at an other for Col. James. He says that the of fice may run him down, but he is deter mined not to be Governor of Georgiu, as that honor is reserved for General Colquitt. Judge Emmons, of the United States Circuit Court, recently decided, iu an important case against the St. Louis Life Insurance Company, that a failure to par the interest on premium notes works a forfeiture of the policy. The widow sued to recover the commuted amount of a policy, less the note and in terest, but the Court held that the policy had lapsed for the reason stated. The Valdosta Time* is a sound paper and is strong for Bayard. But it is supporting the wrong Bayard, when it aavß: “Undoubtedly the South’s choice won'ld be the noble and chivalric Sena tor frMn Delaware, Jas. A. Bayard, and she wou.'d unite with all her heart with the North end West iu his support.” The “noble and chivalric Senator from Dela ware" is Thomas F. Bayard. J.ames A. Bayard is the father, and retired from pnblio life in 1870 or 1871. However, several thousand Georgians once voted for Daniel Webster after his death, and they might now be persuaded to vote for James A. Bayard after his withdraw al from political life. The Gainesville Eagle, is not for Til den. Commenting upon an article in ; his favor, which recently appeared in New York Ji'ibune, the Eagle says: “Is it written by a friend or foe of Governor Tilden ? If by a friend we oppose the Governor, because we suppose he is in •vmpathy with the ring oi escalators headed by Jay Gould, who control the Tribune. If it is written by an enemy, then we oppose Governor Tilpen’s nomination, because it is believed by j Jay Gould’s clan that he conld be easily i defeated by the nominee of the Cincin-. nati Convention, who ever he may be. I The Democratic voters of the country w ant an honest, straight forward man as thnfr candidate for the Presidency — one j who is Ju sympathy with the mass of the people. ” A correspond KST sends us a letter which contains a bit*® l attack upon the Rev. D. L. Moody. The writer charges him with baviog made tsi*e aQ d maii ■cious statements concerning the system of slavery in Loudon, and asserts that Mr. Moody has been sent South in the interests of the Radieal party. We do not publish the letter for the simple reason] that] no proof whatever of the truth of theso serious accusations is furnished. We have no evidence that Mr. Moody’s mission is connected with politics. He seems to be animated solely by a desire to call sinners to re pentance, and his zeal and his eloquence have enabled him to do mnch good in this community. As we have taken oc casion] to say before, it makes no dif ference whether his preaching is sensa tional or not. If sensationalism plucks but a single brand from the bwrning, sensationalism does incalculable good. We cannot allow our paper to be made the medium of an unsupported attack upon a man who is evidently engaged in the performance of a pious work. THE METHODIST (JENERAL CONFER ENCE. The General Conference of the Metho j dist Episcopal Church of this country, which is held ODce in four years, began Tuesday at Baltimore. The first Gen eral Conference of that body was held ; in the same city in 1796, when its 120 delegates represented a total member ship in the church of 56,664. The Bos ton Globe says the present General Con ference is composed of delegates from eighty conferences, and represents a membership of 1,580,599, which gives some idea of the growth of Methodism in this country in the last eighty years. According to the United States census for 18?0 the denominational preferences of the citizens of the country are as follows : Methodists,6,s2B,2o9; Baptists, 4,360,135; Presbyterians, 2,698,244; Ro man Catholics, 1,990,514. The total lay membership of all branches of the Methodist Church in the country is put at 3,173,229; number of local preachers, 24,384; number of itinerant ministers, 20,454. In the regular Methodist Epis copal organization there are twelve bishops and 23,804 preachers. The wealth of the church is not so large in proportion to its membership as that of some of the other leading organizations. In 1870 the sta tistics were as follows: Methodists, num ber of organizations, 25,278 ; number of church edifices, 21,337; value of proper ty. 869,854,121. Baptists, organizations, 15,829; church edifices, 13,962; value of property, 841,608,198 ; Presbyterian, pr ganizations, 7,824; church edifices, 7,071; value of property, 853,265,256. Roman Catholic, organizations, 4,127; church edifices, 3,806; value of property, $60,- 985,566. The General Conference is composed of one ministerial delegate for every forty-five members of each annual conference. It is presided over by the Bishops in turn, Bishop Janes, the se nior of the Board, taking the Chair the first day. The most important subject to be considered this year is the propo sition to have the presiding elders elect ed by the Conference instead of being appointed by the Bishops. The General Conference has “full powers to make rules and regulations” for the church, subject to six restrictive rules, which may not be altered except “upon the concurrent recommendation of three fourths of all the members of the several annual conferences, ” and by a two-thirds vote of the next succeeding General Conference.— From this mode of alteration the first restrictive rule is excepted, and there is no constitutional means of altering that. It provides that the General Conference shall not provoke, alter or change the Ar ticles of Religion of the Church. The other restrictive rules relate to the itineracy, the Book Concern, and the mode of representation in General Con ference, and beyond their limitations the General Conference is unfettered.— It hears appeals from the annual con ferences, decides matters of church dis cipline, elects the book agents of the church, missionary secretaries, editors of church magazines and papers, of which there are fifteen, appoints the committees who are to superintend the various departments of church activity, regulutes the boundaries of their various conferences, and in general takes such action and institutes such enterprises as it thinks fitted to promote the interests of the church. Every officer of the church, with the exception of the bishops, who are elected for life vacates his office at the end of four years, but is eligible for re-election. THE CAMPAIGN IN GEORGIA. Those who have read the proceedings of the Republican Convention recently held in Atlanta cannot fail to be im pressed with the belief that the Repub lican party will make a desperate effort to carry the elections in Georgia next October and November. There are many who think that there is no Repub lican party in Georgia. This is a great mistake. There are to-day nearly one hundred thousand Republican voters in the State. This force properly organized and thoroughly disciplined will carry the next election unless the Democrats stand firmly together and meet organi zation with organization and discipline with discipline. * The trouble heretofore with the Republicans in Georgia has been a want of leaders. The source of their weakness has been the divisions and dissensions in their own ranks. But that they are strong whenever they choose to manifest strength no one can deny. Iu 1868 they cast 83,000 votes in the Governor’s election. In 1870 they oast 69,000 votes. In 1872 they cast 62,- 000 votes for Grant. This year they propose to make a desperate fight and the Democracy may as well pre pare to meet the issue. The danger to the Democracy comes from two quarters. In the first place, the Republicans show a disposition to pre sent a firm and united front to their enemy. Their party will not lack bold and skillful leaders, and the rival fac tions will cease their quarrels and sink their animosities until after the election. The platform which they have adopted places them in complete accord with their allies at the North, It declares for a common school system “free from sectarian controlit endorses to the fullest extent the bloody shirt pro gramme of Morton & Cos. ; it declares for hard money as against greenbacks ; and for centralism as against State Rights. In the second place, they are strengthened by the strength of their adversaries. The apparent paradox is easily explained. The Democrats feel themselves so strong, have conquered so easily in all the elections held since 1868, that they over-estimate their own power and under-estimate the power of their opponents. Men ambitious to obtain office are un willing to wait until the party de mands their services. Unable to con trol fb© regular organization cf the party, they <!<, got care to obey where j they .cannot command. They wish to disregard party lines, to treat party nominations with contempt, and to go “ before the people ” upon “ their own merit*.” Independent candidates in the field will give the Radicals an op portunity of regaining their lost power. Unless the so-called independent move ment be nipped in the bud, the Radicals will hold the balance of power in nearly every county of the State and elect whom they please to office. The success of the Democrats can only be assured by a rigid adherence to party lines and an implicit obedience to party discipline. Th* duty of every good Democrat in the coming campaign is plain and sim ple. Independents must be consider ed as Badicals and treated as Uadi cals. If necessary, the harsh, bnt wholesome, policy which prevail-1 ed in 1868, 1869 and 1870 must be employed .again. Independent can didates must be crashed like yonng vipers whenever and wherever they make their appearance. -Let the best men of every county attend the primary meetings and take an active interest in placing the control of the p*rty ma chinery in good hands. Let them see to it that only good men and true Demo crats are nominated for office, and then when nominations are made let the nawbwes be sustained by the solid strength of the party. The man who | bolts the nomination of the party must not be allowed to remain among ns. He is no longer of us, and must be spurned into the camp of those whose flag be is secretly supporting. He must not be allowed to live with the sheep and work with the goats. ANOTHER NAME SUGGESTED. The New York Herald is at present engaged in making nominations for the two political parties. Its latest effort in this direction is in behalf of the De mocracy. It suggests anew name for the consideration of the Democratic Convention. Its Washington corres pondent says there is news at the capi tal of a strong set of opinion among Western Democrats in favor of General John M. Palmer, of Illinois, and it is said that an organization for the pur pose of bringing his name forward has' already been begun, and that several Illinois newspapers will break ground in his favor shortly. General Palmer, his friends say, was an old Democrat before the war, became a Republican during the Nebraska struggle, fought with great distinction during the war, was Republican Governor of Illinois from 1868 to 1872 and left the Republi cans when Grantism and Centralization excited his alarm and opposition. He has the favor of the Granger element, is a pronounced hard money man, is very popular among the farmers of Illinois and Indiana and is much liked by the Germans. It is asserted tha t the Palmer movement has a number of strong Western Democrats behind it, and that he will be a formidable rival of Judge Davis, being of Democratic in stead of Whig antecedents. General Palmer may be a “formidable rival of Judge Davis,” and yet not come within a thousand, miles of a nomination.— Judge Davis -lias no chance whatever of a nomination. If nominated he will not receive tjje support of the Democratic party. Judge Davis is weak not be cause he was a Whig, but because he is a Republican. In the South Whigs and Democrats have united in opposition to Radicalism, and compose the Demo cratic party that has wrested Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Geor gia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Florida and Missouri, from carpet-bag rule. The old Whigs would not support Davis because he was once a Whig any more than the De mocracy would support Morton because he was once a Democrat. According to the statement of the Herald correspond ent General Palmer has acted with the Democrats since 1872. He is therefore' a Democrat and entitled to party honors if ,he be worthy of them, or if it be ex pedient to bestow them upon him. It will bp remembered that General Pal mer was Governor of Illinois at the time of the Chicago fire. General Sheridan placed the city under martial law and some of his soldiers killed Col. Grosve nor. Governor Palmer attempted to have General Sheridan and the soldiers who did the killing indicted for mur der, but public opinion was against him and the grand jury refused to find bills against, the parties Governor Palmer left in disgust a party which counten ancedhuch conduct, and went over to the Democracy. He doesn’t stand any chance of a Presidential nomination, but may obtain the second place on a ticket with an Eastern man. . THE GUBERNATORIAL. CAMPAIGN. A Convention to nominate a Demo cratic candidate for Governor of Geor gia will probably be held about the mid dle of July. Though the campaign was commenced, at least by some of the can didates, fully two years ago, it is still impossible to forecast the result with any certainty, and the time for the as sembling of the Convention is now near at hand. While the names of some twenty-five or thirty gentlemen have been mentioned in connection with the position, it is safe to say that there are not more than four pronounced candi dates in the field." These candidates are General A. H. Colquitt, Colonel Thos. Hardeman, General L. J. Gartrell and Mr. John H. James. At one time it was believed and asserted that Governor Smith desired a renomination, and up to a few weeks ago he was the most formidable aspirant before the people. There is every reason to believe that if he had consented to run he would have been nominated and elected. That the other candidates considered the Gov ernor their mostdangerous opponent was plainly manifested by two facts. The first was that each of them declared Smith to be the only obstacle to his success. General Colquitt’s friends were certain that he could be nominated if Smith was not in the field. Col. Hardeman’s friends entertained the same opinion. So did General Gabtrell’s, and so did the corporal’s guard that bore the ban ner of James. The second was that the guns of all the other candidates were turned upon the Executive. There seemed to be entertained the common idea that he must be gotten rid of at all hazards. The Severest assaults upon Governor Smith and his administration came from the personal organs and per sonal friends of his rivals. But Gov ernor Smith has declined to run, and the fighting is now conducted by the quadrilateral above named. We confess that at present there does not seem to be a reasonable prospect that either Colquitt, Gartrell, James or Hardeman will be able to secure the two-thirds vote necessary to a nomina tion. Appearances indicate that Col quitt is the strongest, perhaps much the strongest, man of the four. He has many warm friends, especially in South western Georgia, and will doubtless go to the Convention with a formidable following. He is a man in the prime of life, possesses fair ability, bears a dis tinguished name, has a fine war record, is a staunch Democrat, and a man of great purity of character. So far, how ever, his candidacy has not created much enthusiasm among the people, and there is nothing to indicate that he will have an easy victory. Colonel Harder in is a talented man, an elo quent speaker, has considerable expe rience in public affairs, and is personal- ly very popnlar. His position as Speak er of the Honse has given him an op portunity to make friends in different sections of the State, and this opportu nity has been fully improved. His strength seems to lie in Northeast and Southwest Georgia. It is easy to see that up to this time Colonel Hardehan has not secured adherents enough to give him the nomination. Gen. Gartrell was a member of Congress before the war, at tained indifferent success as a militarv man during the war, and has taken but lit tle part in politics since the war. He has made considerable reputation as a crimi nal lawyer, and is said to be a man of undoubted ability. He is not generally known in the State, however, and it is scarcely probable that he will be able to carry more than ten or fifteen counties in the Nominating Convention. Last on the list Domes Mr. John H. Jamb*. Mr. James is a broker of Atlanta, who has some shrewdness in financial matters, and who has been able to make a good deal of money. He has no “ war re cord” to apeak of, bat is popnlar in his own town, and is reputed to be a kind hearted, charitable man, who is insane upon the subject of office. He has worked openly and industriously for AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 17, 1576. votes, and has never hesitated to say that he wanted the position, and wanted it badly. His candidacy is an anomaly in Georgia politics, and would be some thing very amusiDg if it were not some thing extremely mortifying. Mr. James has no chance whatever of success, and by remaining in the field will only ex pose himself to ridicule and to humili ating defeat. Ex-Governor Hebschel V. Johnson is as yet an unknown force in the Guber natorial campaign. His force is un known because his position is undeter mined. Should he enter the field as a candidate we believe he can be elected by an overwhelming majority and almost without opposition. His splendid tal ents, his great services in the past and in the present, his ardent patriotism, the soundness of his judgment, the pu rity of his public and his private life combine to lender him one of the most popular men in the State and to make the people anxious to have him at the head of the State government. But Governor Johnson has declared that he is not and will not be a candidate for the position; that he will not enter into any contest for the office. If nominated we suppose he would accept the honor, but he does not seek a nomination. As a general rule the contest between one who will accept and one who struggles for an office is easily and speedily deter mined in favor of the latter. But in this case Governor Johnson has such a firm hold upon the affections of the people, and there is such urgent de mand for the employment of virtuous talent in the service of the people, that Hebschel V. Johnson will probably be strongly backed in the State Convention unless he should positively forbid £he use of his name. It has been a subject of remark that the papers and politicians of North Georgia have had very little to say on the .Gubernatorial question. There has been a stillness in that section of the State which bodes evil to the four can didates now in the field. The people of the Cherokee country' usually' act to gether in politics, and give a united and cordial support to the man whose ban ner they elect to follow. Cherokee Georgia evidently does not take much stock in any one who has yet been brought forth. The people there may support Governot. Johnson, who has al ways had many friends among them, or they may have a candidate of their own, who will be announced at the proper time. It is not at all improbable that the coming man will come from north of the Chattahoochee. keliuion in politics. There seems to be good reason for be lieving that the “ anti-Catholic ” move ment, about Which something is being heard at present in the country, is sim ply an anti-Demoeratic movement. It is a scheme originated by designing men for the avowed purpose of break ing down the Democratic party and en suring the lasting triumph of Radical ism in the North and of carpet-baggism and scallawagery in the South. The speech of General Grant at Des Moines is the key note of the movement; is the corner stone of the anti-Catholic Leagues. While the Democrats are quarreling over creeds and churches the Radical party will retain control of the Government, and the Belknaps, and Babcocks, and Grants, afid Shepherds, and Robesons will keep their hands in the Public Treasury up to the arm-pits. The New York Sun says that Rev. J. P. Newman, the President’s pastor, has re cently written two sermons on the line of the Des Moines speech, aimed at the Catholic Churches, and breathing more a political than a religious antagonism. The Sun further says: “ The National “Republican Committee, composed of “gentlemen in both branches of Con gress, and other conspicuous friends “of President Grant, furnish the money “for the ejaculation of these documents; “and they are distributed under the di “rect management of Mr. J. M. Ed “munds, Postmaster of Washington, “and esp&ially known as the particular “intimate friend of Mr. Chandler, the “Secretary of the Interior. Hundreds “of thousands of these pamphlets were “sent into Ohio last Fall, and into Con necticut and New Hampshire this “Spring. If it has been supposed anv “where that the great demonstration of “hostility to the Catholic Church of “which President Grant sounded the “key note in his famous speech at Des “Moines, has been abandoned or re “laxed, the supposition is entirely mis taken. It is evident that the attempt “to identify the whole Republican party “with this hostility, is now to be urged “more vigorously than ever. This is “done doubtless, not only because it is “ believed that a great weight of politi cal strength may be added to the re sources of the party through the effect “of the anti-Catholic sentiment, but “also it is that by raising such an issue “into greater and greater prominence, “public attention may be diverted from “the almost incredible corruption of the “Government, and from the enormous “and pressing dangers which that cor ruption brings upon the country.” Hon. A. O. Bacon is pressing his claims for Congress from the Sixth Dis trict. He would make a good Congress man. Mrs. M. J. Westmoreland is writing another book. It will be published in Julj, and will be entitled “Waif”—a romance of a Winter at St. Augustine. Ben Butler would be an available Republican candidate for the Presiden cy. His record as a loyal man is up to the standard. The Radical party might go farther and fare worse. The Macon Telegraph has a proper appreciation of Senator Norwood when it says: “Though no 'mouther and speaking but seldom, a more finished scholar, sagacious thinker and vigilant member cannot be found on the floor of the Senate.” The affairs of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company for the past year have been managed with fidelity and ability. The reports of the President, Superintendent and other officers, here tofore published, make a satisfactory showing. The road is in good condi tion and dividends have been paid. Colonel Hardeman, Chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, is awaiting official notification of the re sult of the elections in the Congression al Districts for delegates from the State at large. He cannot call his Committee together until he ascertains the result. The Chairmen of the respective Conven tions shonld notify him at once. The annual Convention of the stock holders of the Georgia Railroad has brought to our city a large number of visitors from 4tl*uta and points inter vening. Augusta presents many at tractions at this season of the year. Strangers are quick to recognize and appreciate the natural and artificial Usances which our city presents. Greene street and the lower and upper portions of Broad are hard to surpass. The grading of the Cheraw and Charleston Railroad has reached a point near Chesterfield Court House. THE CHIN KM E QUESTION. The Chinese question is seriously agi tating the Pacific slope, and unless peaceful means are discovered it may find a bloody solution. The evils of Chinese immigration were forcibly pre sented to Congress and the country a few days ago in an able speech made by Senator Sargent, of California. Mr. Sargent is perfectly familiar with his subject, and represents a constituency that complains more grievously than the people of any other State of the curse of Chinese cheap labor. The speech is full of interesting information. The Senator calls the attention of the Eastern States to the vast numbers of Chinese immi grants who have settled in some of those Western towns. The proportion of these new settlenEin some districts is one to eight. When they become as numerous as that 1 the question of citi zenship in its relations to the race be comes an interesting one. The Ghinese, it is said, not ofly entertain radically different views ofifinorals, society, reli gion and governnAd, from those held by us in commim*with Enropean na tions, but they are entirely unassimila tive. You have no hope of them, of their children, nor of their children’s children. There is a law against the importation of coolies and of females for immoral purposes, but it is pro nounced a dead letter. The coolies are slaves, the women prostitutes. Were we to get the cream of Chinese society, we still would have a problem before us; but we get the dregs—the off-scourings. The coolies are decoyed by promises, threats or opiates on board the vessels in the Chinese ports, and then made to be come a party to a oontract, which they dare not violate. In some cases the emigrant desiring to come to this coun try mortgages his family to obtain the means. The daughters are first sacri ficed, and then the other members of the family to meet the mortgage when it becomes due. The presence of these foreigners iD Sa ( n Francisco is declared to be a plague. Senator Sargent says : f A landlord will rent a single house in a street to a Chinaman, who at once crowds it to reple tion. They take ordinary rooms, say of ten feet in height, put in a false floor half wav up to the ceiling and crowd both floors, thus made, with bunks, and as many human beings as may be pressed inti the space, sleep there in. The atmosphere becomes fetid and a eickly smell pervades ihe neighborhood, which causes the tenants of the houses to the light and left to vacate. These houses cannot again be rented to white persons; the rents fall, and, finally, the Chinese gel possession. This pro cess goes on in each direction until the whole street is abandoned to the Chinese. The pro perty has fallen in value, becomes dilapidated and offensive, and the street is as much de dicated to Chinese uses and lost to other resi dents as if it were a street in Hong Kong.— Hotels and churches ihare the same fate as ordinary dwellings and stores. He said in his excursions in the Chinese quarter in San Francisco, under the protection of the police, he had penetrated two stories under ground into the opium and gambling dens, where the stench was almost unendurable, reached by passages where a man cannot walk erect, be tween walls dripping with the exhalations of the neighboring seweri, and where the filthy water at tlje bottom was only avoided by carefully stepping on the narrow, broken planks laid, down. Here were swarms of Chinamen, thick as maggots in cboese, smoking opium, &c. No class of population known to the United States can endure contact with these squalid denizens; the white and the negro, the American, Frenchman and Spaniard all seek places of business elsewhere ; even the lowest classes flee away. The whole street is absorbed and doomed. This process has already gone on until six large blocks in the business heart of San Francisco have been eaten out, and still the work goes on; and the future will see San Francisco a purely Asiatic city unlees some means are devised taavert this calamity. But the Chinese do not displace the white resident from certain quarters of the city only ; they go further and strike at the very foundations of society— namely, the family and remunerative in dustry. On the Pacific coast there are 150,000 Chinese ; of these 60,000 are in California and 30,000 in San Francisco; but in this vast number it is estimated that there are not more than 100 fami lies. In such a sea of unattached hu manity none but the basest passions and the most degrading practices find en couragement. Their presence is ruin ous to substantial and properly remu nerated industry. In San Francisco a laborer cannot support his family on loss than $2 or $2 50 per .day, but a Chi naman will live on s], or less, and crowd out the American and the European. It is easier to say that the latter ought to live on the same than to do it yourself, or get them to do it, The traffic in Chinese females is one of the most horrible features of this im migration. The society of the coast is becoming terribly debauched by this traffic and its results. These females come here under contract for prostitu tion. The girls are first debauched after their arrival in San Francisco. Senator Sargent rad a translation of a contract by which Ah Ho binds her self for 8630 paid to her mistress to a life of four yeers of what is called “shame” in this ciuntry, but which by these degraded cratures is not consid ered in that light. These women and girls are landed by hundreds in San Francisco, and helc in slavery until they are no longer capable of earning money, when they are turted out to die on the streets. The police declare that they often find the dead bodies of Chinese women thus rejected by the harpies who have owned them. Still worse,, large numbers of these families are dis eased, and thus communicate physical as well as moral corruption to the men, and even to the toys of the communi ties where they cengregate. These are not pleasant considerations, but they are essential to an intelligent treatment of this prdblen.- Coolies are arriving at San Francisjo at the rate of 1,000 per week, and fie importers have a pop ulation of 204,000,000 to draw upon. The people of the Pacific slope demand speedy redress from Congress, and un less they obtaii it the chances are that they will redriss their own grievances in their own way. If Congress does not modify the Bislingame treaty so as to keep out the food of paupers and pros titutes that is advancing upon the Pacific States the Californians will make the comtry so hot that even the cupidity of tie Coolie Companies will stand appallec. Already in the town of Antioch the orch has been put to the Chinese (juaners and no word of con demnation haj followed the act. Public meetings thraten the same course in San Francisci, and prompt action by Congress will alone prevent the appear ance of Roßlux beyond the Rocky Mountains. • A Washington correspondent of the Savannah Nrws says it is all a mistake, “Hon.” Morgan Rawls has not been asked to stei down and out of his high position in the “Document Room.” The “Hon.* Morgan will continue to paste wrappers and lick envelopes as usual, for and such is the kingdom of ex-Congressijen. The editor'of Chamberlain’s Colum bia organ sverely rasps his brother Radicals in Georgia fop attempting to instruct theiidelegates to vote for Mor ton. Chamb*lain's organ woqld perhaps like to have me one put in the saddle at Cinojnnai wb° c 0144 parry the Re form Govern)* behind htol. Sec tor Morton may have Mother arrange ments. ” THE GEORGIA RAILROAD. ANNUAL CONVENTION OP STOCK HOLDERS. Appointment of Committee* on Proxies-~Polls Opened. . The stockholders of the Georgia Rail road and Banking Company assembled at Masonic Hall, in annual Convention, yesterday at 12 o’clock, Hon. John P. King, President, in the Chair, Lieut. Geo. P. Butler, Cashier, and Carlton Hillyer, Esq., Auditor, acting as Secre taries. On motion of Col. W. W. Clarke, the roll was called in alphabetical order for the purpose of ascertaining the number of shares represented in person and proxy. The President announced the Com mittee on Proxies, as follows ; David E. Butler, Chairman; M. P. Stovall, R. L. Moss, T. C. Hogue, Geo, T. Jackson. By request of the President, stock holders came forward in alphabetical or der and reported t to the Secretary the number of shares represented iu person and by proxy. Col. W. W. Clarke moved that the re port of the Committeejof Directors ap pointed to ascertain the old assets of the Georgia Railroad, and which might properly be called the “Clearing out Committee,” be read as information, as no regular business could be transacted until after the Committee on Proxies had reported. Adopted. The report was then read by the Sec retary, as follows: In response to the resolution submit ted by James W. Davies, Esq., at the February meeting of this Board—Tues day, the 14th—the committee makes the following detailed statement, after a patient, careful and somewhat laborious investigation: The books of the Georgia Railroad and|Banking Company call for the follow in cash and securities: In the notes of “the Georgia Railroad and Banking Com pany” “Transportation Office change bills” and “Transportation office notes” ....841,305 40 In United States legal tender and National Bank notes, which on the envelope cover ing them was tabled “sur plus cash” 220 83 In addition to the above was found a small package, con- i taining American gold coin and so lubled, amounting to j the sum of j 23 00 Making the aggregate of. ..841,549 23 The books of the company show the amount of cash in the hands of the Caahier, consisting mainly of Georgia Railroad and Banking Com pany notes and for which the late Cashier was held responsible to be. 39,768 97 Which shows an excess in cash of 1,780 26 As the whole amount called for by the books of the company chiefly consisted of its bank bills redeemed, the excess may in part be accounted for by reason of the fact that considerable sums in half fragmentary, badly mutilated and charred remains of notes, which the committee assume may have been re deemed according to the proportion of the note recognizable, or if one-half were missing then, as is and has been the custom of banks of issue and now of the Government of the United States, compensative deductions were made. This is the theory of the committee and it thus reports. In securities the committee find in possession of Cashier left by his prede cessor, as called for by the books of the company or a legal acknowledgment of where they have been plaoed by author ity of the Board as follows: Certificate of stock in Atlanta and West Point Railioad for 4,000 shares, value on book at 8400,000 Certificate of stock iu Rome Railroad for 1,489f shares, value oh book at 100,000 Certificates of stock ia Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, 18,000 shares, value on book at 65,000 Certificate of stock in Maoon and Augusta Railroad Com pany, 2,000 shares, value on book at ... 10,000 Certificate (supposed) of stock in New York and South (jaro. lina Steamship Company, 400 shares, value on book at 20,000 8595,000 Bond*. 70 bonds of the Western Railroad of Alabama, 81,000 each, valued at 861,100 66 bouds of Baldwin county, Ga., 8500 each, valued at 33,000 15 bonds of Macon and Brunswick Railroad Company, 81,000 12,750 9 bonds of the City of Macon, 81,000 ■ eaob, valued at,.,. 9,000 10 bonds of the City of Athens, 8100 each, val- . ued at J.OOO 1 bond of the East Ten nessee and Georgia Railroad Company, val ued at 1,000 4 bonds of the East Ten nessee and Georgia Railroad Company, S4OO each, valued at., 910-117,760 8712,660 Coupon.. Coupons of the Maoon and Augusta Railroad, paid, examined and sealed up. .$195,869 19; coupons of the Port Royal Railroad Company paid in New York $98,417 93, three semi-annual maturities of these coupons in our vault and two in the American Exchange National Bank sub ject to order. The foregoing are all that is charged to the late cashier and his successor and are recognized by the committee as in the possession and con trol of the company. In this examination critically made the committee may not forbear to pay a well merited tribute to the late Cash iers, Dr. Joseph Milligan and Dr. J. A. S. Milligan—father and son, who, in all the trusts that were ever committed to them, showed perfect integrity and pains-taking fidelity, and this in the opinion of the committee is especially notable and gratifying in these days of degeneracy and official dereliction, which seem to pervade the land from the still house to the White House. The follow ing resolution is presented : Resolved, That in the examination of the condition of the vaults and of the trusts in the hands of the late Cashiers, Dr. Joseph Milligan and Dr. J. A. S. Milligan and the present Cashier, Geo. P. Butler, Esqjs., the committee has found every item for which they were and are boundeu, securities, scrip for stocks or the representative thereof (see letter of Cashier of American Ex change National Bank for what is not actually in vault.) Cash in full and an excess of $1,780 26, as explained in the early part of this report, and memoran dum appended, and that the bonds of Dr. J. Milligan and Dr. J. A. S. Milli gan be cancelled and surrendered. The committee desires further to say that in accordance with their under standing of the resolution it has destroyed by burning all the Geor gia Railroad Bank notes, all its paid and cancelled bonds, all the paid and cancelled coupons, all the un executed bonds, and a large mass of worthless papers and memoranda—dan gerous to bp kept, and an exceedingly inconvenient and hgejpga m a S@ pf worth less old hhd valueless papers, pertaining mostly to the past generation, thereby putting the yaqlt jfi gqch eondßion, that papers pf thp somewhat remote past—though in its opinion of no value —the late past, and the present can be easily reached. This statement of facts with these explanations are presented to the Board. Before closing it is suggested that the following additional resolution might with propriety be adopted, viz: . Resolved, That the President, togeth er with any two Directors, bh authorized in future to destroy by burning all Geor gia Railroad and Banking Company notes hereafter redeemed, all bonds and coupons of the company paid, and such other papers as may be valueless prompt ly, and report their action from time to time to the succeeding meeting of the Board. Josiah Sibley, Chairman; Chas. H. John }>avison, M: P. Sto vall Committee. Hon. George Silly** moved that the resolutions of the Hoard relative to the two late Cashiers be made the action of this Convention and in in- Qn mofcjduof Hon. W. W. Clarke,the Convention took a recess until 3, p. m. Afternoon Session. The Convention assembled at three o’olook, pursuant to adjournment. Col. Clarke stated that he was just from the committee room, and felt satis fied that the committee would require two hours to verify proxies, in order to aseertaiu whether there was a quorum present. This was caused by the many changes in proxies. He moved that the Conveniion take a recess until 6 o’olook. Adopted. At 6 o’clock the Convention met. Col. D. E. Butler, Chairmau of the Eommittee ou Proxies, reported that the committee bad not completed their work, and would not be able to do so within two hours, but they hid so far ascertained that 8,873 shares were rep resented in person, and 14,000 by proxy, in all 22,873, a majority of the stock. Col. Clark moved that the committee now out be the Committee on Election, and that the polls be now opened so as to enable those who desired to leave the city by the evening train to vote, there being a majority of the stock represent ed, according to the report of the com mittee, and that the polls be re-opened in the morning. It would be impossible for the committee to make a full report this afternoon. Mr. Mullarky said this seemed to him to be a very informal way of doing business. He didn’t see the use of a few gentlemen voting now and the rest voting to-morrow. One thing should be comp'eted before another is com menced. There is no use of doing two things at the same time. He moved therefore, that the Convention adjourn until to-morrow morning at 9 o’clook. Hon. John H.-James saw no harm in voting now so as to allow gentlemen who desired to go home to do so. He had heard men say that this thing was a trick to keep them from voting. He moved, as an amendment to Colonel Clark’s motion, that the polls be opened at once, and remain open until 9 o’clock to-morrow morning. Mr. Hillyer said that the same thing was done last year. > Mr. Clark suggested 10 instead of 9 o’clock. Mr. James accepted the sug gestion, and Col. Clark’s motion, as amended by Mr. James, was adopted. The polls were then opened and the voting proceeded. On motion of Mr. James, the Commit tee on Proxies was invited in to assist in the election. On motion the Convention adjourned until 9 o’clock Thursday morning. LETTER FROM LINCOLN COUNTY'. The Weather—Crops, Jkc., Jkc. Clay Hill, Ga., May 12th. Editors Chronicle and Sentinel: May set in with and keeps up con siderable wetness, most too much for clean cultivation and successful cropping, for this is the month, of all the months, that our farmers want a little dryness, but not drouth. Then small grain does better and planted crops are gotten on a cleaner surface, and henae will not be overrun with grass in June or July. Wheat and oats give considerable promise of abundant yield, but at present no man can speak with certain ty, for that monster—the rust— may rise up and soon destroy the fairest pros pects. We already have some of it now, and some of the wheat crops are con sidered fast coming to nought. Farmers are now getting to the point that they do not like to work poor and unimproved lands here; they begin to feel that to reward their labors they should have the ground rich enongh to make a bale of cotton to the acre apd from twenty to forty bqsljela qf com to the acre. Blessed era—may they stick to that as a permanent conclusion.— And they are, moreover, loosing confi dence in mnch cotton at present prices. They think the West bad better make it and they make something else. The olover oalled Lucerne ia com manding considerable attention, beoause it is a warm country olover. It has been long and successfully cultivated in the south of France and in Spain and Italy and is beat adapted to our coun try. ~ . Politics are quiet as yet, no noise ex cept in the quiet conversations of friends. am of the opinion that ex- Gov. Johnson or Gen. Colquitt would ( Jll the hill for Lincoln county. Yours, Ac., T. The spyTH TRK WE.sy. The Qctoher Elections the Battle Ground. [Cincinnati Inquirer.] The idea is sought to be inculcated by the friends of Governor Tilden in the South that there is no hope of carrying any of the Western States, and that the only chance of a Democratic victory lies in the union of the South with New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The South has one hundred and thirty-nine electoral votes j the other States men tioned have fifty-one. Could they all be carried the Democracy would elect their candidate and have si? votes to spare. This is rather a narrow margin, when, as is known, there are several Southern States—such as South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana, with twenty-nine electoral votes—more than doubtful. But this appeal to the South to link its fa(e with the Northeast merits more than a passing notice. Horatio Seymour, of New York, has well said, that the interests of the West and the South were identical in their nature, and that, combined, they goqld nomi nate and elect the President Q f the United States. M r - Seymour was right. He had previously, with still more per spicuity, spoken of the East as the creditor and the West as the debtor States. There is an antagonism in those relations. What spits the creditor doesn’t always suit the debtor, But the wise acres in the South propose not to con sider the Northwest as a possible Demo cratic faotor in the selection of a Presi dent. They oonoede in advance the whole of it to the enemy. This is con ceding a great deal, The Northwest consist of the following States and has this electoral vote; 0hi0... ...... 22 Illinois 21 Indiana, 15 lowa H Michigan. 11 Wi5c0n5in,,,,...,.. 10 Minnesota 5 Kan5a5.,,,..,..,,., 5 Nebraska 3| Total .... ~...,....103 These nine States have within thirty six as many electoral votes as the old fifteen slave States have. With eighty one additional votes the next Presidency is secured. It isn't a slight thing to abandon all this to the political enemy. It is a start onoe given could hardly be regained. Now, it is very possible that the West may all be throw away by the mistaken action of the St. Louis Conven tion. If they haven’t a platform of principles somewhat in accordance with their interests, and a candidate whose sympathies aye with them, it is entirely safe to assume that their one hundred and three electoral vqfos wifi not be given to the Democratic candidate—no, not one of the one hundred and three. This is not all. The Southern wiseacres to whom we have alluded seem to have forgotten the fact that there is an elec tion held in the month of Ootober—a month before the other States vote—in Ohio and Indiana. Those States have thirty-seven electoral yotes—one more than New York. They are decidedly useful in the adding np of the Presiden tial figures. But they count several times one in their moral effect upon the November contest. When they pro nounce with emphasis against a party, that party is doomed. Those who are looking for the stronger side—who de sire for any cause to be identified with it—shape their course in November to correspond wisb {h*t indicated by the Qctflber ejections m the great States of the West. Th Democrat whoplaaes his dependence upon New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for victory had better see that Ohio and Indiana are previously secured. If they are not, vain is the hope of their swelling the Demo cratic column. In other words, we wiah to be understood as declaring--what all past experience has pioven—that, if we want New York, New Jersey and Con necticut in November, we must have $ good result in the October States of Ohio and Indiana. A judicious policy Will more easily secure the latter states to the Democracy than the former. Nor is (ha greats State of Illinois, with its twenty-one electoral votes, impossible to carry. It will sharq largely in the hurricane may sweep over its Western vtilSpagtLea. It is .in these three States that the battle for the P'p&iaency is to be fought. It is in these that the Democracy should concentrate their most powerful efforts. If they ar<} car ried, w e shall have enough with, the Sonth to h,e succession In fact, we would need 90 Eastern assistance aS all. TReie is hot the'ghost of, ft eh¥>* any paytjy which, fttanflop ip advance Gfaio, Indiana ftnfi Illinois, with their fifty-nine electoral votes. The Sonth, which has such immense interests at stake, ought to conaider this. It ought f2 A YEAR—POSTAGE PAID. not to repeat the mistakes at Charleston in 1860, where its opposition to the Northwest brought upon it the calamitv of secession from the Union, followed by conquest and subjugation. Then the West was sneered at as of no account. Stephen A. Douglas, the choice of the lion-hearted Democracy, as Win. Allen now is, was denounced as being no better than the negro Fred. Douglass, and as being equally opposed to Southern con stitutional rights. In sackoloth and ashes—in fire and blood—the old slave States repented of their unwise decision. They should not repeat their error of 1860 in 1876. They can make nothing by a unison with New York. In its na ture it is false. Leading Southern rep resentatives may have dined or been wined, for selfish motives, at the Man hattan Club, but that is no reason why their tens of thousands of Democratic voters should be sold out. We say to the Democracy of the South, stand by the West if you would secure victory upon sound principle. • THE CENTENNIAL. OPENING OP THE GREAT AMERI CAN EXHIBITION. The Day at Philadelphia-Fifty Thousand People Present—. Scenes and Incidents—A Grand Occasion. Philadelphia, May 10.—To-day is a legal holiday. All business is suspend ed. The gates were opened at 9 o’clock. The sky is cloudless. The foreign Com missioners and other distinguished vis itors had a special' entrance and were seated without confusion. Fully fifty thousand people are on the gtounds. The ceremonies were opened with the airs of all nations, under the directipu of Theodore Thomas; prayer by the Right Rev. Bishop Simpson; hymn by John Greenleaf Whittier; presentation of building to the United States Centennial Commission by the Centennial Commis sioner, John Welsh; Cantata by Sidney Lanier, of Georgia, and presentation of the Exhibition to the President of the United States by Jos. R. Hawley. The following is the proclamation of the opening of the International Exhibition of 1867 by the President: “My Countrymen —lt has been thought appropriate upon this Centen nial occasion to bring together in Phila delphia for popular inspection specimens of onr attainments in the industrial and fine arts and iu literature, scieuoe and philosophy as well as in the great busi ness of agriculture and of oommeree, that we may the more thoroughly appre ciate the exoellenoies and deficiencies of our achievements, and also give em phatic expression to our earnest desire to cultivate the friendship of our fellow members of this great family of nations. The enlightened agricuturM, COwmer cia and manufactqrjng people of the world haye been invited to send hither corresponding specimens of their skill to exhibit on equal terms in friendly competition with our own. To this in vitation they have generously respond ed. For so doing we render them our hearty thanks. The beauty and utility of the contributions will this day be submitted to your inspection by the managers of this exhibition. We are glad to know that a view of specimens of the skill of all nations will afford to you unalloyed pleasure as well as yield to you a valua ble practical knowledge of so many of the remarkable results of the wonderful sxill existing in enlightened communi ties. One bundled years ago our coun try was new and but partially settled. Qur necessities have compelled us to chiefly expend qqr means and time in felling tbo forest, subduing prairies, building dwellings, factories, ships docks warehouses, roads, canals, machinery etc. etc.; most of our schools, ohurcbes, libraries and aslyums have been estab lished within an hundred years. Bur thened by these great primal works of necessity which could not be delayed, we yet have done what this exhibition will show in the direction of rivaling older and more advanced nations in law, and theology, in science literature, philosophy and the fine arta. Whilst proud of what we have done, we regret that we have not done more. Our achievements have been groat enough however to make it easy for our people to acknowledge superior merit wherever found; and flow fellow-citizens I hope a careful examination of what is about to be exhibited to, you will not only in spire you wifb a profound respect for the skill and taste of our friends from other nations but also satisfy you with the attainments made by our own peo ple during the past one hundred years. I invoke your generous co-operation With th e worthy Commissioners to secure a brilliant success to this international exhibition and to make the stay of our foreign visitors, to whom we extend a hearty welcome, both profitable and pleasant to them. I declare the inter national exhibition now open. ” At 10:30, a, w ., Dom Pedro was es corted to a seat by General Hawley. At 10:45 General Philip Sheridan and wife passed oyer from the building to a Stand in front of the Memorial Hall during the rendition of national airs. He was greeted with great applause. He was olosely followed by Hon. J. G. Blaine, Senator Jones, of Nevada and wife. At 10:55 the President entered through Memorial and was con ducted to seat on front of the plat form- Governor Hartranft, Gen, Haw ley and Hon. D. G. MorriU occupied seats on his left, while Messrs. John Welsh and Gosfarn were on his right. Fred Douglass,, by some mischance, worked his way through the crowd, and was helped over by offioers and conduct ed to a seaf on the platform. He was greeted with cheers. At U :03 the Wag ner Centennial inauguration march was performed by the orchestra, under the direction of Theodore Thomas, at the conclusion Of which Bishop Simpson of fered up a devout prayer, during the rendering of which the majority of the vast assemblage stood with uncovered heads. The Empress of Brazil, escorted by Mrs. GiJleajjii©, visited the Women's Pa* vilioo this p. m., and made a tour of all the aisles and passages. There were no formalities attending the visit. Dom Pedro also visited the Pavilion, and gave emphatic approval of the work there displayed hy American women. The reception by the President was omitted. Ho was fatigued. The follow ing was one of the. most impressive seenes of the day: The President, as sisted by his Imperial Majesty Dom Pedro, started the motive power of the hall. At a signal from General Hawley the President mid Emperor seined a crank, and opening the valves, turned them several times. At once a sound was heard, which gave to the people the un derstanding-that the engine was about .to more ; then the monstrous seven ty to* l % Viheel began slowly moving, increasing gradually in rapidity until it was travelling at its full speed. General Hawley started the hurrah, which was taken up by the sur rounding multitude. Deafening echoes travelled through the building, and as all the wheels in the hall began moving the linging of bells and other demon strations told to the world that the Cen tennial Exhibition was fairly opened. THE C. P. BEMAN HIGH SCHOOL, SPAR TA, GA. [From the Times and Planter.] Mb. Editor—l attended the recent examination of the Rev. Dr. Mullally’s school, and think that there are certain matters relating to this school, which appeared on that occasion, that merit notice. Every such examination is worthy the interested attention of every citizen, having at heart the welfare of com munity and State. It is the proper meutaf training of the young that the power, advance ment, ftpd happiness of a people. A jusif appreciation of this would lead every citizen to attend ajl such exami nations with a view alone of assuring himself that the course of instruction is thqtoWjh, and of enoouraging the pupil to make diligent application to study. On the occasion vcfc?red to there could not have resulted great satisfac tion to a discriminating observer. The pupils were animated by a deep interest m what was going on, and sought to ac quit themselves in a creditable manner. There waft s*o, baflessnesa or inattention in a single instance. They did well ! and in saying thift I do not mean to inti mate that na question was missed or er ror committed; on the contrary, there were a satisfactory number of mistakes It was evident in many instances that these W ton result of embarrassment. iU others pf forgetfulness. There were With exceptions in one or two instances, aa few errors as could be, consistently with a fair examination. The reading of the scholars was ex ceptionally good, and waa a feature ol great interest ip, the exercises. It was more than a distinct and accurate enunciation of words in sen tences, with proper inflection and dne regard to punctuation. There was evi dently a clear perception by the reader of the thought of the writer. The chil dren read with the understanding. The by note manner was carefully avoided. And herein appears what seems to be a distinguishing characteristic of the school. The minds of the pupils are trained. They are taught to think. It is not a mere exercise of memory, but the processes are inquired into. The scholar is apparently familiar with the idea as well as words of the text book. If there be a question of accuracy, or of taste, or of truth, the other possible views are presented and the pupil led to independent and original investigation. If there be a rule, the reason of it is traced back to the nature of things, and the source of the rule explored. Pro ficiency there seems to be under stood as consisting not in the mas tery of the book, but of the subject. The learning, affluenoe of illustration and intense devotion, always to the par ticular subject in hand, of Dr. M., and the patient zeal and ability of liis ac complished assistants, Mr, Seymour and Miss Brown, are admirably suited to the administration of this excellent system of instruction. This school is a good thing and as time develops the fruits of the labors of these industrious tjeaohers, the commu nity will recognize even more fully than now the great value to it of suoh an ins titution. I observed, sir, that you were present on the occasion referred to, and in con sideration of your well known earnest n|“(in the support of things promotive of the public good, and of the interest of this county, it might properly have been left wholly to your judicious pen to notice in a fitting manner this worthy subject; still I venture to send you this brief notice of some of those features of it, that made a favorable impression on my mind. Yours, &c., Citizen. THE STATE. THE PEOPLE AND THE PAPERS. Forsyth has received 8,500 bales of cotton since September Ist. The friends of Rev. C. A. Kendrick are of the opinion that he is insane. The Thomasville chain gang captured the guard the other day and escaped. Forsy th proposes to organize a ladies’ association to improve the cemetery at that place. The fruit crop of Northeast Georgia, particularly apples, will be unusually abundant this year. Mr. Billy Edwards, of Lexington, plowed up a Spanish silver coin in his garden last week, bearing date of 1776. . T. H. Henderson, of Macon, canght in Evans’ pond, near Macon, Saturday, eighteen bream, which vr lighed 301 pounds. The Camilla Enterprise says the cool nights of late “have damaged cotton to a limited extent, causing it to die out o-r turn yellow.” Colonel T. J. Heard, one of the oldest and most popular citizens of Elbert county, is dangerously ill. His recovery is Considered impossible. The estimate presented for maintain ing the public schools in Atlanta from September Ist, 1876, to June 30th, 1877, is 046,735, of which $42,500 are for salaries. The gold diggers are busy in Coweta county. They have found some speci mens as large as a grain of wheat. With shovel and spades many are making a’ dollar a day. A party of renegade white men, too lazy to work and too cowardly to deserve justice, are rifling through Twiggs county at night whipping and maltreat ing defenseless negroes. Cobb county, by 169 yeas to 582 nays, has voted down the proposition to pro hibit the sale of liquor in theoouuty. In stead of the corn clinging to the cob Cobb dings to the oorn. In this Oenfcennial year some of the young people of Covington and Oxford have introduoed the custom of courting in church during divine services. Mis behavior in church is sometimes noticed and commented on. Georgia’s mineral wealth will be part ly represented at the Centennial through a car load of ores aud minerals gathered along the line of the Selma, Rome and Dalton Railroad. The company de serves great oredit for its enterprise. Rust has appeared in the wheat fields around Dalton. This is several weeks earlier than it was ever discovered be fore, and serious damage to the wheat, which promised such an abundant yield up to a few days ago, is feared from this enemy. The Rome Courier regrets to learn that the rust is on the blades of wheat on most all the farms in Floyd county. It has appeared unusually early, and so rious apprehensions are entertained that it will get on the italk; if it does there will be almost a total failure in the crop. Govoruor Smith has commuted the sentence of Zack Bird, condemned to be hung at Forsyth, Friday, May sth, to imprisonment in the penitentiary for life. A petition was presented to the Governor signed by the Judge, jury, lawyers and a large number of citizens of Monroe county to commute the sen tence. Darien Timber Gazette: “Some of our exchanges are discussing the capital question. All the papers in the State, except those published in Atlanta, are strongly in favor of removing the capital from Atlanta. Let the people of Geor gia vote on the question, and yon will see how quick they will take the capiial from Kimballville.” Covington Enterprise : Bill Moore, of the Augusta Constitutionalist, will probably attend our Commencement next month. Bill has heard about the girls consenting to graduate in calico, and also learned that lager beer waa only five cents a glass in Covington. It is also rumored that Bill will remain in town until beer advances to ten cents. On Monday morning last (May Ist), the mutilated body of Jesse Williamson was found in a field near Williamsville, Pike county. His neck was broken and one of his eyes badly bruised. Coro ner's inquest was held, but we have not heard the verdict. A white man named Whaley was under arrest, suspicioned of being concerned in the matter. A negro was also arrested. A party of English tourists passed up the State Road one day last week. They seemed to be delighted with the country —its beautiful mountain scenery, its golden sunshine and soft, balmy atmos phere. There was one beautiful young lady in the party, with cheeks as rosy looking as a red peach, who seemed to be greatly enthused at everything and everybody, especially a Sophomoric leaking young gent who sat in an oppo site seat. An old colored woman named Cathe rine Johnson, while walking along the oanal near Savannah, was accosted on Monday morning by two negro men, who demanded her money. She replied that she had none, when the villains cut her throat with a razor and threw her -into the canal. She was fished out be fore drrowning by some negro women who witnessed the act. She was not able to speak, and is in a critioal condition. The names of the men are not known. Athens Watctwwri: The growing wheat crop of this section npver looked more promising, all things considered. We iiave been in Walton, Oconee, Clarke, Madison, Hart, Franklin, Banks, Habersham and Hall counties, and from personal observation and careful inquiry are satisfied that the present prospect of a heavy yield is unusually flattering. We have known wheat further advanced at this time of year, but have never seen the stand so uniformly good and the area sown so large. Fall oats are also looking well. THE HAYS CASE.] The Defendant Convicted of Murder. Argument in the case of John B. Hays, murder, was concluded by H. C. Foster, Esq., in an able speech yester day morning. Jndge Gibson then charged the jury and took a recess until 4, p. m. Upon the reassembling of the Court the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. Counsel for the defendant then asked that the jury be polled, which was done. Each man, as his name was called, answered “guilty.” Hays heard the sentence announced apparently Hn moved. His wife, who was sitting on the steps in the hall outside, gave way to her feelings and wept freely. She has been a devoted wife throughout. Hays was carried baek to jail. We understand that his counsel will move for anew trial, and if it is not granted, carry the case to the Supreme Court,
