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OLD SERIES-VOL. ICII
NEW SERIES—VOL. LI.
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Address WALSH 4 WRIGHT,
Cbbowicls 4 Htvnm. Augusta. Qa.
Cljromcle anb Sentinel.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1877. j
TO OUR SI’BSCBIBEBM.
We request our subscribers who owe
us to pay their subscriptions. It is im
portant to us that every man on our
books should pay at once. Let each
subscriber bear in mind that while one
er two dollars may appear to be a tri-
Hiuk amount, the aggregate amounts to
a large sum. We hope our friends will
respond promptly. wtf
A patent has been issued for horse
powers to Messrs. R. C. Rhodes and W.
F. Holden, of Crawfordville. Mention
of this invention was made in the Chron
icle and Bentinel some time since.
Packard declines to give private audi
ences to any more “newspaper corres
pondents.” They wili have to pelt him
with “paper pellets of the brain ” in
etead of leaden balls shot from police
revolvers.
The Columbus Enquirer thinks that
the General Assembly has too many
members and calls for a reduction of the
number. The House is too large and
the B mate too small. But nothing can
be done with either House except
through the agency of a Constitutional
Convention.
Dancino by telegraph is something
new and novel, but yet the same has
been done. During the progress of a
ball at Chicago the other night, waltzes
and quadrilles were played in Milwau
kee, eighty-five miles distant, and being
transmitted instantaneously over the
wires to Chicago the same were tripped
lightly by the merry dancers.
Soon after the Presidential election
General Grant made haste to say, “The
country cannot afford to have the remit
t ainted by the suspicion of illegal or
false returns " The country seem to
-"afford” it pretty well about this time,
the President to the contrary notwith
standing.
“No man worthy of the offlce of
President should be willing to hold it. if
counted in or placed there by fraud.”
This is what President Grant said a few
months ago. Mr. Hayes has been
‘‘counted in by fraud.” Will he have
the moral courage to decline an office
obtained by auch means? We think
not.
A dispatch to the Chicago Inter-Ocean
nays that the Northern leaders of the
Democratic party have lost their heads,
aud that the reins have passed into the
thsnds of the Southern members of Con
gress. ‘.‘Lamar and Bits Hill have
•oome forward and are trying to brief
.order out of confusion, in which endeav
or they may suoceed.”
The Terra Haute Express says:
“President Grant desires to see the
Government resume specie payment on
the Ist of Uarch. As the Treasury does
not now hold more than $520,000,000 of
coin belonging to the Government, the
proposition is quite as reasonable as if
the President should recommend a law
removing the Capitol building bodily to
;St. Louis on Ist of March.”
Thk fund raised for the family of
Joseph Lee Hbvwood, late acting cash
ier of the First National Bank of North
field. Minn., who was killed by robbers
last September for refusing to open the
bank safe at their command, amounts
to $17,602 06. The committee who had
the work in hand have made their re
port, and the money has been invested
for the benefit of the family.
Attorney-General Taft reports that
lie employed 11,614 Deputy Marshals to
semtre a /air election through the coun
try. Eight thousand of these constables
were employe t in the Southern States,
gad largely in Louisiana, Florida and
Routli Carolina, where the Hayesites
assert “the poor, unprotected black
iman" was driven from the polls. In
ladditioa to these armed coustablee
ttroops were liberally distributed through
Eke three States named.
Ec bote an newspapers never publish
“personal intelligence,” but strictly im
personal information like the following,
which we find in a Paris paper, is some
times printed for the benefit of the pub
lic: “Baron and Baroness Alphonse de
Rothschild gave a J inner of twenty
■covers recently. Tbe situation of the
•daughter of the host and hostess duns
not permit of any grand soirees at the
■present moment, bat after her confine
ment, which is expected next month,
tthey will be resumed.”
Tat Satiate yesterday, quietly and without
debate, paeeed a bill to remove the disabilities
of GeneraJ Jos Johnston. and the House
to remove those of John T. Mason. Who is
there still laboring under these disqualifica
tions. —PhitadetyMa Times.
Hon. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi,
Hon. Robert Toombs, and Hoc. Jno.
Jones, of Georgia, are still honored by
proscription. There are not probably
more than half a dozen whose disabili
ties have not been removed by sot
of Congress.
Judge Mackey talks a great deal and
likes to have his talk appear in print.
He is as vain of his visit to Hayes os a
puppy of a red ribbon tied to its tail,
and is not as trnthfnl as the Sermon on
the Monnt. Nevertheless, he talks well,
,aad if one will take what he says as a
(boarding house lodger takes hotel hash,
,on faith, a good deal of comfort can be
•extracted from his conversation. If the
Judge would only omit his gallantry in
the Mexican war, sad the statement that
be never took bnt one drink of whisky
in his life, the omission would make his
interviews decidedly more symmetrical.
A malignant man in Griffin is trying
to guess the age of Judge Tompkins, of
the Eastern Circuit, who has the reputa
tion of being the youngest, as well as
one of the ablest, of the Georgia Judges.
The Griffin man says that Judge Hall
was only thirty-one when appointed fonr
years ago; that Judge Tompkins was
seventeen or eighteen years old when he
went to school in Griffin in I&S7 or 1858,
and therefore be is now at least thirty-six
yean old. Perhaps if Judge Tompkins
would furnish a leaf from his family
Bible for publication the Griffin man
would cease guessing about so moment
ous s matter.
THE NINTH DISTHICT.
We are sorry to see that Mr. Emory
Speer has announced himself aB an in
dependent candidate for Congress in
the Ninth District. It is of the utmost
importance that the harmony and or
ganization of the Democratic party in
Georgia should be maintained. The
candidacy of independents is fraught
with much mischief. Their contests
with the nominees of the party will
! make breaches through which the con
mon enemy will some day enter. We
do not pretend to say that nominating
conventions are infallible bodies. They
are some times the cause of incompetent
and nnwortby men being placed in im
portant positions. Bat as a general
rule their work iu Georgia has been for
good and not for evil. Bnt for the per
fect organization and discipline of the
Democrats the Btate coaid not have 1
been redeemed from the rule of Bul
lock and his robber b: nd. If organi
zation and discipline are abandoned we
may find ourselves in a few years in the '
same position from whioh we were ex
tricated with so mnch difficulty in 1870.
We express in all kindness the hope
that Mr. Bpeeb will not lend his count
enance to a movement that in a few
years may demoralize and destroy the
Democratic party in Gecrgia.
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
The dispatches to the Associated Press
received Saturday night stated that at
the meeting of the Democratic Con
gressional caucus a resolution was adopt
ed, as follows :
That the count of the electoral vote shall
proceed without dilatory opposition to the or
derly execution of the act of Congress crea
ting the Electoral Commission, whose decision
shall be received and acted upon in accordance
with the provisions of said law; bat this
resolution is accompanied with the solemn and
earnest protest of the Democratic party against
the gross and shameless violations of law,
justice and truth contained in the decisions of
the majority who signed the same in the cases
of Florida and Louisiana.
The dispatches also stated that this
resolution was adopted as a substitute
to one already offered, the character of
which had not trar spired at the time
the telegram left Washington. From
the dispatches of the Western Associa
ted Press we obtain a more detailed ac
count of the proceedings of this very
important meeting. The first resolution
presented in the caucus was the follow
ing, offered by Mr. Wallino, of Ohio:
Resolved, That in view of the fact that the
so-called Electoral Commission have refused
to receive evidence of frauds charged in the
reeent elections or the ineligibility of Elec
tors, it is our duty, as the representatives of
the people, to do further legislation, not
recognizing said Commission, or meet in joint
session to further count the electoral vote un
der its decision."
This resolution is on the line of the
editoral artiole that recently appeared in
the Cincinnati Enquirer, recommending
the House to repudiate the work of the
Commission. It embodies the senti
ments of the ultra, or the Radical wing
of the Democratic party in Congress
and in the country. Its adoption would
have percepitated a conflict that would
have resulted iu the most serious con
sequences. It counselled the Democrats
to disregard the decision of the tribu
nal whioh their votes had created and tv
take such steps as might lead to the in
tervention of the sword. The votes it
received shows how few friends this
policy has ; only thirteen members vot
ing for it. Upon its rejection, Mr.
Cochrane, of Pennsylvania, offered the
following preamble and resolution :
Whf.reah, The Electoral Commission was
created in goo.l faith, with a view to the ex
amination of evidenoe and all questions which
pertain to the disputed votes of Florida, Lou
isiana and Oregon; and whereas, said Com
mission, in disregard of their oaths, fraudu
lently refused to obey the law and will of the
people by defeating such examination ; there
fore,
Resolced, That it is the duty of Congress,
which it owes to the Democratic party and the
Americau people, to defeat the fraudulent acts
of said Commission by all means knswn to the
Constitution and laws ; to this end all pos
sible delays will be in'erposed, dilatory mo
tions made and objections interposed to the
vote of every State yet to be counted, with a
view to multiplying the issues and thereby de
feating the inauguration of an usurper.
Mr. Cochrane’s proposition would
have caused the Democratic members
of the House of Representatives to fili
buster, as it is technically termed, in
order to prevent tbe result of the elec
tion being declared until after tbe
fonrth of March, It is doubtful, in the
first plaoe, whether such a policy would
have met with the approval of the great
mass of the people who approved the
bill creating the Electoral Gonjuiissiou,
because they believed it offered a peace
ful, speedy and certain determination of
the Presidential question; and it is, in
the second place, questionable whether
the plan proposed would have suseeed
ed. If we are not mistaken as to the
nature of the bill, it provides that the
vote of a State shall be referred to the
Commission only when two or more sets
of returns have been delivered to the
President of the Senate. Of the States
remaining to be counted, Oregon and
South Cantina, only, have forwarded
more than one tatqyn. In lien of this
resolution, Mr. Rbaoah, ol Texas, of
fered the following:
AVsoiced. That the count of tbe electoral
rote shall proceed without dilatory opposition
to the orderly execution of the act creating
the Commission, whose decisions sha 1 be re
ceived and acted upon in oe'car<}ai\ce with the
provisions of said law.
This resolution, coming from the
source it did, showed very plainly to tbe
Northern and Western Democrats what
were the views of the Sonthern wing of
the party. The dispatch states that
there was a long and animated debate
on the original resolution and the sub
stitute. Among those advocating the
former worn Mess -s. Thompson, of Mas
sachusetts; Bod*h*rd and Hurd. of
Ohio; and Ltnse, of Wisconsin—all
Western men but one. Among those
who opposed the resolntion were Messrs.
Reaoan, of Texas; Hill, of Georgia;
Brown, of Kentucky; Singleton, of
Mississippi; Bayard, of Delaware, and
Kerb**, of New York—all Sonthern
men bnt two. 0n one side it was con
tended that the conception of a tribunal
to ad|aat controverted questions was s
sublime sot of statesmanship, freighted
with the hopes and wishes of the nation,
bnt the result was dissatisfaction, mixed
with grief and misfortune, ft would,
however, be injurious to the Democratic
party, who so strongly supported the
Electoral bill, if they did not now abide
the result in good faith. On the other
side it was nrged that it would be better
to have an interregnum, and for the
presiding officer of the Senate to act as
President nntil there oould be anew
election, rather than to submit to fraud,
which should be defeated by all means
known to the Constitution and rales of
the House. Mr. Bright, of Tennessee,
at last offered an amendment or ad
dition to Mr. Reagan's substitute, which
read as follows:
But this rseoiation is accompanied with the
solemn and earnest protest of the Democratic
party agonist the gross end Mia melees viola
tions of law, justice and truth contained in the
decisions of the majority who signed the same
in the cases of Florida and lenfatma
This substitute, offered by one South
ern man and amended by another,
read as in the first extract whioh ap
pears in this article. The subOitute was
then adopted by a rote of sixty-nine to
forty. We have no moans of ascertain -
iug how the members voted ; but if the
list of yeas and nays should bo published
we are quite certain an analysis of the
vote would show that a large proportion
of those voting in favor of the substi
tute were from the South, and that a
large proportion of those opposing were
from the West. After this action had
been taken Mr. Field, of New York,
offered a resolution for the appointment
of a committee of five to inquire whether
it would be expedient to withhold ap
propriations for the support of the
army.
Mr. Willis, also of New York, moved
to lay the resolntion on the table, saying
that to withhold such supplies would be
revolutionary, and the action contem
plated would alarm the country. After
some discussion, Mr. Field wisely with
drew his resolution. The lesson of the
caucus is plain. The Democratic mem
bers of Congress voted, in good faitb,
for the creation of the Electoral Com
mission as the only means of obtaining
a peacefnl solution of the Presidential
i question. That they have been grievous
ly deceived in this Commission there
can be no doubt. They believed that
they were creating a judicial tribunal,
the members of which, casting every
other consideration aside, would decide
fairly and impartially the merits of every
question submitted to their adjudica
tion. Instead, they have been a band
of partisans who, np te this time, have
voted solidly for every proposition cal
culated to aid the Republicans or to in
jure the Democrats. But having advo
cated and voted for the bill, they are in
honor bound to accept and abide by the
decision of the Commission, iniquitous
and infamous as it may be. The duty of
the party is plain. It is embodied in the
resolution which passed the caucus.
The position of the Southern Democra
cy is unmistakable. They will be bound
by the judgment which may be rendered.
If it is for us, as we believe it will be,
well and good. If it is against us, we
must take the bitter dose as beßt we
may.
THE GEORGIA LAND AND LUMBER
COMPANY.
The “President and Trustees of the
Georgia Land and Lumber Company”
have addressed a memorial to the Gener
al Assembly asking that body to refuse
to pass two bills that have been intro
duced which they consider inimical to
the interests of the corporation. The first
is a bill requiring the company, now a
corporation under the laws of the State
of New York to become a corporation un
der the laws of Georgia under penalty
of forfeiting the right to hold real prop
erty in this Btate. The second bill com
pels Jambs Boyd, formerly Tax Collec
tor of Telfair county, to make titles to
the purchase of some three hundred
and twenty thousand acres of land
which he sold in 1845 under a tax execu
tion against the old corporation known
as the Georgia Lumber Company. It is
claimed that the legislation contem
plated is both unfriendly and illegal,
and calculated to keep foreign capital
away from the State; that the operations
of the company have greatly benefitted
the State, anew Court House, a fine
hotel and au elegant private residence
having been built at Eastman, and one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars ex
pended in the construction of a saw
mill on St. Simon’s Island. With regard
to the first bill we can not see why the
oompany should object to its passage.
The object of the proposed law is simply
to make the corporation conduct its
litigation in the State Courts and in the
counties where plaintiffs or defendants
may reside, instead of in the United
States Court, as at present, whereby
persons who may sue or be sued by the
company are taken a long distanoe from
their homes and put to very great
trouble as well as no little expense, The
juries, too, iu the United States Court
are of a much lower grade than those
empanneled in the State Courts, and the
chance of obtaining an intelligent
verdict less in the former tribunal
than in the latter. Mr. William E.
Dodoe and his associates in the
timber business in Georgia should
not object to the Courts of Geor
gia passing upon matters in dispute be
tween them and citizens of the State.
Neither should they wish to drag resi
dents of Laurens, Telfair and Mont
nomery counties from their homes to
Savannah to have their rights adjudi
cated by a Court, the whole machinery
of which is hostile to Georgia and to
Georgians. If they are to do business
and to make money in Georgia, and to
have the protection of Georgia laws ex
tended to their persons and to their
property, they should be willing to let
the State Courts pass upon questions
arising between themselves and citizens
of the State. We are glad to see that
the bill has passed the House of Repre
sentatives by a large majority mangre
the memorial, and we hope that it will
meet with like success in the Senate.
Concerning the merits of the second
measure, we are not so well prepared to
express an opinion. If cur memory
serves us right, however, it grows
out of an alleged attempt on the
part of Messrs. William. E. Dodge
and his associates to eject a large
number of the citizens of L&urens, Tel
fair, Dodge and Montgomery counties
from lands whioh they purchased and
settled many years ago. There have
beep frequent conflicts between the
company and pitijsen§ concerning titles
to lands, and we beljeye a pumbep of
suits are now pendit g in the United
States Court to determine the question
at issne. Most of the settlers claim un
der a purchase from the sheriff of Tel
fair county, who sold more than three
hundred thousand acres of the land un
der tax executions some forty years ago.
It teems to be questionable whether the
Legislature should interfere in behalf of
| eitbey litigant in a suit now pending be
j fore a judicial tribunal. But of one
i thing we feel assured . Messrs. Dodge &
i Cos. should be made to carry on their
law-suits in the Coarts of Georgia. They
| have aa ri?ht to put poor men to the
unnecessary tro.abla and expense of con
ducting their litigation In the Courts of
the United States, when the State Courts
are much more convenient and much
less expensive. Notwithstanding the
fine Court House at Rastman, upon the
erection of which so much stress is laid,
they should not be allowed to annoy and
oppress citizens. Let them seek justice
in tbe Court House of their pwn build
ing.
Some of the Northern papers have
been misled by the dispatch abont the
funding bill, which was recently passed
by one branch of the Georgia Legisla
ture. All of the railroad bonds endorsed
by Btllock will not be funded in State
six per cents., but only those which the
Legislature have recognized as valid and
binding upon the State. These consti
tute bat a small proportion of the bonds
which B. UiOus signed. The only bonds
to be funded are the recognized endors
ed bonds of the Macon and Brunswick,
North and South and Memphis Branch
Railroads. The beyy issues of the
Brunswick and Albany, Gartersvifle and
VanWert, Bainbridge, Onthbert and
Columbus, and Alabama and Chatta
nooga, are left oat in the oold, and will
never be heard of again if a Constitu
tional Convention is called.
AUGUSTA, GA„ WEDNESDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 28, 1877.
THE NINTH DISTRICT.
We take a deep interest in the coming
election for Congressman in the Ninth
District, for two reasons. The first is,
that the Chronicle and Sentinel has
many subscribers and friends in the
counties composing that District. The
second, because the Congressman from
the Ninth will represent not only that
District bnt the whole State as well.
We do not assume to dictate to the
people of the District, but we claim the
right to express our views upon a sub
ject of so much importance. Without
intending to say one word in disparage
ment of the gentlemen who have been
mentioned as candidates, we frankly
confess that the man of our ohoice is
Hon. H. H. Carlton, of the county of
Clarke. The gentleman of whom we
write would adorn any position
he might be called upon to fill.
He is a man in every sense
of the term, and when we say
this we can pay him no higher compli
ment. He is talented, well belanoed,
liberal minded and sincere ; loyal in his
friendship, plaoable in his enmities, un
swerving in his integrity. His course
in the Legislature is the best guarantee
of his conduct as a Congressman. He
has never hesitated what to do when he
saw his duty plainly. He has dared to
do right, no matter what the conse
quences. During his long term of ser
vice in the General Assembly he has
been devoted to the interests of the peo
ple of his section. Every scheme calcu
lated to advance their interests or to
promote their prosperity has enlisted
his warmest interests and secured his
most active co-operation. If sent to
Congress he will add to the laurels he
has already won, and prove au honor to
the Ninth District and, as well, to tne
whole State of Georgia
GRAIN VERSUS COTTON.
We published in the Chronicle and
Sentinel yesterday morning a carefully
compiled table showing the average
value of land (uot wild land) in every
county in Georgia for the years 1871,
1874, 1875 and 1876. Some of the facts
revealed by that table are worth con
sidering. One of the most striking is
the difference shown between the price
of grain and ootton lands. Before the
war Southwestern Georgia was consider
ed the Eldorado of the State, and it was
the popular belief that gold could be
realized as readily from the rich ootton
lands of Terrell and Dougherty as from
the quartz beds of California. Cotton
then was king, and the whole State
bowed down before his throne. The
lands lying in the Delta of the Flint and
the Chattahoochee rivers brought fabu
lous prices when sold,and they were not
often to be bought at all. During the
first few years following the surrender,
these lands still brought high figures,
bat experience soon demonstated that
the sceptre of King Cotton bad passed
from his hands with tlie extinction of
the system of slavery. Men have grad
ually discovered that ootton is only
valuable as a surplus crop, and that the
planter must raise the necessaries of
life. Asa consequence more attention
has been paid to the cultivation of wheat
and corn and grain lands have appreciated
in value while cotton lands have de
clined. Lands amoDg the mountains
of Northwestern Georgia whioh were
worth little or nothing before the
war, now bring more than the cotton
plantations of the Southwest. In proof
of the correctness of these remarks we
give below a table showing the average
value per acre of land in ten counties of
Northwest Georgia in the vicinity of the
Western and Atlantic Railway, and the
average value of land per acre in ten
counties of Southwest Georgia in the
vicinity of the Southwestern and M us
oogee Railroads :
N. West Ga. Price. S. West Ga. Price.
Bartow $7 30 Dooly $2 64
Chattooga....... 4 66 Dougherty 3 23
Oobb 7 63 Houston 4 46
Dade 6 26 Lee 2 99
Floyd 6 92 Maonn 2 87
Gordon 6 33 Schley 334
Paulding 5 03 gumter 3 77
Polk 6 73 Terrell 2 61
Walker 6 18 Webeter 3 03
Whitfield 6 82 Randolph 2 84
Av’geper acre,s6 18 Av’ge per acre,s3 17
From the above prices it it will be
seen how great a change has taken place.
Grain lands are worth nearly twice as
much per aore as cotton hands. It is
true that ootton is raised in several ot
the Northwestern counties that appear
in the table, bnt wherever it is raised it
is a surplus crop. The planters of that
seotipn .of fhp State raise their own sup
plies. Their corn cribs pre not in
Illinois nor their smoke houses in Ohio,
They are independent and they are, as
a general rale, prosperous. Avery dif
ferent state of affairs, we think, exists
in the .cotton region of Southern Geor
gia. Thp figures which we have given
oonyey their own iqoral to thpse who
are wise enough to understand it.
PRESIOENT GRANT’S LAST.
President Grant’s order to Col.
Black, commanding the post of Charles
ton, to prevent the white military com
panies of Charleston from celebrating
Washington’s birthday, will create a
mingled feeling of astonishment and
disgust in the breast of every respect
able oitizen. It is an unauthorized and
high handed interference with the affairs
of a sovereign State ; is flagrantly ille
gal, and wotild pot be worth the paper
upon whioh the infamy is written if it
were not directed against the people of
some such State as South Carolina or
Louisiana and backed by the bayonets
Of Federal soldiers, right has the
President of the United States to say
that the citizen soldiery of Oharlestom
shall not parade in honor of the birth
day of Washington, the Saviour of his
Country ? From whence does he ob
tain the authority for this act? Not
from the Constitution; not from tbe
laws ; assuredly from neither. What pos
sible excuse can there be for this con
duct—what possible justification can
be urged ? For nearly three quarters of a
century Charleston has celebrated the
natal day of George Washington.—
Never before have each celebrations
been made a crime to be suppressed by
the strong arm of military power. Only
twelve months ago this day was cele
brated in Charleston with unusual bril
liancy. One of the central figures in
that display was the Washington Light
infantry— a company as old as the Revo
lution—which afterwards was the guest
of the city of Boston, yben the Blue and
the Gray mingled lovingly together. F et
this is the organization, forsooth, that
the mere ipse dixit ot a drunken and
brutal boor, who has floated to position
on the blood of his countrymen, pre
vents from celebrating the birthday of
the great Liberator for whom it was
| named. Did General Grant tear for his
i favorites, and think that the twenty-sec
ond ot February would witness the Sicil
ian Vespers of South Carolina—that the
birthday of the enemy of tvrants would
be consecrated by the extermination of
tyrants. If so he was deceived.—
When the General Government, in
spired by madness and folly, shall
decide Chamberlain and his
crew of thieves and soonndrels con
stitute the legal government of South
Carolina, then, and not nntil then, may
men dread a repetition of fhe Sicilian
Vespers. If such an order had been is
sued to the military organizations of
any city of Georgia we should advise
resistance to the last extremity—even
unto death—and there would be resis
tance. But Carolinians occupy a dif
ferent position, and to Carolinians we
say, submit. You are playing for a
great stake, the political redemption of
a great State and a noble people. The
game is rapidly drawing to an end. Yon
have not made a single false play. Do
nothing now that the ingenuity of
malice and of sconndrelism may distort
to your disadvantage. Bear and forbear
yet a little while longer. As for Grant,
leave him to the Furies that never fail
to torture the wicked, the oorrupt, the
unjust man—that are even now upon
his track. It is, perhaps, in accordance
with the eternal fitness of things that to
honor the birthday of the hero of the
Revolution'and the first President of the
American Republio should be forbidden
by the last President and the man who
has done more than any one else to sub
vert the principles of political freedom
and to bring republican institutions in
to contumely and contempt.
A NEW STORY.
Prof. Wm, Henry Pros, one of the
most prolific and popular Of oar Ameri
can novel writers, will commence the
publication of anew story, entitled
“Rodolph the Red Dwarf,” in the New
York Ledger, of February 24th, This
is a romance of the reign of Charles 11.
There have been but few periods more
filled with the elements of romance than
the reign of Charles N. Prof. Peck’s
intimate knowledge of history enables
him to set forth the plots and lawless
ness and suffering of that age with graph
ic power. “Rodolph the Red Dwarf”
is one of Prof. Peck’s best works. It
will be read with interest. Those of
our citizens who had the pleasure of
bearing Prof. Peck’s admirable leoture
on the rise and fall of Cardinal Wolsey
need no assurance of his ability to in
terest au intelligent and discriminating
publio.
THE GEORGIA RAILROAD.
The Legislature has passed three very
important acts in relation to the Georgia
Railroad and Banking Company, One
anthorizes that corporation to buy or
lease the Port Royal Railroad. Another
anthorizes it to buy or lease the Macon
and Augusta Railroad. Another em
powers it to issue bonds to meet its in
debtedness. The bonded debt of the
Georgia Railroad is, we believe, only
one hundred thousand dollars—less,
perhaps, than the bonded debt of any
railway corporation of its size in the
United States. Its seven per cent, bonds
shoald, and doubtless will, readily com
mand par or a premium. The day of
high rates of interest has passed and the
perfectly safe security that will yield six
or seven per cent, upon the money in
vested in its purchase will ein demand.
The indebtedness of the road, whioh
these bonds are to meet, is, we presume,
that arising from the failure of the Port
Royal Railroad to pay the interest of its
bonds on whish the Georgia Railroad is
an endorser. Growing out of the same
circumstance is the bill authorizing the
purchase or lease of the former by the
latter. If the Georgia Road is to be re
sponsible for the debts of the Port Royal
the stockholders may decide to take pos-
session of the property and operate it
themselves. The bill authorizing the
purchase or lease of sfip Macon and Au
gusta Railroad.takes us somewhat by sur
prise. Three or four years ago the South
Carolina Railroad, then a large stock
holder, bought the stock owned by the
city of Augusta, amounting, nominally, to
half a million of dollars, and obtained a
controlling interest. Since that time
the stock has greatly declined in value
and a lease or a sale might be effected
on very favorable terms —if it is to the in
terest of the Georgia Bailroad to buy or
lease. All of these questions will doubt
less be considered at the annual meeting
in this ojty of the stockholders next
May. The Macon Road is now operated
by the Georgia, as it has been ever
since its completion.
GEORGIA AND RAILWAY CONSTRUC
TION.
The last number of the Railroad Ga
zette contains a full review of the rail
road construction of 1876. It appears
from the exhibit that, though the con
struction of new roads has been s nail
as compared with those years in whioh
building was most extensively carried
on, the progress was material and
healthy. The time has gone by when
railroads can be bnilt on speculation
and proye profitable enterprises for those
who first took the project in hand, what
ever the effect might be upon those who
had to bear the brant of the undertak
ing. Texas, California and Colorado
exhibited the most (parked railroad pro
gress in 1876. The first named State
built nearly as much railroad during the
year as it ever did in any preceding
year, and increased its mileage more
than one-fifth. Both California and
Colorado constructed more railroad than
in any previous year. Ohio led Colorado
in the number of miles, but not in the
proportion of the mileage to the exist
ing length of road.
The exhibit which Georg’a makes
both in the number of miles of railwav
constructed during the year, as well as
in the total number of miles in opera
tion, is very gratifying. During the
year forty-four miles of railway were
built in the Stpte. Qnly fourteen States
bnilt more. None of the Sonthern States
bnilt as mnch, with the exception of
Arkansas, which bpjlt fiye miles more.
Georgia has twenty-three hundred and
eight (piles of railway ip operation ;
only ten States have more; Illinois,
Indiana, lowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mis
souri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Wisconsin. In railway transporta
tion Georgia ranks as the eleventh State
in the Union. The whole of New Eng
land has bnt fifty-six hundred miles,
while the Sonthern States have nineteen
thousand miles. The position which
Georgia occupies will be maintained.
In a few years the Atlantic and Gulf
Railroad will be extended; the Bruns
wick and Albany Railroad will be com
pleted; the Marietta and North Qeorgia
Railroad will be finished; the Augusta
and Knoxville and the Georgia Western
will be constructed. Georgia will be
the Empire State of the South in rail
ways as in everything else.
A supplementary resumption bill has
been prepared to meet the recopmenda
tions o{ the President in his recent
special message. It authorizes the re
tirement of $100,000,000 greenbacks by
funding them in 4 per cent, thirty-year
bonds—tbe funding to be at a nqt great
er rate than $10,000,000 a month, which
would require tep months at least, and
probably longer, to retire the amount
proposed. In addition to this general
sum of $100,000,000 greenbacks retired
$30,000,000 of $1 and $2 notes are to be
redeemed in sabsidary silver—coins of
half dollars and under. The object of
this provision is to get rid of all small
notes at once, and substitute silver for
them. The fractional currency, $45,-
000,000 in amount, is already being ‘re
deemed with silyer, and if $30,000,000 of
$1 and $2 notes be similarly redeemed,
the country would have $75,000,(100 in
small silyer ooips for use as change.
— ~ m m...
The election in the Ninth District
oomes off March 13th.
THE LEGISLATURE.
WHAT WAS DONE IN ATLANTA
YESTERDAY.
Georgia Railroad Bills—A Board to Revise
Taxes and to Insure a Fair and Uniform
Return of Taxes—Gnano Inspectors—The
Honse Concurs In the Senate Amendment,
and the Convention BUI Passes.
[Special Dispatch to the Chronicle and Sentinel.]
Senate.
Atlanta, February 19 —The follow
ing bills passed; To limit the pav of the
Treasurer of Fulton county to $1,200; to
provide for the mode of government for
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum and to
remedy existing abuses.
House.
The following bills passed : To repeal
the act creating a Board of Commission
ers for Washington county; to make it a
felony for any person to carry away cot
ton and other produce from the farm 'of
another; to authorize the Georgia Rail
road to buy or lease the Port Royal
Railroad; to authorize the Georgia Rail
road to issue a million dollars in bonds,
to take up maturing bonds and to meet
other indebtedness; to authorize the
Georgia Railroad to lease or buy the
Macon and Augusta Railroad; to repeal
the act providing for the payment of
insolvent notes.
The bill to authorize the Governor
to pay the claim of J. Boarman John
son & Cos. was withdrawn.
The bill to provide for a more oorrect
and uniform return of taxable property
was reconsidered and passed—yeas, 75;
nays, 63. This bill provides for the ap
pointment by the grand jury, at the
Spring term, of three discreet, intelli
gent and responsible citizens in each
militia district, who shall constitute a
Board of Revision. The Tax Receiver,
before closing his returns, shall submit
the same to the B°ard, and where there
is an undervaluation of property, the
Board shall re-assess fhp same
and place thereon a correct valuation.
The party affected has the right of
appeal to arbitration provided for
in the bill. Tax Receivers shall,
before forwarding digests io the
Comptroller-General, take an oath be
fore the Ordinary that they }iave ad
ministered the oath provided by law to
tax payers. If the bill is carried out,
it will increase the taxable property of
the State millions of dollars. It is to
the interest of people who return prop
erty at a fair valuation, and will only
operate against those persons who do
not make honest retnrns.
Your editorial in reference to the value
of landed property, as compiled from the
reports of the Comptroller-General, had
much to do with the reconsideration and
final passage of the bill. It demonstrat
ed that there was no nniformity in the
returns, and that in many counties the
property was not returned at anything
like a fair valuation.
The bill to render more economical
inspection of fertilizers, tabled this
morning, was taken up and passed this
evening. It turuß the whole matter over
to the Commissioner of Agrionlture, who
appoints a chemist and six inspectors.
The chemist receives three thousand
and inspectors fifteen hundred dollars
per annum, and those officers arc ap
pointed to hold offloe at the pleasure of
the Commissioner, The fees are fifty
cents per ton, which are to be paid into
the State Treasury. The bill goes into
effect the first of June. The bill passed
by a large majority.
Mr, Moses gave notice of a motion to
reconsider.
The bill to appropriate one-third of
the State tax to be paid .by Chatham
county, for the present year to be ap
plied to draining said county, to protect
sanitary interest of Savannah was lost—
yeas, 74; nays, 78. Notice of reconsid
eration was given.
Second Dispatch.
The House receded from its amend
ment to the Convention bill submitting
the question of Atlanta oc Milledgeville
to the people and then conourred in the
Senate amendment submitting to the
people the question of Convention or
No Convention. Qn tfie final passage
of the bill the yeas were Jfilj nays, 15,
P. W.
Senate.
Atlanta, 20. —The follow
ing bills passed: To pay for the West
ern and Atlantic change bills ten cents
on the dollar. To authorize the City
Council of Augnsta to create a Board of
Health. To require sheriffs to keep a
reoord of persons committed to jail.
Bonne.
The bill to grant one-third of the
State tax of Chatham county for drain
ing lands near Savannah, lost yesterday,
was reconsidered and passed—yeas, 69;
nays, 61.
The bill to require railroad companies
to pay promptly* for stock killed, passed
last night, was reconsidered.
Mr. Black moved to reconsider the
bill appropriating the net proeeeds of
convict labor to the Marietta and North
Georgia Railroad—the motion was lost.
The bill gives about twelve thousand
dollars this year and twenty-five thou
sand per year for the next three years,
the State to have the first mortgage
lien on the road for the amount so ad
vanced.
The Committee on the Penitentiary
report various convict camps in the
State properly conducted, and express
satisfaction with *he treatment and gov
ernment of oonvicts. The Senate bill
was read the first time and referred to
the committees. Mr. Rennon, of Clay,
sat down on the bill making it a misde
meanor for any person to give away
liquor on the day of election within one
mile of any election preqnct. He show
ed the absurfiity of the law, which pro
posed to interfere witfi a man’s private
rights. The bjll to provide for the pay
ment of expenses incurred in Washing
ton, Burke, Jefferson and Johnson coun
ties in suppressing an attempted insur
rection should have been passed. Mr.
Robßon worked faithfully and spoke
earnestly for the bill.
The sale of the Macon and Brunswick
Railroad to Mr. Hazlehurst and New
York associates hangs fire because of the
delay of the Legislature in expressing
its views. P. W.
The Convention Bill.
The iollowing is the Convention bill
as passed, with the exception of the
amendment allowing voters to vote fo*
Convention or No Convention when
voting fer delesates.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Sen
ate and House of Representatives of the
State of Georgia, and it is hereby en
acted by authority of the sane, That
immediately after the passage oi mis
bill, bis Excellency the Governor be,
and he is hereby, authorised and re-'
quirpd to issue his proclamation order
ing an election to be he)d in each and
every county in this State on the second
Tuesday in Jnn ’, 1877, for delegates to
a Convention of the people of Georgia,
to convene at the Capitol, in the city of
Atlanta, on the second Wednesday in
July, 1877, for the purpose of revising
the Constitution of said State.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That
said election shall be held and conduct
ed in the same manner and at the same
places as elections for members of the
General Assembly are now held by the
laws of this State, and the returns of
said election shall be ip the same man
ner forwarded to the Governor, who
shall issue certificates of election to such
persons chosen as delegates to said Con
vention receiving the highest number of
votes.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That
rep.esentation in said Convention shall
be based upon population, in the ratio
of one delegate to every six thousand
inhabitants ; and to this end each Sena
torial District in the fcjtate, as the dis
tricts are now arranged, shall consti
tute an Election District, from which
delegates to said Convention shall be
chosen as follows, to-wit :
From the First Election District:
Eight delegates.
From the Second Ration District;
Three delegates.
From the Third Election District:
Two delegates.
From the Fourth Election District:
Two delegates.
From the .’lection District :
Two delegates.
From the Sixth Election District :
Two delegates.
From the Seventh Election District:
Four delegates.
From the Eighth Election district:
Fonr delegates.
From the Ninth Election District:
Three delegates.
From the Tenth Election District;
Four delegates.
From the Eisysnth Election District:
Four delegates.
From the Twelfth Election DWot;
Fonr delegates.
From the Thirteenth Election District:
Six delegatee.
From the Fourteenth Election Dis
trict; Four delegates.
From the Fifteenth Election District:
One delegate.
From the Sixteenth Eleotion Diatrict:
Three delegates.
From the Seventeenth Eleotion Dis
trict: Five delegates.
From the Eighteenth Election Dis
trict: Seven delegates.
From the Nineteenth Election Dis
trict: Five delegates.
From the Twentieth Election Distriot:
Six delegates.
From the Twenty-first Eleotion Dis
triot: Five delegates.
From the Twenty-second Election
District: Eight delegates.
From >he Twenty-third Eleotion Dis
trict: Six delegates.
From the Twenty-fourth Eleotion Dis
trict: Five delegates.
From the Twenty-fifth Eleotion Dis
trict: six delegates.
From the Twenty-sixth Election Dis
trict: Four delegates.
From the Twenty-seventh Eleotion
District: Six delegates.
From the Twenty eight Eleotion Dis
triot : Five delegates.
From the Twenty-ninth Election Dis
triot : Five delegates.
From the T hirtieth Election Distriot :
Four delegates.
From the Thirty-first Election Dis
triot : Three delegates.
From the Thirty seoond Election Dis
tion : Two delegates,
From the Thirty-third Eliotiou Dis
triot : Four delegates.
From the Thirty fourth Election Dis
trict : Five delegates.
From the Thirty-fifth Eleotion Dis
trict : Nine delegates.
From the Thirty-Sixth Election Dis
trict : Six delegates.
From the Thirty-seventh Eleotion Dis
trict': Six delegates.
From the Thirty-eighth Election Dis-.
trict : Three delegates.
From the Thirty-ninth Eleotion Dis
triot: Four del-gates.
From the Fortieth Election Distriot:
Two delegates.
From the Fortytfirst Eleotion District:
Three delegates.
From the Forty-seooud Eleotion Dis
trict : Seven delegates.
From the Forty-thild Eleotion Distriot:
Four delegate^.
From the Forty-fourth Election Dis
trict: Three delegates.
Seo. 4. That in said election every
person entitled to vote for members of
the General Assembly shall be entitled to
vote and eligible as delegates.
Seo, 5. That the oonstitution framed
by said Convention shall be submitted
to the people for ratification or rejec
tion, and all persons entitled to vote
for members of the General Assembly
shall be entitled to vote in said eleotion.
Seo. 6. Be it further enacted, That
the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars,
or so much thereof qs may be necessary,
be, and the same is hereby, appropriat
ed to pay the expenses of said Conven
tion (if held), and his Excellency the
Governor is hereby authorized to draw
his warrant on the Treasury for the
same.
Senate.
Atlanta, February 21.— A resolution
was adopted to pay Col. Xj.
Snead, of I{ew two thousand dol
lars for legal servioes,
A bill to incorporate the Georgia
Land and Lumber Company passed.
The bill in reference to inspectors and
and inspection of fertilizers, giving the
whole matter into the hands of the Com
missioner of Agriculture, was made the
special order for to-morrow.
A resolntion to protect the claims of
Messrs. Branch and Her(iflg from opera
tions qf the pending constitutional
amendment was not agroed to.
House.
A resolution was adopted to elect
State Printer to-morrow.
There was a spirited debate over the
proposed sale of the Maeon and Bruns
wick Railroad to George H. Hazlehurst
and his New York associates. ‘
A resolution iyas adopted directing
the G yernpr not to lpase oj sell the
road, but to run ft until the hC*t session
of the legislature. It was stated, by
authority of Dr. Flewellen, that the
road would pay into the State Treasury
sixty thousand dollars for the present
year, without any appropriation from
the State. This resolution disposes of
the question for the present.
The Governor is authorized to receive
proposals for the lease or sale, subject
to approval or rejection by the Legis
lature.
The appropriation ftiU is mow being
considered, P. W.
THE NINTH DISTRICT.
The Candidacy of Mr. Speer and the Recent
Meetine in Athene.
Athens, February 20th, 1877.
Editors Chronicle and Sentinel :■
The Congressional race in this distriot
seems to he exciting much interest
throughout the State, and being in the
midst of the excitement, I ask the use
of your oolumns to explain the position
of a party to which I belong, since there
is being made an attempt to deprive it
of the advantage gained in a reoent
election of delegates to the Nominating
Convention of the distriot. The Ninth
District has certain mountain counties
in the northern portion whioh, though
very sparsely populated, hay.p bitherfo,
owing to the system of nominating con
ventions in vogue in the district, com
pletely gagged and entirely controlled
the more populous counties in the
southern end of the district. The peo
ple of Clarke last year, in a publio meet
ing of the Democratic party of the
county, passed pointing to
reform, and asking the po-operation of
those cjoquties in the southern end of
the district, which were, ip like manner
with Clarke, injured by the present con
vention rule, to come out of the Conven
tion, nominate a candidate and elect
him,
As long as Mr. Hill was willing to
represent the Ninth District, the people
were unanimously in favor of returning
him, and the question of a change in the
convention system was not one of im
portance. Mr. Hill has now been sent
to the Senate. There is no longs? a
unanimity between the people pjt the
northern and southern, portions of fhe
district, aDd the of the pres
ent Contention is likely to work great
ii justice to the southern counties. Un
der the present convention rules, based
on the representation in the Lower
House of the State Legislature, two
hundred votes in Union have as mnch
voice in the choice of a Congressman as
have one thousand votes in (jlarke,
equally good Democrats, equally intel
ligent men, equal in every respect except
in the Nominating Democratic Conven
tion of the Ninth District.
Mr. Emory Speer, echoing the senti
ments of the southern end.of the dis
triot, has headed the move for a reform
in the Convention system and placed
himself in the field as a candidate, snb
ject to a Convention which will give
each county a voting power in Conven
tion equal to its voting power at the
polls. Clarke county, in two public
meetings, has expressed herself with,
Mr. Speer and has elected delpMfes to
the Convention, who wilj insist on a re
form, and iavpr'Mr. tjpesr. While
the delegates are wholly uninstrncted,
they were elected by the friends of the
Convention reform, and are expeoted to
oome ont of the Convention, if the other
populous cotton counties of the district
will oome with Clarke, but Clarke is not
to come by herself—so said one of the
delegates who has been chosen, in ex
plaining bis position, and the others by
their silence acquiesced,
Now then Mr Ranter, member of the
Democratic Copamittep of the Ninth Dis
triot, in accordance with a call from Mr.
Hockenhnll, of Dawson, the Ghftirgm D i
called the citizens of the county togeth
er last Satqyfiay, February 17th, to elect
delegates, which call being ratified by
Dr. B, M, Smith, Chairman of the
county organization, ura authoritative.
The meeting was duly organized, largely
attended, and ejected delegates to repre
sent Clarke in the Gainesville Conven
tion on the platform I have laid down
above.
Mr. Hunter is not a friend of Mr.
Speer’s, and now he issues another call,
based upon the supposition that the
delegates already elected will withdraw
from the Convention amf leave Clarke
unrepresented therein, in case the Con
vention refuses to listen to Clarke, and
whether the, other cotton counties oqme
ont or not. The delegates aye unin
strncted; the delegates nave said plain
ly such would not be their coarse, and
Mr. Hunter and bis last call have no
more solid foundation thaq th%t gentle
man’s opposition to Mr. Speer, and the
fact that the present delegates favor Mr.
Bpeev- By issuing another call he puts
himself in the position of a hoi ter from
the Democratic party of the county, and
does the very thing in regard to the par
ty in the county whieh he accuses Mr.
$2 A YEAR—POSTAGE PAID.
Spier of threatening to do in the Dis
trict. Furthermore, Mr. Hunter has no
more authority to call a meeting thau a
tom oat, and a meeting so called would
be no more binding on the Democracy
of the oounty than the gathering to
gether of a serenading party of the
aforesaid oats. The people have spoken
and it is time for the politicians to quiet
down. Reformer.
FIRE IN THE PICKERIES.
Quite a Conflagration Last Night.
It is not often that Augusta has a fire,
and those whioh do sometimes break out
are genei ally cheeked before any damage
has been done.
Last night, however, about seven
o’clock, the city was startled with the
fire alarm, and a bright light up on the
river bank soon drew a crowd to that
spot, where it was ascertained that
the warehouse, waste factory and pick
ery of Mr. 0. W. Simmons, situated ou
the corner of McCarten and Bay streets,
on the river bank, were in a blaze. The
fire had made much headway before the
engines oould reach the spot, and it soon
became evident that the buildings them
selves oould not be saved. The time
whioh had elapsed before the alarm be-
came general, the distance of the water
plugs and the highly inflammable ma
terial upon whioh the flames were fed,
all conduced to give the fire great ad
vantage. The Department, however, was
promptly on the ground, and by coup
ling the hose together three steamers
soon managed to put their streams upon
the burning buildings. The flames,
however, soon began to spread, and the
stable and warehouse in the rear became
speedily enveloped, while a small
house immediately across McCar
ten street began to crackle and
smoko from the nearness and hotness of
the fire. Had this building been fired
the flames would have readily been com
municated by fences and small wooden
houses to Mr. Goodrich’s workshops,
and the consequences would have been
disastrous indeed. The fenoes,
er, running up to this threatened point
were speedily knooied down, and a
stream directed upon the house itself.
Fortunate indeed it was that a stiff
south breeze was blowing, aa the smoke
a “ d B P a fks were carried directly over
the Savannah river, and not in the di
rection of the surrounding buildings;
but aa ■it was the revolving column of
flame and smoke, roaring and crackling,
rolled directly over the waters, where the
sparks and burning spars spent their
harmless fury. The buildings were soon
consumed and the cotton bales with
other articles in the second stor} falling
throughjat a comparatively early stage of
the fire, left pothipg bqt the slight
frame timbers which were easily pulled
dowp and the water from the streams
poured in direotly upon the homing
maaa.
The origin of the fire appears to have
been the explosion of a kerosine lamp.
The lamp in the hands of some person
in the main building of the factory be
gan to flare up, and in thi* efforts to
put it out and the room
m whieh the machinery was sit
uated surrounded by rags and lubrica
tors, apd saturated almost with oil and
grease, was soon in a blaze. Mr. A. F.
Proctor, the Superintendent of this
faotory or pickery, assisted by Mr.
Armstrong, staying with him, got
out the Baboook extinguishers and soon
had some three or four of them at work,
but the flames had ffiude tpo much head
way for these, ep the attention of the
gent(emeq and the hands around were
engaged W removing what they could
from the house. The fire, however, be
coming very hot, they were forced to
relinquish their work, indeed Mr. Proc
tor himself beoame very nearly suffocat
ed before he was removed from the
building, both he and Mr, Armstrong
having lost their eptire wardrobe and
furniture, and ‘he latter, fifty dollars in
money, which was consumed with his
trunk.
Mr. Simmons’ loss is very heavy. Be
sides the waste pot fop, furniture, books
and machinery in the factory proper,
there were from 3,01> to 400 bales of
ootton in the warehouse, which were
heavily damaged, and many of tbem en
tirely oonsumed. The damage was esti
mated at from $30,000 to $40,000, with
only about SIO,OOO insured. The safe, in
which were confined the ledgers, books
and other valuable papers, was found to
be red hot, and the contents destroyed.
The building was a pqttun and yarn fac
tory, where rough and damaged cotton
was, worked over and repacked, and the
fire, which originated in the main build
ing, was communicated to the buildings
on the side, and this to the warehouse
and stables in the rear. There Were aome
mules in the stable, but they were
turned louse before the fire had gained
muah headway.
Mr. Simmons, who is also of the firm
of Bussell & Simmons in the ootton fac
tory on the panal, was burnt out, we
lear, some years sinoe in Savannah,
where he was also engaged in the facto
ry business.
The fire among the bales was still
alive at 12 o’clock last night, at which
hour the steamers Georgia, Gazelle and
Vigilant were playing npoD it. This
fire is said to have been the iuvgpat in
Augusta since 1870, at VfMpA time the
noted Goodrich wwk B JMW and the Plan
ters’ Hptfd fiW occurred, each at separ
ate intervals and all within a stone’s
throw of the scene of last night’s burn
ing.
Incidents.
The soenery up and down, ft>e Savan
nah river for some distance during the
brightest stage of the fire was extremely
beautiful, the light shining upon the
Water ana the waves, pioturesqe forms
of trees and objects upon the Carolina
side being frequently remarked upon by
many gentlemen and several ladies who
were also in attendance.
The capers of several little nigs, who
were improvised firemen to scoop up
mnd and water in their hats and throw
upon the long lines of tow and bagging
along the bank, were hugely enjoyed by
the orowd.
Over the stable, immediately in the
rear of the factory, large flock of
pigeons roosting there swarmed on* of
their 88 flames became too
hut, and began fo whirl around in a con
fused a hd giddy wj In the ourrent of
smoke and flame, fluttering wildly about
in the glaring atmosphere, and many of
of them fell into the burning building,
while not a few fumbled over upon the
river bank, where they were eagerly
picked np by the small boys and col
ored youths ip attendance.
Mr, Gasper Ferrer, pipeman of No, 1,
was severely burned, and bad to be
carried home.
This office is iudebted to the Me
chanic boys for a bowl of coffee last
night, very acceptable and enjoyable.
MONDAY NIGHT’S FIRE.
Picking* from the Pickeries.
The chief looal theme of conversation
upon the streets yesterday was the burn
ing of Mr. Simmons’ waste factory
Monday night. Many persons visited
the of the fire during the day,
*knr£ bauds were busily employed re
moving the damaged and waste cotton
and pif\hg it up in the va
oant tod m the rear, or upon the
river bank to dry. The steamer Geor
gia remained at her place until fonr
o’clock yesterday morning, while the
Gazelle held the fort at her plug until
al out three. Yesterday morning early
Chief Robbe visited the ruins, and as
some fire remained in the cotton,coupled
up the hose of Nos. 3 and 6 and himself
directed a stream upon the burning
spots. The firemen evinced a heroism
and fortitude remarkable npon the occa
sion, Chief Robbe having in many in
stance* to order them away from the
burning walls for fear that some uf them
wonld lose their lives. The brick wall
dividing the engine room from the pick
ery partly remained yesterday, and the
boiler enclosed in its bnck covering re
mained intact, bnt the machinery of the
engine was scattered around generally,
parts of it being melted, broken and
mostly rained. The safe rested in
a standing position upon its charred
supports. The safe was not opened yes
terday, so that ** yet it has not been as
certained to what extent the contents
have been damaged, bnt from the length
of time whieh it remained in the hottest
part of the fire very lit Re hope remains
of any preservation of the books and
*r loss will probably amount to
abont $30,000, and the insurance aggre
gates ten thousand dollars, being par
celled eat in the following companies :
Merchant and Mechanics Fire Insurance
Company of Richmond, Ya., represented
by Mr, Wm. Reid, agent at Angusta.
$2,000. The following companies, rep
resented by Mr. G, W. Hams, are also
involved to the extent of the accompany
ing amounts :
London and Lancaster .* $3,000
Mississippi Valley 2,000
Old Dominion 1.000
Commercial j qqq
Farmville 1 000
The lots up m which the factory stood
were owned by Mrs. Andrew J. Miller
and had been leased by Mr. Simmons
for a term of years, the first factory
having been created in 1871, and addi
tions subsequently made.
Mr. Simmons may build again in tliAt
B P° t bnt asserts that his next factorv
will be of brick and as near fire-proof as
can be made. Ibe and ffionity of procar*
ing water and the distance it had to be
oonveyed rendered the suppression of
me names Monday night impossible.
Mr. Simmons is one of our most, en
ergetic and enterprising manufacturers,
and we hope will “loom up” again in
the near future.
BIRTHDAY.
GRANT’S INFAMOUS CAROLINA
EDICT.
A Wise Proclamation from (Jeneral Hamp
lon-Tbe Washington Light Infantry In
vited to Augusta, lint Decline—The Clinch
Send Their Delegation to Charleston.
The miserable pronnneiamento of
Presid< nt Grant embodied in the dis
patches of yesterday, forbidding military
demonstrations to-day, was the occasion
of great indignation among Augusta’s
citizen soldiery in sympathy with their
Palmetto comrades. ‘ The fact, too, that
the colored companies had been repeat
edly allowed to drill in Columbia and
Charleston wiihout interference, within,
the past few weeks, aud that they wonlrt
probably celebrate to-day unmolested,
made the distinction particularly gall
ing to the gallant men.
The following is the communication
addressed by Col. Black, United States
army, commandaut at Columbia, to
Capt. Thompson, and officially served
on him Tuesday afternoon:
Post of Columbia, l
Columbia, S. G., February 20, 1877. s
To Captain 11, Thompson, Colum
bia, S, CJ
Dear Sir— l have the honor to notify
you that I have been this day directed
by the honorable Secretary of War to in
form you that his Excellency, the Presi
dent of the United States, directs me to
notify you that the members of the so
called rifle clubs who, under his procla
mation of the 17th of October last, were
instructed to disband, are not to make
any public demonstration or parade on
the 23d instant, as is said to be com
templated, and it is to be hoped yon
will give a cheerful obedieuce to this
order, and notify the members of your
club or company, in order to prevent a
parade of any kind taking place. My
orders require mo to see t hat no such
parade takes place,
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obe
dient servant,
H. M. Black, Lieut.-Col.
Eighteenth Infantry, Com. Post
The feeling whioh followed this order
when it became generally known was in
deed very bitter, but the matter being
brought to Governor Hampton, of Caro
lina, that official issued the following
Proclamation :
State op South Carolina, }
Executive Chamber, v
Columbia, S. C., February 20, 1877. \
His Excellency, the Presid nt of the
United States, having ordered that the
white militia companies of the State
should not parade on the 22d instant, to
celebrate Washington’s birthday, in
deference to the office he holds, I here
by call upon these organizations to
postpone to some future day this mani
festation of their respect to the memory
of that illustrious President., whose
highest ambition it was, as it was his
chief glory, to observe the Constitution
and to obey the laws of his country. If
the arbitrary commands of a Chief Ex
ecutive, who has not sought to emulate
the virtues of Washington, deprives the
citizens of this State of the privilege of
joining publioly in paying reference to
that day so sacred to every American
patriot, We can at least show by out
obedience to constituted authority, how
ever arbitrarily exercised, that we are
not unworthy to be the countrymen of
Washington. We must, therefore, re
mit to some more auspicious period,
which J tfusf is not far distant, the ex
ercise of our right to commemorate the
civic virtues of that unsullied character
who wielded his sword only to. found
and perpetuate that American constitu
tional liberty which is row denied to the
citizens of South Carolina.
Hampton, Governor..
As was stated in yesterday’s Chronicle
Sentinel, the Clinch Rifles of this city
had detailed a delegation from their
company to be in Charleston to-day, at
the annual parade and celebration of
the Washington Light Infantry, and
made them the bearers of a very hand
some testimonial of the well known
friendship between the two companies.
When the astounding news in this
connection, however, was received, inter
dicting the celebration in Charleston,
the military and citizens generally con
cluded to invite the Washington Light
Infantry to Augusta and honor their
visit and the day with a grand battalion
parade. Yesterday morning, therefore,
Capt. Frank G. Ford, of the Clinch
Rifles, in behalf of his company, sent
the following telegram to Capt. E. C.
Gilchrist, Commanding W. L. L, Char
lesleßton S. C. :
“Have just read the proclamation of
President Grant. The Clinch Rifles and
citizens will heartily welcome tho
Washington Light Infantry if they will
celebrate their anniversary in Augusta.
“Frank G. Ford,
“Captain Clinch Rifles.”'
In a short time the following reply
was received:
Capt. Frank O. Ford, Clinch Rifles,
Augusta :
Your patriotic and generous invita
tion gratifies the W. L. 1., but we have
concluded to accept Gov. Hampton’s
advice and abandon this commemora
tion of Washington’s birthday.
R, C. Gillohirst,
Captain W. L. I.
Dispatches from Mr. Jas. A. Gray and
Mr. W. Stevenson, and other citizens,
were also sent to Capt. W. A. Courtenay,
former Captain of the W. L. 1., and the
following reply was received last night
by the latter gentleman:
Explain to all our noble and gener
ous Augusta friends that in declining
an invitation to be with them on the
morrow, we obey the letter and spirit of
Governor Hampton’s wishes. It will be
a dies non in South Carolina. Even St.
Michael’s bells will be silent.
W. A. Courtenay.
Capt. Jno. W. Clark, commanding
the Richmond Hussars, sent to Capt.
Courtenay the following:
“As you > re not allowed to parade in
Charleston to-morrow, the Hussars will
tender you a hearty welcome in Augus
ta and will assist you in honoring the
memory of the “Father of His Country.”
John W. Clark,
Captain Commanding R. H.
After these answers were received, the
Clinch Rifles resolved to send their dele
gation to Charleston anyhow, to appear
in citizen’s dress, and act with the W.
L. I. in any manner they proposed to
pass the day, and to deliver their beau
tiful medal. Last evening, accordingly,
at 6 o’clock, the following detachment,
in command of Lieutenant J. D. Cole,
appeared at the Union Depot and took
the cars for Charleston: Jbeuteriant. Ben
D. Jones, and Messrs. Clarence Levy,
Henry Hyams, S. Green Simmons and
W. W. Starr.
In Auffunta.
Here in Georgia, we are glad to say,
that nothing interferes with our cele
brations, and the military companies,
suoh of them as are so disposed, will
honor the day as they desire. There
will be no battalion parade, but the
grand sabre contest of the Hussars will
come off in front of Clara Hall this af
ternoon, and the Oglethorpe Infantry,
Company B, will have a parade also
this afternoon,
Grand Bail.
The Washington Fire Company, No.
1, give their grand annual hop at
Spaeth’s Hall this evening, which
promises to be one of the most enjoy
able events of the season.
The Savannah Morning News says :
We learn that Prof. J. H. .Newman, well
and favorably known in this eity, has
accepted the position of Professor of
Mnsic in the Wesleyan Female College,
at Macon.
Two sets of delegates from Clarke
county will appear in the Gainesville
Convention from Clarke connty. One
set styles itself the “reform party” and
the other will appear as the regular
Democratic nominees.
The Gainesville Southron is informed
that there are millions of full-grown
grasshoppers in the section of country
around Gainesville, and advises the
farmers to meet together and burn over
the places infested by the pests.