The Augusta weekly press. (Augusta, Ga.) 1869-18??, January 09, 1869, Image 2

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<Hl)c ItJccUlii JJics.s. c. R. HANLEITER, - - Publisher Office —190 Broad Street. AUGUSTA, GA. ►SATURDAY January 9, 1801) All communications for publication must be written only on one side of tlie paper, and accompanied with the name of the writer. We will not publish,the name, unless the writer wishes us to do so, but avo must have it as a guarantee of the truthfulness of the article. Another Warning. We have already published the shocking details of the fiendish mur der of Mr. Martin mid his two sisters, in Columbia county, and the burning of their dead bodies with the family residence. Mr. Martin had moneyq the atrocious act was committed to obtain this money. This is another sad warning to' our farm ing friends not to keep money about their homes. It is quite possible that tlie Martin family would be alive to day if their money had been safely deposited in bank. Tlie robbers wanted poor Martin’s savings, and they were willing to commit arson and-a treble murder to secure it. We conjure our farming friends to take warning from the unhappy fate of this unfortunate family. Do not delay to seek some solvent banking institution and make a special or a general de posit of all your surplus funds. Do not foolishly rely on your ability to keep your moneyed possessions secret. “ Walls have ears,” and the thieves will become posted. If you have no money hid away that fact will become known and you are comparatively safe. Chicken-thieves never visit an empty hen-house; neither will robbers visit the house of a man when they know his means arc in Augusta*.or some other city. The}- prefer a “sure thing”—the rascals. A Corrupt U. S- Senator- The Cincinnati Gazette of the Ist of January contains a letter from its Washington correspondent, General 11. V. Boynton, formerly a volunteer officer in the Federal army, detailing numerous successful and unsuccessful efforts of Senator S. C. Pomeroy, of Kansas, to “put money in his purse,” by securing the passage of bills through Congress containing grants of lands and U. S. bonds to railroad companies of which he was part owner. General B. is by no means a prolix writer, yet his details occupy nearly two columns of tliq mammoth paper of which he is the representative at Washington. To give the reader an idea of the vast schemes of fraud which are annually attempted to get through Congress, the correspondent says that seventy-two bills for -the benefit of railroads were introduced in the Senate during tlie 40th Congress, each of which was simply a scheme of plunder. ■Seventy four bills of the same character were presented during the o9tli Congress. General B. mentions one bill, which became a law, which secured to a certain road twelve Sections of land and a subsidy of Si G,OOO per mile. Senator Pomeroy owned one-sixteenth of this road. Ilis share of this plunder was £IOO,OOO, and nearly as much in bonds. Wc have not the space to* follow the Gazette writer in his sickening details, lie shows that this man Pome no y is One of the most corrupt men in the country, and that his schemes of plun der are so notorious as to he familiar to everybody. If the charges in the Gazette were those of a political opponent, wo should make proper allowance for the fact, and conclude that the desire to make party capital was the object of their publication. Hut the Gazette, Boynton and Pome koy belong to the same party and to the same wing of their party. P. S.—Senator Pomeroy has a bill before the Senate again reconstructing Georgia. lie is a fit subject for that sort of business. General Frank Blair. We are sorry to see a statement credited to General Frank Blair to the effect that be was dependent on a Federal office for “sustenance.” For a man of the youth, ability and courage of the General, such a confession is humiliating. No man of his character should say that he was dependent on office under the Government for sup port. If the wav really did ruin him pecuniarily—it ruined very few Fede ral Generals—his abilities will com mand a handsome reward in some private enterprise. Still, we are not condemning his acceptance of work under the Government. We only hate to hear a pitiful plea if he did not enjoy this official pensioning lie would be destitute of the means of support. Surely the gallant General never used the expression in the sense in which it is published. In his inaugural, on the Ist, Gov. Hoffman wisely eschewed all re ference to political matters. —The Postmaster General, it is said, is preparing an elaborate report urging Congress to do the telegraphic business of the country. General Grant Expresses Himself on Questions of Deep Interest to the South. If we arc to credit a correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat , General Grant has recently been expressing himself very freely on subjects of vital interest to the people of the Mississip pi Valley, and of the whole South. The correspondent claims to have been prssent at an interview between the General and a prominent citizen of Louisiana, who was seeking the aid of the Government in improving the levees of the lower Mississippi river. We will let the correspondent relate the particulars of the interview in his own language : “General,” said the Senator, “Judge - wishes to see you a Tcay moments, and con sult with you in regard to the improvement of the levees of tlie lower Mississippi. We Avisli the United Siates Government to en dorse, and thus guaranty the bonds of the State of Louisiana for tlie restoration and im provement of the levees.” “I hope tlie GoA'ernnunt will not doit,’ the General replied, with a quick, positive utterance that was not only decisive and final on that subject, but almost stunning. “But, General.” urged the Senator, “we only wish the United States to endorse tlie bonds, so that avo can sell them without a ruinous discount, giving the United Stales ample security for the entire amount, so that it would lie impossible for the government to lose a cent in any emergency.” Again Grant quickly interrupted, “I never kneAv a government to become responsible for*any amount that it did not ultimately have to pay. You now want the endorse ment of the bonds. K that is given you will soon Avant to legislate for the payment of the bonds.” “General” said the Senator, “you are too hard on us.” “While avc arc discussing on all sides,” said Grant, “lioav the national debt is to be paid, I. shall oppose any increase of the na tional obligations.” “It is impossible to cultivate our lands,” interposed the Senator. “The levees are ab solutely necessary.” “I know all about the levees,” he answered. “I served in that country when a young man, and 1 had something to do myself with tlie breaking of those levees.” “But,” said the Judge, “millions of acres of the best land in the world, are subject to overflow.” “Letthemoverliow, and let them stay under water,” said Grant, “until their oAvners are Avilling that Northern men and Northern capital should come in and protect and im prove them. Northern men Avith ample capital arc ready to make a garden of your State, and you won’t let them do it. Your large landholders are as hostile to the United States Government to-day as they have ever been; and if that government should rebuild their levees it Avould not change them a par ticle. I know no Avay the government could have adopted for Rebuilding the levees but to have confiscated the lands of those engaged in rebellion, and used the proceeds to restore the country. As that was not done, nothing remains but to set your negroes to Avork, and invite in and welcome Northern men.” “ General,” said the Judge, “ the negroes Avon’t AYork.” “Won’t work?” Grant quietly replied; “ they’ll Avork if you pay them for it.” “Am I not rightV” lie added. “Is there not such a hostility to Northern men that it amounts in most sections of the State tp a practical exclusion of them from the agricul tural interests of the country ? Is there not an unwillingness to divide up the lands and sell in small parcels to those who might immigrate; and is there not a general ten dency to secure the services-of the negroes Avitliout prompt and adequate compensa tion ?” “ I must said the .Judge, “ that there is more or less truth in all these points.” “Then,” said Grant, “1 think you will have to build your own levels, or Avail under water until you are willing men should come in avlio will build them?” The special attention ox the reader is directed to that portion of this in terview in which General Grant bluntly expresses his opinion as to the sentiments entertained by the “largo landholders” of the Mississippi valley. If the Democrat's statement is not purely' sensational, the President elect, instead of differing with the extreme Republican leaders in Congress, be is cheek-by-jowl with them, even imply ing that confiscation should have been resorted to by the Government. We are incredulous. These reported views are inconsistent with every former declaration made by him. Further evidence is anxiously awaited before we can bring ourself to the conviction t hat* the above is true in all its details. Yet wo are duly admonished to “put not your trust in princes.” Beil But'er. Hen. i h tlon has called on Presi dent Johnson. No doubt Andy re strained his maledictions amiinst the most unscrupulous of the inipcachers. The political <j• uid-nuncs arc speculat ing as to tjic object of his visit. That he don’t like Grant for exposing his military incompetency everybody knows. lie recently dined with Mr. Augustus Scunell, one of the sachems of Tammany I fall, and wrote a very long letter to the Louisville Courier & 'Journal is a matter of record; and that lie dislikes the bond holders, and is disliked by them, is a well established fact. Putting all these things together, and remember ing Butler’s utter want of principle, many think he intends, when the Forty-first Congress assembles, to make a political dash on anew line. We shall see what we shall see. Death of John W Duncan. The Atlanta Constitution of yester day contains an announcement of the death of John W. Duncan, Escj. That paper says of the deceased : Cob Duncan was born in (Scotland, the son of a Presbyterian minister; came to Georgia when quite a youth, and was educated in this Stale; subsequently studied law in Savan nah, afterwards resided for a time in AI i1 - ledgcvillo, whence he came to this city some twelve or fifteen years ago. Col. Duncan, in connection with Judge Cochrane, was, before the war, an editor and proprietor of the Atlanta Intelligencer. Dur ing the war lie held the position of Assistant Treasurer of the Confederate States, with an office in this city. At the time of his death lie was President of the Atlanta Gas Company, and a Director in the Atlanta Na tional Hank. Col. Duncan had no children. He loaves a wife to mourn las loss. Asa polished gentleman and genial com panion he will long be remembered by bis many friends in ibis ooimmmilv. Spirit of the Georgia Press. The Constitutionalist ridicules the habit of the newspaper press of tlie country in writing on the last day of the year “ a retrospective glance at the events of the past year,” and on the next day taking a telescopic view of the year 1809, and winding up with a sublime puff of their own tremendous importance and the very insignificant claims of all competitors. Close readers of our city cotempora ries will not fail to discover in this article a sly dig at a paper published much nearer Augusta than is the New York Tribune. Referring to affairs in Southern Georgia, the Constitutionalist inquires the whereabouts of Gov. Bullock. The Savannah News of the 4th indulges in the following bitter fare well to the Freedman’s Bureau : The Freedmen’s Bureau, that Pandora’s Box, from Avhich so much corruption, so many evils to the people of the South, Avhite and black have sprung, ceased to exist, ac cording to laiv, on the Ist instant. We learn from the Radical papers that' the work of. winding up its affairs will occupy several months, and that the expenses of Ihe opera tion Ax il 1 be defrayed out of tlie unexpended appropriations to the Bureau. The books and records of the concern are to be retained at the Howard University in Washington, and as the saintly philanthropist from Avhom that institution takes its name, is to continue in charge and have the personal superintend ance of the closing operations, avo may ex pect. that if will have a lingering demise, and that Avhen it is finally dead and gone it Avill leave not a vestige behind, so far as regards the unexpended appropriations. The editorial columns of the Chron icle cO Sentinel arc filled with “The Georgia Situation,” and speculations as to what Congress, which assembled yesterday, will do. The Constitutionalist stirs up the “Dust of Notoriety,” by descanting on the early forgetfulness, by' tlie people of the North, of President Lincoln, and even of Washington, the “incom parable Virginian.” It also laments the fact that here in the South the people do not preserve and propagate fish. In many parts of the world the cultivation offish is a business of de cided profit. Tlie Chronicle <6 Sentinel criticises the New York Tribune for not calling on .Congress to repress the murders and robberies that are committed on public thoroughfares of New York oily, as if docs when such crimes are committed in Georgia. In speaking of the supposed early decision of the Supreme Court declar ing the legal tender act unconstitution al that paper says : To require uoav— as the result of the Su preme Court decision clearly implies—that all these notes and contracts should be paid in gold, would defeat the intention of all the parties to such contracts. This decision makes anew contract, fixing gold as the only* “legal lender,” when the parties have agreed among themselves that a payment in “cur rency” Avould he a full compliance Avith the obligation. The debtor class of: Ihe country have added to their indebtedness, by this de cision, thirty-five per cent, more than w r as contemplated by them when entering into their contracts, and the creditor class receive thirty-five per cent, more than by their own agreement was considered a full compliance Avith the contract. We are giving the strictly legal effect of the decision. We do notjjclicve that a gen eral demand will be matte for gold on these currency contracts. It Avould certainly be dishonest to claim it, but we know that if it is made the law Avill sustain tlie demand. To secure the people of the country from the rapacity of such relentless creditors as would seek to take advantage of the decision of the court and claim gold for their debts, Congress should pass an act similar to our Ordinance of ’Go in relation to tlie scaling of Confederate debts, by which the rules of evidence’ may be enlarged so as to permit parties to give in proof the understanding or intention at llic time the contract Avas mafic as to the currency in which it was to lie paid. This would afford ample and com plete, and. insure strict and impartial justice. We presume that the decision Avill not affect those contracts in which it is expressly stipulated that payment is to he made in “ currency,” hut only those in which the general term “dollar” is used. In tlie mean time we suggest that, in making contracts for the future, they he made payable ex pressly in “gold,” or *is may best suit the convenience’of parties, “in present currency.” By doing this, any inconvenience or trouble out of the decision under review Avill he avoided. The Macon Telegraph has recently published several elaborate editorials on “The Amenities of the Press;’ but Unit [taper of the otli contains its latest as well as its best article on the subject. Wc transfer the entire pro duction to the columns of the Daily Press, and cordially approve and commend it to our cotemporaries. It evinces a most admirable “ spirit” on the part of at least one of the leading dailies in Georgia. There is excel lent food for reflection in the following, for citizens as well as editors: Our article on this subject, judging from the comments of several of our confreres, seems to have been taken much as the l’ylau was in the desert. The story says that a hungry little caravan, making its way across the desert, out of sup plies, except a few dried dates and a little goat’s flesh, came suddenly upon a spring of clear water, and beside it a venerable sage was preparing a delicious Pylau. The hun gry travellers dismounted in a moment, and, clustering around the fragrant stew, inhaled the perfume with ccstacy. By the heard of the prophet, the smell of your Pylau, old man, is like a whiff of ihc odors of Paradise. It is done, my sons, says the Bliick—gather around and satiate your hunger. For a time nothing was heard hut the smacking of lips and the clatter of ves - sels; but by and by, as the cravings of hun ger gave way to the sense of repletion, the guests began to criticise the meal. A good Pylau, says one, hut too much rice, to my notion. Yes, says another, and much too hot with pepper. That is so, says a third, and to my taste the meal was too old and tough. And L think, says a fourth, that the whole was burned in the cooking. Cease, my friemjs, said the Shiek, you are finding fault with your appetites, and not with my stew. Wc tell our confreres, with all their excep tions, each adapted to his own particular ease, the rule of courtesy is the best one. Violence and abuse are always a positive loss of influence and dignity, whether displayed in propria prruotia or through the columns of a newspaper. Kvcn if it he 1 heir unpleasant task, as some say, “to rebuke and expose ras cality and falsehood,” they can do that at no sacrifice of composure or 'dignity, and with out violence of language. Examine, if you please, the severest rebukes, reprimands, in vectives and exposures known to English literature—those whose pungency aud power have given an immortality surviving any other recollection of the offence, and you will find a surprising absence of temper, ex citement and epithet. lie who stabs deepest uses a keen and polished blade. It is a dull axe Avhich makes much noise. The Journal tO Messenger of the slb thinks if the opposition to any further reconstruction of Georgia is properly reinforced from the State, it will be impossible for the Edmunds’ bill to pass over an Executive veto. Yesterday’s Atlanta Era has a long editorial—the sum and substance of which is that the Governor and the Era arc both good Republicans, although differing- on ’ tlie question of Congressional interference with Geor gia affairs. The Era says that, in stead of making war on the Governor, it is a supporter of his administration. The Era also has an editorial on “what Gen. Grant thinks,” but fails to inform its readers as to what the General really does think. The Constitution glorifies Atlanta as a city to beebnio famous as a manu facturing point. We hope its most sanguine anticipations may be real ized. « Financial Condition of the Country. The - " Washington correspondent of the New York Express writes : Letters from the W cst state that the strin gency in'commerclal circles there is greater than it has been since 1857 —that the coun try is overstocked Avith goods, and that the farmers refuse to send their grain to mar ket, in consequence, of the decline in prices since 1807. At the South the aspect is rather more cheerful. The high price of cotton will put $230,000,000, for that product alone, into the pockets.of the “reconstructed” of that sec tion, to say nothing of large amounts for to bacco in Virginia,North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky, and for Avlieat and corn in tlie same States, and in Georgia and Tennessee. The whole value of the* surplus crops of the South this year cannot be less than $200,000,000, of which probably SIOO,- 000,000 are paid to the negroes in the shape of Avages, and $00,000,000 more in the shape of food. Another year of equal prosperity Would pul the South in a Comparatively sound con dition, although, of course, there are and must be, for many years, numerous cases of individual suffering—as of persons in ad vanced life, totally ruined by the war, their houses and furniture destroyed, and all their investments of money completely Avortliless. When avc consider that the accumulated savings of two hundred years have been de stroyed at the South, avc cannot cease to Avoudor that her recuperation should be as rapid as it is. Os the immense importation of foreign goods, cloths, silks, velvets, laces, jewelry, Avincs and other costly merchandize, the South iioav takes comparatively little. Her consumption is mainly confined to the neces saries of life, and will he for some years.— Hence, her recovery from losses will be more rapid. The Southern people, with Icav ex ceptions, never were a luxurious people, in the sense the Ncav Yorkers and Parisians arc. They cherished, for the most part, the homely virtues of llieir ancestors, and lived avcll upon the produce of theiß.fields, their forests, and their rivers—content, with roomy houses, Avood tires and old-fashioned furniture.-- Hence, in their depressed condition they arc more contented than a stranger avo uid sup pose it possible for them to be. • Wc hear of few suicides there, and the number of insane persons in Virginia is only half the number in Maine, regard being had to population. In its best days, there was very little money' in circulation at the South. Noav there is sti 1 less. In tlie commercial panic which seems to be approaching, the South Avill there fore suffer less Ilian the North, from any contraction of the currency that may precede, the restorat ion to prosperity. In the South there is no real estate speculations, even in environs of the cities; no artificial values given to toAvn lots or embryo Palmyras oi Babyions. Festina lente is eminently the rule there, so far as real estate is concerned. They are not a gregarious people, but love elbow room above everything. Cities they regard as necessary evils, and as such not to be encouraged unduly beyond moderate dimen sions. For the greater the city the greater the evil. It is very evident that business at the North is overdone; that there are too many non-producers there-—too many merchants, too many traders, too many agents, too many lawyers, too many doctors, too many doctors, top many persons, in short, who 'Stand merely as intermediaries betAvccn the producer and the consumer. One of the Ncav York journals estimates that there are 200,000 people out of Avork Avithin sight of the spire of Trinity Church, Within an equal distance of the State House at Boston there are doubtless 50,000 more, and another 50,000 in the interior of New England. Most of these unfortunate persons are anxious for employment but cannot obtain it. Even the high tariff, which so enriches the great manufacturer-, does not put a morsel of broad or an ounce of meat, into their mouths. What, visible outlet to all this suplus labor is afforded, unless at the South V The West, for the present, is pretty well filled up with laborers of all descriptions, and thousands there are out of work. The South, then, is the only vacant field easily accessible on tills continent for the unemployed masses at the North. Miscellaneous Editorial Items As an illustration of bow fortunes arc made and lost, wc mention a cir cumstance that occurred in Georgia only a few years v back. A company of wealthy gentlemen purchased a valuable property that bad proved unprofitable in incompetent hands. Each person present subscribed SIO,OOO. Knowing the superior ad vantages of the investment, one gen tleman put down an equal amount for a rich friend. This “ friend” repu dialed the subscription, and bis name was erased. This $1.0,000 in stock was finally increased to sixty thousand, without the payment of a single addi tional dollar, and is to-day about the best [laying stocv in the (State. 'Flic gentleman that refused to embrace the opportunity given him by bis con siderate friend is now comparatively poor. The former attempt to convict Surratt of complicity in the assassi nation of Mr. Lincoln cost the Gov ernment $150,000. A now trial would cost half as much more. The Indian Bureau asserts that there are now 000,000 Indians to be provided lor by the Government! This is too many Indians. There are not half that many Indians in the country. Some very prominent politicians •profess to doubt the efficacy of Presi dent Johnson’s late amnesty procla mation pardoning those against whom indictments for treason were pending. Some of them pretend to deny that he can pardon after conviction. People of common sense cannot understand why, if Mr. Johnson can pardon per sons convicted of crime, ho cannot pardon those simply accused of it. Tiie Athens Banner says that Hon. A. 11. Stephens has engaged rooms at the Newton House, preparatory to entering upon his new duties as Pro fessor of History in the University of Georgia. One C. \Y. Ivautz, of Quincy, Illi nois, recently forwarded a SSO note ol the old Continental currency to Treas urer Spinner, with a demand for its resumption in lawful money. This he declines in the following letter, which is instructive as illustrating the man ner in which our fathers paid their Avar debt: “By the act of Congress passed August 4, 1790, the Continental cur rency Avas receivable at the rate of sloo.in said currency for $1 in specie. This privilege, by the act of May 8, 1792, Avas extended*to March 7, 1793, since which date there has been no law permitting its redemption.” Ip the chargos of his political oppo nents are true, Hon. A. S. Welch, at present U. S. Senator from Florida, should be a übiquitous character. A saucy newspaper thus introduces him to the Legislature oj' Florida: “Gen tlemen of the Legislature, avc have the high honor to take the bull by the horns, and introduce to your acquaint ance in January, the Honorable Mr. Welch, of Michigan , President of a college in lowa, and at present .United States Senator from Florida .” Andy Johnson and Ben Butler arc evidently masters of the art ol seeming to feel contrary to their real convictions. The N. Y. Herald thus describes Butler’s interview Avith President on the Ist: “The meeting Avas extremely cordial on both sides. Butler grasped his great political foe by both hands, shaking them Avith the utmost warmth. IT ‘Sidcnt John son reciprocated heartily, and both stood face to face for at least five minutes, with clasped hands, chatting and smiling like the oldest and closest friends. Butler’s eye twinkled, tAvinklcd and twinkled Avith an expres sion it was difficult to comprehend. President Johnson’s sharp, little eyes, twinkled, tAvinklcd, twinkled likoAvisc. Johnson’s face Avas all over smiling and happy. Butler’s countenance Avas radiant as a full moon, beaming Avith mildness, benevolence and affec tion. ‘Mr. President, I wish you a happy iS'ew Year, and all the compli ments of the season.’ ‘ General, I heartily return to you your good Avishes; I am delighted to see you, General.’ ‘ Mr. President, I am equally delighted.’ ” Ordinary country peo ple Avould not exercise so much, hypocrisy. We suppose it is ail right, hoAvcver. General John Crosier I’amsv, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died in that city oil New Year’s Day. He was a zealous Confederate, but bis title of General belonged to him before the war. The New York Times says there are very few office-seekers in Wash ington. The writer is mistaken. They arc there; but they are playing mum, afraid of “knocking the fat in the lire” by annoying General Grant at this early day. The Ith of .March will find them clamorous. Tub resuscitated Sonlhcrn Opinion, of Richmond, \ a., (the late it. Rives I*oi,lard's paper) contains an extend, ed account of the publication for which young Grant shot Mr. Pol lard dead. The article*is written by Mr. J. M. 'Hanna, one of the as sistants of Pollard. From this ac count, it appears, that the deceased was assured of the cruel falsity of the charges against Grant’s family, and although he offered to sell the entire edition of the paper to Grant’s friends, or in fact the whole establishment, lie still persisted in the publication of the libellous article. Mr Hanna’s statement, although not justifying Grant’s cowardly means of revenge, certainly demonstrates that Pollard was a very unscrupulous and malignant man—utterly devoid of principle, and an enemy to society. . ..... —+ •4-- Gen. John C. Breckinridge. The Frankfort (Ky)., Yeoman, in announcing the early return of this distinguished statesman to his “old Kentucky home,” thus, as by authori ty, protests against seeking for him any political elevation: lie will come to Kentucky realizing that, politically, his career is dosed indefinitely, and looking to the haras the liekl of his labors and the source of his support. Never rich, his means now are slender, and for the recuperation of his fortunes} exemption from public life will come gratefully to him. Sug gestions of political elevation will not come from his well-advised friends, and all who call themselves such will, we are satisfied, manifest il most agreeably l<> him by observ ing the general line of conduct to his re turn indicated by us. The editor of the Paris Pays has already fought upward of si Gy duels. WHEN I MEAN TO MARRY. BY JOHN G. SAXE. When do 1 mean to marry '{ Well— ’Tis idle to dispute Avirfi fate; But if you choose to hear me tell Pray listen Avliilc I fix the date. When daughters haste Avith Availing feet, A. mother’s ditify toil to share; Can make the puddings that they Cut, And mend the stockings which they wear. When maidens look upon a man As it himself they would marry, And-not as army soldiers scan A sutler or a commissary. When gentle ladies, who have got The offer of a lover’s hand, Consent to share his “earthly lot,” And do not mean his lot of land. When young mechanics are allowed To find and win the farmers’ girls, Who don’t expect to be endowed With rubies, diamonds and pearls. When wives, in short, shall freely give, Their hearts and hands to aid their spouses, And live as they were wont to live Within their sires’ one-story houses. Then, madam--if lam not too old— Rejoiced to quit this lonely life, I’ll blush my bearer, cease to scold, And look about me for a wife ! Spirit of the Georgia Press. The Constitutionalist, yesterday attacks the old system of worm-fences. It presents the following figures: It may be reasonably estimated that there are (500,000) live hundred thousand miles of fencing in the State of Georgia. The num ber of 'rails required for a (10) ten rail fence with riders, for one mile, is about (9,000) nine thousand, and for all these miles, (4,500,000,- 000) forty-five hundred millions ! The value of these, taking into account the worth of the timber, the splitting, hauling and putting up, is about ($500) five hundred dollars per mile—amounting in the aggregate to the astounding sum'of ($25,000,000) twenty-five millions of dollars! The annual decay of these fences is (13) thirteen per cent., or their duration about seven (7) years, and (he State interest being 7 per cent, (what if the present Bank rates were assumed !) the annual in terest on this investment is (20) twenty per cent., or ($5,000,000) five millions of dol lars. Our neighbor argues that it would be much cheaper to herd stock during that period of the year when they could forage on a growing crop than to continue these costly fences. The Savannah Mews, of the Gtlq discredits the interview with General Grant by a distinguished Louis ianian, as reported by a correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat, and which was published in the Daily Press several days since. The Mews says : Until avc have better evidence of the fact than the mere assertion of an anonymous correspondent of a Radical newspaper, avc are unwilling to believe that Gen. Grant is the unmannered boor that he is represented to be by the correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat , or that he entertains the illiberal and erroneous opinions attributed to him by that writer. Gen. Grant, long since, in lxis official report, bore testimony to the good faith and law-abiding spirit of the Southern people, and no man better than he knows that the “landholders of the South” axe not hostile to Die United States Government, that they Do hot oppose Northern men and capi tal coming among them; that (hey arc not unwilling to sell lands to Northern settlers, and that they do not expect or desire to “re ceive the services of the negro without prompt and adequate compensation.” On the contrary, Gen. Grant knows that it is the policy of the South to invite and encourage Northern men to come South .with their capital and enterprise. The last number of the Milledgevillc Federal Union contains Ibis excellent advice to farmers: Whenever our planters have acted Avilh Avisdom ami prudence, they have been suc cessful and prosperous. That is, Avliencver the}" have raised Iheir own provisions and then devoted Die balance of their strength to raising cotton, they and their household have been comfortable, and they ha ax; made money. Rut Avhen deluded by a rise in cotton, or nil ardent desire to become rich suddenly, they -have employed all of their force to making cotton, they and their household ha ve fared hard, and at the end of the year they have found themselves burdened with debt. The reasons for this are so plain and obvious that avc should think none could be again de ceived, and yet there is reason to fear that many this year will again make the fatal mis take, and by turning all of their attention to cotton, neglect to make a sufficiency of pro visions, Avithout Avliicli no planter can be prosperous. The safe ami sure plan is, first, to make plenty of provisions, and then aa hat cotton you can ; and then, Avhether the price of cot ton is high or low, you arc safe. —A movement is on foot in New York looking to the removal of the present police magistrates, and secur ing the elevation to their places of gentlemen of probity, honor, and legal attainments. The movement is non partisan in its character. —An old gentleman waiting for a train in the great depot at Chicago, recently, said to a bystander: “Only think of it! Hut a little over thirty years ago, I was ollered eighty acres of land, on part of which this depot is now built, for a sorrel horse and saddle, and I was iool enough to keep the sorrel.” —At a recent trial of a revenue case in New York, skilful experts jjwovc that some specimens of foreign brandy, which were submitted to them, were not only genuine, but were worth si2 per gallon in gold, when it was afterwards proved that they were manufactured in Brooklyn, and were not brandy at all. —The lawsuit recently on trial in Rath, Me., to set aside a will on the ground that it had been dictated by “Spiritualism—an insane delusion, lias been decided, the will having been sustained. —Tho “dance macabre,” ini reduced at the court at Compoigno by Princess de Mcttcrnieh and others of the “third series,’’ is called as infernal, epileptic, and savage as the antics of the Apaches around burning victims. —Among the important features of the Agricultural Department, in its improved condition, is the system of exchanging documents, seeds, speci mens, etc., .with the principal govern ments and societies of tlje world. —Only half the messengers ap pointed to take to Washington the official Presidential vote of the several States have reached that city. Those who fail to deliver the vole thero by (lie tirsl Wednesday in January are subject to a line of SI,OOO. —Six hundred and fifty-four people wero buried last year in the cemeteries of Richmond, Va. JJimcil uttir Scissors. —Classical Montreal calls a skating l ink a “ glaciarum.” —Those who live in Omaha are known as Omahogs. —A Ncav York joker intimates that the ballet girls earn a hare living. —What species of love is that Avliicli is never reciprocated 7 A neuralgic affection. —The l)caf and Dumb institution in Raleigh, IST. 0., is to have* a colored department. —One green tarleton dress pattern is said to contain arsenic enough to kill three men. —lt is said that castor oil makes shoe leather soft and pliable and quite impervious to Avater. .—Red noses are lighthouses to warn voyagers on the sea of life oft the coast of Malaga, Jamaica, Santa Cruz and Holland. —Printers arc the most loyal of men. They are constantly giving those Avho employ them proofs of their devotion. —The Memphis Bulletin has been sold to L. J. Dupree & Cos., Avho will call it the Star, and make it a penny paper. —The largest cattle owners in Texas arc King & Cos., of Corpus Chi’isti. Their flocks and herds number thirty six thousand. —ln Adams county, 111., having a voting population of W.ooo, ninety six divorces have been granted Avithin a month. —Sam Houston’s grave, at Hunts ville, Texas, lias no stone or monument, and a general contribution 4* erect one is suggested. —About a hundred thousand bush els of peanuts have been exported from North Carolina this year. The crop is very exhausting to the land. —A jury in Sheffield, England, re cently brought in a verdict of “guilty, but recommended to mercy because the evidence Avas unsatisfactory. —Portland, Maine, has a citizen who has predicted a second deluge; and to get ready for it, is spending all he is worth in building a “Noah’s Ark.” -An English pauper avliomade faces during -divine services and set his neighbors to laughing has been sen tenced to tAvcnty onc days bard labor as punishment for the offence. —During the Sun Francisco earth quake a carpenter Avas at Avork upon a church spire one hundred and fifty feet from the ground. lie didn’t like it. —Turkey has forty million inhabi tants and an army of nearly six hun dred thousand. Greece has only a million and a half of population and an army of twelve thousand. —Rev. Mr. Addison, of Lanta Clara, Cal., has been expelled from ihc Bap tist church of that place for adminis tering and participating in the sacra ment at the Presbyterian church. • —A Mississippi lady named Carr has obtained a ten thousand dollar verdict against a recusant lover for breach of promise. With, this sum she Avill soon have plenty more lovers in her trtfin. • —lt is estimated that thirty thou sand men in the United States arc at work every Sunday on railroads alone. lloav many are at Avork on daily news- papers, in distilleries, manufactories, ancl the like, could hardly be esti mated. —A man was arrested in Cincinnati, soon alter the late fearful steamboat accident, for trying to sell a full set of false teeth in heavy gold plate, which he had found on the steamer United States. They were wrapped in a fragment of*a handkerchief, marked, “Alary Morton.” —An American traveler who is now in Europe writes homo that of all cities in the world Paris is the most beauti ful, London the dingiest, and Now York tho dirtiest and worse smell ing. In Hie latter respect lie thinks New York far surpasses even the traditionary nastiness of CV.ogno. —ln 18G1 the Israelites owned way little real .estate ill New York city, preferring to invest in other substan tial properties. Now they are the chief owners of the laud upon which that metropolis is constructed. There is scarcely a fashionable avenue or street in the upper part of New York where they do not hold the best sites. —Erick Pomeroy says il i> proposed to raise General Grant’s salary to one hundred t housand dollars per year, and members of Congress to ten thousand dollars, and adds: “Let it come! Might as well have a storm as this continued drizzling.” Rrick thinks probably that if it came in the shape of a storm it wouldn’t be mist. —The largest kitchen in tho world is that of Liebig’s Extract of Moat Company’s establishment at Fray Bentos, on the river t ruguay, South America. The building covers an area of *20,000 square feet. In one hall there are four meat cutters, which can dispose of two hundred bullocks each per year. There are twelve “dig'eru tors,” in which‘the meat is boiled by steam. They can hold altogether 144,000 pounds of hoof. About eighty oxen per hour are actually slaughtered for this immense establishment. A Rival of Blind Tom. A negro girl has been astonishing the people of Vicksburg, Miss., by hor performances on the piano. She'is eighteen years old, and as black as the ace of spades, does not know a single note of music, ami cannot spoil the simplest word. She was a house servant, and as such yyas permitted to play upon the piano. She can play any piece, however diffi cult it may he, after hearing it played; and her accuracy and delicacy of touch is really something very remarkable. For the past two years Mm* Ills been employed us a Held hand, and has had no opportunity of playing or listening to others play.