Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I learned that Mrs. Jackson was living at k the Prcsbytor^ajj institute, whore she Was superinteudiq* tfo education of her danghtcr, Miss Juli^fetauny haired little girl of 1 fourteen yoaie. ^ProOTUting my curd ^the door I was oarfied to a cosy reception room | that has been set apart Tot Mrs. Jackson's ! nsc. I found thero a fair,- ploasant faded lady, running agreeably to emobmpbint, awaiting my arrival. The wicUyvKft4 treads, j too more than the touohing oir of Atdness, , through"*hich her smileastraggled to light, ' told me lhattha wife of the Sooth's matchless hero stood before me., With oharming , , grope she bade and we were ' mutuuffricnS having endorsed me to Mrs. Jackson. - - , "I doclarc," said sho, "I an) ongaged od | a work that completely unnerves me. You know I havo always refrained from writiug j one word concerning my husband's home ^ life. Although importuned again and again to do so, I have felt that 1 could not. His Eublio record belongs to the world. His ome history is mine. I havo felt that the possession was sacred. A few days since I rccoivcd a verv kind letter from Colnnol McClure, of iho Philadelphia Times, asking me to contribute an article to his paper concerning uiy husband's life. His letter was followed by letters from General Imboden . and others, endorsing his request. He offered to pay me one hundred dollars a col- \ umn for whatever I might write. This, I , am sure, must be an exceedingly liberal of- , fer, aud, I must confess, hud much to do with my acceptance of the proposition. I am v;ry anxious to build a home for myself and my daughter in this city, and feel that . if I can earn what money I need with my . pen, I will be doing a work that my husband would advise me to were he living. ''Besides this, I have felt that it was my . duty to write somelhiug that would give the world a true idea of my basband's character. No man has been more miuuuderstood . than he. Ho is represented aa having been . stern,' inexeiablajipjL-hanl. naturtd. Ho gU^HiaiOtaopposite. He was as ctefiion-" strativoj as affectionate and yielding as a i Woman. At home he was teudcr, playful * and loving. The dignity, sternness aud reserve that ha wore in public, was thrown off , ' the moment ho was out of sfglitof thepublic, aud ho became natural, spontaneous and , ? happy. You can never know how irksouio , was to.keep l\ia real nature' bound down , ^ & xma*- it was a j hinslr. hnrt lift anri> if. no n mnrkwrnnm ... . "His whole life hupg around his home, i j Ho had no. ambition?no love of power? no thought of placo or pomp. His horror of bloodshed was instinctivo and powerful. He served his country from a souse of duty. As.I said to some one the other day, the happiest moment of his life during the war was, in my opiuion, when he hud sent in' his resignation to. the Confederate Government and contemplated returning to our little homo in Lexington. The differences bo-, tween him and the government wore such that he did not believe he could be of further service. Ilenco, his sense of duty was reconciled to his laying down his sword.? "His love for his daughter gave an iustauce ef tho misapprehension that prevailed concerning him. Ho was passionately devoted to children. Our first child died, and my -daughter was born only a few weeks before his death. He never took a day's furlough during the war; not ev*n to come to see child. Just before tho'-^gL^f Chaoc*llorsville I took tho little b5bf and went to irv;._ V L 9 3 9 J Sf oo uiin. xou snouia uave seen wnac raptures he went into over that little girl's era die. I havo seen him kneel by her cradle for hours at a time,' just gazing into her sleeping face. Those who had known him only in public were astonished at the apparent transformation of his character. "It is partly that I may put his true character before the world that I have determined to write a sketch ot hijp for the Times. I am now at work on it, and it will bo ready in a very short time. I can give certain facts that can be obtained from no other source; I shall givo theui in a plain and simple manner." I suggested that the letters to her, during the war, would give her many interesting points. "Oh, no," she said, a charming blush stealing over her face, while soft ro* membranccs put a new light in her expressive eyes, "they wore all real love letters.? Ho had little room for anything eke in his letters home. And then ho was a very jprudout man and nevor talked of his plans to any one. I only gathered from them Bomo general faots, as follows: Ho was absolutely confident of the final triumph of the Southern arms, and of the permanent establishment <5f the Southern Confederacy. Ho felt all the time that the war was boing waged on a wrong plan. He felt that the South would be worn out if the struggle was protracted. Ho even complained that General Lee was too slow, although he had groat admiration and love for him. "It has been said that he was a sort of laughing stock at Lexington. This was p. suroly a mistake. From the very begin * , Ding ot tbe troubles no was turned to as tbe head of affairs io Lexington. Ho was put in immediate command of tbe cadets, though not by rank entitled to that , place. The whole city loved him and respected him.? He was the politest man in the world. Ho nover passed a lady on the street, whether stranger or not, without raising his hat.? One thing I remember of hiin?he never locked into a room thut lie happened to pass when the door was open?not even my own." Mrs. Jackson is very pleasantly situated in Charlotte. Iter father, a Iresbytcrian minister, lives near the city. She has a brother and two married sisters (Mrs. J E .Brown aud 31rs. D- II. Oi!l) living in tb( iU*,.;. j??? ae -!?-= oity.\ She jponds her days quietly at the Institute, surrounded by a bevy of iuuoccut young girls, nnd in the midst of loving and devoted friends Her means are limited, but sufheicut.? She has fow desires, and lives cheaply and comfortably. As signiGed above, she is desirous just now 01' building a home iu Charlotto for her daughter aud herself, as she has determined to mukc this city her per mancnt residence. To accomplish her purpose she has closed a contract to write a sketch of her husband's lifo for the Philadelphia Times, and they have allowed her for this work the extraordinary prico of one hundred dollars per column. A movement was inaugurated seme twelve months ago by Mrs. Morohead, of Charlotte, to have the various memorial societies of the South raise J fuud ou memorial day Cor the purposo or Hounding Mtffr JmJWli Brh W JiulW* 4 For somo cause or other tho movement [ailed, only two or three hundred dollars being raised. A dread of notoriety that it will, bring, bas almost dissuaded Mrs. Jackson from fulfilling her contract. She shrinks from auything like a conspicuous place. An amusing instance of the annoyance that publicity briugs is furnished In the following : Somo months ago a paragraph slipped into the papers, saying that Miss Julia Jackson was a pretty girl of sixteen years or thereabouts. By tho timo this paragraph had made the rounds of the press, Mrs. Jackson's nail was greatly augmeutcd. Each post brought a number of epistles from strange ^vory strange) young men, begging that 'Miss Julia" would, in the language of the 'letter writer," favor them with her 'conidence and correspondence." It is hard to jonceivo how the,, whole br^od of young ucn throughout too North ana West were it once seized with impudent inteut, but so t was. Tho letters?all sorts of letters? tcpt pouring in?pouring through Mrs. Jackson's hands to tho fire. It is a pleasure to witness the univetsal ove in which the people of Charlotte hold Mrs. Jackson. They cluster around her as some great family about a loved member.? Jould the great hero, whom she wedded, Have spoken bis mind before he "had crossed nver U?c river to rest beneath the trees," he :ould havo left uo richer heritage to his ivifo aud daughter than the legacy of love u which they arc enfolded. CATS AND 8NA&E8. It is not often that we hear any credit rendered to the oat i'or dither intelligence or xffectiou ; and it is'tbllWbpf^gMiouto bo ?blo to record two iustaBMa u*?which bne, remarkable manner in'this Lleman writing from India to a' friend iJ England, a few months ago, says of a pet Persian cat: "1 was lolling on a sofa, drowsily perusing the newspaper, a felv mornings ago, when Torn came and stood near me mowing in a plaintivo way, as if to attract attcution. Not wishing to be disturbed, 1 waved him off. He, however, returned in a minute or so, and this time jumped on to the sofa, and looking utc in the face, reucwed his uoisc more vigorously. Losing patience, I roughly drovo him away.. Ho then went to the door of the adjoining room, and stood there mewing most piteouslj. Fally aroused I got up uud went toward him. As I approached, he made for the farther corner ot the room, and began to show fight, bristling up and flourishing his tail. It at oncu struck me that there wasan unwelcome visitor in tho room, which Torn wished to get rid of; and sum <>Poagb*|g&oking towards the corner, 1 discovered-* cobra coiled up behiod a boot-ehelf under ? dressing table. The noise tn&cte by* our approach aroused the snake, and he attempted to make off; but I dispatched him with my gun, which was ready loadod close by. You should have seen Tom's satisfaction. He rau between my legs, rubbing himself fagaiusl them caressingly, as if to say, 'Well done master f The snake measured five feet seven inches in length/' The friend to whom this incident is rela ted, aftor reading it to me, went on to say, that some years ngo, wheu in India witl h?r thp. f'uitilv wppn ruifhopnd aflm ? ;v ";*v ^v?v.v? tea, oae rainy evening, listening to one o their number who was reading an iutcrest iug story. While thus engaged, a eat o which her lather wus very fond jumped 01 his knee, and, moving about in a restles manner, begau to mow in a louder key thai usual. The o)<j ffnUfUHWijjf jras his woyt commenced to caress tnecat', expecting thereby to quiet it; but to no purpose. 1 showed ^sigus of impatience, by jumpinj dowu and up again, mewing vigorously th whole time. Not wishing to be interrupts iu what was going on, he called for a sei ant to put the cut out of the room ; bu Pgss would not tamely submit to an iudijj nant turn-out, and commenced clawing a the old man's feet. This he thought wa .going too far, he rose to chastfeo the ca but. ore he had time to do so, he discovcre that it was nothing less than a timely wari ing which Puss had given him, for not ft from where he sat t^cre was under tho ti ble a small, venomous snake, whioh proh bly would have bitten him had he moleate or trampled on it. The reptile Wafi immod ately killed; and Puss ceased her mewing ? Chamber'$ Journal. Horns Tookk having'challeRged Wilkc who was then Sheriff of London an Middlesex, received the following laeon reply : "Sir, I do not think it my busine to out the throat of every desperado th may he tired of his life ; but as I aui at pre ent High Sheriff of London, it may hAppi that 1 shall -jfcertlv have to attend vou my official iBacity, in which case t w answer (or it (nat you shall have no grout i to complain of uty endeavors to serve you . _ i Gen. Washington couldn't tell a lie, ai . in this respect he differed materially fro s General Washington Dispatches. V JUDGE MACKEY'S CHARGE. At the opouiog of tho April term of the Chester County Court, Judgo Muckcy delivered, in substaucc, the following characteristic charge to the Grand Jury, iu which truth, logic aud huuiorous satire are admirably blended: Gentlemen of the Grand Jury : As this is the first time you have served iu the important. position to which you have been called, it is proper that you should bo instructed iu regard to your duties and powers. Your first d^ty will be to act upon all bills laid beforo you by tho Solicitor?these bills are accusations, iu solemn form, against some one charged with criuio. In acting upon these bills, you will examine 011 ly witnesses for the State. Iu all cases ef JfeMriefck iMu Iffirf hmtrttr isArmed tin gratd jury must find a true bill. The finding of a bill is no proof of guilt. Tho graud jury may act without assistance from the Solicitor in cases of nuisance, "Qlioll ??? Knvinnr ?1 MWv.> ?.W wvvv.i, Ul UIIK I ll^l iUUIllll ill products at uight, whether from the lawful owner or not. To conduct a lawful business in such a way as to endanger the property of others, or to cause a feeling of insecurity, subjects the porson thus conducting his business to indictment. Since this construction of the law has been applied, this business of trading at night has fallen off ninety per ceut within the bounds of this circuit. Your attention is called to a matter of gcnoral concern?the fence law. The criminal docket of the court is crowded year after year with eases arisiug from cuttle breaking into fields where there are growing crops. Persons shoot down oattlc breaking into their fields, and the court sentences those who thus kill tho cattle of their neighbors. Still this thiug will be doutf,whilc human nature remains as it is; nieu will not staud by and see the fruits of their labor thus destroyed. It is proper for this graud jury to memorialize the Legislature, at its session to begin this week, to repeal the fence law. Carefully prcpnrcd statistics show that twenty dollars is expended in fcuccs to keep out one dollar's worth of cattle. Chester county contaius a smaller quantity of timber than any count)' of equal area in the State. Much of this timber has recently been used and ia~filill to be used in building ?fur rnilroa<i|LThe jpcoplo of tho county must rcl)* timber for fuel. To needlessly destroy thuTsupply of fuel in the construction of fences is to visit upon .the people a great calamity. To enclose one acre of land worth five dollars, requires ilill In i i .worth of fcno.in?. Ofmn. MJII I HIII1MI hxidrcdroV 'dollars to kec^'oftt do poor starving cow Wbvth fifteen doUptt. This is an absurdity ; it is more tharf*jftat, k is a barbarism, and should not tib snowed in a civilised State. You may say, in your memorial to the Legislature, that the farmers of the county will act in sclf-defenso j they will give three months uotico, and at the end of that time will drop all their fences, protect their crops and test the constitutionality of the present fence law. The fence law was enacted in 1604. It discriminated against the farmers of that day, who were spoken of, in the preamble of the law, as "ovil minded," ana as entje* ing horses and cattle iutowthcir fields. The farmers formed but a small population at i that time. The fence law, kept in force from that day to this, still discriminates . very harshly against tho farmers. The own>, 's not required ..to pen tho cow in order Toniilk her, but th? owner of u crop is compelled to pen up that crop in order to enjoy its benefits nnd reap its fruits ; A man may be prosecuted in an action foi ! damages, for milking his neighbor's unpen [ ned cow, yet he cauuot recover lor damage: . committed by that roving cow upon his uu ; penned or unenclosed crop. As suid before > the law is barbarism, and should at oucc bi i abolished. The attention of tho Court has been call . ed ta the fact that at a point eight milci north of Chester is a wood pile, owned bj i the Charlotte Columbia & Augusta Railroad r and that in the winter of 1875 this woo< f pile was incorporated by an act of the Leg . islature under the nninc of the "town o f Chestnut Grovo." [Laughter.] The pop j ulation- of. this wood-pi jo. so called town s consists of five whites auif elcveu colored i [Renewed laughter.] Tno corporators o ,t this so called town payjn> taxes^nd yet on t of 61 g teen mills. The very first net of the 80 cal e cd incorporation was to license two b&i d rooms. Cato Porter, one of tho incorpora .. tors said that the principal object in bavin Lt the wood pile incorporated was that a groj shop might be opened thoro. At the Jan? ary term of this court, this sntnc Cato Po |S tcr was convicted of a violation of tHfe 1 t cense laws of the State. The so called tow J of Chestnut Grove consists mainly, as th j. Court is informed, of a large wood-pil ,r which always grows smaller after a dar a. night. [Loud laughter.] This wood pi B. is the property of the Charlotte Coluuib d & Augusta Railroad, and the road can, i j. doubt, protect its property without an a & of incorporation. [Laughter.] Tho grand jury will investigate this who matter, and if they find that the fuel* t , legod are true, this Court will use all i id power to provent 'he ozerciso of munioip ic authority by this bo called town goveruuici ss and will expunge the charter, at You will inquire and report how the pu is- lie officers of the county are dischargii in their duties. If any public officer is incm in potent, or if ho violates his trust,- or if 1 ill neglects the business of his office, be is i id dictable. i." You will ascertain and report the numb and condition of the public schools in dpci nd tion in the county. in You will likewise ascertain and rep< what officers havo qualified. The law p1 Tides that all officers must qualify within thirty days after the clcctioD. The persons claiming to have been elected to tho offices J of school commissioners, county commission- | ers, and probate judge have not thus qualified. This mattor will be brought to the I attention of llis Excellency, the Governor, 1 who will cause to be issued wiits for auoth- ( cr election to fill these offices. The Court is culled upon this morning to excuse a number of jurors from attendance upon this term, for the reason that children have just been born into their families.? The Court cheerfully grants all applications for this cause and congratulates the good pcopio oi tlic county upon tlio fact that, simultaneously with the redemption of the State, we have such a fruitful year in popu Intion. The best wishes of the Court arc with ail who are engaged in this noble wyrk." Bints on clover and grass. 1?y dr. t. w. 1iarris8. It is not too late yet to sow. Some tbiuk it is the best to sow iu the Fall. I can't say as to this. From uiy owu experience I would sny, that, sowed in the Spring iu suitably prepared soil and covered properly, they are pretty sure to come. The top soil ought to be fine and freshly stircd. For this purpose the harrow is ueccssary. If it is wished to sow on wheat or oats, the harrow will prepare the lind wvll and will not injure the grain crop. Uuless it is loose soil, it is often better to harrow two or more times with an interval of a week or so between the workings. If cultivation is good for wheat, which seems reasonable, then we ought not to to stop at one harrowing. So far as my observation goes, the effect of one harrowing is not perceptible. At any rate , it isApa small an amount of cultivation to be ot much advantage. Whatever number . of harrowings one wishes to give his wheat, they must be all done when the seed is sown ?the last otio or the roller covering the grass seed. I have never had seed fail to come when covered with the harrow. Clover is indispeusable on the Farm.? After a field is oucc seeded it is easy to keep it forever seeded. A clover sod may be turned in the Spring aud cultivated in corn and followed by wheat in the Fall, and a good stand of clover will couic without rcsccding. Orchard grass is ouo of the best of the grasses. It is very tenacious of life, grows up early in the Spring, ami continues to do so us often as you cut it, throughout the Summer. It ntfords a considerable amount of Winter pasturage, if the Winter is not too severe or it has a little protection. It succeeds well when the land is not tbo wet. ' cropib<mv* sbed* Timothyllocs wen on Dotcoms ntilu a._, enough for corn. In point of quality it takes the lead?at least in the estimation of the public. This grass will not succeed on dry laud in this State, I think. Herd's grass, or red top, will succeed on wetter land than Timothy, nud for low bottoms not well drained, it is among our best grasses. This grass nnd Timothy make very , little aftermath. A good meadow well stocked in Herd nud native grasses, will , make a first crop of almost puro Herd's . grass, and a second crop of native grass, i sometimes larger than the first, nud of choice lny In speaking of harrowing wheat. I said ; nothing about the kind of harrow used.? t This question is often asked. The fashion i is to speak of tho Thomas Smoothing harrow, for this purpose, as if no other would - do. A straight tooth harrow will not tear i "It You need not be afraid.? . Dnvcboldly-jpver the crop?it may look like ruining it, especially if the ground is loose, but if you will examine you will find very little wheat torn up, and in a lew days, i the dirt will be knocked off and the young . plants will look none the worse. The , "Thomas Harrow" is without doubt a good ? implement, but any harrow may be used. If you havc'?uy young clover or grass . which you wish to cut for hay or which you s wish for pasturage, do not turu your stock f on it now. letter feed thcui and take care . of your gras?: j r~ ? ' Farming Witiiout Fkncino.?Uudcr j. this heading, we find the followiug from the Union, a papor published at Junctiou City, Kansas, (locnted at the point whero the l' Kansas, Pacific and Missouri, Kansas & j. Texas Railroads intersect) which, asUrelac tes to a subject that is now feeoiviftg muck i at^PP?|P^rom this section will be of interest ^ to in a fry of our readers : j "We have a law in Kansas, which has r bcefi.sustained by the Supreme Court, which enables County Commissioners, upon a certain petition or vote of the people to issue , an order restraining stock from running at J largo, in their respective counties. It is r called the herd law, aud is designed to cnj able farmers to raise their crops without the oxpcnscsof fencing. It is the most remarkably successful reform of this decade.? There is, under this law, no trespass by stock, ^ because stock is better cared for by its ownI ers. There is less litigation about trespass j than in a feudb country, because fences nre lo not always reliable. The idea of the herd law is the embodiment of justice and common sense. It protects the growing crops, which jc disturb no one, from the roaurng, malicious steer, which is a constant disturbance to {g everybody. In other words, it requires Aftarv man l/i ( n L n nnrn aF Itiu /iivn nrnnnrhr .7 tTBG 'WVestrsin it from disturbing others. ii> .ii One Life, Onf. Aim.?A wife said tohor b- hqibnod, who was scolding her. 'llowover >g cross ypu may bo, there is not a couple who live in greater unanimity than you ami I; ho for we always dosire the same thing?you n* want to be master, nnd so do I." >cr After Forty Years or Litiuation.?New Orru_ leans, April 17.?District Judge Hillings list rendered \ favorable decision in the esse of Myra Clark Gaines, involving millionsof dollars iu property in Now Orleans. Tliia ends f<y tj ro i years of litigation iu favor of the claimant* ? i . . ' .it TvV- ;i-. Spartanburg and Ashoville KallroadAn interesting meeting of the Stockholders find other citizens of Charleston interested in the success of this important enterprise, was held in Charleston on the 13th instant in the Hull of the Bank of Charleston. We make the following extract from the account given of said meeting in the Charleston New* and Courier: Miy. 1). H. Duncan, the President of the Spartanburg and Ashcvillc Hail ltoad, then gave an interesting account of the condition and prospects of the company. Maj. Duncan, in the course of his remarks, said that the road was now continuously graded for a distance of about thirty-two miles, which included the heaviest work 011 the road. By June 1st three miles additional will be graded, and the graded line of thirty-live miles will then run clear to the summit ?f the mountain, at Dace's Gag. This point reached, there is no descent to Ashcvillc, the intervening country being on lite plateau of the Blue ltidge. The point thirty-five miles from Spartauburg is eight miles from Flat llock and tlvfiui milnv I .1 :n -- V ? - !' : - Howard's Gap It out! and three miles froin The Saluda Gap road. Besides tlie continuous grading of thirty five miles about ten miles more arc graded in disconnected sections. Four hundred laborers arc at wotk grading,-two hundred of whom arc convicts hired from North Carolina. In Henderson and Buncombe Counties the grading will be paid for in the bonds of those counties, which the contractors have agreed to receive in place of the cnsli. The grading already done and paid for would cost, at contractor's pri ccs, no less than $305,000 25 miles of cross-ties delivered nnd distributed, only 551,800 unpaid.... 10,250 15 ndles of iron rail and fastenings, including 10 miles in oppcrntion, all paid for 05,000 Cost and value of work and material...$481,250 The work done by the convicts has saved the Company for that work at least fifty per cent, in cash outlay ; but the vnlue of the work nnd material is as we have given it. There is some little floating indebtedness, but the balance due on private stock subscriptions will more than cover this. Ten miles of the road arc now in opperation and, by the 25th of the present month, fifteen miles in all will be open, unless the we it her interfere. The company needs twenty miles more iron to lay tlie track to Face's Gap, the point thirty-five miles from Spartandurg. This iron, with the eross-tics, fastenings, nnd the cost of ujiug, win tunic to ipoo.tniu, nnu inc company have made arrangements to pay half this amount in cash, receiving a credit, extending to two years, for the remainder. The issue of mortgage bonds to an amount not exceeding SIO.OOO a mile has been authorized, and the company desire to borrow, upon the security of their bonds, the money now rcipiired, $44,OOU. The security will be the work already done, with the iron to be bought and laid, costing nearly $500,000, with thirty-ftre miles of road in operation; nnd the whole lien upon this in shape of the first mortgage will not rnueh exceed $4,000 a mile. But the security is not limited to the bare value of the road. As soon as the road reaches Pace's SSI1?'< icur nuTtrtreus of wagons from Asheville, within easy distance of the Western North Carolina Itnilruad, drag their way to distant Greenville nnd Spartanburg, nud the produce they bring, nnd far more, will naturally seek the Kail ltoad. When Major Duncan had finished his explanatory statement, Senator Cannon, of Spartan burg, briefly addressed the meeting, describing the chnrnctcr of the country through which tin Spartanburg and Asheville Kail Koad passes.? He mentioned that Northern settlers had alt-cndj bought 35,000 acres of land in Transylvanit County, N. C. This settlement and others lik< it would increase the business of the road, lr explanation of the fact that produce seeks Soutl Carolina, by wagon, instead of the Western N C. Kr.il Koad, lie said flint it was useless for tin farmers to send their corn, whent, egg?, mill nud other articles to that llailond, because tin country through which it runs produces thoix same articles just as cheaply. South Carlina, on the contrary, needs them not raising them as abundantly; and, seekiii{ ?l,? ......I.... ?!.?. <i .u:- tr.... ...? ...... ..v., ...? uuva lu till] oiuif Where (lie fanners sell tlicy likewise buy, and the whole State will thus be bcnenttcJ. In reply to questions by (.'apt. Fairly, Maj Barker and other gentlemen, >luj. DtiHcan sail that the cost of grndiug the whole line to Ashe ville would average $7,000 a mile; the enlin cost of the road, fully equipped, will be abou $15,000 a mile, (making it the cheapest road o that gauge in the country) and that, when com pleted, the mortgage debt, will be between 000 and $0,000 a mile. The Spartanburg am Achcville llnilroad is the only rond in the Unite* States that crosses the Blue Ridge without i tunnel. The depots on the Tine from Face's Gnj to Spartanburg, with the necessary land, will b built nnd given to the company by the owner of tho land through which the line runs, 'l'w of these depots, far nhead of the track-layers were already built. One of these, at the But! erford and Greenville Cross Roads, twenty-tw miles front Spartanburg, is an exceedingly con modious and handsome structure. A store stand near the depot, with a large sawing and plat ing mill. (jf-The mooting being in possession of the m .eorsary information, on motion, adjourned. "Major Duncan, by his clear and busincss-lik statements, has made an excellent impression i Charleston, nnd the prospect is very flattering Granoers.?Whatever else may be sai of the Grangers "as a secret order withoi any sccrccy," it must he admitted that the have taught tho farmers how to b ty choaj ly and how to sell their products at fu prices. It must also bo said, to their credi that they have brought down the prices < many manufactured and other articles i prime nccccssity from 15 to 33i per ccn agricultural implements, coal, etc., for c: ample. Morevcr, there is no doubt tin the order of Patrons of Husbandry has ii troducca a new element oi sociability an improvement among farmers. Many of tl Grange headquarters have been virtual transformed into club rooms?some of the supplied with libraries ; and they arc habi ually fiequcnted by all the members cnl tied to their privileges. Certainly, an insl tution of which such things can be said, ar which is purely non-political in its constit tion and by-laws, deserves to be kept aliv encouraged and bidden God speed ! by eve well-wisher of that class, upon whose pn | perity rests tho welfare of thtf whole frar 1 ?work of American sooiety.?Frank ft 1 (Ay.) Yeoman. * An imaginative Irishman has improv upon Ossian. "I returned," said he, "to t 1 halls ot my father by night, and I foui ' them in ruins. I cried aloud : 'My lathe , where arc they V And echo responded : 1 that you, Patrick M'Clathery V " ft jNU/vurair 4J.' . > > J - * * ' _ ' * _ * ' ? * * ii\jii?tox's mensaoe. Statu of Sooth Carolina, ExKCt'TlVK DRPART.MKNT, Coi.imuia, S. C , April 26, 1877. UrnUcmen of the Senate and Ilousr of 1h/irctenla(tec* : It is proper that I should, before entering into a discussion of the grave questions which will come before you, give the reasons that impelled nic to call the General Assembly together at a time so unusual and inconvenient to its members. I iccognize and appreciate fully the great personal sacrifice demanded of the members by tho call which brings them here; but the critical condition of public affairs and the welfare of the State made it imperative that 1 should invoke the aid of the legislative branch of the government to assist in the great work ofrclbrin before us, nud I felt confident that the patriotism of those comprising this branch of the State government would inspire them to moot cheerfully all the sacrifices required, foe interest* .of the State. Your presence provcslhat I have , animosities engendered by political strife, rise superior to the petty considerations of partisanship, and devoting yourselves with patriotic zeal to the service of your State, that you will strive earnestly to restore its lost prosperity, to revive its wasted industries, to reform all abuses in its government, and to promote peace, harmony, good-will nud justice among all classes and parties. To the accomplishment of these noble nims L pledge my constant, unwearied and earnest efforts ; and in this patrio.'ic work I invoke your aid, gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives, not n'onc as members of the Legislature, but as patriots and Carolinians. The anomalous condition of affairs during the past few months, while it has entailed the necessity of convening tho General As- ' sembly. has precluded me froui laying- before this body such full and accurate information as is desirable, or milking precise and definite recommendation:! on particular measures which will demand your attention.? Circumstances with which 'you arc all familiar have prevented my access to the hooks and records of the various departments of the State government, and hence I can neither speak authoritatively of the exact financial condition of the State, nor make such particular suggestions as uuuer the ordinary condition of public matters, it would have been my pleasure, 110 less than my duty, to have done. At present 1 can. therefore, only call your nttcntioii in general terms to a few subjects which require immediate ....I I ......1 ....I. c... u.t ,U?II nuu i imisi ..an, mi juui indulgctice if 1 niu unable to do more than lo indicate the broud and comprehensive principles which, in my judgment, can give peace, stability and good government to our State. To the wisdom and patriotism of the General Assembly is committed the grave duty of bringing back to our people these inestimable blessings. The merit of success will belong tn you, gentlemen, if you succeed ; and to you will the responsibility attach if the hopes of your constituents are disappointed. The first, as it is the most important, subject to which your attention is invited, is that of tliu financial condition of the State. It is needless for me to say that this condition is deplorable, | for it is shown by an empty treasury and a rulamentnMe. All efforts to bring about a better state of nf fairs will prove unavailing until the finances of 1 the State arc put in a licaltliy condition and the credit of the Statc cstablished oil the sound and honorable fooling iliey once occupied. Hut in the meantime there is nil imperative necessity r that the immediate needs of the State should be > provided for; and in doing this the burdtn of . taxation should be made as light as possible, for f the resources of our people are well nigh cxi hnustcd, and the season of the year at which the ? tax -8 will be called for is most unfortunate.? i While it is the province of tlie House of lloprei seutntives to fix the amount of taxes requisite lo . meet the demands of the Stnte, and the tiineaml s mode of their collection, 1 venture to offer some : suggestions on these points for the consideration s of the Legislature. It is duealiketo the honor s and I lie credit, as well as to its future prosperity, that there should he no question nor doubt ns to , our determination to meet every honest ohligar lion of the State fairly and faithfully; but it is equally our duly to ascertain what are its I1011I est liabilities. The suspicions which attach to a Dortion of the outstanding obligations of tho . State, and which, to a greater or ivm v?<?i ?r. 1 feet the value of all, render it imperative that - these obligations, whether funded or not, should ? bo strictly scrutinized, with a view of ascertaint ing which arc valid and which are not. There f should be a condition precedent to the payment - of interest on any of the outstanding obligations - of the State, whether in the shape of bonds or I otherwise, and also to the further funding of any .1 of the State indebtedness into the consolidated n bonds authorized to bo issued under the act of p 1873, to reduce the volume of the public debt. e In order to effect this object in a mode satiss factory and equitable. alike to the State and to ? the public credit, 1 respectfully suggest the np' pointmciit of a commission, to consist of one member from each House of the Legislature, the 0 Comptroller-General ami the Treasurer of the >" State, and three citizens of finnncinl ability, to whom tlie whole question of the financial comli' tion of the State shall be referred, and under whose directions a thorough and complete invests ligation of the funded and floating indebtedness of the Stale shall he made; and who shall be ? empowered to require a registration before tlu-m, n or before such officers as may be designated, of ? the consoiidntion bonds of the State. Oklignj tions, the validity of which shall be thus ascertained, shall ho certified in such form as the II commission or the Legislature may prescribe, y and the coupons on such bonds alone should be ). receivable for taxes. The commission should || also be charged with the duty of reporting to j the General Assembly at its next regular session the precise character of all obligations of doubt_ ful validity, or clearly fraudulent, with the spe>1 cific facts or testimony upon which theirconclut. sions are based. As nil the records and books showing the amount of consolidated bonds now ...wv ,1.. ...i.... ~r .I.? i on which they were issued, have hecn withheld by the late officials, 1 am unable lo state, with id any degree of accuracy, what portion of the ;c public debt has been converted into consolidated |y bonds and what portion remains to be funded. But from the best sources ol information before me, I estimate the amount yet to be funded as about three million dollars; which, nt the rntc l- established for funding, will require the issue Li- of $1,500,000 of consolidated bonds, id Under the act of 1873, these bonds bear date u. of January 1,1874, ami the anntinl tax provided by the net for the payment of interest on thecn' tiro consolidated debt lins been regularly levied ry every year, and the amount unexpended for in>8 tcrcst should be in the treasury to meet the past no due coupons of these bonds, as soon as issued.? >rf 1 have no reason, however, to believe that there is any such unexpended balance available for this purpose, and if the conversion of the debt od into consolidated bonds continues as provided by |1<} the existing act, it will be necessary to provide i vjr ivgiaiiti iuii lur iiivoc nrrvn i o ui nnviwoi, ? n B"gK08t f?r your coRaidcratinu tlie propriety of rs> funding these arrears up to tlie lime of conver1 Is aion, in new bonda, payable nt sik-Ii time, and [continpf.p on SItCOSO i\*isk.] ?