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-?'. - An Independent Family Jonrnal?Devoted to Politics, Literature and General Intelligence* HOYT & CO., Proprietors. ANDERSON C. H., S. C, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 5, 1870. VOLUME 5?NO. 45, A ??EL m THE 39?BK. BY JUDGE ARBINGTON. The dt?y of Vicksburg,- Mississippi, has al? ways been remarkable, even before the recent war gave her a profound national interest. Many yeirs ago she supplied the class of wri? ters who. furnish the substratum for most of the "circulating libraries with plots dark and dread _ful enough to satisfy even the present craving for sensation. The place had been noted .since its earliest settlement for the belligerent I character of its inhabitants and the number and atrocity of the violent deeds which stained its streets with the blood of human hearts. Itris not our present purpose, however, to sketch any ot these more celebrated brute-bat? tles, but merely to select, for the sake of its mournful moral alone, a solitary tragedy, which was briefly chronicled by the press of the day, - and which then faded from the recollection of all, save one from who the writer received the story in all its particularity. She, of course, could never forget. To the latest hour of her existence the wife of the murdered hero wept at the reminiscence. \ In the year 1827, a young lawyer, John Thomas, emigrated from Worcester, in Massa? chusetts, to the State of Mississippi. He was ? poor, had recently married a beautiful, accom? plished woman, who had renounced wealthy parents for his sake, and hence was anxious to .better his fortune in as little time as possible. . . This consideration determined the legal adven? turer to locate at Vicksburg, then considered through the West as the paradise of the bar. In a very short time the new lawyer had aihplo reasons to congratulate himself on the choice of- his position. His bland demeanor, studious habits, and more than all, his elo? quence in debate, won him patronage ; and he 'rose, almost at a single bound, to the first place in his profession. He was employed in all the land suits, and in most of the still more nu? merous and equally lucrative cases of homi? cide, so that in the period of two years after his advent he had cleared the round sum of thirty thousand dollars. Let no sceptical dis? ciple of Lord Coke deem this statement incred? ible. S. S. Prentiss realized, cash in hand, forty thousand dollars by his opening speech in Vicksburg. During his career thus far young Thomas was remarkable in one respect. He never went armed, and although in the fierce and fiery al? tercations of the forum he necessarily made some enemies, no attack had hitherto been ven? tured on his person. The athleticism of his noble form, and the look of invincible deter? mination in his keen blue eyes, had doubtless warned the desperadoes that "the Yankee ora? tor," ?s he was generally termed, could hit as hard blows in the courtyard as he did in the court itself. However this may be, two years elapsed, years too of eminent success, before the peaceable attorney was even insulted. Alas!-this halcyon period was doomed to a change alike sudden and terrible There resided at that time in the town a no? torious duelist by the name of Johnson, whose matchless prowess inspired universal fear. He had slain half a dozen foes on the public "field of honor," and as many in private and irregu? lar encounters. All the members of "the bloody fancy club" spoke of Mike Johnson's feats with rapturous enthusiasm. I3ut all good inen, all lovers of peace, when the "brave wretch" passed, turned pale, and were silent. At the May term of the District Court, 1829, the grand jury, mustering extraordinary cour? age, returned a true bill against Johnson for the murder of William Lee, an inoffensive youth, whom he had shot down in a drunken . Jpxflic, under circumstances of peculiar aggra? vation. Thomas was retained by a friend of the deceased to aid in the prosecution, and, notwithsanding the earnest advice of his well wishers to the contrary, appeared on the trial ?f the cause, one of the most exciting ever ar . gued. at the bar of Vicksburg. On the last evening of the session, after adjournment, Jbomas rushed into the presence of his wife, with looks of such evident agitation as to fill her soul with overpowering alarm. . "Mv love, tell me, in the name of heaven, what has happened ?" she cried, pale as a corpse, and shaking like a leaf in the wind. "Nothing," answered the husband, thinking to conceal the most fearful part of the intelli 5ence. "Nothing, only the murderer, Miko phnson, after his acquittal, grossly insulted me. in the courtyard, and I knocked him down." _,ffAndhe challenged you to fight him with pistols I" almost shrieked the wife, anticipating the rest, with the quickness of woman's keen commonsense, "It is even so," replied the lawyer, mourn? fully. "Oh 1 say that you will not meet him. Oh! swear that you will not turn duellist in this Sodom of "the South!" implored the wife, throwing her arms around his neck, and sob bingJike a child on his bosom. "There, do not weep now. I will not turn duellist, dear Emma, although I much fear that the consequences will be my ruin." "God will protect you from the bold, bad man." The next morning it was known in Vicks? burg that "the Yankee orator" had been chal? lenged and refused to fight. Accordingly, he was generally denounced as a coward?a word which at that day might be considered as ex? pressing far deeper scorn than either robber or assassin. As he passed through the streets, he was cstonished to witness the coldness mani? fested by his old acquaintances, and even pro? fessed friends, while the great mass of the peo? ple seemed to regard him with ineffable con? tempt.- "Yankee white-liver," "boaster," "pol? troon," were the sounds most frequently rung in his ears, especially when near the groceries, and there was one then on every terrace of the broken hills. The matter grew worse. About a week after? wards, Johnson met his victim in the public square, presented a cocked pistol at his heart with one hand, and belabored him unmerciful? ly . with a cowhide which he grasped in Ihe other. Resistance at the moment was altogeth? er out of the question, for the slightest motion would have been the signal for immediate death. He thought of Emma and her sweet babe, and bore the castigation in silence. After this, cb'ents deserted his office, gentle? men refused to recognise him or return his sa? lute in the thoroughfares of business, or during his morning strolls over the hills. Had his touch been contagion, or his breath pestilence, he could not have been more carefully shunned. Another week passed, and the degraded law? yer was in a state of mind bordering on insan? ity ; and yet all the while he concealed the mental torture from his affectionate wife. One evening, in a more than common bitter and gloomy mood, as he walked through the public square, he was again accosted by Mike John? son, with his cocked pistol in one hand and uplifted cowhide in the other. . The assault was the more aggravating as the place was thronged with spectators, "Cowardand villain!" exclaimed Johnson, "did I not tell you that I would cowhide you every week, until I whipped the courage of a iOLan and a gentleman into your Yankee hide?" "I am not a coward," retorted Thomas, in a hollow tone, so unearthly fierce and wild that it caused every hearer to start. At the instant, his lips were livid, and clenched between his teeth till the blood ran. His eyes were red as a mad dog's, and the muscles of Iiis face quiv? ered ; but his body and limbs seemed to nave the rigidity of marble. "He will fight now," rung in an eager whis? per through the excited crowd, as they saw the terrible tokens of the fiend aroused?the fiend which lurks, at different depths, in all human natures. "If you are not a coward, why will you not fight ?" asked the duellist, somewhat struck, in spite of his thorough desperation, hardened in the hot gore of a dozen murders. "I will fight, if you wish it," was the loud ringing answer, 'Then you accept my challenge?" "I do. Will any one present be so good as to act as my second ?" inquired the lawyer, id dressing the spectators. For a minute or two no one spoke, so great the dread of the arch-duellist, Mike Johnson. "W?l no one in such a mass of generous men be my second?" repeated the lawyer, in a loud er tone. "I will," said a shrill, trumpet-like voice, on the outskirts of the crowd, and a tall, com? manding form, with bravery written on his brow, and the eagle's eye beneath it, made his way to the center of the scene of contention, and stood close fronting Johnson, with a smi? ling glance, before which the latter, for an in? stant, quailed. "The question "Who is he ? who is he ?" cir? culated among the lookers on. But no one could answer; no one had ever seen hirn^be fore, and yet everybody would have sworn to his courage, so bold yet tranquil was his bear? ing. "Who are yon?" inquired the duellist, re? covering his presence of mind. "A stranger from Texas." "But who will vouch for your respectability?" "I can give you vouchers sufficient," replied the stranger, "frowning till his brows looked frightful; and then stooping forward he whis? pered something in Johnson's ear, audible alone to him. "I am satisfied," said the duellist aloud, and trembling perceptibly. "Colonel Morton, will you serve as my friend ?" The individual last addressed gave his as? sent. "Now, let us adjourrf to some private room to arrange the preliminaries," remarked the stranger; and the principals and seconds left the crowd, then increasing every minute, and excited nearly to madness by the thick-crowd- ! ingevents of the hour. The meeting took place the following night, in a dark room, with the door locked, and the two seconds on the outside. The principals were placed in opposite corners of the apart? ment, which was twenty feet square, and each ' was armed with a large bowie-knife?no more. I It was midnight?a night without moon or stars. Black pitchy clouds enveloped the sky, I and a slight sifting mist rendered the shadows of the earth more intense. Hence; the room where the duel was about to begin was wrapped in rayless darkness. The combatants could not even see the blades of their own knives. At first, they both stooped and stealthily un? tied and took off their shoes, so as to make the least possible noise in walking over the floor. The same thought had struck them at the same time?to manoeuvre for the vantage-ground. Thomas moved in a circle, softly as a cat, around the apartment, till he got within a few feet of the corner where his cneiay had first been placed, and then paused to listen. For four or five seconds he could hear nothing in the grave-like silence but the quick beats of his own busy heart. Presently, however, there crept into his ear a scarcely audible sound, as I of suppressed breathing, in the corner of the room which he had previously left; and then he knew that his foe was trying the same strat? agem. The ruse was repeated thrice, with a like result. At length Thomas concluded to stand perfectly still and await Johnson's ap? proach. Motionless now himself, and alt ear, soon he could distinguish a soft rustling noise, like the dropping of flakes of wool, circling around the floor and gradually advancing to? ward him. At last, when the sound appeared within about three feet of the lawyer's position, he suddenly made a bounding plunge with his knife, aimed in the dark air, where he supposed the bosom of his foe to be. His blade struck against that of the other, and a few sparks of fire rolled at the fierce collision, and fell expi? ring on the floor. And then, for an instant, the seconds without the door heard a sharp ringing of steel, a groan, a fall, and all again was silent as the tomb I The duel at midnight had ended; but how f They were appalled at the horrible question. Waiting some minutes, and hearing nothing more, Col. Morton and the stranger prepared a light, unlocked the door, and entered. The spectacle was most affecting. There lay the bloody corpse of the duellist, Johnson, mangled dreadfully, and above it stood the erect and imposing form of the lawyer, Thomas?unhurt, not a cut on his skin or a rent in his clothing, but weeping as if his heart were broken. He started back as the flashing light dazzled his eyes, and, growing pale as the dead at his feet, exclaimed, in accents of immeasurable anguish?"Oh, God I how shall I endure to meet my dear wife, with this murderous gore on my hands 1 Such stains would defile the very gates of heaven, and blacken the floor of hell itself 1" He did, however, afterwards meet Emma and her babe; but we shall not attempt to paint the scene. A week subsequently, he was shot to pieces in his own office, while employed in writing after night. The assassin was not known, but supposed to be a younger brother of the duellist, Johnson. . The stranger who acted in the combat as the second of Thomas was indeed, as he said, from Texas, and then traveling through Mississippi, and was the bravest man, perhaps, that ever drew the breath of life?James Bowie, who fell only with the fall of the Alamo, when his red knife was drunk with the blood of Mexicans. ? At one of the recent concerts at the Tail erie8, "one of the most beautiful women" of Paris attracted much attention by the Empress conversing with her for some time, and on her returning to her seat, all eyes were turned upon her. The lady, accustomed to this homage, thought it was, as usual, paid to her charms. But suddenly she discovered that one of her beautiful eyebrows, made of felt, had dropped into her lap, and that this it was which attracted so much attention. She fainted, of course, and no doubt will take better care: in future of her fixings. ? If a Chicago girl wants to get a man on a breach of promise case, she makes a bet of a kiss with him and loses. She pays him die kiss in the presence of a witness, then sues him for breach of promise and trifling with her af? fections, &c. Look out for rem when they of? fer to bet a kiss. ? "Necessity knows no law." Well, neces? sity is like a great many lawyers. - Terrible Disaster and Loss of Life. Richmond, Va., April 27. A large crowd was collected in the upper por? tion of the Capitol building, this morning, where the Supreme Court of Appeals is located,, to hear the decision in the mayorality case of Ellyson vs. Cahoon. About 11 a. m., the floor gave way beneath the dense weight, precipita? ting the crowd to the floor below, upon the con? servative caucus then sitting in the hall of the House of Delegates. It is impossible to ascer? tain the extent of the injuries at this hour. Among the killed are:. P. H. Aylett, Esq., a distinguished lawyer of this city; Dr. J. B. Brock, a reporter for the Enquirer and Exam? iner ; Sam Eaton, Clerk of Mayor Cahoon ; Capt. Wm. A. Charters, Chief of Fire Depart? ment ; N. P. Howard, a lawyer; Ash. Levy, a Richmond merchant; Chas. Watson of the Danville Railroad; Hugh Hutchison and Lewis N. Webb, of the city; Schofield, brother of Gen. Schofield; R H. Maury, Jr.; Senator Bland, (colored,) and Powhattan Roberts. It is supposed that twenty members of tbe State Legislature are killed and wounded. The Judges of the Court of Appeals all escaped un? hurt. Ex-Governor Wells was badly injured; L. H. Chandler, counsel for Cahoon, on the mayorality case, was injured; James Neson and George Meredith, counsel for Ellyson, were al? so badly hurt. About 200 persons were hurt by the accident. The greatest excitement pre1 vails; hundreds of persons are on the Capitol Square, weeping and wailing as the dead and dying are brought out of the building. Gover? nor Walker escaped unhurt, though on the court room floor at the time. Richmond is fa? mous for terrible accidents. Among the prin? cipal may be mentioned the destruction of the theatre?the site of which is now occupied by the Monumental Church?in December, 1811, when more than 100 persons lost their lives. The breaking down of a bridge leading to one of the islands in James River, last spring; and the present disastrous event. Among the many prominent persons present were Congressman Nelson, Judge John A Meredith, Patrick H. Aylett, ex-United States District Attorney for this District; ex-United States District Attorney L. H. Chander and others. At 11 o'clock the gallery of the Court room, which was crowded, fell in; then the floor followed, and thereon descended thirty feet to the floor below, which was the floor of the House of Delegates of Virginia, on which some few of the members of a caucus were waiting around. There was a general crash of all the timbers, including the falling of the in? side wall. The following additional persons are among the killed: Julius A. Hobson, City Collector; S. Duggcr, member of the House of Delegates; L. A. Brewis commission merchant, of Alexan? dria ; James A. Blainier of Berlin, Prussia; S. E. Bamham, Syracuse, N. Y.; J Watson, mer? chant, of Danville; Thos. Wilcox, ex-Confed? erate General; Samuel H. Hairston, wealthy land-holder, of Henry County; Charles J. Grenan, of Washington, D. C.; Edward Ward, of England; William H. Jarvis, coal merchant; John Robertson, colored Baotist minister; Col. P. Woolfook; T. Foley, deputy United States Marshal, of New York; R. E. Bradshaw, gro? cer, and thirty-three others, amongst them one captain, one sergeant and nine privates of the police, who were on duty in the building. Amongst the wounded were Ex-Gov. Wells, ribs broken and otherwise internally injured; Mayor H. K. Ellyson, slightly; Mayor George Cahoon, slightly; L. H. Chandler, Judge James A. Meredith, James Nelson, John Howard, Rush Burges, Collector of District, Wm. C. Duncan, Agent Virginia and New York Steam? ship Line: Hon. Thomas S. Bocock, of Virginia, ex-Speaker of Uniied States House of Repre? sentatives, leg amputated; Gen. M. D. Corse, ex-Major Gen. Confederate army, Col. George W. Brent, of Alexandria, Capt. George W. Allen, Post Warden, W. C. Elam, newspaper corres? pondent and broker; Thomas S. Baldwin, mer? chant from Newark, N. J.; W. C. Chesterman, of Petersburg Index Wm. H. Soper, merchant of Baltimore; and about 100 others. Directly the disaster occurred, the fire alarm was used to give notice, and the Hook and Lad? der Companies of the city repaired at once to the scene. A cordon of police was drawn around the building and the ladders were thrown up to the windows. For three hours after that, the scene was full of horror. The wounded and dead were brought down on lad? ders and laid on the green in the public park, where it was instantly surrounded oy 2,000 or 3,000 of those who had gathered to recognize the slain. The park was filled with anxious weeping men until 2 o'clock, when the lasi vic? tim was drawn from the building. After this, the police closed the park, refusing entrance to any one, the bodies of the dead having been sent out. All the stores in the city were closed and placards placed on the doors "Clos? ed in consequence oi the disaster at the Capi? tol." No more business was done during the day. To-night meetings were held by mem? bers of the press association, members of late military associations, and members of the bar, and of the citizens generally. To-morrow will be observed as a day of general mourning. Richmond, Va., April 28. To-day, all the houses of business have been closed, having crape on the doors, and the in? scription : "Closed in consequence of the ca? lamity at the Capitol." The streets are filled with funeral corteges. In the funeral corteges of the dead policemen, both sets of policemen joined. All late political feeling seems to liave been forgotten. The bells of the city have tolled all day, and the streets look like Sunday. A crowd of about 7,000 people are now assembled in the Park, hearing addresses of condolence from Governor Walker, Judge Ould, Judge Crump, ex-Governor Wise, and others, delivered from the Southern portico of the Capitol. Thos. S. Baldwin, one of the in? jured, died to-day. "He was from Newark, N. J., and owned a large clothing house here. That is the only death that has occurred since yesterday. Both Houses of the Legislature held informal meetings this morning, and agreed to unite with the citizens in any general funeral procession. The body of the colored Senator, Bland, was sent home this morning, the hearse being followed by white and colored members of the Senate to the depot. Ex-Gov. Wells is better to-day. Later.?This afternoon has been one of fu? nerals. In some of the churches three or four bodies were before the alter at the same time. All the newspaper offices were hung in mourn? ing. The flags on the Capitol, Custom House, all public buildings, and all the vessels in the harbor, were at half-mast. The railroad trains coming into the city were covered with emblems of mourning, and many of the trucks and carts through the streets were also bo covered. At fill the funerals, the old organizations to which the deceased were attached, turned out. At one of them, the State Grand Division of Sons of Temperance, now in session, followed the corpses to the cemetery. At a mass meeting of the citizens to-day, as mentioned at noon, the following resolutions were adopted: Resolved, That we mourn with profound sor? row the loss which our State and our city has suffered in the death of her citizens ; that we offer, with saddened hearts and tearful eyes, our profoundest sympathies to the bereaved and to the suffering, and fervently pray that as their days of affliction are, so may their strength be. Resolved, That Wednesday next, the 4th of May, be set apart as a day of humiliation, prayer and religious service, on which day the people of this city are requested to assemble in their respective places of public worship, at such hours as may be designated by the clergy, who are respectfully invited to co-operate in the purpose of this resolution. Expressions of sympathy for the sufferers by the disaster, are coming in from all quarters, frequently accompanied by offers of pecuniary aid. A telegram from a New York merchant, authorizes the city authorities to draw on him for $1,000. Up to a late hour, no more of the wounded had died and their condition was no worse. Gov. Walker, to-night, received a tele? gram, announcing that the Illinois Constitu? tional Convention had to-day adopted resolu? tions expressive of regret at "the calamity in Virginia and had adjourned out of respect to the sufferers. A suitable reply was sent by the Governor, thanking Illinois, on behalf of the State of Virginia. A despatch to the Enquirer says that Fredericksburg had closed her busi? ness houses, the town bells were tolled, and the merchants are arranging means to raise funds for the sufferers. Ric?MOJf?, April 29. The Slipreme Court of Appeals of Virginia decided, this morning, at 10 o'clock, that the enabling Act passed bV the Legislature was constitutionalj and that Henry K. Ellyson, and not George Chahoon, is the lawful Mayor of this city, and that all acts of Mr. Ellyson, in accordance with State laws, are legal And bind? ing. Mr. Chahoohj under his formal agreement, will retire from the field, and Mr. Ellyson re? mains Mayor of the city. The Court was unanimous in its opinion. Both Houses of the Legislature met in the capitol building to-day?the Senate in its chamber, and the House in the Southern porti? co of the building. They adopted a resolution to meet at the Exchange Hotel temporarily. The death of Senator Bland was announced and appropriate eulogies pronounced by conserva? tive members. Major Calvert, ex-State Treasurer, is dying; as 1s also W. C. Dunbar, of New York ; both victims of the late disaster. Business houses still closed. There were five funerals this morning, inclu? ding that of Dr. J. B. Brock, of the Enquirer, which was largely attended. Twelve funerals of the victims of the late disaster took place to-day, including E. M. Schofield, city assessor, and brother of Major General Schoneid, which was attended bynear ly 2,000 people; the collector of the city taxes, Julius A. Hobson, and the chief of the fire de? partment, Wm. A. Charters, the last being at? tended by an immense crowd, the body being conveyed on an engine, with all the engines of the department decorated with evergreens. A. letter has been written to General Canby, by Gov. Walker, thanking him for his kindness to tho wounded in the late disaster. A telegram was received by the Secretary of State, to-day, from Mayor Fox, of Philadelphia, stating that a subscription was being raised in that city for the sufferers, and that Mr. Childs, of the Public Ledger, had headed it with $1,000. A mer? chant of Chicago has also advised the'commit? tee to draw on him for nece?ary funds. A delegation of citizens from Petersburg ar? rived this morning to attend the obsequies of the victims. The Men Who Succeed.?Take twenty boys of sixteen, in our or any city in the State, and let them go to work, three or four in a dry goods store, boot and shoe, or blacksmith estab? lishments and printing offices. In teg years they will become men of twenty-six, and the majority of them will then be about as far along in the business as they ever will be. One or two only in each of the above branches will be established in business for themselves* or connected with some firm doing a good busi? ness, and the rest will be barely getting a living and growling about their poor luck. Now, we assert that there is good reason for their poor success, and that luck has but little, if any? thing at all, to do with it. If we take the trouble to ascertain the real facts in their seve? ral cases, we shall find that those young men who became masters in their trades, or leading men in their pursuits, were not afraid to work, and were determined to succeed. They looked beyond the day and week. They made themselves valuable and useful to their employers, by being always faithful, reli? able and willing to do what they could for the interest of those for whom they worked. When a press of business came, they were ready and willing to work extra hours, and without sulk? ing or grumbling, well knowing that business must be attended to when it came, and that there were plenty of dull times during the year, which would more than counterbalance any extra briskness of the busy seaspn. To sum it all up, these young men identified them? selves with the establishment where thev were employed, became useful to their employers, in fact fixtures, who could be illy spared, and in due course of time, having gained experi? ence, were invited to take a hand with the al? ready established house, or else boldly strike out for themselves. Here, then, is tho lesson, which is, if you wish to become successful mas? ters, learn first to become faithful servants. Air Line Railroad.?Wo are able to an? nounce this week, from personal observation, that the work of construction on 'this road is Progressing in the most satisfactory manner, he track on the first section is being laid at the rate of a half a mile a day, and it is expec? ted that train will run to Norcross by to-morrow. When this is done, the whole force will be plac? ed-on the second section, and we are assured that the work will be prosecuted with the greatest energy. The contract for tho construction of the road from this point to Charlotte, North Carolina, has recently been let to P. P. Dickinson & Co., of New York, who have bound themselves to construct and put in complete running order this part of the road by May, 1872. We are informed that this company have ample means and will promptly fulfill their contract. This places the early completion of this great enter? prise beyond a doubt, and it will be gratifying news to our readers. Great credit is due the officers of the road for the determination they have manifested, and the skill displayed, in surmounting the many obstacles which have been thrown in the way to defeat, or retard, this enterprise; obstacles before which many would have quailed; and while all these may not now bo entirely remov? ed, the indications are that they may be easily overcome. All that is now necessary is earnest and harmonious co-operation, and the early, completion of this great enterprise is asBurcd. ?Air Line Eagle, April 22nd, ? "Bridget, I told yon to let me have my hot water the first thing in the morning." "Sure, but," replied Bridget, "an' didn't I bring it up an' leave it at the dure last night, so as to be in time I" The Anti-Radical Programme. We print, in another column, an article from the Anderson Intelligener, in which are recor^ ded the earnest convictions of that excellent journal, in regard to the political programme unanim?usLy advised by the late conference of the Anti-Radical Press. The Intelligencer sus? tains, of coursej the resolutions of the Press Conference, recoglii?ihg the equal right of all citizens to vote and hold public office; but it is decidedly opposed to nominating a general ticket in opposition to the Radical party, . What has been the effect, in the up-country, of the action of the Press Conference, we have no means of knowing. The Intelligencer sayB that, so far as its information extends, that ac? tion "has fallen unheeded upon the ears of the colored people." This may be the case in An? derson, but it is not the case in the tide-water region, and if there had been no public sign whatever that the colored people were willing to co-operate with the whites in the work of re? form, we, at least, should not he surprised or discouraged. The refusal of the Democracy to recognize, without qualification, the equal civi l rights of all citizens did undoubtedly, lead the colored man to believe that the white man was his enemy. No hair-splitting, or special plead? ing, would convince the freedmen that the whites were their friends, so long as the Party to which those whites ostensibly belonged de? nounced the laws which made the colored man a citizen, and threatened to repeal those laws upon the first convenient opportunity. Now, the legal rights of the colored man are secured to him by the Constitution of the United States, and the white people accept that decision as fi? nal, meet the colored man on a common ground as their political equal, and recognize his privi? lege with the same frankness and honesty with which they formerly opposed them. Consider? ing, then, that the white people stood in the position of according-a tardy recognition of a very obvious fact, why should it have been ex? pected that the colored people would leap at; once into the political embraces of the whites " There was no ground for such an expectation. All that the Press Conference proposed to do was to unite all the whites in a general affirma? tion or recognition of the civil and political equality of all citizens of the State, and to in? vite a political alliance for the redemption and reformation of the State Government And what has been ' the result ? With astonishing unanimity the white people of the State do join in the recognition of the legal rights of their colored fellow-citizens-, and do express a desire to band all good men together in a movement whose aim shall be, not the success of Democ? racy or the subversion of Republicanism) but the establishment of a stable, honest and fru? gal government. Turning to the colored peo? ple, we find that, in this region, they are ready to lend a willing ear to our statements, and are anxious to hearken to the arguments which prove the necessity of a change, and which show that fraud and corruption injure poor as well as rich, the black man as well as the white. But Rome was not built in a day, and we did not expect to overcome, in an instant, the so? phistries of Radicalism and the prejudices re? sulting from years of malicious misrepresenta? tion. We believe that the colored people will work heartily with us when convinced that we an; thoroughly in earnest. And steady and pa? tient work-and a just representation of every class will give them confidence, if we only per? severe. So far as the colored people are con? cerned, we see no reason for discouragement. But the Intelligencer thinks that to run an op? position ticket will strengthen the efforts of tne Radical leaders, and cause the colored vote to be given, almost as a unit, in favor of the Radi? cal nominees. The reply to this, in our judg? ment, is plain and convincing. Unless we have organization and concert of action, unless we have concentration of purpose and harmony of intention, we cannot by any possibility succeed. And this organization, this harmony of action, can only be had by running a general ticket for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor against the Radical nominees. Unless this be done our strength will be frittered away; we shall be whipped in detail. Nor is this all. Wc shall break up all organized opposition to Radical? ism, encourage desertion, and even drive our people over to the Radical Party, there to stay, there to work, and there to make its defeat im? possible. Thousands of white men will go bodily over to "Radicalism, unless we give them a Party with which to work. They will at? tempt to make Radicalism reputable, and, whether they succeed or not, no Anti-Radical Party could defeat them for ten or twenty years to come. This is about the last thing which the Intelligencer would desire We admit frankly that the one great thing to strive for is a change in the State Legislature; for a majority of respectable and upright men in that body could do much in checking the Executive, "however daring and unscrupulous that officer might be. But we say, emphatically, that the very course advised by the Intelligencer j for securing a majority in the General Assem? bly is perfectly consistent withj and would be strengthened by, an adoption of the policy of the Press Conference. We cannot undertake to decide, beforehand, what will be the action of the June Convention. We do hone and be? lieve, however, that it will adopt a policy which will have all the strength and unity which can be given by an organized opposition to Radical? ism, and will, at the 6ame time, leave every county perfectly free to do the best that it can for itself in the election of members' of the Legislature and county officers. We do believe it necessary that there should be opposition can? didates for Governor aud Lieutenant-Governor; but we do not think it necessajy that there should be opposition tickets for each county. We should prefer to allow each county, white working for the State ticket, to do the best it can for members of the Legislature and county officers; and where it can be arranged to have but one county ticket, such a ticket as the whole county can support, a contest would be a seri? ous injury/ This, at all events, is thepolicy we have advocated under the name of the Citizen's Reform movement. The June Convention may not countenance that movementy or may prefer another name. But we are earnest in our con? victions that a proper State ticket can succeed, and at the same time give to each county all the independence of action which the Intelligencer and other journals desire.?Charleston Newt. Northern Men as Southern Represen? tatives,?The Philadelphia Inquirer (Repub? lican) in an article on the recent Louisiana con? tested election farce in the House of Represen? tatives, in which the claims of J. H. Sypher, "late of Pennsylvania, later of Louisiana/' were upset after being allowed, says: Let us hope that the South shall be so en? franchised by a general amnesty that it can se? lect its own people to represent upon the floors of Congress. What does a Pennsylvanian know oi the political economy of Louisiana?' Who can au alien represent there ?' The inter? ests of that State are altogether divergent from those of Pennsylvania, and they should have an exponent and defender in the councils of the country, thoroughly conversant with them^Re conBtraction will prove the shallowest fraud- in existence while citizens of the North pretend to legislate for those of the late Confederacy." State Securities* No one can deny but that the tends of the State hate rapidly risen in value during the last year. Is this improvement due to an in? creased confidence in the present administra? tion, or the energy and prosperity of our citi? zens in the face of every difficulty ?. We know" it is blazoned forth by the opposition press as a living, speaking testimony in favor of the radical party, but is it not due to other influ? ences? The condition of the State atthe dose of the war was deplorable. Broken in spirit ?nd fortunes, without a local government or organized labor, there was a momentary de? spair before reaction took ?place. The status of the State was doubtful and the propriety of re? pudiation was freely discussed. Alter a consti? tution was formed and civil law re-estnblishedi this feeling of dependency gave place to a de^ termined effort on the part of our Citizens to repair their shattered fortunes. The disastrous results in our farming operations for the two years succeeding the restoration of order will not soon be forgotten. The drought and unre? liable labor left the planter a yield scarcely sufficient to meet the expenses incurred in the Ereduction of the crop, and the production of readstufis was incapable of supporting our population. Our people were fed from the charity of the general government, and so Eeat was the scarcity of provisions that the jgislature proposed that the State stretch its credit by becoming a public almoner. Under these circumstances, the payment of the inter? est on the State debt was deferred, the holders of interest due being authorized to fund their coupons. What more could be done? Will any one possessed of the ordinary feelings of humanity condemn the course pursued under the circumstances? In 1S6S Providence smiled upon the efforts of the farmers, and a large crop was harvested. At the beginning of our material prosperity, the present administration" was inaugurated, and the first rise in the value of the State bonds grew out of the Act passed to provide for the payment of the interest on them. The intention to do so was clearly ex? pressed by the preceding Legislature in author* izing the funding of the interest Our State debt was small, and as our growing prosperity became known, our ability to pay, anH conse? quently our credit improved. The increased confidence in. the permanency of the present government, and the continuance of peace, has ad its due effect in appreciating, just as the Previous uncertainty and confusion had an in uence in depreciating them. Is the present administration entitled tor the credit, or is it due to the people, whose energy, industry and economy have enhanced the prosperity of the State and developed anew its material wealth ? Every one knows the present administration have increased the number and salaries of officers and tripled the former expenses. Are high taxes, a multitude of officers and a cor-1 rupt Legislature the true essentials to good credit ?' The fact is, the present regime is an obstacle to the true credit of the State. The rise in our bonds only shows that the spirit of our people has lifted them above the many diffi? culties growing out of the present government* The plume they are trying to appropriate is a stolen one. In claiming the credit not due them, they are playing the jackass in the lion's skin.? Walhalbt Courier^ Reform in Our Government^?The An* derson Intelligencer, whilst accepting the prop? ositions of the Press Conference, is of the opinion that the colored voters of the State have not been impressed at all by this recogni? tion, and goes on to pronounce against a Con? vention, preferring the "guerrUla" mode of warfare, such as was first suggested by the Chester Reporter-. It proposes that each Coun= ty shall do the best it can. We cannot but regret the conclusion arrived at by our cotem gorary?located, as it is, in a section of the t?te which has been regarded as the seat of much of the effective anti-radical power of th? State< We cannot see the wisdom of igndririg organization, It occurs to us, that it is only by a general organization, extending all through the State and embracing all the elements of opposition to the present regime, that we can make an effective effort in behalf of the reforms we seek in the administration of our public affairs. We earnestly advocate union, action I and harmony. And we are ready at the proper ! time, to sink individual views in order to ad , vance what our political associates may decide ! to be the most effective method to rescue oar \ people from the perils of misgoverument and misrule, fraud and corruption. By all means, let us have organization. By all means, if minor differences as to the proper programme prevail, let the proposed Convention assemble and let us agree upon a line of political action that shall redound to the relief of the people and the improvement of their condition. We hope that our cotemporaries will urge their people to make this Convention a success.?Co? lumbia Phamiz. ? Commodore Richard Meade, of the Una ted States navy, who died of paralysis in the Brooklyn City Hospital, April 16, was a broth-" er of Gen. Geo. G. Meade. Both Weife born iri Spain, while their father Was United States Minister to that country. Twenty of the forty four years since his appointment to the navy he spent in active service. The last vessel he commanded was the San Jacinto, which was wrecked and lost in the West Indies. After that misfortune, for which he was court-mar? tialed, he was entrusted with comparatively unimportant duties on shore. Although his service in the navy covered a long period of years, his traits of character w'ere such that ho was never long enough in active service to dis? tinguish himself. He was noted for his eccen? tricity and excitable temper, and ihese were a great drawback. A short time ago he was con? fined for a time in an insane asylum, owing to his conduct in connection with the marriage of his daughter to Charles K. Landis, the for?der of Vineland, N. J. For some time previous to his death his mind was considered somewhat impaired, owing to nervous excitements and imagined, perhaps, real wrongs^i&cAanj-e. -? The Western Egg Trade.?Some idea of * the extent of the Western egg trade may be formed from reading a paragraph in the Toledo? (Ohio) RladeT stating that recently there? ar? rived in that city in a freight train; on the Wabash Railroad, seven car loads of eggs There were in each car 125.barreis, or 875 bar? rels in all. Allowing 120 dozen eges in each barrel,, t'iere were 1,260,000 eggs on board that train, "This is the calculation of the Blade, butt an ordinary acquaintance with oval luxuries would induce the belief that there were, more chickens than eggs on. board. -:-? ? ^rffy," said one darkie to another "howr dbes you 'count for the manner datrdfemifellahiv both niggers and white folks, changes dar tift tacks in de Legislature. One day d'ey is toof and toff nail agin a bill, and de-next day dey fight* for it like de debbil." ?<Shnw'! nigger;, you dunno nuffin. De fust day, yon see; day's feelin' round like. After makin' a rippin' snor .tin' speech agin a bill1,, dey goes out to "see a man,' and de next day dey just as vrf? as ?*J? dev's seen 'im." - ' '