Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I learned that Mrs. Jackson was living at the Presbyterian Institute, whore she was superinteudiq* ita education of her daughter, Miss J uliai, * Sunny haired little girl of fourteen years. 'Presenting uiy card ^tho door I was carried to a cosy reception room that has been set apart fot Mrs. Jackson's use. I found thero a fair/ pleasant faded lady, running agreeably to cmbbmpoint, uwniting my arrival. The widow'* Weeds, *10 more thau the touching air of Atdness, through~which her smiles struggled to light, told me that the wife of the South-'s matchless hero stood before mo.. With oharming grace she bade mo be* ecu ted*, and we were mutuafTricnS having enJorscd mo to Mrs. Jackson. "I declare," said sho, "I anj engaged on a work that completely unucrves me. You kuow I havo always refrained from writing one word conccruiug my husband's home life. Although importuued again and again to do so, I have felt that I could not. His public record belongs to the world. 'His home historv is mine. I have feh. that f.K? possession was sacred. A few days since I received a very kiud letter from Colonel , McClure, of the Philadelphia Times, asking me to contribute an article to his paper concerning my husband's life. His letter wns followed by letters from General Imboden | and others, endorsiug his request, lie offered to pay me one huudred dollars a col- [ uuiu for whatever I might writo. This, I , am sure, must be an exceedingly liberal of- j fcr, aud, I must confess, had much to do with my aoceptanco of the proposition. I am Viry anxious to build a home for myself and my daughter in this city, and feel that if 1 cau earn what money I need with uiy j pen, I will be doiug a work that uiy husband would advise me to were he living. ''Besides this, I have felt that it was my j duty to write something that would give the i world a true idea of my husband's character. No man has becu more uiisuudcrstood ^ than he. lie is represented as having been | stem, inexorable jurd bard nuturfcd. lie was.iust IT.? .'.o'oJ -_r? v ^ mm V V'|F|7V/U1?.U. A A V> n till UO UU UIUU* ^ strativcj as affectionate and yielding as a v Woman. At home he was tender, playful j and loving. The dignity, sternness aud rcscrvo that ho wore in public, was thrown oft' the moment lie was out of sfglitof thepublic, and he became uatural, spontaneous and r happy. You can never kuow how irksome a f&t was to.keep his real nature' bound down u . ?;?,boDe?ik tly* habit of reserve. It was a \ mask, and lie wore it as a martyrdom. r "His whole life hupg around his home, i lie had no ambition?no love of power? ] no thought of place or pomp. His horror ] of bloodshed was instinctive and powerful, i He served his country from a sense of duty, a As.I said to some one the other day, the n happiest moment of his life during the war a was, in my opinion, when he had sent in his v resignation to the Confederate Government u and contemplated returning to our little ,s home in Lexington. The differences be-, 1 tween him and the government wore such I that he did not believe he could be of further t service. Heucc, his sense of duty was re- t couciled to his laying down his sword.? [ "His love for his daughter gave an instance j of the misapprehension that prevailed con- t cerning him. He was passionately devoted u to children. Our first child died, and my s daughter was born only a few weeks before t his death. He never took a day's furlough ( during the war; not eVen to come to see t child. Just before the b^yj^pf Chaucpl- I lorsville I took the little baby and went to 1 sec lii 111. You should have seen what rap- t tures he went into over that little girl's era- I die. I have seen hiui kneel by her cradle v for hours at a time, just gazing into her } sleeping face. Those who had known hiui t only in public were astonished at the appa- t rent transformation of his character. t "It is partly that I may put his true char- B actor boforo the world that 1 have determined to write a sketch ot higi ibr the t Times, i am now at work on it, and it will t be ready in a very short time. I can give 1 certain facts that can be obtained from no t other source; I shall give them in a plain t and simple manner." i L suggested that the letters to her, during x the war, would give her many interesting | points. "Oh, no," she said, a charming t blush stealing over her face, while soft re- t mcmbranccs put a new light in her cxpres- ( sivo eyes, "they were all real love letters.? j lie had little room for anything else in his a letters home. And then' he was a very t prudent man and never talked of his plans , to any one. I only gathered from them j some general facts, as follows: lie was ab- , solutely confident of the final triumph of the j Southern arms, and of the permanent cstah- , lishmentbf the Southern Confederacy, lie j felt all the time that the war was being , waged on a wrong plan. He felt that the | South would bo worn out if the struggle ( was protracted. Ho even complained that j General Leo was too slow, although he had | great admiratiou and love for him. | "It has been said that he was a sort of | laughing stock at Lexington. This was ( surely a mistake. From the very begin- . ning of the troubles he was turned to as the head of affairs in Lexington, lie was put in immediate command of the cadets, though not by rank entitled to that place. Tho whole city loved him and respected him.? He was the politest man in the world. He never massed a ladv oil the street, whether stranger or not, without raising his lint.? One thing I remember of liiin?he never i loked into a room that he happened to pass when the door was open?not even my own." Mrs. Jacksou is very pleasantly situated in Charlotte. I fcr father, a Presbyterian minister, lives near the city. She has a brother and two married sisters (Mrs. .1 Iv J mowii and Mrs. I>. II. 11 ill) living iu the [ oity.% .Shojpenils her days quietly at the Institute, surrounded by a bevy of iuuoccut young girls, and in the midst of loving and dovotcd friends ; Her uicaus arc limited, but sufficient.? She has few desires, and lives cheaply and comfortably. As signified above, she is desirous just uow of buildiug a home in Charlotto for her daughter aud herself, as she has determined to make this city her per uiancnt 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 price 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 tbc South raise a sppcigl fund on memorial day for the purposo of DuiTHtng MnJ' < For somo cause or other the movement failed, only two or three hundred dollars being raised. A dread of notoriety that it will, bring, has almost dissuaded Mrs f....... fulfilling her coutract. She shrinks from anything like a conspicuous place. An amusing instance of the annoyance that publicity brings is furnished 1u the following : ' Some months ago a paragraph slipped into 1 the papers, saying that Miss Julia Jackson was a pretty girl of sixteen years or there- s xbouls. By tho time this paragraph had I made the rounds of the press, Mrs. Jackson's i mail was greatly augmcutcd. Each post < brought a number of epistles from strange 'very strange) young men, begging that | 'Miss Julia" would, iu the language of the 'letter writer," favor them with her ''conidence and correspondence." It is hard to 1 jonceive how the, whole brood of young i men throughout the North ana West were 1 it oucc seized with impudent inteut, but so t ,t was. Tho letters?all sorts of letters? ? iept pouring in?pouring through Mrs. i Jackson's hands to the fire. t It is a pleasure to witness the univetsal 1 ove in which the people of Charlotte hold ? NIrs. Jackson. They cluster around her as ? iodic great family about a loved member.? t Jould the great hero, whom she wedded, t lave spokeu his mind before he "had crossed J ?vor the rivnr to rest beneath the trees," he t muld havo loft uo richer heritage to his < vife and daughter than the legacy of love o u which they arc enfolded. r ? I CATS AND SNAKES. c It is not often that we hear any credit- T cndcred to the cat for cither intelligence or t lTcetiou j and it is*thAM?jNBfrio?giug to bo.,t b!e to record two iustoaAa* ia^which one, o f not both, of.tiny f|imlitjf%ii^h(mnii^ft S emarkablo mauuer in this atSTuial. lemau writing from India to a frieuu lA d higlaud, a few months ago, says of a pot v \ji\sian cat: "1 was lolling on a sofa, drows- ii ly perusing the newspaper,a few mornings s go, when Tom came and stood near me ^ iiowiug iu a plaintive way, as if to attract ii tceutiou. Not wishing to be disturbed, 1 a raved hilll lift* lln limvnunr nihirnail In ? 11 iiinuto or so, and this tiuie jumped ou to the v ofu, and looking me in the face, renewed a lis noise more vigorously. Losing patience, f roughly drove hiui away., lie then wcut o the door of the adjoining rooui, and stood tl here mewing most piteously. Fully aroused <1 got up and went toward him. As I up- o >roached, he made lor the farther corner of > he room, and begau to show light, bristling f ip and flourishing his tail. It at once t truck me that there wasan unwelcome visi- f or in tho room, which Tom wished to get * id of; and suro enough,.invoking towards.X he corner, 1 discovered a cobra coiled up i (ohind a boot-shelf under a dressing table, c IMio noise made by our approach arou-cd < he snake, and he attempted to make oil'; >ut 1 dispatched him with my gun, which vas ready loaded close by. You should ' iavc seen Tom's satisfaction, lie ran be- c weeu my legs, rubbing himself fugaiust 1 hem carcssiugly, as if to say, 'Well done * uasterTho snake measured live feet " even iuches in length." The friend to whom this incident is rela- t ed, after reading it to me, went ou to say, 1 hat some years ago, wheu iu India with 1 ler l'uther, the family were gathered after ca, one rainy evening, listening to one of 1 heir number who was reading an interest- > ng story. While thus engaged, a cat. of ' vhich her lather was very loud jumped ou 1 lis knee, and, moviug about in a restless 1 uauuer, begau to mow in a louder key than [ isual. The was his wont, 1 :ommenccd to caress the cat, expecting ' hereby to quiet it; but to no purposo. It 1 diowed signs of impatience, by jumping 4 lowu and up again, mewing vigorously the 4 vliolc time. Not wishing to be interrupted 1 u what was going on, he called for a ser- 1 rant to put tho cat out of the room ; but 1 I'pss would iioc tamely submit to an iudig- s tant turn out, ami commenced clawing at : -be old mail's feet. This be thought was ' joing too far, he rose to chastise the cat, ( jut. ere he had time to do so, ho discovered ( hat it was nothing less than a timely warn- * ing which Puss had given him, for not far 1 from where he sat there was under the ta- J [>le a small, venomous snake, which proha- 1 lily would have bitten him had lie molcsied * >r trampled on it. The reptile was immcdi itely killed ; and Puss ceased her mewing. ' ? Chamber'& Journal. Hons k Tookf, having'challeaged Wilkes, 1 who was then Sheriff of London and ] \i;.i.iu.?? -?.l 1? o~ii :? i . 1'iiuuivni A, itn;ituil I IIU lUIIUWlUg lilWUlU ? reply : "Sir, I do not think it my business ; to eut the thront of every desperado that may he tired of his life ; but as I am at pres- 1 ent lli^h Sheriff of London, it may happen ' that I shall portly have to attend you in ] my official olpaeily. in which case I will i answer for it that you shall have no ground 1 to complain of my endeavors to serve you." (Jen. Washington eouldn't tell a lie, and in thi respect lie dim red materially from tJeiiera! Washington IM.'patehes. A JUDGE MACKEY'S CHARGE. At the opeuing of tho April teroi of the Chester County Court, Judgo Mackey delivered, in substaucc, tho following characteristiu 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 in regard to your duties and powers. Your first di^ty will be to act upon all bills laid before you by the Solicitor?these bills are accusations, iu solcmu form, against sonic oue charged with criuio. In actiug upon these bills, you will exumino only wituessoa for the Stat6. In all cases ef graLd jury must find a true bill. The ing or a uwi is no proor ot guilt. Tho grand jury may act without assistance from the Solicitor in cases yl" nuisance, such as buying cotton, or other agricultural products at night, 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 person thus conducting his business to indictment. iSiticc this construction of the law has bceu applied, this business of trading at night has fallen off ninety per ccut within tho bounds of this circuit. Your attention is called to a matter of ;enoral concern?the feuce law. The criminal docket of the court is crowded year iftcr year with eases arising from cuttle jreaking into fields where there are growng crops. Persons shoot down outtlc jrcakiug into their fields, and the -court -sendices those who thus kill tho cattle of their leighbors. Still this thing will bo donftVvhilc human nature remains as it is ; men vill not stand by and sec the fruits of their abor thus destroyed. It is proper for this 'rand jury to memorialize the Legislature, it its session to begin this week, to repeal he feuce law. Carefully prepared statisic3 show that twenty dollars is expended iu euccs to keep out one dollar's worth of catlo. Chester county contains a smaller (uautity of timber than any county of equal irea iu tho State Much of this timber has i cccntly bceii used and is?lill to be used in mildiug ifur railroad^ The people of the | ounty must rely yptiftVitir timber for fuel. To needlessly destroy thi^supply of fuel in 1 he construction of fences is to visit upon ! he people a great calamity. To enclose ' no acre of laud worth five dollars, requires 1 tdye^aliillars worth of denting. . Often-. J IWPsTmm^PSPlb'crxpcMid hundred! ofT IqIIks to kce? otU ooo poor starving cow naith fifteen dollars. This is an absurdity ; 1 t is more than 'that, it is a barbarism, and 1 hould not 'allowed in a civilized State. Tou may say, in your memorial to the Leg- 1 slaturc, that the farmers of the county will ct in self-dcfcuso j they will give three aonths uotice, and at the end of that time 1 /ill drop all their fences, protect their crops j ud test the constitutionality of the present cnce law. The fence law was enacted in 1G9-L It '-i liscriminatcd against the farmers of that | lay, who were spoken of, in the preamble ? if tlie law, as "evil minded," ana as entje- * ng horses and cattle into-thoir fields. The iiruicrs formed but a small population at hat time. The fence law, kept in force rom that day to this, still discriminates cry harshly against tho farmers. The ownfow is not rcquired^to pen the cow n order fo "milk her, but tho owner of a irop is compelled to pen up that crop in orler to enjoy its benefits and reap its fruits, k man may be prosecuted in an action for lamagcs, for milking his neighbor's unpenled cow, yet he cannot recover lor damages oniniitted by that roving cow upon his unlenncdor unenclosed crop. As said before, he law is barbarism, and should at once be bolishcd. The attention of the Court has been ealld to the fact that at a point eight utiles lorth of Chester is a wood pile, owned by lie Charlotte Columbia & Augusta Railroad, md that in the winter of 1875 this wood tile was incorporated by an act of the Logslature under the name of the "town of Ihcstnut drove." [Laughter.] The popilation of this wood-pile, so called town, :onsists of five whites ambfelcveu colored. Renewed laughter.] xho corporators of his so called town pay no taxes, and yet one culled own government was to levy a tax of fifCeu mills. The very first act of the so call:d incorporation was to license two barooms. C'ato Porter, one of the incorpora,ors said that the principal object iu having he wood-pile incorporated was that a grogshop might be opened there. At the .lauu iry term of this court, this same Cato Porcr was convicted of a violation of the lijense laws of the State. The so called town )f Chestnut (irove consists mainly, as the Jourt is informed, of a large wood pile, which always grows smaller after a dark light. [Loud laughter ] This wood pile s the property of the Charlotte Columbia fc Augusta Railroad, and the road cau, no loubt, protect its property without an act >f incorporation. [Laughter.] The grand jury will investigate this whole matter, and if they find that the facts alleged arc true, this Court will use all its power to prevent the exercise of municipal, , uithority by thi.s so called town government; ind will expunge the charter. You will innuiro nml rnnnrt.hour ih? ??nli. lie officers of tlie county arc discharging their duties. If any public officer is incompetent, or it' he violates his trust, or if he neglects the business of his office, ho is indictable. You will ascertain and rep >rt the number and Condition of the public schools in operation iu the county. You will likewise ascertain and report what officers have qualified. The law pro ides that all officers must qualify within thirty days after the clectioD. The pcrsous claiming to have been elcctod to tho offices of school commissioners, county commissioners, and probate judge have uot thus qualified. This matter will be brought to the attentiou of His Excellency, the (.iovcrnor, who will cause to be issued writs for auotlrcr election to fill these offices. The Court is culled upou 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.? Tho Court cheerfully grants all applications J for this cause aud congratulates the good people of the county upon tho 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 all who are engaged in this noble wyrje." ami# Olf CLOVER AND GRASS. liY 1)11. T. W. IIAKKISS. It is not too late yet to sow. Some think it is the best to sow in tho Foil. 1 can't say as to this. From uiy owu experience I would say, 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 stired. For this purpose the harrow is necessary. If it is wished to sow on wheat or oats, the harrow will prepare the lind w?.ll aud will uot injure the grain crop Uuless it is loose soil, it is ollcu 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 uot perceptible. At any rate it is toq^suiall an amount of cultivation to be of much advantage. Whatever number of borrowings one wishes to give his wheat, they must be all done when the seed is sown ?the last ouo or the roller covering the grass seed. I have never had seed fail to come when covered with the harrow. Clover is indispensable on the Farm.? After a field is ouce 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, aud a good stand of clover will come without rcsccding. Orchard grass is ouo of the best of the grasses. It is very tenacious of life, grows up early iu the Spring, and continues to do so as often as you cut it, throughout the Summer. It affords a considerable amount of Winter pasturage, if the Winter is not too severe or it has a little protection. It succeeds well when the laud is not too wet. j?*ing crop1 boars sfeed.1 "* Titnothy^locs wen on notron?? nm,u a.j enough fur corn. In point of quality it takes the lead?at least in the estimation of the public. This grass will not succeed on ilry land in (hid State, I think. Herd's grass, or red top, will succeed on wetter land than Timothy, nnd lor low bottoms not well drained, it is among our best grasses. This grass and Timothy make very little aftermath. A good meadow well stocked in Herd and native grasses, will make a first crop of almost pure Herd's | grass, and a second crop of native grass, lomctiuies larger than the first, and of choice n??y. In speaking of harrowing wheat, I said nothing about the kind of harrow used.? This question is often asked. The fashion is to speak of tho Thomas Smoothing harrow, for this purpose, as if no other would do. A straight tooth harrow will not tear You need not be nfraid.? Drive boldly *>ver 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, the dirt will be knocked off* and the young plants will look none the worse. The llThoinas Harrow" is without doubt a good implement, but any harrow may be used. If you have any young clover or grass which you wish to cut for hay or which you wish for pastarngc, do not turn your stoek on it now. letter feed thcui and take care of your grass: 'Farmin? Without Ff.nci.no.?Under this heading, we find the following from the Union, a paper published at Junction City, Kansas, (located at the point whero the Kansas, Pacific nnd Missouri, Kansas & Texas Pail roads intersect) which, as U rola-,, tes to a subject that is now receiving much attention from this section will be of interest to in37iy of our readers : 'We have a law in Kansas, which has been.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 large, in their respective counties. It is called the herd law, and is designed to enable farmers to raise their erops without the expenses of 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 lor by its owners. There is less litigation about trespass than in a feiic'e country, because fences are not always reliable. The idea ofthc herd law is the embodiment of justice and common senso. It protects the growing crops, which disturb no one, from the roaming, malicious steer, which is a constant disturbance to everybody. In other words, it requires every man to take care of his own property, "atttfr" tfT<ees train it from disturbing others. One Like, One Aim.?A wife said to her husband, who was scolding her. ' However crow you may he, there is not a couple who live in greater unanimity than you and I ; for wo always desire the same thing?you want to be master, and so do 1." Aftkii Foutv Yf.aiisof Litioation.?New Orleans. April 17.?District Judge Millings lias rendered \ favorable decision in (lie ease of Myrn Clark (iaincs, involving miltionsof dollars in properly in New Orleans. This ends fo^ity years of litigation iu favor of the claimant ? 1 1 ?' . il. - w - - li -urn- a i-' Spartanburg and Aihttllli RailroadAu interesting meeting of tlie Stockholder? and other citizens of Charleston interested in the success of this important enterprise, was held in Charleston on tlio 13th instant in the Hall of the llank of Charleston. Wo make the following extract from the account given of said meeting in the Charleston Xetc* ana Courier: Mty. 1). 11. Duncan, the 1'resident of the Spartanburg nnd Ashevillc Kail Koad, then gave an interesting account of the condition and prospects of the company. Mnj. 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 henviest work on the road. Hy June 1st three miles additional will be graded, nnd the graded line of tliirty-fivo miles will then run clear to the summit of tho mountain, at Pace's (.lag. This point reached, there is no dosonnt to A?1mrilln ')"> intervening country being on the plrteauof the Blue llidge. The point thirty-five miles from Spartanburg is eight miles front Flat llock nnd levpu miles from UcnUersonviUfl Nor in ( Howard's Gap liuad and threo miles from The Saluda (Jap road. Besides the continuous grading of thirty five miles about ten miles more are graded in disconnected sections. Four hundred laborers aro at woik grading, two hundred of whom nrc convicts hired from North Carolina. In Henderson and Buncombe Counties the grading will be paid for in tho bonds of those counties, which the contractors have agreed to receive in place of the cash. The grading already done and paid for would cost, at contractor's pri ccs, no less than $805,000 25 miles of cross-ties delivered and distributed, only $1,800 unpaid.... 10,200 10 miles of iron rail and fastenings, including 10 miles in opperation, all paid for...., 00,000 Cost and value of work and material... $481,250 The work done by the convicts hns saved ths Company for that work at least fifty per cent, in cash outlay ; but the value of the work and material is ns we lutve given it. 1'herc is some little floating indebtedness, but the balance due on private stock subscriptions will more than cover this. Tun tnilcs of the road arc now in opperation and, by the 25th of the present month, fifteen miles in all will be open, unless the weather interfere. The company needs twenty miles more iron to lay the track to Face's Cap, the point thirty-five utiles from Spartandurg. This iron, with the eross-tics. fastenings, nnd the cost of laying, will come to $88,0(10, and the company have made arrangements to pny 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 $10,000 i a mile hns been authorized, atui the company dc- 1 sire to borrow, upon the security of their bonds, i the money now required, $44,000. The securi- i ty will be tbc work already done, with the iron ' to be bought nnd laid, costing nearly $500,000, i with thirty-five utiles of road in operation; nnd tho whole lien upon this in shape of the first < mortgage will not much exceed $4,000 a mile. But the security Ib not limited to the bare value of the road. As soon as the road reaches Face's , nf Thi irnng moranno uum**?? TJ I'jtei; _)cin nunnrcvis of wagons from Ashevtlle, within easy distance of the Western North Carolina Railroad, drug their way to distant Greenville and Spartanburg, and the produce they bring, und far more, will naturally seek the Hail Uoad. < When Major Duncan hail finished his explanatory statement, Senator Cannon, of Spartan- 1 burg, briefly addressed the meeting, describing l the character of the country through which the Spartanburg anil Asherille llnil Hood passes.? i lie mentioned that Northern settlers had already i bought 35,0(10 acres of land in Transylvania I County, N. C. This settlement and others like i it would increase the business of the road. In explanation of the fact that produce seeks South i Carolina, by wagon, iustend of the Western N. C. Hail Koad, lie said that it was useless for the farmers to send their corn, wheat, eggs, milk and other nrticles to that llaiload, because the country through which it runs produces those same articles just as cheaply. South Carl in a, on the contrary, needs them, not raising them as abundantly; and, seeking the best market, tho produce flows to this Stale. Where the farmers sell they likewise buy, and the whole State will thus be benefitted. In reply to questions by Capf. Fairly, Maj. Darker and other gentlemen, Maj. Duncan said that the cost of grading the whole line to Aslieville would average $7,000 a mile; the entire cost of the road, fully equipped, will be about $18,000 a mile, (making it the cheapest road of that gauge in the country) and that, when completed, the mortgage debt will be between $5,000 and $0,000 a mile. The Spartanburg and Acheville Hailroad is the only road in the United States that crosses the Dine ltidgc without u tunnel. The depots on (he line from Pace's Gap to Spartanburg, with the necessary land, will be built and given to the company by the owners of tho land through which the line runs. Two of these depots, far ahead of the track-layers, were already built. One of these, at the Rutherford and Greenville Cross Roads, twenty-two miles from Spartanburg, is an exceedingly commodious anil handsome structure. A store stands near the depot, with a large sawing and planing mill. *p*Thc meeting being in possession of the nc.cersary information, on motion, adjourned. "Major Duncan, by his clear and business-like Statements, has made an excellent impression in Charleston, and the Drosnect is vorv flatterinw ' r - - i ? ^ nGhanoehs.?Whatever else may be said of the Grangers ';as a secret order without any secrecy," it must he admitted that they have taught the farmers how to b ry cheaply and how to sell their products at full prices. It must also ho said, to their credit, that they have brought down the prices of many manufactured and other articles of prime uecccssity from 15 to 33J per cent, agricultural implements, coal, etc., for example. Morever, there is no doubt that the order of Patrons of Husbandry has introduced a new element of sociability and improvement among farmers. Many of the Grange headquarters have bccu virtually transformed into club rooms?some of them supplied with libraries ; and they arc habitually frequented by all the members entitled to their privileges. Certainly, an institution of which such things can be said, and which is purely non-political in its constitution and by-laws, deserves to be kept alive, encouraged and bidden God speed ! by every well-wisher of that class, upon whose prosperity rests the welfare of th<fwhole frame ?work of American society.? Front;fort (Ay.) Yeoman. m An imaginative Irishman has improved upon Ossian. "1 returned," said he, ''to the halls ol my father by night, and I found them in ruins. I cried aloud : 'My fathers, where arc f hey ?' And echo responded: 'Is that you, Patrick M'Clathery V " L?- ...? 1.1 I < T m I .11. 1 GOV. IIIMFTOWS HISSKJF. Statu or Sooth Carolix a, KXRCOflVR Driwrtmknt, Coi.I'MDIa, S. C , April 2G, 1877. Gentlemen of the Sinate and llotue of Rrprttenlahcet: It is proper that I should, before entering into a discussion of the grave questions which will couie before you, give the reasons that impelled me to call the (.leuoral Assembly together at a time so unusual and inconvenient to its members. 1 lecognise ami appreciate fully the great personal sacrifice demanded of the members by tho call which bnngs them here; but the critical condition of public affairs and the welfare of the State made U imperative that 1 should invoke the aid of the legislative branch of the' government to assist in the great work of reform before us, and 1 felt confident that the patriotism of those comprising this branch of the State government would inspire tlieni to moct cheerfully all lh? sacrifices reqiliwAJtn iijeittleroite " of th?St?t?. Your presence proves Unit I have % bat Veifc?U*op4>u?nL<*i in mis liope ; ?ud 1 vhftt;-,.., . 1 srfffi (Tkff <H>i o n *T" jTfpo TffuV yTu animosities engendered liy political sliife, rise superior to the pelly considerations of partisanship, nml devoting yourselves with patriotic xoul 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 and justice among all classes and parties. To the accomplishment of these noble aims I pledge my constant, unwearied and earnest efforts ; and in this patriotic work I invoke your nid, gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives, not atone 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 convcuing the Ucncrift As. ' scmbly, lias precluded nic from laying- before this body such full and accurate information as is desirable, or making precise and definite recommendation:! on particular uieasures which will demand your attention.? Circumstances with which "you arc nil fntttilinr have'proven!ed my access to the books and records of the various departments of the Stato government, and heuce I can neither speak authoritatively of tho exact financial condition of the State, nor innkc such particular suggestions us under tho ordinary condition of public matters, it would have been my pleasure, no less than my duty, to have done. At present 1 can, therefore, only cull your attention in general terms to ft few subjects which require immediate action on your part, ami 1 must ask for your indulgence if 1 am unable to do more than to in- ^ dicfttc the broud and comprehensive principles which, in my judgment, can give peace, stability ar.d good government to our State. To the wisdom nud patriotism of the (iencral Assembly is committed the grave duty of bringing back lo onr people these inestimable blessings. The merit of success will belong to you, gentlemen, if you suceeed ; and to you will the responsibility attach if the hopes of your constituents are disappointed. The first, ns it is the most important, subject lo which your nttcntion is invited, is that of thu 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 rulamcntable. All efforts to bring about a better state of affairs will prove unavailing until (lie finances of the Statu arc put in a healthy condition and tho credit of the State established on thesouud nud honorable footing they once occupied. Itut in I lie luenntime there is nil imperative necessity that the immediate needs of the State should be provided for; mid in doing this the burden of taxation should he made ns light ns possible, for the resources of our people are well nigh exhausted, and the season of the year at which tho lax -s will be called for is most unfortunate.? While it is the province of the House of Representatives to tix the amount of taxes requisite to meet the demands of tlie Stale, and the tiinennd mode of their collection, 1 venture to offer some suggestions on these points for (lie consideration of the Legislature. It is due alike to tlie honor and the credit, ns well us to its future prosperity, that there should he no question nor doubt ns to our determination to meet every honest obligation of the State fairly and faithfully; hut it is equally our duly to nsccrtniti what are its honest liabilities. The suspicions which attach loa Doi t ion of 11>9 outstanding obligations of the State, and which, to a greater or ie?n i-?*?.,.?, ar. feet the value of all, render it imperative that these obligations, whether funded or not, should bo strictly scrutinized, with a view of ascertaining which are valid nud which are not. Thero should he a condition precedent lo the payment of interest on nny of the outstanding obligations of the Stale, whether in the shape of bonds or otherwise, and also to the further funding of any of the State indebtedness into tlie consolidated bonds authorized lo bo issued under tlie net of 187:5, to reduce tlie volume of the public debt. In order to effect this object in a mode satisfactory and equitable, alike to the Slate and to the public credit, 1 respectfully suggest the appointment of a commission, to consist of one member from each House of the Legislature, the Comptroiler-Ucncrnl ami the Treasurer of the Stale, and three citizens of financial ability, to whom the whole question of the financial condition of the .State shall be referred, and under whose directions a thorough and complete investigation of the funded and floating indebtedness of the State shall be made; and who shall be empowered to require a registration before them, or before such officers as may be designated, of the consolidation bonds of the State. Obligations, the validity of which shall be thus ascertained, shall he certified in such form as the commission or the Legislature may prescribe, and the coupons on such bonds alone should be receivable for taxes. The commission should also be charged with (lie duly of reporting to the General Assembly at its next regnlur session the precise character of nil obligntions of doubt* ful validity, or clearly fraudulent, with the specific facts or testimony upon which their conclusions arc based. As all the records and books showing the amount of consolidated bonds now outstanding, with the nature of the securities on which they were issued, h?v? been withheld by the late officials, I am unable to slate, with any degree of accuracy, what portion of the public debt has been converted into consolidated bonds and what portion remains to be funded. Hut from the best sources of information before me, I estimate the nmonal yet to be funded as about three million dollars; which, nt the rate established for funding, will require the issuo of $1,f>00,000 of consolidated bonds. Under the act of 1873, these bonds bear date of January 1,1874, and the annual tax provided by the act for the payment of interest on the entiro consolidated debt has been regularly levied every year, and the amount unexpended for interest should be In the treasury to meet the past due coupons of those bonds, as soon as issued.? 1 have no reason, however, to believe tlint there is any such unexpended balance available for I hi* purpose, And if the conversion of the dcht into consolidntcd bonds continues as provided by the existing net, it vrill be necessary to provide by legislation for these arrears of interost. 1 suggest for your consideration the propriety of funding these arrears up to the lime of conver? sion, in new bonds, payable at such time, and [roNTiNi'En os *Ecosi? r.UiK.]