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JtoapiHittd ^facts. A photographer in Gloucester, Massachusetts, was astonished by a young woman, who came to ask, meekly and innocently: "How long does it take to get a' photograph after you leave your measure ?"V *^Br The Texas Reconstruction Convention is still occupied with preliminary business. It has been ascertained that the State treasury contains $200,000, and the members are satisfied as to the financial prospect . The New Constitution of Florida contains a provision requiring educational qualification in all pereqoa voting for the first time in 1880. This is a step in the right direction. Too much voting is the curse of the North, as too much negro may be the bane of the South. An exchange speaks of one estate in Louisiana. with some three thousand acres of the choicest land, which recently sold for $23,000, while the dwelling house and sugar mill alone cost more than $120,000. The proprietor was a Union man, worth half a million of dollars. He is now penniless. Hie doctors of Chicago have been examining a precocious Cincinnati infant of three years, who has all the developments of a full grown woman. Thqy agree that it is wonderful, and will send the child-woman over to Furope for the delectation of the fltedical savans... Western journals are urging the necessity of planting forest trees as a remedy for the hurricanes that so often devastate the prairie regions. They are not sure that forests would prove a remedy, but wish to try the experiment, which would decide the matter 3n . the course of thirty or forty ~ ~ ^ "a!- >.*. v years. A number of leading Republicans in Boston ^opose tojpve^puWic dinner to Senator Fessendenee fo voting against tbe 'conviadon of tbe President. Governor Bollock will preside, and James RosaeR Lowell, ex-Governor Washburn, President Hill, of Harvard College, and other prominent Republicans, will be present * The New York Times oontinues to oppose the plan of relieving disabilities of Southern men in detail?man at a time?and recommends that some general enactment be adopted by which a sort of wholesale relief shall be granted, "as a means of obliterating some of the remaining traces of conflict and putting an end to the most plausible oause of discontent" A few weeks ago, Sumner addressed a letter to a resident of this State, in reply to an application for the removal of political disabilities, in which he expressed the opinion "that to make exceptions to the general policy in individual cases would be to open the door to innumerable applications." but adds, "that as soon as the condition of the country will permit," he promises to advocate the removal of all disabilities. The Washington correspondent of the New York Tenet, writes: "The statement that the President will veto no more of the reconstruction measures of Congress has no further foundation than this?that he will let them become laws without his signature. This simply saves Congress the trouble of passing them over his veto, or in other words affords that body a net gain of about twentyfour hours in the matter of their becoming laws of the land. This is the extent of his concession to Congress on this subject. The Richmond Dispatch, in an account of , the memorial ceremonies at Ashland, Ya., says that one incident occurred which touched the feelings of all. The grave of a Federal soldier was found. "Shall we decorate this grave?" said a ladv. For a moment there was silence, and then, with one voice, all said: "Yes, for he sleeps now side by side with our own dead." And the same fair hands which decorated the graves of the Southern soldiers, now strewed flowers over the grave of their enemy sleeping so silently by their sides. <* A letter from Greenville, Tennessee, says: "About six months since the President purchased a beautiful plantation, containing about five hundred acres, at Henderson's Depot, with two fine flouring mills on it, and also a beautiful building spot, a hundred yards from the depot, commanding a view of the Alleghanies, for fifty miles. The name of the postoffice at that Station has been changed from 'Henderson' to 'Home.' His old friends look forward with pleasure to the time, as they jocularly say, when 'Andy' shall return and be their "honest miller,' as in former days he was their honest tailor." The editor of the Staunton Vindicator, who a few days ago passed over a portion of the Orange and Alexandria railroad, observed "a very spirited impetus in improvement" since his last visit two years ago, and learned that, within the past nine months, the population immediately along the road between Alexandria and Culpepper Court House has increased several thousand from immigration alone. The towns are being built up, the farms improved, &c. We hail with great pleasure all such evidence of the dawning of a better day for Yirginia. ?Richniond Whig. A correspondent of the Winnsboro' Neics writes: "Believing with your numerous correspondents that the introduction of immigrants into our community will solve all the difficulties of the times, financial and political, I will devote (1000) one thousand acres of my land, in Fairfield District, to bona fide settlera, particularly Irish settlers. 1 feel sure that if immigrants can be induced to settle among us on these terms, it will enhance one hundred per cent, the value of our remaining land, and promote the prosperity of our country. (jrold is used more extensively in tne arts than is generally imagined. It is stated that nearly $50,000 worth of this metal is consumed every year in the decoration of chinaware, in England, principally at the Staffordshire potteries. The total amount used in guilding generally in England and France is estimated at $800,000 per annum. The trades in England, using standard gold, go regularly to the mint and purchase the clipped sovereigns by weight. In this way the government saves the expense of re-coinage of the light pieces, and satisfy a legitimate demand of the industrial arts. The Paymaster General has thrown a bombshell into the veiy heart of the radical camp by demanding an additional appropriation of $25,000,000 to enable him to pay the extra bounties authorized by acts of Congress to be paid between now and the 1st of December next. This demand, and the necessity for an immediate compliance with it in order to keep faith with the soldiers, upsets completely all the fine promises of retrenchment and reduction of expenses made early in the session. The Secretary of War has also made a demand for $595,370 to supply a deficiency in appropriations for carrying out the reconstruction acts of Congress. Tkft ViMM Innvno ywV*nrtAtTAM tlift T yt/v!oln J.UC ^TCU/O IWIUO Vliab nUCUCVCi lUC JUCjJlClO" I ture assembles a vigorous effort will be made to | adjourn to Charleston, should the session promise to be a long one. The accommodations in Columbia are extremely ill-adapted to the purposes of the body, and the prevalence of chills and fever is said to inspire greater terror in the minds of the unacclimated than the ordinary miasmatic diseases incident to the coast. It is by no means probable, however, that the first session will be a long one. The first important act of legislation will be the ratification of the fourteenth amendment, and the State will_ not be fairly back in the Union until a proclamation announcing that ratification is issued by the President The following curious custom of the Nestorian Christians is commended to the serious attention of the young gentlemen and young ladies of our country who propose to commit matrimony.? After the marriage ceremony has been performed, the wedding party is taken into wagons from the church to tne house of the bridegroom's parents. When the second wagon, in which the bride is seated alone, reaches the gate opening into the yard in which the house is situated, it is halted, and the bridegroom's mother comes to meet it with a baby and three suits of baby clothes in her arms. She throws the child and the clothes into the arms of the bride, who is required to undress and dress the baby three times in the presence of her mother-in-law, who watches every movement as only a mother-in-law can watch a daughter-in-law. If the newly-made bride does not perform the operation to the satisfaction of her severe judge, sne is considered unfit for hernew position, the wagon is turned around and she is taken back home for further instruction, and the poor bridegroom is compelled to live in single blessedness until his wife is educated up to the proper standard. A recent panic on the Canadian frontier, in reference to an alleged invasion by the henians from the United States, is explained in the following amusing way: It appears that the Canadians have been in the habit of tapping the telegraph wires for news of Fenian projects and preparations. Gen. O'Neill and staff are posted at Buffalo, and Gen. Spear and Col. Luke Murphy at House's Point, while the less important leaders are station ed in the immediate neighborhood of both places, g These gentlemen, aware of the practice of the a Canadians, in intercepting telegrams, have, it is 0 stated, latterly been amusing themselves at tne expense of the watchful guardians of the interests e of the Dominion. For instance, O'Neill telegraphs ^ Spear: "Will cross at Niagara on the night of the ? instant, with 5,000 men. Make a simultaneous demonstration upon your front." General Spear makes a suitable response, and thereupon the loyal tl militia are summoned by beat of drum, watchfires p are lighted, and the whole Dominion anxiously a- M waits the threatened attack. Thus the secret of ^ these absurd alarms and extensive preparations in Canada is to be explained as the result of the prac- e tical jokes of the Fenian wags. o Ihe IforMl* (Jfrtquim., ? t< YORKVILLE, S. C.: d . P TUTTPSTUV MHPNTNft JTJNF 18. 1868. P -J-' li Cash.?It must be distinctly understood that 11 our terms for subscription, advertising and job, s work, are cash, in advance. ? X.?The paper will be discontinued on the expiration of the time for which payment has been e made. A Subscriber finding a (X) cross-mark on a the wrapper or margin of his paper, will understand that the time paid for has expired. EQUITY COURT. b The annual session of the Court of Equity, for ^ York District, is being held this week. Chancellor p W. D. Johnson is holding the Court. This is the a first tune that Chancellor Johnson has presided p upon this Circuit, and his patient and urbane de- ? portment upon the bench, as well as his intelligent administration of the duties of his office, leads us ^ to hope, that it may not be his last official visit to us, although circumstances now indicate otherwise. ? THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST. h The firm of Grant, Colfax & Co., the new es- 0 tablishment engaged in the manufacture of United e; States Presidents, seem to be doing a heavy busi- ai ness. They expect to complete their first job next November, if the concern does not fail before that time. The new affair seems to possess but little 01 character, poor business talent, and a very small v' brain capital with which to conduct operations.? 01 The head man of the firm is said to possess a h stronger passion for whiskey than for politics. If ^ this be true, he will probably receive the unani- ^ mous support of distillers and manufacturers of ^ this article. r( The immense opposition concern, which is to organize for the same business at New York, on ^ July 4th, is engaged in discussing the chances of ^ ite several prominent leaders; but the discussion ^ seems to have thrown but little light, thus far, a{ upon what may be its action. The Chase men lr appear to be losing ground, from the fact that un- ^ der his own fist, the honorable Chief Justice inti- 10 mates that he is* opposed to intermeddling with the Congressional reconstruction work. As the aI Democracy repudiate this scheme in toto, it is not 01 probable that Chase can become the leader of the ? Conservative movement . Ul The Pendleton and Hendricks parties are both hard at work, and will present a formidable front *r upon the platform in July. We are only specta- w tors, but we ought to be intensely interested. si SOURCES OF MONEY MAKING. hi The up-country of South Carolina offers many in advantages in the way of procuring a livelihood, * that are either never thought of, or entirely over- ln looked, by those whom necessity, it would seem, 111 would teach to employ profitably. There are a P1 thousand little vegetable products, some of them growing up spontaneously over our hills, that if gathered and sent to a market, would realize a a( handsome recompense to the gatherer. The poor er classes in the still poorer lands of North Caro- g lina, last year, dried and shipped to northern mar- jn kets, thousands of dollars worth of blackberries, j sumach leaves, and various kinds of fruits esteemed of little value forborne consumption. Our State ^ is as prolific of blackberries as any other, perhaps, and many persons who are now disposed to beg for bread, could easily harvest a crop, in one summer, sufficient to provide bread for a family for the ^ year. The blackberry trade has recently become gr considerable, and the number of persons engaged j in gathering and preparing this crop for market in y VrtvfK r.imllna nlnnp would surnrise our readers if the figures were given. Green peaches, in New York, Philadelphia, or q Baltimore, sell readily in the early part of the fruit season at $3.00 per bushel. This fruit can be . gathered, boxed, and shipped from a hundred orchards in this District alone, upon such terms j as to make it highly profitable to those who would .. engage zealously in the business. Dried fruit, of all kinds, always commands a re- nj munerative price when shipped to a favorable n( market. Thousands of bushels might be sent an- st nually from this locality, and a handsome income g realized by several hundred little boys and girls w who now do nothing to help themselves or their j parents. j0 We publish on the fourth page of this issue, di- ja rections for preparing dried fruits for market. We ai are also pleased to call attention to the advertiseracnt of Dr. John May, who proposes to establish y an agency for the sale of these little specialities, e| which are capable of being swelled into a large bus- e, iness. c] DEBT COMPROMISES. w We have been, and are still, among those who w put no faith in the efficacy of Legislative measures, by the State, for the relief of debtors, from obligations entailed under the laws in force at the time j? such obligations were contracted. At the same ,, time, wc believe that nothing within our power to .' accomplish, would so much aid in restoring the ^ prosperity of the country, as a speedy and liberal j1 compromise of its private indebtedness. The operations of the bankrupt system have ^ shown how small a dividend, even the best of estates adjusted under it, have been able to pay.-- ~ Of the large number of cases in this District, if correctly informed, not a single one will pay over Cl 25 percent., and the majority of them not over 15 percent, of the debts proved. These figures ^ ought to furnish data upon which compromises r i t. n i 1 L should be enected. it is a matter 01 almost proveu . certainty, that the mass of this private indebted- ^ ness never can be paid. Aside from these general reasons, the instincts j o? a common humanity appeals to us to forgive . something to those, whose inability to pay arises from no fault of their own, but rather from causes that resulted in the common action of us all. There is nothing to condemn in the man who hon- , estly contracted debts which he was then able to .. pay, but whom the calamities of war, and our gen- , eral impoverishment, have reduced to penury. We would also urge this suggestion of compromises, as a matter of advantage to creditor as well as debtor. From our view of the matter, the ina- r bility to pay is so general and at the same time so * utterly hopeless, that it seems that those who oc- ? cupy the position of creditors, would do well to s take what the debtor may be able to pay now, in o preference to waiting an indefinite period with the ) prospect of getting nothing. ? Our own observation has convinced us that the J! general insolvency of the Southern States is doing Q as much to retard their prosperity as almost any 0 other single cause. Not a dollar of capital, from s the monied centres, can be expected for invest- C ment in the South, until our financial condition d undergoes improvement. The speedier this can ? be accomplished, the more certain and effective ^ will be the relief afforded by an easy flow of capi- t] tal through the State. We premise these sugges- n tionsupon the acknowledged principle, that no com- d munity can prosper, until monied capital can be P circulated with confidence in the solvency of such ^ community. y These suggestions are not influenced by the per-' a sonal interest of ourselves or any one in connection j ii with our affairs. We fortunately and gratefully! claim to be among that number who have little to' a ain or lose directly, in the matter; But we have general interest in the prosperity and welfare of ur common country, and shall always feel at librty to advise what we may think best calculated > promote these objects. V IMMIGRATION. Since the close of the late war, the people of tiis State, both through the Legislature and by rivate enterprise, have zealously entered upon the rork of repopulating the State, by immigration rom abroad, These efforts have not been attendd with that degree of success calculated to enourage their further prosecution upon the plan eretofore adopted. It is admitted that an increase of the laboring rhite population of the State, would be beneficial o the interests of all classes of people, and would o much towards restoring the prosperity of the ?ast To accomplish this effectually, there appears to be, in our view, but one plan of action kely to succeed. We must first offer sufficient iducements to emigrants, if we would have them ettle among us. The propositions, heretofore lade by the people, have not been sufficiently lib * .'i n ? .1 I rai to attract tne tiae or emigrants iroiu mo uieup nd fertile lands of the West, to oar poor and rorn ont farms in this State. If then, our large land-holders would propose 3 settle families upon alternate sections of good md?say of forty acres to the family?with the rivilege of working aud improving for five years, nd then of buying, if desirable, at a stipulated rice, a sufficient inducement would thus be offerd to settlers. The owner of the land, by thus isposing of alternate sections, would be able to jcure purchasers in a few years for the land so isposcd of, and would at once enhance the value f the sections retained. The emigrant, in the leantime, has secured for himself and family, a ome, without cost, for five years, with a prospect f being able to buy it, at a reasonable price, at the ipiration of that time. His relatives, friends ad neighbors abroad, are, in time, attracted to re same locality, and in this manner whole secons of country, now lying waste and worthless, m be restored to cultivation and a marketable alue. The emigrant is generally sensible enough f his own wants, and sufficiently informed as to is interests, to go where both are best cared for. le does not come among us because we invite iin to do so. We must first make it profitable to iui to come, and when convinced of this, he will sspond to our invitations. Of the many proffers of lands to emigrants made irough the Commissioner of Emigration, we have *en somewhat surprised to find only a few perms offering their lands upon terms likely to prove ;ceptable to anybody, much less to companies of idividuals from abroad who come among us alost without means; and who expect by honest til, hereafter, to acquire an interest in the soil. If then we would encourage emigrants to come nong us, let us offer something like an induceient for them to do so. We may advertise, in urope, our Southern farms for sale, from now ntil doomsday, without the hope of finding a purlaser. If, however, we give notice that lands are ee for five years, to the permanent settler, there ill be a sufficient number to find it out and emrace the offer; and thousands of farms would )ring up among our now barren and profitless ills. The land-owner would be well recompensed, i time, for his prudent liberality, and the State ould once more witness the wheels of progress i motion. Why cannot Some concerted effort be ade in this direction, by those who will realize a rofit therefrom ? MERE-MENTION. The attention of our readers is directed to the Ivertisement of J. Banks Lyles, Esq., announng the Annual Examination of the "Limestone prings Male Academy" on Wednesday next, 24th stant The Democrats have carried the ection at Galena, 11L, the home of Grant, by two mdred and fifty majority. The National :bt increased $9,750,000, during the month of iay. The Post-Office Committee will report jainst Washburne's bill for a government tele aph line to New York. The Senate has mnimously confirmed the appointment of Revtly Johnson, of Maryland, as Minister to Engnd. Jonnson is a democrat, and one of the aest men in the Senate. This freak can only be counted for by the supposition that he is not anted in the Seuate. The Congregational hurch of Harlem, New York, by a vote of four i one, has decided women as eligible to be officers i the church. The wheat harvest is comencing in Middle Tennessee. The yield will be rge and excellent in quality. For the first uie in six years, New Orleans is said to be withit a soldier, white or colored. *The first lighting rod put up in this country by Dr. Franklin, is jw to be seen on the old house No. 52, Daniel reet, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The oston Post pointedly asks: "Will those Senators ho slept with Stanton in the War Department lease call at the Treasury Office and pay for their dgings." The two sons of Stephen A. Dougs, both of whom are residents in North Carolina, -e said to be members of the republican party, le oldest being the private secretary of Hon. W. i. Holden, Governor of that State. The miormiinn frnm Prussia to America this vear. it is spected, will reach 250,000. It is composed liiefly of inhabitants of the northern provinces, ho, for the most part, have a small capital at their nnmand. The Sultan of Turkey has just rdered, to be manufactured in Paris, a silver tale, the price of which will not be less than three lillions of francs. Mr. Pendleton authorizes le withdrawal of his name as a Presidential canidate, whenever another candidate evinces supeor strength. Gen. Hancock has done the same. fobly done. No one is a voter in Liberia un ss of African descent, and not even then if not a assessor of real estate. The News notices le arrival, in Charleston, of twenty-three Gerlans, who come to make their homes in South arolina. Reports from Georgia say that the ops are favorable in all parts of the State. The New York Neicx claims a daily circulation f one hundred thousand copies. The tax on ircus Exhibitions has been reduced by General lanby from $50 to $25 per. Horace Greeley i spoken of as the next Republican candidate for rovernor of New York. A Chinese railroad verseer in Oregon bears the name of Whang >oodle. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher is i favor of Chief Justice Chase's election as Prcsient New York has one hundred and seven p-nine miles of horse railroad. The New Or;ans papers deny a report that the yellow fever as appeared this season, either in that city or at lalveston, Texas. In the recent election in his State, the Democrats elected their candidates i sixteen Districts. The Georgia Masonic Life Insurance Comany.?This Company was organized in Macon in 867, says the Mtsxenger, and has been very sucessfully conducted. It now numbers over sixteen lundred members, and is increasing its memberhip with extraordinary rapidity. The provisions f the organization are as follows: "All Master lasons in good standing and in good health, hale, ound, so as to be able to gain a livelihood, and a iiember of a Lodge, upon the recommendation of he W. M. of the Lodge of which he is a member r a director of the Company, upon the payment f a fee of six dollars, shall be entitled to memberhip. Then, upon the death of a member of the Jompany, each surviving member shall, without elay, within ten days ruler receiving said notice, ay to the Company the sum of one dollar and ten ents. ITie sum so called for, is paid within sixty ays to the widow and dependent children; if here be no widow and dependent children, to the lother and sisters, share and share alike; provied, nevertheless, that the insured shad have full ower to dispose of the sum accruing upon his eath by will. ITie six dollars paid as an entrance ?e, constitutes a permanent fund, the interest of rhich goes to meet the expenses of the Company, nd should there be an excess, such residue is paid a dividends to the members thereof. [Col. W. H. McCorlde, of Yorkville, is the gent of the above Company.] 80UTMBKJ UHIVEMITY SERIES OF SCHOOL BOOKS. ' Published by Richardson & Company, New York.?For many years past, the school books prepared at the North, have become more and more unfit for the purposes of education at the South. Besides being prepared generally for the toholaale , system of instruction pursued in Northern public schools?a system not yet in vogue among us? they are commonly filled with allusions, illustrations, and statements, calculated to wound our self-love, and to give to our children erroneous views of our resources, characteristics and civilization, past and present. Too evidently is the latter objection true of the Geographies and Histories lately published, or revised. Through self-respect, many of our thoughtful teachers have been forced to the less evil of adopting antiquated works on those several subjects. Now we are very far from advocating sectionalism, or partizanship, in the grave business of instructing youth: the knowledge which is necessarily imparted during the process of mental training, should be culled with scrupulously impartial care from the broadest commons of moral, histotJPand scientific truth. But if this cannot alwava be done in history and descriptive works, let us, by all means, select such of these as are most in sympathy With the genius and traditions of the South. But feW attemptehave been heretofore made, by Southerififcholars, to remedy the increasing evil alluded to;' and 'these attempts hare been, for the most part^^saccessful and ill-sustained. The truth is, we have had able and brilliant writers and thinkers ift abundance, but no professional book-makers, no ^Parkers and Quackenboses, who, for a stated subs of money, within a stated time, will compile a very respectable text-book upon any given subject, within the whole range of human knowledge. As a natural consequence, Southern teachers have been forced to choose from Northern works, objectionable as they are, and to contend, as best they may, with all the disadvantages arising from the want of progressive continuity in their most care fifed ectio n?. To them, therefore, and to parents and pupils also, the appearance of the series mentioned at the head of this article, brings with it an emancipation long desired and full of brightest promise. Simplicity in the plan of instruction, economy of time and labor, and the substitution of impartial truth and the most recent developments of science for sectional prejudices and exploded hearsays, are the cheering promises it gives. Any one of these alone is sufficient to recommend the series to the most favorable reception among us, but the combination of them all, renders its adoption a matter of duty. Of the many disadvantages attendant upon the diverse selection of text-books, now in use in Southern schools, we will cite but one, namely: the loss of time and increase of labor conseauent upon every change of school or teacher. At every such change, the pupil must generally unlearn riiuch of what he has acquired, and begin again in new text-books, with new technicalities and modes of treatment, subjects which he has already been studying a year or more. Now these changes are frequently unavoidable; and the only remedy we know for their ill consequences to both pupil and teacher, is the general introduction of the University scries, which is complied upon a plan at once uniform, progressive, and complete. All honor, then, to the accomplished Southern scholars who have Undertaken with zeal, the laborious task of producing these books and to the enterprising publishers who are bringing all theresources of the typographic art to bear in their publication. But however enthusiastic we may be in welcoming this series and advocating its adoption throughout the South, we are, nevertheless, unwilling to give our humble sanction to any particular book belonging to it which does not come fully up to the promised standard. We propose to examine, with candor and care, the-sevcrol parts as they successively appear; and express our honest convic- ' tions of their merits or demerits. The dignity and importance of the enterprise, and justice to those of our readers who may be influenced by our opinions, alike demand this of us. The first instalment which we have received and examined consist First, of the following complete series of Readers, prepared by Prof. George F. Holmes, of the Virginia University, viz: Primer, Elementary Speller, and First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Readers?to the whole of which we give unqualified approbation. The Primer sets aside the humdrum a..b, ab, b..a, ba plan of the old books, and proceeds upon a simple, natural method calculated to attract the attention of the little beginner, and by the association of sensible images with the letters and elementary sounds, to make permanent impressions on his mind. This little book should be in every household which contains an abecedarian. If the author's directions in the preface be well considered and patiently A ' - - a\. A a!.A-I toilowed, we win guarantee me most saiisiuciury results. The Speller is arranged upon a somewhat similar plan, and after the most approved standards of syllabication, orthography, and pronunciation. In the Readers, which are all filled with pictorial illustrations, except the last, in which such embellishments are unnecessary?scrupulous care has been observed in the selection and progressive arrangement of the matter. Beginning in the First and continuing throughout the others, upon the linc-upon-line principle, are chapters on punctuation, accentuation, inflection, and modulation, covering all the rules of the art of Elocution. To this series, we believe, a School Speaker is to be added; which will leave nothing further to be desired. It may seem to some that the books of this department are too numerous; but this objection is apparent merely, for there is no necessity for review. The pupil passes without difficulty from one to the next higher, and, in the course of two or three years, is in possession of all the leading principles of an art, of which very many lawyers, divines, and, we regret to state, teachers too, are lamentably ignorant. Secondly, of the first three of the Mathematical series?by Prof. 0. S. Venable, of the same University?consisting of First Lessons in Numbers ; a Mental Arithmetic, and an Arithmetic, Pure and Commercial, The first is a most admirable little book?simple, well graduated, filled with little pictures to interest the child and give him vivid ideas of numbers and of the relations which subsist between thein. It is just the book the mother needs. To her, and to other teachers of little beginners, we commend it without hesitation. The Mental Arithmetic is, like the former, prepared after the Pestolozzian method, and is intended to follow it, and to be used in part as a companion to the next book of the series. It is a capital drill-book, comes ? l. -i... __j id precisely at tne rignc piuuu, uuu jaiuuispciisttuic , in the school room. Of the larger Arithmetic we feel some hesitation in expressing an opinion, as it seems to be an intermediate book, introductory, j doubtless, to the High School Arithmetic, now in preparation. What subjects are here omitted, may, therefore, be only postponed to the higher work where they can be more fully and logically treated. We like the author's distinct division of the subject into pure or abstract, and commercial or applied, and we venture to assert that teachers , will thank him for lessening their labors by the fullness of explanation which characterizes his development of the important rules. Another valu( ble feature of the work is the introduction of the French decimal system of measures, now generally used in the arts and sciences. We shall probably have more to say of this book when the next appears. Thirdly, of the first two of the Geographical series prepared by Capt. M. F. Maury, LL. D., whose scientific labors in Physical Geography have made the world his debtor. These two works? First Lessons in Geography and The World. We Live In?are handsomely embellished with original designs, and seem to be prepared upon a plan en1 tircly new, and with special reference to keeping . the minds of teacher and pupil fully interested. In the hands of an earnest teacher, and taught as the author directs, they must give entire satisfaction. They are, of course, introductory to the more complete and methodical work?the Manual of Geography-^which will soon appear. If we have su cceeded in awakening an interest in this enterprise, at all commensurate with the important result it promises, no apology can be necessary for the space we have given to thia notice ofit "We, therefore, close by urging all engaged in the business of education, to send at once for such of the books as they may need, and to examine and test them for themselves. All of the books can be procured by sending to Richardson & Co., New York. . < w : ' i CONGRESSIONAL NEWS. The proceedings of Congress for the past week, present but little of interest besides the passage of the Omnibus admission bill, which will be found in fall in to-day's paper. In the House, on the 9th instant, the fpllowing bill for inaugurating the Southern State officers elect and for convening the State Legislatures, was passed by a vote of 151 to 31: "Be it enacted, &c., That the Legislature of each of the States of Arkansas, North Carolina, Sonth Carolina. Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama, elected under tne constitution thjreof, framed and adopted in pursuance with the provisions of an act for the more efficient government of the rebel States, passed March 2, 1867, and the acts sup V? AVA f /~V VvA A*>/1 AWA V* AWlVvtT O II f L An 7Q/1 piuiucuiaijr tuci uc auu aic ucicujr auvuviu<?u to meet on such days as may have been fixed, either by such constitution or by proclamation or any officer authorized to convene said Legislature by the convention which framed such constitution, and if no day shall have been fixed as aforesaid, or if the day so fixed for the meeting of the Legislature of either of said States shall have passed, or shall have so nearly arrived before the passage of this act, that, in tne opinion of the Governor elect, there might not be time for the Legislature to assemble on the day so fixed, such Legislature may be convened within thirty days after the passage of this act, by the Governor of said State. Section 2. That whenever either of said States shall be admitted to representation in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of such State, duly elected aud qualified under the constitution thereof, may be inaugurated without delay, and the-government of such State shall thereafter be transferred to the civil authorities thereof. Section 3. That it shall be the duty of all civil and military officers, exercising authority in either of said States, to afford all practical aid and protection to the officers of such State in carrying out the provisions of this act, and any such officer who shall wilfully withhold such aid and protection, or shall wilfully prcventj hinder or delay the meeting of either of said Legislatures, or the* inauguration of any of said State officers, or if any or either of said State authorities shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, before any Federal or State Court of criminal jurisdiction, shall be punished bv imnrisonment not exceeding ten years, or by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars, at the discretion of the Court. On the 11th, the Senate sent to the House, for concurrence, a bill extending the Freedmen's Bureau for one year. A joint resolution removing one Roderick R. Butler's disabilities, and allowing him to bold any office without taking the iron-clad, was passed. An amendment extending the benefits of the joint resolution to all citizens was lost by a strict party vote. In the House, Ashley, of Ohio, reported a resolution reciting the murder of Solomon Dill, in S. Carolina, and declaring that the Governor elect should offer $10,000 reward for the capture of the murderers and arrest of all desperadoes in the neighborhood. A resolution was adopted, discharging Wooley from imprisonment In the House, on the 13th, Mr. Logan gave notice that he would, on Monday, move a committee to locate the capital elsewhere, in consequence of the disloyal feeling of the people of Washington. The tax bill was resumed. The provision requiring a two cent stamp on receipts, was stricken out. The amendment taxing bank circulation one per cent, per annum was passed; also one-fourth of one per cent, per month on government deposits in banks. An amendment exempting saving's banks was stricken out. An amendment taxing United States bonds held by banks two per cent, was lost?twenty-five to seventy-five. The insurance tax was extended to life insurance. Telegraphs were taxed three per cent, on gross receipts. Express companies two and a half per cent. ? NEW ADVERTI8EMENT8. Richard Hare?$100 Reward. J. B. Lylc?Limestone Springs Male Academy. Giles J.'Patterson, Chester?Commissioner's Sale. F. C. Harris, O. Y. I).?Citation?John B. Moore, Applicant?Levicy Peeler, Deceased. John May?A Card. Johnson "<fc Darwin?The Great Question of 18G8 f Wm. Sahtns?Cotton Batting, Oil and Rags. R. H. Glenn?Sheriff's Sales. THE HARMONISING CONVENTION. In response to a resolution adopted at a public meeting in Edgefield several weeks ago, a convention was held in Columbia on the 8th instant, for the purpose of harmonizing the conflicting views entertained by the April Convention, ana Dy persons in Edgefield, Charleston and a few other Districts, with reference to negro suffrage. Fifty-five Delegates are announced as having been present, representing ten different districts. Of the delegates, twenty-nine were from Charleston. The Convention was organized by the "selection of Hon. Charles H. Simonton, of Charleston, as President, and sundry persons as Vice-Presidents and Secretaries. Hon. James B. Campbell offered the following preamble and resolution, which were adopted: Whereas, It is understood to be the mutual desire of this Convention, and of the Executive Committee appointed in April last, that a conference should be had for the purpose of producing harmonious action by the Democratic party of this State, Be it Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed by the President, for the purpose of conferring with the Executive Committee of the ' said Convention, and that the result of the conference be reported to this body. Under the resolution, the President appointed the following committee: Messrs. Campbell, Gary, Mclver, Glover, Pelzer, Gilbert and Hanckle, and the Convention adjourned until the next day. Upon the re-assembling of the Convention, the Committee of Conference, appointed the preceding day, made the following report, through its Chairman : The Committee of Conference with the Central Executive Committee of the Convention of April last, beg leave to report: That in the discharge of their duty, they met that Committee in free conference, and after an unreserved interchange of views, in which it became manifest that each Committee was unanimous in an earnest desire to harmonize and unite in a common purpose, that Committee submitted the following proposition namely: "The Central Executive Committte having been invited to a conference by the Convention now assembled here, and being most solicitous to secure harmony in the State, beg leave to submit to the Conference Committee now in session, the following basis of union namely: That the Convention proceed to the nomination of deleptes to the >iational Democratic Convention at New York, to fill up the delegation of the State. And the Executive Committee pledge themselves to use all their efforts to have >?<?> n/iminfifinnq ennfirmerl hv all the orcaniza bll^CV uuiuuiuwvioi WW..? -J tions represented by the said Committee. The Executive Committee further recommend, that an Executive Committee be appointed by this Convention, to act with that selected by the Convention in April last; and that, in the opinion of this Committee of Conference, it is advisable that the two Executive Committees should be consolidated at the earliest moment possible." Your Committee think that no stronger evidence could have been offered of a spirit of conciliation and harmony than this proposition presents. It offers to this Convention one-half the appointments to the New York Convention?the other one-half of Them only having been made by the Convention of April last. This Committee tninks it unbecoming in this Convention to revise the appointment for one of the Congressional Districts of the State, namely, the Fourth, that District not being represented in this Convention. We, therefore, recommend that the appointments from that District be declined, and, with this exception, the proposition be accepted. Delegates at large haviqg been already appointed of residents of the First and Fourth Districts, we recommend that, in appointing the remaining two delegates and alternates, residents of the Second and Third Districts, respectively, be selected, and that this Convention appoint one ? 'g delegate and two alternates from the Second District, and one delegate and one alternate from the First and Third Districts, respectively. \ We also recommend the appointment of an']$xecutivq. Committee to. consist of Severn and that;as suggested, the two Committees shall be consolidated at the earliest moment possible"; also, that the Executive Committee appointed by us be authorised to fill any vacancies in the appointments made by us. The report was unaniously adopted. Sundry resolutions were introduced and referred to a Committee onJEteaolutions, but. the,following.. supplementary report of the Corarffittee of Conference was finally adopted, as embracing the platform of the Democratic party in South Carolina: Resolved, That the Democratic party of this State duly appreciates and accepts the invitation from the Executive Committee of the Democratic party of the United States, to send delegates to the general Convention to be held in New York, on the 4th of July next, to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States; but, inasmuch as the military despotism under which South Carolina labors will render it impossible for the white race to cast the vote of the State at the next Presidential election, it is recommended to the delegates appointed from this State to ask the counsel of their brethren from other States as to the propriety of their voting in the v^uuveijuuu, mm iu guveru umuiocivco tuAmruiugjjr* Radioed, That having entire confidence in the principles and patriotism of the Democratic party, and believing and trusting to their assurances that they will, if triumphant, restore and maintain at the South, as they have done in the North, in the East and in the West, the supremacy and government of the white race?a white man's Government?leaving to the States themselves to regulate their suffrage laws; and also that they will expunge the usurpations and the fraudulent governments created by the military power, under what are called the reconstruction laws, and thereby restore to the Union the Southern States, such as they were before the enactment of said laws?we hereby pledge ourselves to the support of the candidates of that party for President and Vice-President of the United States, to be nominated at the coming Convention in the city of New York, on the 4tn day of July next The Committee on Nominations for delegates to the National Democratic Convention, made the following report, which wad unanimously adopted: For the State at large?Hon. Wade Hampton, Hon. J. B. Campbell; alternates, Hon. C. M. Furman, Hon. J. P. CarrolL First District?Ron. J. L. Manning: alternate, Hon. R Dozier. Second District?Hon. C. H. Simonton, alternates, John Hanckel, Esq., R B. Rhett, Jr., Esq. Third District?General M. W. Gary; alternate, Hon. A. D. Frederick. The Committee made no nomination from the Fourth District, as no delegate from that District w. present in the Convention. The Committee appointed to nominate additional members of the State Central Executive Com . . a 1 ,1 _ _ TT TIT Tl raittee, recommenaea ine names 01 non. ty . u. Porter, T. G. Barker, Esq., JohnE. Carew, Esq., Robert Adger, Esq0 Henry Mclver, Esq., W. P. Finley, Esq., and A. A. Gilbert, Esq. The report was adopted. After the passage of complimentary resolntions to the President and Secretaries of the Convention, Gen. Hampton, who was an interested spectator, and had been invited as a member of the Central State Executive Committee to a seat on the floor, was vociferously called upon and responded in a brief and eloquent speecn, thanking the Convention for the honor done the Executive Committee and himself, and cordially endorsing the action of the Convention. After which, on motion, the Convention adjourned, tine die. EDITORIAL INKLINGS. New Wheat. We observe by a paragraph in the Baltimore Gazette, that a lot of fifty bushels of prime new crop red wheat, has been received in that city, by Mr. John Izard Middleton, from our friend, Maj. James Pagan, of Chester. It was the first lot sent to Baltimore from this State, and was immediately sold at $3.50 per bushel. The Democratic Executive Committee* The Democratic Executive Committee of this State in pursuance of their agreement with the Conference Committee of the June convention, has issued a circular to the Democratic Clube of the State advising them to accept the basis of compromise adopted by that convention. The circular concludes as follows: The committee cannot close without expressing, in the most emphatic manner, their sense of the spirit of conciliation and the earnest desire for harmony, which marked the conduct of the late convention; and they beg to invoke, on the part of those whom they represent, a like manifestation of the same laudable spirit We appeal confidently to the Democratic Clubs to meet promptly the proffers of peace and union held out to them, in the full assurance that such action on their part will place the State in its proper position?one of perfect harmony and cordial co-operation between all sections. The Democratic National Convention. The assembling of the Democratic National Convention, in New York, on the fourth of July is now the all-absorbing topic among the politicians and political newspapers. A correspondent writing from New York, says: A9 the time approaches for holding the Demo cratic National Convention, political circles grow more animated with speculation, and the chances of the several prospective candidates are actively canvassed. Five names are now on everybody's tongue, as likely to be presented to the convention, and the probabilities or this or that one of the five being the favorite, constitutes the staple topic where politicians and newspaper men come together and discuss the situation. The five names most conspicuous for the candidacy are Pendleton, Hancock, Hendricks, Seymour and Chase. One of the five is pretty certain to get the nomination, and the question that each one asks his neighbor is, which one shall it be ? The city hotels are anticipating a rich harvest from the coming crowd. Thd New England delegations are negotiating with the Astor House as their Headquarters. The Southern delegates will quarter at the New York and Southern hotels farther up Broadway. The Pendleton delegation expect to occupy the Metropolitan. Governor Sevmour's friends, with those of General Hancock, will quarter at the St. Nicholas. The Committee of Arrangements, it may be added, have engaged the Academy of Music (adjoining Tammany Hall), together with the circus building on the other side of the street, at the corner of Irving Place aud Fifteenth-street, for the purpose of holding a series of great public meetings nightly, while the Convention is in session. Tiie next Sectional Controversy.?A writer in the New York Times prospects politically in this wise: Among other subjects yet to be opened for discussion is the Badical difference in the material interests of the West and East. The South, as a section, is too weak to make a further sectional fight It must join one of the two great sections. The war will be of capital against numbers. The West will represent the latter. It will demand legislation favorable to openingthe West and East India trade, by way of the Illinois and the Mississippi. The East will not like this. The West will wish to escape the duties imposed on its foreign consumption. It will insist, perhaps, that the Eastern bondholders shall accept exactly the same currencv in navment of the Federal bonds that was paid in for the purchase of the bonds. When the numbers of the West are arrayed on these and similar questions, it is not impossible that the principles of numerical^ rule which have been affirmed in all our latter legislation may be applied to senatorial representatives. Why indeed should the Federal Senate be orgauized on the basis of an extinct statehood ? Why should not the Federal Senate as the State Senates, be based on an enlarged ratio of numbers? If each constituency of 100,000 is entitled to a member of Congress, why should not each constituency of 500,000 be represented by a senator ? This would appear a simple and just rule, especially under the new dispensation. We need not perhaps anticipate such sectional troubles, but they seem inevitable. The South having been extinguished as an equal and independent section, finds itself more in accord with the West, and will file in under its banner. The gratuitous intolerance and prolonged persecutions of the East cannot be forgotten^ ana upon a collision, even upon a comparison of interests between that and the Western sections, there can be no doubt as to the action of the South. Chief Justice Chase, in a case before the U. S. Court at Richmond, Va., last week, charged the jury to the effect that bonds, drafts, notes, &c., drawn during the war in the 'rebel' States, payable in the loyal States, are illegal and cannot be recovered at law. .1 CHESTEB CONiaiBPTORIAl. ^BY VM. H. BBAWLEY. CHESTER,-frc., JUNE 10, 1808. EQOJTY OOUBT. i TThis Court will commence its usual Summer Session in Chester, on Monday, the 29th of June, instant Chancellor Johnston will preside. * *' ' Cr XBEJDBAX CBQP,_ We are sony to .learn from the. aogoonts of the recent harvest, thstthe wheat crop of the District is much smaller than was anticipated THE OIBOUS. .Ames' ''Grand Moral Combination Circus and Menagenp" have come and gone. Itwasastale, flat and unprofitable conoern. The animals?poor, weak, unoffending creatures?seemed ashamed of themselves. The down, too, was oppressed by the general heaviness, and was more than ordinarily stupid. The riding was wretched anilthe weather bob IEGB0 POLITICS.' Some stir has been raised among the colored politicians of Chester, by the commencement of a prosecution for libel against one of the members of the late Convention, undertaken ty the Senator elect. The alleged libel is said to consist of a charge that the aforesaid c " iator was guilty of receiving a bribe from one of the late candidates for the sheriffalty, for his services as election agent, &c. oolumbiTcIntbibotobial BY JJlS. WOOD DAYIDepy OOLPMBIA, SOUTH ftABOLHTA, 18TE JOTTE, 1868. Amusements. * 4 We had a run of amusetnenfr in Colombia last week?the Grand Tweed]e-dam andlTweedle-dee Democratic Convention on Monday and Tuesday (for two days only,) and Ames' Hnge MenagerieCircus (two days also) on Friday and Saturday; and then the Radical negroes had one of the noisiest serenading parties that has made night hideous in Colombia since the days of Nullification. Altogether the week was a jolly one; and 00ming just on top of the Black Crook, is likely to lay oar goodly city liable to the imputation of being what Vmrinians call faast Phonography. The Phonographers of Congress are paid by the yeat, $3,500. This, as an annual income, is equivalent to a capital of $50,000, if money be counted - as worth seven per centja year. Hb knowledge of Phonography, then, it to the Congressional reporter, worth $50,000. * Any intelligent young man, or boy, can learn Phonography; and if he have a strong will and industry he can learn it easily without a teacher. Munson's complete Phonographer b clearly the best We have tried three systems; and can speak from experience. Books. The last issue of Harper's Library of Select Novels b Brakespeare, by the author of Guy Livingstone. Everybody has read Guy Livingstone, with its fast and fashionable folks, and what the critics call its muscular cbrbrianity. . BraJcetpeare is a heroic novel of the middle ages, full of chivalry, fighting, tournaments, love and muscle. The scene b in England and France. It is a kind ot mixture of Walter Scott, Byron and Monk Lewis. The author b G. A. Lawrence, Esq., a lawyer of London, who came over during the war; tried to come into the Confederacy; got caught; was sent to a Yankee prison; was finally released; and when he went back home wrote a bo6k about Sb American adventures entitled Border and Bastde.? Brakespeare b a paper-back novel, which Duffie & Chapman have for Kile at 50 cents. * . Duffie & Chapman have also pat on oar table a it copy of Barnaby fatdge, by Dickens, which is the 20th volume of "Peterson's cheap edition for the million of Charles Dickens' Works;'' price 25 cents, in paper. Whoever has not read this startling story of poor Barnaby Rudge fcnd his talking Rannn t-? aViftnl/) CA {/%* if io Aill r\C niflt anil TUU) VJIIi|S) OUvlUU UV OV j iwl AV AO AIAAA VI ^IIU CAUSA pathos. Politics. The grand Tweedle-dum-and-tweedle-dee Democratic Convention has met, sat and departed. Eight Districts came up to time pursuant to the i call; and two others dropped in the second day. It was apparent at the outset (hat, as an opposition to the April Convention, it was a dead failure. To fall into line with the April Convention was aD that could be done with decency; and accordingly, they fell into line. They call that harmonizing; and we like the word. It is a better word than breaking down; more dignified than flashing; and more genteel than finding a mare's neat It has been authoritatively settled, however, that Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee are very nearly, if not exactly, one and the same thing. And this is gratifying. Charleston has at last had her Convention, and she is satisfied; or at least, feels easier. The parties who have been suffering with negrcphobia are also much better. Those who had negro-on-the-brain have also experienced decided relief. The troublesome question now is, who called this Convention? . Nobody did. Charleston says Edgefield called for a Convention. Edgefield thinks she called for a conference ^ merely. If Edgefield did mean to ask for a Convention, her enthusiasm was not sustained; for when the roll was called the other day, Edgefield had but one man to represent her. It is true, that one was a lion; but he was alone at that roll-call. THE MURDER OF DILL. Solomon G-. W. Dill, Representative elect firom tbis Districts together with a negro man, named Nestor Ellison, who we understand, had been acting in the capacity of gnardman for Dill, were killed at the house of the latter on Thursday night last about 8 o'clock, and Mrs. Dill seriously wounded at the same time. The particulars, far as we have been able to learn them, are as follows: It appears that Dill and his wife, a white man ' by the name of Taylor and his wife, and Ellison, were in D's house. The first intimation that they bad of the presence of anv one else, was a shot, which took effect upon Ellison, who immediately got up to run, when he was felled by another shot Dill was next shot from behind his neck, one of which struck just above the left ear coming out in the cheek. Mrs. Dill was shot in attempting to escape?her thigh broken. Taylor ran out of the house as soon as the firing commenced, badly frightened, so badly indeed, that although he was in a fence corner touching the road, and saw two i men pass and even heard them whisper and noticed that they spoke rapidlv, and although the moon was full and not a cloud in the sky, he could not tell whether they were white or colored. So far as we are informed, there has been very little excitement among the negroes in relation to the murder. The.general desire, expressed by them being that%ery effort should be made to detect the guilty, but that the innocent should not suffer. On Tuesday an inquest was held over the dead V-j:? V_ T V TV..! _l_ - J 1 .1 uuuics vy v. xv. u uucrepuuu, wuo reuaerea uie following verdict: that the parties came to their death from gun shot wounds in the hands of persons to the Jury unknown. On Sunday the bodies of Dill and Ellison were brought over to Camden, and fuueral services performed in the colored Methodist Church, after which they were interred, the former in the white, and the latter in the colored burial ground. The furneral procession was a veiy large one, composed exclusively of blacks. On Monday afternoon, a detatchment of U. S. soldiers arrived, the object of whose visit we are informed is to detect, it possible, the perpetrators of the murder. Arrests have been made of several respectable white men, merely upon suspicion. We do not i I know upon what grounds the suspicion is based, or " what disposition is to be made of the parties ar