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Jtoaps ami fmt$. A young man in Cold water, Michigan, suddenly lost nis voice on Christmas, ana he has been unable to speak since, except in his sleep, when he talks as fluently as ever. A collection was taken in Henry Ward Beeper's church, Sunday, to educate Rose Wand, the negro girl bought out of slavery by tne church several years ago. The Grass* Valley (Cal.) Union suggests that the men who go about shooting people, and then plead insanity, should be tried by a crazy jury that is insane enough to hang them. On the day following the receipt of the Richmond disaster, a sharp thief at Lexington, Ky., while on his trial, gave word that the court-house was falling, and during the confusion made good his escape. Some students of a Western college keep themselves in billiard-money by blacking their faces and circulating subscription papers "to enable them to return to their homes in Mississippi." One cent put at interest at the beginning of the Christian era, would, at compound interest, by this time, according to a Yankee calcul ator, amount to $2,093,785,469,721,770,280,517,336,007,361,941,519,962,773,447.38. As a sign of the advancement of the age and young Americanism, it is asserted that, now-a-days a baby cuts nearly all its front teeth by the time it is four months old, while in old times they would not have cut more than four when they were a year old. A young lady married a man by the name of Dust, against the wish of her parents. After the honeymoon they lived unhappily together, and she returned to her fathers house, but he refused to receive her, saying: "Dust thou art, and unto Dust shalt thou return." ' At the General Conference of the M. E. Church (South), in Memphis, recently, memorials were presented asking that the manufacturing and selling of liquor by members be punished severely, criticising the Sundayschool literature in use, and praying for more rigid discipline in regard to dancing. A clergyman, in a recent sermon in New York, quoted an anecdote of an old merchant, who instructed his cierks: "When a man comes into a store and talks of his honesty, watch him; if he talks of his wealth, don't try to sell him ; if he talks of his religion, <lon't trust him a dollar." A man locked his wife in an upper room, and not being satisfied with this punishment, but wishing to aggravate her still further, sent his son up with a bone. The young innocent took it up and said: "Motner, father sent this up, and says there is a bone to pick." The mother replied, "Take it back and tell hira he is not your father, and there's a bone for him to pick." Accordiug to the last official statement of the public debt of the United States, the total debt, principal and interest, to the 1st of May, including interest due and unpaid, is $2,654,193,484. The amoun t in the treasury, including coin, currency and other funds, at the same date, was $233,329,150. The decrease of debt during the month of April had been $11,697,793. By the fatal fell of the floor of the Richmond eapitol, Forney says all political differences have been healed in Virginia. Heaven forbid that we should make light of that terrible calamity, or wish its repetition anywhere. But, if Forney's reasoning is correct, what a blessing for the whole country if the domes of the eapitol at Washington were to come down and smash the two houses of Congress! ' Mark Twain has had his fortune told. He remembers as much as follows: "Yours was not, in'the beginning, a criminal nature, but circumstances changed it. At the age of nine you stole sugar; at fifteen you stolcimoney ; at twenty you stole horses ; at twenty-five you committed arson; at thirty?hardened in crime?you became an editor. Since then your descent has been rapid. You are now a public lecturer. Worse things are in store for you?you will be sent to Congress; next to the penitentiary; and then, finally, happiness will come to you again?all will be well?you will be hanged." A New York letter of Saturday says: "The week, all things considered, has been a satisfactory one, as regards business affairs. Large amounts of merchandise have been forwarded to points West, South and Southwest, any many of the leading houses, in the dry goods, boots and shoes, hardware, grocery, and other branches of wholesale trade, report heavy orders still on hand to be filled. Prices for nearly all staple goods are called firm. The retail dealers are not doing so well, and with few exceptions, complaints of the backwardness of spring trade are still indulged in." Judging from the "mountain of work" before Congress, the prospects are not very flattering for an adjournment by the 4th of July, or even by early fall. Out of 3492 bills and 283 joint resolutions originating in the House during the current session, only 267 of the former have passed. Of the joint resolutions, 73 have passed. In the Senate 893 bills and 192 joint resolutions have been introduced, of which number only 219 bills and 79 resolutions have passed. A comparatively small number of measures have been rejected or indefinitely postponed; the rest are pending. The exhibit proves at once the clumsy incapacity of either house to deal with such a mass of legislation. The largest farm in England consists of 3,000 acres, and belongs to Samuel Jones. In its cultivation he follows the "four course" system, the whole extent of the farm being divided into four crops?750 of wheat, 750 to barley and oats, 750 to seeds, beans, peas, &c., and 750 to roots. His live stock is valued as follows: Sheep, $35,000; horses, $15,000; bullocks, $12,000; pigs, $2,500. The oil-cake apd corn purchased annually amounts to $20,000, and artifical fertilizers about $8,000. The entire cost of manure, in various forms used, annually, is about $15,000. Sheep are claimed as the most profitable stock he keeps, from which are realized about $20,000 a year. His income from the whole farm, though not stated, can be little less than $100,000. There is a woman "out west" with a few emphatic ideas on the topics which agitate the bosoms of a portion of her sex, and she talks ' - ? ? ? ? - I i T ' ?%/? /IamU Krtl lAtrA * n i V* aaa nanr Ill mis way ; X JU9t uuut UC11C?& 111 lutK ucn women notions. I have raised six boys?four . of them vote now, and the others will soon be old enough. Then I will have six votes. Now these good-for-nothing women who have fooled their time away, and never raised a single boy, come around and want every woman to vote for herself. I don't believe in such nonsense. I have raised my six boys, and I am going to have every one vote for me. Those women who go lecturing around the country instead of raising boys, have no business to vote anyway. And when they say that they are just as good as I am, and have a right to vote themselves, if they have 110 boys to do so foT them, it is not true. If they are as as smart as I am, why did they not raise some boys to vote for them ? I tell you, I do not intend to be cheated out of my six votes by any such good-for-nothing folks. I guess that the worla would come to a pretty pass, in a mighty short time, if the women all took to 1 goin' around lecturing on wimiuin's rights, instead of raising boys." , Ex-President Andrew Johnson is quietly ensconced at his home in Greenville, Tenn. ! It is, perhaps, no secret to well-informed per-1 sons that Mr. Johnson, during his long service ; in public life, succeeded in saving a fair share | from his salaries. He is now in very easy circumstances?and, in fact, in his section might well be called a wealthy man. The ! ex-President and lady live in the old residence 1 at Greenville, near the former tailor-shop, \ 1 where many years ago the good people of Greene county went to have their homespun fitted and made to order. In returning to his old home he finds, many familiar faces to welcome his return. He spends most of his time ' I in study; writes a great deal, and it is generally supposed that he contemplates publishing a book which shall be a defence of his administration. He has many visitors from a distance, and during court sessions his house is daily filled from early morn till night by his friends from the country, who think him the greatest man of the age. It is believed in Greenville that he contemplates establishing a bank, having recently purchased a large block of buildings. He is said to have sufficient j means for such an enterprise, and has been frequently urged to do so for the convenience of tne business men of that and adjoining towns. farkvitte $n<juiw. YORKVILLE, S. C.: THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 19, 1870. I Cash.?It must be distinctly understood that our terms for subscription, advertising and jobwork, are cash, in advance. X.?The paper will be discontinued on the expiration of the time for which payment has beer, made. A Subscriber finding a (&) cross-mark on the wrapper or margin* of his paper, will underotanH that the thrift raid for has expired. TAXATION OF THE S. C. RAILROAD. In the United States District Court at Charleston, Hon. A. G. Magrath made a motion last week for an injunction restraining the State Auditor and county treasurers from the collection of taxes assessed by the State upon the property of the South Carolina railroad. The case was argued for the "rail-road by Messrs. Magrath and Conner, who were acting for Messrs. Branch, Sons & Co., stockholders of tl?e company, but not citizens of this State. It was contended that under the charter of the road, granted in 1835 and amended in 1843, the property of the company is forever free from taxation by the State; that the tax imposed by the present Legislature, being in violation of a contract, is unconstitutional; that the company is unable to offer effectual resistance to the tax, under the laws of the State; and that, therefore, the United States Court alone could afford relief. District-Attorney Corbin and AttorneyGeneral Chamberlain replied in behalf 01 the State. Their argument was that there is a remedy in law, before the State Courts and the Board of Equalization, for the grievance, if any, in this case; and that it is not in the power of any Legislature to so tie up the hands of succeeding Legislatures that they cannot tax property within the limits of the State. Judge Bryan granted a temporary injunction?not to settle the question involved, but in order to bring it before the Supreme Court of the United States for a final decision. + ? THE AIR*LINE?<'INDIAN LAND." We are gratified to see a disposition, on the part both of the friends and opponents of the subscription to the Air-Line Kailroad, to discuss the matter before the people. It is eminently proper that a measure of so much importance to the county should be subjected to the test of a thorough discussion. If it cannot stand this test, the people ought by all means to vote it down; and, on the other hand, if it passes this ordeal triumphantly, it is clearly entitled to the vote of every citizen who sincerely desires to promote the prosperity of the whole county. Our correspondent "Indian Land" considers the passage of the Air-Lihe Railroad near Yorkville a sectional benefit, and thinks it unjust and unwise to tax the wliole county for the benefit of a particular section. But it would be difficult to point out a route which would be a benefit to so many of the people of York. It is precisely because it is not sectional, that we favor the Yorkville route. Coming from Spartanburg directly to Yorkville, it divides the entire Western half of the county into two nearly equal sections, and places every plantation in Western York within easy reach of an outlet for its productions. This is the very portion of the county that is most in need of a railroad outlet, being now entirely without one. The proposed route also affords facilities to the Northern and Southern portions of the county ; to the former by traversing it in a Northeasterly direction, and to the latter by connecting at Yorkville with the King's Mountain Road, which passes through the heart of the South side, and at present, owing to the want of railroad connections at its Northern terminus, is merely a feeder for Chester. As to the central portion of the county, it cannot be denied that this route is the one best located to benefit it. It will be seen, then, that this route favors a large majority of the people of York. A subscription to build it cannot fairly be called a sectional measure ; but if this is opposed by the Eastern side, which is already supplied with a railroad running across the entire length of that side, the opposition has a sectional appearance. The burden of taxation is the most serious argument against the subscription ; but when it is examined, its strength is more apparent than real. While it is true that the principal and interest of the subscription would, in twenty years, amount to 84ou,uoii, n nas oeen i shown again and again that there is no prob-' ability, and scarcely a possibility, that the ! principal will be called for at all or the interest for more than five years at furthest, j We do not think an instance can be named of a town, county or State subscription to a railroad due in ten years, the principal of j which' was forced to be paid. Railroads be-1 gin to pay the cost of construction as soon as they begin the transportation of freight and passengers. The idea that the Air-Line railroad, having for its Western terminus the city , of Atlanta, which has been for years the gate way to the West for Alabama, Georgia and i South Carolina, and is the meeting place of' several paying roa'ds?the idea that a road 1^ from that city on the most direct line to New ' York, the commercial metropolis of the country, will not pay a dividend in twenty years, is preposterous. J: That the stock of the Air-Line road will i not be as high as par in twenty years is pos- j 1 sible, but extremely improbable. While it is ! true that all the railroad stocks of South Car- j s olina are below par now, this fact does not ] prove that railroads are unprofitable. There j j is very good reason for their stock being de- 1 predated at the present time. The country < has passed through au exhausting war, which s nnlw'niiiioil tlip ruilrnnds. hut nearlv i i UUl VU1J 1MIUV? V..V * ? ; J every otlier source of profit in it. It would J be just as fair to argue that merchandising s and farming are unprofitable, because so t many merchants and farmers were rendered i bankrupt by the war, as it is to say that rail-! i roads in South Carolina are unprofitable be- j 1: cause their stock is below par now. Most of t the railroads in the State were bankrupt in 1 1885, their tracks torn up, their rolling stock diminished, and their treasuries full of Confederate notes and bonds. These circumstances being considered, those roads which were not sold for debt have abundantly proved that railroads are profitable. The present price of their stock, so far from proving that they are worthless, is a positive evidence of their recuperative power. The Charlotte road, which is taken as an example by our correspondent, was in about as smashed up a condition as any road in the State. Yet it has replenished its rolling stock, relaid its track, and rebuilt many of its burnt buildings. In addition to this it has consolidated its stock with a new and feeble road, which was mainly constructed by its aid. Yet the net earnings of this road for the last fiscal year were $177,788.00, or forty-four per cent, of its gross earnings. When the Charlotte road can do this under so many adverse circumstances, we have faith in the paying powers of a road so favorably situated as the Air-Line, if the country is blest with a continued peace. Of course, if we have another social earthquake the Air-Line will be swallowed up in the general ruin; but in that case it will be no worse mail auy uiuei" iuvcstiucui/. 8TATE ITEMS. ? Governor Scott has appointed Mr. Allen | Jones notary publitf at Rock Hill. ?On Sunday afternoon of last week, Jas. Bracey and Levi Wood, convicted at the last term of the Court of Sessions of grand and petit larceny respectively, made their escape from the jail in Camden. ? The census return for Greenville county shows that the white voting strength of the county exceeds that of the colored 1,590, and the total white population is 6,632 in excess of that of the colored, being nearly double. ? On the 5th instant, a colored man on the plantation of Mr. Lawrence Johnson, in Edgefield, while in the act of mounting his horse to go to the field, was struck by lightning and killed on the instant The horse was also killed. ? The residence of Dr. D. C. Bennett, together with the smoke-house and kitchen, situated fifteen miles below Greenville, on the Laurens road, was entirely consumed by fire on Saturday, of last week, with near1' the entire contents, between $1,500 and $4000. ? A collision occurred on the South Carolina railroad, five miles from Charleston, on Sunday, the 9th instant, between the regular down passenger train and a special train with oiroTHil lmn/tror) nprsnn* on board, bound for a colored camp meeting at Ladson's station. One colored boy, named Joshua Mishaw, was instantly killed, and Sheriff Mackey and several colored persons were wounded. ? M. R. Delaney, colored, has been appointed aide-de-camp to the Governor, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He has instructions to visit all portions of the State and impress upon the minds of the colored people the importance of going to work at once to improve the land of the State. The plan which he is to impress, as the .best way to "improve the land" is very simple. It is to vote for Governor Scott aud the League. ? "Corsair" writes to the Charleston News, from Columbia: "Sampsdn, the Massachusetts chief clerk of Treasurer Parker, (of Massachusetts,) who is in jail for forgery of State bond coupons, is to be tried for the felony here in South Carolina; but the authorities of New York are urging the State authorities of this State to send a requisition for Metcalf, who is in prison in New York. It is not very apparent to our lawyers why he (Metcalf) is not aiqeuable to the laws of New York. Others are trembling in their shoes here about it." ? The new President and Vice-President of the Greenville and Columbia railroad made speeches in Greenville lately. They promise two passenger trains over the road daily, great reduction in freights and passenger fares, and a live road generally. They have taken hold of the road to make money, and they intend their management shall benefit both the stockholders and the country traversed by the road. Tko vnlli'nrv ot/vlr is in he replenished, and a J. 11U IVlliUQ LHIUV?? ?V ?W ~ ? J telegraph erected along the line. ? The Columbia correspondent of the Charleston Republican says: "Great activity is being shown now in pushing the work on the Blue Ridge Railroad. The company has all the means necessary to carry on the work. The bonds issued by the act of 1868, to the amount of four millions, artf now being signed, and a commission has been appointed, consisting of General Gurney, Governor Scott, and General Harrison, President of the road, to negotiate the same. The bonds are seven per cents., the interest being payable semi-annually, in Charleston, New York and London." ? On Thursday night last, a party of intoxicated United States soldiers entered the shop of Mr. Miller, on Main street, Spartanburg, and behaved in such a boisterous and disorderly manner that the proprietor ordered them away. They refused to go. A fight ensued in which Miller was somewhat discomfitted, but he finally succeeded with some assistance in putting them outside, when they began to bombard the shop with stones, breaking out the windows and smashing up things inside generally. Miller fired upon them with a pistol, wounded three and put the others to flight. ? Week before last the section of country lying near the line between Greenville and Laurens counties was visited by a disastrous hail storm. About four miles from Clear Spring, the storm of wind and hail raged fiercely, doing great damage to the growing crop, the hail-stones covering a large area of ground to the depth of three inches. The loss is a very heavy one, the wheat in that belt being entirely destroyed. The windowglasses in the residence of Dr. Hunter, facing the direction from which the storm came, were badly shattered, and the wind was so strong as to excite much apprehension as to the safety of the house. The hail fell also in other sections of the country, but, fortunately, not in sufficient severity to do great injury. ? A correspondent of the Charleston Republican gives the following account of the doings of an escaped convict: "A colored i man by the name of Eli Mack escaped from ' the Penitentiary some time since. It appears J that he went to Sumter, wbero he was seen j frequently on the streets, and 011 a certain occasion visited his brother at the county jail; but as he was a stranger, was not captured. His sister, a girl attending school at Sumter, aid that she would tell the authorities where lie could be found. He, hearing of this, on j Monday night last took his sister from the i iiouse where she was stayiug, and deliberately ! ;ut out her tongue. Previous to this he is said to have outraged three women. The ' State constables attempted to arrest him in j Sumter, but one of them, Butler Spears, was .hot through the belt. The escaped convict I hen took himself to the swamps, where he re-! nained till a day or two since, when he came : lear to the village and sent word to Butler spears to come to take him. He then reurued to the swamps; and at last accounts ' lad not been captured." ; CONGRESSIONAL. y On the 10th, in the Senate, the bill to reduce the army to 25,000 men, and to retire a number of officers, was called up. A long debate ensued, but before a vote was reached, the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill was talcen up. Pending the debate on the latter bill, the Senate went into executive session. In the House, Mr. Kelsey, of New York, from the committee on appropriations, reported the pension bill with Senate amendment, and recommended non-concurrence. The report was adopted. Gen. Joseph H. Lewis, of Kentucky, formerly a brigadier-general in the Confederate service, was sworn in as successor to Mr. Golladay, resigned. The Senate joint resolution authorizing the Northern Pacific Railroad to issue bonds, secured by a mortgage on public lands, was called up. Four hours were consumed in "fillibustering" on this land-grabbing scheme, which was aid- < ed by a strong lobby pressure; but the opponents of the measure succeeded in defeating it temporarily by an adjournment. On the 11th, in the Senate, the legislative appropriation bill was taken up., and several , amendments to it adopted. Among these was one appropriating $500,000 for the erection of a new State Department building in 1 Washington, which was carried by a vote of 41 to 15. This is regarded as decisive against the removal of the capital from that city. ^ <H In the House, a bill was passed appropriating $500,000 to supply deficiencies for compensation and mileage of members and delegates, for the year ending June, 1870. The Northern Pacific railroad bill was resumed and, after a long discussion, referred to the committee on Pacific railroads. The tariff bill was taken up in committee of the whole. Several sections relating to manufactures of iron and steel were disposed of. On the 12th, the Senate resumed the bill to reduce the army to 25,000 men. An amendment was adopted fixing the number at 30, 000, which was done on the representation of Southern members, so^alled, who thought no troops could be spared from the South just now. A motion to strike out the section providing for the retirement of officers was rejected. The section fixing the pay of generals of all grades was stricken out, after which the bill was passed. It goes to the House. In the House, the tariff billtwas resumed. Mr. Wood, of New Yor^'lnmiared of Mr. Schenck whether it was aenodSly his purpose to continue the consideration' of this bill. It had now been before the House nearly three months, and only 21 pages of the bill had been disposed of. He wanted to know if it was policy to continue with this bill, when it was patent to every one that it could not possibly pass. Mr. Schenck said it certainly was his purpose to push the bill forward. Several amendments were then offered, and then the roll being called, no quorum was found to be voting, the opponents of the bill not answering to their names. This fact gave rise to much discussion. In the evening session, the House passed the pension bill. On the 13th, inrthe Senate, Mr. Sumner introduced a bill designed to secure equal rights to all persons in railroads, steamboats and all public conveyances, hotels, licensed theatres and houses of public entertainments, common schools and institutions of learning authorized by law, church institutions and cemetery associations incorporated, also as jurors in the courts, national and State. The bill was referred to the judiciary committee. The payment of salaries to government employees in Wa&h-J' ington was discussed. The old question about the relative pay of male and female clerks was argued at length, but nothing came of it. In the House, the tariff bill was resumed, and amended so as to make the duty on fiour of wheat, rye, oats and corn uniform at one cent per pound; on ship-8t"ffs, &c., twenty per cent, ad valorem; on wheat 30, rye 20, barley 25, oats and corn 15 cents per bushel. The rli.fT nrt Wotnaa waa innrPftHPfl fmm fiftfifin UUtJ VI1 fU WVU IIMW ? to twenty-five cents per bushel, and on peanuts fixed at two cents per pound on unshelled and three cents on shelled. On the 14th, neither the Senate- nor the House was in session. On the 16th, in the Senate, the b31 to enforce the 15th amendment was considered. An amendment was proposed to enforce the proceedings by United States District Attorneys in several districts against persons holding office who are ineligible under the 14tb 1 amendment, imposing upon conviction, a fine and imprisonment and disqualification for office thereafter ; also re-enacting the civil rights act. No vote was reached on'this 1 amendment. In the House, the tariff bill was postponed until after the'passage of all appropriation 1 bills, which is equivalent to an indefinite post- 1 poneraent. The ways and means oommittee "j reported a partial internal revenue bill, which ' proposes to reduce taxation $33,000,000. The j bill to protect colored citizens in the exercise ' of suffrage, providing penalties against all who attempt to prevent the exercise of this ! right, was passed. 1 MERE-MENTION. 1 General Longstreet was marshal of the day ] for the Fifteenth Amendment celebration in New Orleans. The emigration to the s United States and Canada from Liverpool 1 this spring, has set in with such vigor as prom- < ises to outstrip the exodus of any former 1 year. Ex-Confederate General Wigfall < is at Central City, Colorado, representing an i English mining company. The national I debt of England is ?801,000,000. About twice ' as great as the present debt of the United States. General Jubal A. Early is to < settle down permanently at Lynchburg and ] practice law. It is rumored that the < Mormons are looking to Mexico as a place of i refncrp Thp. latest intoxicatinc fluid out ( 6~. 0 is made in Tennessee of sweet potatoes. Prac- i tical experimenters say it goes further, lasts 1 longer and makes a quicker and more endu- 1 ring fuddle than any other lightning liquid i now in use. Bishop Simpson lately stated | at Cleveland, Ohio, that the Methodists i throughout the country have dedicated, on r an average, two churches a day for the last ( three years. The Postmaster-General i says if the bill abolishing the franking privi- i lege is passed, he will be able to reduce letter ( postage'from three cents to two cents per half I ounce. An anchor bearing the name of j Americus Vcspucius, after whom America is ] named, and supposed to have belonged to him, ( is now 011 exhibition at Brussels. A fe- ( male preacher married a couple lately in i Iowa. At the end of the ceremony, the minister kissed the groom. A clarionet, half e silver and half ivory, was among five musical 1 instruments recently discovered at Pompeii. a The recent rise in the Mississippi is in some ? places greater than has been since 1828, and a is doing immense injury to crops, houses, gar- c dens and stock. Violets, fried in butter and c sugar, is the latest invention of Paris gour,- q met*. Robinson's circus is advertised to c exhibit at Anderson on May 30. The t monuments to ex-President Lincoln and the i; denial of a pension to his widow in need, is a t fery good illustration of asking for bread and j jetting a stone. There is a bill now be- \ 'ore the British Parliament to give the suffrage | jo women, and the friends of the measure i reve strong hopes of its passage. Many ioubts are now being raised as to the possibility of the adjournment of Congress before the 5rst of August. A Delaware woman is ibout getting a divorce because her husband jumped on the backside of the bed at an ilarm of burglars. A New York judge committed a cross-eyed woman for contempt ef Court, because she didn't look at him when told U). 10,404 immigrants arrived in New York last week. 'When an Indian 2arap is captured by Sheridan's troops the loose scalps are secured by the boys and sent east forqhignons. At the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, recently, it was decided not to unite with Northern societies at the present time, as they doubted the benefit to arise from such union. j ?. ? ? EDITORIAL INKLINGS. Serious Trouble in Paris. Cable * riegrams from Paris "port serious disturbances in that city on the night of the 10th. Barricades were erected in the Belleville district, which were for a long time stubbornly defended by the populace, but fi- j nally carried by the military at the point of | the bayonet. A number of other engagements j occurred throughout the city, in which a number of soldiers, policemen and citizens were killed. The military held Belleville district through the night, allowing no one to pass through the lines. The jtolice and rioters used fire-arms freely, but the military made no general use of them. Order was restored, and though crowds collected at various points on the next night these were dispersed without any outbreaks. " . The Episcopal State Convention. The annual convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of South Carolina met in Abbeville on the 12th instant, with full quorums of clerical and lay delegates. Bishop Davis presided, and Rev. J. D. McCullongh preached the opening sermon. Mr. McCullough was unanimously re-elected Secretary, and appointed Rev. W. P. Dubose his assistant Mr. F. P. Elford was unanimously reelected Treasurer. Rev. R. 8. Trapier was appointed the next prehcher before the convention. The annual reports of the Standing Committee and of the Treasurers of the Convention and the Bishop's Fund were read. On Saturday the rifll&f confirmation was ad ministered, and on" Sunday there was an ordination, which are the latest dates we have received. Stability of Judicial Decisions. A correspondent of the Salisbury Old North State, who has been examining the Reports of the North Carolina Supreme Court for the January term, 1870, has ascertained that of one hundred and twenty cases carried up from the lower courts, seventy-seven were overruled. The average C03t in the Supreme Court for each case, exclusive of fees to counsel, is stated to be $42. The blunders of the District Judges therefore cost parties to suits. $3,200 for one term alone. The correspondent comes to the conclusion that judicial guessing is very unsatisfactory, as well as expensive, to the victims. Judge Watts carries off the palm for legal acumen, twenty-one out of twenty-five of his decisions having been over-ruled. Comparisons, as everybody knows, are odious ; still we would like to see a similar report df the decisions of the South CaroKna judiciary, just to see which can "guess" best. Tne Air-Line in Greenville. A meeting of the executive committee appointed to attend to the interests of Greenville, as connected with the Air-Line railroad, was held on Saturday, the 7th. Gen. W. K. Easley, the chairman, made a report, stating that the road was to be built in two years, and that a most favorable contract has already been made with a responsible contractor. 8o " > ? J- ? J i-~ rar as ureenvuie is cuuwrueu, ue miu mc people need not expect the road to pass through it unless .the sum of three hundred thousand dollars is raised there, which has been pledged by the county and city, and will be called for in instalments. The track is laid from Atlau-' ta to Gainesville, Georgia, and is now beingput down at the rate of one mile per day from that place to the Savannah river. As soon as the needful funds are secured and the route is determined, grading will begin both at Greenville and Charlotte. A committee of seven was forthwith appointed to report a plan for raising the money subscribed by Greenville. State Endorsement Restrained. A case was brought before Judge Melton last week in Columbia, which is of great interest to tax-payers generally. It is an application for an injunction restraining the Comptroller General from endorsing, for the Slate, bonds of the Blue Ridge railroad company, amounting to $4,000,000, under authority of an act of the Legislature passed in 1868. The application was made by prominent citizens and tax payers, on the ground that it is unconstitutional for the State to endorse any but its own bonds. Judge Melton granted the injunction temporarily, and ordered a bearing of the case for Tuesday last. If the endorsement of these bonds is unconstitutional, the injunction was granted none too soon ; for the Phoenix says Mr. Neagle indorsed one million of them on Friday night last, and it is important that the news be circulated, in order to protect purchasers who flly-invest in these bonds on'the strength of their endorsement by the State. The Bank of the State. In 1838, the Legislature of South Carolina passed an act to rebuild the city of Charleston, which had then recently been partially lestroyed by an extensive fire. Under this ict the State issued bonds amounting to $2,300,000, which were known as the Fire Loan tnd secured by the assets of the bank of the State. Baring Brothers, of London, who are ;he principal holders of these bonds, brought rnit against the President and Directors of ;he bank, in ordfir to get possession of its aslets, or so much as will redeem the bonds, rhe suit was resisted by Dabney, Morgan <fc Co., who hold bills of the bank and claim that! under the charter, granted in 1812, bill-holders 1 ire preferred creditors. ' Judge Carpenter ren- j lercd a decision last week, putting Fire Loan : bondholders and stockholders of the bank on in equality and establishing for them a prior ien on the a&sets, and giving a pro rata share )f the residue to the bill holders and other creditors. Sunday-School Convention. A convention of Sunday-School Teach- i :rs of all denominations met iq Charleston i ast week. Twenty-six counties were repre-1 ented, Rev. T. R. Gaines and Mr. H. L. I )tough being the delegates from York. The ! essions of the qonvention occupied three days, luring which many subjects of interest were j liscussed, prominent among which were the j [ualificationsof teachers and the best methods j if imparting instructidh and securing the in- j erest of scholars in their schools. Reports j n writing and statistics were received from all. i he counties represented. It was resolved to ] print the minutes of the convention, and a collection, amounting to $90, was taken up for that purpose. A committee of five was also appointed to raise from each county funds sufficient to defray the expense of printing 1,000 copies. Altogether the convention was a great success, and it cannot fail to infuse new life and vigor into the Sunday-Schools of the State. The convention adjourned on Saturday, to meet in Charleston on Wednesday following the second Sunday in May, 1872. The Valne of Railroad*. Col. William Johnston, President of the Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta railroad, who certainly knows something about the expenses and profits of railroads, in his last annual report, says:. "No species of property contributes so much to develop resources and create wealth as railroads. No railroad constructed fifty miles in length, and properly maintained for five years, fails to impart more in iht> acniinn ihrnnnh tnhinh it. rtClMSS than its first cod." Col. Johnston's own road is a striking example of the ease with which a railroad can pay for itself in a few years. After paying all the ordinary expenses of maintenance, the Charlotte road last year paid out $100,000 for locomotives and cars, and $44,000 for taxes, and still had $177,000 net profits. This, too, within five years after one-fourth of the j road was virtually rebuilt and within one year after another fourth was originally built Is it visionary, then, to expect the Air-Line to pay ten per cent, on its stock within five years after it is in operation? Learned Disquisition on Hair-Fins. Daring a recent debate on the tariff bill, Mr. Brooks, of New York, moved to change tlie duty on hair-pins from 50 to -35 per cent Mr. Schenck replied, stating that unless the duty was fixed at fifty per cent, Mlair-pins would be subject to a lower duty than the wire of which they were made. Mr. Brooks defended his motion, saying that the House had already imposed an additional " ?-A- ?11 d-V. n uuiy uu furecuj auu ivii mo a^yuiuouooii/wj thereto belonging," and as he wanted some respect paid to the jgarraents and gear of the women, he was in favor of knocking off fifteen per cent from hair-pins. Mr. Schenck explained that hair pins are either iron manufactures non-enumerated, or iron rolled and hammered, not otherwise provided for?he didn't know which, and therefore they ought to pay fifty per eent This lucid explanation had the desired - effect, and Mr. Brooks' motion was lost The ladies will consequently pay fifty per cent tariff for the privilege of putting "rolled or hammered iron" in their tresses, or those of deceased horses, with which they supplement their own. ' ' * Popular Vote in France. The recent troubles in Paris were in part owing to a vote taken throughout the French nation, on a proposition submitted to them by the Emperor for their approval or rejection. He was induced to this step as a means of silencing the opposition in the corps legislatiff; for he knew very well that he could control the result, which at the same time, as the voice of the majority of the people, would be a formal rebuke to the opposition. The proposition voted on was termed a plebiscitum, which a New Orleans paper defines to he the French for "Shoo fly," but in reality is "a decree of the people." It was as follows: "Will the French people accept the liberal modifications of the constitution of 1862 on the presence of the ohambers; 2. Institution of two following bases: 1. Responsibility of Ministers in Legislative Chambers; 2. Restoration of the constituent power to the nafinn " The vote was 7,210,296 for the plebiscitum,and 1,530,610 against it, which is very flattering to Louis Napoleon, if it means anything. Death of John Caldwell, Esq. The Phoenix of Tuesday says: j-<: "We have this morning to announgh.the death of one of the oldest citizens of Columbia. Mr. John Caldwell died in this city on Sunday evening last, after a long illness. The; deceased was born in Newberry, S. C., and. was-over seventy, years of age. Mr. Caldwell was an active and enterprising man in the affairs of life. For a length of time he was a merchant here, and fbr many years he served the South Carolina Railroad Company as its President He was upright in business and of independent views. "In recognition of Mr. Caldwell's .services as former President of the South Carolina Railroad, the depot here was closed during the funeral ceremonies, and business suspended. The city, bell was tolled while the procession was on its way to the cemetery." The New Internal Revenue Bill. A Washington telegram of the 16th says: "The new Internal Revenue bill was reported to-day. It takes taxes offnearly everything except fermented liquors, distilled spirits, tobacco, cigars, stamps and incomes. The tax on sales, except on liquor dealers, is abolished; also, the tax on legacies and successions, and the gross receipts from railroad corporations, etc., though the tax on theatres and lotteries is retained. The income tax is fixed at five per cent., with an exemption of $1,500; but all the inquisitorial features of the tax are abolished. The tax on gas, pianos, carriages, watches, Ac., is done away with. A tax of 3 per cent., per annum is levied on all public moneys deposited in banks. The amount reduced is about $33,000,000." School Elections in Union. The following is the result of the elections in Union county last week, for School Trustees in the several townships: ifnion Towmkip:?J. S. Mobley, G. B. Can- ; non and Alex. Walker. Colored Republicans. t -M. d T T \\T I dUTlCBVlUG* U* A* ivcuucuj| a . ? ujcvii and T. L. Hames. Reformists. BoqansviUe.?Mitchel West, Jasper Gibbs and J. H. Williams. Reformists. Simsville.?Charner Dawkins, B. G. Cannon and Milton Wallace. Colored Republi- ' cans. Pinebieyville.?R. V. Harris, Y. N. Kelley and John McGowan. Reformists. Cross Keys.?W."H. Norman, C. B. Bobo j1 and Y. 8. Bobo. Reformists. Ooudeysville.?Charles Petty, Esq., M. S. IJ Lynn and A. Suratt Reformists. j' The Finishing Tonch. . 11 On the 13th instant, Mr. Sumner intro-1 j duced a bill supplemental to the civil rights ! ] bill, which he called the "crowning glory of! ] his anti-slaveiy record." Its purpose is to ' ] bring about the absolute equality of all races and colors, even in the grave where dust re- ' turns to dust. Of this bill the correspondent ] of the Baltimore Sun says: j ( "It provides in etfect for absolute equality j i of all persons in the enjoyment of all kinds 1 ( of proper privileges, without distinction on | account of race or color. It requires all hen ' ( tels, restaurants, railroads, theatres, churqhes, i concert halls, academies, common schools, col- j c leges, etc., to treat all alike, and imposes pen- c alties, punishable on conviction in a United i States court, for any refusal of any privilege e to any one on account of he or she' being of ] African descent. The bill is so sweeping that: a it prohibits cemeteries even from being devo-1 \ ted to the sepulture exclusively of white peo-1 r pie or of colored people. The bill was refer- j t red to the judiciary committee, from which its ; a author hoped it would soon be reported and ; r passed into a law." | e LOCAL ITEMS.. . . / NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Carroll, Clark ACo.?Molas?e?.*-B?e6n?Summer Casslmeres?Saveyour Wheat?Lard?Tobacco?Country Flonr?YetMng?CorsetsShoes?Hatu?Goods Cheap. T. M. Dobson A Co.?Pocket Levels?Ritia Trig-, gers?Shoes?Calicoes?Nice Lenos?Groceries? Ladies' Hats?Halloo! Mister?Great Bargains?Well Chains?Garden RakesShuffle Hoes?Mule and Horse Hames? Garden Trowels?Kentucky Jeans?Cottonades?Gentlemen's Hats?Hardware. Thomson A Jefferys,' Assignto the Creditors of R. A. Lathera, Bankrupt. Hamilton Wilson, Administrator?Application for Discharge. John May, Agent?Just Received. ' R. S. Moore, President-^Railroad Meeting. M. Jones, Deputy Collector?Internal Revenue Tax Notice. _____ * MUNICIPAL ELECTION. The following gentlemen have been elected members of the Town Council of Rock Hill: Intendant.?J. R."Allen. Wardens.?Dr. T. L. Johnsoh, .7. M. M. W. Russell, John Rataree.* DROUGHT. We regret to learn that the drought con* tinues in this section. Some parts of this county have been without rain for six weeks> and plowing has nearly ceased. This unfortunate state of affairs is telling very seriously upon all the crops, but more especially on wheat and oats. SERIOUS ACCIDENT. We regret to learn that the kitchen of Mr. John Smith, pn Broad River, was burned on the morning of the 13th instant, between one and two o'clock. The kitchen was in close proximity to the handsome residence if Mr. Smith, and the fire had made such progress before it was discovered, that the flames could not be arrested. The residence was badly scorched; but through the handsome,conduct and energy,of the freedmeri?employees on Mr. Smith's place?it was saved, Mr. Smith attributes his safety entirely to their praiseworthy conduct in his behalf. This conduct ia tKfl mniv nnmman/laKla lnaamiinVi as tVifir services, were attended with serious danger. Several of them were seriously scorched and otherwise injured from the fire. n .SHELBY AND S. C. RAILROAD. We have the pleasure of announcing that there is every prospect of the construction oi a railroad from Morganton, North Carolina, to Yorkville, in a very short time. A company has been formed and a charter obtained from the Legislature of North Carolina, for the construction of a road from Morganton, via Shelby, to the South Carolina line. Plato Durham, Esq., a prominent and energetio citizen of Shelby, has been elected President of the company. It is intended to buihh the road to the State line, under the charter of the company; and from that point to Yorkville under the charter of. the King's Mountain railroad company. -s.ii < . Mr. Durham was m this place lasfweeki, and attended a meeting of the directors of the King's' Mountain railroad company. ..fie made a proposition to them, offering, on the part of his company, to build the road from the State line to Yorkville, provided the King's Mountain railroad company will ensure the payment of the aunual interest, at eight per cent, for two years, on bonds of the Morganton company to the amount of 8100,OOOj and secure the right of way, . , Tije proposition was favorably received by the directors of the King's Mountain railroadj and arrangements are now being made to comply with the terms, with a strong probability of a successful result Mr. Durham farther agreed that as soon as his proposition was formally accepted, he would order a survey of the route at the expense of his company, and begin work within ninety <days. As may be seen by reference to our advertising columns, a meeting of the stockholders of the King's Mountain Railroad is called for the 13th of June, to take ift consideration the proposition of the J3helby road. i* . ' t /' i - .? AIR-LINE?COUNT! CANVASSERS.. { As there were some errors in the names of canvassers published last week,and the names of some persons were inadvertently omitted, it is thought proper to republish the.appoint* ments. <joi. w. c. wiison, cowman oi-tne canvassing committee, Has handed us the following corrected list, and in case other names are added to it in future, dile notice will be given: i< v .. FOR BLAIR8VILLE, WYLIE's STORE, BOYDTON, AND WEIR'S. Canvss&rs.?Rev. R. A. Ross, Maj. J. F. Hart, Gen. E. M. Law, John J. Wylie, Esq., J. K. Wagoner, Esq., Rev. Baker Russell, Tarlton Camp, Dr. R. T. Allison,.S. G. Brown and Jrtev. Samuel Hunter. FOR BETHEL AND CLAY HILL. Canvassers.?Col. I. D. Witherspoon , I*. A. P. Campbell, Maj. A. A. McKenzie, Dr. Thos. W. CampbeH, June Moore, Wm. MoCarter, Rev. Elias Hill, J. C. Phillips, R. H. Glenn, Wm. Sahms, Dr. J: B. Hunter, and Isaac Adams. FOR FORT MILLS AND ROCK HILL. Canvassers.?Col. A. B. Springs, Col. R. G. McCaw, Col. W. B. Wilson, John L.Watson, Esq., J. Hannibal White, John Meade, F. M. Davie, Nelson Hammond, Nelson Davies, Dr. J. M. Lowry, Gen. E. M.%Law, P. J. O'Connel, Col. John M. White and Dr. C. L. Clawson. FOR WESTBROOK's AND m'CONNELLSVJLLE. Canva88er8.?John S. Bratton, J. C. Chambers, Esq., D. T. Lesslie, R. L. Crook, Cpl. H. H. Drennan, Jeflersoa McCall, Rev..Anderson King, Rev. James Moore, Wm. B. Williams, Esq., J. Bolton Smith, Esq., ReV. R. Lathan and Sampson Bratton. The canvassers will address the people? . At Westbrook's, on Thursday, 19th May.. At McConnellsville, on Saturday, 21st May. At Blairsville, on Friday, 13th May. At Weir's, on Friday, 20th May. At Boydton, on Thursday, 19th May. At Clay Hill, (Tate's Store) on Saturday, 21st May. Chester Items. *?From the Reporter of last week.we get the following items: Nancy Hudson, who was sentenced at the last term of the Court to thirty days imprisonment and a fine of 830 for receiving stolen goods, was pardoned last week by Gov. Scott, and all the costs of the prosecution remitted, thereby throwing the burden of their .pay- . A ?? iU A AAiiM^t* TI in fllllf fllD . IliCUb till U1C UUUUtJ* lb iO aC^/w* tvu miuw vuv residence of the said Nancy is one of the places where the League meets regularly. Rev. Dublin Walker, a negro, has been 1 20mmissioned by Gov. Scott as School Commissioner for Chester county, in place of Liv- j ington, resigned. The Reporter thinks the I ;hange is for the good of the county, though ; t is "forced to believe the opportunities of j ;he Rev. Dublin have not been such as to jive him the necessary qualifications for the' iflfce." * i On Saturday thd 7th, a celebration in honor; if the fifteenth amendment, or as some of the , :elebrators had it, "the fifteenth commandnent," was held in Chester. The big speak- j srs expected did not come, and Purvis, of Lexington, was promoted to the post of "oritor of the day." The staple of nis remarks v&b a warning to his colored brethren to put! io trust in white men who join the League at his late day, as they are only "smelling tround for the flesh-pots." Wimbush, Barley Humphries, and one or two of the smallr fry also entertained the crowd. Every thing went smoothly, with the exception of some unpleasantness among some friends of rival candidates. # ? 1 For the Yorkvllle Egquirer. AIR-LINE RAIL ROAD." ,. Mr. Efitpr I baye read discussions regarding this great enterprise. While clearly in favor of this road passing through the county of York; tbid Jhxatio-n proposition is a hurried, undigested, sectional measure. Even if the proposition is untieservisfTjof theee epithets, it is no leK Opi^o?able that the people of York county should be taxed for the benefit of any particular section. i Subjected as they are now,-froii necessity, to heavy taxation^ it is unwise for them to increase their liabilities. Much has been said and written regarding the exact location-, and regarding the advantages to be derived therefrom. More respect has been paid to these ideas than to the more important feature of taxation. t ' . A / .UJi/ti 11 9 For a sectional benefit, it is proposed to wring from the tax payers of the county gf York $14,000 annually , for twenty years j Now, Mr. Editor, don't allow any one to whittle this beam to a point and call it oniy three mills on the dollar?continue it twenty years, and call it by its true name?say $280,000 of interest alone?$80,000 more than the face of the original bonds, making the principal and interest together, at the expiration df twenty, years, amount to four hundred eighty thousand, or nearly one-half million of dolla^!"' Now the enormous jnterest must be collected. Taxation will come to us for this purpose every year as surely and as regularly as the rising sun. Death and taxes are two things a man -raruy escapes i Ai jfie expirqtwn 01 iwtally years the original bonds will lull due. Kow it is said that the stock of the Airline Rail Road will beat par in twenty years, and therefore, that the bonded debt can be liquid? ated without additional taxation. If so, it will be an anomaly in the history of rail roads in the Souths There is not a rail road within the limits of South Carolina to-day, whose stock is at'par. The} stock of the Charlott^ Columbia & Augusta Rail Road, a very flourishing road, and one of the connecting links' jn $< > great, thoroughfare between the North 'and Sh.uih, is worth ' only 50 cents on the dollar. ' Korth Carolina Rail Road stock is ouly 30 , cents. Again, it W said'that dividends aris, ing from the stock; will diminish the amount nece&ary to be raised by taxation. ffijgOk true oftnejjfock of most Southern rail roads, is true of dividends. Long standing rail roads, through densely .populated countries, sometimes do pay divided.. ; enterprises the neOessities aire such thijii a/ftXs /ur^ are reqaird.^ mMt liabiiitira and ex' penses. We take it, therefore, as very /qqestionable, if the Air-Line Rail Road pays any dividend at aH in twenty years.. Rut the proposition, if carried intbeflect, has still'^irther probable results... The county is thereby made liahJe for /its bonds, amounting to $200,000. The purchased stock, if like thestodsur the. , C. C. & A. R. R., it should he depreciated^? 50 per cent of its par value, will be .worth $100,000, In this not improbable event,; how/ is the remaining $100,000 to be met f j-JEitber 4 x by renewed bonds or .by/ (oration. Sinewed bonds will not pay the debt, ii It will isimply ^ 1 . _ ..ii Tk < m ,?n a prolong payment. jwv Kuxuionwutpay mas. the rate of $21 on evBry$1000 worth of pop* erty, and this will be. in additian'to the $14r , 000 drhich the county will have i been paying i each year for twenty years! v <***<-+ To be taxed twenty years with the interest' on these bonds, and then probably to be taxed i to pay one half of the principal for the benefit i and advantage of one section, to the prejudice and injury ef otheru sections of York oouDjy/' is a grievous injustice, and we call upon ooh fellow citizens of York county to assist us in putting down- this sectional scheme at the ballot box, on the 28th instant'!*. ? ?'ft INWANXAND. i . * '** *'* r " ;f 4 *' 1 ' For die YorkvfUe Eoqiilrer. ( j THE AIR-LINE RAILROAD.; Mr. Editor : It is proposed to the people of York county to vote, in: a few days, upon: the proposition to subscribe $&)0,000 to tbe above-named road, if fovorably' located, in, twenty-year bonds, bearing interest :at seven per cent per annum. The ^question to be considered by those who vote .on the! pfopoeir i ' tion is, Will rr pay? Let us examine some. j of the items ofeoAtand profit, and then. de>termine.. . Gostx?X'ilbe assessed value bC property; in York county, we are informed,-aggregates, about $4,923,000. Thp annual interest- an the i bonds will be $14*000, or $2.8b on- the $1000? worth of property. The person whose 1 erty is assessed at $?000 will pay $11.38 of: taxes each year for interest on these bonds. > 2. When the bpndfe mature, ttceety year#' hente, if they will' have to be paid,; this will require an assessment equal to four per cent of the present assessed value, of the property in the county. "* /ano; Profit.?1.- There wili be ?"fcavfog of $1.25 per bale on cotton shipped direct by* Charlotte by such a road, which is new deduct ed from the price when sold in Yorkville.1 The person .worth $4000 who prodifctt' tefi' bales for market, realizes $12.50 mofdou-the lot to offset his taxes 6? 11.36. ' 2. The same person possesses the advantage, through cheapened freights, of selling1 his other products higher, and buying what he does not produce cheaper, thus noaligiag ? '?* more than his outlay for interest 3. Property values, especially real estate* will be enhanced in value to an amount more I fVmn cnffinionf fn pavpt thp. fntir TV?r rent, to redeem the bonds. 4. The subscription is not given to the road, but stock taken in'exchange. With ordinarily prudent management, the road, when I completed?say in four years?will pay back ! a dividend on this stock, which, in all proTfa' hility* will be Entirely sufficient to cover the | interest on the bonds, thus leaving us all the 1 advantages afforded by the road, without any 1 further outlay for interest 5. At maturity, this stock can be disposed of to redeem the bonds outstanding, without any further taxation being required. 1 These figures are based opon the present assessed value of taxable property in the county. ' hat value has been steadily Increasing, since 1*866, at the average rate of $1,000,000 annually. Each additional dollar k of value brought into the county increases the taxable fund, and reduces the pro rata on each individual. The road itself, when completed?a length of over thirty miles through the county?will add nearly a million of itnllom nf fnv#H? nrrvrwrfv Tt litfl flip in. dividual, must pay its pro rata of these taxes. If this annual increase of wealth continues in the future, as it has since 1865, eveh at less rapid strides, there is no reason why the tax to pay bonds at maturity?should taxation have to be resorted to?should not be.distributed over $20,000,000 of property, instead of its present value of $5,000,000. Many people are disposed to regard railroad stock as a poor investment, owing to the present bankrupt condition of the roads in