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$ (taps and Jacts. | ! ? At present prices, enough silver to coin a ! silver dollar weighing 412* grains, can be bought for ninety cents in gold. ? Credit is a system by which a man can | spend his money before he gets it. It is greatly employed by people who expect to have money which never comes. ? The bill now before Congress, pensioning j Mexican veterans, contains a clause repealing, as regards the veterans, that clause of the general pension law which discriminates against those who served in the Confederate j army. ? In the second case against ex-ijovernor i Bullock, tried at Atlanta, Ga., last week, the j jury, upon the first ballot, returned a verdict of "not guilty" upon both counts in the indictment. This disposes of the case9 against him, except one for misdemeanor, to which this verdict is an admitted bar. ? A correspondent of the New York Times, alluding to recent Radical successes in South Carolina, thus concludes : "These small successes have encouraged the Republicans and have startled the Democrats. Each party is unduly excited, however. They are but the flickering of a dying fire." ? Commodore George N. Hollins died in Baltimore, last Friday night, from an attack of paralysis, aged 79 years. It was he, who, in command of the sloop of war Cyane, bombarded Greytown, Nicaragua, in 1854. At the commencement of the late civil war, he entered the Confederate service. For the ; past few years he had been crier of the city court of Baltimore. ? Mr. Hewitt, Representative in Congress . from New York, and whilom Chairman of: the Democratic National Executive Commit- j tee, has received a letter from a citizen of South Carolina, who wants to run him as candidate for the presidency on a platform of doubling the tax on whisky, issuing $2,000,000,000 of greenbacks, refunding the national debt and stopping the lavish expenditure and displays by Americans in Europe. ? A Washington dispatch of the 16th says that the Commissioner of Internal Revenue an onQnon^incr nffiorfi nf re 11 CkO lOOUCU du VIUWI oug^/vuviiug v?w.w ? wards for information as to illicit distillation in the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky. The Commissioner says that other and more efective methods for the suppression of illicit distillation in those localities are now being put in operation. A member of the Senate of Virginia said in a speech, last week: "William L. Yancey told Dr. Curry, of Richmond, that one of the greatest difficulties in the way toward a recognition of the Confederacy, was the fact that Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, a repudiating jJ State, was at the head of the Government. Mr. Lamar, Senator from Mississippi, is reported to have recently Baid the same thing. The repudiation of Mississippi has, therefore, cost us in Virginia the independence of the South." " ~ 1-j r* ? (jren. McUieiian was inauguraieu governor of New Jersey, at Trenton, on the 15th inst., in the presence of about 20,000 persons. In the course of his inaugural he said: I trust, gentlemen, that you will agree with me in gladly accepting the existing settlement of the Southern question as final, and in insisting that no selfish interest of individuals, as mistaken policy of party, shall be allowed to revive a subject which honor and interest alike require to be buried for ever among the dead issues of the irrevocable past. % ? The story is published that ex-Collector Worthington, (who is said to have broken with Patterson) is about to turn State's evidence and testify that he was present when Senator Patterson and Butler, the latter then an applicant for a seat in the Senate, made a bargain whereby Patterson was pledged to admit Butler in consideration of his using his influence to have the proceedings under the pending indictments against Patterson suspended. The trouble is that nobody will beJieve Worthington. ? President Hayes has recently written a letter to a colored man in Florida, on the subject of the emigration movement, in which he says : "I have given some consideration to your question as to the emigration of colored people from Florida to San Domingo. I am not well informed as to the advantages offered hv San Domingo to emigrants, but my im pression is that your people should not be hasty in deciding to leave this country. The mere difference in climate is a very serious objection to removal. The first generation in all such removals suffer greatly. It is my opinion also, that the evils which now affect you are likely, steadily, and I hope rapidly, to diminish. My advice is therefore against the proposed emigration. ? In reply to the enquiry of a bank cashier, who asks, whether or not, under the resumption act as passed by Congress, the National banks are prohibited from issuing notes below the denomination of five dollars, the New York Journal of Commerce says: The limitation is not in the resumption act but in the original banking act, passed nealy fourteen years since. It reads "not more than onesixth part of the notes furnished to any association shall be of a less denomination than five dollars. After specie payments are resumed, no association shall be furnished with notes of a less denomination than five dollars." This does not prohibit the banks from using such small notes as they have received. ? Estimates by the New York Cotton Ex change, based on returns from the aitrerem States, place the cotton crop this season at 4,750,000 bales. The growing season has been remarkably favorable over the entire cotton growing district of the country. A killing frost did not occur until the 12th of November, and for the balance of the month and all December, planters took advantage of the unusually fine weather. Last year a killing frost occurred on the 3d of October, and the ; crop amounted to 4,485,000 bales. The esti-1 mate this year is based on the fact, that the j growing season is thirty-nine days longer than ! last year. Liberal allowances are made for j the storms, etc., and it is believed that the j estimate is rather under than over. ? Washington special to the New York ! Journal of Commerce: "The movement in fa-1 vor of unseating Senator Butler, of South ! Carolina, does not appear to pan out well. It is reported that Cameron's report is distaste- i ful to Christiancy; that the latter says it is j too partisan, that it is not judicial, and that j he refuses to sign it unless it is modified. Most of this report is said to have been written by the notorious James Redpath. Cameron, Christiancy and Merrimon are the sub-, committee who investigated South Carolina 1 affairs last year. The report has not been sumitted to Merrimon, and even if it had been it cannot be made to the present Senate with out special actioD, as the investigation took j place during a former Congress. If the committee on privileges and elections ask leave to ! make the report, the Senate will doubtless grant it, but that committee has not yet determined upon a programme concerning the matter. ? Two large English iron companies have been forced to suspend work, and the distress in the mining regions of South Wales is represented as verging on famine. The iron i'urnaceB are stopped ever since 1872 ; there are but few collieries in operation, and those at an actual Iras to the employers on every ton of coal. The modification of the sliding I scale asked for by some of these companies recently was simply to enable them to con- j tinue to give two or three days' work a week to men whose present wages do not suffice to buy them bread. These, the most fortunate ! of all Welsh miners, live and work day after day on a slice of bread, or even a fragment of raw cabbage, apiece. The furniture has gone out of their houses for bread, and the grocers are nearly ruined by their unpaid scores. In places utterly without work, families have lived for days on brewery grain sent to feed pigs. Women go without food for two days together, to give what little they get to their children. The workhouses are crowded, the poor rates are insufficient to the demands, and the rate-payers fear bankruptcy. Such is the discouraging picture drawn by English newspapers of a home famine, small enough beside India's, but a grave illustration of what a prolonged derangement of trade may produce in the most civilized and prosperous of countries. fJfltMle inquirer. yorkVille. S, C. s THURSDAY MORNING, JAN. 24, 1S78. PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS. In the Seriate on the 15th, Mr. Matthews gave notice that he would ask the Senate to come to a vote on the pending silver resolution on Monday next. Mr. Voorhees made a two-hours' speech upon the currency question, favoring the remonetization of silver, the repeal of the resumption act, and the payment oT the bonds and legal tender notes. A complete synopsis of hisargumeut is printed on the first page of this issue. In the House, additional petitions on the female srffrage question were presented. Mr. Waddell introduced a bill to protect sub contractors for carrying mails. Referred. Mr. Springer introduced a bill to prevent the further contraction of the currency, provided that the volume of the legal tenders shall not be reduced below two hundred and fifty million dollars, and requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to reissue legal tenders paid into the Treasury. Referred. Davis, ol North Carolina, asked leave to offer a resolution, reciting that the present internal revenue tax and collection was unjust and unequal, and directing the committee on ways and means to provide for the total abolition of the internal revenue system, or if that is impracticable, to modify the system so as to distribute the burden more equally upon " ? - -? - - J t_ ? t_: all sections 01 106 country, ana uy njaaiug the mode of collecting less obnoxious, and reduce the temptation for fraud and evasion. Mr. Covert, of New York, objected. Frank lin, of Missouri, asked leave to offer a resolution, declaring it to be the opinion of this House that United States notes should be made a legal tender for duties on imports, and directing the committee on banking and currency to report a bill to that end. Mr. Frye, of Maine, objected. Price, of Iowa, made a speech in favor of reraonetizing silver, and the House then, at 3 P. M., adjourned. In the Senate on the 16th, Mr. Withers presented a joint resolution of the Virginia Legislature, favoring a reduction of the tax on tobacco. Referred to the financial committee. Several petitions and memorials were introduced and referred; after which the Matthews silver resolution came up as unfinished business. A motion to refer the resolution to the judiciary committee was made, and the vote resulted, yeas 19, nays 31. Mr. Cockrell announced the death of the late Senator Bogy, ef Missouri, and delivered a eulogy. Brief eulogistic speeches were also made my Messrs. Maxie, Christiancy, Johnston, Kernon, Merrimon, Sargent and Arm lotfor nf whnm fiflTered the OH9 OtlUUg) lliu 1 MKWt V? (? ?>?> VMV. .... tomary resolutions of regard, and at 2 P. M., as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator, the Senate adjourned. In the House, a joint resolution was passed accepting from Elizabeth Thompson, of New York, a gift of Carpenter's painting, representing Lincoln and his Cabinet reading the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. Stephens, of Georgia, recommended the unanimous adoption of the resolution. Prye, of Maine, reported a bill from the judiciary committee making persons charged with crimes and offences, competent witnesses in the United States Courts. The bill was undisposed of at the expiration of the morning hour. A bill was passed appropriating $40,000 for the removal of snags from the Mississippi river. The Senate resolutions in relation to Senator Bogy's death, were received and laid over until Wednesday next, and at 3.55 the House adjourned. In the Senate on the 17th, during the morning hour, Mr. Wadleigh presented the fragments of what was intended by Senator Morton to form a part of his minority report from the Chinese Immigration Commission, but which was not completed at the time of his death. In the portions presented strong ground is taken in defence of the American doctrine that a man has a right to select his home, and change his allegiance, a doctrine for which, he says, thiB government has contended since its organization, and which has but recently been admitted by Germany and some other European powers. He defends the Chinese as not being exceptionably vi-1 cious, and claims that white labor has been elevated, and the prosperity of California advanced by their presence in that State. He observed that the Chinese were civilized while Europe was barbarous, and hopes for much from the future enlightenment of that people. The report was referred to the com rnittee on foreign relations which has the majority report under consideration. Mr. Howe, of Wisconsin, introduced a bill to punish the forcible obstruction of interior State commerce upon railroads. Referred. [A slapat the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the Louisiana civil rights case.] Mr. Ferry, of Michigan, introduced a bill providing for the classification of mail matter, and providing rates of postage thereon. After the expiration of the morning hour, the death of the late Senator Morton was announced, the customary resolutions offered, and eulogistic speeches made by several Senators when, at 3.10, the Senate adjourned. In the House, Mr. Davis, of North Carolina, introduced a bill to restrict Chinese immigration, prohibiting after January 1, 1879, any importation into the United States, of Chinese exceeding one person, male or female, to each 100 tons capacity of any vessel, but exempts from the provisions of any Chinese Ambassador, his j family and servants, or the crew of any ves- j eol TTnp Chinese imDorted in excess of i the foregoing, a tax of 8100 shall be paid to j and collected by the Collector of Customs at I the port where the vessel carrying these Chinese may arrive. If the mate, owner, or consignee of the vessel refuses the payment of the tax, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, for each Chinese so imported in excess, shall be punished by a 6ne of $200 in addition to the tax of 8100. Nothing in this act shall be held to modjfy or repeal any law forbidding the importation of Coolies or of females for immoral purposes. Peddie, of New Jersey, asked leave to offer a resolution authorizing postmasters to act as agents for the sale of four per cent, bonds. Wood, of New York, objected. Hewitt, of Alabama, from the pension committee, reported a bill to pay pensions to soldiers and survivors of soldiers who served in the Mexican, Creek and Black Hawk wars. Referred to the committee of the whole. The bill to allow persons charged with crimes in the United States Courts to testify in their own behalf, was passed. Banning of Ohio, from the military committee, reported a bill to pay to the officers and soldiers of the Mexican war who have not received their three months'extra pay provided by the Act of July 19ih, 1848, which was nuaapri Evins. of South Carolina, from the military committee, reported a bill authorizing the issue of arras to the Washington Light Infantry of Charleston. Passed. The bill giving the thanks of Congress to Stanley for African explorations was passed. After a speech by Blair, of New Hampshire, in opposition to the reraonetization of silver, the House, at 3.25, adjourned. Iu the Senate on the 18th, Mr. Conkling, of New York, presented several petitions of citizeus of Albany, N. Y., remonstrating against the passage of the Bland silver bill. Laid on the table, the bill having been repor-1 ted to the Senate. In presenting the memorials he said they were signed by men representing not only money and property, but enterprise also, and they expressed the opinion that the passage of the bill would be prejudicial to the honor and credit of the government. He also presented the memorial of the Albany Board of Trade against the passage of that bill. Laid on the table. At the expiration of the morning hour, the Senate resumed the consideration of the unfinished business, being the resolution of Mr. Matthews, of Ohio, declariug the right of the government to pay the interest and principal of the bonds in silver, and Merriraon of North Carolina spoke in favor thereof. He said that the subject was worthy of the most serious con sideration, and he trusted that a free and frank expression of views would lead the Senate to a wise and wholesome conclusion. He would discuss the resolution submitted by the senator from Ohio, Mr. Matthews, and not the expediency of the remonetization of silver. He would never consent that the honor and good faith of the government should be impaired in the slightest degree. The naked question before the Senate was, whether the government could lawfully pay its creditors in sil ver of the stated value of July 14,1870. He then reviewed at some length the finan-1 cial legislation since 1862, and quoted from various acts to show that all the bonds issued were payable in legal tender coin, of the United States. When these acts were passed there were but two species of coin established by law, to wit, gold and silver, and as the contract stood between the government and its creditors, the government could pay its debts in both or either of these coins. The fact that there were more or less of a particular kind of coin in circulation when the bonds were issued, did not.affect the contract at all. It had been argued that the creditors of the government did not have the silver dollar in view when they bought the bonds, because i . rni _ 4 silver was Dot tnen in circulation, mat made no difference. The law then provided for the coinage of the silver dollar as well as the gold dollar, and had it boen intended to exclude the silver dollar when the bonds were issued, why was not a provision inserted for the purpose? That the government had the right to pay its bonds in silver was clear, and he could not see how any such action could he looked upon as repudiation. He spoke of the business prostration and suffering existing throughout the country,and argued that it was the effect of unwise legislation. The Buancial legislation since the war had been calculated to enhance the value of bonds of the government, in the hands of creditors. In the natural order of things, after the close nf the war. snecie Davraents would have return "" ? "I I * ed and prosperity existed throughout the country, but the interested bondholders could not wait for thing3 in their natural order. It was too slow. It was thought that rapid contrac tion of the paper currency would restore prosperity and the earlier resumption ofspecie payments. This course of contraction had been pursued, but, unhappily, none of the good results anticipated followed. The volume of paper currency in circulation had been regulated by the government, and not by the requirements of business. Since the panic of 1873 nothing had flourished save the government bonds. Adjourned to Monday. In the House, a bill was passed removing the political disabilities of Charles L. Scott, of AlaKama A ftpp an hnnr Rnent on nrivate bills. WWU,M" **,vw* ?? "i r eulogies of the late Senator Morton, of Indiana, were pronounced, and the House adjourned till Monday. SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS. ? The Republicans in the Legislature are solidly arrayed against the passage of the Muffett whisky law. ? Messrs. H. L Farley and T. J. Triramier have purchased the Spartanburg Spartan from F. M. Trimmier. ? The Register mentions that the legislature will commence holding night sessions during the present week. It is expected that the bond commission will submit a report in a few days. ? The Grand Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows of this State, was in session at Orangeburg last week. The next meeting will be held at Chester, on the third Wednesday in January, 1879. ? William S. Harley, of Walterboro', who was mortally wounded by Robert Fishburne, of the same place, in a duel fought near Savannah, Geo., on Saturday, the 12th instant, died from the effects of the wound on the following Tuesday. ? About sixty-five colored persons arrived in Charleston, last week, from Kershaw county, for the purpose of taking passage on the shin that is to take them to Liberia. There being no such ship there, and none likely to be, these people are in a deplorable condition. ? The Abbeville Press and Banner says: "The framers of the new constitutional amendment which established the two mill tax for educational purposes, acted wisely when they made "the number of pupils" the standard of distribution of the school tax. School taxes are levied for public benefit, for the benefit of the children, especially of the poor, and not for the benefit of the teachers. The school fund is not a pension fund, and should not be so considered or claimed. The new law makes it the interest of the various school districts to send as large a number of pupils as possible to the public schools. The district that sends the largest number gets the largest share. The establishment of a minimum number of pupils below which no school can be a public school, will also have a healthy effect. It will greatly reduce the uselessly large number of so-called public schools, many of which were really private classes, in which parents were actually paid by the public fund for teaching their own children. The provisions of the amendment, and the establishment of a minimum, will mutually cooperate to fix the necessary number of public schools and to place theru in the proper relative positions, and will do so much better and more satisfactorily, because more naturally, than any arbitrary system of i so many schools to eight square miles can do. NORTH CAROLINA NEWS. ? A negro preacher is under indictment in Rowan county for solemnizing the rites of ! matrimony between a negro and a white woman. ? The will of the late Chief Justice Pearson, devisiug some 875,000 worth of property, is written with a lead pencil, and is a model of simplicity. ? A well-kuown North Carolina colporteur, named Brower, was drowned last week while attempting to cross Roanoke river, while the stream was swollen. ? One night last week, in Brunswick county, a shanty in which four lumber choppers were sleeping, fell in, and catching on fire, was burned, together with the sleeping in uinies. ? According to a statement in the Raleigh Observer, the whole number of persons un-? dergoing sentence of the law in North Carolina Is about 2,000, about 1,000 of whom are in the penitentiary, and the remainder in work-houses and county jails. ? The bill, introduced by Mr. Waddell, abolishing the Western District of the Federal Court in North Carolina, has received the endorsement of the committe, and will be reported back to the House of Representatives with a recommendation that it do pass. ? Says the Greensboro Patriot of the 16th : Yesterday a party of hunters returning from a day's gunning south of town, came upon a dead body in a small clump of bushes. The remains were those of A. Parker, raised in the southern portion of this county, and somewhat of erratic habits, wandering around much at night, and frequently sleeping out of doors. ? The whole country adjacent to the Roanoke river is laid waste by the recent floods, and presents a startling scene of devastation. Those who have been up and down the river .! . .1 r l e A say i.nai me rarrus aiong iia cuumts iur uucuuu two miles back are nearly destroyed. Farm houses, barns and stables have been swept away, fences destroyed, and all things portray the general ruin caused by the waters. The complaints of the farmers are heart-rending and rea1. The floods have ruined them, and left them destitute of the means to recommence life on their barren and wasted lands. The picture is described as a piteous one, and must be seen to be realized. ? Hoke Secrest has been committed to the jail of Union county on suspicion of murdering a woman and child near Hickory, about a year ago. The murdered woman was a Mrs. Stephenson, and the child her daughter. The woman and Secrest left Union county clandestinely, and soon after their departure, he returned alone, failing to give a satisfactory account of the woman and child. A few days ago a party of hunters discovered the remains of the woman and child, which were ideutifled as those above mentioned, who, it was remembered, had Jived in that neighborhood with Secrest. The discovery led to the arres: of Secrest, who maintains a dogged silence on the suhject. EDITORIAL INKLINGS.. The Silver Dollar. The Indianapolis Sentinel, one of the leading papers of the West, in a recent issue comments with energy upon the wonderful movement among the masses for the restoration of silver back to" its proper place among the honest dollars of the fathers. It asserts what it has good reason to know, that.the people of the country are aroused. It says: "They are in earnest. Enthralled, crushed and bankrupt, they are looking around for leaders. They know that they are suffering ; that business is prostrate ; that industries are paralyzed, that gloom aud despondency have settled down upon Indiana aud upon every other State. They are looking for reliet. They demand strong and earnest words; bold, defiant, aggressive leadership. They have an unmitigated contempt for timidity now. They are in the grasp of a business cyclone. Thousands have been wrecked, others are striking daily upon rocks and shoals. The demand is for a competent navigator, aud they will find him. The banks are consolidating against the people. The East has planted itself squarely against the West. The pro* ? * * *1? ? ! 11! a. 1 _| * ducmg, womng, louiug minions mruuguoui the West and South are at last confronted by the Eastern money power. It is a death struggle. The West demands simply that their property shall not be totally sunk out of sight; that Shylocks shall not have it all. The West has the wheat, the corn, and the bread of the country. It can demand its rights. It asks for the repeal of an impracticable resumption law that contraction and shrinkage may cease." A Candid Acknowledgement. The New York Post, an original abolition organ, makes the following frank acknowledgement respecting Democratic home rule in South Carolina : "People who have been waiting for evidence to show that Governor Hampton, of South Carolina, was not sincere in the pledges which he made that exact justice would be done, so far as possible, by the Democrats of his State towards all classes of citizens, or that he would not be able to carry into effect his own wishes, are in a fair way to become discouraged. South Carolina outrages on colored men have ceased ; the taxes are willingly paid, and State expenses are largely reduced ; members of old rings are afforded fair trials, and when convicted the evidence against ia mn ploar no tn Iphvp nn room for an honest excuse in their behalf, and when Republicans take interest enough to bring out a majority vote?as has recently been the case?they elect their candidates without any unlawful opposition. "A striking illustration of the disposition of the Democrats of the State to enforce fair play, was seen in the State House of Representatives the other day. At a recent election in Sumter county the Republican candidate was found, when au informal count of j the ballots was made, to have a majority, j Some ruffianly Democrats, in order to prevent an official announcement of this result, stole and hid half the ballot boxes, and the election officers reported the facts to the Leg: islature, with a statement that the Democratic candidate had a majority of the votes in ! their possession. The Representatives there1 upon, refusing all efforts to seat the Democrat- j j ic candidate or to declare the election void, gave the seat to the Republican. Verily, a new order of things has been established in j that long suffering State." The Currency Question. T?L Qfliima tr> hfl f.hfi ' lfle CUITCUtJ VjUOSHUU Obbiaiu | engrossing topic at present in the North and j West. The laboring masses desire the silver ! dollar to be made a legal tender?equal in i value to the gold?and receivable in any amount; while on the other hand the capitalists are opposed to legislation tending to such result. In New York city a meeting was held j on the 17th instant, under the auspices of the ; Industrial Union Club, to take action on the silver question. The following trades unions were represented: Plasterers, Painters, Bricklayers, Machinists, Tailors, Crispins and Cii gar makers. Lengthy resolutions were adopt ed, setting forth that the present hard times are the result of the contraction of currency, and that the land is filled with fraud, embezzlement, bankruptcy, crime, suffering and starvation ; that Congress should at once abolish national banks and pass Bland's Silver bill without amendment, and also Ewing's Resumption Repeal hill. Dire disaster is predicted in the resolutions if these things are not accomplished. As an offset to the proceedings of this meeting, at the Maritime Exchange, a day or j two afterward, the following memorial to 1 Congress was signed by many merchants and j bankers, representatives of leading marine underwriters and steamship companies: "We the undersigned members of the Marine Association of the port of New York, feel it to ' 4- niaairiaf ono I Off. oe OUT UUly io leiuuuanau; agoiuou uuj ?vgislation that shall make silver an unlimited legal tender, as in our opiuion such legislation would unsettle values, disturb confidence, retard resumption in gold, and impair national credit." A Washington dispatch of Saturday says the committee on banking and currency have directed their chairman, Gen. Ewing, to report a resolution asking power to send for persons and papers and otherwise investigate I the amount of coin in the country available I for resumption. The State Tax for 1877-78. The Columbia correspondent of the News and Courier, alluding to the State tax levy for the present fiscal year, says: The ways and means committee have finally determined upon their financial policy for the current year, and a rough copy of the appropriation bill has already been drawn up. From undisputed authority I have obtained the gratifying intelligence that this committee, after a due consideration of the matter, iff all its bearings, feel confident that they can meet the valid unfunded claims against the State, together with the current expenses of the government for the present fiscal year, inclusive of the interest on the public debt, with the proceeds of a tax of not more than five mills. This estimate dues not include the two mill tax for school purposes, to be fraised by the counties. The entire tax, therefore, for State and educational purposes, will not exceed seven mills, to which of course must he added the levy made for county purposes, which 1 _ - a. . .1 1 _ f A. Will vary according 10 me ueews ui me re- ! spective counties. This estimate is based upon conclusions arrived at by the committee after a long aud thorough examination of the question. By the term unfunded claims is meant every claim against the State outside : of the bonded debt, aud the bills of the Bank of the State aud contingent liabilities. A large proportion of the unfunded claims, has already been proved to be fraudulent, and will in consequence be disallowed. The correspondent then continues to say that the committee have brought to light the fact that the Republican administration colleqted their taxes on a false valuation of the entire taxable property of the State, the following being the process alleged to have been adopted : A few years ago, it will be remembered, the assessed valuation of the taxable property of the State was 8180,000,000. This valuation was reduced by the Republicans to 8133,000,000, a performance which the people of the State were, at the time, inclined to believe was very much in their favor. It is now shown, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this reduction was in name only, and that there was an understanding between the State comptroller, the State treasurer, and the county auditors aud treasurers, by which two sets of books were kept. On one set of books appeared the apparent and lower valuatiou of the taxable property of the State, and on the other the real valuatiou, amounting to 8180,000,000; the return to the State beiug made on a valuation of 8133,000,000. Thus art.l /lailtiftr nrfiotO la n/J. I If WtlO UlttL tllC Uiain auu wuuuifj umvium vwi lected large sums which never went into the Slate treasury, and, at the same time, a larger tax was necessarily levied on the lesser valuation. It) view of this state of affairs, whether real or imaginary,, the committee will prepare a bill for the action of the present General Assembly, providing for a reassessment of real estate at the same time that the assessment on personal property is made. Through this means, it is claimed, a very large saving to the taxpayers is promised. The tax will be collected this year, says the correspondent, as last, in two instalments, with the probable difference that the taxpayer will be allowed a rebate for full pa)ment, but will not be charged with a penalty if he sees fit to postpone payment until the second instalment becomes due. Correspondence or the Yorkville Enquirer. LETTER FROM CHESTER. Chester, January 21, 1878. Some of the property that was sold by the Sheriff on last sale day, will be re-sold by ?' * Y* ? fp L! him on the 1st Monday in renruary. hub includes the residence of Joshua Walker, with the lot attached thereto, containing nine acres, and the"Mobley tract" adjoining, containing about 250 acres. This property was bid off by Mr. Walker, but he has not complied with the conditions ; hence its resale. A valuable plantation on Broad river, containing 700 acres, and belonging to William McCollum, will be sold on next sale day. The sale is made to satisfy a judgment obtained by R. M. Cross. A house and lot in Biackstocks, the property of James Neel, will also be sold. In addition to the real estate, some personal property will be disposed of by the sheriff. Information was received here ou last Tuesday of the killing of George Ooten by Turner Jackson, at Gooch's ferry. The dreadful deed was committed on the Sunday previous, and is said to have had its origin in a difference of opinion respecting twenty cents. This is certainly a small amount to occasion the loss of a man's life. When &1I the facts are known in regard to the difficulty, it will doubtless appear that whisky played a very conspicuous part. Ooten was a white man, and a workman on the Cheraw and Chester 1 Railroad. Jackson, who is also white, has 1 been arrested and lodged in jail at Lancas- j ter. Judge Mackey intends ordering a special term of the Court in Lancaster for the ? nfloo Hp ARVft miir- ; fJUijiuac vi bijiug viiu VMWV. ? - ?j ( derers must be hung as fast as their cases can be heard. On last Tuesday evening, a colored woman ! attempted to cross the track of the Charlotte, | Columbia and Augusta Railroad, with her \ child in her arms, while the traiu was ap- j proaching. When on the track she stumbled,1 but managed to get off in time to save her . life. One of her hands, howerer, was caught; beneath the wheels of the engine, and dreadfully mangled. Her child fell on the track, i was taken up by the cow catcher, and carried a considerable distance without the slightest injury. This may be regarded as a miracu-1 lous escape. Rev. Mr. Perry, moderator of the last meeting of Bethel Presbytery, having been requested by the requisite number of ministers and elders to call a special meeting of the Presbytery, did so, and in accordance with this call this religious and honorable body assembled at the Presbyteriau Church : at this place ou last Wednesday evening. It was held by some of the members that the meeting was contrary to the article of the organic law of the church providing for special meetings, inasmuch as there was no such emergency existing in the Presbytery at the present time as required a special meeting. This view of the matter prevailed, and, con-! 8e<juently, Bethel Presbytery remained in, session a brief time, adjourning sine die until the regular meeting io April. In addition to the constitutional objection, the signers of the call for a special meeting were not present At a recent meeting of the Town Council, Samuel Walker was reelected chief of police, and Jacob Gordon, policeman. Jno. C. McFadden was also reelected elerk and treasurer of the Council during the ensuing year. It is to be hoped that our "city fathers" will manage the municipal affairs with the same wisdom and prudence that characterized their rule during the past year. Capt. John L. Agurs and his worthy associates have been good and faithful public servants, and it is only right and proper to recognize their valuable services. Chester has already made a reputation as an excellent cotton market. She is beginning to win laurels in other ways?as a place where various kinds of merchandise can be bought at reasonable rates. Recently one hundred cases of shoes and thirty barrels of whisky were shipped from our town to some point in North Carolina. The special term of the Court of General Sessions, ordered by Judge Alackey for the trial of certain criminal cases, was held on Friday and Saturday. The charge to the grand jury was brief, and simply recited their duty in finding bills on indictments charging murder. The case of John Smith, colored, charged with the murder of Bergen Conger, was laid before them, and very little time was consumed by them in finding a true bill. The case was then called for trial by the presiding Judge. W. A. Sanders, Esq., who was assigned by the court to the defence of Smith, asked for a postponement of the trial until three o'clock in the afternoon, to prepare for the defeuce, and the postponement was so ordered. The case of the State vs. Angus Nicholson, charged with the killing of James Ferrall in August, 1864, was called, aud the trial proceeded?S. P. Hamilton, E>q., representing the defendant. The case turned upon the evidence of Henry Sims, who was present and witnessed the difficulty. His evidence, substantially. was that the deceased was in the store of John Nicholson, father of the defendant, and, while there, behaved in a very improper and disorderly manner, when the defendant took hold of him, and put him out of the store. This so euraged the deceased ?t?of ho nicbpf) nn ? I a rem rnrk. and hficran to ? j -r - ?a- > --a abuse and threaten the life of the defendant The latter, with the view to his own protection, picked up a piece of paling, and with it struck the deceased on the head. The blow was followed by the death of the deceased in the course of five or six days. There was some evidence going to show that his death might have heeu occasioned by paralysis. However, this might have been, the proof was clear that the defendant was justified in striking the blow. The jury, believing that the defendant acted in self-defence, rendered a verdict of not guilty. Since the commission of the unfortunate act, the defendant has been absent from the State; but having recently returned, surrendered himself into the hands of the law. The G>urt reassembled on Friday afternoon, hut was unable to proceed with the Smith case, in cousequence of the absence of a ma terial witness. The business transacted was not of a very important nature. Preston Thompson, colored, charged with grand larceny, acknowledged his guilt. The grand jury found a true bill against Ben Michael aud William Thomas, charged with grand larceny. They had probably obtained a hint of the grand jury taking some action on tbe charge alleged against them, and as they were released from jail, some time ago, by tbe trial justice, without hail, they evidently thought it the part of wisdom to take refuge in flight, which they did. They were charged by Preston Thompson, with the stealing of> John Stokes' hull. The Court was engaged, for a brief time, on Friday night, in (he trial of a rather unimportnut rase. Them. Shannon, colored, was charged with stealing a set of harness from I. L. Gnnhouse. The jury rendered a verdict of acquittal. Upon the convening of the Court, Saturday morning, the case of the Slate vs. John Smith, charged with the murder of Berger Conger, was taken up. The State was represented by the Solicitor, T. C. Gaston, E?q., and tbe defendant by W. A. Sanders, Esq. Tbe testimouy of witnesses for the State was substantially the same as the account given in this correspondence at the time of the commission of the horrible deed. The evidence was irresistibly convincing that the defendant was the villain who murdered and robbed Bergen Conger. The identification of tbe defendant by the murdered man, the pocket book of tbe latter in the possession of the defendant, and the defendant's confession of his guilt, were facts that could not be explained away by the ingenuity of counsel. Mr. Sanders, without reward or hope of reward, worked faithfully for his ciieut. The Solicitor managed the case admirably for the State. The charge of the presiding Judge was clear and forcible. The jury, of which Mr. E. T. Atkinson was foreman, rendered a verdict of guilty. Immediately after the rendering of the verdict, the defendant, John Smith, was sentenced to be haoged on Friday, the 1st day of February. After a brief adjournment, the Court reconvened, and was engaged until 12 o'clock Saturday night, in the trial of the case of the State vs. J. G. McFadden, charged with the murder of Eli Crawford. The defendant was represented by Thomas J. Bell, Esq., of Yorkville, and VV. A. Sanders, Esq. The counsel for defendant endeavored to make out a case of justifiable homicide, hut were unsuccessful. They did not establish the fact that the deceased was armed with a pistol, and had threatened to kill the defendant. It was shown by the testimony that the deceased was > l-. 1 .l- j_ unarmed at me time ne was bhui uy me ucfendant. The jury, of which Dr. A. H. Davega was foreman, found a verdict of manslaughter. The prisoner was then sentenced by the presiding Judge, to thirty years in the peuitentiary at hard labor. The special term of the Court of General Sessions then ad journed sine die. Rev. Dr. Meynardie preached last evening at the Methodist Church. Rev. Mr. Trenholm preached a magnificent sermon last evening at the Presbyterian Church, from the text, "What think ye of Christ?" Qui. MERE-MENTION. Georgia seems to be flooded with counterfeit Mexican dollars, to which the Augusta Chronicle asks: "Are border depredations becoming general ?" Stanley, the African explorer, has arrived at Paris. The orange product of Florida for the year 1877 was 17,000,000 oranges. George H. Pendleton has been elected United States Senator by the Legislature of Ohio. Au excursion train, returning from a Moody and Sankey meeting held in Hartford, Conn., on Wednesday night | of last week, went into Farmington river. | Nineteen persons were killed and about j forty wounded. John Morrisey, the noted gambler and New York Senator, is j sick in Florida. Gen. John S. Williams has been elected U. S. Senator by the Kentucky Legislature. The heaviest snow known for years has fallen in Utah and beyond. The snow sheds and telegraphic wires ' along the Pacific railroad are down. A resolution has been introduced in the House ! of the Ohio Legislature, declaring in favor! of the remonetization of silver, and asserting j that President Hayes and Secretary Sber- j man, in their opposition to the silver dollar, i do not represent the views nor wishes of the Ohio people. Ex-Governor James B. Groome has been elected United States Sena- j tor from Maryland. The Government has commenced a suit against McArthur,: late postmaster of Chicago, for $300,000 deficiencies. j LOCAL A77AXBS. r> NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. W. H. A J. P. Herndon?New Bakery. j J. P. Herndon?Reinstated. I Joseph A. McLean, Judge of Probate?CitationMrs. Narciasa Wylie, Applicant?Hugh Hartness, deceased. B. T. Wheeler?Now is the Time. T. S. Jeiferys, Agent?Navassa Guano. James E. Smith, Agent?Metalic Cases and Wood Coffins. S. K. Marks, Chester, S. C.?Wholesale and Retail Dealer in General Furniture. R. G. Wbitesides?$10 Reward. G. L. Riddle, Chairman Board of County Commissioners?Road Notice. R. B. Lowry, Agent?To the Farmers and Planters of York and Chester. E. M. Bray ton, Collector?United States Internal Revenue. J. A. McLean, Judge of Probate?Citation?J. F. Wallace, Applicant?John Blair Stockton, I deceased. 1 SUCCESSFULLY AMPUTATED. j Mr. D. H. Hart, of Fort Mill, who has been suffering for several years with something like white swelling on one of his legs, had the diseased limb amputated recently. The operation was successfully performed by Drs. Kell, Massey and King. COUNTY INVESTIGATION. T>u .U? n 1 ue ICfJUlk Ul kUC WUI IUISIIUUCI O D|I|JUIUHU to investigate the indebtedness of York county, has been published in the Rock Hill Heraid. In our next issue we will copy the re- / port, or so much of it as relates to the bonds of York county, issued in aid of the Chester and Lenoir Railroad. , NEW BAKERY. Messrs. VV. H. & J. P. Herndon announce that they have just opened a bakery in the ; Zurcher building, nearly opposite their groce- \ . j ry store, and will have on hand at all times , fresh bread, cakes, Ac. They will also man- *"1^. ufacture candies of a superior quality, and ~ are prepared to fill orders, in either large or I small quantities. I ALLEGED BLOCKADER. j A man named D. 8. Smith, hailing from i near Cherryville, N. C., was arrested on Fri- j day last, about five miles from town, by Dep- _ ^ i uty Marshal Snider, charged with dealing in illicit whisky. Smith, with bis wagon and ^ team, was brought to town and he was lodg- - XH ed in jail. He had in his possession, when arrested, about fifty gallons of whisky, said to be of the genuine XX Moonshine brand. MILITARY APPOINTMENTS. Governor Hampton has recently made the \ following, among other military appoiut lUCUU) Colonel A. Coward, of Yorkville, Brigadier General, to command tbe Eighth Brigade, Infantry. Major General John D. Kennedy com* manding the Second Division Volunteer State Troops, has appointed Captain Iredell Jonea, of Rock Hill, aide-de-camp, with the rank of ??J major. ^ YORKVILLE GRADED SCHOOL. There are now 105 pupils attending the d above school, 80 of whom are in the academ- 1 ic department and 25 in the primary department. The academic department is divided into six classes. Miss Sue Edwards has been engaged as teacher, making the number of teachers now employed three besides the Principal, Mr. Jones. The school appears to be progressing quite satisfactorily. Mr. Jones 1 extends an earnest invitation to the patrons of the school, to call at any and all times and ' ] inspect for themselves the mode in which it is conducted. SUMMER VACATION ABROAD. Thoughts and Sketches Abroad in the Summer 4 of 1877. Jly James B. Converse, Editor of the I Christian dbsnver. Illustrated. . 12mo., pp. 201, price $1.50. Published by Converse A Co., Louisville, Ky. Sent postpaid by the publish era on receipt of price. The above is the title of a neatly printed and handsomely hound volume, from the pen of Rev. J. B. Converse, being sketches of, and thoughts suggested, on visiting Belfast and Dublin, Edinburg and Glasgow, Loudon, York, Canterbury, Geueva, Paris and other points of interest in Europe, during the past ] year. The name alone of the author of these admirable sketches should be sufficient guar* 1 1 antee of the entertaining and instructive style > in which they are written, aud we heartily' A commend the book as a choice addition to I the best literature of the day. - \ OUR CLUB MAKERS. 1 For the information of those desiring to subscribe for the Enquirer, we give below a list of club-makers, who will receive subscriptions at $2.50 per annum, in advance, the lowest rates at which they can be taken: Miss Lorenna Adams, Bowling Green. H. Parks Allison, King's Mountain, N. C. Miss Mattie A. Burris McConnellsville. John P. Boyd Wrightsville. A. E. Carroll, Chester. Mrs. M. C. Choat, Clay Hill. R. LeRoy Crook, Rock Hill. T. Gid. Culp, , Fort Mill. J. C. Comer, ?.... Yorkville. Miss M. J. Creighton, Rock Hill. J. B. Culp Rock Hill. A. J. Davinney, ....Yorkville. # Felix H. Dover Whitaker'i. Willie Ferguson, Yorkville. E. M. Faris, Gastonia, N. C. Wm. 0. Guy, Bullock's Creek. Sam M. Grist, Yorkville. Mrs. Mary C. Grier,.. ...Bethel, S. C. ; J. D. Gwinn, .... .Clover. H. Clark Harris, Pineville, N. C. James A. Hogue, Zadok. H. F. Horton, Etta JaneS. C. J. F. Jackson, Bowling Green. David T. Lessley, Coatea' Tavern. Mrs. Sally R. Logan, Guthriesville. James R. McCully Bowling Green. John L. Miller, Blairsville. Mrs. Jane Moore, Philadelphia. Samuel L. Milling, ." Rock Hill. A. J. Matthews, Clover. Capt. T R. Mills, Rock Hill. D. Chesie^ McKinney Hickory Grove. i'fiomag r. Aiiicueii, oiucjibwjciib. Brainerd McLure, Chester, S. C. J. L. Poag, Rock Hill. J. Clinton Patrick, ?..Bethel. C. P Ramsenr, Black's Station. T. Jefferson Roach, ?..Rock Hill. J. N. cits, Herndon's Mill. George L. Kiddle Zeno. Mrs. S. N. Russell, Blalrsville. Wm. D.Simpson, Blackstock's S. C. Willie T. Smarr, Bullock's Creek. Major Mvles Smith Clover. Samuel S. Smith, Wrightville. J. M. Williford Rock Hill. SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE. iColumbia, January 16,1878. The legislature re-assembled to-day at 12 M., after a recess continuing since the 20th of December. A quorum was present io each house. In the Senate, Hon. James McCutchen, the Senator elect for Williamsburg, presented his credentials, was sworn in and took his j seat. Without transacting any other business the Senate adjourned. In the House, when it re-assembled, the Speaker appeared for the first time in the oew aod handsome rube of office now required to be worn by him while presiding over the deliberations of this body, and which was prepared for him during the recess. The robe, which cost, it is said, $500, is of black silk, , trimmed with purple velvet. Jfl The case of the Sumter election was taken 1 up. The commissioners of election submitted 1 a statement of the facts connected with the loss of the ballot boxes in that county, from which it appeared that eight of the eighteen boxes were stolen, immediately after the election, from the room of the managers of the election. The result of the vote, as it bad been ascertained by an informal count before the boxes were stolen, showed that Mr. Geo. B. Johnston (Rep.) had received a majority of 200 of the whole vote cast A count of the vote in the ten boxes yet remaining shows ^ a majority of 55 in favor of Mr. Mills. In view of the facts narrated, the commissioners , \ declare themselves unable to grant a writ of election to either candidate, and beg leave to submit the whole matter to the Legislature. Mr. Aldricb moved that Mr. Mills be sworn