Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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lewis m. grist, proprietor. J % Jitbejpbcnt derail]! Meluspajier: jfor tjje ^promotion of tjje |tolit:ciiI, jsotral, Agricultural anb Commercial Interests of tbe Soutj). | TERMS?$2.50 A YEAR, IS ADVANCE. "VOL. 29. YOEKYILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1663. ISTO. 5Q. ?be ?dice. HER BIRTHDAY. "By-by, Dolly; don't sit up for me ; I mayn't be home till late." And handsome Dick Everett, seal-capped and over-coated, bent to kiss his pretty little wife. "Must you really go, Dick ?" imploringly. "Must I really go!" he repeated. "What a dreadfully solemn face! Yes, you ridiculous darling, I really must." "Why?" persistently. "Oh! "because of an?an engagement I?I cannot break, dear!" a trine guiltily. "Good gracious! what an inquisitive little mortal it is> to be sure! Don't trouble your pretty head with business engagements; and once more my pet, good-by. And?oh! I say, Dolly," turning back and putting a fiSrry head inside the door, "if you are in search of a job, I just wish you'd mend my other overcoat. 1 noticed a big tear in it for the first time to-night. Will you ?" And to his rather disconnected speech Mrs. Dick nodded, and smiled a bright acquiescence. - * 1 V 1_ _ _?| TY * A The door siammeu oeniuu i^iuk, uuu ?uc glanced round the cosy, home-like room. "If Dick had not been obliged to go out? and such a cold night, too." The gas burned brightly. The cheery fire in the grate was a bed of golden coals'. The French clock on the mantel ticked musically. Towards the crimson-covered table, on which lay a pile of unopened magazines, looked two wistful blue eyes. But the bride of six months shook her dainty, bronze-brown head, with resolute determination. The rosy lips repeated the hackneyed formula, "Duty first, pleasure after." So, accordingly, the little white hands laboriously lugged and hauled Dick's big overcoat into the room, turned it over, and commenced their wifely occupation. She smiled softly to herself, her thoughts were pleasant ones, as she sat and sewed. A rarely pretty picture in the parlor's fire-lit glow, the childish figure in the soft, dark dress and snowy muslin apron, the busy hands flying briskly through their task. "To-morrow will be my birthday, "Hud Dick has forgotten it, I know. How sorry hp will hp when I tell him to-morrow." And as it broke merrily into "Coming Thro' the Rye," the French clock on t the low marble mantel struck 10. Her task finished, she turned the coat over to see if it needed other repairs, and as she did so a square sheet of creamy paper > fluttered from an inside pocket and fell upon the carpet. She bent forward and picked it up with a laugh. "Which of Dick's friends is sufficiently foppish to perfume his love-letters 1 wonder?" ' Then she turned it right side up and looked at it. And she saw?what ? Nothing very alarming. Only a thick sheet of embossed paper, stamped with a monogram, in blueanugola, incomprehensible as monograms usually ' are. A woman's letter, decidedly, written in a pretty, scrawling, irregular hand, unmistakably a woman's. The bird-like song died on Dolly Everett's lips. The soft, bright color faded slowly out of her face. The blue eyes grew wide and startled as deliberately, though involuntarily, she read the few words on the page before her. The note ran : " Dkak Pari.ing?I have missed you dreadfully of late. Come. Exercise diplomacy tonight and slip away. I hate her for Keeping you from me. Besides, Gerster is in town. Is'the hint too broad? In spite of all, Dick, ever your Est k it." That was all. But it was enough. For a few moments Dolly's eyes, blazing, terrified, stared straight at the fatal sheet, 1. xl ""vtiDl if im Wlfli US UlOUgll lltuy wiium ^uiivv-i 11 i?ji niui their blue fire. Then she fiung it shuddering from her, as though it were a venomous thing and could sting her. Who was the woman who dared to write in that manner to Dick?her Dick ??yes, she told herself, with an air of defiant proprietorship, hers only. .She crushed her hands tightly together, till the diamond next the plain gold circlet cut the white fiesh cruelly. Then as a horrible suspicion leaped to life in her brain, with a slow moan she slipped from the chair and crouched, shivering against the great shaggy overcoat. Her fears took shape. What if he had gone to meet this woman ? For the first time he has evaded answering her qustions. And how guilty and hurried he had seemed?so horribly happy and light hearted, too. A thousand words and glances, before almost unnoticed, now flashed upon her. She snatched up the note again and looked at it. it was dated the evening of that day. "Oh, Dick! Dick!" she crid wildly, "how could you, how could you? And 1 loved you so!" Then with a sudden burst of sobs she broke down altogether, and, burying her face in the crumpled overcoat, wept and wept as if her very heart would break, the graceful little figure was shaken and convulsed. The fire burned low in the grate under a coating of gray ashes. Eleven! Now she did not pause to listen to the music. Footsteps came along the sidewalk, up the steps. A latch key turned cautiously in the door. She neither heard nor stirred. In the hall Dick paused, a curious smile on his lips. "Dolly's asleep, as sure as fate!" He divested himself of hat and overcoat, and, humming a popular air, turned the handle of the parlor door. "Goodness! Dolly, what's the matter?" His song came to an untimely end as he caught sight of the sobbing, shaking little figure on the hearth-rug. He took one stride toward her, but at the sound of his voice she had sprung to her feet, with crimson cheeks and dangerously sparkling eyes. "Stand off, sir! Don't dare to touch me!" "Great heaven! Doll?" in direst bewilderment. "Don't Dolly me!" facing him like a diminutive tigress?"don't dare to!" "Dolly!" "Don't mention my name so soon after hers?this "Ester," to whom you are, "Dick darling!" "Dolly!" "Can you find no other word with which to defend or vindicate yourself except the repetition of my name?" this last with un- j natural calmness. The temperature had wafted round from the torrid the frigid zone. "Have you gone?mad?" slowly. "If I have, find the cause?there." Scornfully she flung him the crumbled note. He snatched it eagerly and read every word. Then he lifted up a face of, if possible, more intense, utter bewilderment than before. "Where did vou get this, l)ollv?" "There." She pointed dramatically to the tumbled overcoat. "There?" in blankest astonishment. "There!" He glanced from the note to the coat, from the coat to the note, then back again to Dolly. She was longing desperately to steady her 1 V * voice and still her heart sufficiently to ask him how he liked Gerster, just to exhibit a piece of stinging sarcasm ; but she could not to save her life. There was a blank silence a moment, then Dick walked over and picked up the overcoat. Hark ! What was that ? Not a laugh, sure. Ye^a laugh. The maddest, merriest, wildest peal that ever rang from human lips. There on the hearthrug stood Dick, the coat fallen loosely on the floor, his hands on both lips; and laughing?well, he was. "Dick!" in faltering amazement. "Yes," howled Dick. "Oh, Dolly, it's the best joke of the season." "Oh-h " And then he was roaring like a circus mad schoolboy again. "Dick?tell me !" Then, seeing her white, anxious lace, he grew suddenly grave. "Dolly, did you look at the envelope?" "1 saw none." He showed her the envelope that had fluttered unnoticed under the table. She read the address: Richard Harvey, Esq., iy^ maiiK srreei. "Dolly, did you particularly notice the overcoat?" A tremulous "No!" "Look ! See that velvet collar?those buttons, this pocket-book! Is this my overcoat ?" "Oh ! Dick, my dearest, forgive me? No, no, no!" She was sobbing in his arms now. "My darling!" "But," bubbling again into boyish laughter, "what a good joke! To" think that I should walk home in, and that you should mend, Dick Harvey's overcoat! Wonder if his folks are going through my pockets now?" "Who's Edith ?? "His sweetheart, whom he has to sneak off to see, because of a formidable heiress staying at his house at present, to whom his folks are trying to marry him. He told me all about it." "Dick," shy arms went creeping round his neck, and blue eyes grew luminous through their tears, "I'm never even going to oe jealous again. I?I'm not going to ask you where you were to-night," with triumphant heroism, underlaid by a stratum of maddening curiosity. "My pet, I was just going to tell you, but these will speak better than I can. You see I had not quite forgotten what to-morrow was." He had drawn a leathern case from his ? J A Li + pocKet, ana loucniug a spring uisciuseu a art. and necklet of milk-white pearls 011 turquoise-velvet bed. "Oh-h, Dick!" A long-drawn breath, a rapturous lighting of blue eyes, a lifting of rosy lips, and then?well, when she got through Dick thought himself repaid. "Won't there be fun at the office to-morrow. Jealous of Dick Harvey ! But, by Jupiter, what a reception I got f Oh ! 0?h ! Dolly, Dolly, it's the best joke on record." And Dolly joined him merrily; for after ..11 1?ii.? +v>n t ,iri,,v.n illi, 17) liUl till? 7>\> CCICDL mugiuvi UKU >>111111 springs from tears? wmmmoMMmmmmmmmtmA THE STORY OF "BLIND TOM." A few ilavs ago I accidentally learned that a lady whose home is in New Orleans, but who is temporarily visiting in this city, could tell me something about Blind Tom's early life, and I accordingly went to see her. To the first question that would naturally be asked, she replied: "Yes; I can tell you all about him. Blind Tom's father was foreman of my father's plantation in Georgia. A foreman, you will understand, is one who is placed over the other slaves where they do not have white overseers. Tom's mother was our cook, and as such her room adjoined the kitchen. The slaves, as you know, had separate quarters, and lived a short distance from the house. The kitchen was close by, and Tom's mother, the cook, was frequently in the rear rooms of the house, and several of the children, of which she had an ex-1 traordinary large number, would follow her around. After Tom had familiarized himself with his new surroundings, he became bold enough to creep from the kitchen out in the hall towards the parlor, where his acute ears would catch the sound of a piano. His mother in the kitchen would then miss him, and run and drag him back, each time administering a severe beating. But the child went back all the same, and listened. After a while father's attention was attracted to the child, and told the mother to let him stay where he was. When we let him come into the parlor, the little imp went wild with delight. Before he could stand alone, he would draw himself up and commence striking the keys." "How old was Tom when he began to show his musical skill?" "Tom could play any ordinary music and a few more difficult compositions before he was 4 years old. He would creep to the piano and play before he was able to walk, and could sing Scotch ballads before he could talk enough to ask for bread. All he needed was for some one to play so that he could hear and he would immediately play the piece without varying a particle. I remember well, a few years after, when Tom became more proficient and had learned to talk, seeing Tom grope his way into the parlor, and approaching the piano, say to the lady who was then playing, "lean play that better than you can. I'se a gen'us, I is.' And sure enough, he did, although he had never heard the music hpfnro." "Has he ever tried instruments other than the piano?" "Oh, yes. lie can play on anything. The flute is his special favorite. He has a beautiful silver flute with silver keys, of which he is very proud. When he gets started he will sometimes play all night? until the chickens crow in the morning. Next to the flute the piano is his favorite, but he can execute music on any species of instrument he can get." "Has Blind Tom had or needed any assistance in his musical achievements ?" "He has the very best kind of instructors, although it has been at times difficult to obtain a teacher who would not be less proficient than the pupil. All that Tom wants is some one to play new music for him, and he only needs to hear it played once. Some years ago father took him to Paris to see if he could not be made to see, and no effort has been spared to give him a good education. The story that Blind Tom is an idiot ill evurj nil 11^ uiu iiiudu; j.*5 cv unwi. Jli.s eccentricities when on the stage are mistaken for idiocy, when in fact Tom is frantically delighted or bewitched, if you please, over the music he is making or hearing. Blind Tom is not only well educated, but refined, lie does not use the negro dialect, and can carry on an intelligent conversation with anybody. He is affectionate in disposition, and is devoted to all the family, who are equally as fond of him. When my boy was born Tom was much afraid that his place in the family would be taken by another, and he felt very badly [about it."?Cor. Jfi/icaukee Sentinel. sli'KRSTITIors Mohmox Womkx.?A ghastly burial ceremony that is practiced by the Mormons rivet the hold polygamy hason the superstition of these creatures. Every wife that is buried has a black cloth laid oil her face, and the Mormon women are taught to believe that on the resurrection day, when the righteous are called into the joys of their Lord, no hand but that of a husband can remove the cloth, and that unless the cloth is lifted by his hand she must remain r in outer darkness forever. A woman who believes that?and the Mormon women believe it?can't help behaving herself, no matter how many wives her husband takes. She has to keep (in the right side of the only man who can take off that cloth.?Ch'muju Tribune. ptatiowjiI Mai*?. CD go | THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. The President's message was summitted I to Congress last Tuesday. The statement I comes from Washington that it was printed j on Sunday night, and was ready to deliver on Monday. The organization was not completed, however, on that day, and the s peech of Mr. Carlisle, on taking the Speaker's j chair, evidently had some effect on the PresI ident, as the part of the message referring to the tariff was hastily revised and made to suit the occasion. The story is that Mr. Carlisle stole the President's thunder, and to avoid the inference that he had copied Mr. Carlisle, Mr. Arthur revised that portion of his message referring to the subject of the tariff. The message opens with congratulations on the favorable aspect of domestic and foreign affairs. Notice has been given of the desire of the United States to termina te the Fisheries treaty with Enp and, and Congress is urged to consider how the fishing waters and sealing grounds of British and Russian North America can best be opened and secured to American citizens. Regarding Russia, the President says that this Government remains firm in the position that the rights of American citizens should be in nowise affected by their religious belief. The United States and Mexican soldiers are complimented on their skill and valor in fighting, in a common cause, against the Indians. It is recommended that the Trade dollar be received at the treasury and mints at a small percentage above its value as bullion. It is hoped that there will be no more Indian outbreaks. The formation of a government for Alaska is strongly recommended, and the importance of the preservation of timber 011 the public domain is carefully explained. So much of the rest of the message as is of public interest is given below: A question has arisen touching the deportation to the United States from the British Islands, by governmental or municipal aid, of persons unable there to gain a living and equally a burden on the community here. Such of these persons as fall under the pauper class, as defined by law, have been sent back, in accordance with the provisions of our statutes. Her Majesty's Government has insisted that precautions have been taken, before shipment, to prevent the?e objectionable visitors from coming hither without guarantee of support by their relatives in this country. The action of the British authorities in applying measures for relief has, however, in many cases, proved ineffectual, and especially so in certain recent instances of needy immigrants reaching our territory through Canada. A revision of our legislation upon this subject may be deemed advisable. The proximity of Cuba to the United States, and the peculiar methods of administration which there prevail, necessitate constant discussion and appeal on our part from the proceedings of the insular authorities. I regret to say that the just protests of this Government have not, as yet, produced satisfactory results. The comm ission appointed to decide certain claims of our citizens against the Spanish Government, after the recognition of a satisfactory rule as to the validity and force of naturalization in the United States, has finally adjourned. Some of its awards, though made more than two years, have not yet been paid. Their speedy payment is expected. Claims to a large amount, which were held by the late commission 10 ue wunoui its jurisdiction, have been diplomatically presented to the Spanish Government. As the action of the Colonial authorities, which has given rise to these claims, was admittedly illegal, full reparation for the injury sustained by our citizens should be no longer delayed. At no time in our national history has there been more manifest need of close and lasting relations with a neighboring State than now existing with Mexico. The rapid influx of our capital and enterprise into that country shows by what has already been accomplished, the vast reciprocal advantages which must attend the progress of its internal development. The Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1K48 has been terminated by the Mexican Government, and in the absence of coventional engagements the rights of our citizens in Mexico now depend upon the domestic statutes of that republic. There have been instances of harsh pnfnri'onipnt^ nf thf? Isuvs suminst vessels and citizens in Mexico, mid of denial in the diplomatic resort for their protection. The initial step towards a better understanding lias been taken, in the negotiation by the commission authorized by Congress of a treaty which is still before the Senate waiting its approval. The contest between Bolivia, Chile and Peru has passed from the stage of strategic hostilities to that of negotiation, in which the counsels of this Government have been exercised. The demands of Chile for an absolute cession of territory have been maintained and accepted by the party of Gen. Iglcsiasto the extent of conclud ing a treaty of peace with the Government of Chile in general conformity with the terms of the protocol signed inJMay last between the Chilian commander and Gen. Iglesias. As a result of the conclusion of this treaty Gen. Iglesias has been formally recognized by Chile as president of Peril and his Government installed at Lima, which has been evacuated by the Chilians. A call has been issued by Gen. Iglesias for a representative assembly to be elected on the Kith of Jan-1 uary, and to meet at Lima on the 1st of | March next. Meanwhile the Provisional Government of Gen. Iglesias has applied for recognition to the principal Powers of America and Europe. When the will of the i'eruvnui peopie snaii oe nuumesieu, I shall not hesitate to recognize the (lovernment approved by them. The question of terminating or modifying the existing reciprocity treaty with Hawaii i is now before Congress. I am convinced that the charges of abuses and frauds under the treaty have been exaggerated, and I renew the suggestion of last year's message that the treaty be modified wherever its provisions have proved onerous to legitimate trade between the two countries. I am not disposed to favor the entire cessation of the treaty relations which have fostered good will between the countries and contributed toward the equality of Hawaii in the family of nations. Treaty relations with Corea were per-1 fected by the exchange at Seoul on the lbtli j of May last, of the ratifications of the lately ; concluded convention, and envoys from the King of Tali Chosun have visited this country and received a cordial welcome. Corea, as yet unacquainted with the methods of! Western civilization, now invites the atten-j tion of those interested in the advancement of our foreign trade, as it needs the implements and products which the Cnited States are ready to supply. We seek no monopoly j of its commerce and no advantages over j other nations, but as the Chosunese, in reaching for a higher civilization, have con-; tided in this Republic, we cannot regard j with indifference any encroachment on their \ rights. There is good reason to believe that the i " * ? /?! I law restricting tne immigration 01 i muese lias been violated intentionally or otherwise by the officials of China, upon whom j is devolved the duty of certifying that the ; immigrants belong to the excepted classes, j Measures have been taken to ascertai 11 the facts incident to this supposed infraction, j and it is believed that the government of. China will co-operate with the I'nited | States in securing the faithful observance! of the law. Through our ministers at London and at j Monrovia, this Governmentlnts endeavored ; to aid Liberia in its differences with Great! Britain touching the north-western hound-, ary of that Republic. There is a prospect of j an' adjustment of the dispute by the adoption of the Mannah River as the line. This arrangement is a compromise of the conflicting territorial claims, and takes from Liberia no country over which it has maintain' etl effective jurisdiction. The rich and populous valley of the Congo is being opened to commerce by a socio- c ty called the International African Asso- v elation, of which the King of the Belgians t is the president, and a citizen of the United t States the chief executive officer. Large v tracts of territory have been ceded to the association by native chiefs, roads have o been opened, steamboats placed on the ri ver, g and the nuclei of States established at c twenty-two stations under one flag, which a offers freedom to commerce and prohibits a the slave trade. The objects of the society t are philanthropic. It does not aim at per- i manent political control, but seeks the neu- i trality of the Valley. The United States g cannot be indifferent to this work nor to v the interests of their citizens involved in it. v It may become advisable to co-operate with i other commercial Powers in promoting the 1 right of trade and residence in the Congo t Valley free from the interference or politi- c eal control of any one nation. r I have alluded in my previous messages to f the injurious and vexatious restrictions suf- 1 fered by our trade in the Spanish West Indies. Brazil, whose natural outlet for f i.2 1 nn/l x IIS grCUL IIUUUIHU SUipitJ, UUllCU, in 111 tvuvi I through the United (States imposes a heavy 1 import duty upon that product. Our petroleum exports are hampered in Turkey and in other Eastern ports by restrictions as to storage and by onerous taxation. For these mischiefs adequate relief is not always afforded by reciprocity treaties like that with t Hawaii, or that lately negotiated with Mex- t ico and now awaiting the action of the Sen- u ate. Is it not advisable to provide some t measure of equitable retaliation in our re- t lations with governments which discrimi- r nate against our own ? If, for example, ?Jie t Executive were empowered to apply to e Spanish vessels and cargoes from Cuba and t Puerto Rico the same rules of treatment and r scale of penalties for technical faults which a are applied to our vessels and cargoes in the a Antilles, a resort to that course might not be j barren of good results. The report of the secretary of the treasury ^ shows that the ordinary revenues from all 0 sources for the fiscal year ended June 30, ,, 1883, amounted to $398,287,581. For the a same period the ordinary expenditures were ^ $265,408,137, leaving a surplus revenue of r $132,879,444, which, with the amount drawn J from the cash balance in the treasury, ($1,- fj 299,312,) making$134,178,756, was applied to t the redemption of bonds. 0 The revenue for the present fiscal year, e actual and estimated, derived from all j sources, is $247,033,082 ; and the actual and ^ estimated ordinary expense for the same : period are $190,057,909. With the estimated t amount of $45,816,741 due the sinking fund, c a balance would be left in the treasury n amounting to 839,183,258. c If the revenue for the fiscal year, which n will end on June 30, 188"), be estimated upon a the basis of existing laws, the secretary is of a the opinion that for that year the receipts ^ will exceed by $00,000,000 the ordinary expenditures, including the amount devoted v to the sinking fund. fl Hitherto the surplus, rapidly as it has a accumulated, has been devoted to the re duction of the national debt. As a result s the only bonds now outstanding, which are t redeemable at the pleasure of the Govern- c ment, are the 3 per cents., amounting to (] $300,000,000. The 4.1 per cents., amounting to $200,000,000, and the $737,000,000 4 per e cents, are not payable until 1891 and 1907 e resj)ectively. If the surplus shall hereafter be as large as the treasury estimates now indicate, the 3 per cent, bonds may all be re- ? deemed at least four years before any of the r 41 per cents, can be called in. The latter, at the same rate of accumulation of surplus, can be paid at maturity, and the money requis- J ite for the redemption of the 4 per cents. ? will be in the treasury many years before * those obligations become payable. There ? are cogent reasons, however, why the na- ^ tional indebtedness should not be thus rap- \ idly extinguished. Chief among them is the fact that only by excessive taxation is 1 such rapidity attainable. J: In a communication to the Congress at its last session 1 recommended that all excise I taxes bo abolished, except those relating to j } distilled spirits, and that substantial reduc- ! I1 tions be also made in the revenues from 1 customs. A statute lias since been enacted ^ by'Which the annual tax and tariff receipts ^ of the (iovernment have been cut down to the ex ten t o f a t least fifty or sixty million doll a rs. 1 While I have no doubt that still further re- t ductions may be wisely made, I do not advise s the adoption at this session of any measures i!1 for large diminution of the national rove-! \ nues. The results of the legislation of the ;' last session of the Congress have not as yet; become sufficiently apparent to justify any J s radical revision or sweeping modifications: ' of existing laws. In the interval which !11 must elapse before the effects of the Act of1t March 3, 18S3, can he definitely ascertained, , * a portion at least of the surplus revenues ! t may be wisely applied to the long-neglected j * duty of rehabilitating our navy, and provid-. c ing coast defence's for the protection of our t harbors. Is Immediately associated with the financial : * subject just discussed.is the important ques-: tion what legislation is needed regarding i a the national currency. The aggregate i amount of bonds now on deposit in the i treasury to support the National bank eir- d culation is about $350,000,000. Nearly $200,- 1 000,000 of this amount consists of 3 per cent, j bonds which, as already stated, are payable [ at the pleasure of the Government, and are i s likely to be called in in less than four years, j c unless meantime the surplus revenues shall i t he diminished. The probable result of such r an extensive retirement of the securities t which are the basis of the National bank ; 1 circulation, would be such a contraction of f the volume of the currency as to produce I i grave commercial embarrassments. IIow:S can this danger be obviated ? The most i effectual plan, and one whose adoption at! t the earliest practicable opportunity I shall ' i heartily approve, lias already been indi- j t cated. I f the revenues of the next four years i shall be kept substantially commensurate . t with the expenses, the volume of circula-! r tion will not be likely to suffer any mate- i rial disturbance. Hut if, on the other hand, j there shall be a great delay in reducing <i taxation, it will become necessary either to 1 v substitute some other form of currency in t place of the national hank notes, or to make a important changes in the laws by which r their circulation is now controlled. In my f judgment the latter course is far preferable, n 1 commend to your attention the very in- 1: tercsting and thoughtful suggestions upon o this subject which appear in the secretary's | a report. The objections which he urges against the ! > acceptance of any other securities than the t obligations of the Government itself as a f foundation for national bank circulation, t seem to me insuperable. For averting the u threatened contraction, two courses have a beeu suggested, either of which is probably t feasible. One is the issuance of new bonds j having many years to run, bearing a low u rate of interest and exchangeable upon spec- " ificd terms for those now outstanding. The s other course, which commends itself to my p own judgment as the betterone, istheenact- '1 ment of a law repealing the tax on circula- t< tion and permitting the banks to issue notes e for an amount equal to hlhper cent, of the b market value instead of as now the face val- i1 ue of their deposited bonds. I agree with n the secretary in the belief that the adoption a of this plan would afford the necessary s relief. g 1 again call your attention to the present n condition of bur extended seacoast, upon p which are so many large cities, whose wealth s; and importance to the country would in t time of war invite attack from modern ar- n mored ships, against which our existing de- p fensive works would give 110 adequate pro- ti tection. These works were built before the t introduction of modern heavy rifled guns a into maritime warfare, and if they are not si put in efficient condition we may easily be a subjected to humiliation by a hostile power ; o greatly inferior to ourselves. j e O11 several occasions during the past year b officers of the army have, at the request of J e the State authorities, visited their militia r encampments for the inspection of the troops. e The secretary urges also the immediate reation of an interior coast line of water rays across the Peninsula of Florida along he coast from Florida to Hampton Roads, ictween the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, and through Cape Cod. I feel bound to impress upon the attention f Congress the necessity of continued process in the reconstruction of the navy. The ondition of the public treasury, as 1 have Iready intimated, makes the present an uspicious time for putting this branch of he service in a state of efficiency. It is no art of our policy to create and maintain a -11 A - _ _ .; i-1 - i-1- - i- 4-1% a lavy UOIC to cope Willi IIUIL Wl uic umw ;reat powers of the world. We have no vish for foreign conquest, and the peace vhich we have long enjoyed is in no seemng danger of interruption, hut that our laval strength should be made adequate for he defence of our harbors, the protection of ?ur commercial interests and the maintelance of our national honor, is a proposition rom which no patriotic citizen can withhold lis assent. It will be remembered that in 1803, when ree delivery was first established by law, he uniform single rate postage upon local etters was one cent, and so it remained intil 1872, when in those cities where wirier service was established it was increased n order to defray the expense of such serricc. It seems to nie that the old rate may io\v with propriety he restored, and that, oo, even at the risk of diminishing for a ime at least the receipts from the postage ipon local letters. I can see no reason why hat particular class of mail matter should ie held accountable for the entire cost of lot only its own collection and delivery, hut he collection and delivery of all other classs, and I am confident, after full consideraion of the subject, that the reduction of ate would be followed by such a growing ccession of business as to occasion but slight nd temporary loss to the revenues of the lostofiice. The postmaster-general devotes much of lis report to the consideration in its varies aspects of the relations of the Governaent to the telegraph. Such reflections s I have been able to give to this subject inco my last annual message has not led ue to change the views which I then exiressed in dissenting from the recommenlation of the then postmaster-general, that he Government assume the same control ver the telegraph which it has always xercised over the mails. Admitting that ts authority in the premises is as ample as lasever been claimed for it, it would not, 11 my judgment, be a wise use of that auhority to purchase or assume the control of xisting telegraph lines, or to construct with n viruv of piitorinj? into sreneral ompetition with private enterprise. The bjections which may be justly urged gainst either of those projects, and indeed gainst any system which would require an normous increase in the civil service list, lo not, however, apply to some of the plans vhich have lately provoked public comment nd discussion. It has been claimed, for ex,mple, that Congress might wisely authorise the postmaster-general to contract with ome private persons or corporation for the ransmission of messages, or of a certain lass of messages, at specified rates and unler Government supervision. I avow my belief, however, that the Govrnment should be authorized by law to exrcise some sort of supervision over interstate telegraphic communication, and I exiress the hope that for attaining that end ome measure may be devised which will eceive your approbation. The attorney-general criticises in his re>ort the provision of the existing law fixing he fees of jurors and witnesses in the Fedral Courts. I concur with the attorney;eneral in the belief that the statutes should >e revised by which these fees are regulated, io, too, should the laws which regulate the ompensation of district attorneys and Unied States marshals. They should be paid ihollv bv salaries, instead of in part by ees, as is now the case. The change would >rove to be a measure of economy, and could discourage the institution of needless ,nd oppressive legal proceedings, which it s to be feared have in some instances been (inducted for the mere sake of personal fain. I have previously referred to the alarmng state of illiteracy in certain portions of he country, and again submit for the conideration of Congress whether some Feder,1 aid should not be extended to public prinary education wherever adequate provis011 therefor has not already been made. I am convinced that polygamy has become o strongly intrenched in the Territory of 'tali that it is profitless to attack it with ny but the stoutest weapons which constiutional legislation can fashion. I favor, herefore, the repeal of the Act upon which he existing Government depends, the usumption by the National Legislature of the ntire political control of the Territory, and 1... .wtnliliuli nmnf nf ! I'fltllin With ueh powers ami duties as shall be delegated >y law. Complaints have lately been numerous nd urgent that certain corporations cotrollng in whole or in part the facilities for the nter State carriage of persons and mcrchanlise over the great railroads of the country uive resorted, in their dealings with the >ublic, to divers measures unjust and opiressive in their character. In some intances the State Government have attaek(1 and suppressed these evils, hut in others hey have been unable to afford adequate elief because of the jurisdictional limitaions which are imposed upon them by the "Vderal Constitution. The question "how ar the National (jovernment may lawfully nterfere in the premises, and what, if any upervision or control it ought to exercise, s one which merits your careful consideraion. While we cannot fail to recognize the mportance of the vast railway systems of he country and their great and beneficent nfluences upon the development of our maerial wealth, we should on the other hand emember that no individual and no corloration ought to be invested with absolute lower over the interest of any other citizen a* class of citizens. The right of these railcay corporations to a fair and profitable reurli upon their investments and to reason.ble freedom in their regulations must be ecognized. Hut it seems only just that, so urasits constitutional authority will pernit, Congress should protect the people at nivwi in Hwiir intor.Stilt<> trsfth' jnnifist acts f injustice, which the State governments re powerless to prevent. The Centennial Exposition to be held next 'ear at New Orleans in commemoration of lie centenary of the tirst shipment of cotton rum a port of the I'nited States, bids fair o meet with gratifying success. The pronoters of this important undertaking have lrcady rece'ved assurances of the lively inerest which it has excited abroad. The commissioners who were appointed inderthe Act of January IG, l.SSd, entitled 'An Act to regulate and improve the civil ervice of the United States," entered promptly upon the discharge of their duties, die Act is limited in itsoriginalapplication [> the classified clerkships in the several excutive departments at Washington, (numering about f>,6U0) and to similar positions n customs districts and postoffices where as riany as fifty persons are employed. The nnual report of the civil service com mision, which will soon he presented to Conress, will doubtless afford the means of a nore definite judgment than I am now prewired to express, as to the merits of the new ystcm. I am persuaded that its acts have iius far proved beneficial. Its practical nethods appear to be adequate for the ends roposed, and there has been 110 serious difculty in carrying them into effect. Since he Kith of July last 110 person, so far as I 111 iiware, has been appointed to the public J ervice in the classified portions thereof at ny of the departments, or any of the postflices and customs districts above named, xcept those certified by the commission to e the most competent 011 the basis of the xaminations held in conformity to the ides. At the time when the present Executive ntered upon his office his death, removal, i resignation or inability to discharge his du- j ties would have left the Government without a constitutional head. It is possible, of j course, that a similar contingency may j again arise unless the wisdom of Congress j shall provide against its recurrence. The I Senate, at its last session, after full considerj ation, passed an Act relating to this subject which will now, 1 trust, commend itself to the approval of both houses of Congress. ! The clause of the Constitution upon which must depend any law regulating the Presi| dential succession, presents also forsolution other questions of paramount importance. : It is greatly to be hoped that these momentj ous questions will find speedy solution lest I emergencies may arise when longer delay j will be impossible, and any determination, albeit the wisest, may furnish cause for anx| iety and alarm. Vnr flip rpnson fullv stilted ill mv last ) annual message, I repeat my recomnienda| tion that Congress propose an amendment I to that provision of the Constitution which j prescribes the formalities for the enactment j of laws whereby, in respect to bills for the ' appropriation of public moneys, the Kxecu-! ! tive may be enabled, while giving his approval to particular items, to interpose his veto as to such others as do not commend themselves to his judgment. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Con- [ stitution confers the rights of citizenship | upon all persons born or naturalized in the I United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. It was the special purpose of this amendment to insure to members of the colored race the full enjoyment of civil and political rights. Certain statutory provisions intended to secure the enforcement of those rights have been recently declared uncon ' ' * rt i. 4 1 stitutionai oy r no supreme uouri. ^vuy ir>;islation whereby Congress may lawfully supplement the guarantees which the Constitution affords for the e^ual enjoyment by all the citizens of the United States of every right, privilege and immunity of citizenship will receive my unhesitating approval. Chester A. Arthur. Washington, D. C., December .'3,1883. # ? THE SURPLUS REVENUE. Mr. James G. Blaine has recently written a letter in which he gives his objections to the proposed distribution of the surplus revenue of the Federal Government among the States, and proposing instead, as a substitute, I if the National Government has no longer need of the tax on spirits, that the entire amount which it yields should be paid to the States. I le objects to the proposition to distribute the Federal surplus among the States for the following reasons : First. The utter uncertainty of the size of the redundant revenue. It may be $1,000,000 or $100,000,000, and unless steady, no State tax could be remitted on account of the receipt of this aid, while sporadic Federal contributions to the States would be wasted, as was the last distribution of the Federal surplus. Second. Thedi vision of this surplus would impose on Senators and Representatives a divided duty. For the sake of their States they would wish the surplus to be as large as possible, which would present a constant temptation to withhold appropriations from objects of a really national character. Third. The assumption of continuing reduncy of national revenue is opposed to all sound views of administration, because it is sure to yield to extravagance, corruption and all manner of schemes forgetting rid of money. rPU/-v 4-! ?o ni/llv o nrwnnoli l tw* hnu'ttVOr 111C lliuu i.i JU/uv ? v?j when the national revenue, yielding under the present system of taxation a hundred millions beyond the amount required for Government expenses, must be reduced. A strong movement is already on foot for the repeal of the entire system of internal revenue, which receives the support of Protectionists like Judge Kelley and Free-traders like Mr. Cox, of New York. This conjunction of opposing views insupportof the abolition of the same tax gives a rare opportunity to relieve taxation in the States. Of all our taxes, State taxation is most oppressive. It is direct. It hills on property with crushing force. In few communities it is less than 1 per cent, and in most it is over 2 per cent. Why, therefore, should not the States be permitted to have the tax on spirits for their own benefit, if the National Government does not need it? Can it be wise to continue the direct tax on property .,.,,1 .?+ oii.viii tiinn nAiiinianrl a hurtful illiU <lt VU illlllUliu IV JIU1 V?M. luxury like spirits to go free?a luxury whose taxation oppresses no one ? Customs revenues the National Government monopolizes ; excise is open in theory to both State and national use in taxation, but in practice the national authority alone can levy an excise tax on whisky. No State can guard its borders against whisky from other States, or make an economical collecI tion of such a tax within its own revenue. ' The Federal machinery for the collection of j this revenue is in full operation, and a bill i often lines could direct the secretary of the ! treasury to pay the whole of it, less the small expense of collection, to the Statesand j Territories in the proportion of their population, and to continue it permanently as ! part of their regular annual revenue. Such a plan would give the revenue from j a specific tax wholly to the States, and j would not depend upon a chance surplus or , an accidental remainder in the national i treasury. It would make the tax on spiritI uous and malt liquors a permanent resource i to all States, enabling them thereby to ; definitely readjust and reduce their own taxi ation. Each State could most wisely use its share according to its own necessities. In a table annexed to his letter, Mr. Blaine shows the share of each State and territory on the basis of the present population. According this statement, South Carolina's share would be $1,742,000. The Death Blow to the Sons of Mal! ta.?In connection with the death of General Steed ma 11, who instituted the order of 1 the Sons of Malta in Lafayette, Indiana, ; the following is interesting: George Hard; ing, an employee of the wholesale grocery ! establishment of Reynolds, Karl & iiatcner, ; a brave and brawny Scotchman, desired to become a member of the order, and the order was too glad to "take him in." A night was set apart for his initiation, and, as he was a particularly powerful man, the | gathering of the clans was unusually large. The initiation proceeded amidst uproarious fun up to the elevated railway and the ' i plunge into the seething waters of the lake. 1 i A wet blanket was in the hands of a dozen I strong men, in which the aspirant was tossi ed about until they became exhausted. I Harding was an intensely earnest man, and 1 ! took the initiation to be a serious affair. 1 ! Being told by the grand conductor that from ' the elevated railway he should be plunged 1 into a lake, he had contracted his muscles : and nerved himself for the battle with the waves. When he struck the blanket the 1 shock was too much for his nerves, lie was taken to his home a paralytic. He i lived a year, suffering intensely, and died < in great agony. The order paid out over i ?2,000 in his behalf. All that medical skill > , could do was done, but to no purpose. He ' was a noble man and bore his sufferings 1 : like a hero or a inartvr. His sufferings ' ' 4-1." ,1?..A Irnoll +1,Q SJrmu j ill 111 Ufillll WCir UIC ucaill aiiuu cw uiv uv iio [ of Malta, not only in Lafayette, but through- 1 j out America. j Tiik UrIoiit Sunsets.?Everv one no- 1 ticeil the unusual brightness of the sunsets 1 during a part of last month. The phenom- 1 enon is due to what is known as a "dry i fog." In the United States this frequently ! | occurs in November or the latter part of Oc- f i tober, commonly known as Indian Summer, i This appearance is characterized by a hazy 1 condition of the atmosphere, a redness of the < sky, absence of rain, and a mild tempera- 1 ture. This appears to result from a dry and i stagnant state of the atmosphere, during 1 which the air, particularly the upper por- < tion becomes tilled with dust ana smoke 1 arising from numerous tires, by which its ( j transparency is greatly impaired. A gen- j ' eral rain cleans out these impurities. t ffiflgrapltital |Jej>ariMent, WILLIAM H. VANDERBILT. TIIE ROTHSCHILD OF AMERICA. William II. Vanderbilt, whose portrait we publish to-day, is the oldest son of the late Cornelius Vanderbilt. He was born at the Summer residence of his father, New Brunswick, N. J., and after an excellent and practical education at Columbia College Grammar School, he entered, in his eighteenth year, the financial house of Drew, Rohinson Sr. Co.. New York, where be ex hi hi ted such industry and executive ability, that, 011 the expiration of two years, he was offered a partnership. The close confinement, however, having begun to prey on his health, he determined to take up farming as a means of recuperation; and, [the Commodore having bought him seventyfive acres of unimproved land on Staten Island, he at once took his young wife there, and set to work with such skill and energy that he not only cleared the seventy-five acres, but soon had a larger tract purchased, and acres under crop. Shortly after this period, the Staten Island Railroad Company became embarrassed, when Mr. Vanderbilt and his uncle Jacob entering the management, relieved the road of its difficulties and imnroved its prospects in a marked degree. The experience acquired here gave the subject of our portrait such an insight into railroad affairs, and so advanced him in the opinion of certain capitalists and stockholders, that, in 1S64, he was elected Vice-President of the New York and Harlem, and, in 1856, of the Hudson liiver line, which under his management became so prosperous that he was unhesitatingly recognized as not only a railroad manager of profound knowledge and experience, but worthy the confidence of the Commodore to the fullest extent. It was now plain sailing until the death 01 his father, when, as all the world knows, he suddenly became possessed of untold wealth. In 1841, Mr. Vanderbilt married Miss Kissam, the daughter of a New York clergyman, and a Christian lady of sterling qualities and attainments. This union has been blessed with nine children, eight of whom are still alive, comprising a most interesting and charming family of sons and daughters, all finely educated. He has made various visits to Europe where he has purchased numerous works of art for the adornment of his home on this side or the Atlantic. His charities and public spirit are not unworthy his vast wealth, although lie does not seem to court notoriety through these channels. This may be inferred from the fact, that notwithstanding he had defrayed the whole cost of the removal of the obelisk, Cleopatra's Needle, from Alexandria, Egypt, to its site in Central Park, New York, it was some time before the public was made aware of the circumstance. Mr. Vanderbilt is now sixty years of age, and is still hale and active. When in New York, he spends much of his time with his family and the few friends that he has selected from among his many acquaintances. In private life he is frank,open and generous. There is nothing about his dress or general appearance to distinguish him from an ordi nary American genneiimn. xxis nun once dark, but is now iron gray, and his side whiskers large and flowing, although he wears no moustache, lie is rather heavily built, and looks like a man who has yet many years of usefulness before him. Max and Fishixg.?Fishing was a far earlier mode of supporting human life than agriculture. However far back in the stream of terrestrial events we suppose it allowable to carry the date of man's appearance on the scene, still he must have been preceded by flsh. The rivers, lakes and seas, when he first looked upon them, must have been peopled very much as they are at this day. There was as great a variety of species, and probably much the same infinitude of individuals in some of these species. And as a savage population must be always sparse, and in any locality few in number, their supply of food from this source could only be limited by their inability to capture it. What the wild game of the forest and of the open plain were to the inland hunting tribes, the fish of the fresh and salt water were to the riverine and maritime tribes. Between these early days and the first beginnings of agriculture vast periods of time must have elapsed. First, because in these, and more or less in all latitudes, nature offered to man no plant that in its unimproved state was worth cultivating. The suitable form had to be evolved or created by long processes of observation and selection. This is why we know nothing of the parentage of wheat, barley, oats, rye, beans or maize, and why the tropical bread fruit, plantain, banana, and sugar-cane have lost the power of producing seed, and so of reproducing themselves; this must have been the result of long ages of human selection. Nothing of the kind had to be done for fish. There it was as fit for food on the first day that man stood on the river bank or the seashore, as it is at this day. Agriculture also required implements to clear and stir the ground and to gather in the crops with, and these xt'? lrnr*w \irorft f.VlA TAQlllf. nf lO ?? V vuv iVUUiv v? i long series of discoveries, improvements ind advances. Primeval man, therefore, as we now read his history, could not have lived by or known anything of, agriculture. Nor could he have lived by wild fruits, for they are not continuous throughout the year. They have their season and that a brief one. lie must then have lived by bunting and tishing; and of the two fishing would be the most continuous throughout the changing seasons, the most valuaole of ill quailities for those ill-supplied times. It would not be more difficult to hook, and spear, and net, and trap fish, and to gather mollusks from the rocks and sand-banks, than to pierce with arrows wild game. )ur immediate comparison, however, is with agriculture ; and we may be sure that iot in it were the foundations of society aid, but in hunting and fishing, and that if these two, as the great carnivors at first lad possession of the forest and the plain igainst intruding man, fishing was the main irimeval occupation and means of subsisence.?McMiI tan '.v Magazin e.