r*
. "
VOT. T, ^
THE FKEE SOUTH.
BGinOBV* I. C., DEC. 12, IS63.
fW Agents wanted in the different Regiments of this
epcrtment, for the Fur. Sottu.
Th the fftrraLl of the 22(1 an article ap
peared headed: 44 A Good Market for Philantliropy?Land
and Cotton Speculators
Down South."
We will not attempt to answer all the lies
in it as our 44 handbill" is hardly large
enough; it would require a 44poster"
at least. The U. S. Direct Tax Commissi
mers, Gen. Saxton and 44Father"
French come in for alvont an equal amount
of misrepresentation and abuse.
In regard to the Commissioners we have
nothing to say, save that we cannot discern
a particle of truth in any statement
made against them. When it is known
that the lands advertised have been
sold without any interference from :
General Gillmore, save an order issued
under a misapprehension and immediately
revoked we presume the gratitude of the i
country will be turned to deep despair, j
To those who know anything of the oper- '
ations of the tax commissioners the
statements made by the Herald are ouly
ridiculous, and the idea of connecting
them in any way with Gen. Saxton's department
but shows the mendacity and
ignorance of the writer. Gen. Hunter's
order spoken of in the Herald$ article ;
was procured through his exertions to i
head off a contemplated attempt of speeu- !
latere to monopolize the land and con- ;
tinue the baneful system of Urge non-resi- |
dent proprietors. Four-fifths of the land
sold was knocked off to the United States.
The island referred to is a sand bank with
not an acre of arable land upon it, and
bid in by its owner for tax and penalty.
There does not exist on t ship-timber
enongh to build a fishing-smack.
Gen. Sax ton needs no vindication at onr !
hands. Whether his talents could be letter
employed is not for ns to jndgc. He
was selectedfor the office he now fills by
the president, and although he would j
doubtless be glad to have a more active
employment and a greater chance for distinction,
like a good soldier and a true j
patriot, he remains at the post assigned
him without murmuring. His services to
- * ^ - I
> his government anci 10 me cuine ui uu- ,
manity have been known and appreciated
by the truly loyal men of the country, j
The prayers of those who wore ready
to perish, now happily sectire, go up as a
morning and evening sacrifice to heaven I
in his behalf. History will accord more
importanae to the successful working of
the experiment of free labor made in his
civil department than to the siege of
Charleston. He can well afford to wait
for his reward.
It is only necessary to reply to two
points made by the Herald ; viz :?His
allowing government presses to be used
for private puri>osfcS and detailing soldiers
to worl: on them. Both statements are
alike false. The only paper to which the
insinuation could reier is the Fire South.
This paper never belonged either to the
tax commissioners or to the government,
and General Saxton has hail no iiior 3 control
over it than any other military com
maniler in the department. He lias never
f detailed soldiers to work on it : when we
liave requested to have aid detailed to its,
lie Las invariably refused. V?"e liave paid
from forty to seventy-five dollars a month
to civilians and discharged soldiers for
their services, and every man tliat ever
worked for us did so of his own free will
and for good wages.
So far from having facilities offered to
its in the prosecution of our business we
liave been hampered in every way. In
the Army of the Potomac news dealers
have badges and passes and are given
transportation on government trains without
stint or charge. They arc recogniz
TFK FFEE SOUT>.T, SATUR
eil as public* benefactors, aud a"e favoied
and encouraged in every way. i/Ut here
they are denied passes, woried by restrictions
and treated as public enemies. 4 We
are under no obligations to the military
authorities save for the poor privilege* of j
life. * i
Mr. French who is attacked only by |
implication?uiu mcmicst weapon cuipiujed
by malice--has-been prominent enough
in all good works here to warrant the
hatred of the Herald and its echoes. Coming
here at the very beginning of the
efforts for the elevation of the Freedmen,
he brought a head and heart well fitted
for the work. With great tenacity of
purpose, skill in using the means at his
command, a spirit undaunted by oppo^ '
tion, and a personal character beyond if- i
proach he has stood in the van of those
who had the cause of the oppressed at 1
heart-, a mark for every fool to lling at J
and every kuave to hate. His report to
the Secretary of the Treasury as early as '
February, 1802, formed the basis, and !
indeed comprehended almost the whole i
plan of educational movements. When !
Mr. Pierce earnestly protested against ;
ladies coming here, Mr. French became ;
responsible for their safety and useful- ;
ness, and induced General Sherman and !
the Secretary of War to admit them.?
Upon him devolved, to a greater degree j
than any other man, although others have ,
reaped the glory, the organization of
the efforts for the mental and religious j
education of the colored people. Fearing 1
neither personal danger, fatigue or the j
* A- rv*\A?\tino Ino IioikI t
misrepreseu tnuuu ui I'ucuuro m?uu ,
was ready to execute wliat liis head had j
planned. He has had the confidence and
esteem of every commander of the depart- j
ment. Gen. Hunter, who is lauded in the i
article referred to was his personal friend. :
Admiral Dupout was not less cordial in j
his appreciation of his services as christ- ;
ian teacher. The lamented Mitchell consulted
with him in his every effort for tb?
benelit of the colored people. Gen. Gi1'more
but follows the example of his predecessors
in taking advantage of his ability
and experience. His relations with the
President and his cabinet are well known, ,
and but few men in the country are capable
of wielding a wider influence. From
such a character and record the shafts of ;
malice shot from the puny bow of a penny-a-liner
in the 11? raid, fall harmless to
| the ground.
i The article was probably written by a
' *' ? w 1 ?! 1
disappointed anu uisgnu-eu iunu , vur |
whose name is synonomons with official
rapacity and greed, and who is now en,
deavoring to cover his own tracks by raisj
ing the cry of "stop thief." The dodge
is too old to succeed.
About two weeks ago a small boat
from the main land, containing several
men landed on Morgan Island near tl>e
plantation formerly owned by John M.
Fripp. It is supposed their object was
to obtain some intelligence in regard to
the lint* of signal stations 011 St. Helena
and other islands. They captured a colored
man, who had just finished milking ;
his jacket and pail of milk were found by
the fence, They then moved up toward
! the cotton house bat were frightened off
J by dogs. It is thought that they were
j gentlemen formerly residing ou these is
j lauds and duubtless would have liked to
I burn the w ell-hlled cotton barn of hlr. G.
j M. Weils, now occupying the premises.
' A warm welcome will be ready lor them
j should they come again.
The schooner Queen of the South
j arrived at Hilton Head in three days from
j New York. This is as good time as has
! been made by our liue of steamers. The
| ship L. L. Stv.rgcs arrived in four days.
| i>; them we were furnished with papers
I to the Oth inst.
j On our first page will be found the
I instructions issued, by the President to the
j U. S. Direct Tax Commissioners for South
j Carolina, for their guidance in the dispos'
al of the lands bid in by them last year.
DAT, DECEMBER 1?, 1883.
Lost of tfic Weehawken.
It is our painful ollice to record the loss
on Monday last, of the monitor TVeehaxcken.
She sunk in Charleston Harlior,
during the prevalence of a N. E. gale. It
I is supposed that she was hove too short
and that the rise and fall of the vessel
forced the water between her hull and
upper decks. Capt. Duncan who had
just joined her vice Capt. Calhoun, reliovpJ
was on board the Paul Janes at the
timo of the occurrence, as also was the
first lieutenant. A signal of distress was
made, but before any assistance could be
rendered she sunk in five fathoms of water.
Twenty four of the crew and four
engineers, who were all below at the
time, were lost.
A few days ago, about 10 A. M.,
two men were seen moving suspiciously
along the banks of a creek near St. Helena
Village. An aged colored man hastened
to report 44 Rebels" in sight. Two young
jeen, (colored) armed with muskets, started
in pursuit. The strangers beat a hastyretreat
into the bushes, but were soon
discovered and ordered to surrender, which
they immediately did. By direction of
James Lynch, Missionary at the village,
they were marched to the signal station
and delivered to the Lieut, in command.
The prisoners proved to be conscripts who
had deserted from regiments stationed at
this post. They were subsequently brought
to Beaufort and handed over to the Provost
Marshal. The colored men have
earned the ?30 reward for deserters, and
should receive it.
It is reported that Geueral Butler,
in biking his first morning walk at Fortress
Monroe, fras astonished at seeing a
rebel officer leisurely looking on at a
parade of our troops. On asking who he
was, and being told it was General Fitz
Hugh Lee, he immediately* ordered him
to oe taken into custody, and conveyed
forthwith to the fastnesses of Fort Lafayette.
The General very properly considered
that the enjoyment of such privileges
by a rebel, while our poor fainting officers
and soldiers in confederate hands are
being starved to death, was a scandal to
our country and its cause. The rebels in
Richmond will doubtless be very much
incensed at General Butler's brutality in
this affair.
tegr A movement has been going on
for sometime among the colored people
of this Department, to purchase a sword
to present to Brig.-Gen. Saxton on the
First of January next, on the occasion of
the celebration of Freedom's Birtli Day
in the South, as a testimonial of their
i rrr?.t.iiniIa for his noble efforts in their
behalf. Several meetings have been held
and Mr. Francis G. Shaw, of New York
I city, chosen, and has consented to pro:
cure the testimonial for them. This
movement speaks for itself, as it evinces
the gratitude of these now happy people.
I fiST'At Fernandina, recently, a small
' boat approached a picket station, was
! hailed und fired at but refused to stop.
! The alarm gun at the fort was fired. In
seven minutes the whole force at the post
; was in line at headquarters. Although
the occasion was a scare the promptitude
I of officers and men speaks well for the
: discipline maintained at the post.
?&* An orderly of Col. Barton, named E.
! Danlap, deserted by secretiug himself on
board the Arago on her last trip north.
He passed the guard by pretending to
have dispatches for the captain. A steam
er was dispatched to .fortress .Monroe, to
j intercept him by telegraph at New York.
ft^Hon. A. D. Smith, Chairman oi
the Boaril of Tax Commissioners, is at Lis
post to give information to the people whe
throng his rooms with inquiries about
their future homes.
The original copy of the President's
I Emancipation Proclamation, has beer
| awarded to T. B; Bryan, Esq., for tin
' sum of S3,000.
i
NO. 49.
j Prices of Stocks and go^ds-?in if*
' review of the markets on NoV- 21, the ^
' Richmond Examiner says :
" Confederate bonds did not sell as
i: freely as at the previous sale, but this
, heaviness is one of the peculiarities o?
! these sales, as there was neither political
f #?rkr fin ft mnn.T fjiiiso for any deDression of
| Confederate bonds ; but, on the contrary,
so far as news from the army could have
had any effect, the influence was favorable,
Two or three other offerings dragg!
ed somewhat, but in the main full prices
; were realized, The competition for sterlj
ing exchange and specie was particularly
; brisk, and the highest premium yet obJ
tained for the amounts soli. The rates
: were far enough above the market prices
to create a doubt whether an advance will
be thereby established. The amount of
exchange and specie in the market', how
ever is so siniL' that brokers and specula- y
tors can fix any price they please. The
following were the quotations : Sterling
Exchange, $100 and 8285 at 818 10. The
French fane bill advertised was not sold,
j One thousand dollars in gold, offered
in about eierht lots, were run up to
816 3? to 8H534 foi one."
US^The following named colored cit|
izens of Beaufort and vicinity have snbj
scribed the sum o f sixty dollars for the
purpose of pnrchi sing a sword for Col.
I T. W. Higginson, 1st S. C. Volunteers:
Henry Bram, Robort Small, Adam Hu
! banks, Jackson Biam, Mr. Campbell,
Stephen Morris, Abrara Jenkins, Sharper J
Washington, R. McOurvey, E. Lawton,
Abram Middleton, Ulnmand Ureen.
| The money has been placed in the hands
of Brig. -Gen. Saxton, with a request that
he will procure a suitable weapon, and
allow the presentation to form a portion
of the exercises on the First of January
1 celebration at Camp Shaw. The General
has cheerfully acceded to the request.
>
B0uWe have received a copy of Pollards
"History of the War." No on?
wishing to form a correct judgment of
I the military operations for the supprerI
sion of the rebellion during the first _
twelve months of the war, should fail to
read this work. From a purely southern
i stand point, Mr. Pollard has written with
' as much calmness and justice as could be
expected. Read in connection with what
we know of McClcllans operations it wdl
assist to form an intelligent opinion upon
his military geniu j and success. For sale
at the Post-office.
In our advertising column will b?
seen a series of regulations for the government
of traders in South Carolina, Georgia
and Florida. It behooves all parties
| affected by them to carefully study their
provisions. We will have something to
' say on the subject next wfcek. *
Mr. TenBroeck is about to return
to America to pass tlie winter, and will
sell a large portion of his celebrated stxid
of race horses, at pr vate contract. We
learn tbat he contemplate* returning to
England in the spring, to enter into the
sports of the season.
Major-General Thomas has issued
general orders dishonorably dismissing
I from the army, one colonel, two majors,
j fifteen captains, twenty-six lieutenants,
and one surgeon for various offenses, such ~ ? '
as drunkenness, cowardice, misbehaviour,
gross disloyalty, dishonesty, and conduct
unbecoming officers and gentlemen.
ftS^We are under renewed obligations
to Purser Grautegein, Steamer A rago, for
files of northern pap ^rs.
John Morgan Announce** Hi* Arrival
iu Toronto
Cincinnati, Dec. 1. 18b'3.
John Morgan telegraphed to Columbus
from Toronto yesterday, announcing his
arrival there,
f Tor.oNTo, Dec. 1, 1N63.
i Four or Ave of Morgan's fellow prison,
ers are reported to have arrived to-niglit
on the Western train.
Our Government now holds 31,000 rol>el
' prisoners. There are 40,000 negroes
J j armed and in the service of the Govcrni
rnent. *
* Itoth's child has more tin play tilings
than common children can boast of.