Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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An Independent Family Journal?Devoted to Politics, Literature and General Intelligence. HOTT & CO., Proprietors. ANDERSON, S. C THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1869. VOLUME 4.---NO. 4L An. A ct to determine the Value of Contracts in Confederate States Sotes, or their Equivalent. Whereas, during the years 1861, 1862, 1863,1864, and part of the year 1865, in the exchange and transfer of real and personal property, Confederate States notes, issued by the so-called Confederate States Government, were used as a basis of value or medium of exchange ; and whereas, the value of said Confederate States notes was greatly less than the lawful money of the United States ; and whereas, the payment of debts and obli? gations contracted during said years in said Confederate States notes is now sought to be enforced in the lawful money of the United States; therefore, Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate ?and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, That the value of all debts and obligations, whether under seal, created or con..-acted in Confederate States notes, or with reference to Confederate States notes as a basis of value, issued by the ao-called Confederate States Government, or in or by any bills, bonds or notes as? similated or made equivalent in value to Confederate States notes, by any law or custom of trade, during the years 1861, 1862, 1863,1864 and 1865, shall be deter? mined by the value of said Confederate States notes in tho lawful money of the United States at the time such debts or obligations were created orcontracted. Sec. 2. Parsuant to the preceding Sec? tion, the value of one dollar of lawful money of the United States in said Con? federate States notes is declared as fol? lows, namely: T. During Jannary and February, 1861, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and five cents of Confederate States notes. 2. During March, 1861, one dollar of lawful money was equal te one dollar and ?six cents of Confederate States notes. 3. During April, 1861, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and jsoven cents of Confederate States notes. 4. During Ma}', 1861, one dollar of law lul money was equal to one dollar and eight cents of Confederate States notes. 5. During June, 1861, one dollar or lawful money was equal to one dollar ?and nine cents of Confederate States notes. ?. During July and August, 1861, one ?dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ten cents of Confederate States notes. 7. During September, 1861, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and cloven cents of Confederate States notes. 8. On the 1st day of October, 1861,?ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and twelve cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of October, 1861, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and fiftoen cents of Confederate States ncte*;. 9. On the 1st day of November, 1S61, ohe dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and fifteen cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased "in value until the 30th of November, 1861, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to ono dollar und twenty cents of Confede? rate States notes. 10. On the 1st day of December, 1861, One dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and twenty cents of Confede? rate States notes, and. from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 15tb day of December, 1861, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and thirty cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 31st day of December, 1861, when one dollar of lawful mono}' Was equal to one dollar and twenty cents of Confederate States notes. 11. On tho 1st day of January. 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and twenty cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of January, 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and twenty-two cents of Con? federate States notes. 12. On tho 1st day of February, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to ono dollar and twenty-two cents of Con? federate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 28th day of February, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and forty-eight cents of Confederate States notes. 13. On the 1st day of March, 1862, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and forty-oight cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until tho 31st day of March, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and seventy-three cents of Confederate States notes. 14. On the 1st day of April, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and seventy-three cents of Confed? erate States notes, and, from day to day theroufter, regularly increased in value until the 30th day of April, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-seven cents of Con? federate States notes. 15. On tho 1st day of May, 1862, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-seven cents of Confed? erate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increasod in value until tho 31st of May. 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-nine cents of Confede? rate States notos. ' 16. On the 1st day of June, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-nine cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 30th day of Juno, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninety cents of Confede? rate States notes. 17. On the 1st day of July, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninety cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly decreased in value until the 20th day of July, 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-three cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of July, 1862, when ene dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninety cents of Confede? rate Suites notes. 18. On the 1st day of August, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninetj- cents of Confede rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of August, 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and seventeen oonts of Con? federate States notes. 19. On the 1st day of September, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and seventeen cents of Con? federate Suites notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until' th? 30th day of September, 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was- equal to two dollars and twenty three cents of Confederate States notes. 20. On tho lsf day *of October, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was oqual to two dollars and twenty-three cents in Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of October, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and thirty cents of Confederate Stales notes. 21. On the .1st day of November, 1862, one dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and thirty cents of Confede? rate Sta'es notes, and from day to da}r thereafter regularly increased in value until tho 30th day of November, 1862, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and thirty-three cents of Confederate States notes. 22. On the 1st day of December, 18G2, one dollar of lawful mon-jy was equal to two dollars and thirty-Mi rec cents in Con? federate States notes, and, from da}' to day thereafter, regularly decreased in valuo until the 31st day of December, 1862, when ono dollar of lawful money wa3 equal to two dollars and thirty cents of Confederate States notes. 23. On the 1st day of Januar}-, 18G3, one dollar of lawful money was equal to two dollars and thirty cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereufter,regiilnrly decreased in vuiue un? til the 31st day of January, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninety-four cents of Con? federate States notes. 24. On the 1st day of February, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and ninety-four cents of Con? federate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 28th day of February, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty-nine cents of Confederate States notes. 25. On tho 1st day of March, I863>one dollar of* lawful money was equal to one dollar and eighty nine cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in valuo until the 31st day of March, 1863, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to three dollars and fifty cento of Confede? rate States notes. 26. On tho 1st day Of April, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to three dollars and fifty cents of Confederate States notes, and,-from day to day there? after, r- gularly increased in valuo until the 30th day of April, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to three dollars and eighty cents of Con federate States notes. 27. On the 1st day of May, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to three dollars and eighty cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly increased in value until the 31st day of May, 1863,'when one dol? lar of lawful monej- was equal to four dollars and forty-eight cents of Confede? rate States notes. 28. On the 1st day of June, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to four dollars und forty-fire cents of Confederate States holes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly increased in value until the 15th day of June, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to five dollars and thirteen cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly increased in valuo until tho 30th day of June, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to five dollars and forty-seven cents of Confede? rate States notes. 29. On tho 1st day of July, 1863, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to five dollars and fifty one conts of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, regularly increased in valuo until the 15th day of July, 1863, when one dol? lar of law'ful money was equal to seven dollars and soventy-fivo cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until tho 31st day of July, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to ton dollars and ninety-three cents of Confed? erate States notes. 30. On the 1st day of August, 1863, ono dollar ol lawful money was equal to ten dollars and eighty-five cents of Confede? rate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increaeed in value until the 15th day of August, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money wab equal to twelve dollars of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regular? ly decreased in value until the 31st day of August, 1863, when one dollar of law? ful money was equal to eleven dollars and two cents of Confederate States notes. 31. On the lstday of September, 1863, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars and two cents in Confodor ate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 15th day of September, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to ten dollars and sixty-eight cer.ts of Confederate States notes, and from day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 30th day of September, 1363, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to nine doilars and twenty-two cents of Confederate States notes. 32. On the 1st day of October, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to nine dollars and twenty-two cents of Con? federate States notes, and from daj' to day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 15th day of October, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eight dollars and one cent of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there after,regu!arljr increased in value until the 31st day of October, 1863, when one dol? lar of lawful money was equal to eight dollars and ninety-six cents of Confeder? ate States notes. 33. On tho 1st day of November, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to eight dollars and ninety-six cents of Con? federate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in val ue until the 15th of November, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to ten dollars and fifty-four cents of Confed? erate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until the 30th day of November, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to thirteen dollars and fifty-one cents of Confederate States notes. 34. On the 1st day of December, 1863, one dollar of lawful money was equal to thirteen dollars and fifty-one cents of'Con federate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in val? ue until the 15th da}' of December, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to fourteen dollars of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day there? after, rcgnlarly decreased in value until 31st day of December, 1863, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to thir? teen dollars and ninety cents of Confed? erate Stales notes. 35. On the first day of Jantuiry, 1864, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to thirteen dollars and ninety cents of Con? federate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in value until the 15th day of January, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to twelve dollars and ninety cents of Con? federate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in val tic until the 31st day of January, 1864. when one dollar of lawful money was equal to twelve dollars and eighty-two cents of Confederate Slates notes. 36. On the first day of February, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to twelve dollars and seventy-four cents of Confederate Slates notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly increased in value until the 15th day of February, 1864, whfn one dollar of lawful money was equal to thirteen dollars and twelve cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly in? creased in value until the 29th day of February, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to sixteen dollars and thirty-five cents of Confederate States notes. 37. On the first day of March, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to six? teen dollars and thirty-five cenis of Con? federate States notes, and Irom day today thereafter regularly decreased in value until the 15th day of March, 1864, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars and seventy-two cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in val? ue until the 31st day of March, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars and fifty one cents of Confederate States notes. 38. On the first day of April, 1804, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to elev? en dollars and forty-four cents of Confed? erate States notes, and from da}' thereaf? ter regularly increased in value until the 15th day of April, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to twelve dol? lars and thirteen cents of ConfcJerato States notes, and from day to day there? after regularly decreased in value until the 30th day of April, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to Hev? en dollars and eleven cents of Confederate States notesi 39. On tho firsc day of Ma)', 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to elev? en dollars and thirty cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day there alter regularly decreased in value until the 15th day of May, 1864, when one doU lar of lawful money was equal to ten dol? lars and forty cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day thereafter reg? ularly decreased in value until the 31st day of May, 1864, when ono dollarof law? ful money was equal to nine dollars and forty-seven conts of Confederate Statos notes. 40. On the first day of June, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to nine dollars and forty-seven cents of Confeder? ate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in vjiIu?' until the 30th day of Juno, 1864, when ono dollar of lawful monoj' was equal to seven dollars and five cents of Confeder? ate Stales notes. 41. On the first day of July, 1864, ono dollar of lawful money was equal toueven dollar* and five cents of Confederate Sitates notes, and from day to day thereafter reg? ularly increased in value until tho l5t,h day of July, 1864, when one dollar of law? ful money was equal to eight dollars of Confederate States notes, and from day to day therealter regularly decreased in value until the 31st day of July, 1864, when one dollar of lawf ul money was equal to seven dollars and eighty-four cents of Confeder? ate States notes. 42. On the first day of August, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to seven dollars and eighty-four cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to da}f thereafter regularly increased in value until the loth day of August, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eight dollars and sixty-cents of Confeder? ate States notes, nnd from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in value un? til the 31st day of August, 18K*, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eight dollars and fifty-four cents of Con? federate States notes. 43. On the first day of September, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was cqnal to eight dollars and fifty-four cents of Con? federate States notes, and from day to day thereafter rcgulariy increased in \alue un? til the 15th day of September, 1864, when I one dollar of lawful money was equal to nine dollars and eighty-six cents of Con I federate Slates notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly increased in value un? til the 30th day of September, 1864, when one dollar et lawful money was equal to fourteen dollars and six cents of Confed? erate Stales notes. 44. On the first day of October, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to fourteen dollars and six cents of Confdor ate States notes, and from day to there? after rcgulariy decreased in value until the 15th day of October, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to elev? en dollars and sixty-two cents of Confed? erate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly decreased in value un? til the 31st day of October, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars and sixty cents of Confed? erate States notes. 45. On the first day of November, 1864, one dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars and sixty cents of Confeder? ate States notes, and from day to day thereafter regularly increased in value un? til the 15th day of November, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eleven dollars und ninely-onc cents ot Confederate States notes, and from day to day thereafter rcgulariy increased in val* uo until the 30th day of November, 1864, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to tliirteen dollars and ninety-one cents of Confederate States notes. 46. On the 1st day of December, 1S64, one dollar of lawful money was equal to foliHAicn dollars and nine cents of Confed? erate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value un? til the 15tii day of December, 18G4, when one dollar of lawful money Was equal to fourteen dollars and eighty-nine cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in value until tho 31st day of December, 1864, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-two dollars and twenty-two cents of Confederate Stales notes. 47. On the 1st day of January, 1865, one dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-six dollars of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in valuo until the 15th day of January,-1865, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-nine dollars and sixty three cents of Confeder? ate States notes, and from day to day thereafter, regularly decreased in value until the 31st day of Janury. 1865, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-four dollars arid thirty-nine cents of Confederate States notes. 48. On tho 1st day February, 1865, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-four dollars and fifty-one cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly decreased in valuo until the 15th day of February, 1865, when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-two dollars and eigh? ty-six cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day therealter, regularly increased in value until the 28th day of February, 1865, when ono dollar of law? ful money was equal to twenty-seven dollars and twenty-two cents of Confeder? ate States notes. 49. On tho 1st day of March, 1865, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents of Confederate States notes, and from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in val? ue until the 15th day of March, 1865, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to thirty-two dollars afid twenty cents of Confederate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, tegularly in? creased in value until the 31st day of March, 1865. when ono dollar of lawful money was equal to forty-six dollars and thirty-five cents ot Confederate States notes. 50. On tho 1st day of April, 1865, ono dollar of lawful money was equal to forty six dollars and thirty-five cents of Con? federate States notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in val? ue until the 15th day of April, 1865, when one dollar of lawful money equal to fifty four dollars and seventy-nine cents ol Con? federate States notes, and, from day to thereafter, regularly increased in value until tho 20th day of April, 1865, when one dollar of lawful money was equal to eixty-ciuht dollars and forty-nine cents of Confederate Slates notes, and, from day to day thereafter, regularly increased in valuo until the 26th day of April, 1865, when ono dollar of lawful monoy w:is equal to ono hundred and thirty-two dol? lars and forty-five cents of Confederate ' States notes, and from day to day there after, regularly increased in value until the 1st day of May, 1865, when one dol? lar of lawful mohey was equal to eight hundred and thirty three dollars and thirty-three cents of Confederate States notes. Sec. 3. In ascertaining the value of contracts under this Act, no division of time less than one day will be noticed. Sec. 4. All laws, or parts of laws, in? consistent with, or supplied, by this Act, are hereby repealed. In tho Semite House, the twenty-fourth day of Murch, in the year of onr Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine. CHARLES W. MONTGOMERY, President of the Senate pro tern. FRANKLIN J. MOSES, Jr., Speaker House of Representatives. Approved the 29th dav of March, 1869. ROBERT K. SCOTT, Governor. Ifc* fmint Mmlxmfa. The Profitableness of the Expenditures of Pu >lic Money in Railways. FROM THE MINORITY RErORT OP THE CON? GRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON PACIFIC RAIL? WAYS. In England, in the pre-railway. times, the rates of tonnage by earth roads aver? aged 26 cents per ton per mile. The stage wagons charged $30 for hauling a ton of goods fron London to Birmingham, a dis? tance of 113 miles. From London to Leeds, 190 miles, tho enormous sum of $65 u ton was charged. Tho freight charge by canal for the general bulk of goods was 8 cents per ton per mile. The railroads came arid carried a ton of goods 25 miles tho hour for 2J cents per mile, and carried passengers for the same price against an average charge by tho old coaches of 1U cents a mile. The journey by mail from Doncaster to London, 156 miles, cost $10 inside and S6 outside, and consumed 20 hours of time. The railway now carries passengers between those two cities in 4 hours' time, at a cost of $6 87 first class, and S5 22 second class. Parlia mentary returns of the railway traffic of England from 1843 to 1865 furnish evi dencc thai, the transportation of passen? gers and goods by rail has been six times greater than it was before the introduc? tion of railways, and that tho saving ef? fected by the railways in cheapening fares and freights in a single year, 1856, was 8360,000,000 ! a sum larger than the entire taxation <>f the United Kingdom. This result, very imperfect because it does not include tiio value of the time saved to 252,000,000 of passengers who traveled by rail that year, is amazing. Accepted and applied as a measure of the worth of a system of steam highways that shall cover the United States, it must be seen at a flash lliat within the scope of federal action there is no use of the public money or property so profitable and so economi cal and so beneficent as that which aids tho construction of railroads?national by their length and cost; national by their passage through the public domain; na? tional as avenues to distant States and Territories; national in their benefits; national as a part of the military defence of tho Uiited States; and more than national in tho relation to the commerce of a third of the world. Tho value of a wagon load of wheat is consumed by the cost of hauling it on common earth roads 300 miles. Indian cum will tear profitable transportation on the ground only 1U0 miles. Before the construction of the Erie canals and only 43 years ago, tho city of New York was almost wholly cut off from the trade of tho State of Now York. The wheat and potash of the centre and west of the State were floated down the Delaware and Susquehamas rivers to Philadelphia and Baltimore The canal finished terminated the rivalry of cities on the Atlantic coast. It made New York the commercial emporium of tho nation. It not ohly seized the products of the earth and forest up to the foot of Lake Erie, but mortgaged the labor of the armies of emigrants that poured tl rough it into the wilderness where now arc northern Ohio, Michigan, northern Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Tho property owner's of New York city resisted tin construction of tho Erie canal. It has long been manifest that they could profitably have taxed themselves for the cost of the work if the State had not borne the expanse. All of the native residents of tho State of New Ycrk above 52 years old. who live on the Central Railroad, have seen the ?ix-horso, eight-horse, nnd nine-horse teams attached to tho vast Cunestoga wagons w lieh maintained commerce be? tween Buffalo and Albany before the existence df the Erie Canal. The canvas colored vehicles rolled and pitched over the clay roads like ships in a swell, and consumed 20 days in the westward trip. With such machinery of transportation, at once- insufficient ami most costly, it was not possible tor the fanners of tho new country to market the products of their labor. They were a very poor people. The return trips of tho wagons were generally empty. The commerce from Philadelphia west over tho Alleghe? ny mounts.ins had tho same an reciprocal and wasteful character of freights in enly one direction, consisting ?f manufactured articles principally essential to the support of human life and the subjugation of the wilderness. The economy of water navi? gation first, and afterward uf the railroad, vitalized the industry cf tho two great States and much of the region west of them. Labor found a market, and men became free. Tho amount of .Western products that readied tide-water byeanal in 1843 was 419,000 tons. In lS5l, when the Brio Railroad was opened, and the restrictions in favor of the Erie Canal on the carriage of freight by the New York Central Railroad were removed, the tonnage of Western products on the canal rose to 965,993 tons. In 1867 the united "through" tonnage of the five great high? ways between the east and the west, the Erie canal, the New York Central, tbe Erie, the Pennsylvania, and the Baltimore and Ohio .Railroads, amounted to 6,000,000 tons, whose value was $1,200,000,000. The Pennsylvania Eailroad, built upon the line over which 50 years ago the commerce of the State crawled in wagons, moved in the year 1857, of local freight alone, 901,226 tons, and 1,412,214 tons in 1861, and 2,906,205 tons in 1865. When the Erie Road was opened, and the New York Central was authorized to carry canal freight, there were 10,000 miles of railway in operation in the United States. The total of merchandize moved over them could not have exceeded 5,000,000 tons, of the value of $150 the ton, and of the aggregate value of $750,000,000. In January, 1868, the mileage of American railroads had increased to 39,000 miles. The weight of the merchandize transpor? ted over them was 50,000,000 tons, of the estimated value of $7,500,000,000. In the short span of 17 years the mileage of American railroads grew nearly 400 per cent, and their tonnage 1,000 per cent., with a corresponding increase in the value of the property carried. The popula? tion of the country, in the meantime, grew from 24.000,000 to 36,000,000, or at the rate ot 50 per cent. So that the astounding fact is evolved that railroads have increased the commerce of the country 2,000 fold mare than the increase of its population I In 1851 the freight moved upon all of onr railroads equalled 417 pounds per head of population, and was worth $31 per head. 1 n 1868 the tonnage equalled 2,777 pounds per head, and had a value ot $210 per head. In 1851 the cost of the 10,000 miles of railway in operation in the United Slates was $200,000,000. In 1868 the cost of the 39,000 miles in operation was dqual to $1,600,000,000. Consequently the investment since 1861, of $1,400,000, 000, has been the means of annually creating a commerce five times greater, amounting to $6,750,000,000. Every dollar invested in American railroad* creates five dollars yearly. Illinois now, developed by tho magic power of steam, is a splendid and unan? swerable argument in behalf of the policy of national railway building. That'State in 1851 had only 250 miles ot Railroad, which cost $7,500,000, and the freight over which did not exceed 10,000 tons, which was not worth over $16,000,000. At the end df the year of 1867, Illinois had 3,250 miles of Railroads whose traffic was ? 5.000,000 tons, the value of which was $750,000,000. It cost $130,000,000 to build these roads. The worth of tbe property transported over them in one year equalled Very nearly six times their cost. In 1851, the products transported by these ro ds was at tbe rate of 200 pounds per head of the population. In 1867, the tonnage transported exceeded 4,000 pounds per head. Tbe value of the tonnage per head in 1861, was only $15. In 1867 its value per head was $330. The result Is astounding. To be fully appre? ciated, it must be borne in mind that the railway traffic of Illinois is unlike that of Pennsylvania and New York, a mixed one of the products of the soil, the forest; the mine, the loom, the forge, and the shop,. Her products us yet are almost exclusively wheat, corn, and cattle. Her railroad tonnage has consisted principally of those agricultural products which bear transportation but short distances over earth roads. It is the locomotive which has enabled that great State to market her wheat, com-, beef and pork, 1,200 miles away from home. It is the locomo_i tivo and the iron rail above her garden soil which have given her one-fifteenth of the population of the United States; which give her the power to bear ene-fif teenth of the burdens of the General Government; whioh enable her to pay annually $24,000,000 of national taxes* besides sustaining in the most liberal manner the cost of her own enlightened and progressive government. ? A few evenings since, with joyous spirits and gargecusly arraj-ed, I sallied forth with charming Clara, for a dashing promenade. Ah, what strains of magic power swell tho ohord of youthful pride,' as one treads the walks of fashion with a beauty by his side I Clara, with grace be? witching, seemed to trip on fairy feet, artd each passer turned to view us sailing gludly up tho street; thrilled this heart, for my fond affection's queen, beating time with quickest measuro, to her crinoline. Suddenly my charmer faltered, as if shock? ed by some great ill, while the anguish of her features, seemed my very soul to still; lightly on my arm she languished, and I criod in anxious fear?speak, my darling Clara?tell mo what's the matter dear I Bfclhinks her gentle form grew lesser by the collapse ot her gown, as she sighed in trembling accents, * Love, my skeleton is down V* ? A breach of promise case was ro ccntty decided in the county court of War? ren county Illinois, in which the defen? dant, a man of considerable wealth, set up the plea that tho young lady was of African descent. Severaf medieal witness ses testified that a personal examination disclosed indubitable indications of Afri? can blood in her veins, although she was perfectly white, and had moved in the best white society in the county. The jury returned a verdict in horfavor to the amoiyit of $1?;?00. -^t)ne of Josh Billing's maxims; RiSt> early ; work hard an late; live an whiA you kan't cell; give nothing away; and; if you don't die rich and go the devil yon; may sue me for daroagos.