Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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' ? ** '~'' ' -, - -?.11 ... I ? -? - ? ? ?- ? ? ?? * ? .1. ? - J - [ ? -' ' - . 1* ? ? ~.r " ?. ? ?? - - -I ? '? -??-? ? . -' 1 1 ? ' * ... ' - I ? I - ? ? ' ' '_ 1 1 .? ?? ? " 1 L HOYT & GO., Proprietors. ANDERSON O. H., S. C, THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 13, 1871. VOLUME Vit?NO. 2. An Eloquent Speech from a young Democrat. At the Democratic State Convention of Maine, after the adoption of the resolutions, loud calls were made for, Mr. Wm.'H. Clifford, of Portland, a rising young Democrat. He is ' a son of Judge Clifford, of the Supreme Court of the United States, and is quite influential in his section. We append the speech of Mr. Clifford, tis reported for the New York World: ? Gektlbmen of the CbNTiNTiosr: When we vefiezt upon the fortunes of the Democratic party in Maine for the past twelve years; when we consider that a depression of the material interests! of the country, and a widespread dis? trust of the existing administration seem alike - rto. invite and facilitate a re-establishment cf ? Democratic policy, but can discern no signs o f the coming convulsion, no deep, distant, but rt&nsftfeing indications of the coming upheav? al, but-behold only the tokens Of lrstlessnesa and apathy, with defeat in the past and gloom and doubt overspreading the future, we may sometimes feel like adopting the language of despair and exclaiming, Why this barren pa? geant of any more Democratic conventions in .._ Haine ? We are but organizing for additional defeat. Why perish in a Tain and ineffectual struggle ? Geatlemen, if the success of a mere organization of individuals.were the only actu? ating motive of the Democracy yon wonid nei? ther have survived so many defeats nor-braved so many dangers. Long," long ere this , the Democracy would have been among the fugi? tive tidngs that were. Neither could you so hopefully cast behind you what is past or have nerve to press forward info that unknown pro? vince th.it contains the yet undeveloped future of Democratic destiny. I am not here to claim for. the Democracy immunity from error or from evi L With shame and abasement it must be confessed that our glorious and resplendent record is still stained with many a divergence from the pathway of principle, with many a disregard of principle and honored tradition ; 9 hut this I do claim for our revered Democracy, that in the main it has steadily cleaved to its -primitive marine^rough all the storms and ? straits, and even among the visible reefs that hare threatened and obstructed its progress down to to-day. Mutilated and dismantled as the bark of Demociacy may be we have this consolation?that we may ascribe it all to ad? herence to principle and. constitutional obliga . tions, from the dictates of which we seek no absolution, but prefer rather as a party to per* iah than grope for success amid the darkness of political heresy. It is no vain boast for the Democracy to speak of their sacrifice of tem - porary advantage for the sake of maintenance of principle. There is something in human nature that pays ready deference to that spirit that defies ail danger in its conscientious grasp of a chosen creed. The Democracy have suf? fered political martyrdom for. their principles, but were never moni stubbornly loyal to them than at that time now past when it was almost a crime to be a Democrat. They have followed their principles to their legi timatecon elusions ..and ?vere covered with obloquy, and defeat. Eegaiding the sacred' compact of the Constitu? tion, l.he Democracy unfalteringly resisted any encroachments upon the legal "-constitutional righto of slavery. Let us not attempt to deny its position formerly upon the question of slave? ry. It is folly to attempt to smother the facts of history, but while we admit the former atti? tude of the Democratic party, let us not fall to discern the cause of that attitude. It was be cause slavery had guarantees in the Constitu? tion o" the United States that the Democracy dared not lay hands upon it, and so the slavery agitation overtook them, and in the turbulence of that great emotion the Democracy went down, not because it was recreant to principle} not because it had cut from its ancient moor? ing, but because it was unshaken and immova? ble, and would not scud before the hurricane 'that swept slavery from the land. Its founda tional principle deep buried and underlying all the superstructure of-its belief is adherence to constitutional obligations, and so the same spirit that nerved its arm and fired its soul is resistance to Republican aggression? upon the institution of slavery, odious and unpopular as that attitude was, is the same, the very same, that under the late amendments to our Consti? tution actuates the Democracy to take the for? mer child of slavery by the hand and hid him enter the, great household of American citizen? ship. We should be something less than Dem? ocrats did we fail to recognize the new obliga? tions which the Constitution as amended -imposes upon us. This has been called the new departure of the Democracy. With us it only signalizes a return to acknowledged and ancient principles. I am averse to the men? tion of these subjects. I am not and I was not an apolog? rt of the institution of slavery,, but I am proud of that unwavering devotion to orinciple and constitutional duty that led the Democracy into the position of unswerving support of the slavery of man for the sake of continuing in the real support of the constitu? tional compact of the States.. Time was when Democracy represented the whole North; at the close of the slavery agitation they had lost every Northern stronghold?still they wavered not. They traveled ia the pathway of princi? ple and sought no evasion of consequence. History, retrospection, truthful, impartial will set the Democracy riglat upon the record. Be 'who chronicles the events of the time before the war will name the Northern Democracy not a pro-si a very party, but a party that compre? hended the true spirit and theory of the Con? stitution. It may be that the historian of the events of which we are speaking may muse upon these times amid the desolate and elo? quent ruins cf American liberty and hope, i Let ns believe he will read them m the bright light of a more resplendent day of American civilization and development _ But, however regarded, when the final verdict of history is rendered and recorded, it will be that the Northern Democracy was a party that had borne from the days cf primitive virtue and Sitrioiism the beneficent philosophy of onr institution, nncontaminatcd by success, an yielded in defeat, through all the conflicts of onr his ton- down to to-day. But, gentlemen, these things are over. The rough collision of the war has tin-own from our shoulders forever the burcen of that great sin against the light of modern civilization. Thank heaven the bur? den is lifted a little. Reflection will convince any one, 1 think, that we are little likely to again espouse an institution from self-interest, vTno higher motive.*from whose destructive, effects tjpoQaouT political power we are but just recovering. No, it may serve for the en? tertainment of our foes to attempt to fix* upon us the stain and arouse the prejudice that for? merly existed against us as a pro-shivery party, hut wo look only to the Constitution for the obligations we are now called upon to assume. We read in that Constitution to-day that the former slave is as free as you or I, and heaven knows t? at the regenerate Democracy of to-day have no new chains to forge for him whom the majesty of the Law has invested with the attri? bute of freedom. The same principle that made us pro-slavery then makes us the advo? cates of freedom to-day. Oh may we never banish from our midst this spirit of Democrat? ic perpetuity and strong regard to the obliga? tions of ihe Constitution, but rather cherish and observe its injunctions as long as onr Con? stitution survives. Let us cling to it as the groundwork of Democratic belief. We can discern this principle in all the history of the American Democracy. We cannot discard it now. unless we are prepared to disregard the whole course of Democratic history. The na? tion cannot afford a departure from Democratic principle. Dcstroy.the reverence for constittt* tional duties and obligations for which the De? mocracy have ever contended, and the tempo* rary union with which you may .bridge the tur* moils of to-day will be as fragile and as cold as the arch of frost that spans the cataract The Rising Generation of the South* When people are poor they are foolish to at* tempt to live as if they were rich. The old and young, the males and females, of every family whieb has the misfortune to be poor, ought to bear the burden together, and ought to work together to increase the common store. If there is bat orte working person in the fam? ily, and he is generally the father, his nose will be kept at the grindstone from one year's end to another, unless he has a well-ordered house* hold. The Wife can- greatly aid him by her sympathy, by frugal management, by a cheer* ful temper, and by instilling into the young people lessons of economy and industry. To attempt to live as rich people do, when a fam? ily is poor, is not only a sham and a cheat, but it makes the head of such family a hopeless slave and drudge, and absolutely perpetuates the poverty so sedulously sought to be con? cealed. We are, with few exceptions, all poor alike in the South. Let us not be ashamed of it. and not commit the folly of increasing ana continuing it by contemptible shifts to hide it It is an evil, but the way to conquer it, is to look it in the face; to go to work, and to prac? tice economy. If all that an over-worked lather makes is consumed in supporting sons in idleness and daughters in all the extravagance of fashionable dressing and display, what earthly prospect will there be of an improve meqt in circumstances ? If the over-worked head of the family lives under all his burdens, he lives to see increasing helplessness all around him in that family which onght to be a source of comfort to him. If he dies, a victim to his heavy burdens, he leaves behind him sons un? trained to-work?possibly of expensive if not dissipated habits, and daughters without any resources whatever, and miserable because they cannot continue to keep up the poor delusion that they are part and parcel of the fashionable world. No situation in life can be more galling than that of a poor family striving to hide its pov? erty by aping the fashions. If the effort made by its members to keep up a false show were but directed to useful ends, the result would be most propitious. As it is, all they can-do is to keep their heads above water and be tolerated in the world of fashion. To compass this piti? ful end they pass through purgatory. They sacrifice self-respect, solid comfort and all the sacred duties of domestic life in order to get an uncertain and very humble position in that society which is called fashionable. This is unworthy of people who have a spark of intellect It will, if it becomes prevalent among as, be more disastrous even than the war Was. It will fasten poverty upon us for successive generations and make us a set of so? cial cheats and humbugs. If thoughtless boys and giddy misses are allowed their way. they will? of course, keep away from the tasks of life and seek only its Eleasures. But they ought not to be allowed to ave their way. They should be controlled. The boys should be brought op with the idea that life has its-serious duties and responsibili; ties, and that chief among them is the courage to work; and the girls should be taught .that they cease to be the ornaments of domestic life when they sacrifice everything to fashion and empty show. ' Real gentility is something higher and nobler than mere fashion; and genteel poverty is far more respectable than the vulgar snobbery that so many weak minded and white blooded peo? ple cultivate all their lives long.?Bichmond Josh BilLings* Pbopeett fob Sale.? I kan sell for eighteen hundred and thirty-nine dollars* a pallas, a neat and pensive retirement, lokated on the virgin banks of. the Hudson, Containing 85 akers. The land is luxuriously divided by the hand of natur and art into pas? tor and tillage, into plain and declivity, into stern abruptness and the dalliance oi mcss tufted medaer; streams of sparkling gladness (thick with trout) danse thro the wilderness of baty tew the low masick of the kricket and grass-hopper. The evergreen sighs as the evening zefer flirts thru its shadowy buzz am. Fruits of the tropics in golden buty melt on the bows, and the bees go heavy md sweet from the fields to the garnering hives. The manshun is of Parian marble; the porch is a single diamond set in rubies and the mother of I pearls; the floor is ox-rosewood, and ceilins are more butiful than the starry vaults of heavin. Hot and cold water squirts and bub? bles in every direction, and noliiin is wantin that a poet could pra for or art could portra. The stables are worthy of the steeds of Nim rod or the stnds of Akilles, and its henery was built expressly for the birds of paradise, while sombre in the distance, like the cave of a her? mit, glimpses are caught of the dorg-house. Here poets have cum and warbled their laze ; here sculptors have sculpt; here painters have robbed the scene uv dreary land scapes; and here the filosopher discovered the study which made him the alkemist of natur. Next, to the northward of this thing of buty, sleeps the residence and domain of Duke John Smith ; while southward, and nearer the spice-breath? ing tropiks, may be seen the baronial villy of Ear! Brown ana Duchess Widder Betsy Jones, Walls of primitive rock, lade in Roman se ment, bound the estate, while upward and downward the eye catches far away, the slow grandeur of the Hudson. As the young morn Bangs like a curtain of silver from the blu bresC of the sky, an angel may bo seen each night dancing' with golden tiptoes on the green. N. B.?This angefgoes with the place. -? A farmer named Watt Carr, residing near Hamilton, Ohio, while conversing with some friends on the stoop of his house concerning the manner in which Mr. Vallandingham shot himself, it is stated, attempted to illustrate it with a loaded pistol, and succeeded in the il? lustration precisely as Mr. Vallandigham did. He fell instantly, and died in a few hours. ? A Prussian cavalry officer, who was badly wounded at the battle of Gravelotte, was great? ly annoyed by the cries of some woundea sol? diers lying near him. He stood the annoyance as long as he could, and then testily called oat r "Stop your howling over there 1 Do you think yon are tbo only persons killed in this fight?" ? A letter writer from Niagara, to the Bos? ton Post, speaking of the many brides now haunting that locality, says: "They are never so. absorbed- that they forget to dress." Good gracious, we should hope notl For the Anderson Intelligencer. T.ic Free Common School System. Mb. Editor : As has been already remarked in a previous communication upon this subject, we regard the Section in the amended School Act, authorizing the people of each School District to levy a tax for the support of schools, as one move in the right direction towards es? tablishing for South Carolina an efficient sys? tem of Free Common Schools. Hence, we would, in our closing article,.Tory respectfully, and with great deference to wiser heads and better informed minds, call the attention of all teachers friendly and advocates of popular ed? ucation to this subject, suggesting, at the same time, that the Legislature be petitioned at Ito next session to amend the School Act In the following manner: Let the school law be so amended as to an* thorize and bind each County in the State to levy and collect an annual tax sufficient to send to school during each scholastic year one* third of all the children in each County be? tween the ages of six and sixteen years; that the School Trustees of their respective School Districts be made bonded officers, and that they be legally authorized to assess and collect $8.00 for each child, according to the enumera? tion which will take place between this time and the meeting of the Legislature; that the County School Commissioner l? ex officio the County Treasurer of the school fond so raised, 'and that he be made a bonded officer ; that this annual school tax be always proportioned ac? cording to the last enumeration of the chil? dren, and that it be collected during the months [ of December and January of each year, and that the poll-tax be collected at the same time ' and in the same way; that the School Trustees' be allowed out of the school fund thus collect? ed a certain per centage sufficient to remu* { ncrate them for their time and expenses upon all monies collected; that the school year commence on the first of January, and end the last Friday in December; that the school year consist, as at present, of nine months, and I these be taught whenever the Trustees may I think it will be most convenient for the patrons of each school under their supervision; and' that the claims of all Teachers be reported I monthly to the County School Commissioner. I who shall, as soon as approved, pay off said \ claims out of the school fund. I The number of children in the County of Anderson between the ages of six and sixteen years, was three years ago, when the last enu? meration was token, six thousand two hundred and eighty-two. The census,'when taken next fall, wilL no doubt, approximate seven thou? sand. To pay the tuition of one-third of .this number, were they all to attend first grade schools, would require eighteen thousand dol? lars when used in conjunction with the capita? tion tax of the County. To raise this sum will require a fraction over three mills upon the dol? lar of the taxable property of the County. We would further suggest that the County School Commissioner and the School Trustees of each school district be legally authorized to employ an assistant teacher for any and all schools numbering over fifty pupils; and that each assistant be paid per day, according to his or her grade, for all the scholars over fifty. Now, sir, in conclusion, we would remark that if the Legislature will give us a system of Free Common Schools according to the above model, there will then be no obstacle in the way to prevent a rapid dissemination of educa i tiort among the masses. This would call forth talented, intelligent, energetic, persevering and educated men and women as teachers, who would soon make the business of "teaching the young idea how to shoot" an honorable and desirable profession, because, forsooth, it would be lucrative. And permit us to still further remark, that we need not embrace the delusive phantom? need not entertain the false expectation of se? curing a full, competent and efficient corps of teachers who will exchange their services for a mere pittance! Let us, therefore, raise a suffi? cient sum, and always have it ready on hand to pay teachers as fast as they render their ser? vices, and our word for it, we will never expe? rience any trouble in seen ring competent teach? ers to teach in either while or colored schools. May the great and kind Disposer of all hu? man events, through the proper and legitimate I agencies, hasten the happy and much desired period when literary knowledge shall multiply and be increased in a tenfold ratio; when throughout the State, from the seaboard to the mountains, from the Savannah River to the line of the Old North State, school shall be in hearing of school I When neighbor will dot inquire of .neighbor, nor white mail of colored man, "Are your children at school ?" but When every one's children will be trimming the lamp of knowledge, from the millionaire in his superb palace, to the poor colored man in his smoky cabin; and may all the people in the old Palmetto State, of every state and condi? tion, of eveiy race and color, unite in one loud, heart-felt and emphatic Amen 1 W. H. Tovmville, S. C. A Tough Stort.?The Pinej?rove corres Eondent of the Rochester Democrat, says that e attended church in the little place one Wednesday evening, saw the Contribution box Easscd, and. when most of the congregation ad retired, heard Parson Wilks4 Deacon Am ory and John Wiley quarreling about the pos? session and amount of money deposited by the good people. Seeing that it would take some time to settle their little disagreements, they adjourned to a neighboring tavern to count the money. First the parson counted it, contriving to slip a fifty cent note up his coat-sleeve during the process, and reported six dollars and forty-two cents. Then Mr. Wiley, unsatisfied with the teller's report, took the matter in hand, but could find only six dollars and seventeen cents. Then the deacon went for it, but his hands were so sticky that he could find but five dollars and seventeen cents.* "Truly this Is strange,'' itftid thepsT?m; "let me count it again; we ought to make it agree;" bot when he looked at it he could discern but four dollars and ninety-two cents, which Wiley found to be too much, for, on recounting it he conkl find but four dollars and eighty-two cents. An.! so the precious trio continued to count, till Parson Wilks said : "This monev seems to m emehauted; it t*? keth unto iteelf the wings of a dove and flieth away," and the deacon proposed that as there now seemed to be but three dollars left, they should each take fifty cent as a remuneration for their arduous services. They agreed, and the deacon signed a receipt for one dollar and fifty cents. From the Southern Farm and Home. Leiter from John Plow handles on Material Independence* ' Mb. Editor : It is now pretty nearly certain that with the blessing of Divine Providence, our agricultural population will not only "make corn enough to do them/' but will have perma? nently moved their corn-cribs from "the great Northwest" to their own farm yards. I hope that never again will a Southern planter be crazy enough to believe that he can buy his corn at less cost in St. Louis than he can raise It on his own farm; or that one acre of cotton will give him money enough to buy more corn than he could produce on five acres. Even when cotton was worth 25 cents per pound, this calculation was a gross deception. All those gunny sacks of dorn which caused the freight blockades at Chattanooga contained lien-re? ceipts, notices of foreclosure of mortgages, sheriffs' sales, poverty and ruim Many an im? poverished family can trace their misfortune to having heeded the delusive counsels of "our northern friends" to produce cotton and buy provisions. I rejoice exceedingly that common sense has resumed its sway, and that the lessons of experience, though dearly purchased, have been heeded. We have now entered upon the right track. Let us continue in it, for if we pursue it stead? ily and perseveringly it will assuredly lead to independence. We must not think, however, that when we have full corn cribs we have done our whole duty. We must also have full smoke houses, filled with meat of our own raising.? While we continue to buy our meat in Cincin? nati under the idea that "we can't raise hogs now-a-dayB," we are deceiving ourselves quite as injuriously as by raising "big crops of cot? ton, and hauling our corn all the way from Missouri. It may be troublesome, may demand more care and attention than in old times, but it will pay; and if we will only try it, at the end of the year, when we have a fine smoke house full of sides, shoulders and hams, not to speak of jowls, sausages, lard and spareribs, feel that we do not owe our factors one cent for all this pjenty and comfort, and that we have not had to work our mules half to death hauling the greasy _ hogsheads of half-cured trychvia-spiraliji-ea.ten meat from the depot, we shall then realize the advantage we have gained and how amply we are repaid for our trouble and attention. But we must not stop even here. Even when we raise all our own provisions, and do not spend a dime for western corn or bacon, we are not yet as independent as we ought to be, and as we can be if we will only try. Let us look over our farms and households, and see how many things there are which we now purchase from yankee man? ufacturers which we could make ourselves.? Surrounded on every side by the finest timber which the earth produces, we import our plow stocks, our wagon and buggy wheels?nay, the wagons and buggies entire?our hoe handles, axe helves, and almost every article into the composition of which wood enters. We pur? chase a western mule,! put on him northern harness, hitch him to a northern wagon, buggy, cart or plow, drive him with northern made lines and a northern whip, shoe him with north? ern shoes and northern nails, feed him out of a bucket made in New England and tie bim in the stable with an imported halter. We can raise onr own mules ana horses. Can we not ? We have plenty of hides. Can we not tan them and make first rate harness ? We have, we re? peat, the finest' timber of every kind in the world. Why can we not make our own wag? ons, buggies, carts, plows, wheelbarrows, etc ? Why are we compelled to buy yankee buckets? We can and do make all the staves, and surely we can put them together, if we would only make the effort. We do not propose that every farmer should tan his own leather, make his own wagons, harness,, etc., but we can have southern factories where these things could be made, and if we have to spend our money we have the pleasure of knowing that it goes to enrich our own people,, advance the prosperity of our own country, and docs not go where it is forever lost to us. What sense is their in our importing axe heftes,-hoe handles, clothes pins, washing tubs, wash boirds, bread boards, roll? ing pins, etc? Yet we do so every day. Ex? amine closely any one of these articles now in use upon your farm or in your home, and you will find the maker's name and "N. Y.," "Mass.," "Conn.," or "N. H.," stamped upon it. To be independent we must make all these things for ourselves. Let us begin. Export? ing, the raw material for other people to manu? facture can never lead to anything but poverty. There is nothing a people needs which we can? not produce with our soil and climate. There is water power now running to waste in Geor? gia sufficient to run more factories than Mas? sachusetts' greed ever dreamed of. We could be the most perfectly independent and^nost powerful people on earth. Providence has given Us all the means; and yet the tub in which we wash our clothes, the pin by which we fasten them on the line, the line itself, and the clothes which we hang on them, all bear the mark of "Mass.," or "Conn.," reminding us daily of our servitude, our lack of enter? prise, our improvidence, and our criminal dis? regard of the blessings which a bountiful crea? tor has placed within our reach. "We have not time," is the answer to all this, "to throw away upon clothes pins and washing tubs. We must raise cotton and buy our washing tubs." California at one time produced one article exclusively. She "had not time" to produce any thing else. That article was Gold. Her people were poor. It took all the gold they could dig to buy their provisions, their clotlies pins and washing tubs, iust like us. But they found out their mistake. They saw that one production, though it be gold, did not pay when all the necessaries of life had to be imported, that a people to be prosperous and independent, mustbe self-sustaining. They are now rich, and their diversified industry is the source of their prosperity. Would that my countrymen would draw the moral and apply it I Yours respectfully, John Plow?andles. -? t m ? ?'? ? Mrxnrc with stbanger8.-*-The effect of mixing with new people, who have new ideas and new methods of thought, is.very salutary. Always to see the same people, do the same things, feel the same way, produces a stagnant condition of the mind and heart that is very distressing to behold. There are thousands of invalids wbor might be greatly benefitted by getting away from home, if only for a short time, to mix with strangers, and be touched with the magnetism of the great world as it courses in he accustomed rounds. And there are mental and moral invalids who need the same change, to get their minds and hearts en? larged, and let in a little more of the great light of life. Outside influences are very vaTj nable to those who at home have been well trained by healthful influences in early" youth, so that they can avoid the snares ana pitfalls into which those who go blindly often fall. Some people say that dark-haired women marry soonest Wo ouffer; it is the light-headed Discovery in Cotton Culture* PEOTECnii? THE PLANT FEOJC PEOdT--?EE M ARK ABLE RESULTS. The Demopolis (Ala.) Exponent tells the fbl* lowing almost incredible story about the growth, of a cotton tree, protected from the frost: In 1867 a planter of this county, living some 12 miles from this city, conceived the idea that ! the cotton plant properly cared for could be made to bear for more than one year; He be? lieved that the vitality of the plant Was de-. stroyed by frost and frost only. The result of j his experience, which we will give in his own words, is of unspeakable importance to the material interests of the cottou growing coun? try, placing us above and beyond the necessi? ties and annoyances of our "present system of j labor. His account of success Which is far. beyond bis most sanguine expectations, is largely vouched for, and is as follows : . "I lost a large amount of money in 1866, the year succeeding the surrender, in my farming operations and despaired, almost, of the future of the cotton section, in the many sleepless nights I passed thinking over my own affairs and what the future had in store for myself and neighbors, whose dependence for existence res? ted solely upon agricultural productions, of | which the culture of cotton was the chiefest, the main stay, in fact, of the cotton States, the foundation upon which was built all they en | joyed of prosperity in manufacturing, in bank? ing, in merchandizing, in all that went to make up the sum of their varied industries and in? terests, threatened, as these interests seemed to be, about to suffer extinction by a system of I labor that made the cost of production of the cotton crop greater than the value of the ar? ticle produced. By inspiration, for it could have been nothing elsej it occurred to me that could the annual killing of the plant by frost be prevented the plant might become a tree?A fruitful, ever-bearing tree. "Success has exceeded my most sanguine ex? pectations, my wildest dreams. I will tell yon exactly how I proceeded aud describe the re? sult. In the spring of 18(17 I selected a. spo' of ground, about 40 feet square, planted in the center a cotton seed, tended it carefully; in September I built about it a pen some eight feet square and covered it with glass, kept a ther? mometer in it, and by the aid of a small stove, kept life and growth in the plant until May of 1868, at which time I removed tbe pen. Du? ring the summer of 'GS my plant grew till it became a small tree. In the fall of the year I picked 800 pounds of seed, cot ton from it and built another pen on the same plan, but larger than the first; followed the same process through the winter and again removed my pen in the spring of '69. That year I picked from what was then a tree, cotton that made a bale of 476 pounds. The tree had now grown so I large that I deemed it safe from frost, and in the winter of '69 and 70 I left it unprotected. In the spring of '70 it bloomed at the same time with the peach tree, and in the fall I made from it 1,298 pounds of lint cotton. At this writing the tree is in full bloom and promises at least three bales of cotton and is the wonder of all who see it. "It is some twenty or twenty-five feet in height, measures at -he butt nineteen inches in diameter, shows no signs of decay, and will probably live and bear fruit for years to come. If this statement does not settle the labor ques? tion nothing will. I have endeavored-to de? scribe succinctly the result of my experiment; to have entered fully into all the minutia would have occupied a volume, but if this short, ar? ticle shall turn the attention of planters to the following up of this marvelous progress, my purpose will have been answered." Lightning Bods* . At this season of the year, when thunder storms are of frequent occurrence, and consid? erable damage is done to buildings, and human life is placed in jeopardy, the question regard? ing the measures of protection afforded by rods upon buildings is discussed with much interest. It is a pity the matter should be one of doubt or uncertainty, and when rightly understood it ceases to be such. Properly constructed rods, placed upon buildings in a proper manner, afford absolute protection against any electrical discharges which are liable to occur in thunder storms, and this should be clearly understood by every one. Public confidence has been weakened in regard to the efficacy of rods, by the frequent attacks made upon bnildings to which they have been affixed; but this affords no evidence that they are worthless in princi? ple. It rather affords proof that the rods were badly constructed, or that they were adjusted in a careless, unscientific manner. During tbe past twenty years we have made it a point to investigate, personally, every instance of the kind which occurred within our reach,- and in every one palpable defects were discovered in the arrangement of the rods. The defects most generally found have been in the ground connections of the rods; and tre venture to assert from what we have learned by investigation, that a large part of the rods put upon buildings by ignorant, irresponsible "ped? dlers," afford no measure of protection at alL Quite recently it came to our notice in repair? ing a building, that the rods penetrated into the dry surface soil only about two feet. The rods were well enough, bat the house was un? protected in consequence of the imperfect earth connections. Peddlers carry with them a crow bar, and with this they make little superficial orifices in the ground, and thrust in the ends of the rods, caring nothing for the consequences which may result from their negligence. Usu? ally they claim earth penetrations of eight or teu feet, and take pay for that extent of rod, and't is time this form of fraud was stopped. Every person who desires to protect his build? ings must attend personally to having them adjusted. He must know that the rods pene? trate to a point where permanent moisture is present, which cannot be less, in ordinary soils, than eight or ten feet. The terminals should be constructed of copper, and it is always de? sirable to have them placed in a well, or at? tached to iron water pipes, if the surface pipes of the buildings are of lead or tin. As regards the form of rod, the old-fashioned, large iron rod is best, and it may be attached to bnildings in any way most convenient. The pretty glass insulators, so largely used, are un? objectionable, but they are*quite unnecessary; they do not add to tbe measure of protection, or increase the value of the co nductors. There are a half dozen different forma of what are known as "cable rods" manufactured, which are construe ted of a bundle of small copper and iron wires bofmd or twisted together. These, for the most part, are of good size, and well adapted to the purposes for which they are de? signed. With good rods carefully and scien? tifically adjusted, a perfect iienso of security may be entertained by the owner or occupants j of buildings.?Boston Journal of Chfmistry. ? Whichever direction a man may take in the other world, neither gold not greenbacks can do him any service. Upward, they, are worthless, and downward th?y would not found fireproof [From the Atlantic Monthly for July.] ORATION JJ2C THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OP GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS. Delivered baton ihe Society of the Army at the Cumberland. By Gsw^ fciui. Ja1c?3 A. GxRrretw, at the Fonrth Annual Re? union, Cleveland, November25,1870; Cincinnati: Rob? ert Garke A CO. MEMORIAL OF THE LIFE OF J. JOHNSON PETTI GREW, Brigadier General of the Confederate States Ar? Sfi By WJ(. HSKBT TEESCOT. Charleston: Johd uSspll. IN MEMQRIAM, GENERAL STEVEN ELLIOTT. Or*; tion bv Wir. Hevsy Tkkscot, Columbia, S. CU Jullaa A. Selby, State and City Printer. We group these books, not only because they have a common interest as history, but also be? cause they are strikingly similar in spirit, and from totally opposite feelings and conviction* deal with the same great question ill kindrea generosity. The two memorials by Mr. Trescot are of admirable temper, that of General Pet tigrew especially, showing in the praise of a Southern soldier, a sentiment which certainly does hot seem to owe its warmth to hatred of his opponents. We have seen nothing from - either side more thoroughly purged of bitter? ness. Mr; Trescot looks Upon the solution of a Question in Which the logic of events, at least, as overpowered him, not without emotion, but ? in the light of analogous history, and with philosophical self-control. His oration is a judicious tribute to the memory of a matt whom (apart from his great error) *we shotild all have found praiseworthy for noble qualities and abilities; and it is, moreover, a very in? structive study of that South Carolina civiliza tion which substituted a local for a national patriotism, and finally produced the war.- We do not yet thoroughly understand this at the North, and most of us would find it difficult to make due allowance for influences we have never felt, though General Garfield does it, in his oration on Thomas, and declares that "we never shall do full justice to the conduct of Virginians in the late war," without taking into account the fact that they, like the other. Southerners, had been taught to look upon their State as their country. ' Federal hon ore," says Mr. Trescot, "were undervalued, and even Federal powers were underrated, except ' as they were reflected back from the interests and prejudices of the State. * * * * The fathers and mothers who had reared them, the society whose traditions gave both refinement and assurance to their young ambition, the colleges in which tbe creed of Mr. Calhoun was the text-book of their political studies,-the friends with whom they planned their future, the very land they loved,- dear to them as thoughtless boys, dearer to them as thoughtful men, were all impersonate, living, speaking, commanding in the State of which they were children." After these introductory passages upon the political and social character of South Caroli- . na, Mr. Trescot gives a sketch of General Pet tigrew's life, philosophizing its suggestive ! events with a clearness and moderation which cannot be too highly commended. In fact, the j perfect restraint of expression, the graceful and finished style, the eloquent yet guarded tone, make the memorial a model of its kind, Mr. Trescot is an ardent lover of South Caro? lina, but he is always careful to remember that "South Carolina is a very small and not a very important part of the civilized world;" and in appreciating what he believes the virtues of her former social and political state, he has rather the air of analysis than of eulogy* As* one reads his orations; so forbearing, so sensi? ble, so discriminating, one cannot help regrct j ting that if there are many such men as Mr. \ Trescot in South Carolina, we do not hear more I of them. On all accounts it seems a pity, think' ing of ?ueh men, that South Carolinasnouldbe the prey of Ka Kluses and of legislators who cannot spell. Mr. Trescot's memorials are studies of men who were equal to the demands of a local pa? triotism. General Garfield's eulogy presents with equal temperance and liberality the char? acter of a man?like General Elliott and Gen? eral Pettigrew, a Southerner1?who rose to?the conception of national duty, and in the ampler destiny and greater fame of Thomas is reflect j ed the superior grandeur of his ideal: We j can allow all the praise that Mr. Trescot be? stows upon his heroes; we grant that they were brave; earnest: self-devoted men; and then we must turn with heightened, admiration to the man whose country was America and not Vir S'nia. It was to the Southerners alone that e question of allegiance to the State or to the nation was practically put, and we honor such as Thomas, while ve remember in all humble? ness that the mettle of no Northerner was so severely tried, whatever were our sacrifices. General Garfield rapidly and clearly sketches Thomas's career, and presents in all its mas siveness and solidity that simple, grand, faith? ful life, the 8ubliinityof which we seemed hardly to feel with due consciousness till its close. "No one knew until he was dead how 'strong was his hold on the hearts of the Amer? ican people," though, then, indeed, "ever citi? zen felt that a pillar of state bad fallen ; that a great and true and pure man had passed from earth:" As literature, these three orations are very creditable to the widely different civilizations that produced them, and mark a vast advance from the merely oratorical spirit in which such things were wont to be done. It is curious and interesting to find Mr. Trescot, of South Caro? lina, and General Garfield, of Ohio, both quo? ting Tennyson, and showing that, whatever were the varying social spheres that moulded ? their character, the wider and more generous, influences were the same. General Garfield's oration betrays something 6i" the carelessness of the man who must speak mucb and quickly \ but it is as gravely, tastefully and honestly done as the more exquisite work of Mr. Tres? cot. -?s.,- as ? If you wish success in life, make perse? verance your bosom friend, experience your wise counsellor, cau tion your cider brother, and hope your guardian genius. ? A man has just been hauled out of the swamps in North Carolina who went there to avoid the draft in 1864, and until he was dis? covered did hot know the war was over. ? An Indiana paper notices the death of art old subscriber, and touchingly adds: "We are sorry to hear of the death of any of our sub? scribers who are prompt about paying Up." ? "Modesty" asks us "what is the best method of popping the question ?" It is a good deal like champagne?if it don't pop itself, there is something wrong about it. ? A disappointed candidate for office was talking of men who would sell their votes, when Mrs. Partington observed with a sigh, "Ah, they are as base as iEsop of old, who sold his birth? right for ft mess of potash. ? According to the Elmira (N. Y.) Advcr* User, a drtffr. clerk in Wilfiamsport recently put up a prescription for a young lady friend of ai dose of castor oil. She innocently asked bow it could be taken-without tasting. He prom? ised to explain to her,, and in the meantime proposed to drink a glass of soda water-with her. When he had finished-he said: "My friend, you have taken your oil and. did not inow it." The young lady was nearly crazy, and cried: "Ob, dear, it wasn't for myself I wanted the oil; it was for my mother."