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ANDERSON C. H., S. C. THURSDAY MORNING FEB 1, 1872. tS9* Mr. Wilkes has introduced a bill to in? corporate the town of Townville, in the county of Anderson. We return thanks to Geo. W. Childs, Esq., proprietor of the Philadelphia Ledger, for a copy of the "PuWie Ledger Almanac" for 1872^?3 valuable publication. We are indebted to the committee of ladies for an invitation to attend a Fair and -cold collation for the benefit of Shiloh Church, .to be given at the residence of E. J. Earle, Esq., van Wednesday, February 14th. rbnm ? * ? ? sl^^j?" We have received a call from Mr. N.' Tbrter, traveling agent of the Charleston .DaUy Newa, who is on a tour through the upper part of the State, looking after the interests of our valued cotemporary, too -? ? - ' J?* We regret to learn the demise of Col. Samuel Donnald, which occurred at his resi? dence in Dona Ids vi lie on last Friday night, fsk>m a stroke of paralysis. Col. Donnald was a worthy citizen of Abbeville, and was known to many of our readers. In addition to the proposed new county of> Washington, with the seat of government at Honea Path, we notice that an effort is being made in the Legislature for the establishment of/ 'another county from portions of Edgefield, Abbeville, Newberry and Laurens, to be kno^wn fa'Nmety-Six, with the court house at the vil? lage of that name. 0 'bS? It was stated last week that the price ?r^Mapes* Phosphate had again been reduced, bat it seems that an error occurred in getting cp the advertisement. The cash price in Charleston is $45 per ton ; on time, $55. This nr a reduction from last year, and places it among the cheapest, as it has long been among the most reliable fertilizers offered to the farm mg community. Mr. C. A. Reed is the author? ised, agent for Anderson County, and will be pleased to give further information to those in? terested. _^ ^_ Snow and Cold Weather. 1 A heavy snow fell in this vicinity on Thurs? day night last, and was followed by another snow on Friday night. The weather for the oast three weeks has been unusually cold, and altogether we have experienced the severest winter known for many years. JDO " ? ? * ? Shipments of Cotton. j We are indebted to O. H. P. Fant, Esq., the accommodating Agent at this place, for the in? formation that the shipments of cotton from this" Depot, from Sept 1st, 1871, to January SXjjh, 1872, inclusive, reached 5,700 bales. This does not include cotton passing over the Blue Ridge Railroad, and re-shipped at this point. Homicide in Walhalla. . JVfl are informed that a bloody rencontre toolr place in Walhalla last Saturday night, in a liquor saloon on Main street, between John Petty and John Dale, resulting in the latter be? ing shot in three or four places, from the effects of- which he died on Monday afternoon. Both were drinking characters, and a difficulty arose between them several days before, terminating fuoally as above stated. Petty was arrested and lodged in jail. Grand Chapter of Sooth Carolina. The annual convocation of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of South Carolina will be holden in the city of Charleston ocr Tuesday, 13th inst Delegates will pass for one fare over the various railroads, paying full face at the place of start? ing, and returning upon the certificate of the Grand Secretary. It is sincerely hoped that there will be a general attendance, as business of importance will be presented for considera? tion. ? ? ?? The South Carolinian. Col. J. P. Thomas has retired from the edi? torial control of the Columbia Phoenix, and has started a new daily paper in Columbia, under the name of the South Carolinian. His con? nection with the Phoenix was severed in conse? quence of a refusal by the proprietor of that paper to publish an editorial on the Blue Ridge Railroad scheme. We are in receipt of several numbers of the South Carolinian, in which Col. Thomas is effectually using the weapons of t ruth and vigilance against the corrupt State government and its plundering officials. We learn that a handsome list of subscribers to his new journal has already been forwarded from oar town, which is a substantial evidence that the efforts of Col. Thomas are duly appreciated in this community. We extend a cordial wel? come to the South Carolinian, and trust its en? ergetic and talented editor will receive a merit? ed support from the people, whose cause he has espoused, and whose best interests will be stren? uously advocated by his able pen. The Court. At the tune we went to press last week, the CTrenh Court was engaged upon criminal busi? ness, but on Thursday mormng the petit juries were discharged from further attendance du? ring that week, and required to be present on Monday last, when the Sessions business was resumed. In the meantime, such cases as did not require a jury were adjudicated. On Monday morning, the most important case upon the Sessions docket was called up. The State r?. George W. Rankin, indicted for keeping a public nuisance, will be long remem? bered by the citizens of Anderson. Maj. Ran? kin is the proprietor of a mill upon Three-and Twenty Creek, in the northern portion of this County, and it is alleged in the indictment that his mill-dam has created a vast deal of sick? ness in the neighborhood. It is a matter of | fact that the vicinage was unusually sickly the past season, scores of persons suffering from chills and fever, and bilious fevers. A large amount of testimony has been introduced on both sides, and at this writing (Wednesday afternoon) witnesses are still being examined. Tha case will occupy at least one day longer. The Solicitor is assisted by Messrs. Reed & Brown for the prosecution, while the defence is conducted by Messrs. McGowan & Moore, I and Thomas Thompson, Esq., of Abbeville. j Cumulative Voting. The subject of minority or proportional rep? resentation, which has been explained in these columns at various times during the last several years, is receiving a large share of attention throughout the country. Our readers are aware that the plan of cumulative voting, adopted in Illinois and Pennsylvania, Becures to each po? litical party a representation equivalent to its strength, instead of the majority electing an entire ticket and the minority electing none. The application of this principle is sought to be effected in Kansas, and a proposition to adopt cumulative voting has been introduced into the Wisconsin Legislature. The subject has been frequently discussed in this State, and last spring it was thought by many to be the best panacea for our political woes it was possi? ble to obtain, under existing circumstances.? .We believe that proportional representation is right and proper, and secures more uniformly the voice of the people in administering public affairs than any system of representation yet devised. Senator. Cardoza, of Kershaw, pro? poses to amend the Constitution of South Car? olina, so as to adopt this principle in all elec ' tions hereafter, and for this purpose has intro? duced thefollowingjoint resolution,\vh ich is now npon the calendar of the Senate. Should this resolution pass both Houses by the requisite majority, the people will be called upon next fall to pronounce their judgment upon the question, which will be thoroughly discussed in the coming campaign: joint resolution proposing an amend? MENT TO THE constitution of THE STATE OF SOirTH carolina. Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre? sentatives of the State of South Carolina, (two thirds of both Houses concurring,) That the following Article be submitted to the qualified electors of the State, at the next general elec? tion for Representatives, as an amendment to the Constitution of the State, which, if a ma? jority of the electors qualified to vote for mem? bers of the General Assembly, voting thereon, shall vote in favor of such amendment, and two-thirds of each branch of the next General Assembly shall, after such an election, and be? fore another, ratify the same, shall become part of the Constitution, namely : Article XVI.?To the end that the electors of South Carolina may exercise their right of suffrage freely and without undue constraint, and may obtain for themselves complete repre? sentation in the government of their affairs, the plan of free or cumulative voting shall be law? ful, and is hereby authorized, in all cases where more persons than one are to be chosen or elec? ted to the same office for the same time or term of service; each voter duly qualified, shall be entitled to as many votes as the number of per? sons to be chosen, and may poll them for one or more: of said persons in such ratio as he may deem proper. An Unusual Proceeding. . The following preamble and resolution was recently offered by Mr. Yocnm, who represents Chester in the House of Representatives. Thinking that its purpose was to reach news? paper reporters, instead of which it was inten? ded to develope the bribery by which the Gov? ernor defeated the impeachment resolution be? fore the recess, the members generally voted for its immediate consideration and adoption. Under the resolution, the speaker appointed three members to investigate the alleged defa? mations of character, and the committee began to work in earnest. The facts of the case be? coming known to the friends of Gov. Scott, it was determined to squelch the whole busi? ness, and on Friday last one of the Executive henchmen moved that the aforesaid committee i be discharged without a report This motion was immediately resisted by the opposition, ! but their efforts again proved futile, and the j motion was adopted and the committee dis? charged. The chairman, Mr. Yocum, says that he has information, which he threatens to make public, and which would no doubt affix the guilt of bribery upon his Excellency and his satellites. We trust that he will be induced to furnish the press with all the facts in his pos? session : Whereas, certain defamatory statements have appeared in the columns of the New York Sun, of December last, purporting to emanate from the regular correspondent of that journal in Columbia, who occupies a seat at the reporter's table, corroborated, subsequcntlv, by an almost similar statement from the Washington corres? pondent of the New York Herald, as constitu? ting the result of an interview with a member of this Legislature, which said statement, to? gether with others, have been most extensively copied throughout the Union, and more gene? rally by the press of South Carolina, in which it is charged that undue influences were em? ployed in certain proceedings upon the floor of this House ; ana whereas said statements materially affect the Speaker of the House and others, and are calculated to prejudice the party interests representiug the majority of this Legislature: Be it Resolved, That a committee of three members of this House be appointed by the Speaker to enquire into the facts connected with all such allegations, and report the same at the earliest possible moment?said commit? tee to have power to send for persons and pa? pers. _ The Democratic Programme. It is understood that the National Democrat? ic Executive Committee will not meet in Wash? ington this winter, but will postpone their ses? sion until after the Republican Convention is held at Philadelphia in June, when there will be ample time for all the elements of opposi? tion to unite against the present administration, should Grant be re-nominated, and to call a national conveution to nominate a Presidential opposition ticket This view meets the ap? proval of leading Democrats in Congress, and would seem to indicate pretty strongly the adoption of the '?passive policy," so warmly urged by the Missouri Democracy. We think the course suggested will prove wise and proper, as there is no harm to result from awaiting the I action of the Republican Convention before placing candidates in the field. B@~ We learn that a personal difficulty oc? curred in Abbeville last week between Mr. Hugh Wilson, of the Abbeville Pre** and Ban? ner, and Mr. J. Walter Grey, in which the for? mer received a slight flesh wound by a shot from Mr. Grey's pistol. The difficulty/irigina ted from remarks made by Mr. Wilson in con? nection with the late fire, but as it is a personal matter, we refrain from giving the particulars. J5?y* We are in receipt of "The Tribune Al? manac and Political Register for 1872." In addition to the usual astronomical calculations of an almanac, this little volume furnishes a vast amount of political and statistical infor? mation, together with carefully prepared re? turns of elections held last year, in comparison with those of former years. Price 20 cts. Ad? dress "Tribune," N. Y. i Mr. Crittenden's Bill. The House of Representatives, after a con? siderable amount of discussion, has adopted Mr. Crittenden's bill to provide for the election of County Treasurers and County Auditors. It passed in the following form, and it is hoped that the Senate will take prompt action upon the measure when it reaches that body : "That at the next general election, to be held on the third Wednesday in October, 1872, and every second year thereafter, there shall be elected, in and for each County, one County Treasurer and one County Auditor, who shall hold their offices for the term of two years, and until their successors are elected and qual? ified." It is not often that we can endorse the edito? rial utterances of the Columbia Union, but the following article on the above subject is worthy of commendation, emanating as it does from a Radical source: The bill for the election of County Treasu? rers and Auditors, by the people, is a good measure. All offices of this kind, together with those of Justices of the Peace, or Trial Justices, should be filled by election, and not by appoint? ment. Indeed, there are but very few offices that should be entrusted to executive discre? tion. The people are much better judges of the fitness and qualifications of the men who should be selected, than it is possible for the Governor or the Legislature to be. County Treasurers and County Auditors should be chosen from among the best men in the respective counties; men of intelligence, capacity and energy, for the duties of those po? sitions are such as require more than ordinary ability. Should the Legislature pass the bill providing for the election of these officers by the people, the next step will be to fix the sal? aries of County Treasurers at a sum not to ex? ceed fifteen hundred dollars per annum. There are plenty of good men who would be glad to discharge the duties of the office at this salary, and it would save to the State at least fifty thousand dollars per annum?more than enough to pay the salary of the State officers for an en tiro year. An Important Law. The attention of our readers is directed to the following Act recently passed by the Legisla? ture, and. which is vitally important to all own? ers and purchasers of real estate: an act to mobe effectually provide fob the recording of all conveyances of real estate. Section 1. Beit enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, now met and sitting in General As? sembly, and by the authority of the same, That every conveyance of real estate wjthin this State, hereafter made, shall, within thirty-three days, be recorded in the o?ee of the Clerk of the County in which such real estate shall be situated, except in the County of Charleston, where all such conveyances shall be recorded, within the same time, in the office of the Reg? ister of Mesne Conveyance; and every such conveyance, not so recorded, shall be void, as against any subsequent purchas.r in good faith and for a valuable consideration, of the same real estate, or any portion thereof: Provided, Such subsequent purchaser shall have first re? corded his said conveyance. Sec. 2. Different set* of books shall be pro? vided by the Clerks of the several Counties, for the recording of deeds and mortgages, in one of which sets all conveyances, absolute in their terms aud not intended as mortgages, or as sureties in the nature of mortgages, shall be recorded, and in the other set all such mort? gages, or sureties in the nature of mortgages, shall be recorded. Sec. 3. All Acts or parts of Acts, inconsis? tent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed. Approved January 8th, 1872. The Impeachment Failure. Impeachment has again proved a failure in the House of Representatives. Whipper's res? olution, introduced on the 22nd of Jauuary, came up for action on last Wednesday. The resolution proposed to impeach R. K. Scott, Governor of South Carolina, for high crimes and misdemeanors in office. On the question of adopting the resolution, the yeas and nays were ordered, and resulted as follows: Yeas, 40; nays, 41. It required eighty-eight votes to carry the resolution, and there were not enough members in attendance, if all had been in favor of it. Wc presume that no further attempt at impeachment will be made, as it is manifest that Scott has a sufficient number of members under his power to prevent success at any time. The only alternative left to his opponents in the Republican ranks is to go before. the colored people in the approaching campaign, and do their duty in bringing about his defeat at the next election. aim - Legislative Matters. The correspondent of the Charleston News furnishes the following items of interest: the blue bidge scheme. The finance committee of the Senate repor? ted a bill to cancel the liability of the State on the guaranty of the bonds of the Blue Ridge Railroad. The bill provides that the State shall assume all the debts and liabilities of the. several companies constituting the Blue Ridge Railroad upon the surrender of the four mil? lion bonds guaranteed by the State. The treas? urer is authorized to use for this purpose any bonds now in his possession except the Sterling loan, and also, if necessary, to issue bonds of the State. The Blue Ridge Railroad Company is authorized, if the directors desire, to change its name to the Tennessee and South Carolina Railroad Company, and to extend the road and branches anywhere within the State. All sales of the Blue Ridge Railroad stock by the com? missioners of the sinking fund are confirmed. The bill came up in the Senate to-day and was denounced as an iufamous measure by Leslie, Cardozo and others. The outstanding liabili? ties of the Blue Ridge Railroad were stated at' between five and six hundred thousand dollars., but senators declared that they did not know how much they were, and that the bill, as drawn, would authorize the issue of twenty million, or any other amount, of bonds. The bill was fi? nally postponed to Tuesday. an eably adjoubnment in prospect. The beginning of the end has come, and the speedy dissolution of this remarkable Legisla? ture of 1871-2 is plainly foreshadowed. The session so far has been eminently unsatisfacto? ry in every respect. It has been wasted time so far as legislation is concerned, for final ac? tion has been taken on but few measures, and on none of any special interest; it has been most barren of news or sensations for the news? paper men, except such as they have been obliged to make for themselves; it has been harassing to the State officials, because they have been suspended like Mahomet's coffin, midway between the heaven of exculpation and the earth of impeachment, and it has been simply disgusting to the members themselves, because there has been a scarcity of money in the lobby, and they have had to get along as best they could on their dry six dollars per di? em. 'The Senate is committed to a final ad? journment on the 10th proximo, and is putting through ita labors with the bells on in view of that arrangement, and the House is rapidly running to seed with a prospect of speedy ex? tinction. This may be a false surmise after all, but it is pleasant to cherish the hope, and among the scanty pleasures of this place it would be cruel to deprive ourselves of this in? nocent hope. A Voice from "Sewanee." The Corner Stone?Green''* Viao?University Coal Mine?Putledge's Paint. ,. Almost the first query made by a stranger visiting Sewanee is, "Have you any grand and beautiful scenery ?" If this question has not been already answered by the mountain rail? way journey up here?as the huge iron horse, puffing and blowing, wildly plunges through a gorge at one instant and around the brink of a fearful chasm at the next?the wild and grand scenery changiug at every moment?it will be satisfactorily answered after a few day3 of ad? venture on the University domain. Until the visitor has seen all the "Views" and "Points," he has enjoyed a meagre portion of the gran? deur of Sewanee; for he who anticipates a magnificent stone College and a superb Gothic Cathedral here, will be ruefully disappointed. True, we have every accommodation that the limited means of the University will permit, and our able corps of Professors is sufficient to compensate for the absence of marble halls ; but we must calmly await the events of the future, ere we can hope to build the University upon that standard of magnificence which its founders so fondly intended tc establish. I am digressing, however. In my last sketch, I spoke of the history and location of the University. In the present one I will speak of Sewanee scenery. Among the points first visited, the corner 8tone stands prominent. It is situate within view of the present College site, but is now designated only by the scattered fragments of what was once a beautiful block of Tennessee marble, and which was intended to denote the erection of the central building of the University.? Here, on the 10th day of October, 1860, among a concourse of more than five thousand people, this memorable stone was laid. Gen. John S. Preston, of South Carolina, was the orator of the day, and speeches suitable to the occa? sion were delivered by other distinguished vis? itors present. A brass band from Nashville was in attendance, and when the stone was laid, that grand paraphrase of the 148 Psalm, I "0, all ye works of the Lord, Praise Him and magnify Him forever," was sung?the clergy and people chanting the first line, and the brass baud pealing forth the soul-stirring air of the second. What a memo? rable and impressive occasion! This vast mul? titude upon the summit of a wild mountain? where the white man had scarcely ever trod before, and which had hitherto reverberated to the foot-steps and war-whoop of the savage? swelling the air with an anthem to Him who had laid the foundations of all mountains.? While we linger around these time-honored, not to say classic, shades, what a crowd of mingled sensations arise in retrospccting the dead past, tinged, as it is, with the sad memo? ries of the last decade. Many who were pres? ent on this occasion have rested from their la? bors, while many still living are anxiously regarding the growth and prosperity of a Uni? versity which has forever been crippled, to some extent, by the ravages of the late sad conflict. Leaving the Corner Stone, a brief walk brings us abruptly to the mountain brow, and we are now at greex'8 view, the most beautiful on the domain, and named in honor of our present Chancellor. Below lies a slumbering and expansive valley, and is girt by the blue and distant spurs of the Cum? berland. The silence of the cove is broken only by the sound of a neighboring cascade, and the plaintive wailing of the wind as it courses downward through the gorges; while the eye delights to rest upon the varied scenery below. The silvery brooklets, all resplendent in the rays of the sun, turning here and there a rustic mill; the numerous rural, but comfort? able cottages, dottiug the landscape far and near; the fields teeming with the prolific har? vest, and the orchards laden with an endless variety of fruit, all tend to form a pleasing and entertaining picture. We do not behold the magnificent stone dwellings and the immense fields of clover, for which the Shenandoah Valley has become famous, but we do see a marked indication of diligent and well repaid labor greeting the eye in every direction. Retracing a few steps, and proceeding more southerly along the brow, wc are soon on the road to "The Point"?distant about two and a half miles. Before reaching this, we arrive at the locali? ty of the university COAL mine, and to visit this, a brief but precipitous walk midway down the mountain side is required. Arriving at the entrance, few visitors are per? suaded to proceed further. The low, dripping j walls, and the gloomy pathway renders an ex? pedition therein by no means prepossessing, and thus the miners are seldom bored with en? quiring visitors. This mine was discovered and worked prior to the war. Now it supplies the University with a much better article of coal than our neighboring sister, Tracy City, can furnish ; and as soon as its resources are sufficiently developed by the authorities, it will supply Sewanee with coal for years to come.? In truth, an inexhaustible belt of coal underlies this entire spur. Ascending the mountain, a few steps bring us to rutledge's point, the grandest and most expansive view on the domain, and named in memory of Bishop Rut ledge, of Florida, whose demise occurred in 1866. This view not only comprises a commaud of the valley seen from Green's View, but in? cludes several additional coves?all covering an extent ot thousands of acres. There is a rock overhancing the Point, and from which is presented a spectacle that neither tongue nor pen cau describe. Surrounding spurs, with their cragged cliffs covered with the moss of ages, and from whose interstices the creeping ivy and graceful fern project; the distant ex? tended valley, all as seemingly quiet as at the first dawn of creation ; the long belt of the blue Cumberland, melting at the horizon into the hue of heaven, and visibly girding three fourths of the entire landscape before us?all contribute to make a subject for which the ar? tist may often sigh but seldom find. The eye never grows weary in looking from this Point. At each successive visit new beau? ties are discovered, and after gazing for hours upon this sublimely beautiful landscape, the beholder is wont to cast a wistful, lingering look behind as he departs. Other thoughts than those of ecstacy arise. One cannot con template such a scene without emotions of as? tonishment and awe. As he thus beholds Na? ture decked in her robes of grandeur and beau? ty, he is the better enabled to hold communion sweet tlirough Nature up to Nature's God, and the more unreservedly to subscribe to that grand and sublime truth, "Out of nothing made He everything." JAPHET. Our Washington Correspondence. Washington, D. C, Jan. 27, 1872. The anxiety of the administration for an early adjournment was again manifested by Senator Morton?the President's bugle?call? ing up his resolution of adjournment in the Senate yesterday. There was considerable bit? terness of a personal character indulged in. When Senator Schurz offered his amendment not to adjourn until a civil service reform bill had been passed, the sneer which accompanied Senator Morton's "not much," settled the ques? tion of civil service reform. Senator Schurz quoted Senator Morton against himself in his present haste for adjournment, and desired to know if this measure is not a political trick, what is it ? Morton looked black as a thunder? cloud, and growled out that he would not an? swer the insinuation. Schurz disclaimed any insinuation, only that he had quoted Morton against Morton. The tones and manner of these gentlemen, who are ho longer lodgers in the same garret, showed the feeling which ex? isted between them. No sooner had this passage blown over than the irrepressible Charles Sumner lugged his negro friends into the question by offering a resolution that civil rights should be given to colored people before amnesty to rebels. Senator Hamlin said on this very important amendment the Senate should deliberate calmly, and he suggested the singing of "Old Hundred." Sumner did not like the ludicrous turn things were taking, and he replied rather sharply that the Senator from Maine had better lead off. Sumner stood all the while the laughing was going on, and at last he said he believed he now stood alone, as he had stood before, and he was the only true friend of the colored people. At this point Senator Wilson spoke in rather a low tone, that Sumner had no right to say such things, as it placed others in a false light. Sumner heard the remark, attempted to go on, hesitated, and after a few words inaudible in the gallery, sat down very much affected and hurt at what had been said. To be laughed at was much for the dignified Chawles to stand, but to bear the sharp criticism of his colleague was more than the Sumnerian nature could withstand, and he sunk into his seat, well nigh crushed in spirit, amid the compla? cent looks of the Grant clique, who reveled in his discomfiture. The administration resolu? tion was carried, and the 29th of May designa? ted for the adjournment of Congress. A few Grant Radicals had opposed any stated time, but they all wheeled into line like so many sheep after a bellwether. The Ways and Means Committee on the syndicate and Secretary Boutwell's manipula? tion of matters financial will make a white? washing report on Tuesday next in the House. The Democratic members of the Committee will make no minority report, but will state why they cannot endorse the Secretary's action, and will show most conclusively that the syn? dicate pocketed over two millions of interest money, from the interest for three months on the government bonds lying idle on deposit, which the Secretary had no more right to per? mit than he has to give away that same sum from the public funds to any other ring, clique or firm. The truth is, the Treasury of the country has been manipulated by the Jay Cooke ring for some years past, and this syndi? cate swindle is only a continuation of the farm? ing out system which appears to permeate every department of the Government. The Radical leaders in both Houses of Con? gress, especially in the Senate, are scared at ! the proportions which the Schurz-Truinbull reform movement has assumed. Some of the more timid are for conciliation, but the Mor? tons, Chandlers and Conklings are for reading the recusants out of the party, which probably will be done. The latest coalition movement, and one which meets great favor here in Democratic and Radical reform circles, is the proposition of the Pennsylvania Independent Reform Re? publicans, as they call themselves, to place the name of Ex-Gov. Andrew G. Curtin, of that State, on the opposition ticket, second to that of Ex-Senator Hendricks, of Indiana, whom they claim is the most available candidate around whom to rally all the different opposi? tions to Gen. Grant, whose renominatiou is conceded. Mr. Hendricks' great popularity all over the country, and Gov. Curtin's immense strength in the Keystone State, which it ?; es? sential to carry, seems in their estimation to be the proper combination to rid the country of the incubus which now is dragging us down to destruction nationally, financially and morally, through the personal and official conduct of those who disgrace the highest places in the Government. PALMETTO. TnE Divorce Law.?The editor of the Aiken Tribune, in a letter from Columbia, writes as follows concerning the divorce law recently enacted by the Legislature: The most practical public measure which has engaged the attention of the General Assembly at its present session, and one that is likely to be fraught with as many important results as any other that has been discussed since the close of the war, is the divorce law just passed. This provides, first, that when the validity of a marriage shall be denied or doubted by either of the parties, tb 'ier may institute a suit for affirming the marriage ; and upon due proof of the validity thereof, it shall be decreed to be valid, and such decree shall be conclusive upon all persons concerned. And secondly, that a divorce from the band of matrimony may be decreed for the following causes : 1. Adultery. 2. When either party wilfully abandons or de? serts the other, for the period of two years, provided, that when the suit is instituted by the party deserting, it appears that the desier tiou was caused bv the extreme cruelty of the other party, or that the desertion by the wife was caused by the gross or wanton and cruel neglect of the husband to provide suitable maintenance for her, he being of sufficient abil? ity so to do. The rest of the act is mainly de? voted to a prescription of the processes of law by which a divorce may be obtained, and to fix? ing provisions for alimony and for the main? tenance of the wife and children in suitable cases. The law is a step in the right direction, and, whilst meeting a social necessity that has long been experienced, is so thoroughly guar? ded in its scope and authority that it docs not violate to any considerable degree that conser? vatism of the past which has always forbidden the granting of divorces in this State under any circumstances whatever. ITEMS-EDITORIAL AND OTHERWISE. ? Brick Pomeroy has been sued for $25,000, for a breach of marriage promise. ? General McClellan has sailed from New York for a short tour in the West Indies. ? The New York Spirit of the Times nomi? nates Hon. Charles Sumncr for the Presiden? cy. ? The St. Paul (Minn.) Daily Press says that Gen. Hancock refuses to be a candidate for President. ? Massachusetts has a mile of railway for every five miles of territory and every 1,000 population. ? Representatives of Mississippi farmers are visiting South Carolina for the purpose of pro? curing laborers. ? A Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals has been organized in Raleigh, North Carolina. ? Anderson Baker, a colored man, died in Marianna, Florida, on the 16th inst., at the ad? vanced age of 119 years. ? The trial of Nelson for the killing of Gen. Clanton will take place in KnoxvilTe on the fourth Monday in this mouth. ? The Kentucky House of Representatives has voted to repeal the law of that State mak? ing insanity a cause of divorce. ? The bill has passed both Houses of the Kentucky Legislature, allowing colored per? sons to testify in the State courts. ? The London Lancet thinks that during the coming spring, or early in the summer, cholera will reappear in Western Europe. ? Dr. Joseph J. Warlaw, and family, of Ab? beville, have recently removed to Walhalla, with the intention of remaining twelve months. ? The Nebraska Legislature has declared by resolution the Chair of the Executive vacant. The Governor refuses to recognize the act de posinghim. ? Gen. M. W. Ransom has been nominated for United States Senator from North Carolina, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of ex-Go v. Vance. ? President Grant has made good his defal? cation of $5,000 druing the Mexican war, send? ing his check for the amount, without interest, to theproper accounting officer. ? Hop. A. G. Thurman, United States Sen? ator from Ohio, will deliver the annual address before the literary societies of the University of Virginia on the 26th of June next. ? A bill has been introduced in the Legisla? ture to encourage building on the burnt districts of Charleston. It provides for the exemption of all new buildings from taxes'for five years. ? The resignation of Col. B. S. Jones, Sherr* Iff* of Laurens county, has been accepted by the Gogernor, but as yet there is no intimation of a successor. ? A new fifty dollar counterfeit of the last greenback issue is said to be a close imitation of the genuine. All persons fortunate enough, to handle fifty dollar hills ought to be on their guard against this counterfeit. ? Gen. Joseph Lane, of Oregon, the candi? date of the Breckinridge party in 1860 for Vice President of the United Statt?, was seventy" years old on the 15th of December. He is still in good health in both body and mind. ? The Charleston papers announce the death of Col. Joseph Whaley, a planter of Edisto Is-: land, and a man of high and resolute charac? ter. This distinguished Carolinian closed an honorable life, aged eighty-five years. ? The Philadelphia Press puts forth as ark argument sustaining the wisdom of the Nation-, al Republican Committee, that the nominees of National Conventions held in Philadelphia have always been singularly successful in the. election following. ? Maj. Martin R. Delaney, a colored aide-, de-camp to Gov. Scott, has sent in his resigna? tion to his Excellency, saying that self-respect and justice to the cause of his race will not permit him to hold such a relation to the Gov? ernor without a compromise of principle. ? The scourge of small pox has never been so wide-spread and terrible throughout the. world as in the present winter. In America, however, the crisis is passed, and news from all quarters show its rapid decrease. In England it seems to be growing. ? Gov. Conley, of Georgia, granted forty three pardons to criminals during the few weeks that he held office, including Foster Blodgett and the rest of the Radical ring indicted for embezzlement and other offences in connection with the management of public funds. ? Gen. George W. Cass, of Allegheuy conn-! Ly, is spoken of as the most probable Derao-: cratic candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania this year. He is a nephew of Hon. Lewis Cass, and is a gentleman of tine executive ability and great personal popularity, and is a Democrat of the old school. ? Hon. Wm. Allen, of Ohio, is the only surviving member of the United States Senate of 1837 and 1838, when Clay, Calhoun and Webster were members, and when the Senate contained a galaxy of talent that was unsur- - passed in Legislative bodies. Mr. Allen is re-. markably hale and vigorous for a man of his \ years. ? Reviewing the year 1871, the Manchester (Eng.) Examiner states that the cotton districts have had a return of those busy times which certain prophets told us some years ago had gone for ever. The cotton manufacture, so far from having disappeared as one of the staple industries, has more capital embarked in it a? this moment, and finds employment for a lar? ger number of work people, than at any former period. ? The trial of Mrs. Wharton, charged with. poisoning Gen. Ketchum at Baltimore fast sum mer, has at last terminated in the acquittal of - Mrs. "Wharton. The trial lasted six or eight weeks, and more than fifty witnesses were ex? amined. The cost of the trial is put down at $16,000. Mrs. Wharton is to be tried again in April for attempting to poison Van Ness. ? At the last election in Ohio, it was deci? ded that a convention should be called for the - revision of the Constitution, and a bill is now before the Legislature providing for the elec- . tion of members on the first Monday in April, that being the day of the little town elections. ? It also provides that the conventiou shall meet. at an early day to enable it to frame a Consti? tution in time to submit it to the people in Oc? tober, and thus avoid the expense of a special ' election. ? Gen. R. S. Ewell died at his residence in Marrey county, Tenn., on Thursday last. His wife died a few days before. Gen. Ewell was a distinguished Confederate officer during the late war, and fought nobly from the beginning to the end of the struggle. In giving direc? tions regarding his tombstone, he laid particu? lar stress upon the fact that he did not desire any word employed in the inscription that could reflect in any way upon the government of the United States. ? The Greenville Mountaineer says: There are marked evidences of improvement in our city. Various buildings are being erected and completed, old ones are being repaired, and plans for the erection of new ones arc being discussed. The population is also evidently increasing, and, although the advance toward, improvement is not very rapid nor assuming gigantic proportions, yet it is so manifest as to attract the attention of any who have their eyes open when they walk about. ? A petition has been presented to Congress from Mrs. Lee, widow of Gen. Robert E. Lee, asking that an appropriation be made to pur? chase the Arlington estate, whereupon she will give the government a clear title. This estate was the property of Mrs. Lee, bequeathed by her father, George W. P. Curtis, and occupied by herselfand family until the commencement of the late civil war. It was sold for non-pay? ment of a direct tax of $92.07, and hid in by the United States government for $2G.S00, no portion of which sum has ever been paid to the owner of the property, and Congress has here? tofore refused to restore the estate to Mrs. Lee's possession. It is asserted in the petition that the amount of the tax was tendered before the sale took place, and that the tax commissioner refused to accept payment.