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SOTT & CO., Proprietors. ANDERSON O. H., S. 0., THURSDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 23, 1873. VOLUME IX.?NO. 16. From the Chicago Times, Oct. 10. The Proposed New Railway to the Atlantic Coast. A convention of gentlemen representing States interested in the construction of the proposed air line from Chicago South to the Atlantic Coast, iassembled.on yesterday after? noon at the Palmer House. The gathering was of representative men, and evidently meant business, ; Delegates to.the number of 8& han? ded in their names; representing the following States: Indiana; 51 delegates; North Caroli? na, 5 delegates ; Kentucky, 6 delegates; Geor? gia, 3 delegates ; Tennessee, 2 delegates; South Carolina, 12 delegates, and Illinois, 12 dele? gates. _ The following gentlemen represented the city of Chicago: Cyrus H. McCormick, Geo. C. Smith, Samuel F. Atwater, Col. Caleb Cross well, N. J. Vail, Robert Raej F. F. Hilder, J. W. Beach, Chas. M. Smith, A. J. Bell, Col. Thos. H. Ellis, Franklin Bauer, and Geo. C. Morgan. Col. Caleb Crosswell, previous to the organ? ization of the meeting, read to the delegates a paper describing the road and enumerating the benefits to be derived from it. The meeting having been called to order, Hon. W. S. Hay man, of Indiana, was elected temporary chairman, and Maj. N. J. Vail as temporary Secretary. Mr. Haymnn, on taking the chair, then spoke of the importance of the proposed enterprise. The construction of the proposed road would confer immeasurable advantages upon the dis? trict through which it passed. Commercial in? terchange between the North and South would be promoted by it. Profits would come direct from the products instead of being diminished by middlemen ; and the products of the North and South would be better distributed in the two sections of the country than they were now. The advantages of Chicago were im? measurable. They could not overrate them. The project, he assured them, was not a mere visionary scheme, but was one of immediate necessity. If the people only contributed what had been promised, the construction of the road was a matter of certainty. The road was backed by the great Philadelphia banking house of Dresel & Co. The idea that the road had been "permanently located was a mistake. This had of necessity, to be left to the fu? ture. On motion, a committee consisting of one delegate from each State represented in the con? vention, was appointed to effect a permanent organization. The following gentlemen were appointed as the committee: W. B. Gulick, South Carolina; Hon W. L. Love, North Car? olina ; J. H. Stewart, Indiana; T. L. Jones, Kentucky; K. J. Wilson, Tennessee ; Robert Eae, Illinois; John W. Maclaren, Georgia. The committee returned with the following report, which was adopted: President, ex-Go v. Beriah Magoffin, Kentucky; vice presidents, Cyrus H. McCormick, Chicago; James N. Sims, Indiana; Col. J. S. Johnston, Kentucky ; R. J. Wilson, Tennessee; Gen. Thomas L. Clingman, North Carolina; Ferdiuand Phiu cey, Georgia; Gen. J. \V. Harrison, South Carolina. Principal Secretary, Maj. Nicholas J. Vail, assistant .Secretaries, James G. Dudley, Kentucky; George Uhl, Indiana; D. Morris, Tennessee; C. I). Smith, North Carolina; John C. Johnson, Georgia; and D. R. Duncan, South Carolina. After a flattering allusion to -the rebuilding of the city, the president called for reports from the various states represented, commenc? ing with South Carolina. Gen. Clingnan, of North Carolina, after in? dorsing the remarks of the chairman as to the wonderful resurrection of Chicago, proceeded to give some statistics on the route of the pro? posed road through that State, He gave a very encouraging report of the projected route, and spoke approvingly of the connections which would be made with other roads there. He showed how breadstufls were taken from the West to New York, thence South, and back to the planting country, 250 miles up the coun? try, which could be supplied direct from this city. Spartanburg was the place he referred to; this place would give a big bonus, and so would other places in that neighborhood. On motion of Mr. Rae, speeches were limited to 20 minutes. Hon. W. L. Love, of North Carolina, made a speech showing the necessity that existed for the construction of the road, through the Blue Ridge district, arid how the Chicago project had been received with open hearts by the res? idents in that part of North Carolina. There was no difference in the views of his State del? egation, until London was reached; there local influence operated, and two routes were offered. He spoke in favor of the route through Knox ville to Port Royal, where salt water could be touched at the shortest possible distance from Chicago. Through Wheeler's Gap there was no greater difficulties to be met with than in the Cumberland Gap. Mr. Love also spoke in reiference to the miueral resources of the coun? try through which the line passed. Prof. Smith, from the same State, also spoke in reference to the topography of the State of North Carolina, through which the road would pass, and claimed that it was one of great mineral wealth. He had never seen grouped together on the same surface so magnificent a collection of minerals as were found there. They had the loveliest flesh-colored marble there, and he should like to see the Greek slave sculped out of it. FA langh.] They had mag? nificent timber and water-power, but no coal. The Professor closed with a very good para? phrase of the closing sentences of St. John: "Ho, everyone that thirsted to spend capital let, him come," etc. Mr. W. B. Gulick, of South Carolina, fol? lowed. In the course of a short speech, he advocated the Spartanburg route, on the ground that there were scraps of roads already built which would cost much less to purchase than to build a new line. He spoke strongly about the products of his State, which were he said of a diversified and valuable character. Mr. John H. Evins, of South Carolina, also spoke. A convention of 380 delegates held in 1836, had decided that the only prac? ticable line from the South to the Northwest, wa3 by way of the French Broad River and Cumberland Gap. Nature had done for that route what generally fell to the lot of men to do. The coal and magnetic iron ore that would be taken from the Gap would pay for the con? struction of the road. Asbestos, mica, and corundum were found along this road in unlim? ited quantity. The road would pass through the finest fertile country in the world. Gen. J. W. Harrison, of South Carolina, said he had advocated in the State Senate the Blue Ridge route as the Southern portion of an air line route from the South to the Northwest. Necessity might call for the construction of both roads. He did not advocate the road as a J speculative investment, but looked upon it as a people's line. The interchange of the products of the two districts, by this air line, would be vastly for the benefit of all. The four South? ern States had paid out ^50,000,000 for corn in oue year, of which only $17,000,000 had gone to the producer in the Northwest. The bal? ance went to the middlemen. The Northwest paid enormously for the products of the South, and the South paid enormously for the staple products of the Northwest. He was even willing to divide the balance between what ought to be paid and was paid, with the trans? portation company. If tne present company meant business he was with them. The dis? trict in which he lived would do its duty, and not call upon them for a cent to help pay for the section of the road through thoir own State. Then they had also to consider the oceanic trade, which would be created and developed by their proposed road. By means of this business Chicago could be made the great financial centre of the country. Then the flut? ter of a single duck would not upset them, as had been the case recently. Mr. D. R. Duncan, of South Carolina, said that talking would not build the railroad, but discussion would not be amiss. To-day Chica? go was offered tbe golden prize which Louis? ville and Cincinnati had let slip by. It was necessary that they should build an air line. Mr. Eae stated that Mr. Palmer had fitted np rooms for them in the hotel, and offered them without cost. The Convention then adjourned until half past 7 o'clock. EVENING SESSION. The Convention re-assembled at half-past 7 o'clock, Gov. Magoffin in the chair. Capt. J. N. Sims, of Clinton County, Indiana, took up the discussion. He referred to the ad? vantages which would accrue to his own section of country, and also to the whole country through which it ran. As the representative of Clinton County he was authorized to offer a subsidy of ?4,000 per mile in aid of the pro? ject. Mr. E. L. Davis, of Ohio County, Indiana, took up the thread of the discourse, and told the convention that the grade of the Indianap? olis and Cincinnati railroad would be changed shortly. He considered this road as forming a section of the great through route. The length of the road in Ohio County would be from 10 to 16 miles, and on every mile of that road, he believed that Ohio County would give a bonus toward construction of $10,000 per mile. Mr. J, S. Murray, of South Carolina, paid a flattering compliment to the energy of the citizens of Chicago, giving it as his opinion that the fact of this city being enlisted in this project rendered it certain of fulfillment. Were the road not properly projected, the building of yet another would be necessitated. It was therefore important that they should exhibit great care in locating the road. The duty of the Convention was to look to the interests involved in determining the objective termini of the road, North and South. They ought not to confine themselves to the consid? eration of the Cumberland Gap route, for thert were other routes both practicable and equally useful. What was the fact. The construction of the road through Cumberland Gap and by way of the French Broad River, was to throw the products of the Northwest into countries raising similar products, and which partly sup? plied the South to-day. Such a route would defeat the very object of the road. What the South needed was a road which would throw the products of tbe Northwest into the lap of the South. This the route by way of Cumber? land Gap would not do. He believed that Charleston should not be made the objective poiut of the road. One reason was, because the climate of Charleston was not fit for the storage of cereals. Flour would mould there. Other points, such as Augusta, Aikcn, and other places, were far better fitted for the stor? age of grain. The harbor of Port Royal was far better than Charleston, and its location pointed it out as being the future metropolis of the South. Anderson County had promised a subscription of $350,000 to the building of the road, and Abbeville County would give a like amount. New York owned its preseut position to the "West and South; and if this great trade was taken away from New York and turned westward, Chicago would become the great centre of the commercial interests of this country. He favored the adoption of the Rayburn Gap. If a route farther North were adopted there would be an overwhelming ne? cessity for the construction of another route, such as he had advocated. Mr. T. B. Jeter, of South Carolina, spoke in reply to the arguments used by the preceeding speaker. He contended that cereals could be kept at Charleston, certainly as well as at Port Royal. He wished to see an examination made of both routes, before either was adopt? ed. Mr. B. F. Whituer, of South Carolina, fol? lowed with an able speech iu favor of the Blue Ridge route. He called particular attention to the fact that the State had expended $3,000 000 on this route. He bciievcd that this piece of road could be bought for $400,000. In reply to Mr. Rae, Mr. Whitner said he estimated that $5,000,000 or $6,000,000 would be required to finish the Blue Ridge route. The County of Anderson proposed to give $300,000 to the road. Secretary Vail said over $4,000,000 had al? ready been pledged to the road. The President called on the Georgia delegates for an expression of opinion. Mr. Alexanders. Erwin, of Georgia, favored the Blue Ridge and Rayburn Gap route. He said a short road was being built at the latter point, from which connections could be made with the Georgia Central Railroad, a strong corporation, whose road raji through the best parts of the State. Other excellent connections could be made if the route he advocated was adopted. With regard to local aid, they pro? posed in Georgia to give them a road so soon as they reached the State with their through route. The State of Georgia would hail with delight the proposed connection. Georgia had exhibited wonderful recuperative powers since the war, and would in future far excel the his? toric Georgia of the past. Col. E. I. Wilson, delegate from the Board of Trade of Knoxville, Tcnn., said he was the only representative of the State present. He lived upon the line of the Blue Ridge road, and gave his support and aid to that route, lie believed it to be to the interests of all that this route should be the one selected. He showed the exchange of commodities which would be brought into effect by the construction of this route; and detailed the connections which would be made. Hon. T. L. Jones, and Col. Stoddard John sou^f Kentucky, also delivered speeches favor? able to the building of the road. The Convention then adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning. From the Chicago Times, Oct. 11. Second Day's Proceedings of the Railroad Convention. The convention of railroad delegates, in? terested in the construction of tho Chicago and South Atlantic railroad, reassembled, on yes? terday morning, in tbe club-room of the new Palmer house. There was a full attendance of delegates, Gov. Magoffin presiding. The committee on resolutions, through the chairman, Gen. Clinginan, of North Carolina, reported z& follows: Resolved, That the immense and increasing production of the northern states demand ad ditional outlets to enable them to reach the markets of the world. Resolved, Therefore, that as a most important measure to effect such an object, there should, as soon as practicable, be completed from the city of Chicago a grand trunk railroad to one or more of the North Atlantic ports, with such branches and connections as are necessary to supply the planting states, and also through such seaports to reach foreign countries with the smallest possible cost in transportation. Resolved, That the delegates from the seve'ral states, represented in this convention, pledge themselves to use their best efforts to organize and secure such charters and such connections with existing railroads as are necessary to fa? cilitate the success of the great enterprise. Resolved, That the several delegates will also use their best efforts to procure along the road such subscriptions and other aid as may assist the enterprise and satisfy the capitalists abroad that those immediately interested have full faith in the success of the work, and of its financial profits on investment. The report was adopted, without a dissen? tient voice. Mr. Dudley moved the appointment of a committee to obtain a charter for the line through the State of Kentucky. Hon. T. L. Jones, as an amendment, moved that committees be appointed for each State, with the same object, and for the general good of the railroad. He proposed that each com? mittee should consist of five members, and ap? point its own chairman of the Central Commit? tee in Chicago. Some discussion ensued, and at length Gen. Harrison, of South Carolina, moved to amend the amendment by leaving the election of each committee to several State Conventions. He called upon Mr. Rae, of Chicago, to address the Convention. Mr. Robert Rae, spoke at length on the sub? ject. Some months ago, he said, Mr. Hayman delivered an address before the board of trade of Augusta, Georgia, favoring the establish? ment of an air line from Chicago to the sea. The Chicago papers shortly after published an excellent letter on the subject, from the same gentleman. The proposition had first come from the South, and it rested with the South to build the road from the sea to the lake, and not for them to build it from the* lake to the sea. Chicago had almost all of her energies now engaged, although she looked with the greatest delight on the prospect that the road would be built. He had appealed to every distinguished capitalist and business man in Chicago and the northwest to aid in the carrying out of this noble enterprise, but he regretted to have to say, that he nad signally failed. He wrote to Dr. Wayman, telling him of the result of his endeavors, and received from the doctor a let? ter in reply to the effect that there was no such word as fail. [Applause.] On this, the bankers of the northwest were applied to, with better success. They said : "If the South really wants this road, we will help her." Chicago would not build the road as a mere speculative project. Chicago did not propose to take hold of this enterprise, and put it through ; it was for the gentlemen of the South to set them? selves to work. Gold was required to build the road, and the South must show that she was in earnest before the gold could be forthcoming. With regard to the financial prospects of the road, he was able to say that Dr. Wayman, who was hard at work in the State of Indiana, had written to the effect that he had a well ground? ed expectation of receiving a million dollars additional, making iu all $3,000,000 ready to carry the line to the Ohio river. Every cent of that sum would be expended in the State of Indiana. Chicago would take care of herself. He believed that the South would be equal to the occasion. The valor that had distinguished her on the battle-field would lend her ardor to push this work through, so that the Northwest and South could march together to the sea, and open a highroad to a grander, a wider com? merce thau either had conceived before.? [Cheers] Chicago, with Indiana, could build the road to the Ohio river, and the South had to look to its completion. He was instructed by Maj. Vail to say that Drexel & Co., of Phil? adelphia, were willing to actas financial agents of the road to build the road, if the work was actively undertaken. Mr. Rae closed with the remark that their proceeding in every respect should be governed by honesty, and the road built in honor and honesty,. must be paid for in the like manner. [Cheers.] Gen. Clingman, of North Carolina, said he would like to hear what Kentucky would do in the way of bringing the road across that State from the Ohio river. Maj. Bomar said that the road from Spar? tanburg, N. C, to the Butt Mountain Gap, was safe. The county of Spartanburg would sub? scribe $100,000 hard cash. The road in Union county was already built, but that county would also subscribe $150,000 outside of pri? vate subscriptions. The South wanted the road, and so far as South Carolina, was bound to have it. Gen. Clingman asked Maj. Bomar if the county taxes could be paid.with boud coupons? That was what was done in his county. The State bonds of North Carolina were worth five cents on the dollar, thanks to the excellent gentlemen?he would not say "carpet-baggers" ??who had been legislating for them during the past few years. They had been worth 86 cents on the dollar. Gen. Harrison said that they were not so bad as that in their State. South Carolina was get? ting on her feet again. The following committee on obtaining char? ter in Kentucky was then appointed: James F. Robinson, jr., James T. Dudley, Gov. Ma goffin, Johu C. Govc, and William Pherton. The Convention then adjourned until 2 o'clock. The Convention reassembled at 2 o'clock. Dr. Love spoke in support of the ltayburn Gap route, reiterating many of the arguments which were made at the previous session of the Convention. Gen. Clingman followed iu opposition. Mr. J. H. Stewart, of Indiana, olfered the following: Resolved, That for the purpose of avoiding useless discussion on competing routes at present, the delegates from each locality fur? nish the Secretary of this Convention with full and written statistics as regards their separate routes and local interests, for the future con? sideration of the Chicago and South Atlantic Railroad company. Mr. Hayman, the President- of the Chicago and South Atlantic railroad, advised that dis? cussion on the advantages of the two compet? ing Carolinian routes should be deferred. They had to leave this question to the future. They could not expect aid from the general govern? ment, except it might be to build a bridge across the Ohio river, and receive pay in re? turn in postal service. The resolution was withdrawn. Hon. Mr. Jones, of Kentucky, deprecated the idea that the present convention had to decide on the question of rival routes. All they had to do was to see to the furtherance of this project of connecting Chicago with the sea. Before deciding on any Southern termi? nus surveyors should be sent out to examine into the advantages of the different terminal points. Let them fix this question, and then ask the different counties to give aid. Ex-Governor Magoffin, of Kentucky, said whatever the cost of the road in Kentucky might be, he would pledge the people of the State for one half the money. He suggested that the bonds thus contributed by the State should be held in trust by the State Auditor until the road, or portions of it, were com? pleted. They should also have a clause in the charter, giving the people the right to subscribe in bonds. They were poor, for their money was locked up in the mines which were worth? less now, but would be worth hundreds of thou? sands of dollars when opened up. They had two routes through Kentucky, but they had avoided any controversy on this minor matter. The legislature in Kentucky would be in ses? sion in 60 days, and a charter could be put through without difficulty. In reply to the chairman, Mr. Rae said he thought that tbe appointment of State Com? mittees was unnecessary. Hon. Mr. Jones on this, withdrew his mo? tion to that effect. - Mr. J. H.Stewart, of Indiana, offered resolu? tions indorsing the present Chicago and South Atlantic company. A delegate said this had been done before, by the adoption of resolutions offered at tbe morning session. In reply to a delegate, President Raymond stated the company desired to hold the full control of a through line to the coast. The resolution was carried. A warm resolution of thanks was passed to Potter Palmer, Esq., for his courtesy in giving the convention the free use of a hall, rooms, and table; and also to the Chairman, Secre? tary, and the Times. Everybody feeling good, a collection, amount? ing to ?50, was taken up for the Shreveport sufferers. Short speeches of thanks and cordiality were made by the Chairman, Gen. Harrison, on behalf of the South, and Mr. Rae for the North. Mr. Cyrus H. McCormick extended an in? vitation to supper at the Sherman house, to the delegates, at 7 o'clock. The Convention then adjourned. The Character of the Malignant Fever at Memphis. It is a remarkable fact that the medical fac? ulty of Memphis are by no means a unit as to the disease now prevailing in the city. That it is yellow fever is asserted by some, but that it is nothing more than a virulent type of the common malarial fever of the Mississippi bot? tom is the opinion of more than one of the best physicians we have. The fact that it is contagious or communicated by contact with the infected persons proves nothing, since science has demonstrated that nearly every form of disease is more or less of a contagious nature. If not yellow fever, then, and if a malignant type of malarial fever, why should it be present nere in Memphis at this time? The leading physicians of New Orleans an? nounced within the last two or tnree days that there was not a single case of yellow fever in the Crescent City, the hitherto supposed hot? bed of that fear-inspiring malady, and that the city was as healthy as it has ever been at this season of the year. We hear of no yellow fever in Galveston, of none in Charleston, S. C, of none in Havana, one of the original introdu? cers of the pestilence into the American con? tinent. Is it not a little strange that, in view of the fearful ravages of the so-called "yellow fever" in Shreveport, Louisiana, and of the public mind outside of Memphis, touching the fatality of that disease in this city, New Orleans and the cities of the Mexican Gulf? the continental gates of ingress of this tropical pestilence?should be free from the presence of the destroyer ? It is accepted, too, we be? lieve, among the medical profession as a thco remic truth, postulate, that the negro is not liable to be attacked by yellow fever, his tropi? cal blood being, it is assumed, fortified against a disease indigenous to the tropics. But the prevailing fever has not respected this right of the colored man, which the fif? teenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States fails to cover or protect, and our daily mortuary report shows that black men die of the disease as well as white. Eminent physicians of this city tell of cases in their practice in the Mississippi bottom, character? ized by all the symptoms and effects of the present disease, including the "coffee grounds" ejections from the stomach, and the saffron color of tho victim after dissolution, and yet there was no "yellow fever" in the country at the time, and no man dreamed of calling the disease by any other name than malarial fever. But, leaving the elucidation of this interesting question to our learned friends of the school Esculapian, wc cannot avoid the fact that a disease of a malignant type is among us, vig? orously plying its mission of death; nor are we less persuaded that this fatal fever has its hid? den, but plain, cause here in Memphis. A subject of as much importance as this dreadful pestilential visitation naturally awakened in? quiry, and inquiry has discovered a conciiLion of things so appalling as to excite the wonder that the death dealing breath of pestilence has not before this decimated our population. We have no system of sewerage in Memphis, and the necessary consequence is that tfie filth of the city is left to take care of itself. Our san? itary police consist, for the most part, of some half dozen of the chain gang, who occasionally do little more than emancipate the confined odors of the kennels of Main Street, and give wings to imprisoned effluvia. Our alleys and obscure streets are left to the rag pickers, to porciue and canine scavengers, to cleanse them of their superfluous foulness, and were it not for the the rains of pitying heaven, would of themselves give abundant employment to our undertakers and grave diggers. And yet these are the least of the objectionable features touching the violation of the laws of hygiene in Memphis. We almost shudder when we consider the condition of every private family in Memphis in the matter of a supply of pure water. Nearly every family in the city is de? pendent upon a cistern for its supply of water; nearly every cistern in the same yard, in close proximity to, and generally in a geographical line with the privy 1 No intelligent man need be told of the proclativc and absorbent quali? ties of the earth, and no Memphian need be reminded of the difficulty of finding cistern water in the city free from the impurities of animalculre induced by decomposition. The train of evils following these disagreeable truths will suggest themselves to the intelli? gent reader without further elaboration. The great question with us now is to apply the remedy, and no time is better than the present to awaken the community to a proper sense of the situation.?Memphis AppcaL ? A professor, in explaining to a class of young ladies the theory according to which the body is entirely renewed every seven years, said: "Thus, Miss B., in seven years you will in reality be no longer Miss B." "I really hope I shan't*" demurely responded the girl, casting down her eyes. The Bankrupt Law. In 1807 the Congress of the United States passed an act providing for a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, generally known as the baukrupt law. The priucipal feature of this act was the granting to the debtor a free and full discharge from all his debts except those of a fiduciary character, upon his surrendering to his creditors all his property, to be administered through the bank? rupt court. It was made the duty of the bankrubt court to set off to the bank? rupt an amount not exceeding ?500, and to dis? tribute the remainder of his estate amongst his creditors according to law ; and finally to grant to the bankrupt a discharge, which would operate as a legal bar to all debts contracted previous to the filing of the petition for bank? ruptcy. This act was passed before the reconstruction of the Southern States, and without reference to their interests; and yet, if it had been the purpose of Congress to provide special relief for the Southern people, after the disastrous re? sults of the war, nothing better than this law could have been devised. Thousands of our people found themselves suddenly reduced from wealth to poverty, with a debt upon their shoulders which crushed out all hope of suc? cess for the future. This law came to their re? lief. It stripped them of their property, it is true, but it wiped out all previous indebted? ness, and gave them a clear chart for the future. Many declined to avail themselves of the bene? fit of this law because it required them to abandon the exemptions allowed by our State homestead law. At its last Session, however, Congress amended this law, granting to' the bankrupt all the exemptions allowed by the homestead law of the State in which the bank? rupt lived, and the original exemption of $500 in addition?so that a discharge in bankruptcy in this State, as the law now stands, gives the bankrupt a fee simple title to $1,000 worth of real estate, aud $1,000 worth of personal property. Moreover, the Supreme Court of the ?uited States has recently decided that a State can not pass a homestead law that can shield the property of the debtor against'debts contracted previous to the passage of such homestead law. That decision rests upon the ground that the Constitution of the United States forbids any State to pass any law impairing the obligation of contracts. The Constitution, however, does hot forbid Congress to pass any relief law that it may deem proper; and hence, although the State homestead may, and probably will, fail as to old debts, it does not necessarily follow that the exemptions allowed by Congress to bank? rupts will also fail. But on the contrary, the Constitution gives the express authority to Congress to pass a bankrupt law, and as Judge Rives says : "It is the essence of a bankrupt law to give exemptions and grant a discharge. Neither can be doue without invading vested rights, aud destroying the obligations of con? tracts." Chief Justice Chase in delivering a dissent? ing opinion in the legal tender case says: "It is true that the Constitution grants authority to pass a bankrupt law; but our inference is that in this way only can Congress discharge the obligation of contracts. It may provide for ascertaining the inability of debtors to per? form their contracts, and upon the surrender of all their property may discharge them," (12 Wallace 457.) Justice Fields who also dissented in the legal tender cases, uses similar language. We think, therefore, if the question is ever carried before the Supreme Court, the home? stead exemptions to bankrupts will be sus? tained. There will be a strong effort made at the next session of Congress to repeal this law, and in all probability the effort will succeed. It will have served its end so far as the South is concerned, and we see nothing to regret in its early repeal.?Greenville Republican-. The Late Cyclone in Florida* It seems that, after all the halcyon weather of the present fall, the country has not entirely escaped the great equinoctial storm. The Sig? nal Service reports, which had been delayed by telegraphic failure, now disclose the magnitude and violence of the Florida eyebue of the 6th. It appears that this tremendous tempest, which swept over the Florida peninsula aud bore away thence to the northwestward, all along the path of the Gulf Stream, was oue of the most terrific hurricanes ever reported. At Key West the Wind reached the velocity of eighty miles per hour; and at Punta Rasa, in Florida, ninety miles per hour, while the mercury sank to 28.40 inches, and the ocean rose fourteen feet above die mean tide level, submerging everything and washing away everything mobile. Such a storm wave is ex? traordinary, even in the hurricane belts of the tropics, and reveals a disturbance which, in its European track, must have done great havoc among vessels which were overtaken in its vor? tex. So violent was its force at PUnta Rasa that the supplies of drinking water were car? ried away, or probably ruined by the salt spray dashed into the cisterns amd tanks. The great West Indian hurricane of 1870, at St. Kitts, not only tore up by the roots many trees of enormous size, but stripped all the foliage from those left standing; so that the supply of water was cut off from the estates by the drying up of the numerous streams from the hills. A similar result will probably ensue from the late cyclone iu the leeward West Indies, but it is growing too late in tli3 season for the crops to be blasted and the soil baked by the suu. We may hope ?'?hat this tempest has exhausted the fury of the Storm King, and that sereue skies will prevail. The Gulf and tropic bound ves? sels from our Atlantic ports still need, how? ever, to be wideawake and on the alert agaiust such destructive meteors along the ship tracks to the West Indies.?New York Herald. The Farming Interests of the United States.?The farmers do not seem to have kept equal pace with their comrades on the road to wealth during the last census decade. In 1860 the farmers constituted about one half of the working population, and owned | about one-half of the wealth of the whole j country. The aggregate value of all property, | real and personal, in 1S60, according to the census returns, was $14,182,736,068, exclusive of slaves, of which $7,9S0,493.063 was the value of farm property. In 1870 out of 10,66*8,63:) male working pop ulation, 5,425,503 were farmers, rather more than one-half. j According to the census returns of 1870 the aggregate value of all t!ie property in the country was $30,068,518,507, of which only 8*11,124,958,747 was farm property, but little more than one-third of the whole amount. If, the farmers had held their own from 1860 to 1870; their part of the whole property would ! have been $17,489,000,000, instead of $11,124,- j 958,747 as above stated, making a difference of I over $6,000,000,000?-more than twice the1 amount of the uational debt. In 1860 the farmers owned ?S percent, of the whole prop? erty in the country, but in 1870 they owned j only 37 per cent, of it. ' Malaria and Malarial Diseases. A correspondent of the Greenville Jlepub' fican discusses this important subject in the fol? lowing intelligent and interesting article, which will prove instructive to our readers, and is commended to their attention : Mr. Editor: The wide-spread prevalence of malarial fevers?viz: bilious and intermittent fevers?throughout our up-country this season, induces me to write an article for publication in your paper, on the origin, propagation, effects and prevention of these diseases, which though so amenable generally to proper medi? cation, leave such an impress upon the consti? tution that other diseases of serious organic character follow, destroying all vigor of health, and ultimately producing death. Ours ia naturally a region of country unsurpassed for purity of atmosphere and general healthful ness of climate, and but for the abandoned cultivation of much of the bottom alluvial lands, would be comparatively free from inva? sion of malarial fevers. Where such lands are once cleared, improperly drained, and after? wards abandoned for cultivation, even upon small streams, they become prolific sources of malaria; and that such is the case in all por? tions of our country, there is no doubt. Since cotton has become the chief production of the farmer, even within a few miles of the Blue Ridge, his lands adapted to the production of the cereals are neglected, ditches fill up, vege? tation accumulates, and thus fever is generated. Noth;ng will contribute more to the rapid, material development of our country thau a maintenance of its boasted solubrity; but un? less a change of policy as to agricultural pro? ducts takes place, and more of the swampy lands are brought back into cultivation, we may expect these fevers to become forced upon us?assuming some seasons, with favorable combinations as to their causation, malignant forms. Malaria is the term generally employed' to* designate a certain effluvium or emanation from marshy ground, and is formed from the* coalescence of the two words mala and aria, which taken together means bad air?the chemical and physical proporties of which are unknown to us, various experiments having been made to discover its constituent ele? ments and its presence in atmospheric air, but with very unsatisfactory results. A French chemist, upon an analysis of air collected above marshes, found it as pure as that at the' summit of surrounding* hills, but upon disen? gaging carburetted hydrogen gas, found that it left in the water through which it passed, a peculiar and putrescible matter; and that dew collected also in the vicinity of these marshes, contained a matter capable of fermentation and consequent decomposition. It is, however, manifest, that while we possess no definite' knowledge as to what really constitutes this poison, we are sufficiently familiar with its effects as to Warrant the belief that it always arises from the decomposition of vegetable matter, and not from animal excrementitions matter, though unjoined to the latter, we can well imagine complications of diseases to fol? low. For the production of malaria, sufficient to' bring on epidemics of fever, there seems to be a certain condition of atmosphere and soil, with presence of vegetable matter necessary? such as the dry heat of the autumn, when there is usually but little moisture in the soil as experience and observation has satisfactory" demonstrated that, it is more the paucity of water upon lands hitherto flooded than an ex? cess, with above conditions, that generates this malarial poison so freely that that peculiar de? composition of vegetation which produces this poison only requires a small proportion of water in small confined pools. Where alceality" has been flooded, it is at the subsidence of the freshet that sickness prevails. Hence, where & stream is not perfectly drained, it is betteT to keep Up a regular system of flooding tbe sur? rounding flat lands than to allow them to be oc? casionally flooded, by not being properly ditch? ed; and then, on the subsidence of the high water to the small obstructed ditch, leave little' pools all along its course to become centres of malaria. Where the surface of a swamp is kept continually wet by running water, noj matter how much vegetable matter may be present, it is usually comparatively innocuous in any climate, and quite so in this temperate latitude of ours. As to the distance malaria will produce its effects from the localities where formed,-the medical profession possess a good deal of irreg? ular knowledge?consisting more of detached facts, presenting various unexplained anomalies, than of groups of corresponding facts, from which the medical reasoner can deduce fixed determinate causes. As might be supposed, the effects of malaria are, in general, more inj tense in proportion to proximity to its source* This is owing to the probably more Condensed state in which it exists near to the spot where produced; and it is observed that circum? stances that favcv condensation of atmosphere add to its intensity, and that it is always more pernicious from exposure at night, than during the day. But while it hns generally been more intense in its effects near to where produced, instances have often occurred where places situated off from two to four miles have been effected with fevers of equal if not increased severity; but this is more exceptional than general, aud in general the family living from three to four miles off from a malarial centre, with intervening woodlands, would be free from fevers; or, perhaps, within half this dis? tance, where the house was surrounded with luxuriant, fragrant flowers and shrubbery, the same exemption might follow. As to the prevention of this formation of malaria, it is unnecessary to dilate at length. More complete drainage, and increased culti? vation of our bottom lands will effectually pro? ve;;* its annual visitation ; and to bring about this desired change, nothing but the strong arm of legislation will avail. Increased penal? ties for obstruction of streams, however small, must be passed; and, if practicable, some general law as to drainage. The Bravest of the Brave,?Governor Letcher the other day related a very interesting incident of the war while in General Kemper'? room at the hotel. He said that in one of the battles below Richmond, four flag-bearers had been shot down, and a call was made for a volunteer to carry the colors. A stripling took the torn standard. In a few minutes the staff was snapped by a shot. The boy sat down, unloosened a shoe-string, and tied it* He started in front again, another bullet splin? tered the staff. It was then fastened by the other shoe-airing. He had hardly shook tire folds out a second time when down fell the flag, .struck by a ball. The shoe-strings had givc.i out. He unbuttened his jacket, ripped his .shirt into ribbons, and wrapped the broken red, and carried the tattered ensign through the fight, Governor Letcher said : "When they brought me the boy with the shattered staff patched up with shoe-strings and shirt-tails, I made him an. officer and gave him "the best sword Vir? ginia had." ? The gallant fellow was from Monroe county. He was killed in battle.?Lexington Gazette.