The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, November 27, 1873, Image 1

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. ? -1< li [ ? ?? ??' " _;_;_ HOY^ ^ OO.v Proprietors. ANDERSON C. H., S. 0., THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 27, 1873. VOLUME IX.?NO. 21. A Leaf from a lawyer's. Diary. i [The following graphic andremarabie narra? tive has-been obtained by us from a prominent lawyer in one of the Eastern Kentucky coun? ties. The facts in it have not before been pub? lished, but for their entire accuracy the repu? tation of the writer will vouch.?Ed. Coceiee In 1S65 I was the State's attorney in the judicial district in the State of Kentucky. I had gone to the county of O?, one of the counties in the district, for the purpose of being present in the prosecution of the crimi? nals. There had been no court held in that county since 1861,'owing to the civil war. I found everything in the worst confusion possi? ble 'Men had been murdered in cold blood, and nothing was done with them. Murder, arson, robbery, and all the crimes in the cata? logue, had been committed with impunity, and the malefactors had goneuuwhipped of iostice, owing to the absence of law. During the war everything was in anarchy; there was neither safty to women nor innocent children?all suffered alike. When it was known that there would be a.circuit court held in that county, the news attracted a very large crowd. > On Monday morning, November 8, 1865, I found a large crowd in B-^?, the county seat of O-. ??< Meuy: women and children . came, some the distance, of thirty miles. Guerrillas and bushwhackers came with their guns and pistols, as though they intended to overawe the court, and determined that none of their gang should be indicted for the numerous murders of which they had been guilty. Court opened, and the sheriff returned his list of a grand I jury. The court instructed them as to their duty; they were sworn and sent to their room, j I had determined in'my own mind that every person that had been guil ty of a felony or mis demeanor in O-county should be regularly , indicted,if I could in any way obtain the evi dence against them. . . : There was.a case that was shrouded in mys? tery. A young man, who was the pride of a widowed mother, had suddenly disappeared from the county about two years before, and had never been heard from. His name was Charles Belknap; he was an only child; hand? some, finely educated, and as brave as a lion. I made diligent inquiry. I had about one hun? dred witnesses summoned. I examined them closely, and when I dismissed them I warned them to tell no one what transpired in the grand jury room. - In that way I hoped to Keep the real murderers in the dark as to what I was doing. I could only gather the following circum? stances in the case: That young Belknap bad left his home in June, 1863, and was riding a very fine horse, with $1,500 in his possession. He failed to return at nignt, and his mother became very uneasy about him, aud the next morning set out to make inquiries concerning him. She went to the house of 'Squire Mosely, who lived about five miles from her, a leading man in -the county, and told ? her story, and made inquiries concerning, her son. The! 'Squire told her that her son was at his bouse the day before, and left in the direction of the. town of B??; that he left about 10 o'clock; in the morning. This was all she could hear of him. 'No one else had seen him, and she returned home a broken-hearted mother. She made inquiries of every person ; every stran? ger that passed was interrogated, but all in vain. She still kept up the search for her missing-boy, and about twelve months after be had^so mysteriously disappeared^ she was re KmiingTiome" from one of he'r ^searcKST ind met 'Squire Mosely.' The 'Squire told her he had heard from her boy; that he was in Iowa. He had received a letter from him, and that he would be at home soon ; that he had left the letter at home, &a Mrs. Belknap went direct? ly to the 'Squire's house, without communica? ting her intention to him, and inquired of the family for the letter that the 'Squire bad re? ceived from her long lost boy. The family -seemed surprised, and knew nothing about such a letter having been received. This was all the evidence I could get as to l;he~probable fate of her son. What' was T to do? I went to my room and studied over the matter. How could I say that young Belknap had been murdered ? His body had not been found; and who would dare to accuse 'Squire Mosely of such a crime? I lay in my bed that night thinking over the circumstances, and it was near four o'clock in the morning when I fell asleep. I slept until eight o'clock, I got up, washed and dressed myself, fully deter? mined to indict 'Squire Mosely for the crime of murder. I went to the grand jury room, . directly after eating a hearty breakfast. I told - the foreman what my intentions were. I drew up the indictment;, accusing 'Squire Mosely of the crime of murder, committed as follows, viz : The said 'Squire Mosely, on the ? day of August, 1863, in the county of 0-, did feloniously and with malice aforethought kill and murder Charles Belknap by shooting him with a gun loaded witb a leaden bullet, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I presented the indictment to the grand jury, and they indorsed it a true bill. I cautioned the members of the jury to say nothing about what we had done, but to keep the whole thing secret, p.nd if before the court adjourned nothing turned up to fix the .crime on the 'Squire, that we could destroy the .indictment. The grand jury found indictments against eighteen persons .for murder, and so secretly was it managed (hat the sheriff had ' them all in jail at once. The indicting of so many persons naturally froduced great excitement among the citizens, went to my room that night and double locked my door, examined my pistol and put it under the bead of my bed. About 12 o'clock I heard a knock at my door; I deman? ded to know who was there. A person an? swered, aa friend." I got up, lit a lamp, took . my pistol in my hand and opened the door. A stranger stepped in. I closed the door and de? manded his business. He seemed very much frightened, and casting a hasty glance around the room to satisfy himself that there was no other person in the room except myself, he told me that his name was Colby, and stated that he wanted to communicate a very impor? tant fact to me concerning the fate of young Belknap. I told him to proceed. He wanted to know whether he could turn State's evi? dence or not and save himself. I replied in the affirmative. He then told me that he knew where young iteiknap v/as buried, that 'Squire Mosely had killed him, had got $1,500 from his person, and had rnn Belknap's horse off and sold him to some Confederate -soldiers, and that he bad assisted Mosely in burying Belk? nap. I told Colby to keep his seat in my room, that be shot/la not be>hurt; and I went out, hunted up the sheriff and told him to get eight or ten reliable men and bring them to my room. He did so. I then took the Sheriff and Colby iuto a room, arid made Colby repeat his story over to that officer. I then directed the Sheriff uo procure a sack and take Colby and the men he had brought with him, and go and get the bones of young Belknap and bring them to my room that night. The Sheriff did us I directed him. When court convened the next morning, and as I stepped into the court-room, 'Squire Mosely was the first man I saw. I had the grand jury called, and they presented the in? dictment againt 'Squire Mosely for murder. People looked at one another in blank amaze? ment, and looked incredulous. TSquire Mose? ly marched up to tfte bar and demanded a trial then; that the charge waB a base fabrication and false. I whispered to the Sheriff to bring in the sack. He aid so. I told him to empty the contents on a bench in front of 'Squire Mosely; and as the bones of the murdered man fell ont upon the bench, they seemed to sound the death-knell of the accused man. Helook ed the picture of despair, and dropped in his seat and covered his face with his hands. I announced to the court that all that was mortal of Charles Belknap was then in court, and I was ready to proceed with the trial. Excitement ran high, the mob shrieked and howled "Hang him! hang him I" and the court was powerless to protect the miserable man. The mob, with the mother of young Charles Belknap at their head, forcibly took the trembling culprit out of the custody of the Sheriff, and hung him to a limb of the nearest tree. Before he swung off he acknowledged his guilt. And as I passed by his lifeless form swinging from the limb of that tree, I was forcibly re? minded of i the legal phrase, "Murder will out." "Honest John" and his Brother-in-Law. The correspondent of the Charleston News and Courier furnishes the particulars of an in? teresting squabble between Senator Patterson and a brother-in-law of that distinguished pa? triot.: Columbia, November 17. The arrest of jDr. T. J. Moore, a brother-in law and quondam bosom friend of John J. Patterson, upon a charge of forgery, has ex? cited no little surprise and comment. Thr.re is, it is generally believed, some much more potent cause for the unbrotberly action of Patterson than the fact that Moore may have taken some little liberties with his name during his absence. The arrest was made late on Saturday afternoon, and the prisoner hurried off so rapidly and quietly to jail that scarce a whisper of the transaction got afloat until yes? terday. Bichmond, who was Patterson's faith? ful judge in the days when a judge of an ac? commodating disposition was sorely needed, had the warrant served upon Moore, and on alleged default of two thousand dollars bail, though Moore^isserts that he brought two good bondsmen, and could have brought others bad time been allowed him, committed him to jail, and appointed to-morrow morning, at ten o'clock, for the investigation of the case. Fillebrow ne, who it is said discounted a note in September last for Moore, which note pur? ported to be endorsed by Patterson, but the signature of which Patterson now denies, is the ostensible prosecutor. It is manifest, how? ever, that Patterson is the real party in inter? est, for he was present at Richmond's office when Moore was arraigned, and persons who were there tell me that Bichmona would ad? dress inquiries to Patterson about the case, and in various ways it was evident that he, Patterson, had instituted the proceedings. I called yesterday at the jail and nad a talk with Moore. He was uncommunicative in relation to the facts of bis case, being, he said, in? structed by his counsel to make no statements whatever before his trial. He is comfortably quartered in a room with Capt. George Tupper, laughs over his confinement, and is confident that he will be released to-morrow and the prosecution stopped. He thinks he knows too much of John J. Pattersou's past history to be rudely pushed to the wall. The truth is that Moore and Patterson, for what reason I know not, unless it be that Honest John imagined that he had paid him enough for services ren? dered, have been at dagger's point for a month or two. Moore has recently been making threats as to what all of rascality he knew and meant to divulge about Patterson, and as a strike against his sour-tempered brother-in-law has been circulating with much assiduity copies of the New York Hun, of the date of Novem? ber 5, which contains a long and blasting bio? graphical sketch of Honest John, and is said to have been written, or the facts upon which it is based to have been furnished, by a. j?. McLure, the leader of the opposition to Simon Cameron in Pennsylvania. Whether or not Moore did forge Patterson's signature of course cannot be definitely ascertained until the trial of the case, but I have been told that he ad? mits that he signed Patterson's name, justify? ing his action upon the ground that Patterson owed him money, and that he has frequently done the same thing when money was scarce and Patterson away, and that it was considered all right in the family. Speaking of that history of Honest John, which appeared in the New York Sun of the 5th, reminds me of a statement I beard made in relation thereto by ex-Gov. B. K. Scott, during the latter part of last week. He was talking to another gentleman in my presence, and made no secret of what he said. Speaking of the article in the Sun, he avowed that he be? lieved that every word of it was strictly the truth, except where it was asserted that he (Scott) had given Neagle $30,000 to use for him in the senatorial election, and that Neagle had taken the money and used it for Patterson. That assertion, says Scott, is only partially true. I did not give Neagle $30,000, but I did place in his hands $5,000 to be used in my in? terest, and the d?d rascal took my money and secured votes for Patterson. A Substitute for Coffee.?Mr. Edward Dugdale waives, for one year, his patents of a coffee substitute. His substitute is persimmon. He explains matters thus in the Griffin [Qu.) News: "My mode of preparation consists of steam? ing the fruit for half an hour in a boiler, and after crushing them I throw them into a tank of water, and the seed are easily washed out, as their own specific gravity carries them to the bottom, and the pulp can be floated off. The seed Bhould then bo spread out in the sun to dry for three or four weeks, and then parched and ground similar to any other coffee, care being taken to have them parched sufficiently to grind easy. "The seed by this process can be obtaimed, where the fruit is plenty, at a cost of about two cents per pound, and if properly prepared, are equal in all respects to good Java Coffee. There is therefore a saving of at least ten dol? lars per annum to every coffee drinker in the State, who will take the trouble to prepare it. "1 desire to have it used generally, and though I have covered my inventions by pat? ents, I feel no doubt that the people will find their interests identified with mine whenever I call upon them to remunerate me for my trou? ble and expense in perfecting ray invention." ? It has been discovered that the tone of a violin can be greatly improved by immersing the instrument in lager beer and leaving it there until it is thoroughly saturated. This is a slight improvement on immersing the violin? ist in lager beer and getting him thoroughly saturated before playing. The Approaching Session of Congrress* Public opinion has already attached more than usual importance to the session of Con? gress to assemble at the Federal Canito] next month. Politicians themselves, early in the year, directed public attention to this session as foreshadowing the men of the future and the lines of succession in the ranks of the dominant party. But more recent events have fixed that attention and invoked a scrutiny, earnest and penetrating, as to men and meas? ures such as we have not witnessed for many years past. The sensational qaestion undoubt? edly will be the annexation of Cuba. The time is opportune. Spain, rent by faction, over? whelmed by debt, and the theatre of internecine strife, is unequal to her own home government, much less the subjection of foreign colonial gossessions. The Government of the United tetes has long desired and essayed the peace? able acquisition of the "Key of the Gulf," and on more than one occasion asserted, diplomati? cally, that it would not permit the "Queen of the Antilles" to pass from the possession of Spain to any other European power. Just now a "little brush" with Spain would not be at all unpopular with the tens of thousands who have been trained in the art and practices of war, and are yet without distinction or without employment. To divert public attention from evils at home to glory and spoils abroad might be a God-send. To sound the trumpet of liberty in aid of the Cuban patriots who have so long and persist? ently and so courageously sustained their de? mand for independence, in the face of the inexo? rable and bloody decrees of Spanish misrule, is just that ad cap'tandvm argument which politi? cians just now stand so much in need. Beside the din of its blast would shut out from the public car the clamors of those whom, without some such overpowering excitement, it would be dangerous to pass unheeded, and afford ample leisure for unobserved and unquestioned action for retrieving lost ground in the settle? ment or postponement of some knotty questions which inconveniently thrust themselves for? ward imperatively for decision. There is the labor question, and the bank question, and the expansion question, and the wards of the nation, and the tariff and transporta? tion questions, and loyal Southern govern? ments, republican in form?all these and many others, such as. appertain to the dis? bursements of public moneys and the manage? ment of the public, debt and the state of ac? counts of certain Executive officials and favor? ites, would be lost for time, and perhaps for eternity, amid the excitement of war. We shall net be surprised, therefore, to hear that the halls of Congress, at the opening, resound day by day with fervent eloquence in behalf of Cuba and her patriots. The real question which must be met, but in which there is neither gain nor glory, is the financial one, and, if not overshadowed, will dig the political grave for many who now long to serve their country in places of high distinc? tion, ouly at their country's call. There is no escape from the responsibilities of the situa? tion. There can be no plea in bar for the evils that oppress. There is no apology that will be received in mitigation of defects in policy, de? fects in. legislation and defects in executive application. The masses demand relief in prompt and effective remedies?remedies which will restore work to the laboring man, confi? dence to the moneyed man, and security to the conservative man. The debtor Bees nothing but the ruin that stares him in the face ; the laborer, starvation in idleness; the conserva? tive man, chronic confusion and uncertainty, and doubt and distrust. We have had a month of preliminary discussion in the public journals and by leading public meo. The chiefs have spoken. Mr. bherman says, specie payments, not sudden, but gradually by the Government and the banks; Mr. Wells says, let us have an expansion in convertible bonds; Gen. Grant says, pay out silver in driblets and establish postal savings banks ; Mr. Low says, let Gov? ernment redeem its notes in gold, but with a right to re-issue them. But it would be impossible to enumerate the doctors or to catalogue the remedial agents. There are advocates of expansion, and advo? cates of contraction, advocates of free banking, and advocates of government banking, those who say there is no hope save in specie pay? ments, and those who laud the greenback cur? rency as the best this our American world, not yet a century old, has produced in the best government the world ever saw. Take it all in all, we think that the next Congress, with no lights to guide, will be forced to delay ac? tion and appoint a Peripatetic Investigating Committee to find out what is best to be done, and what they ought to do, for the good of the country and to save themselves, unless they exploit the Cuba question.?Augusta Consiitu tionaliit. The Difference.?Fourteen years ago we visited the town of Anderson. S. C. From Anderson we returned to this village. We could then see little if any difference in the business appearance of the two places. At the time alluded to, however, we had a railroad to Laurens, and we had signs of busy life and in? dustry. On last Saturday business called us to Anderson again?the first time we had seen that place since our visit fourteen years previ? ous, and although it was then n prosperous up country town, with flourishing schools, and every evidence of that industry which always secure! success, we were agreeably surprised to observe the marked improvement in the ap? pearance of the place. Everything presented an air of freshness and business vigor; and though the reflection was an unpleasant one, the mind very naturally compared that thriv? ing, bustling town with the dull monotony of our own. How is this great outstripping of the one town over the other to be accounted for ? We know no better answer to the query than to say that in the first place it is on ac? count of the necessary energy on the part of our people; and in the second place it is be? cause we are without a railroad. This, in our humble judgment, explains the secret?if a secret at all?of the continued prosperity of the one town and the gradual decline of the other. We have as good soil and as fine a cli? mate in Laurens County as Anderson can boast, yet it is melancholy, in comparing the two towns, to observe the great difference between them as to business prosperity.?Laurentville Herald. ? Ex-President Andrew Johnson publishes a lengthy article in the Washington Chronicle, in answer to Judge Holt's allegation that Mr. Johnson disregarded the recommendation for a commutation of the sentence in Mrs. Surratt's case. Mr. Johnson declares that he never saw the recommendation, but, on the contrary, that Judge Holt urged an early execution of tho unfortunate lady. He complains that Holt withheld the allegations intended to damage him until tho witnesses were dead. ? The immediate cause of the death of Mr3. Gen. Lec was paralysis. Her three sons and a daughter were preseut during her last i illness, and the last hours of this noble woman were peaceful and calm, in consonance with the distinguishing characteristics of her life. Reckless luxation. The amount (sixteen mills) of tax levy pro? posed by the Committee on Ways and Means strikes us as enormous, in the circumstances of the State at this time. The minority report of the committee, in making levies for specific purposes, and keeping each separate and apart, to be applied only to its legitimate and pre? scribed objects, is better. Otherwise, it is equally objectionable. These bills call for about $2,500,000, a sum large enough to carry on the affairs of five such States as this. We do not preceive anywhere the slightest regard for the distressed condition of the people, or the faintest tendency towards economy in the management of our political affairs. Leaving aside, for the present, the question of the ex? orbitant amount about to be levied, there are some contradictions and discrepancies in the proposed bill which are worthy of notice. This bill has a section which levies three mills for County purposes. Besides this, there are joint resolutions to raise a special tax of three or four mills in nearly all the Counties of the State. Take it at an average of three mills, and the two will swell the amount to be appro? priated in the Counties to a most extravagant sum. What is it for? Experience has demon? strated that the larger the amount intended for improvements, &c, in the Counties, the fewer ana smaller they are. Again. The bill requires that the taxes shall be paid in gold and silver coin, United States currency, national bank notes and bills reeeiv ably. The bills of the Bank of the State, which so frightened the legislative soul when the decision of the court which made them good for all dues to the State was announced, seem to have lost their terrors. Perhaps it is now supposed that the decision only affects the case of the relators which came before the Supreme Court. Again the extra printing bill, which appro? priates $225,000 to the Republican Printing Company, and which has passed one body, and been favorably reported on and received its first reading in the other, has a clause which provides that certificates of indebtedness, re? ceivable for taxes, shall be issued in payment of the claim. There is a conflict of legislation in this matter. Bills of the Bank of the State and certificates of indebtedues are good for taxes, but no provision is made in the supply bill to absorb them. Besides, we find nowhere in the bill any provision which looks to meet? ing the interest'on the public debt, although there is one or two mills for this purpose in the bill to reduce the volume of the public debt. And to crown the absurdity of the measure, it leaves out in the cold the floating debt, making no mention of it whatever. The bill is evidently crude and unsatisfacto? ry. It is put forth before any proper estimate of the expenses of the State Government has been made, and before the amount of taxable property has been ascertained. It is liable to be thwarted in the way we have shown, and to te be brought iuto conflict with other measures which have been adopted. It does net follow any honest effort to reduce expenses. It goes upon the snpposition that the poor, half-fam? ished State of South Carolina, should have a magnificent establishment, a costly and luxu? rious government It utterly ignores the straitened circumstances, the actual destitution of the people. Such legislation as this in such times as these demonstrates that the General Assembly is every day growing more incompe? tent to discharge its proper duty. Corruption and profligacy still run their fatal and giddy rounds. In a speech delivered at the emancipation celebration in Hartford, Connecticut, last sum? mer, Congressman Rainey enunciated a policy which the Legislature now seems bent on car? rying out. "Land is cheap (in South Carolina, he meant,) and we like to put on the taxes, so as to make it cheap." This the Legislature is doing, just as surely as if they had Rainey's ideas of confiscation repeated to them every morning. It is assuming with them the shape of a settled scheme. It looks almost as if they were logically obliged to pursue it. They can only flounder and blunder on till the end comes of collapse or revolution. What think the tax-payers of the State of a tax of $2,500,000, now that land has been made "cheap," and everything else shrunk in proportion? Land cheap, cotton at twelve cents, the wolf of famine at the doors of the people, men out of employment, children without bread?that is one side of the picture. We turn away from viewing the other, cov? ered all over with extravagance and corruption of officials, reveling in the proceeds of a $2, 500,000 tax. Are not these things significant of a great change??Columbia Phoenix, Leaving the Sinking Ship.?The Chicago Staats Zeitung, chief organ of the German Republicans of Illinois, thus announces its departure from the Republican party: "The causes from which the Republican party rose have long ceased to exist. By its stupidity and short-sightedness in stirring up dead issues anew and reviving questions finally disposed of, the Democratic party has kept alive the Republi? can, compelling those German Republicans who were so from sincere conviction to continue a repulsive alliance with the professional Eng? lish-speaking Republican' politicians. But with the failure of the last attempt, made by Greeley's nomination, for a reaction which would "undo the rights secured by the war, has disappeared every reason for a connection that can nave no other object but to assist ungrate? ful, double-faced English-speaking scoundrels to profitable offices. The Illinois Staats Zei? tung, at least, will henceforth have nothing to I do with this sort of American 'Republicans,' j and protests, hereafter, against the designation of 'a Republican paper.'" The Political Reaction.?In noticing the late elections the Boston Post savs: "The result of the elections proclaims that the era of frauds is drawing to a close. Incapacity is to be al? lowed to plead no more inpudent excuses. The Democracy are in arms for the redemption of Constitutional Government. Recruits from the people will now pour into tho Democratic camp to serve for the war. It is a war with every imaginable form of fraud and corruption, with ring monopolies, centralism, military usurpa? tion, bought legislation, salary grabs and Cred? it Mobilier, ana the power that seeks the spoli? ation and debasement of sovereign States of the Union. The call goes out for a higher tone iu tho character of the Administration. Better statesmen aredemauded in Washington. The East and West interchange judgements. A corrupt and incompetent Administration stands rebuked. The great Northwest is aroused, and the Empire State reasserts her imperial sway in politics. The deeps of cor? ruption and falsehood are at last broken up." ? The Worcester Press takes a liberal view of the situation. In these days, it observes, when banks have to sustain so many "breach? es" of trust, it is no wonder that they occasion? ally announce themselves as "suspenders." ? "Cau't you love your neighbor as yourself, Jonny?" "Yes, ma; then he added, reflec? tively, "if he don't keep a dog that tries to bite little boys." > Whence it Came and Whore it Went I The report of the State Treasurer for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1873, has been submitted to the Legislature. It shows that the receipts and payments during the year were as follows: Received from taxes of 1872-73....$1,621,714 90 Received from taxes of 1867 to 1871. 21,029 67 Received from Licenses. 24,191 38 Received from Phosphate Compa? nies. 30,788 76 Received from sundry sources. 22,003 76 Total Receipts.?1,719,728 37 Paid for Salaries.? 230,797 39 Paid for Public Printing. 331,945 66 Paid for Legislative Expenses. 291,339 47 Paid for Free Schools. 361,101 37 Paid for Repairs and Fittings. 57,975 57 Paid for Contingent Funds. 75,033 75 Paid for Militia. 25,719 42 Paid for Penitentiary. 75,415 36 Paid for Lunatic Asylum. 117,253 11 Paid for Orphan House. 14,973 62 Paid for Deaf and Dumb Asylum 11,179 00 Paid for Refunded Taxe?. 29,272 75 Paid for General Election 1872... 82,471 63 Paid for Sundries. 62,840 50 Total payments.$1,717,318 60 The Treasurer says that the Legislature au? thorized the payment of $2,418,872 during the year, and ihe Treasurer only received $1,719, 728. There is, therefore, a long list of defi? ciencies, of which the following is a summa For salaries.$ 105,767 00 For Free Schools. 29,714 00 For Public Printing. 118,055 00 For Claims passed. 54,336 00 For Contingent Accounts. 6,410 00 For Contingent Fund. 5,161 00 For Militia. 6,321 00 For Orphan Asylum. 20,000 00 For Ku Klux Rewards. 32,403 00 For Normal Schools. 24,980 00 For Legislative Expenses. 3,642 00 For Sundries. 133,539 00 Deficiencies of the year 1872-73..$ 540,328 00 The actual difference between the amount authorized by the Legislature to be paid and the amount received is $699,144, and the difference between this amount and the amount (540,328) of deficiencies reported by the Treas? urer is represented, we presume, by deficiencies of previous years, authorized to be paid, but not yet paid.? Charleston Aacs and Courier. Mark Twain's Life and Exploits. A letter in the Washington Star says : "Buffalo has many reminiscences of Mark Twain, and of his remarkable attempt at pub lishiug a newspaper on an entirely uew plan. After his return from the Holy Land (per Quaker City), Mark took a wife, and purchased the third interest in the Buffalo Express, own? ed by A. M. Ciapp, Public Printer. They say that Mark's style of newspaper work was unique. He is not au early riser, and is as slow of movement as of speech, consequently he didn't get to the office very early in the morning. And, when there, his movemeuts were not characterized by^iervous haste. Seat? ing himself in a capacious pivot-chair, his first move was to deposit his boots in the waste basket, and replace them with roomy slippers. Then, elevating his slippered feet to a comfor? table cushion on the exchange papers (their only legitimate use in his estimation), it was his wont to lay back in his chair, swinging himself lazily on its pivot, and tell stories of wit and wisdom by the hour to the associate editors. This was vastly pleasant to all con? cerned, but somehow it did not work in the way of making a newspaper, aud at the end of six weeks Mark came to the conclusion that publishing a newspaper was not his forte. He, however, retained Iiis interest in the Express for about a year and a half, though as afore? said, he did not take part in the 'active' man? agement for more than six weeks. Mark mar? ried the daughter of JarvisLangdon, of Elmira, New York, the heaviest coal operator in the West. His property was valued high as $10, 000,000 in bis life, aud had he lived to get all his irons out of the fire, perhaps that amount might have been realized, but leaving every? thing by the ends, there has been a great 'shriukage' (the word, I believe,) in the value of assets. Still there is enough left to divide a trifle of a few millious between Mark's wife and her brother, Charles Langdon. It was through this brother, by the way, that. Mark got his wife. 'Charley' was one of the 'Iuno cents Abroad' who accompanied Clemens on his famous trip on the Quaker City, and wrote home so enthusiastically about Mark Twain that Mr. Langdon, Sr., sent him a cordial in? vitation to visit them at Elmira. The result was the meeting of Mark and Miss Langdon ; a case of love at first sight, and the twain be? coming one." Diptheria. A physician of distinguished ability gives ns the following facts concerning this much dread? ed disease: 1. Ia its nature, it is not a local affection, as is usually supposed, but constitutional, pre vading the blood of the whole system before it makes its appearance in any part; it:;sofa nature kindred to erysipelas, and though epi? demical, is not, strictly speaking, infectious. 2. Its most manifest symptom is a false membrane, of a white color, which forms upon and around the tonsils, near the palate, and which thickens and extends, unless checked, until the patient dies from suffocation. This false membrane is, however, not confined to the throat, but may some times be seen upon the band, or arm, or any other place where the skin has been removed. 3. Among the cautions to be observed are the following: Avoid all medicine-sand modes of treatment which shall exhaust the strength, and be careful not to injure the skin by blis? ters or counter-irritants, particularly in the neighborhood of the throat. 4. To effect its cure, aim to restore as rapidly and effectually as possible, the patient's waning strength. For this purpose, let the diet be of the most nutritious character?chicken soup, beef tea, etc., give freely of egg-nogg, made of good whiskey, or use the stimulant in any other way that will combine nourishment with stimulation. Add to the general strength by the use of mineral tonics, of which none is better than muriate of iron, which may be ad? ministered as largely as ten drops at a dose, every two or three hours, for an adult. Be tweer the doses of iron, give from five to fifteen grains of chlorate (not chloride) of potash or of soda. The chloride of soda may be used as an antiseptic gargle, but the best gargle is com? mon salt. If the disease gives signs of periodicity, by regular remissions and accessions, then bring to your aid the great anti-periodic, quinine. Cut this out r.nd keep it ready in time of ueed, as it may be relied ou.?Augusta Cuusii-, tutionalists. Hon. Alexander H. Stephens. The Atlanta Herald has the following hand? some notice of Mr. Stephens and his return to public life: When Mr. Stephens left the Congress of the United States, in 1869, it was his intention then never to enter public life again. He thought the Government was well established, and that all irritating questions were settled. He bad spent all the prime of his life to bring abont this result, and he determined to spend the re* mainder of his life in serene retirement at "Liberty Hall." But when the conflict between the State* came on, he cast his lot with his State, and was made the Vice President of the Confederate States without any efforts of his own. Serving his country in that honorable and responsible position throughout the war, performing his duties with fidelity, he became, at its close, a prisoner in the hands of the Federal Govern? ment, and was cast into a cell at Fort LaFay ette, where he remained for several months, after which he was released on parole. Returning again to his beloved home at "Liberty Hall," he had no other expectation but to remain in private life, engaging in liter? ary pursuits, producing his celebrated work of the "War Between the States," and a "School History" of the United States. About a year ago, Mr. Stephens' name was brought forward by his friends, without his solicitation, as a candidate for the United States Senate, in which he was defeated. At an informal meeting of his friends he was invited to stand for Congress in his old District, where he had been so often elected to fill that position, without even being formally nomina? ted. The return of Mr. Stephens to Congress after fourteen years' absence, and after being the second officer in the so-called rebellion, forms an important event in the affairs of this coun? try. It is with much regret that he -again leaves his home to take an active part in po? litical life. But he goes to Washington with a heart full of devotion to his beloved State, and with no other motive but to devote his labors solely in the interests of Georgia and his country. Sleeping in a Cold Room. Hall's Journal of Health says that cold bed? chambers always imperil health and invite fa? tal diseases. Robust persons may safely sleep in a temperature of forty or under, but the old, the infant and the frail should never sleep in a room where the atmosphere is much uuder fifty degrees Fahrenheit. All know the danger of going direct into the cold from a very warm room. Very few rooms, churches, theatres and the like, are ever warm? er than seventy degrees. If it is freezing out of doors it is thirty degrees?the difference be? ing forty degrees more. Persons will be chilled by such a change in ten minutes, although they may be actively walking. But to lie still in bed, nothing to promote the circulation, and breathe for hours au at? mosphere of forty and even fifty degrees, wheu the lungs are always at ninety-eight, is too great a change. Many persons wake up in the morning with inflammation of the lungs who went to bed well, and are surprised that this should be the case. The cause may often be found in sleeping in a room the window of which has been foolishly hoisted for ventila? tion. The water-cure journals of the country have done an incalculable injury by the blind and indiscriminate advice of hoisting the win? dow at night. The rule should be everywhere during the part of the year when fires are kept buruing, to avoid hoisting outside windows. It is safer and better to leave the chamber door open, as also the fire-place; then there is a draft up the chimney, while the room is not so likely to become cold. If there is some fire in the room all night, the window may be opened an inch. It is safer to sleep in a bad air all night with a temperature over fifty, than in a pure air with a temperature under forty. The Dad air may sicken you but cannot kill you; the cold air can and does kill very often. Southern Cotton Mills.?In noticing the sale of some shares of the Langley Factory stock at $110, and the profits of Southern as compared with Northern mills, the Nashville Union and American comments as follows: "It would be a great advantage to the cotton growing States if a much larger portion of their staple was manufactured at home. This would create a market for all grain, vegetables, fruits, meat, and all other provisions, and give both land and labor the full benefit of our admirable climate. The sunny South ought to be distinguished for its extensive factories; land and its products are cheap, Winters mild, and the country generally very healthy." ? "I once boarded for three months," said Mr. Smith, "in a family, where during the whole time of my stay the husband did not once speak to the wife, although tbey met at the table every day." "Shocking! wh*t a monster he must have been!" "Not at all. He was a very amiable man." "Impossible 1" "And I think he was fully, justified in his pro? ceeding." "Justified, Mr. Smith ! How can you say so? A man who would preserve silence so long a period must have a most implacable and revengeful disposition." "But, my dear, there is one little circumstance that I forgot to men? tion that might mitigate the severity of your ju'Vuieut. The man was dumd." ? The Chinese labor system on the sugar plantations of Louisiana has not proved the success that was hoped for it. In the years 1870 and 1871 of the thousand, more or less, of this class who were thus employed, the large majority proved to be failures, and they either ran away from their work or were driven away by their employers in consequence of their laziness, thefts, or of worse outrages committed by them. All sorfa of offences, from petty stealing to attempted murder, are charged against them, and they have generally had tho name of being unfaithful, clannish, sordid, slow, aud weak. ? Hickory nuts are quoted in the New York market at one dollar and a half to one dollar seventy-five cents per bushel, We make this announcement for the benefit of tho farmers, many of whom can easily gather hundreds of bushels from the trees on their lands. It is an industry that might be invested in to consider? able profit at this time, inasmuch as the chil? dren can gather these nuts as they lie on the ground, ready hulled, as easily as can regular hands. _ ? The New York Shipping List informs us that during the eight years that have inter? vened since the war, the South has raised and ecnt to market twenty-three million five hun? dred thousand bales of cotton, averaging four hundred pounds to the bale. At seventeen cents per pound, the curreucy value of this vast product would amount to $1,568,000,000, which is more than twice tho entire greenback and bank note circulation of the country, and equal to three-fourths of the national debt.