University of South Carolina Libraries
HOYT & CO., Proprietors, ANDERSON C. H., S. 0., THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 5, 1874. VOLUME IX.?NO. 30. Navigation of the Upper Savannah Ri^ r. ? At the junction of the Broad and Savannah rivers'< there ? were formerly three flourishing towns, each bearing the high sounding name of a European capital. The one on the South Carolina shore was. Vienna; the one on the peninsula lying: and situated in Elbert county, between the streams, was Petersburg, and the one on'tbie south shore of both rivers, and in Lincoln county, was Lusbon. We use the past tense in speaking" of these towns, for, at che present time, not the vestige of a town remains except on the site of old Lisbon. Since the war some two or three stores have been opened here which are supported by the neighborhood trade, principally, we suppose, amongst the blacks; It was,.supposed at one time that the junc? tion of these, two rivers would be the head of navigation on the Savannah, hence the won? derful growth of these three towns. A large amount "of -cotton and tobacco (tobacco was then the staple production of this section) was shipped ?6. Augusta, down the river iu barges aud-pole boats, and the towns furnished a very extended population and prosperous territory with supplies of all kinds. In the town of Petersburg ahme there were some thirty stores, Ife'-is" marvellous^ t^at these towns,, once so nourishiug and of such importance, should, within the njemory o| men now living, actually rot,'4own: and pass completely out of the thoughts and minds of men. It is a singular fact in the history of this region that those iarge;and'b?sy pjaceSjShonld, within the space of- one1 generation, have faded away, not a trace or .vestige Of their existence remaining, but the very spot ?? which they stood being . now cultivated as iarais or overgrown with trees. And what is the solution of the great myste? ry? ' Commerce, trade. This point failed to prove the head of navigation ; other and more rapid arid safer means of transporting the ag? ricultural productions of that region to market and of, bringing back all needful supplies to the people took the place of the barge and pole boat, and our cities faded. " But these three ancient towns, with their high-sounding names, or one at least, may yet regain their ancient glory and build houses and stores which will stand as long as the laud on. which they, will be built. The country all arouad may yet have its products carried to market and its sttpp+res brought back by the river. And ? Washington may even open up communication by railway with the river at this point and receive her supplies by the same route. . These thoughts were suggested by reading ?n editorial in the Augusta Constitutionalist in regard" to improving the navigation of the Savannah river. That journal, however, does not stop or rest satisfied with navigation to our cities at the junction of the Broad and Savan? nah, but stretches on in imagination up the stream for one hundred miles above. We were greatly surprised atthe small cost which it is said will be necessary to open up the river to steamboat navigation for one hundred miles above this point, making in all one hundred and fifty miles above Augusta. The Constitu- '' tionalist puts the figures at $450,000. Unless it is mistaken in its estimate, this great river should be couverted into a navigable stream without any delay. Even if the cost should freatly exceed this estimate t ie work should e done. We were not awart until we read the article alluded to that the project was feasible, having heretofore been under the impression and having been informed by river men that the obstacles to navigation to steam? boats of the very shallowest draft were insur? mountable. Our informants, however, were not engineers, and were not competent to give a corre? opinion;'k fl If it is feasibfetoHEaTeThls river navigable ?br boats drawing a few fret of water, say four or five,, the cost, unless it be fabulous, should not stand in the way of a work of so much im? portance, and it is indeed a great pity that a portion of the money thrown away by some of onr Legislatures of the past upon worthless railways which cannot pay their running ex? penses after having been built and equipped by the State, had not been expended'upon this project^ which would have been of the very greatest value to the State and to the people of the whole State and not taone small section alone or to a ring of public plunderers, and which would have been permanent in its great good. . The Constitutionalist proposes that Congress be asked' to< make an ' appropriation for this purpose, and intimates that a bill will be in? troduced into the Legislature asking State aid. We think there is little hope of help from Con? gress, the Savannah does not water the proper section to obtain national aid. We are opposed to the Government, State or Nation giving pecuniary aid to internal improvements. We are opposed to this for many reasons, the chief of which are that it gives too great an oppor? tunity to dishonest men to cheat, defraud and plunder the Government, that one section is often benefitted, while the people of the rest of the State, who are taxed to pay the appro? priations, are not benefitted in the least, and that-internal- iwrprovements of sufficient rrrrpor-"' tance to be undertaken by.the private individ? uals who are benefitted by them. Now, we do not think these objections hold in this instance. In the first glace'the clearing out and keeping i? order the channel of rivers is a very differeut matter from the building of railways. There is not the same temptation to or room for fraud. The opening np of the navigation of such a river as the Savannah for one hundred and fifty miles would benefit directly a very large sectiou of the State and a very large portion of the population. The river could be made to pay a re?3uue into the Treasury annually which would lighten taxation, thereby benefiting the whole people. It would also indirectly benefit them by greatly increasing the wealth and prosperity of a very large Section of our do? main. And lastly we caonotseehow the thing can be done by private enterprise. It is always customary for Congress to make appropriations for the improvements of rivers and harbors, and we do not remember ever to have heard any complaints on the subject, except as to the manner of distributing the appropriations, the Northern States always getting the lion's share. The importance of this project is too plain to all to need any argument to prove it, and we hope that our Legislature, during its pres? ent session, will take tho matter into consider? ation, and, if feasible, make the necessary ap? propriations at once. This is a work whioh will be doue some time in the future if not now, aud we desire to see it accomplished as speedily as possible so that we who are now living may enjoy the good of it.? Washington {Ga.) Gazette. ? The Boston Transcript says: "If the gates of heaven were suddenly to sw;.ng open, and all mankind be asked on equal terms to enter into the kingdom, don't you know some people who woulu pause to see what some other people were going to do about it, and some who would draw back for fear the celes? tial city was getting vulgar ; and some who would refuse altogether, if they saw the so-and bos about to eutcr ?" Cotton Manufacture, North and South. ? Edwin DeLeon, in the February number of Harper's Magazine, draws attention to this in? teresting subject and its history as follows: The history "of cotton manufacture in the United States is both carious and instructive. ;Ita rise.andjrrowth has. been more recent and 'rapid than the..majority;,of..well-informed per? sons suspect. Nominally the first impulse was given in the year 1814, but practically the great movement which' has brought the United States into rivalry with England dates back but fifty years. As recently as the year. 1,810 the manu? factured products of Virginia exceeded those of Massachusetts in value ?#,500,000 per an? num. Every one knows how the comparative reckoning stands ta-day. Theenterprise of one man, seconded by the energy and industry of the community in which he lived, has for the last half century"m?de* trnTS?uth tributary to the"North,;an*d; ma:de.tt^i?rlOeT b?th^f?cl?'cer '?hcTconsumer ToFthe'benefit and* profit of the latter. In the war of 1842 a wealthy and in? telligent yonng Bostonian was made prisoner and taken to ^England, where he was struck with the inventions of. Arkwrig?t and Har graves, as applied to the British cotton manu? facture. This ''young- man, whose name still lives, in this cbhnectin, in that great manufac? turing marvel of Massachusetts, the town of Lowell, with the*;?id- of an ingenious Scotch? man, Samuel Slater by name; returning home, selected Walthmri, on the Charles River, (a stream since made famous in song as well as in story,)-^ the site of his experiment; and from that grain of mustard seed hiis sprung up the forest of factories' which ha3 since flourished on New England soil. Speaking of this mat? ter but very recently, one of the most eminent citizens of Massachusetts made this remarkable prophecy, which may be much nearer its ful? fillment than either be or the great majority of his hearers imagined. General Banks used this language: -The industrial processes dis? covered by Lowell will not have been thor? oughly established until tho cotton of the coun? try shall have been utilized by manufacturers on the land where it is produced, as well as iron; over the inexhaustible beds of ore and coal with which nature has so lavishly enriched this country." To General Banks himself, as well as to his auditors, a simple recital of what the Southern - people are doing in this very matter, and have done ever since the last unre? liable census returns were made four years ago, will be almost a revelation, as well as a confir? mation, of the correctness of his statement. The next decade may produce results which will confound the anxious of the otherwise, and again reverse the relative positions of the North and South as manufacturing centres, fulfilling the conditions laid out by the man of Massachusetts, much earlier than even he ex? pected, by bringing the raw material and its ; manufacture into immediate proximity all over ! the cotton States, as it is now the case in Geor? gia, South Carolina and Alabama, j Of the young and growing Lowells of the new South?at Graniteville, iu South Carolina, at Augusta and Columbus, at the eastern and western extremes of Georgia, at and near Montgomery, in Alabama?little has been said or written, and less generally known, as yet; but these are indeed most promising pioneers in this mighty industrial movement, and the rapid though steady progress they have made iu the paat three years recalls the similar march to success aud wealth made in Masshchuactts, and throughout New England, during the early part of this century. The New York World further indicates the growth and success of cotton manufacturing in the South by the tiraely.remarks hereunto ap? pended: Cotton manufacturing seems to increase steadily and even, rapidly in nearly all por? tions of the Southi Sibde the-close of the war many cotton mills have been-erected along the rail roads and in the cities, and each year adds ;to the number of those in operatiou. They are not confined to the piedmont and up-country region, which seems to have been designated by nature for the manufacturing region- 'of the" South. New Orleans, Mobile and Savannah have each their Cotton-mills, as-well as have Columbus, Huntsvilie and Augusta. But while' the capitalists'in'the seaport cities who invest their money in manufacturing stock may pre? fer that the industry should be conducted in a measure under their supervision, the greareiP number of the So?th?rn cotton mills are situa? ted in the interior, where living is cheaper and where the climate is better suited to white labor. Many of the mills arc built entirely on home capital saved from the earnings of plan? ters and merchants; and accordingly they often commence operations on a small scale and in? crease them from the earnings or from addi? tional subscriptions of stoek when the experi? ment has proved successful. In this way the annual consumption of cotton at the South has grown from practicallv nothing at the close of the war to between 200,000 and 300,000 bales. And as the industry becomes better established, these figures promise to be rapidly increased by the erection of new. mills and by the enlarging of those already established. The special ad? vantages which this industry enjoys at the South are, first, the exemption from taxation which several of the Southern States have ex? tended to capital employed in the manufacture of cotton goods and in other manufacturing industries; second-, tho mildness of the climate, which dispenses with the necessity for heavy clothing, close houses, fuel, and warmth pro? ducing food, and-which therefore makes labor comparatively cheap; and third, the saving of freight and other "charges upon the raw materi? al with which the manufacturer at a distance from the scene of cultivation is burdened and which add so largely to the cost of the finished product. ; These circumstances are sufficient to account for the large profits which it is report? ed are everywhere realized by the owners of Southern cotton mills. And the fact that large profits are realized is sufficient to encourage the people of the South to diversify their in? dustries, both by investing their own money in these mannfacturing enterprises and by bringing to the attention of outside capitalists the advantages to be derived from investing in them. TnE New Governor of Texas.?Governor Richard Coke, a native of Virginia, and during the last twenty years a prominent member of the Texas bar, is about 48 years of age, and re? sides in Waco, McClennan county,tTexas. He was a member of the Texas Secession Conveu- j tion in 1861. He fought in the late war as a private in the Confederate army. After tho war he was appointed District Judge by the Provisional Governor of Texas, which position was tendered him in 1865. He declined it but after an urgent appeal by the Governor, Jack ! Hamilton, he accepted the position with the distinct understanding that in doing so he did | ? not forego the principles he had previously ad-, vocated. He was subsequently one of the Jus i tices of the Supreme Court of the State of j Texas, which position he held until removed j by the military Governor, Gen. Reynolds, in ' . 1868, since which time he has taken no active I part in politics, but has confined himself to a I large and extensive practice of his profession. From the Columbia Phoenix. Obstacles in the Administration of Justice. We have before us the report of the Attor? ney-General, just Hubmitted to the General As? sembly, of the cases argued, tried or conducted by him iu the Supreme Court of the United States and in the Circuit Courts of the State, during , the past year. Amongst her other troubles, the State is head-over-beels in litiga? tion. Her chief law officer is kept busy fight? ing against the claims of bond-holders brought against her for settlement,,and in suits against railroads for recovery of taxes, and against County Treasurers who have failed to account properly, or have pocketed the money which they have collected, and run away. There cord of his labors in this thorny field is inter? esting and instructive. It furnishes testimony to his industry,'zeal and|ability. It shows tha't the Office-He fills is no sinecure. He mentions several circumstances and some new conditions of society, which,, combined, render .'difficult tbe.executiouof the laws, and impose upon the law officers heavy duties and responsibilities. In these trials and labors, we must say, that the Attorney-General has borne himself well. He can hardly congratulate himself, however, with having escaped out of the wilderness. He anticipates that a largely increased amount of business will devolve upon him during the present year. The peculiar sort of life we are leading in j this State, the strange history we are enacting, is making its ugly impressions in the courts of law as well as on the records of the legislative body. An intelligent stranger from another hemisphere, without acquaintance with the facts ofour recent history, could form a correct idea of our anomalous condition hy perusing the statutes, or by making himself acquainted with the trials in the courts. In this report we see a reflection of things far from agreeable or creditable. Here we read that the Comp? troller-General's report exhibits a deficit of $445,000 charged against County Treasurers in five years, ending November 1, 1872. These startling figures remain upon the books of the chief fiscal officer, and let in a flood of light upon the necessity prevailing all over the State for the increased rate of taxation to meet defi? ciencies in the Counties. The Attorney-Gen? eral's attention has also been called to the most flagrant frauds, in the administration of the Land Commission, perpetrated in every Coun? ty, if not in every neighborhood, where the proceeds of the charity were nominally ex? pended. It would seem incredible, he says, that men, elevated to office by their blind and too confiding trust, should consent shamelessly to feed upon and consume the bounty, confer? red upon the landless and homeless freedmen, but so it is. Matters of like character demand investigation and remedy. The prospect be? fore the Attorney-General is far from inviting, and we are not surprised to find him asking au? thority to employ, out of a contingent appro? priation to be provided for the purpose, an as? sistant Attorney-General to aid him in both civil and criminal cases. The evils which embarrass and afflict the administration of justice in South Carolina are legion in number, and, in our judgment, inca? pable of remedy by those now in power. The difficulties are inherent in the state of things and insurmountable. We give the Attorney General credit, however, for bold statement of the evils and some good suggestions concerning them. We copy below an extract, which shows that he both sees clearly and advises judicious? ly : "In several Counties, the Courts of General Sessions have uot been held during the year, because juries have not been drawn in the man? ner provided by law. In some instances, the officers charged with this duly'are suspected of [having5 wilfully neglected it, in order them? selves to avoid prosecution for offences against the law; whilst, in others, the evil has resulted from the difficulty of complying with the exact? ing requirements cf the statute in relation to the preparation of the lists and the drawing of juries. It is suggested that a majority of the Board should be sufficient to perform the duties of the Jury Commission; that these duties should be declared to be directory and not mandatory, as to time and manner; and that severe punishment should be denounced against the willful neglect or misconduct of the Oom imissioners. It would insure' a more faithful and efficient performance'of this responsible ioffice, to' amend the law so that the Board of IJu*y'Commissioners shall consist <)f the Clerk of the Court, the County Auditor, and a Com? missioner tobe appointed by the Cjpcui6 Judge, and hold office during his pleasure?the Board thus constituted deriving office, in one instance, from the people; in another, from the Execu? tive ; in the third, from the court; and so con? stituted as to.be beyond ordiuary accidents.. If these suggestions do not meet the approval of the General Asseuibiy^thje..court should be authorized, whenever the Jury Commissioners fail, for any reason',' to provide a legal jury, to appoint temporary Commissioners, with full power to prepare the jury list, and: therefrom to draw,the jury in opeu court, for the curreut year or court term, as the exigency niay require. It is simply absurd that the courts of the State should be dependent 'upon the caprice or be utterly blocked by the default of a board of three men, however well selected; and the law should furnish a remedy by which promptly to avoid the calamity which must follow when the door.v of the court room are closed against the people. "The financial condition of by far the larger number of Counties is such as seriously to impede the administration of the law. To en? force the attendance of witnesses and jurors, aud to hold the officers of the court to the strict line of duty, when the Couuty treasuries are depleted, and the service thus rendered is well-nigh gratuitous, is not only a great hard? ship, but results in Buch an unwilling and in? efficient 6ervico, as gravely to retard and impair the machinery of the court. This condition of aflairs is without excuse, and incapable of explanation. It is true that the financial affairs of the several Counties, with notable exceptions, have been so conducted as to render the Counties utterly bankrupt; but this should not be permitted, year after year, to embarrass the officers of the County in thecouduct of the public business." ? The Professor of Natural Philosophy in a certain college recently gave the class a prob? lem to think of during the night, and answer the next day. The question was this: "If a hole were bored through the center of the earth from side to side, arid a ball dropped into it, what motion would the ball pass through, and where would it come to a state of rest?" The next morning a student was called up to so'.ve the problem. "What answer have you to give i to the problem?" asked the Professor. "Well, really," replied the student, "I hnvo not thought of the main question, but of a preliminary one. How are you going to got that hole bored through ?" ? Are blacksmiths who make a living forging, or carpenters who do a little counter fitting, any worse than men who sell iron and \ steel fur a living? I An Organization of Tax-Payers. We copy the following very remarkable ar? ticle from the Port Royal Commercial, a Re? publican paper. Surely those of our people who fold their hands and say the cause of the country is hopeless and advise acquiescence in the most intolerable evils, may learn a useful lesson from this Republican journal. The movement of the people against official corrup? tion is striking its roots deep in the public con? science. It commends itself to aii classes, ir? respective of party politics, color or creed: On the 17th of next month, a tax-payers convention will meet in Columbia". A great responsibility will rest upon that body. If its members meet to indulge, in tirades like that delivered in Georgia by Toombs; if they meet to pivss a few windy resolutions and then ad? journ into apathy again; if they feel too discouraged, too poor, too lazy to engage in a hearty campaign against official corruption and official insolence, their meeting will be a seri? ous damage to the cause of good government. The effect of a cold or inefficient convention will be to give renewed confidence to the cun? ning rogues who divide the revenues of the State among theruaelves. Those who are now mem? bers of the convention ought to be cutting out the work to be done. Of the first importance is a plan of organization. We suggest some? thing like the following: Let the convention resolve itself into a league; Jet its members be authorized to form subor? dinate leagues in their respective Counties? any thirty tax-payers on real estate to consti? tute a subordinate league. The basis of these leagues should be a pledge, to be signed by ev? ery member, solemnly pledging himself uot to pay any State tax until he has been released from the promise by the central league ; and fur? ther, that he will not buy any property sold for taxes at a tax sale, and that he will use all law? ful means to convince those not members, that it is inexpedient for them to pay taxes or buy at tax sales. All this should be done openly. No oaths, grips, signs or pass-words. Each man should be made to feel that he is engaged in a patriotic effort to free himself and his State from a horde of despicable tyrants. It should be made so universal that it would be dishon? orable and shameful not to have taken the pledge. If even one-half of the real estate owners of the State could be brought to sign such a pledge as that, it would be enough. The moral influence would do the work with the rest. There would be no rush to pay taxes, even among the inert, the cowardly or the unfriend? ly ; for even the man who has gained a fortune by stealing in Columbia does not like to pay taxes any better than the honest toiler. When the Ttcasurer advertised the delinquent list, instead of its embracing as it now does, only the widow and the orphan, the embarrassed, the ignorant and the careless, it would show every real estate owner in the Coun? ty. Wheu the day of sale comes, let ail be present. The most shameless appointee of a shameless administration would quail before such an assemblage, and the heartless specula? tor who should feel inclined to buy property at that sale, would come to the conclusion that the climate was unsuitable to his constitution. The delinquent land would probably be bid in by the State, and no taxes could be again assessed upon it. In the face of such a deter? mined people, the robbers would "Ibid their tents like the Arabs, aud as silently steal away." Unless some plan of the kind is adopted to prevent the annual filling of the coffers in Co? lumbia, no reform is possible. As long as two millions a year are sent there by the tax-payers to be divided, the same parties will be on hand to take it. County and municipal taxes might be paid. The proper expenditure of these can be watched, and in a great measure controlled, and the continuance of the functions of local government is necessary to secure our comfort and the good order of the community. But the State Government is simply a nuisance. It would be a blessing if it ceased. Death of Dr. David Livingstone. A cable dispatch from London, January 26, announces the death in Africa of the great Scottish explorer of that Continent, Dr. David Livingstone. This celebrated traveler and author was born near Glasgow, in 1815. A son of poor parents, he was placed in a cotton fac? tory at ten years of age, and in the intervals of his daily labor, pursued an extended course of self-instruction. In his nineteenth year, he conceived the idea of going to China as a med? ical missionary, with which object he attended lectures on medicine and divinity at the Uni? versity of Glasgow, and was admitted a licen? tiate of the faculty of physicians of that city. The breaking out of war between Great Britian and China frustrated his intentions, and he turned his attention to Southern Africa, em? barking in 184U for Cape Town. From thence he proceeded to the interior, learning languages and customs and performing missionary duty. He started on his first exploring expedition in June, 1849. He returned to England in 1856, having traveled over riot less than 11,000 miles of African territory, and by his astronomical observations, had determined the.sites of places, hills, rivers and lakes, nearly all of which had been till then unknown, as well as described the physical features, climatology and geologi? cal structure of the countries he had explored, and pointed out many new sources of* com? merce. He also propounded his views on the question of African civilization by recommend? ing the growth of cotton upon an extensive scale in the interior of that continent, and the opening up of commercial relations between England and the South African tribes as likely to put an end to the slave trade. In March, 1858, he returned to Africa; again visited England in July, 1864, and quitted it finally in April, 1865. In consequence of rumors of his being killed, expeditions have beeu at various times sent from England, in search of him. It is fresh in the public mind that Mr. Stanley, a New York Herald correspondent, who had joined one of those expeditions, became impa? tient of its slow movements, separated from the expedition, and in the summer of 1S72, found him at Ujiji, in the African interior. When Stanley left him, he was determined to proceed with his explorations, and not to return home till he had completed the great work of ascertaining the source of the Nile. His vast j labors, combining all the researches and results of his fellow-oxplorors into a harmonious! whole, have won a brilliant and lasting reputa- j tion for his name. So many reports, how ever, have been received ot the death of this traveler, that there would be some incrc dulity in regard to the present despatch, but for tho fact that the details now given seem to warrant the conclusion that the sad story re- j peatcd so many times heretofore is at last true, and that the great explorer has finally met his' {nie.?Baltimore Sun. ? There is one- word of which four others can bo made, which alternate curiously be? tween the gender*: "Heroine" is perhaps as peculiar a word as any in our language. The first two letters of it are male, the first three female, the first four a brave man, aud the whole a brave* womau. General Grant, the Republican Party auu the Presidential Succession. Since the reactionary State elections of last October and November, there has beeu a marked decline in the relations of unity, con? fidence and harmonious co-operation which previously existed between the administration and the ruling chiefs of the Republican party. The general results of those electious disclosed such unexpected reductions in the republican vote, from the outlet of the Hudson to the head springs of the~Mississippi, such a prevail? ing spirit of apathy or discord or mutiny in the republican camp, such startling indications of a great impending political reaction as to be noted among the remarkable events of the dy? ing year in the late annual Message of the President to Congress. His allusiou to the subject is very brief, being only the passing remark that "political partisanship has almost ceased to exist, especially in the agricultural regions;" but, time, place and circumstances considered, this is a very significant hiut from a republican President to a republican Con gres. It has something of the ring of a declara? tion of independence from General Grant, or of a warning that he must no longer be ex? pected blindly to conduct his administration in the interests of the republican party, when "political partisanship" has almost ceased to exist among the people. This warning of the Message has been fol? lowed by General Grant with the absolute abandonineht of the radical policy of a mili? tary regulation of the local affairs of the recon? structed Southern States. According to the example of military intervention in support of Kellogg in Louisiana, Davis of Texas, with a convenient decision from tho Supreme Court of his State iu his favor as Governor, had reason to believe that his application to the President for a detachment of the United States army to maintain him in his office would be answered with the advance of a squadron of cavalry, a regiment of infantry, and a battery of artillery upon the headquarters of the pre? suming posse of democratic State officers elect assembled at Austin. But, to the consterna? tion of Davis, General Grant advises him to submit to the will of the people; and, in answer to a second appeal for martial law in his behalf, the unfortunate Davis is flatly told that he has no case, and that his request can? not be granted. This is equivalent to a proc? lamation from the President that he will pur? sue no further the profitless and disastrous radical, policy of armed intervention in the settlement of the contested elections of the Southern States. Having thus crossed the Rubicon, General Grant has no further inter? est iu the maintenance of the Kellogg usurpa? tion in Louisiana. Mr. Morton has dropped the prima facie case of Piuchback as claim? ant for a seat in the Senate, and if Governor Kellogg is not to he tried by a new State elec? tion he must, at least, hereafter. take care of himself. These Louisiana usurpers are among the monstrosities and- dead weights of the republican party, of which, in the opinion of General Grant, the party cannot be too soon relieved. He has had enough of them, and will no more be troubled by them, be the con? sequences what they may to the "carpet-bag? gers" or to the republican party in the South? ern States. In tjiis important matter General Grant, iu his quiet way, has assumed the responsibility of acting upon his own judgment, as in his several nominations for a Chief Justice. His emphatic rebuff to Davis, of Texas, was doubt? less as much a surprise to the republican mag? nates of the Senate as was his nomination of Cushing for "the highest judicial office in the government" after the confirmation as Minister to Spain. He does not seek a conflict with the Seuate in its official capacity, but he will not recognize the Senate as a party machine. . He lost nothing of the popular confidence from the Senatorial bolt against' him of 1872, and he, perhaps, fears' nothing from any combination that may be organized against him ibr 1876. Whether he contemplates a third term or the naming of his successor, or a retirement from the field and the position of a neutral in refer? ence to the republican nominating convention of 1S76, we do not kuow; . It is apparent, how? ever, that since the State elections of last au? tumn'the opinion has been gaining strength that General Grant will not be the republican candidate for the Presidential succession; that the republican managers are casting about for a new man; that numerous aspirants for the prize in both houses of Congress have already been discovered; that the President compre? hends the situation ; that, having fulfilled his eugagements with his party, and that, as the party itself is in process of dissolution, he is free to pursue his own course henceforward, aryd will so pursue it, regardless of party in? structions aud solely in view of a good record for his administration in tho judgment of an intelligent people. The spirit of Jaeksbnian independence man? ifested by General Grant in the recent acts to which we have adverted may be readily ex- ? plained upon this theory; but it may otherwise be accounted for. Whether it is his purpose to enter the canvass as a caudidate for a third Presidential term, or to withdraw in 1876, and, in retiring, to name his successor, after the manner of Jackson, or whether he has deter? mined upon an absolute retirement from the strife of party politics, leaving the succession to take care of itself, after the example of Monroe, it mny still be the purpose of General Grant to establish the rights of the Executive against the dictation of a party cabal in the Senate. Or he may still desire that the general policy of his administration may be adopted and pursued by his successor in office, and in this view he may be preparing the way for the probable contingency of a new balance of pow? er, fresh from the people, in the next Congress. In any event, in his abandonment of the radi? cal policy of the bayonet in the regulation of the local elections of the Southern States, Gen? eral Grant has done much to regain that pub? lic coufidencc which he lost through his armed intervention in the local affairs of Louisiana. If we have in this change of base only the soldier's retreat from an untenable position it is, like his retreat from the St. Domingo scheme of annexation, an encouraging example from General Grant of his readiness to prove the truth of his first inaugural declaration, thnt he has "no policy to enforce in opposition to the will of his people." We can hardly as yet discover upon the sur? face of the waters the first ripples of the Presi? dential agitation for 1876. The battle is yet afar off. Yet, since the time of Monroe, never were the parties, the issues and the candidates | of a Presidential campaign, even three years in advance of the contest, more involved in doubts and uncertainties than they are to-day. We shall not have in 1S76 a representation of the unequal contest of 1872. We may have a scrub race, as in 1824, or a breaking of the republican party analogous to that of the democratic dis? ruption of I860, or possibly a combination of the opposition elements as overwhelming as was that against Van Buren in 1840. The elections of next autumn for the Forty-fourth Congress will partially enlighten us ?n the Presidential question. "The republican majori? ty itl Congress, apprised of its responsinilities and its dangers, is endeavoring to set itself in a favorable position before the people. It can? not afford meautirae to quarrel with General Grant. His administration is still the bond of cohesion to the republican party; but as the party has fulfilled its appointed mission it must be reconstructed or it will be superseded. Its leaders may assume that for the time being General Grant is but the instrument of the party, but nevertheless he holds the balance of power in determining its destiny in the strug? gle for the Presidential succosion.?New York Herald. The Financial Troubles of Governor Moses The correspondent of the Charleston News and Coix-rier gives a continuation of the history of the Gt vernor's financial troubles, and Ex Comptroller Neagle's persistency as a collector of Gubernatorial indebtedness, as follows: Columbia, January 24. The pecuniary difficulties between Moses and Neagle, it seems, have finally been adjusted at the expense of his once Excellency, R. K. Scott. When Neagle was in Charleston on New Year's day, at the time of the grand pa? rade, for the purpose of collecting his little bill against the Governor at the point of the pistol, Gen. Gurney came to the rescue of his friend Frank, and agreed to indemnify Nengle' for all losses he might incur on account of his en? dorsements for Moses. The matter so rested until Wednesday last, when Neagle, dissatisfied with the delay and the uncertainty of the ar? rangement, sought Gurney, whom he found in the company of Gen. Dennis. He told them he was tired of being left in doubt, and that the matter must be adjusted at once. As he was under bonds to keep the peace, he said he could not well adopt violent measures to en? force his rights. Eat he had a friend, one of the officers of the United States army at this post, who would carry a cartel to Moses invi? ting him to Georgia. If Moses refuses to go, says Neagle, as I know he will, I shall post him as a coward, a thief and a liar in every city, town and village in the State. The dire? ful intelligence was swiftly conveyed to the Governor by Dennis. Gurney was sent for, and ordered forthwith to take such steps as would appease the wrath of the naughty Nea? gle. Leaving the Executive office, Dennis met the unsuspecting Scott, and immediately the idea flashed across his mind, "Scott's the man to save us." In a soft and seductive tone he whispered to him : "Do you know that Bald? win (the Treasurer of Richland) is to he re? moved to-morrow, and that your brother-in? law, Waterman, has been fixed upon to fill the vacancy." Scott expressed his surprise, and, secretly delighted, asked the reason. Dennis then revealed the fact that Baldwin had beert asked to assume Neagle's endorsement on the $10,000 note, and had refused; that the Gov? ernor was very much incensed, and had deter? mined to remove him. Soon after this, Gurney approached Scott and asked him if he would be willing to go on the note with him (Gurney) to relieve Moses. Gurney showed Scott an or-, der from the Governor on his contingent fund for ?13,000 to cover the payment of the note,r and assured him that the endorsement was only a matter of form. Scott took the bait; called, on the Governor; exchanged pledges of future amity, and went home to assist Waterman fii preparing bis bond upon the assurance of his Excellency that Waterman's name should be sent in to "the Senate the next day. Long be? fore official hours on Thursday, Waterman was cooling his heels in the ante room of the exec? utive office, in eager expectation of the ap? pointment which was to be made. Mose* would not see him. Yesterday Scott went with Waterman?they sent in their cards. They saw Senators and Representatives of all colors' and opinions pass in ; but their turn never came. It now began to dawn upon Scott that he was sold, and, with his diaphragm black with choler, he stalked out of the anteroom and immediately notified the banks that his endorsement had been obtained through false pretences, and he would not hold himself lia? ble for the note. The New Orleans Carnival. One of the most curious phases of civilized social life upon this continent is presented .by the beautiful Crescent City of the South. It is not so strange that the dull pageant of a Lord Mayor's show in London should exhibit such dissimilarity to the frequent sights of gay and glittering Paris, when the temperament of the two nations is taken iuto consideration; but here, in this country, it is strange that where the population is generally made up of such varying constituents, while all around the tide of toil.and relaxation0pcoscrve an almost unvarying course,, relieved occasionally, it is true, by a thanksgiving or a patriot's birthday, the lively population of New Orleans should throw themselves into all the phantasy of semi religious festivals with the vim and energy of the middle ages. Thus, Twelfth Night has seen a wonderful display this year, and Mardi Gras, on Feb. 17th, is, we are assured, expected to outdo all its predecessors. We could not occupy our space with even the enumeration of what is to take place, though the precise form of the fantastic show were not as is the case kept strictly secret. The revel takes the form of a gigantic masquerade, in which all available knowledge of distinguished precedent, and every added resource of modem times is laid under contribution. This kind of thing originating in New Orleans, is extending in the South, and Mobile, Galvestou, Memphis, Selma and Atlanta are taking it up. Of course, the celebration is literally made up of folly, but then the cap and bells, as wc know, is about as old an institution as the plow or the sword, an unmistakable indication of a paramount hu? man want. The fable of the unbent bow is not of yesterday,, and the harassment.of our modern "life demands an interval. Again, we would not set any but moral limits to recrea? tion. Our foreiathers, who could give shrewd blows and were equal to the most serious occa? sions, were great at revels, entering into them with a hearty zest and sheer abandon, which perhaps force a smile from us; but doubtles they were right To take our cares with us into the playground is unwise ; as wrong as to engage half-heartedly in our works.?The South. Wanted.?A copy of the new translation of the Bible. In delivering a lecture to one of the prisoners arraigned for sentence last Friday, Judge Cooke said, "God has said: 'White the lamp holds out to burn, The vilest sinner may return.' " We foel certain that such a passage does not occur in King James' version. May be his Honor has had a special revelation. "Biblical scholars had best brush up.?Abbeville Me? dium. ? Perhaps it is not generally known that eating a few grains of parched coffee af er onions, will entirely remove the unpleasant odor from the breath. As this disagreeable effect is quite an objection to a popular vege? table, it is well a specific should be known.