University of South Carolina Libraries
Stuten fifeigetm f BY E: B. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. 0., THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1878. VOL. XIII---NO. 27. &4K8S OF 8 HBSCS^PT20Nr-On:. IMuk ; and FiTTT cents par annum, in advance Two BoLu.ua at end d? "year. Ows vDom?lk for six month*. .. Subscriptions axe not taten for a loos period 4Q*ja six tnontfaj. XAT?s OF ADY3BTISnre.-One DoUarper .-?aquare ol on* lnoh. for the first Insertion, and Fifty Cento per square for subsequent liuertionale?? than . three moat??. No advertisements countc lew thnt? a souar?. .UberaicOTtracta will be made with those wishing ' to advertlao for three, sli or twelve months. Ad-' - Tertlslu by contract must be confined to the im? mediate busineis of the firm or individual oantrao ?.VtlBB.... Obituary Notices exceeding five lines, Tribute? Of Betpeet. and ail personal communications or matten of Individual interest, wIU he charged for .. at advertising rates. Announcements of marriages and deaths, and notices of a roll gious character, ure r&xttpknaXbr: solicited, and wffl be inserted ?ratis OUR P?BliC SCHOOL STSTES. Mb. Editob : Since writing our last ?communication upon this subject, we nave learned from your journal that tue House of Representatives has, '.by a. vote ?of 88 to 23, passed the joint resolution to . amend the constitution of the State so as to require a minimum tax of two mills for . educational purposes, which resolu? tion will become a law. . Hence, we most respectfully, suggest that as. the constitu? tional amendment gives us a sure,.relia? ble and permanent basis upon which to rear a substantial superstructure, that we at once abandon the present anomalous-j and inefficient plan of conducting our public schools, adopting , in its plfcce something similar to the following First. Let "us commence .Operations upon this new edifice by the Legislature enacting a law to divide the Counties of the State into School Districts. Of as ?nearly equal sire as may be found prac? ticable??ay five miles square. Then, upon the assumption that Anderson County be SO miles square, we would have 36 School Districts. And then, upon the supposition that the number of colbredjchildren in the County be equal to one^Surd of "the white/ and we would have two schools in every' third District, making in all 48 schools in the County. Second. Then let the Legislature pass an act declaring the so-called .public schools of the State of South Carolina to be "in fact what they purport; to be in name?"Free Common Schools," open to'j ail "without money and without price;" ' without the anomalous,- incongruous- ad? mixture of private and public funds to run free common schools; without any written agreement between patron and ^-teacher in which it is agreed tq pay the teache\\" an^epreess of rate above Uncle Sara's rate; etc, etc Third. Let the Legislature abolish the ?per diem system of paying teachers by enacting a law that all first grade teach _ era shall be paid a salary?say. $80 per month?no other grade . be employed, unless it should be found that a sufficient number of first grade teachers cannot be had for assistants; then let the second ' grade come in upon a salary of $20 per month. Fourth. We would have the teachers") both principal and assistant, choaen-each year by the popular vote of the Districts; those elections to be held anuoally the last Saturday" in the year, and all the schools opened the first Monday in Jan? uary. The. selection for teachers to be made from those holding first' grade cer? tificates aigned' by the County Board of | Examiners. But perhaps an objection may be raised liere that'competent teachers can? not be had at $30 per month. To this we answer that we feel very certain that a sufficient number of competent Eng? lish teachers can be employed to teach all the public schools of the State at $30 per month; and good sense and economy would seem' to dictate that we should'! pay no more than, this, if competent teachers are willing to teach. We our self will, pledge that we w?l teach'any ~ of TJncle Sam's schools at the above salary, and put in a first grade assistant for $20 per month. This would amount to $50 per mouth for oae school. Hence, for teaching 48 schools oue month would be $2,400. Now, .assuming that the tax ^fitwg mills gives to the County of An-; MierTOn^$10,000, this, with the poll tax, which is about $8,000 would make $13, 000. This sum, at $50 per month for j each-school, will run 48 schools-about 5J months during each year. Hence, we perceive we would have 48 schools "in full blast" during ?j months each year, with two instructors to each school'at that But an objection may be urged that should principal and assistant each have under his charge 50 scholars, that this would only be about one-half the num? ber of children in the County between the'ages of six and.sixteen. Tophis we would reply, that from past experience as. teacher in the public schools of our County, we are prepared to state that the average attendance has never been but little more than one-third the number of children between the above named ages. Perhaps another objector comes for? ward and says: "Five miles square would entirely* too large for Ml practical pur? poses, because those children living in' | any one of the corners .of your square - would have too far to travel to get to your school." We would very respect rally, reply, that those children , who should happen to live in any of the cor? ners of the District would. not have any farther to go than. many under the pres? ent arrangement do go?the distance be? ing a sccal I fraction over 3? miles. We have frequently heard an objec tion brought to bear, against this plan upon fhe ground that our State is too thinly populated to afford enough chil? dren to make a school within the area of every five miles. But when we come to j test it with the facts and figures in the case, we .perceive at once how puerile this argument is; that it becomes dissi? pated info "the thinest air." Do we not see -in many instances three or four schools within the boundary of five miles? And, mark you, this is the great trouble.;..this is the principal cause why the public schools have done so little good. Four or five schools where', there should be but one, ranging in number of j scholars from ten to fifteen, continuing in operation from ten' to thirty days; little;'puny, lifeless "affairs"?emphati? cally one-horse schools, taught by one horse teachers. Now, these are stubborn facts, suffi? cient, we think, within themselves to evince to every reflecting man that some plan similar to ours should at once be inaugurated and set in operation. Dis? miss at once and forever all those incom? petents presiding over those small carica? tures of schools throwing all the children together within the boundary of five miles; employ live, energetic, first grade teachers to each school, and just as cer? tain as appropriate and well-directed means bring about corresponding and desired ends, just so certainly will you see a great change for the better wrought in our public schools-. W. H. IS THERE AN ENDLESS HELL! The Doctrine Zealously Rejected and De? nounced, From- (he London Christian World, Nov. 23. Dr. Farrar, Canon of Westminster, and author of the most popular "Life of Christ" of our time?read and admired of late years in thousands of Christian fam? ilies?has been preaching at the Abbey on subjects relating to the future life. Both last Sunday and Sunday week the minister was crowded with people to lis? ten to these discourses. The throng was so great that many bad to stand through oat the Services. Our short-hand writer has provided us with verbatim reports of both sermons, but our space is so preoc? cupied to-day with other matters that'we can only give a summary of them. ?iff? his first discourse, based upon 1 Peter, iv., 6, Dr. Farrar discussed the subject of the future punishment of the ungodly. In reply to questions Tthieb, he assumed his audience to' be asking,.and which he said they had the fullest right to ask, and which it was the bounden duty ol' ministers of the Gospel, as far as I possible, to answer, he, for one, in all J deep humility, yet always asking God for fearless courage and-perfect honesty, would try to give such answers as he could. If it were but the fragment of an j answer, it was because he believed it to [ be .God's will that no other should be possible. Those who took loose conjee tures for established1 certainties; these who cared, more for authority than Tor reason and conscience) those who - pre? tended to dignify with the name of Scriptural Argument inferences out of the narrow aperture of single texts, those who talked with the glib self-complacency of an ignorance which calls itself knowl? edge, as though tbey had been admitted' into what, with unconscious blasphemy, they called the Council Chamber of the Trinity?they, perhaps, might speak J readily of fire and brimstone, and might feel the consolatory glow of a personal security, as they dilated upon the awful-1 ness and finality of the. sufferings of the j damned. But those whose fiuth must have a broader basis than hollow repre- f Bentations?than the ambignotisness of opposing texfe?those who grieve over I the dark shadows flung by human theolo? gians over God's Light, those who believed I j that reason and conscience and experi? ence?no less than the Scripture?are no less the books of God, and that they, too, must have a direct voice in these great decisions, they would j?ot be so ready, to snatch God 's th u n d er into : wretched and j feeble bands. They- would , lay their j mouths in'the dust rather than make sad the hearts which God had not made sad. Tbey take ifito account the grand princi pies which dominate through Scripture no less than its isolated expressions; and, j undeterred by the base and. feeble. notion that virtue'would;,be impossible without j. the horrors of an endless, hell, they would declare their trust that even after death, through the infinite mercy of the loving Father, the dead would, be alive again, and multitudes, at any rate, of the lost be found. I After this eloquent introduction the preacher proceeded to state what alter Sears of thought on the subject, he be eved, and what he knew to be the belief of multitudes,' and of yearly increasing multitudes, of the wisest and the most 1 learned'in the church. Proceeding to examine the subject in detail? he first set forth the popular notions of hell to be j found in the early theologians, in Dante, in Milton, aud in Shakespeare,. citing some of the most terrific- passages de? scriptive of endless torture. Happily, the thoughts. and hearts, of men were often far gentler and nobler than their creeds, customs and traditions. It was only when these topics were treated by narrow-minded ana loveless hearts that I they were, seen in all their intolerable f ghastliness. ? He knew nothing so calcu-.J fated to make the whole soul revolt with loathing from every doctrine of religion as the easy complacency with which some cheerfully accept the belief that they are I living and moving in'the'midst of mil? lions doomed irreversibly to everlasting'! perdition. No language, could be stern enough to reprobate the manner in which j many elder brothers of the Prodigal had turned God's Gospel of plenteous redemp-1 tion into anathemas and all but universal perdition. If we were not unaffected when the destitute perish with hunger, or the dying agonize, in pain, was there any human being worthy of the dignity of a human being; who did not revolt and sicken at the notion of a world of worm and flame? If-St. Paul again and again 1 flung from him, with a "God forbid," the conclusions of an apparently irresistible I logic, we surely, who had no irresistible logic against us in this matter, but only J in great part spiritual selfishness and im-1 Eenetrable traditions, do we not, in the igh name of outraged conscience, of humanity?nay, in the far higher name of the God who loves us, of the j Saviour who died for us, of the Holy. Ghost who enlightens us?do we not hurl from us representations of. a doctrine bo I horrible that every nerve and fibre of our intellectual, moral and spiritual life re volte at it? Ignorance may, if it will, make a fetish of such a doctrine; phari-1 saism may write it. broad upon its pnilac teries; hatred may inscribe it instead of I Holiness to the Lord; but here, in the! presence of so many living, and in this vast mausoleum of the glorious dead? here amid the silent memorials of the men of fame and the fathers who begat [ us, of whom many, though.not saints, were yet noble, though erring men, and whom though they and we alike shall certainly suffer, and suffer bitterly, both here and hereafter, the penalty of unrepented sin, we cannot ana will' not-think .of as con? demned to unutterable tortures by irre-1 versible decrees. "I repudiate,'' ex-1 claimed the preacher, "these crude aud ghastly travesties of. the holy and awful will of God. I arraign them as merci? lessly ignorant. I impeach them as a] falsehood against Christ's universal redemption. . I denounce them as a bias . phemy against God's exceeding and eter? nal-love. More acceptable, I am very sure, than the rigid and most uncompro? mising orthodoxy of all the Pharisees have ever judged their brethren since time began?more acceptable by far to Him who, on the cross, prayed for His murderers, and who died that they-might live?more acceptable. I say, than the delight which amid avJelugeof ruin hugs the plank on which alone itself is saved, would be the noble and trembling piety which made St. Paul declare himself ready to be anathema from Christ for the sake of his brethren, which made Moses cry to God at Sinai, 'Oh, this people have sinned a great sin; yet now, if Thou I wilt forgive their sin, and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy Book which Thou hast written.'" Dr. Farrar very earnestly asked his hearers to believe that he spoke not with natural passion, but with most accurate theological precision when he said that though texts might be quoted which gave prima facie plausioilty to stich modes of teaching, yet, to say nothing of the fact that the light of love which God himself has. kindled within us, recoiled from them, those texts are, in the first place alien to the broad, unifying principles of Scripture ; that, m the next place, they are founded on interpretations demon? strable" groundless; and, in the third place, that for every one so quoted two can be adduced on the other sine. There was an old, sensible, admitted rule of theology that phrases which belong to matapnor, to.imagery, to poetry, to emo? tion are not to be formulated into neces? sary dogmas or crystalized into rigid creeds: If this rule be used to test them, ?nine-tenths of the phrases on which these views are built fait utterly to the ground; But even were it. otherwise, once more, in the name of Christian light and Chris? tian liberty; once more, in the name of Christ's-promised Spirit, he protested against the-ignorant tyranny of isolated texts, which had ever been the curse of Christian truth, the glory of narrow in? tellects, and the cause of the worst errors of.the worst days of the most corrupted church. Ignorance had engraved texts .upon her sword,, oppression had carved them upon her pillars, cruelty had tied texts upon her: faggots, and ignorance, again, had set knowledge at defiance with' texts woven on her flag. "If this awful doctrine, had to be de? cided by texts, then the original lan? guage must be appealed to, and inter? preted in its proper and historical signifi? cance*, They would have to bo interpre? ted not in that sense which makes them convey a thousand different notions which did not originally belong to" them. Now, I ask-yon," continued the preacher, very solemnly? "where , would be the popular teachings about hell if we calm? ly and deliberately erased from our Eng? lish Bibles the three words, 'Damnation,' 'hell," and 'everlasting?*. . Yet I say nn hesitatingly?I say, claiming the fullest right to speak with the authority of knowledge?I say, with the calmest and most unflinching sense of responsibility ?I say standing here in the sight of God and; of my Saviour, and, it may. be. of the angels and the spirits of the dead?that not one of those words ought tos^and any longer in our English Bibles; and that being, in our present acceptation of them, simply mistranslations, they, most unquestionably will not stand in the re* vised version of the Bible if the revisers have understood their duty." j j After explaining the original meaning of the: words,- he closed by saying thai finding, neither in Scripture nor any? where, anything to prove that the fate Of * every man is at death irrevocably deter? mined, he shook off the hideous incubus of atrocious conceptions attached by false theology to the doctrine of final retribu? tton. But neither could he speak dog? matically on the other side. He could riot preach the certainty of what was called Universalism?that all. will finally. . be saved?though that doctrine did, in? deed, derive much support from many passages of Scripture, and had been held by some of the early Fathers. Neither could he accept the spreading belief in conditional immortality.. His oelief was fixed upon the living God, and his an? swer to the question, What is the fate of dead sinners? was, with- Thomas Era kin e, that we .are lost .here., as much as . there, and that Christ came;, to seek and . to 'save the lost. . His hope Was that the vast majority of the lost would at length be found. ( If any hardened sinner, shamefully . loving his sin and despising the long suf- , fering of his Saviour, trifled with that doctrine, it was at Ins own deep and i awful peril; but to those longing and ' anxiqus.souls who were striving to creep , nearer to the light, he would say: Have faith in God. There is hope for you? hope for yon, even if death overtake you before the final victory is won. "Say ye - to the righteous that it shall be well with ' him, for they shall eat the. fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked; it shall be ill with him, tor the reward of his hand shall be given him." But say, also, as Christ's own apostles said, that there shall be.a restitution of all things?that God will eth not that any should perish that Christ both died, and rose, and re? vived, that He might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living?that as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; and that the day...shall come when all things shall be subdued unto Him, that God may be all in all. ' THE CONFEDERATE GOLD. An Interesting History of .the Claim made " for the Captured Treasures of the llich mond Banks. - Special to the Baltimore Sun. Washington, Jan. 6. ; It appears that the claim made for the coin of the Bichmond Banks covered into the treasury is how presented by Wm. B. Isaacs & Co., of Richmond, who in 1871 purchased the claim. Theassets of the Bank of Virginia and. the Farm? ers' Bank of Virginia were sold by order of the United States Court in 1871, and the coin and bullion covered into the treasury were considered as- part of the assets. The history of this coin and bullion is quite interesting. On the day Richmond was evacuated by the Confed? erate forces the coin and bullion, amount? ing to about $450,000, was loaded.on one of the last trains leaving that city and sent to Abbeville, 3. C. From that place it was transported in wagons to the town of Washington, in Georgia. In May, 1865, the banka obtained from Gen. Patrick, then, in command of the United States troops at Bichmond, a per? mit to bring their property back. Seve? ral of the officers of the banks went to Washington and started back with their treasure. When about, eighteen miles from Washington, it is stated, they were met by a roving band of ex-Confederate soldiers and relieved of $250,000. The remaining: $200,000 was safely carried to Bichmona and delivered to the banks. Of the . stolen $250,000 about $100,000 was subsequently recovered and taken back to Washington, Ga. In July the agents of the banks made another at? tempt to remove this money, but Gen. Wild, in charge of the freedmen's bu? reau, objected, and said he would take possession of it for the benefit of that i institution. They then appealed to Gen. Steadman, in command of the depart? ment of Georgia, who overruled Gen. Wild. By the advice, of Gen. Steadman it was then taken to Augusta as a safer Elace than Washington. Gen. Wild, I owever, sent word to Secretary Stan ton and others about it. Just as the bank officers were starting from Augusta, with j a permit from Gen. Terry and a safe conduct from Gen. Steadman, a special treasury agent arrived with orders from Mr. Stanton to trausnort the coin and bullion to this city, where it was placed as a special deposit in the treasury. The banks then made application here, and after a full consideration President John? son, upon the advice of Attorney-Gene? ral Speed, ordered the Secretary of the Treasury to turn it over to the banks. Gen. Spinner, then Treasurer, delayed to comply with this order, and went down to the capital personally and procured the passage of a joint resolution through both Houses, ordering the whole amount to be covered into the treasury. The resolution was referred to no committee, but passed both Houses the same day it was introduced. Gen. Spinner then im? mediately sent the bullion to the mints tobe coined, in order that all trace of its identity might be Jost. THE POLITICAL CAULDRON. President Hayes on his Policy and its Op? ponents. Special to the New York Herald. Washington, Jan, 4. The President has recently spoken with considerable freedom to several old per? sonal friends about the political future and the present situation. He is report? ed to have Baid that so far he; has met with no surprise ; that what has happen? ed was foreseen by him before he left Columbus, and that he has seen no rea? son to change in the least the course! which he laid out for himself before he came to Washington. The results of the Southern policy have been such as he expected. He is not surprised that a part of the Republican party opposed that policy, nor at the vigor of this oppo l sition, and as be foresaw and expected this he is not disappointed that greater political results- have not been reached in the Southern States as the fruit of that policy. It was inevitable that an attempt to arouse and create a solid North against the policy of reconciliation should main? tain so far as possible a solid South. If the Republican leaders had at once heartily accepted the Southern policy, he is reported to say, the solid South would have crumbled to pieces before this; but be did not expect that, and be is satis? fied with the beneficent results so far at? tained. . The present excitement on this ques? tion will not last, he is reported to say. No party could be formidable or could hold, the confidence and support of the people, which should plant itself on dead issues, aud he believes that the Republi? can leaders will soon see this and will cease their agitation of this subject. He has entire confidence in the future of the Republican party, and believes that it has the brains and capacity to take up the new and live questions, and to deal with them as the best sense of the nation demands. Those who refuse to do this, and who cling to old and dead questions will inevitably drop into the background. The American people do not stop to look backward. Their desire now, he be? lieves, is for harmony between the sec? tions, for a revival of industry, a renewal of commerce and a new period of pros Eerity, to be secured by intelligent legis-: ition, and not by empty , disputes over sectional issues. If the Republican par? ty could commit the blunder of allowing itself to be made a sectional party it would inevitably lose the favor-of the ? K' ople. ' The time for sectional parties #gone by; there is no longer occasion for them, and as a Republican as well as ' a good citizen, it is his strong desire to see the Republican- party represented in eve-' ry State by a share of the intelligent and property-owning class; He believes that as soon as Southern men are ?convinced ; that the Republican party will not as- ' 'same hostile sectional attitude this will come about. But he' is patient, and be? lieves events will move slowly; If he is rightly reported,' he- attaches but little importance to the angry opposition of acme of the Republican leaders. It is mainly, he thinks, personal in its nature, and personal issues cannot have a lasting life of important results in the face of real questions. He appears to have made up his mind to suffer a certain, a perhaps un certain, amount of annoyance ;i but he believes that it takes two sides to make a quarrel, and he does not quarrel with any one. He thinks most of those who ' oppose him do so. under a misconception, and will by and by Bee. this. He sees, he is reported to say, that he has made mis? takes in details. In the multitude and variety of affairs calling for the action of the Executive this is unavoidable, espe? cially with a new administration. But his general policy, he is persuaded, is not only for the best interests of the country. . but has the sympathy of the people ana of the .body of the Republican party, and he believes that the people will presently openly adhere to this policy as necessary to their security, welfare and future pros? perity. The reform of the civil service is ne? cessarily slow work; it requires cautious action in a great number , of cases. But though,.in the opinion of some friends of. reform, he has acted too slowly, he believes thoughtful men will soon recog? nize the. fact that a new spirit has begun to animate the public seavioe; that the work is better and more effectually done, because the old officers whom he has not removed feel that they are watched, and that they must attend more carefully than ever to their public duties. He be? lieves, it is said, that the public service is now more - correctly and effectively conducted than it has been at any period siuce the war, and while he is .by no means satisfied that the highest standard, has been reached, and while he does not mean to relax his efforts to improve it, yet be is satisfied with the results so far attained. In relation to the New York appoint-, ments, he is reported to say that it is less easy than many people suppose to find good and capable men to manage so great a business house as the New York, custom-house. He regards that as the institution which it is most necessary to place in the bands of men not only hon? est and capable, but positively friendly to a thorough reform of the civil service, and he believes that, aB the New York custom-house is the largest business es? tablishment in the country, not only is it the true place to make a real begin? ning of reform, but that when this is done there the effect upon other govern? ment offices will be so great as to make the work of reform easier everywhere. It is for this reason, and not out of hos? tility to Senators or other persons, that he has sought to place the New York custom-house in new hands. He is said to disclaim very positively hostiiity to any one, aud believes that a public officer ought never to allow himself to entertain such feelings. Having no personal ends or ambitions of his own, he is desirous only to do bis duty to the country, and he believes that whatever temporary effect misrepresentations and misconcep? tions may have in the long run, the American people are sure to recognize fidelity to their interests and welfare, while all experience shows that they pardon errors in minor matters, if tbey are convinced that the purpose has been to serve them. It follows from all this, if he is correct? ly reported, that the President has no in? tention to change bis policy in any re? spect, and it is regarded, as certain by those best informed that he will make no change in bis-Cabinet either. current rumors of investigation. As the time for the re-assembling of Congress approaches rumors thicken of intended investigations. It is said, for instance, that an attempt will be made in the Senate to declare Senator Butler's seat vacant, but there is little foundation for this report. The Senate has held on several occasions, notably in that of a Kansas Senator, that once admitted to his seat a Senator cannot be removed ex? cept by expulsion, which requires a two thirds vote. It is mid, also, that Repub? licans will introduce in the House a res? olution investigating the Louisiana elec? tion, the action of the returniug board and all matters connected with.it It is doubtful whether the House would con sent to such au inquiry. A majority of members, would fail to see that any use? ful results would flow from it, and would refuse to take up the time of the House and the attention of the country with the I rehash of old scandals to gratify the malice of a few disappointed Republican politicians. In the Senate there is so far no rumor of a resolution of inquiry, but it is reported in auti-Hayes circles that ? W. E. Chandler and others mean to call upon Senator Matthews to justify him? self against accusations they will bring. On the Democratic side some members and Senators are not averse to an inves? tigation, but they say they will insist on its being thorough and directed to all sides and parts of the matter in contro? versy. They believe that if everything which was planned, proposed or. negotia? ted on the Republican side between the i election in November and the 4th of j March following could be uncovered, while nothing compromising Mr. Hayes would be discovered, some of his bitter? est Republican opponents would be placed in very embarrassing and equivo? cal positions before the country. A real investigation, it is urged, must include Florida as well as Louisiana; must cover not merely the, period of the returning board acts, but that of the subsequent struggle in Washington, and must in? clude not only negotiations in-New-Or? leans and Tallahassee, but here in Wash? ington, df all kinds and for various pur? poses connected with the Presidential count. It is asserted with some confidence that j an attempt to institute an inquiry .will | be made by the Republicans in the House, but what the precise nature of | the movement will be is as yet hardly determined on. It is pretty certain, however, that a considerable number of Republicans would'like to bring about at least a partial investigation of the Presidential struggle, and a few perhaps would think it to their advantage to have I a complete uncovering of all parts of that struggle in the. j hope that the reve? lations thus made would kill off several Presidential candidates. SENATOR PATTERSON'S ABSENCE FROM HIS SEAT AND ITS EFFECT. It is hot probable that Senator Patter? son, of South Carolina, will resume his seat in the-Senate this session. His health is still precarious, and when he is strong enough to travel he will seek con? genial scenes in Pennsylvania. The question is raised whether Mr. Patter? son's absence would affect the vote of the Republican side of. the Senate. It is courtesy usually accorded to a Senator absent on account of sickness for some member of the "opposite party to pair with him on all political questions. - Mr. Patterson woiild hard 1 y ask a Democratic Senator to do this, and his absence would tender the presence of all the Republi? can Senators necessary to secure a ma? jority. THE DEFENCE OF STJMTER. The Demand for the Surrender of the Gar rlson?Anderson's Gallant Beply. On the morning of the 11th of April, the dawn' of day disclosed an activity at once unusual and significant over the entire harbor. The waters were covered with vessels hastily putting to sea. An iron-clad, .floating .battery of four guns, the construction of which in Charleston had been watched-by the garrison for months, was towed down the- bay to a point at the western end of Sullivan's Island, where its guns bore directly upon Fort Somfcer. A wooden dwelling on the beach, near the end of the island j was pulled down, and unmasked a land work, mounting four guns, hitherto unknown to the .garrison. Its fire would enfilade the most important; battery of Fort Sura? ter, which was upon the parapet of the right flank of the work, and whose guns were.mainly relied upon to, control the 'fire from the heavy guns on Cumming'e Point, that would take the fort in re? verse. Bodies of troops were landed and the batteries on shore fully manned, and eyery preparation completed, when, at four o'clock p. m., a boat under a white flag approached the fort. Two officials, aides-de-camp of the general command? ing the Confederate forces in the harbor, Col. Chesnut and Cap t. S. D. Lee, were admitted to the guard-room just inside the main entrance to the work. They bore a communication from the military commandant at Charleston and to the following effect. It stated that the Gov? ernment of the Confederate States bad hitherto forborne from any hostile de? monstration against Fort Sumter, in the hope that the General Government would voluntarily-evacuate it in order to avert war, and that there was reason to believe that such would have been the course pursued, but that the Confederate Government could no longer delay "as? suming actual possession" of a fortifica? tion so important to it. The evacuation of Fort Sumter was demanded, in the name of the Government of the Confed? erate States. All proper facilities were tendered to Major Anderson for the re? moval of himself and his command. He was to take with him his company and private property, and to salute his flag upon taking it down. Calling the officers of the garrison into his private room, he laid the communi? cation before them, and then for the first time made known to them the confiden? tial dispatch from the government, re? ceived a few days previously, in which their determination to relieve the fort w is expressed, and. instructions in regard to it conveyed. In this communication authority was given him to capitulate when the necessity of the case required it. The conference of the officers was long and earnest. There was no thought for a moment ef acceding to the demand for the evacuation of the fort, and the following reply was returned by Major Anderson : 'That the demand for the evacuation of the fort was one with which he regretted that his sense of hon? or and his obligations to his government prevented bis compliance." On receiv? ing this communication the Confederate officers left the fort. The entire inter? view was characterized by every courtesy, though more distant and formal than in f>revious conferences. They were fol owed to the main gate of the work by Major Anderson and the writer of this article. As they were about to embark, Major Anderson remarked in their hear? ing that he would be starved out any way in a few days,*if their guns did not batter bim to pieces, and this was repeat? ed more specifically to the Confederate officers in reply to their inquiries on the subject. As the boat returned, the bat? teries around were covered with specta? tors, all anxiously watching the result of the mission.?Gen. S. W. Crawford in Philadelphia Times. ? The latest report about Senator Pat? terson is to the effect that when he recov? ers sufficiently to travel he will leave Washington for two months, and that he will not ask a Democrat to pair with him. The Senate would then be uncom? fortably close for the Republicans, since that body would stand: Republicans 37, Democrats 36, Independents 1. This cal? culation presupposes the continued ab? sence of Senator Sharon, Republican. THE CROOKEDNESS OF CORB1N. True Inwardness of His Great Phosphate Steal. Speaial Dispatch to Out Seiet and Courier. Columbia, Tuesday, Jan. 8. The Corbin committee is engaged sev? eral hours daily in prosecuting the in? vestigation entrusted to it by the Senate. Its sessions are conducted in private, and the bond of secrecy is imposed upon members, clerks and witnesses alike, to remain in force until the report has been submitted to the Senate. It is. therefore, difficult to ascertain what has been done in the committee-room, but from various outside sources the following facts have been obtained, which will' be found in time to correspond pretty mnch with the results arrived at by the committee: Mr. Corbin was a member of the Gen? eral Asssembly at the time the phosphate monopoly act was passed, and largely assisted, both within and without the General Assembly, in securing its pass? age. He was the largest stockholder in the" company organized under the act, and managed its interests in the triple capacity of president, counsel and legis? lator; and it was in its interest, and his own, that he applied to the Attorney General to bring suit against a rival com? pany, and to let'him (Corbin).conduct the suit iu the courts. In his "Card" recently published he states that "novel and important ques? tions" were involved in this suit. These,' however, may be summed up in the one question: Whether North YV im bee Creek was or was not a navigable stream, a question which, under Corbin's manipu? lation, may indeed have "run through about'three years/' but - which might have been readily determined by one less interested in protracting the suit within as many weeks. Having, in course of time, obtained a decree for $5.900, (dot for $28,000 as he alleges,) Corbin next applied to the court to appoint a referee to ascertain what fee should be paid to him for the dis? tinguished and disinterested services which he had rendered the State in con? ducting the suit The referee was ac? cordingly appointed, and soon reported that Mr. Corbin was entitled to 62} per cent, on the $5,900 for which a decree had been obtained, and the court con? firm ed the referee's report. It should be remarked just here that at the time the referee made his report there was no other amount before the'court'-besides the' $5,900 above referred to, and' the enormous per cent, by him recommended to be paid v.-as awarded solely upon the ground,.that although the $5,900 was the whole amount for which the decree had been obtained, and on which he could be allowed a fee,- yet the State would eventually receive many times that sum in royalty obtained by virtue of the find? ing .of the court.. It chanced,. however, that the phosphate company, the defen? dant in this case, had been compelled, to give a bond to the State, pending the suit, conditioned for the - payment of a royalty to the State on all the phosphates they should take from Wimbee Creek, after the commencement of the suit?if it should finally be decided against them. After it had been, so decided a referee was appointed to find the amount of their liabilities on their bonds; and after the Court had allowed Corbin 62} per cent', oh the $5,900 as his fee in the case, the referee reported that the-company: should pay $22,000 on their bond to the State. . ' . This amount, in regular course, would have been paid directly to the State Treasurer. Corbin certainly. had no. claim to the custody of it or to any. per cent, npon it, but he coolly, asked leave of the Court to allow him to receipt to the company for the $22,000 on behalf of the State. The Court granted the re? quest, and Corbin got'possession of the $22,000 and claimed 62} per cent, on it. This was too much for even Corbin's official friends to stand. The claim was so preposterous that the Attorney Gen? eral, who was both his personal and po? litical friend,, and who had employed him to conduct the case, advised the Comptroller General not to allow it The Comptroller General, who was also his political and personal friend, at once made a formal demand on him for the whole of the $22,000, as well as for the. 37} per cent, remaining of the $5,900, and filed in the Comptroller General's office copies of his official letters to Cor-' bin, setting forth with painful perspicui? ty the swindling character of that greedy individual's proceedings. The Comptroller's pointed darts Slanced from the brazen surface of Cor in's cheek without inflicting a visible scratch, and Corbin kept the $27,9001 By his own showing^ which is merely ac? cepted here for purposes of argument Corbin should have turned over to the State at least 37} per cent, of the $27, 900; but he turned over nothing. He complacently claimed to have rendered the Comptroller General certain other services, not specified, iu another case, and kept the 37} per cent on the whole amount as his self-awarded fee. well knowing^that, if he had rendered any such service, the Comptroller General had no power to fix his fee, which could only be paid through an appropriation by the General Assembly. What he did with his plunder is too well known to need re-telling. : One or two points only may be indicated here. Corbin, in his card, says that Judge Car? penter had granted an injunction against the banks from paying out State money; the wheels of government were thereby stopped, and that he (Corbin) lent Car? dozo, State Treasurer, $20,000 to carry on the State Government. The reply to these statements is a very simple and brief one: Carpenter's injunction did not stop the wheels of government, for the reason that the moneys then in the banks were not moneys that could be used "to keep the wheels of government in motion," nor yet the wheels of the misgovernment with which Corbin was more nearly con? cerned. Every dollar in the banks be? longed to specific funds already appro? priated, except the amount of about $9.73, the unexpended balance appro? priated for "legislative expenses" for the previous fiscal year. Not knowing the exact amount iu bank, it is possible that Corbin may have been misled by the tempting "item" under which this amount was returned. Corbin did not lend $20,000 to Car dozo, State Treasurer. He lent nothing to the State Treasurer for any purpose, as the State Treasurer's books conclu? sively show. He did deposit $20,000, or thereabouts, with Cardozo, not as State Treasurer, but as his messenger and lob? byist in the matter of the election of United States Senator. This amount was not paid out for any State purposes. The whole of it was paid out by Cardozo, not as "State Treasurer," but in his un? official capacity, as Corbin's agent, to members of the General Assembly. The only point worthy of notice in this immediate connection is that it was only paid out to Eepub?&tn members of the General Assembly, a point which Corbin carefully omits to-mention in his card. Whether these favored members were paid by Corbin for their votes can only be r determined by a judicial investigation, ?which will certainly be had. Until the result of such investigation is made known, however, those who know Corbin and who know his men?the Republican members of the General Assembly of 1876?and who know, how these',men voted, will hardly be at a loss to form an opinion for themselves. C. McK. THE WAR ON SENATOR BUTLER, A Strange Story of the Conspiracy to Va? cate His Seat. Special to the Baltimore Gazette. Washington, January 8. The Republicans of the Senate are working-with all the resources at their command to complete the- scheme to overthrow both Patterson and Butler at the reopening of the Senate; The true inwardness of this conspiracy has never been told,-although correspondents have had: their skirmish lines out for several weeks past The statements made have all proceeded on the hypothesis that the line of attack was to be directed against Butler on the merits of a report on the legality of the South Carolina Legisla? ture now being constructed by Senator Cameron, of Wisconsin, and Christiancy, were members of the Senate sub-commit? tee sent to investigate affairs in that State last fall. This report, it has been said, was to be submitted to the full committee oti privileges and elections at the first meeting, reported on favorably by a party vote and then introduced-in the Senate; where it has been stated there would be some probability of passing it and then following it up. with a resolution declar? ing the body which elected Butler illegal and vacating his seat.:r If these 'state? ments were at all reliable, taken on their face value, it is hard to see how the Re? publican, knowing the majority which seated Butler would/not waver, could ex pect-to succeed in any effort to pass such a resolution. ? the seal facts, however, are very different, and' great care :has been taken to.,conceal them,, Before the vote to, seat Butler had been taken,, it will be remembered, a resolut" tion was pending in the South Carolina Legislature to lustruct Gen. Butler to present to the Senate the .report prepared in the Patterson case, wherein bribery was alleged.' Immediately on the seat? ing of Butler this resolution was so changed as to strike out Butler's name, as! he had positively refused to take the role of a prosecutor after Patterson's courageous conduct and? vote in his be? half, and was so modified. as to provide in a general way for presenting these: charges to the Senate.;. Gen. Butler does not attempt to disguise the .fact that he, used all his influence to put a stop to the prosecution of Patterson, as he believed it foolish to proceed to such extremes in view of* the fact .that man-who'were ; charged with plundering the State treas urv had been let alone, while Patterson's alleged fault consisted in paying money out of his own pocket to further his own ends. This resolution, after having gone through various modifications and been indifferently considered iu both branches' of the Legislature, was finally tabled in in the State Senate* by reference to the committee on Federal relations. It was . hoped and believed by Gen. Butler, and. a great many Democrats of South Caro? lina, that it would die there, and Patter? son would be quietly permitted to sit but his term without any further trouble from that quarter. They believed it due to him, as he had braved, his own party in securing South Carolina native represen? tation on the floor of the Senate. It soon became evident enough, how? ever, thaT Governor Hampton was ?not disposed to let the resolution sleep there'.. When Hampton's determination became known here among the politicians of both sides it "had the effect to encourage the Republicans and correspondingly depress the Democrats. A meeting of Republi? can Senators, to which, publicity has never yet been given,' was held on Friday before the adjournment at the residence of a Southern Republican Senator,! and the matter was there, discussed. . Nearly, the entire strength of the Senate was present. Senator Edmunds spoke for nearly an hour, and was followed by Hoar, Dawes, Christiancy and Cameron of Wisconsin, the latter confining him-, self to the law questions involved in the consideration of what it requires to'con? stitute a legal body. It was then deci? ded that in order to succeed it was of prime importance to have the case against Patterson taken out of the clutches of the legislative committee and made avail? able as a lever in the Senate. When this scheme was outlined, five Senators, all of - whom sympathized more or. less with Senator Patterson, withdrew from,, the conference. They were Chaffee, Jones, of Nevada, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Conover and Rollins. They refused to lend themselves to a plan which proposed to persecute Patterson for -bis vote in the Butler case, because they contended this action never would have been resorted to had Patterson stood by his .party. They looked on it as a piece of revenge. The matter was given into the hands of Senator Angus Cameron, of Wiscon? sin. He has matured a plan. It is to secure possession of this prepared report' against Patterson and hold it over. Pat? terson's head as a. threat He will be told that if he refuses to sustain his party in the resolution declaring Butler's seat vacant, this report will be introduced and referred to the committee oo the judicia? ry, whose chairman, Mr. Edmunds, will stand ready to present a report and re? commend Patterson's 'dismissal from1 the body. It will thus be seen that the ope? rations against Senator Butler are all based on ? whether Cameron is able to secure this report, and thus have the im? portant lever on Patterson. They believe that when the alternative is given him of supporting his friend or saving himself human nature will not be strong enough to hold out and Butler will go by the board. It has been part of the plan to get Conover in line, and the most flatter? ing promises have been made him in the way of patronage if he will come back on this resolution. As he voted with Patterson on personal grounds to save him from' his South Carolina troubles, it was believed more than probable that he would also vote with him again for the same reason, and the result would be Butler's defeat It requires only a ma? jority vote to declare a Beat vacant, while two-thirds are required to expel; It will be remembered also that Senator Davis took a bourse which would seem to indi? cate that he did not believe'either Butler or Corbin had been' legally elected, for he voted against the resolution to seat Corbin, and dodged a vote on the resolu? tion to seat Butler. It is claimed by the Republicans that he will join in this res? olution; and, with the above changes and the presence of Mr. Sharon, the deed can be done. Realizing the exact force of the plot, and the chances it might have for success, some half dozen Democrats iu the Senate, whose names are at present withheld from publication, wrote letters to. Gffrereor Hampton urging him to give no aid or encouragement to the scheme by helping to seud up the Patterson report In a few day3 Governor Hampton replied in a very high-flown letter, in which he called heaven to witness that he meant to per LBGAZ ?DVRSTEnFO.-^Wt awcompellet.. , reqair? c*ah payments tor advertising ordered by Executon, Administrators and other fldnclariea.' I and herewith append toe rates for the ordinary notices, which will baly be Inserted when the money comes with the order: Citations, two Insertions, -? - - - - ?3.00 Estate Notlces, three insertions, . - 100 Final Settlements five insertions - ? 8.00 TO COBJiS8POmSNTS.-ln order to- receive attention, commnnlearlons mast be accompanied by the true name and address of the writer. Re? jected manuscripts will not be retained, unless th a necessary stamps are furnished to repay the postags thereon. ... ?*s~ We are not responsible'.tot the views and opinions of oar correspondents. 1 All communications should be addressed to "Ed? itors Intelligencer," and all checks..drafts, money orders, Ac., should be made payable to the order of ? ?. B. MURRAY A co., Anderson,s. c. form his trust, without regard to anything but the honor of his State and bis own responsibility under the laws, and that he I should act in the matter just about as he thought a sense of duty required him to act. '. The gen tie men. addressed have been making a,great.deal of sport over the. language made. use of by the Governor in his reply. It appears they are not ex-' actly pleased' with the answer, for it seems to justify their fears that Governor - Hampton will, iu a.certain sense, though j not in any overt way, co-operate with toe Radicals of the Senate, who are .so anx? ious to get possession of the pigeon-holed report. It is reported now, as .the last., piece of intelligence, that in case Gover? nor Hampton is prevailed on to keep j quiet in the matter, Mr. Cameron- may be able to possess himself of the main points of evidence incorporated in the report^ and. have them submitted; by cer- ? . tain unauthorized Republican members of the South Carolina Senate. Action' .can then be taken on this memorial. Senator Patterson's ; friends who are watching operations during his sickness have no positive intelligence as to Gov. Hamptons movements. The legislature reconvenes in a few days, and then more will be_ known. It cannot be learned whether Mr. Cameron has gotten posses- ' sion of any, important points, .but it is:, i believed he 4is still oh ? the scent. Gen. Butler, meanwhile^ is in South CaVoiinsj and as soon as Senator Patterson is"better, he intends visiting'Simon Cameron^ in Pennsylvania. Gohover "b in Florida, but has said on several occasions that nothing ever could induce him to retract ' what he had done in the Butler case. : Senator Butler's Views. United States Senator MC. Butler, ; who arrived here on Friday eveningpleft for Edgefield- on "Saturday night, .after Spending a. very pleasant.time ampng.his friends, .and admirers ,in ' Charleston. . Senator Butler is looking remarkably well and is in fine'spirits: . He cairieiiere from Beaufortand" Port" Royal, where'he'had'been on a-brief ' visit upon thfrinvitation of Cant 'Flem-' ; ihg, the Superintendent cf the'Porf R?y-" - al Railroad, to look at the harbor and the country generally. _ -While .there he visited the United States supply. r ship New.Hampshire, and had a pleasant in? terview with; Commodore Hughes and the bftYcere of the ship. ?' On Saturday a reporter forthe'iV?/? and Courier called upon Senator Butler at; the Charleston HoteVand obtained from? h im his views concerning the m ove ment for the repeal of the Resumption [ Act ..."I am,?' said.Senator Butler^p posed to the repeal of the Resumption Act,','and will'vote, againstjt_ T^amX,"'. hard money , man, and my reasons for opposing the' repeal of the Resumption Act, as at present. advised, are briefly, that it seems to me that our people 'have come down to a solid basis in business mattera/andl conceive that it would; be wrong to disturb that condition of things, as I believe tbe repeal of the Resump? tion Act would most certainly dp. Our people have about made up their miffSs to conduct their business upon that basis in the future. I believe that confidence is being restored, from the very'fact that the people have made Up their minds to accept the resumption of spede.paymente in 1879, and I.cannot see that any good can come from the repeal of the act. On.. the contrary, I ?iink there, has been .en^ . - tirely too much tinkering, with' the finances of the country, and that it- will be well to allow the business interests of the country to regulate themselves and settle down upon a-substantial basis. The whole financial system of the coun? try has; in- my judgment, been cblWncted on a false ana speculative basis, and I -. cannot' imagine any. I greater calamity than to revive that condition of things in the business world. The people of the South , are beginning to acquire habits of' economyand self-reliance which are indispensable to'their substan? tial prosperity in the future; and I take it that this has been brought about in a great measure by the prospective resump? tion of spede: payments. The reports from the North indicate a fearful state of . things in the financial world, brought, about as. I conceive, by- the false and speculative system upon . which all of their transactions have been based and i conducted in the past They, too, will hate to pass through a terrible ordeal, in order to reach that solid foundation from Which they must again begin to'build up their fortunes. We of the?South,Ihope, have passed, through it, and have seen the worst; and I.trust that by prudence, j economy, thrift.and industry on the part of oiir. people we.shall buila up our .for-. tunes upon a lasting, and substantial., foundation.' I do not see how.the pros? perity of the country can be adv?cedby continuing a state of uncertainty such' as will result from a repeal of the Resump? tion Act ? "As to the Silver bill, I have not given that matter sufficient investigation, as yet> to form an opinion" Watchikg a Rifle R all's Flight. ?Three gentimen, members of the Ama? teur Rifle Club, yesterday afternoon were in the town or Brijhion, rifle shooting. The distance was 200 yards; all three were , shooting Creedmbbr rifles. FrOns the firing point to the target the ground gradually, ascended, so that a small tele- . ? scope, but a good one,, firmly fixed in true bounds on a tree,' at a distance of perhaps thirty feet, made a fine point for dbservation. One of the'shooters, while looking through the glass to mark a shot of one of his companions, ex? claimed that he saw the ball as it sped on its mission. The, announcement was received with incredulity; but one of the other shooters went to the glass, and.he also saw. tbe ball almost as it 1 eft the gun, and through its whole flight, nearly the whole line of . its trajectory, until it reached the, target So interesting .and. beautiful was the sight that, every ball was watched by one or the other of the gentlemen; and it is an actual fact that the point at which the ball would strike the target could be seen before' the ball struck. It was insisted upon that the ro? tary motion of the ball could be observed. ?Bochetter^N. Y.) Herald. . The Keely. Motor.?A jrentleman connected with a well known banking firm in this city,, and one of the largest stockholders in the Keely Motor Compa? ny, having returned from Philadelphia, where he had been to investigate the pro? gress made by the inventor, said: "The stockholders held a meeting in Philadel fihia, and resolved to make nothing pub? ic in regard to this invention. From time to time we go and see how things are getting along, and are shown marvelous results; bat there is always something lacking which prevents a public prseuta* tion of the invention?something to be done*. The conclusion we have come to is this: Either this is the greatest invention the world ever saw,. or Keely is the most clever and gigantic humbug ever known. We shall wait and see."?Neio York Sun. ' ..? Over 120,000,000 of gold yearly passes over the gold balances iu the United States Mint A new balance has I just been made;having a capacity, of 10, f000 troy dunces (about 600 pounds) in each pan.