Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BY E. B. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1878._VOL. XIII-NO. 38. RATES OP S?ESCRZPTIOX.-Oxx Doli*? lad Fiftt Ctam per annum, In advane?. TWO Dollam at end of year. 8evk5TT-Fi?te Ceti? for ?ix months. SabscripUons am not taken for a less period than six months. RATES OP ADVERTISING.-One Dollar per Square el one Inch for the arst Insertion,and Fifty Cents per square for subsequent insertions less than Uu?? months. Ho advertisements countelees than a square. ... Liberal contracts will be nudewlth those-wlshtag to adrortiso for three, tlx or twelve months. Ad? vertising by contract must be confined to the im andiateotttinossofthefirmorladlTiduU contrac? ting. Ooltuary Notices exceeding nvo lines, Tribates of Eoapect. and all personal communications or matters of individual Interest* will be charged for at advertlaiif rates. Announcements of marriages and deaths, and notices of a religious character, are respectfully solicited, and will be l?se .ted grit ii THE WHIPPING POST. Its Merita Discussed by a Virgin 1? Writer. Mb. EDiTor,: Perhaps but few of your readers have ;he "pleasure of reading a series of articles published in the Reli? gious Herold, Eichmond, Va., over the moot de plume of "Civis." His style of composition is so unique, his thoughts so comprehensive, in short, his subjects are treated by bim in such a masterly man? ner, it would be well for every.man who wishes to know something about political economy to read these articles. Letter No. 6 contains many good hits ou the modern way of punishing crime. Friend ,t&fikb will prove a public benefactor, not only to bis own State, but to.the country at large, when his suggestion for economizing State governments is put into successful operation. As it is very probable there will be a number of good citizens as^Rtnt* "for lt)gislativo7bbnojra In the ?oVoglpolitical canvass, .! take great pleasure in^commeading these^aiS tides to their careful study, Perhaps, our political bedy can be cared of some the'ilis it seems to have "fallen heir to within the last decade. The following in letter !So. 6 referred to above. J. L. T. (5) Let us now examine the expenses idfianeB "by tae' Commonwealth iu th? punLhment of crime : Our criminal charges, for services ren? dered and expenses incurred in the arrest of persons charged with offences under tbo I?tts, ingoing "feesjout constables, coroner? and other officers, for jailers' ? fees, expenses of prisoners in jails, in? cluding clothing, subsistence, medical . wftftjdance and medicines ; allowances'to juries and witnesses Beach the enormous sum of...$177,541.15 Add penitentiary expenses, less hire of convicts, &c. 68,868.60 For the punishment of crime, $246,809.75 j Our criminal expenses increase year by year. The foregoing sum is the amount actually paid put during-the fiscal year, ending 30th September last The ex? penses for the present year, if uncheck? ed, will exceed $250,000. Here is room for a heavy retrenchment, the value of which will be very inadequately display? ed by the amount of money saved to the treasury. Our criminal code, as now administered, taxes us beyond endurance for 'the support of idleness and the en? couragement- of crime. Out of this amount we can save, and ought to save, $150,000. One hundred thousand dollars per annum is certainly enough to appro? priate to rogues and burglars. We can? not support them, I admit, in the sump? tuous style which now obtains, nor so many as now crowd our prisons and pen? itentiary.. 3?t _Commonwealth^ allows for "the inmates" of our jails, besides clothing and fuel, and blankets, and medical attendance and medicines. 40 cents-a diy to each for. the.bald item of food! Forty cents a day for food! -For? ty cents a day! It means a rich and sumptuous, fare, which not one in 500 oJ^qT pSafe!! wWc*Honwtf>." their. own families. It means turkey and oysters, and old ham, and veuiBon, and celery and chicken salad, and roast beef and plum pudding, with at least hebdomadal Sitations of sherry and champagne! y friend and neighbor, a cultivated Sntleman, favored in these bard times yond the ordinary lot, supports bis family, consisting of himself and wife, j eight children and three servants, on an income?aH told?of $1,900. And this amount is his maximum. He is liable to get less; it is impossible for him to St more. His food bili, at 40 centa a y to each.member of his famih, would amount to $1,898, leaving him two dol? lars (in leap year nothing) for house rent, for pay of servants, for clothing, for church and .charity, for mediciues and medical attendance, for blankets and fur? niture, for the implements of his trade, for State and county taxes'! With forty cents a day, he could live in high revelry all the year round I Every week he might invite his friends, and make them merry on his generous cheer. That he may furnish in lavish abundance the costliest dainties of the season to rogues and scoundrels, who invade bis premises at night, steal his property and break'his repose, he is compelled to limit his own . family to a tureen of soup thickened tith turnips and potatoes, and a dish of peas, garnished and greased with a mod? es", piece of middlings as the staple of thttrjl&iffr'v^ 5*00 V Does (he hero of a hen-roost or of a j pig-pen need more food and better than id sufficient-to sustain the soldier on the weary march, or bear the laborer through tbe beat and burden of the day ? Three and a half pounds of bacon, worth 28 cents, and one and a half pecks of meal, worth 22 cents or leas,'is the allowance? and the largest allowance?of tbe field laborer per week. If 7 cents a day is abundant for the plowman, half that sffjpfnt oagSt' to -do? eqnafiyiwW for the rogue, whose appetite is dulled, and whose powers of assimilation -are dimin? ished by his coveted inactivity. But his food most be prepared, it is said ! True, but in a style so recherche that tbe prep? aration must cost twelve times as much as tbe food itself? Does the State really employ French cooks, to serve up the I costly fare of thieves ? The fact is that ihv prisoner in our jails live on about three centra day. Tbo State, however, pays 40 cents. Some time since I asked a jailer to tell me exactly bow he man? aged it. He answered that on one day he gave them one-fourth pound meat (2 cents)' with a piece of bread, and the next day bread, with a plenty of butter? milk which cost bim nothing, or vegeta? bles, as cheap as buttermilk; making per 1 week 1} lbs. meat (14 cts.) and Jths peck of meal, worth at the outside 10 cents. The cooking was done once or .twice a j week, according to the number of pris? oners and the season of the year, in the most primitive style, at a cost too trifling for estimation. An individual is unwill? ing to pay more than 21 per cent, com? missions to his agent for attending to his business, he will scarcely allow more than trper cent even when bis business demands the tact and skill of an expert; but tbe: Commonwealth is so rich and lavish that she can allow more than 1200 per cent, for the crudest management of ner affair*. The keepers of these State hotels are singular exceptions to the gen? eral impoverishment and distress. Their duties demand no skill, involve no r?k ; in happy ease, they alone grow rich. But to the tax-payer, it makes no differ? ence whether the prisoners live on coarse and acanty fare or in costly luxury. In either case, he pays at the rate of 40 cent* a day! Again. A ' matt steals a hundred weight of tobacco, aJbarrel of corn, a bog, or a sheep. At heavy expense he i-t arrested, a dozen men are taken two or three days from their business fur bis trial, witnesses arc summoned. Not un frequeotly twenty-or thirty persons must abandon useful labor for several days in the settlement of the momentous matter. me the particulars of the arrest and trial of a man for the theft of 84 pounds of loose tobacco, worth $3.50. The pris? oner was sentenced, after a jury trial of two days, to seven months'-confinement in jail at a cost to the Commonwealth of $250. The items were given: being the cost of arrest, of guarding prisoner, and his trial before a magistrate, his commit? ment to jail, fees of clerk and Common? wealth's attorney, pay of witnesses, pay and board of jury "two days, and board of prisoner before arid after trial 230 days -at 40 cents a day ! To fine the honest, working portion of the community (for that in effect was the verdict) $250 for the alleged punishment of the larceny of less than a hundred weight of loose lugs, was a hideous out? rage, a crime worse than the stealing of the tobacco. The Commonwealth is more guilty than the rogue. A man is a simpleton who surrenders a thief to the punishment (?) of the law. The law re? wards the rogue and punishes the public. If our hero bad committed a crime of . little greater dignity, the penitentiary-, would have been his reward. Under cir? cumstances of befitting extravagance and pomp, be comes to his uew abode, that commands so fine a view of the falls of the James Kiver. Once a year, when the present writer enjoys a-little leisure, his instincts take him to the county of his nativity, the good old county of Meek-* lenburg. When he returns to Bichmond, having enjoyed the good cheer and hon? est greeting of his friends, the trip never costs him more than $7.50, sometimes only $5. And yet he travels in a way that is to him sufficiently comfortable and respectable. But a batch of rogues, sent from Boydton to the penitentiary, come in the costly magnificence, of ,a royal retinue. Each has Iiis own. escort, while a high official attends the royal party , to provide for their general comfort and accommodation. The traveling ex bills, and charge for services, added to the actual cost of the transportation of the convicts, make the cost of landing these precious scoundrels at the peniten? tiary at least $40 each, or at the rate of forty cents a mile I ' ? Arriving at the depot, the finest backs, ordered by telegraph, await thrir conve? nience. Entering the State hotel, they find abundant reason of self-felicitation upon the good fortune' they enjoy. Warmth ana idleness, peace and plenty, crown at length their virtuous lives I Good and comfortable clothing, fare abundant and excellent, labor so light that it h pursued, it would stem, only as the adjuvant of digestion a id in the interest of bcUth. In their present com? fort, they recall, with a ebtdder, the hardships of their former life. They re? member, with a happy sense of relief, the chill November nights, when they hunted possums and caught pigs, the fierce onset of the' mastiff, the sharp re? ports, in quick succession, of the master's gun. But now, O happy day I they arc. free alike" from the fear of want and the fear of labor.- their troubles vanish into thin air, and all their cares are sweetly scothed in the gentle lullaby of the James!- Honest laborer8, racked with' care, by constant toil and grinding econ* cmy can scarcely accomplish bread, sim? ply bread; and yet their scanty earnings m ust be wrenched from them, under the forms, of law, to fatten and pamper these pets of the Commonwealth. Instinct with philanthropy', w'e are ex ?tpjmely sensitive as to their comforts and accommodation. A howl of virtuous indignation, that found expression in nearly all the newspapers of the city, w.is raised a few years ago, because a peripatetic philanthropist had represent^-, eel that the bunks of our station-houses, tbe apartments of our jail, and the cells of our penitentiary, were a shade lesn luxurious than the accommodations of tbe Exchange Hotel. . Investigating committee** were raised, who were in? structed to examine into and report upon tie' evils" complained of: to suggest the remedy, and the method of prevention it the future, if the allegations were found to be true ; and so we proceeded with might and main to wipe the asper? sion from our good name, and to prove tl .at uo community whatsoever cherished a more tender consideration than we for tiamps and vagrants, for rogues and bur? glars I A moon has scarcely waxed and waned since the Christmas bill of fare of the guests of our "Valley Inn" was published in our newspapers, quite as a matter of pride?such an array of.good t lings as might tempt the sated appetite of an epicure or a gourmand; certainly such as seldom cheers the board of those whose money furnished the rich and tempting repast. Do wo ready mean to invite the immigration hither of those ' honest patriots, who leave their country lor their country's good ?" Is it strauge ?a thing that more than once has hap? pened? that a prisoner, receiving his lentence from the Judge, prays that the period of his incarceration may be ex? tended? that a tramp appears, of his own motion, before an officer of the law. und demands admission to tbe bountiful charities of our city jail ? that an ex penitentiary convict, accepting scarcely a week's freedom, commits a -felony that he may be promptly returned to his com? fortable quarters in the State hotel ? Is government* instituted only Tor the bene? fit of thieves and paupers? and have honest and industrious people no rights that these are compelled to respect? Vast as is the expenditure of money, as already considered, in the so-called punishment of criminals, there is yet a further loss, wbich figures have not dis? played, and cannot display. We under? stand the concrete more easily than tbe abstract. A few years ago I employed and retained for two years or more a la? borer on my little farm. He was hum? ble, polite, useful and happy in his place. He had a few tricks, which somewhat abated bis value, but still he was valua? ble. Now and then he appropriated to bis own use trifling articles that came in bis way, but his mania, never took an ambitious or a dangerous turn. He was corrigible, rnpretentious, unambitious, willing to work, always humble and de? ferential. I could but feel kindly to? wards the poor fellow, pitied bis weak? ness, and pardoned bis peccadillos. After caving me he got into trouble, from which I vainly tried to extricate him. A pair of boots?second-hand?took his eye, and he took the boots. A slight puuishment, simple and inexpensive, he needed, and ten minutes was sufficient time to readjust him and put him in atatu quo. Instead of this, he was arrest? ed, lodged in the station-house, sent to court, where he was tried and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. After his time was out, he sought employment in a very languid, faint-hearted sort of way, and obtained it at the hand* of my next neighbor. But now, the poor fellow was neither able nor content to work. The lack of sunshine and exercise, the contamination of bad company, the loss of self-respect and pride, had rendered it simply impossible wi:h him to work again, and be happy in his work. He was soon dismissed as inefficient, and took to petty thieving as his trade. Now, of these attendants, their board prctermitting all reference to the expen? ses of bis trial and imprisoninont, there are yet other losses which we caunot so readily estimate: the loss of Iiis labor during bis imprisonment, the loss of his labor most probably during the remain? der of his life, and his depredations npon property, for nuch is his trade and calling now. Must rogues, then, have a wide berth and go unwhipt of justice? I answer, first, that if tue punishment of crime, for the protection of property, inflicts upon property, as it actually do a loss ten-fold or an hundred-fold gres ter than the damage it receives from crime, then it is certainly better not to attempt the task at all. If property must surrender $100 or more to punish the larceny of five dollars, then the larceny had better go unpunished. Secondly. There is a plan, primitive, simple, inexpensive, the most powerful corrector, yet discovered, of moral ob? liquities. Suasion, and tracts, and cate? chisms, without' its antecedent prepara? tion, are, for the most part, unavailing. See that spoiled, pouting child. How uneasy ana restive the weary mother 1 Let her venture the gentlest expostula? tion or reproof, angry fingen will clutch her cheek I Under bucL. treatment, shame and sorrow come to the mother ; wretchedness and ruin to the child. But let her see her duty and bravely do it. Let her surrender the spoiled pet to the strong arms and tender mercies of tbe father. * Under the quick, sharp, decisive (infliction, how promptly melts tbe stub? bornness of the boy I He square'y sur? renders, he is broken, penitent?soon, however, to be happy, very happ/. He realizes his naughtiness and his sin, and is sorry for it; with the devil exorcised from his heart, he hies to his mother, and now how'happy each in the kiss.of par? don and reconciliation! With filial love and obedience.in his heart, the house is now light and cheerful with his happy sport and jocund mirth. To whip under the circumstances recited, was the act of strong, tender mercy; to forbear, the ex tremest cruelty to the child. Such treat? ment wisely administered just two or three times puts the child" safe for his life-time. Who will fully explain to us the ra? tionale of tbe rod ? . Who will display to us, in all its elements; the charming phi? losophy of the hickory ? Would X were equal to the task. I only know its healthful virtues from happy experience and successful practice. "Spare the rod, spoil the child 1" were there ever wiser words ? The same medicine, but of course in larger doses, is needed by men as well as by children, and its administration isfol lowed by exactly tbe same results. I venture, however, to express the confi? dent conviction that when adults need this remedy, it is, in nine cases out of ten, because it was not administered in their early years. The pi lory and the whipping post!! I dare write the words and despise the silly bowlings of a silly philanthropy. Here is a remedy, sharp, costless, refor? matory and efficient. This?nob the public schools?is the cheapest defence of property, the surest guarantee of morals. A few days ago, a petty theif was lodged in the penitentiary. He was asked if be would not prefer nine and thirty lashes to two years in the State prison. "No," said he, with indignant dignity, "the lash shall never cross my back '" Behold the pout .and stubborn? ness of the spoiled child! The back of of a vulgar thief, like the back of a Bo man citizen, sacred from the scourge! In our punitory measures, we encourage him in his unrepentant obstinacy, and dare not touch his sacred person ! Tie him to a post, let the lashes come fast and furious, until he squirms and howls and begs, let him become supple, sub? missive, bumble, and he will care less about his dignity, and more about his conduct. Such a punishment would be well suited to at least three-fourths of those who are shut up in corrupting- idle? ness in our jails and penitentiary. Let them be tried immediately upon arrest by an inexpensive court?in most cases a single magistrate would do?and prompt? ly punished as indicated. Tbe saving of at least $150,000 per annum very ioade iuately exhibits the benefits of this plan, 'hey would be returned at once, wiser and better men, to their appropriate work, increase taxable values, contribute to the relief of tbe treasury instead of burdening it, and so advance public thrift and prosperity. Wo call for la? borers from abroad, but spend a quarter of a million per annum to hold valuable laborers in idleness, and to convert them, npon tbeir release, into professional dep? redators upon property during tbe re? mainder of* their lives. If the Commonwealth is to settle down in black dishonor, the two heaviest weights that will sink her to her doom are burdens imposed for the debasement of education and, for the encourage? ment of crime. Crvis. On a Coffee Plantation. ? Coffee cukure is very interesting, and the growing crop is very beautiful. The trees at maturity are from five to eight feet high; they are well shaped and bushy, with a glossy dark-green foliage, and planted eight or nine feet apart. The flowers are in clusters at the root of the leaves, and are small, but pure white and very fragrant. The fruit has a rich color, and resembles a small cherry or large cranberry; it grows iu clusters, close to the branches, and when it be? comes a deep red is ripe and ready to be gathered. The trees are raised from seed, and do not begin to yield until the third year. In Central America they bear well for twelve or fifteen years, although, in exceptional cases, trees twenty years old will yield an abundance of fruit. The tree is paticularly beau? tiful wheu in full bloom or when laden with ripe fruit. The process of preparing coffee for mar? ket is as follows : tbe ripe ben ies when picked are first put through a machine called the "despulpador," which removes .the pulp; the coffee grains, of which there are two in each berry, are eti 11 cov? ered with a sort of glutinous substance which adheres to the beat.; they are now spread out ou large "patois," made specially for this purpose, and left there, being occasionally tossed about and turned over with wuoden shovels until thev are perfectly dry. They are then gathered up and put into tbe "retrilla," a circular trough in which a heavy wooden wheel shod with steel, is made to revolve so as to thoroughly break the husk without crushing the bean. The chaff is separated from the grain by means of a fanning mill, and the coffee is now thoroughly dry ami clean. After this it is the custom of some planters to have it spread out on long tables and carefully* picked over bv the Indian womeu and children, all the bad beans being thrown out. It only remains then to have it put in bags, weighed and marked, before it is ready for shipment to the port. On some of the largest plan? tations this process is greatly simplified, with considerable saving in time and labor by the use of improved machinery for drying and cleaning the coffee. THE DOLLAR OF OUR DADDIES. TOiertt and How the Now Coin la Made. The United States Mint in Philadel? phia is a handsome white marble, two storied structure, with an imposing Gre? cian portico, supported by high Doric columns, and approached by a flight of wide marble, steps. The Philadelphia Mint was founded April 2,1792, the first director was appointed bv President Washington April 14, 1792, and the present building, which is situated on the pleasantest part of Chestnut street, near Broad, was first occupied on the 23d of May, 1833. In the centre of the building is the receiving room. It is surrounded by the offices of the director, the chief assayer and the smelting department, with which it has easy access. Much depends upon the absolutely exact and nice working of tbe receiving department, through which all the material used in the Mint first passes; for it is only from the perfect administration of this department that the losses and gaius of the minting pro? cess can be realized. The work of the delivery department must at each month's balance tally with the receiving registry, and if there is a deficiency in the ac? counts an investigation follows and the discrepancy is discovered. Tbe nugget, pure or mixed with quartz; old, unused or worn out plate; ancient jewelry; bars from the assay officers of the government and from foreign csuntries, and refuse metal in every conceivable form are re? ceived at this point, to be transmitted into beautiful bright, coin, to be sent upon its errand of good o.- evil, as the medium of exchange for tbe business of the world. The consignment, whether it be small or large, is first carefully weighed, and the weight, character of metal and num? ber of the consignment are entered upon the books of the rsceiving department and also upon a tabulated statement of each day'n proceedings. *Sls exactitude is of paramount importance in this, the initial stage of the work, it is requisite that the officials on duty should be pains? taking and trustworthy men,, ana that they have at their command means of weighing their valuable receipts to a per? fect nicety. In this room are three sets of scales, varying in capacity from 100 ounces to 6,0U0 ounces, and so perfect is the ad? justment of these beautiful pieces of mechanism that the largest scale will indicate with ease the weight of the hun? dredth pare of an ounce. It will actually weigh a griin of dust. A breath will tip the beam, and airtight glass cases are necessary to enclose the instrument. If you put a piece of blank paper on the scale and then write your name on the paper these balances will indicate the difference in weight.. These scales are very perfection of mechanical workman? ship. The arms of the instruments hang on agate pinions, the metal portion hav? ing been made of case hardened steel, and, although they have been in constant use for thirty-two years, are an accurate in their indications as when first placed in position. They are but a portion of the work of the late Franklin Peale, the well known mechanician of his day, who for the best portion of his life devoted himself to the perfecting of the mechan? ical appliances of the Mint. Each pack? age as received is kept separate, and as soon ia weighed and registered is sent to the deposit melting room. In the melting room is commenced the process of testing the intrinsic value of the metal received. If the package is small it is sent in bulk, but if large a portion only is taken for refining. In this room arc four furnaces, kept in con? stant use in the refining process. It is the province of the management of this room to take from the gold or silver re? ceived for refining all refuse matter or baser volatile metals, in order that the assayer may reach by assay an approxi? mation of the inherent value of tbe con? signment. The furnaces arc small and charcoal is solely used, in order to avoid the presence of sulphur, which is destruc? tive to the finer metals. Nitre, soda and common salt are used as purifiers, and at times powdered charcoal. Sometimes, but rarely, other means have to be resor? ted to. This is when, as the bars come to the Mint from private or public assay officers, it is found that the sulphides of the baser metals have been permitted to remain in the bai. In such cases the employment of corrosive sublimate must be resorted to. The excess of oxygen in this material acts with lightning rapidity upon the extraneous matter, and the purification is thorough. It must be used with great care, for it is so active an agent that if not quickly and delicately han? dled volatilization of the metal will be the result and a consequent loss. The condition of the melt must be watched at regular intervals, in order that, at the instant of purification the liquid metal may be poured. The con? tents of the crucible are poured into a shoe or open mould, and when cooled the ring, or nugget, is separated from the flux and returned to the receiving room.? From this piece s. sufficient quantity is taken to make an exact assay of its value, either by acid or cupel process, and upon the percentage value of this test the de? positor is paid for his consignment. All the deposit* after assay are thrown into one bulk, oat of which large melts are made for th.? main melting rooms, and from each melt is again taken a sep? arate assay, by and through which the chief assayer determines and keeps at standard the quality of the coin that is minted. It is through this delicate pro? cess that each and every ingot of silver, gold or copper is brought up to the stand? ard of fineness set by Taw. This form of detection of the true value of the prociqus metals is to the outside world generally a mystery, and few are permitted to see the operation as conduc? ted at the Mint. A plain statement, de? void of technicalities, will be of interest to those who cannot gain access to the inner workings of this establishment In assaying gold a piece is taken from a bar, when it is beaten out and rolled into a thin plate, and from it is weighed a half gramme, the customary quantity for gold being about 7.7 grains, troy. The weights used in approximating the quantities is stamped 1,000, and all the lesser weights an; decimal divisions of this sum down a ten-thousandth part. Silver is next weighed out for the alloy, for as the gold piece should contain 900-1000 of gold, ;he silver used must be three times this ptoportion, or 2700-1000. The load used in the process is in thin sheets cut into square pieces, weighing ten times as much as the gold under as? say. This sheet of lead is made into the form of a hollow cone, and into this is introduced the piece of gold to be assayed and the proper proportion of silver. This combination of metal is placed in a cupel or small dish made of bone ash, an article capable of absorbing the basor metals, and placed in a furnace heated to a bright red heat. The cup is permit? ted to remain until the surface of the melted metal has become bright. This indicates that the whole of the base metals have been converted into oxides and are assorted by the cupel. The but? ton thus produced is, when cool, pressed into a sheet between cylinder rollers, and annealed at least twice, and is then made into a little rolled termed a "cornet." The silver that remains ii extracted by the use of sulphuric acid. This is effec? ted by the use of the platinum apparatus, an English invention. It consists of a small tray, technically called a basket, made of platinum, divided into twelve ?mall compartments, each of sufficient size to hold a cornet. In this is boiled nitric acid, which extracts the silver and leaves the gold free from admixture with any other metals. The gold is then left in its purity. But, while it may be pure gold it still may nol. be up to the- stand? ard of the quality required by the Mint, for there is as much difference in the quality of pure gold as there is in any other metal, in iron obtained from differ? ent mines, for instance. The gold ob? tained from the Georgia mines is the gold nearest purity, being purer than even the California gold. The final weighing of the little coil determines the fineness of the original sample by proportional weights in thousandths. The arrival at a just conclusion is by comparison in weight with a cornet of chemically pure gold. The entire process is beautiful, and the delicacy to which it has1 been brought exhibits the rapid advance made iu metallurgical chemistry within this century. Granulated silver is UFed in the silver assay, as it has been demonstrated by this Mint and the Mint of Paris, France, that out of a granulated mass the same fineness results, whether by assaying a single granule or a number together. From a sample of silver prepared in this way, the weight 1115-1000 of a fixed, very small quantity is taken, which is dissolved with nitric acid. Into this so? lution a pipette full of standard solution of salt is introduced and it instantly pro? duces a white precipitate which is chlo? ride of silver, containing of metal ic silver 1,000 parts. (A pipette is a small vial shaped glass vessel.) To make this chlo? ride subside rapidly the liquid should be violently shaken, and this is done by a mechanical arrangement, the time occu? pied being about twenty minutes. If the entire amount of silrer is not precipita? ted an introduction of a portion of the solution is made capable of precipitating a thousandth of silver, and a white cloud of the chloride will be seen. This is re? peated until the liquor is clear. If in this operation three measures of the dec? imal solution is effective it will shew that the 1,115 parts of silver contained 1,003 parts of pure silver. Alf the.excess was impure matter. This department of the Philadelphia Mint has been brought to the utmost limit of present metallurgical science. As confirmative of their evident superiority an incident would not be in? appropriate. Some years ago, when but moderate country, the Mint depended for its supply mainly upon the receipt of British coin. It was discovered by an assaythat a con? signment from England was below the English standard. Notice to this effect was served upon the Royal Mint at Lon? don. The assertion was strenuously de? nied on their part, and insisted upon just as firmly by the officials of the United States Mint. The controversy, which was animated, gave rise to the formation of a committee of investigation on the part of the London mint, and the result completely sustained the allegations of the American experts. From that date there has been no questioning of the de? cisions of our mint masters. The separating room occupies the freater part of the western side of the uilding on the second floor. The gold and silver iu large masses are separated from each other after samples have been once melted and assayed. In separating and purifying gold a certain quantity of pure silver is added. The whole is then immersed in nitric acid, which dissolves the silver and leaves the gold pure. The silver solution is drawn off and the gold is left at the bottom of the tub. In pre? paring silver the mass is melted and gran? ulated and dissolved in nitric acid. It is then a chloride and contains all of the baser metals. The chloride is precipita? ted by using common salt, and rendered into a thick, creamy mass. By putting zinc on the precipitate it becomes metalic silver, and washing and melting brings it to virgin silver. In the melting department there is a force of forty-one men engaged in smelt? ing gold and silver or in subsidiary ope? rations. Of this force there are seven melters and seventeen helpers engaged solely in melting silver. This gang are now working exclusively upon the prepa? ration of the silver dollars. It is claimed by Professor Booth that he can meltdaily with this force ingots sufficient to make $50,000 silver coin. This is their full capacity of work within ten hours, and is larger than has ever been executed in this Mint or in any other. By working overtime with the same furnaces and the same force tbey could produce $75, 000 daily, or, lastly, by using the addi ? tional furnaces and overtime, $120,000 per day might be produced. This would increase the ratio of production from $1,000,000 per month to $2,500,000 per month. It is cUkious to note the amount of work $1,000,000 per month involves. The $90,000 production per day weighs 6,170 pounds, and being handled 16 times a day makes 98,700 pounds. The iron moulds, weighing 40 pounds each, carried 64 times for each melt, makes 76,800 pounds handled, the total being 175,520 pounds, or 78 tons. A melt of silver from the present pots averages 64 ingots, weighing altogether about 3,000 ounces. The size of the ingot is 13 inches in length, 13 inches in width and one-half inch in thickness; weighing about 44 ounces troy. These ingots are rolled down for the new dollar to a thickness of 82-1000th of an inch, and cut to a diam? eter of 1* inches. The keeping up of the average of purity in the smelting is done by a constant succession of grauu lated assayH. In a melt after the first two ingots they pour a granulated assay, and next to the last another assay. If the two do not agree the melt is con? demned. The silver now in use is the Dore silver, from the Comstock lode. It seldom needs refining, and is taken as a rule from the bar to the melting pot. The lossos in the melting department allowed by law is, in silver, .0015th, or 11-1000, and the actual loss is but 77-1000ths of l-1000lh. In gold the legal allowance of loss is l-1000th, while the actual loss is but 44-1000th of l-1000th. This is the exhibit of the melting department in the month of January, when about $5,000,000 in gold was melted. The above figures aro con? siderably reduced when the sweepings are gathered and refined and brought into thej general account. The chief melter. Professor Booth, is never satisfied until tue actual loss is reduced to one fourth of the legal allowance. Tho ingots of metal pass from the melting rooms directly into the rolling room to be milled into suitable sizes for the planchet or cutting process. The cutting presses are in tho rear of the rolling mills. There arc nine of these machines, each capable of cutting 225 pieces per minute. They can all be adapted to any size coin, us they can be rerulated by the size of the movable Su-ich. Samples of each series of cut ngs are carefully weighed before they are permitted to be used. The planchcts after being adjusted to the requisite weight are carrried to the cleaning room, and r,re then ready for the final process. The dies used in coining are at present made under the direction of Mr. Morgan, a former employes ir. his special depart? ment in the Royal Mint of London, a gentleman of rare ability as a designer and engraver, and of fine artistic taste. The new coinage, which may be expected this week, will illustrate his abilities in mo measured degree. The mode of pre? paring the dies is slow, requiriug great care, first in the separation of the mate? rial, and second in the annealing and adjustment for the blow. Each die under ordinary usages is subject to one blow a day ; but Mr. Morgan, in order to facili? tate the production of dies to meet the present urgent calls, has undertaken to give them two blows every twenty-four hours. This is but an experiment and may prove a failure. In preparation for the blow the die must be brought gradu? ally to a cherry-red heat in a charcoal furnace and permitted to gradually cool within the furnace, the operation occu? pying from sixteen to twenty-four hows. The blow producing the impression is from a hydraulic press exerting a power of about one hundred Ions. It is not a rapid blow, but may be truly termed a pressure exerting n quick but not per? cussive power. A percussion always crystalizes the metal, an objection entire? ly avoided by this application of force. The preparation of the dies, as will be seen by the abov; description, must be slow, and, taking into consideration the time necessarily occupied in their adjust? ments, it would be impossible, under the most favorable circumstances, that coin? ing can begin prior to the 14th of this month, if then. The first delivery of ingots for the cointge was made on Mon? day, and blanks tire being cut rapidly, the chief coiner, Mr. Bosbyshell, giving as his opinion that already there are sufficient on hand, waiting stamping to amount to $100,000. The Mint is being placed in effective condition to do all that its contracted quarters will permit toward supplying the demands that the bill calls for. Ninety thousand ounces of silver are now delivered from the re? fining and melting department, an amount that will produce somewhere near $60,000. The peculiarity of Mr. Morgan's work is the bringing into relief, with a slight depression, that which was considered unattainable" except by strong lines and deep work. The eecret of* effects is in the sharp lines used in the delineation of the figures, which brings the lights and shadows out boldly, and thus gives the appearance of heavy work. Aside from the relief this light cutting gives to the die in its work the coin is more rapidly removed from its bed after completion by the "feeders." Occupying the larger portion of the eastern floor it is considered the most in? teresting part of the operations of the Mint. There are eleven presses in this room of different si;:es, varying according to the work required of them. Each pressi is capable of coinir.g 120 pieces per minute, but the aven.ge run is but eighty, as beyond that number the dan? ger of injury to the press in case of acci? dent is much increased. The larger presses, of which tl.ere arc live, will only be used in the coining of the new silver dollar, and at the rate of eighty pieces each per minute tl ere will be produced 400 pieces a minute, or 24,000 an hour. On-each silver dollar, to create a perfect impression, a force of eight]' tons is used, ana yet the machines arc so delicately adjusted that the observer deems the as? sertion as bordering on the marvellous. The impressions or both sices of the coin arc made with one motion of the press. The steel die is fastened upon what is termed a stake and placed on the bed of the press, surrounded by a collar. Work? ing directly over the lower die the obverse die is fixed, and it is from this portion the needed pressure is regulated. The ison arms called feeders ca:ch the coins as they drop from the bras?. tube, which is filled with planchcts, grasp it and place it on the lower die. At the in? stant this die sinks below the collar the upper one descends upon the piece, its impression given, and in an instant the completed piece is caught by the feeder, removed, and another planchet takes the position. This is the finishing process, and the coin, bright and sparkling, is taken to the counting board to be reckoned, weighed and shipped to its destination. It may be observed here that in this, as in all other departments of the Mint, the weighing process and an exact entry of the same is of vital necessity. The gold and silver coins, when completed, are transferred to the chief coiner's room, where they are put up in packages ready for delivering to the Treasurer.?A". Y. Herald, V&th Marth. Rest For the Weary.?What a strange thought!? all this restless world is seeking rest. Those who drag their weary bodies home every night and fall down upon rest'ess beds, worried with the anxieties and cares of business, are yet Becking rest, and yet believe the time will come when their desire shall be ful? filled. The care-worn brows you will meet to-morrow ire all seeking rest, rest. It is not found in poverty, perhaps it lurks uuder the rich man, All the while, lies groaning upon his couch, or stands with wrinkled brow, perplexed with care. Where is rest ? What is rest ? It is the divine principle of peace within that comes from Gcd. As well seek roses upon the pallid cheek of death as rest out of God. The needle never rests till it turns to the pole. If a little child is frightened at hin play, becomes running into the house to mother. She takes him to her bosom, presses kisses upon his brow, and while she sings some lul? laby of love all fear fades from his face and he sleeps in peace. God wants to fill a mother for the whole world. If it be misfortune or poverty, or gloomy fore? boding that makes one unhappy, God can give him rett, and breathe a lullaby of love above his tempest tossed soul that will atill its raging. Rest, peace, is a principle that lies within us and not without. Some, possessing it, have re? joiced in their rags and poverty ; others not possessing it, have found a crowned head uneasy. O that every anxious, longing heart would look away to him who walks among the golden lamps of Heaven! "Take oiy yoke iipon you and ye shall find rest unto your . ouls." ? A little chap had a dirty face, and his teacher told him to go and wash it. He went away, aad after a few minutea came back with the lower part of his countenance tolerably clean, while the upper part was wet and dirty. "John? ny," said the teacher, "why didn't you wash your face clean?" "I did wash it, mum." "You didu't wipe it all over, then." "I did wipe it as high as my shirt would go." / ? Dentist to old lady about to pur? chase some false teeth: "For mastica? tion, my dear madam, they can only be surpassed bv nature herself." Old lady : "Oh laws, doctor I I don't care nothing about the mastication if I can only chaw With them." A HYPOCRITE 03IAHKED. How Patterson Got the Cash to Save Scott Croin Jjnpeaohment The following is the closing report of the committee on frauds. It relates to the attempt to impeach Governor Scott, and exposes the modes ic which im? peachment whs staved off by the aid of Moses, Elliott and Patterson: the beport. The second noteworthy achievement of John J. Patterson, following that connec? ted with the Greenville aud Columbia Railroad Company, was iu quite a differ? ent field of action. The investigation made into the management o;' the issu? ing, sale aud hypothecation of State bouds, made it plain that the financial board, composed of Governor Scott. Treasurer Parker and Attorney-General Chamberlain, had fraudulently and ille? gally issued several miilionii of State bonds, and it was determined, to bring these parties to trial by impeachment. C. C. Bowen, then a member from Charleston, on the 18th December, 1871, introduced the resolution to impeach R. K. Scott of high crimes and misdemean? ors. This was Patterson's opportunity. With the assistance of Worthi bgton, he gave encouragement by day to the friends of the meesure, aud by nigh ; worked upon the credulity and fears cf Scott? running with the hare and holding with the hounds. When the scheme was ripe, and Scott became thoroughly alarmed, he engaged the services of these worthies to buy up a majority of the members of the House, and issued to them for this purpose three armed force warrants in blank as to amounts and nam>;s of per? sons to whom payable, leaving these im? portant matters to be attended to by Pat? terson. In 1869 a joint resolution wis passed authorizing the Governor to employ t n armed force "for the preservation of the peace," the expenses of which were to be "paid out of any funds iu the treasury not otherwise appropriated." It was from this convenient fund then ready to hand that the warrants were drawn out, filled up with the name of John Mooney, for $25,545; another iu the namo of John Lcggett for $10,600, and the third in the name of David H. Wilson for $13,500; All of these names are fictitious, but were nevertheless endorsed on the warrants. The two first were collected by F. S. Jacobs, who was cashier cf Hardy Solo? mon's Bank and Patterson's confidential friend. The third order was collected by Hardy Solomon, president of the bank. The financial arrangement thus con? cluded, Patterson and Worthingtou did their work faithfully, aud with the money of the State bought for Scott and Parker immunity for their crimes. In the progress of this doub.y dyed villainy it became evident that it an ad? journment over to the holidav.. could be effected, and the members then permit? ted to return to their homes, where the sentiment of the people was unanimous against the thieves, it would require more money to purchase the recusant members than the State treasury could afford. Another source of annoyance to the Financial Ring was the report of the Joint Investigating Committee, which was already printed and ready for deliv? ery, and which fully established their guilt. Wbipper bad the floor, and in? tended to speak until the hour for ad? journment should arrive; and unless be could be seated, the vote could cot be had before adjournment. In this emergency, the services of the Speaker, F. J. Moses, Jr., were secured by the payment of a large sum of money out of the militia fund, whereupon Sam? uel J. Lee, a ready tool of the Ring, rose to a question of privilege, upon which Moses ruled promptly, aud thus removed Whipper from the floor. Meanti me Gov. Scott had issued a proclamation conven? ing the General Assembly, on the day following the day fixed for adjournment, on the dignified ground that it was "nei? ther decent nor proper, and is injurious to the State, for the General Aisembly to adjourn from the 22d of December, 1871, to the 5th of January, 1672, whilst the Governor And Treasurer are charged with 'high crimes and misdemeanors.'" The high and chivalric tone of these two worthin, who could steal the money of the people by the million, and yet could not brook the indignity of remaining under threat of ii.ipeachment for a week, even for the sake of the joyous festivity of Christmas, ought to have redeemed a multitude of sins I Under such threats, persuasions and parliamentary trickery, further debate was cut off, and the reso? lution of impeachment was defeated by an overwhelming vote of 63 to 27. In thie controversy R. B. Elliott bore a prominent part in behalf of the perse? cuted officials, and received warrants on the "Armed Force Fund" to the amount of $10,500, which were fully paid to him out of the treasury in January and Feb? ruary, 1871. So soon as this "good de? liverance" was effected, the following proclamation of hits Excclleucy was is? sued: State of South Carolina, ) Executive Department, > Columbia, December 22,1871. J Gentlemen of the Senate and Home of Representatives: Whereas, the action of the House of Representatives on this day has rendered unnecessary the proclamation from this departmeut conveniug the General As? sembly on the 23d inst., I have deemed it proper to revoke and rescind that proclamation, and it is hereby according? ly rescinded and revoked. Very respectfully, Robert K. Scott, Governor. The books of Solomon's Bank bear complete traces of tbe bulk of the money going to the credit of John J. Patterson, a mere crumb falling to his man Friday, the immaculate Wbrthington. The members who stood firmly by tae State and who voted for impeachment found no money in the treasury to pay their honest certificates, and went to their homes for the holidays penniless, whilst those who opposed impeachment were well provided lor, and returned to their homes with their pay as members, and the money paid them by Patterson as bribes. The facts of record, and tbe tes? timony herewith submitted, constitute a chain of evidence*so complete as to leave no link wanting. The avowed purpose of impeachment, the sufficiency of the ground on which impeachment was pro? posed ; the large, vote by which prelimi? nary action was taken; the assuiances of both Governor Scott and Treasury Parker in the beginning that the measure would fall; the efforts of Patterson to persuade them they were in danger; the subse? quent fear of Governor Scott that the measure would succeed, his sign ng these warrants in blank for Patters.<a to fill up at bis pleasure, without even knowing what amount he would want; the secret meeting at Governor Scott's tiie night before the vote was taken ; the violation of parliamentary rules in the Home on the following Monday, by which the floor was '".ken from a friend of impeachment and given to an opponent of it; tbe over? whelming vote by which, contrr.ry to the [ previous sentiment of the House, im? peachment was immediately votjd down ; the order of Treasurer Parker toTappau, his chief clerk, on the same dav, to take I all the money in the treasury to Fatter LEGAL ADVERTISING.?We are compelled to requir? cash payments for advertising ordered hy Executors, Administrator! sod other fiduciaries and herewith append the rates for the ordinary notices, which will only he Inserted when the money comes with the order: Citations, two insertions, .... $3.00 Estate Notices, three Insertions, - - 2.00 Final Settlements, five insertions - - 3.00 TO CORRESPONDENTS.?In order to receive attention, communications must be accompanied by the true name and address of the writer. Re? jected manuscripts will not be returned, unless the necessary stamp i are furnished to repay the postage thereon. tst~ We ore not responsible for the views and opinions of our correspondents. All communications should be addressed m "Ed? itor* Intelligencer." and all checks, drafts, money orders, Ac., should be made payable to Ihc order son, without vouchers ; Patterson's ac? ceptance of the money and refusal to give a receipt for it "in this kind of business ;'' the presentation and payment of these fraudulent warrants at the treasury when, even if they were valid, there were no funds applicable to their payment; the frank confession of Parker that he paid them because he thought the impeach? ment of Scott would be a much greater calamity than the expenditure of the money could be, and the equally frank confession of members of the House that they were paid for their votes against impeachment, all prove beyond the pos? sibility of doubt that $48.645 was drawn from the treasury on these fraudulent vouchers, through a combination and conspiracy on the part of Governor Scott, Treasurer Parker and Patterson, for the purpose of bribing members of the House of Representatives to vote against the impeachment of the Governor and Treas? urer for high crimes and misdemeanors against the State. Add to this the con? fession of Speaker Moses that he received $15,000 of the State's money from Gov? ernor Scott "for carrying out his pur? pose," by a violation of parliamentary rules on the floor of the House, and the story is complete. It will be observed that although the testimony herewith submitted is entirely consistent in all es? sential particulars, yet there is a wide discrepancy in the matter of the issuing of these warrants. Ex-Governor Scott testifies that he never issued them; that it was his habit to leave a small number of blank warrants with his private secre? tary to-be used during bis absence, and that he can only account for the war? rants in question on the supposition that they were taken clandestinely from his office; whereas ex-Treasurer Parker tes? tifies that Scott, although he signed these warrants in blank, gave them to Patter? son to fill up, and insisted on Parker's paying them when presented?not know? ing what amount Patterson would want, "but supposing the scoundrel would make it as large as he could/' and the testimony of some of the other witnesses is confirmatory of Parker's in this regard, The committee are unable to accept Go v. Scott's version of the matter. Assuming that it was his habit, as he testifies that it was, to have left a small number of blank warrants with his private secretary to be used during his absence, he also testifies that he never left any blank war? rants with his private secretary or clerk while he was present in Columbia i and as he also testifies that he was not ab? sent during the pending of the impeach? ment proceedings, which fie says ended December 22,1871, it is evident that he did not leave these warrants with his private secretary or clerk during that period. The fact is, the impeachment proceedings did not actually end until January 24, 1872, and the journals of both Houses bear evidence that he was not absent during the session of the Gen? eral Assembly; which finally adjourned March 13, 1872?long after these war so that it is evident that he did not leave these warrants with his private secretary or clerk either during the pendency of the impeachment proceedings or at any time afterwards. Nor does it seem tt all probable that he left these warrants with his private secretary at any time before, for he also testifies that such of the blank warrants he left with his private secre? tary as had not been used during his ab? sence were delivered back to him on his return. If these warrants were left with his private secretary and were not deliv? ered back to him, as was the practice, but bad been taken clandestinely from his office, why did he not make an effort to prevent their payment by the Treas? urer, in case they should be presented for payment with the blanks filled up, as well as to secure the arrest of the parties presenting them for payment, as he would have done if he bad left blank checks with his private secretary, and they had been taken clandestinely from his office ? He testifies that it was nearly a year afterwards that he heard of these large payments, or rather saw them pub? lished. Assuming that he never thought of his duties in the mater until then, why did he not take such action as would right this great wrong? The transaction was as readily traceable in the treasury then as it is now?the par? ties who received the money, and the par ies to whose benefit it was applied. If these warrants had been stolen from his office, and filled up in fraud, and en? dorsed in forgery, why did he not take such action as would bring the perpetra tom to justice, if not bring back the money to the treasury" If he had a theory, as he.substantially testifies he had, that Patterson was the man who had taken these warrants and filled them up, and gotten the money as a means of getting elected United States Senator, why did he not take such action as would bring the guilt home to Patterson and de:'eat his election, and thus prevent a thief and forger from lepfesenting the State of South Carolina in the Senate of the United States, and kill off a political tine ? Patterson's threat to prove him a party to the fraud was a most cogent rea soi whv be should at once prove himself clear of it. His leaving the office soon after wards neither released him from his duty to redress the wrong which bad been done to the State, nor relieved him from the necessity of removing the stain which had been put upon his reputation. That he did nothing to determine or cor? rect or expose such a fraud would bo re? garded under any circumstances as an evidence of criminal indifference, and must be regarded under all the circum? stances of the case as a proof of com? plicity. All of which is respectfully submitted. E. 13. MURI? AY A CO., _Atidjraon.8. C. rants had been not only John E. Cochran, Chairman. Henry A. Meetze, On part of Senate. S. Dibble, Gerhard M?ller, J. G. Blue, on part of House. A Strange Tradition.?Among tho Seminole Indians there is a tradition re? garding the white man's origin and superiority. They say when the Great Spirit made the earth be also made three men, all of whom were fair complex ioned, and that, after making them, he led them to the margin of a small lake, and bade tbem leap in and wash. One obeyed, and came out pure and fairer than before; the second hesitated a mo? ment during which time the water, agita? ted by the first had become muddled, and when he bathed, he came up copper-col? ored ; the third did not leap until the water became black with mud and he came out with bis own color. Then the Great Spirit laid before them three packages, and out of pity for his mis? fortune in color, gave the black mar tho first choice. He took hold of each of the packages, and having felt tho weight chose the heaviest; leaving th > white man the liehest. When the pack? ages were opened the first was found tj contain spades, hoes, and all the imple? ments of labor; the second enwrapped hunting, fishing and war-like apparatus; the third gave the white man pens, inlr. paper, the engine of the mind?the means of mutual improvement, the so? cial link of humanity, the foundation of the white man's, superiority.