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BY E. B. MURRAY rC0. ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1873. VOL. XIII-NO. 40. RATES OF SUBSCRIPTION.-Ost. Donus and Fiftt Ccrra per annum, In advance. Two Dollaks at end of year. Sevexty-Kivk Cksts for its months. Snbj. riptions are not taken for a l?s period than six months. . ?EJ.TES OP AJ)yEETT3INO.?Ont Dc41?r per s (uare ol one Inch for the first insertion, snd Fifty Cents per square for sabseqaent insertions less than three months. No advertisements counts less than r. square. Liberal contracts wll I b<i madewith those wishing to advertise for three, sixer twelve months. Ad vertiichie by contract most be cenfined to the im? mediate business of the firm or individual coctrac ;llnT. Obituary Notices exceeding five lines, Tributes 'of Bcspsct. and all personal communications or matten of individual interest, will be charged for at advertising rates. Announcements of marriages snd dsnths, and notices of'*' relicioua character, are rasper tfttllY solicited, and will be Inserted gratis ; THE WHIPPING POST. Anderson, S. C, April 11. Mr, Editor: We Tery muco admire the article of 'XSvis" in your paper of April 4, as an eloquent and sharp expose of the expensive and blundering manner j in which the State punishes her convicts. It is. .also timely. Much complaint has, been heard, in our own State, as to the soft punishment with which the govern? ment, has rewarded villainies in the Pen? itentiary. If these letters of "Ciris" shall have some effect towards making crime pay for itself as well as making its penalties more efficient, a step towards a very desirable improvement will have been attained. Bat the "simple, primitive,inexpensive and powerful corrector" which he propo? ses us a money-saving penalty, to wit, the "whipping post," will hardly meet the necessities of the case. The gradual increase of time puniiihments over those in which the State inflicts a sharp and curt penalty, and is done with the offen? der, rieems to show an experier.ee of| modiira States infovorcfvtu^ former, as a ruie, both as more reformatory ar. d less e^pcnHveiKbecaase.time. gLres mot* hope of a bad raan reco\ering hV self-control than the quick but exacerbating pmalty ^ieh^ciwwr^tvei Mrvtetim hirlibery { loreover, tho transgressor has .persoh?l^Hber?es to the ?ta?j, wHicn gives to it the right to. ^itili * his time in 4abor, not only to ?Tneei the'expenses of his punishment, but, as far as possible, to repair the dam? ages of his crime. There can% scarcely be a more economical penalty than con . vict labor for all ordinary transgressions, and there can hardly be one better cal . cula'..ed to restore ajHap to the State than aoesaon, longer or sho rter, of industrial occupation, daily habituating the person to useful'employment Indeed,, wo can? not aee why the State should impose upon, her orderly citizens the expenses of long confinement after-trial and conviction in any^fases bat those in which it would be inexpedient to risk an escaps. The Hgratfaatfolurorifie'pe^ fected by the time of work if "not by the] kinds and amount of it; exacted. . But a more serious difficulty in the penalty proposed by "Civis" is that it I punishes more that, thor State intends or I has a right to p?nishr The sentiment of ) ' th'j ecu ? try has fairly repudiated it, and tho government has silently consented by not inflicting it. The coontry has repudiated it not because it has any sym? pathy for rascals, but. because it has an ignominy which reacts deieteriously on tbt! moral nature of the victim. It makes a/wor$e :inan p't'nlm; T? ostra? j eise? him" lor all time from "human soci? ety. AU penalties are understood to be ignominious, but there are Borne, such as whipping, bnuien4ig,->mtltiiarink7' which < brnfctlize the human , being, crushing all valuable qualities, which the State does not intend to do, and has no right to do. J Tfi^'?d?e naVno right to destroy the soul. The rejection of these penalties is not due to the maudlin tenderness of the I age, but because the State' has found a] better way of commanding justice, of re? pressing crime and. above all, of econo- j mixing citizen existence. The rjenitentiaries and, jails of , the nineteenth century have no doubt been considerably softened by the beneficiary institutions of the age, asy 1 u ms,al msh ouses - and' infirmaries, by improvements in pub? lic buildings and private dwellings, by the relative advance in the comforts of living . and, not least, by the moral sensibilities of the generation. It was scarcely possi bleithat all these agencies would not have relieved the condition of the convict whore p^^tycjms?" simple confinement. No civilized State would or could con* struct a Boman dungeon?a hollow globe of stone masonry beneath the ground, with'only ah air-hole at the top?or a 'Bastile, with cells 7.9 feet beneath the' surface", or such an awful pit as that which shot down far into the earth, (ttjdc^J&e^yery shadow of, the Vatican. The- people' w*:.?l?? tear down such struc? tures or fill up su'ub caverns as soon as 4hey were made. The French in 1789 tpre down tbeir own Bastile, a structure which .began to be built in the fourteenth century. -The State cannot contradict her civilization by remanding her rcfac tory citizen back to the miseries of an 3bsol ate penal code. And as the State cannot remand her penitentiaries and jaihj back to a bygone, architecture, neither can it return to^tbe engines of cruelty and torture which have gradually gone into disuse. Among the things of the-past!is the whipping post?efficient once, a mischievous anachronism now. When government means to inflict a sharp, just penalty, let it be prompt, in? variable, stern as doom, bat let it express the awful majesty of law, rather any dis? position to inflict a needless ignominy. Let' her punishments educate the popu? lar mind to justice, rather than provoke to .disloyalty and discontent To inflict upon the lowest criminal an ignominious torture which,would be regarded as too disgraceful to be inflicted uppn offenders of higher rank, is itself a disgrace to any enlightened government. Bogues in high places must be submitted to the siime penalties with the lowest scoun? drels,'' be the penalties descent or inde scent; D. E. F. A^?EtL : Punch Tax.?Mr Brooks offered in the New York Assembly a res? olution intended to substitute the Moffett liquor law of Virginia for the law of 18?5Tn New York city. It is thejqpiu " Jon of" the author of the resolution0 that since $60,000,000 worth of liquors are alleged, on competent authority, to be sold over the bars of New York city yearly, a" tax on every drink registered by the Moffett punch would yield an immense annual revenue to the city tr.eas.rjry, and operate beneficially in other ways'. He think* the law would be pop? ular with liquor dealers, inasmuch as it requires consumer* u? pay cash for every glass at the time when it is drank, and that would tend to kill off low grog 'show where poisonous liquors are now soicTat low prices, which would be in? creased by tlie tax. Tiers TBJLT BEAT FABLE. One of the Wonders of that Enormous ?VL'ilcrncss, Southwest Texas. . Sotjk IiAKE, Marcb 6,187^7 I have, intime, been in many of the raosfr remarkable places in the world, a nd now I have turned up, as I think, in that which is the most remarkable of ail. I came over, hers yesterday from Sour Lake Stit on, on the railroad, in a cart over the meanest road in the world, and immediately set to work investigating. These strange places have a fascination for me, and I enjoy1 their society hugely. Hence, you can conceive how I have en? joyed Sour Lake. It is a circular pool of an acre or two in extent, situated, in a depression on the most elevated tract of land In a Wide s :opo of country. It riess above the con? tiguous territory as an island in the boa rises above the waters.. Now conceive u c epression in the centre of our island,, filled with a bubbling, boiling .pond, as round es a well, surrounded by a dense forest, and we have Sour Lake and its topography. This similitude .is exact. All the region around is j very low and Qat, and sometimes the Lake tract is sur? rounded by water. The extent of the elevated region is probably about two' mUes in any direction. > The hotel and other buildings are on the highest point of the elevation. Don't let any one sup? pose no>v that this is a hill. The eleva? tion isjMiy sufficient to throw the water off-its back into the region around it. The pool sends oil a small stream to the On the edges, of this lake or pool are situated most of, the wells, five or six feet m* depth, with plant curbing. Some'of Ehese are in a state of vigorous ebullition, while othora have very little ebullition. This ebullition is nothing but currents of gas escaping from the bowels of the ecrth. This is made apparent by a com moo'experimeht here. Take a common . fruit can,.open at. one end and a small . hole bored in the other.*'" Immerse half of it in the water where the ebullition is going on, and then touch a lighted match to'lhehole. -Instantly a flamo pops up, which will burn, unless blown out by a' wind, as long as you choose to hold the can in its poaitfon. There are jets of 'gas issuing out of the ground all about the pool, so thst with your fruit cans and milk cans you may have flames without end. You may oven set fire to the pools, or apparently do so, by applying a match to the nurface where it is bubbling or boiling; but these flames speedily go 6SET^WBS Furnlngfhowever,"tEeylbok exceedingly queer, and one caunot help bat think of {behold triwiitional; hell, which of late seems to be falling into coutempt. Now, as some may be in? clined to doubt all this, I state that I saw it all last night and., this morning with my own:'eyes. . .. Some of these wells throw up a yellow? ish and blackish oil, which collects on the' surface and maybe-' skimmed like cream. This smells very furiously of tar or naptha, but ct little distance is pleas? ant to the nostrils. The water on which this substance collecta tastes precisely like the substance smells. He who drinks of it gets his whole body consid araMylnfected^tnj the smell, to such a degree tha:, he evan'makes his bed smell of it. Thii, substance is gathered here, and the people around readily buy it at a dc."" a quart. They: say it beats all creation for curing sores, cuts and burns. It is inflammable, and .burns with a great smoke. It is, I suppose, liquid carbon. Now, suppose we would take this stuff and solidity it, and crystalLze it, and pu? rify it "to perfect "clearnessT' why," wo would have the true diamond. Where is the aJchemyst who can do this? / Others of the walls axe a3 sour as crab apples/ amT-iihese invariably Bend up a strong odor of .sulphur. These bubble and boil considerably, and have a whitish appearance, as if pulverized chalk had been stirred up iu them. This is white sulphur.. They have a slight taste of the fluid carbon. Th'jsc are said to act pow? erfully upon the liver, and several have told me that no eise of dyspepsia could withstand them. Then there is another well that is strongly impregnated with iron. Its waters are distinctly marked from all the others in appearance, being exceedingly soft and limpid; so much so that it looks like & little pool of liquid air, if such a thing may be. A few feet from this chabyleate well is another which is called "the Vermifuge.."- It tastes rather nasty, and I do not doubt that it deserves its name. They say that children sick with worms are effectually cured by it.^_ A gentleman stopping here testifies ao'out this* well as follows : "I drank its waters because I somehow took a liking to ??. ^1 have been a great suf? ferer from dyspepsia, and that is what brought me here. I had not the re? motest idea that I was 'wormy,' but this well demonstrated to me that astounding fact. I felt like shooting my head off." . Then there is another.well or pool, which, if what is said of it be true, is, if not the most remarkable, yet certainly destined to be the most renowned of all. They call it 'Ijiouth and beauty." It de? posits a peculiar sort of sediment on its bottom, which, as they say, has the re? markable property of beautifying the akin and removing freckles. Let a lady having splotches or freckles on her hands or face apply a little unction of this, two nights in succession, and they say she will wake up the second morning as beau? tiful as a nymph just risen from her bath. I am Did that this deposit is so much iu demand that it is not always easy to keep a supply of it during the watering season.? The ladies go to the pool and gobble it up and store it away in their trunks to make presents to their friends who have freckles.. What truth there may be in all this, of course I do not know, bat it is curious that I have net seen a single freckled lady in all this country, and the piney-woods girls are often thunder on freckles. Indeed, these wells, as numerous as they are, all differ from one another in the nature of their waters; certainly they do in taste, and I judge that they must alb3 differ in chemical properties; and this great multitude of various waters is, to me, the most remarkable feature of this remarkable place. It is strange, in? deed, and difficult to account.Vfor. By what freak of nature were "all these strange waters thrown so clost ly together? Or was it a freak, or was it a design of the Builder of Nature to create fountains "for the healing of the nations ?" I may be laughed at as very stupid by the hard scientists, but I will take this latter horn. I doubt not that this is to become one of the greatest watering places in the world. I can myself testify that tbe waters are powerfully medicinal, and I have been here only a little over twenty-four hours. If one wishes to be easy and comfortable in company, I would advise him to be as shy of "No. 4" as he would be of epsom safts or a dose of castor oil.' Another one of these wells, as perhaps all of them, stimulates the kidneys to a great degree. It is singular that these waters nave never been properly analyzed ; but that is the way we do things in Texas. Wre have no use for the chemist and the man of science. Wo consider them useless fools, and would not give one tobacco squirting cowboy for all of them. The site here is really a glorious one for a watering place; a great prairie to the south, filled with fragrance and wild flowers, and a great forest in every other direction, penetrated with labyrinthine walks; Otiks, magnolias, myrtles, hollies, beeches, und maples and gams, and vines without end. How easy would it be to light all this extensive ground into a blaze of glory at night, by utilizing the gas that pours in torrents out of the earth. A few hundred yards east of the lake is a low depression, whose surface is nearly covered with hard i sphaltum, like that in Trinidad, except that it is not quitu?*80 pure. I believe there is any quantity of petroleum in this country." N. A. T. Peace Probabilities. Between at least three great European Powers there is now a wonderful unanim? ity?such unanimity as has hardly been seen before in history. They are all agreed on a common purpose and a com? mon declaration. These*Powers are England, Russia and Austria. Each cne is determined to guard its own interests with all its might, and to cure as little as possible for the interests of any other, and they are all equally agreed to shout itiat their sole .anxiety is, to protect Eu? rope, to protect political morality, to stand up for the sacredness of treaty ob? ligations and the rights of everybody. Each one asserts its eagerness to compel other people to be virtuous, and each one regards the indulgence of its own little appetite as apart; from the great general rules it is prepared to lay down for the government.of the world; but the- dis? proportion between what they do and what they declare is more apparent in some than in others. Thus we hear more of England's virtuous inclinations than we do of the virtuous inclinations of the others?first, became no doubt Englaud has more virtue to declare than other people and more effective means of declaring it "No ?person acquainted with the facts can fail to recognize that Eng? land alone has more virtue than all the rest of the world together; .for England hat said so in a thousand ways, and she ought to know. Just now, moreover, England, has the ear of the world?at least of this part of it?in virtue of com? munity of language and the news system. Her. every, word is reo orte d to us, while from Austria and Russia we hear much less distinctly and elaborately. If, how? ever, a greater noise is mace over Eng? land's intentions, we learn more of Rus? sia's acts, because for some time action in the case has fallen mostly to her share. But the issue of greatest importance now is. whether the unanimity of these three Powers can be made convertible. Will each Pcaver accept as to the government of its own conduct the views formed by the other as to what that conduct;- should be ?' With the views now held, modified by discussion, they probably will. They will compromise their differences?Rus? sia will not give up the Treaty of San Stelano for a substitute made by Eng? land ; England will not abdicate her Oriental pretensions and be left out in the cold, as that treaty would provide. Russia will make room for England; England will accommodate herself to the exigencies of a Muscovite neighbor. If a modxu vivendi is earnestly sought it may always be found, and in this case it will be earnestly sought, because both Powers have a wholesome dread, fear even, of the war into which a failure to compromise would plunge tbem. Russia would prefer to force her treaty down England's throat; ye';, when she con? siders how England might stretch out the conflict, and how disastrous the contin? ued drain on her own financial resources would be, she sees the unwisdom of in? sisting too much. England also would like to force Russia to submit in a corner, but the difficulty of surrounding an army of half a million men actually under arms with an army on paper inclines England to adopt a modest demeanor. Hence, through the respective apprehen? sions of the parties as to war will result in all likelihood the preservation of peace. There may, it is true, be an ac? cident. Russia has a great army near Constantinople, and the Ottomans, under English inspiration and encouragement, are organizing reviews to flaunt military demonstration in the face of the victor. There is the British fleet in the Sea of Marmora -also, and from what was said by Lord Derby on Tuesday it is believed that the British admiral, has fighting orders to act on in a contingency. With all. this inflammable material in near neighborhood some trivial misunder? standing may induce an act of war. But if that possibility is excluded, if the case remains in the hands of the diplomatists till they have .fairly done with it, they will in all probability preserve the peace. ?New York Herald. Jeff. Davis on the Late Pope.? The Cleveland (Ohio) Catholic Universe quotes from a personal letter to its editor from Jefferson Davis the following trib? ute to Pius XX.: "I grieve with you over the. decease of the great and nobly good Pius Nono. In common with all who honor true piety, that which begets universal charity, I feel the loss which the Christian .world has sustained in the departure of this grand exemplar; but I have personal obligations added to the common cause for mourn ing. You hf.ve mentioned many characteristic acts of that sublime man. Let me add one, of which you might not otherwise learn, for it was as privately as it was graciously done. When our war was closed in the defeat of the South, and I was incar? cerated with treatment the most need? lessly ligorous, if not designedly cruel ; when the invention of malignants was taxed to its utmost to fabricate stories to defame and degrade me in the esti? mation of mankind ; when time-servers at home as well abroad, joined in the cry with which, the ignoble ever pursue the victim, a voice frota afar to cheer aud console me in my solitary captivity. The holy father sent to me his likeness, and beneath it was written, by his own hand, the comforting invitation our Lord gives to all who are oppressed, in these words: ' Ycnite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et ego reficiam vos, dicit Domi? nus.' That the inscription was auto? graphic was attested by 'Al Cardinal Barnabo, December, 1866,' uudcr his seal." Saved by a Mule.?A very interestiug incident occurred at a railroad accident ou the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne Rail? road at LakeviUe, Ohio. Standing between two of the cars, which were loaded with horses and mules, was a hrakeman. He went down with the wreck, becoming fastened betweon the cars, under ten feet of water. His weak struggles to release himself were useless and he concluded that iu a few short seconds all would be over. The mules had been kicking in the car, and suddenly the brakaman felt the end boards give way. Then he re? ceived a tremendous kick on the thigh, which sent him out of his pcrilont po? sition to the top of the water. Here ho spluttered about until a: white mule rose up and struck out for the shore. Then the brakeman grasped the animal's tail and was safely carried to foni.?Pitts? burgh Trlegraph. WITH THE OLD CHIVALRY. The Moit Determined Fight on Record. A series of lettent upon duels and du? eling?even as carnal and desultory as this one has been?would hardly be com? plete until something had been written concerning the di els of the West and Southwest. , The breezy vigor of these sections?tho frest. and unconventional manner in which they slashed and fought?the startl ng methods of their riuels, and the dire results, these seem to demand that they should be hastily, if not specially recorded. That the land of Crockett, the Bowies, McClung, Joor, Scott, Prentice, I'oote, and their com? peers is rich in adventure, need not be told. So our scene is shifted, for the mo? ment, westward. It is a fact, however, that the most determined duel of which ] have any record was fought in New York St.ite, and very near the metropolis of that name. The meeting was between De Wilt Clinton and Johr Swartwout, in 1802. ]It appears probable that if the dispute in which this duel originated had taken its natural course, the most famous duel in any history?that between Hamilton and Burr?would have been omitted. Clin? ton and Burr had i. very fierce and trucu? lent political dispute, which finally be? came personal. Before it had fairly come .0 an issue, John Swartwout became in? volved in it, taking, Burr's place. He chal? lenged Clinton, who accented. On the field Clinton remarked "that he wished he had the principal (Burr) before him." If his wish had been gratified there is little doubt that his fatal precision of shot would have put Burr where he could not have killed Hamilton three years later. Mr. Swartwout insisted that he should have an apology, and prepared one that he insisted Mr. Clinton ehould sign. Mr. Clinton, of course, declined, and the parties vrent to the field. The duel was uuch a remarkable one that I present an account given of it by Mr. N. S. Smith, who was Swartwout'a second. He says: "?The gentlemen took positions and fired without effect. At Mr. Biker's re: quest, I asked Mr. Swartwout if he was satisfied. He am veering in the negative, the second shot v? as . fired without effect, I again asked Mi. Swartwout if he was satisfied. He replied: " 'I am not,' and the third shot was exchanged without injury. I then asked Mr. Swartwout: "Are you satisfied ? He replied: '"I am not. Neither shall I be until the apology is made which I have de? manded. Until then we must proceed.' "I then presented a paper to Mr. Riker for Clinton's signature, containing the apology demanded, observing that this paper must be signed or we would pro? ceed. Mr. Clin;on declared that he would sign no paper on the subject; that he had no animosity to Mr. Swartout, and would willingly 8 hake hands and agree to meet on the score of former friendship. Mr. Swart wout insisted ou the signature to the .loology, and Mr. Clinton, declining they stood. at their posts and fired a fourth shot. Mr. Swart? wout was wounded in the left leg, about five inches below the knee. Being asked if he wi;s satisfied, -Mr. Swartwout re-' pUed: . " 'It is useless to repeat the question ; my determination is fixed, and I beg we may proceed.' "Mr. Clinton repeated that'-he had no animosity against Mr. Swartwout; was sorry for what bad passed; proposed to advance, shake hands and bury the past in oblivion. "Duriag this conversation the surgeon kneeling at his side, extracted the ball from Mr. Swartwout's leg. The fifth shot being fired, Mr. Swartwout received a ball in the left leg, about five inches above the ankle. Still, however, he stood at his post perfectly composed. At the request of Mr. Riker, I asked: 'Are you satisfied?' He forcibly an? swered : " 'No, sir; 1 am not. Proceed.' "Mr. Clinton then quit his post, de? clining the combat, aud declared that be would fire no more. Mr. Swartwout ex? pressed himself surprised-that Mr. Clin? ton would neither apologize nor give the satisfaction required, and, addressing me, said: " 'What shall I do, my friend ?' "I.answered: "Mr. Clinton declines making the apology required, refuses taking his position, and positively de? clares he will fight no more; his second appearing to acquiesce in the disposition of* his principal, there is nothing further for you to do now but to have your wounds dressed.' "The surgeons attending dressed bis wounds, and the gentlemen returned in their respective barges te the city." Captain Scott came very near having a duel on the most ridiculous grounds. He was a great sportsman, and a perfect stickler for all technicalities of a sport? ing lore. He would get into a passion at hearing any one call a line of geese "a flock" of geese, or a bevy of quails "a brood" of quails. On one occasion he organized a grand hunt. The game was jackass rabbits. A great many visiting of icers were presut, and Captain Scott ha d taken great pride in having the hunt conducted on the strictest principles. He had rehearsed the home officers, and had instructed them tht.twben a rabbit ran from cover they should all give the view hallo, "tally-ho 1" Among the officers was a Captain B-n, who was an in? veterate practical jok jr. The hounds were unloosened und taken into the woods and soon opened musically. Ever}' man was at his post in tiptoe anxiety to catch the first glimpse of the suspected game. Suddenly, near t!ie stand of Cap? tain B-n, out baunded an enormous mule, with twenty dogs iu full cry at her heels. In this critical moment, Captain B-u roared at tie top of his voice, "Sally, whoa! Sally, whoa! Sally, whoa!" The ridiculous cry was taken up, and the whole field burst into uncon? trollable laughter. Captain Scott was violently enraged, audit took all that the friends of the parties couli do to prevent his calling the practical jokerout. Cap? tain Scott was afterwards killed while leading his command forward in a most desperate battle of the Mexican war. A friend has furnished me with an in? cident in the life of Colonel JDooly, of Georgia, who, it may be remembered, has alrerdy figured in these letters as the man who would not jgh;; a duel. Living in the most turbulent period of Georgia history, he preserved his principles of non-combatancy absolutely. He was audacious, sarcastic and full of the devil? try of speech. He wa?, consequently, very frequently engaged in trouble. He always took the conaeqaeuces without a murmur. On one occatiion he was chal? lenged by a Mr. Halsey, who was very badly afflicted with Sc. Vitus' dance. His hands continually jerked from one side to the other iu a julsy. They were never still. Dooly accepted the challenge, and the .'ihaking gentleman and his friend went to the field. Dooly came at last, attended by his negro servant. He held a whispered conversation with the boy, and then sent him into the woods. When asked if he was ready he replied that he should have to wait until his boy returned. The boy at last came back with a forked stick in his hand. Colonel Dooly tool: this stick, and with the utmost gravity walked up to where Halsey was standing and d.ove it into the ground, leaving the forked end up. He was asked with some asperity what this meant. He replied, "I intend that Mr. Halsey shall rest his gun in this fork when be fires." " Why do you want this done ?" asked Mr. Halsey. ''Because I want it steadied. If I were to let you shoot without a rest with those shaking hands of yours, you'd put a dozen holes through me at one discharge." The Whipping Post We are somewhat surprised to see that the Kentucky Senate has laid on the table the bill to re-establish the whipping E>st. We say we are surprised at this in entucky, where men are stern and stout and practical, and where mock philan? thropy is scarce, if it has any existence at all, But we begin to suspect that demagogism has found a lodgment amongst the solid men of Kentucky, as well an amongst the Legislators of most all the Southern States, under the fearful social revolution of the times. The cog - sideration that in whipping a felon a voter might be whipped no doubt pre? vailed to carry the bill to the table. Philanthropy had nothing to do with its fate. So it is in other things that the public interests are subordinated to the politic view taken by the demagogue. For instance, the measures to encourage sheep culture, by protecting sheep from dogs, all fail because the dog has a vote. The criminal policy of this country has become inefficient because of too that crime was to be ended by kindness to robbers and house-burners, sneak thieves and cut throats; that villains and murderers were to be made honest men and gentlemen by preaching and forgiveness, have paralyzed the law and disarmed the police. Felons are, not to be roughly treated. Their -feelings j.re not to .Se.wounded. They must be hos? pitably entertained and left to the course of meditation and remorse, that they may emerge from their place of respecta? ble, detention fit companions for the phi? lanthropic people who have extracted the sting from the law and smothered the discomfort of the hard and healthy dis? cipline which is so salutary in the pio cesses of repentance and atonement. Thus the prisons and penitentiaries ha re done absolutely nothing in the way of reform, and the men who have passed through them have come forth withoat repentance, confirmed rascals, to make their art available with more success than before their confinement and before that hardening process which made them impenetrable to the moral sensibilities, of which there were some traces in their minds until they entered the so-called j penitentiary, to part with them forever. I The whipping post would do more to put a check upon crime and to deter men from repeating their felonies than all other provisions of the law. If the laiih were applied to big thieves and little thieves without distinction of color, race or previous condition of servitude, the criminal docket would shrink up and the jails and penitentiaries would be relieved of fully half their lodgers. Widen the range of hanging, shorten the period of imprisonment, and introduce the whip Eing post for application to cases of urglary and stealing, and there would be such a change in the character and number of criminal cases that we might well imagine we were in a new country. It is for the want of a more rigid admin? istration of the laws against felonies and misdemeanors, and for the want of a more just gradation of the retribution to the crime, that we hear even in this ad? vanced period of civilization of so many cases of the intervention of Judge Lynch. Make crime odious by proper punish? ment, and the public security will be in? creased while crime will be decreased. ?Bichmond Dispatch. The delusive idea Sitting Bull as "a Literary Cdss." ?B. D. Clarice, U. S. army, sends to the President copies of a number of tbe writ? ings of Sitting Bull, including intercepted letters and some of bis poems. They show that the warrior is not the untu? tored savage he is generailyk.eupposed to be. One of his letters to Father Frene, the Catholic missionary, is in French, and another to Chief Joseph is in Latin. Translations of both are furnished. The letter to Joseph is from the "Camp Be? yond the Boundary Line,", or in the Latin " Caslris Trans Tennino's." In this letter he says: "I came here?here into British territory?with all my-forces and in unbroken strength, and here it is my purpose to remain. I have always been most kindly affected toward the British authorities. But alas for the justice of man! That mean government on whose protection I had so confidently relied is already prepared to deliver me over to my enemies. I think, therefore., that further fighting would only occasion loss of our people. Such being the state of affairs, and the enemy also sending com? missioners to treat of peace, it seems we would do well to accept such terms as may be offered us." He is sorry, he says, that he has come to this, post, and adds a poem (also in Latin) to the letter which he has "with pen long disused set down." The poem agrees in tone with the letter. The communication, which, as before j stated, is in Latin, is signed, "Taurus Qui Sedet"?the bull who sits or Sitting Bull. It was written, it will be observed, before the commissioners appointed by that government to treat with him had arrived, and it will be observed that with true Indian consistency he treated Those officials in directly an opnosite manner to that in which he stated he would deal with him. Gen. Joe Johnston in a Confeder? ate Cemetery.?On a recent visit to Wilmington, N.C., Gen. Joseph Johnston was driven out to Oakdale Cemetery, and in company with one of the most promi? nent citizens, himself a distinguished Confederate, visited the enclosure where the noble women of Wilmington have raised the monument to our Confederate dead. Gen. Johnston gazed upon it long and in silence and turned away without a word; other parts of the Cemetery were visited and the party returned to this most sacred spot in the beautiful city of the dead. Again he gazed for a long time on .the lonely soldier who keeps his perpetual guard in that holy spot and turned away with his hands lifted to Heaven and with the simple ex? pression, "My God I" This was all, but the tears which stood in the eyes of the grey-headed soldier and tbe tremor so plainly heard in his voice were more eloquent than the choicest words could have been. ? There have been fifty-six Atlantic steamers lost during the past tbirty-sevea years, in which 4,430 persons perished. Nine vessels were never heard from after leaving port, four were burned, thirty wrecked, five lost through collision with other vessels and two by collision with iceborgs, two foundered and two were lost in fog. Of nationalities, forty-two were British, five Americau, four French, four German and one Belgian. A STARTLING TRAGEDY, A Woman Shot Duad by Another Ono on the Stage?Reck tent Use of Firearms Terrible Ending to a Variety Perform? ance at Fawtuciet, Rhode Island. Provie-exce, R. I., April 5. A terrible tragedy occurred this even? ing at the Opera House, in Pawtucket, in this State, duriig one of those sensa? tional and reckless exhibitions in marks? manship, origina ly introduced on the stage by Fxank Fiayne and his wife, Miss Clara Butler. In this instance the holder of the rifle was a woman, and she in? stantly killed another woman who was holding the apple aimed at on her head. On Monday last a variety company, hail? ing from the Mozart Garden, in the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., commenced an en? gagement at the Pawtucket Opera House, their performance being of an ordinary character, except the feats in rifle shoot? ing by Mrs. Jenn e Fowler, whose stage name is Miss Jennie Franklin. She usually began by firing at a target and at various objects, closing that part of her performance by shooting at an apple placed on the head of another member of the company, ktown as Mile. Volante, who also appeared as ;\ trapeze per? former. shooting with a reflected aim. In order to intensify the sensational character of this tct, Miss Franklin, in? stead of taking direct aim at the apple on Mile. Volante's head, laced in an op Eosite direction t.nd obtained her range y means of a small mirror placed at the wing. This mirror has to be arranged at such an angle that its face will bring the face of the person supporting the apple directly in the centre of the glass. The i holder of the rifle places the weapon over her right shoulder, keening the trigger guard pressed close ana steady to her shoulder, and taen takes aim through the sights at the reflected image before her. The trick has been repeatedly ac? complished with success, t ut it requires great coolness :.nd steadiness to strike the reflected apple with {precision, and has always been deemed a foolhardy and dangerous experiment. A STARTLING TRAGEDY. This evening I he variety entertainment passed off as usual until tni! rifle shooting act, when the audience wa;i horrified by seeing the unfortunate trapeze performer shot dead. Miss. Franklin displayed con? siderable skill in hitting her target and other objects while firing directly at sured when the final feat was to be at? tempted. Mile. Volante stepped alertly to her station, smiling at the audience as she did so. Placing the apple, an ordi? nary sized one, on top of her head, where it rested ia her luxuriant hair, she stood motionless as a statue. Miss Franklin also took her station near the footlights in front of the mirror, and deliberately aimed over her shoulder through the glass at her ill-fated friend. The audi? ence sat in silence curiously watching the performers and s aspccting some deceitful trick, when 'suddenly the trigger was pulled and at the same instant a shriek resounded through the hall and the un? fortunate Volant fell forward on the stage. A HORRIFIED AUDIENCE. them, and she seemed Everything was now in contusion, both before and behind the footlights, the au? dience being in a state of terror at the denouement of what had promised to be only a pleasant bit of sensation. At first it was only supposed that Mile. Volante had been wounded, but it was not many minutes before tbe news spread that the woman had been instantly killed,, the fatal bullet having entered her forehead and pierced the brain. Miss Franklin was immediately placed under arrest by the local police, end is now locked up to await the action of the coroner. She seemed to be half crazed with horror at the occurrence, only rer-'; dng the reck? lessness of her act when it w as too late. Mile. Volante, wbo so suddenly closed her career in this shocking manner, has only been on the variety stage four or five weeks, and no ono at Pawtucket or here seems to know her history. The tragedy has naturally cauicd great excitement in the town of Pawtucket. This accident will, of course, put a stop to all such ex? hibitions, no matter who may attempt them. Execution b* the Guillotine.? A friend once described to us an execu? tion which he witnessed in Paris, outside tbe walls of the city prison, and in the public street. It took place in the gray of dawn, and at the precise hour indica? ted in the sentence A squad of soldiers filed out of the ga es, and in a twinkling put together the machinery of the guillo? tine, some of them sprinkling sawdust on the pavement while it was being put up. Before this was fairly finished the gate swung open, and t ie criminal and execu? tioner and the spiritual adviser marched out. Whatever religious exercises were essential had beeu attended to within the Erison. The criminal, with his hands ound behind him and a cap drawn over his head, was led forth, nis body bent forward over the carriage, which, as he pressed it, shot forward on noiseless wheeis, and the knife fell with a glitter of its keen, polished edge; the head dropped into the basket awaiting it, the body was placed in a. coflin, the machine? ry taken up, and the whole scene was over. Within ten minutes, by the watch of the witness, every trace of the execu? tion was over. The soldiers, the priest, there was not even a drop of blood upon the pavement to indicate that a tragedy had been there enacted.?Cairo Bulletin. the executioner had dii ieared, and Applying the Sep.mon.?The Rev. Mr.-, of the Unitarian Church in a neighboring State, preached a sermon a few Sundays since on the importance ot saying "No," and in the course of it dwelt impressively on the moral courage required to use that monosyllable at the right time. After the sermon a collec? tion was taken for a very deserving chari? ty. When the congregation was dismissed a certain newspaper" man waylaid the by the hand thanked him effusively for the sermon?one of the most effective he had heard. The pastor modestly replied: "I'm glad you think so, but cannot see why you should." ""jV'by," replied he of the newspaper, "when I went into church I was fully determined to give five dollars to that charity, but your sermon impressed me so deeply that I found courage to resist the temptation, and let the plate-passer go by with an emphatic'No I'"?Editor's Drawer, in Harper's Magazine for Mag. ? A tramp was pulled off the trucks of a passenger car the other day, and after smilingly submitting to the accus? tomed kick, turned to the conductor and said: "Old man, you can belt away at me with that mule's head that you carry on the end uf your leg till you kick me so full of holes that my hide won't hold sage brush, but you can't knock the glory out c' me, or keep mc from shoutin' over the thought that I'm just 315 miles ahead of this d?d grindin' monopoly. I froze to this train at Reno. Whoop!" the vestibule, and him PETER COOPER. A Sketch of the Venerable Philanthropist, Peter Cooperj of New York, now in his 83th year, is one of the best icnowu per sons in America, and one, tco, who de? serves to stand in the front rank of men the world over as a noble specimen of the human race. Even at hii. advanced I age, he, like Moses, preserves, in a re? markable degree, all of his faculties, and it is to his everlasting glory th it the gifts Gnd bestowed upon him have been zeal? ously and continuously employed for the practical benefit of mankind, and especially for those of his fellow men who are condemned to hard and bitter struggles with adverse fortune. He is not only the oldest citizen of New York, but, we may say, its worthiest. Those who are well acquainted with his history state that he can remember the first steamboat, and, it may be added, that he built the first locomotive engine ever constructed in this country. He can remember the funeral procession which honored the memory or Washington, of which Hamilton was marshal. The death of the latter is also one of that great array of historic facts which dwell in the long range of his experience. He bore a part in the celebration of the Erie Canal, as well as that of the Atlan? tic telegraph, and has thus kept abreast with the improvements of the age. The lack of early advantages'gave Cooper a deep sympathy will all who suffered similar privations. His school attendance was limited to half of each day for a year, but he has, by careful reading, become a man of extensive in? formation. Mr. Cooper's life is one of peculiar vicissitude. His father was a natter, and, having failed at the trade, thought to do better by his son by bind? ing him out to a coach maker. Peter, when through apprenticeship, started a shop, but failed, and then tried cabinet making, hut with no better success. His next effort was a retail grocery, which also proved a failure. These calamities followed him till bis 40th year, and it seemed as though he really was born for ill luck. He had noticed, however, the inferior quality of the glue which was in use among the cabinet makers, and he determined, as a last resort, to try bis hand in the manufacture of a better ar? ticle. A barrow full of cowhides and a kettle were his stock in trade. Thus manent success, and, to this, was added the iron trade, and the result is that Peter Cooper is to-day estimated at $10, 000,000. It will be seen that Mr. Cooper had more than his share of misfortune, or what seemed to be so, up to middle life ; but he possessed an undaunted spirit and a healthy mind and body. Perse? verance conquered at last and persistent labor met with an appropriate reward. When money came rapidly to Mr. Coop? er he did not, as is only too frequently the case, become hard-hearted and mi? serly. On the contrary, prosperity was sunshine to him and he ardently desired that his fellow creatures should share in his good fortune. For many - years Ids charities have been frequent and munifi? cent. He has not attempted to be showy and demagogical in the distribution of his means, but practical, humane and comprehensive. The world is much the better because of Peter Cooper, and, dying, he will leave to bis children a name and fame infinitely more valuable than the millions of .money with the possession of which be is accredited. We are informed that this venerable philanthropist is now on his way to the South, in order to personally inspect a recent purchase in the Palmetto State, which he proposes to endow for the ben? efit of South Carolinians. We would suggest to our merchants, city fathers and citizens generally, that some organ? ized effort be made on their part to re? quest Mr. Cooper to honor Augusta with his presence. He is a guest of whom we could be proud, and be is just the kind of man we would like to show our re? markable advantages. Mr. Cooper is every way worthy of this distinction, and we trust he will be invited here and made more than welcome.?Augtttta Chronicle and Comtitutionalkt. he began a business which proved ELECTORAL COUNTS. How it in Proponed to Elect Futur* Pres? idents. Washington, April 7. The report of the sub-committee of the House committee charged with "the con? sideration of the method of electing a President and Vice President whs sub? mitted to the full committee last night, and agreed to by one majority. The most important feature in their proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Unietd States is that the electoral, votes and the fraction thereof of each person voted for as President in any State shall be ascertained by multiplying bis entire popular vote therein by the whole num? ber of the Electoral votes of the State, and dividing the product by the aggre? gate popular vote of the State for iilFper sons voted for as President, and the quo? tient shall be the number of electoral voLes and fraction thereof to whicii such person shall be entitled, using for such fraction three decimals and no mo -e. The amendment is designed to preserve the relative power of the smaller States. The committee say on this subject: "The small States are now overslaughed by the present Electoral system. It has happened already that the vote of New York, cast solid by general ticket, has decided the election by a few thousand majority, and has not only settled the question for a million voters of too State of New York, but against a majority the other way of the 8,000,000, who are voters of the United States. The practi? cal effect of the Electoral system has been to increase the relative importance and power of the large States, and the practice of voting by general ticket was introduced by the large States for that purpose, and when introduced all were compelled to follow it," Representative Hunton, of the commit? tee, proposed an amendment in substance that in case of dispute in any State as to the Electoral vote, the election shall be decided by the highest judicial tribunal of such State, and the vote shall be counted unless both Houses shall exclude it. Although no serious ohjectisn was interposed by the committee ;o this amendment, the committee did rot vote on it. It is the opinion of inert.here of the committee that the proposed amend? ment to the Constitution will not receive the approbation of Congress, two-thirds 01" both branches being required to pro? pose it to the States for adoption. ? The Grand Duke Nicholas is tall, strongly built, and soldierly in person, but with no indication of capacity, and certainly none of refinement, in his countenance. His forehead is narrow, bin glance is fierce but without penetra? tion ; his features are altogether rather coarsely moulded. He is one of the best linguists in the Russian empire. ? They who cannot sleep are not. well. Either the mind \tt very much disturbed, or else the body is ill, LEGAL ADVERTttlNQ.?Vfe are compelled Iff require cub payments for advertising ordered by Eiecstors, Administrators and othtr fiduciaries, and herewith append the ratet for the ordini 17 notices, which will only be inserted when the in one 7 comes with the order: Citations, two insertions, - - - - $3.00 Estate Notices, three insertions^ * * 2.00 'Final Settlements, fire insertions - - 3 00 TO CORRESPONDENTS.?In order to recede attention, communications must be accompan rd by tho true name and address of the writer. 1 :e - jected manuscripts will not he returned, unless the necessary stamps are furnished to repay the post) ge thereon. ? 49- We are not responsible for the views a ad opinions of our correspondents. All communications should be addressed to"Id itors Intelligencer," and all checks, drafts, money orders, Ac, should be made payable to the ort er of E. B. MURRAY & CO., Anderson, S. C. THE SOUTHERN PROSECUTIONS. Wade Hampton's Proposition to the Prts Ident. Washington, April 5. It id understood that the President b is received a letter from Wade Hamptoa, containing a proposition to exchange prisoners, as it were, or, in other wore a, to drop political litigation in South Car? olina in the cases pending on both aid* 3. There are a good many indictments pending before the United States Courts for violations of the Reconstruction atd other federal laws affecting the rights of citizens in the 8outh, which have re? mained untried for a considerable length of time for various reasons? some, dh causc the persons indicted could not he found; others, because of the disappear? ance of witnesses, or the general indif? ference that has arisen since the finding of the indictments. The statement in regard to Hampton's letter is that it pro? poses that if the Federal govern meit will enter a nolle prossavx in all theie per ding Federal cases that come under the Civil Rights and Reconstruction Laws, the State government shall dis? miss all the cases pending which have any political character whatever, ex? cept the indictments against Pattersoi and Kimpton, the latter having been a former State Treasurer. There is no indication what the Pres - dent's views of such a proposition mar be) but it is fair to say that it will not mee t the approbation of Senator Pattersoi. Nor does it seem quite fair to make any exclusions from the exchange propose I on one side and not on the other. Leav? ing out of all controversy the question tif the guilt or innocence of" Senator Patter? son under the indictment, it is very evi? dent that the only purpose of his prose? cution was political. . Probably the bet? ter way would be to try all the cases 0.11 both sides, speedily and honestly witbou I regard to politics, and let the verdict rest upon the evidence of guilt or innocence. A political trial, so-called, can do Ter' little harm, if law and justice make th decision without the interference of po litical influences. There is very littl doubt that the proposition would be ob? structed as much as possible in the in? terest of a class of fresh criminals who come before the Federal Courts for de - frauding the government of its revenue:, and who would insist that they, tot, should be included in the list of thos 1 who are to be sent out free from th 1 courts. There is, indeed, a story afloa; that indictments are preparing again? i the revenue officers who made recen; arrests for illegal distilling, with th t purpose of balancing them against th 1 criminals.?Dispatch to N. Y. Times. "School's Ont.? Reader, did yon ever pause and con tern plate that particular and peculiar phasi > of human nature developed by the ex - istent school boy when released fron study and discipline?when "school if out," and he is on his way home ? Ordinary humanity, when releasec from toils of the day, is prone to seel rest and relaxation. The boy scorns all ouch effeminate ideas. He is composer of but three parts?legs, arms and yell and the yell is the biggest part of him His legs and arms have been kept v: irksome compulsory quietude all da} and must now be exercised. His voict has been seething and swelling in bin for hours, and now must have vent. As soon as he is clear of the scboo'. house steps he stops and deliberately yells a yell ;that is ear-splitting, but which has no more object, meaning or direction than the midnight vociferation of a mule, and yet he appears at a fuf run with bis arms flying about like the scintillations of a pin-wheel. He is n< respecter of persons and is utterly in? different as to whether he runs down f smaller boy, spins an aged citizen three times around or mashes a girl's hat over her eyes in bis headlong career. Ner? vous ladies hug the sides of the housei; as be rushes by in a drove like a whirl? wind and screams like a steam whistle. "Mercy on us I If that boy was mint I'd?" but just then her own boy Hie; past, falls over a dry goods box, bouncer up, kicks at another boy, and is chaser across the street and around the corner before she can get the "You Robert 1' with which she intends to annihilate him, out of her astonished throat. There is but one thing that has th< slightest soothing effect on the boy when he is on his way home from school. He can see bis old man further than Prof Hall can see a hay stack with a teles? cope, and the moment the parent dawn; upon his vision be becomes as proper as a model letter writer, and the neatly mod? ulated voice with which he wheedles the author of his being out of five cents on the spot, is a lesson for future ambitioui; savings bank .and passenger railway presidents. The amount of racing, jumping, pull ing and hauling and howling that f, sehe ol boy can concentrate into a trsnsi; of two squares is positively astonishing, and the preternatural coolness and quiet ude with which he takes his red face anc. panting breath into the kitchen and ask; if supper ain't most ready is a humar conundrum that calls for unqualified admiration.?Eatton Free Prat. Chlorate of Potassium.?TheA7)ier icau Journal of Pharmacy publishes f. case of poisoning by chlorate of potas ? siurr, a drug heretofore considered inno ?. cent. This case is copied by the Drug ? gists Circular and Chemical Gazelle, and one other case, and the only one, is cited of the kind. It is stated that both the cases occurred in the families of doctors, and it is further stated that no other druj; was accessible to those poisoned excep; the chlorate of potassium. Both tho cases were fatal. It appears, also, tha; both took the chlorate in chrystalino form. The prevalence of diphtheria and other affections of the throat, in this city, fo r some months, has induced our people to use very freely the chlorate of potassium. They do so with the understanding from physicians that it is harmless. A leading drug dealer informs us that the chlor.it of potassium is very extensively used In this city, and that it is constantly sold in quantities of half a pound or more. Th 3 above recited cases should arrest botli tho attention of physicians and the pub? lic. We may add that there is no record of poisoning by this drug taken in liquid form, and it would seem that is the best and safest way to take it?Nashrilu American. A Poisonous Stocking.?The Mon? treal Gazelle of the 3d inst. says: "A little over a month ago a young mar, nineteen years of age, named Stewait Smith, boarding at No. 104 Prince strce , inflicted a slight wound 011 his foot whil 3 paring a corn. For several days he fo t no inconvenience, and went to work * s usual, but afterward hie foot began to swell, and got so painful that ho was ii - duced to go to the General Hospital, whieh he did on the 20th of March. Despite all efforts he got worse, and dud on Monday evening at 10 o'clock, . t appears that after his foot began to biet i he put on a blue stocking, and it is su; - posed his' blood was poisoned thereby "