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VOLUME XI.-NUMBER 1671. CHARLESTON, WEDNESDAY" MORNING, MAY 3, 1871. EIGHT DOLLARS A YEAR. THE EVILS OF THE HOUR. A PROMIS EST RADICAL OS THE CAUSES ASD THE REMEDY. Attorney G cu cr a I Chamberlain De? clares tliat "Incompetency, Dishonesty anti Corruption In all its Forms now Kuli The Party which Rules the State"-He Thinks Minority Repre? sentation the Only Remedy. . COLUMBIA, S. C., May 5,1871. Colonel if. L. Trenholm, Charleston, S. C.: MY DEAR SIR-The public evils which now exist in our State, md the lawless and disturb? ed condition of society in many couuties, fur? nish me the occasion and excuse for address? ing you. I wish I could hope with more confi? dence that my views and suggestions would tend to hasten the removal of present evils and lay a safe foundation for our future har? mony and prosperity. But I hold that it ls the duty of every man, who has a thought or a plan which seems to promise rel'of from e; isting difficulties, to contribute it to the com mon lund of information. I address my views to you because I know that you are devoted, by association, principl an? action, to the true, permanent and high est interests of our State, and beciuse I be lieve that, though wholly dissociated from political life, you are not unmindful of that duty which Cicero tells U9 in his delightful essay is "thedearestand foremost duty, io car for one's country.'* I remember, too, the geuer ous and eloquent words which you have ut tered in behalf of a hopeful, patient, courage ous grappling with the dulles and problems ol' to-day, rather than the cherishing of memo? ries, however sacred, or the indulging of re? grets, however just. I am not, like you, a native of the State, and perhaps it was my misfortune to have settled here at a time when circumstances were no favorable to a cordial reception of those who had stood upon the other side of the great civil struggle which bad torn asunder the two sections of our country. I profess, however, to be not behind the foremost *in my desire to do ail that lies in my power to serve and bene flt the State with which all my Interests are now identified. It will be necessary for me at the outside to give my view of the.nature and causes of the evils which now afflict us. If we mistake tin' causes, we shall be certain to mistake the remedy. I propose to lay aside all partisanship, and simply to state facts as I conceive them to ex? ist. Let us look at our State when the recon? struction acts first took effect in ISO'S. A social revolution had been accomplished an entire reversal of the political relations of mosi^of our people had ensued. The class which formerly held all the political power of our State were stripped of all. The class which had formerly been less than citizens, with no political power or social posl tion, were made thc sole depositaries ol the political power of tho State. I refer now to practical resultB, not tb theories. The numeri? cal relations of the two races here was such that one race under the new laws held abso lute political control of the Stale. ? The attitude and action of beth races under these new conditions, while not unnatural, was, as I must think, unwise and unfortunate One race stood aloof .and haughtily refused ta seek the confidence bf the race wutch was just" entering on Its new powers; while the other race quickly grasped all the political power which the new order of things had placed within their reach. From the nature of the case the one race were devoid ol political experience, of all or nearly all education, and depended mainly for all these qualities upon those who, for the most part, chanced to have drifted here from other Statee, or who, Jn very rare instances, being former residents of the State, now al? lied themselves with the other race. No man of common prudence, or who was even slightly fa? miliar with the working of social forces, could have then failed to see that th? elements which went to compose the now dominant party were not of the kind which produce public virtue and honor, or which contd long secure even public order and peace. I make all just allowance for exceptional cases of individual character, but I say that the result to be expected from the very, nature of the situation in 1868 was that a scramble for office would ensue among yie members of the party in power, which again, from the nature, of thc case, must result in filling the offices of the State, local and general, with men of no capacity and little honesty or desire to really serve the public. The nation had approved the reconstruction | i measures not because they seemed to be free Of danger, nor because they were blind to the ^ very grave possibilities of future evils, but in j, the hope that the one race, wearing its new laurels and using its new powers with modesty and lorhearance, would gradually remove the prejudices and enlist the sympathies aud co? operation of the other race, until a fair degree of political homogeneity should be reached, and race lines should cease to mark the limits of political parties. Three years have passed, and the result is- j what ? Incompetensy, dishonest}', corruption t in all its forms, have "advanced their tuiscre- ? aied fronts," have put to flight the small rem- 1 nant that opposed them* and now rule the 1 \ party which rules the State. You may imagine the chagrin with which I make this statement. Truth alone compels it. My eyes see it-all my senses testify to the startling and sad ?act. I can never be indiffer? ent to auything which touches the fair lame ol' i^at great national party to which all mi deepest convictions attach me, and I repel the libel which the party bearing that name in this State is daily pouring upon us. I am a Repub? lican by habit, by conviclion, by associulion, but my Republicanism is not, i trust, com? posed solely of equal parts of ignorance and rapacity. Such is the plain statement of the present condition of the dominant party of our State. What is the remedy ? That a change will come, and' conte speedily, let no man doubt. Corruption breeds its own kind. Ignorance rushes io its downfall. Close behind any po? litical party which tolerates such qualities in its public repr?sentatives stalks the headsman. If the result ls merely political disruption, ?et us be profoundly thankful. Let us make haste to prevent it from being social disrup? tion-the sunderiug ol' all the bonds whic? make society and icovernmeni possible. Several emiiu*nt citizens, as well ns the press of our State, have suggested plans for the am?lioration of present evils. Mr. Mem minger and Colonel Rion especially deserve mention as gentlemen of large ability und in? fluence who have made their contributions lo the cuuse. Without discussing the plans proposed by those geullerneu, or pointing out the impossi? bility of pulling such plans lr.to practical exe? cution, I proceed to express my conviction that there ls a remedy, at once simple and efficacious, practicable and still radical. I mean ihe chauge of our present system of the representation of majorities merely and the substitution of proportional representation, or. as it ls more commonly called, minority representation, by means of the cumuhuive or free vote. You know, of course, that there ls no novel- ? y I ty in this remedy. The press of our : especially THB CHARLESTON NEWS, the 0 bia Phoenix and the Charleston Repnb as well as Individu?is, have discussed ar vucated it. I have studied the matter, principles and its results, as a theory ant practice. I have waited to express mi vlciiou until I could at least satisfy mys its practical efficacy as a present remedy, examination leads me to give my unrest support to the plan, and to believe that i lay the loundation l'or a stable peace lt State. I regret that time will not allow a full cttsslon ol tills subject in its principles, ever-desires this, will rind it abundant John Stuart Mill on "Representative Go' ment;" in the debates in the English Pi ment in 1867, by Chancellor Lowe, Cairns, Earl Grey and Mr. Mill; in the able and elaborate report ol Senator Buck! of Pennsylvania, made to the United S Senate in March, 1SC8, and, I am happy to in an address delivered before the studen Woflbid College In June last, by Colonel Thomas, ol' our own State, where will be fi an admirable r?sum? ol the history and na of the plan, euforced by many new and .: tive arguments. As n study merely, to one who is attra by discussions ol' the great questions o publican government, lew topics have gre charms. But ol'nil this I must not speak, The plan is briefly lids : to give to each v as many votes as there are representativ* be elected in his couuty or voting district, allow him to cast tlfem all for one candie or divide them among several, as he plea Thus, to take the illustration ol" another apply it to a case within our own State : ' Couuty of Charleston hus eighteen represe Uves in the lower house ol the Legislan each voter has eighteen votes ; he may them ;o eighteen * candidates, one to ead he m.iy cumulate them upon a less nuu than ten, even to one. One-eighteenth ol voters may thus be sure ol a representativ they choose to unite upon one person, practice, however, no doubt tickets woulr made up by the two parties, and each p would send representatives merely proport ed to its constituency.1' Such is the plan.* Ils result would b< give lo each party in our.State a representa iu our lower house ot Assembly, and. in f in all elections where more titan ?ne person to be chosen, proportioned to its ntimet strength, instead, as now, of ignoring the nority wholly, and giving to a majority, m up of one hundred aud une, the sole rupret talion in a voting district of two hunt! voters. This is true republicanism, in dislincl from taise republicanism. As Colonel Titoi aptly styles it, lt is "totality repr?sentai ic giving to nil parties ami ali iuterests a share of representation. To make this principle applicable to elections would require ?orne changes In organic law; but it wuuld be immediately ap cable io elections fdr members of the loi house ol the Legislature', to-elections for co ty commissioners, aud to the senatorial e tion in Charleston County. I think no chai ot our constitution is required to effect all ti but simply a statute embodying and enforc the new plan. The immediate result of such a change t be immense. If the numerical relations our present political parties and of the t races is that ol three to live, tho lower hoi of the Legislature will staud about forty-sev to seventy-seven. The same result would seen In the boards ol'county commlssiouert board ol prime importance io the taxpayers the State. Gradually the application of the syst? might be extended until it became the univ sal rule in all our elections, when more th one person was to be chosen to the EUI office. Another result would be to improve t character and ability ot the officers chosen each party. It would check Ute debasing i fluency of professional politicians; it wou make corruption in popular elections coi paralively impossible ; it would make the (! ieat ol specially obnoxious candidates, ur 11 election ol specially desirable candidat practicable, In spite of party nominations, I a union of the good men of both parties, n r suit scarcely possible and entirely improbab under our present system. The Immediate influence of forty-seven i men representing the character. Intelligent and property of our Statt; in the lower hom can scarcely"be over estimated. Though not majority, they would Inevitably prevent ba legislation, and Induce much good legislatio: Their 7ery presence would shame ignorani and frighten corruption. I firmly bellev speaking Irotn loug anc. close observatioi that the presence ot SUCH a number ol ab and true men would banish the crying abu? which now disgrace our Legislature, and ii troduce an era ol' comparative purity and it telligent legislation. Certain it is that would absolutely prevent the further ir.ceaj ol' our public debt. Ute reckless squanderin of public funds, and the improvident giving c State nid to selfish moneyed corporal fons. But the whole subject requires deep study t perceive its wide-reaching results, and such study will, I th mk, cominee any one tba here Hes our true remedy; a remedy singtilat ly well adapted to Just such a community i voters, interests and influences os now exit lu our Stale. There are other reforms also whit-?! we mus demand Imperiously and peremptorily. One i the repeal ol that most unjust aud scandalous election law, under which our last genera election was held. Another is nu absolut) prohibition ol any further increase of our publi debt except under restrictions which shall bi rigid andgabsolute. Another Is the Immediate reduction of ul public expenditures to ai. least two-thirds o their present amount. Anolhet is the speedy removal, by the Ex eculive, of incoinpeteut local officers, especial ly tax officers, <\nd me appointment of capa ble and honest men lu their places, regardlosi of party. This will effect only a partial presen remed?-; but it will do much immediately U remove a deep and just cause ol complaint. These are some ol' the demands ol' the hour, which I, for one,' will Join willi all good cili ?ens in making, and I trust that by ever} means, by individual influence uud action, bj Lite press and by conventions, the people ol the Stale will proclaim aud en tyree these just de? mands. There are abundant means, .a my judgment, within the reach ol" Hie taxpayers ol our State, :o enlorce these changes without doing vio ence to e."ll and social order. lu fact, milling is eo "i.re to prolong the present si.u ition as a resort to violence. Nothing can, md nothing will; in the eyes of the tuition ind the wor u, justify or excuse what li known is Ku-Kluxlsm. It is simply horrible, infa? mous, diabolical: never to be tolerated us u neans ol reform br relief from present abuses, br it is Tn Itself the must stupendous ol' ?Ul crimes. Good citizens who look io reform nust compel such means io t-i forever aban loned. violence begets violence, and soon hat spirit of lawlessness which finds counte? nance or escapes denunciation will run riot ind prostrate'all the common safeguards of :ivil society. It will, in duo time, return to plague Its inventors. But by whatever means and from whatever Muses relief and relorin ure secured, they must cume from ourselves, r>nd from xbroud. Our hope lies solely in thc strong and fixed resolution ol our own people tu ri^hl our ..wa wrongs and lu work out otic own Balragon. Repression ol upen crime may come from Hw national government, be:, oerinaneut reform in unr political 'jnndill'jii can only Come Uiruiigh ourselves. LH luis truth believer forgotten. Il is a lesson vh.cll mus', be lean:!* at whatever cost. With a resolute and prut'eui sprit on the part of uur responsible und enlightened fullow clIbsens, cheerfully acknowledging and defend? ing the equal civil aud political rights of all our citizens, laying aside . effete traditions, and bending all their energies tu the work of ?res? ent reform, I coufideully say, from ruy<nii fuate knowledge of the present Situation, that nut only cnn ute present dominant party be restrained rr? ai further abuse, but they caii be euutrulled hi ihe interest ut' thuse who lou* lo the common, and permanent welfare ul' our Slate. Despair is fully ; doubl is weakness. Resolu? tion, confidence, prudence, fairness, justice, are the qualities which the situation calls fur. Our State can be saved-saved by peaceful, constltutiunal meaus; and only by such means adopted by uer own citizens can sue be saved at all. You and I, at least, are readr lor such a work. Who that loves his race" or his State will reluse his aid ? With sentiments of high personal regard I remain your obedient servant, I). H. CUAJIBEKLAtNY GLIMPSES OF GOTHAM. TUE MURDERER FOSTER~SWIFT TE A'O EA It CB OF TBE JUAW. A KUii Father Intervenes-Who arc the Counsel-Heartlessness of M e W York Street Crowdg?Tlie May House? moving- City Improvements- T h c Blameless Blonde. [K'.IOM OCR OWN C0KRR9P0NDEXT.] NEW YORK, May 3. Short work is to be made of Foster, the ruf? fian who killed Mr. Putnam as he was stepping from a Broadway car last Wednesday night. The coroner's jury yesterday brought in a.ver diet against him, ten minutes afterwards the grand jury indicted him, and to-day lils* trial began. The speed with which this casCJg pressed is a concession on the part of the offi? cers of Hie law to the popular demand for swift justice. Ordinarily, a murderer is al-1 lowed several months' leeway, sa that public .indignation against him may cool. Fb3ter, though a man of abandoned charac- I ter, has a rich lather who ls loth to see one of | Iiis family brought to the gallows. There will be a desperate fight tnade,tlierefore,to save the murderer. The elder Foster lias already dis? bursed $5000.in lawyers' fees, and lias retained three of the best criminal lawyers in New York l?r the defence : John Graham, William Howe and Ex-Judge Stuart. The first named was counsel for McFarland. He stands at Hie head of the criminal practice, and is al? most always successful. . The defence will at? tempt lo prove?an alibi; thal is. that some un? known man struck thc fatal blow, and that | Foster left the car before the assassination took place. The evidence before the coroner disclosed a phase of New York character which, to use the mildest term, is disgraceful to us. The in? difference of passers-by In large chics to the misfortunes that happen to Iheir fellow-crea? tures In the streets ls notorious. ? Let a ruffian knock a man down and rob him In the most crowded part of Broadway, and the chances are Hint, though a mob will collect, not an in? dividual will molest Hie aggressor, unless It is a policeman luckily proximate. When Mr. Putnam was felled to the earth senseless, the other nicht, a curious crowd gathered, and though the ladies who were with the injured man entreated assistance, they were only stared at, and were obliged to drag.his body to the neighboring drug store themselves. They | complain that the druggist's clerks exhibited the same callousness to their misfortune. The car conducion alter seeing Mr. Putnam fall, bothered himself no further about tlie matter, but pulled the bell and rode away from the scene. Only one human being In the multi? tude present exhibited a glimmer of feeling, and that wasa.young divinity student, who ran off in search of u policeman. Probably much of this heartlessness ol peo? ple in large cities arises from tue peculiar cir? cumstances in which we are placed. We are all in a hurry, and cannot spare time lo do more than satisfy amassing curiosity, and if we meddle in.street affairs we are liable tobe summoned, even arrested and detained, as wit? nesses, driven into the witness box half a dozen times durlnc aa many examinations or trials, badgered and brow-beaten by such law? yers as John Graham, sketched, caricatured and defamed by the local newspapers, and ex? hibited infriglulul woodcuts lu the police Ga? zette and Day's Doings. To be a witness in.au important criminal trial in New York ls equlv lent to being hanged, as fur as one's reputa? tion is concerned. This, however, is no ex? cuse for our neglect to observe our obligations to society. The path of duly leads often through thorns and brambles. One should dare lo be manly and humane, even though he may know that the next edition ol the Sun? day Mercury will contain a full and particular | account, of that curious quarrel between his wife aud the family washerwoman lost year,, ] and thal the familiar old picture ol Gibbs the pirate will be revamped to represent him in to morrow's Sun and Star. Tile annual May aay-upset.T?Torer, anet bj this lime something like order is coining, out of the chaos In a Lhousand households. There was not so much moving Hits year as lust, probably because landlords havo been con? tented lo leave rents as they were. It is ex? tremely aggravating to have your landlord raise oh you every February, and to the na? tural Indignation the Imposition evokes may j be attributed some part of Hie New Yorker's proverbial restlessness. The stream of] movers was rather over the ferries to Lone Island and the Jersey suburbs than around town. Brooklyn oilers small houses with cheap rents in d?sirable localities. The space in New York is so valuable that it pays land? lords best to pul up large houses and exact corresponding rents, which they can generany gel, as there is an Insane und unreasonable desire on the part of most people lo live on lins island. "Oh, that dreadful lerry," keeps some hundreds of thousands in single rooms and garrets in New York, when a beautiful cottage and garden and plenty of frosh air can be bad on Long Island at half the expense. Improvement is tho order of Hie day with ihe park commissioners. I have already writ? ten about the Iransformation of the old Bullery from a muck heap Into a sort of seaside Eden. The City Hall park bas likewise been laid ont with new grass plats, walks, fountains, trees and ornamental stutues,and with the gathering green ol summer is beginning to look charm? ing. Thc ancient uppio women on the side? walks, and the Tammany politicians lounging around the City Hall steps, with cigars between their teeth, detract somewhat from the loveli? ness of Hie scene. A new park is to be laid om between Hie Boulevard and'Eighth ave? nue, above Ninety seventh street, and the Mauliattan Park is to be prepared and graded fur the erection ol' the new buildings ol' Hie Metropolitan .Museum ol' Arl and tim Museum ol' Natural History. The iron fence ?round Hie park in Union Square ls to be lorn down, and Ihe space thrown into an open plaza. Our oilier new parks, the Sunnyside mid Hie Morningside, ure coining along finely? How magnificent we are going it? be, in thc year limo, willi our grund Boulevard on Hie west side, and our Central Park sufficiently ai?C?j to give the appearance ol maturity to'the trees and vegetation. When somebody prepares another ediljon of that English classic oin the "Calamities ol Au thors," the melancholy history of Pauline Markham, the stateliest of Hie "blondes, must not be omitted. Miss Markham, perhaps, your readers may know, came over lrom England willi Mrs. Lydia Thompson Henderson, (who appeared ut the Charleston Academy of Music last win!"i ) and divided honors with that cor? neous young woman at Niblo's Garden, During the mn of the "blondes," New York was divided between a'Thompson party and a Markham party. Mr. Richard Grant White, the eminent Shakespearean critic, was so en? raptured with Miss Markham's performances us a younc man in a fairy spectacle, that ho published, over his own signature, in Hie pub? lic prims, his opinion thal she pronounced her English mure sweetly and more correctly than any oilier person thea in public life. * Well, Miss Markham became so celebrated through Hie praises of the Shakespearean critic and her owl; loveliness, thal thc world was acoc about lier past Hfe. In a moment of weakness she listened io the persuasive tongue of a newspa? per reponer, and consented io be written up m book lunn. Shu furaikhejd the biographer willi a mululu le ol'iacis, and then relived io a bed ol'sickness, which she kepi foi-! wu months or inure. * Meanwhile Ihe newspaper man was working like a steam engine agalnsi Hine. Winni, at la-l, his lacis wore exhausted, and the re? quisite number of pages not covered with ink, lie resorted to a ferule Imagination to supply the hiatus, ile described numberless love affaira in which the blui.Ju was iLlerested, how siie had rej -cieil millionaires, and spurned princes of the blood; huw men had fought for Uer; how lovers bad blown uni what ihey call? ed their brains, fur her dear sake. The biographer, having a little private grudge of his own, made Miss Markham indulge in vari? ous spiteful remarks aboul her triend, Miss Thompson. He even went so fur as to make lier confess Ural she was no blonde at all, buta brunette, and that Lydia, willi the lone colden hair, was also a brunette, and so likewise were nil the other profess'onal blondes, and that the whoie tliingwusa. . abug, cunning art effecting Hie irunsforinutiou from dark lu light. When the autobiography appeared, a critic on a daily newspaper cul it up, and this brought Mi>s Pauline forth in tears, and a com? munication from lier bed ol sickness. Ko pro? nounces the book ta be a tissue of mis.epre sentations; throws the responsibility of them I on the ambitious newspaper hack; proclaims the warmth of her affection for her beautiful rival, and the immaculateness of her own and Miss Thompson's blonde hair and complexions. As for being the "goody" sort of person the bookmaker pictured her, she denies lt. "Brunette as to the skin, but blonde as to the soul," exclaimed the critic. To which Miss Markham responds: "Now I do not pretend to have lived a blameless life. Do you, sir ? If you have, there is good authority lor your throwins the first stone at yours, obediently, Pauline Markham." NTM. THE STATE LUNATIC ASYLUM. Its Management Under thc S trw Regime. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS. Sra-Among the just causes for complaint on the part of the May Convention is the "peculiar" management of the State Lunatic Asylum. The salary of the superintendent, Including board for family and servants, amounts to more than the salary of the Gov? ernor of the State, being twenty-five hundred, dollars, besides the perquisites indicated. But the salary is nothing. Here ls an institution, costing sixty thousand dollars a year, In which the superintendent makes accounts and ap? proves them himself. Formerly the bills were examined by a regent appointed for the pur? pose, and, if found correct, approved. They were -afterwards submitted to the board for examination. Formerly, when a'patient en? tered the asylum, his name was registered on the books of the superintendent, and the financial account kept by the secretary had to correspond with the books of the superin? tendent. Novo, a patient may enter and motley be paid without any record being kept in the matter, for the superintendent ts also secretary and treasurer ! It is the same*as If the Governor were the treasurer and comp? troller-general. ** The big thing, however, is to come. Hith? erto the State paid, for maintenance of pauper patients, between ten and eleven thousand dollars a year; and this Is all the law now re? quires. Yet an appropriation has been made lor this purpose of thirty thousand dollars, ? while the counties are taxed the same as.usval. This will be a clear gain" JV7?i?fee/i thousand dollars, to whom ? And who "knows whether the institution will not be os much in debt next year os ever before ? Again : The money is drawn wijieut vouchers. It-is drawn on the simple request ol the superintendent and phy? sician and secretary and treasurer, who is one and the same person. How different is all this from the manner in which the institution was conducted under Dr. Parker. . And who is this new superintendent? A man q/ very limited education, from Maryland, who entered the Federal Army and came here to serve the "Bureau"-a man who ls in no wise competent for the position he holds, and not to be compared with either of th?? former superintendents, nor with any of the many distinguished physicians In Columbia. Bad as it is to.have such a man in charge of unfortu? nate patients, it strikes one. more absurdly to think ol his managing the finances without re? straint. . B. P. S. TROUBLES XV FLORENCE. False Alarms or "Kn-Klux !"-Excite? ment amongst tlie Negroes-How It Originated-Restoration of Quiet. _[FRQjl OUR QWy COnRESrON'DENT.] _ FnbRiN-cKrM?v GT From Saturday evening last up to Wednes? day our town has been the seat of much com? motion. There has been some talk of Ku-Klux in Florence ever since the killing of Daniel Edwards, in Williamsburg County, which un? fortunately-was reported to. have occurred In Darlington County, where Edwards formerly resided. O ri Saturday afternoon last a white citizen of this place fired upon James Balsley, a colored man, under the impression that Baisley had threatened his life. That night the colored people wets flying to arms, and crying, "Ku-Klux ! Ku-Klux !'r A lltilo girl said she saw mounted and armed men ride up and hitch their horses in the bushes on the north of the Wilmington Railroad. The color- ' ed citizens very promptly scoured the bushes, j but finding noKn-Klux, most of them retired to their homes. A few, however, remained out and under arms, marching, countermarch? ing, firing, and threatening vengeance on everybody and everybody's property, il it sin? gle colored man was Ku-Kiuxed. When re? quested lo tlesist, they said a white cillzen was allowed to fire ou u colored man, and they would not be stopped. On Sunday nlghl they were again out with their arras, but not firing. On Monday night they were out in larger num? bers, and nearly all armed, bul quiet, except threats of vengeance on Ku-Klux. Ou Mon? day evening a reported Ku-Kiux was arrested here by the sheriff. It is reported that he conlesses to being of the "billie Brother? hood," hut no Ku-Klux. The party so arrested ls an unlettered, dark-complexioned laboring man named Sweat, originally from Marlboro', ami has-been regarded as a colored man." He Is said to have been a nn\n ol low character ut home, and his statements ought to be taken with great camion. . is reported there are oilier "Ku-Klux about hore, and slops are be in^' taken lor I heir apprehension. After lt was seen and known that the town authorities fined, and the trial Jnslice arrested and com? mitted, the while cllizeu who fired in th?! streets upon a colored man, the disturbances subsided, aud we are now restored, we hope, to our wonted peace. A KU-KLUX COUNTY. What thc People Think of thc United States Regulars. Union County, which was some time ago believed to be the headquarters ol' the Ku Klux, has a coL-'pany ol Uncle Sam's cavalry quartered at Its courthouse; but, strange to say, the soldiers find nothing to do. No riot, no outrage, no "cold shoulder" even. Here is what the Union Times says ou this subject in its last issue, and we commend the para? graph to our Northern exchanges: True soldiers are always gentlemen, who seldom step out ol* Hie walks -ol propriety a Jd decorum, aud wo of thc .South know how to appreciate the true United Stales soldiers, when, stationed among us. Company ii. 7th Uniied States Cavalry, has now been stationed here aboul six weeks, und by their gentleman? ly deportment ami actions have secured the respect ol .Ul classes of our citizens. Captain Thompson ls a man ol' superior mental and social qualities, and by his agreeable manners, free anti Intelligent Intercourse with our citi? zens, has gathered around him many warm friends and associates. We have nut, as yet, made the acquaintance ol'tue subordinate offi? cers ot' Hie troop, but all who have, ?peak ol' them as being relined, educated and pure gen? tlemen. In tact, we speak the sentiments of all our citizens, when we say that a inure or? derly, gentlemanly and pleasant body ol men cannot be found anywhere, tuan those com? posing Troop B, 7ih Uni led States Cavalry, now 6talioned here. -Hall's Journal of Healtli, writing of lon? gevity, states that out of one thousand per? sons who have reached seventy years, it will be found that aboul 43 are clergymen, orators and public speakers, 40 are larmers, 33 are working men, 32 soldiers, 29 lawyers, 27 pro* lessors and 24 physicians. One half ol all who live die before lite age of 17; only one person in a hundred reaches CO, and one in ten thou? sand reaches 100. Mai ried persons live longer than single. TAXPAYERS Cf COUNCIL. THE MES WHO WILL REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IS CONTENTION. A Strang Array of Delegates. The following is-a list of the delegates from the several counties to the Taxpayers! Conven? tion, which meets in Columbia to-morrow. There are a few counties from which we have had no reports as yet; but the Hst, as it now stands, Includes an unusually strong array of the very best men in South Carolina : Abbeville-Delegates, Hon. Armlstead Burt and Colonel B. Z. H erndon; alternates. Thomas Thomson and W. K. Bradley. Anderson-Delegate's, John J3. Sitton and James A. Hoyt; alternates, J. P. Bead and F. E. Harrison. Barnwell- Delegates. General Johnson Hogood and Colonel T. J. Counts; alternates. Hon. W. P. Finley and Major J. E. Crosland. ' Beaufort- Delegates, H. C. Smart and J. H. Screven; alternates, J. L. Ruddell and William Elliott. Charleston-Delegates, W. B. Smith and George Shrewsbury; alternates, Colonel Thos. Y. Simons and Myron Fox. Chester-No report. Chesterfield-Delegates, General E. B. C. Cash and Colonel A. M. Lowry; alternates, Major A. McQueen and Albert Evans. Clarendon-Delegates. ex-Governor J. L. Manning, Hon. J. P. Richardson, James E. Tindall, Esq., and Dr. R. R. Durant. Colleton-No report. Darlington-No report. Edcefleld-Delegates, General ii. C. Butler, ex-Governor M. L. Bonham, General M. W. Gary, James A. Talbert, 0. 8heppard, A. P. Buller and J. H. Giles ; alternates, Lewis Jones, Z. W. Carwile. Renj. Bettis, Wyatt Holmes, R. R. Watson, Dr. Hugh Shaw, James Purvis. Fairfield-Delegates, Major J. W. Woodward and General John Bratton. Georgetown-No report. Greenville-Delegates, ex-Governor B. F. Perry and General W. K. Easley: alternates, J, P. Boyce and J S. Westmoreland. Horry-No report. Kershaw-Delegates, General J. B. Ker? shaw and General James Chesnut; alternates, Colonel W. M. Shannon and General J. D. Ken? nedy. Lancaster-Delegates, W. M. Connors and J. B. Erwin, Esqs.; alternates, Maj or B. R. Cly? burn and Mr. H. H. Gooch. Laurens-Delegates, B. W. Ball and G. W. Sullivan; alternates, J. W. Watts and R. S. Griffin. Lexington-Delegates, J. N. Huffman and W. J. Barr; alternates, Dr. F. S. Lewie and Dr. S. A. Haltawanger. Marion-Delegates, Hon. W. D.-Johnson and J. Eli Gregg: alternates, General Vm. Evans and Dr. W. il. Johnson. Marlboro'-Delegates, Hon. C. W. Dudley and Hon. T. C. Weatherly; alternates, Col. J. H. Hudson and James B. Willis. . Newberry-Delegates, R. L. McLaughlin and Colonel E. S. Keift; alternates, Wm. Ray and W. G. Mayes. Oconee-Delegates, Jame3 A.. Doyle and Wm. C. Keith; alternates, Samuel Lovlngood and BenJ. Holder. Orange burg- Delegates, Dr. A. D. Goodwyn? and Colonel D. J. Rum ph, Colonel A. D. Frederick and Dr. R. N. Rates. PickenB-No report. Richland-Delegates, Captain Kinsler and Robert Adams; alternates, Colonel Wm. Wal? lace and Dr. Wheeler. Spartanburg-Delegates, Hon. G. Cannon and Hon. A. Ii. Woodruff; alternates, Colonel J. H.* Evins and Captain Samuel Means. Sumter-No report. Union-Delegates, General W. H. Wallace and ex-Governor W. H. Gist; alternates.Colonel R. J. Gage and Major R. H. Rice. Williamsburg-Delegates, Colonel James McCulchen, David Epps, W. Lee and T. M. Keels; alternates, B. J. Porter, George J. Graham and G. D. Rhodus. York-Delegates, General E. M. Law and Colonel Cad. Jones; alternates, V. D. Wither? spoon and John R. London. . -C.1 -gtnri npjmjol'Trndr Iirnry Gourdin^ Esq.. and Ricnaiu UIUUJ, ujq. ? 1 Charleston Chamber of Commerce-Hon. W. D. Purler and Hon. Geo. A. Trenholm. A HOWL EEO M CATS. A Waining to the Radicals who are Milking Money Oat of the Negroes. - The "Missionary Record," Parson Cain's paper, does not like the course of things, as developed during the post few months before the United States commissioner In this city. In au article in the last copy of the Record, entitled "The Crimes Against Liberty in the Name of Justice," he ls very severe against the administrators of public Justice, speaking of them as "ignorant, irresponsible persons, oppressing poor inoffensive colored people, who have been engaged in the last elections I In this congressional district." "It appears," he says', "that there are fire different classes engaged in this work of making money out of Hie arrests, prosecutions, convictions and imprisonments.u? these poor people: First, the informers, who receive pay lur working up the Cases and finding those wiio ure willing io make a few dollars by be? traying their fellows. Second, the runners, wliu are employed by the higher officers, who ure anxious to. have something to do in their offices to make money. Third, the deputy marshals, who must have something to do lu tiicir -offices. Fourth, the lawyers and com? missioners, who get so much for every case brought belore them. Firth, the Jury, who make money either way, whether they con? vict ur clear-which ever side gives the most to secure their success. Now, we make these statements on good authority, and we propose to ferrel out certain transactions in these prosecutions and publish Hiern to the world, that it may be knuwn to Hie public what kind of material we have to work with in our cutirla. We aru informed of certain transactions in the conviction of the Beaufort commis? sioners which will show,the damnab;e cur ruptions practiced by certain officers to secure their conviction, and of certain Jurors .vho have been placed on every case, and have sold out on several occasions. We give these men warning, and we assure them that lhere are detectives on their tr di who will hunt them to their lair. It is lime that this vlliany was stopped, and that the liberties of the people be protected. We witnessed on Monday a scene which beggars description. At the cor? ot Meetiug and Broad streets, on both sides of Meeting, stretching down from the corner to the Clubhuuse. now Hie Untied Stales Court? house, was a line of colored men, of all ages and varied conditions, in rags, barefoot, half naked, In all shapes ot garments, who were drugged from every section of the district as violators of the election laws. These caine for trial. Some have been in jail for two months, some longer some less; some have been arrest? ed lately on charges made by some informer. Over une hundred men, we should judge, were in lilis plight. Ail these waited lor Hie lime ol j Hie opening of Hie court, and when they saw ? the United "Slates attorney going to the Court- '. bouse they all fell lu line and marched two and iwo imo Hie yard and up stairs, like so many sheep lu the slaughter. Some of these are accused of voling under age, yet they are men ut' ramilles of three and four children, and do nol know their age. This is one ol' Hie most singular cases upon record. Never were men taken up on so flimsy pretences in any county but ibis. No other people would sutler their liberties to be taken fruin them so lamely us these puor inoffensive sufferers. Their Inno? cence is Hie shield to Hie unprincipled men who drug them from their homes. Rut there ls a day ul reckoning coining, when the vile unscrupulous demagogues will meet their Just retribu-tlon." -Under Ihe Burlingame treaty the Chinese Government agreed to protect American mis? sionaries in China. In view ot the persecutions of ihe latter our Minister to Pekin called atten? tion to Hie violation of the treaty. The Chinese Government, it is reported, replied that they could not do anything, as the United Slates had first violated the. treaty by failing to protect ? Chinese in this country, and especially on the Pacific coast. TEE Ky ICKERS O CK EE EIEE INS EE Ay CE COMPANY* Official Report of the Superintendent of the Insurance Department of New York-A Satisfactory Exhibit. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS. CHARLESTON, S. C., May 8,1871. For the information of policy holders in the KNICKERBOCKER LIFE INSURANCE -COMPANY, and to remove an erroneous Impression that, the examination ol the affairs of companies, In conformity with the stringent laws adopted by New York for the special protection of in? surers, is an indication of supposed weakness on the part of said companies, we take plea? sure in publishing, in full, the following ofJl I cial report of George W. Miller, Esq., Superin? tendent Insurance Department of the State of. New York, as to the result of his Metalled and critical investigations. Respectfully, WILLIAM S. HASTIE & SON, General Agents for Carolinas. INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. ) ALBANY, NEW YORK, April 29, 1871. j Pursuant tp the authority vested in me by law, and in accordance with an Intention ex-, pressed in my annual report of 1870 to the Legislature of this State, I have made, and caused to be made, certain examinations into the affairs and condition of several of the In? surance Companies doing business In this State. In the month of November, an examination of the books, accounts, assets and general con? dition of the KNICKERBOCKER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY of New York was instituted. That examination hus just been completed, and al? though in the annual report referred to it was distinctly announced that "it need not be'con? sidered as an imputation upon the standing of any company that lt ls under examination," still as lt is claimed that an effort has been made to use the fact of the protracted investi? gation in this case to the disadvantage of the j Company, I deem it due to the Company, and 1 also to the public, to make a report of the re? sult of such examination. Thc examination was hot made in conse? quence ol any specific charges against the company or its management, but in accord ' ance with the general intention above referred ! to. The KNICKERBOCKER was organized in 1853, upon a'capital ot $100,000, and for the first ten year8lts progress waa alow. Since 1863, how ' ever, Its business had i'apMUiy luciuabt?il,' Uli Ul, i as appears by the annual statement of the con? dition of the company, December 31,1869, lt had outstanding 22,078 policies, insuring the sum of $66,398,439, with aggregate assets ot $6,680.965, and aggregate liabilities of $5, 860,701. There were but three companies organized under the laws of New York which reported a larger amount of business done or more assets. The business of the company was done on the "note" plan, and consequently quite a large portion of its assets consisted of premium ' notes. It had been intimated that note companies were quite careless in regard to the accuracy ot the statement of assets, and that notes were frequently included among the assets which were, iii fact, given for premiums upon poli? cies not in force, and hence of no value. The KNICKERBOCKER, being a leading note company, it was thought best to make, at as early a date as practicable, a thorough investi? gation of all its affairs, with a view to settling this and other questions, at least so far as that company was concerned. The examination made has been most ex? tensive and exhaustive. All the notes, amounting in the aggregate to over 25,000 lu number, have been separately examined, a full list made and compared with the entries In the books, and they have, without excep? tion, been found to be notes given upon poli? cies ia force. All the other assets and ac? counts of the company have also been subject? ed to the closest scrutiny, and quite large amounis staudlng upon the books against agents have been disallowed, from which the company will no doubt be able ultimately to realize, but which are of so uncertain a value as to prevent their being allowed in my esti? mate of the condition ol the company. Xotwithstancing Ute thorough sifting to which the assets of the company have been subjected, however. I am happy to be able to state that they amounted on Ute first day of January, 1871, to the sum of $7,020,972 85, while the liabilities, including resertit fund and o?pital stock, amounted to $6,814,996 26, leaving a surplus of assets over all liabilities of $175,977 5!*. ' This surplus, however, would be increased to $550, 662 84 by including the amounts disallowed as above stated, which are claimed by the company ta be valid and available assets, thus showing the company ?o ba entirely solvent and entitled to the confidence of its policyholders and the public. It affords me much pleasure, also, to be able to slate that the company has adopted the policy of, as rapidly as possible, abandoning the "note" system and effecting insurances upon the all-cash basis, and that with this and oilier improved methods ot business adopted, and the extensive business alreadyestablished, the company has every prospect of continued success. Complaints have been made against this as well as other companies, ol e. want ol*fairness anti liberality toward policy-holders, but so tar as the facts appear, from ray investigation, I find that Vie Knickerbocker has honorably and promptly met and discharged all legitimate claims, the gross sum paid for such claims upon policies since its organization amounting to $2,S8l,819 30, besides dividends paid to policy-holders amounting to $995,424 85. In view of all the facts disclosed, I feel war? ranted in saying that the company is entitled to public confidence. GEORGE W. MILLER, Superintendent Insurance Department, State of New York. PARIS TO BE STORMED. The Germans Getting Impatient.. McMahon Preparing for a Grand A? I sault To-Day-A New General for the Communists. PARIS, May 5. Three Communist battalions were captured in the affair at Moulin Saguet. The chief ol staffof the Commune Sotiila was arrested on the charge ol deceiving the Commune ln-re gard to stores in the ships under his charge. VERSAILLES*, May 6. It is reported that Favre has gone to Frank- . fort in consequence of a German dispatch to the effect that if the VersailliatB failed to enter Paris by Monday, the Germans will enter' Tuesday. No dring to-day. It will be resum? ed to-morrow, and the grand assault , will probably be made on Sunday. VERSAILLES, May 6. Firing all last night. Some engagements in the trenches. The communication between Forts Issy and Vanvres is destroyed. Supple? mentary elections for vacancies In the Assem? bly are postponed till after the surrender of,. Paris. At noon to-day a sharp engagement took place in the trenches In front of Forts Issy and ' Vanvres. The Versailles troops carried, by aa- ' sault, a small redan defended by a force, of Communists, who were taken prison-' ers. The work, however, was evacuated by ' the Versal Hists, In consequence of their being exposed to the fire of Fort Vanvres. PARIS, May-6. The Commune suppressed the following Journals: The Petit Moniteur, Petit National, Bau Temp3, Petit Presse, Petit Journal and ' Frances Temps. A decree Issued by the committee of public safety vests In General Bossel military direc? tion of military operations. The committee have also given order for the demolition of tho Expiatory Chapel. General Bossel has formally taken control o?. the entire Communist army, and an order of the day appoints General Dombro wski to com? mand the right wing, General LaCe?ella the centre, General Nollecaskl the left wing, and Generals Bouge ret and Eudes to the reserves. The commandant ot Fort Vincennes was re? cently arrested on suspicion of disloyalty to tho Commune. It ls said that Rossel ls un? popular with the Commune. Rossel was dis? missed, as commandant of Fort Issy, for In? subordination. The Prussians still Intercept provisions for Paris, and refuse explanations The Communists occupied the Park of Issy. The Commune declares Fort Vanvres still", tenable, and that their troops carried the bar-' ricades on the Island Jatta. Blanchet, a mem? ber of the Commune, was arrested by order of his associates. FRANKFORT, May 6. Bismarck, Favre, Pouyer and Quertler are here. . NEW YORK, May 6. A World special, dated Paris, 6th, says Ros-, sel is preparing for an offensive movement with forty thousand of bis best men. The Communists cannot be expelled from Fort Issy. The advancedbatteries hare opened on Fort Valerien. The Latest. PARIS, May 7. The commandant at Vincennes asks for re? inforcements. Rossel complains of interfer? ence from the committee of salety. Pyatt .rattiornori from, \.ht\ committee of safety. Ros1 sel and Dombrowski are upon bad terms. The firln^rsouxn or tm?-en? ts ?ifeumu?^ while at Neui?ly and Asnler?s it is alternately furious and weak. A fresh attack on the southwest side of the city is impending. FRANKFORT, May 7. Bismarck and Favre have bad two meetings. Favre asked concessions. Bismarck insisted upon a strict and immediate compliance'with, the preliminaries. Another consultation occurs on Monday. THE COTTON MOVEMENT. NEW YORK, May 7. The cotton movement for the week ?*ow8 a marked falling off. The receipts at all of the ports have been 51,452 bales, against 56,685 last week, 63,042 the previous week, and 64,156 three weeks since. The total receipts since September have been 3,623,373-bales, against 2,637,253 for the corresponding period of the previous year, showing an increase of 986,120 bales in favor of the present season. The exports from all of the ports for the week are 71,087 bales, against 36,275 for the same week last year. The tocal exports for the ex? pired portion of the cotton year have been 2,687,962 bales, against 1,790,606 lor the same time last year. The stockst all of the ports ts 426,944 bales, against 353,068 at the same time last year. The stock at the interior towns are 58,632 bales, against 69,909 bales last year. The stock in Liverpool ls 994,000 bales, against 540,000 last year. The American cotton afloat for Great Britain amounts to 230,000 bales, against 180,000 bales lost year. The Indian cotton afloat for Europe amounts to 275,223 bales, against 178,113 bales last year. During the week cold rains prevailed In the South, which have done much damage. In some sections planting has been delayed, while In others a large area of land will, no doubt, have to be-replanted. -There is still later news of Dr. Living? stone, the African explorer. The dispatch comes by way ol' Bombay, from the Island of Zanzibar, situated on the epstern coast of Af? rica, near the sixth parallel of latitute. The intrepid traveller ls said to be alive and well, though he has been stripped of everything that might facilitate his return to civilization. There is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the news, since it has, doubtless, come in the lorm of a direct communication to Living? stone's friend, Dr. Kirk, the British Consul at Zanzibar. The Portuguese story of his mur? der has long since been exploded; and this is the third authentic tidings that have reached us ol Dr. Livingstone within six months. He may, therefore, be assumed to be making the best of his way to the coast, with intelligence of unknown nations and freshly discovered realms. QEBMAN SOOTHING CORDIAL I AN INVALUABLE REMEDY FOR INFANTS I This ls the-best Medicine Tor young children s tillering with Colic, Diarrhoea, or any other com? plaint, ia idem to Teething, lt may be given with safety, as lt contains no opium, or other in* jurions anodyne. $ Price, 25 cents a bottle. Manufacturei and for sale by DR. H. BARR. Also by the following Druggists: A. W. ECKEL k CO., Dr. A. RAOUL, Dr. W. A. SERINE, A. O. BARBOT, W. T. LITTLE k 00., J. BLACKMAN, P. M. COHEN, Dr. E. H. KELLERS, E. S. BURNHAM, GRAMAN k -CHWAKE G. W. AJUAR, J. LOCKWOOD, G. J. LUHN, W. T. LINN, W. A. GIBSON And by Druggists' generally/ ' jan2