Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

COLUMBIA. ? Saturday Morning', Aug-. 19, 1865. Politico-Social Apathy. Assuming that Governor Perry has rightly exercised his authority, in call? ing for an election of members to a Convention, to which it will ho allot? ted to reorganize tho State and for a general revision of thc Constitution, ibo-? it occurs to us that a most pro? found and apathetic imlif?crence pre? vails throughout the State, in regard to this object. . "Whether it is that the effect of thc late revolution in our affairs has had the effect of stunning the popi?ar ndnd-Mvliether it is thad the necessities of the. household and tim individual have put all political objects entirely out of the people's head-or whether ali sympathy with politics, of whatever kind, has been crushed out by. the overthrow .of the fondly entertained political faith of fifty years-it matters not; the fact is, nevertheless, unquestionable, that, so far as we have seen, the public mind takes but ht tie interest in any polities, and exhibits no sort of > activity or even sensibility in, respect to an elec? tion* which ii to hold, within its re? sults, an entirely new political organi tion for the country. dbi former occasions, in. a matter so vitally inte? resting, publit* meetings would have been held at all the court house?;, on wile or other public days, and there woidd*probably have been a* popular nomination of a ticket including the preferred names of tho., community. AL present, if an election takes place ?it all, it. is destined to bo a scrub race.. There are really no candidates-no parties seek'representatives-and it is . very unlikely that many votes will be ? taken. Thc parties elected may or may not be good men and true. They ure just as likely to be worthless. All seem indifferent to the result. The ' question occurs to us, "Is this right or wise?" If our people are to Uve in , this country, then it behooves them to sc: that the political power oj; the country does not fall into the hands of the vicious or the worthless. The jnemheis o? thc seeding Convention, < the members of the Confederate Con? gress and of the State' Legislatures, are, we believe, excluded from place iii the Convention. This exclusion operates seriously against the picked men of this country. It denies us ' the use of many of^our finest minds. Can we, find substitutes for these? Are there not men to bc found, in alj the districts, not liable to objection, who are yet capable of the duties and to bc true.tc'd in the situation? And is it not the duty of the people to suck out such mon, iu every precinct,'and ? assure themselves of the best capaci? ties for legislation that the country may still possess? Such is our opin? ion. We should not show a reckless (.lingard of the future, because of the misfortunes and disappointments of the past. Let our people, therefore, in all the districts, proceed, promptly and unitedly, to an examination into their social and intellectual resources, i^i order to their employment in tin? or? ganization of the hilde anew, and to the future legjsb tion under it. We need, in the Convention especially, tin1 best legal ?inti judicial minds - men conversant, with all the nice dis? criminations of law--'conversant with, political definitions and constitutions, and capable of weighing well thc im? port of every sentence which is utter? ed. The Government of the United States can only require of us a lle publiean form of Constitution, and ibo model for this is to be found in tho Constitutions of thorn States, | whose characteristics, policy ?yid peo? ple, most nearly resemble our own. In Hie choice of these men, while we may prefer many who are excluded by?rcason of the exceptions made in thc Presidential proclamations of am? nesty, let us not insist upon thom; but, avoiding ?ill occasions for cavil, let ns t urn to others of our citizens, such as we think, from their general moral,'high tone,*kiiown virtues and superior intellect, may 'oe relied upon for the duty, and cast, our votes for * them with ail possible unanimity. To do this, we think that primary meet? ings might be held, herc and Ibero, _jilli i i illim I j, preliminary to a general meeting o? the citizens of the District io Avhieh tlie nomination might be made unani? mous. . Columbia, as the capital, ol the State, nuil Richland District, o? which she is also thc 'capital, should properly lead in the matter, and inau? gurate for all the districts a proper precedent, in -which the general apa? thy, now prevailing over ail. shall lie disturbed and neutralized by fresh current of mental electricity, from which \ve may hope purification in the end. We are assuming that we are to live in this country, and that our children are still to possess it. With those who decide otherwise, wc have nothing fe do or say. But with all others-with all those who either cannot or will n-).' leave the country, and propose to cast their fortunes i i it for gond or evil: then our argument a nd entreaty sh- mid prevail against the apathy jBieh show.* them indifferent to the Swrt of Go? vernment under which they arv te exist. There aro no longer State rights. The States are mere corpora? tions. The authority of the United States Government ir. paramount. There is no other sovereignty; and ail that remains for us is to accommodate ourselves to the new condition ol . things, # or quit the country. It i; useless to lament the past-the wreck of favorite political ideas, or thc lass of fortune. The one we cannot re? store; the latter we may repair. With all those who design or desire tv) dei so, it is the obvious duty to take snell active part in the work of re-organi? zation as will save ns from thc blun? derings of imbecility or tho treacher? ies of malice. We must endeavor t< make thc Constitution of South Caro lina as tolerable as it may he mad< under the circumstances of the ease. Wo have spoken of those who ari meditating their departure from tilt country. On this subject, it might b< sufficient to refer all .such to tin' ex collent flotter of Wade Hampton re? cently published in this journal. Ihr something may be added to this letter Whither do our discontented friend' propose to go? Whore is the refuge' To the Mexican States? That regioi will be one of anarchy for tho.nex sixty years; which is,the limit we as . sign for the duration ol' any existing American organization. But the; I talk of Cuba and Brazil, having th< ! notion tl;.It,, .a.; s-.'ve States, they wit enjoy thqt^serv?s in r.-j atmOspTien I which ?nore certainly a'ppoals to thei sympathies tb.;ii roy oilier..' I > tit is i not apparent tiiat tie1 same .fate whiel has pursued them here, as proprit tor of slaves, will dog their steps wher ever they go, if in a slave country The same strife, struggle, war-mas sacre, perhaps - under the ontsid pressure of sdi the great nations"of th 1 world, will pursue them to Cuba am I Brazil. The dogged pride of Hi Spaniard will be forced to suceuni' under it; the 'feeble empire of Bra/.: wjJJ bow to the decree which has freo tho Africans in our more powcrft States of the South. The fanatieisi of the a^e, having subsidized or si leneed a":l other parties, now supporte by the physical forces of the grea European States, and no longe checked-nay, sanctioned by the at live support of the United States will emancipate the African froi labor in all countries-not from slav* ry, but labor. And there will be n rest, no peace, suffered to those com tries, no matter how remote, no ma ter under what dynasty, when; th African is still coerced to obey th elementary law of God and civiliz; t'on. Our people can find rein? neither in Mexico, nor in Cuba, in in-Brazil. Ireland and Australia ai mon; eligible places of retreat, and : is not unreasonable to believe tin grants of lands, in both these region: may be had for Southern colonist from the Government of Great Br tain. Jtct us hug to our souls none. < these delusions. Lot us, for Heaven sake and man's peace, have no lift continued struggle about thc status ( thc tngro. Let our sons bc taught t work out their own deliverance indi pendently, and w ithout regard to an employment of labor, orari, extern to themselves, th^-ir own souls an muscles. I The Charleston Ik?hj AV/rs con menees its career with commendab spirit. The appearance of thc pape ?ts we have already said, is good; tl contents are various, and the editori pen seems to How with equal frcedo and intelligence. We extract son items from its columns, which will 1 found scattered about through oui An ingenious Frenchman has i vented a respirator by which ann can take his stock of pure air into t midst of noxious vapors, and come o all right. Undated pupisV-coHcge graduates, Trude Witll'?Uc Sora O. Southern merchants are coming to tho North to res*un#-their relations with importers, and to make arrange? ments for thc great business that must bo done in tho vast regions that have been for four j'ears so inneh secluded from the world of trade. . Some of them come prepare?! to pay off old scores before they make new. A fe w an; ready to pay lill) couta on a dollar; but by far the larger part of. thom must make a compromise with their creditors, or tiny cannot adjust their accounts. As a genere] thing they find our merchants ready to meet them in a libera] spirit, ?mil to-accept the most favorable terms fer thc debtor. Now and then the pertinacity with which ono merchant holds out ?ind refuses to accept anything less than the face of tho notu with intered, puts a dead lock upon a setthiiiont, and the disappointed man is obliged to give up in despair. lt is tho dictate of sound policy to be liberal and easy in relation to*the past and cautious for tl ie future, lie-' for?; the war, the system of giving long credit-for larg?!uniountshad been carried to an extreme ht tin? highest degree injurious to buyer and- seller. Now is thu time to insist on a safer policy. Whore tho basis ?rf int?*grity and past success is well laid, our mer? chants will make it their interest to help tlie Southern dealer to got on his feet again as soon as possible, lt was pleasant to see, as'we did the other day. a letter from South Carolina con? taining rn order for goods, with the cash enclosed-one greenback of the $1,001) denomination, ?nd other funds, to pay for ihe whole amount ordered. The North bas made ne-ney by the war. The Struth has lost nearly every? thing. If we h t th?! ]>asi go; and bo? urn anew in a liberal spirit, insisting i*n short credits ami prompt payment, we shall s?)on see the South reviving j and scmling her .orders, here with the greatest possible freedom. Tin1 fol? lowing will give som?! idea ?rf what i i. i likely to bo 'Wanted, li' one State j noels all th??s<> things, what will the whole South want, ami want immedi? ately? In an editorial review of. the i condition and wants of the State of North Carolina, the Newborn Times says : ''During tho next twelve months the State will want at hast two jlnindroil thousand ?lullars worth o? ploughs, and as many "Inoro <>' tho various implements nee? ssary for successful farming. To' tl:-se add ?nie Hundred thousand *mvrc for car? tilages, wagons, ?tc. Tln-n it will ; nsftiiro li Tty- thousand io supply* j wooden ware, such ns tubs, buckets, pails, barrels, A?'., and fifty' thousand i mor.' to supply caudles um! soap: while two,hnudre?l thousand will hardly be [ suflieii'iit to furnish slnr.-.s Tor our po? pulation. Tims it will be s-en that I we expend nearly a million of dollars I for these few nvthdVs, whereas they Ljhould be manufactured hore, and t?a? ! money kept among us. Tills estimate, we.are aware, falls far below the true ligure, but in the absence of necessary ?lat:i, we use these numbers in order to bring thc subject before the minds of our rentiers ina practical form. ' [Xao York O'oserver, July'll. (1 rana;rv Arawins-G rex. IT. Corns. -The Augusta Ckronirie notice.*- tho [presence ol' tlc,n. Howell Cobb in that I city, and says: "In ;l conversation with the Generai, he ??sprosse?!a great desire to have all matters now in aid- j tatton settler! at once. The is&ues j which have lately convulsed Mus coun? try lie considers forever disposed of. ; Slavery, lie .- ays, can never be resusci? tated in any shene. Matters which have passed should bo numbered anion?- the things that were, and should not be ilrnggod into the pris? sent, thereby creating discord and trammeling the movements of those wno are doing all tiny can to settle affairs." The same paper speaks of thc arrival in town of ex-Go v. Brown, and says: "Gov. Brown speak;; hope? fully of the future, and thinks it would be well for the Convention to declare shivery utan (Mid in Georgia without ex'eitaineni or di-cns-ion. He rega??s the question of secession us settled by tht? result of Hie war. arid that any fe rt her agitation on that and kindred topics should l>e studiims?y avoid*?!." The New York Post says, "We have favored'and still favor the substitution of civil for military government for all the States lately'in rebellion. We believe it is better that tho people of ?>.-i-li State shall have the responsibili? ty thrown upon them of re-establishing law and order and liberty in their own communities. But they ought clearly to understand that if they refuse or ure unable to do this duty, they will compel th?! General Government to step in and do it for them."' This doesn't scent unreasonable. How to correal mistakes in whisLOj -rectify it. The most exti^xordinary carnival of crime is now in fell blast nt the North, ol' which wc ever remember to have heard or reach A voktmeof the New? gate calender might be culled from thc gigantic crimes which have been per? petrated there in .the last three weeks. In that time, at least six horrible cases of rape have occurred, accompanied in thr_o instances with the murder of the victims-OT.? oc? curring -in sight cf tho church spires of Boston-the murderers c<> caping. Within that time two sons ! have killed their partants, one butcher [ hig li's mother and sister, in order that he might get money enough to marry I upon, and the other shot-bis father in I heat bf blood. Three prominent bank ! officials have robbed their banks of vast amounts, ono escaping to France, and there becoming a madman, smother committing suicide in his cell ii; Nev.- York, a few nights since, and the hist .accuses n frail woman ?us the cause of bis fell. . To these we may add innumerable crimes ol' less magni? tude, such ?is counterfeiters ?of frac? tional currency and petroleum swin? dles. These crimes have ?is 'yet in very few instances been traced to re? turned soldiers. They, poor fellows, seem, in a great many instances, to ! have toiruxL their wives not of the ! patient, ?Rolope typo, if forty divorce ! suits, instituted in a .single county by 1 r. turned soldiers. niesiBMuivlhini?, "[.\,;r \ orb News. (loNinsc.v'rro.s IN Lor "SIANA.- -There ! has beim a good deni of movement in real estate this w et !:, including several largo secession and confiscation sales, i Very good prie: s have been n\ li/ed I except ia v ?nliseatod property. Many ? fears are entertained in regard to title*, ; which may be niati'vi.ally siireeted by : thc mareil of event ; and tho decision.* 1 of tho Supreme Court. Thc property I of John Slided, comprising S12 lois ! and squares o? ground; willi stores, dv.\:ll?!ig"ho':ses and a banking hons .. ! wen- sold for vi!K},-ll0. liefore the wai ' it was estimated ?it S?S00,0OO. Had tin war not taken place, it is esfciniateil ! that Mr. Slided would haveibeen worth ! $2,000,000. As if was. when thf: wsii 1 brok?' out, he sohl bis Northern pro ! porty pretty well to Mr. Belmont foi : Louisiana bonds, .which afterwards -largely sidvanced, and considerable o' Southern property wac sdso Well dis? posed of. In thc casi- of the recent salos there w TC powerful interv?iicuvc wbo claim umler mortgages the ful vaiiie of the property, and will doubt, less carry their chums up to tho Sn promo < 'ourt. Very little, in tact, wii t ie realized to the Government of thesi confiscation sades. They arc most o them cm-nmbered by just claim! ^whiehwill be doubtlessly allowd. Ii : the ease of 31r. Slid?H"s iuterv?nors f raud is charged, and the review w ii depend, lipon thc facts. [rW"' Orleans Letter. CoxFF.jvrut.vri" LxiLrs tx MEXICO. The Galveston Xfirs thus speaks o the iimd disposition of the Confedo rates wi io followed (hms. Smith, Ma . grudcr and others into Mexico: j "On arriving at Montery, the troop; were discharged, and both officer* I and inen scattered in every direction I tin soldiers all engaging in their re sportive trades wherever they conk find employment, having'made up their mindi) never tb return to theil homes in the United States. Most o the officers had left Monterey for dil' forent, destinations. "Gen. Magruder set ont forFuropi by way of Vera Cruz, intending t; join his family, now somewhere oi the Rhine. Gen. E. Kirby Smith with two or three others, had starte? for the city of Mexico, and from thenci Gen. Smith in tended togO'so Havana to join his wife in that city. Gen Preston was about to proceed to Ila lii'ax, when: his family have residci since their banishment from Ken tucky, (wo or throe years sigo. Gen H indinan has !;is family wit h him ii Monterey, and intends residing then for the present. Gen. Price is pre naring io go to [lio Janeiro, where lb %xpeots to meet his family and to malo his future residence. None of then ever expect to return to their forme homes in the United States." Tins CONDITIO:" OP HON. A. H. STE PHEXS.-We are pleased to learn f ha the rigid rules prohibiting Mr. Ste phens from writing or receiving let tors, ev< n upon personal affairs, hav been relaxed. We .saw a letter fron him this week, dated from hisprisoi sit Foit Warren, to a friend in.thi city, from which we learn that Mr Stephens is in yery bad health, H is seriously and painfully afflicted witl rheumatism, doubtless caused by th damp w;i!ls of a fortress upon si consti tution naturally delicate, and whic] luis been enfeebled by many yesirs o continued illness. The position <> Mr. Steph, ns appeals with peculia fi re? to every humane r.nd gen<~"'on impulse.- JV. Y. h Boo/.-. Is?oal Itoixis?. To insure insertion, aiivcrtisnn are rr ipieatod to barvl in their notices.?ei.r? 1$ o'clock j:, ia. LIO-ATA,-THE DEVIL. . -The devil o? u printing e?ic? is r. proverbial Mer.J -n t>!vi! ?aargad with seven devils-in dl pro-vi>>:'it\ the very sanie 1er o? de .il- t-hicM ..*.,: .. 'if the swine and rushed ??t!> thc'", im r the steep ir.: > drowning ?rater. '!".>.? ?. ? .~.\m us as grievously rs MephisioplniU-s exer? cised the German Faa-;*.. Theyplaj old j larry with tua types, stud, ?.boying Old Nick, they do w .1 hoed the nicks in the typos. Our editorial y< al erdv.y. WUK dread? fully disiignre.d by thai mul-adroituesses. Thug, instead of < aneer, they printed Can? hr-vVhieh is no sign in our or any other zodiac. .In a doggrel distich, they left out a necessary monosyllabic. Speaking to Col. Shiver, we sa iii: a. '.And when he next haili ice to spari, AI a y wc (te suifercd still to shan ." The "Kc*' was unluckily I.ft out. Two lines were transposed, which should have "read thus: "We overthrew tiie altars cf Capri? corn and (.'.meer-wo demolished the goat; >'c tonk the claws from the crab. Of the former, wu made mutton, and of tin latter a rare salad-?," ?te. in the local department, a paragraph r latia:: to the Charleston Cel? ine, tin- name ot Mr. Cphrahu i'.-.yiiard is horrihl;. ir nish:;cd mto .-one thing which is as little tStlgUsh as Ile!.rev.. 'Ihne are other errors ol' th?; typographical ?levil, whof.1 it is next to irnpe*.a!.!.: to pursue through" all bis sinuosities* ol'error. Tho read?r must 8.:e!> io in ip ns in elaciia.itig the typical mysteries and extracting sense and grammar ?Vein oar hieroglyphics. We must net omit, also, a correction itt lite se? lect ?I poem on eoltoR. Line seventeen from tin top, change C?o wont ..felicity" tn "fe? rocity,'' ion! you will have it right! Tiie line should then read thus: "Lost nlij'rrocf/i/, und soon bee.une." We are the acre ? :ir',!i alar 111 111 i> con? nect ian, tis we regarded l?he piece lisette containing a spinal SJIU hern argmaeiii, and well lilted for declamation in :: Koutiicrii school. We see nev. reason!; nm.nea:?y, ia Hie ar? rival of m r.- goods for our Chindan mer? chants* w'u\ such ter lal!...reports of mor? tality, diaer-sos, c:q-alora ?cs, and all that ? sort of tiling should he current u the neighboring ct mu try. Ihre, .mw, in Mr. .Melvin lil. Cob.ll, one et' the li*: nf our ' merchants io "hang his banner on I'KIOIU w.ird wall," with a 1.must rom; supply, ab ! solutuly elephantine, ot good things for uni* ? market. Hore, in o:;u day, ht: rocrivea j seven wagons of merchandize, from tim city ol' Charleston. See his Iong**vord?:?l advertisement in thc Phn:nix of to-tlay. He has every thing i?i tho shapejuf sweets and soars, solids raid li plids, spicy and sugary, i...t wwi cool, comforting ua.l coti farnrr.ble, for nil winds urtu wcaibutf Toil know what Wi il hr tile resal?. Tiler:- will nut ?ie a shopkeeper in Columbia, wluwill u-i" take Hu-alarm, ami do likewise. Leu : aere h;' no ft ?irs. on the purl of the Mem? bers nf tht! ? 0:1 vent;-.a. liait ?e. re will ic.it , i:e enough in ('olumlii:: to eal ?UhI dlin'i and vyear for the next mouths, fun stme-iy ii commensurate lo every possible demand. Nay, more! Wc :dl:?.?.-t dl'ui'.d f iat it will iaii'e-e mi enormous appetite011 tat! part of consumers; and the effect ?di these good things will be that :*?r Conven-? tina and. Legislature will linger so long in session that the good wives of the couiitry .will scad after them. Wives will not permit .that C^-ir hrisnaiitls snail cr.haust theui : elf.-s iii the business of legislation. Mr. Melvin M. Cohen, with his grand variety??t creature eo?uforts, will be presented to 'tho grand juro* aa an invader, of fi male r-ml do? mestic right.-. NEW Ai>vr.:;Ti:sE3ii:x'rs.-Attent ion i ; called to the following advert iv. meats, which aro published for thc lirst time tf.is morning: P. Cantwell -Goshen Uniter. .lames Cantwell-Commission Merchant. Melvin M. Coben -Ch..in Goods, j* V.'hiu- ft T i.imp. on Mah; Acadcmv. A. lb I'hillips New Coeds. Wm. Martin <.'arriageor Wagon to Hire. A port at this ofiice-J-'stray Horse. Kxrra Communication Kichlamt Lodge. "BI.TXI) TOM."-Tito case of "Mimi Tum," the musical negro, 1ms Leen de.-idial at ( ?nciunati, hy Judge Wood mil'. The claimant, Tal dis Cm rss, who sued ont thc writ of halxuts corpus ott the pica that he had been appointed guardian of Tom, in Floyd County, indiana, i-. declared to have no rights as such-the boy not being a resident of that State. Bethune, the former owner, having exhibited a written con? tract, and there beingTio evidence ol' unkind i-rea-tn^eut, it. is plain that thc boy is in his care, whether the d cu ment is valid or not. The boy was far away from Iiis home, and therefore ,is only entitled to temporary relief in Ohio, bein;.- ??able to be sent out of tho Slab- us i**fparipcr to the place wi ere he is a legal resident. The.) inigo acegfdingby decided that from a pri? vate examination of his menial condi? tion lu? possessed sufficient judgment tn malle choice of bis own custodian. That choice being to remain with Mr. Bethune, h.' ordered "that he be re? manded accordingly to hi:: ch.arg<% with a right to change his guardian? ship whenever a proper occasion, miglif require. Mr. Pratt, a Republican member of thc Connecticut Legislature, declared that Connecticut is a "sovereign State" -Unit site alone has the right - to py who shall or shall no; voto in her election**-and thai no law o; Carraa can interfere in tho matt'CT.