Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Tuesday Morning, January 8,1866. Let Politics Reit. The Mobile Register thinks the conservatives of the whole country could find no worthier leader than Gen. Grant, and mentions his name in connection with the next Presiden? tial election-that is, should President Johnson fall beneath thc extreme pressure of the radicals. While we have no objection to General Grant, as the successor of President Johnson, should the latter from any cause not b<5 a candidate, we are convinced that it is neither dignified, wise or politic for the Southern States to mingle in any political scramble among the aspiring politicians of the North, or to betray any indications of pajtizanship. It is not dignified, because we have not, so far, any part or lot in the administration of the Government oi the United States. Our Senatorsand Representatives are not admitted ag a portion of the law-makers of the country, and it is uncertain when they will be. In the second place, it is not wise, because if they are even admitted, both they and our people have more imperative duties to perform and higher interests at stake, than mere President-making, or the success of this or that party leader or chief. When the time comes for the election, the people of the Southern States will cast their Totes for that nominee, who they know will cleave to the Constitution and the laws ; but that they should already indicate their anxiety or desire to mingle again in the party politics, would, stultify them in the eyes of the world. They have had enough of what is called politics and of President-making in the past. Their first duty now is to go to work to retrieve their shattered fortunes, to make a, living and to restore, at as early-a period as possible, their coun? try to its former prosperity. Let politics and presidential elections alone for the present. They never were a profitable investment. V:Uioiv^l Hunks In lite South. The Washington correspondent of the Baltimore Sun says the South is coming to the treasury for a fair share of the present and future national bank currency. Applications for r^-ionul bank charters are re -cei*^^R--Trn?xp^Tecr numbers from the cotton growing States. An in? crease of currency is there needed to encourage and assist in the revival of the cott?n culture, as well as the movement of the crops, when they shall be EL; de. It is }*robable that Congress will favor the project of increasing the limit of the national currency to four millions, chiefly for the purpose of meeting the demands for the restored South. Three applications for national banks at Little Kock, Arkansas, have been made at the currency bureau, in consequence of the fine prospect for a large crop of cotton the coming year, in that region. One of them is headed by a citizen who has seven hundred thousand dollars in Govern? ment securities, which he offers to employ in banking. South Carolina, if we mistake not, is behind any other of the Southern States. It is true, she has not many such fortunate men as this Little Kock capitalist, but still, we imagine, there is capital and cotton enough to found several bauks-?^f^??e State ; at least one or two irithe cities and most prominent tosses. Our planters and ^r?pJU|j|fc?^?v.'ners in om-burned cities and towns need a larger extent of the only currency that we now have, in order to recuperate. Cannot Colum? bia raise sufficient capital for at least one of these institutions ? GKAT?FYINO A^N'OUNCEMENT.-The j National Intelligencer says : "It is with great pleasure that we announce I the fact that the President will thu* ? .soon be enabled to crown his great work o? csnciliation by a proclama? tion declaring that the States whose powers have been so long in abeyance have resumed their proper functions as members of the Union, and that the Union is restored!" The Intelli? gencer, it will be observed, does not i say that the President will issue this I proclamation, but that ''he will soon i be enabled" to do it. Such a procla motion would hasten the crisis be- j tween the radicals and conservatives. | . The South Sine? the War. A correspondent of New York Times, writing from the South to that journal, draw a the followhig picture of the position in which the war left the Southern people and of the temper in -which they have ac? cepted its results: "The men oi the North and of the South were Americans, and they were bound to fight it out. The North, with its mountains of re? sources and its avalanche of men, was determined to carry the struggle on to a successful termination, and the South was resolved to do or dia. * 'How fared the South in this strug? gle ? In addition to their loss of men and treasure which we alone feel, they find themselves upon the verge of nun. In the N :>rth, with the ex? ception of bereaved widows and mothers, &c, peace dawned upon a happy land. Not so with the South. Taking into consideration the popu? lation of the respective sections, they lose nearly ten men to our one. In the destruction of the institution of slavery they lose one-half of their property, or more {?han enough money to pay the expenses of the war in? curred upon both sides. Their cities and towns, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, have been wholly or partially destroyed, and the whole country is penniless. And yet they accept the situation of things without murmuring, and are actually trying to enjoy themselves." We do not know about the South? ern people "enjoying" themselves, but this correspondent speaks tmlj of the condition of affairs through? out the South, and presents to th? people of the North and of the world an example almost unparalleled ir the latter's history-a brave peopli nearly completely ruined by th< ravages of a civil war, cheerfully ac cepting the unfortunate results o that war and raising in their migh to avail themselves of the few re sources left them, to repair thei broken fortunes; returning in goo< faith to their allegiance to the Go vernment they attempted to over throw. None but a brave peopl could thus so nobly surmount sucl disaster and privation as have fall m to their lot. Irre g ular ii ?cs of the Alalia-The Con trmbands. A subscriber writes as follows fron Chriton, Laurens District: MESSRS. EDITORS: I am a sub scriber to your tri-weekly. It come extremely irregular and frequent! not at all. Sometimes they come ii their wrappers and sometimes naked i. e., they are evidently taken oui This is almost sure to ba the case whe: important news is expected. In th present ?tnto of our mail service, do not know that this can be helped Christmas passed without seriou trouble with the black people, in thi I District; although we hear of some i Newberry; but now since Christmas all is confusion. The negroes ar running in every direction trying t rent, and generally refuse to ente into contract to hire for the year, J few have made contracts, but comps ratively few. It is difficult to undei stand the animus that governs then: only that they are unwilling to bin themselves to be under the control c direction of any one. They cairne understand that they are under n straints of law, nor feel the obligt tion of contracts. They understan liberty in its natural and wides sense, t. e., to mean that every on may do what he pleases. Where th: will end, no one can see. GRAND CHARITY BALL.-New Yor is going to have a charity ball thi shall eclipse the Prince of Wale Japanese and Russian balls, all < which were really magnificent. Tl Academy of Music and Irving Ha have been engaged-the latter to 1 used for the supper-room. It is b lievedthat &75,0O0 will be realize* as the tickets are nominally $20 ead and many of these will be sold i quadruple the price. Delmoni< prepares the supper for the creme-? la-creme who will be thore. GENERAL LEE'S HOUSE.-Arlingtc Heights still remain in the possessk of the'Government, but it is said th that the wife of Robert E. Lee h recently written to a friend that si intends to return there, even if si is "obliged to live in the black qua ters." This is indicative of tl strength of her determination to r assert what she considers the righ of herself and husband to this histor property; but among the other o s tades she will probably encounter, the fact that twelve thousand Uni? soldiers have been buried upon i soil. GEN. MERCER.-This officer, nc on triai in Savannah, is a grand-s< of Gen. Hugh Mercer, of revolutio arv fame, who fell at Princeton, ai whose remains now rest in Lam Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia. A C;>rre?poadcn?c of th.? Pace mix. WASHINGTON , D. C., January 2, 1866. There ie a certain degree of cessation in the activity of political life here at this mo meat, as the Congress-monslrum. horren diim of d?magogie-has depleted itself ex? tensively by a flying visit of each represen? tative to his "intelligent constituency," to ! eat his mineo pie at his own/ chimney corner, and get a brief inkling of what "intelligent constituency" thinks it thinks on the present complicated condition of affairs. Fortunately, for a few days at least, onr ears are not vexed with the bel? lowing of this most honorable beast. I think I can announce to you the pro? gramme of the majority in Congress. It is to legislate so far as may be supposed ne? cessary to secure equality before the law to the "colored citizens South of African descent." They claim the power under the amendment of tho Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery. I have an impression that they do not consider themselves very much bound by tho as? surances that Mr. Seward gave Provisional Governor Perry on this point. They fur thor.propose to amend tho Constitution of the United States in these particulars: Fir??t, repudiation of debts contracted by Confederate States individually during the war. This is rather a brutum, fatmen, as the States had already either done this, or resigned themselves to do it. -Second, to make the representation of each State de? pend on tho number of voters. This is smart. Talleyrand would not have thought it a bad dodge. See how it works. If tho Southern States refuse to let their negroes vote, they lose all the representation their j negroes might give them. Nothing counts but their white voters. This reduces their ! representation greatly below what it now j is. ii the negroes do not vote. So, likewise, [ tho vote of the South in the electoral col I lege is brought down to its minimum. So I far, this* a clear gain to our Republican friends. Then suppose we take the other horn of the dilemma. Imagine the South confers suffrage on universal negrodom, then our Republican friends have the ele? ments of a great party at tho South-thc negroes and disaffected whites. So you ! see this amendment is got up artistically. I It is "heads I win-tails you lose." Thc I third amendment is one awfully dangerous j to the South. It is to give Congress powei ' to levy export duties. This means bandi I up to tho elbows in Southern pockets, ir j the shape of ten cents per pound on cottor I exported. Nothing can be more unjust oi I impolitic than this tax. It is killing th< goose to get the golden egg. This ta: must fall almost entirely on the producer It will operate very hardly on all "coloree pus8ons" who expect wages in cotton fields It is a dreadful blow at their wages. When these various amendments an made part and parcel of tho Constitution then the representatives from tho South ern States are to be admitted to thei: seats, on one little condition-that is t< say, provided they can swear they havi never voluntarily aided in the lato "wicket rebelliou." Now, the question is, will this pro gramme be carried through? As thing appear at present, it seems so. I heard i Senator say ho had been counting noses and he could not make out, by anv modi of calculation, that there was a majority o conservative noses in the Senate. It i well understood that the House is a fa tougher customer than the Senate. Under this state of things, it does no appear that the President will have hi own way. The question of negro suffrage is stirrini np the people of tins city wonderfully The feeling against it is overwhelming yet the impression is that Congress wil enact it. The cotton stealing among the Govern ment agents South is so enormous tba fhe Assistant Secretary of the Treasur bas gone South to put a stop t' ;t. I ima gine that tho labors of Her. .es won! Erove but a trifle to this. Cotton is s igh and so tempting, that the Govern ment agents-poor fellows-cannot rosie thc chance of making "their piles." The death of Henry Winter Davis wa entirely unexpected. He was a man c considerable talent, and very great au: bition. He was born at thc South, but di not evince much svmpatby for his nativ section. He held his seat for ' years iroi Baltimore, without any right to it-havin been elected by violence. Mr. Seward's trip to Cuba created som sensation when first announced. Som persons were certain it meant somet'nin) nothing less than a split in the Cabine But it is represented as merely a voyat for healthy_ OBSERVER. THE FENIAN SECRETARY OE WAI The English Minister, in pursuanc of instructions from his Governmen has addressed a note to Mr. Sewar< asking him if it -was true that tl person claiming to be Secretary < War of the Fenians is an officer i the regular army of the United State information to that effect having bet laid before the British Governmen The individual alluded to is said bo a Mr. Sweener, who really is Colonel or Brigadier-General in tl regular army. His name appears c the last army register, on pages ? and 69, the last entry showing him be a Brigadier-General of Volunteei commissioned as such November 29t 1862; and the first entry showing hi to hold the* rank of Major in the E venteenth regiment of infantry, reg lar army, the regiment of whl Andrew J. Porter is Colonel. He said to be a good soldier and an es mable gentleman. Some commotion was created a ?< nights ago in the Mobile Theatre 1 some persons hissing the air of "Ya kee Doodle" while the soldiers we applauding it^J^?HfltfBferious d hirbance^^l^^^^^^wKtuiie ii M 9f . by t: SV?e L?bor-Cheering Eiamplr. The following letter from General Gideon J. Pillow is of a character thai will inspire some hope in the minds of the Sontheim people: "NASHVILLE, TENN., Dec 22, 1865. "Gen. 0. 0. Howard, Commiseioner, ?fee, ?fee, Washiugton: "It affords me pleasure to inform you that I have been successful beyond my most sanguine expecta? tions in engaging labor for ali% my plantations in Arkansas and Tennes? see. I have already engaged about four hundred freedmen, and have full confidence in making a success of the work. I have given in all cases the ireedman a part of the crop of cotton, and I allow him land for the cultivation of vegetables and corn for his own use, withofft charge there? for. I world have engaged one thousand laborers if I had needed that number. My brother, who adopted my plan of work, succeeded in engaging laborers for three places he is working. I have put one large plantation under white labor from the North upon precisely the same terms I engaged freedmen. I feel anxious to try the system of white labor of that character for the planta? tion. Knowing the interest you feel in the success of the system of thc freedmen, and feeling grateful for your kindness to mo, I feel it to be a duty to communicate the result of my work thus far. With assurance of my personal regard and respect, I am, General, very respectfully, "GIDEON J. PILLOW." We are convinced that much of tho success of our future system of labor depends on the planters themselves. General Pillow and his brother have gone to work in the right, and like men of sterling, good sense; and the Southern people-and, indeed, the whole country-will look with great interest for the results of the Gene? ral's experiment. Fair and liberal contracts with the freedmen, kind treatment and a rigid observance of ajl contracts on both sides, will, we think, greatly ameliorate if not nearly entirely prevent the evils apprehend? ed from the removal of slavery. From our own observation within the past few days, and from what we hear from others, we are inclined to believe that the number of these peo? ple is materially declining in and about this city, and that many are leaving for neighboring plantations, either under contract or for the pur? pose of making contracts with the land-owners. If this course of con? duct on the part of the laborers be fully or generally followed up, the South will recover her prosperity sooner than was anticipated for some mouths past. The freedmen will have their share of the credit in this great work, and will escape the priva? tions that must necessarily ensue, ii they remained in an impoverished city like Columbia, or indeed in anv of the cities or towns throughout tht South, for they are all more or lest stricken or impoverished. COST OF LIVING rN WASHINGTON. The cost of living in Washingtor just now is rather startling, if corres? pondents, writing from that city, speal sorrectly. A letter to a Western papei ?states that a Congress member fron Illinois has been in Washington SOUK lays, enjoying the luxury of a roon in the third story of Willard's hotel, it the moderate quid pro quo o eighteen dollar ptr day. It say? further: "This is not an Isolated case however, for your member fron Chicago is a regular boarder, anc occupies a room on the second floor about ten by fourteen, with a not un asually large bed in it, for which hi remunerates the proprietorjat the rab ot only ten dollars per day, or 83,651 per annum. Your correspondent ha a lively recollection of individual whom he has now in his mind's eye who coidd not, if they honestly am promptly re-imbursed the proprietor bouor that house with their presence is a guest, for the space of over abou fifteen minutes. "It rained one day, and cotto: umbrellas went up to seven dollars Members of Congress get $3,00 salary, from which a tax of five pe sent, is taken. The mileage is count ?d by air line, and to show to thos who complain that the tax commis doner is exacting, and also to sho> that Uncle Samuel is no respecter c persons, a tax is taken from this, toe Ct is very easy to see that these hor arable gentlemen are not without thei ittle trials as well as the cammo folks that independently sit by thei ires ?des and enjoy the sweet luxurie >f a home." Despatches from Washington sa hat the amount of prize money che las been already paid, amounts t ibout 89,500,000, and it is state hat about 85,500,000 remains unpait This is only one moiety of the pre seeds of the captured property, th >ther going to the Government. Tue Colton Famine. Cotton is the basis of all commer? cial prosperity, in this country, and hence a cotton famine must neces? sarily produce a financial convulsion. That we are on the eve of a great cotton famine and a terrible financial convulsion, wo think there can be no doubt. On this question the National Intelligencer says: "The cotton question involves the financial question. Few financiers in the country believe that the national debt can be paid, or the national credit maintained, unless the cotton fields of the Southern States are again reworked for a supply ol the staple which has been and may now be again, our chief medium oi exchange with foreigu nations. Il has been suggested, indeed, and por haps by some sanguine and credulous persons believed, that our gold and silver mines are to totally superseded cotton in our foreigu exchange. Il is a vain expectation. Our cottor fields are our liehest mines. Cottor is specie, and that chiefly is to enable ns to resume specie payments. "Some persons again have che rished the belief that our granaries were to feed a large proportion of th? inhabitants of commercial and manu facturing Europe. That we have oe Casio nally exported large quantities o: breadstulTs aud provisions has beer owing to exceptional circumstances not likely to occur soon or often. Th< export of breadstuff's hos now nearh ceased, partly by reason of the higl prices of grain consequent upon ou: inflated currency. Large crops o cotton must be produced before ou: cereals eau find a profitable marke abroad. The cotton export will re store the specie standard, and thei wheat and corn and provisions can bi produced at a less- cost, and offered ii foreigu markets at prices which wil will secure a steady demand, whde, a the same time, it will increase thi amount of foreign consumption, es pecially in the manufacturing dis tricts. "Weare now on the eve of thc greatest cotton famine that hos eve occurred. There are not more thai seven or eight hundred thousam bales of cotton in this country, includ ing the crop of the present year anc the remaius of former crops. Th time is at hand for making arrange ments for the next year's crop. Wi also have information that politics uncertainties discourage planting en terprise iu tho South. Capital am enterprise hesitate to undertake plant ing on a large scale while the relation of the planting States to the Unioi remain unsettled, and also while th condition of the Southern laborin class remains a subject of politics agitation. "Large amounts of capital have however, been sent to the South either for the purchase of cotton o its production, by commercial m PU C the Northern cities. But more eil mlation is needed in order to provid for the production and the movemen af a large crop for the next year National banks are called for in th South, but they cannot be authorize x> the extent required, unless Cor jress provide, in accordance with th recommendation of the Cornptrolle jf the Currency, Mr. Freeman Clarke "or an increase of the limit of tb national currency to four hundre nillions." INTERNAL REVENUE-TAX ON SALE.? The following important reply wi ?eceived a few days since by Pete ?age, Esq., Assessor of In terni Ftevenue for Chicago District, froi rion. D. C. Whitman, Deputy Con nissioner, dated "Treasury Depar nent, Office of Internal Revenu* Washington, December 22, 1865:" "Yours of the 19th instant has bee eceived. You inquire in relation 1 he tax of one-eighth of one per cen >n sales or purchases made by con nercial brokers. I reply that und? he present ruling of this office, con nercial brokers are not held liable \ lie tax in question, unless a commi >ion is paid them for their service rat the manner of their compensatio loes not relieve thom from liabilii o license. This office, however, cai lot entertain any proposition for r imding the tax in question when ios been paid." THE REBEL RAM STONEWALL. s somewhat curious to notice, sa; he Army ana Nary Journal, th he four-inch iron plate, twenty-seve nches wide by seven feet long, wit vhich the casemates of the rebel ra Stonewall are plated, has the Fren< rade-mark of a rolling-mill at Tour 1er guns and mahogany gun ca iages are marked Sir Wm. Ari trong & Co., itNewcastle-upon-Tyn England, and TKe dials or indicato n the casemates by which the motio: ?f her machinery are regulated whi he vessel is in action, are marked banish. Although built in Franc he also hos a pair of patent Englii nchor bits, wbich appear to be ery good pattern. The President of the Southern F ific Railway has issued a noti equiring all applications for recog? ion of stock to be made in Marc nd all taxes to be paid by the tu f April, or the stock to be forev lebarred. . - Resolutions have been offered he New York State Senate in fav I negro suffrage. \ Advertisements, to insure insertion, should ho handed in bj 4 o'clock p. m. "THE CODE."-The Acts passed by the Legislature relative to the freedmen, for sale at this office. Price 20 cents; by m ?ii 25 cents. ' CASH.-Our terms for subscription, ad? vertising and job work are cash. We hop? all parties will bear this rn mind. J. G. Cobben, EB<J., advertises a large sud varied assortment of furniture for sale at auction this morning, at the residence of Mr. Traeger, four squares below the Stato House. The sale will bo without reserve. THE BUBNINO or COLUMBIA.-An inter? esting account ol the "Sack and Destruc? tion of the City of Columbia, S. C.," has ust been issued, in pamphlet form, from the Phoenix steam power press. Orders can be filled to any extent. We understand that, at a full meeting of j the Faculty of the University of South Carolina, it was resolved that the national ! legal tender notes should be received st j par in payment of the fees. j COLD SNAP.-Before daylight, on yester ! day morning, tire weather assumed the I most wintry aspect-?r rather feeling ! that has been experienced for many years j in this latitude. The wind, from tho I North-east, was the most cutting that h?a been feb for a long time. Throughout the day it continued to freeze. This sort of weather we should think would nia?oi Ully aid tho Freedmen's Bureau in driving their peculiar clan to work. "SCBOEON-GENEBAL GIBBES."-We' are pleased to learn that Gov. Orr has re? appointed Dr. R. W- Gibbes, Surgeon General of the State. By reference to his card, it will be seen that Dr. Gibbes offers to resume the prac? tico of his profession, at bis office. He is well known, as one of our oldest practi? tioners, and resigned his practice when his official duties called him into service. He is now sufficiently recovered from ill health, caused hy exposure, to resume office practice. There is no necessity to go to New York for fine oysters, or to old England for th? best of ale; for tho simple reason that Mr. T. M. Pollock, of the "Rear House," har an ample supply of both; besides, th? very best of everything in the way of eat? ables that the markets "can afford. And if you are afraid what you eat will disagree with you, get Theodore to prepare a dose from hi? dispensary, and our word for it, you will leave his establishment "a Btouter," if not "a wiser man." Just try the experiment. Mr. P. presented us with a waiter of the aforesaid delicious bivalves, with the et ceteras-therefore, we speak from experience. ATTEND TO FBEIGHT.-There are very numerous and serious complaints in rela? tion to the abstraction of merchandize on their way up from Charleston to this city. Freight has to be hauled from Hopkins' Turn Out, the terminus of the freight de? livery on the South Carolina Railroad, but in instances where the consignee hus ac? companied his freight from that point, se? rious deficiencies in the consignments have been discovered. It is our duty, from the complaints made to us, to call the at? tention of the railroad authorities to this matter, and we hope the cause of these complaints will be thoroughly investigated and the proper remedy applied. THE SOUTH CABOLINA RAILROAD.-Wo are highly gratified at being able to state that there only remain two miles of this road to finish; and if the freedmen only stick, the road will be opened through to Columbia in six or eight days. Mr. McKewn, the able supervisor, is working up, and has crossed Hampton's Creek, whilo Mr. Claffey is working down. Mr. Peake, with his usual energy, has all the tracks, turn-outs, depots, etc., at this point ready, and in a very few days we hop? to be able to chronicle the arrival of a train here. C. J. Bollin, Esq., the popu? lar agent in this city, and the majority of the old officers, will fill the different situa? tions at this point. A despatch was received from Mr. Peake, yesterday, announcing that the passenger train is now running to Hampton's race course. _ NEW ADVEETISEXENTS.-Attention ia call ted to the following advertisements, which are published this morning for the first time: Alfred Moore-Law Bosks for Sala Dr. Johf Mr.y-Cotton Seed. Fisher A Lowr.'uce-Axes, Ac. National Ex. Cc.-Unclaimed Packages. Dr. Gibbes-Dispensary. Messrs. Anderson-Yorkville Seminary. Hanahan k Warley-Hats. -Salt. Wm. Rabb-Horse Stolen. Abeles, Myers A Co-Carpets. " " -Bugle Tri Dr. J. J. McCants-Medical No Miss M. Heidt-Apples, Ac. M. Heidt-Mules for Sale. A. R. Phillips-Wool. Jas. G. Gibbes-Mule Stolen. -200 Hands WW DEATH OE PBOKTNENT 3ATIS.-It is noted as a pecu that three of the prominent m ji the'Republican party hav within a brief space of time, indulging in pleasurable recrea. Foshua R. Giddings fell by the >i a billiard-table ; President Lin lied in a theatre, and Mr. Co' ?vas stricken down while enliv? he festivities of an evening okes. Tho restrictions under which Episcopal clergymen have been la' ug iu Alabama have been fin withdrawn.