Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Thursday 3>I urning, January 18,1866. Tho Irrepressible Conflict. We alluded yesterday to the irre? pressible conflict betw een the radicals and the President. The New York World justly observes that tho leaders of the radical party find themselves "between the devil and the deep sea." If they break with the Presi? dent, they incur the risk of so weak? ening their party that they eau no longer command a majority in the Northern States; if they acquiesce in his policy, the admission of the South into Congress and its participation in tho next presidential election, threaten them with more certain ruin from another quarter. In the difference which has arisen between Congress and the President, Mr. Seward has availed himself of a convenient pretext for absence from the scene of conflict. He might have derived equal advantage to his health from a voyage in the month of Feb? ruary; "but he could not have re? mained in Washington during the crisis of the conflict, without actively exerting his influence one side or the other. He is a statesman of too much standing in his party, he has personal relations with too many members of both Houses, his social and political influence is too great, to permit him to stand aloof as a neutral spectator. He could not continue to hold his office and oppose the Presi? dent; he could not retain his stand? ing in the Republican party and actively support him ; and so he flies from thc field of battle to return when the smoke of the conflict begins to lift, and enable him to see on which of the opposing standards victory is likely to perch. Meanwhile, his faithful organ in New York is attempting to demon? strate that there is really no conflict, nor any ground for conflict, between the President and Congress. Con? gress, it says, cannot undo the work of the President in the Southern States; the President, on the other hand, cannot admit members of either House to their disputed seats; and so long as each confines itself to its own sphere, there is no possibility of collision. There is, in all this, an artful air of innocence, which veils a stroke of consummate political cun? ning. The most desirable,tiling for Mr. Seward, as a presidential as i^a,Jj*?fe^the existing dif? ference kept open. If it were closed, by the admission of the South with white suffrage, Mr. Johnson or General Grant would be the next President; if by admission with black suffrage, Mr. Chase would be the inevitable candidate of the Republi canparty; but by keeping the ques? tion unsettled, Mr. Seward hopes to slip iu as the compromiser of an otherwise irreconcilable difference. The Tunes' reasoning on this subject is technically plausible, but practically absurd. It is true that the President has no rightful voice in the admission of members of the two Houses; and that Congress has no authority to oust the new State Governments; and that if neither in? trudes into the province of the other, no conflict cnn arise at these particu? lar points. But who can be blind to the enormous incongruity of the executive department of the Govern? ment acting on the theory that eleven Status are in the Union and entitled to all Federal rights, while the legis? lative department is treating them on the opposite theoi-y ? If they arc in the Union, they are entitled to a fair share of the Cabinet offices and foreign missions; but if the Presi? dent bestows on them such appoint ments, how can a Senate which re fifards thom as out of the Union coTTnTm his nominations, or Congress consent to appropriations for their salaries ? For these two great de? partments of the Government to proceed on opposite theories, would happily accommodate the wishes of Mr. Seward; both as postponing the reconstruction of the Cabinet, and enabling him (if the Times'' theory were acquiesced in) to give a quasi support to the President without breaking with the Republican party. But the executive and legislative departments of the Government can? not long proceed in independence of each other. The executive depart? ment becomes defunct unless we can elect a new President; and the ques? tion between the existing President and Congress must be settled before a presidential election is possible. j The next President must be elected j on one or the other of these conflict? ing and irreconcilable theories. If those eleven States are excluded, the ! election will not be valid if they have a good title to vote; and vice versa. It is very certain that the President will not yield; and there are abun? dant indications that the Republican majority in Congress hold of the same temper as on the first day of the ses? sion. The House resolution passed by a large majority, on Monday, wai a vote of censure against the Presi? dent. For what other purpose could they have remonstrated against his withdrawing troops from the South? ern States, than that of censure? Il meant as an instruction to the Presi? dent, it was a usurpation and an insult. The Constitution makes him I the Commander-in-Chief of the army; and, in that capacity, he is superioi to all dictation as to how its move? ments shall be directed. Ho can make any distribution of the troops he pleases, and Congress has no mort right to interfere than the Supreme Court has to serve on him an injunc? tion restraining him from issuing certain orders to his subordinate com? manders. After this gross affront tc the President, supported by so large a majority, it is absurd for Republi? can journals to descant on the pros? pect of a reconciliation. The New Amcidment. John W. Forney, who may be pre? sumed to be veli informed in regard to the opinions of his brother radi cals, says that thc amendment to thc Constitution proposed the other dav by Mr. Blaine will be adopted by both Houses of Congress. This statement gives an importance to Mr. Blaine's proposition to which we hat not supposed it to be entitled. Tin reader will naturally desire to lean its precise nature, which the follow ing explanation will show: "The Federal Constitution, artie!? one, section two, provides that 'rep resentatives and direct taxes shal be apportioned among the severa States which may be included withii this Union according to their respec? tive Lumbers, which shall bc de terminedby adding to the whole numbc, of free persons, including those boina to service for a term cf y mrs, and es eluding Indians not taxed, t(iree-??th of all other persons (slaves.) Mr Blaine's proposition before the Com mittee on Reconstruction strikes ou all th-3 Sortis in italics of this pro vision, anti substitutes the following "Taking the whole number of pei sons, except those to whom politicu rights or privileges are denied o abridged by the Constitution or law of any State, on account of race o color.'" This amendment would leave th representation of the Northern State as it is-except in Indiana and pei haps one or two other States-an would deprive the Southern States ?J a representation based upon negroc only so long as tho negroes shall b disfranchised "on account of race o color." "We have no objections to th proposed bill, provided that eac State is left to be the judge of tb qualification of her own voters. "\V have no objections to suffrage, wit) out regard to race or color, provide they (the voters) ore competent b property or education to exercise th high privilege. We believe -with tl: Hon. John Bell, of Tennessee, tin a property qualification, based o property or education, might be ai mitted, but that this rule must I I binding upon both whites and black Long before the accomplishinent < the new status of the negro, we hai advocated these qualifications. The special Washington correspoi dent of the New York Tribune statt that a private letter from a rehab source in Paris has been received i Washington, to the effect that tl: legislative bodies of the French En pire will assemble on the 18th, and tl Emperor Napoleon, in his openirj address, will express amicable an peaceful sentiments towards tb United States, and that unless in tl: meanwhile the relations of the tw countries should become hostile o questions not now anticipated, 1: will promise the evacuation of Mexic by tue French troops as promptly j practicable. - LETTER FROM NAPOLEON.-Generi James W. Webb, U. S. Minister t Brazil, who is now at home on foi months leave of absence, is reporte to have brought an autograph letti to the President from the Emper? Napoleon, with whom General Web had an interview at Paris. The lett< is understood to be upon the subjei of Mexican affairs. AV I .? ter in New Voris. ..'Tis very cold!" cried the pauper of Gotham, shivering in his tattered garments whilst the recent severe cold spell prevailed. Its frost was sharp aud biting. The Tribune says there was "no fur thick enough, no clothing warm e.. .ugh, to resist the fierce onset of the frost. No one Loiters in our streets to-day. The best clad walk fast. The poorly clad run. But, walk as they may, or run ns they may, they can neither escapo nor evade the pitiless fiend who pursues them." "They ought to be grateful," continues the Tribune, "who have homes of comfort now. Tiny ought to show that they are thankful for the protection they enjoy by extending it as far as their means will permit to the shivering and homeless poor of thc city." And then the humanita? rian of the Tr Han.- proceeds to ceil sleek and comfortable inhabitants of the fine houses, of the squalid wretch? edness that is to be found in the heart of their city. We cannot but contrast this sad picture with the scene of comfort ami happiness everywhere presented by the African of the South before the war, and ask how is it that men who have such misery nt their door should never rest until they have afflicted other communities with similar wretchedness? The Tribune says : "In the fourth precinct of this city there are some sixty lodging cellars, without decent beds, or bedding, or windows, or ventilation. Their walls ure of stone or brick, und their floors are rotten and damp; they are so filthy that words refuse to paint their condition, und they crawl with loath? some vermin, lu these underground styes, human beings are nightly hud? dled together- regardless of sex, re? gardless .of age, regardless of race, and utterly regaraless of decency. "Here thieves, beggars and prosti? tutes; here rag-pickers, pimps and drunkards; here young and old, boys and girls, men and women, meei together and sleep together-inhaling their poisonous uir, and breathing their still fouler moral atmosphere here they rest or lie down until tin daybreak enables them to issue fortl to their worded tusks again; to steal to corrupt, to deceive, and to dissemi nate the diseases which such place: generate. For a single lodging ii these infernos, the wretches who g< down to them pay from six to fifteei cents a night! At N<>. 19 Mulharr street, in one room fourteen by ten fevt, twenty persons, men and wo men, are lodged at the rate of six cent each ! "This is the lowest depth. Bu there is wretchedness enough thu tries to wear a more decent aspect which is in plentiful need of ou friendly assistance. Go to any of ou city missionaries, or to any of ou benevolent associations, and each o them can a tale unfold or huma suffering-which it is in the power c our richer classes to relieve if nc remove-that is enough to harrow u the soul of any listener to it." COTTON SUPPLY.-The New Yor Commercial Advertiser says that, : the process of moving the crop pr< grosses, all indications go to sho I that our estimate of a supply of ii? less than two million five hundrc thousand bales will be realizec These probabilities must soon exe j eise an influence upon the co tte [ market and the current high pric< of domestic cotton fabrics. The j bearing upon foreign exchange less important than might at fir sight appear, as an increase upon tl anticipated supply of cotton will ? j far reduce the price as to make tl aggregate value of the exports aboi the same as would be realized upon more limited shipment at higlu prices. PUBLIC DEBT OF THE SOUTH.-B fore the commencement of the war secession, the debts of the Southe] States amounted to one hundred ai fifty millions, most of the bom being held in Europe. Of this lar? sum of indebtedness, Mississippi he a share reaching twenty million North Carolina nine millions, Loni ana five and a half millions, and Vi ginia fifty-six millions. TRIAL OF SEMMES.-There are i new developments resjiecting tl trial of Semmes. He is still conf?n at the Navy Yard in charge of a m ri?e guard. No one is allowed converse with him, except au offiei from tho Navy Department. I ?ponds most of his time in readin Counsel has been allowed him, ai consultations with him are permitte The Secretary of the Treasury h issued instructions this morning his Cotton Agents to stop the .sales captured cotton. He believes that delay in such sales will be ad va tageous to the Government, and th higher prices will bc obtained by tl Treasury for cotton than it is nc receiving. WON'T BE PARDONED.-Among the pacers presented to th? United States Senate from the Bureau of Military Justice, relative to recent trials in the South by military commission, are those detailing the proceedings in thc case of Edward W. Andrews, of Orangeburg, South Carolina, now serving out a sentence of two years' imprisonment for killing a negro, charged with stealing bis horse. Judge Holt, to whom a petition of 200 citizens of South Carolina, for his par? don, endorsed by the Governor, was referred, says that their very TI umbers furnish additional grounds for thc enforcement of this inadequate sen? tence. - ENFORCING CONTRACTS.-The York ville (S. C.) Enquirer says: "Weare gratified to learn that the farmers in Union District are hopeful of being able to secure a much larger amount of [free labor for the present year than the prospect offered a few weeks ago. The agents of the Freedmen's Bureau have enforced the making of contracts wherever thero was any evidence of unwillingness on the part of the freedmen to work; and summary punishment for idleness and vagrancy is generally being ac- I corded to such as merit it. A large proportion of the farmers there haye engaged, upon reasonable terms, a sufficiency of labor for the present year. The prospect seems to be fair that a sufficient quantity of land will be put under cultivation to meet the wants of the District, and leave a margin for the raising of saleable products. " WHAT MAXIMILIAN IS DOING.-A ? correspondent of the New York j Times, writing from the city of Mexico, says: Maximilian abolished the popeage slavery system in September, by which he freed three millions of the lower class. He has been busy in establishing schools in all thc interior towns during the past ten months. The Empress Charlotta also has in? augurated an independent school j system, especially for the education ! of orphans and the poorest classes to be found. The poor class, whichj constitutes .such an pv?sjfjBtb^lru?ng majority, have, been made to pull the grains from the earth and to perform other labors in thc same manner that was done at the creation by the few for fear ol' the rich: if tools and im? plements were furnished them, they would inculcate new idea?. But the poor are liberated from this thraldom. They comprehend well the fact and recognize in Maximilian their bene? factor and their protector. The aris? tocracy writhe to-day to see a middle class rising up to rule the land. The clergy hate the French; the people hate the French; the aristocracy hate the French; and so common a hatred must settle into a common love, and Maximilian and his Empress Char? lotta, during these months of struggle, have been laying this foundation for love, anti all are anxious, even the Emperor, for the departure of the French army, tn 1848, the popula? tion of the city of Mexico was 200.000. Travelers used to living in large cities-and many are here who are good judges-think that there are 325,000 in Mexico now. In ls?O, there were five colleges; now there are nearly a hundred. In 185"), there was not a manufactory of note in the city. Now streets and steam cars, cotton#and woolen goods, paper for printing and for letters, coach and carriages, and a long list of other manufactories, could be added. Eight large hotels have been opened during the last twelve months, and it is difficult to obtain apartments in any of them. Up to the year 1884, one diligence only arrived and departed daily on the Yera Cruzjroad. Now, never less than three, and often five, arrive and depart each day. Bents have raised 100 per cont, since last January. "-? - THE CUY OF A WIDOWED MOTHER. What can be moro touching or pa? thetic than the following appeal from a heart-stricken mother for her lost son ? How many a soul does it touch with grief ; and how many a wish will be made that her appeal may bring back again to her arms her noble boy: Early in the war, my only child, a noble boy of sixteen, regardless of a mother's persuasions, and heedless of the charms of a home that left him no wish ungratified, left me for the army. When last heard from, he was , wounded, and languishing iu prison at Camp Chase, and I have since lost j all trace of him. Those who have had children born to them can imagine j my distress, and will surely, if in their j power, aid a widowed mother in find ing ber lost darling, or at least assist j her in finding his grave, should God j have called him hence. Any com mu oication addressed to Messrs. Mann, \ lloyd & Jonas, publishers of the Daily Sur ny SoulJi, Aberdeen, Missis- ; sippi, will reach me. All Southern ! and Western papers please copy. MAR* E. WEST. The locust, it is feared, will create a famine in Syria. ff The Dehnte In Congres* on the Sta? tute of Limitations. This matter carno up in Congress on Tuesday last, on tho memorial of the*NewYork Chamber of Commerce, through Mr. "Wilson, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who said: I am instructed by the Committee on the Judiciary to report back a memorial of the Chamber of Com? merce of the city of New York, and to ask that the Committee be dis? charged from its further consideration. I desire to state the reasons for the action of the Committee. It is a memorial asking thjit statute of limit? ations may be so amended as to sus? pend action during the time of the I existence of the rebellion, in order I that the citizens of the loyal States may not be barred of their right of action against debtors residing within the rebellions States. During the thirty-eighth Congress, I reported a bill from the Committee on the Judi? ciary, which passed both Houses and is now the law, and which reads as follows: "That whenever during the existence of the present rebellion ai y action, civil or criminal, shall accrue against any person who, by reason of resistance tu the execution of the laws of the United States, or the in? terruption of the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, cannot be served with process for the commencement of such action on the arrest of such person, or whenever after such action, civil or criminal, shall have accrued, such person cannot by reason of such resistance of tho laws or such inter I rnption of judicial proceedings, be arrested or served with process of thc I commencement of thc: action, thc time during which such person sha! so bi' beyond thc; reach of legal pro J cess, shall not be deemed or taken a? i any part of the time limited by luv for the commencement of such ac tion.'' in the opinion of the Committee or 1 the Judiciary, this Act covers tin ground embraced in this memorial o the ('hamber of Commerce, so far ai Congress has the power to respond te the prayer of the memorialists. Air. Conkling-I ask the Chairmar of the Committee on the Judiciary t( state to the House what, in his opi nion, is the effect of the statute whicl he has read in staying or kee>pin? alive remedies in the State Courts o rebellious States between the citizen of New York, for example, and citi zens residing in those States. I hav my own views about the njg?.ttuvwti I doubt ?iot he has \\5.s?. Mr,-Srrrteoiir "of Ohio-The Cou mittee ure of opinion that the latte part of this statute is as broad 8 Congressional enactments could prc vide. Mr. Conkling--How broad is il What is the effect of it? Mr. Wilson, of iowa-The lai guage of the statute gives it bette ! than any construction I can giv< The time during which such perso \ shall so be beyond the reach of leg j process shall not be' deemed or take un any part of the time limited by la for the commencement of such actioi The point 1 believe to which the gei tleman seeks to direct my attentioi is this: whether this statute will pr i vent the operation of the statutes < j limitation of the States in relation 1 actions commenced in the Sta* Courts. I am not prepared to sr that it will go that far, nor was tl Committee prepared to say that v could provide by law that the statu of limitation in a State could be su pended iu its operation upon actioi j brought in the State Courts by Co: j gressional action. The remedy whic j seemed to be sought by the mern ; rialists was this-that citizens resi j ing, for instance, in the State of Nc j York, having claims ag?nst perso: j residing in tho State of South Car ; lina, might have their remedy in tl j Courts of the United States, witho ! beinrr barred by the statue of limit ! tions in force during the existence the rebellion. In other words, th want the statute of limitations sr pended during the period of t rebellion. We think the law nc eloes this. We did not specially co sieler the question as to the pawer Congress to suspend the statures limitation of the particular Stub J and prevent their operation up j actions brought in the State Courts j distinguished from the Courts of t ! United Siates held within those Stab j I think, however, and in this t j Committee concur, that where t I action was brought in a United Stal Court, this statute is broad enough I save tlio remedy, and reaches as i j ns we may safely ge). I haves men ! called the attention of the House I this Act, for the purpose of calling t j attention of the country to the exi euee of the statute which I have rou and which seems not to have be very generally noticed. I have i thing further to add. And I ni move that the Committee be d charged from the further considei tion of the memorial, and that it laid upon the table. Ex-President Buchanan, in his. cent book in defence of his admin tration, endeavors to prove that labored, hythe wise eliplomacy of 1 administration, to correct the ev which the United States had stiffen in common with all other powe growing ont of her unsatisfactc relations with the "so-called"Kept lie of Mexico; and he claims that I for the purly blindness of the radio in Congress, his measures would ht prevented French intervention a established American influence at 1 Mexican capital. Local X-te?xxxs Advertisements, to insure insertion, should bo handed in by 4 o'clock p. ni. CAMI.- -Our terms for (subscription, ad? vertising and job work are cash. Wo hop* all partios will bear this in mind. "THE CODE."-The Ac passed by th? Legislature relative to the freedmen, for sale at this office. Price '20 cents; by mail 25 routs. AGENTS ron THE PHONIX.-Thomas P. Slider, Esq., of Charleston, and H. L. Darr, Esq., of Sumter, aro the authorized agcnt4 of tho Phtenix, in those sections of tho State. _ ^ ^_ We call attention to tho card of Mr. J. H. Baldwin. He is ono of the best dry goods salesmen we know of in Columbia. We cheerfully endorse his card. Tur BURNINO or COLUMBIA.-An inter? esting account of the "Sack and Destruc? tion of the City of Columbia, S. C.," has list been issued, in pamphlet form, fron? the Phonix steam power press. Orders can be filled to any extent. Attention ia invited to the card of Messrs. Geo. H. Walter ?V Son, receiving and forwarding agents. These gentlemen hare been engaged in this business for a length of time-following up tho South Carolina Railroad from Orangcburg, and, we are pleased to state, have given general satisfaction. We have received from Messrs. Town? send A North another copy of Miller's Planters' and Mcrcbauts' Almanac for 1866 -the third and last edition issued. Coun? try merchants can bo supplied on applica? tion. Also, a "yellow cover," entitled tho "Fenian Chief, or the Martyr of '65." As Fcnianismis all the go, just now, tho book will doubtless have an extensive salo. CITY IMPROVEMENT.-It is gratifying to know that our once beautifid, but at pre? sent desolatod, city stands in a fair way of renovation. Should the sale of the cant ! bo consui'.matcd, a working population will soon arrive, whose presence will inspire new energy amongst those of our citizens who are now wading through the "^slough of Despond." As it is, Main streeyis look ins up once. more. Our old acqiyaintance, J. C. Walker, Esq., has commenced to re? build, and has set a note-wortJhy example. He has boldly, and with a Wisc forecast, determined upon budding,j not only for himself, but, in addition, erects for the ac? commodation of ????ssrs. Glass, Nichols M?4 fl?gans^-in all, four handsome-looking I stores, of three stories in height. The j elegant facade of this work is from the ! pencil of T. C. Yea!. Esq., who is likewiso ! about to build a hotel for Mr. Robert Joy { ner. Mr. John Seeders has his L.uiiding I erected. This was done under the superin? tendence of Mr. G. T. Berg, architect. Messrs. Janies Brown, E. Sfeubouso and R. Lewis have erected substantial budd? ings. In regard to ourselvc-i. wo speak with all modesty; but as tho Phonix is a bird that ever resuscitates, wo may bo ex? cused for pluming ourselves upon our new office, to be erected on Main street, jus; above Kinsler's building, and we arc deter? mined to make it an ornament to the street. Messrs. Kay A Howetson are the architects and superintendents of this work, as also of several other buildings to be erected during tho spring. Messrs. E. A G. D. Hope intend to erect a building upon their old place of business, and many others are making preparations for recom? mencement. In this connection, we aro happy to be able to refer our readers to the card of a linn in this city, which appears in this ! morning's paper. Messrs. Kay, Veal A ! Hewetson aro gentlemen personally known i to our whole community, and we might i say the State. It affords us much pleasure j to state that they have joined hands in business, and feel convinced that struc j turcs submitted to their care will be any? thing but detrimental to the appearance of our city. _^ NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.- Attention is call? ed to thc following advertisements, which ? are published this morning for the first i time: Hanahan & Warley-Salt. Mikcll, Boyle A Co.-Com. Merchants. Chsa. H. Moise A Co.-Groceries. Kay, Veal A Hewetson-Architects. \ Richland Lodge-Extra Communication. ti. H. Walter & Son -Com. Merchants. II. T. Peake-Schedule S. C. R. R. H. E. Nichols-Insurance. Luchs A Leon-Dry Goods, j " " " -Gent's Goods. , C. H. Baldwin-Groceries, Ac. A. R. Phillips-Auction. Calnan A Kreuder-Groceries, Ac. j Fisher A Lowrance-Straw Cutters, Ac. " " " -Boots and Shoes. Thc State Treasurer of Pennsylva? nia has made his annual report. It appears that the balance sheet, when it was closed on the 30th of No vern ber last, showed that the State waa financially better off by the sum o S2,560,173 than at the close of last year. It appears, also, that the in? come of the State was Si,486,676 more than in 1864. The Treasurer calls attention to the $47,000,000 of capital held by the National Banks as fit subjects of taxation, and also to the fact that the railroads and canals within the Commonwealth, which represent S250,0O0,OO0 of capital, pay but 8632,000 in taxes. With a tax of one percent, on the National Banks, and three-fourths per cent, on the gross receipts of railroads and canals, which the State Treasurer proposes to levy on those interests, he says that, the income of the State will be raised to $6,000,000 annually, whilst it is easy to cut down the annual expend? tures to &L300,000. If this complishy^ argued that it be vnvpr ' ivy any tax on jr