Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Saturday Morning, July 14, 1866. In tiler? no Morte ot Relief! This journal has taken the ground thai tlic recent decision of the Conrt of Errors of this State, on the uncon? stitutionality of the "Stay Law," was correct. Its opinion was formed after mature deliberation, and reviewing the arguments pro and cow. in the premises. We adhere to the opinion then expressed, and for the reasons then given, -which ve need not reca? pitulate farther than to say tliat they were based upon the broad ground that the Constitution of the United States prohibited any State from passing a law impairing the obliga? tion of contracts; and for the further reason, under this clause and the laws en; cb? .1 under it, a foreign cre? ditor could recover his claims in th? United States Courts, while the home creditor was debarred under the late law from recovering his just dues. These are our views; but in enter? taining and expressing them, we must not be considered as having no sympathy for the unfortunate debt? ors. Too many of us are "enjoying"' that condition, as the old woman re? plied to an inquiry after her health, which was very feeble. We are all more or less in the same category, so that, it is simply impossible not to sympathize. Nevertheless, neither expediency nor individual suffering justifies a moral wrong, or a violation of tho rights of justice or the princi? ples of probity. But if the law which protects from the rapacious creditor, who holds possibly in his own hand the pecu? niary fate of an hundred honest and struggling debtors, be pronounced null and yoid, where will the un fortu? nate class find any relief, for it is now, as it ever has been, that 'Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn?" The danger is imminent, and the question asked under the stern pres? sure of the most urgent necessities of the people. We are not competent to answer this urgent question. If the couplet which Burns wrote be as applicable-and we fear it is-in our day as in his, then it will take a riper judgment than ours to suggest a remedy for this "inhumanity." We do not believe that all men are heartless, or that all will stand by and see the pound of flesh exacted, with? out an attempt at interference. The people of South Carolina, we believe, are as generous as those of any sec? tion or land, and it is in this trait alone, we are convinced, will be found 1 lie temporary relief now so much needed in every section of the State, especially among the planters and farmers. The rich creditor must for? bear proceedings against the pooi but honest debtor, who could pay but for the devastation of war; anti those who have wealth, or even com? petent means, ought to .stretch forth the hand of humane assistance to prevent the latter from being utterly and irretrievably ruined. The people of several Districts hav< held public meetings on this subject s-anoua remedies have been proposed but all seem to agree that in the wis dom of the Legislature eonvenet may be found some remedy for th evils which threaten every communi ty and neighborhood iu thc State and all these meetings, we believe have unanimously expressed thei urgent desire that the Cloverno should convene an extra session c that body, to take this matter special ly under consideration. Gov. On we aro sure, will not disregard thi urgent call from the people, as he i well acquainted with the present im poveribhed condition of the citizens That body may devise some remeft <>r mode of relief that will uot coin in conflict with constitutional restri< tions, or, if nor, it can suggest i such a way and with such an influer t ?al voice, as may lead thoso who ai most dreaded - the avaricious cred tors-to consider their ways befoi t hey inflict irreparable wrongs upo hundreds and thousands of their fe low-citizens. In the meantime, let the one clai exercise forbearance and the oth< patience, industry und toil. Tl voice of popular sentiment and tl penalties it inflicts on those who di regard it, must prove a powerf agency for good in the present er 1 ?arraased condition of the great ina <?i' the people. New York imported $l,G0O.O< worth of dry goods, last week. TIi<- Homestead Law. in our article ou the reckless dona t^n of the public lands by Congress, ; we referred io what is galled tho ; -homestead law, \daich has beeb passed ! by Congress, and, we regret to say, j approved by tho President, As our | readers may not be aware of its ob- j jectionablo features, we will, there? fore, notice some of them. It appropriates public lands in live Southern States, viz: Arkansas, Ala? bama, Florida, Louisiana and Missis? sippi, to the extent of 40,308,548 acres. These kinds aro withdrawn from tho market, and, until tho first of January, 18G7, aro open only to loyal settlers; and, after that, they will bo open to all. The bill prohi? bits all who participated in the rebel? lion from setting their foot on this domain until the date above-named. This, we presume, is "making trea? son odious," and is intended as a j modified punishment on unrepentant ! and unreconstructed rebels! This is a great wrong-the concep- j tioti of radical malignity towards the ] Southern people and how the Pre? sident, who has stood between the Southern people, and our adversaries, was induced to give his assent to this indignity and injury, inflicted on the people of the South by his own ns well ns our enemies, we cannot ima? gine. It gives the occupancy of a rich domain, lying in tho Southern States, to a parcel of Northern land sharks, aud to the freedmi a-the hit? ter of whom, it may be readily guessed, will aol receive the lion's share iu this princely donation. It is plain that, before the expira? tion of tho time specified, every acre of this vast territory will be taken up by either tho one class or the oth^r to whom we have alluded. In? deed, it is stated that the clause ex? cluding rebels for six months, was inserted "on the assurance o>f the managers of the Freedmen's Bureau, that this space of time would bc suf? ficient to accomplish the object <>f ti,.' hi I ir Such is the legislation to which the South is subjected, and there is no remedy to be suggested. Her people, excluded from having any part in that legislation, are powerless to ac? complish anything in defence of their own rights under the Constitution; and, until faction and fanaticism are overthrown in thc balls of Congress, thoy must continue to enduro rind suffer. DONATION KV THE PRESIDENT.-We find the following item iu thc Rich? mond Dispatch, of Thursday: "The President has handed to Bishop Potter, of South Carolina, his check for #1,000, in aid of the Theological Institute in that State." We thought every one knew that Bishop Potter was from Pennsyl? vania. It may be. however, that the contribution was handed to the re verened gentleman in aid of thc Episcopal Theologi cal Semina ry about to be erected in this State. _-< ? ? ? POST OFFICES OI?KM.J>. - The fol? lowing offices have been re-opened, in this State, from the 1st. to the lOfcli instant: Donaldsville. Abbeville, Louis Pcarlstinc, 1'. M.; Townville, Ander? son, James N. Bryson; Wilhamston, Anderson, Thomas W. Folger; Salt ketcher Bridge, Colleton, Abrahair. Levin: Timmonsville, Darlington. j Francis A. Thomas; Doko, Fairheid. j ?lames R. Kennedy; Eighteen Mile, Pickens, Lemuel Hendricks; Lexing ton, Lexington, Mary J. Simmons j Hopkins' T. O., Richland, Thoma Jenkins; Rish's Store. Lexington. Levi Rish. - - -? ? ? . THE PORTLAND FIRE.-Lest om people should distress themselves j overmuch about tho calamity that ha? I recently befallen a portion of the ci i tizens of Portland, Maine, we thinl j it proper to inform them that iu al probability the really poor Portland ' ors will soon be better off than thei ! ever were in their lives. lt bas be \ come fashionable throughout th. ; North to subscribe in aid of tin i "Portland Sufferers," and money am goods are pouring into the devote? j city by every railroad and highway In Brother Beecher's church, las i Sunday. $1,000 was subscribed. Th I thing being "fashionable." there i j no telling where it will end. --<-??- ? I A Mobile paper says: "The AIM trian Embnssador arrived back a Mobile, from Atlanta, with ninetee ex-Con federate officers, all of whoj -have accepted positions in tho Au.? triau army. Large numbers of Mc Lilians will accompany him ou hi return to Europe, starting on Thur? j day, ljoth as officers and private? j Among the officers, are General Ai Ungton and Colonel P. Parry. " The Peor Freedmen. . We begin tu believe that the stories recently in circulation about carrying off Uie freedman to Cuba, or eome other slave marl, are true. The At? lanta. Inleliigen?sr, of the 7th instant, says : An enterprising genrus has been in this city for some time past, engaged in collecting up negro boys between tho ages of fifteen and twenty years. To a number of these unsuspecting youths he has represented himself as a son of the late President Lincoln, and pictures to them in glowing terms tho splendors of a home he will take them to in Cuba, which place he gives them to understand is somewhere in the North. He agrees to pay $20 per month, and defray all traveling expenses. On reaching "Cuba," they will receive all sorts of good clothes and plenty to eat, and light labor only to be required of them. How successful this swindling scamp has boen, we have no know? ledge, and of his real purposes we are equally ignorant. The Intelligencer further observes, that every Western train takes away large or small squads of negroes, many of whom have no knowledge of their destination. If those state? ments be true, and wo have no reason to doubt them, we are sorry that tho poor, confiding, but ignorant, freed? men, especially the half-grown youth among them, are seduced from theil homes, and from the protection of, and association with, those among whom they were boru and raised. Here certainly is work for the Bu? reau, and its officers would be recre? ant to their appointed duties if they do not put a stop to this iniquitous practice. The freedmen may rest assured that none of their old friends, or any true Southerner, would be engaged in this nefarious tra?ic. for it is no Hiing moro or less than trafficking OE their labor, present and prospective, for the certainty of gain, for this alone could induce so-called whit* men to engage in such a business. The inbred honesty and early associ ation with the race would forbid, anc1 has over prevented, the true South erner to become a mere negro-tradei for the |sake ot' profit or gain. Hf never was, nor never will be one, ant there is not an intelligent freodraar. throughout the South but who know; this to be a fact. We much fear tba: these people, in the morning of theil freedom, will lind too many of theil number made victims of their pro fessed friends from other sections but who are in realit}- unprincipled adventurers and heartless speculators Ijot them beware of theso wolves it sheep's clothing. - WAS DU. CKAVEN'S BOOK A SPECC LAT?OX?- It may have been, althougl we doubt the authority which leadi us to suppose so. Tt comes from tin Washington correspondent of tin New York Times. He says: "A letter to a gentleman in thi city, from a partner of Captain Tit low, noted as the officer who ironei Jefferson Davis, states that Captaii fit low says that Dr. Craven's versioi of tho language used by Jeffersoi Davis, while ho was being ironed, i far from being exact and truthful Captain Titlow visited the interior o Fortress Monroe, one day last week and, in passing Davis' quarters, h (Davis) caught sight of the Capbiin called to him, invited him in and re ceived him most . cordially. He n once expressed himself as beinj mitch displeased with tho general te nor ol' Dr. Craven's book, and rt quested Captain Titlow to write statement refuting the version of th shackling." "He says that somebody else says, always very suspicious in any stat* mont, is, we think, so in this. DEATH or A REMARKABLE Or.i> Ni URO. -The Norfolk I),ty Dook say.1; "Tony Nelson, an old negro mai died, near Suffolk, and was burier on the -1th instant, in the ninety fourth year ol' Iiis age. This old ma was formerly a servant in the Wasl ington family, and helped to ci what is known as thc "Washingto ditch," a canal leading from tl: Western margin of the Dismal Swam to Drummond's Lake, an enterprit which was projected by Gen. Wasl ington. Tony had never lived duriu his lil?; two miles from the Disni; Swamp, and most of his time in tl swamp. Hi' has been tho husband < twenty-one wives, six of whom ai now living, and yet. ia his extren old ago and last sickness, no one < them would nurse him. Being fret l>y the proclamation of the Pros dent, ami subsequent, action of tl State, he died in oxtreme poverty." A correspondent from Mexico sa; that .fudge Oldham, of Texas, fo morly a Confederate Senator, is i Cordova, writing a history of tl "Confederate ^struggle," and, in tl meantime, supporting himself I photographing. Statt? Item?. The Anderson Intelligencer has the ] proceedings of a meeting of the stock- j holders of the Air Line Ka il rom! of i Sooth Carolina. The following gen- j tlemen were elected officers : President-lu. B. Clark, of New I York city. Directors-Messrs. C. H. Sanborn, j S. W. Tanner, C. E. Candie and J. Iii Pond, of New York ; and J. P. Reed and J. W. Harrison, of South ! Carolina. Tlio Yorkville Knijnirer has the fol lowing: On Friday last, the prisoners con? fined in tho jail at this place, suc? ceeded in cutting their way thron gh a couple of thin partition walls, and j effecting their escape. There were only three prisoners confined in the jail at the time-one charged with burglary, another with horse-steal? ing, and a third with petit larceny. A refreshing rain fell over a largo portion of this District on Tuesday. The visitation was timely, ns the un? usually poor crops must have been still further damaged withont it. We have never seen a sot of men more completely disheartened than tho majority of the farmers of this District appear tn be in regard to their erops. Our own observation convinces us that they have reason to be so. Tho soil luis not been properly tilled, and we much fear will not be, until we can again regulate the labor of the country, and extort work from it. A meeting of the stockholders of the King's Mountain Railroad Com? pany was held in the Court House, on Monday lust. An election for President and Directors resulted as follows : President-Gen. E. M. Law. Directors-Col. R. G. McCaw, Dr. E. A. Crenshaw, Dr. .1. R. Bratton, J. S. Bratten, F. D. Fanning, S. R. Moore, Dr. .T. F. Lindsey and George Steele. AN EDITOR'S APPEAI.-An editor out West indulges in the following talk to his delinquent subscribers and patrons. The famous speech of Brutus, on the death of Casar, as rendered by Shakspeare, is made to do new service in this amusing travesty : "Hear us for om debts, and get ready that you may pay; trust us, we are in need, and have regard for oin need, as you have been long trusted; acknowledge your indebtedness, ami I dive into your pockets that you ma\ promptly fork over. If there be any among you- - ono niuglo patron-thal don't owe us something, then to him we say, step aside-consider yourself a gentleman. If the rest wish tr know why we dun them, this is oui answer. Not that we care about our selves, but our creditors do. Wonk you rather that we went to jail, and yoi go free, than you pay your debts U keep us moving? As we agreed, wt have worked for you; ns we contract cd, we have furnished our paper ti you; but us yon don't pay, we dui i you. Here are agreements for jol work, contracts for subscriptions promises for long credit, and dun: for deferred payment. Who is then so green that he don't take a paper If any, he need not speak, for wi don't mean him. Who is there s< green that be don't advertise? 1 any, let him slide; he ain't tho chu] neither. Who ia there so mean thu he don't pay his printers? If any, le him shout, for he's the man we'r after. His name is Legion, and he' owing us for one., two, four dollars. A MINIATURE Smr STARTS ACKOS TUE OCEAN.-The "Red, White am Blue," a miniature full-rigged ship of four tons binden, commanded b John M. Hudson, accompanied b one P. E. Fitch, set sail from Nei York, Monday evening, over the wid blue sea, bound finally for London to touch at Cupe Finnistere, Portu gal. Tho New York World says "When last seen, the vessel was r? pidly rushing through the Atlantic and proceeded, if not with the sni j guine expectations, at least with th best wishes of thousands of spectl j tors and friends, starting for the Par ! Exposition. Captains Hudson an Fitch state that tiley fully know tl j peril and difficulty of the undertal ing, und are provided against all coi I tingencies. -.-?-.-.- - TENNESSEE L?GISLATURE. Itisr ported by thc radicals, ?it Washin. ton, that the Tennessee Senate li ratified the amendment, and tin lack but four of a quorum in tl House, with a large majority of tho present in favor of it. Steps a being; taken to stein e the presence the stny-a ways, and seven of the aro certain of being captured by tl Sergeant-at-Arms, wl\i> has orders bring them iu dead or ulive. Sor of tho recalcitrant members uro lea ing the State to evade arrest and attend the Philadelphia Conventio The wife of a returned Ohio soldi was alarmed lest brr husband slion lose his arm, which had been ba?! wounded by a musket ball; but her careful nursing it was save Eight months after she gave birth a child, one of whose arms was pi i foot, but the other was a stump Sir lar to tho one with which the wif mind was impressed ut the time t burgeons were talking about laki off her husband's. The scar of i bullet-hole, so visible on the fathe arni, was also visible on the chilli at the bart- of the stump Thad. Stevens Volunteer* to Deft-nil Mr. Davin. Our readers' will ask whether the statement made iu the following is true, or that it is oue of th?: many hiting sarcasms that frequently, flow from the pen of the editor of the Richmond Times. We certainly do not know, but we extract from that paper : It is reported, on the best authori? ty, that old Thad. Stevens has writ? ten a letter to the Hon. Wm. B. Recd, of Philadelphia, volunteering to defend ex-President Davis in his approaching trial. We certainly could not more astound our readers were we to inform them that the devil had turned minister, or that ho had given np his business and was killing himself off with drink. Still it is perfectly consistent with Thad.'s theory about the war, formed, doubt? less, as he gazed on the melancholy spectacle of Iiis burnt mills and saw that huge undershot water-wheel re? volving all alone in its glory, to show where his foundry had been. He then came to the conclusion that Mr. Davis was the head of an undoubted belligerent power and consequently a de facto government. Having over? thrown that government and overrun the countrv, Mr. Stevens insists that the United States have a right to ?lis pose of the lands arni property of the conquere<l country after the fash? ion of William the Norman. He wants not their blood, but their sub? stance. Mr. Davis, according to his theoiy, was no m<jre guilty of treason than Harold, the Saxon King, who f?-ll at Hastings. Hence this offer of his valuable services in thc trial is not at all at variance with his previ? ous course during the pi ?ison t session. What the effect of this new deve? lopment may have on Underwood, we cannot imagine. Were it possible foi that jurist to lose his mind, he would undoubtedly go crazy. With Steven; as loading counsel for the defence Greeley as Mr. Davis' bail, and iu al probability Wendell Phillips as fore man of the jury, (for Congress wil doubtless pass a law for the purpose, think of Underwood's feeliugs. Thi may be the turning point in Stevens career. "As long as thc lamp holds ont to burn The vilest sinner may i fttnrn." We may be allowed, however, in hi case, to doubt if there will be an, rejoicing among angels. This tender of his services may b a bid for popularity- an extraordi nary parade of liberality -or it ma be one of those mental aberration preliminary to suicide, which geuiu of the Black Republican stump, in it fitful flights, seems of late to be sui ject to-e. g., in Preston King an James II. Lane, of Kansas. It may be possible that Thad, set the famous hand-writing on the wal aud finds that there is trouble brew ing, that thc faithful ure going t desert him, and wishes to get the .sta] of them ami go over to tho cnem first. Or, it may be. that ?titer a Thad.'s radicalism is like that of good many ?>thers, emly histing win they are out of office and power, an completely expiring on their gainir tho coveted liosition among the "ins. Thad, has undoubtedly got the Unite States Senatorship from Peunsylvau secure, and evidently has aspiratioi for the Presidency, and now his coi servatism commences to make i appearance. Seward was a gre radical before he got what he want? -before he got into office. Sin that period, he has become quite co servativo* There is nothing lil placing a man in power to make hi conservative, and we would not 1 much surprised were Stevens, who now striving for place and power, become very conservative when 1 gets them. This otter of his servie to Mr. Reed is a good sy nptom. ai we hail the improvement. - - ^, ? - - The Ugly Club of the Universi of Virginia hail their celebration < the'28th. J. S. Stubbs, of Glon? ter County, who had been elected t ugliest man in the University, w presented with the boots. C. ' Wesson, of Charleston, S. C. wi was elected the prettiest man, w presented with a hat . A pair of sli pers was presented to the most <-c ceited student, and a huge stick candy, manufactured for tho occasic to the smallest one. Hrief speed were made by all the parties, and t affair passed off with great go humor. The press of Northern Ohio s teem with accounts of the losses sheep by the storm, and estimates the aggregate loss are being mai The following ligures aro not st posed to be entirely accurate, 1 giv?> something liken correct showi of the number of sheep lost in i several counties named: Lora Iti.(KK) to 20,000; Gcauga, 8,000 10,000; Ashtabula, 2.000; Trumbi .2,000; Portage, 0,000; Lake, sevt thousand; Tuscarawas, 2,000; Hur 12,000; Ashland, 10,000. THE TAX ON INCOMES. Altino the revenue of the Governiu amount?'?! to ?620,000,000 last y< thus largely exceeding the ofll estimates, Congress has not relic the people of any portion of tl income tax. Those who make m than $600 a year must still pay per cent, iax upon the excess. K in tax-ridden England, the ino< tax is reduced when the revenu* larger than the estimates. [ New York Ffcrah. liooal Items. We lear? that the body ot ? man, sup? posed to be named Van Eaton, a tobacco? nist, waft found near the bridge over "big ' Cedar Creek, in <3bn Dintric*; on Sunday last, by a freedman, who was fishing in the creek- the hook having become entangled in the leg of the pants of the dead ma::. It is thought the supposed murderer. Hodges, alias Thomas, lia.-) been arrested in Augusta, (In. PROVOST COUBT.-The followiug case? have boen decided during the past three days: United. .'Hatea vs. Joseph Kennedy, freed? man.- Charge-Assault on UiiiteOBUte* ofiicers and disorderly conduct. #M ac cosed plead not guilty, but the Court found him guilty, and he was sentenced to sixty days imprisonment or $50 line. United States rs. '.'hartes Goodwyn, fre^bnoTt. -Charge Larceny. The pri? soner was found guilty, and sentenced to thirty days imprisonment. United States cs. Jack McFadden and JtU?y /fays, freedmen.- Charge-Assault and battery on Bob Shaw, freedman. The assaulting parties were sentenced to thirty days imprhjonnieut or $10 fine, United, States vs. Ben. SighUer and Jack Hendrix, freedmen.--Charge- Larceny. The accused were found guilty. Sentence, thirty days confinement or 510 fine. ARRIVAI, OF v DISTTNOI-ISHED OPTICIAN. Professor M. Bernhadi, of Berlin, Prussia, the celebrated optician, has arrived in our city, and taken rooms at Nickerson'n Hotel, where he intends to remain for a short time. The Proleaaor comes to ti? highly recommended by thc medical facul? ty, and by other gentlemen also ofthebest standing in society. We also find by his advertisement, in another column of our paper to-day, that ho has received testi? monial? of some of our most eminent phy? sicians. Perhaps it would be as well for the public to improve the opportunity now afforded, and for those who require them, to secure a pair of the far-famod double vision spectacles now offered by Professor Bernhardt . His ?frico for a stn. rt time will be at Niokereon's Hotel, Boom No. 23, ee eond floor. NEW AOVERTISEMKNTS. -Attention is call? ed to the following advertisements, whkb are published thia morning for the firs! time: Stenhouse A Macaulay Com. Merch'ts. Prof. Bernhardt- -Spectacles. J. A T. lt. Agnew-Sugar, Spices, etc. One of tho lay speakers in tho Alexandria Convention illustrated his readiness to fraternize with the North? ern brethren, and his feelings towards them, by the story of "the two men that would not speak to each other; but one, having been converted at a camp-meeting, on seeing his former enemy, held out his hand, saying: 'How d'ye do, Kemp? I am humble enough to shake hands with a dog.' " This brought down the house, from its venerable President to the young? est person present. A grumbler explains the present - system of raising revenue as follows: ' 'Now, you see, in the first place, they get the* hang of a feller's business. That is taxed. Then they find out how much he earns every month, and that's taxed. Then they find ont all about his profits, aud on that they lay their tax. Then they manage to get some tax ou what he owes. Next comes what they call income, and that's taxed. Then, if anything Ls left, the preachers calls around and get it to sustain the church and con? vert the heathen." A Goon INDICATION-.-We learn, from Tuesday's Star, that a meeting of the members of the two clubs of Washington, the National Union and National Johnson Club, took place Monday night, and a resolution was unanimously adopted to consolidate them. A new organization was formed, to consist of the two Execu? tive Committees, now resol "ed into oue, under the mime of the National [Inion Executive Committee. Benjamin P. Butler has been sum? moned by the surrogate of New York, to give an account of his stewardship of his brother's estate. A claim for $75,000 worth of cotton, seized by the brother, is made against the es? tate by a New Orleans firm. The General has asked and obtained aiL_ extension of the time to the 23d of the month, to appear and show his accounts. Oni> FELLOWS' HALL TO BK RE Btm.T.--At a meeting of the Board of Directors, held in New Orleans cm tho fith, it? was resolved tore-build tho Odd Follows' Hall on the old site, the new building to be larger and more elegant than the old one. The order have the means to erect the building nt once. When the Hall was burnt, all of the archives were saved. President Johnson has completed an able message, giving his reasons for vetoing tho Freedmen's BiuAu bill. The whole document is admira? ble in its conservative tone and logi cal reasoning, but it will, in all pro bability, not be presented until the last of the ten days allowed the Pre sident under the Constitution for the consideration of the bill. A remarkable fact is given in con? nection with the lute session of the 1 Connect icut Legislature. It promptly I adjourned as soon as it reached tito i limit of its pay days. For all this, the New Haven Journal and Courier, a radical paper, pronounces it the ! stupidest Legislature of its recollec ? tion. It may be so. We have not i seen it denied. Nearly tho whole of the Baltimore' ! bar have tendered their services as ! counsel to Mr. Davis, in case they 1 should be required upon his triai.