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COLUMBIA Saturday Morning:, JNov. 24, 1866. ItcroiiNf met ion. Our attention has boen called to the fifth article of tho Constitution of the United States, which declares that "the Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it neces? sary, shall propose; amendments to this Constitution, or on die applica? tion cf thc Legislatures of two-thirds vj the several States, s7iall call a convention for proposing amendments." The Phoenix, nearly six months ago, and while the propositions now pending before the States were pend? ing before Congress, took the posi? tion that tho conflict between thc President andCongress, as to the pro? priety of the latter department of the Government proposing amendments to the Constitution, wliile a portion of the States were unrepresented in Congress, and the feeling which such a course on the part of Congress would inevitably arouse, made it ex? pedient to leavo the proposed amend? ments to the actions of State Legisla? tures, to calling a general convention of all the States. Every day's observation sinco that time has tended to confirm the wis? dom of this view, and we are pleased to see that prominent men and jour? nals in various sections of the coun? try agree to the proposition. From tho Nashville Union and American, wc have got some good hints in rela? tion to this matter. It is now obvious that three-fourths of the States dc not intend to ratify the Congressional scheme of amendment. Apart from intrinsic "objections to it, they con? ceive, and in this the President con? curs, that the Constitution confers nc power on any legislative boely.^lesf than a Congre - composed of repre? sentatives frr? ; all the States, to pro pose amendmont ? under tho article above quoted-in other words, thal the people called to ratify should have a voice in consielering the ne cessity of a proposition to amend that all the States aro entitleel to a? much participation ia the preliminar work of forming amendments as thc] are in a voice in their ratification o rejection. No mind devoid of prejudice, ant disposed to preserve the form pre sented for this important step, cai refuse to admit the justice of this po sition. The thirty-ninth Congres ought not to have assumed the prc rogativo in the first sentence of th fifth article, and it would act wiselj and in the interest of an early an satisfactory adjustment of outstan? ing questions, if it should promptl withdraw its "amendment" at il meeting in December. If, then, tw< thirds of the Legislatures of th States should make tho call for a Coi stitntional Convention, and Ccigre; would, in a spirit of fairness, provid for its assembling, we have litt] doubt that every epiestion vital to tl restoration of the Union woulel be > considered and delivered by such body as to commanel the unanimor approval of oil the States. It w? unquestionably an error, fatal to ti early settlement of the details ( questions elecieled by the civil war, i Congress, representing a portion > the nation only, to attempt to elicia the organic law. Repeatable statut and fundamental laws are difiere: things, and tho wise men who mat the latter comprehended the distin tion, and clearly set forth the tra in the fifth article, whoso every se tenee and word contemplates that tl work of amendment to the Constit tion should be in its inception, pr gress and consummation, the act all the people, either in their prima capacity, or through accredited repi sentatives. We advocate, therefoi the movement of State Legislatur for a call by Congress of a Constit tiona! Convention. This will relie both the President and Congress, a] v .nit the important questions issue to the people, where, unless 1 have forgotten tho very alphabet republicanism, they properly be!o2 A despatch from London, the 151 says the Confederate bond-holders ? about to bring their ease under t notice of the British Government, a set-off against tho Alabama clai: of the United States. -? ? ? ? The number of emigrants land at New York, last week, was 6,1 making a total of 212,752 landed sit January 1, against 168,338 arrived the corresponding period of 1865. Thc Political Situation. In nu article on tho political and j financial situation, the Baltimore Sun, i of a late tinto, notes the fact that'tho I result or the lato elections places j Maryland and Delaware with Ivon , tucky in tho Hst of States opposed j to the constitutional amendment, j These, with the excluded States, will make thirteen certainly and firmly opposed to its adoption. Three fourths of all the States being re? quired to carry this amendment iuto effect, its defeat is therefore certain. Un.Vr these circumstances, the Sun says : "Should Congress persis?; in its purpose to keep the States unrepre? sented, we shall have that unaccount? able predicament upon us of a con? stitution practically annulled by an act of Congress, and a new feature engrafted upon tho fundamental law itself, and when it lias been explicitly repudiated according to the provisions of that Jaw. It is unquestionable that the present Congress will adhere to its determination", and it is equally unquestionable that the States will adhere to their rejection of the amendment. What then? It is clear that the union of theso States must remain dissevered for at least another year. Assuming that no aggressive legislation is attempted during the approaching session, still it cannot pass over without a great deal of angry discussion and heart-burning dissension. The natural, the inevi? table consequences of such a state of things must be to stagnate trade, to retard the development of tho in? dustry of the country, and to add to its financial embarrassments by fastening upon us for an indefinite period a depreciated paper currency. To what extent the depreciation may extend, no one can calculate. "Could tho attention of legislators bo directed from the angry contest over the points of irreconcilable variance to some measures of practi? cal relief for the industry of the coun? try, their labors might not bc in vain. But it is greatly to be feared that a baffled majority will be moro intent upon punitive than remedial mea? sures, and that no measures of prac? tical relief to the industry and com? merce of the country wiri mitigate the countless evils of unrestored union." The New York W>>rbl, of Monday, says : There is a s'.'iry from Washington that Chief Justice Chase and the Pre? sident have had alougtalk, tho object of the Chief Justice being to make the President turn a somersault and jump down his own throat. Physi? cally, that is a difficult performance, but morally and mentally, we have known politicians by trade to perform tho feat once, twice, and even three times. We have known a man turn J Roman Catholic from Protestant, and then turn Protestant again. Some of tho great popular favorites are those whose facility in these gymnastics is the most remarkable. We used to dread Brownlow's coming -North, for ho was such a rabid pro-slavery black? guard that men instinctively felt everything he favored wrong. Since ho is in the Torch-and-Turpentino line, and is as much a blackguard as before, with the audition of hypocrisy to blackguardism, he is a sort of St. Peter in the political church of which Butler is the St. Paul. The simple question in issue now is, shall the Government of the. United ?>tates be a limited or an unlimited Government ? If a man says it ought to be an unlimited Government, very well, let him rango himself with the Republican-Uuion-Radical party, and help bring about that consummation; if lie says it ought to -bo a limited Government, let him stand witlx the I Democratic party, and oppose every i attempt, no matter under what pre j text-progress, humanity or equali? ty-to destroy that principle. It is not given to wisdom or honesty to succeed at ffrst; in fact, they seem crushed out for years, sometimes. A man cannot always make a successiid battle, but one thing he always can do-net help defeat himself. If the Democracy of the West is of such a feeble constitution that i< cannot stand out in the cold for twenty years, it differs from tho De? mocracy of New York. From the leaders of our forces, purchases have been made; but the rank and file are Democrats, not because there is some? thing to be made by a political faith, but because they believe in it. They believe in it because it means liberty; the least possible amount of govern? ment by one citizen over another citizen, consistent with tho safety ol all. They do not believo that, if a majority want to go to church, that a minority should go too; they do noi believe that if a majority only wan! to drink water, that a minority musl be cut off from beer. They do noi believo in taking one dollar from A, who does not manufacture, and giving it to B, who does. They do not be? lieve in letting a few men make pro mises to pay money for the greal masses, who will have to settle in ao tuai value for debts contracted undei the reign of pa]^er. The Democrats generally do not recognizo any dif? ference between personal dishonesty and political dishonesty. Nor do thc Democrats understand that "rights' mean any less than they did aftei magna charta and tho declaration o: independence. They recognize th? power of superior strensrth, but thej _ _ m .i have not yet comb to admit that tllero aro no such things as honor, honesty und justice; that there is really strength, and strength, only. The Kovrmbtr Meteor!. Professor Loomis, of Yale Col'ego, under date of November 16, hrs sent to the New York Post tho following account of his meteoric observations: On Monday night November 12, a company of observers at this place counted 09(1 shooting stars in five hours and twenty minutes, which is about four tiracs'the average number visible for the same period through? out the year. On Tuesday night, November 13, another company counted 8S1 shooting stars in five hours, which is five times the ave? rage nui. ber. On Wednesday night; the sky was overcast, so that no ob? servation could bo made. Wo con? clude, then, that tho number ol shooting stars visible about tho 13tl was very remarkable; nevertheless, this display is not to be comparer with November 13, 1S33, in which th? number of meteors was variously esti mated at from 10.000 to 30,0U0 poi h r. Thc grand display, therefore, whicl it was supposed might.possibly occiu this year, has not been witnessed ii the United States, and probably no in Europe, or it would have been au nounced to us by telegraph. It ma] have been witnessed :'n Asia or th< Pacific Ocean; but if such had beei tho case, it seems probable that tin number visible in tho United Stat' would have been greater than it wa The telegram in this morning's II* raid, purporting to Lavo como fron Greenwich, is evidently spurious. I is, therefore, probable that thero ha not been witnessed this year, in au; part of tho world, a display of me teors at all, to be compared with th grand display of 1S33. As an unusual interest on this sut ject appears to have been excited somo of your readers may wish an at swer to the question: What are shoot ing stars? and how do you accour for their periodical display in ur usual numbers? Shooting stars rna} without much impropriety, be calle little comets. Each meteor is a sma body, generally of very little density revolving about the sun in an elipt: orbit, and governed by tho samo lav as tho larger planets-Jupiter an Saturn. The average number ( these bodies which encounter tl earth every day is several million and still thero is no perceptible d crease from year to year. Tho toti number of these bodies, therefor belonging to our solar system, mu be reckoned by millions of million Tho earth, in its motion about tl sun, with a velocity of nineteen mil per second, is continually encountc ing more or less of th- se bodies, ar they plunge into our atmosphere wj velocities varying from ten to for miles per second, by which mea heat is developed sullicieiit to igui them, and they are entirely co sumed, generally in a single secon and at an elevation of about fif miles above the earth's surface. C casionally we encounter bodies greater density, which cannot be readily consumed, and they reach t earth's surface sometimes entire, ai at other times in a fragmentary co dition. Samples of such meteo are to bo found in all mineralogy collections of this country and L rope. Tho periodical display of shooti stars in unusual numbers indical that they aro not distributed ui formly'throughout the solar syste but aro collected in vast numbers certain regions, while in other regie they are comparatively few. Sho ing stars aro annually seen in gr< numbers on the 10th of August, a since each meteor is moving in orbit with great velocity, whin ev( year we find large numbers ol tin near the sumo point of tho eart orbit, we conclude that they aro ranged in a ring or zone intersect] the earth's orbit at a point which 1 earth passes on tho 10th of August Tn order to explain the recurrei of an unusual number of shooti stars year after year, about the li of November, we suppose that th is another ring of these mini bodies, somewhat inclined to ecliptic. Throughout the differ portions of this ring, the meteors distributed in very unequal numb( but thero is one portion where number is immensely great, and i this portion which the earth enco ters at intervals of about thirty-th years. According to Professor H. Newton, the reason that this disp returns only once in thirty-th years is the following: Each met of the November group moves in orbit which is nearly circular, wit] mean distance from the sun eithe little less or a little greater than t of tho : rth, and a period ab eleven ur-?* less or greater than i year. The earth encounterad densest pol don of this group in '. vember, 1S33; but tho next year 1 portion passed eleven days before after the earth returned to that p( of its orbit; tho following year difference amount" 1 to twenty days; so that at the end of ah thirty-threo years it must gain or i ono entiro revolution, aud ret nearly to the position where it rr encounter tho earth. If wc rec< no accounts of an unusual displa; meteors this week in any part of world, we Bhall look with consid ble confidence for suoh a display November 14., 1867. tVcw Plan or thc Herald. The Now York Herald, of Tuesday, has a new plan for tho reconstruction of the Union. The pith of thc scheme is in tho two following concluding paragraphs of its nrticlo: We would submit to tho Congress, which is to re-assemble in Washing? ton on the first Monday in December, anew constitutional amendment, <>r^ a modification of that before the I States, so as to embrace, not the cheating proposition of impartial I suffrage, but universal suffrage and a j ! universal amnesty, as thc b.-sis of Southern restoration. Tho universal ? suffrage we mean is tho admission to the bailot-bri of all males of allraces and colors, of twenty-one years of ' age, except criminals and lunatics and "Indians not taxed;" and the amnesty we mean is one which will reach from the rebel bush-whacker to Jeff. Davis and his Cabinet, begin? ning with thc release of Davis. We would further propose tho enforce? ment of this settlement upon the rebellious South, as President Jobn I son enforced the amendment abolish? ing slavery. To this end, an Act of Congress, requiring the President to place an army of 100,000 or 150,000 men under General Graut, for the purpose of hurrying up the good work in thc excluded States, would be a good thing. Something of this sort is required to convince those States and their peopij that an un? successful rebellion brings its pains and penalties, and that it is tho victor, and not the vanquished, that dictates the treaty of peace. President Johnson's efforts at re? storation have turned out to be "love's labor lost." Let the rightful authority of Congress, then, be in? terposed, and in a manner which will admit of no more trifling and no more delay. Let this new plan be placed in tho hands of Gen. Grant, for its enforcement, and the thing will soon bc done. Peace, restoration and harmony will speedily follow; for while the universal amnesty will throw the veil over tho offences and offenders of the rebellion, universal suffrage, blacks and all, will hold tilt recovered States firmly in the Union and with the cause of the Union. Moreover, by this plan, there will bt the additional positive advantage tc thc South of a gain of some twenty odd members of Congress over thc plan of negro exclusion from th? suffrage. Tho authority and tin power are in thc hands of Congress an?l this is our plan as matters nov stand, t\j a short, comprehensive j complete and speedy settlement. The Crops for ? SOC. The New York Tr Haine has ai editorial summing up of the crop for the season, from which we quote As we feared, the early frosts in th North-west, reaching Southward t embrace one-third of the State c Illinois, ?lid considerable ?laniago t the corn crop. Accounts from th section thus affected report much soi ami immature corn. Throughot th<i country, however, the crop i above the average annual y iel?' though not so very large as it wa expected it would be three monti: ago. The potato crop is large, but ur fortunately the tubers are infecte with rot, so much so that doalei refuse to buy in largo quantities an prices are consequently low. The apple crop is fair in th Western States, and the fruit is c excellent quality. In the middle an Eastern States the yield is light. The hog crop lias been over-est mated. It will not, as has been BU] posed, be unusually large, but wi barely exceed the average harvest. Grapes aro in fair supply, but ? inferior quality. In many localitie by reason of an early frost, tho fr.u failed to ripen, and hence is dry ar insipid. Good grapes are ve: scarce, a^d in great demand. Though"we are without definite i: formation on the yield of the ber crop, the high prices, active inquir and small supply, indicate a sh o j crop. I Tho New York market has neve j hitherto, been so completely overn with cattle, hogs, and sheep. Tin aro poured in upon us from all par of tho West, where the supply seer, to bo inexhaustible; and both growe and dealers are anxious to sell at pr sent prices, which are gradual settling to a lower basis.* Turkej-s were never before abundant throughout tho countr Small poultry is also in full suppl Present high prices, therefore, a purely speculative, and must ever ually "break down. The quantity butter made this fall is truly enc mons, and a vast supply is held 1 both dairymen and dealers, who ha overheld themselves and will now compelled to reduce their stoc at lower figures, as the supply quito too large to maintain prese prices. The accumulation of chet even exceeds that of butter, and mu: for the same causes, experience a c j cline in price. Wool is in good sn ply. Tho shearing was larger th usual, and of fair quality. The arr demand having ceased, the market inactive and has already oxperionc a marked decline. A party from the Dorn Mines, Abbeville, S. C., represent discov ries of gold there which prom largo results. An old battery, afi eighteen hours' work, gave ni ounces and seventeen pennywcigl of gold from less than a ton and quarter of reduced ore. TI?? rVnItmMnrjr System. ?" I The wisdom of establishing tho penitentiary system in this State in shown by the following notice ot the 1 report of the superintendent of the G?orgia institution, by a correspond- ; ent of the Atlanta Intelligencer: "By the annual report, of Mr. \Y. C. Anderson, the principal keeper of the penitentiary, it appears that, in the penitentiary proper, there were, ; on the 30th of September, 91 con? victs, and belonging to the chain- ! gang 114, making a total of 20?. The report exhibits a statement of a very ' thorough repair and renovation of a j portion of the buildings and pre? mises. Among the improvements mentioned is the introduction of a corn mill, operated by steam power, capable of grinding 100 bushels of i corn pier ?lay, the toil being expected to bread'the whole institution. Mr. Anderson expresses the decided opi? nion that tho penitentiary may be made, in its present location, self sustaining, if not a source of revenue to the State. The report of the book-keeper shows an excess of as? sets over indebtedness to the amount of $13,513." We notice, in this connection, that Gov. Worth, of North Carolina, in his message to the Legislature, strong? ly recommends thc establishment of a penitentiary in that State. Vr.RY GOOD.-The New Orleans Picayune has the following capital sarcastic remarks on the absurd stories published by tho radical sheets of New York: Armed organizations of ex-rebel sokliers are drilling nightly on Canal street, it is reported that Jeff. Davis has escaped from prison and is in command. No Union man dare show himself on the streets after sun? set, A violent rebel threatened to pull down the custom house, and, but for the timely arrival of the 18th corps, would have executed his threat. Mayor Mouroo hung himself and then killed his family, in order, as he afterwards stated, to avoid the just indignation of the Union citizens. The commanding general takes his meals regularly in spite of rebel threats. It is stated, on good au? thority, that the Mississippi Uiver is undermined. Several rebel cruiser! came up the river yesterday to se? whether the reported surrender o the Confederate authorities was cor reef. Doing told that it was, the] cursed the United States Govern meut, and, after taking coal and pro visions, went down to Barataria. Un fortunately the war vessels in por were unable to get up steam in tim? to overhaul tiiem. People here di not hesitate to speak openly in favo: of President Johnson and thc consti tution. One man went so far as t( say, "D-u the radicals." The ex rebels are in a destitute condition and in some portions of thc city ari eating their children. Which the New York Express con tinned ns follows: We may add, that an intelligen gentleman, who has had excellent op ?portmiities for extended observation says that several school marms fror Massachusetts were roasted alive oi thc Sea Islands, oue day last week and that tho rebels in the int?fcio were smashing up the Freedmen' Bureau for firewood-the freedmei themselves having all been previous!, poisoned by New England rum. THE POPE.-The New York Tima ol' Tuesday, has the following parn graph : We have Florence dates of yestei day, which announce the issue of circular by the Italian Government In that circular, Baron Ricasoli in timates that it is not the purpose o the King's ministers to make any im mediato movement against Rome They are to content themselves, fo the present, with watching the cours of events. It is just possiblo thu they see in tho Papal Allocution a: indistinct sort of purpose on tho pat of the sovereign of Rome to make kind of voluntary abdication. I one passage of that solemn doon ment, his Holiness says he may, i certain contingencies, remove to som place where he can better exercise hi apostolic mission. That would lo one way of solving the difficult] Another, and perhaps a more naturi way, would bo for him to resign th care of his temporal estates to tl) sovereign of Italy, and continue t exercise his spiritual functions whei he is. We greatly regret that we ai obliged, as a matter of public dut; to transfer to our columns the repo which the New York corresponde! of tho Boston Commonwealth makes < tho conduct of Horace Greeley, o tho occasion of Butler's reception i City Hall Park: At last the General (WaHbridg* was anxious to seo if tho hyem would listen to Horace Greeley. ? this time, an enthusiastic Rep?blica kept firing a healthy cannon, thi scared the veteran Greeley's nerve Pressing forward to Gen. Wallbridg* (tlie Chairman,) Greeley,inanervoi trepidation, jerked out, "If yo ion't stop that G-d d-d cannoi I'll leave tho stand. I can't spca with that d-d thing; it will drow my voice." Thero are 320 new brick stor< going up in Atlanta. Thc P/ic mix office is ou Main strc^i, a fi'T\- doors aboveTavlor (or < lamden ) street. We are i idebted to Peter li. Class, Ks?] , for copi?e of lalo New Yuri; papers; ulso, /.<? Bo? Ton, for December. Mr. receives those publications regularly. If any "HO wishes good fruit ujiploe, lemons, chestnuts, cocoa-nuts, Ac thej will tlfi nell t>. :"a?'? .h.- advertisement of the Me -rs Schnitze, and heed the injunc? tion. SHAVING.-Not your note, but your face. If yon want anything in tho"barberizing" lino done, call on John Mills, at Nicker son's Hotel. Ho will fix yon off in tine style. "Fon HISTORY - AN HF.IK-I.OOII. Preserve tho record of the destruction of Columbia, written by one of South Carolina's histo? rians, who was present during the whole pack and destruction of <>v.r city. It is the most authentic account published. Ora NEW SKINS.-To the still and inge? nuity of our old friend, Giles G. Newton, Faq., is the Phoenix indebted for tho very tasty signs which, in gilt, letters, inform t he passer-by where the bird is to be found, long may he live to follow his vocation. LUNCH THIS DAY.-Who eau say that we don't have good things in "Cfeimncyville?" Take a look at the announcements of Innen from several of our restaurant keepers. Pollock has oyster HOUP, etc.; McGuiuuia venison steaks ; and Tri vet .V Bcraghi wild turkey. Hurrah for the return of tho era of good eating ! NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. - Attention is call? ed to the following advertisements, which are published this morning for tho first lime: Address before Olariosophic Society. Pollock House - Oyster Soup, ?cc. Charles Hamberg-%500 Reward. Good Fruit at Schultze's. Fisher <V Heinitsh-Cheap Soap, &c. Trevet & Beraghi--Turkey for Lunch. Levin & Peixotto-Variety Sale, &c. D. McGuinnis -Venison Steak for Lunch. P. Cantwell -Bacon strips, &c.' Apply to E. Stenhouse-Emp't "Wanted. Gov. Orr-Proclamation. IUTa.ttin.ry. We take the following account of the great masonic demonstration in Baltimore, on the occasion of laying the corner-stone of tho masonic tem? ple, m that city, from our exchanges, .and regret that we have not room for the full proceedings: The ceremony of lay ing the corner? stone of tho new masonic temple iu Baltimore, designed to exceed, in di? mensions and elegance, any other similar structure in this country, was consummated Tuesday, with great splendor and eclat. The interest manifested in the occasion had ex? tended largely beyond the limits of the masonic fraternity, and the ar? rival of delegations of the order from distant cities and towns, to take part in the ceremonies, and their recep? tion by organizations there, showed the degree of importance attached to it beyond the limits of the city. Early in the morning, the principal streets were lively with the gathering of the populace, male and female, to witness the promised pageant, as well as the proceedings to take place on the site of the proposed temple. The high respect entertained for the masonic order, and the character of its bro? therhood, its beneficent objects, the splendor of its emblematic insignia and forms, ?di conspired to excite the interest of the community generally in regard to the events of the occa? sion. Organizations of the order had arrived during the previous evening and night from Bichmond, Peters? burg and other points in Virginia, an well as from Philadelphia, Harrisburg and other Northern cities, and the morning train from Washington came in filled with passengers, as did also those of the Northern Central Rail? way, bringing other delegations and persons desirous of visiting the pa? geant. The President of the United States reached the city in a special train, about 9 o'clock, and was met at the Camden Station by Gov. Swanu and staff. The various bodies of Masons met at 9}.< o'clock; the subordinate lodges it the Maryland Institute; the Chap? ters of Royal Arch Masons at tho Masonic itali, St. Paul street; the Oommanderies of Knights Templar at the Holliday Street Theatre, and the Grand Lodges ?it Concordia Hall. Punctuality .was manifested in all the movements, and a? the appoi: : ted time the 0 ifferent bodies to form the general procession were conducted to their proper positions in line by the assist? ant, marshals detailed for the purpose. Thc members of the masonic fn^er nity appeared in full black suits, high black hats and white gloves, with the ippropriate regalia and emblems. The Knights Templar wore their rich black uniforms, showy belts and iiighly burnished swords, many of diem decorated with costly jewels, ivith chapeaus and wdiite flowing 'eathers, and, on the w hole, made a nost magnificent appearance. The streets, in the meantime, be? came densely crowded in qnartq^ vhere the coming pageant was to ippear. A celebrated French preacher, in a ?ermon upon the duty of wives, said : 'I see, in this congregation, a wo? llan who has been guilty of the sin >f disobedience to her husband, and n order to point her out, I will fling ny breviary at her head." He lifted lis book, and every female head in? stantly ducked.