Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Friday Morning, Bec. 28, 1866. I? there ?iopr? We a"e afraid there is not much hope for tho future of our country. Thc signs arc ominous. When ma? riners, iu mid-ocean, toss over the compass by which they have safely steered for years from haven to haven, what is to bc expected but disaster, if not destruction? Provi? dence may, in its wisdom think pro? per to preserve the ship for thc sake of thc souls that it carries, but, the compass once gone, there is no cer? tainty that human skill will be able to keep the vessel from foundering in the first storm that occurs, or going to pieces on thc first reef that may resemble .smooth water. Thc Now York Smiday Times says that thc compass of thc great Ameri? can republic is thc Federal Constitu? tion. By that Constitution, tho ship of Stute has bceu steered successfully for nearly a century. Officers and crew have not always agreed, during that time, upon the subjects of its variations, and they have indulged in j disputes, uow and then, as to thc j subordinate "filings" of the instru? ment. But they have never called in question its absolute authority to direct the vessel's head-they have never ignored its authority to Ludi? ente the course to be pursued, in order to bring ship and cargo safely into port. Now, however, thc officers who op? pose the mau chosen to act as master of tho ship, insist that this going by the compass o;: Constitution is old fogyish, and not in accordance with the progress of the age. They main? tain that this compass, in short, is not up to tho times and circumstances in which wc live, and that, however useful as a guide in a mill-pond, it is not adapted to the navigation of waters that have been disturbed by a storm and lost their normal condition of placidity. They deny the binding authority of this compact at the pre? sent day. They protest that if it cannot be altered to .suit thc views of an alleged majority on board, that majority, in virtue of its majority, may ignore the compass altogether, and steer by the light of their own wisdom and experience. There was a time when tho Federal Constitution was held in high esteem by all parties. There was a time when every man, or every party, bowed his hoad i". sincere assent to those passage.-; of the farewell ad? dress of Washington in which that "great and good mau" prayed that "tho Constitution may bo sacredly maintained," and said that "the Con? stitution, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of tho whole peo? ple, is sacredly obligatory upon all." There was a time when all parties coincided with John Adams in his inaugural address, and .adopted a heartfelt "attachment to the Consti? tution of the United States, and a conscientious determination to sup? port it, until it shah be altered by thc judgment and wishes of the peo? ple, expressed in the mode prescribed by it." There was a time, in short, when the most idolatrous devotion to the Constitution, manifested by the ac? knowledged fathers of tho republic, was honestly echoed by every Ameri? can citizen, and lu-felt proud to stand forth as a conspicuous champion of its perfection. But that time has gone by. A race of statesmen has been succeeded by n race of demagogues, and ihc3C do not hesitate to pooh! pooh! at iiie "sacred obligations" o? Washington, to scoff at the "con? scientiousness" of Adams, to hold up i to public ridicule tho Constitutional scruples of a Clay and a Webster. They do not hesitate to exalt the po? litical platitudes of a Stevens or a Butler as something equivalent to law and gospel beside the despised dicta of what Jackson used to call "the palladium of our national liber? ties." Yes, the time has gone by when the Constitution enjoyed the reve? rence of officials as well as the affec? tion of the people. Instead of pa? triots prepared to sacrifice party spirit upon thc altar of their coun? try's welfare, ve now discover no? thing but politicians ready to sacrifice everything else to party spirit. In? stead of meu submissive to lnw and order in their disposition to labor for partis .in aggrandizement, we find revolutionary men, who frankly con foss that aggrandizement to be the primary object, at all hazards, of their political exertions. Instead of journalists bold in defence of the right, earnest in support of the Con? stitution, eloquent in vindication of our institutions, wo either find lite? rary time-servers, like him of the Herald, who accommodate themselves to every shift of the wind, or wc fiud political hacks, who assert, with the New York Evening Post, that "the Constitution is obsolete," ?ind that if "extra Constitutional measures be revolutionary, the people reply, 'we accept the risk.' " Instead of repre? sentatives who, RS of old, recognized the correla*' "? authority and distinct i independe. ^ of each branch of the National Government-the judicial, the executive aud thc legislative-we lind "bold, bad men" engaged in a conspiracy to trample on the funda? mental law of tho lund, to arrogate to themselves all the functions of Go- j vernmont, and ready to nie aaec thc j organization of the Supreme Court itself if ii should venture to oppose, ! with thc mandates of the lav.-, their career of usurpation. These are the signs of the times, , and we submit that they arc pecu? liarly ominous, not only to the South, but to the whole country. -.??? g THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET ON ! THE CASE or DR. WATSON-NO MORE TRIALS OP CIVILIANS BY MILITARY COURTS.-Tho Washington corres? pondent of the Baltimore Sun writes, on Sunday : At the cabinet meeting on Friday last, tho subject of trials by mili? tary commissions was considered, the case of Dr. Watson, of Virginia, having been brought to tho notice of the Government through Governor Letcher, of Virginia, who came here to obtain a revocation of the order convening tho military commission to try Watson. The President and j members of the Cabinet, in view of j the recent decision of tho Supreme j Court, determined that no more trials \ of civilians shall be permitted before military tribunals on any pretence whatever, and the Secretary of War was advised to issue an order to the military commanders accordingly, with instructions to them, also, that when they make arrests of civilians upon any ground whatever, they shall report the matter to thc War Depart? ment instanter, and await instructions therefrom before proceeding further. The Secretary of War will issue an order at once conformable to tho de? cision of the Cabinet. -? ? ?- . j The following are the reasons given ! by the Arkansas Legislature for re? jecting the Constitutional amend? ment: 1st. Arkansas does not know that the amendment was adopted by such a Congress as the Constitution pro? vides for, one-third of the States being unrepresented in it. 2d. It was never submitted to the President for sanction as fie Constitution re? quires. 3d. The enormous power it seeks to give Congress would vir? tually abolish all local arid domestic State laws. -1th. It seeks to force negro suffrage on the States, as shown in the second section, while the fifth and third sections disfranchise the wisest and best citizens of tho State, who, having performed all the condi? tions of surrender and general am? nesty, are entitled to restoration to the status they held before tho war, and there are no reasons for believing its adoption would secure restoration. The committee recommend a quiet and dignified course of endurance, rather than purchase restoration at a sacrifice of the principle ot self-re? spect. The Yv'ashington correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial telegraphs that paper, under .late of the 20th instant, a3 follows: "The Washington Republican As? sociation held a meeting to-night, and passed ;; resolution admitting to membership I he colored men of this District. The proposition mat with violent opposition, and was only passed by a small vote. It was an? nounced that several members of the Association would resign." The radic?is will lind it difficult to force negro equality upon their party friends in the District of Columbia. The thing may do to talk about, but when it conies to putting it into prac? tice, there will be found many ? man, now acting with the parly, who will bolt. HOMICIDES.-On Monday night, says the Charleston Courier, a freed? man named Wm. Drayton was shot by a United Slates soldier, while in the discharge of his duty. On Tuesday, another disturbance occurred, resulting in the death of another freedman, also named Win. Drayton, supposed to be cousin to the freedman killed ou Monday. One Michael Lollis was arrested, and con? fessed the crime. Massachusetts has three negroer. ?J her Legislature and 351 in tho State Prison. Tile ?VCIT York Herald iii a. "Raui pu.ge." The Herald thinks that the Empe? ror Napoleon is fooling the United States, and that tho detention of Maximilian is only a part of the pro? gramme of excuses for not withdraw2 ing the French troops. The Herald says that Mr. Johnson muy now be confident of the support of Congress and of the people; that Napoleon's "cunning trick*' is exposed, und that this "Imperial trickery" must bc put an end to without nm further tri? fling. This being the condition of affairs, the Herald proposes a panacea for all our ills, and, growing rapidly belli? cose ns it approaches the end of its article, expresse s its plans in the fol? lowing dignified tor ms: "Tlic proper course to pursue in the matter is not, as we think, to make any further demands for the withdrawal of the French troops; but a positive requisition for the removal of Maximilian, who now .stands ex? posed as a mere catspaw of Napoleon, his master. Let that requisition be coupled with a notice to France that General Sheridan, with a body of twenty-five thousand American troops has been directed to escort Minister Campbell to the City of Mexico from Matamoras, to enter into negotia? tions with Juarez as the head of thc Mexican Republic, at the Mexican capital, and we guess the Monroe doctrine will be vindicate d as con? templated in this resolution of Con? gress. The Executive has ample au? thority now to act decisively, and he ought not to temporalizo with these imperial Mexican tricksters another day. They are intriguing now to in? volve that country, when they leave it, iu a condition of anarchy and fac? tious conflicts which it wili require an armed intervention to settle, and why not, then, bring it to this solution at once?" WHAT CONGKESS WILL Do.-Tho New York Times, from which we have taken occasion to ?pi?te upon several occasions recently, alludes to the tone and temper of Congress, and expreses tho opinion that when it meets again, the business of legis? lation will be carried on with more reference to the interest of the coun? try. It says: On the other question of national scope-that of Southern reconstruc? tion-Congress has acted more dis? creetly than was anticipated. There.] is no hope of thc violent schemes of tho ultra-radicals-schemes of con? fiscation, disfranchisement and deg? radation. Tho amendment is still held out to the South; and even if it be finally rejected, we have reason ki look for other plans that will deal fairty with our Southern fellow-citi? zens as a part of the American peo PLE' ' Congress will have but eight weeks to work in when it re-assembles January next. We shall look for it pursuing and completing its great labors uot less creditably than they have been begun. SOUTHEKN" OlU'HANs' RKTJTKF F AIR. The second day of the Southern Orphans' Relief Fair, at the Music Hall, on Howard street, was quite as successful as at the opening, and quite gratifying to the managers. Mrs. C. V. Baxley, Secretary of the Southern Orphans' Association, who has traveled through the Middle and Southern States, seeking aid, reports her mission as eminently successful, having, with one single exception, received liberal donations in all the cities sho visited. Among other do? nations presentid through her are the following: $1,000 from John To? bin, Esq., New York; a splendid col? lection of books from Appleton & Co. ; a lot of fancy articles from C'ol lemore & Davis, New York; a mag? nificent lady's robe from Boutellier & j Co., N'.w York; a gift of land in Mis- ' souri from li. M. Bishop, Cincinnati; and a large lot of provisions and clothing from St. Louis. Branch associations have boen formed ia Louisville and Mobile lo ', aiil in the charitable work of provid? ing a home for Southern orphans. [Ballimore Sun. ACCIDENTS.-The Charleston Cou? ru r saysi "On Wednesday, ono of tho cars of the street railway was run into by a horse and bugg3-, detaching ear, horses and shaft, and causing the animals to run away. Some two or three men were run over, and a lad named Eugene Adams believed to be mortally wounded. "The same d ly, some boys wero playing with a bottle filled with pow? der and balls, when ono set fire to the powder and exploded the bottle. Several pieces of glass and shot took effect in the lad's neck, and his reco? very is doubtful." Tho ieaiales in the Treasury De? parto.e.it at Washington are alarmed at the prospect of losing their places, and there is weeping and wailing in Washington, gnashing ol' teeth and tearing of hair, though tho last is an expensive form of grief, considering tho market rates of waterfalls, ring? lets und fronts. Pundi says annuitants aro subject to a peculiar malady known as tho long-liver complaint. Th? Condemned Fenian* in Cunada. Tho London Examiner, long known, wherever our language is spoken, ns ono of the most liberal, impartial and philosophical journals in England, argues in favor of such a course to? ward the condemned Fenians, in Canada, as is dictated e\en less by motives of clemency toward tho un? fortunate men themselves than by t he highest considerations of State policy on behalf of Canadians themselves, and all tin; different people who, by natural sympathy of blood, by geo? graphical position or political con? nection, are desirous of placingupoo a satisfactory basis the relations of all who speak our tongue ur furnish the child' constituents of ou>- race. Tlu' Examiner says: The fate of thc Fenians under sen? tence of death in Canada should be (leeided without any regard to the construction that may be nat on an act ol' grace. Men are not tn be hung, because sparing their lives might bc fais- ly attributed to 1'car. The judg? ment of thc Government should bc unswayed by the foolish rants ?md threats in the United ?States. But some respect is surely due to lue feel ings of the American Government. The men might not have been cap? tured, if the American Government had not faithfully and vigorously en? forced its laws against piratical enter? prises. And this fact warrants inter? cession, and entitles it at least to respectful consideration. Tue interference in the course of justice in an independent State is not like that of the King of Prussia, who solicited the reprieve of the assassin Muller, merely because he was a coun? tryman. The fact that tho Mood stained wretch was a German, gave the King of Prussia no right of ap? peal against British justice. Thc President of the American L'nion may fairly claim to intercede for mercy on the ground that by the help of his power the prisoners had fallen inte the bonds of their enemies. But the question of the disposal of these men is not to be determined by influences, permissible or not, but by highei ? considerations, it has become a law , of the land, that life shall not bi I taken for any crime but murder. Frost levied war against the Queen, and incurred the penalties of treason, but he was not put to death. Smitl O'Brien and his fellow-rebels wen transported, though they liad pu their necks fairly within the halter lu both these instances it may bc sail that the folly of the enterprises mad? it impossible to deal with them witl tragical rigor; but if folly excuses there is certainly no lack of it in tin Fenian case. The truth is, however that tho sentiment of the countn would not have endured the enforce meut of the extreme penalty fo the treason in the instances named We have seen it argued that, t< show we are not afraid of the Ameri cans, we ought to act as .f we were ii great fear of the Fenians, and mak an example of the captured offenders But fear should have nothing to d< with the question, least of all th fear of being thought afraid. Lo tho criminals suffer suitable punish ment for the unprovoked outrage but not the penalty reserved exclu sively for murder. If they had don on our own shores what they hav done on the Canadian frontier, the, would have been shot and bayonetei on the field, but, when captured, the, would not have been hung by proc?s of law. A. J. Durant, President of th Southern Loyal Association, has pre sented to Congress a memorial am resolutions adopted by that body which declares that the former Gc vernments of the Southern State were framed in a spirit hostile to th Government, and that by the result of the war said State Government have ceased to exist, that the Pres: dent had no authority over them ex cept as Commauder-in-Cliief, an could only hold them subject ? order. A LONG CHASE.-Capt. Charles A Bontelle, of Augusta, Maine, rec< vered a watch recently, which wa stolen from him six years ago, i Liverpool, England. lie was in concert room at the timi! it wa stolen, anil immediately made the fae known to the detectives there, wh< after six years, succeeding iu lim i ii g it, Jacob Loucks, Hie largest man i York County, Pennsylvania, died i Manchester, in that County, eu t!. 12th, of apoplexy, ile. was fifo seven years old, ami weighed aboi live hundred pounds. His cof?i? W? thirty-live inches broad and twent; three deep. A rumor is current that the Sena District of Columbia Commit tee pri pose reporting a bill that there she be no exclusion of children from tl public schools of the District ol' Ci lumbia on account of race or color. Sam Slick tells us that if he wei asked what death he preferred : being most independent, he won answer freezing, because he won tuen go on' with a '.stil? upper lip Judge McClain, at New York, h decided substantially that a persi losing money in gaining is nut e titled to recover by law. Wm. B. Stevens, sheriff and t: collector of Putnam County, Fla., w murdered and robbed near Palack a few days ago. ^firc Mair of AfTuirK itt WuKliiiigtoii. Tlie Washington correspondent of the Baltimore Evening Transcript sends his paper the following in re? ference to an agreeablo phase in af? fairs at the capital of the nation. The recent action of the radical ma? jority in Congress \.ill multiply thc evil complained of: .'For some time past, the conduct of the negroes who ride in tho street ! cars of this city has been of stich a nature, and caused so much annoy? ance to others having occasion to use them, that the aforesaid portion of our population have almost enjoyed a monopoly in the matter. Ladies have been compelled to stand np for a long distance, while burly blacks, both male and femah , have sat in comfort beside them. This, of course, is but one of the legitimate fruits of that species of legislation which now runs riot. An incident occurred in one of the ears, yesterday, which tends to illustrate the point to which matters have advanced. A lady en? tered a crowded cai at the same time with a negro woman. A member of Congress and au officer of the army, i who were in company, immediately ; arose to give their seats to the. lady, when the negress pushed ahead, and spreading out her crinoline, occupied ali the vacant space. Upon tin- M. C. politely remonstrating with her, and asking that the lady should at least be permitted to have a share of tile seat, she launched at him a volley of abuse, mingled with oaths. Upon the conductor ejecting her from the car, she called a police officer and ordered him to arrest tho member of Congress, upon the charge of, steal? ing her watch and purse. The case was heard before ono of the police justices, the member and the officer both testifying against tl?e woman, when the justice lined "uer $10 for disorderly conduct, which she paid under protest, at the same time threatening vengeance against tho two gentlemen." HORACE GBEELEY, ALIAS JOHNSON. This individual, who was confined in jail for the murder of B. t?. Rhett, Esq., and escaped about a month ago, was discovered and arrested yes? terday morniug, while concealed by his wife, on the farm of Mr. Charles Cohrs, about eight miles from the city. - Cliarlcsion Courier, The aggregate area of tho public lands of thc United ?States, surveyed and unsurveyed, is 1,465,468,800 acres, which is seventeen times the whole surface of Prussia, including ber territorial increase since the war with Austria. There were 00,000,000 gallons of whiskey distilled last year. Uncle Sam finding it impossible to-collect the revenue upon the liquor, pro? poses to sweep away all stills and mo? nopolize the whiskey manufacture ; himself. Postmaster-General Randal favors the scheme of constructing and working telegraph lines as a part of the postal facilities of the country. There is said to be au evident dispo? sition in Congress to take charge of the wires. Boston, the "hnb of tho universo" and proprietor of tho big organ, has arranged for a big hotel, five stories high and 300 rooms, to bo located on Washington street, opposite Frank? lin street. A correspondent of a Western pa? per tells a story about a German Jew, who, after a three days' wan? dering in the sewers of New York, picked up $27,DUO worth of jewelry, precious stones, silver spoons, &c. A clergyman "down East" asked a woman whom ho had baptized, as she was coming out of tho water, how she felt in her mind, and was some? what surprised to hear her answer, "Bully!" It was recently proved, in an arbi? trated ease in Patterson, that the pro? uts of the Now Jersey Locomotive and Manufacturing Company, for tho inst three years, were over $81)0,000. THE merchants of Columbia are re? quested to me.-t at Gibbes' Hall, TELS EVENING, at -1 o'clock, to take some uniform action in regard to the various kinds of currency offered for merchandize ia tlii:, city. D.-c 2S 1 CABBAGE! CABBAGE!! ONE crate primo CABBAGE, for sale low, at JOilN C. S EEG Ens A. C(J."S. Dec ?S CHEESE! CHEESE!! ONE THOUSAND lbs. in store, at whole? sale and retail. u-:c-S6^ J. C. SEEGERS & CO. Hams, Hams. .> . 'ASKS Sugar-cured fl AMS. at low rate. ~< Dec '?? J. C. SEEGERS & CO. ikle, Ale. BEES, of the best CREAM ALE, wholesale ami on di aught. Dec'23 J. C. SEEGERS & CO. Crumbs of Comfort ! SWEET CHEWING TOBACCO. Dec 2S J. C. SE EG EUS A CO. SWISS CI ..ARS! TT"'!". !" fiiOUSAND in atore and for sale, Jj wholesale and retail. Dre 28 .loiIN C. SEEGERS A CO. NO. 1 MACKEREL. ,4 BEES, of the liaest No. 1 frosh MACK -t EUEE, at J. C. SEEGERS A CO.'S. Dec 28_ FOR SALE, THIRTY well bioko MULES. Apply to Deo 27 .'J CHAS. LOGAN. ! - ? _ - - Tho I'hcrnir office is on Main street, a few doors above Taylor (or Camden) street. ACKNOWLEIHIMEN r.- The Treasurer of tho "Ladies' Industrial Association of Co? lumbia," acknowledges tbo receipt of $100 from the managers of tho lalo "Charity Fair," held in this place. Om READING ROOM.-Our friends aro invited to visit tho Ph'Xnix reading room, where they will lind on lile papera and periodicals from every section of tho Union. The building is open day and night. HISTORICAL.- The future historian will be anxious to glean tl,., most correct in? formation concerning the desolating march of Sherman; and especially wdl ho lock for a truthful record of the tack and de? struction of Columbia. The only true and full statement of the teri iblc events of the. night of the 17th February, 1SC5, will bo found in the pamphlet issued from tin's office. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. -Attention is call? ed to the following advertisements, which are published this morning for thc first John p. Scegcrs A Co. - Ale, Hams, Ac. t Colgate's Soaps. Drury A. Minis-Assignee's Notice. Ono BROWN WINDSOR.-The original Old Brown Windsor Soap, which hus been de? servedly famous, has now a successful rival in that, manufactured by Colgate A Co., Now York, which ir? pronounced fully ( qual to the imported article. In this case, as in others, American ingenuity allows of no foreign supremacy. Assignment for Benefit of Creditors. THE creditors of GEORGE R. McNABB aro hereby notified that he has this day assigned ail his property, of every de? scription, to me, in trust tor the benefit of his creditors. They are requested to meet mo at tho store occupied hy Mr. McNabb, on SATUR? DAY, the 7th January nuxt, at 12 o'clock m., for the purpose of appointing an agent to co-operate with the assignee. All creditors who do not accept under the assignment ami release tho debtor within forty days from this dato, will bo debarred its privileges. No preference has been given except what could bo enforced bv law. DRU HY A. MIMS, Assignee. "Dee 2S PRIVATE BOARD. PRIVATE BOARD can bo obtained in a business part of the city; also, two or three ROOMS io rent, on Main street. Ap? ply at this ofhee. Dee 27 For Sale. A NEW ONE-HORSE 3-STTJNG WA ?\_ CON, just finished. Also, a BUGGY, nearly now, and a YOUNG HORSE, well broken to either single or double harness. Apply at DRENNAN A CARROLL'S. R?Iff?l! VIA EXPRESS TO?D A Y AGOOD CLOTH CLOAK for.$0 00 Extra " ik . 8 00 Long Shawls.5 00 Plaid '. .2 50 Breakfast Shawls. 75 Ladies' Merino Yosts. 1 50 " Kid Gloves. 1 00 Hravy Satinots. ;i7i Good Kentucky Jeans. 25 Ladies' Linen Handkerchiefs. 10 " " Hem-stitched do. 25 Gent's Buck Gloves.1 25 Good Prints. 124 Bed Ticks. 25 " Bleached Shirtings. 25 Star Ginghams. 25 200 packs Fins, at low prices. Variety of Gooifs at reduced prices. And will rcceivo weekly supplies of French Goods from auction, at prices that must give satisfaction. ALFRED TOLLESON. Dec 27_ HOUSES TO RENT. APPLY to D. i'. MCDONALD, at Sb his office, on Lady street, near the _ Post Office. _?oc_-3 G* Fresh Norfolk Oysters ! AT THE COLUMRIA ICE-HOUSE, by retail, at Two Dollars per Gallon! Dec ?3 JOHN D. BATEMAN. ft ONLY $2 per gallon, and re? ceived fresh ? very ?lay, at tho old stand of Hanahan A Warley, on Washington street. Dei: 22 Christmas Presents I DOZ. "GIFT" CUPS and SAUCERS; ?j "mottoed." Fancy China Candlesticks. Dinuer Black Codee Cups, l'a nev Tea Setts. Punch Fitchew. At Dec ?13 GREGG A t'O-V^ Pickled Mullets. 4 SMALL CONSIGNME s'i'of tho above. J\. put np expressly for family use; very choice. Call and secure some, at Dec 2:1 HARPY SOLOMON'S. Sugar^cj&red Hams I V r\i\C\ LRS. FINE SUGAR-CURED O.OUU HAMS, for salo ai 15 cents per poumj i.y A. L. SOLOMON, Second door from tho Shiver House, ]Vc 21 On Plain .-t ree t, NOJJCE. (TTY CLERK S OFFICE, COLUMBIA, Decembi r 24, 1SGG. ALL pensons holding license to retail spirituous liquors, are notified that ?aid license expires on tho 1st of January lext. l? a renewal is desired, application oust be made at next, regular meeting of Journal, which will l.o held on TUESDAY, ;ho 1st of January. The cost of such ?cense w?? be: For Tavern License, $150 1er annum; Quart License, ?75 per annum. The attention of all concerned is called o tho fellowing resolution, passed by Council; "Resolved, That hereafter DO application for lift-nse tu retail spirituous liquors with thee ruortto limits of this city will bc jonsidercd by 'i-.j board, unless the sim ou nt of money which is required for such license accompany the application." j. s. MCMAHON, Dec 27 5 Guy Clerk.