Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA Thursday Morning, Feb. 14, 1867. Tli?- Tsii ?ff- Jlistultc vf thc Weat. Tho neople of the "Wost made a fatal i U/it? when they coalesced ?with tho Republican party to keep the Southern Senators and members of Congress excluded from that body. The tariff bill before Congress will bear as heavily on tho Wost as it does on tho poor consumers of the South. It is a measure expressly framed, under the plea of protection to Ame? rican manufactures, to enrich the Eastern spinners and manufacturing capitalists, .t the expense of the ag? ricultural producers, artizans, mecha? nics, Ac., who have to pay the ini? quitous premium thus levied by unprincipled partisans. This ''bill of abominations," as it, is aptly styled by some of the Northern papers, is now being loudly de? nounced by the people of the North and West, and its denouncers em? brace men of all parties. We learn from the New York 77;??, of.Friday, that the Chamber of Com? merce of that city, at its meeting on the previous dav, unanimously adopt? ed a memorial to Congress against thc bill. The memorial sots forth that while professing "to provide for increased revenue from imports," the bill will seriously injure the import trade and lessen the gold revenue of the Government at a time when its need of gold is greater than ever. The enactment of the new tariff, in thc opinion of the merchants of New York, will, therefore, bc to weaken the public credit. The injury to commerce, the mercantile marine, the farmers and mechanics, is also adverted to. Special emphasis upon the effect of exorbitant protection upon the interests protected, and the injustice of granting to manufac? turers higher tariff rates simulta? neously with tin1, revision of the internal taxatiou in their favor, is also pointed out. Such aro the views of practical business men in the leading commer? cial metropolis of the country; and although the same body took the back track in relation to memorial? izing Congress against the tax on cotton, yet. in this matter, we must believe their vision is much clearer, and that they discover the difference of that legislation which compels the planter to pay tribute out of his im? poverished fund, from that which threatens bankruptcy in trade and commerce, and general distress to al? most, every class in the community. "The cohesive power of public plunder" is admirably illustrated in all t'ae legislation of the party which now rules the country, and there is no practical observer of its course who musr not come to the conclusion that, while they proposed, all along, to be only working to save the Union and punish "rebels," exacting from them pledges and guarantees for tho perpet nation of that Union, they were only influenced by a lust for power, that they might the more easily drain from the exhausted re? sources of the country the greenbacks and gold, to swell their own coffers. If the men of the West and the working men of the North do not soe this, they are not entitled to much credit for political sagacity. The Western people ought to know by this time that we of the planting States of the South are their proper, if not natural, allies. No such bill, we verily believe, as this bill of abominations, could be passed by Congress, if tho Southern Senators and Representatives had their seats in that body. As the New Orleans Picayune said, a few days ago, thc men of <? the West now realize the effect of the aid they have so freely given in excluding the Southern rep? resentatives. To use a homely phrase, "it has come home to them," and they will, ere long, be convinced that, a close uuion with tho South is necessary for their best interests, ami that their helplessness in tariff legis? lation is the accompaniment of S< ?nth ern exclusion. --?-?.*-? The telegraph informs us that "thc Portuguese, by Senatorial action, offer thc abolition of slavery in thc Portuguese colonies." We do nol know anything of the conditions. nor are they important; it is certair that the present crusade will sweej slavery from all civilized nations Whether tho nations will feel nn;j better after the thing is done, is ou< of those problems mixed np with tin uncertainties of the future. A Word lo Our Planters. Let us uot rake up the ashes of thc t dead past. It is gone, with its basti ' tution of labor, its time-honored usages, its prejudices and, Ave may add, its follies, its short-sightedness and it i lack of sound judgment in many things pertaining to the ma? nagement of that great interest which supports all others-the agricultural. We have to start anew, and we might as well look the matter in the face and promptly adapt ourselves to the great change that has come over our institutions. It is only over our institutions, our habits and usages that this change has come, and it is worse than idle to mourn over the past, and lament that the former times were better than these. We say it is only in certain social and in? dustrious arrangements and organi? zations that the change referred to bas been effected. The conquering annies of the Union, whatever else they were able to do, could not affect our soil or climate-they are still left to us, and it only requires willing hands and active industry to avail ourselves of the benefits which both properly tender to the husbandman. The cry that is coming up from our sister State of Alni tania, where it is thought. 10,000 of nor people -will be without the means of obtaining food, but through charitable efforts, toge? ther with the scarcity of provisions in our own and other Southern States, should deeply impress our planting friends with the absolute necessity of planting and raising sufficient provi? sions-bread and meat-to render them independent of foreign sources of supply, and to enable them to fur? nish their own people, neighbors and friends, with the means of sustaining life. In times of ordinary prosperity even, it is clearly the duty of the planter to be self-sustaining, while making his future crop; buthow much more imperative is that duty upon him now, when the cry for bread is coming from thousands of his fellow citizens. The system of large cotton planta? tions is necessarily abandoned, there being no reliable labor to work them. It is, therefore, tho duty of all en? gaged in cultivating the soil to use their diminished labor to the best advantage. Corn and other grains, and stock of all kinds, should be pro? duced and raised the present year, for, if this course be not pursued, bad as the times are now, they will be ten-fold worse twelve months hence. The planters ought not to abandon entirely the cultivation of their former great staple; but every consideration now pressing upon tho community drives them to the conclu? sion that they ought not to yield to it that supremacy it has hitherto held among their productions. If they attempt to pursue, ai: far as they can. their old system of raising cotton, and out of its proceeds expect to buy meat and bread, they will find, to their sorrow and suffering, that, in this respect, old things have passed away. The season is here when arrange? ments are to be made, and we hope and trust that the course indicated above will be followed. And where land-owners, either from scarcity of labor or other causes, cannot culti? vate all their land, let them invite any willing worker to occupy it, and there will be bread enough and to spare. IMPORTANT, IF TBXTE.-A special despatch to the Savannah Republi? can, dated Washington, February 10, sajTs : "There is hardly a shadow of doubt that the present State Govern? ments in the South will be speedily set aside. The only debatable ques? tion now is whether those who volun? tarily engaged in the war against the Federal Government shall be de? prived of the right of suffrage, as well as thc right cf holding any office, Federal or State. "Gen. Banks, who is now consi? dered a conservative, made a very strong speech yesterday, in which he stated that it was yet possible to har? monize the legislative and executive branches of the Government, and, also, th ?ft none but loyal men. should vote. Banks and liaymoud are sup? posed to have an understanding with President Johnson, and speak by authority. "From information receiv?d from tho most reliable sources, it is evi? dent that the Constitutional amend? ment is now deemed far from suffi? cient asaguarantee, anditis general!} believed that a large army will soon re-occupy the States. This may ap? pear a very hard destiny, but cando) compels us to say it is inevitable, and the Southern people may as well be? gin to realize the painful fact." ?Grand Army of the Republic." It was intimated by telegraph, a few days since, that the NeAv York World had made some developments relative to this new organization. The following is from the World, of Saturday, and shows that thc ma? chinery of this conspiracy has been effectually arranged: Not long since, a new organization, called "The Grand Army of the Re? public," was formed i i . very city .uni ??tate in the Union. Jt is composed exclusively of veterans who served in the late war. The formation of this army made almost as little noise in the country as the fall of a snow? flake. It was not designed that it should take a promirent place before the public till some great necessity foritsserviee.sshouldari.se. In midi tion to the main purpose of support? ing the Government, its object was ol a benevolent nature, and, by this means, it presented special attractions to the soldiers, till, in a short time, its ranks embraced over 500,000 men. On Thursday, for the first time, thc State of New York was divider] into military districts by the Adju? tant-General of the organization, as will appear from the following "gene ral orders,'' published in tho Tr ?bum of thc following day: HEADQUARTERS DEIT. NEW YORK, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, A. G's OFFICE, NOW York, Feb. (5. General Orders, No. 5: 1. The following named comrade are hereby detailed and announce! as members of the "provisional stal of this department, on duty at i hes headquarters: Major George T. Ste vens, Aid-de-Camp and Assistant In spector-General ; Brevet-Lie utenan Francis AV. Parsons, Aid-de-Canvp They will be respected accordingly and are hereby authorized to estai lish and organize posts in localitie not under the jurisdiction of Distric Commanders, announced in order from these headquarters. 2. The following named comrade are hereby detailed and announce as temporary commanders of thei respective districts, which are desif. nated as follows: District of Manual tan, comprising the city and Count of New York, with headquarters s tho Bible House, Brevet Brig. Gel Bush C. Hawkins; District of One da, comprising thc County of th same name, with headquarters i Utica, Maj. David F. Ritchie. The will at ouce assume command, un will be obeyed and respected accorc ingly. 3. To prevent informality in th muster-in of recruits in this depar ment, it is hereby announced, for tl: information of this command, th: recruits will be mustered only i regularly constituted posts, and li District Commanders in the estai lishmeut of posts, except by tl: Grand Commander, an officer of h stall*, or by special authority froi these headquarters. The attentio of officers is particularly called 1 articles 5. 0, ll and 15 of the rub and regulations of the Grand Arn: of the Republic, and the strict ei forcement of its provisions especial! enjoined. Staff officers will be et rolled as members of posts, and r< ported hy the posts to which tin belong as upon detached service. By order of the Grand Comma: der. Official: F. J. RRAMHALD, Assistant Adjutant-General. D. VAN SCHAICK, Aid-de-Camp. In order to ascertain from au of cial source the avowed objects ai character of the organization, one the reporters called las*' evening the office of the commander of tl forced of the district of Manhr tan, in the Bible House, and findii the apr.rtment closed, proceeded his house in Fifth Avenue, when tl following dialogue ensued, which tl reader will find bears out the asst tious which form the preface of th article: Reporter, (handing the Colonel copy of the above "general orders -There is a report to the effect th the grand army of the republic, which reference is made in the orders, has been raised for radie purposes, and that it is designed be used against the President and 1 adherents, should any trouble rest from his proposed impeachment. Commander-If Congress shot impeach the President, I have doubt as to which side the gra army of the republic will take. Reporter-Will you please tell what are its objects, and when it \ formed? Commander-It had its orij some time since, in portions of 1 West where thero is no militia, objects are of a benevolent charaet it aims to assist all its members v may be in need. Reporter-How many men there enrolled in the organization Communier-Over 500,001). soldiers honorably discharged are missible. Wo have Democrats i Republicans in our ranks; but all leading of??oers are radicals, so ; can imagine how the army would wielded in case of any national cessity. Reporter-Then the army may said to have a radical character in mai.,? Commander-Yes; it is andern cal officers, and if there should any necessity for its services, I li no doubt they would be rendered tho purpose of supporting Congr if it impeached thc President. Reporter-Have arms or unifo been furnished to the men? Commander-No. Reporter-Do they meet regularly? Commander-Yes, but their meet? ings are secret; they meet in lodges, and only members are admitted; we are particular about our members; all who apply for admission are obliged to furnish papers showing their connection with the army, and au honorable discharge. Such was the interview our report? er had with one of the military lead? ers of the organization, whose replies show that this new army may be used ab any time at the beek of Con? gress, to sustain its policy by force, and to silence all opposition to the impeachment of the President. When the fact is realized that it is unnecessary to create "military de? partments" for a "benevolent" or? ganization, the object of the army, in the present crisis of the country, i will be found apparent. j Tile Kew TM:'? cf Reconstruction. The National Intelligencer says: "We have full authority for stating that the plan of reconstruction which was published in the Richmond /.,'/. rjnirer and copied into the Intelligen? cer is an exact copy of the manuscript now at Raleigh. Thus it was pub lishe t on Wednesday in tho Sentinel, tho able organ of tho State adminis? tration in North Carolina." In a loading article upon this same subject, the Intelligencer says: "The plan which has now gone to tho country originated with the most judicious men of thc Carolinas, has been considered by men of theSonth having tim confidence of that sec? tion, by distinguished statesmen and military chiefs here, aud has been endorsed largely in circles ot' conser? vative Republicans of tin' North, lt has hoon submitted to legislators at Richmond, and luis boen received in good spirit, though not with unquali? fied approval. The Legislature of North Carolina will probably have the honor of first, acting upon a mea? sure that, like the Mecklenburg De? claration of Independence, may be the initiation of what shall lead to groat and glorious results. Much will depend, however, upon the spirit in which it will be received at the North. If patriotism shall dic? tate that party shall stand still, while a measure for a re-union of 'States and lands, and hearts and hands,' shall be tho dominant ques? tion for consideration until settled in the interest of all the people of the country, then our dark day and perilous period is past. It is in the spirit with which the new plan is re? ceived, not its details-not in tho prospect of its adoption as a whole that we have hope. If it is generally received in a good spirit, and with kind feelings, all the rest will follow as the light the day." The New York HerabVs Washing? ton correspondent, writing on Thurs? day, says: From a quarter not to bc doubted, I have information that the reported propositions about to emanate from the Southern States in reference to reconstruction are well founded. It is now well known in political circles that such propositions are under con? sideration, and that the Southern Le? gislatures now in session are acting in concert upon the matter. The re? port that they will first be submitted in form by the Legislature of North Carolina is doubtless unfounded. They will come in a general proposal from the whole South, and wi!: be of such a nature as may be acc eptable to the Republican party and the lead? ers in Congress. The greatest inte? rest is evinced in the matter, and tho anxiety exhibited by prominent Southern politicians shows conclu? sively that such a measure has been agreed upon. The Virginia Legisla? ture now have the subject under con? sideration privately, and, in a few days, if intelligence reaches them from the South, it will be publicly dis? cussed. MASSACHUSETTS.-The New York Herald, of Saturday, has the follow? ing paragraph: It is understood that the Commit? tee of the Massachusetts Legislature has declared against the constitution? al amendment. This is quite cha? racteristic. That State and South Carolina always go arm-in-arm to? gether against everything constitu? tional and in opposition to order. However, tba amendment will be passed without Massachusetts, and will become part of the supreme law of thc land. She will then have the satisfaction, at least, of knowing that she is consistent in being on the wrong side whenever the Union and prosperity of the country is con? cerned. FoiiFiuN* OFINIOX.-The Courier des Etals Unis, the French paper in New Yo'-k, after giving ;i summary of Mr. b.evens' military biil, delivers the subjoined judgment of it. The opinion of an enlightened foreigner I partakes somewhat of impartiality, ! and sounds like thc voice of posterity: "Such is tho absurd legislation j prepared by tho chiefs of the radical party. It is useless to dis. iss it; it is enough to make public such im? practicable measures, which breathe only tho accents of wrath, of ven? geance and passion, and which, it is hoped, will be speedily repudiated by the general reprobation." Aas meet when a great calf .u ox-tail soup.-Prentice. The Debate on Steven?' Bill. Tho telegraph hud induced us to believe that Banks, Raymond und other radicals had, on Friday last, opposed governing tho Southern States by military rule. The full re? ports of tho debate show that no such opposition was made. The speeeh of Raymond is pronounced a1 miserable failure. Ile said: ? "He knew of no obstacle to the establishment of civil authority in the Southern States on such a basis as Congress deemed wise and just. That, civil authority would bo enti? tled, in eas<> of resistance to it, to thc aid of the army to execute its de? crees." This would be no better than una? dulterated military rule. Again: "He should prefer that Congress would appoint civil commissioners for each State-naming them in the bill, if it was not willing to trust their selection to the President-and let those commissioners organize ?1 Government of some sort, and let the military support their (heroes." Surely Stevens is as good a friend to civil liberty as Raymond. Mr. Banks explained away his ap? parent willingness to do justice to the South. Mn. BANKS.-In the remarks which 1 maile. Mr. Speaker, I had no allu? sion to my negotiations with the President. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Stevens] knows more of his opinions (han J do, and will yield to Ins policy much sooner than I shall. [Expressions of en? couragement to Mr. Bank-;, and of satisfaction witii the last remark.] 1 spoke in good faith to the House, asking for time to debato this ques? tion. My reason for it is based on thc simple idea, which everj member can understand, that the measures which we propose, and one of which is now belong the House, depend for their efficacy <>n being enacted by two-thirds of tho two Houses against the Executive branch of the Govern? ment. My belief is that we cannot carry on the Government of the United States in that way-that we must have laws in which the Execu? tive will co-operate, in order to make those laws effective. If, after we, the representatives of the people, have agreed as to what laws are necessary to scciu-e the peace of the country and to maintain the existence of thc Government, and after the people have snstaiued us in those laws, the President refuses co-operation, it is our duty to the country to drop the question of reconstruction, and to proceed to the consideration of the position and purposes of the Presi? dent himself. I repeat my expres 1 sion of belief that we can, before this session closes, come to such con? clusion as will compel the President of the United States to sustain us in our action, or as will justify us in adopting another course, if he re? fuses. I have no negotiations with the President, nor do I know his opinion; and in the vote which I shall give on this question, neither the gentleman from Pennsylvania nor any other man bas a right to assume that I accept the President's policy in the slightest degree. I hope for a chango of his position* and I think it is not impossible, and is worth trying for. Since the above was selected, we have received the New York Times, of Saturday, which, speaking of the bill, says: "The fatal objection to the bill is.' however, that, while professing to establish military rule in the South? ern States, it is intended to commit Congress to Mr. Stevens' Territorial theory, with ali its consequences. It I is, avowedly, framed as for conquered territory and a conquered people, having no organized Government, and no rights wdiich the conqueror is bound to respect. The affirmation of this theory is not essential to the jus? tification or the efficacy of the mea? sure. For all practical purposes, the amended preamble proposed by Mr. Bingham would be as potent as the territorializing propositions with which Mr. Stevens prefaces his mea? sure. Theory is irrelevant in a case of this nature, and in this case it ob? structs the progress of otherwise use? ful provisions, and raises discussion on points which should be intro? duced as substantive propositions, not as mere side issues. The time to consider what the Southern States are, and what rights they are entitled to, will properly come when we hear from the Joint Committee on Recon? struction concerning the Constitu? tional amendment. That is not likely to be much before the 4th of March. And meanwhile, the task of organiz? ing military authority to meet the urgent wants of the suffering Union? ists of the South, is retarded by the members who are loudest in their de? mands for Congressional interposi? tion. ' A "Washington letter ?- .vs: Mr. Colfax, so far, has no opposition worth mentioning for the Speakership of the Fortieth Congress, and it is likely that an organization of the I '. msc will be effected immediately. Hon. .lames Brooks, of New York, who was ousted from his seat in the pre? sent Congress, by 0,000 majority, will probably again reeoivo the com? pliment of a nomination from the Democratic side of the House. Mrs. Elizabeth Buford and Mr. Samuel Chandler, old residents of Sumter, died last week. j LiOO?il Items. i Ours READINO BOOM.-Our friends arc . invited to visit tho J'livnir reading room, where they will (iud on file papers and I periodicals from every section of the Union. ? Thc building is open day and night. FIVE CENTS.-Tho price of s;ngle copies i of the /'lin HIT is fice mils, and purchasers I are requested to pay no more for them a.-: they are furnished to the news-hoys at a rate sufficiently low to warrant their being i sold at that nrice. . [jti'novED \.oiucri.n HAL IMPLEMENTS. . Attention is invited to the card of Mr. A. It. Colton, in another column. He keopo specimen- of and is agent for nearly all tho improved implements of agriculture. Call at his warehouse, m ar the Greenville De I pot, and examine his stock. An aged colored woman, named Pinche Washington, nurse in thc family of Capt. j Thompson, of this city, died very suddenly Tnead y night. An inquest w as held by Coroner Walker yesterday afternoon, and a postmortem examination by Dr. Temple? ton, when the jury returned a verdict that the deceased came to lo r dent h from dis? ease of the heart. FnoniDA.-An intelligent freedman who went io Florida several months ago, to settle, has returned to Columbia, perfectly satisfied with his experience, and deter? mined to stick to South Carolina to the last. Ile states that great imduccmcnts are held out, but thc expectations of very few of tlc immigrants ata.- realized. Num? bers of others, he says, who went out. are desirous of returning, bu; have not the means of doing so. lim r.e. c I. A niTi ES or Tin; MMES. -Wc have complaints lVoiu Edgefield, and elsewhere, j hat there is great irregularity in the re? ception ot our paper and mails generally. Il is a source of great annoyance to both subscribers and publishers in this irregu? larity, and we would respectfully call the . attention ol' postmasters and others who' have direction and control (d' the mails to the fad, that they may remedy th') evil as far as practicable. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. -Attention ia call? ed to the following advertisements, which are published this morning (<>t Coe first time: Jones A Ray .Plantations to Kent. Columbia Varieties -Friday Evening. A. ll. Phillips.Wines, Liquors, Ac. A. ii. Colton-Cotton Gins, Ac. J. Sulzbacher -House to Rent. F.dward Sill-Landreth's Garden Seeds. Fisher A Lawrance-Cow Peas. Extra Communication Richland hodge. Tbos. H. Wade -Tax Notice. Apply at this Office Farmer Wanted. EFFECT OF CONGRESS ON THE BUSI? NESS OF THE COUNTKT.-The Phila? delphia American, a Republican jour? nal, speaking of the prostration of business, remarks: "If the session of Congress were to end on the 4th of March, as usual, we should have an end of political excitement, and the uncertainty re? specting tariffs, taxes and financial measures would terminate. But the meeting of the new Congress imme? diately is very likely lo prevent trade from getting a fresh start with the opening of spring. We must can? didly say, that while the nature of the emergency may justify the mea? sure at this time, we do not think it will be found to work well as a gene? ral rule. So long as any Congress remains in session, no matter what political party may control it, schemes of all sorts will be hatched in it, or thrown into the arena from without, to create distraction in the public mind and affect the current of business. The legislation of the pre? sent session thus far has been safe and wise, and we do not fear that any mischief is likely to result from the remainder of the session, for in thc main the majorities in both Houses pursue a careful course. But it is the uncertainty that is so ruin? ous to business. We have yet no indication as to what will be done in the way of relieving the people of a portion of those burdens of taxation that are now so much more felt than in the days of our prosperity. If the manufacturing industry of the coun? try could be relieved of the five per cent, tax, thc beneficial effects would be immediate and general, and the revenue thus parted with would be more than made up by the increased revenue from other sources." SUING NOTES CF HAND.-A writer in the Albany (Ga.) Neics says: Many sharp persons, in taking notes for old debts, aro careful to have them payable to bearer instead of to order, and to make them over $500. Why is this? A note for $500, if payable to order, cannot be sued in the Circuit Court of tho United States, unless the payer of the note was a non-resident or otherwise had the right to sue in that Court. But if the debt is over $500, and is pay juhle to A. B., or bearer, and it is I transferred to a non-resident ot this * State, it can be sued in a Circuit I Court of thc United States. The I purpose is to thus got their debtors before a jurisdiction where tim reine , dy is more summary and tho stay law j of our State, would not bo in the way j of selling thc debtor's property. At an election hold on tho 11th ; instant, in the town of Hamburg, S. C., tho following intendant and i Wardens were elected to serve thc Cnsning year: Intendant-J.J. Ken : nedv, Bsc. Wardens -Thomas Dun i ao-ii?, (J. McDonald, George Damm. 1 Levy Hill, S. E. Bowers and E. li. ' Cunningham.