Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i 'OL UMBI A. Thursday Morning, Feb. 21, 1867. Thc measures designed to afford relief to debtors, which i nive hereto? fore boen enacted by thc Legislature of this State, have been pronounced unconstitutional hy our highest courts, und, of course, if ?my legisla? tive enactment eau temporarily ease the burdon of our people, it must have provisions that escape tho pio hibitions of thc Constitution. We much doubt that any measure of this kind cai. be-devised. n.Miough some of the District papers of the ?State give too painful evidence, in the lengt h of their advertisements headed "Sheriff's Sales,7' that creditors' le? niency is at a discount in those local? ities. A subscriber from another District, in renewing his subscription to the Phcenix, writes: "I have boen a constant loader of thc Phcenix for the last year, and the only fault 1 find of it is its senti? ments on the debt question. If you knew the true condition of that class of citizens wdio, of all others, wore thc bone and sinews of the State, (I mean the farmers,) you certainly would favor such remedial legislation as would save thom from pauperism. Hoping you will yet, notwithstand? ing the constitutional difficulties, ad? vocate the enact mont of laws by our next Legislature that will save tho people from ruin. Thc calamity is beyond the reach of private Christian charity to remedy, and consequently can only bo mot but by wise legisla? tion." There can be no one that more deeply regrets the impoverishment, and suffering, especially among our farmers, than we do; without they prosper, every other interest droops, and general depression in all busi? ness must follow. If remedial Legis? lation were possible, without infring? ing upon the safeguards which are thrown around the inviolability of contracts, we would be glad to see such a course pursued. Human en? actments, though perfected by the ! wisest mon in our public councils, are necessarily detective, and we know of none of the stay laws now being enacted by some of the South? ern States that carried with it equal justice to both debtor and creditor. Society is so constituted that there will be merciless as well as merciful creditors, and dishonest as well as honest debtors; an illustration of which is the parable, given by the Founder of our religion, Lu the ser? vant whose debt was forgiven by his lord, but who immediately turned round and sued his foliow-.servant. Our friend ami subscriber will agree with ns that there would bc no neces? sity for stay laws, if tho simple and sublime rah; enunciated by the Sa? viour, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you," was the code which governed society in this day of our tribulation. Lut there is too much truth in what he says, that "the calamity is beyond the reach of private Christi.m charity," simply for the reason that the calamity is wide-spread, while the latter i.-> a rare commodity in these days of grasping selfishness anddemoralization. LADIES' ADORNMENTS.-It is not to be supposed, loi* a moment, that la? dies of tue present day resort to arti? ficial means of increasing that nativo loveliness which, "when unadorned, is adorned the most." Their groat grand-mothers, however, thought differently; and so numerous hail fe? male falsifications become over a cen; tm-y rigo, that it wa;; deemed necessa? ry to introduce into the English Par? liament, in 17'JO, an act, from which the following is an extract: "All women, of whatever age, rank, profession or degree, whether they be maids or widows, that shall, from and after this act, impose upon and betray into matrimony any of his Majesty's male subjects by paints, scents, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-lieoled shoes, or bolstered hips, shall incur the penal? ty of the law now in force against witchcraft and like misdemeanors; and tho marriage, upon conviction, shall stand null and void." Tilters and water-falls were not in vogue in those days, or Bradley, with his Empress trail, kc, would have como to grief. STRONG LANGUAGE.-While review? ing the Louisiana bill, on Saturday night, Mr. Doolittle said its title should be amended so as to read, not to restore civil government, but to organize hell in the State of Lou? isiana. [Applause in tho galleries, mingled with hisses.] stuy Law?, Importun! Decision? "We loam from ti Mobile paper that j Judge Gatos, of Louisiana,, lias ron- i dereel a decision which may be of | importance to many former slave holders, should it become a precedent for the courts in other States. Ho says that the logical sequence of tho j action of tho State iu emancipating | slaves must bo, that when tho right of j property in that whioh had hereto? fore been treated as such by the j laws is destroyed, the laws to regtt- ! late the rights of parties to that pru perky, ?nd to enforce payment of obligations given for it, must follow | the fate of the property itself, and all j contracts based upon these laws be annulled. The Judge further holds that tho tenure by which this species of pro? perty was held, was different from that by which all other property is held. It was not based, ho says, on natural law ^ and the right of liberty j was a pre-existing right which be- j longed to the person held as u slave, however much public policy and the supposed interest of the country may have prevented the enforcement of that right by the person claiming it. But when tho sovereign power of thc State intervened to recognize and en? force that right, it cannot be said that tho property was destroyed by j any fortuitous event. He adds, that-Governments cannot say a tract of land which is property hythe laws of nature, shall no longer be property, but that a slave, once emancipated, eau, by no subsequent act of the Government, bc legally held as a slave. If this ruling pre? vails throughout thc courts of the South, notes or other obligations given for slaves will be knocked into a cocked hat. ANOTHEB CHAKTTABLE ASSOCIATION IN BAI/TOIOKE.-Tho ladies of Balti? more never tire of doing good for our suffering people, and each duy brings forth fresh deeds in thc cause of charity. We give below the pros? pectus of an association just formed i in that city to relievo some of the suffering in the South: In view of the continued and in? creasing destitution at the South, and in compliance wiLh requests both at home and abroad, a number of ladies in Baltimore have formed themselves into an association, to bc called "The Ladies' Depository." Its object is to receive needle and other work, and to dispose of it sole? ly for thc benefit of its owners. Orders will also bo received at the depository for any kiud of work, so as to provide employment for those who have not the necessary materials. As considerable expense will be in? curred in providing a place of busi? ness and the requisite assistants there, and as the enterprise cannot, PI course, be self-supporting, the Asso? ciation must depend upon the contri I butions of its friends. The annual subscripci?n has been fixed at i?5, and all who are favorably disposed are earnest!;' requested to give their prompt and liberal aid, by helping those who are doing their utmost to help themselves. ! The Association have taken the store No. 'JT'.j Lexington street, and expect to be in operation the 11th of j F< dir nary. i President, Mrs. Peyton Harrison; Vice-President,, Mrs. .John H. B. La? trobe; Treasurer, .Mrs. W. W. Spence; Recording Secretary. Mrs. Thomas Murdoch; Secretary, Mrs. Janies A. ! Steuart. I DEATH OF SERGEANT Tnvv.-Tho \ < ?alveston Civilian, of the i3t.ii, has J thc following announcement: WV are indebted to a particular i friend of this well known and l'aith ! fnl old dog, for the particulars of his death and burial. Afie.ru long and I eventful life, both iu and out of the ?army, he departed these ''mundane shores" on the 4th day of February, , LS(17. In consequence of the late i order, prohibiting public demon stations, the personal friends of the deceased met privately at the Plant ers House yesterday, at 1 o'clock p. m., and interred him with military honors, by tiring a salute of one hundred Chin ese # fire-crackers over his grave, lt is well known in this community who "Old Tray" was, but for the information of our dis? tant readers, and those unacquainted with the circumstances, we would state that ho was an attache of Co. B, Cook's Artillery, and served hon? orably und faithftilly in the "Lost Cause." He is now gone to that bourne from which no traveler ere returns. In plain English, we say, "Peace to his ashes." A VETO CERTAIN.-The President's organ speaks out. Hear it: "All this 'whereas' is Buncombe, and the only tendency of it is to ir? ritate. It is language that Andrew Johnson can never sign with honor and dignity to himself. Impeach? ment would be preferable, and in the end far more profitable to him." Thus.it speaks of the preamble de? claring the State govern ments illegal. Stringing Wc extract thc following para- i graphs from the Nttliotiid InteMCg- acer. ; P??ey contain trnths very fitly and aptly written; but wc fear our re-| speet ?a coteinporary is engaged in the unprofitable business of string? ing pearls to cast them before swine: Mr. Harding might 'well say, as he did in tin: House yesterday, that ten years ago the most ignorant ! iw stu? dent in the country could not have been found pretending that there was any constitutional nov. ? tor es? tablishing a military government within the limits of any State in this Union. I The arbitrary arrest and persistent I confinement of an Englishman, held j by military order in spite of the writ 1 of hoi,ms corpus, would convulse all ! England. Will thc American people I consent that one-half of their conn- ! trymen shall hold their liberty by the I will of a military command? r and iii.-; ' subordinates? It is a maxim of law, that it is bet? ter that nine guilty mon should es-1 cape than that one innocent should | be punished. With an enlightened statesmanship that should make all previous law-givers blush, the Con- i gross ot" '.he United States would j enslave a whole people, lest a few ; lawless men should go nupuuished. j Mr. Maynard, ol .tennessee, uo- ? dared that the portraits of the found? ers of the Government should adorn the panels and their busts fill the niches of the House, that its mem? bers might catch something of their patriotic and heroic spirit. They would look dov. n wit!; pity and with \ scorn upon the degenerate men who would gravely debate for an hom, much hiss days, the propriety of put? ting absolute power over tr.e lifo and liberty and property of one-third of| its people into the hands o?' a mili i tary despot. A House of Representatives that j claims to represent th?; great party ot freedom justifies this pretension by seeking to impose on the entire peo? ple of a State a complete oligarchy, under the pretence of preparing ? thom for self-government. It voted j (yesterday to annihilate \\\o laws] enacted by a people, in order to es- ? I tablish those dictated by a Senate ? and enforced by thc bayonet. Well might Madam Howland exclaim. "0 Liberty, -what crimes are committed in thy name!" Military power is the last resort of j a decayed and dying republic, said | I Mr. Raymond. The words made a ! string impression, not only on Mr. j Garfield, who so easily recalled them, j but on every thoughtful man in that. House. Martial law and republican institutions are as incompatible as light and darkness, as tire and water; i and he is no true friend of his conn- | try who, when no invasion threatens j our border, when no rebellion con? vulses our territory, would hand the nation, or any part of it, over to the ! unlimited discretion of even aCincin- ' natus or a Washington. There are sixty-one men in the House of Representatives who are willing that half their countrymen shall hold their liberties at the will of a brigadier-general of the army. Are^they willing to hold their own liberties by the permit of a military commander? If they are, they are fit to be slaves, and unfit for the high duty of an American representative. If tiny aro not, with what justice can they claim to be true Democrats or honest Republicans, who would im? pose an arbitrary authority on their j countrymen, to which they them- ! selves are unwilling to submit? Was rebellion a great crime? If SO, can Ave not leave thc people! of the South to lind it out? All our fierce contention und angry' controversies will not add an iota to 1 their appreciation of its folly and i its enormity. Nay, tho freer we leave ? them to tin- discussion of the acts of those wlio misled them, the moro likely they are to arrive at the truth. The attempt to coerce thc public opinion of the South by test oaths and punith elegislation, is anti-repub? lican ain1. hostile lo the spirit of our institutions. It shows a want of faith in the truth and its inevitable triumph that might become an advo? cate of the Inquisition or a .subject of the Sublime Porte, but is utterly fo? reign to the civilization of the nine? teenth century and tho tolerant tem? per of the American people. SjlAti FAT?STS.-Tho venerable ed? itor of the Millcdgovillc Recorder, speaking of a recent trip to the North, says: In our trip from New York to Boston and on to Portsmouth, the country looked rocky and forbid? ding, more; so to our eye on account of tho snow covered fields. Bat the little fields, with their rock fences, about as large as a good-sized Geor? gia potato patch of one of our plant? ers, dotted over with piles of manure, will tell the story of good crops the coming spring. No stumps and rot? ting trees meet the jye. everything presents an air of neatness and snug? ness. The climate necessitates such living. Compactness is the grand idea with a New England farmer, and every inch of ground is made to yield something to its pososssor. Yo Tung is tho name of a rich Chi? nese youth in San Francisco circles, known among Gothumite resident. as the China Astor. He must bo . horticultural specimen of the Coles tial Empire. Spring Trude. The New York ^Beening of1 Saturday, the Kith inst., has the fol- j lowing remark s on the spring lm.-;i- j ness at that p ?int : The mercantile business of this city, with a large part of its general trade, not brisk at any time within a I month or two, has been considerably j interrupted during th?' past week. The usual timo for the opening of thc spring wholesale business has fully come; but merchants are not very active. A few buyers iron; the interior are herc. Many of them j who were supplied with goods last fall on credit, have not yet cancelled j all their obligations, and besides ask? ing extensions of time <m their old I notes, desire further credits for pe riods varying from throe to six j months. Last vear there were com- I parativclv large" sale- to thesi^nen, I but a fall in the prices of some j ?.lasses of merchandize made their! trade generally unprofitable. This j explains their situation at thc present time. But the dullness of business in its i relation to the country trade is by no means thc great feature of mercan? tile and commercial affairs about j which our business men feel solicit- ; mle. The questious depending upon ; the action of Congress affect all | branches of trade, and some sort of | settlement is earnestly desired. Our great mercantile houses are reducing their stocks as much as possible, and many goods have been sold at prices considerably less than the cost of manufacture or importation. \\ iliiiu the past two or three days, however, then- bas been a firmer feeling, and prices are not only maintained, but show signs of advancing. Whether or not the change will be permanent, no one can tell. Th-.- stoppage of woolen mills and oilier manufactories is not regarded by our merchants as in any true sense, au indication of disaster, 'but rather ns a result of stimulated pro? duction above the legitimate require? ments of trade. Some of the goods, manufactured in too great quantity, were hurriedly and carelessly pro? duced, and are unsuited to the mar? ket. The fact which most accurately shows the prevalent feeling of our best informed merchants is this: They are making preparation to do a far smaller business this year than last. The extent of the diminution is estimated at one-third. So large a proportion of the business of the whole country entertain similar views, aud are consequently curtailing their operations, that tho danger of a dis? astrous financial panic is thought to be. materially lessened. T?ic Home Prisoners. Gen. Whipple addressed a letter, on the 9th instant, to the Mayor of Borne, in relation to the gentlemen who were arrested cu account of the display of a Confederate flag at a tableau, and who nave since been re? it ased. He says: In your letter, you state that no disrespect was intended to the United States Government by the exhibition of the Confederate flag, and that the "parties who displayed it" have ac? cepted in good faith the present status of affairs, and do acknowledge the jurisdiction of the United States Government, etc. If that is the case, it can only be supposed, presuming that they pos? sess ordinary intelligence, that they misunderstood the present status ol affairs, which is, that the rebellion has boen described to be a huge crime, embodying all the crimes o! tho decalogue, and that it has beer conquered and disarmed, and that its very name and emblems are hatefn to the people of the United States and he must indeed be-obtuse wi: expects, without offence, to parad, before ?he eyes of the loyal pedpli that which they execrate, and thei: abhorrence of which they have ex pressed in the most emphatic lan guage iu winch it is possible for ; great nation to utter its sentiments. lt is pretended by certain newspa pers, that because no order had bee: issued from these headquarters, tha the "flag of the Confederacy" wa not to see the light, the citizens wer ! not warned that it would bc a trea sonable act. This excuse is toi puerile to answer, and unworthy o j a school-boy even. The young mei arrested, us well as other citizens n the South, know well enough wi .a is right and what is wrong in sud matters, without waiting to be gnid ed by orders spatially warning am prohibiting displays honoring trea sou. and of course, condemnim loyalty. Were they so stupid as no to possess such innate sense of pro priety, thc order from these head quarters forbidding a rebel glorifica tion over the remains of tho rein Brigadier-General Hanson shouli have been a sufficient warning tna such performances would not be tole rateel. * * * * As, however it is pretended by the friends of th citizens arrested that they were s innocent as not to know that i was wrong for paroled prisoners an unpunished traitors to glory in thei shame, and Haunt the symbol of thei crime in tho face of the country, the; will be released from confinement with the understanding that no ac of treason will be passed nnnotice when detected, and may tho other who thinkj like them profit by th lesson they have received. We aro indebted to Mr. Braco for n copy of a newspaper monstrosity the London 77???*, of the ?l st* ult. How it cnn he read through in one day is what wo would like to know. I < We have received a copy of the j catalogue ot' tho Furmau University, of Greenville The University is in , successful operation, with a complete corps of professors, and now has nearly 150 students. Thc catalogue itself is a model of typographical neatness, and is iron: the press of (1. E. Elf oro.'Esq., of that town. UAH; IN GREENVILLE.- Tin- ladies of Greenville arr making extensive preparations for a fair, to he given in i that town, on tin: 25th instant, for the purpose ot' raising funds to assist 1 in payiug for the Baptist Church. The Greenville Railroad Comp wc learn, will carry visitor.-, for one fare over the road. COLUMSU \ VARIETIES.- -This popu-| lar and much-admired band of ama- : tear Ethiopian minstrels -.viii give | another of their rnirth-provoking, music-satisfyiug and universid-grati tying entertainments, in Jannev's Hall, to-morrow evening. If fine pianists, violinists and ballad ist.s will not draw a versatile audience, no? thing Avid. Ail this the Varieties; furnish, and more. SELLING nv WEIGHT. -Tiie Agricul? tural Society ot' New .Jersey has ap? pointed a committee to petition the Legislature to pass a law regulating thc side of vegetables by weight. An exchange remarks that there can be no doubt that such a mode is fairer for both buyer and seller. We have no doubt that, it would be advan? tageous to the buyer. Who can tell when he gets a peck of beets, sweet potatoes, and other long-tailed escu? lents, which have, a trick of not packing down very closely? It is better to buy ami sell all such vege? tables, and even fruits, by weight; and then those buying potatoes, apples, &c, by the barrel, would know how much they paid for and what the package contained; nor would they be so frequently disap? pointed, on opening them, in disco? vering that they had bought "'a pig in a poke.'' Could not the weighing fashion be introduced here? SOUTHERN SCHOOL BOOKS.-We re? ceived a short visit, yesterday morn? ing, from Prof. Richard Sterling, o? Greensboro, North Carolina, who is on a tour through the Southern States, for thc purpose of introduc? ing his series of Southern -school books throughout this, section ol country. These books have been be? fore the Southern public for several years, having been issued during thc war, when our schools could be sup plied from no other source. The favor with which the books have been received, induced the author tc republish them in substantial form tastefully illustrated, having r?vis?e and materially improved them. Tin lessons appear to have been selectee and arranged with cave, and with re terence to the progressive principle In the readers, selections have beet made, to a great extent, from South, ern statesmen; although Northen and European orators have not beet slighted. The author has exclude? everything that, would tend to foste sectional animosities, but has givet prominence to homo interests, hi.-to ry and literature. Prof. Sterling ha been engaged in teaching in South ern seminaries for over thirty years which is a guaranty of his comp? tency for the work in which he isno\ engaged. His series of books hav been introduced in numerous school and academies in Virginia, Nort' Carolina and our own State; ?md ar not, like some others urged upon th people of the South, old books rt christened. All persons taking a interest in the subject, aro invited t call at the Fha:nix t>ffice and examin the books. The scries embraces th following: STERLING'S SOUTHERN PRIMER-Fe tho children. Stereotype cditior handsomely illustrated; 12mo. pi 4^. Handsomely embellished, au will prove highly entertaining an instructive to the little folks. STERLING'S SOUTH ERN PICTORIAL PR MER.-Profusely illustrated wit new and handsome wood-cuts, an adapted as well for a gift as school book, with elegant ilium nated covers. STERLING'S SOUTHERN ELEMENTAR SPELLING BOOK.-Stereotype ed tion, illustrated; 12mo. pp. 12? An excellent book, and should h universally adopted. . VIKKI,INd's S-.-t rUKl?N FlBST RSAD Kit.-Arrange?t?follow tlie Primer. and containing easy lessons for those beginning to read, with short speUinglessons accompanying < ach. Stereotype edition, fully illustrated; l2mo. pp. iOt. ?TERI [NO'S Sod iil'.KN SECOND llifiAD KU. Tlie lessons in tins hook liav< been carefully selected to snit thc progress of those who have finish? ed the First Header, and at tie same tina- to furnish both enter? tainment and instruction. The spelling lessons are continued, and comprise the more difficult words in the reading lessons. Stereotype edition, with numerous illustra? tions; l2mo. pp. STEKXIINOS SorxnEii. i nu READ? ER.-Tn this book th istdifficult words of each lesson .re defined: to aid the pupil in understanding what he reads. Each lesson is als,, followed by an exercise, to be writ? ten on tiie black-board or slate, for the purpose of teaching the pupil to spell and punctuate. These ex? ercises contain useful and interest? ing information in regard to places and things in. the Southern Stat'-.,. Stereotype edition. illustrated: lt!mo. pi?, ii M?. STERLING'S SorT?iEiCs FOURTH READ? ER.-The lessons in this book will lui fourni ?o possess hi<?h literary merit, without being above the ca? pacity of the middle classes in schools and academies. The ex? tracts, l oth in prose and verse many of which are taken from. Southern authors, and descriptive of scones and incidents in our OAK history-are inferior to none in tie language. With frontispiece, 12mo. pp. 312. S l'KKMNU s SoUTHKKN FlETH READ? ER-Consisting of the choicest gems of literature, both from Ame? rican and European authors. It is designed for the higher classes in our school -, ami has been compile I for the purpose of cultivating a correct and elevated taste by pre? senting suitable models for the young. With frontispiece, 12mo. pp. 456. The publishers also have iii press and will soon issue, "Sterling's South? ern Orator" and "Sterling's High School Speller. " ?w-:w AnvKSTisKMKyrs. Attention is cali e.l to the following advertisements, which ure published :hi* mornht? for tue tirsi time: Notice t'i Commissioners Free Schools. Hen ry Art li ur-Notice. C. H.'Baldwin A Co.-First-Class ??roods. Columbia Varieties- -Concert. Columbia Restaurant Lunch. Schultz's Fruit. MR. PEABODY'S DONATION. -Thc Charleston Courier, noticing the re turn of Gov. Aiken from Washing ton, says: The Governor has already receive, numerous applications from youm men in this State for means, unde the Peabody fund, to complete theil -education. No systematic plan fo distribution has as yet boen adopted This measure has been postpone! until the trustees meet Mr. Peabod; again, as agreed upon, at the Fifti Avenue Hotel, New York, on the 20t! March. In the meantime, thevariou members of the board of trustees ar to obtain as thorough information a possible of the wants of the difieren sections of country. With this view Mr. George Peabody Russell, nephew of the liberal donor, and Mr. Eaton are to make a tour through the South and will ulso visit Charleston. At the meeting in March, all th. reports and proposed plans will the be considered and some definite ac tion taken. The money will also b paid over at that time into the hand of the trustees, and it is hoped thu the whole scheme will be in full an successful operation by the 1st c May. Public notice will Vie give through the press ol the country and by p inted circulars, of the morl and manner in which the schools ai to be set in operation. Tho highe: order of talent is to be employed. Mr. Peabody proposi s to return t England in the spring. Should li life be spared, in about two years 1 will again visit America, when he d signs making a tour through tl South, with Gov. Aiken and otln members of the trustees, to witne the working of the schools intendt to be established. CONSERVATIVE EPIGUAMS. -Th e A" tionnl Republican (Johnson's orga: has scattered through its column hits at Stevens' bill.^We collect tl following: When the South is reconstruct! under West Point Brigadiers, tl Freedmen's Bureau will be knock into ten thousand flinders. In the North, thc theory is that ; government rests in thc consent the governed. In thc South, the g vernment is to rest in tho consent the governors-regular army Bri<: diers. All of that estimable class of int viduals who have nothing to lose ai "everything to gain," and who ( not scruple to take chances in ai scheme of plunder, are ready to P landize the South and Moxieani: the whole country. Tho New Englanders aro a re: philanthropic race. During the wi tlie Confederates were their "Sont ern brethren;" every negro is "a mt and a brother," and now tho peop of Crete are their "fellow deters."