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COLUMBIA. - Saturday Morning, Ma^ 18, 1867^ Mau Meeting*. Political gatherings aro not very profitable to either tho white or co? lored peoplo of the South at this time. Especially do we believe that their influences aro not wholesome upon those who have jnst been in? vested with the voting - froaohise. Every mass mooting, so-oalled, loso? to ?i? mao -who has to v*>rk tor -his support, a whole day's wages, besides imbuing him with notions not favor? able to industry or steady habits; in fact, frequent attendance on such assemblages is certain tq have a de? moralising effect. But we presumo that for a time at least until the novelty wears off tho freedmen will indulge in this luxury of doubtful utility. Whon -they do so, however, we would bo glad to see their speakers seleoted from the intelligent of their own class., or those conservative 'White men among whom they wore born and raised. Wo have an instance of ono of such meetings, which we Und noticed in tho Sumter Watchman. That paper says thc speakers all de? clared in favor o? putting their rights aUd interests in tho hands of men with whom they had been reared. In this they thought tho colored race would bo perfectly sccuro, for tho constitution that might bc adopted would bo referred to thc voters of the State for ratification. If it should be inimical to them, or a retrench? ment of their rights, it could be then rejected, and it would be time enough for them then to withdraw their con? fidence from their former masters. There is more good sense, and mncb more profitable instruction, in the sentiments expressed by these speak? ers, than iii all tho speeches delivered by Senator Wilson put together. Thc True Rvconatructlontata. A very different sot of Northern reconstructiouists, from such men as Wilson, Kelly, Arc, aro visiting tho "Old Dominion," at this time. The Lynchburg papers anuounco that some forty or fifty Northern capital? ists arrived there on Tuesday last, on their way to tho South-western part of the State. They aro to be accom? panied by some twenty-five or thirty Virginians, from Lynchburg and else? where. Some of these capitalists already own 30,000 acres of land in Pulaski County, and all are intent on investing their money profitably. The Virginian says they purpose erecting furnaces, and going largely into the production of iron. As tho Richmond Dispatch says, all such ^constructionists will be wel? comed with unnlh yod pleasure. They are emissaries of thc kind which we would all desire to see the North send down hither to restore ns to the Union and prosperity. There is one fact in this connection, which tho Dispatch mentions, viz: that there are "few or no negroes in that part of the State where these gentlemen have heretofore invested their mouej', and where they purpose to invest so much more. What inference is to be drawn from this line of policy on thc part of Northern capitalists, we do not pretend to say; but tho Dispatch thinks that it shows that, in some way, thc negro is in the way of the State's prosper!! . A SWEEPING: LAW.-Tho now bank? rupt Act, which has already ,boen brought up in discussions in our courts, not only does away with im? prisonment for debt in all the States where it now exists, but, according to tho National Intelligencer, sets aside all stay laws, .'.-jd all preferences, voluntary agreements, and secret attachments. Either party to a debt, whether the debtor or thc creditor, may put tho estate of a debtor into bankruptcy, by which means tho in? terests of both parties will be pro? moted. Fraudulent bankruptcy will be punished as fraud. Thc Intelli? gencer adds, that Franco ,has acted in thc matter simultaneously with the United States, and that England will soon follow the example. We do not understand tho law as setting aside all agreements or deeds giving pre? ference to creditors, but only certain ones which are described in the law. Thc Greenville Mu ti<tineer an? nounces the sudden .ith of Prof. P. C. Edwards, of tin I jrman Uni? versity, in that town, on Wednesday last. Ho was an earnest and faithful minister of the Cospel. vr II im? I-NMW?. iw.n-.1 y Co?lng Collision of Roeta. B There, have boen two negro riots at 'RichmoiKl, within the lost ton or twelve days, and tho commander of that district-Gea.* Schofield-an of? ficer of moro than ordinary prudence and wisdom, fouud it necessary, upon both occasions, to use a portion of the troops nt baud to suppress the lawless demonstrations. Similar mau ifestions havo been made at other points. .These things, which augur so,. badly lor thc futuro peace and quiet of the country, may* be traced directly to tho teachings and in? fluence of radical emissaries, nod of bad and unscrupulous men, a fow of whom eau be found in almost every community, who desire to use the negro for the vilest aud most selfish purposes. They are^not the friends of the black race; but? on the con-1 trary, nrc leading thom rapidly into trouble, such as they have never en? countered before, where they will leave them, upon the first indication of danger, to take care of themselves. Wo fiud au article on this subject iu the Richmond Enquirer, a portion of which wo quote: Tho events which are transpiring arouud us indicate a situation of pe? culiar delicacy, nud invest thc future with anxious apprehensions. Thc times require of us great prudence and self-command, in the presence of tho irritating questions that are thrust upon us. The tendency at this time seems very distinctly towards a conflict of races. It is evidently the anxious effort of tho agitators of the day to bring about this result. The negroes aro plied with iuceudiary harangues, and are instigated to throw them? selves in collision with thc whites in overy possible way. They are urged not merely to insist on equal accorn modatiou, but to demand indiscrimi? nate accommodation; to bo rode in tho samo cars; to be scated in the same schools; to he accommodated in the same hotels, &c. Where all this will end, uo man eau doubt; and least of all is it doubt? ed by the instigators. It is their manifest purpose to bring about a couilict of races, in order to make a party use of the disorders to which it would give risc. It should be the earnest effort ol tho white race of thc South to disap? point this diabolical scheme. Let us bear ourselves with the most conspi? cuous prudence, and the most ex haustlcss patience. And still more vital is it to tho colored people tc shrink from the encounter of races tc which they arc urged, and to with? draw themselves from the counsels ol the bad men who would engage them in that fatal stop. Liot them delude themselves by no absurd calculations. If a war of races should be joined, let them not think they will receive any white support. When once thc cry of black man against white man is raised, it will quickly be the black! on oue side against the whites ou thc the other. Tho very white men who ure now leading them to ruin, will do sort them when the storm bursts How was it in the late war? There were mon ut the North who eucou ragod thc South to assert independ? ence, with promise of support. Bu when war cunio, and when it becamet struggle of North against South these mon deserted us, aud tool sides with their own section am people. THE RADICAL ELECTIONEEI?EUS. The New York Times says: Whether that is their real nurposi or not, the effect <>f the teaching o the extreme radical school of politi cians who are just now electioneer ing the negroes of the South will b< to array the two races against eoe] other-politically and socially. Th< blacks are warned by these mon no to trust the whites iu anything. The^ are reminded that the whites an their old enemies-that if they coule have had their way, they would stil I be holding them in slavery, nud tba what they are striving after now is t< deprive thom of all the benefits o their freedom. A Massachusett emissary, named Hayward, has beet advising tho negroes* of Richmond ti take possession of tho cars aud o whatever else they wish. lu Ne\ Orleans, under tlie same kind o teaching, they have driven thc white: out of thc street cars. The mon cn gaged in this infamous attempt ti stir up n war of races at the South are uot likely to bo influenced byan, fear or foresight of consequences; si it is probably quite useless to wari them that they aro bringing sure dc struction upon thc class whom the; profess to aid. A war of races cai only end in disaster to the weaker and the blacks are not half as numei ons as thc whites in the South. It is stated that orders will b issued from Washington in a fet days in regard to the "dolectabl cusses" scattered through tho Soutli who are deluding thc freedmen wit the idea of "confiscation aud fort acres of land," and that the pop? lat ion nt tho Dry Tortugas is likol to be increased. Over 60,000 persons witnessed tb burning of the body of the King 0 Siam. Editorial ?Vote* on tike Boittn. Under this bending, the editor of that admirably conducted journal, the New York Journal of Commerce, proposes to write a series of articles, which, no doubt, will attract atten? tion at tho North, and be read with interest by all. We extract from the first: It is to be remarked at the outset, that the information which hos been published in Northern papers has been so diverso and contradictory that but little dependence could bo placed on it; ana a traveler in the Southern States is dnily astonished at the inaccuracy and apparent mis represention which have character? ized tho accounts he has read bofore leaving the North. While in some cases this is to bo attributed to in? tentional falso-witness by political partisans, it is by no menus necessary to charge such motives on all the correspondents, even of violent par? tisan presses. For it is next to im? possible for any man to judge of the real condition of things by a resi? dence in any ono locality, or to form an estimate by information received at any one point. A remarkable feature of Southern life at present is thc want of communication between different sections. Thc people travel very little; poverty forbids it. Tho railways aro in very good order; but the trains run with few passengers. From New Orleans to Wilmington, it is rare to seo a train with over twen? ty-five first class passengers. There is, therefore, but little commingling of thc people; and, as a necessary consequence, there is no expression of public opinion. It is almost literally true that there is no such thing at present as public opinion in the South. The people are isolated, every man thinking for himself nt home, and seldom talking with others. Even in thc cities, there is no general discussion of pub? lic subjects, and very little inter? chango of opinions and views. In large hotels, where crowds congre? gate, there is no general talking almost no conversation at all. On tho contrary, thc people sit silent around the stoves, or scattered here and there, speaking in low tones when they speck at nil, but for tho most, part silent, downcast and apparently iu deep thought. If a loud voice is heard, tho chances are a thousand to one that it proceeds from a Northern man, aud it attracts the attention of all as something curious. Whatever information is given on general facts, if it is to bc trust-worthy, must bo derived from observation iu diff?rent places, and by free intercourse with all classes of people in different State.?. The condition of things varies much in various localities, botli with the white and the black popula? tion. But there are some facts ol universal truth. No representative mon are to be found anywhere. Nt one has authority to express tho views even of his neighbors, and there ar? no leaders in opinion. No one talk; polities, no one thinks polities, nt one seems to care for polities. Thi: is the general rule everywhere. Von few politicians are io be found. Tin grand fact is, that at the precut mo ment there is a desperate struggle fo the means of life, the actual noecssi ties of tho day, with nearly everj family in the South, and no one cave to think of or discuss political quos tions until the food and clothiuj question is settled. It is impossible to exaggerate tb poverty and distress of the entir Southern people. Here and thor men are found who have wealth, am others who have at least tho mean of comfortable support, but these ar the exceptions. Some sections ar better off than others. But distres is visible everywhere. It is not alon tho laboring classes who suffer. Thos who were wealthy are impoverished and countless families, ouce rich, ar seeking food bj' manual labor, with out finding it. This state of thing includes all classes, and among th greatest sufferers are those whe during the entire war, never swerve from their affection for the Union In considering the South as a whole it is too often forgotten that there ar such persons there, who were nc protected by the Government, an who have nearly perished in thc con mon ruin. It would be impossibl for any pen to describe with sufi cient power the mournful conditio of things in thc cotton States, j dark cloud seems to hang over all th land. Sunshine utterly fails to rene tho heads of the suffering people Heavy, depressed, dispirited, there i apparent absence of all vigor an spirit from the minds <jf men. Tb is mainly eine to the uncertainties t tho future. There is an earnest eh sire to have some definite plan c government. Tho traveler does nc hear complaints of Qovcrnmt nt mei sures so much as questions whethe these measure's aro final. "Givo r whatever Government you plcast but give it to us definitely and elee sively, and wo will go to work,"is tl; universal idea. There is a general determination t proceed under the military rccoi struction bill, but there is a grei want of Confidence in it ns a finality This is, at present, the chief curse e the South. It is not the oppressio of thc bill-not tho fact that it di; organizes labor and demoralizes th negro-but it is the anticipation tin it must not bo regareleel as a fini measure, ami that new-complication: new military bills, penalties anti coi fl sentions will be administered on them hereafter. Tho failure of crops last year was a heavy affliction, but would not have been felt BO severely had this year opened with a steady system of Go? vernment, and a definite plan to which they might look. The antici? pation of new evils to como has always the most depressing effect on the human mind. The Northern people are now suffering from tho re? troactive effect of this Southern de? pression. It is impossible for one portion of thc country to be in such a cquditioji without its effects on other portions. The health of tho whole nation-its vitality, prosperity, tax-paying and tax-bearing ability nil are affected, all might be vastly benefitted by Southern relief. If it were asked what would now bo the greatest blessing to the South, the answer unquestionably would bc, "the assurance that the military re? construction bill is a finnlity." It is probably true, therefore, that the conservative mcu among tho Repub? licans have it in their power to do more for the good of the South and of the whole country than any others. If they can in any manner convoy to the Southern mind the conviction that the extent of radical legislation has been reached, and that the rank ami file will not follow the leaders any further, they will, by so doing, add millions to the wealth of thc country, and-contribute vastly to the immediate benefit of the South and its population? black and whito. The demaud is not for the repeal of the military measure, but for the assur? ance that it is definite and final. Tbr Release of Jefferson Davlx. The Northern press, with tho ex? ception of Forney's Chronicle, Balti? more American and Philadelphia Inquirer, are pleased with thc action of the Government iu discharging Mr. Davis on bail. The Tribune says: . "All this might have been effected mouths ago, by a very little courage nud good sense, lt was as easy last summer as now. To advance toward some difficulties, is to overcome them, and this is a signal example. The Government had absolutely no ex? cuse for the long imprisonment of Jefferson Davis, and its refusal Jto either release or try him. We affirm? ed this a year ago, and that we were right was proved yesterday, when, after the brief remarks of the coun? sel and a few legal forms, Mr. Davis was discharged by the Court. He is I now at liberty to go where ho pleases, and not at the South alone, but equally at tho North, his liberation will be hailed as a victory of common sense." The Herald, in its article, says: "The enlargement of Mr. Davis will be bailed with general satisfac? tion throughout the country, in view of au uninterrupted reconstruction and an early restoration to Congress of thc ten excluded Southern States. * * It matters little now whether Davis is tried next week, next month, or next year-his trial will end in smoke. -It is not unlikely that, if left to the courts, his case may be postponed again and again, till finally dropped, lu the John Brown song it is said : 'Wc will hang Jeff. Davit* to si sour apple tree; As we go inarching on." Aud President Johnson bas declared several times that 'treason is a crime, and traitors must be punished;' but, as matters now stand, the best thing he could ilo would be to grant a free pardon to Davis, aud let him go in peace." Forney's Chronicle winds up as fol? lows: '"Of course, this whole matter was arranged in Washington. It is tho work, not of the judicial authorities at Richmond, but of Andrew John? son anti his legal adviser, in subordi? nation to whom theso authorities were neting. It is another step in tue President's great work of making treason odious; another example of the regard bo has for his oft-repeated pledges; another painful reminder to the people of tho terrible calamity that fell upon the nation when the President of their choice was stricken down by the assassin's bullet." A SAD PROSPECT FOR LOUISIANA. Tho New York Express publishes tho following extract of a letter from a merchant in New Orleans to a friend in New York, dated May 4, 18G7: "Weare having registration hero with n vengeance. 8,000 negroes re? gistered to this time, and only 2,000 whites! The prospect is, we shall be ruled by negroes." Says the same paper: "Is there any respectable man at the North who is willing to look at such facts with indifference? Can we, indeed, seo our fellow-citizens of the same race and blood-some of them, in fact, brothers-reduced to such a state of degradation, and not give them our aid in delivering them from such a condition? If we can, then woe to the future of our country." During a severe thunder-storm which visited Washington city last ! Monday afternoon, a lofty flag-staff, I which stood in front of tho gate at the cemetery of the old Soldiers* I Home, was struck by lightning and I shivered into fragments. A Con? gressional committee should be ap? pointed, as soon as possible, to see if this work cannot bo traced to some rebel in the torpedo business. Liooal ito?HB. POSTOFFICJE HOURS.-Thc oflicc is opeu from 8 a. ru. untii 3'.j p. m., iincl from G until 7 p. m. The North? ern mail closes nt 3,'j p. m., and all other mails close at 8 p. m. Rev. Mr. Pringle will hohl the Episcopal service aud preach, in tho Baptist Church, to-morrow (Sunday) afternoon, at half-past 4 o'clock. GAUDS! CARDS!-Show cards, busi? ness cards, visiting and wedding cards, executed at tho Phvenix Job Office, in the neatest stylos of the art. Cards of all sizes constantly on hand, and all orders from town or country promptly attended to. ? . . -^.^^^ ! TITREE THOUSAND CUSTOMERS. Merchants and those engaged in other pursuits, who desire that their goods or their business services should bc daily brought to the atten? tion of three or four thousand rend? ors, ought to advertise in the Phoenix, which circulates in every District in the Stato, and moro especially in those which have constant communi? cation with Columbia. This is worth thinking about. REMEDY VOR DUM. TTMES.-The host remedy for dull times is to ad? vertise freely. Merchants should not let their .stocks stay shelved until they become old, stalo and unprofit? able, for the sako of thc small ex? pense it would cost them to adver? tise. If they try it regularly and persistently, they will find the in? vestment to be a paying ono. A LITERARY JOURNAL.-The Gleanet is a largo eight page quarto journal, and from tho first lino on thc firsl column of the first page to the lasl lino on tho forty-eighth column, il abounds with select matter; em bracing, besides the news of th< week, choice tales, sketches anc poetry, which make it, as its nam? indicates, a true "home companion,' which no family in the Suite shouh bo without. .* SURSCBTBE FOR THE GliEANEH.-In stead of buying Harper's Weekly am other trashy and slanderous publica tious of thc North, subscribe to th Gleaner, which contains more read ing matter, and of a far supcrio quality, than any of them. Thc ex nmiuation of a single number wi] convince the most skeptical of th truth of this assertion. Subscrib without delay: and another thing i promised-that nt the end of th year, if the numbers are pr?serv?e you will have a volume to bind v t rt ten times the subscription price. A CARD.-The ladies of Trinit Church connected with the managt ment of the late "soiree" return thei grateful acknowledgments to Messrs Jouncy and Lcaphart, for the use c their fine hall; to his Honor th Mayor, for sundry facilities afibrde and services rendered; to Capt. \\ B. Stanley, President of the Ga Company, for the supply of light; to the same gentleman, and to Messr; Gregg & Co., for thc loan of crock? ry ware; to Mr. J. J. McCartor, ft numerous blank cards; to Mr. J. .4 Selby, proprietor of the Phtenix, an Mr. F. G. de Fontaine, proprietor c the Carolinian, for printing ticket: hand-bills, icc, and for their respec ive kind editorial notices of the ci tcrtainmcnts; to Mrs. Clark Warinj for tho use of her spleudid piam forte; to Mr. W. P. Hicks, for h happy management of the tableau: to the ladies aud gentlemen who; successful personations in said ti bleaux, and whose excellent music performances, contributed so large] to the pleasures of the occasion; < members of other congregations i tho city, as well as their own, f< abundant offerings of ice, rcfresl menta, flowers and other articles; \ Mr. Robert Johnson, (builder,) ft the services of ono of his workrac for several hours, in necessary pr parafions; to Joe Taylor, for the co: dial tender ot' his wagons in the r moval of tables, ??c.', to Ben. Gooi wyn and bis band, for their accept; ble accompaniments at the table: exhibitions; io the colored attem ants at tho hall, (old and attache family servants,) who, with so milt of cheerfulness, diligence and r spcctfnl attention, assisted tlurii tlie three evenings at thc sales* t bles; and to the publie geln rall who, by their decorum, reflected or dit on the entire affair, and, by the liberal patronage, liavo placed in tl hands of the managers such i amount of means as, they trust, w enable them to protect the Boen cemetery of their church from iutr sion nm! desecration, and thus accomplish the object for which sa "soiree" w.is instituted. OmovLAitsl OCTCULABSI-Coinmer- ^ chu and other circulars, in thc varions forms-note, letter nacl commercial post-neatly printed in our Jul Office, and all work of this descrip? tion ravished in the best style of print ing, and at moderate prices. THE Cnors.-We learn from a gea tlemnn who lives in Lexington, that tho crops in that .District aro very promising, and that the wheat crop especially is tho best that has been seen in that section for many years- - probably that ? as over been raised. The Lancaster Ledger notices frost in that region on two mornings of last week. Somo cotton was killed. but the crop generally was not up Tho wheatf orop, which before was very promising, it is hoped, has re? ceived no serious injury. Snow POSTERS, ILVNDRII.LS, &C - Our supply of type and facilities of press-work enable us to turn out front tho Phccnix office the most attractive styles of posters, hand-bills, &c.% at short notice, and in the most satis factor}- manner. REGISTRATION IN THIS STATE. -A correspondent of thc New York Tri biota telegraphs from Washington "Reports to the Congressional Re publican Executive Committee, bore, from Charleston, state that Genera! Sickles contemplates the appointment of one colored mau ou each of thc Boards of Registry in South Cai-. Hun. This he does at the solicitation of the Union men of the State. The rebel element bas been bitterly op? posing the thing, but General Sick!'-. sides with the Unionists." SurronT YOUR OWN JOURNALS. The Glenne)', issued every Wednes? day, from this office, defies competi? tion ns a literary and news journal. Those who subscribe to it are- kept well posted up in thc current event* of tho day, os it embraces the tele? graphic news, political, commercial, state of the markets, Sec.. np to the hour of going to press. WRITINO CONUNDRUMS.-Every b'ody, who has eyes, knows the like jess of that very pretty flower fiotv. which Phalon Si Son profess to ex? tract a delicate perfume. But they extract something else from these multiplied copies of thc "Night blooming Cercus," and that is, any quantity of dollars. Well, this mia pays a man $3,OUI) a year for devising a new conundrum, every day, setting forth the virtues of their sweet-smell - j ing extract. That's the way to ?uiver j tise; fresh paragraphs, in the adver i rising line, when renewed frequently attract the attention ol' thc reader Ub much as news matter. "A MAP OF BUSY LIFE"-A VAL; A F.LE ANNUAL ATLAS.-No one, who resides within reach ol a daily mail, should fail to subscribe for the Pl t ni. -. On the various railroads con? centrating in this city, it furnishes to subscribers tho latest news by tele-, graph and mail from all parts of the United States and Europe, including full market reports from the princi? pal cities. Those whose mail facili? ties tue restricted should subscribe for that excellent family paper, the. Gleaner, containing eight pages - forty-eight; columns-of reading mat ter. in quarto form, suitable for bind ing. At the end of the year, sui seribcrs may have a volume (or two. if they prefer it,) which will be a complete record of the events of the year, valuable for reference, as well as au excellent literary collection >! tales, sketches, &e. A HOMF. JOURNAL.-The best family journal now published in the South is the Gleaner, issued from this office. It contains weekly eight pages of .solid reading matter, excluding ad? vertisements entirely. A specimen nuniLei will bo sent to any o:e' de? siring c< subscribe. Jon PRINTING. -The Job Office o i the Phasnix is as complete as any in the South. It is furnished with new fonts of type of all descriptions and of the most modern styles. All worlt executed promptly, with taste and skill, and at reasonable rates. SK? Anvr.r.TisEMKSTS.- Attention is call I <-il io the following advertisements, whicl j .re puhlishnd this morning fer the 6rn :-.im>: J. F. Eisenmann Cnssimcrcs, ?tc. Chungc nf Schcdul.i S. .V I'. P.. ll - - -?#??? Il will tn- scon, bv refer? ;:ei- to Mr. !" C. Shiver's advertisement, thm lu- opens tor tin-week, an--ther lot m gooda nt li; popular low prices. L ast wool; was a liai j vo?i to ItQusf-kecnord und furnishers ii I HClecting from hi?- -lick. ue.J t'ds weol i prom Wes equally so