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COLUMBIA. Thursday" Morning, August 22,1867. Oar 2 nd ns tr lal Prospeem It is evident that tho prospects of the Southern States, aside from their political situation, ure brightening. Plentiful harvests, and a prospective crop of cotton of 2,500,000 bales, combined with the manifest determi? nation of the people to surmount their difficulties, must shortly renew that confidence, both nt home and abroad, which is necessary in all financial and commercial operations. We have signs of this io many ways; the people of the North are beginning to realize that, although paralyzed for tho moment by a stupendous change in her industrial and labor system, and bowed down- by such tremendous losses as scarcely the people of any seotion ever suffered, the South and her .people are very far fro? being ruined. That people have shown to the world that, while they h?d a keen souse of what they deemed their political rights, as evidenced by tho fearful straggle into Which they , plunged to maintain them, they have also the manhood which submits to the decrees of fate, and which, moreover; incites to the noble duty of retrieving the losses that defeat heaped upon them. The high reputation they gained in war for courage and endurance, is being amply maintain ed by an unequaled exhibition of fortitude under disas? ters and defeat. And now as to their present condi? tion and future prospects, as regards their material prosperity. We read with much interest an editorial arti? cle, which appeared last week, in the New York Times, which undertook to prove that the industry of this sec? tion would soon re-adjust itself, de? spite the present exceptional condi? tion of political affairs. The writes bases this prediction on thc, well grounded supposition that the South, to-day, has probably mortgaged i smaller portion of her products thai she has been accustomed to dc in any one season for thirty yean past ; and also on the well known fae that she has borrowed less and owe less at the North or in Europe, thai at any time preceding the gathering of her crops for many years past. Wo behove the position of th< Times to bo correct. In forme years, there was scarcely a planter whatever was his wealth or means who did not owo cither the banks which discounted liberally, or th merchants, who credited freely, tb full amount, and more frequently ex ceeding tho amount of his whole ero] of _corn aud cotton. This indebted ness, or such portion of it as be wa able to pay, haviug bceu canceled the planter agaiu cutered upon tbi unthrifty aud ruinous system for an other year, and thus continually li\ iug one year in advance of his income This system, we have uo doubt, wo to a great extent induced by the ir stitutiou of slavery, nnd the habit engendered aud rostered, under il influences, from one generation t another. Men owning large plan ti tious and negroes sufficient to ti them, bad no difficulty in borrowiu money from the banking institntioi of the South. Too frequently tl money, the use of which was so easil obtained, was spent more for pie; sure than utility, going into the co fers of those who rend er cd no equ valent. Northern watering pla? absorbed annually thousands upc thousands, of the money the plant had borrowed just before he and b family started ou their tour; and : this way, as well as in many othe similar in their depleting effects, ai material iucrease in thc means of tl planter was effectually estopped. All know that what wc say was tri in thc past. But tho wealth of tl planter in slaves was swept away 1 the singlo swoop of emancipatio and with that wealth, ns the plant imagined under tho old regime^ largo portion of tho valuo of bis lane Wealth (then so-called) has bei taken away, but debts aro less; oi dit, to rich or poor, hos become o solete, compelling all to live with their moans, and not outside aud advance of them; tho discount boo of -Southern banks are closed ai hermetically sealed-may wo say ; hope forever, except solely for coi merdai purposes?-and thus t planter to-day, though he fanci himself poorer, is really richer, aud certainly more independent, thau he ever WAS in the .past We believe we have sWted correct? ly both the past end present condi? tion of the planter ; nud thus believ? ing, we are convinced that his present position and future prospects are infinitely moro preferable and favor? able than in the palmiest days of the old plantation system. We are fur? ther convinced, that many of. our agricultural friends hnve arrived at the same conclusion. When all po? litical clouds shall have passed from tlie Southern firmament, our labor system properly adjusted, and when our people have learned, by severe discipline and experience, tho nature of true economy, and have realized its benefits, Southern industry will reach its proper standard and reap its rewards-which process, in the past, has been almost exclusively confined, in this country, to the more thrifty people of another section. . Political Km lasarles. The New Orleans Tribune has a correspondent-J. M. Davis, a color? ed man-who has no faith in radical "firebrands" and meudicant loyalists, who pretend great affection for the negro, in order to insure their own personal advantage. \ Speaking of the Republican Executive Committee of that State, he rather broadly inti? mates that some of the members should take back sen ts, or leave the committee altogether, and adds: "They have made themselves very obnoxious to the people by forcing themselves at every opportunity they can get to make the colored man think that they, above all others, are the most important defenders of his political rights. The people who attend the meeting of the committee go there for the express purpose ol getting information; but go away disappointed, by seeing these fire? brands jump up and oppose every resolution that the intelligent portion of the committee offer. These same pompous gentlemen go around among the colored people, inquiring aftei the health of the old man, and when they come across the old woman and the children, they tell her that the children look just like their father, because they are black. Then th 03 go right into a public meeting and vote to get the nigger out of the plat form, which makes tho old fellov think white men mighty uncertain * * * Those persona may shak< hands with the old man and hug tin old woman and squeeze the daughter but when they go to kiss the baby then the man knows something is no right, and he will tell them he has ix use for nurses." Verily J. M. Davis understands th character of the fire-brand tribe o politicians of whom he speaks. Ti talk about kissing "the baby" wa "the unkindest cut of nJl." , ? ? ? ? Tho revelations of the Conove case caused great consternation i Washington and elsewhere; and t counteract tho significance of thes revelations, persons connected wit the Impeachment Committee and th Bureau of Military Justice are charge with having concocted a counter-blai to impugn the credibility of tho wi ness, who, perjurer as he is, was cur ning enough to preservo the writte documents, os proof of his assertion! Certain jail-birds have been procur?e who swear that the Conover revell tion -was concocted by Ben. Woo and Boger A. Pryor. These gentli men have promptly branded th assertion us an unmitigated falsi hood, and are prepared to punish i instigators. THE CABINET.-Tho corresponde! of the Baltimore Sun says: "There is no doubt that politiciai have, as they have heretofore, evi since tho accession of Mr. Johnson 1 the Presielency, boen urging upo him to make changes in his Cabine on tho ground that thereby the Ai ministration would bo strengthened "It is equally well known that tl present members of tho Cabinet ha' more than once stateil to tho Pres elont that they will not for a n*oaiei embarrass him in making any cuang .in tho executive department that 1 may deem proper. At present, the is no prospect of any such change tho relations of tho President ai tho membors of the Cabinet being the most courteous and friendly ch racter." ? <-.-??-> THE Tmii?NE STAKTLED.-Tho Ne York Tribune, of Monday, says: The news is startling, but it scarcely to be doubted, that Genei Grant will, as instructed by tho Pi aident, issue an order removing Sb ridan from the oommaud of the Fif Military District. This, then, is to the reward of Sheridan's loyalty ai courage-this the first act of the rn Secretary of War. The Temper Of Hu Southern Prc??. Tlie following fuir und liberal criti? cism upou the tone and temper of the Southern press is from that ably con? ducted journal, the New York Journal of Commerce: Nothing is easier than for the peo? ple not in trouble to advise other people who are in trouble-to "put np with their fate," not to "cry over spilt milk," to "forget the past, and look only to the future." Tliese apothegms of wisdom are full of con? solation for philosophers, but the Shilosophers are few. Most people nd it impossible to sit down among the ruins of their fortunes, aud be cheerful or even patient. The news? paper editors of the South, with the exception of those who are fresh from the North, and are"supported by Northern fonds or official patronage, are men who saved little or nothing beyond their presses and types out of the general wreck. Borne of them are Confederate generals of distinc? tion, and, as a class, they are men who stood by their "lost cause" gal? lantly and truly to the end. It would be only natural for men thue situated, and pluming themselves on the honor which they had brought out untar? nished from the fray, to look back with fond regrets upon their old principles and their old friends, and to manifest a sensitive impatience at anything like oppression or injustice from their conquerors. Feeling a proper harity for human weakness, we should not feel like blaming them for an occasional exhibition of irra? tional peevishness or a proneness to discuss old issues, which ought to be considered dead and buried. But the Southern papera, so far as wo have au opportunity of seeing them, are remarkably free from these venial frailties. But, going over all the Southern papers carefully, it might be possible to clip out a string of de? tached passages which would give the reader an impression of a prevailing acerbity and unsubdued rebellion throughout the South. Some of the radical papers are doing this to justify "a strong government" down there. It is as a class that the Southern press should be judged, and as a class that we would speak of it. lu its tone ol resignation, or disposition to.endure what cannot bo cured, we think that it merits praise. Ou the whole, it is better tempered thau the Northern press. This is the calm, manly, dignified utterance of a Northern mau, con ducting a Northern journal iu t Northern city. TIMELY WARNING.-The New Yuri Nation, an ultra-radical paper, warns the colored people of the South, anc especially those of Virginia, aguins the suicidal policy of banding them selves into a patty exclusively ngains the whites, and suffering themselve; "to be kept in a constant ferment' by a few white meu, who are usiuj them for their owu profit and ad van tage. And it tells tLein to remembe that whilst this game may succeed fo a year or two, it must, iu the cud recoil upon those who are playing it for, says the Nation, "there is scarce ly a State, except South Caroliun which can be controlled by the cc lored vote alone for more than two o three years. Certainly Virginia i not one of that class. The whit voters will constitute a majorit whenever they choose to act togetbei and they will probably increase fa moro rapidly than the others. In migration will soon flow iu that d rectian; and this, of course, will b exclusively white, and iu great pat unfriendly to the colored people. This is tho warning not of "rebels or "secesh," but of a warm, devote friend to the radical party, and th power of the colored race. No PARTISAN RECONSTRUCTION. - The Buffalo Commercial Advertise! (Republican,) commenting upon th removal of Stanton and the appoin ment of Gen. Grant ad interim to til Bureau of War, says: "What the country needs most, i present, is a straight-forward, noi partisan execution of the reconstru? lion Acts. The South should I made to understand, by daily pract cal demoustration, that the letter au spirit of the laws will be observe! that they will uot be interpreted < executed iu tho interests of Nortl ern extremists or of Southern rebel Wo think it is safe to assume tin Gen. Graut may be depended upc to do this." ?-???-? ATTEMPTED INSURRECTION rs Cru A despatch to the Baltimore Su dated Havana, 13th instant, says: "A negro insurrection has ju miscarried in St. Jago de Cnba, tl Government having had timely war; ing. At the first sign of discover at the village of Del Cobre, ma? took to the mountains, armed, i that the scouring parties sent ont t the local authorities have had to k: a few who persisted in. holding ou not listening to their offers of Uber quarters. Quite a magazine of ai munition was fonnd on the neighbo ing estates, and all leads strongly the supposition that there must 1 some whites connected with the plot How it?? Paciffc Railroad la Ballt. We have noted the rapid progress runde by tho construction partie* who are laying down the tr.tck of the Union Pacific Railway. Th? best explanation of the actual proteas of construction is furnished by a corres? pondent of the Cincinnati gazette. He saya: One of the most complete roads of which tho country can boast, with equipments that surpass many, is being laid with a speed that fails to impress the nation, simply because it is not believed. But let the facts tell their plain yet wonderful story. Gens. J. S. and D. C. Casement, of Ohio, grade the road, lay the track, and put up' the telegraph. The graders go first. There are 2,000jof them. They protect them? selves and are digging the great for? tification which makes the future sure for us, on through Indian bat? tle-fields, while the daily fight goes on. Of tie-getters and wood-choppers there are 1,500. Their axes are re? sounding in the Black Hills, over Laramie Plains, and in the passes of the Rocky Mountains. A mile in ad? vance of the track-layers are the squads which place the ties. There are three of these. First, however, the engineers set their levelling stakes at a distance of 100 feet on the straight lines and 50 feet on thc curves. At eaoh of these points, sawed ties are placed and leveled bj them. Then come two men with measuring rod, marking off spaces equal to the length of a rail, and alsc the half of this space. These sawed ties are laid by the second squad, tc give firm support to the end and middle of each rail. These are placet] by sighting along the guide tiet already laid. The third squad ther places tho intermediate ties, mid thc bed is then ready for tho iron. Now go back twenty miles on tin road and look at the immense con structiou trains loaded with ties an( rails and all things needed for tin work. It is Uko the grand reserve o an nrmy. Six miles back are othe: trains of like character. These an the second linc. Next, near the ter minus, and following it hour by hour are the boarding cars and a construe tion train, which answer to the actus battle-line. The one is the camp the other is the ammunition used il the fight. The boarding cors are eight fee long. Somo aro fitted with berths two are dining halls; one is a kitchen store-room and office. Under th I whole, those men who prefer fres air have swung hammocks. Rifle are hung overhead, plentiful in nun ber, loaded and convenient. Til party protects itself without atter tion from the Government. Th track-laying gang numbers 400. O the 350 miles already built, there ni 1,000 track repairers constantly in proving the road bed. The boarding cars go in advauci They are pushed to the extremity < the track; u construction train thc runs up, unloads its material au sturts back to bring another from tl second line. The hoarding train then run back until it has cleared tl unloaded material. * Three trucks, each drawn by tv horses, ply between the track-laye and their supplies. The horses rv outside the track, pulling with a loi tow-liue. as boats are moved on c nals They must be out of the wi of the workmen. One of these true takes on a load of rails, abont fort with the proper proportion of spik and chairs, making a load, when tl horses are started off on a full galh for the track-layers. On each side these trucks are rollers to facilitu running off the iron. On reachii the end of the last rail the truck stopped. A single horse is attach to move it over each successive ra Meantime, the truck last emptied b been turned on its side to allow t loaded one to go to thc front. T two horses released are started ba on a keen gallop for another suppl The third one moves up in like mo ner, and thus through all the d they are rushing forward with th< iron load. To see them, and relie what their rush and roaring means, as exciting as it ever was to watch battery thunder into position al needed moment, nt the vital point its line. The rails within reach, parties five men stand on either side. O in the rear throws a rail upon t rollers, three in advance seize it, a run out with it to the proper d tance. The chairs have, meantin been set under the last rails plac? The two men iu tho rear, with a s gie swing, force the end of tho i into the chair, and the ohief of 1 squad calls out "down," in a tc that equals tho "forward" to army. Every thirty seconds thc I came that "down," "down," on eitl side of tho track. They were t pendulum beats of a mighty era; tl marked the time of the'march and regulation step. One of the roar men drove the ca in addition to handling the rail. 1 horses started as eaoh rail fell into place, the truck rolled on to the c of it; a second rail was projected ii the wilderness with the same prc sion and haste; then carno the ma "down," tho car moved on aga and another length was accomplish Two spikers followed each rail, t party a little in advauoe of the otb One rail was fastened at the end c Ai the middle. The secoud party then drew the opposite rail to the exact gauge, aud fastened at the middle and the end. "-Then came other -squads of spikers, moving (dong with tho precision of military drill, each having a particular spike to drive, and no oue interfering with another. Track liners followed these, and with their crow-bars rectified the line. The fillers came last. One party of these filled and paoked the spaces at the ends and middle of the rails; the other completed tho inter? mediate intervals, and the job was left till the squads of track repairers should come up and finish the bal? lasting. But as the fillers leave it, full trains can run over it, with safe? ty, at twenty miles au hour. Let the reader picture the scene. The rush of the loaded track; the successive drepping of the rails in place; the rattle of the spiker's ham? mer, sounding like a hotly contested skirmish; the roar of the distant supply trains moving up; the resound? ing of the freqneut signals, near at baud; the universal bustle; "the rumble, and grumble, and roar" of tho wonderful advance. On the 9th of May, I860, but forty miles of road were completed. In 182 working days thereafter, 215 ad? ditional miles were laid and put in prime condition; every rail und tie aud spike haviug been brought up from the rear. Seven saw-mills fur? nish the ties and lumber. All bridges are framed, the pieces numbered, and set up where wanted without thc least delay. Tho bridge at Loup Fork is 1,500 feet long, aud ns fino u Howe truss ns eau be found in the land. While our train was running the sixty miles from North Platte, over a mite or track had been pul down, and one train passed over it. From 1 o'clock till 4 in the afternoon, a mile and 200 feet wero added tc this while the party were lookiugon. The road will touch the base o: the Rocky Mountains the coming autumn. The California end has al ready reaehed a point about 10( miles Fast, and is descending th? Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada: into the valley of the Humboldt It is confidently expected that Sal Lake will be reached next year, an< that 1870 will see the wholo line com pleted. While the uation has scarce! heard of what was being done, th' work has been near one-third accom plished. Dec-reuse of Southern Population. The authorities of Mississippi prc vided for taking thc census of th State last year, a statement of th result of which recently appeared i the Jackson Clarion. The figures ai suggestive. Tho total population i 1864 was as follows: Whites, 343,461 blacks, 381,258. Total, 724,718. In 1860, the aggregate popula,tio was as follows: Whites, 353,89! blacks, 447,404. Total, 801,303. The actual decrease of populatio during tho six years, from 18G0 1 1800, was, therefore: Whites, 10,43 blacks, 60,140. Total, 70,585. The ratio of increase from 18.r)0 i 1800, of whites, was about tweul per cent., and of blacks somethii moro than forty per cent. Und' this ratio of iucreaso during the pa six years, there should have been population in Mississippi of 854,00 instead of 724,000, which shows loss of population by a failure to i crease of 230,000. This, added the natural loss, aggregates a tot loss of population of 300,000, in tl space of six yeavs! Of this loss, tl whites suffered to the extent of 51 000, aud the blacks 254,000. Thus it will bo seen that Miss sippi emerged from tho war min nearly a third of a million of h people, one-quarter of a milli? being blacks. Instead of increasin as previous to tho war, she coi menced the retrograde march, givii up nearly one-tenth of the popa tion she held at thc commenceme of the war. These figures shou arrest the attention not only of t people of Mississippi, bat the statt . men of the country. With the exception of Texas, it highly probable that all the otli unreconstructed States are iu a cc dition similar to Mississippi in tl respect. -!-?-?-? MEETING IN PICKENS DISTRICT. There was a meeting held at W halla last week, at which a pic-i was prepared by tho colored peop Tho Pickens Courier says: Col. W. D. Wilkes, of Andersc delivered a lengthy and very app priate speech on tho occasiou. Se' ral colored persons made remarks a spirit of kindness and sympathy : both races. A considerable numl of white persons were present. 'I colored people spread their pic-nic a pleasant spot near by, and seem to enjoy it with moderation and gc order. They prepared a sepan table for their invited guests, a were assiduous in their attention them. The colored people demean themselves well on thia occasiou. was reserved for their white friei to get up an unpremeditated row 1 in the day. "John Barleycorn" w we think, to blame for the distu ance. Thaddeus Stevens is the lat LL.D. The University of Vermt did it for hire. Ltooal T.te^na. POST OJEIOE Horns.- Thc office ia open from Beim, until 3.'j p. m., ?nd from G unt? 7 p. m. The North? ern mnil ?loses Rt 3Vii p. m., and all other mails close at 8 p. m. TEA SET TO RAFFLE.-A handsome silver-plated tea set, belonging to au unmarried man, is offered for raffle, ?he articles can be seen at the Phoe? nix office. Fifty chances, at $1 per chance. _ REGISTRATION.-The result, yester? day, at the office of registration, was tis follows: Whites 35; colored 22. The books for the upper box will cdose to-day, at 3 p. m., and those who have been dilatory in tho upper wards, .should present themselves to? day for registration. CAMP GROUND.-Mr. Chairman Windsor gives us the following os the result of the three days registering at the Camp Ground precinct, in Rich? land Distriot: Whites 80; colored 139. JOB PRINTING.-The Job Office of the Pheonix 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 work executed promptly, with taste and skill, aud at reasonable.fates. To CORRESPONDENTS.--We have re? ceived from ex-Gov. Perry a criti? cism on n certain work which he had received from the West-the subject the s'utus of the negro. As it has nothing to do with our political situ? ation, and as the work commented on is utterly unworthy of notice, we decliue publishing the correspond? ence between Gov. Perry and the gentleman who sent him the work referred, to. We have cheerfully published the views of Gov. Perry on the situation, but the present cor? respondence is entirely irrelevant to that important subject. Marie Antoinette aud her Son. An Historical Novel."1 Ry Louisa Muhl - bach. New Yorkf D. Appleton & Co. The works of this great German authoress have been very generally read and admired. The present vo? lume-the latest production of Miss Muhlbach's pen--describes the most thrilling epoch in the history of France. The romantio career of the beautiful and unfortunate Marie An? toinette, and the "reign of terror," are depicted with historical accuracy, and in the author's happiest style. The book contains eight illustra? tions-paper covers Si.50; cloth #2. This work, liko those which have pre? ceded it-Louisa of Prussia, Joseph II and his Court, Frederick the Great and several others-will increase, if such a thing is possible, the author's reputation as an historical novel writer. She speaks thus in justifica? tion of tho historical romance: "Historical romance should be no? thing but an illustration of history. If tho drawing, grouping, coloring and style of such nn illustration of any given historical epoch is admitted to be true, then the illustration rises to the' elevation of a work of art, worthy of a place beside the historical pic? ture, and as equally useful." Copies of either of Miss Muhl? bach's works can be obtained at McCarter's bookstore. Read Udolpho Wolfe's advertise? ments in to-day's paper. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.-Attention is call? ed to the following advertisements, which are published this morning for tho first time D. C. Peixotto A Son.-Cows and Calves. Graeser A SloJnnkin-Corn, Flour, Ac. T. J. Gibson-Eggs. A fine lot of Desirable Goods have just boen opened by Mr. B. C. Shiver, who still adheres to his popular principle of good articles for little money. Bead his adver? tisement, and then examine the goods. THE RIGHT WAY TO SERVE THEM. The Selma Times says : "A certain young gentleman emis? sary, from Yankeedom, passed through tho County of Anson, a short time since, vending tickets or certificates to the negroes, which he told them would entitle each holder to forty acres of land. He sold a large number to the negroes along his -.onto at fifty cents each. The negroes, however, becoming assured that they had been swindled, pur? sued tho scoundrel, overtook him, made him refund the money, with nu additional fifty cents in each case, and then drew his shirt, when they prooeeded to administer a severe flogging upon his back? This done, they allowed him to go on his way rejoicing.*' A Memphis barber advertises that he employs only "Conservative" darkies in his establishment.