Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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COLUMBIA. Thursday Morning. January 23.1868 A Kuggrated Practical Solution of the Negro Question. The presses of tho day contain many heart-rending descriptions of tho destitution of the freedmen of tho South. The thoughts of all true philanthropists ought now to he di? rected to tho discovery of some mode of ameliorating the condition of theso unfortunate people. They are the wards of the nation, and the guardian is bound to look to tho welfare of the wards. The Natiotiai Intelligencer correctly states the cause of the difficulty-tho concentration of the black- population in one purl of the country; and the true remedy, it suggesta to the radicals, will bc luuuii iii di?uo?ug Ilium muru etj?uliv over the whole country. We all have heard that when the Pilgrim fathen wad the authorities of Grout Britaii brought tho negro to America, thej ?id so, not, of course, from consi derations of private greed, but foi the benevolent purpose of civilizing and Christianizing him, and thus fit ting him for the highest enjoyment! of this lifo, and a happy state in thc world to come. In other words, th< slave trade and the institution ol slavery were but parts of a great mis sionory system, for the temporal anc etornal redemption of tho benighted sons of ?frica. The thoughtful and considerate Pilgrim fathers, and hu mano predecessors of the apostles ol Exeter Hall, knew that it would avail little to send missionaries to Africa, where they could not effect mud towards the fulfillment of their be novolent designs, (and might, per haps, be roasted and eaten by tut anregenerated.) and, therefore, the] roversed the ordinary process, anc instead of sending the missionary t< the heathen, they brought the bea then to the missionary. The "mid die passage" was a good system o purgatorial probation, and pr?par?e tho minds of tho neophytes for th ready adoption of tho doctrines o Christianity. Tho benefits of th i vise forecast on the part of th Pilgrim fathers aud their co-luboi ers in the cause of humunit is now made manifest by the grec fact, that we bis day behold 4,000, OOO of colorea brethron said to \> redeemed from barbarism, and prc pared for tho refinements of civilize lifo and for the duties of Bovoreignt as citizens. The time has, of course, more thu come when it is necessary to take ar other forward step in this march t humanity and progress. The nt groes must be brought into contai with the higher civilization and mot advanced ideas of the North. Follov ing tho precedent adopted in the ou set of this great movement, the u gro must now be transferred fro his present position in tho Souti ?nd brought iuto intimate commun cation and association with tho b nign influences of the social syste of the rudieals of the North. Tl grain fields, the work-shops, the cor mercial marts, the printiug bouse the common schools, the churchs and thc family mansions of tl North, must, os a matter of cours bo opened to him. Labor in all tl departments of human industry needed, and thousands of our bla< brethren aro ready to respond to L demand. Let Congress, then, noting in I radical direction, invito thom to n grate to the fertile fields of tho Wei and to the busy haunts of commer and manufactures in the North, consistence with radical theory, 1 donations of homesteads bo mudo blacks, as well as whitos, who pi poso to till tho soil; and let libe appropriations bo made from t national treasury to pay tho expeni of their removal to the new thea of their patriotic labors. Let Se: tor Sprague and other humano n public-spirited manufacturers int duce hundreds of bright ooloi youths into their faotories. Lot ] Greeley and other philanthropic p lisbors of newspapers adopt into tli establishments-scores of negro bc to bc educated up to the h i gi standurd of morals and literature exhibited in tho columns of Tribune, Let Pittsburg invito th sands of dusky Vulcans to aid eliminating from tho bowels of carib that great agent of oivilizat -?rou. Let Yulo, aud Harvard, and Dartmouth, onter into a generous slrifo aa to which shall bear off the palin of tho highest liberality iu dis? carding obsolete prejudices, and con? tributing to tho deridion and refine? ment and oultivatien of tho luuch wronged childreu ol' Ham. Old prejudices must be eradicated, and feelings of activo benevolence aud tho true principles of fraternity and equality substituted in their stead. Should the policy above indicated be adopted, a new era will dawn on our oountry. We shall bo independent of men whom tho radicals character? ize as Irish aud Dutch, and other foreigners, who, we have the high authority of Mr. Wade for saying, are inferior in virtue and intelligence to the blacks. How grand tho effect. A check will be given to white immi? gration; white labor will oe cbeapeu ed to the capitalist, strikes among white artificers will be stopped; in? dustry in all it? brauches will ba sti? mulated, aud tho whole country blossom like the rose. Considera? tions of national, or rutlior sectional economy, also recommend the adop? tion of this policy of distribution and diffusion. Now we have to keep up the Freedmen's Bureau and standiug armies at euormous cost, iu the un? reconstructed States, to protect the blacks in their rights. Let us remove the negro, us the radicals seem to de? sire, to the North and West; then evory Northern and Western commu? nity will be a voluntary and self-sus? taining Freedmen's Bureau and a standing army, eager aud anxious to sustain and cherish the black race without money and without price. THE LAST OF MAXIMILIAN.-Cable despatches give a graphic account cf the funeral of Maximilian. It seeniB bat as yesterday when Maximilian and Carlota lived n life of content? ment and enviable bliss amid the shades of Miramar. Into this Eden, as into many others which have formerly existed, Satan entered. "Visions of splendor and of dominion arose in the mind of the ambitious Princess. Maximilian, like a second Adam, yielded to the subtle influence of woman. The forbidden fruit was tasted. How bittor the tempting fruit has proved to be, and how dis? appointing the splendid visions, all tho world now knows. Mexico was roachod; imperial titles were woru; but empire to them was never moro than a mockery. Europe boa re? ceived back all that the world knows of Emperor and Empress. Maximi? lian returns but dust and ashes, and Carlota is a hopeless lunatic. TUE ASTORS.-A telegram an? nounced the (loath of ' 'John Jacob Astor," in New York. AM nobody remembered that the ho id of t'lo house of Astor loft a son of hit name, there was some perplexity i to whether tho person who died on Friday was or was not William B. Astor. Tho fact is, that John Jacob Astor, jr., died on the day named. He was one of threo sons of John Jacob Astor, who died in 184S, in the 85th year of his age, having been borne in 17C3. The so recently deceased Astor is said to have indi? cated in youth considerable mental promise; but by casualty, boiug thrown upon his head, he snfferod a fracturo of the skull and permanent injury of the brain, which made him little better than an idiot the balance of his life. His father built a large residouco for him on Fourteenth street, near the North River, which residonco he caused to bo surround? ed with a vory high wall, to keep out prying curiosity. A handsome income was left him by this con? siderate father, who also submitted him to tho care of a distinguished physician, in whom ho placed im? plicit confidence. William B. and Henry Astor aro the surviving sons of the elder Astor. Tho first named is a man of 6ome prominence in pub? lic matters in New York city, and is a very economical and close financier, hoing pretty much absorbed in nor cents. Houry is but little botter known than his brother just deceased. They are quito "orofortable," ?tud in nb danger of tho poor-house! ? ?. ? > , CLOSE OF THE SOUTHERN RELIEF ENTKRTAINMENTH IN BALTIMORE.-The Indies of the Southern Relief Asso? ciation have achieved another great triumph, the series of entertainments given during tho past week at the Maryland Institute, and tho tabloaux at the Concordia Opera House hav? ing been eminently successful, and will doubtless yield quito a handsome sum in aid of tho fnnd for tho relief of Sou thorn widows and orphans. The Reconstruction Cunveutloa. S1XTU DAY. CHAIOIEBTON, January 21, 1808. Tho roll wns palled, and the Conven? tion proceeded to business. P. J. Moses, jr., Chair mun of the Executive Committee, reported in favor of the petition to Gen. Canby to ^tay executions for three months. On motion of James M. Rutland, white delegate from Fairfield, the report was made the special order for Wednesday, at 1 p. m. F. J. Moses, jr., Chairman of the Executive Committee, reported fa? vorably on the resolution to employ Major C. D. Melton, one of the So? licitors of tho State, to assist in draw? ing up ordinances, Seo. Also, recom? mending that Mujor D. T. Corbin be appointed Solicitor of the Conven? tion, with the pay and mileage of a delegate. Tho report was adopted. Lemuel Boozer, from the Commit? tee on Miscellaneous Affairs, to which was reierred the resolution calling for a committee of five to visit and ox amino the Stuto penitentiary, report? ed that the Committee did not think the resolution n proper subject for their consideration, und requested that it be referred to the Committee on tho Judiciary. It was so referred. The hour for the special order having arrived, DeLarge moved to discbarge the special order, whioh was adopted. The special order having been the excuse of Lemuel Boozer, its disohurge caused him some annoy? ance and the rest of the delegates some amusement. Hurley offered a resolution to in? corporate in tho Constitution, provi? sions against bribery-the party bribed to bo disfranchised for five years and punished by flue and im? prisonment, as the laws may here? after direct, and the party bribing to be declared ineligible to ofiiee fur ten years, and punished by fine and im? prisonment, as the law may hereafter direct. Referred to tho. Committee on Fruncbiso nud Election. Hurley also offered a resolution for the wtsblishment of a militia, which was referred to tho Committeo on tho Militia. Runion introduced an ordinance to abolish the Districts Court? of the State. Tho rules were suspended and the Convention went into Committee of the Whole on this ordinance, J. M. Rutland in the chair. DeLarge, Langley, Ruiuey and Hurley, all opposed the abolition of tlie District Courts, on the ground that thc Convention hud not either the uecesHary power or authority. Curdoza said that Guv. Orr had ex? pressed to him an opinion unfavor? able to the District Courts, but he thought that it was the spirit of the judges, and not tho form of the Court which was at fault, and ho did not think the ordinance would ac? complish its purpose, and he there? fore opposed i?. Runion, in defence of his ordi? nance, said that if the Convention of 1865 had power to establish tho Dis? trict Coul ls lia did liol see why this Convention had not the power to abolish them. McKinlay spoke in opposition to the ordinance mid Randolph, in sup? port of it. The latter objected to the District Courts on the ground of their great expense. Neagle, of York, made a long but very weak argument in favor of the ordinance and against the courts. Ho said that tho District Courts cost tho .State at least 850,000 per annum, and that some estimated the expense at 3100,000 per annum. And, as for the power of tho Convention, it was assembled to frame a Constitution ami form a civil government for the State of ?South Carolina, and, UH a Government was incomplete without officers, he thought that the Conven? tion had entire control of every office und officer in the Stnto. A. G. Mackey, Chairman of the Convention, said that he had not in? tended to obtrude his views upon the members, but he saw a disposition on tho part of some, not only to legis? late upon matters not within tho pro? vision of the Convention, but to rush such leg: dation through in disregard of all pal I inmentary forms. The work beforo tho Convention was specific. It was not only confined to framing a Constitution, but to framing a Con? stitution which must be submitted first to the people of tho State for ratification, and then to Congress for approval. Until tho Constitution, they should frame, bad passed I through thiB ordeal, all ordinances whioh they might pass would bo mero brutton fulmen, and it was be? neath the dignity of so respectable a body to pass such ordinances. In his opinion, tho Convention should confine itself strictly to maturing a Constitution for the State, which was a gravo enough duty to employ any eot oi men. xix conclusion, he mov? ed that the Committee riso and re? port to the Convention, that in their opinion, tho ordinance should be re? ferred to the Judiciary Committee. Tho delegates seemed to feol tho rebuke administered by tho chair? man, and tho Committoo rose, and made the desired report, and tho or? dinance was referred to tho Commit? teo on the Judiciary. Rainey introduced a resolution, that the qualifications of jurors be tho samo as thoso of voters, with tho addition of being ablo to read aud write. Referred to the Judiciary ' Committee. Runion introduced a resolution, re? quiring patrol officers to be qualified voters aud to bo elected by thu quali? fied voters of their respectivo beata. Referred to the Committee on L'ruu ohiso nnd Elections. B. O. Duncan road a petition to Congress, of which bo hud previous . ly given notice, asking for the repeal ' of the cotton tax. Whittemore introduced u r?solu tiou, regarding suffrage, giving it ti? all persons uot disfranchised by tho Constitution, who were citizen.*) of the State, or had given notice of be? coming such, aud had resided in the Stute oue year and the Election Dis? trict six months. Referred to the Committee on Franchise and Elrc tious. Hayne, from Barnwell, introduced an ordinance to make a new District out of portions of Barnwell, Edge field and Orangeburg, to be called the District of "Sumner." Referred. T ? r ".."1i iL.i _ii I ?J. 0. -'o-' v ..-.'.vy.., tiiab no tilt! doctrine of State rights, as taught by a mistaken son of South Carolina, Hon. John C. Calhoun, hud cost the country oceans of blood and millions of treasure, therefore that a provi? sion be incorporated into the Consti? tution, that the allegiance of the citi? zens of South Carolina is due to the Federal Government, and to tho State only so long aa it is not in opposition to that Government. C. C. Bowen introduced a bill of rights, coutaiuing nearly forty pro? visions, which, at his request, was referred to the Committee on the Bill of Rights. He read the docu? ment through, and it sounded very much liku similar documents with which wo aro familiar. The follow? ing provisions ouly are worthy of note: The prohibition of corporal punishment; tho abolition of impri? sonment for debt; the exception from the provision ngainst ex post facto laws of such laws as might iuvalidate debts incurred between 18G? and 18G5, or for slaves; tho incorpora? tion of all associations of persous de siriug to be incorporated; opening Stut;: educatioual institutions to all persons, without distinction. Rainey offered a resolution, that as justice could not be obtained in the courts as the laws now are, tho Legis? lature be instructed to revise the laws aa soon aa possible. Referred to the Committeo on the Judiciary. W. B. Johnson offered a resolu? tion, that ministers be declared eli? gible to office. Referred to tho Com? mittee on Frauchisu and Elections. Ransier introduced u resolution, providing for a system of oommou schools, Referred to the Committeo on Education. Tho Convention then adjourned to 12 M. on Wednesday. The Washington correspondent of thc Cincinnati Commercial takes tho liberty of romiudiug tho Republi? cans that "there is a tide iu the af? fairs of parties which, takeu at the flood, leads to the devil;" aud he adds tho expression of bis own opinion that, while they have frequently drifted toward lt, they have never "squarely struck" that tide at its ilood till now. This sentiment the New York Thtie.it thinks would not be of any great importance if it vere, simply that of an isolated correspon? dent; but thero is good reason for the belief that a very large proportion of the people are thinking the same thing-and this fact may make it for? midable. FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD YARD. -On Tues? day afternoou, while some white boys were playing on tho roofs of tho cars iu tho city of Charleston, one of them, named James Earley, endea? vored to leap upon tho roof of a car on tho Cullimbin uigbt train, which waa passing at tho time. Unfortu? nately, ho foll between the cara, four of which passed over his body abovo the hips, cutting him in two, and killing him instantly. CHINESE SERVANTS.-Bishop Simp? son, in a recent lecture, predicted that in a very few yoars, here in Boston, we would have ChinoBo servunta iu our houses. Paterfamilias referred to this at the breakfast table this morning, when little Minnie, after a while, came to his chair and whispered, "Oh, pa, won't it be nice? Wo shall have a Chinese ser? vant, and she will cat all the ruts, so wo won't have to keep a cat!" Gen. Hancock has issued an order, iu which ho declines to sot aside the registration in Texas, on the ground that certain classes had been exclud? ed and others admitted to tho regis? tration wrongfully. Ho will not as? sume to revise or correct any action of tho Board of Registration in mat? ters which, by the Reconstruction Act, aro submitted to their judgmeut and discretion. PLUMS ?N JAHTJAR?.- ~vYy caw yesterday, ft troo literally full of young plums; if this summer wea? ther continues much longer, all tho vegetation in the vicinity will put forth. It is feared that wo shall have a short crop of frnit this year, in consequence of too oarly budding. [ J( ickso n v Hie Kiar lilian. DEATn OF J?DOE OCHILTREE.-TIlO Hon. Wm. B. Ochiltree, a distin? guished citizon of Texas, and lately a membor of tho Confederate Con? gress, died at Jefferson, Texas, on tho 27th ult. Cen?-ml Scott'* Clrrulnr Leiter? We invite attention to the circular letter of Brevet Mnjor-Qenerol lt. K. I Scott, Assistant Commissioner ol the ] Freedmen's Bureau for this State. The lotter contuius information of | importance, and will be read by our i planters with interest: CHAKIJ?STON, January 1G, 18(53. j Circular Leiter. ] Tho Government having again charged tho Assistant Commissioner with tho duty of distributing food among the people of this State, for the double purpose of preveutiug suffering from the destitution, now common in many localities, ami to euublu the people to provide against a recurrence of the like destitution in future, it becomes necessury, in order to accomplish tho object designed, to adopt auch a system of distribu? tion for the supplies thus loaned, as will most effectually both accomplish the objects above named, and insure to the Government the re-payment of its means. This eud can only be attained hy a well regulated system of labor-tor from such a system alone ca. it bo expected that any de? gree of prosperity will follow. It will bo found impossible to distri? bute food to tho needy thousands, as individuals, but only as communities. The sad experience of tho past year should have giveu a lesson of profit to all. Hundreds of people were the recipients of tho charity of the Go? vernment, who claimed to be plant? ing at tho time they were fed, but who, lipon investigation, were dis? covered to bo either idling away their time, or engaged in cultivating a small patch, the whole products of which could not subsist them for more than a month or two; others received aid who wore located ou barren and worn out lauds, upon which, even by the most severe labor, it is impossible to produce a subsistence; white yet a third class, without any pecuniary means, enter? ed into arrangements whereby they gave one-half or one-third of their time to the land-owner, and during the remainder attempted to dig out a subsistence for themselves, without either animals to assist .hem, or food to live upon. To continuo in these foolish at? tempts to obtain a livelihood will result in the complete prostration of every interest of tho country, and to foster such folly by squandering Go? vernment rations on such people would be criminal on the part of the agent charged with their distribution. It is, therefore, the intention of the Assistant Commissioner to issue food in future, to the extent allowed by tho Government, to those persons only who 1 is satistied aro so em? ployed that >ey will be able to re? pay to tho Government tho amount loaned, as well as to place themselves beyond tl J possibility of want dur? ing the followiug year. To accom? plish this object, responsible persons will be appointed agents of distribu? tion in each locality where destitu? tion exists, who will bo held strictly accountable for thc reliability and industry of the csusuiners. They will be instructed to take from tho recipients?a bond, giving a lien upon the crops to be grown, and other products of industry aud personal property. Tho Assistant Commissioner must be satisfied that each applicant lins planted, or is about to plant, a suffi? cient number of ucres in cereals to i usure his provisions for the next year without purchase. To parties engaged wholly, or to an undtio ex text, in tho cultivation of cotton, no assistance will be roudered. Duly appointed officers and agents of this Bureau will be instructed to fre? quently and carefully iuspect tho plantations of those who aro the re? cipients of assistance, and if it shall at any time be found that they aro likely to fail to fulfill their obliga? tions, all necessary measures will bo taken to protect the interesta of the Government. Thc Assistant Commissioner de? sires it to be understood, thut the amount of assistance that ho is au? thorized to render is limited, and it is, therefore, necessary that all per? sons who have private resources at command should avail themselves of such, these supplies being only in? tended by the Government to reliovo tho most extreme ease3 of destitu? tion. R. K. SCOTT. The lG2d anniversary of the birth? day of Bonjamin Franklin was celo bruted by the Now York Typographi? cal Society, at its rooms, No. 3 Chambers stret, on Friday evening, tho 17th. Appropriato addresses were made by Edware M. Skidmore, Mr. Maverick of tho Post, Mr. C. C. Savage, Mr. McDeviet, and others. Rion Gonn Ona FKOM ALASKA. Tho ti 'lowing telegram, dated San Francisco, January 1G, was received in Washington, on Friday, by Mr. Seward. Assay on gold oro from Alaska, $13,000 per ton. Details by letter. Several robbers entered tho resi? dence of Mr. Bunniughoff, a bank officer, in Petroleum Centre, Penn., a few nights ago, and after socuriug tho family, so that they could give no alarm, rifled tho safe of $210,000 in groenbacks and bonds. Tho nllowanco of the General Go? vernment to Iowa for war expenses, will enablo that State to get out of debt, and begin with the world square again. CASH-PAY Ur.-From und after aunary 1, 18G8, the cu-di system will bu strictly eu forced. Persons who are now indebted for subscriptions, and who wish their papers continued, will confer a favor by paying up at once. Those who fui! will have their papers discontinued. Cash will also bo required for all advertisements. Persons forwarding advertisements from a distance, must send n remit? tance. Job work cash on delivery. SALE OF HANDSOME FURNITURE. Messrs. D. C. Pcixotto ?: Son will offer for sale, this morning, a variod assortment of handsome furniture, iu good order. Parties desirous of refurnishing parlor, bed-room or kitchen, eau have an opportunity of doing so. THE RACES TO-DAY.-The abilities of Fly Away, Hetty Ward and Ame? rican Star, to get over ground, at? tached to light sulkies, will be fully tested this ufternoon. lie on hand ns near 2 o'clock as possible-tho horses will start at |the appointed hour promptly. The contest will be the best three in five. Gate fee only fifty'cen ts. BAD WRITING.-Wo have often wished that illegible writing were made a finnble offence. It would be a capital source of revenue to a State, and as the radical Congress has taxed nearly everything else to raise funds for their reconstruction schemes, aud to support 4,000,000 of colored freed? men iu idleness, if they will not sup? port themselves, wo recommend the chairmen of the Committee of Ways and Menus, in the two Houses, tc bring in a bill levying a penal tax on every citizen who writes so badly that his manuscript is unreadable by ordinary people. Our attention is called to this subject by observing that au English Court has declined to punish a constable for nou-servico of a writ of summons, on thc simple ground that the writiug was so bad that the officer could not read thc address. Tho judge excused tho de? linquent. One of the barristers, as Amiens Curios, said that the purty who superscribed the process ought to be made to pay tho fine, remark? ing, in addition, that ho had repeat? edly heard the judge say that they could not, in mauj cases, read tho depositions. A town in Iowa bears tho name of Semicolonville. According to our old spelling-book, the traveler would have to stop there only "longenongh to couut two." The landlords should petition the L?gislature to make it Periodville, requiring a full stop. MAIL ARRANGEMENTS.-Tho pos office open during the week from 8lt a. m. to G p. m. On Sundays, fro \K to 2}4 p. m. The Charleston and Western mail aro open for delivery at 2 p. m., au close at 9 a. m. Northern-Open for delivery 10l.? a. m., closes at 1 p. m. Greenville-Open for delivery at p. m., closes at 8 p. m. NEW AOVERTIHUMENTH_Attention is c cd to the following advertisements, pu lisbed thin murnini: for tho firs? tune M. W. Bythewood-Auction Sale. John English-llonae to Bent. Meeting Acacia Lodge. Tributo of BoBpect. The New York papers state th Gen. J. B. Magrador, of tho la Confederate army, has at last, volo turily taken the oath of allegiance tho United States. Three dwarfs, now performing the Stadt (German) Theatre, in Ni York, wero initiated into tho a sonic fraternity, in that city, on ti 17th inst. The life of Queen Isabella, Spaiu, is said to ?row moro a more shameful, lier profligue are no longer concealed from 1 subject?. There is a disputo as to how Chi go shall be paved. Prentice dark suggests, "Why not pave it wi good intentions?" Andre JRC? Koski. .> Polo, exiled Michigan, actually boro up und that name for 1?7 years, and on succumbed to it last week. Napoleon has pulled down 22,0 houses, in Paris, and put up S7,<> botter edifices. The iee bridge across the Ninj river, below tho fulls, is crossed < by large numbers. Douglas Jerrold Haid Eve ute forbidden fruit that she might tho pleasure of dressing. New York lost by Ure last 85,711,000.