The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, December 18, 1867, Image 1
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Thfta ai'tlmporlantfacT^endiltoi* how
' i completely the inferior currency will anfwraede
tho be.tter, forcing It frem circulation
among the mnuci, end eau?tng it to l?e
JL .exported m * \n*r? article c( trad*, to add
% to tfte moffay capital of foreign land*. The/
.. shew the necessity of retiring our'pnper
roaney,that the ret orp of gold and silver
to the arcnuca of trade may be invited, and
a demand created whioli will entire the retention
at home of at loaat ?o much of llie.
productions of our rich ami inexhaustible
gold-hearing fields aa may be sufficient for
(lwposea of circulation. It if unreasonable
to,expect to return t?> a ?ound cnrri
l\aucy ao Jpog as the Qovernment by eontitirtihg
to Issue irredeemable note*, fills the
channels of circulation with depreciated
paper. Notwithstanding a coinacc by our
mini#, aineC of 1S40,874,OOO,OOO, ibe people
re now strangers-to the currency which
was designed for their nie and benefit, and
epaOtntens or lh? previous metals bearing
the national device are a?ldom seen, except
when produced to gratify the interest excited
by their novelty. If depreciated
paper is to hi continued as the permanent
currency of the country, and all our enin
is to become a mere article of U-affic and
Speculation, to the enhancement in price of
nil that is indispca*aMa to the comfort of
the people, it would be wife eeoeoiny .to
abolish our mlnta, thr* saving the nation
the eare and expense incident to su?*h
' establishment*, and let all our precious
metals be exported in bullion. The time
... has come, however, when the Government
and national banks should be required to
. take tha meat effioient steps, and make all
necessary arrangements for a r. sumption of
apeeie payments at the earliest praotioable
*"* period. Specie payments having been oneresumed
by ibe Governmental)! banks, all
" notes or bills of paper issued by either of a
less denomination than $*0,'shonld by law
be excluded from circulation, ao that the
Mtaee WatfA tltsx Kanafil ?iul (fait VtiftL *
....j - .......
once of o gold ami silver currency, wliicli,
In () their business transactions.. will be
*.' uniform in value at hom? and abroad.
" Every men of property or industry,
very man who desires 1? preserve whet lie
honestly possesses, or to obtain wtiat lie
can honestly earn, has a direct inter-?t in
maintaining a safe circulating medium?
such a medium as shall he reel end substan
tial, not lUblo to vibrate with opinions;
Hot subject to bo blown "tip or blown down
by the breath of speculation, but to he
made stable mod stcure. A disordered eur v
W reney is one of the greatest political evila.
It undermines the virtues necessary for llio
support of the social syebun, anJ encourages
propensities destructive of its happiness
pit warsnga'nat industry, frugality and
economy, and it fosiars the evil spirits of
t extravagance and speculation.*' It ha*
been asserted by one of onr profound and
taoat gifted statesmen, that ''of all the con
' ~ trivanoe* for cheating the laboring classes
of mankind, none ha* been more effectual
tb?n that which del tides them with paper
m?ney. Thi* is lite most effectual of in von
tlona to fertilize the rich man's Aids hy the
sweat of tho poor mau's hrow. Ordinary
tyranny, oppressive, excessive taxation?
these bear lightly on the happiness of the
mass of the community compared with a
? fraudulent currency, and* the robberies
committed hy depreciated paper. Our own
history has recorded for our instruction
enoogh, and more than enough, of the demoralising
tendency, the injustices, and the
intolerable. opppi saion on the virtuous and
W?T1 disposal of a degraded paper currency,
' authorize 1 by law, or in any tray countenanced
by Government" It is one of the
moat successful devices, in tint-s of peace or
.. \ war, expansion* or rcynlrons, to accomplish
the transfer of all the precious metal* from
the great tanse of the pcop'e into the hands
of Lbs fee whore lliov tiro linirdo.l in u.
crat places, or d?*po?llod in strong boxer,
flnder bolts and bar*, while the people are
left tp endure all Ihe inconvenience*, saori'
*7. Mee, end demoralization reiultiug from the
use of * depreciated and worthier paper
wy.
Tb? condition of our finances and the
operation* of onr revenue >item are set
forth and fully explained in the able and
instructive report of the fcccr-fary of the
Treasury, On tha a<?h June, 1866, th*
ptibjio debt amoonted to $8,783,4t8,87?;
on the SOth June List, it was $8.69-4,199,
$16? eHowing a rcdnetion dining (be fiscal
y??r of 191,230,004. During the Aeeal yraf
ending June <0, 1007, the reecipta w?r?
t, $450,634,016, and t|ie expenditures $34d:.
*29,129? leaving an available surplus oi
** J |V48,r>4,8?t?. It Is emMmated that the reo*ipU
fipf the flaaal year ending June 30
. '* 1908. will be 8417,101,028, and that th?
^expenditures will roach the torn of $803.
$69,220?leaving in the Treasury a aurplvi
of $28,892,702. Jot the fpoal year enditp
80, 18C9, lt> ia aetimuU) that the re
, 4 r, oeipta wl|l amwM to $881,000,000, am
ilia expenditures will lie $8)2.ooo,oO<
?shhwing an excess of $9,000,$00 ia faVoi
of the Government.
. & OttahUoft of Congress la cdraeslb
:, ' ^. ^' ' '^ '" ' % ' *;" * r '
7?ya?77o~ V)^ u"j
of
Wf^fl" frve Irptrt tXxaiToti as may ba conqistent
wlltrihl real wanlk of the GuVeru.
men t, economically adminUtered ' T-xstion
would not Mien fall'nndnly on (he rttin
of moderate Tuenns; and while none would
b? entirely exempt from assessment, all, in
pro|>o|'tian to their pecuniary abilities,
would contribute towards the support of
the State. A modification of the internal
revenue system, l>y a large reduction in the
number of artielra now subject to tax,
wauld be followed by results equally advantageous
to tfie citizen and the Government,
It would render the execution of
the law leas expensive and mure certain,
remove obstructions to industry, lessen the
temptations to evade the law, diminish' tlio
violation* and frauds perpetrated upon lU
provisions, make its operations less inquisl[
torial, and. greatly reduce In numbers the
| army of tax gatherers created \>y the system,
who " take from the month of lionest
labor the bread it has earned." Retrenchment,
reform and economy should be carried
into orery branch of the public servies.
that the expenditures of the Government
nay be reduced, and the people relieved
from oppressive taxation ; a sound currency
should he restored, and the public fsitli in
rcgord to the national debt saerodly observed.
The accomplishment of the.*# ini
portar.t results, together with the restoration
of the Union of the States upon the
principle* of the Constitution, would In
spire confidence at home sad abroad in the
stability of our institutions, sod bring to
I lie nation prosperity, peace and good will.
Tlie report of the Seoretary of War ad
interim exhibits the operations of the army
' and of the several bureaus of (lis War Dt?
par(m?nt. The aggregate strength of our
military foree, on tho 30th of September
last, eras 68,815. The total estimate for
in litary appropriations is 77.124,707, including
a d< ficiency in last year's appropriation
of 13,600.000. The payments at tl>s
Treasury, on eecount ?f tlie service of the
War Department, from January 1, to October
29, 1607?a period of ten months?
mounted to $109,807,000. The expenses
of the military establishment, as well as tlie
numheisof the army, are now three limes
as great as they hava ever been in time of
peace, while the discretionary power is
vested in the Executive to add millions to
this expenditure by an increase of the army
to the maximum strength allowed by the
law.
Tlie menacing attitude of some of the
warlike bands of Indians inhabiting the
district of country lot ween tlie Arkansas
and i 'lstta rivers, and poitiousuf Daeotnh
Territory, required the presence of a largs
military force in that region. Instigated by
real rr imaginary grievances, tlie Indians
occasionally committed acts of barbarous
vlulenoa upon emigrants and our frontier
solll>-meuts, but a general Indian war has
been providentially averted. Ths commis
sinners, under th? net of 20lli Jul v, 1867,
w?ri invested with full power to adjust exiting
difficulties, negotiate treaties with
the directed Un l?, and *c!o.-t for them
recurvation* > emote from the traveled route*
between the Misoiaoppi and the Pacific,?
Tliey entered without delay upon live execution
of their tmet, hut have not yet made
any official report of their pmcc-ding*. It
i* of vital lmportauco that our distant
Territories ?houIJ be exempt from Indian
outbreak*, and that the cons'ruction of the
Pacific railroad, an object of national importance,
should not be interrupted by hoe
liletiibee. These objccle, aa well as the
material l?lere*t?, and the morn) and intellectual
improvement of the Indiana, can lie
nroet effectually *ecured by concentrating
them npon portion* of country ??t apart for
their cxclusivo use, and located at |>oiuts
remote from onr highway* and oncroaching
white acltlrmsnta,
Since the commencement or th* *econd
ScS'ioit of the Thirty-ninth Congress, SIO
miles of road have Leon constructed on the
main line and branches of the Pacific rail*
way. The Hoe frohi' Omaha I* rapidly approaching
the Eastern base of Ui? Rocky
Mountains, whilst the terminus of the laet
section of .constructed road lit California,
accepted by th* Government ou the 24th
day of October Isat^was but eleven mile*
distant from the summit of the Sierra Nevada
The icmxrkalde energy evinced l.y
the companies otfere the strongest assurance
that the completion of the road from Sncra
mento to Otunba will not be l??ng deferred.
During the laat fiacnl rear 7 410,1 U
i acres of public lan.I wero di?pta*d of, anid
, ttio eaeli reoaip?? liuoi ?!? * mid fm ?-x
eroded by #300,000 the anui remitted from
those aoorcea during the pi$c*dihg year.?
r The amount paid to pensiunera, Including
axpenaee'of dieburaemcnle. wa? #18,619,636
and H6.482 name* were added to tha roll*
[ Tha entire number of penrionera on the SQtti
of Jons laat, wat 133,474?11.6/56 ^aUati
t and deaigsa were i??ued during t e yea
l ending September 30, 1867, and *t tt a
data the balance in ttia Treasury to th.
I Credit of the patent laid was $28(5,(K?7.
The report of the S<oretary of tho Navj
} atatea that <re have icvui repmdrona ao
r lively add judiciously employed, undei
?fikient and able eonuoiindera. Is protect ini
i ;he penvne and property of Araeri?4o cltl
? rirtfctt&viu y .' .south c
' '^-'.. - ?!- - ~z'L * ^
mm, m.ilm?i?nnjt llio dignity and pow?r of
ihw'ti.afyeiJttjjcufy nipd vprort?o!ing the com I ?
trv re* ah<V8t?e<T>*?? inti r^?t\of <>nr country. ?
turn In.every pnrt of lit* WoiM. Of the I'
2HS venule composing the prrscut navy of 1
the United Stntee, CO, entryittg 607 gutta, v
re iu rqtniron aorviae. During the year, d
the number of vcwrl* in commirinn line c
been reduced X I, am] there are 13 loaa en
tqttadron duty than tliere were at the dale p
of the leak report. A large numbor of rei- v
a-da were eotmnenee<V at?l In the courae of \#
COftMruction when the war terminated, end a
Although Congress had made the necessary v
appropriations for tlulr completion, tho ds ?
partmcnt line either suspended work upon u
them, or limited the clow completion of the >1
steam vessels so et to mart the oontraet* for 7
machinery made with priynto ctlilt)|?li j
moot*. The total expenditures of tho Navy n
Department for the fiscal year, ending June y
SO, 1807, $31.081,011. N? appropriations ^
have l>een made or required sinee the close g
of the war fop the construction and rapair 1 x
cf vessels, for Steam machinm y, ordinance, ,
provisions, ami clothing, fuel, hemp, &?'. ]
the balance* under these several heads hav - (
fug been mere limn sufficient for current q
expenditures. It sliouM also be stated, to Q
the- credit of the department^ that besides a
asking no appropriations for the above oh- (
jnc(i f?r llie last two years, the S reretary
of the Navy, on the SOtli of September last, ^
in accordance witli the Aet of May 1, 1830, ^
requested the Secretary of the Treasury to ^
carry to the surplus fund tho sum of ^
000.000, being the amount received from ^
the sales of vessels and other properly, and ^
the remnants of former appropriations.
The rejKirt of llie Pusinjnstcr-Gefleral ^
shows the boeineM of the Po*t Office I)?- (
partinent and tlie Colidltiort of tho postal ^
service in a very favorable light, and the
attention of Oongresa is called to its practical
recommendations. Tho recvipls of the ^
department for the year ending June 30,
I8t>7, including all special appropriations (
for sou and land service, and for free mail
matter, were $18.878,1193. The expendl
tun* fur all pdrpo*** wfr? tl9.2o6.4ti3,
leaving hit nn?s|? nd-d halattci in fav> r of ?
the deportment of $743,:110, which can be
applied townrds the expenses of the depntt
in cut for the current yenr. The increuan of
postal revenue, independent of specific ap
proprintiona, for the year 1867, over that of
IS66, wna $>50,040. The increase of reveI
title from the rale of stamp* ami stamped
onvelopea wo* $783,41)4. The Increase of
expenditure* for 1867 ov-r those of the previous
year w?s owing chiefly to the extension
of the land ami oret-n until service.?
Outing the past yenr new postal convention*
have liven ratified ar.J exchanged
with lite United Kingdom of Great 1'rituin
and Ireland, Ib-tgium, the Netherlands,
Switzerland, the North German Union, Italy
And ilia Colonial Govermuent at llnug
Kong, reducing very largely Ilia rales of
o:c?a and laud poutagea to and from and
within those countries.
The report of the acting commissioner of
agriculture, concisely presents lh? condition.
wants sml progress of an interest eminently
wo?thy Ills fostering caro of Congee**.
and exhibits n largo menture of useful
results achieved during the year to
which it refers. .
Tho ro-cs'ahliahnienl of |icac* at home,
and the resumption of oxtended trade,
trsvel and commerce abroad, have served
to increase tho nhmber and variety of qnes
lions in the department foi foreigu affair.?
None of these questions, however, have se
riotimy disturbed our relation# with other (
States.
The lb-public of Mexico, having be.en re- c
licve.l from foreign intervention, is earnert i
ly en^a^oi in efforts to rs-rnlahilfli her
constitutiona) system of government. A
good uudrrstanding continue* to exist between
our Government and the Republics
of llayti and San Uuniinrn, nit.^ our cordial
relation* with the Central and South
American States remain unchanged. The
tender, msde in conformity with a resolu
tion of Congress, of the gOo.l offices of
Government, with a view to an amicable
adjustment of fieaoe between .Bra*" and
her atlh-a, on ono side, and Paraguay on
the other, and between Chili and tier allia*.
on the other side, and Spnin on the other,
though kindly received, has in neither ease
l.O-n folly accepted hy the iatlliirerents ?
Tho war in tha Valley of the Parapa is
stiil vigorous'}* maintained. On the other
hand, actual hostilities between the Pacific
States and Spain have been more than a
year suspend. J. I shall, on any proper oc
casion that may occur, renew thq conciliatory
recommendations which have been already
made. Brazil, with enlightened ea
gnciIy and comprehensive statesmanshiplias
opened the great channels of (lie Aims'
1 roii and its tributaries to universal comn..a
I I. in.. u.?. I.
f i?7i'iro a rapid and cl.erring pmgre=a in
South America, f refer to those peaceful
lml.il* without which State* and nations
1 cannot, in this age, well expect material
1 prosperity or social advancement.
The E<po?Ition of Universal Industry at
ParU has pn?se<T, and seem* to have fully
'* realized the high expectations of the French
Government. If duo allowance he made
f for the reoent political derangement of in
" duetiy here, the part which the United
r States has borrte in this exihldtion of invertf
tion and art may be regarded with v? ry
- high fatisfactioit. During tho Exposition,
V
:
II ?II .
jl' 'a-*-.- -:C
\ROIJNA. DKCKMHKR 1
J i-!1 kjB i. aL- ! ; -
i mnlrrniMi wa* held of drtvgatea from
ev*ral n?llnh', 111* United Htn(n being
me, in wlilvh tbc inoofivenimeea of oomii
Toe and aocinl intercomr, resulting
rout the diverse atutidnrde of money value,
rere very fully diaeuaaed, and pinna were
tcvoloped far estnbliehing, by. universal
uiiaviJk, njiijpiuun pi UlCipM lor lite coin
ge of gold. These conferences ore oxcot
od lot# renewed, witli tbo attendance
f mihf foreign States not ItillioMo rcpro"
entvd. A rejtorl of tlmso interesting prooedicge
will be submitted to* Cotigiemo
rhich wlfbno doubt juatly appreciate tbe
rent object, and. be ready to adopt any
neatnro which may tOnd to facilitate it*
lltimnte accompli dnr.ent.
On tbe 251 It of February, 1862, Congress
leoUred by law that Tioaaury notes wi dint
intarcat, authorized by that Aot ahould
? legal tender in pay mi nt of'all dvhts,
ul.lic and private, within the Unitod
dates. An annual remittuoco of 30,000*
ess stipulated expenses, accrues-to claimants
inder tbe convention made with Spain in.
8*4. These remittances, since tbe ; nssago
>f ibat Act, have Itcen pail 1n sncli notes.I
lie claimants insist ibat tbe Government
mglit to r.qiire payment in coin. The
object may be deemed worthy of your uteMlon.
No arrangement baa yet been reached
nr tlie settlement of onr claims for British
iepr d.itiuna upon tbe compierco of the
Inited Slate*. I hava felt it my duty to
lec'.iue the proposition of arbitration m-ide
ly her Majesty's Government, because it
us billicrto been accompanied by r-scrvniona
and limitations incompatible with
lie rights, interest ami honor of onr connry.
It is tot to be apprehended that
treat Britain will persist in her refusal to
stialy these juat anJ reasonable clnims
vliloll involve the sacred principle "of nonn'.erventlon?-a
principle henceforth not
lore important to the United States than
o oil other commercial nations.
The West India Islands were settled and
oionl/.cd by Koropcnu Slates simiillane
usiy witli the settlement and cidniiiaaliuD
f llw American continent. Most of tlie
<dnnie? planted here latum# independent
atioiis in the close of Ilia lust and the tie.
;inning of tha present century. Our own
nuniry einliracss comumnitlea wliivli, ut
>ne period, w-r? of tii-eat Britain
Vance, Spain, Holland, Sweden and Unain.
Tlio people In the West fitdlea, with
he exception of those of the Island ot
layti, have neither attained nor aspired
o independence, nor have they heroine
U'Spared for self-defence. Although po?essing
considerable conmier.dnl value,
hey have h?en held by the sovaral Euroman
States which colonized or at some
,ime conquered them, chiefly for purpose*
>f military ninl naval strategy in carrying
nit Eut\>p*tia policy and designs in regard
.0 this continent In our revolutionary
war, ports and harbors in the West India
Island* were used hy our enemy, to '.he
;rent injury and embarrassment of the
United States.- We had '.lie snmo e*pe iciico
in our second war with (treat
[fritain. The same European policy for a
ong time excluded us even from trade
(villi the West Indies, while wo Were at.
reace with all nations. In our recent civil
war the rebels, and their piratical and
Lilockade-brenking alios, found facilities
ut the san.e |H)rts for the work, which they,
loo, aunocsafully accomplished, of injuring
Riul devastating tha commerce which we
tre now engaged in rebuilding. We labored
especially under this dbad vantage?that
European steam vessels, employed by our
eii'inies, found friendly shatter, protecting
imV ?nrntlii>? iti WmI. IiiHinn nm t? wliiln
our own nnv?l operation* ?tro neecssnrily
carried on from our own distant shore*.?
There was then a linivir*al feeling of the
want of mi advanced naval outpost bftwoen
tha Atlantic cftnnt and Europe. The
duty of obtaining such nit oulpoat peace
fully nr.d lawfully, whiln neither doing nor
menacing injury to other Slates, earnestly
engaged the Attention of the K\ec?iti*?
Depart incut before Uie clone of the war,
and it. hns not b en lost sight .of sine? tliu'
limn. A U(>Ventirely dissimilar naval want
revealed itself during the satne period on the
Pacific coast. The required foothold there
w?* fortunately secured by our hue tio.ty
with the Kuipcror *?' Itussia, nod it now
seems imperative that the^ moro obvioui
necessities of the Atlantic const should not
he less carefully provided for. A gootl
and convenient port and harbor, capable 01
en< y defctico, will supi ly that want. With
po'a-oriou nf such a stalion l>y the Unite'
tiluWs, neither w? nor any oilier America!
nation uecd longer apprehend injury or offence
from nny . Irntio-Atlantic enemy. ]
agree with our e.orly statesmen that tin
U'?i liotia* nAtiirnllv in'svitati to >ni
may l?- e*|?*ct?d ultimately to be ?l.mnbc<
by tho cot tioeulnl Stales, including oui
own. 1 agree' with Litem also, thai ii i,
wi?c to lcn*e the question of molt ahsorp
tion to tl>ia process of natural politics
gravitation. The W'und* of St. Thomas an.
St. John'*, which constitute a jnrt of th
gr>up called the Virgin Islands, seemed t
offer i.? advantages immediately dqdrabh
while their acquisition o<>u'd be secured ii
hnrtnouy with the principles to whieh
have alluded. A treaty has, therefore
been concluded with the King of Denmai
I hit the osaiua of those U..-xuU, and wi
V
8. 1867.
Iio i>1111n15Uoil to tlit* Senate for considferfK*
wUl hardly \?e accessary to cslltbo ntton*
tloo of Congress to (lie subject of providing
for tlio phytncnt to Kussia of the nm stipuleted
In the treaty for tho cession of Alesk*.?
Possession baring bocn formerly delivered to
onr commissioner, tbo territory remain* for the
present in cure of a mil tary Tore*, awaiting
neb oivlt organization as shall bo directed by
Congress. fc
Tho annexation of many small Gorman
States to Prussia, and the re-organication of
that ooun'.ry.npdor a new and liberal constitution,
have induced mo to renew the effort to
obtain n just and prompt settlement of tbo
long-vexed question concerning tho claims of
foreign States for military servioo froui their
subjects naturalized iu tbo Uuitcd States.
In connection with this rubjcct, tho attention
of Congress is respectfully culled to a
singular and embarrassing oouQlct of laws.?
The Kxccqtlvo Department of this Oovernnicnt
has hitherto uniformly held, as it now
holds, that naturalization, in conformity with
the Constitution and laws of the Uuitcd States,
absolves tbo recipient from his native allegiance.
The courts of Great Dritnin hold that
ullogianco to tho I'ritisli Crown is iudcfeusible,
and is not absolved by our laws of naturalization.
British judges cite courts and Inw authorities
of tho United Statos in support of
that theory ngninst tbo position held by (lie
Executive authority of tho Uuitcd States
This Conflict perplexes the public mind cou.
corning tho rights of naturalized citizen*
and impairs llie national authority abroad. I
called attention to this subject in iny last annual
message, and now again respectfully appeal
to Congress to dccluro tho national will
unniistukably upon this liuportunt question.
Tlio abuse of our laws by tho clandestine
prosecution of tho African slave trudo from
American ports or by American citizens bas
altogether ceased, nnd, under existing circumstances,
no npprvhotisions of its renewal iu
this part of tho wor'd are cntertaiued. Uudct
these circumstances it becomes a -qnostiou
whether we shall not propjso to Ucr Majesty's
Government a suspension or diseonliuuur.eo of
-the stipulations lor maintaining a naval lore*
for tho suppression or that trade.
AXDUEW JQIIXSOX.
WiiuinoToy, December 3f ISflT.
OIMeilXAI..
SoR Till SOEtllEUX KXXBtlFlUSK.
Presentiments.
Foreknowledge belong* to (toil only, yet I
have oft on thought that it was given to luan
to have, if not n clear conceptual of tiie future,
at least an apprehension of impending events*
This apprehension increases as tho danger to
the person approaches, or becomes more imminent.
1 iiavo recently been reminded of Severn!
instances where thoso presentiments had
rem ark able and literal fulfilments, by reading
a most interesting poem in a late number of
Scott'i Monthly Mttyazine, entitled " Cenotaph,"
a portion of which I copy below :
" Strang? knowledge, say you. Yes, most
strange!
Inexplicably true, ret true!
Wo cannot know the utmost range
Of spirit thro' God's boundless grange,
Xor say when It hath wandered through
Tho last ot everlasting change !
' Then, it seems strango to mo that one
Who quaffed such joy with every bruit!',
Saw shadows cast not by the sun,
Saw what nono olso might look upon ?
Tho presence and tho power of death
Hastening so swiftly, surely on.
" But since then, many a lima havo I,
Along tho grand Confederate lines,
Heard the braro soldier heave a siirh.
Ami toll liia comrades standing by :
lie fore yon sun ahull crow ft the pines,
lieya, I shall leave you?and thou die !
" I've seen unnumbcrod heroes tunko
Their littlo wills, disposing all
Tho things they prised the most, then tako
Their place where battle-surges break
Around them, knowing they would fall,
Then fall and die for freedom'* cake.
' I've seen them do so when the air
Hung motionless beneath the sun,
And all seemed quiet far and near,
Anil one could searcely ever hear
The thunder of a distant gun
Ttrcak dimly on the listening ear:
, " Yet they would di? ! 1 never knew
Olio unto whom such knowledge came,
That (ailed to lucct the fate that threw
Its shadow over him, and grow
To proecierjoo clearer than a flame,
| As certain as the past, a* trtie."
There is iniieh more of this beautiful poem
^ Tha alinr* contains lief* which ore to-day
' fresh in tho minds of thousands who passed
' through the lata war. Among tho many
1 which camo under ray own porsotml observa
tion, none ever impressed uie tuoro than that
i >1.1.1. ? i..... i.,..
t arm*. Alt <>f ttij Duller Uuardsr* who won
I from CJrovnvillo, South Caroline, will re mum
| U?r private Ma.1ni.vo Kcia uSs. X wan tin
r Orderly Scargcant of the Company,, but, li
( eonscjuoneo of the wounding of Capt. lluko
?t tint first Manarra*. I an n cotftrannd o
j one of tho tcctlons of the Company. . Tlii.
j wu in the fall of *fll. Poor Seruggs, ho lm<
boon often ItnoWh-ttJ rap MM fhe strange fore
L> boding* which from tho time ho loft hofiio hn<
0 sadly homo upon Ufa mind. IIj grow gr.tr
' ami rpiiet. Typhoid lover hod thinned ou
n rank.*, and ho ??? carried to lliuhinoiid, o rut
] ferer Irom this terrible tne.lody. I converse
with hint on-tcvowl ocea^ienn, before he w.t
' removed from our company hospiul at Fait
^ | fax, Court flousi, but whilst greatly dispirit
If I cd, it dtd not proceed from any appfebohsio
4 w*^. ^*" * ^>%'" *^ **
-- -? . ^^ :ttr'"- I
lp^^?|^.' I
Wfflh! XulVdlo of f^n Tho tdaalfcaTbl
would be killed la battlo, waa ?w preacot
1 with bioa. Vet it iMT.r oaatad him to ablrft
from duty. I romomba* th? d?y bo rotartod
from tbo Rlchmoad hoapltal, and roportod at
camp. Ho waa yot palo and wo a*. I caproa oil
to bin* rui-priso at aooiug him ratura and
report for ditty, before bo waa abla to porfoMa
tho fatlguo# of a aoldlor. Ho rapftad to mm
that ha.eoutd roiaaln away from Uu'0o*faA9
niHongee?that tharo w?e a something which
was irresistibly forcing htm baek to ?J. The
Regiment, that morning, wee ??dosed to picket
duly, at Munson'a Uill, la e'ghtof Alexandria,
end the eoldiere were buey preparing their
three days' rations. Private Soraggs reported
| to mo that be intonde 1 going vriLb ua. I
remonstrated with bim, Informing him that
the distance was seven or eight miles, end the
be was too feoble to walk that far, and by pla>
eiag bint on cs'rnp guard, I eueooeded la pre * *
venting bie departing with ue at the time.?
Tbo regiment bud boon on picket several days
?it Wee nsual (ben to keep men on duty Ave
days with th'reo day's rations?bnt we bad
been relieved from duty, and were expecting
every moment to receive orders to march back
to our camp, (ft Flint Hill, noar Fairfax. Much
| to, our turpi isc wo saw 8. coming into our
i bivouac, lie was won and weary. Borne of
tbo bays, perhaps, piqued him for coming so
into, as wo wore soon to return, and that the
dangers of the expedition were,ovor. He
spoke as if ho would noTer return, and informed
Lis comrades that bo dosired, upon their
return to camp, to obtain bis pistol from bla
tent, uuil, at tbo noxt Anniversary of the Com*
paoy, (22.1 February,! to present it to the
" bast shot" in the Company, as it had boon
given to him on a similar occasion, for like
uicrit. no rnado disposition of eevoral other
articles?some of which wcro perhaps for bis
aged mother, for whom be always ex pressed
tbo warmest love. These tostamcntary acts
wore treated as frivolous by many, at tbo time* gggfl
believing that, at ioivSt for tome time to come,
wo would he oiouipt r.ow very dnugerous
duty. In this wo wore muoh mistaken.?.
About noon, tbo long rbll began to beat at
Gen. Lougstreut's headquarters?the General ?
was then commauding tbo outposts of Beauroguard's
army. Col. (afterwards General) Kershaw
was ordered to move with bis Kogiinent
?Iho far-famed Second?to repel tbo Yankees
from the viilago of Lewisville, some tlx miles
to our left: Soon wo were speeding along tbo
turnpike. 8. was with mo, being in my section
of the Company. Wo walkod much to
gclhcr. Being quite feeble, I suffered him to
walk out of the lines, and would hare excused
him f.'oui going at ull, had ho consented to go
back. Those with us that day will rcmomber
how wanu It was?jot he was clad in a long
black overcoat, which attracted maoh attcn.
lion. At length, we came in eight of the ene|
iuj?their battery crowned the hill in eur
front?and as we gained the little street or
lai o ut the foot of tho hill, they poured down
upo:i us a most toriihe shower of shell and
hall. We v.oro deployed ae skirmishers, and
lay Out upon the grouQil, whilst tho shells
i woro exploding harmlessly over our hoads, or
hurylng themselves in tho open fleld bohiud
us. At caeh succeeding shot, the oauuouoorH
depressed their guns, and nearer and naarer tho
deadly tniieilcs fell and exploded about us. I
remember standing by a fenoo post, attempting
to peer at the oueuiy through tho oorn, which
stood between us and the artillery. Suddenly
I felt a conotMslou in tho air just above me,
and was satisfied, if tho gunuer lowered his
piceo hut an inolt or two moro, that I must be
grcutly cudangcred by standing, so I fell to tho
ground, nud, In doing so, my head fell upon the
head of poor S., who, raising hitnscli but a little,
gave mo what proved to be his dying
words?"expose yourself just as little as possible,"?-thou
tnruiug his face from we, the
brim of uiy bat resting upon bis oap. Tbat
moment, I beard tbe fatal shell tearing its way
to us through the corn?I could scarcely bare
spoken a word in the time, yet I thought many
things. I felt euro tbat one of us must be
struck?would it be wc?would it be S. Tho
tnissilo struck tbe post, pierood it through,
throwing t>n?f- mil* ?n.l <>?rlb in ? "? ,11
tiuus. My rciuou Hod mo. WUon I recovered,
I Kim gaining uiy fact mid-way the latio?-my
bands wore clasped to my hood?anil as iny
right band relaxed to my aido, I aaw tbat it
wax filled with blood, braius and inutUd hair.
1 looked beforo too, and there lay my poer
(Viand, unmovod in daatb?bis head totally
severed from bis body.
" And evermore I saw that those
Who, after braving many a field,
Know tbat their lives were near the close,
Wore inen who kept tho faith whioh throws
The lore of Jesus, like a shield
Betweun thciu aud the worst of foes."
At another time, Lt. D?P., of Camden,
said to me, beforo going into battle, thai ho
was deeply improssod with the belief, tbat>
whilst bo would not bo killed, he would be bad'
ly wounded about the bead. So it was ; a
I ininuio ball struck hitu bigh on tho forehead,
injuring tho skull badly, but from which bo
nlterwnrds recovered,
t Kufuoroua instances might be glten of sim
iiar proieouiatiin ia oeery any >no. in Ibotit
*?n,ts of instances, (hoy nro disregarded and
unnoticed. How often do we hoar persons
9 cay: " I did not heed the warning of my
i feeling*," or, " I felt ae if I ought to hare
done diSaront'.y." Again, there are time*
f wbon our notion* are neither prompted by our
reuron or judgment?when neither our hearts
1 aor mir.d* are dirking or controlling us.?
- Wbeu w* aro led, we Irnow not how, nor where
I hy noma in visit \a agency. " There in a destiny
" that shapes our ends, rough hew them as Ho
r m?>." That destiny is Oop.
\r. r. i?.
'' Dahlonega, da., Nor., 1SA7.
4 -?
.. r?rThc hts>t veh'ntiorr pf property "(
the Slate of O'llrt n< er.y
q on, -half Ohoii^li to j-ny II. o n*uvb?i ,1 b.