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Correspondence of the Courier. # Washington, Jan. 31. The city is thronged with strangers again. The financial, commercial, and political- classes of the country are represented here. The President receives more calls than lie ever did, and almost every one seeks to have a conversation with him, and leaves with a full assurance of his own proposed knowledge of the President's .political Views and intentions upon every subject whatever. Some of these men, who make up the Congressional' lobby, have exercised an important influence. They will give shape to the tariff, which is still to be acted upon. They have, so far, prevented Congress from tak. ing any decisive course in regard to the National Banking system, the currency, the sale of gold, &c. It is - ' * * i x-r 1_1, believed tnat rue x>auonui x><tun. iuuby will succeed in starving, off any modification of the National Banking"'' Act. t It is also quite certain that th^busi-" ness influences brought t? bear upon Congress have had an effect in opposi. tion to the impeachment and other measures that arc urged by the Radical extremists. This influence is now very powerful, and may continue to be so in the next Congress. But there is a strong Radical clique here, with General Butler as its chief, that secretly works to promote impeachment at the session commencing" next March. It is believed by those best informed that the -Committee of Fifteen will recommend, if they make any report at all, that Congress stand by the proposed constitutional amendment, a?ud act, at present, on no other measure of reconstruction. The failure of action on these subjects at the present session will, it is thought, protract the next session into the forty-first session, and amount to nothing short of the President's plan of restoration. The principle of the Bill for. the reform of the civil service, which has just been . brought forward in the House, was recognized and established in the Constitution adopted by the late Confederate States. So also that Constitution embraced the improvement now proposed in the Senate, making the Presidential term six .years, and without ineligibility. . IjJiU. Touching the Pocket Nerve. ^ rcauntg journals lr.il a J" North and West, already had a depressing effect, unsettled tisc finances, and cost the country millions of dol- 1 ars. Capital has taken alarm, work ' men are being dismissed from employment, stocks arc gping down, the demand for National securities has diminished, and indications of a financial panic increase. As a consequence, the principal Republican journals throughout the country, (which, as a general thing, represent the intelligence and wc:Jth of the communities in which thev arc published,) with but few exceptions seriously de precatc even a remote possibility or conflict between the Legislative and Executive brandies of the Government. The New York Tribune is foremost in its opposition to impeachment, and indirectly charges the Herald with a design to break up the Republican party by its advocacy of the measure. Such a result would be almost inevitable, and other leading journals foresee disaster to the country, and ruin to the Republican party, if the agitation is continued. The Chicago Tribune, the great radical thundercr of the Northwest, is out in an elaborate and forcible article afainst the.impeachmcnt of the Rrcsient; and the Albany Journal goes so far as to say, "We believe the country will suffer less by a continuance of Andrew Johnson in office? even if he should repeat his 22:id -of February speech once a week; and Appoint none but copper-heads to office?than by the perturbations which would follow an indictment in the House of Representatives. * Washington Star. Financial.?The New York World says: "That a panic and ruinous decline in prices are incvita ble is an opinion accepted by every one. The only question is as to the date when this panic and ruinous decline may be expected. The National .'Banks, money-lenders and bull cliques, who arc all mixed up together in carrying heavy loads of stocks, are not likely to collapse without a desperate effort to galvanise the Stock market, and delude the public into buying their watered railway and steamship companies' shares. Their success in thus deluding the public, time will show. At present the public are not buyers. The public are ; short of cash, having paid this last year about six hundred inillions(?t>00,000,000) in "very hard cash" to Government for taxes, besides profits of 20 to 80 per ceut. on the capital of' the National Banks, to those privileg- j ed aristocratic institutions. The Stock J I M; m * market to-day has reflected the pfbstrate and hard-up condition of the business community in a stagnation of buying demand and weakness "in prices ominous of an impending panic in stock values. There is no scarcity of money, but .there is a scarcity of confidence and a scarcity of buyers. The Stock market is suffering from the want cf confidence and the want of buyers, and not from the want'of money. StJUTHE-KX School Books.?It is no longcrpos.siblctousc in our schools the books of Northern origin. They arc found usually^to belie our history, slander our people and spoil our language. We want the truth, and not fictions, which arc not only tcrri- ' bly false, but terribly dull and stupid. We want the English language, and not a brogue. We rejoice to sec that proper efforts are making, in the i P 'proper places, to*givc us tueson 01 .books we need; ?gr the' edncationfof the young. The Professors of the Virginia University, all Southern men, and all highly endowed and highly capable, Jiavc the matter in hand, and, through the press of C. 35. llicliardson & Co., we Jure almost fully provided, already, with an entire, complete and most excellentSouthern School and University series. Professor Geo. F. Holmes has prepared for our children a pictoria primer, an elementary speller, and five successive pictorial readers, all admirably, conceived, finely illustratrated, and excellently gotten up.? School charts accompany this series. Professors Venablcs, M. F. Mowry, Lc Conto, Gildcrslceve and De Yere follow with text books in language and the sciences; Holmes, Gavarrc, Porter and Simms follow, in history; and, all together, make us independent in educational matters, if we arc not-in political. We counsel owr people, as well as our school tcncfiers, to examine these volumes, and we should insist that the time has come when Southern children should be taught bnly by Southern men. If not capable' of teaching our own children, we have no right to children at all; and we certainly can do them 110 justice. We arc happy to see that the Senate tt r'i> UlUU JLXWUiSVUI IkCUi L'SUllMU I bO VI uian, of Mississippi lias recommended this series for adoption in all the schools and academies of that State; that the General Assembly of the State of Georgia has' done the same thin.?. other Southern'States is calling upon their people to do likewise. Let the 'ball of reform and progress roll 011, and all impediments be swept out of the track.?Charleston Mercury. ? Trial-of the Steam Plough? Quite a.number of the leading planters and merchants of our State were present yesterday at the trial of the steam plough, imported by Messrs. Longstrect, Owen k Co. The trial took place at the Fair Grounds of the Mechanics' and Agricultural Association, and the apparatus, under the direction of Mr. Max Eytli, late .cnginecr-in-chief to the Pacha of Egypt, evinced to the fullest satisfaction of all present its wonderful capacity as a marvellously complete and effective agricultural implement. Some of our most extensive planters who were present at* the trial were enraptured *??? !* tl?A ortffiiAic vvwl nrumiM/iv Willi iitv iriiu uiiui aujf wiin which it performed its work, albeit the ground was unfavorably adapted to a true and fair exhibit of its powers. The plough moves between two engines with such ease and celerity, guided by cue man, that the work of forty ordinary ploughs with all the necessary hands and accompaniments can be performed in twen ty-four hours, and every moment of favorable weather may be improved with r-uch promptitude and certainty that no time is lost in preparing the soil for whatever crop . may be designed. The advantages of this wonderful improvement need only.to be seen to satisfy all who arc interested in agriculture of its adaptability to our soil, and the economy and practicability of its working on a large or small scale. It ie cnr?li fni nntornvisn n? slmnld iritpv est every planter and merchant in the State, and promises yet to revolutionize the system of Southern agriculture. We can.ill afford to let planters of Egypt, who have tested this machine, surpass us in enterprise in the culture of our great staples, and with the advantages of the steam plough we may vie with the world in wealth and productiveness^?New Orleans Crescent. , Negro Migration.?For two months past a large number of the colored farm-hands of the State have left the middle and upper districts, and have gone in large numbers to the South anq Southwest. They have gone to all sections of the Shouthern country?Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and" Florida. This last State appears to be the favorite, and some five tlipusand to six thous! and, at least, have passed through * * # * this city, houncl in that direction.? The steamer Dictator, of the Florida " line, has been a favorite boat with them, and has probably tahen from three thousand to four thousand. On Saturday last," the steamship Adelolcft tliis city for Galveston Texas, having on board some three hundred'" to four hundred. The number that have left the upper country in wagons, it is difficult to estimate, but we have heard the total number* that haveri left put'dowii at twenty-five thousand. 1 5* Charleston News. ~' Aid for tiie South.?The following from the Boston Post,;of Friday, will be of interest to some of our readers: Boston, January ??1, 1S67. Editor Boston Post: I observe an < appeal in your paper, from some ope j in South Carolina, for the starving, people of that section. It seems to. En vnflior- an infnvni.'iT or irreaTrhi?ta call, but ifffisnn rMllitiona! indieati<^{ of suffering among tho.jc who certainly have been our fcl 1 o w-c o u ntrymen. If such now, have they not still a claim on.us as neighbors; and if aliens, have they not as good antic to our sympathy as the Cretans? Whatever side of poljticsVe take then, as Christians let us help them?let some organized movement bo made! In New-York there has been a public meeting, .and committees have been formed to procure relief for the sufferers at the' South as well as as iu Greece. Cannot Boston do as much ? In default of any general movement, I beg you will open a subscription at the office of the Post and put me down for one hundred dollars. Yours, very truly, &e., J. S. F. ' [Annexed is the appeal which we republish. It is adtlresstd to the Mayor of this city, but wc learn that his Honor has net received a copy, and had no knowledge of such a com-' munication until it appeared in the Post, to which paper it was dily addressed for publication. Under these circumstances the Mayor does not feel authorized to receive .donations,, more particularly as the appeal directs to whom remittances should be made. But if any arrangement should be made for the collection of money in this city, wo have the Mayor's.assurance that he would allow his office to be designated as one of the places n 1 ior sucn a purpose. Concerning the suggestion of our correspondent, J. S. 1<\, we should . sums subscribed to aid the famine^ stricken people in the district indicated by Mr. Mittag.?Ud. Post. A SOUTHERN Al'l'EAL * Laxcasterville, S. C. To the Mayor of the City of Boston :; Dear. Sir": The "Athens" of Am erica will not, I am confident, turn \ a deaf car to the appeals of suffering I humanity. A great number of human beings must perish for the want of provisions,' unless immediate relief is afforded, in this section of our common country. Even a small contribution will !><r gratcfully received. 1 Dir.'ft to the "President of the Charlotte and* South Carolina Kail-1 road," Charlotte, North Carolina, ; Yours, &c., - . J. F. G. MITTAG. January 21,18U7. Prospects in Arkansas.?TliOi Camden, (Ark.,) Eagle, of the 1.2th says that .town is overrun with negroes. The fact lias drawn the attention of the lied and Arkansas Hirer planters, and under a brisk competition the rate of wages has matcrially advanced. In Tact it is now so high that many fear that the uplands cannot be profitably cultivated. The planters of the river bottoms may make a small margin of profit. But 'the prospect is so discouraging that the number of acres planted will be smaller this year than ever before. The Difference.?While our Legislature did nothing for the people but gave a depreciated currency, our sister States of Georgia and North Carolina have shown their wisdom, patriotism and sympathy for the people. The former we have already noticed in its legislative enactments t*o1w?-F fn loffni* Rfofn mm Vi JLil U11V/ iUllVl K^L-IALV^J Uilu \J L the most encouraging signs of good sense is a bill introduced into the Legislature autliorizing a loan of $10,000,000 of gold in Europe by the State. It is stated that assurance has been given by the projectors of this bill that the loan can be effected in Europe on favorable terms, and can be easily accomplished. Columbia Phamix. The New Orleans Crescent says: "Cotton is low. Its net return to the planter, after paying tax, freight, commission and expenses, is not more than it was "before the war, and the expenses of raising it, yet to come out, is treble." N Is not this enough .to satisfy us : that it is our interest to raise more corn and less cotton ? I \ f r * 3? ' ? . uniiii Biiwaiiawcae?BM?a njjMi " TIIJE JOUSXAL | - r Friday, Fcbruar) 8, ISii?. = Editorials, AVe have tho gratification of announcing an engagement with Gen. Kershaw for the contribution, weekly, of one or more articles for tho editoral columns of the Journal. Maj. Blair has also promised us contributions for its columns as often as his leisure will permit. The Mails Again. AVe are requested lo state that on and after the 9th inst., the 'Mails for the Bail Boad will be closed at 1 o'clock P. M. on Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's.. To meet the change in the de parture of the mails, our day 6f publication is changed to Thursday. Advertisers will please hand in their faVfore as-early as practicable on Wednesday morning. The Tea-Party. Those of our friends, who wis^ to spend an hour in pleasant enjoyment will not neglect to attend the Tea-Party advertised for this afternoon. lie Prospects of Camden. In a recent article in this paper, we took occasion to recapitulate the history of our troubles with the South Carolina Rail Road Company, on the subject of re-building the Camden Branch In the same number, we announced upon tho authority of a loiter of the President of tho Road to our resident Director, that tho work of reconstruction would be commenced by the 1st inst. Some of iho. views with which wo had intended to follow up the subject, have been modified by this encouraging information, but it may be well to express a few thought* which we then entertained. A Rail Road is a necessity to a country like ours, whose staples are bulky and difficult of transportation. Cotton, turpentine and rosiu cannot profitably and easily be -whisked away to a distant market by wagon, over the ordinary country roads, as the experience of the last two years has sadly proven. The turpentine^ farms in thro* -fourths of this District, formerly so profitable, have been discontinued. The considerable population encocred inits nrowic-im mis-' disuppJorw?the tlfpusahds of acres of laud before so valuahle, liave become almost worthless while the mercantile operati:ns of Camden, based upon this commodity, "have been wholly suspended. It is true, the area of cotton planting,"so greatly diminished by other causes, has not been similarly affected, because of its higher value. and the necessitv of its nroduction. as tho only article upon which the planter can rely to compensate his labor, in these days of trial and. difficulty. Hut how seriously lias the planter felt the loss of liis homo market, and the heavy cost of transportation by wagon? To the merchants of Camden, how ruinous has been the loss of the cotton trade? Last year, the staple went to tho Charlotte Rail Road on the ono hand, and the "Wilmington Road on the other, almost from our very doors. Sumter, Columbia and Charlotte enjoyed the trade upon which Camden formerly prospered?which gavo character to the place and raised the standard of our merchants to a point of honorable and elevated respectability. Our Town property has depreciated to less than half its value. The rugged ruins left by the torch of the incendiary, still frown grimly in their ashes and but one solitary building has reared its .head on broad "street, since that dismal night, two years ago, when the conqueror drove defenceless women and "children, in terror from their flaming homesteads.? Many of our best peoplo have been forced to seek rofuge in other and more thriving communities. 'Schools have been oroicen up,?cnurcnes deprived 9f half their worshippers, and home circles rendered desolate, by the banishment of many of the brightest and best beloved?all for the want of a Kail Koad. "* It would be cruel to lift tho veil which half conceals the fearful struggles with poverty and want, of those who still remain, to fight the battle of life in the homes of their ancestors. A peoplo thus suffering must have relief. This we have all along felt must come with the re-building of the Rail Road. With that, we shall see the grey dawn of better times, soon to be followed by the rosy sun-light of prosperity. If these fail us, theu, with the desperate energy of a last hope, we shall throw ourselves into a now enterprise which promises us even better results. "Very soon,' an air-line Rail Road will be finished from Hamburg to Columbia. Tho Sumter .* "4 . V ; _ .. ^ * ' t ' \ > v 7J * ^ni^Baa^a^^nmnMnnM^Min^na and Columbia EailJRoad has already been chartered. An air-line between those places would pass but a few miles from Camden, and would Cross; the Wateree at a point almost impracticable, because of the wide swamp and the low banks of the river. If deserted by the South Carolina Eail Eoad, we must put out a golden wand and by its wia-' gic touch, bend the Eoad in this direction?a very slight bend?and put jit across the river at the Ca?feien bluffs. If the Camden Branch were abandoned, wo fmight, perchance; find means to make tire' South Carolina Eail Eoad Company pay for the proposed improvements We do not desire to 6ee an iron barrier extended across the State from Augusta to Wilmington, rending our city of the waters,'with her prouij memories" bf the past,'from her trade eon ii i Si\ 1 n .jT 1 nections mm iwo-tmras 01 tne people of the State?yet it is but fair to warn' her opulent mid iqtellfgent capitalists", that but little more of the grinding pressure of the last two years is required to produce that deplorable result. Our people have been veryqniet, but they arc neither dead nor impotent. "When we hear that the work has fairly commenced upon ^ the ?amden Branch, we may indicate a project which will enable Charleston to recover the trado north of us, which she has lost, and may hereafter lose.. To Taa-Payera. The following resolutions were adopted by the Legislature at its late session. We publi-h them for the benefit of all interested:? Resolved, Tbat it is not only fair, right and proper, but essential to order and*go?d government, that tne payment of taxes levied under Act of the Legislature at its last regular Session should be equally enforced against all who are liable to pay them, therefore Resolved, That the Comptroller General do require the Sherili's of the several Districts, to. enforce the collection of the tax executions against all defaulting tax-payers. . The new Plan of Reconstruction. A special dispatch from Washington to the Charleston Daily Notes, dated the 4th inst says: " A conference of Governors Obe, Siiabxe^ Paesoxs and Mabvix, and other prominent Southerners, with the President, has culmiua 1 1 aailw i" 'urn fir ? resolutions, providing for suffrage wilh out distinction of color, with a qualification of reading; writing, and property amounting to S250. The resolutions were transmitted to the Governors of South Carolina and Georgia last evening,'with an advisatory letter. Telegrams have also been sent to the Legislatures of Louisiana, Mississippi, and other Southern States, inviting immediate action upon the proposition.? Upon tliisTine, it is understood^ the new policy of the. Administration is based, coupled with amnesty, but prohibiting the leaders in the. rebellion from..holding Federal office. The Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia,' has been telegraphed to, requesting him to comedo Washington, to talce part in the further maturing of this policy. Do not Emigrate. At^recent Convention of the Farmers of Virginia, held at Richmond, ExGov. Smith delivered an address, from which t' e -following is an extract. -His remarks are as applicable to South Carolinians, as to Virginians, inad we com mend them to the consideration of all who contemplate emigration. Governor Smith said : "He had earnestly impressed on his friends not to leave the country. Where would they go ? Virginia was tho placo for them, after all. Let every Virginian say 't. 'is is tho spot, for mo; here, is my ancestors' home. I will die here, and spare no effort to restore my native State!' "Where could they go ? To Mexico ? No. To Brazil ? To the West? No. For there they would be overwhelmed by hordes of foreigners. He had travelled much of late, and took occasion to converse with the people. He came to this city and aws palatial residences going.up. Thousands of dollars were thus spent, when, if they had been applied to manufacturing purposes, other people would be j buying .from us. He had been to Dan- j v!llo_ TTa sa w there a water front of a | mile and a half, which could be devoj ted to manufacturing purposes, but he j found the merchants there putting up I fine houses in the country, where they ' j spent some of t o time which ought I to be devoted to business. He saw fine stores going up here, in which to sell ! shoes and hats, from New England, ! wine from the Ehine, and silks from I France ; whilst in place of them new factories should be established, iu which the Confederate soldiers could get em| ployment. Ho looked forward with " ^ ' '.v.- ?; * ' *-" . *v-" w^. y ' * jg& * - :C ' ' ' :U ' H * Z "Sj3\ #' ' fl 1 " hope, though the. signs of the timear '" were ominojW- Let us look forward with hope, and let us go to work and do our duty." * Georgetown Hail Road; , ;jAt a meeting of the Stockholders of this road, held in Georgetown .sax. tlfe 23d ult., the following resolutions were' * adopted/ Resolved, That the Secretary an<^ Treasurer be requested to call for fE'ef unpaid amounts of the lst^ 2d:j "3d, 4tb" 5th calls, ^d,- in case the same is not paid, that he be requested to take. ,thrf necessary legal steps to ertfbrce'the payment. . - " , V ' .w. - J' Resolved, That, as soon as the meanrf ; are raised, the Directors are requested to have^tho route surveyed froA fhe'^ * ? terminusof the present'graded, portion* to Lancaster C. H. trt Rattiti?dc iVr? jrutrisme Ifi? . _ X V (JVJJJUAUiVU illll/ 'A - trmi ? ^Soldiers.?Misfortune hS^ifalleii. ^ * heavily ypon Mrs; Donald Rotfe>',of . * Orangeburg, the great Iriend and- '. nurse of soldiers during the late warl The property of her husband is .'advertised to be sold by the sheri^ on - *the next sale day, and she,will Bedeft without houso or home'. Many of the . soldiers who have bpen relieved by her kindness have expressed a desire to a'sist her in this hour * of ber distress. She labored for. no pay during the war, and'now asks for no ye- .. muneration for services, but wc? feet- ' that it would be a lasting reproach upon the country to aHow her to be' turned homeless upon the world. We-' * therefore- propose to purchase^thej plantation for her. Two thousand J: dollars have already been secured for* this purpose, and we earnestly solicit " contributions from all who are willing:* to assist in. this.noble work. Sena yoiir money a3 speedily as possible/ Remit to Mr. Leonard;Cbapin^?Charleston C., Rev. W. G. Connor^ Orangeburg, S.,C., or Mr.Jf^G,* DeEputain'e, Columbia, S.. C. Alt papers friendly to the causo will con-' . fer a favor by copying this. . _;A ' ' Bobbins.?-b. large number-of the* Cotton Manufacturers of the ..South, arc-now sending their orders format' nseful and greatly needed article-^--' bobbins, to the North. In view of the demand, and at-the same time the' inconvenience and delay-,-attending: shipments, Mr. H. T. Nelson Uas^esP tablished a fac ory at Augusta, Ga., where lie turns out as cheap, and good , .an article as is made all' the-1 ~ United States. - V 71 These evidences of growth should; be generally noticed "and commented' upon by the press, and their authors ' , . be encouraged. Messrs. Cliilds & Co., of tliQ Saluda Mills, ?re Using* these bobbins-with .great satisfactionPatronize your own people! . : South Carolinian'.-. Contra cts iN'CoNrEDE rency.?Chancellor Lesesne at Chap' Icston has recently decided in' the' case of Jackson vs. Lazarus, that the' *' principle is held that debts Contract-" ed in Confederate currency must be* jdischarged on the basis of- the value' of tliat currency, as compared, with1 gold, at the time that the debt was' incurred, and consideration giventherefor." , This establishes a precedent k* South Carolina for all cases involving the payment of debts or obligations contracted in Confederate cur-" rency.?lb. * . * ' m m Stolen Cotton.?Our energetic Chief of Police, brought into. town,, yesterday, a wagon load of cotton? five bales, which he captured en route for Orangeburg, S. C. The cotton 1 was stolen several days since, from Mr. Win. Sumner, Pomaria. When overtaken, by. Mr. Green, the.negroes accompanied by the cotton, with the' exception of the wagon?decamped, and could not be overtaken.?lb. Aid for the South.?The New York. Tribune announces that a prac tical organization for the relief of the suffering at the South has been formed in that city, under management of ladies of the highest character and position, with no reference' whatever to political relations. Steps will be taken so to to-operate with General Howard as to avoid waste or misdirection in the distribution of the supplies, and Commodore Garrison has offered the use of a steamer to convey contributions to any point which * may be designated. The New York World has a notice apparently, of the same movement, which says:. - uNo political color-'whatever is to i :? +k;d m nmanf 1>. wilT . j UC gl V uil LU ClXiO UIUTVUivuv* *v ?... have but one object, the saving of thein that are ready tojcrish, and will be administered in but one spirit, the. spirit of that charity -which blesses both them who receive and then* who give. The ladies are encouraged to their good work by Mayor j IIofFman, by the Catholic Archbishop ; of New York, by Bishop Potter, by : Dr. Tyng, and a number of other | eminent- laymen and clergymen.? %