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GENERAL-NEWS. The Military Reconstruction Act Con- j side ted. If we examine the Military Reconstruction Act, we will find that it changes the laws of the respective; States, in only certain particulars, j It enlarges the matter of suffrage : with one hand, while it restrains it< with the other. The blacks arc j created as a new class of voters, while j those who have held at any time ccr- j tain offices, and afterwards partial-: patcd in the late conflict on behalf of i the Confederate States, arc denied as j ' * a penalty the exercise of the ballot. So, too, on the subject of office, j these latter arc also excluded for life, i unless relieved by an Act of Congress passed by a two-thirds vote. It is true, a military commander is assigned to the comn and of the vari-1 our seceding States termed in the Act Districts. But it is clear mat ins power is vo protect all persons in their rights of persons and property. It is not by laws of his own will, and heretofore concealed. in his breast, to change the whole tenure on which the protection of these rights depend, and thus to disarrange society and reduce its affairs to a condition of chaos and insecurity. His duties are to suppress insurrection, disorder and violence, mot to remove Governors, Mayors, Councilmen, and thus put an end to all civil authority and order. The civil tribunals of the country, by the very design of the Act, arc to administer the laws of the land, subject only to the provision, that in the case of "the jurisdiction and trial ol offenders," that is of violators of the criminal code and of the public peace: the military commander is to have the power to organize military commissions or tribunals for this purpose.? The word offenders never heretofore been known to extend to parties to civil suits. Its meaning is well ascertained. If we turn to the most elementary legal Dictionary we will find "-offender" a criminal, one who does .what the penal law forbids to be done, or omits to do what it commands. In this sense, says an author, it is synonymous with crime. It is, to our mind, plain, that Con-1 gross acting under the false impression that adequate protection for life and property did not exist in these States, conferred upon the military commanders jurisdiction of the cases of offenders or criminals, whenever they should deem it necessary. Until then this is to be exercised by the local civil tribunals. But we loik in vain to either the r xl. - A -x r ... terms or context ox tuc -l-yul iui umj authority to alter thc.huvs or statutes . of the respective States, in reference to civil suits or affairs, or to make or unmake law, ov create or overthrow civil Government, or establish or depose civil rulers-at pleasure and will. Even in a criminal case the parties accused are guaranteed by the Act a trial "without unnecessary delay," that there shall' be "no cruel or unusual punishment," and that the penalty of death shall not he carried I -into. effect without the 'approval of .the President. Even in these cases the power of the Military Commander Is not absolute. And in confirmation of our view, we would quote the sixth section of the Act: "And be it further e acted, that until the. people of the said rebel States shall be, by law, admitted to representation in the Congress of the United States, any Civil Governments which may exist"therein, shall l* be deemed provisional only, and in all respects subject to the paramount i authority of the United States at any ! time to abolish, modify, control, or Kunereede the same." Now, the United States, that is the Legislature and Executive Departments of flic Government, have passed no Act since. The United States, therefore, have in no way as yet abolished* modified controlled or superseded the Civil Governments of these States, in the act itself established/is provisional. These therefore, under the Act, are still provisi.onal, and are entitled so to be, until representation is oh- ( tained, or some further act is passed. It scarcely needs argument to dcmon*rate that the rights and laws of the State remain unaltered, except as changed by the Act itself. ' Whatever this did not modify, is confirmed ,! and of force. M Its terms contain the will and do-1crec of Congress. It is the chart by IJ which the authority of the Military Commander is to be measured on the one hand, and the rights, privileges ' and power of the people, and of their State Governments on the other. Sudden and unexpected changes 1 in laws are always injurious. They , create insecurity and uneasiness. They affect capital and trade. They > produce that most disastrous condijtion of affairs where the tenure of i rights is shifting and without sub-' stance, and where the whole basis of law and of society may, without the voice of the people, be altered with a stroke of the pen. The necessity of the country is for a speedy reconstruction. For tins, the people of the. Southern States have long since been ready. The delav is not of their creation. While therefore, restoration is postponed, all that they ask is that some degree of self-government may be retained, and that if the Military Act is to be the authority for theirrulc, it should, at the same time, he administered within the limit of its terms. d lis matter is now before the President and the Government, and wc trust sucli directions 'will be issued as to fix definitely what the law is, and what the authority it confers, and the obligations it imposes. The great desire should be to fa cilitnte restoration, not to impede it, and never to interfere with the civil authorities or administration of justice, except when imperatively demanded l>y the public peace. Correspondence of the Charleston Mercury. R.\u:ruir, N.. CJ.. June 4, 1867.? One of those hard-shaking, coat-tail agitating exercises, yclept "a reception," took place this morning at the capitol, arid for two hours, an uninterrupted procession of old and young, white and black, tilled in and out of the legislative hall, 'flic gallery was full of spectators, and the lloor of the House was occupied by ladies, gentlemen, citizens and United States officials. The President and Messrs. Seward, and Randall, with Gov. Worth, stood in front of the speaker's chair, and as the curious ones came in, they were presented and passed from hand to hand with that practiced courtliness which belongs to the] White House and iLc candidates therefor.* A noticeable feature of the occasion, was the presence of not an inconsiderable number of negroes, so that the crowd moving forwards to embrace the digital extremities of the distinguished guests, consisted of a somewhat curious olla podrida of rank, race, sex and condition. It is intimated that Holdeu, 'who I find is not looked upon here with the respect that wc accord to a sccoudratc negro, is the instigator of the remarkable departure from the old-fashioned notions with which we*have been wont to rule our social relations. Although such a liberal application of the theory of the KecoiisU-umiwt bill, anil ut UeliT" Sickles' recent orders, seemingly had ~ siJYVwt 11V.AH !??? 1*1 I fAUVtr* liU L'llt'Vt Uj#v?i liiv -i. iv.?iuv??i.?i.. x.w??. sy, the leveling process evidently interfered with the tasffattd impulses of many who otherwise would have paid their respects to the Chief Magistrate. Quite as much curiosity was manifested by the multitude to look upon the placid countenance of their other chief, General Sicklesbut the North Carolinians had just read his military order taking possession of five of their counties, and I fancy that few took his hand who did not feel that it was still a hand of iron although encased in a velvet glove. The strangers present also had an opportunity of seeing Miles, the jailor of ex-President Davis, now a brevet general, stationed,' I believe, at Raleigh.. lie is not a comely object to view, and a physiologist would experience a variety of emotions in watching a face, on which is written ?well, not every Christian virtue. At eleven o'clock the reception* ceased, and arm-in-arm with Governor "Worth, escorted by police and soldiers, some on foot and some on horseback, and followed by the secretaries and military officials, the President walked from the capitol to his quarters at the Yarbrough Hotel. Indeed, this house has been the cen tre of interest from the beginning. The expected arrival 01 Chief Justice Chase, and opening of the Circuit Court, in connection with the visit of Miv Johnson has drawn hither many of the public men of the State, and commingling of "ex-rebels," so-called, and their uniformed conquerers, is curious, interesting and suggestive. In moving through the vestibule an'hour since, I counted no less than seven ex-Governors, l amely: Graham, Manly, Bragg, Clark, Vance, lloldon arid Worth. In -the car that brought mc here were ex-Governor Vance, Hon. K. V. McAdden, Speaker of the House 1 of Commons (a young but it is said brilliant man); lion. Josiah Turner, member of Congress elect, Hon. II. McLafie, oftlic Confederate Congress; Colonel and Judge Tlios. lluffin, Col. J. A. Gilmer, Adjutant General oftlic Sta<c; lion. John Berry, State Senator; Mr. Webb, President, and Maj. Anderson, Supcrinteii<lent of the North Carolina Railroad. You will observe lrom this enumeration that there is no dearth ot prominent officials here to do honor to the guests of the State. One may move among the throng seated among the noble shade trees in front of the house and 7, hear from these distinguished lips j that which goes to make history; and if the huge star spangled banner that j floats above their heads had ears, it would have been regaled bv some rc- f miniscenccffriot particularly creditable to a portion of its career. Thank God, our people still have unsubjugated memories. 9 1 At twelve o'clock the President and escort again emerged, from the hotel, and taking carriages, proceeded to the ceinetary to listen to the oration of ex-Governor Swain, President of the State University. A platform had been erected in front of a monument commemorating the death of Jacob Johnson, the fa-. thcr of the President, and the whole enclosed by ropes, and guarded by soldiers, kept the crowd at a proper distance. . The monument itself is of nlain sand stone, and its appearance simple and unpretentious. The oration was, therefore, the feature of the hour. Unfortunately, I ani unable to give ! any abstract of it, first, because Mr. j Swain read his essay in a tone that [ was lost amid the rustling of the trees; i secondly, the dutiful guard forbid the listener to advance within ear shot; and thirdly, the platform was appropriated by distinguished officials, who seemed to forget that the great publie, who read newspapers, have rights which they were bound to respect. I am informed by one of the favored few, that the address was .appropriate to the occasion, but local in its character and application; its interest being confined - to reminiscences of Raleigh, in olden time, and especially during the -life of Jacob Johnson. It would, therefore, not be so much appreciated in Charleston as hero, where the distinguished scholarship of the orator is most known, and his.treatment of a home subject is most appreciated. lie was 1 * 1 _ . . 1 __ 1! ^ _ .1 1 _ i.1._ nawisomciy compiimenicii uy mo gentlemen around irim; An audience numbering about fif-' teen hundred was present, and you may well imagine that the mutilation of graves by three thousand careless feet was not slight. After the benediction the party returned to the hotel. Then came dinner?unofficial, quiet and excellent. The tables were decorated with flow ers, the repast was generous and as much diversified as the ingenuity of the cook could make it, wines were abundant, the large dining ball, filled with guests, was disturbed rmUr-li*-tlic quic1" myb'liilirv n? ell inn- iidirrliTiors, and altogether it was an episode which did credit to the' head "and heart of Mr. Blair, now the presiding genius at the Yarborough "Hotel? and the best institution of the kind in the old North State. I should have mentioned before thatduring the feast a fine colored band attached to the Fortieth regiment, very handsomely performed several airs in the garden i of the honsc. . During the evening the President and escort occupied the parlors and received company in a more social manner than during the day. Many of the ladies availed themselves of the opportunity, and between gay uniforms and much pretty dressing on the part of the fair sex, the corridors presented a lively appearance. I regret to sa}* that the President cannot yield to his desire to visit Charleston. Important business will curtail his absence from Washington, and lie will hurry hack. I am satisfied from several remarks made by him, however from his manner, that had a committee of the council and citizen s came here in person, as was the intention, and forgotten per sonal business and inconveniences, the end of this week would have seen the Chief Magistrate in the "City by the Sea." He expresses himself greatly pleased . wit'i the demonstrations which he has . thus far witnessed, and is no doubt, struck by the contrast between the enthusiastic shouts, to which he is accustomed at the Hortli, and the quiet hearty welcome, which has been accorded him here. ? ' As he comes and goes, there is a ; polntc elevation of hats and an evi- : dence of good feeling which he can- 1 hot for a moment doubt. .< To-morrow he leaves for Chapel. I Hill to attend commencement. . 11 ' PERSONNE. Tiif Cholera.?Dr. Harris, Su penntenuerit ot tnc Jiureau ot vital Statistics in New York, thinks the people of that city had better begin to prepare for another cholera visita- < tion. In a long communication to the board of health he calls attention 1 to the fact thp-t the pestilence has 1 been making rapid progress in various countries, and he recommends, i accordingly, a free application of i disinfectants. He says he does not [ desire to create unnecessary appro- > liension, but to rouse up the people ; to such timely preventive measures j j as will be most likely to secure their c immunity. i The report that the Government of ' Brazil had abolished slavery is untrue. c THE JOURNALThursday, June 13, J?67. > Commendable Liberality. By tlie burning of the Episcopal Church at this place, the congregation were at a loss where*to turn for a place of worship, but their einbavrasmcnt was not long to continue. With the true spirit of Christian kindness, the Baptists. Presbyterians and i Methodists severally proposed to share tlicir ^ Sunday service with the bereaved congrc- i gation, and the regular church service was continued without interruption on the follow iirg Sunday in the Baptist church. This in- | stance of harmony and good feeling is as honorable as it is rare. , ' Observe-.* We decline the publication of the commit- | mention of "Observer,'' for reasons which we will/ explain privately to the author, ami j which we have 110 doubt will be satisfactory. ! i | The Court of Fqui'y. This Court "commenced its session at (his j place on Tuesday morning last. Chancellor ! * ,1 Joiixson presiding. The Chancellor pre- j sides with dignity and courtesy and has I made an agreeable impression on our people, at this his first visit. Meeting cf Freedmen. IVc understand that a large meeting of the colored people of the vicinity will assemble at. Jloykin's Mill, on Saturday next which ! will be addressed by several gentlemen who have been invited for that purpose. The President. President. Johnson has been on a visit to the City of Raleigh, and attended at the ceremonies of laying the corner-stone of a monument to bo erected to the memory, of his father: A description of the proceedings from the pen of Pkksonne, of the Charleston Jlercury will bo^found in another column. Governor Perry Again. This gentleman with a pertinacity worthy j rd* a belter cause, continues to urge iiis policy . of inaction. That the appeals, which he makes to some of the strongest predilections if not prejudices ofour people, have met with, so little favor from the press gild the people, : is bne of the niost encouraging signs of the times and gives us an example of wisdom and moderation never surpassed in the history of any people. That Governor Peuuy's nrgu- j mcnts addressed to tlie passions, should have borne so little fruit, is attributable to the fact that South Carolina has ceased to be that : impulsive and sensitive existence, she once was. worshipping nt the shrines of honor and pride alone, and has found it necessary to cultivate the qualities of prudence and com- j nion sense. Indeed, that which is practicable, is the only test of principle now. Wc all jlo U?r ilit: ?,- < we lion t know that it would be ;i bad thing to adopt it as a permanent political maxim j Long ago, tlie secession party of South Carolina sneered at their opponents for taking counsel of their fears. They wore mot with ; the assertion that all trucslatosmenship rest"j cd upon a wholesome consideration of consc- j qifcpccs. Fax rxt ah hoxte doeeri. In the bit-- t ter school of adversity, we have been taught ? i the political axiom, that the safety dfthej i_ -i -.11 -.1 :.l . to- I jjcujuu la iu;u>u an uuicr uuiiMuur;uivns. ?? u ; cannot escape a convention. -The attempt to ' do so would put the State tfnder the rule-of a single class and that cl.vss alienated from ! aiul embittered against tjie other. Universal suffrage, is an dement of great political strength. It depends upon ouvffelvcs,J whether we shall wield this power for the? restoration of the South .to peace jtnd pros- j peril}-, or by yielding to passion and prejtt- j dicin), convert it into a new element of dis- j cord and oppression. Jet out- people .act i wisely, and we shall suon achieve a position j in which we can take care of onrssclvcs.? "From the nettle danger,"let-us "-pluck the ; flower safety." An Explanation. The Commanding General of the Second Military District has issued the following Circular, explanatory of Paragraph "12 of General Orders, No 10, in relation to the use fire arms.. Paragraph Xll of General Orders, No. 10. current series from these Headquarters, does not prohibit the use of fowling pieces for hunting game upon one's own premises. Commanding officers ' of Posts are authorized, upon good and sufficient cause shown, to grant permission hi public officers to carry arms when absolutely necessary in the discharge of their duties: such permission to be'in writing, in each ease, and tobercvoked when abused. Commanding officers of Posts, to be associniod with one or more commissioned officers on duty at the Post, next in rank, when practicable, are constituted Military tribunals lor the trial of all persons within the limits of ii_ i: :*L i , i: T> rnoir communtisuuu^u wiiu viuitumg rur. XII of G. 0. N9...IO, and Par. X of G. 0., No. 12 surrent series from those Headquarters. The proceeding# in such cases to t>c forwarded to Ibose Headquarters for approval. EvCommuud ofMaj. Gen. D. E. Sitiklos* J.W. CLOUS. Capt, C8th U. S. Infantrv, A D. .,& A. A, A* G. The President will Interfere Palmetto, the Washington correspondent >f the Charleston Mercury under date of the Ith inst., makes tlie following announcement: iV.c /oar, however, that it is too good to be rue. " It is generally understood in oficial circles here, that the President; ivill, soon after his return fro.ni the j South, review the conduct of the sc-i rcral District Commanders, and in ill cases where they have arbitrarily nterfered with the administration of sivil government in the Southern States, or otherwise thansgrc sed .their cgitimate functions, their acts and irdcrs wiliUc annulled and set aside. | i * : ^ vfe This would have been done some time ago, but the Attorney-General.having^ had charge of the matter, -and being engaged in the preparation- of tinopinion concerning the authority vested in these military commanders by the so-called Reconstruction act, it was deemed prudent to await the pro.mulgation of his views, which explains an apparent tardiness on the part of the President, in reference to this very important matter. I think it may be safely stated that Sheridan conduct in Louisiana in-the removal of certain State and municipal officers, Griffin's attempt to prescribe the qualifications of jurors in Texas, and Pope's officiousncss at Mobile,; will all be disapproved, and those officers directed to mind their own business in the future, and not undertake to play the part of Sultans and Czars in this country. There are nlsn snimn tilings in Schofield's Dis - - # trict (Virginia) that need revision, and they will doubtless be attended to with the rest. " So, far as I can 'learn it is the intention of the administration to get along with the military government act, in the South, as smoothly as possible, arid in no case to permit military officers to exercise even, their legitimate authority in a wanton and capricious manner?and, therefore, it is highly necessary that the forthcoming opinion of the Attorney-G.encral should be made the rule of their conduct, and any departure from it ought to be pointedly rebuked from headquarters in this city. Breadstuffs.?The Chicago Tri.bune says that the present inflated prices of wheat are but temporary, and intimates that they are mainly due to a "corner" established by speculators, on exaggerated state mcnts of the scarcity of breadstufis. The Tribune says: In less than six weeks the harvest of wbc.it will be gathered in the Southern half of the wheat-growing belt of the country, and that harvest promises to. be an abiuidaut one. ' A few .weeks'later will follow tbe harvest up to the Northern line, and that, too. promises to be a most liberal yield.? Under these circumstances every one must perceive thai the present high prices rest upon an exceedingly fiimsy foundation. Tbe "corner"1 upo breadstuff's lias been successfully maintained much longer than tbe speculators expected; but its time is r>r>.vt-!jr crw.nt-. ^Millers buv no wheat at present'prices, I'linT'SalcS of Ilmir are confined to retail dealers, to supply the immediate wants of their cus-. tomcrs. Yesterday there-were 110,00b bushels-of wheat and 07,000 barrels of flour in store in Chicago. The daily receipts arc equal to the demand for local consumption, and there is jio other demand now, and will be none until the new crop comes in. .This is a cheerful view .of tbe matter, which we hope will soon be verified by the "market quotations. . .Faithful Servants.?The Richmond papers announce the marriage, at'Fortress Monroe, of Frederick Mc.Gfiims'and Ellen Barnes, two colored Servants of Jefferson Davis, "who deserve a passing notice. They became'Davis.' servants in Richmond, cloung'to him in his fallen fortunes, and voluntarily shared'his protracted imprisonment. Frederick,- at the confinement of his master in Fortress Monroe,-sought Mrs. Davis and offered to go. to her husband and minister to his want's. When told that the slender- means of the fallen family would never permit such an expenditure, his services were offered freely without remuneration. Wlu-n at last afaii gem cuts were made, and means provided for him, and he found himself within the Fortress, a- part of his wages were carefully laid aside and rcgulay sent home to South Carolina to his old mistress, who had been impoverished by the war, Similar fithfulness and liberty are recorded of Ellen. Straws in Virginia.?The rowhitherto reported as occurring between negroes and the United States burial corps at Danville assumes a different aspect wlion we learn that the burial corps was formed of negroes also. It was Uncle Sain's niggers against Virginia niggers. Uncle Sam's niggers put on airs, as tlicy do to a great extent in many places in .the South, and the Danville darkies whipped them out. of town. Virginia niggers, therefore, have sympathies that arc to some extent local. JYcw York Herald. ' Tiie Effects of a Demote Cause, j ?The news of Queen Victoria's me-1 diation between France and Prussia is said to have caused a rapid rise in the price of white oak staves in Vest Virginia. The French and Spanish wine merchants arc suppMcd largely with this wood for wine casks from that region, and the trade is thereby peculiarly sensitive to the 11 actuations in Europe. pjjg|? y - | Paris, June 7.?The carriage con-' gaining Kapoleon and the Czar, re"'{urnjhg Trom thaChamps de Mars, 4 where a review liad been' given in I honor of the Czar, was fired.into.? ! Whether tojvili the Emperor or Czar is unknown. , In the attempted assassination^ the Imperial plrfy had a very narrow escape, the ball passing.in a'line between two of ihe distinguished perr soilages aiid .wounding a.4ady stand-* , ing in the street. The fiorse ridden : by the groom in waiting was wounded" hi the head immediately after the; discliarge, and the blood spurted on' i the Imperial uniform. The- ds'si&sjh4 *'. attempted a second shot when the pistol burst. He is a Pole, who came . from Belgium, and is without accomplices in Paiis The police saved, his life from the enraged populace.^? There was a magnificent ball given at .1 T-i .. 4 tnc XVUSSian jCjiiiuussj uic suijljc s?cu- ^ ing. The Czar, with his sons, and the Emperor and the Empress of France were present, with members of tho Russian Royal party, and were congratulated on their escape. A, Natural Cave in Texas.? The Corpus Christi Advertiser gives flic following brief description of a cave recently found about seventy miles southwest of that city:?Llano Blanco Cave is situated about , the centre of Duvall county. So far as this Cave has been explored?some seventy-five yards?Targe chambers* with gushing streams of cool fresh water, so cold as to dispense with the luxury of ice, have been found., A natural well, some twenty-five feet in :i depth, some two hundred yards from the entrance of the cave, exists from the Mirection of which a current of air rushes with great force, as from -h a furnace stack. ,The walks-of the J cave are composed of sulphate oflime, and untold quantities of Plaster of . A Paris could be made out of it. Other specimens, present- themselves, which, upon further examination, , tnnr T-nt iritft nntnld wea'th, that lias laid dormant f<?r years, awaiting the acuteness.of Yankee enterprise to be made available. Aid for tiie South.?It is stated that. the subscribers to the,English cotton famine fund desire to appropriate their surplus funds, amounting to the large sum of $600,000, in gold, to the relief of the Southern States ' of the American Union. It is known but a small portion o?the funds would ?r 1" i'i i tn 11 i up iin iiiiiiin I,;,-., under any circumstances, and, therefore, it is not likely that there will be any difficulty in the way of its suggested application. It would be a magnificent donation. The Liver pool American says : "There may be some legal obstacles to its immediate use for this put- . pose; but, ,as the character of the suffering will admit of no delay, it lias been proposed to send forward a portion now, and retain a part until such time as might be fixed for its withdrawal. _ !/ ... "At present, no demand is more urgent, no people more necessitous than the sufferers from old.wrongs, civil war and recent fire and flood, in the Southern. States of America,";" West Point?Southern Boys Ahead.?We.learn a remarkable fact from the New York , Times, of the 5th inst., and it is this: That of the class just graduating at West Point, every one of the first six scholars is from the South. Ruffncr, of Virginia, leads, and Sears, of Virginia is third;" then, there arc Maliory, of Alabama, Rogers and Haupt, of Georgia, and Griffith, of North Carolina. In the next six, there arc three.Tennesseeans?Pitman, Muguire and Bell? while Turtle, of Massachusetts, Greer, of Pennsylvania, and Heintzleman, at large, occupy the other places. Thus all of the first six and nine of ' the first twelve places on the scale of general merit, are taken thjs year by men appointed from the South. This is the first time in the history of the Military Academy when .the South? crn States have swept off all the hflik ors. - The Paris papers say that the story about the new French gun which shoots the people without powder or smoke is quite true.. The weapon is i really a sling, improved up to the j nineteenth century standard. Bulr ! lets are placed in a circular grove on a disc of steel, which, driven by a wheel of much greater diameter, re^ | vol-v.es at the rate of about three hundred per minute. They strike as ' hard as rifle balls.. Movement or Troops.?The Cq1= umbia Phivnix says: "Two com pa.nics of the 6th United States Infantry, stationed in Charleston, and tw?, compitiiies from this city, will leave this Military District to garrison one of the Indian forts on the Western frontier. Gen. Green, Commandant of this Post, will go out in commainf of the battalion."