The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, June 13, 1867, Image 2
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."