A RING ON HIS HAND.
REV. DR. TALMAGE ON THE RETURN
OF THE PRODIGAL.
New Lights on a Familiar Story--The
Richest Ring Ever Fiashed on the Vision
Is That Which Our Father Puts on a For
given Soul.
WASHSGTON, Jan. 5.-In his ser
mon today Rev. Dr. Talmage took for
his subject the return of the prodigal
son. The text chosen was Luke xv,
22, "Put a ring on his hand."
I will not rehearse the familiar story
of the fast young man of the parable.
You know what a splendid home he
left. You know what a hard time he
had. And vou remember how after
that season of vagabondage and prod
igality he resolved to go and weep out
his sorrows on the bosom of parental
forgiveness. Well, there is great ex
citement one day in front of the door
of the old farmhouse. The servants
come rushing up and say: "What's
the matter? What is the matterf"
But before they quite arrive the old
man cries out, "Put a ring on his
hand.' What a seeming absurdity:
What can such a wretched mendicant
as this fellow that is tramping on to
ward the house want with a rig Oh,
he is the prodigal son. No more tend
ing of the swine trough: No more
longing for the pods of the carob tree:
No more blistered feet: Off with the
rags! On with the robe: Out with
the ring! Even so does God receive
every one of us when we come back.
There are gold rings, and pearl rings,
and emeraYd rings, and diamond rings,
but the richest ring that ever flashed
on the vision is that whic.h our Father
puts upon a forgiven soul.
I know that the impression is abroad
among some people that religion be
means and belittles aman: that it takes
all the sparkle out of his soul: that he
has to exchange a roistering indepen
dence for an ecclesiastical straitjaeket.
Not so. When a man becomes a
Christian he does not go down; he
starts upward. Religion multiplies
1 by 10,000. Nay, the multiplier is in
infinity. It is not a blotting out: it is
a polishing, it is an aborescence; it is
an effiorescence, it is an irradiation.
When a man comes into the kingdom
of God, he is not sent into a menial
service, but the Lord God Almighty
from the palaces of heaven call upon
the messenger angels that wait upon
the throne to flv and, put a ring on
his hand." In Christ are the largest
liberty, and brightest joy, and highest
adornment. "Put a ring on his
hand."
I remark, in the first place; that
when Christ receives a soul into his
lovehe puts uponhim the ring of adop
tion. While in my church in Phila
delphia there came the representative
of the Howard mission of New York.
He brought with him eight or ten
children of the street that he had
picked up, and he was trying to find
for them Christian homes, and as the
little ones stood on the pulpit and
sang our hearts.melted within us. At
the close of the services a great hearted
wealthy man came up and said, "I'll
take this little bright eyed girl, and
I'll adopt her as one of my own chil
dren." And he took her by the hand,
lifted her into his carriage and went
aThe next day while we were in the
church gathermng up garments for the
rof New York this little child came
bak with abundle under her arm, and
she said: "'lhere's my old dress. Per
haps some of the poor children would
like to have it," while she herself was
in brightandbeautiful array and those
who more immediately examined her
said she bad a ring on her hand. It
was a ring of adoption.
--T reare a great many persons who
pride themselves on their ancestry.
and they glory over the royal blood
that tours through their arteries. In
theirline there was a lord, or a duke,
o a prime minister, or a king. But
when the Lord, our Father, puts upon
us the ring of his ado ption we become
the children of the Ruler of all nations.
"Behold what manner of love the
Father bath bestowed upon us that we
should be called the sons of God." It
matters not how poor our garments
may be in this world, or how scant
our bread, or how mean the hut we
live in, if we have that ring of Christ's
adoption upon our hand, we are as
sured of eternal defenses.
Ado pted! Why, then, we are broth
ers and sisters to all the good of earth
and heaven! We have the family
name, the family dress, the family
keys, the family wardrobe. The Fa
ther looks after us, robe us, defends us,
blesses us. We have royal blood in
our veins, and there are crowas in our
line. If we are his children, then
princes and .princesses. It is only a
question of time when we get our cor
onet. Adopted! Then we have the
family secrets. "The secret of the Lord
is with them that fear him." Adopted:
Then we have the family inheritance,
and in the day when our Father shall
divide the riches of heaven we shall
take our share Ofthe mansions and
palaces and temples. Henceforth let
us boast no more of an earthly ances
try. The insignia of eternal gory is
our coat of arms. This ring of adop
tipon puts upon us all honor and all
rivilege. Now we can take the words
of Charles Wesley, that prince of
hymnmakers, and sing:
Comne, let us join onr frIends above
Who have obtained the prize,
And on the eagle wings of love
To joy celestial rise.
Let all the saints terrestrial siog
With those to glory gone,.
For all the servants of our King
In heavan and eatth are one.
I have been told that when any of
the members of any of the great se
cret societies of this country are in a
distant city and are in any kind of
trouble and are set upon by enemies
they have only to give a certain sig
nal, and the members of that orgami
zation will flock around for defense.
And when any man belongs to this
reat Christian brotherhood, if he gets
in trouble, in trial, in persecution, in
temptation, he has only to show this
ring of Christ's adoption, and all the
armed cohorts of heaven will come to
his rescue.
Still further, when Christ takes a
soul into his love, he puts upon it a
marriage ring. N ow, that is not a
whim of mine-Hosea ii, 19, "I will
betroth thee unto me forever-yea, I
will betroth thee unto me in right
eousness, and in judgment, and in loy
ing kindness, and in mercies." At the
wedding altar the bridegroom puts a
rigupon the hand of the bride signify
ing love and faithfulness. Trouble may
come upon the household, and the
carpets may go, the pictures may go,
the piano may go-everything elhe
may go. The last thing that goes is
that marriage ring, for it is considered
sacred. In the burial hour it is with
drawn from the hand and kept in a
vasket, and sometimes the box is op
ened on an anniversary day, and as
you look at that ring you see under its
arch a long processiou of precious
memories. Within the golden circle
of that ring there is room for a thous
and sweet recollections to revolve, and
you think of the great contrast be
tween the hour when, at the close of
the "Wedding March," under the
flashing lights and amid the aroma of
oange blossoms, you set that ring on
he roud finger of the plump hand.
and that hour when, at the close of
the exhaustive watchingi, when vou
know that the soul ha.d iled, you took
from the hand. which gave back no re
sponsive clasp, from that emaciated
tinger. the ring that she had worn so
long and worn so well.
On some anniversary day you take
up that ring, and you repolish it until
all the old luster comes back. and you
can see in it the 11ash of eyes that long
ago ceased to weep. Oh. it is not an
uimeaning thing when I tel you that
when Christ receives a soul into his
keeping he puts on it a marriage ring:
He endows you froni that moment
with all his wealth. You are one
Christ and the soul -one in sympathy,
one in affection, one in hope. .
There is no power on earth or hell
to effect a divorcement after Christ
and the soul are united. other kings
have turned ot't their companious
when they got weary of them and sent
them adrift from the palace gate.
Ahasuerus banished Vashti. Napoleon
forsook Josephine. but Christ is the
husband that is true forever: Having
loved you once, he loves you to the
end. Did they not try to divorce Mar
garet, the Scotch girl, from Jesus?
They said, 'You must give up your
religion.' She said, "I can't give up
my religion." And so they took her
down to the beach of the sea, and they
drove in a stake at low water mark,
and they fastened her to it, expecting
that as the tide came ur her faith
would fail. The tide began to rise and
came up higher and higher, and to the
girdle, and.to the lip, and in the last
moment, just as the wave was wash
ing her souli into glory, she shouted
the praises of Jesus.
Oh, no, you cannot separate a soul
from Christ: It is an everlasting mar
riage. Z Battle and storm and dark
ness cannot do it. Is it too much ex
ultation for a man, who is but dust
and ashes like mvself, to cry out this
moment, "I am persuaded that neither
height nor depth nor principalities
nor ,powers nor things present, nor
things to come, nor any other creature
shall separate me from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus, my
Lord?" Glorv be to God that when
Christ and the' soul are married they
are bound by a chain, a golden chain,
if I might say so-a chain with one
link, and that one link the golden
ring of God's everlasting love.
1 go a step further and tell you that
when Christ receives a soul into his
love he puts on him the ring of festivi
ty. You know that it has been the
custom in all ages to bestow rings on
very happy occasions. There is noth
ing more appropriate for a birthday
gift than a ring. You delight to be
stow such a gift upon your children
at such a time. It means joy, hilarity,
festivity. Well, when this ol" man
of the text wanted to teil how glad he
was that his boy had got back, he ex
pressed it in this way. Actually, be
fore he ordered sandals to be put on
his bare feet, before he ordered the
fatted calf to be killed to appease the
boy's hunger, he commanded, 'Put a
ring on his hand." -
Oh, it:is a merry time when Christ
and the soul are united: Joy of for
giveness: What a splendid thing it is
to feel that all is right between my
God and myself. What a glorious thing
it is to have God just take up all the
sins of my life and put them in one
bundle, and then fling them into the
depths of the sea, never to rise again.
Pollution all gone; darkness all illu
mined; God reconciled; the prodigal
home:! "Put a ring on his hand !'
Every day I find happy Christian
people. I find some of them with no
second coat, some of them in huts and
tenement houses, but one earthly com
fort afforded them, and yet they are
as hapyy as happy can be. They sing
"Rock of Ages" as no other people in
the world sing it. They never wore
any jewelry in their life but one gold
rin"' and that was the ring of God's
unlying affection. Oh. how happy
religion makes us: Did it make
you gloomy and sad? Did y ou go
with your head cast down? I do not
think you got religion, my brother.
That is not the effect of religion. True
relioion is a joy. "Her ways are ways
of pleasantness, and all her paths are
peace."
Why, religion lightens all our bur
dens; it smooths all our way ; it inter
prets all our sorrows; it changes the
jar of earthly discord for the peal of
festal bells. In front of the flaming
furnace of trial it sets the forge on
which scepters are hammered out.
Would you not like this hour to come
up from the swine feeding and try this
religion. All the joys of heaven would
come out and meet you, and God
would cry from the throne, "Put a
ring on his hand !"
You are not happy. I see it. There is
no peace, and sometimes you laugh
when you feel a great deal mcre like
crying. The world is a cheat. It first
wears you down with its follies; then
it kicks you out into darkness. It
comes back fromn the massacre of 1,
000,000 souls to attempt the destruc
tion of your soul today. No peace
out of God, but here is the foun
tain that can slake the thirst.
Here is the harbor where you can drop
safe anchoraae.
Would 3 on not like, I ask you-not
perfunctorily, but as one brother
might talk to another-would you not
like to have a pillow of rest to put
your head on? And would you not
like, when you retire at night. to feel
that all is well, whether you wake up
tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock or
sleep, the sleep that knows no waking ?
Would you not like to exchange this
awful uncertainty about the future
for a glorious assurance of heaven?
Accept of the Lord Jesus today and all
is well. If on your way home some
peril should cross the street and dash
your life out, it would not hurt yoa.
You would rise up immediately. You
would stand in the celestial streets.
You would be amid the great throng
that forever worship and are forever
happy. If this night some 'sudden
disease should come upon you it would
not frighten you. If you knew you
were going, you could give a calm
farewell to your beautiful home on
earth and k'now that you are going
right into the companionship of those
who have already got beyond the toil
ing and the weeping.
You feel on Saturday night ditferent
from the way you feel any other night
of the week. You come home from
the bank, or the store, or the oI!ice
and you say, "Well, now my week's
work is done, and tomorrow is Sun
day." It is a pleasant thought. There
are refreshments and reconstrumction
in the very idea. Oh, how pleasant
it will be if, when we get through the
day of our life, and we go and lie
down in our bed of dust, we can re-al
ize, "Well, now the work is all done,
and tomorrow is Sunday- an everlast
ing Sunday.'
Oh, when, thou city of my God,
Shall I tay courts ascend,
Where con gregations ne'r break up
Arnd Sabbaths h.'.e no end'?
There are people in this house today
who are very- near the eternal worhi.
f you are Christians, I bid you be of
good cheer. Bear with you our con
gratulations io the brig~ht city.. Aged
men, who will soon be gone. take
with vou our love for our kindred iu
the better land: when y ou see them tell
them that we are soon comning. Uniy
a few more sermons to preach and
hear :only a fewx more heartaches :on ly
a few more toils; only a few more
tears. And then -what an entr-an
ing spectacle wih open before us'
Beautiful heaven, where all is light;
Beautiful angels, clothed in whi'e;
Beautiful strains that ntver tire.
Beautiful harps through all the choir;
There shall I join the chorous sweet,
Worshiping at the saviour's feet.
And so I apuroach you now with a
general invitation, not picking out
here and there a man, or here and
there a woman, or here and there a
child, but giving you an unlimited in
vitation, saying. "Cone, for all things
are now ready." We invite you to
the warm heart of Chaist and the in
closure of the Christian church. I
know a great many think that the
church does not amount to much; that
it is obsolete: that it did its work and
is gone now, so far as all usefulness is
concerned. It is the happiest place I
have ever been in, except my own
home.
I know there are some people who
say they are Christians who seem to
get along without any help from
others, and who culture solitary piety.
They do not want any ordinances. I
do not belong to that class. I cannot
get along without them. There are so
many things in this world that take
my attention from God and Christ and
heaven that I want all the helps of all
the symbols and of all the Christian
associations, and I want around about
me a solid phalanx of men who love
God and keep his commandments.
Are there any here who would like to
enter into that association? Then by
a simple, childlike faith, apply for ad
mission into the visible church, and
you will be received. No questions
asked abcut your past history or pres
ent surroundings. Only one test
do you Jove Jesus.
Baptism does not amount to any
thing, say a great many people, but
the Lo-rd Jesus declared, "He that be
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved"
putting baptism and faith side by side.
And an apostle declares, "Repent and
be baptized every one of you." I do
not stickle for any particular mode of
baptism, but I put great emphasis on
the fact that you ought to be baptized,
yet no more emphasis than the Lord
Jesus Christ, the great Head of the
church, puts upon it.
Some of you have been thinking on
this subject year after year. You have
found out that this world is a poor
D-rtion. You want to be christians.
You have come almost into the king
dom of God, but there you stop, for
getful of the fact that to be almost
saved is not to be saved at all. Oh, my
brother, after having come so near to
the door of mercy, if you turn back,
you will never come at all. After all
you have heard of the goodness of
God, if you turn away and die, it will
not be because you did not have a
good offer.
God's spirit will not always strive
With hardened, self destroying man.
Ye who persist his love to grieve
May rever hear his voice again.
May God Almighty this hour move
upon your soul and bring you back
from the husks of the wilderness to
the Father's house, and set you at the
banquet, and "put a ring on your
hand."
Protectirg Our Seacoast.
WASINGTON, Jan. 9.-The house
bond bill, with the free coinage substi
tute for it reported from the commit
tee on finance, was to have engaged
the attention of the senate today, but
a half hour's speech by Mr. Baker
(Rep.) of Kansas in favor of an ex
treme application of the Monroe doc
trine, and an hour and three-quarters
speech by Mr. Stewart on the financi
al question prevented the taking up of
the band bill until so late an hour that
Mr. Jones (Dem.) of Arkansas preferr
ed to withhold his opening speech up
on it until tomorrow.
Mr. Baker's speech-his first in the
senate chamber-had for its text and
groundwork, a joint resolution intro
duced by him declaring that the ex
tension by any Euroen power of its
territorial limits on the western hem
isphere, whether by war, treaty, pur
chase or otherwise, without the con
sent of the United States, will be re
garded as an unfriendly act; and in
his speech, he declared that the posi
tion would be maintained by war if
necessary.
The joint resolution was referred to
the committee on foreign relations.
In presenting some petitionsfavoring
coast defences, Mr. Daniels (Dem.) of
Virginia expressed the opinion that
the public apprehensions as to the
danger of the bombardment of Ameri
can seaports were overstrained; but he
also expressed the hope that the coun
try would prepare itself for whatever
emergencies might happen. He fa
vored the passage of Mr. bquire's bill.
As a Popular Loan.
W\ASmsNeToN, Jan. 9.-Secretary
Carlislee expressed the opinion today
that the new bond issue will be a
success.- He did not intimate whence
the gold would come, but he spoke
with a full knowledge of the number
of inquiries made for blank forms for
bids, and the informal already made.
The mails today brought in quite a
number of inquiries forms on which
to make bids and income cases, persons
desirous of subscribing stated the
amount they wanted and the price
they would offer. These figures of
course are withheld from publication.
The bids are regarded as informal and
when possible those making them will
be communicated with and blank
forms will be sent them so that they
may comply with all the requirements
and make their bid in regular shape.
A circular letter of instructions to pros
pective bidders was issued today. It
says:
"The subscribers should state plain
ly the .amount of bonds desired-the
price which he proposes to .pay, and
the place where the bonds should be
delivered, which may be the subscri
bers home or any other more conven
ient place.
"He should at the same time state
whether he desires to deposit the
amount of his subscription at the treas
ury department in the city of Wash
ington. or at one of the following sub
treasuires, viz: New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati,
Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans or
San Francisco. Deposits at San Fran
cisco must be with exchange on New
York. The bonds will be issued in
follo'ving denominations, viz: Cou
pon bonds $50. $100, $500, and $1,000;
registered bonds, $50, $100, $500, $1,000
$5,0' 0 and $10,000.
IHeld up on the Beach.
Los ANGELS, Cal., Jan. 7.-A. H.
Brownley, of London, Canada, was
held up on the beach at Santa Monica
and at the point of a pistol forced to
sign ten Anierican Express Company
checks of $50 each. Brownley made
the acquaintance of the man by whom
he was robbed, while traveling, and
the t so were walking on the beach
when the stranger drew a pistol and
demanded Brownley's money. Brown
iey had nothing but the express checks
which he was compelled to sign.
TrzE new ecnstitution having gone
into el fect there are now no longer
any trial justices in this State; they
are magistrate-s. The new constitution
also increases their jurisdiction in
both civ-il and criminat cases. There
is provision in the new constitution
which gives the magistrates power to
sentence to the c-ounty chaingangs.
The constitution tixes the limit of the
jurisdiction of the magistrates and
leaves everything else tc the general
CONFEDERATE RECORDS.
INTERESTING REPORT BY HISTORIAN
H. L. FARLEY.
What Has Been Done. is Being Done and
Necessary to be Done--A Volume When
Completed. of Great Historical Value.
The following interesting report has
been made by General Farley, the his
torian of Confederate Records, for the
information of the General Assembly:
Columbia, S. C., Jan., 18%.
To His Excellency John Gary Evans,
Governor of South Carolin.
Sir: I beg leave to submit to your
Excellency the following report, as
"Historian of the Confederate Rec
ords," for the information of yourself
and the Honorable members of the
General Assembly. It was deemed
necessary in order to show what has
been done, what is being done, and
what is necessary to be done, to put
the Records in proper shape for final
publication and preservation, as is
contemplated by the Acts of the Gen
eral Assembly.
Accompanying this report, I also
submit a "memorial of the South Car
olina Division of United Confederate
Veterans," signed by their Command
er, Gen. C. I. Walker, also Gen. Ed
ward McCrady, Judge J. H. Hudson
and myself, a committee appointed by
the Confederate Veterans to prepare
this memorial and present it to your
Excellency and the members of the
General Assembly.
This memorial is the result of the
following correspondence between
Commander Walker and myself, and
the discussion following my remarks
before the Association:
South Carolina Division.
United Confederate Veterans,
Charleston, S. C.,October 19,1895.
General Hugh L. Farley, Spartan
burg, S. C.
Dear Sir; I think it would be well
for you to attend the convention of
the United Confcderate Veterans at
Columbia,S. C., November 12 and 1-6.
You may gain assistance in carrying
oat your duties as State Historian.
The Tenth and Twelfth Regiment
sketch, which you ask me to prepare
is done.
If you care to go t the convention
as a representative of the Camp in
Spartanburg all right; if not, I should
be happy, as the commandex of the
division, to extend an invitation to
you to be present for your personal
recor. during the war, and because
you are the State Historian.
Very truly,
C. I. WALKER.
In obedience to this very kind invi
tation, and as a Confederate survivor,
I attended the meetings of the Associ
ation, and at their request addressed
them fully on the subject of the Con
federate Record much to the same ef
fect as appears in the memorial and
in this report, feeling and appreciat
ing the fact that they were more deep
ly interested than even the public at
large in this work, and were entitled
to all the information I possessed in
regard to it.
I explained to them the condition
of the Records, and what efforts had
been mhade during the administration
of Governor Tillman and yourself to
complete them and put them, proper
ly edited, before the public, and as
sured them that every effort in that
direction had not only met the cordial
cooperation of both administrations,
but assured them also that your Exeel
lency stood ready to unite with them
and with the Legislature in securing a
proper completion and publication of
the records in the best shap pssible.
Later, I received the following kind
and flattering communication on the
subject:
South Carolina Division,
United Confederate Veterans,
Charleston, S. C.. November 25, 1895.
General Hugh L. Farley,Spartanburg,
S. C.
Dear General: I will be much ob
liged if you will consent to serve as
Historian, South Carolina Division
United Confederate Veterans, under
the resolution of the late convention.
As you are authorized to appoint as
sistants to each Brigade Umited Con
federate Veterans Division, and in
each Confederate Regiment Battalion,
and independent command, you will
have many to help you in the work,
and not throw too much~ on your
shoulders.
I think the Division will feel great
confidence in you and your work, and
will unanimously second me in my
selection of one so worthy and able to
fill the place. Yours very truly,
C. I. WALKER.
Highly appreciating the compliment
and the spirit in which the offer was
made, I indicated my willingness to
accept so high an honor, in proper
terms; and later received the follow
ing communication.
South Carolina Division,
United Confederate Veterans,
Charleston, S. C., Dec. 2, 1895.
Gen. H. L. Farley, Spartanburg, S. C.
Dear Comrade: The Major General
commanding, under resolution below,
unanimously adopted by the conven
tion of this Division, November 13,
1895, hereby appoint you Historian of
the South Carolina Division United
Confederate Veterans, having full con
fidence, not only in your ability and
fitness, but in your honesty, imparti
ality, and loyalty to the memories of
our dead comrades, and to the needy
who survive.
'Resolved, That the General com
manding the South Carolina Division
United Confederate Veterans do ap
point a Historian of this Division~who
shall in turn appoint Brigade Histori
ans, to be aided by relected Regimen
tal and Battallion Historians, whose
dut it shall be to collect all the facts
and incidents connected with the
South Carolina troops in the army of
the Confederacy, to be preserved for
the use of this Division by the Divis
ion Historian. That at each meeting
all comrades be invited to read such
recollections as they may prepare."
It affords the endersigned, who has
served in war and worked in peace
with you, much pleasure to extend
this order.
Yours fraternally,
JAM[Es G. HOIN1Es,
Adjutant General and Chief of Staff.
I have submitted the foregoing as
information to which your Excellency
and the members of the General As
sembly are entitled, showing that
your appointment has received the
endorsement of the survivors, which
I know will be almost as gratifying to
your Excellency as it has been to me;
and although it will entail some ad
ditional work upon the Historian,
shall receive my best and closest at
tention.
Your Excellency will discover from
the memorial of the U. C. V., and
from this report, that the work of col
lecting the records has been going on
for many years and has been gradual
ly nearing completion. I may say
that the rolls are as nearly complete
now (only a small number being still
out) as they are likely to be until the
survivors realize that the publication
is actually taking place, when those
who have been so hard to arouse will
rush forward to see that their com
mands are properly included. A de
tailed account of the command whose
rolls are unfinished will be published
agaid soon, as it has been from time
These have been looked after, as fre
quent and persistent visits have been
made from time to time, but they can
be secured during the progress of pub
lication.
In the examination of the actual
condition of the rolls, I have found
that many of them are made out with
great care and accuracy, but there are
a great many that are but imperfectly
finished. Your Excellency will see
from our memorial that it is the opin
ion of the United Confederate Veter
ans that an experimental copy of these
rolls should be made and placed in the
bands of the survivors for correction
and revision before they can be con
sidered as ready or in proper shape
for final publication. This, at my
suggestion, was recommended by his
Excellency Governor Tillman severa
years ago, and would have been done
but for the stringency of the money
market and the great expense devolv
ing upon the State in the building of
educational and other public works
demanded by the exigencies of the
times. Now it can be done without
serious inconvenience, and I am satis
fied that as the sum necessary will
hardly be felt by the State the Legis.
lature will readily respond to any call
from your Excellency in this direc
tion.
Until this is done, as is evident to
your Excellency, no final or complete
publication of the work can be made.
with the addition of the valuable his
toric manuscript which has been and
is now being collected to go with the
publication of the rolls when they are
completed.
Under the plan of this work as sub
mitted to your Excellency, to Govern
or Tiliman, and tothe variousofficers
commanding or representing brigades
from this State, it will be an interest
ing volume, showing:
First. The record made by our State
as a State in the war, the sacrifices
made by our people in general, and the
heroic record made by our men and
women in the war, bringing out the
more prominent events and salient
points of our history as a State and
people.
Second. As the history of our troops
runs so largely by brigades each of
which has a separate, distinct and in
teresting histor y of its own, and which
at one time or another, comprised ev
ery regiment in service with but one
or two exceptions, (to which must be
added our separate batteries of artille
ry), the record of the most of our troops
can be written by brigades-the Bri
gade Historian doing full justice to
regiment and battalion, and thus sav
ing unneceesary multiplication of his
tory, the artillery and separate inde
pendent commands being provided
for by separate sketches.
In this way we can do full justice
to all of our troops and people in a
work within the reach of our legisla
tive appropriations, and which, not
being too cumbersome, will be eager
ly read and fondly treasured by our
people because it will go with the rolls
containing the names and records of
each soldier.
This work is already being pushed
towards completion, first by the State
Historian and by selected representa
tives from each brigade or separate
command, and will be ready for the
printer by the time the rolls are in
shape for publication after the experi
mental copies are sent out for revision
and correction. Some of the sketches
are already complete.
In the meantime your Historian, un
der the appointments conferred upon
him by the survivors, as well as that
by yourself, will be engaged in col
lecting the missing rolls and the vari
ous regimental and battalion sketches
called for by the resolution of the
U. C. V., and if practicable or possible
at the time of publication might
be included, though it will be more
difficult to secure good sketches of
each regiment and battalion in time
for publication. At any rate this work
can be pushed forward, and will at
least raake a most valuable collection
of historical data which can be pre
served and published in the future,
even if we cannot include it in the
publication of the rolls, which shobuld
be finished as soon as possile, in order
to make them perfectly safe.
My own historical work under your
Excellency's appointment, though it
involved more extensive reading and
thorough research than I had antici
pated at first, is satisfactorily under
way, and will be submitted for revi
sion and publication in due time.
Parts of it showing the recapitulation
of the numbers of our troops engaged
in the war, the deaths, losses, etc., can
not be filled out until our rolls are all
in with all the data they contain to cor
respond with my general statement.
Besides my own manuscript, I have
on hand a valuable collection of manu
script by Professor Rivers, which,
though not complete and ready for
publication, are invaluable to those
engaged in writing sketches of the
early organization of our troops and
their subsequent history. These have
been placed in proper hands for refer
ence, and will be preserved for future
use, the State owing Professor Rivers
a debt of gratitude (for preserving
these records), and also General Mani
gault, who inaug~urated the work of
preserving the rolls.
I have also on hand at the office of
the ad jutant and inspect or general
valuable "Roll of Honor," or alpha
betical list of the dead, which, though
not complete, contains some ten thou
sand names, as estimated and prepared
by the Survivors' Association. This,
too, should be published so as to enable
our people to add names not included
and to make the list complete.
It has been suggrested by General C.
I. Walker, and I' would respectfully
join in the request, that some better
means for the preservation of the Con
federate Records of all kinds be made,
which, with the co-operation of your
Excellency, I think can be arranged
with the ad jutant and inspector gen
eral, or if the room there is not suf Ii
cient, elsewhiere in the State House.
In conclusion, I beg to say that upon
com~mencing my work I addressed a
circular letter to the various surviving
brigade comimanders in the State, or
those whom I considered proper repre
sentatives, asking their co-operation
and assistance in the work before me.
It gives me great pleasure to say that
I met with a warm and cordial re
sponse in every instance, and the list
below of those who are engaged in or
supervising the sketches of our bri
gades gives assurance that when their
work is completed it will not only give
satisfaction, but shed honor and glory
upon the troops which they represent.
This work is being done by or under
the supervision of the following gen
tlemen, who can call to their assist
ance whatever help they may need
from their various subordinate com
manders and comrades, and some of
this work is already finished:
For Jenkins's (Bratton's) Brigade
General S. McGowan.
For Bonham's (Kershaw's) Brigade,
General John D. Kennedy.
For Jenkin's (Bratton's) Brigade,
General John Bratton.
For Hagood's Brigade. General
Johnson Hlagood.
For Evans and Elliot's (Wallace')
Brigade. General Wmn. H. Wallace.
For Gist's (Caper's) lIrigade, General
Ellison Capers.
For Manigault's Brigade, General
C. I Walker.
For Hampton's (Butler's' Brigade.
Major Theo. G. Barker.
Fo Gary's Brge General Thos.
M. Logan.
For Brigade Regulars and what was
known as Elliott's Brigade at the
close of the war, Colonels Butler.
Huzuenin, Lucas and others repre
senting the several commands.
For Third South Carolina Cavalry.
Major John M. Jenkins.
South Carolina had a magnificent
artillery force, probably larger than
that of any other State South, com
posed (besides the three regiments of
artille!y on the coast) of some four
battalions and twenty odd batteries.
It will be my endeavor to secure a
separate short sketch of each, as they
sei-ved all over the Confederacy; and
also to secure a general sketch of
"South C irolina Artillery in the War."
from the pen of General Stephen ).
Lee, who started his splendid career
in that branca of the service in the
Hampton Legion, and did much of
his work therein.
As your Excellency will readily see,
all of this work when properly re
vised, condensed and finished, with
the complete rolls of our troops and
a general sketch of the State in con
nection with the war (which I hope
will prove satisfactory), we will have
a volume devoted exclusively to our
Confederates-dead and living-which
will be some tribute to their acknowl
edged heroism, self-sacrifice and de
votion to their State and cotbtry, and
which our peaple can fondly keep and
treasure for all time to come. .
' With many thanks for the kindness
and consideration which your Excel
lency has always shown for our cause
and for n.yself personally, I am most
sincerely your obedient servant,
H. L. FARLEY,
Historian Confederate Records.
A Tarheel Terror.
RALEIGH, N. C., Jan. 8.-A remark
able case was tried in the superior
court here today. Mrs. Pattie D. B.
Arlington last year, form some weeks,
published a weekly paper called "The
Criminal Dccket" in which she at
tacked lawyers and judges and claim
ing that she had been cheated
out of thousands of dollars
worth of property. She parti
cularly attacked ex-Judge Spier Whit
taker, a leadlng lawyer and a promin
ent citizen, saying: "You robbed,
yes, you stole thirteen hundred dol
lars." The grand jury at the last
term of court returned a true bill for
libel against her and also against
Barnes Bros., who published her pa
per.
Mrs. Arlirton managed her own
case today. It was the first time a
woman was ever known to do this in
North Carolina. She was on the wit
ness stand, and so was Whittaker and
her cross examination was very warm.
She spoke half an hour. The evi
dence was that Whittaker had paid
out money upon a regular decree of
court and that she haa signed the pa
pers, and the judge so stated. The
solicitor said Judge Whittaker's
character had been fully vindicated
and that the publication was a foul
slander. Mrs. Arlington attacked the
lawyers and solicitor and renewed all
her statements about Whittaker. The
court room was packed. The jury was
out only 15 minutes and returned a
verdict of guilty. Whittaker and the
solicitor asked that judgment be sus
pended, but Mrs. Arlington became
wild with anger, and daclared she
would again publish her paper and
renew the charges. Solicitor Thomp
son's request for suspension of judg
ment was withdrawn and she will be
sentenced tomorrow unless she apolo.
gizes. There is another true bill
against her for libelling the memory
of the late Chief Justice Smith.
* Cleained Out a Bank.
FAYETTE, 0., Jan. 8.-One of the
boldest as well as one of the most suc
cessful robberies that has ever occurred
in Fulton county took place some
time last night, when the Bank of
Fayette, a private financial institu
tion of which Mr. Barber, president of
the Ketcham National Bank of Toledo
is a stockholder, and Charles L. Al
len, cashzier, entered, and every cent
of the cash in the safe and valuable
papers were stolen. The robbery was
not discovered until the time came
for the bank to open this morning.
By that hour of course these was no
clue whatever to the thieves, who left
not a single trace of their identity.
The value of the money and paper
taken is not de dnitely known, the otli
cials of the bank observing the great
est reticence. It is believed, however,
that at least $8,000 and probably as
high $15,000 was obtained. The rob
bers, of whom it is thought there were
at least two, pried open a window and
easily gained entrance to the bank.
Then they blew off the safe door with
some powerful explosive. The rest
was easy.
The Way to Stop it.
Commenting on the suggestion
made at a meeting of colored men in
Boston that "it might be necessary to
resort to the Ilaming brand or the
sword" to stop the lynching of assail
ants of Southern women, the New
York Evening Post makes an obser
vation of a practical character to fur
ther the end the Boston patriots have
in view. "The most effective way to
stop the lynching of negroes for attro
cious crimes," says our contemporary,
"is for negroes to stop committing
such crimes." The Baltimore Sun
thinks that would be a good beginn
ing. The right of assaulting women
is not so valuable that it should be re
tain& .t all hazzards. The persons
whose acts provoke the lynchings are
the men to be first argued with. " The
next step," as the Post well says, "is
to arouse the whites of the South to
the dangers to society involved in a
growing readiness to relapse to the
barbarous practices of executiton by a
mcb." There are signs of increased
interest in this view of the matter.
Twelv'e Lady Canadidates.
J:ACKSoN, MISS,, Jan. .-The joint
caucus tonight for the nomination of
a State librarian, an oflice Mississ
ippi always-gives to a woman, was the
livliest ever witnessed here. The sen
atorial question simply paled into sig
nificance, a resolution to take that up
first being overwelmingly voted
down. There were 12 candidates in
nomination, widows and young ladies,
each being extolled to the skies in
five-minute speeches and seconds.
Flower gardens, stars and perfumes
were everywhere in evidence, but at
10 :30 o'clock a ballot was reached, re
sulting in no nomination. Miss Tuck
er, the present incumbent, received the
highest vote-30, and 85 being neces
sary to a choice. Hon. Judd Russell
of Meridian was chairman of the cau
cus and ordered an adjournmnent at 11
o'clock.
The 1Iear Uives Chzase.
NEw BORN, January 7.-Great ex -
citement prevails in this section due to
the fact that a large bear was seen in a
swamp near here. Mr.- Robert Childs
was hunting and had started home,
having used up his ammunition. lie
noticed something stirring in the
bushes and found on examination that
it was a large black bear. He had one
shot left in his gun and fired at the
bear, wounding it. The bear mad
dened by the pain gave chase and
forced Mr. Childs so) closely that he
took refuge in a cabin near by. The
bear finially leaving him master of the
situation, lie came hurriedly here to
organize a hunting party to kill the
A SERIOUS CHARGE.
DIRECTOR WILLOUGHBY WAN rs
AN INVESTIGATION.
lie Charges Extravagance on the P:trt o
the Superintendent---SayS He Can't Get
the Light He Wants---The Majority In
dorse Col. Neal.
COLUMBIA, S. C., January 10.-In
connection with the report of the
3uperintendent of the Penitentiary,
which was published in The Register
yesterday. somewhat of' a sensation
vill be created by a minority report
of Mr. T. C. Willoughby, a member
of the board of directors, who charges
that the institution has not been con
ducted r.ccording to sound business
princioles, and that he has been un
able to get all the light ne wanted in
reference to the transactions of the
Penitentiary.
The majority report on the other
hand commends the "wise and suc
cessful- management of Colonel Neal,
and expresses the belief that the
Penitentiary has a bright financial fu
ture. Mr. Willoughby says in is re
port to tae Governor:
As a -member of the Penitentiary
Board of Directors, I beg leave to
make the following report. I concur
with the majority as to the condition
of the property under our charge, but
in so doing I do not sanction the man
agement, which I am inclined to
think, from personal observation and
the information attainable, is not of
that kind which commends itself to
sound business principles. The want
of economic ideas and the glaring ex
travagance is such as should call for
legislative investigation and remedy.
The system of bookkeeping and
monthly statemenis in vogue in the
institution is not such as throws light
upon the fiscal transactions of the in
stitution, to those who like this Board,
have only a limited time to examine
and investigate. And my experience
in seeking information from the ac
countants of the Penitentiary leads me
to infer that light is the last thing de
sirable, not that I charge anything dis
honest; Ionly narrate my experience.
The supply of the vast amount of
supplies of all kinds needed for the
Penitentiary, its farms and camps, it
seems to me, should be let to compe
tion and awarded to the lowest re
sponsible bidder, and not left as at
present in the entire control of the
superintendent. The lax manner of
examining and passing accounts by the
board needs legislative attention,
since the board stself has failed to see
the necessity of reform on that line.
The system of contracts and hiring
is to my mind in many instances in
violation of the Statute, and there
are irregularities and violations of law
within my own observation which are
perversive of that good order and
manigement which the public have a
right to expect of us.
Respectfully submitted,
T. C. WiLLouGBP,
Member Board Penitentiary Directors.
Florence, S. C., January 4th, 1896.
MA.JORITY REPORT.
.The majority is as follows:
Dear Sir: We beg respectfully to
submit the following report as the
Board of Directors of the South Caro
lina Penitentiary for fourteen months
beginning the 1st of November, 1894,
and ending the 31st of December,
1895, the new Constitution having
changed the fiscal year to January
1st, 1896, making it necessary that
our report cover fourteen months.
Owing to the death of one of oui
esteemed members on November 22d,
1895, Mr. J. M. Sprott, our Board
consists now of any four memhbers,
T. J. Cunningham, J. W. Lyles, S.
P. J. Garris and T. C. Willoughby.
The aggregate receipts for the four
teen months were $147,060.60: esti
mated value of crops on hand, *15,000,
00; amount due from convict hire and
other sources, $3,242.54: making a total
of iSt 63,305. 14.
The disbursements were 8144,921.
SS: liabilities, not including Reid
farm, $4,687.39; making a total of
$149,619.27. and leaving an estimated
balance of $15,6S5.27.
We are pleased to say that the
prison is in first class condition in
every respect. The prisoners are be
ing well cered for and every depart'
ment shows a creditable management.
We do not deem it necessary to go in
to details, as you will fina, annexed
to this report a full and complete
statement from each oflicer in charge
of the various departments.
The DeSaussure farm has been paid
for in full. The Board thought it wise
to purchase the "Reid farm." adjoin
ing the "DeSaussure farm," and did
so, at a cost of SS,450. These twvo
places make a very desirable farm
aggregating 4,712 acres, and both
places have beeen thorughly 'equipped
with machinery, wagons, mules etc.,
at a coast of about $8,500. The bottom
lands have been thoroughly dyked,
and we believe capable of resistmng
freshets. These farms have been
worked this year by the Penitentiary
for the first time. The institution
owns seventy nine head of musics and
horses, sixty-eight of which were p~u
chased this year.
The only outetanding indebtedness
against the Penitentiary now is the
purchase price of the "Reid farm ",
We take great pleasure in saying
that the condition of the Penitentiary
in general, nnder the wise and success
ful management of its superinten
dent. Col. WV. A. Neal, is all that
could be expected, and we desire to
express our -high regards for him,
both as a business man and a super
intendent of the Penitentiary.
In conclusion, allow us to express
the belief that the Penitentiary will
begin the new year with a bright
financial future, as it seems to us all
necessary improvements. for some
time come, have been sup~plied.
Our business relations with the
vaious aflicers and guards have been
agreeable and pleasant, and we desire
to express to each of them our appre
cations of the manner ini which they
haqe discharged their respective du
ties. Respectfully,
T. J. CcxNINaHAM, Chairmnan.
J. W. LYLES,
S. P. J. GARIs. __
Good Advice.
THE Anderson Journal of last week
says '"there is a probability that the
price ot cotton will go up again soon
and thtus better prices will prevail for
several nmonthis. his should not in
duce the Southern farmers to plant a
large cotton crop the present year'.
They have already had sad experience
in mi'rketing a large crop and have
been forced by circumstances to turn
their attention to food products, and as
a consequence they are now in better
condition generally than they have
been in the past thirty years. They
know now that it is cheaper and more
satis actory to make their own corn
and meat than to buy it, and if they
will pnrsue this policy a few more
years they will to a great extent be
able to control the rrice of cotton for
the simple reason that they will not be
comelled to sell it unless tue price
suits them. The progr-ess of cotton
manufacturing in ti e South indicates
that in a few years the price of cotton
will be fixed ini Anerica and not in
England.' There -.s good advice in
the above to the farmers, and we hope
they will act upon it. They have the
matter in their own hands, and they
should not allow themselves to be
foled into plantingr too much cotnn
FU0A
NAKII4
POWDER
Absolutely Pure.
A cream of tartat baking powder
Highest of all in leavening strength-La
test United States Government Food Re
port.
Royal Baking Powder Company,
106 t St,. N. Y.
The Court All Right.
CoLUmBa, January 3.-The Su
preme Court, as at present organized,
has decided that it is not a corpse. The
Court was unanimously of the opin
ion that the point that it was without
jurisdiction was without force. A
brief statement of the position of the
Court was filed in order that the bus
iness of the Court might proceed, but
the reason for the view taken by the
Court will be fiiled later. As it was
merely a technical point and has beeu
settled, every thing went along smooth
ly and everyone is satisfied. It involv
ed only a few hours' delay, and this
mornine as soon as the statement of
the Court was read by Chief Justice
MeIver. the work of the term went
regularly along.
Here is what the Court said on the
two cases that were used to bring up
the point:
In the first case, Middleton and Rav
enel, plaintiffs, respondents, vs Albert
R. Taber and others, defendants, ap
pellants, the Court said:
At the hearing of this case a ques
tion of jurisdiction was raised, wnich
it is necessary to dispose of before pro
ceeding further with the case. That
question is based upon the ground that
by the term of the Constitution of this
State, which took effect "from and af
ter the 31st day of December in the
year 1S95," this Court as at present
organized cannot take jurisdiction of
this case.
After a careful consideration of this
question this Court has unanimously
reached the conclusion that the juris
dictional objection cannot be sustain
ed, and hence the Court will proceed
with the hearing of this case on the
merits.
The reasons for this conclusion will
be set forth in an opinion hereafter to
be filed. Henry McIver,
Chief Justice.
In the criminal case the opinion was
announced as follows:
The State, respondent, vs D. C. Mur
phy, defendant, appellant. The de
fendant in this case having interposed
a plea to the jurisdiction of this Court
that question meets us at the thresi
old of the case and must be first dis
posed of.
This plea is based upon the ground
that this Court, as at present organiz
ed, cannot, since the present Constitu
tion has gone into effect, take juris
diction of this case, because as it is
claimed, it is not the Supreme Court
established by the present Constitu
tion.
This Court, af ter a carefual consider
ation of this question, having unani.
mously reached the conclusion that
the plea to the jurisdiction cannot be
sustained, it is ordered that the plea be
overruled.
The reasons for this conclusion will
be set forthr in an opinion hereafter to
be filed. Henry Mclver,
Chief Justice.
It is understood tha~t for good rea
sons the Murphy case has been post
poned for argument until the April
term of the Court, when there will be
four members of the Court.
Gonfederate Relics.
IN behalf of the Memorial Museum,
now established for the preservation of
Southern memorials and relics, in tbe
mansion occupied by Hon. Jefferson
Davis while President of the Confed
eracy this a:.seal is made, to which ev
ery citizen of iScr'h Carolina is earnest
ly asked t" gve sympathy and support.
This historick btdiding was given by
the city of Richmond to the Confeder
ate Memorial Literary Society, an as
sociation whose object was to teach
future generations the true history of
the war. Every State is to have a
distinct representation on the board of
managers by a lady regent from that
State, and also a separate room in
which to deposit.its sacred relics of the
glorious past. South Carolina is rep
resented on the board of Managers by
Miss Daisy Hampton. It should be
the pride and glory of the South to
fui-nish and maintain this Memorial
Museum in the former capital of the
Confederacy, for no city in the land
is so associated with the uuparalleled
heroism of the Scuthern people as
P.ichmonal, whose hills overlook those
battletields. immior-talized by the chiv
alry of soldier-s fromi every State. And
surely within the wails of the mxanision
where so often gathered the valiaut
men and true, these lasting memori
als of the nobler sons and daughters
of all the South should be sacredly
guarded that the past may ever be
held in honored rememberance. In
furtherance of this design the associa
tion asks for contributions of original
documents, pictures, and articles of
any kind that tend to shoa' the habits
and manner of liviug oft th~ pe >ple,
or of the soldiers of the Southern
States. from 1S80 t to 18'0. The soc-iety
suggests that these contribuitions be
given as a memorial of somie soldier
sailor or patriot: or of somec battle,
siege or ma rch, the miemoryv of w hichi
the donor desires to preserve. To
each artie!e should be attached a rec
ord of the person, cuistow, or event it
comnmemlorates. The museum is thor
ouhhly fire-proof and guarded so that
the relies p:aced there will be in no
danger of destruction. Thell South
Carolina room should be tilled wijth
relics from this State. It is desired
that all contributions from South Car
olina should be sent to Mrs. Joseph
Byan, Richmond. Va., or' Miss Daisy
Hampton, Columbia. S. C. It would
be best, perhaps, to send them direct
to Mrs. Bryan, at R~iicond, Va.
G. WALT Whitman, Reform leader
and anti higher institution statesman
of Union county, is the first man on
the ground with a detinite announce
ment for the race for Governor of
South Carolina nlext year. lHe tells
the Greenville News that hie is for R.
B. Watson, of Edg1etield, for (Govern
or. If Mr. Wats~on refuses to run Mr.
Whitmian say h\~le w ill make the race
himseif.
In Mexico and also in Siam, judge&
jury and lawyers all smioke in court,
if they' wish to, while a case is being
tried. E-ven the pr-isouei is not de
prived of his cigar or cigarette.
Tlomato plants have been grafted on
pot-ato plants in England, giving a
eroy of tomatoes above groun 'd and of
potatoes belew. Potatoes grafted on
tomacoes have pr1oduced tlowers and a