Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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DESTINY OF NATIONS. REV. DR. TALMAGE DISCUSSES THE STAR OF WORMWOOD. Another Unique Text Taken to Enforce a Needed Lesson-The Free Nation of the Earth and t4 Salvation. WASmUNGTO:, June 1t. -It was ap propriate that this sermon on the des tiny of nations should b preached in what long nas been called the presi dents' church. because Presidents Jackson and Pierce and Polk and Cleveland have attended it. Dr. Tal mage chose for his text Revelation viii, 10, 11, "There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Wormwood." Many commentators, like Patrick and Lowth, Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry and Albert lernes, agree in saying that the starWormwood, men tioned in Revelation, was Attila, king of the Huns. He was so called b cause he was brilliant as a star, and, like wormwood, he imbittered every thing he touched. We have studied the star of Bethlehem, and the morn ing star of the Revelation. and the star of peace, but my present subject calls us to gaze at the star of Wormwood, and my theme might be called "Brilliant Bitterness." A more extraordinary character his tory does not furnish than this man thus referred to-Attila, the king of the Huns. One day a woundel heifer came limping along through the fields, and a herdsman followed its bloody track on the grass to see where the heifer was wounded and went on back farther and farther until he came to a sword fast in the earth. the point downward, as though it had dropped from the heavens, and against the edges of this sword the heifer had been cut. The herdsman pulled up that sword and presented it to Attila. At tila said that sword must have dropped from the heavens from the grasp of the god Mars, an its being given to him meant that Attila should conquer and govern the whole earth. Other mighty men have been de lighted at being called liberators, or the merciful, or the good, but Attila called nimself and demanded that oth era call him the Scourge of God. At the head of 700,000 troops mounted on Cappadocian horses, he swept ev erything from the Adriatic to the Black sea. He put his iron heel on Macedonia and Greece and Thrace. He made Milan and Pavia and Padua ad Verona beg for mercy, which he bestowed not. The Byzantine castles, to meet his ruinous levy, put up at auction ma.ssive silver tables and vases of solid gold. A city captured by him, the inhabitants were brought out and put into three classes-the first class, those who could bear arms who must immediately enlist under Attila or be butchered; the second class, the beau tiful women, who were made captives to the Huns; the third class, the aged men and women, who were robbed of everything and let go back to the city to pay heavy tax. It was a zommon saying that'the grass never grew again where the hoof of Attila's horse had trod. His armies -reddaned the 1waters of .the Seine and the Moselle and the Rhine with car cage and fought on the Catalonian plains the fiercest battle since the world stood--300,000 dead left on the field! On and on until all those who could not oppose him _with arms lay -prostrate on tneir faces in prayer, and, a cloud of dust seen in the distance, a bishop cried, "It is the aid of God!" and all the people took up the cry, "It is the aid of God!" As the cloud of dust was blown aside the banners of re-enforcing armies marched in to. help -t Attila, the Scourge of God. emost unimportant occur rences he used as a supernatural re source, and after three months of fail ure to capture the city of Aquilela, and his army had given up the seige, the flight of a stork and her young from the tower of the city was taken by him as a sign that he was to capture the city, and his army, inspir ed by the same occurrence, resumed the seige and took the walls at a point from which the stork had emerged. So brilliant was the conqueror in ay tive that his enemies could not look/at him, but shaded their eyes or t ed their heads. Slain on the evening o is mar riaire by his bride, Ildi , who was -.-.jMd~ e asassinati , his follow ers bewailedl iiio' with tears, but . with blood, cutting themselves with knives and lances. He was put into three coffins, the first of iron, the sec ond of silver and the third of gold. He was buried by night, and into his grave were poured the most valuable coin and precious stones, amounting to the wealth of a kingdom. The 'r digrs and all those who assist ed at the burial were massared, so it would never be knowu where so much wealth was entombed. The Ro man empire conquerd the world, but Attila conquered the Roman empire. He was right in calling himself a scourge, but instea.l of being the Scourgeof God he was scourge of hell. Because of his brilliance and bitter ness the commentators were right in believing him to be the star Worm wood. As the regions he devastated were parts most opulent with foun tains and streams and rivers, you see how graphic is this reference in Rleve lation, "There fell a great star from heaven. burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters and the name of the star is called Wormwood." Have you over thought how many imbittered lives there are all about us -mianthropic, morbid, saturnine? The European plant from which warm wood is extracted, Artemisia absin thium, is a perennial plant, and all the year round it is ready to exude its oil. And in many human lives there is a perennial distillation of acrid ex periences. Yea, there are some wh-ose whole work sis to shed a baleful influ ence on others. There are Attilas of the home, or Attilas of the social cir cle, or Attilas of the church, or Attilas of the state,;and one-third of the wat ers of all the world, if,not two-thirds the waters, are poisoned by the falling of the star Wormwood. It is not coin plimentary to human nature that -most men, as soon as they get great~ power, become overbearing. - The more power men have the better, if their power be used for good. The less power men nave the better, if they use it for evil. Birds circle round and round before they swoop upon that which they are aiming for. And if my discourse so far has been swnging round and round, this moment it drops straight on your heart and asks the question. Is your life a benediction to others or an imbitterment, a blessing or a curse, a balsam or wormwood ? Some of you, I know, are morning stars, and you are making the dawning life of your children bright withi gra cious influences, and you are beaming upon all the opening enterprises of philanthropic and Christian endeavor, and you are heralds of that day of gos pelization which will yet tiood all the mountains and valleys of our sin curs ed earth. Hail, morning star: Keep on shining with encouragrnanL and Christian hope! Some of you are ecning stars, and you are cheering the last days of old people, and though a cloud sometimes comes over you through the querulous ness or unreasonableness of your old father and mother it is only for a mo ment, and the star soon comes out clear again and is seen from all the balconies of the neighborhood. The old people will forgive your occasional shortcomings, for they themselves several times lost their patience when you were young and slapped you when you did not deserve it. Ihil, evening star! Hang on the darkening sky your diamond coronet: But-are any of you the star Worm wood? Do you scold and growl from the thrones paternal or maternal? Are your children everlastingly pecked at: Are you always crying "Hush!" to the merry voices and swift feet, and their laughter. which occasionally trickles through at wrong times and is suppressed by them until they can hold it no longer, and all the barriers burst into unlimited guffaw and cachinnation. as in high weather the water has trickled through A slight opening in the milldam, but after ward makes wider and wider breach until it carries all before it with irre sistible freshet? l)o not be too much offended at the noise your children now make. It will be still enough when one of them is dead. Then you would' give your right hand to hear one shout from their silent voices or one step from the still foot. You will not any of you have to wait very long before your house is stiller than you want it. Alas, that there are so many homes not known to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children where children are put on the limits, and whacked and cuffed and ear pulled and senselessly called to order and answered sharp and suppressed, until it is a wonder that under such processes they do not all turn out Modocs and Nana Sahibs! What is your influence upon the neighborhood, the town or the city of your residence' I will suppose that you are a star of wit. What kind of rays do you shoot forth? Do you use that splendid faculty to irradiate the world or to rankle it? I bless all the apostolic college of humorists. The man that makes me laugh is my benefactor. I do not thank anybody to make me cry. I can do that with out any assistance. We all cry enough and have enough tocry about. God bless all skillful punsters, all re parteeists, all propounders of ingeni ous conundrums, all those who mirth fully surprise us with unusual juxta tion of words. Thomas Hood and Charles Lamb and Sydney Smith had a divine mission, and so have their successors in these times. They stir into the acid beverage of life the sac cha-inc- They make the cup of earth ly existence, which is sometimes stale, effervesce and bubble. They placate animosities. They foster longevity. They slay follies and absurdities which all the sermons of all the palpits can not reach. They have for example Elijah, who made fun of the Baalites when they called down fire and it did not come, suggesting that their heathen god had gone hunting, or was off on a journey or was asleep, and nothing but voci feration could wake him, saying: "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is talking or pursuing, or perad venture he sleepeth and must be awaked." They have an example in Christ, who with healthful sarcasm showed up the lying. hypocritical Pharisees by suggesting that such per fect people like themselves needed~ no improvements, saying, '"The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." But - what use are you making of your wit? Is it besmirched with pro fanity and uncleanness? Do you em ploy it in amusement at physical de fects for which the victims are not re sponsible? Are your powers of mimi cry used to put religion in contempt? Is it a bunch of nettlesome invective? Is it a bolt of unjust scorn? Is it fun at others' misfortuke? Is it glee at their disappointment and defeat? *J8 it bitterness put drop by droninfo a cup? Is it like the sque~zing of Arte misia absinthiumito a draft already distastefully .Ian1gent? Then you are the star &Wormwood. Yours is the fun of-arattlesnake trying how well itcan sting. It is the fun of a hawk trying how quickly it can strike out the eye of a dove. But I will change this and suppose you are a star of worldly prosperity. Then you have large opportunity. You can encourage that artist by buy ino his picture. You can improve the fieds. the stables, the highway, by introducing higher style of fowl and horse and cow and sheep. You can bless the world with promological achievements in the orchards. You can advance arboriculture and arrest this deathful iconoclasm of the Amer ican forests. You can put a piece of scalpture into the niche of that public academy. You can endow a college. You can stocking 1,000 bare feet from the winter frost. You, can build a church. You can put a missionary of Christ on that foreign shore. You can help ransom a world. A rich man with his heart right-can you tell me how much good a James Lenox or a George Peabody or a Peter Cooper or a William E. Dodge did while living or is doing now that he is dead ? There is not a city, town or neighborhood that has not glorious specimens of con secrated wealth. But suppose you grindl the face of the poor-. Suppose when a man's wages are due you make him wait for them because he cannot help himself. Suppose that, because his family is sick and he has had extra expenses, he should politely ask you to raise his wages for this year, and you roughly tell him if he wants a better place to go and get it. Supppose by your manner you act as though he were nothing and you were everything. Suppose you are selfish and overbear ing and arrogant. Your first name ought to be Attila and your last name Attila, because you are the star Worm wood, and you have imbittered one third if not three-thirds of the waters that roll past your employees and op eratives and dependents and associates, and the long line of carriages which the undertaker orders for your funer al in order to make the occasion re spectable, will be filled with twice as many dry, tearless eyes as there are persons occupying them. There is an erroneous idea abroad that there are only a few geniuses. There are millions of them. That is, men and women who have especial adaption and quickness for some one thing. It may be great, it may be small. The circle may be like the circumference of the earth or no larg er than a thimble. There are thou sands of genuises, and in some one thing you are a star. What kind of a star are you? You will be in this world btut a few minutes. As com pared with eternity the stay of ,the longest life on earth is not more than a minute. What are we doing with that minute? Are we imbittering the domestic or socials or political foun tains, or are we like Moses, who, when the Israelites in the wilderness com plained that the waters of Lake Marah were bitter and they could not drink them, cut off~ the branch of a certain tree and threw that branch into the watr, and it became sweet and slaked the thirst of the sutfering hosti Are we with a branch of the tree of Jife that we can touch? Dear Lord, send us all out on that mission. All around us imbittered lives-imbittered by persecution, im bittered by hypercriticism, imbittered by poverty, iibittered by injustic, im bittered by sin. Why not go forth and sweeten tlienm by smiles, by in spiring words by benefactions, by hearty counsel, by prayer, by gospil ized behaviour? Let us remember that if we are wcrmwood to others we are wormwood to ourselves, and our life will be bitter and oureternity bitterer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the on ly sweetening power that is sutlicient. It sweetns the disposition. It sweet ens the manners. It sweetens life. It sweetens mysterious providences. It sweetens atllictions. It sweetens death. It sweetens everything. I have heard people asked in social com pany, "If you could have three wish es gratified, what would your thiee wishes be' If I could have three wishes met this- morning, I tell you what they would be: First, more of the grace of God; second, more of the grace of God; third, more of the grace of God. In the dooryard of my brother John, missionary in Amoy, China, there was a tree called the emperr tree, the two characteristics of which are that it always grows higher than its sur roundings, and its leaves take the form of a crown. If this emperor tree be planted by a rosebush, it grows a little higher than the bush and spreads out above it a crown. If it be planted by the side of another tree, it grows a little higher than that tree and spreadsabove it a crown. Would to God that this religion of Christ, a more wonderful emperor tree, might overshadow all your lives! Are you lowly in ambition or circumstances, putting over you its crown? Are you high in talent and position; putting over you its crown? cth, for more of the saccharine in our lives and less of the wormwood' What is true of individuals is true of nations. God sets them up to re volve as stars, but they may fall worm wood. Tyre, the atmosphere of the desert, fragrant with spices, coming in cara vans to her fairs; all seas cleft into foam by the keels of her laden mer chantmen, her markets rich with horses and camels from Togarmah, her bazaars filled with upholstery from Dedan, with emerald and coral and agate from Syria, with wines from Helbon, with embroidered work from Ashur and Chilmad-where now the gleam of her towers, where the roar of her chariots, where the masts of her ships: Let the fishermen who dry their nets where once she stood; let the sea that rushes upon the bar renness where once she challenged the admiration of all nations; let the bar barians who set their rude tents where once her palaces glittered -answer the question. She was a star, but by her own sin turned to wormwood and has fallen. Hundred gated Thebes, for all time to be the study of tae antiquarian and hieroglyphist; her stupendous ruins spread over 27 miles: her sculptures presenting in figures of warrior and charriot the victories with which the now forgotten kings of Egypt shook the nations; her obelisks and columns; Carnac and Luxor, the stupendous temples of her rride I Who can imag ine the gaeatness of Thebes in those days when the hippodrome rang with her sports and foreign royalty bowed at her shrines and her avenues roared with the wheels of processions in the wake of returning conquerors? What dashed down the vision of chariots and temples and thrones? What hands pulled upon the columns of her glory? What ruthlessness defaced her sculptured wall and broke obelisks and left her indescribable -temples -great skeletons of granite-?- What spirpit of destruction spydid the lair of wild beasts in het royal sepulchers and taught thie miserable cottagers of to day t9-4uild huts in the courts of her teisles and sent desolation and ruin skalking behind the obelisks and 'dodging among the sarcophagi and leaning against the columns and stooping under the arches and weep ing in the waters which go mournful ly by as though they were carrying the tears of all ages? Let the mum mies break their long silence and come up to shiver in the desolation and point to fallen gates and shattered tatutes and defaced sculpture, res ponding. Thebes built not one tem ple to God. Thebes hated righteous ness and loved sin.. Thebes was a star, but she turned to wormwood and has fallen." Babylon, with her 250 towers and her brazen gates and her emnbatlled walls, the splendor of the earth gath ered within her palaces, her hanging' gardens built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his bride, Amy tis, who had been brought up in a mountainous country and could not endure the liat country round Babylon-these hang. ing gardens built, terrace above ter race, till at the height of 400 feet there were woods waving and fountains playing, the verdure, the foliage, the glory looking as if a mountain were on the wing. On the tiptop a king walking with his queen, among stat utes sno wy white, looking up at birds brought from distant lands,and drink ing out of tankards of solid gold or looking off over rivers and lakes upon nations subdued and tributary, crying, "Ils not this great Babylon which.[ have built?" What battering ram smote the walls: What plowshare upturned the gard ens? What army shattered the brazen gates? What long, fierce blast of storm put out th is light which illumnin ed the world ? What crash of discord drove down the music that poured from palace windo w and garden grove and called the banqueters to their revel and the dancers to their feet: I walk upon the scene of desolation to find an answer and pick up pieces of bitumen and brick and broken potte ry, the remains of Babylon, and as in the silence of tne night I hear the sur ging of that billow of desolation which rolls over the scene, I hear the wild waves saying: "Baibylon was proud. Babylon was impure. Baby lon was a star, but by sin she turned to wormwood and has fallen." From the persecutions of the pil grim fathers and the Hluguenots in other lands God set upon these shores a nation. The council fires of the a bo rigines went out in the greater light of a free government. The sound of the warwhoop was exchanged for the thousand wheels of enterprise and pro gress. The mild winters, the fruitful summers, the healthful skies charmed from other lands a race of hard 'y men who loved God and wanted to be free. Before the woodman's ax forests fell and rose again into ships' masts and churches' pillars. Cities on the ban ks of lakes begin to rival cities by the sea. The land quakes with the rush of the rail car and the waters are churned white with the steamer's wheel. Fabulous bushels of western wheat meet on the way fabulous tons of eastern coal. Furs from the north pass on the rivers fruits from the south. And trading in the same mar ket in Maine lum berman and South Carolina rice merchant and tOhio far mers and Alaska fur dealer. And churches and schools and asylums scatter light, and love, and mtercy,and salvation upon 6),t000,0IU of people. 11 pray that our nation may not copy the crimes of the nations that have peishedndi our cup of blessing- turn to wormwood,. and like them we go down. I am by nature and by grace an optimist, and I expect that this country will continue to advance un til Christ shall come again. But be not deceived! tar only safety is in righteousness toward God and justice toward man. If we forget the good ness of the Lord to this land, and break his Sabbaths, and improve not by the dire disasters that have again and again come to us as a nation, and we learn saving lesson neither from civil war nor raging epidemic nor drought nor mildew nor scourge of lo cust and grasshopper nor cyclone nor earthquake; if the p~litical corruption which has poisoned the fountains of public virtue and beslimed the high places of authority, making free gov ernment at times a hissing and annoy ance in all the earth; if the drunken ness and licentiousness that stagger and blaspheme in the streets of our great cities as though they were reach ing after the fame of a Corinth and a Sodom are not repented of, we will vet see the smoke of our nation's ruin, the pillars of our national and state capitols will fall more disastrously than when Samson pulled down Da gon, and future historians will record upon the page bedewed with generous tears the story that thE free nation of the west arose in splendor which made the world stare. It had magnif cent possibilities. It forgot God. It hated justice. It hugged its crime. It halted on its hiigh march. It reeled under the blow of calamity. It fell. And it was going down all the despot isms of earth from the top of bloody thrones began to shout, "Aha, so would we have it," while struggling and oppressed people looked out from dungeon bars with tears and groans and cries of untold agony, the scorn of those and the woe of those uniting in the exclamation: "Look yonder! There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Worm wood_" COT TON SEIZED AND SOLD. Twelve Million )oliars in the Treasury Belonging to Private Citizens. Twelve million dollars are in the treasury awaiting the claims of right ful owners--men whose cotton was seized after the war. The prosecution of these claims is barred by a statute of limitations specially passed, and one of the measures that was prepared but not pressed at the present session of Congress was a bill for the repeal of the limitation act. Three New York ers, one said to be the largest cotton broker in the world, are back of the scheme, and will press it at the next session of Congress. After the close of actual hostilities in 1S65 cotton was seized throughout the South and sold. Secretary Chase was doubtfulof the right of the govern ment to do this, and the same doubt rankled in the mind of William E. Chandler, at that time acting secreta ry of; the treasury and now a Senator from New Hampshire. The doubt was so strong in Mr. Chandler's mind that he would not use the proceeds of the sale, but organized a division in the treasury department which he called the "Division of Abandoned Property and Lands," which is still in existence. He then turned all of the proceeds of seized property, consisting of about 35,00 bales of cotton, great quantities of tobacco, sugar and rice, together with some turpentine, tar and rosins, over to William L. Noerr, chief of the new division. In 1874 Gazaway B. Lamar, a high official in the New York Bank of Cone merce, a Geergian byitd--o mission merchant, retained the late General Benjamin F. Butler and ex Attorney-General George H. Williams as his counsel in a suit against the United States to recover $600,000, the proceeds of the sale of cottoa taken by United States troops. When Lamar secured his verdict of $600,000, Robert C. Schenck, of Onio, late Minister to the Court of St. James, was chairman of the committee on ways and means. Believing that a raid would be made on the treasury by holders of claims, he introduced a bill creating a statute of limitations, thus barring the prose cution of this class of claims. In this way themoney has remained in the treasury. It has been invested in the United States bonds, and now amounts to the enormous sum of $12,000,000. Outside of four or five Southern Senators, it is doubtful if any one knows the true situation. The legislation which the New York syndicate wants passed is very simple. It consists of a five line resolution re pealing the statute of limitations against these claims, and allowing them to be sent to the United States Court of claims for adjudication. A Terrile I-arthquake. YOKoAM, June 17.- News of a ter rible disastere involving the loss of over a thousand lives,has reached here from the Island of Yesso, which con tains the Northern provinces of Japan, including Shirebeshe, Oshima, Furl, Hlitaka, Tokacvhi. Ishikari, Kirshiro, Teshiwo, Kitami and Nemoro. All these sections of the island seem to have been more or less sh- ken. The su bterraneous disturbance lasited about twenty hours and during that period the utmost terror prevailed. The ground rumblings are described as re sembling the roaring of distant can non. Shoek followed shock in almost uninterrupted succession about every eight minutes In all it is estimated there were l5u shoeks of more or less force. It is impossible to obtain for the present accurate details of the dis ster as communicated between the mainland of Japan (Island of Hondo) and Yesso, from which the former is separated by the Strait of Tsugaru, (Sangar,) is said to be interrupted, or, more likely, in the hands of the au thorities. The whole town of Kuma shai, however, is reported to have been destroyed. The awful series of eartnquake shocks were accompanied by a tidal wave, and it is believed that t will be the onrush of a giant wave from the sea which practically wiped ut the town of Kumaishi, which is ituated towards the Japan sea on a arrow neck of land separating it from Volcano Bay on the Pacific side f the island . The island of Yesso has in the past had several similar visita ions and contains active and extinct olcanoes. Rumors have it that the umber of lives lost and the amount f damiage done is far in excess of the igures contained in the brief dispatch. A fuLl otlicial report of the calamity as been asked for and is exoected hortly. It is feared that disasters to hipping also have resulted fromt the idal wave. stabbed to Death. Mir'PHis, Tenn., dJune 15.-Wm. A Sneed, a prominent business man and ctizen of Memphis, was stabbed to eath at the criminal court room to ight. The atfair is very mysterious and the identity of murderer is yet un onwn. T wo arrests have been made. Sneed's wife and child are visiting friends in Chicago. AT-rNT, Ga., June l7.--A special from D)ahlonega. Ga.. to The Consti ution says that M. B. Stanton. of At anta, and David Gilliard, asmnall boy, ere drowned near there yesterday hile bathing. THE LLOYDS INSURANCE. A statement from Mr. W. S. Monteith of Columbia. To the Public: -From November 1894 to 6th of April, 189s;, I transacted business at this point, as general man ager for the S uth and North Ameri cau Lloyds and the New York and Chicago Lloyds, under contract with Whipple & Co. attorneys, No. 35 Liberty street, New York city, and during that period through State and local agents, placed nearly 10.00U poli cies throughout the States of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. I also placed an occa sional policy for the Bankers and Merchants Lloyds, represented by the same attorneys. I regularly remitted to Whipple & Co., almost daily, the premiums re ceived, not waiting for the regular mothly accounts to go forward, as my bank account at the Carolina Nation al bank will show, and at the end of each month, during that period, I for warded a statement showing every policy issued and delivered, together with statement of the policies cancell ed,and those attorneys are fully aware of the condition of every policy issued by me for them. In the last days of March, 189d. they allowed their losses to go over due, and suits in attachment were com menced against them in a number of cases, which are still pending. I was at that time summoned to New York, and informed that those three Lloyds had decided to retire from business, but would reorganize in some other form; later, about the 12th of April, I was informed that a new organization, under the old name of the South and North American Lloyds, had been formed, but I made no contract with them. In the mean time, the firm of Whip ple & Co., attorneys, have commenced serving notices upon the holders of policies, informing them that the pol icies wilh be cancelled at the end of five days from the time of said notice, and asking them to send in the poli cies, promising that return premiums will be sent to the holder. This prom ise, however, seems to be delusive,and appears to be a mere trick on the part of these underwriters and their attor neys to secure the possession of their policies, without paying the return premiums. When they have been sent to them in accordance with such request, these attorneys then reply that they cannot pay the return pre miums until the party satisfies them that he has actually paid the premium to me, by getting a receipt, or certifi cate to that effect from me; which re quest is made in the utmost bad faith, as they are perfectly well aware, by the statements which I have sent to them, that the premiums have been paid to me, and the possession of the policy, on the part of the assured, is a sufficient certificate. Any information that my reports would fail to furnish has been obtained by a special agent sent here to inspect my work. This notice is given after repeated requests made by me to Whipple & Co., to forbear making statements expressive of doubt as to these premi. ums having been paid, or tending to lead the public to suppose that there has been any confusion in the matters of accounts, which I allege to be in all respects regularly rendered and ac companied by the funds collected. All persons to whom return premi ums are due, are advised not to send policies to Whipple & Co., direct, as they will likely not hear of them again, but they should send them (with notice of cancellation) to Col. John R. A bney, counselor at la w, No. 2 Wall street,New-York city, a South erner, and a-ghtleman as well as an attorney of high reputation, and he will look t o the collection of these ac counts and have them promptly re. mitted to the parties, when collected ; and if they shall alredy have sent them to Wnipple & Co., and shall not have received a satisfactory return, they should at once send to Col. Al ney, an order directing Whipple & Co., to pay the amount to him, and authorize him to collect,and they may call upon me for any information in regard to the policy that they them selves cannot furnish, as my books, which are absolutely correct, will en able me to supply the facts in regard to them. W. S. MoNTrrH. Colambia. S. C., June 12, 1896. Arbitration Desired. PEORIA, IIl., June 15.-The Railway Brotherhood of Engineers, Firemen, Trainmen, and Telegraphers, three of which recently removed their head quarters to this city, have decided to ask the Republican committee on res olutions for an arbitration plank in the platform. The following resolu tions were forwarded to S-t. Louis: "More than800, 000 railroadlemploy es in the United States, a majority of whom are members of organized bodies representing their different callings, demand that a plank be in serted in the platform of the Republi can party endorsing national arbitra tion of differences that may arise be tween employer and emiploye, engag ed in interstate commerce. We be lieve the public desires it,;we are sure that railroad emnployes want it, and we know of no one who opposes it. "We deplore strikes and strife and urge that all means possible be em ployed to bring about an amicable settlement of disputes by arbitration. We believe the bill now pending in the national House of Representatives and known as the 'Erdman arbitra tion bill' is a long stride in this direc tion, and we ask the support of the convention in having this measure made law." Fuodi l by ai k ,. CmIEN, N. J1., Jlune 18.--The banks of Halcyon Lake, an artificial pond at Montau Creek. a pleasure re sort in Glour-aster County, if teen miles from here, gave way this morn ing, flooding the surrounding country and causing a loss of $20,000O. The banks were noticed to be in a danger ous condition by two farm laborers a short time before the break occurred. They 'mounted horses and gave the alarm and the people living on the banks of the creek lied to places of safe ty. The buildings, boats amusements both in a pleasure par-k on the banks of the lake were washed away. E~xpert Diamnond Thaieves. S-r. Locus. .June 15.-Dora Donegan arnd .Jennie Monroe. said to be expert diamond theives in the country, were arrested just as they were preparing to enter the P lanter's Hotel by Detectives McCarthy, of Chicago, and O'Connell of St. Louis. The women had their baggage with them and apparently in tended to register. Dora Donegan was convicted of stealing diamonds in Chicago and served a term in the Joilet penitentiary. The police con sider them two of the best captures made since the crowds began to gather. Fell in, Bla.ing- whiskey. LoUISutu-:, Ky., June 14.-Ware house A of the White Mills Distilling company in the southwestern portion of the city, was desstroyed by lire this morning, entailing a loss of about $125, 00'. Seven thousand three hun dred barrels om whiskey were burned. The loss is fully covered by insurance. A. L. Schwab, a firemeni, was fatally burned by falling in a stream of blaz IRBY DRAWS OUT. Says Ie Will not Stand for Re-election in the Senate. LAt iNs. June 17.-- l n a short in terview with Senator Irlry to-day, the State's correspondent asked this question: "Will you be at Manning next Monday, senator,' To which the senator said: "I shall nog attend that or any can paign meeting as a candidate for the United States senate. I had intended up to a short time ago to ask for the nomination at the ensuing primary, but have concluded not to enter the contest. From advices received from ditferent sections of the State I con clude that mty motives and my oill cial acts for the last year have been misunderst.)od by the faction of which I was a charter member. it is appa rent from these advices that I must antagonize those with whom I have co operated politically since 1SsG. It seems that the entire machinery of the party government has been organized to hurnilate, defeat and destroy me. This would not have been done but for a misunderstanding of uiy motives in opposing the equal division of dele gates to the Constitutional con veution, the defense of the name of Butler in the convention, my opposition to the plan of sulfrage as adopted and t'e uncompromising position taken by me in opposition to a bolt in the late State Democratic Uonvention. In addition, if I were to run with my old friends organized against me, I could only expect support from those heretofore my political opponents, which would be distasteful to me, as they owe me favors. "In arriving at this conclusion, I desire to say that I cherish no spleen towards those who I believe miscon strue my motives and political course recently, and confidently anticipate the future to vindicate these positions and policies." What Free Coina;e Means. The free and unlimited coinage of silver means that neither the president nor his secretary of the treasury would be allowed any longer to boycott the four hundred and twenty eight mil lions of standard silver dollars now in existence. The power that could re-establish silver coinage would compel the use of silver with gold in the redemption of greenbacks. This would do away with the false pretense that bonds must be sold with which to buy gold to redeem greenbacks. It would remove the con stant menace by the gold gang that the legal tender quality shall be taken away from the vast amount of silver dollars now in existence. It would add enough to the money in circula tion in the country each year to keep pace with the increase of population and the requirements for domestic ex changes. It would make all the sil ver bullion in the world worth just as much as though it were already coin ed into dollars. It would stop greenbacks from being presented at the treasury, because Iei delbach, Ickelheimer & Co., and the rest of the breed of gold speculators would be offered silver when they de manded gold, and they would not want it. Free coinage would guarantee the stability of the currency. The grind ing conitraction now going on would cease. The borrowed surplus in the treasury of nearly $200,000,000 would be expended in grand public improve ments, including coast defences, and thus be restored to circulation among the people. It would gradually raise the general level of prices. The pro duction of wheat and other farm pro ducts would be resumed on the form er scale. Manufacturers of every de scription would no longer engage in a mere hand-to-mouth production, but would manufacture for the require ments of the coming year. This would give wprk to those now in distress, and would enable laboring people themselves to buy what they are now doing without under the harsh corn pulsion of poverty. The commerce between for:y-five States would be resumed; railroads would be taken out of the hands of receivers, because they could again earn interest on their debts and ex penses and something more. The oc cupation of the panic maker would he gone. With free coinage would come a president and secretary of the treasury who would not spend half their time bawling to the world that their gov ernment is bankrupt and compelled to sell its bonds at 20 ' per cent, discount from the interest rates of the world to enrich favored syndicates for some unfathomable reason. Free coinage would stop the borrowing of money in times of peace for the purpose of obtaining gold with which to pay ob ligations not payable in gold. Free coinage would mean a back seat for syndicates and their oflicial in strument-a back seat for the bears of the New York stcck market, and for the pawnbrokers throughout the coun try. It would mean that money would be more pirofitable when invested in business enterprises than when laid away in a napkin to breed upon itself. It would mean fair play amiong men, and only l100 cents on the dollar in the payment of debts. And free coinage is coming unless bribery and corruption are stronger in the land than the honest expression of the people's will.--Tincinnati Enquir er. A G ret Ralroad. ST. PETEasilmaa, June 17.--The progress made by the great railway of Russia across Siberia is such that the gigantic work is almost certain to be completed by the close of the century. The war betweetr Japan and China, and the financial arrangements with China which have followed, have giv en the Russian government and the contractors a powerful impulse. From Shebalinsk, the terminus on the West, 1,300( miles from Moscow, to Vladivostock, the Easter terminus on the P~ocitice coast, is a distance of 4,8i00 miles, which is fast being sipanined. The total distance between St. Pe tersburg and Vladivostock by railway will be 6,500 miles. Ini anticipation of the opening of new sections. the zone system of tickets has lately been adopted in Russia for all distances over :00 vests, or 200 miles. In this way it should cost under tive pounds to trav el fromn Moscow to the Pacific third class. The present slow rate of travel is to be increased by ten miles per hour on both ordinary and express trins, raising the latter to forty miles an hour. Moscow, which is now only sixty hours from Landon, will be thus nine andl a half days firom \Vladivo stock. The railway will rev-olutionize the routes to Chiha and Japan, and great ly shorten the Paicitie Uc-eani. Con nected with the main project are more important political plans, believed to b- the subjec t of negotiations wvith the Pekin authorities. Such are the op ening of the Sungari navigation from its source in the heart of Manchuria to its conti ienes with the Amur, and a branch railway following the line of that river to an outlet on thie Yal low Sea not far from P'ekhr'. A vast reitor y rich in coal and miuer-als will thus be opened up. and Northern anchulia must ultimately fall to Russia. As to Corea, its fate will lie bween 1ussia and .Tapan. Tillman and Wilson. N4 sii.u:. Tenn., June 16 ----This city today was honored with the dis tinguisied presence of Messrs. Wilson and Tillrman, whose addresses are giv en in substar e- as follows: Siriaior Tllman spoke two hours at the State Capitol to a large crowd His sueech was enthusiastically le ceived and was entirely in line witti his other efforts which have made him famous. He predicted victory for sil ver at Chicago and success in Novem ber for the Democratic nominee. He said he would withdraw from the Con vention if it did not declare for free, unlimited and independent coinage of silver, the doing away of national banks and the issue o1 enough green backs to take the place of the bank notes; made a strong appeal to the Populists to come in with the Demo crats and for all silver men to get to gether. Senator Tillman in an inter view said he felt some apprehension about the Chicago Convention not as to silver declaration, but as to the can didate. He wants a man whose re cord is clear on that subject. 'ostmaster General William L. Wilson delivered the annual oration to the library societies of the Vander bilt Uhiversity today. His subject was the relation of education to the Government, the necessity of educated leaders for the people. He cited the recent tariff question and the present financial problem as showing the ne cessity for wisdom in our leaders and reliance on the experience of other na tions rather than on our own experi ence. Mr. Wilson went on to show that our political system was far fr.m per fect. The power of the demagogue and bribery and corruption of those in public places kept our learned and wise men from entering public life. He thought "it a sign of of decadence in Southern ideas that the efficiency of a Representative or Senator was adjudg ed by his ability to obtain large appro priations for his district. In this way, ne said, a river and harbor bill with appropriations so skilfully dis tributed as to compel the sunport of two thirds of the members of both houses may easily defy the Executive veto and override every appeal .to pub lic economy." In closing Mr. Wilson said that the future salvation and stability of our institutions was in the hanas of the university men. Freedom itself would die did not our men of wisdom and education assume the leadership of the people in such crises as now beset us and would strive forgood government against the demagogues wao appeal to the ignorance and prejudies of the masses for selfish ends." Bible Arguments for silver. The Nashville Sun quotes some verses from the Bible in favor of silver rather to show the ancient usage than to support the theory of free coinage. Among the quotations are the follow ing: Genesis xiii, 16: And Abraham harkened unto Ephre ; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Ileth, four hundred sheckels of silver, current money with the mer chant. Genesis xxxvii 28: Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit. and sold Joseph to tne Ishmaelites for t wenty pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph into Egy pt. Jud fes ix, 4: And they gave him three-score and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-beritb, wherewith Abimnelech hired vain and light per sons which followed him There is one verse, however, that is :iot quoted, which we appead: E::lesiastes v, 10: He that loveth silver shall not be satislied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance (of cir cul-ation?) with increase; this is also -anity.___ A Ciever Poulitical Gm. A little interesting personal an d po litical history was made during thie last election in Montana. E. J. Fraw-. 1:y and J. J. Blake, graduates of the &niversity of Wisconsin Law Szhool, established a law partnership in Hele - na shortly before the time of nominat ing candidates. They were both Democrats at that time. SaOQ after, the firm was established Frawley sur prised his acquaintances oy throwing off the robes of Democracy and joining the ranks of Republicans. He became so active a partisan that he was given the District Attorney- nomination. Mr. Blake appeared to be vexed. He stood by his party, stumping the State for Demrociracy and free silver, His services were likewise re warded by the nomination of his party for the office of District Attorney. Being unable to agree politically, the two life long f riends dissolved their law partnership and exposed each other's weaknesses to the public in their activE campaigns. The Re publicans won and Frtawley secured the coveted ot11:e. Tine two old friends found that they had misjudged each other, came to au understanding and went to practing law agtiu in the. same office. Now they tiivide the protits of the public ot1ice. Teacherg Advi:e. L~ >rea Dow once closed a discorse with the folliring langunge, which is as singular for its quiaiutness as prac tical i a as ad vice: "I want you, my young sin ners, to kiss and get married, and devote your ime to morality and money-traking. Then let your nome be provided .with such comforts and necessaries as piety, pickles, pots and kettles, brushes, brooms arid benevolence, bread, vir tue wine and wisdom.- Having these always on h-a--d, and happiness v/ill be with you. 1D> not drink anythnig intoxicating, eat moderately, go about business after breakfast, lounge a lit ~le after dinner, chat after tea and kiss after quarreling. Then all tbe j y, peace and bliss the earth can af ord shall be yours, until the grave -loses over you, and your spirits are orne to a brighter and happier world" . 1M anit to sete He re. CoLmi3Iu, S. C.,. June 18.-Secreta y of State Tompkins yesterday re :eived the following letter from S. A arrett of Day ton, Ohio, the secretary f a recently ormned imumigration coi ny, which has been answered fully and satisfactorily, it is hoped: "Honorable Sir: When we organ zed our colony we expected to locate n east Tennressee, but so far have een unable to tind suitable location nd prices and have decided to corre pond with your State in regard to a roposed l:>cation in the north western >ortion of South Carolina. What in lucemienits can you offer as to land, imber, manufacturing facilities,tfarm - ig, frutt raising, etc ; also prices of ad? By an early reply you will reatly oblige, etc." G00 Armenians l'rlsoner,. Cossnmsrom:L, June 11.-Six undred Armenians have been arrest d in this city since Jtmei9. A majo~ri y of the prisoners arte from R >dosto. hie member of the Armenian revolu ioary com:inittee who onl Monday at assassinated an Armeuiim spy iu his city anrd who was shot and killed while trying to escape, was a native of Rodosto, T wo hundred of the prison ers were shipped to Anatolia yester ay. Tihe government is rusing the casion of the assassination to expel POWDER Absolutely Pure. A cream of tartar baking powder. Highest of all in leavening strength. - test United States Government Food Report. ROYAL BAKING POWDER Co., New York City. THE WOUNDED. THE ROLL OF THE "CLASS A" STATE PENSIONERS. Alahe Countlew Heard From Bat Three Tbe Warrants Sent Out Monday by the Comptrolier General to the Forty-Seven Veterans. COLUMBIA, S. C., June 16 -Yester day the c->mptroller general sent out to the various pensioners in the State coming under 'Class A," those suffer ing from wounds and disabilities in carred in the late war, the warrants for their pensions. Three counties have not gotten their lits straight anC therefore the wa --tuts were not sent out. They are tL : counties of Aikeu, Abbeville and Beaufort. Tne "Class A" pensioners get $8 per month for the year. The following is the list of the veterans who come under "Class A's" provisions and draw pensions: Barnwell-William J. Clery, Mar tin's. Berkeley-J. J. Weeks, Bonneau's. Charleston-James Crogan, J. W. Cleapor, Stephen Moore, Court house. Clarendor-Warren D. Watts, For reston. Chesterfield-V. T. Brown, Chester field; S. H. Powe., Alfred Smothers, .Cheraw. Colleton-M. D. Benson, Walter boro. Edgefield-R. S. Tonlas, Eulola; John Matthews, Cloud Creek; Ely, Branson, Kirksey; L. P. Cover, Court House; Anderson Howard, Falfa; S. A. Medlock, Pleasant Lane; Wait Stewart, Payne. Fairield-G. G. R->bertson, Winns boro; Thomas Gallagher, Crosbyville; J. A. Wooten, Presley Cooper, Ridgo way. lorry-William Johnson, Joidan ville; John C. Lente, Conway; B. B. Cox, Nixonville. Laurens-James Ham, Mountville; G. M. Langston, Court House; Mau. ton Elmore, Waterloo; B. Goodman, James Jones, Cross HilL Marion-Joshua Byrd, Gaddy; C. Mi. Stalevy, Marion; G. W. Brown, Mt. Nebo; R. B. Boatright, Taoerna cle; G. T. Cripp,;Mullins. Mewberry-J. J. Kinard, Singley. Richland-J. H. Boytes, Joaiah Gunter, James Fraser, Jahius Z sbel, Jesse Thomnas, golumbia; &i. R. Saarp, Hopkins. Union-Charles Garner, Kelton. York-S. L Campbell, Mover; J. B. Steele, J. W. Rooinson, R~ock liii; W. M. Sprouse, tLickory Girove. - Spartanourg-- Williami Joff~ton Mooire's. As will be seen from the above, there are 47 so lar who get in "Clas A" under the ne w pension law. 'The lists of the pensianers i'n the other classes are now being tabulated' as rapidly as possible. Wnen tiuis work is done, the State boar d wigfps upon the applications. - Balky M orses, A Ne w York horsemaa tells h~s f he at one time started balky horses. He walked up to thie balty horse, patted his neck, and talked to him, aud the tirst thing any body knew, the team was going dona thes street so fast-tnat the coacnman could hardly hold them. "dfow did you do it?" asked a by stander. "I'hat is wnat the man wanted to kno w, and all other people. So far as any one could see, .1 naan't done any thing, but.[ had. You walk up to thle horse's head and feel aruuud a lit tle, and thea, as quick as y ou can, stick a pin tnrough tne tip or tinse arn, and let it stay right there. Tue ear~s are the horse's tenderest point; he can not do any thing withuu. nis e.ar,. as soon as the pin goes tnrough Lisa ear, you can make up your mind that he Knows it. --He probably thinks it is s.>me ne w kind orfly, and the whole force of nus mind is centered in getting away frim tnat tIy, so he does t te ouiy thing tat is lef t, that is, tea os awaty at full speed. I don't believe that s:hemue ever lailed. There are balky Izorss that let you build a tire under thlem witho'u. tna ing; but there is not one tuat w 11 stand still and let yo~u trek a i through his ears." The whole paiisphy of curing a balky horse is to ecaange the current~.. of his thougntS; give hi n s.JetnfIa?t else to thinok about. it- is about the same. thing with balky' meu, who are about as common as 04lk y horses. To Walk Well. Oce of the chief gr-aes i< It 11thit -lr walking easily and eree.- &c.V w-tik well, yet all peopile who are u-jt die formed or decrepit may acq tire the habit. Men, as a rule, waLK better than women, but the latter, notwith standing their allegeli incapoacity or physical emulation in the athletic ex ercises of their brothers, may learn to walk in a way that will compell the latter's admiration. A D~elsarte teach er gives tue follo sing hints for prac tice: The proper length of the step is twice the length of one loot, and is measured from the hollow of one foot to the hollow of the other. No w, take a piece of tape and sew on it bits of tiannel at intervals t-viee the length of one of your feet, streteh it across the longest room 3 ou nave at your dis posal, and you are ready for practic. Etich foot should cross i syne line as you walk your tape, setting one foot and then the other right over one ol these bits of lliz nel, letuing the 1Int nel come just under the instep. Do this, and turn your t~es out well and swing your leg fro n the thigh, and you are far on the road to a beautilul walk. Famin, iu Chainas. 8.AN FaAscisc'o, June li.-A fam ine which threateus to alunee the most prosperous porti m of Tonoki, China, into the direst misery for many years is desolati'.g the country. The harvest has been a iaiiu.e and the natives throughout the whole country are in the most miserable condition. Inhabitants imigrate from the cout - try en masse to the cities to be~g for sustenance, whiil" many others are going about pile~gi-ig and perpetrating