The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 24, 1887, Image 1

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*Hx suatTKR WATCHMAN, Established Aprfi, 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aimst at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Troth's " THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established june, Consolidated Aug, 2, 1881.1 SUMTER, S. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24,1887. &\z ?idjmait ar? jlm?jjrm :fSablis&ed 07SX7 Ewx3day, BY NV GK OSTEEN, ,- " S?MTJE?, S. C. ., ? ...-^~TBttM8 : Two Dollars per annum-in advance. A3TERTISKJ?SSTS. One Square, first insertion_.00 Every subsequent insertion-..... 50 Contracts for three mouths, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private nterests will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. .. WJ3 MEN BEST TONIC frcwfca. sad is fextabxabte for D?eaaea pecnfiar to tb? ?gfSiS&SSetkeS ibo Mueles ?ad Mu lut-mfact, tboroa^hJy Invigorates. Okara tb? complsxkc ?ad xitakW?be akin onooih. It Ooe? net blacken to* teeta, esos? nradmrtin. oe JWdao?oii?tlpatiiP jgoflUrira? aitfteiim fr, JIM. KrJXAKrnrB^D^ F?r^aJ^A*a^Mflg?a * ** I b*?a nsoQ Brown's Izan Bltldfi. ?nd it has besa Sfln toad a dootoFto zas. baring ccu ?ct xas o? toa mm ri mm Idim bar? fa Mfa. Atow cured E-a o? LIT ?rObreoMax^aDdTaow iiiTttHnpterk? ft otear ?o? good. Has ?lao boon baae?cial to my children." Kia. Loma?. C. Wmiabcat Savt Lockpoit. K.T^ ?aja:\~I ba-v ggffared antold aJgy jrom. Jennala OoBpiaizxta. and oookl obtain nbax frau oo?dPt ? basaban? Trade Muk ?od crewedred ?aM Take mo .Cher. Mada octy br OOwaUXXXJtOKX.j COTTON BATTIM MITTRESSES? -WR SPEND ALMOST HALF of our life should be made as comfort? able as possible, and for the purpose of aiding this good work, and making some morney,.we now offer the best COTTON BAT TING MATTRESS ever put upon this market. Three grades now made-$5.007 $?.00, ?7.00. Sample and full information at Store of Treasurer,. A. Moses. Satisfaction guaranteed in every case, or money refunded. SUMTER COTTON MILLS. C. BART & CO., Importers and Wholesale Dealers in FS TJIT ! -. CHARLESTON, S. C., Are receiving by steamer and rail from the l?ox?b and West foll supplies each week of CHOICE*APPLES, PEARS, LEMONS. PO? TATOES, CABBAGES, ONIONS, NUTS OF ALL KINDS, ETC., ETC. ?^O&ets solicited and promptly filled. Kov 9 x_ aMpts Irai I aler. Testimonials cf Eminent Physicians of the State. JThe following are selected from many sim? ilar ones : Da. L. C. KEXXEDY, of Spartanburg, ?rites the Proprietors : "The remedial qual? ities dPGlenn Springs I have known for over forty years, and can attest to its value in Dyspepsia from gastric or functionnl derange? ment.of the Liver, General Debility, Dropsical Effusions. Uterine Irregularity and Affections of the Kjdaeys and Bladder. To the last dis? cuses ? would particularly call attention, as the waters bare shown large curative powers rn these complaints.'7 'Dav O.B. Marat, of Newberry, S. C., says : *'I have sent more than fifty persons suffering with Jaundice to theseSpriogs, and bave never been disappointed in any case ; they all speedily recovered. I cannot find words to express my confidence in the Glenn Springs water, as a remedy for the Liver, when functionally deranged. Dyspepsia, Dropsy, certain skin diseases, troubles in the Kidneys and Spleen, if produced by the Liver, ira ve all, as I know, disappeared at the Springs." DSL JAMES MCT?TOSH, President of the Med? ical Association of South Carolina, in bis an? nual address before that body remarks: .'Glenn Springs, for diseases of the Stomach, Liver and Kidneys, deserves to rank with eu y other ou the continent.'* PRICE OF WATER. - Per case of two dozen quart bottles, securely packed and delivered on the train at Spartan fcorg, $4.00. Per gallon, by the barrel, delivered at Spartanburg, 20 cents. Per gallon, for less than a barrel, 25 cents. Address SIMPSON & SIMPSON, Glenn Springs, S. C. For sale in Sumter, by Dr. A. J. China. f siw-Cito of Suter aili ki jamil CeBB?es: IHEREBY ANNOUNCE MYSELF A Candidate for your generous patronage in my BOOK, STATIONARY AND TOBACCO Business. Only that and nothing more. -Oon't send abroad for books or any of these supplies you may require. Buy from me and 1 will sell to you as cheaply as you can pur? chase anywhere in the United States. Help me sn my old age and infirmity, and it shall not add one cent to your necessary expenses. I am cot striving to accumulate wealth but merely desire to provide a comfortable sup? port for myself and family. W. G. KENNEDY, Jan. 20._at Sumter Book Store. BOOKS. SCHOOL BOOKS, MISCELLANEOUS Books, Blank Books, Copy Books, Memo? randum Books, Draft Books, Receipt Books, Note Books, Music Books. Best grade of all kinda of Writing Paper and Envelopes, Photographic, Autograph and Scrap Albums. Playing Cards in variety and Marriage Certi? ficates, at The Sumter Book Store, kept by W. G. KENNEDY, 2 Doors North of John Reids. BIBLES AND TESTAMENTS. AFiNE ASSORTMENT OF BIBLES and Testaments, in large print at Sumter Book Store, kept by W. G. KENNEDY, 2 Doors North of John Reids. ICHABOD AND OTHER POEMS, BY W. G. KENNEDY. FR SALS AT THE SUMTER BOOK STORE. Price reduced to one dollar oeraopy._ ft ?0M|iaonflleln PhUafetohfo ?WQargHat the newspaper Adven ._ t SS STttetag of Messrs . ATKit ft ?ON? oar *uu*>djed *?*ai* THE FOOL'S PRAYER. The royal least was done ; the king Sought some new sport to banish care, And to his jester cried : ^l?Sir Fool, Kneel down for us and, make a prayer !'' The jester doffed hi3 cap and bells,. Acd stood the mockicg court before : They could not see the bitter smile Behind the painted grin he wore. He bowed bis head and bent his knee Upon the monarch's silken stool ; Hie pleading voice arose: "O Lord, Be merciful to me a fool ! No pity, Lord, would change the heart From red with wrong, to white as wool, The rod must heal the sin ; but, Lord, Be merciful to me, a fool ! * 'Tia by oar guilt the onward sweep Of truth and light, 0 Lord, we stay ; 'Tis by oar follies that so long We hold the earth from heaven away, These clumsy feet, still in the mire, Go crushing blossoms without end ; Those hard, well-meaning bands we thrust Among tbe beart-strings of a friend, The ill-time truth that we hare kept We know how sharp it pierced and stung 1 Tbe word we had not sense to say Who knows bow grandly it had rung? Our faults no tenderness should ask, The chastening stripes must cleanse them all ; But for our blunders-ob, in shame Before the eyes of heaven we fall. Earth bears no blossoms for mistakes : Men crown the knave and scourge the fool That did his will: but Thou, 0 Lord, Be merciful to me, a fool !" The room was hushed. In silence rose The king, and sought bis garden cool And walked apart, and murmured low, "Be merciful to me, a fool I" Speech of the Hon. James E. Tindal Before the Claren? don Farmers* Club. The Maiming Times of February 16, contained the followiog : The Ooonty Agricultural Society met on Saturday, January 29tb. Mr. Tindal called it to order and spoke io substance as follows : This, gentlemen, is our annual meet? ing, set apart by the constitution for the election of officers. It has been nearly two years since the first steps were taken to have some association of the farmers of this county. A meeting was called and - elected delegates to Summer meeting at Bennettsville and instructed their delegates to prepare a constitution fora permanent association. At the next meeting after the delegates reported from the Bennettsville meeting our present society was organized, and last year earnest efforts were made to induce the farmers in every community to form clubs, which they did. The object of this association is to enlighten each other by discussion and friendly intercourse, upon matters which con? cern us as farmers and as citizens. This includes interchange of views upon agricultural methods and practices, upon public measures which affect our interests and upon whatever will con? duce to enlightened citizenship atr.oog our people. Farmers are under the same obligations as all other citizens in this free country to understand their public duties and responsibilities. And as they form so large a part of the pop? ulation, it is of great value to the gen? eral good, and of prime necessity to them to have enlightened views and proper regard for their interests. They are bound to the soil, and cannot afford more taxes than are absolutely essen? tial, nor can thrty afford less taxes than is sufficient for good government. They are, therefore, the most conservative of the population, and often slower to ad? vance than their true interests de? mands. The subject most discussed with us last year, was the necessity of agricul? tural education, and the importance of reducing the burdens of the govern? ment, where they may be done without injury. These matters were discussed throughout the State. In our county we did not hope to see much reduction in the expenses of the State government but we did think that the county gov? ernment could be changed to great ad? vantage. Our people also endorsed the view, that the Board of Agriculture should be made larger and more repre? sentative, and direct its energies to en? lighten the people at home, instead of looking abroad-should spend less money in hand-books and displays and more upon farmers' institutes and upon diffusing among the people more gen? erally such information of its work in ! their behalf as would give more gen? eral satisfaction. We also believed that as we are brought in competition with a practically educated world, that the ne? cessity of more practical education was apparent for ns. Our convention en? dorsed, therefore, the resolution to es? tablish experimental farms and an ag? ricultural college. This general awak? ening of the farmers to discuss their condition and wants and to form soc ie eties-to effect a general association has been called "The Farmers' Move? ment." It is felt that the majority of our farmers are not prospering and while money is four per cent, elsewhere, oar rate of interest is ruinous. Thisjs be? cause the farms are not skilfully man? aged and do not yield as they might. For if we show to the world that our farmers can and do make money at their business, all the capital nececssary will go to them and interest will-be re ! duced. But no band books or exhibit j of our resources, or treatises on our soil j will bring capital to the farms that can't pay-nor will the most stupid immi? grants come and remain where 200,000 farm laborers produce only $44,000,000 of farm stuffs. The agitation has done more good than anything since 1876. It has awakened thought and directed the best mind of the whole country to the true state of affairs. There is great earnest? ness manifested by everybody oiz meets, to look into and scrutinize t .-.hole machinery of our government to see where retrenchment can bc profitably secured. The first and most essential step therefore to secure reform has been taken and it is only a question of time when all wise reforms will oome. The projectors may not live to see it all ac? complished, but the State has been nat? urally benefitted already and in the end will come a general overhauling of tbe government and of business meth? ods. The State levy this year is 4J mills. This can be further reduced in time by reducing the rate of interest on the public debt, by reducing the cost of the lunatic asylum when inmates of many are made to support themselves Aere, and by increasing the income of tbe penitentiary. Our county govern? ment is our chief trouble, but it eau be managed. The estimate of our Com missioners sent to the Senator and Rep? resentatives, of couoty expenses for f,his year, was nearly 8? neills. As we bave no railroad tax, this is simply enormous. Sumter and Williamsburg require only three mills and Charleston 1J mills for County purposes. And our county has become involved in debt by deficiencies occurring every year. The deficiency last year, though our tax was 12f mills, was ?2,500. There is no economy in a less levy than is necessary to defray the expenses. The deficiency has to be paid. Economy consists in reducing expenses. How can ic be done ? When we know that men who bnild our bridges and keep them in repair, must charge twice what the work is worth because they never know when they can get paid and are forced to shave their county paper at a heavy discount, the remedy lies in paying cash and to the lowest bidder. To ace o m plish this we secured the passage of a bill authorizing the County Commis? sioners to borrow money in advance of the tax levy and within its limits to pay cash for such work. The same unnecessary expense attends the sup? port of the poor. The Commissioners are empowered also to pay cash for their supplies, and I think a considerable amount can be saved by tbis measure. The Trial Justice system needs also a change. We have six Justices, five in the country and one in the town. Those in the country receive $100, for State cases and are limited to ?75 for constable work, while the one in town j receives ?400, and there is no limit to constable charges whatever. It is claimed that too great a proportion of the work is done by the town justice. This can be remedied, by limiting each justice to a fixed jurisdiction, and the constable work should be limited in every case. Let it be large or small, whatever is fair, it should be fix3d, or else the annual deficiencies so ruinous cannot be stopped. It is just as bad policy for the county to spend more than her income as for an individual. You all know that if a man continues to spend more than he makes, he soon becomes a bankrupt. I may as well say that no assualt is intended upon our town Justice, I cheerfully recom? mended him for reappointment and have been a personal friend and sup? porter of our sheriff from our school days-but I believe this reform is necessary all the same. An amendment to the constitution abolishing the office of County Com? missioners would leave the Legislature free to form county governments for the small counties of th Siate much more ccnomical and mo e efficient. The present system is well enough for a dense and wealthy population, but is excessively burdensome to a poor and sparse population like ours. But this requires two legislatures and a vote of tho people and will be brought up next session. The School Commissioner might also be abolished for the like reason. The constitution contemplates that the School Commissioner would be a thor? oughly educated and accomplished teacher, who could visit thc schouls and regulate the teaching and methods of instruction. But practically this is very seldom the case here, and will not be for a quarter of a century. The Commissioner mainly signs pay certifi? cates which the clerk of court could do as he does other papers for 25 cents each. If the State should run the courts as it ought to be the case, it would great? ly lessen the expense and be a less bur? den on the counties. All court claims passing through the committees on claims in the Legislature would be closely scanned by disinterested people. It was formerly so. As all warrants are io the name of the State, and every part of the State is equally interested in the preservation of law and order, I see no reason why the State should not run the courts as well as the Asvlum, Peniten tiary. or.any other State institution. Tbere are many otber places where it will be found that expenses can be lessened. There is no reason why our tax should exceed nine or ten mills and that without a deficiency. Several reform measures besides those mentioned have been passed which will naturally reduce county expenses, viz : A bill reducing the cost of dieting prisoners. A Bill requiring the Penitentiary to send for convicts. A Bill requiring only the Treasurers report to be published-reducing the cost of printing to one-third. Also a general incorporation act. All these small matters together make a great difference in the final cost of the government to the people. The bill to enlarge and reorganize the Board and Department of Agricul? ture, endorsed by your County Conven? tion, and two State Conventions, was postponed by the Senate, but it passed the House without opposition. A bill to establish the experimental farms for ? thc enligtenmeot of the farmers of the j State, passed. This bill contains a , clause requiring thc Board of Agricul- , ture to place the Legislature at next ] session in possession of all important < information about Agricultural Col- ; leges. When the State House is com? pleted this college can be built by the ; appropriations which now are going for . that purpose. 1 This summary I conclude by saying ! that no greater benefit can come to us than for the farmers to study closely i thc tax laws of the State-about which i I hope soon to give my own opinions. --*T>- -a? It was raining heavily when Parson I Surplus Eel, in crossing thc street, i met a poorly-elad boy whose clothes < were soaked. '.My dear little boy, \ why don't you get an umbrella V said < the kind-hearted clergyman. 'Since pa has quit going to church, he never ; brings home any more umbrellas.'- 1 Texas Siftings. 1 A little Buffalo girl was not feeling well and her parents suggested that she 1 might be about to have chicken-pox, 1 then prevalent. She went to bcd laugh- 1 ing at the idea, but early next morning < went into her parents' room, looking ? ] very serious, and said: 'Yes. it is j 1 chicken-pox, papa ; I found a fedder in j < the bed/ s A Strange Story That Reads Almost Like a Romance. Col. James H. Bion said to Have Been a Direct Descendant of Louis XVI of Prance. New and Courier, Feb. 19. Col. James H. Rion died at Iiis home in Winnsboro', S. C., on Sun? day, the twelfth day of December, last. He was loved and respected wherever he was known. An upright man, an acute counsellor, a profound lawyer, a faithful citizen, a superb soldier and a finished scholar, his loss was deeply deplored. He was all this, and if the story, which is now told for the first time, be true, he was much more, for in his veins ran the blood of the Bourbons, and the mod? est country lawyer was none other than the grandson .of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, King aud Queen of France. An eminent South Carolina lawyer, yesterday told a Reporter for the News and Courier a strange story of Col. Rion's life. He said : 'There has always been, as perhaps you are aware, a mystery surround? ing Col. Rion's birth. He was very familiar with John C. Calhoun during his early life, who took a great inter? est in his welfare and was very kind to him and his mother. They came from Canada to Washington about the time when Mr. Calhoun was Sec? retary of State under President Tyler There have been many speculations, in regard to Col. Rion's origin and family and many rumors, and there was always a recognized mystery hanging over the subject. It was dif 6cult to account for the great interest Mr. Calhoun seemed to take in him. Col. Rion himself always manifested great admiration for Mr. Calhoun and ever entertained the deepest rever? ence for the illustrious statesman, both as a public man and a private citizen. Some have even gone so far as to infer from these circumstances that some peculiar relationship exist ed between them. It is said now that Col. Rion exploded this mystery dur? ing the few brief hours that interven? ed between the first paroxysm of the attack which carried him off and his death-he lived several hours, as you will remember, after he was first at? tacked. 'The story ,i, that Col. Rion, then, in the presence cT Dr. Ilanahan, his physician, and of his entire family, stated that lie was the son of the Dauphin of France, who would have been King Louis XVII had it not been for the French Revolution, which by th?e execution of Louis XVI culmi? nated in the overthrow of the Bour? bon Dj'nasty. His statement was that this boy, the Dauphin, who was reported to have died atan early age, and to have been an imbecile, had not really died, but had been sent over to Canada and had there been reared in obscurity under the name of De Rion ; that he entered the Eng? lish army and was married tc Miss Hunter, and that Col. Rion was the offspring of that marriage. De Rion died in Col Rion's infancy, and he, with his mother, were placed under the charge of Mr. Calhoun by the Austrian ambassador at Washington, with a statement of the facts tn the case and upon certain conditions that were to be faithfully observed. One of the conditions was that the facts should not be divulged except iii cer tain contingencies, another of the conditions was that Col. Rion was never to go to Europe unless in charge of the Austrian authorities, and on b*ard an Austrian man of war. A further condition was that Col. Rion was never to accept civil office in this country. These conditions were faithfully observed up to the time of Col. Rion's last fatal illness. He is not known to have confided the story of his birth to any one, except his eldest daughter. He in said to have told her the story two or three years ago, when she was about to sail for Eu? rope. It is said that one of her pur? poses in going to Europe was to ex? amine into the death of the Dauphin and to obtain such knowledge in re? gard to it as was possible from tradi? tion and otherwifle. It is also said that when Coi. Rion referred to the subject just before his death he observed in the countenan? ces of those who were gathered about him that they supposed his mind to be wandering, and that he said to them : 'You think that my mind is wandering, but 1 am in possession of all my reasoning faculties.' Ile then . asked Dr. Ilanahan to put him to some test in order to demonstrate the fact that he was perfectly rational ne said (tapping his breast) 'I have the proofs here of the truth of what I say.* Col. Rion is known to have been tn possession of a very valuable gold snuff box, set with diamonds, upon the top of which there is a monogram of the Orleans Family wrought in diamonds. This snuff box, it is said, had never boen seen by any member of his family until his death, but he is known to have exhibited it once, in 1885, to an intimate personal and pro? fessional friend, under injunctions of secrecy, which have been removed by his death. Ile gave no intimation to his friend of the history connected with the possession of this box, ex? cept to say that Mr. Clemson, the son-in-law of John C. Calhoun, brought it to him from France, when ho (Mr. Clemson) was secretary of thc American legation in Paris. Thc snuffbox has been valued by a jew? eller, since Gol. Rion's death, at JojOOO, and is ol'most costly ami ex? quisite workmanship. Col. Rion, went to Canada some fears ago and told a friend when lie had returned that he had seen iii Ihe old Cathedral at Montreal the record of his baptism. It is understood that Col. Rion's family are now preparing foi publica? tion a full statement of thc facts in the case and that there is much evi? dence to sustain the confession made by him just before his death. Cer? tainly no ono who knew him would ionbt for a moment, thc truth of any statement that be made when cloth ed ?n his right mind, for he was the very soul of honor.' Such is the mystery which was shrouded up in the life of Col. Rion, and the public will eagerly await the publication of the foll facts connect? ed with an afiair which will read like a romance. There have been many pretenders, each of whom has claim? ed that he was the Dauphin, but their stories have been discredited, and in France it is believed to this day that the Dauphin died in the Temple, where he was placed under the care of Simon, the Jacobin, aller the execution of his father, Louis XVI. The following particulars in refer? ence to the Dauphin and bis sup? posed fate are given in the Ameri? can Encyclopedia, and will be read with interest in view of the story about Col. Rion : 'Louis XVII, Dauphin and titular King of France, son of Louis XVI, was born in Versailles, March 27, 1785, died in the Temple at Paris, June 8, 1795. Ile was the third child of Louis and Marie Antoniette. The title he first bore was Duke of Normandy and he became Dauphin by the death of his elder brother, Louis Joseph, June 4, 1789. Ile was very carefully educated under the supervision of his father and at the outbreak of the Revolution was a beautiful, lively and intelligent child, but remaikably impatient and unmanageable. He was imprisoned in the Temple with rest of the Royal family August 13, 1792. After the execution of his father, January 21, 1793, he was proclaimed King by his uncle (afterwards Louis XVIII) and was recognized by most of the Courts of Europe, by the Vendean chiefs and by the insurgents in the South of France. 'These demonstrations, together with several attempts by the Royal? ists to rescue him from pison, irri? tated and alarmed the revolutionary Government, and on July 3, at 10 o'clock at night, the boy was torn from his mother's arms and carried screaming to another part of the pris? on. Here he was consigned to the care of a shoemaker named Antoine Simon, a violent Jacobin, of rough manners and brutal temper, who, with his wife, treated him with sys? tematic cruelty. The young Prince was left alone in a cell day and night without employment or amusement, or any opportunity for exercise or to breathe fresh air. A vessel of water, seldom replenished, was given him, and some coarse food was occasionally thrown in at the half-opened door. Ile was allowed no means of wash? ing himself, and his bed was not made for months. His limbs became rigid and his mind, through terror, grief and monotony, became imbecile, and at length deranged. Something he had said in reply to questions having been perverted to the injury of his mother, he resolved thence? forth to be silent and for a long period neither threats nor coaxings could induce him to speak. When not sleeping he sat quietly in his chair without uttering a sound or shedding a tear, or shrinking from the rats with which his dungeon swanned. After the reign of terror he was placed under more merciful keepers, but was still kept in solitary confine? ment and not allowed to see his sis? ter, imprisoned in an adjoining apart? ment. At length, in May, 1785, a physician was allowed to sec lum, who pronounced him dying cf scrof ula. According to official accounts he died at 2 P. M., in the arms of Lasne, one of his keepers, and the next day, June 9, his body was iden? tified and certified to by four mem? bers of the committee of public safe? ty and more than twenty officials of the Temple. A post-mortem exami? nation was made the same day by four distinguished physicians. On the 10th the lemains were buried in the Cemetery of St. Marguerite and every trace of the grave carefully obliterated. The principal pretend? ers who have claimed to be Louis XVII were the Rev. Eleazer Wil? liams, who died in 1858 ; Hervagault, a tailor's son who died at Bicetre in 1812 ; Bruneau, another mechanic's son, who died in prison about 1818 ; Hebert, who called himself Baron de Richemont, Duke of Normandy, and after various arrests and imprison? ments, died about 1855 ; and Norn doiff, son of a Prussian locksmith, born in 1786, died at Delft, August 10, 1845. The last named published his autobiography, Histoire des in? fortunes du Dauphin. His claims were pleaded in 1851, by Jules Favre, before a French Court, at the instance of his son and daughter ; but the evi? dence of the death of Louis XVII in 1795 was regarded as conclusive by the Court. The case was revived in 1874 with thc same result. COL. MON'S SON DICKIES THE TR?TII OF TUE STOKY. The News and Courier having sent a reporter to Winnsboro to investigate the "Rion Mystery," published the re? sult in its issue of the '2'2<\, in which Mr. W. C Rion deuies tho truth of the story The following is his letter to '*N. G G.," and published by his au? thority : "As I mentioned yesterday, we did not desire publicity given t>> my Tuber's strange story, and upon F?cond thought and after consul talion with the family here and Ponte of my father s friend*. I think it best not to satisfy thc curi?i~i-y of the publie on a matter which sh:>ui?J have been, in the first instance, ono of secrecy as far ns they WITU concerned Therefore, you will ex--uso me fro tn furnishing tho data I promised you However, the many inaccuracies and anachronisms in the true statement made by my father, taVcn together with his actons and incoherencies, plainly show that he was under tho influence of morphine and not in bis right mind when he made it. Hence, I think no importance or weight can bc given this waudering of an excited braiu, except that thc statement was made. '.True, as T told you, there are evi? dences that he himself believed that he was tho son of thc Dauphin, hut, as far j as proofs are concerned that he was ia j reality such a person, there are none. Dr. R. B. Hanahan, the attending phy? sician, at the time of the statement, and the following morning, expressed it as his opinion that father was under the influence of morphine. "The article 'Blood of the Bourbons/ as yesterday printed, is in nearly all particulars erroneous, and as far as a publication by the family is coocerned, that is simply ridiculous. You can de? ny the truth of the statement as pub? lished, upon my authority, and also state that father was under the influ? ence of morphine wheo the strange story was told by him. Farther than this, you would do the family and my? self a favor by publishing nothing. If, however, anything comes from from the family, your paper shall have the pref? erence." K---w--a Our State Contemporaries. Spartanburg Herald. The Columbia Record agrees with the Herald in holding that something should be done with the homestead law for the building up of credit. In talk? ing with a lawyer from another State sometime ago, he remarked that his State, too, had a homestead law, but it was a check on fraud, and not an en? couragement to dishonesty. Their law gave a man no exemption from his hon? est debts unless the homestead was set off before the debts were contracted, but on the contrary prohibited him from setting aside to his family more prop? erty than a fixed amount, and then trading upon his own appearance and reputation for wealth, and thereby defrauded the ignorant. In our State a man may give everything he has to bis wife, live like a lord, and when men, ignorant of this secret arrangement, de? mand payment for his just debts, may defeat their claims on the ground that he has nothing. And even if he has neglected to do this thing, our law still says he can keep ?1500 before he pays a dollar on his most sacred obligations. The fact is we have entirely misunder? stood this law. It had its origin in the West and was in the nature of a bank? rupt law. Men who had lost every? thing in the East frequently went to a western State, took up a government 'section,' cleared up the wilderness, and built them a home. In the enjoyment of this home they were protected from the rapacity of foreign creditors; and this was right. But these conditions do not exist in South Carolina, and we have no need of the law as it now ope? rates. If a man meets misfortune, and gives up everything to his creditors, they should forgive him what he can? not pay. But when a man contracts an honest debt, has the property to pay it, and refuses to do so, it is demoralizing and disgraceful for the law to shield him in his dishonesiy. Winmboro News. We join our contemporary the Colum? bia Record in commending the action of Governor Richardson in the matter of appointing Mr. B. R. Burnett a judicial Trial Justice for Charleston ; not that we pretend to be either peculiarly inter? ested in Burnett or opposed to his oppo? nent, but for the simple reason that we think the Governor in doing so has es? tablished an important and much-need? ed precedent. The "delegation" had recommended another man, and execu? tive appointments have been made to depend so much of late years on the recommendation of the representatives in the Legislature that 'delegations' have actually come to think that the real power of appointment is with them. It is about time that this erroneous im? pression were being corrected, and Gov. Richardson has doubtless taken a good opportunity io which to make a beginning. Greenville Newt. During Congress a bill was introduced appropriating $10,000 to buy seed for the relief of districts in Texas which had failed to make seed enough to plant by the drouth. The bill passed both houses and went to the president who has just, vetoed it. The president prob? ably knows what he is doing and has looked into the matter with his usual care and caution and if he can furnish good and sufficient reasons for his act the originators of the bill should be se? verely condemned. lu such cases President Cleveland has shown himself a very cautious officer, invariably giv? ing reasons for his vetoes. The idea that the United States treasury is a bank for the relief of every man, family or county that happens to meet with re? verses is gaining ground though it is false in the extreme. The business of Congress 6ecms to be the passing of bills granting pensions, relief and such measures from the money in the treas? ury. Columbia Record. We are in the habit of congratulating ourselves that the United States, uu like the great Europeau powers, is not burdened with the expeuse of a vast standing army to eat up the substance of the people. Yet the cost of no for? eign army establishment, it is said, reaches the figures to which the pension bills have swelled the expenditures in this couufry. If wc aro to have the expenses of a standing anny, let us have the army itself with all its pomp and powder. Regular soldiers canuot vote in elections. Pensioners can ; and just now several hundred thousand go to the polls and regulate thc gov? ernment. We favor the payment of pensions to those who have been dis? abled in war; but wo cannot see any? thing hut ruin in the proposal to spend hundreds of millions yearly in au omni? bus appropriation which groups war? worn veterans with bounty junipers and Sherman's burn mers The Gernirin Reichstag rebelled against Bismarck's proposition to make an appropriation for seven years. Our Congress rock le-sly votes away millions for an indefinite period of time, since pensioners possess more remarkable powers of longevity than any other class of people since the patriarchs. Columbia Register. We cannot see why the Coast Line interests should come to thc Legisla? ture seeking a right of way via Orange burg from Sumter to go to Augusta. The distance from Sumter to Orange burg is identical with that from Sum ter to Columbia, whilst the distance from Columbia to Augusta via Aiken, is about three miles greater than from Orangeburg to A aguata. Now an air Hue route, or practically so, from Columbia to Augusta, through Aiken, is about as far removed from the pre sent Columbia and Augusta Hue as the new Orangeburg-Augusta Road would be from the South Carolina Hoad. Un? less the Coast Line proposes to tear up its track from Sumter to Columbia and remove it to the Sumter and Orange burg line, what eau be the inducement to build forty-three miles, or allowing for difference of the distances of Colum? bia and Orangeburg from Augusta, forty miles more road than that com? ing through Columbia would involve? In either case there would be an im? portant river to span. The Orangeburg route will cross the San tee some six miles below Fort Motte, requiring a heavy and expensive trestle. The line through Columbia would cross the river here with little or no trestle and a less expensive bridge. The Coast Line proposes to build this line with its own money. All it wants is carting room across our territory for Georgia. Sic transit, and pretty sick at that. If our State is to be made a cart road for the lines of outside syndicates, to the destruction of our own towns, the sooner we throw up the sponge and be done with it the better. Any one examining a United States postal map of the State will see the accuracy of the figures we give. Again, by passing the finger from Norfolk to Wilson? and then from that place to Fayetteville, along the Hue just constructed by the Coast Line, and from Fayetteville to Florence, we see what is the possible design. But still the question arises, if it be no further throngh to Augusta by the way of Columbia and Aiken than by the way of Orangeburg, why give the capital of the State the go by, whilst asking of that State an impor? tant franchise. If the State is intent on killing its own capital city, it will find abundant opportunity to do so in more than one direction. We shall see. Orangeburg Timex. The Columbia Register is very much alarmed over the proposed line of railroad from Sumter to Augusta via Orangeburg, and intimates that the State, by granting the charter, is * 'in? tent on killing its own Capital City." The inference from this article is, that because the proposed railroad is to pass through Orangeburg instead of Colum? bia, the charter should have been re? fused by the State. This would be a pretty come off sure enough, Colum? bia being built at the expense of the neighboring towns, and the State as? sisting in the job. Orangeburg has just as much claim on the State as Co? lumbia has, and if the Coast Line or any other railroad prefers run? ning through our town instead of Columbia, we are of the opinion that they should be allowed to do so. We go further, and hold that the Coast Line has a perfect right to tear up its track from Sumter to Columbia and put it down between Sumter and this place. The State does not furnish the money to build the road, and it seems to us that those who do should be al? lowed to select the route, and not be compelled to go by Columbia, although it is the capital city, and it is in danger of being killed. We must confess that the editorial of the Register surprises us. We thought the editor of that jour? nal entertained more liberal views, and had a better feeling for little, insignifi? cant towns like Orangeburg than to grudge them the advantages of a double railroad connection. We do not want to see Columbia killed, but we do want to see Orangeburg built up, and we shall ase all honorable means to that eod. Georgetown Enquirer. The county commissioners, of George? town County, are making a critical ex? amination of the-pauper list with a view to curtailing it, if possible, by elimi? nating unworthy pensioners upon the public bounty. It is likely that chere is room here for considerable judicious pruning. The support of the poor is a very heavy burden npon the taxpay? ers and this avenue of expense should be jealously guarded and surrounded by every precaution. ? i- ?" n - It is reported that Princess Louise (daughter of the Queen) is seeking a divorce from the Marquis of Lorne. An Ottawa dispatch thus comments: "To all who visited the government house thc strained relations of the cou? ple were apparent. They were seldom together, and when they did meet Lord Lorne was made to feel bis inferior so? cial position. Lord Lorne admired pret? ty women, and enjoyed what the ladies would call a harmless flirtation. Dur? ing his sojourn here a handsome and at? tractive lady, who, by the failure of her father, was forced to earn ber living as a governess, was a very frequent visitor a Rideau Hall, lavished her smiles upon Lorne and would have her friends believe that she had completely mesmerized him. Subsequently she displayed letters which purported to come from the Governor-Gen eral." A young man playing billiards in Soquel, Cal., was bothered by a soft corn on one of bis little toes. He yanked off his boot, cut off thc toe with a chisel, stopped the flow of blood with cobwebs, bound up the stump, and resumed the interrupted game. While Capt. Cameron of Portland, Oregon, was walking on a dock the other morning smoking, a ball from some unknown rifleman struck his pipe, carrying it all away except a little bit between his teeth. The Cap? tain swore roundly at losing his smoke. A quaint writer says : 'I have seen women so delicate that they are afraid to ride for fear of the horses running away : afraid to sail for fear the boat should overset, and afraid to walk for fear thc dew might fall ; but I never saw one afraid to get married.' -i - - ? - 'These are hard times,* said a young collector of bills. 'Every place I went to-day I was requested to call again but one, nnd that was when I dropped ! in to see my giri.' I THE QUESTION ANSWERED. Brightly was the moon inclining O'er her honeysuckles door ; Sweet was night-in silver shining: Yet she yearned for something mo rei - Perfumes were her senses steeping In a f?in? yet subtle tide ; Fragrant breath of roses steeping Left her sull unsatisfied. 'Mid the lilacs, soft lamenting, Grieved the plaintive nightingale^ Tet she coldly, half resenting, Listened listless to bis tale. Thoagh a night such peace possessing'- - Should all captiousness disarm, Tet ibe found herself confessing Nature somehow &He& to charm. Did the moon shine down too brightly ? Love-bird weary with his trill ? B?ses cense the air too slightly? What-oh I what-was lacking still? As she pondered thus in sadness, . Sfoie her Lover from the door,? Clasped ber to m> heart in gladness. Then the night lacked nothing morel* -H. G. Gif ord in Temple Bar* Clippings. Sam Jones is going to San Francisco; Tbe United States own some 300, 000. 000 acres of nnsnrveyed land. Lord Salisbury's own supporters de? nounce his Egyptian policy, whatever it is. The New York Star is trying to select the successor of Mr. Manning for the President. Alex. Maccarthur, a man of science has started for the North pole in a can? vas boat. Good bye Mac ! The Queen of England's Jubilee has already begun in India and ?urmah. She has been on the throne fifty years this year. .According to the Cincinnati Price Current the falling off in packing tn the West was about 270,000 hogs. Insuring babies is now all the rage in the North. It said that millions of dollars of risks have been taken. Forty persona were made very sick at a boarding house at Holyoke, Mass., by eating poisoned bread and cabbage. In wealth, size and population there is no city in the world that will compare with London. It has some 4,000,000 inhabitants. When Talmage's daughter was mar? ried the parson performed the ceremony and made a little speech, in which he fairly gushed Talmage is always "on the fly." Silver advocates held a meeting in London and have enthusiastically in* dorsed the silver men in the American Congress. New York takes the Tilden bequest of ?5,000,000 to establish a public library very quickly. It is said to be the largest bequest ever made for a be? nevolent purpose. The New York World's recent special from Washington says the President is inclined to appoint Speaker Carlisle to the Treasury Department, but wilt not do so unless be is assured of his accep? tance. Governor Lee declares that the farm? ers of Virginia are "worse off than they have been since the surrender at Appo? mattox. " How would it do to cnt down the tariff, which Mr. Randall says has been making them rich ?- Washington Post. The Legislature of Texas appropri? ated $100,000 to relieve the sufferers from the great drought of last year. The commissioners appointed to distri? bute are at work. They find that seeds for planting and food for stock are what is needed, but these they have not. They are furnishing flour and meal. Col. A. Coward, of South Carolina, has been appointed a post office inspec? tor. He was the State Superintendent of Education, and is a very efficient business man. The old soldiers of Jen kin's Brigade will be glad to hear of the promotion of Col. Coward. The Commissioner of Pensions has started a requisition for $18,780,000 which is to make payment of pensions due March 4th next. This will te the largest payment for current pensions made in any one quarter in the history of the government. Lula Hurst, the youog wonder whose magnetic powers were on exhibition some time ago, was married to her form? er manager, Paul M. Atkinson, on the 11th inst., at her home near Cedar town, Ga. Since the mysterious power deserted her Miss Hurst has been attend? ing school. It is reported the fortune of $200,000 that she accumulated while on tho stage has been doubled since by lucky investments. Thc greatest news sensation of thc past week, from a Boston standpoint, is the engagement of Michael J. Kelly, the base bail player, by the Boston Club. This wonderful child of genius has been taken from Chicago on a bonus of ?10,000 and added to the base ball club at the Hub at a salary of $5,000 for the season. This is equal to a salary of ?15,000 a year in professional or literary pursuits. The Boston Herald gave four columns to Kelly, with a por? trait of the atletic hero. Who says that this isn't a great country ? The New York World has been inter? viewing the members of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Legislatures relative to their choice for President in 18S8. In Jersey Blaine and Hill are the favor? ites. Hill got 17, Cleveland 3, Abbott 1, non-committal 22; Blaine got 21, Sherman 4, Lincoln 2, Edmunds, 1, non-committal 10. In Pennsylvania, the vote was Cleveland 16; Hill 29, Randall 3. Blaine 126, Sherman 8; G. W. Childs 1, Quay 2. Don Cameron 4, Hawley 1, Conkling 1, Lincoln 3, non? committal 17. Kentucky is in a bad plight. Crimes have not decreased in that State. The latest we have seen is in an exchange from which we clip the following: "Now thc statement comes that the grand jury of Rowan county has found true bills against three men, on a charge of banding together to kill a judge, a state's attorney, and another prominent gentleman and higson. Th? plans as disclosed are the mest beiiiou-i imaginable. Fortunately, one of t::;-> scoundrels was driven to a confession, and the scheme failed,"