Newspaper Page Text
03 ^>XjiXT3Mn3XjgL.
Tuosday Morr-?nar.' Juna 20, 1865.
The State of the Country.
The citizens of St. Matthews haye ra
cc?tlv held a large meeting, at which a
committee was appointed to express their
views ns to the b*st means of preserving
thc peace and <?ooA order of the country,
under thc recent orders of the military
authorities of the United States emanci?
pating our slaves, and also to recommend j
borne uniform rules, if practicable, by
which fair compensation shall be allowed
them under their iilt?red circumstances.
The' report and resolutions which were
prepared bj' the Committee, ?nd which
we are informed, were adopted by the
merl mg with great unanimity, have Oeen
sent to u?, with a request for publication.
But. ns the space in our paper is quite
"limited, wc arc able to publish only brief
extracts from the report and som? of thc
resolutions, as indicating the general scope
of ilieir views. The subject is e?rtainly
one of profound importance to every citi?
zen of thc South.
Thc meeting, after talcing a rapid sur?
vey of the condition of the country, some
parts of which have become almost de- j
populated, and most of the plantations !
nearly stripped of their most able bodied
negroes, Jjwho, upon thc announcement of
their freedom, flocked lo the seacoast or
crowded iato the towns and villages,) rind
alluding to thc work now done ou the
plantations by the negroes which remain
as "small in amount and executed in thc
mo3t slovenly and imperfect manner,"
proceed ns follows: m N J
This state of affairs cannot bc allowed
to continue, without, thc most disastrous j
consequences to all the parties concerned.
An insufficiency of food for the wants of
th? population will Le thai inevitable re?
sult, with all the horrors of famine'for the
next year. And the gathering, in various
parts of the Slate, ot idle und dissolute
negroes who have left the plantations, (and
these wera generally thc worst characters I
of the g:?ngs,) must as inevitably lead lo
vires and crimes, dangerous to thc peace
aud safety of th? community. The cause
.if this threatened f.<-?.re-ty of food heir)'-!
th?; insufficiency of labor on the planta
tiens, owing to desertion; and its imper* j
feeiion, amounting, ii? many c;ises, aiiuo.it ]
to worthlessness, owing to the' want of j
control and discipline .?which has been !
taken away from th? planters; the first |
<ftfv ii to Inquire how this labor can he
retained on thc plantations, or restored
niter it. has been withdrawn. The most,
obvious method ia to make it thc interest
of the negroes to remain at their old
homes; and thc most obvious means of
accomplishing* this it* to provide and re
tuiu on the plantation the lood necessary
for their comfortable subsistence. If this
be done, und no undue temptations are
hfld out to allure them t? other places,
they will remain, not onlv from the j
promptings of interest, but, frSn their at- !
tachincnt to their old homes, for which
they ure so remarkable. j
After providing au abundance of food
for them on tho plantations, the next duty
is not'to permit it to be curried oil" and
wasted, (as it will inevitably be wasted,)
hy allowing an undue part of tho crop to
. be given'to them in "compensation for
their labor," as it is called. Ko matter
how small or l.irge a portion of thc crop
moy be given lo tn cm '"in kind, it will be
(.ure to be wasted in a few months, (per?
haps weeks,) in gewgaws and finery and
'expensive luxuries, which tickle the palate,
or (which isidore pernicious still) in in?
toxicating drinks, until, within a period of
a few brief months, the stock of food
which has beeVi given to them widl be
exhausted, and they will become starving
paupers upon the country and without
homos to 6helter thom. Such a condition
of things is most earnestly \o he depre?
cated, not only from humanity to the
negroes, but from considerations of pubiic
policy, which admonishes us not-to throw
upon society a houseless and sU-rving,
and, therefore, thieving, Lazv.aroni, to prey
upon the community.
To prevent, this waste of food, at a
crisis like this, when so little can be spared;
to prevent, also, the idleness and dissipa?
tion which must, occur, owing to tiie fre?
quent vieil:; of the negroes to the towns
?nd little country shops whilst engaged in
trafficking with 'heir "cro,-?iu kind,'! the
meeting recommends that u commutation
be made to them iu money, or that the
food portion cf it bc purchased back from
them .it the fair niatket value.
They next, proceed to show that, in
times like Ul ese, with the negroes so de?
moralized spd labor so defective from
want of proper discipline, there will be
very few plantations} which will do more
than pay the expenses ot cultivation,
thereby leaving no profit to the proprie?
tor; nod if any considerable portion of
the crop be deducted as compensation to
the negroe?, much in that proportion will
hi; have to turn on me negroes iconi his
plantation, from want ot luod to support
liiin for another crop.
They give, with some fuiners, the causes
' (,f the present unprofitableness of agricul?
tural capi'rl, which., although interesting
he ' r-; t ni' v iew, we llave not the space
Ito copy. But, in view of ?voiding the
I numberless evils of having swarms of idle
negree? roaming over the country in
btaroa ol work, which they will not be
over- desirous to find, the meeting strongly
recommend that an ample supply of food
for all the negroes on the plantation for
the next year be reserved out ef thc crop
before any division be made of the surplus.
This will at least insure them a comfort?
able home and the means of being useful
to themselves and others while engaged
in making another crop.
There arc other topics, discussed in the
report, of much importance to our people
at this time, but which wo' huve no room
for. \v*e gjve some of the resolutions
which were adopted:
Jitxolvcd, That, in order to prevent the
disorders and calamities which are likely
to grow out of the new order of things
imposed upon our country, we will en?
deavor to keep the negroes diligently em?
ployed in useful labor upon our planta?
tions; that wc will discourage their
rambling away from the same and gather?
ing into idle brtiuls elsewhere. And we
hereby pledge ourselves that wc will give
no employment to no?- negro who, from
caprice or insubordination, shall leave the
.Servicesof his employer, except upon the
written consent ot such employer, nor
p riait such negro to be harbored upon
our premises. .
Resolved, That, in consideration of thc
greatscarcity of food which is likely to oc
cur under the new system, and thejd er ange?
niest and uncertainty of labor consequent
therein, it becomes the duty of plan.ers to
i part with as little as possible of ?he food
of their plantations, but reserve as much
j of it as may be necessary for thc comfort
! able support of the industrious and regu
lar laborers '"whom they may have in
futttfe to employ. They give it also at
their opinion, after a cardful examination
of the subject, that, while on many plan
talions the whole crops have been ab
sorbed in the expenses of the same and tilt
support of tlie negroes employed thereon
leaving no surplus as income to the pro
prietor, there are but a very few cases it
which one-fourth of the surplus of tin
crup could be spared as compensation ti
the negroes, after first deducting the ex
penses of the plantation, grain enough fo
tho usual subsistence of Hie negroes (now
on the plantation) for the next crop, an<
nlsi> the usual al.owance of seventy-fi v
bushels of grain for each boree or niul
engaged in the management and makin;
of the crop.
Unsolved, Af the opinion of the meeline
thal in those eases in which compensatio
to th? negroes for their labor may teem t
be allowable, this eompeusaliuii be mad
to them, if possible, not in kind, but i
money, at ibu market value of snell poi
thin of'the crop as it may be cousidete
they are entitled to.
public Meeting at Summerville.
~\Ve have received, but too late for ppl
??cation, copies of a correspondence U>
tween E. J. Limehousc, Intendant of tl
town of (summerville, und Col. Yan Wye
commanding the military forces of tl
United States at thatTplaee. The letter .
intendant Lime-house simply usks pernii
sion of thc commandant tu hulda nieelit
of citizens, with thc view totheiunugur
tion ol measures which may enable tl
j State of South Carolina to resume h
( place in the Union. Thc commanda
! granta thc desired permissiou, iii a lol
I letter, full of counsel. The meeting w
held in Summerville on the 31st of Ila
The committed consisted of the followi
named gentlemen: Dr. Jos. Murra}-, Cha
maD, Dr. J. A Harrold, John Gadsd<
j Thomas Pelzer, T. B. Miles, B. C. Pressh
I Charles Foster, L II. Dukes, J. H, W. Il
I cbiuson, Dr. R. W. Burnham, Jos. Is;
j Perry; Constantine Bailey, Thornas'Lir
: house, Isaac Murray, J. T. Browning, 1
I II. S. Waring, A. R. Stilman, R G. Sto
. Rev. J. A. Mood, Daniel Knight, J.
I Rhodes, Dr. T. L. Pelzer, Charles G ra*
j E. P. Lawrence and J. L. Gantt,
j The report and resolutions submit
j alfi lined the desire of the citizens to
? store themselves in -a civil govcrnm
and to restore the State to ^the Union;
commended as a "duty, to tho people,
;. forbear all acts of hostility to the'authi
: ty of the latter power.^aad to promote
I every possible way, the return of fr?en
i feeling between thc citizens of the I
S sections, North and South; concluding \t
I ?tile, resolutions appointing meetings
j the several Parishes of St. George's I
I ?hester and St. Paul, to be held on
j liitl^ay of June. As we received tl
! pioceediugs on the 16th-a day after
time appointed-their publication is q
! needless; especially^is their results i
I template uolhing?moro than other j
j eeedings, when the? public action wouh
j final. Thes*e we shall be pleased to j
! lisli wheu they reach us.
The Courier s*ys, on tho muihorit
old inhabitants, who approach the e
ricuce of Metliusaleh, tiiatthere Will b
yellow lever this aeasun in Charleston,
what does Professor Hume ?:iy? We
I ?till, non* verrons.
Local Item m
The offi*e of the Columbia Phoenix is
on Gates street, second door from Plain.
CASUALTY.--AVe are told that a negro
man lost hie life, in the Congnree, OB Sun?
day last, by drowning. His inexpertness
in the management of a dug out is said to
have led to the disaster.
EXCHANGE PAI'KRS.- Wc are indebted to
friendly correspondents for the use of
Charleston and Northern papers-the first
named to the 17th iust.; the latter, includ?
ing the Jlcrald and Tribune, to the 10th
June, Irom which we shall make extracts.
The friendly counsels of VA. B. C." ex?
hibit such a warm inteiest in the concerns
of thc Phoenix, and indicate a perso? so
experienced in the matters of which he
writes, that a personal interview with him
would be desirable. We beg "A. W. C." to
Ottll upon us at the first convenient oppor?
tunity. Tile anonymous is hardly the
proper medium for conveying such infor?
mation as he seeks to impart.
LF.TTKIIS VOR CITIZENS.-Letters and
packets are daily arriving foi citizens of
Columbia, and as the .parties addressed are
not always easy to be found, the packets
ure usually leffc- at the store and auction
house of Zealy, Scott ?? llrunp, who will
cheerfully deliver them on application. It
may be well for citizens expecting letters,
papers or packets, to inquire occasionally
at the oliice of these centlemen.
There is'a rumor, which has reached us
from Charleston, that Gov. Magrath lias
been released from prison and arrest, It
is at this moment a mere rumor, but the
thing is not improbable.
Gov. Watts, of Alabama, who was ar
rested at Macon, ha.s been released from
arrest and permitted to return home. Jf
is thought that Governors Letcher ar 1
Vance, of Virginia and North Carolina,
will also be released, and shortly. '4^
ALABAMA.-It is supposed by the quid
unites at Washington that Judge. Porsoni?,
of Talladega, will be "appointed Provi?
sional Governor of Alabama; while James
ti Smith, a loyal refugee has received the
appointment of United States District
Attorney for tho Northern District of
Alabama. '
Burglus are busy in Charleston, nnd
the house'of Mr. S. N. Uart, corner of
Aiken's How and Meeting street, luis been
rifled, and a negro soldier was the bur
glar. And the worthy, Mrs. Meyers-of
whom we know nothing-has be,-ti victim?
ized in the same mauuer and possibly by
the same parlies.
?G-t National Banks are now hi opera?
tion.
WANTED TO PJJRCHASE,
A SM.A?.L LOT of SHEET COPPER,
./"Y. suitable for making stills.
June 20 1* R. TOZER.
Lost or Stolen,
ASMALL PALMETTO WALKING i
CANE..with gold head, marked "E.
M. B., 18?S." A suitable reward will he
paid for its recovery. Apply at this oliice.
June 20 1*
C. F- HARRISON,
Auctioneer & Commission Merchant,
OFFICE ut A. L. Solomon's store. Plain
street, second door abeve the Shiver
House. , June 20
For any Point.
cp~m;v, A LIGHT Two-horse SPRING
c*r?5E#- WAGON can be had, to convey
j passengers or freight to any point, by
applying at this office. June 21 2*
EATING HOUSE..
MR. J. Q. ADAMS would inform the
citizens cf Columbia that he has
opened an EATING HOUSE on the cor?
ner of Washington and Gates streets,
( where MEALS- will be served up at nil
hours of the day. LUN5CH from ll to 2
o'clock. June 20
General Commission Agency.
Jy B. GLASS respectfully advertises
. . the public that he is prepared to do
a GENERAL COMMISSION BUSINESS,
and invites consignments of all kinds ot
Merchandize, Manufactures, Produce, <tc.
He will attend to purchase or sale of Real
Estate, Stocks, <tc. Office ami mart on
Plain sircet, between Lull and Pickens.
juue 30 *>'
~3E?, 23. oii-A-SiS,
BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER,
' [Plain Sired, between Bull and Pi-kcns.)
HAS for sale LETTER, CAP and NOTE
PAPER, EN VELO 1'ES, Steel Pens,
Pen Holders, Sealing Wax, Mucilage, Red
I Tape, Lead Pencils, ludia Rubber, Writing
I Ink, Memorandum and Pass Hooks.
1 june 20 6*
AUCTI?lrN SAT.ES.
Variety Sale.
By Jacob Levin.
THIS (Tuesday) MORNING, at 10 o'clock,
will be ?old, ia iront of the Ration
House, *^
1 Feather Bed, 1 Mattress, 1 Round
Tablei 1 Mahogany Tea Table, pair Brnsr.
Dogs, Arra Chairs, <fcc. \
ALSO,
A lot of Books, among which are His?
torical Collections of South ('?nol?na. Life
cf Napoleon, Dickens' Novels, Arabian
Nights, ?-c., Ac.
After the above, T will sell loo bushels
Corn, in lots to suit purchasers; 20 bags
new Flour, 15 bags Peas.
Unlimited article's rcc-ived up to lime
of sale. june 20
TOT iTOCK !
M. -A. SHELTON & CO.,
Bull Street, one doer from the Post Ojnce,
ARE now offering a NEW STOCK OF
GCODS, which they have lately pur?
chased nt low rates, and are disposed io sell .
At a Slight Advance for Cash,
CONSISTING IN PA HT OH
LADIF'.S' SHOES, cf all patterns-fine
Gent's .' of superior qwnlity.?
Misses " of all (lumbers.
Boy's *' cheap and good.
Gent's fine FELT HATS.
good WOOL HATS.
Ladies' fine H ATS.ladies' VEILS.
" HOSIERY, PINS.
TOOTH BRUSHES, PLAYING CARDS.
Butter CRACKERS, Fanov do. "?.
CH F. ESE. G REEN TEA. it AlSI N'S.
WHITE SUGAR, BROWN SU'r.AR.
JAVA COFFEE-1 pound packages.
BROOMS, MATCHES, SIEVES. *
M U.ST A RD. STA RC ll, Tl N W A RE. .
MACKEREL, HERR1NG .'.CODFISH.
CANDLES, Colgate's PALL SOAP.
BOURBON WHISKEY, ALE.
PORTER, CLARET, ?>t Julien.
CUMBERLAND SAUCE.
MOSS TOli \CCO, SMOKING d >.
CHEWING TOBACCO, LEMONS.
Country merchants ami others visiting
the city wit!-, the intention of purchasing
goods, ?ill find it to their interest to give !
us a call before purchasing elsewhere, ns ;
we are e/iabled, from au extensive pur I
chase, to sell at a V^rv LOW ADVANCE
ON GUAI'.EE?T?N PlilCES.
?11LY FLOUR !
QI NT Y BAGS SUPERIOR FAMILY
O FLOUR, nt $t.f>i) per bar;, for sale by
Juue DJ 3 KENNETH <t GIBSON. j
rpEN THOUSAND POUNDS HORSE !
JL SHOE and TI RE. I RON, for sal* low
for cash by KENNETH & GIBSON
June Ht 3
$200 Mow?rcl ?
IN SPECIE.
STOLEN from my stable?, on
/'fi l the night of the 5th May. two fine
BAY MARES-one a larce bay mare, will
fold iii thefirstof the fall, teven years old,
color a deep Day, black lees, main a:id tail,
very small fore-top, too short to be kept
or placed under the brow band-no while
about her, unless saddle marks, a small
sear on the right hind leg at the knee or
book joint, outside of the leg, recently
done by ploughing; a very heavy made
animal, with great muscular power, fine
action, gentle and kind rn harness or under
saddle, gaits, walk, trot and lope.
Also, one BAY FILLET, four years old,
about 14 i hands high, dark bay color,
black I ^gs, main and tail-a very hand?
some animal, beautifully formed, with
rather a heavy main and tail. No parti
cu.'ar mark*, except a small scar on the
left hip, near r.be root of the tail, in the
shape of a half moon, caused by a kick.
These two animals are very much attached
to each other, and when separated, rest?
less and uneasy.
I will r>sy the above reward, in specie
or its equivalent, for thc recovery of my
marts, or ?100 for either of them.? Any
information as to the thief will be duly
appreciated, and any information as to the
mares can He given to James B. Cureton,
Esq., or Dr. R. B. Johnston, Camden, S. C.,
or k\oc. James A. Witherspoon, Lancaster
C. H., Capt. Thos. Taylor. Columbia, S,^-,
or myself. R. M. MILLER,
"Pineville, C ?fc S. C. R. R.. No. Ca.
June 17 _ 4
AMNESTY.
THE TEEMS OF PARDON
Proclamai iqn by the President of the
United States of America.
Whereas the President of the United
States, on th?8th day of December. A. D.
1863, and on the 26th day of March, A. D.
ISK4, with the objeet to suppress the ex?
isting rebellion, to induce all persons to
return to their loyalty and to restore the
authority of the United States, issue pro?
clamations offering amnesty and pardon to
certain persons who bad, directly or by
implication, participated ia the said rebel?
lion; and whereas zr>?..r>r p?*-Ror.\ who hs'
so engaged in said rebellion, have, since-'
tlie issuance of said proclamation, faiUv
or neglected to take thc benefits offered
thereby; and whereas ninny persone, who
have been justly deprived of ?ll claim to
amnesty and pardon thereunder by reason
of their participation, directly or by im?
plication, in saut rebellion ?nd cont inned
hostility to thc Government of the United
States since the dule of said proclamation,
now desire-to apply for and obtain amnes?
ty Mild pardon;
j To the ?nd, therefor*1, that tho sntlior?ty
j of the Government of tho United States
may he restored, ami timi peace, order and
I freedom mar !>e established, I, Andrew
I Johnson. .President ol the United Staten,
I do proclaim* and declare that 1 hereby
I gi ant to nil persons who have directly or
indirectly participated in the existing
rebellion, except as hereinafter excepted,
j amnesty and pardon, with restoration of
I ni! rights of property, except as to slaven,
I u:,d except, in c:.scs. where legal proceed
I ings, undt-r the laws of the United Staten
providing for ihe confiscation of property
of per>on* engatred in rebellion, have been
instituted, but on tlie condition, rieverthe
le?-;, that every euell person shall take and
subscribe tl.e following oath or affirma?
tion, nnd thencefo:ward keep and nmin
tain said oath inviolate, and which oath
fluill be registered tor permanent preser?
vation, and shall be of the teuor and-effect
fwilow mg, to wit:
I,-, dp solemnly swear or
affirm, in preseti'-e of Almighty G?>d, that
I will henceforth faithfully support and
defend tlie Constitution o; the United
States and the Unio:- of the Slates tbero
under, n:nJ Clint I will in like- manner
abide by and faithfully support, all law*
and proclam?t ,.'ns which have be-n made
during ihr exit ting rebellion^with refer?
ence lo the (.mancipation of slaves. So
help loe God.
The fallowing class . of person? are ex?
empted from the benefits of thia procla?
mation:
1st. All who are. or shall have been,
pretended civil of diplomatic officers, or
otherwise, deni' stilt or forei;*u .n^eiils of
the prefended Confederate Government.
2<1. All who left judicial stations under
thc Ur.itpd Slatts to ?id in the rebellion.
Md. All who shall hat e been military or
naval officers of paid pretended Confede?
rate Government above the rank of colonel
in li.e ?noy or lieutenant in tlie navy.
.1th. All who b;it seat? ii the Congress
of the United Stales to aid the rebellion.
5th. All who resigned or tendered resig?
nations of theil- commissions in the armv
or navy of the Unit* d States lo evade dury
:n resisting the rebellion.
Otb. All who have engaged in any wny
in treating otherwise than lawfully a* pri?
soners ef war parsons found in the United
rtiate< service, ns officers, soldiers, seamen
or in o'her capacities. .
7th. Ail persons who have been or are
absentees fioin'the United states for the
purpose of aiding the rebellion.
8th. All military and 'unval officer* in .
the rebel service who v ' aled by
the Government in the . v .-.cadeniy
nt \h .', I Vin: or thu Uniter? ites Naval
Academy.
?Uh. All persons who hrd 1 the pretended
..fil?es of Governor of^fetatei! in insurrec
tion against, the United States.
loth. All piersons who left their hornea
within th?t jurisdiction- and protection nf
the United Stutes, nnd passed beyond the
Fixerai military lin>e8 inti) the so-e.allet?
Confederate States for the purpose of aid?
ing tl.e rebellion. *
11th. All persons who have leen en?
gaged in the destruction of the.commerce
of the United States ii;.on the high sens,
and who have mad.; raids into the United
States from Cunada, or been engaged in
destroying the commerce of the United
States upon.the lakes and rivers tint sepa?
rate the British proi inccs lroiu the United
Slate?. ?
. 12th.' All persans who, at the time when
they ?eel: to obtain the tn nefits hereof by
taking the oath herein prescribe.;, :u?n
military, naval or civil confinement or
custody, or under bonds of the civil, n.ili- -
tary or naval authorities ol agents nf th.?
United States, as prisoners of war or pe?
sons detained for offence.-* of uny kind,
either before or aller conviction.
ICth. AU persons who have voluntarily
partidiptted in said rebellion, and tile esti?
mated value of whose taxable property is
over twenty thousand dollars.
14th. All persona who have falcon the
onth oLamnesty as prescribed in the Pre?
sident's proclamation of December S. A.
D. 1S05, or nn oath of allegiance ?to the
Government of the United Slates since the
date of raul proclamation, and who have
not thenceforward kept and maintained
tho same inviolate.
Provided, that special application may
be made to the President for pardon by
any person belonging to the excepted
classes, a.nd such clemency will be libe?
ral! v extended as may be consistent with
the facts of the case and the peace and
dignity of the United States.
The Secretary of State will establish
ruies ard regulations for administering and
recording the said amnesty oath, so as to
insure il* benefit to the people and guard
the Government against, fraud.
In testimony whereof. I hav?. hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of tho
United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, the 29th
day of Hay, in the year of our Lord
1805, and of the independence of tito
United States the eighty-ninth.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
Wit. H. SEWAM?, Secretary of State.
June 9 .
