Newspaper Page Text
COLUMBIA. Taesday Morning, March 13, 1868. Important Inciter from Mr. Halen. Tlie National Intelligencer has au important letter from Mr. Edward Bates, of St. Louis, Attorney-Gene? ral under President lincoln. Mr. Bates gives his opinion very freely on the Freedmen's Bureau bill vetoed by President Johnson. We have not room for the letter entire, but give below its main points. Mr. li?tes says he understands the bill well, also the motive with which it was originated. Ho says: ' 'I can see its glaring and defiant breaches of the Constitution-and I think 1 eau see also the hidden mo? tive, thc secret design, of the conspi? rators who planned the scheme to overturn our "government of law, and set Tip iu its stead a frightful military oligarchy. And this wicked purpose betrays itself in several provisions of the bill, which are so arranged in the context as to seem, to a hasty ob? server, to be secondary and subordi? nate to the ostensible object, the pro? tection of thc freedmen." Alluding to the first section, which spreads thc institution everywhere and over all freedmen and refugees, and also to tho division of the Union into ticclcc districts, with an assistant commissioner for each, he exclaims: "Twelve districts! That is the exact number into which Cromwell divided the Commonwealt h of England, and governed each district, despotically, by one of his own major-generals;" and to make the resemblance com? plete, the section further provides that the Bureau, "in the discretion of the President," may "be placed under a commissioner and assistant commis? sioner, to be detailed from tho army," and, Mr. Bates says, without refer? ence to rank or color. Mr. Bates alludes to the enormous number of officers and clerks under the bill, and the authority which one and all of them have over all cases in which freedmen aro concerned, and over all ofiences against the provi? sions of the bill; and further, over all cases of discrimination against freed? men and others, "under, not the Constitution and laws, but under such rules as the President of the United States, through the War De? partment, shall prescribe." "These," says Mr. Bates, "arc some of tho enormities of the vetoed bill, framed in the wantonness of par llcWl.oWltfotY??TanTTn open "viola? tion of the historical opinions and traditionary faith of thc people of the United States. " Recurring to the thousands of of? ficers, under tho bill, to bc detailed "from tho army, (with a despotic head at Washington.) exhibiting its power in every county and parish, against every effort to restrain, by legal and civil means, the wantonness of their arbitrary will, Mr. Bates remarks: "Think you that the people of the United States are already so far de? graded into passive obedience as to submit tamely to such an atrocious outrage, even if sanctioned by tho unanimous voico of a factious Con? gress and approved by a subservient President? No, verily. They are not yet ready to abandon their Constitu? tion and renounce all hope of legal liberty by giving over their lives, liberties ami properties to be disposed of at the caprice of petty officers and agents of a petty sub-division of the War Department called a bui-eau." Mr. Bates expresses his gratification that the "radical faction is so de? mented as to pick a quarrel with Pre? sident Johnson," who refuses to be their "instrument to overturn the Government," and to stake their for? tunes upon the monstrous vices and follies of the Trumbull bill, "for," he says, "in doing so they do but insure their own defeat, and, consequently, tlie restoration of law, order and peace, and revival of national respect for legal government and a national love for liberty by law." He concludes by saying that even the emancipated negro "will not long fail to see the hypocrisy and fraud of the transaction." While they are cajoled with the pretence of liberty, the bill subjected them to military overseers, and deprived them of all protection of law and appeal to tho courts for redress. Mr. Bates is not in the habit of speaking in thc severe tone of this letter, and thc fact argues that he must have been highly incensed at its monstrous provisions. (iou. Dick Taylor has leased from the State of Louisiana the new canal connecting the upper part of New Orleans with tlie Lake, for $7.>0,0<)0, payable in annual instalments. Thc New*. It will bc seen from our telegrams that the United States Senate has re? jected the famous amendment to the Constitution, proposed iu the House of Repr?sentatives by thc Reconstruc? tion Committee, and forced through that body in such hot haste. The vote in the Senate wiw, yeas 25, nays 22, which, so far from.being the two thirds required, was really a very small majority. The radicals arc evi? dently at fault. They know not what ! to do. A few weeks ago this particu? lar amendment was thc pet of the party, and the only question was, not as to whether it would pass the Se? nate, but whether thc President would sign it. Thad, was afraid he would not, and therefore declared that it would not need his signature, but ex? pressed not a doubt as to its fate in the Senate. We republish the re? jected amendment to refresh thc reader's recollection : " Resolved by thc Senate and Ho nsf. of Representatives, etc., (two-thirds oj both Houses concurring,) That the fol? lowing article be proposed to the Le? gislatures of the several States as an amendment to-the Constitution of thc United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid as part of said Consti tution, viz: 'Article.-Representa tives shall be apportioned among th? several States Avhich may be includec within this Union according to theil respective numbers, counting tin whole numher of persons in encl State, excluding Indians not taxed Provided, That whenever the electiv* franchise shall be denied or abridgee in any State on account of race o; color, all persons therein of such ruc? or color shall be excluded from tin basis of representation.' " -? ? ? ? Acquitted. The case of the United States vs Daniel and R. Addison Jeffcoat, whicl has excited some interest for severa weeks past, before the military com mission, sitting in this city, has beei brought to a close by a judgment o not guilty, which finding has been np proved by Gen. Ames. The prison ers were defended by Messrs. F. W Tickling aud J. D. Tope; and wai prosecuted by Lieut. Crooks, actin< as Judge Advocate. The charge was tho murder of a person, whose nam icas unknown, wearing the uniform <i a United Slates soldier, some time aban the 18th or 19///. February, 1865, ii Lexington District, immediately aftc thc passing of Gen. Sherman's arar through that section. The justili cation nhvxloil K? . pears to have been of the stronges kind, and the court rendered a judg ment of justifiable homicide. It af fords us great pleasure to record th ii termination of the case, as our com munity appeared to be getting some what feverish, under the impressioi that to bo charged before the com mission, was certainly to be condemn ed to heavy penalties and long impri sonment. The decision in this eas? will be received with favor. It wil tend to disabuse the public mind o: this impression, and to show thal justice will be meted out by the com mission upon a fair case made. W< are informed by ono of the counse for the prisoners, that the Judge Ad vocate conducted the prosecution wi tl courtesy, and presented the ease foi tlie United States with skill ant ability. UNITED STATES DIRECT TAX ON REAI ESTATE.-It is important that tin owners of real estate should look t< the payment of thc United States di root tax thereon. The law provide; that this tax shall be paid within sixtj days after the opening of the office! of collection in any city or county. The tax is twenty-seven cents or one hundred dollars' value at the as sessment of lHfiO, which, if not pan promptly, is ?able to an additional tax of ten per cent. If not paid at the end of sixty days the property, according to the Act o Congress, passed 18G2, is forfeited and will be seized and sold by th? Government. - The correspondent of the New Yort Herald, in relating the death o: Grant's adjutant, says: Gen. Gram was immediately notified of the sac affair by Mr. Garrison, who said "General, I think your Adjutant ii killed;" to which the General replied "Something told me he was killed;' and, upon viewing the body, he said "That is him. A very estimable mar he was. He has been with me througl all my battles. " CAPTI KE OF THIEVES.-Two of tin five thieves who robbed the Uni tot States Express messenger, at St Louis, two weeks ago, havo been ar rested, and $19,214 recovered. Tin romainder of the $40,000 stolen ii supposed to be in the possession o the other throo robbers, who are stil nt large. From Washington. Thc President was visited to-day by ii committee of thc Maryland Le? gislature, consisting of Hon. J. M. Frazier, Speaker of the House; Sena? tors Karlo, of Queen Anne, and W. P. Eaton, of Baltimoro city ; Mesara. Z. Potett and Slothower, of Baltimore County; C. B. Calvert, jr., of Prince George's County, and Joseph Harris, Henry Hazen and Thomas H. Mules, Esqs., of Baltimore city, members of the House, appointed at the late ses? sion to present resolutions adopted prior to adjournment, approving the policy of the Executive. A number of other gentlemen of prominence, including Mr. Robert Fowler, State i Treasurer, accompanied tho commit? tee, and were present at the inter? view. The resolutions of the Legis? lature were delivered to President Johnson by Mr. Frazier, who. at the same time, made a few pertinent re? marks, assuring the President that his policy met with almost universal approval in Maryland. The delega? tion was received with courtesy hy? the President, who expressed himself pleased with the action of Maryland. He was quite frank and unreserved in his remarks to the delegation, ex? pressing a firm conviction that thc whole people of thc country would ultimately support bis veto of thc freedmen's bill, aud all other mea? sures interfering with the Constitu? tion. He declared with warmth that it was his sole ambition to restore thc country as it was before ti e war. The President thanked them foi the encouragement vouchsafed to him by this expression of confidence is him and his acts, and said he would endeavor, in the future, to justify this confidence. There e mid be nc mistake in the position tlut he occu? pied-he acted on principle. Evei since his first entrance into public life, he had entertained ono idea re garding the nature of tiie Union. He had never changed it; and it pleased him to say that, after thc terrible ordeal to which we have beer subjcctcd, and the present unsettled state of the public mind, he still heh this idea, that there were, and alway; would be, enough men, good and true, to sustain the integrity of- tin Union. Speaking of his own course, h< said that for the sincerity of his mo tives and security for the future, th< only guaranty he could give was th? record of his past life. If that was no deemed sufficient, it was useless foi him to say moro. The Constitutif] had been his guide; the public goo( his solo aim; and, sink or swim live or die, he should stand by tba1 Constitution. It is impossible to g< wrong if we act on great and tr m principles. There may be gloom ga thering on our hearth-stones, ant though we may not see our way clear yet he fait that if we follow the righ path, a triumphant conclusion will h reached; but we must follow it stead ily. As for himself, the. troal of hi uiuuruon nau been reachecf, and hi cherished and only desire now wa to see, before, he departed, the Unioi restored, and the country on torin; upon a new era and grander careel The eommitteo retired %iucl pleased with their interview, ead one taking personal leave* of the Prc sident. A few days ago, the House of Rep resentatives passed a resolution call ing upon the President to communi cate, if in his opinion not inconsisteu with the public interests, any corree pondence or other information ii possession of the Government, in rc gard to the term of olfice of Presi dent Benito Juarez, of ti e Republi of Mexico, as to the period when under tho Constitution, a popula election in that country shall tali place;, when free from foreign invfl sion, and as to any vote of confidenc and extraordinary powers given t President Juarez by the Congress o the Mexican Republie. The Presi dent, through Secretary Seward, in forms the House that it would be in expedient to furnish tho informatioi called for. [Cor. Neto York News, 8///. The bill before the Senate, report ed with an amendment from the Fi nance Committee, today, provides among other things, for the taxatioi of income from all United States prc perty held by foreigners with refei euee to its necessity. Commissione Rollins, in a note to the Hon. Joh: Sherman, of that committee, write as follows: The income acquired under the prc tection of oui* laws should pay it appropriate distributive share fo that protection, whether the person to whom it accrues are citizens o aliens, residents or non-residents. ] is practicable to secure that shar i'rom stockholders, as these will rc cognize and establish companies an corporations. Whether or not it i practicable to secure it, when dc rived from other sources, has alway been a doubtful question. It is ur derstood that England deducts he tax from the interest she pays upo her securities, as well to the foreigne as to the citizen. It is manifest from the hostilit exhibited in the House toward al legislation for the sanitary improve mont and general welfare of the Dii trict of Columbia, that Washingto and Georgetown during tho comin, summer will bc found in a worse con dition than ever before. All the aggrc g?tions of filth oi the past four year of army occupation, and the addi tions of the present winter, will rc main to breed pestilence and. death Mr. Ingersoll, Chairman of tho Di! trict Committee, to-day, announce* that he was willing to do 'or the peo? ple of Washington anything that he would for?the people of his own city. But a majority in tho House seem determined to punish the people of Washington at the expense of the immense transient population which makes the capital really what it is. It is a good place to try experimenta on, such as negro suffrage, &c, but not a place worthy of being made decent to live in. Those who have got to live here when Congress is not in session think differently. [Cor. New York Times, Slh. As a ht commentary on the resolu? tion introduced into tho House on Monday, proposing to endorse the Mexican Republican Loan, a resolu? tion will bo offered to-morrow pro? posing that the United States Go? vernment shall guaranty thc bonds of the Irish republic. A conspicuous orator hastens to make the most of thc opportunity, and, in addition, the Fenians, to-night, are to solemnly resolve and swear that they will hence? forward buy or consume no article of British manufacture until Ireland is free. WASHINGTON, March 8.-The Ken? tucky delegation, in their interview and address to thc President, to-day, expressed admiration and confidence touching his general policy, but com? plained of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the continuation of thc Freedmen's Bureau, and the gar? risoning of the State by tho military. The President, in reply, did not touch upon these points, but stated pimply that he should take no step backward in his policy. To prevent litigation, it is ordered by Maj. Gen. Augur, commanding the Department of Washington, that persons who have acquired title to real estate and other property sold by the Government as confiscated shall not be disturbed by suits in any State or niunicip.:1 court, but such suits slndl be brought only in the Federal courts. In the District of Columbia, all the courts arc Federal courts; but the Department of Washington in? cludes adjacent parts of Virginia and thc city of Alexandria. [Special DespatcJi lo Ballimore Sun. THE NEGRO AGAIN. -?-On last Thurs? day evening, anegro woman, laboring under a great mental excitement, and accompanied by a policeman and several negro women, entered the house of Mr. George R. Rutter, tho President of the Tennessee National Bank, and demanded of the aged mother of Mr. Rutter a child which she said had been stoleu by a girl named Lucy, and secreted in the house. Mrs. Rutter told the woman that there "tvas no woman named Lucy in the house, and there had been no child of that description there, whjeh enraged the negress, who used the most insulting epithets until stopped by the policeman, who, satisfied that there was some mistake in tbe affair, took her off- -she still raving and threatening to uriu^ .1 negro guard and "clean out" the I house. Yesterday morning, she re? turned with a squad of negro sol? diers, commanded by a sergeant, who, together with tho negress, used very I abusive and insulting language to the I ladies of the house, (Air. Rutter j being again absent,) and then pro I ceeded to search the house from the ; cellar to the garret;-even breaking open a sideboard-to look for the child; and, not finding it, they left. Mr. Rutter, upon bearing of the out? rage, proceeded at once to thc Bu? reau, where he was confronted hythe negro woman, who abused him in the same manner, and produced a child which she said she had found at his house, where the "white people had whipped the blood out of it." The officers at the Bureau, as we are in? formed by Mr. Rutter, seemed to regret the affair, and, last night, he re? ceived a note from General Runkle, I stating that the sergeant had been arrested and would be court-martialed. Mr. Rutter states positively that no negro child of tho description was ever on the place. This is a very similar case to that wherein Mr. Warr was arrested at the instance of an? other negress, who swore to seeing the dead body of a negro that never had an existence. [Memphis Appeal, 3'V. THE TRUE LTEE.-The more lapse of years is not life. To eat and drink and sleep; to be exposed to darkness and thc light; to pace around the mill of habit und turn thc wheel of wealth; to mako reason our book? keeper, and turn thought into imple? ments of trade-this is not life. lu all this, but a poor fraction of the consciousness of humanity is awaken? ed, and thc sanctities still slumber which makes it most worth while to be. Knowledge, truth, love, beauty, goodness, raith, alone can give vitali? ty to tho mechanism of existence. The laugh of mirth which vibrates through the heart; the tears which freshen tho dry waste within; the music that brings childhood back; the prayer that calls the future, near; the doubt which makes us meditate; the death which startles us with mys? tery ; tho hardships that force us to struggle, tl.o anxiety that ends in trust-these are the true nourishment of our natural being. QUARANTINE REGULATIONS. -Intel? ligence has been received by ono of the New Orleans steamship companies of Now York that a military order lias been issued ordering all vessels arriv? ing from the West Indies to be sub? jected to twenty-five days' quarantine, as a precaution against the introduc? tion of choler?. THK FRENCH PROTECTORATE IN ROME.-Some curious developments concerning tho Roman question were laid before thc Spanish Cortes at Madrid a fortnight ago, in an unpub? lished despatch from Senor Mon, the Spanish ambassador, who waited upon, M. Drouyn de L'Huys, in company with an Austrian envoy, to ascertain tho position of Napoleon towards tho Pope. The question was bluntly asked: "What would France do should thc Romans, after tho with? drawal of the French troops from Rome, rise against the Pope? What use would she make of tho rights which she reserved to herself in thc convention with Italy?" M. Drouyn de L'Huys replied that he did not wish to say, inasmuch as, if he said that Franco would fly to his assist? ance, the Pope would remain impas? sible and tranquil on his throne, and would, perhaps, repeat the present of a disturbing encyclical letter, or fear? lessly maintaining his habitual course, would probably give to Europe the petty spectacle of another Mortrara ease, thc whole responsibility of which would fall upon France on ac? count of the support extended to him by her. Senor Mon and the Austrian Am? bassador replied that in that case it must be the intention of the Empe? ror to hand over the Holy Father a victim to the revolution. This inter I pretation De L'Huys rejected, saying that the Emperor did not wish to encourage the revolutionary spirit by making any such declaration, and that the protection which the Empe? ror had extended to the Vatican for sixteen years ought to be a sufficient guaranty for the future. "Then," said the two ambassadors, according to this written testimony of one of them, "let your excellency make a declaration in this sense." Senor Mon adds briefly: "Rut again he re? fused," and goes on to suggest that Spain and Austria should act in con? cert, as he declares they did in 18G1, asserting that it was largely owing ta tl at concert that Rome had not al? ready been declared capital of Italy, and that Florence had been chosen in its stead. He confesses that he could wring no definite dbclaration from tho French Minister beyond thc re? iterated assertion that the best thing Spain could do for the Pope was te recognize Italy and endorse the con? vention of September. The fact that Spain has since done so, remarks a correspondent, makes this singulai document all the more interesting. FENIANISM IN FRANCE.-The Parif Patrie (semi-official) considers th? "Irish r?voltas a protest against th? despotism of England," and adds "Might will finally prevail agains' right; but at present it seems impos? sible." It concludes: "The time is only the more oppor? tune to apprise the Irish that the^ cannot be abandoned hy the reailj liberal organs of French opinion, anc that al! the sympathies of true mei are accorded to that unfortunate peo pie." The Opinion Nationale, (Napoleon'! organ) speaks of the spreading am increasing power of Fenianism, whicl England has at last opened her eye; to, and remarks: A great crime has been committee against Ireland, whose penalty Eng land is paying to-day, as the Uniter' States have just nov, paid that o slavery and tho slave trade, and as tin Papacy is now paying for its immode rate love of temporal power. * * England luis but felt the point o the nettle as yet, and it remains tc her, perhaps, tc feel that of th? sword, whether it be in Ireland or ii Canada. That is the mystery of thc future, and we do not pretend to un ravel it. Rut tiny (the English) will praj for the health of their beeves, anc they will act with all rigor towart poor Ireland. Such is tlie logic o: great sinners-such is the consequence of high treason against humanity, anc such the necessity devolving on pow er, whether rightly or wrongfully ac epiired. * * * Whether they succeed or not ir checking the Fenian insurrection, i is not by violence-as John Bligh nobly said in the House of Common! -that the union of Great Britain anc Ireland eau be consolidated, but by i new policy and by just concessions t( the wants of thc latter country. SPAIN ANO CHILE.-The news fron Havana is significant, if true. It in forms us that thc Spanish commande: in the Pacific hasJ made certain pro positions to the Chilean Governinen looking to an amicable settlement o the difficulties between the two na tions. There is no good authority for this report, though it may still h\ reliable; but, if true, it is an evideno that the Spanish Admiral understand! the Chileans quito as little as the] seem to be understood in Madrid. Ht proposed a suspension of hostilities and the appointment of commission ers to discuss thc points in issue; but as a preliminary and necessary prece dent to this step toward peace, Chili was to surrender to him Covadongj and all thc Spanish prisoners. O course this modest proposition wa refused, as was also a subsecpieut om that the Chilean Minister forForeigi Affairs should go on board tlie Admi raiflagship and endeavor to m ak some other more satisfactory arrange ment. The Admiral was informet that if he had any propositions ti make they would be received in tin Chilean capital? It will be seen tba th?! little Republic has her dignity a well as the blustering monarchy. I New York Herald, {Mh. Local Items ~ CASU.-Otu- term? for sabscriptiou, ad? vertising ami job work are cash. Wc hop? all parties will bear this in mimi. Tur WEEKLY GLEANER. The regular publication of this paper will bc postponed a few weeks. Persons desirous ot' sub? scribing, will please forward tho money al once. Terms $4 a year. TUE BUUNINO OF COLUMBIA.-An inter? esting account ot the "Sack and Destruc? tion of thc City of Colnmbia, S. C.," bas just been issued, in pamphlet form, from thc 1'larnix steam power pros?. Orders can be filled to any extent. CiiANciE Bu.i.s.-A correspondent sends us the following communication, which wo regard as unnecessarily harsh and severe. Wo do not call the issue of responsible mer? chants "trash/' and without ibis conve? nient medium of change, we could not get along conveniently: Our own opinion is, t hat the Government and city can furnish change! bills sufficient for our community; but it will not do to repudiate thc bills already issued. All that we can see and handle every day aro perfectly good -good as greenbacks: MKSSHK. EIUTOKS: Cannot something bo done to curtail tho issue, of individual sliinplastors? lt has become an intolerable nuisance. The city is Hooded with this trash, and more being added every day. If the law taxing every bill two cents is not enforced, our citizens should refuse to re? ceive them. A CITIZEN. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.-Attention is call? ed to thc following advertisements, which are published this morning for tho first time: Fisher A Hcinitsh-Yeast Powder. J. P. Southern--To Pond-holders. Hanahan A Warley lialosvillu Goods. " " -Eastern Hay, &c. Darbee A Walter-Rooms to Rent. Levin A Peixotto -Furniture, Ac. " " - Horses. Richard Caldwell-Maccaroni, Ac. '. " -Biscuits. T. J. Gibson Corn Whiskey, Ac. -? ? A correspondent of thc Norfolk Old Dominion, writing from Weldon, N. C., under date of March 6, furnishes some interesting items. Wo make the following extracts: The stupendous work at this point, known as the Weldon Bridge, span? ning the Roanoke River, on the Sea? board and Roanoke Railroad, which was totally destroyed on the 13th of April, is in process of rapid comple? tion. Its description is too well known to repeat, as it is to be built like the former. The building is under the immediate superintendence of that able constructor, Samuel T. Hand, Esq., of Portsmouth, who confidently looks forward to tin. last week in April as the period of its inaugural. The reconstruction of this bridge will cost about. $60,000-it originally cost $120,000. After com? pletion, the Petersbm-g and Weldon trains, as of old, will run over it as far as Cary's Station. This privilege, before the war, cost that corporation $5,000 per annum. Col. Roberts, one of the Presidents of the Fenian Brotherhood, issues au appeal to the members of the order. He says: "England is seeking to crush out a rebellion before it is well begun, In? filling her jails with patriots;" aud asks "if Irishmen in America will stand idly by? Come forward and fight the common foe in tho only way in which military aid can reach them. Not a moment is to be lost. Your prompt assistance will enable us to take the field within -days. Let men who will fight report to General Sweeney, and those who can contri? bute send their money at once to these headquarters, for which they will receive irish national bonds." THE NEXT VETO TO BE UNAVAILING. The following statement relativo to tho measure proposed in Congress for the admission of Tennessee into the Union will attract attention. It is made by tho usually well-informed Washington correspondent of tho Baltimore Sun : " Tho majority report will un? doubtedly be maintained. Tho joint resolution which requires that Ten? nessee should acknowledge herself out of the Union, and to be a sup? pliant for re-admission upon tho terms which Congress imposes, will command, no doubt, a two-thirds vote in both Houses of Congress. Tennessee may assent to it, and ratify it. No representation will Tennessee hare till she ratifies that decree. The President will have to act on this joint resolution just .os certainly as he bad to act upon the bill admitting Texas. . His veto will amount to no? thing. Thc committee have count -.1 votes in both Houses upon the mea? sure " MEETINGS OE THE FENIANS.-About 5,000 Fenians assembled in mass meeting in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday evening, and adopted resolutions requesting the conferring of belligerent rights on the Irish re? public by the United States Govern? ment. The Fenians continue active in New York city. It is stated that arms and moneys are being collected in largo quantities, and meetings held nightly. The Ocean Steamship Firemen's Association, of New York, have donated $3,000 to the cause. Demonstrations of significa"" also taken place in N< Haven, Philadelphia, Pi wich and other cities.