Yorkville enquirer. [volume], March 07, 1861, Image 1

About Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006

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wiSiam wEIIIsT.}Pr?prietors- Inbepcnbtnt Jfarailj) ttctospapcr: Jpor % ^rtnno&n of fjje ^political, Social, Agricultural anb Commercial Interests of t|e Soutjr. {$2pbbyeab,in advawce.
VOLUME 7. YORKVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 7,1861. NUMBER 10/
?mjm! ? ariqr.
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
A SONNET?SPUING.
by charlie wildwood.
The soft and mellow skies bend over us
In one imperial arch of ether blue,
And the fresh spring breeses gently waft us
From flow'rs sparkling with pearls of diamond dew,
Sweets of fairest, lovliest shade, rich and rare,
Whose delicious fragrance floods the mild air
With odors from fairy bowers bright and fair.
Winter is gone and the earth rejoices?
All the blithe birds with music-tuned voices
Sing livums of praise to the Father on high,
Who built and rules both the earth aud the sky;
Aye, laughing Nature joins the choral songMountains,
hills, green vales, the notes prolong,
.And wondering mortals repeat the glad song.
ifo pM.e and flamg.
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
ARGUMENTS FOR SLAVERY.
V. Another ground, upon which the defence
of slavery may he fortified, is furnished
by the character of the opposition
made to the institution.
1. This opposition to slavery is made in
the face of the intelligent conviction, and
general practice of the great majority of
the wisest and best men sinoe the days of
the Apostles. Not denying the fact that
some of those at the present day, and in pa9t
times opposed to slavery should be ranked among
the great and good of earth's sens?we
contend, however, that the largest part of the
excellent and wise, have not echoed the onininno
nnw rifp ftmonf* the ODDOnentS of
K"""? o n
slavery. On tbe other hand it is an irrefutable
fact that the great body of wise and good
men, in ancient and modern times, including
all the commentators, critics and theologians
of any note, have believed and
taught that the Apostles of Christ did receive
slaveholders into their churches and
that slaveholding is not, in itself, sinful.?
As illustrative of this point, without going
into details, we will quote from Bishop
Hopkins, who, in his "American Citizen"
after briefly exhibiting the scriptural proof
that slaveholding is not sinful, writes: "If
we go on from the days of the Apostles to
examine tbe doctrine and practice of tbe
christian Church, we find no other views
entertained on the subject, (i. e., than that
it was not to be regarded as sinful). Slavery
continued to exist in every quarter.?
Slaves were held, without any reproach,
even by the bishops and clergy. When
the practice died out, as it did in many of the
European nations, the change was gradual,
through the operation of worldly causes,
and without any suspicion that the institution,
in itself, involved a violation of religion
or morality. Hence its lawfulness
with respect to the Africans and the Indians
taken in war, was universally maintained
by the Puritan settlers of New England,
who claimed the closest adherence in ail
things to the teachings of the scriptures.?
And it was not until the latter part of the
eighteenth century, that a doubt was expressed
on either side of the Atlantio, in
relation to the perfect consistency of such
olnrorr with the nreeents of the GoSDel."
r r L
From this testimony, of an able and pious
New England Bishop, it is evident that opposition
to slavery is a novelty in the opin
ion and practice of the civilized and christian
world. In addition to this we observe
that it is also counter to the teachings and
conduct of thousands who for wisdom, morality
and piety, have no superiors either in
Church or State, in this or any other age
of the world. This point, which admits
indefinite expansion, not only neutralizes
in part, the present hostility to slavery, but
it also contributes something to its support.
2. Again. Selfishness characterizes much
of the contest waged against slavery. Experience
and observation have demonstrated
that slavery, at least, African slavery, is
not profitable in cold climates. To such
the negro is not adapted, and the productions
of the soil of a frigid temperature are
such that reDder free labor cheaper than
slave labor, and heDce with a marvelous
unanimity in the Northern and frozen regions,
wherever slavery is unprofitable, it
is denounced and fought against. How
far the fact that slavery is the dearest form
of labor in a cold climate, may tend to originate
and perpetuate a warfare upon it, is a
question in casuistry we will not attempt to
answer upon our own responsibility. We
have the impression, however, that the
charge, made lately in an extreme Northwestern
State, may be truly alleged against
many others. Rev. J. L Corwing, a Presbyterian
minister (N. S.) of Milwaukie,
Wisconsin, in a sermon said : "There has
been a vast amount of self conceit in the
Church and the world, in their hostility to
slavery. There has been an arrogating of
philanthropy among the reformers on this
subject, which is neither agreeable to taste
nor truth. Do you suppose that there is really
a very much larger amount of philanthropy,
on the whole, at the North, than
there is at the South. I wish there were;
for there is little enough in all latitudes.?
But I confess to be a confirmed skeptic on
this point. Taking a given number of men
at random from a Northern and Southern
community, and I suspect you would find
about as many in one as in the other, who
would hold men as chattels if it subserved
their interests and public opinion tolerated
it. I verily believe, that if to-morrow morning
ten thousand negro slaves were rained
down upon the prairies of Wisconsin, and
our citizens were convinced that their labor
would be more profitable to the wheat market
than that of hired freemen, and moreover
if the publio sentiment had been educated
to acquiesce in it, we should be a
slaveholding State within the next twentyfour
hours." This plain picture has originals
in other States than Wisconsin. This
selfish principle, under another developement,
exerts a controlling influence among
other classes arrayed against the institution.
The politicians herein find one of their
prompting motives, and most successful
hobbies. Men who care no moro for the
moralitv of slaverv than for the length of
.
Chinese hair, rush vehemently into the on-j
slaught upon slavery, and thus actuated by |
self-seeking propensities, ride into places of
political influence. And this same selfish
spirit, ripening into fanaticism, often seizes
other factors of society than tillers of the
soil as political demagogues; it too often
invades the sanctities of the pulpit, and
has prostituted the press. Thus characterized
the war made upon the slave relation
is shorn of many of its best features and
looses muoh of its power.
3. Again. Opposition to slavery is, in
most instances, grounded upon and sustained
by a resort to abuse, malicious denunciations,
and gross misrepresentations. Dr.
Channing, a quarter of a century ago, ada.i
l!. --ii a l-i:*: :
urns iuai uis uuneugues iu -auuiiuuuimjj
"had done much wrong, forthey had fallen
into the common error of enthusiasts, that
of exaggerating their object, of feeling as
if no evil existed but that which they opposed,
and as if no guilt could be compared
with that of countenancing and upholding
slavery. The tone of their newspapers has
often been fierce, bitter and abusive."?
What was true then, is truer now to a hundred
fold extent. Hear, also, what a flaming
Abolitionist, S. S. Foster, said in a i
Convention, concerning a portion of the
South : "The church and clergy, as a body
are thieves, adulterers, manste&lers, pirates
and murderers; the Methodist Episcopal
m l ; ? 3 *1
l/uuruu is mure uuuuptauu piuuigtuc tuau i
any house of ill fame iu New York City;
the Southern ministers of that body are desirous
of perpetuating slavery, for the purpose
of supplying themselves with concubines
from among its hapless victims; and
many of the clergymen are guilty of enormities
that would disgrace an Algerine pirate."
Language little less fiendish and scandalous
than this, is now often on the lips of
the rankest Abolitionists, and has somenffoMnna
In rinncrrAec Spa
11U1CO 1UUUU UVW/IUUVV *U vvu^?vwu. -vv
speeches of Lovejoy and Sumner. No one
caD deny, that besides denouncing and villifying
slaveholders, the most prevalent
method of propagating anti-slavery views,
at the North, is to misrepresent and pervert
the facts and features of slavery. This is
done by the orators and writers, who taking
exceptional facts or cases, which may or
may not be true, and by skillful portraiture,
connected with inflammatory appeals to passion,
sympathy and prejudice, teach the ;
people, young and old, that it is a true representation
of slavery. Such without exception,
is the method pursued by the most ?
popular speakers and most attractive anti- 1
slavery writers of the North. Whether or '
not, those who are the agents in the matter,
can be sincerely honeFt, may be doubted; ;
but whatever may be true with reference to
them, the fact that the Northern miud, imagination
and heart are thus educated and ]
imbued with false sentiments and feelings ]
touching slavery, is unaltered. Hence a
system of teaching, so at war with justice 1
and propriety and morality, and which, if
applied to any or every relation and institution
of society, would put them under the i
curse of both God and man, betrays, in 1
this respect, the weakness of the Abolition j
cause, and thus contributes to the defence
of slaveholding. i
4. Still further : Organized and growing i
opposition to slavery had led men away from '
the Bible, and been allied to, and even pro- {
ductive of, principles and habits confessed- ,
ly more horrible and pestilential, than our j
slavery ever has been. Bishop Hopkins I
long ago said : "The great revolution in '
public opinion upon the subject of slavery, ^
that has occurred in Old and New England, j
in the last half century, cannot be attribu
ted to the Bible, nor to the Church, nor to 1
any new knowledge of the will of God, nor
to the discovery of any unknown principles ,
of moral action. All that belongs to these \
was perfectly familiar to the Christian world
from the days of the Apostles. And there- (
fore, no intelligent and candid mind can be
surprised to find that the most violent op- ?
ponents to slavery, in the United States, are t
always ready to wrest the Bible and de- (
nounce the Church, because they cannot J
derive from either the slightest real support (
in their assaults against the lawfulness of \
the institution."
That this tendency is even more indispu- s
table now, is evident from a sermon lately (
preached in Brooklyn, N. Y., in which the (
Presbyterian preacher says: "It is a re- i
markable and instructive fact, and one at 1
which Christian men would do well to pause (
and consider, that in this country all the ,
prominent leaders of Abolitionism, outside <
of the ministry have become avowed infi- *
dels; and that all our notorious Abolition
preachers have renounced the great doc* 1
trines of grace as they are taught in the ?
standards of the reformed churches. * * * v
It is not a theory but a demonstrated fact, r
that Abolitionism leads to infidelity. Such C
men as Garrison and Giddings and Gerrit ^
Smith have yielded to the current of their
own principles and thrown the Bible over* I
board. Thousands of humble men, who
listen to Abolitiou preachers, will go and
do likewise " This is a truthful utterance ,
made by a noble servant of God, who knew
what he said, and which admits of a hundred
illustrations. Who does not discern p
that where the battle against slaveholders F
rages hottest there all the isms grow uiost
rankly ? Who does not even know, that I
the States in which Abolitionism has achieved
its moat signal triumphs, are at the ^
s
same time the strongholds of infidelity ??
To this we add that in innumerable instan- n
ces, the very men?and women too?who
have composed an Abolition society and t
Convention on one day, have the very next ^
day, met in a Convention to discuss and ^
advocate Libertinism, as opposed to the P
marriage relation, Womans-rigbtism, and t
Communism, and every other ism destructive
of good morals. This same spirit, so *
prolific in its spawn of evils, has carried a n
principle of separation so far, that thous- 1
ands of the best and most enlightened chris- ti
tians have been excommunicated by the ^
United Presbvterians. the Associate Re
R
formed, the Covenanting, the New School i
Presbyterians, the Baptists and the Meth- p
odists, all of which Churches have in the a
.... C
North, been so Abolitionized that their
si
Southern membership, when it existed at
all, was virtually cut off. Who does not
distrust a doctrine which is the ally and parent
of so many evils in the community and
church ? And yet this is the opposition to
slavery, when heated by fanaticism, and
nourished by passion and prejudice and
bigotry. - g
5. It, beyond all this, leads to the viola- a
tion of oaths and compacts and covenants, a
and to the perpetration of deeds of violence s'
contrary to every law of God and well ordered
Government. In proof we need only 0
to point to oaths of office as often violated b
by Abolition Congressmen, the trampling b
under foot of the Constitution of the Uni- *
ted States, by States and men wedded to g
Abolitionism, and the deeds of murder, P
robbery, insurrection and incendiarism so e
nearly being largely enacted in more than 0
one slaveholding State in the last few years
by the rash representatives of an anti-slave- u
ry spirit. The sentiment of opposition to a
slavery, which exhibits "the features, con- c'
comitants, tendencies and results, depicted I1
in this article, not only thereby proclaims
its bastard, base and abominable origin and d
character, but also reflects credit and com- a
mendation upon its antagonistic doctrine of ^
slavery, lawful and moral. What we have ^
herein said, applies primarily only to Aboli- f(
tionism. In the other forms that opinion b
adverse to slavery has assumed, it does not ai
yield the same characteristics and fruits, u
c!
because of the difference in the minds and j
habits of its possessors, and other counter- ft
acting and controlling influences not named
bv PHILEMON. ?1
-J
IIwltowMiS Clicks, si
^ 0 - tc
SOUTHERN POSTAGE ACT. b>
The most important action of the South- ir
cm CoDgress, on the 24th instant, was tfce c<
removal of secrecy from the following re- se
port and bill: pi
The Committee on Postal Affairs having ai
cunsidered of the duties assigned them, ra
bavo instructed me to submit the following a<
report, and the bill accompanying the same, pi
The Committee have mainly directed g<
their inquiries to the question whether, of
without material inconvenience to the pub- ii<
lie, the Post Office Department of this ConFederacy
can be made self-sustaining. re
The Committee find from the latest and ic
most reliable means of information of which m
they have been able to avail themselves, si
that the excess of expenditure over the re- se
ceipts of this Department in the six States rj
comprising this Confederacy, for the fiscal d<
year ending 30th June, 1859, was 81,660,- ec
595.83. They have not been able to ob- bi
tain the report of such receipts and expen- 01
litures of the last fiscal year, but they pre- w
sume the above furnishes an approximation d<
sufficiently accurate for the predicate of our la
present action. cc
To provide for this deficit, your Commit- pi
;ee would suggest that the rates of post- cl
lge may be increased, as proposed by the et
iccompanying bill. By this bill they esti- vi
mate an increase of receipts approximating w
>578,875.83. sc
They believe that a saviug can be effect- tb
;d by a change in the mode of letting out ea
xiail contracts, adopting what is usually 01
jailed "the star bid system." Providing th
ill due safe-guards for the celerity, certain- A
:y, and security of the mails, but without ot
)ther restrictions as to the mode of trans- m
portation. In this way your Committee are to
satisfied that the expense of mail transpor- 01
;ation may be reduced, say33 1-3 percent, nt
jpon the present cost, say SG19,033. ot
They are further of opinion that there ca
should be a discontinuance of numerous pi
outcs, the cost of which is greatly dispropor:oined
to their convenience, and the receipts it
)f the post offices supplied by them. In this er
way they believe a saving of 1-10 of the P<
present cost of transportation may be attain- pi
;d, say 8200,344. af
The service upon many of the routes may, d<
without material detriment, be changed, tv
laily routes reduced to tri-weekly, &c., at of
in estimated reduction of, say 8206,244. at
They would also recommend the abolishng
a number of minor post offices, which
iccasion considerable expense without coresponding
profit or convenience. In this
?ay a saving to the Department might be
eadily secured to the amount of, say $50,100.
rhe sums added, say by increased
receipts by raising
postage rates $578,874 83
lysaving, as above indicated,
total ; 1,081,721 00
Total $1,660,595 83
'resent excess of expenditures
over receipts 1,660,595 83
Your Committee are of opinion that steps
hould be immediately taken to procure
tostage stamps of the denomination of two,
ve and twenty cents; and these stamps
rill be sufficient to meet the wants of the
)epartment for the present.
They would further suggest that immeliute
steps should be taken fjr procuring a
upply of locks and keys for the mail serice
; and for posit-office blanks, such as are
low in use.
They would further recommend that all
be mail contracts within this Confederacy
ie re-let at as early a day as practicable,
nd until they are re-let the existing conracts
remain of force, this government beoming
responsible to such contractors from
he 8th day of February, 1861.
Your Committee are unable to suggest
ny plan until further arrangements shall
iave been made for the transmission of
aail matter to aod from other governments.
Knliono V Atvanni* *?? of until nnotnl
, lie J UC uwnv^fi/H vuuu uuui pvovui
reaties can be made, expedients arising
rom the necessities of the public, will
eadily suggest themselves, which will in a
reat measure, remedy the inconvenience,
'he wide-spread ramifications of the Exress
companies would furnish valuable
uxiliaries for communication beyond the
Jonfederacy, the mail matter bearing the
tamps of each government through which
; may pass by said Express.
All which is respectifully submitted.
W. P. CHILTON, Chairman.
bi Act to he entitled an act to prescibe
rates of Postage in the Confederate
States of America, and for other purposes.
Sec. 1. The Congress of the Confederate
tates of America do enact that from and
fter such period as the Postmaster Gener- 1
1 may by proclamation announce, there
hall be charged the following rules of postge,
to wit: for every single letter sealed :
nd for every letter in manuscript or paper i
f one Irini^ nnnn infnvmntiAn aVioll 1
I uuj aiuuj u^/i/u nutwu luiutuiabivu ouait
e asked for, or communicate in writing, or
y marks or signs, cooveyed in the mail for
ny distance between places within the Con
jderate States of America, not exceeding
00 miles, 5 cents; and for any distance
xceeding 500 miles double that rate; and
very letter or parcel not exceeding half an
uncc in weight, shall be deemed a single
;tter, and everjr additional weight of half
n ounce or additional weight of less than
alf an ounce, shall be charged with an
dditional single postage; and all packages
ontaining other than written or printed
latter?and meney packages are included
] this class?shall be rated by weight as j
liters are rated, and shall be charged
ouble the rates of postage on letters; and
II drop letters or letters placed in any 1
'ost-office not for transmission bat for de- I
very only, shall be charged with postage '
t the rate of two cents each; and in all the 1
iregoing cases the postage must be pre-paid (
y stamps; and all letters which shall herefter
be advertised as remaining over and
ncalled for in any post-office, shall be
barged with two cents each in addition to
le regular postage; both to be accounted
>r as other postages of this Confederacy.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
!1 newspapers cot exceeding three ounces
i weight, sent From the office of publicson
to actual and bona fide subscribers,
lall be charged with postage hs follows,
) wit: the postage on the regular numers
of a newspaper published weekly withi
the State where pulished, shall be 6J
;nt8 per quarter, and papers published
itui-weekly double that rate; and papers
ublished thrice a week treble that rate;
]d papers published daily six times that
ite; and the postage on all newspapers to
Jtual subscribers without the State where
iblished, shall be charged double the forejing
rates; and periodicals seut from the
fice of publication to actual and bona
ie subscribers, shall be charged with postje
as follows, to wit: the postage on the
igular numbers of a periodical, not exceedig
1J ounces in weight, and published
onthly within the State where published,
lall be 3 cents per quarter; if published c
imi-monthly double that rate and for eve- f
r additional ounce, or fraction of an ounce,
juble the foregoing rates shall be cbarg- j.
1; and periodicals published quarterly or c
i-montbly, shall be charged one cent an a
ince; and the postage on all periodicals c
ithout the State where published shall be t
juble the above specified rates; and regu- a
r subscribers to newspapers and periodi- t
ils shall be required to pay one quarter's
istage in advance. And there shall be
larged upon every other newspaper, on
ich circular not sealed, handbill, engra- r
g, pamphlet, periodical and magazine, j
hich shall be unconnected with any manu- a
ript or written matter, not exceeding }
iree ounces in weight, two cents; and for t
ich additional ounce, or fraction of an p
ince, two cents addition; and in all cases d
ie postage shall be prepaid by stamps.?
nd books bound or unbound not weighing t
rer four pounds shall be deemed mailable ]
atter, and shall be charged with postage t
be prepaid by stamps, at two cents per g
ince for any distance. The publishers of c
iwspapers or periodicals may send to each j,
her from their respective offices of publition,
free of postage, one copy of each y
iblication. s
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That f
shall be the duty of the postmaster Gen- (,
al to provide and furnish to all Deputy
ostmasters, and to all other persons spying
and paying therefor, suitable post- J
;e stamps and stamped envelopes of the a
momination of two cents, five cents and s
renty cents, to facilitate the pre-payment $
' postages provided for in this act; and a
ly person who shall forge or counterfeit h
any postage stamp provided or furnished
under the provisions of this or any former
act, whether the same are impressed or
printed on or attaohed to envelopes or not,
or any die, plate, or engraving therefor, or
shall make or print, or knowingly use or
sell, or have in his possession, with intent
to use or sell, any such false, forged, or
counterfeited dies, plate, engraving, or
postage stamp, or who shall make or print,
or authorize, or procure to be made or printed,
any postage stamps of the kind provided
and furnished by the Postmaster General
as aforesaid, without the especial authority
and direction of the Postoffice Department,
or who, after such postage stamps
have been printed, shall with intent to defraud
the revenues of the Postoffice Department,
deliver any postage stamps to
any person or persons other than such as
shall he authorized to receive the same by
an instrument of writing, duly executed
under the hand of the Postmaster General,
and the seal of the Postoffice Department,
shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed
guilty of felony, and be punished by a fine
not exceeding 3500 or by imprisonment
not exceeding five years, or by both such
fine and imprisonment; and the expenses of
procuring and providing all such postage
stamps and letter envelopes as are provided
for or authorized by this act, shall be paid,
after being adjusted by the Auditor of the
Postoffice Department on the certificate of
the Postmaster General out of any money
in the Treasury arising from the revenues
of the Postoffice Department.
Sec 4 And be it further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of every Postmaster to
cause to be defaced, in such manner as the
Postmaster General shall direct, all postage
stamps of this Confederacy, attached to letters
deposited in his office for delivery or to
be sent my mail; and if any Postmaster
sending letters in the mail with suoh postage
stamns attached, shall omit to deface
rj i '
the same, it shall be the duty of the Postmaster
to whose office such letters shall be
sent for delivery to deface the stamps and
report the delinquent Postmaster to the
Postmaster General, and if any person shall
use or attempt to use, in the pre-payment
of postage, any postage stamps which shall
have been before used for like purposes,
such person shall be subject to a penalty of
fifty dollars for every such offence, to be
recovered in the name of the Confederate
States of America, in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
Sec. 5. And he it further enacted, That
from and after the day when this act goes
into effect, the franking privilege shall be
abolished, provided that the Postmaster
General and his chief clerk, and the auditor
of the Treasury for the Postoffice Department,
shall be and they are hereby authorised
to transmit through the mail free
of postage any letters, packages, or other
matters, relating exclusively to their official
duties, or to the business of the Postoffice
Department; but they shall, in every
such case, indorse ou the back of the letter
or package to be sent free of postage,
nver their nwn signatures, the urnrds
~ o 7
cial Business," and for any such indorsement
falsely made the person so offending
shall forfeit and pay 3300; and provided
further, the several Deputy Postmasters
throughout the Confederate States shall be
and are hereby authorized to send through
the mail free of postage all letters and
packages which it may be their duty, or
they may have occasion to transmit to any
person or place, and which shall relate exjlusively
to the business of their respective
offices, orto the businessof the Postoffice Department?but
in every such case the deputy
postmaster sending any such letter or
package shall indorse thereon, over his own
lignature, the words "Postoffice Business,"
md for any and every such endorsement
"alsely made the person making the same
ihall forfeit and pay 3300.
Seo. 6. And he it further enacted, That
;he third section of an act entitled an act
'urther to amend an act entitled an act to
educe aud modify the rates of postage in the
United States, and for other purposes, pass;d
March 3, 1851, approved March 3,
L855, whereby the letter registration system
vas established, be aod is hereby repealed
'rom and after the day when this act goes
nto effect.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, <Cv,
rhat no letters shall be carried by the Ex
jress or other chartered companies, unless
he same shall be prepaid by being endorsed
n a stamped envelope of this Confederacy,
ind aoy company violating the provisions
>f this act shall forfeit and pay the sum of
ive hundred dollars for each offence, to be
ecovered by action of debt in any court of
his Confederacy having coganizance there>f
in the name and for the use of this Confederacy.
Sec 8. And be it further enated, That
he Postmaster General of the Confederate
states be and is hereby authorized to make ]
,11 necessary arrangements for the trans- ,
Qisaion of mails between the Territories of
his and other governments, subject to the
pproval of the President, uutil postal treaies
can be effected.
Passed February 21, 1861.
The President.?For many days past \
umors have been rife to the effect that 1
refferson Davis, President of the Confederte
States, was on his way to Charleston.?
Yesterday morning some color was given to
hese reports by the publication of a dis atch,
dated Montgomery, announcing the
leparture of the President for this city.
It is scarcely necessary for us to say that, a
iad such been the case, the readers of the c
Mercury would have been duly informed of c
he fact in our special dispatches from Mont;omery.
President Davis is still in that
ity, and from present appearances is likely a
o remain there. ?
We may add that General Donovant was v
esterday summoned by telegraph to the 1
eat of the Provisinoanl Government, to con- r
er with the Secretary of War.? Charles- I
on Mercury, 28th ultimo. c
v
Settling Up.?The Sub-treasurer* at \
lew Orleans, A. J. Guirot, rendered his c
ccounts to the Treasury Department for e
ettlement. He debits himself with some f
400,000, received for the Government, c
nd credits himself with the same amount (:
anded oyer to the Louisiana Treasury s
From tlifi Charleston Mercury.
military"matters.
CASTING PROJECTILES.
Solid shot, case shot and shells are cast
at iron-workB from white forge iron; formerly
iron moulds were used for these, but
they had the effect of making the balls too
hard on the surface, whereby the bore of
the gun was injured. At present, therefore,
all projectlies are cast in sand in
mould-boxes. The casting of solid balls is
the most simple. The patterns for this
purpose are of brass, very exactly turned,
made in two halves, and fitting into each
other by a groove; one half has a pin screwed
into it, which forms the hole by which
the metal is poured in at the casting. In
moulding, the grooved half of the pattern
is set upon the mould board, and the tap
hole pit. screwed in; then the mould-box is
placed with its key bolts in the holes made
for them, and half ball moulded by the sand
layer. The mould is then turned over, the
mould-board taken off . the second half ball
set on, the second mould box placed, and
the mould made in the same way; then the
mould is turned, the pin screwed out, the
moul-box opened, and both patterns taken
out, when it is again clored and is then
ready for casting.
The mould of the hollow shot is more
complicated, because the internal cavity of
these must be formed by a core, which remains
in the mould during the casting, and
is removd afterwards; and because, also,
for the larger sizes, a pair of ears must be
cast in, for the shell hooks to catch hold of
in handling them. For hollow shot it is
preferable to have the metal run into mould
at the side, so that the core be not disturbed
in its position by the metal falling perpendicularly
upon it; this core is made of
sand or loam j the ears are of wrought iron,
and the ends reach into the internal cavity;
where they are afterwards imbedded in the
metal.
MILITARY PYROTECHNY.
The manufacture of cartidges of all kinds,
and the fireworks generally, especially, fire
and light balls and rockets, for military
purposes, is the object of a particular art?
that of pyrotechny.
Musket cartridges consist of a piece of
paper, one side of which, that it may wind
more closely, is cut obliquely ; this leaf is
rolled about a former, the ball set in, and
the throat choked with a tie of linen thread,
and stuck down upon the ball, then the
cartridge is filled and pinched together at
the top, and is ready for use.
Cannon cartridges are made of flannel
bags almost entirely ; for marking out the
form upon the piece of stuff, the pattern
board is used. Each calibre has a certain
sized pattern board. The length ot the cart
ridge depends upon its being designed to
hold the ball or not. When the bag is sewed
with the back stitch, turned and felled,
the sabot, which has a groove, is set in, the
ball is Dlaced on the sabot, and then the
A '
head is tied. Afterwards the ball is fastened
to the sabot by two strips of tin, crossing
each other at right angles, the bag being
secured to both.
THE "MORTAR" OF THE ANCIENTS.
As far back as 1328, the French had
short cannon called "Bombards." They
were first made of wood, with iron hoops,
and lay upon a roller-carriage; tbey were
afterwards lined with iron plate strengthened
with bars of iron, running lengthwise
the barrel, and bound with iron hoops.?
But as even this could not withstand the
force of powder, tbey constructed them of
forged iron?cast iron, and finally of bronze.
All the bombards or mortars shot only
-i. L .1 1 - _ C L C 3 Zl
sioue uans, ur lrugmeuw 01 iruu, uuu it was
not until the year 1400 that iron balls were
uaed.
Sforza had, before Piacenza, in 1447,
three Bombards ; each of which discharged,
in twenty four hours, sixty stone balls, and
with which, in thirty days, he battered
down two towers and the wall between.
Improved Mortars op the present
time.?Mortars are in some respects like
howitzers, save that the trunnions, since they
are only designed to discharge shot at a
very great elevation, are not in the middle
but at the hinder end; there are some, indeed,
which have, instead of trunnions,
only a cast foot, and which can, therefore,
be only fired at one angle. Mortars are
most usually distinguished by the diameter
of the iron shell which fills the bore?thus
we speak of "8, 10 or 12 inch mortars,"
the latter of which throws a shell of about
100 pounds weight. The internal arrangements
of the mortar are very different from
the cannon. The charge of powder is very
3mall in comparrision with the size of the
shot, and is compressed into a small chamber
made for it in the breech, terminating 1
in a hemisphere. The forward part of the 1
bore, the chase, receives the shell in loading,
unites with the chamber by a segment
af a sphere, and is called the seat of the
shell. From thence to the mouth of the 1
bore is cylindrical, and is called the "va- 1
? -J ,
3ant cylinder."
MORTAR CARRIAGES OR BEDS.
For mortars which have their trunnions on ,
:he second reinforce, the so-called hanging
nortar, the carriage consists of two checks,
jonnected by bolts and transoms, but these
tre now little used; the carriage mostly used
s, a short massive block of wood, seasoned ^
10k is the best?upon this bed is hollowed. .
>ut the place for the trunnion bed and the ^
'oot of the mortar. The lower corners of the
>ed are notched in, to allow of handspikes
>eing thrust under for moving it upon the
datform. On the trunnion of the mortar .
in index is fixed, which shows upon a cir- ]
lular scale, attached to the bed, the angle
if elevation. y
THE ELEVATING SCREW. t
With mortars the muzzle must be move- 1
,ble through a curve of from 10 to 60 de- ?
;rees, in order to give the necessaay ele- *
ration or depression for the aim. To effect 1
hese movements with the requisite accu- <
aoy and rapidity, the elevating screw is ap- c
died, although the simplest means of ac- i
lompHshing the purpose is the quoin or t
redge, by moving it in or out under the i
>ase ring?there are generally three quoins <
ir wedges employed. Under 15 degrees ?
ilevation, the mortir lies upon its bed, the i
irst quoin gives 25 degrees, the second 30 c
legrees, and thus, with the third, 45 or ^
10 can be given. The screw quoin is better '
itill, and it admits of more oocuracy in the (
elevation. In cases a wooden platform is
aid, upon which the mortar and carriage
is placed, to secure a level from which to
regulate the firing. , i
Sudden and Mysterious Departure of
Mr. Lincoln for Washington.
Harrisburg, February 23.?The people
of this oity were astounded this morning,
by an announcement that Mr. Lincoln had
started in a special train for Washington,
despatches having been received, requiring
his presence in Washington. Reports are
busily circulated, that there was a plot to
assassinate him, while passing through Bal- 1
timore, but such stories are not believed.?
Tbe Baltimore Committee is here, but did
not have an interview with Mr. Lincoln.
Harrisburg, February 23?8 a. m.?
AViMiham Tiincnln. t.hfl Prpaidpnt plpnf. nf
the United States, is safe in the capital of
the nation. By the admirable arrangement
of General Scott, the country has been
spared the lasting disgrace, which would
have been fastened indellibly npon.it, had
Mr. Lincoln been murdered on his way
thither, as he wonld have been had he followed
the programme as announced in the
papers and gone by the Northern Central
Railroad to Baltimore.
On Thursday night, after he had retired,
Mr. Lincoln was aroused and informed that
a stranger desired to see him on a matter
of life and death. He declined to admit
him unless he gave his name, whieh ho at
once did, and of so much prestige was the
name that while Mr. Lincoln was yet disrobed
he granted an interview of the caller.
A prolonged conversation elicited the
fact that an organized body of men had determined
that Mr. Lincoln should not be
inaugurated, and that be should never leave
the ciry of Baltimore alive, if, indeed, he
ever entered it.
The list of the names of the conspirators
presented a most astonishing array of per
o 1.1 ? J J ?w.?
0UUB UIgU 1U ouuuicru UUUUUUUUUj ?UU DULUU
whose fame id not confined to this country
alone.
Statesmen laid the plan, bankers endorsed
it, and adventurers were to carry it into effect.
As they understood Mr. Lincoln was
to leave Harrisburg at 9 o'clock this morning,
by special train, and the idea was, if
possible, to throw the cars from the road at
some point where they would rush down a
deep embankment and destroy in a moment
the lives of all on board. In case of the
failure of this project, their plan was to surround
the carriage on the way from the
depot in Baltimore, and assissinate him
with dagger or pistol shot.
So authentic was the source from whiob
the information was received, that Mr. Linooln,
after counselling with his friends, was
compelled to make arrangements which
would enable him to subvert the plans of
his enemies.
Greatly to the annoyance of the thousands
who desired to call on him last night, he
declined givinga reception. The final council
was held at 8 o'clock.
Mr. Lincoln did not want to yield, and
Col' Summer actually cried with indignanation;
but Mrs. Lincoln, seconded by Mr.
Judd and Mr. Lincoln's original informant,
insisted unnn it. and at nine o'clock. Mr.
Lincoln left on a special train. He wore
a Scotch plaid cap and a very long military
cloak, so that he was entirely unrecognizable.
Accompanied by Superintendent Lewis
and one friend, he started while all the
town, with the exception of Mrs. Lincoln,
Col. Sumner, Mr. Judd, and two reporters,
who were sworn to secrecy, supposed him
to be asleep.
The telegraph wires were put beyond
reach of any one who migut desire to use
them. j
At 1 o'clock, the fact was whispered from i
one to another, and it soon became the <
theme of most excited conversation. Many 1
thought it a very injudicious move, while i
others regarded it as a stroke of great I
merit.
[Special Dispatch to NeioYork Times ] <
Baltimore, February 23.?Mr. Lincoln i
arrived here at 8 o'clook, incog., and went ]
direct to Washington. His family and the i
remainder of his party will arrive at 10 <
o'clock. Much excitement was occasioned i
by the ruse.
Washington, February 23.?Not a little
sensation prevailed throughout the city, (
fViia mnfnino no annn aa if Vipnnme knnwn '
??&? ?? ? i
that Mr. Lincoln bad arrived in the early
train. It was unsuccessfully sought to con- 1
oeal the fact, especially from the newspa- 8
per press, his presence here being at first
communicated to a few political friends in
confidence He was met at the station by
several gentlemen of distinction, without
any formality, and was immediately driven
to Willard's Hotel.
He was yesterday advised to come hither
without delay. Preparations had been made
to meet him at the station, this afternoon,
and the Mayor of Washington was to make 8
a welcome address, but Mr. Lincoln has j
thus spoiled the programme. About 10
o'olock, Mr. Lincoln, accompanied'by Mr. r
Seward, paid his respects to President
Buchanan, spending a few minutes in gen- s
jral conversation. n
Senator Bigler and Representative John n
Cochrane happened to be at the White g
House when he entered, and were accord- I
ngly introduced to the President elect ?
if - r: 1 r* j . j
Jir. uiuuuiu ttiicrwuiua rciuiucu iu tuc iiu*
?! a
Shipment op Arms prom New York. v
?The New York correspondent of the *
Philadelphia Ledger writes: '
The State police have been so absorbed v
vith the ceremonies of the Lincoln recep- r<
ion, that Superintendent Kennedy has
jermitted at least some $200,000 worth of
irma and ammunition to slip off in a steam:r
which sailed on Thursday for New Oreans.
Gun carriages, rifles, revolvers, per- _
iussion caps, howitzers and camp equipage tj
ionstitued the shipment. These goods, it ^
s understood, are on Texan account, but w
he purchase is negotiated through a house a]
n New Orleans. A portion of these are fc
lestined for Galveston, some for Indianola
ind some for Austin. There is also good
eason for the belief that the last instalment w
>f the $100,000 worth of like merchandize, ?
vhioh was manufactured at an establish- g<
nent not far from Newark, N. J., on ac- h
sount of Gov. Ellis, of North Carolina, ai
was boxed up and fowarded to Baltimore,
via Philadelphia, on the very train which
followed that on which was the President
elect, Mr. Lincoln.
A Republican View op Jefferson
Davis.?The Boston Advertiser, an able
Republican journal, says that if it had no
other evidence, the inaugural address of
the new President of the "Confederate
States" is proof of the unusual wisdom
with which the secessionists aoted when
they elected Jefferson Davis to that office.
It oredits him with as marked a combination
of the qualities most needed for his
work as eny revolutionary leader ever exhibited,
and adds:
As the leader of the cotton States in their
movement against the General Government,
whether the controversy is to be carriod
on by civil measures only, or by sterner
methods, to which he professes himself
DreDared. thouerh nnwillinc to resort, this
r i * ~ o ?" ?'?o ? ?^"7 r
Government ooald have no more dangeroos
enemy than Mr. Davie, and this fact, we
believe, needs to be more widely reeogoi?^ zed
than it is among oar people. Because*
Mr. Davis has led the extreme Soath, many
have eome to regard him as possessing the
personal qaalities and weaknesses of the
"fire eaters." But Mr. Davis is, on the
contrary, cool-headed, far-sighted and not
hasty. What be says or does is not the result
of crazy impulse, but of cool determination,
and is supported not by the temporary
strength of frenzy, but by real intellectual
and moral power. In short, he is
an antagonist who challenges respect as ?
well as the utmost vigor and caution in opposition,
and one whom any statesman might
rejoice to encounter in a high national eontest,
were he of any country save oor own,
and weie the matter in debate anything except
the Union. .
No Time to Read?How often do we
hear men excuse themselves from subscribing
to a paper or periodical by saying they
have "no time to read." When we hear a t
man thus excuse himself, we oonclude he
has never found time to confer any advantage,
either upon his family, country, or
himself. To hear a freeman thus express
himself, is humiliating j and we can form
no other opinion than that suoh a man is
nf HH.Ia imnnrtan/?A anniof.v flnnJi man
generally have time to attend publio barbecues,
meetings, sales and other places,
but they have "no time to read."
They frequently spend whole days in
gossipping, tippling and snapping horses,
but they have "no time to read." They
sometimes lose a day in asking advioe of
their neighbors?sometimes a day inpicking
up news, the prices current and exchanges
?but they have "no time to read." They
have time to hunt, to fish, to fiddle, to drinkto
"do nothing" but "no time to read."?
Such men generally have uneducated children,
unimproved farms and unhappy firesides.
They have no energy, no spirit of
improvement no love of knowledge; live
unknowing and unknown, and they die unwept
and unregretted.
Major-General Bonham.
The Charleston Mercury contains the following
biographical sketch of General Bonham,
who has recently boen appointed, by
Governor Pickens, Major-General of the*
armed military force of South Carolina : .. . .
General Bonham is a native of this State,
j -a iL. a it n 12 nj
ana graanaieu at toe ouum ^aruuoa college
in 1834. He is a lawyer by profession,
but bas spent most of his life io the public
service. He was a Brigade-Major of Bull's
Brigade of South Carolina Volunteers in the
Florida war, iD 1836; was appointed Lieutenant
Colonel of the 12th Infantry, in
March, 1847 ; promoted to the Coloneoy,
in August, 1847; was with General Scott
in the great Mexican battles, and was wounded
at Contreras, on the 19th August, 1847
This Regiment was, at the close of the war,
disbanded, and Colonel Booham returned
bo South Carolina.
He was subsequently elected a member
rf the 35th Congress from his native State,
ind bas been re-elected since?without opposition.
He withdrew from the House
with his fellow-members after the South
Darolina ordinance of secession had been
atified.
RrDiNG oe Walking ?"A corresponlenf.
wishpq ta knnw rtf vhinh we thinlr fchft
nost highly?riding on horaebaok or walkng.
This will depend on the object in
riew; if it be to escape from a robber we
ihould ride, since a horse can ran faster
han a man; if it be to get away from a laly
who said "no," we should ride, also, both
'or speed and that mental diversion which
he motion of a horse occasions. But if
ve are going to some place of guilt, or to
oeet any company where we must leave oar
eligion behind us, we should walk, and
ealk at a alow pace; perhaps before we get
here we may turn about, and if we do we
hall bring back a much more quiet conscinoe
than we should if we dashed ahead.
5eace of conscience is easily lost, but it is
ecovered only through our tears."
Not to be enlisted.?Capt. Riohardon,
of Sumter, has received the following
iote from headquaters, in relation to enlistoents
from the volunteer force raised, orgrazed
and accepted under the act of the
jegislature for that purpose :
Headquaters, Feb. 21, 1861.
Sir : The obligation incurred by officers
nd privates in entering the military ser
ice ot tbe state, under tne "act to provide
n armed military force/' is binding for
bat period, and any recruiting from the
olunteer force into the regular will not be
scognized by this department.
S. R. GIST,
Adj. and Insp. Gen. of S. C.
To Capt. Ricabdson.
The Way they Do it.?" Very bitter."
-The Louisville (Ky.) Courier remarks
lat the Philadelphia manufacturers, who,
efore the election, disoharged all those
orkmen who refused to vote for Linooln,
re now discharging all those who did vote
ir him.
Dr. Kane relates that when, one day
orn out with fatigue, he turned into an
Esquimaux hut to get a little sleep, the
ood-natured hostess of the wigwam covered
im up with some of her own habiliments,
ud gave him her baby for a pillow.