The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1861-11-02


to the Government; but they do not feel {
would be just to home creditors to give q
preference to Northern claims Many of the
country merchants were in the habit If
dividing their trade between the North ana
the South A firm may owe $50 600, &
one-half in New. York and che balance
Southern cities J and when our unfOr'ui
troubles began, their means were amp
pay all demands, but now their collection
have ceased; they with those who owe them,
have left their homes and gone forth to
fight the battles of our country. If the var
is to be protracted, not fifty cents on tbs
dollar due them will be collected. As the
Sequestration law now stands, they are La
bic to be sued at once in the Confederate
courts, Judgment rendered, and the property
sold, if they are not able to give security.
Such course would ruin one-hslf of our
merchants, and leave millions Of home debts
unpaid.
GAS a general thing, commercial and
agricultural Conventions are nothing more
nor less than political traps; but SO far as !
could see, the Macon Convention was en-
tirely free from politics, or the selfish aims
of any particular class of our fellow-citizena
It was composed of some of the first men Of
the South, whose great minds seem devoted
to the advancement of the interests Of our
young Republic and her loyal citizens -
Such meetings are calculated to do much in
cultvating harmonious and social feeling
among she classes representing t6s ariss
Int ares.s ipthe Confederate Sases q
.us.- TIA CT slea,0a c. e the
18th says: son reference to cur Marine
columns this morning, it will be seen that
there we're no less than eight arrivals yes
terday from different points, each vessel be-
ING freighted with rice, which is very good
showing, considering our port is blOckaded.
Total amount II 200 bushels"
THE CoNsrITUuoNALrrY OF THE SEQUEs-
TRATION ACT AFFIRMED by THE S. CARO-
LIMA COURT Charleston, Oct. 20 In the
Confederate Court, Judge Magrath deliy-
cred his opinion in favor of the constitu-
tionality of the SequestratiOn Law, thus re-
fusing TO sustain the demurrers of Messrs. /
Pettgru, Mitchell and Whaley.
The argument against the constitutions
ality Of the sequestration act embraced three
points
First. That Congress under the PrOvis-
ional Government, had no power to pass the
Sequestration Act,
Secoqdiy. That the writ is not authorized
by the act, even if the act be constitutional.
TRirdiy That Congress has no power TO
authorize such a writ, even if it have the
power to sequestr lte.
The court commended that the power TO
make war and peace had been vested by
the States, in the Confederate Government
in as complete and unrestrained manner
as it had originally resided in the States
themselves; that the war-makiug power in
Guided the right to seqnestrate-a right
which, though not always exercised haa
never been relinquished and that the right
to sequestrate implied the right to frame
the legal machinery necessary to carry the
sequestration into effect.
SUGAR-Tbe prospect of the sugar crop,
which is expected to exceed 500 600 bids,
being by far the largest ever produced, is
causing some questions among planters and
dealers az to what course viii most condy
TO the i0 rtsta Il I'll pas1ies aecl8r6
An adda IS to the planters, ID Che No =
Crescent suggests that only the best s1-
cars be thrown on the market, inferior
qualities being kept for refining; hat all
the inferior molasses be converted toto rum,
as domestic spirits will be paying article;
that only three-ffJhs of the crop be sent to
market, the remainder being held over;
that shipments be made early to anticipate
any hostile Interruptions, and that other
commercial depots be established outside Of
New Orleans.
CoTToN-The Augusta (Ga.) cotton state
ment shows that twelve hundred bales O
cotton were taken by the factories in Che
neighborhood of Augusta, for home u5e
where there was not bale taken last year.
This looks auspcous. Let the example be
followed. There is abundance OF capital in
our midst Let it be brought out and erl-
ployed in running our cotton and other fac
tories.
LoUISIANA.-The Louisiana papers soy
that thirty thousand soldiers from that State
have gone into the active service of the
Confederate States, of whom eighteen thou-
sand we're sent to Virginia, Kentucky, Mis-
souri,, Florida aud Mississippi, and the re-
naming twelve thousand are in the various
forts aud Notifications commanding the IN
Vulnerable gulf approaches, and in Camps
Lewis and Moore.
Col. LEWIS T. WIGFALL, late Senator
from Texas, has been promoted to the rank
of igadier-General Of the Confederate
Army.
TExAs.-It is said that Texas will raise
nearly wool enough TO supply half of the
Confederate States this year.
Gen. Beauregard's brother, who resides
in Texas, has donated to the Confederate
service TO head of cattle, 600 pounds e
wool and 100 bushels of corn.
MEssRS. Mason AND SLIDELL We are
pleased TO learn, says the South Caroiiaiaa,
that our Ministers have arrived safely where
they are not in danger of being disturbed
by Liucolns swift steamers. Our next news
of them will be that they are safe in Eng
land and France, officially engaged.
ORDINAuoN OF MAJOR STEPHENS. On
Monday the ceremony Of ordination was