Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-12-04
The Legislature of South Carolina met on

The Legislature of South Carolina met on
Monday week The Governor message strong
ly opposes the constitutional amendment, and
urges the passage of homestead law to dis
courage the emigration of negroes and provide
for the subsistence Of INDECENT blacks He
thinks the experiment of free labor is not fail
ure He says the grain crop is unusually short,
and not enough cotton has been raised in many
districts to buy bread The debt of the State,
exclusive of the war debt, is $5,250,00O.
The Richmond Enquirer would impress upon
the minds of our people of the South that as
matter of interest and true policy we should
have as little to do or say about politics as pos
sible, and devote ourselves to the development
of our resources, and the recuperation of our in
dustrial interests That is the solution of the
political problem. For as soon as we again be-
come wealthy and prosper we will not only be
courted by the North, but will be able to COM
mand anything we may wish Of that people.
In the Supreme Court of Tennessee an inn
portant decision was made on Tuesday, in the
case of Thomas E. Champion against the State,
in which the judges held that a Circuit Judge
could not exclude attorneys from his court by
prescribing political test-oaths. General Cham
pion was an officer of the Union army and de-
MED the right of the judge to force him to
swear to support all the acts of the present
Tennessee State Legislature.
It is reported that the cattle disease is raging
with singular fatality.in all those counties in
Tennessee where the Texas cattle, imported
there during the summer have been herded.-
Thousands Of native cattle have died, and the
citizens are signing petitions to the Legislature
to pass law preventing the importation of
Texas cattle into that State. On some farms
in Shelby county every head of cattle has died.
A bill has been prepared, and will be intro
duced during the first week of the session of
Congress, repeating the act of July, 1862, which
empowers the President to grant full or con-
ditional pardons to persons engaged in rebellion.
IF it becomes law it confines the President to-
the constitutional power to pardon after trial
and conviction. 1t is a part Of the radical pro-
gramme.
The negotiations between the James River
and Kanawha Canal and the French Company,
appear to have reached a point beyond which
they can get no further. Col. Ellis, the Presi-
dent of the Company, does not think that the
consummation wished for is any nearer than it
was SIX months ago
The settlement of Polish exiles in Spottsyl-
vania county, called New Poland, we are pleased
to learn, bids fair to be a most significant sue
cess as the beginning Of direct immigration to
the South The immigrants are said to be hap
py and contented, and are devoting themselves
assiduously to labor.
ELECTION OF PROFESSOR the Presby
terrain General Assembly, now in session in
Memphis, on Friday last the Rev. DR.. Plummer
was unanimously elected Professor of Didactic
and Pulemic Theology and Sacred Rhetoric
The candidates were DR.. Plummer, Dr. Miller
and DR.. Gerrardean.
The Democratic Club Of Jacksonville, Illinois,
has adopted resolution stating that the Chica-
60 Times has become demoralized upon the sub
ject of negro suffrage, and if said paper persists
in its present course, every Democrat in the
land should cease to read and patronize it.
1t is reported that prominent Radicals held
caucus in Philadelphia, on the Goth ult., when
articles of impeachment against the President
were drawn up and will be submitted to Re
publican caucus of the members of Congress
soon after the re-assembling in Washington.
It is rumored that Reverdy Johnson will take
seat in Cabinet and that the Democrats will
elect Governor Swami to the unexpired term
of two years in the United States Senate, re-
serving the full six years term for straight out
Eastern Shore Democrat.
Petitions are circulating among the friends of
Governor Wells requesting Congress to estab-
fish provisional governments in the southern
States until the full readmission of the States.
The protectionists are already forming their
combinations to push the tariff bill through the
Senate at an early stage of the session. The
West is up in arms against it.
The Government has received information
from Italy stating that the Pope has resolved
not to leave Rome, but will trust to the pro-
lection of the king, Victor Emanuel.
The New York Ne,os advises the Southern
people to test, in the courts, the right of the
Federal Government to impose taxes without
representation.
The report Of the Secretary of the Treasury
will show decrease Of the national debt during