The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-22
CURRENT TOPICS.

POAooSosSu.
better with us than he does in Constantinople and
in Bagdad Naples. Still he is very far yet, even
in the United States, from enjoying universal suf
frage, the full fruition Of nineteenth century
blessing. We still have dog star, and the dog
days, dog catchers, the ,dog-wagon, and the
Pound, and, finally, mince-meat or "weal pie"
Why should the dog be singled out for such perse-
cution from his very puppyhood unto the pound or
pens2 Why should he be taxed when cats 60 scot
free2 society for the protection of dogs is still
desideratum. During the war we used to soc the
dog-wagon 60 through the streets Of Richmond,
its sides composed Of iron network, several
arkies, in charge OF the institution, the lookout
for stray CANNES; on spying one they threw their
net over him, caught him, and huddled him into
the cart with the rest As these catchers we're no
dogs Of every shade and hue, the aristo-
cratic spaniel and greyhound, the demo
cratic cur and fee, dogs OF low degree,
and the vast host of poodles, pointers, New
toundlands, etc., belonging to the staid and
respectable middle class. Tray, Blanche and
Sweetheart here not unirequently for the first
time in their lives meet lace to face with vulgar
"yaller dogs" The poor creatures came to this
untimely and inglorious end through no fault Of
their own It is fate and the stupidity and cruel
| ty of man combined. Truly hath the poet sung !:
"Aan's inhumanity to dogs
Makes countless millions howl"
New York still celebrates the dog days by
making war on these uniortunates. The city pays
fifty cents head, and as matter Of course, no
dog is SAFE Some parties have collected long be-
fore the dog twenty or thirty ours, and dis
pose of them all together that on the first day
that the pound is open there is an immense rush
and astounding delivery Of dogs. The numbers
thus received average for tho first week about
four hundred day, but this number decreases by
half in fortnight, and during the rest OF the sum-
mer varies from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty dsy. The expense TO the city for maintain
ing the pound during tho three months is about
$1,000 per month.
/ AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION, in London, on the
Oath ultimo, Professor A. HEnscHEL delivered
lecture "On the falling stars OF the years 1867,
and on the probable source Of certain luminous
meteors IN the material substance Of the zodiacal
light" The greater part Of the lecture was occu-
pied in describing the phenomena Of "falling
stars" and meteoric stones, and in noticing the
appearances presented during the moteoric show
ers in November last and in preceding years,
which were illustrated by various diagrams, and
by the exhibition Of transparent drawings with
the aid of the electric lamp. The height Of some
Of these meteors had been ascertained TO be
about fifty miles, and he mentioned the
appearance OF others which were as noar
the earth as four md five miles. The
periodical meteoric showers, he said, are con-
ceiyed to be composed OF streams OF meteorc
bodies moving in scperate orbits, the width OF
such stratum Of meteors being equal to two or
three times the diameter OF the earth, The
meteors observed on the 14th Of November iast,
were visible at the Cape Of Good Hope quarter
OF an hour before they we're seen in this country,
the cause Of which he explained to be owing to the
in nation Of the globe TO the zodiac, and tho con-
seouent arrival of tho meteors at the Southern
portion before thcy could be visible in the North.
He stated that it has been observed that each
periodical stream Of meteors is accompanied by 81
comet, the orbit OF which has been calculated and
the times Of it's return estimated. Attempts 10 e1-
plain the nature of the zodiacal light have hther-
to iailed to present theory that would bear;
investigation and the one that he advanced was!
that the light Is emitted from an immense num-
bdr of email solid particles surrounding the sun in
the form OF an elongated sphorold or double cone,
and that the meteors are constructed from these
particles. He said this theory had the advantage
over others Of not having been hitherto proved to
be fallacious.
ssMA1AKory,n y Of the New York Times, consider
cd the best American Paris correspondent, has
the following remarks on the jealousy Of the
Fronch '"The French are showing just the least
susceptibility possible 1t certain rather ostenta-
tious exhbiions Of foreign nations. For the last
few years Paris has got to be such . rendezvous
for the rest Of the world, and the city lives SO
much by its foreign visitors, that much greater
attention has been shown than formerly to the
feelings Of foreigners in the matter Of the display
of war trophies, and other objects Of selgiori1ca-
tioa. The whole ,nation has insensibly fashioned
itself to this line Of conduct and it is therefore
with certain degree Of ill-hum lr that the Pa-
Lrisians look at tho considerable and really
sostentatious display Of war material and
Of statues OF warriors made especially by
Prussia and England. Tho arrangements OF Prus-
sia for the Exhibition were mado OF course, before
the war cloud OF month ago came up, but her
monstrous cannons and her proud and dictstorihl
booking statues of the King and Of BIsMAloK were
actually brought to the Champ do Mara at the
moment the question OF peace or war was ut its
angriest stage. In former letter lspoke OF the,
manner in which many Of the nations in the E1hi-
biton had fallen naturally, and apparently without
thinking Of it, into demonstration OF their ma
tonal oolors and their national characteristics,
and referred to the fact that tho American de-
partment was as pale and ooiorless and unpreten-
tous in its general physiognomy as it well could
be. In view Of tho obserystions now made about
other nations, We are glad tltntit fs so:" . . L
Akosa THE numerous charitable institutions in
England there is ono, established in 1860, fof the
relief OF British farmers, who, BY uncomfortable
circumstances, have been reduced TO state bor-
dcring upon indigence. We could wish to see tho
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution initiated
here. The funds OF the society aro applicable to
the roief Of farmers Of sixty years Of ago or up
ward, who, during twenty consecutive years, have
occupied, as an extensive means OF support, hold
iaga Of at least fifty acres at rentals Of at least
f1OO per annum, and who by reason OF circum-
stances beyond their control, have boon 30 reduced
as not to possess an income from all sources OK
ceeding f2O year. The widows and children OF
deceased farmers are also entitled, under certain
circumstances, TO share in the bonefts conferred
by the society. The annual pension granted to
every married couple tof which there are at pres
emit six OF the books of the nstituton) is faO; to
every male recipient (of which there are now
seyenteen), s26; and to every female (of whom
there are thirty on the book) f2O. There are also
few others who receive smaller amounts; and the
only reason why tho benefits Of the society have
not yet been moro widely extended is that it
has been thought wise and prudent to invest
s16 600 in Government securities, with tho view OF
placing tho institution on q safe and permanent