The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-27
CURRENT TOPICS.

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Mr.. Sw1NroN, in his letter to the New York
Times, written from Atlanta, gives graphic pic
turc of scene round the 'sregistration board :"
Meantime, however, the work of registration is
going on throughout the whole State, and to-day
had an opportunity of seeing the process in prac
teal operation at tho Atlanta Court House, The
board is composed of two white mon and ono
black, and during my stay I saw several scores o.
both races made into voters. After several white
men had been sworn ndividuali.:, a batch of seven
blacks was called up, and Pompey, Caesar, and
Crassus, were made citizens in the lump. 1t was
curious spectacle, and one calculated to stir
many reflections. Standing in a row, they listen
ed very attentively to the reading of tho oath,
some bending forward and others with hand to
the ear the better to catch each word. The
reader threw in for their benefit a run
ming exgesis Of the oath, causing them to
guffaw by droIl look when he recited that part
Of it which makes them swear that they had never
held executive or judicial Office in any
State" while, when he came to read the prohibi-
ton against registering by those who had been
disfranchised for felony, and explained "felony"
by the gloss, "such as cow-stealing," they were
SO struck by tho drolery of the Interpretation that
their bodies bent and swayed in uncomfortable
merriment. Throughout all the recital their
countenances showed desperate mental effort to
keep their "holt" Of the meaning, and during the
reading Of the main body of the oath the effort was
measurably successful; but when the registering
officer came to where the formula speaks of San
act supplementary to an act" the poor follows
became perfectly flabbergasted; like TwEMLow,
they found their intellects giving way under the
l|severe strain, and they lapsed into mere outer
Ildarkness and collapse. When af erwards talked
with them on the court house steps, could not
find cne who had the faintest idea of the meaning
or purpose Of the thing, and the brightest Of them
all only knew that it was something-he knew not
what-that was "de bes for de country"
THFoLLowNa ANECDoTE OF GoUvERNEUR MORRIS,
which we extract from book, recently published
| by RICHARDSON & Co.: ssPleasantries about Courts
and Lawyers Of the State Of New York; will serve
as illustration Of perhaps tho very plus ultra OF
self-possession, not to call it ,impudence. Years
ago toasts were given after dinner and during the
dessert. Atthe table Of the elder President ADAMS,
GouvERNEUR MORRIS, then senator in Congress
from the State of New York, was one Of the invit-
tween the President and General HAMILTON, aris-
| ing from the animadversions Of the latter upon
| the sudden compromise Of our differences with
| the French Republic. MIR MORRIS was called on
by Mrs. ADAMS for toast. MADAM" said he, Il
| will give you the health Of my friond HAMILTON
The lady Indignantly replied: s'Sir that is toast
never drunk at this table," Suppose, then,
madame was the cool rejoinder, eve drink it now
for the first time 2" ssMr. MORRIS" exclaimed the
excited hostess 'tf you persist, shall invite the
ladies to withdraw u Perhaps" retored the
imperturbable senator, sit is time for them to re-
tire" The signal was given, and as the ladies rose
in obedience to it, the Senator sprang from his seat
and stunrped on his wooden leg to the door, threw
it wide open, and, with his constitutional bold
ness, fairly bowed Mrs. ADAMS and her lady
guests out of the room. Who was wrong in this
case
TIE COLUMBUS (Ohio) Journal Of the 18th inst,
says: eve doubt if any Of our readers have con-
sidered the great increase in the number Of Ger
man emigrants to this country since the accession
by Prussia Of so large portion Of Austrias terri
tory as was acquired by that kingdom during the
late war. G. H. CANPEN, emigrant agent in this |
fact that those Germans born under the rule Of
Austria refCse to serve in the Prussian tandooeu,
or militia, from which that army is recruited.
They prefer rather to emigrate. This idea is
borne out by the fact that nearly all tho emil
grants for the past six months have been
young men, very few women coming with them.
From communication from Mr.. CAMPEN, We
learn that for The six months ending July ], q, ,478
emigrants have reached this city, seeking homes
in the fertile West against 2909 for the same time
in 1885, showing an increase Of 1869. The arrivals
for the six months Of this year were as follows
January, 1447 February, 1893; March, 1875; April,
1896; May, 1924; July 9447 The majority Of these
them, even the Pr1ssiahB, 90 not nKe tHeT gov
81 do not remember" says Mr.. CAMPEN,
''that in any former year 80 many people have ar
rived from Germany who were possessed OF mesns
and designed making permanent settlement"
WE HAVE had THE advantage, says the Now York |
Eoening Post, Of conversing with planter from
.he Lower Mississippi gentleman Of intelligence
md business habits, who after trying fairly last
year the wages system upon a cotton plantation Of
several thousand acres, has come to the conclusion
hat system Of shares, or cooperation between
he workmen and the capitalists, promises, if 9
Airiy administered, the best and most certain re- G
,nts to both. This system he has adopted the t
present year, and with satisfactory success so far
ae gives each workman house to live in, a garden
md small field for his own tiliage; he hauls the
irewood and furnishes the food; this much repre-
ents the monthly wages; then he gives them one
ourth Of the crop besides The workmen and q
women are divided into gangs Of twenty, each with
negro foreman, who is ono Of the twenty. This 7
brennan reports to the general overseer the cases
Il absence or idleness and an account being kept :;
4 these faults, the ders or absentees lose at the
md Of the season certain portion Of their share
4 the cotton; but this share is divided among the
emainder Of the gang, so that there is no tempta
ion for the capitalist to make wrong deductions. G
his plan, our informant reports, works well in v
very way.
A LETTER FROM SHANGHAI expresses much satis-
action on account Of the indications Of American
nterprise in China. The writer says: "Ameri- p
ans have, through their individual enterprise, and
o thanks to their government, considerable at Il
take here. The navigation of the Yangtze River d
controlled by the firm Of RUSSELL & Co., an y
merican house, they having driven of all oppos-
ion. They have line Of steamers, someof which
re larger than the Chrysopotis or Yosemite. They
ave erected workshops and are enabled to build u
heir own machinery In fact, two Of their boats I
ERE entirely built in Shanghai. An American has o
barge Of the Imperial foundry. He turns out c.
bout six brass cannon every month, besides @,
Irge quantity Of muskets, and when it is under :,
TODD that with two or three exceptions, he has
ad to make all his own machinery and to teach
is workmen the very first rudiments Of mechan- "
I'M, he deserves considerable credit. Another in. 81
tution, purely American, is tho fro department II
consists Of three engines and hook and ladder IL
1mnanY, -.