The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-09
RRoM THE STATE CAPITAL.
DIR, Leconte and the two Unive' sities--
The Fitting-up OF tho New 5 tn te-
house-The Cost OF the Census--Edfto-
rtnl fetfrems nt-Items.
rrRon DUB OWN ooRlRsPoNpENr.l

rtnl Retirems nt-Items.
TrRoM DUB OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, August 7.-Day before yesterday,
DR.. Joseph LeConte. Of the University OF South
Carolina, took his departure for the Pacific
coast via New York. He goes to San Francisco
tc take charge of the chair Of geology, natural
history and botany in the University of CaE-
fornia 1t is to Al the chair Of physics, left va
cant by DR.. LeConte's departure, that the dis
tingushed scientific gentleman OF Charleston
is soon to be elected-as have already stated
in former letter on the authority OF parties
who have authority to speak on this point-by
the Board Of Trustees of our State University.
The cause or the delay in this election is the
absence Of 60 many members Of the bord that
a ouorom cannot be had. SO soon as enough
members of the board return from heaith'tour-
ing, Governor Scott will call meeting, and the
filing of this chair Of physics ia the main item
OF business before the board.
In connection with the University, it may be
rem ,rked that Dr.. Talley, whose mission to
purchase outfit for some OF the medicaldepars-
merts was mentioned q fortnight ago, has re-
turned, having met with entire success in the
matter.
The University Of California, to which DR..
LsConte has gone, is new enterprise, just
now getting organized. The hrst session will
begin on the 2Si OF September. Thus far seven
professors have been elected The tone, as
thus lar developed, is strongly Northern, there
b:ing only two Southern men in the faculty.
Of the other FIVE Northern men, ene-the pre-.
fsssor Of English language and h.erature-is
William swinton, A. NJ. who is best known in
the south through bis book upon the opera
tions OF the Army Of tbs Potomac, in which the
grossest and most fragrant injustice is done to
The manhood Of ths'South, and done, too, with
Yankees shrewd show orspurious fairness in
the narrative. A worse book could hardly be
written, on account Of this apparent fairness
and real detraction Of the South. II the other
Northero professors are like swipton, there is
no danger Of our youths being enticed to the
University OF California to receive liberal edu-
cation.
THE sTATEHoUBR.
Contractor Allen has abnut forty hands at
this time employed upon his contract OF fitting
up the new Statehouse for the use OF the
General Assembly, the Executive, and some
other State officers. He is within three weeks
of The end Of the solid work and
carpentry-while the painting will require
about six weeks more. 81 that the job will
probably be ready two months before needed
by the General Assembly. The Senate ia to
occupy the eastern end or wng-tae room ORR
ginally designed for that body-in which there
will be gallery extending the length OF the
hall for spectators. The Houss OF Rspresen-
tatives is to oc,upy the rear Of the centre.
originally designed for State library, and In
this galleries for spectators extend around
threesides. lhe Governors OH % Il on the
ground floor; aud upon that floor and the sec
ond-mainly upon The second or main floor
are six rooms for committees and Tor some
State officers not yet determined upon. The
lobby is an immense hall; and this is tit, Tor q
vast deal Of the work is to be done in that lob
by. Tim Hurley's legislature meets there.
The cost OF these fittings up is about $1s 600.
THAT PEN1rESr1ARY AGAIN.
The escape OF Talbot from the State Peni-
tentiary yesterday suggests something. This
man, everybody will remember, is he that sur
rendered h,mselr to the State constabulary
several months aSo, with the statement that
he was one Of the murderers Of Senator B. F.
Randolph (mulatto preacher, Of burnt district
memory,) about o year ago. he has moi yet
been brought to trial. By some mysterious
auirk he is in high favor with the Radicals.
Con it be that he was to have been used as
witness to convict the real murderers, and now
that game is up and they have no further use
for him3 He was kept in the penitentiary,
while the county Jail was the proper prison for
him. Was he kept in the penitentiary so that
when no longer available for political purposes
he might escape2 1t seem, to be an easy place
to get out os-that guardhouse OF the Grand
Army of the Republic.
Last week Scott pardoned Poteet, and this
escape of Talbot counts one for Stolbrand.
Scott is still ahead; but the Grand Army has
unwavering confidence in its general COM
mandng-one Stolbraud.
ITEMS.
Ths expense OF taking the census OF this
State, ordered by the last opulent Legislature,
will be at least $50, ,0O0-so an official OF that
party estimates. The United States takes the
census in 1870, and one would think that an eye
to q reasonable economy woull see that sepa-
rate State census might be dispensed with, ut
least whilo tour dear Carolina" (as Governor
Scott facetiously called it,) is struggling under
the oppressive load Of so many financial bur-
dens; but then, after all, We have Klmpton
yet in the aeld--that ''young man OF much
ability and promise"-who is to put the finance
OF the State through in style, and it is unsra-
cious to grumble about anything like this.
ahe vigorous, trenchant and fearless pen Of
T. d. Ell ,ore, Esq, which hos boon felt 80 de-
cidedly in the Pheai1 Of late, has been with
drawn from that journal. Mr.. Elmore retired
early in The present week. His successor in
the chair editorial Of the Phsnix has not yet
been announced, but a strong hand is needed
at the capital now, aud doubtless such one
VII he secured at once. ConsAIR.
THAT LOCOMOTITE.