Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-02-18
ED1ToR1AL1NxL1NGs.

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ED1roR1ALss1N ss1NKLNes. {
Death ofssAsa Hartz.'s
& Major E. G.. Mcknight better known 6
the author Of several touching poems and humo5.
Gus letters written while he was prisoner of war
on johnson Island, over the signature Of Asa
Hartz, died in New w0rleans on the 10th instant,
Of consumption. The deceased was native Of
this State, and for many years resident of Co
iumbia. The disease of which he died was con.
tracted while be was a"prisoner on Lake Erie. {"
Validity OF Specie Contracts. - '"~'s''-','. -
-On Monday last the Supreme Court of the
United States decided that the acts making gold
and silver legal money, have never been epealed.
It was held that we have two kinds of legal tender
money-the one gold and silver, the other paper
that contract made for the payment Of either is
valid and binding, and can be enforced The con.
stitutonaity of the legal tender act is not involved
in this decision, the question before the Court be-
ing simply the validity of specie contract
Afraid of the Rail Road. .r .a' ..l ,..s
-One of the gentlemen appointed to make the
surveys necessary for running the township lines
in this County, related to us the following incident
which we think too good to keep: '' ' .''
One day he ran his line towards bright object
on hill at some distance, which, on closer inspec
tion, proved to be tin pan located in kitchen
window From this point he proceeded to run the
line through the kitchen and ont at the door. AT
this juncture he was interrupted by the lady Of
the house, venerable matron, who had watched
his operations hitherto with the most intense In
terest. With uplifted hands and pleading eyes,
she approached him and exclaimed, "For the
Lord sake, captain, don trun the railroad through
my house. , .'.'' ~.
Pardon of Sanford Conover. .-
Our readers Will probably remember, the
name of Sanford Conover, the suborner Of per-
jured witnesses at the trial of Mrs. Surratt He
also figured in the impeachment embrogio, having
revealed to President johnson plot Of Ashley,
Holt and Stanton to implicate him (the President)
in the assassination of Lincoln. This disclosure
was made to induce Mr.. johnson to grant him q
pardon; ConoVer being then under sentence for the
crime of perjury. Owing to the fact that a par
don from the President, at that time, would have
appeared to be granted from interested motives,
the pardon was refused, and Conover was consign-
ed to the peaceful retirement of Sing Sing peniten-
tiary, New York, for ten years. But recent
Washington telegram states that Conoverhas been
pardoned by the President, at last " p,
More Amendments Proposed.
The Constitution has not yet been amended
enough to suit Congress, An amendment has
been introduced, in the House, providing that
hereafter qualified electors shall vote directly for
President and Vice President, instead of each State
appointing electors for the purpose. In case any
two or more candidates shall have tie vote, both
Houses of Congress are to determine which Of the
candidates having the highest number Of votes
shall have the position. .a.
Another proposed amendment is that Senators
shall hereafter be chosen by the people of each
State, instead of the Legislatures and that the
term of Office of Representatives shall hereafter
be four years, Both propositions were referred
to the Judiciary Committee, and ordered to be
printed. ,.: E~-.,
Butler again Bottled. -....
Mr.. B. F. Butler, who is also known by several
titles of distinction gained in his eventful civil
and military career, is one of those sons of genius
who always come out of the little end Of the horn.
When charged with the duty of governing those
who have abandoned all thought of resistance to
his authority, he ever proved himself successful
ruler. But wherever he has encountered opposi-
ton, the matchless B. F. has invariably found it
necessary to succumb. This he always does with
great deal of noise, after the manner Of an ex-
piring squib. The laurels of his military renown
are yet fresh and green; but their splendour is
dimmed by the brighter laurels he has since gained
by his Congressional exploits.
His latest performance in the role Of "bottle-
imp occurred after the counting of the electoral
votes in joint session Of Congress His conduct
on that occasion was described, in resolution Of
fered to the Senate, as "noisy disorderly, disre-
putable and insulting" In his own branch Of
Congress, he was elegantly termed '6end from
hell by Mr.. Bingham, of Ohio. This compli-
ment was elected by Butler having proposed to
kick the Senate out of the joint session. B. F.,
however, kept up the debate on his resolution,
(censuring the Senate for nearly two days, but
was at length defeated. Hisresolution was tabled,
and he was bottled up" until further notice.
The Contested Election in the Sd District.
The election of J. P. Reed to Congress from
the Third Congressional District Of South Carroll
ma having been contested by s. L. Hoge, the
examination of witnesses on the part of the con-
testant is now going on at Columbia, before W. Il.
Wigg, Judge of Probate. The Pheenir says:
'The examination of Talbud. occupied the great
er part of Friday and Saturday, and we are in
formed that it was, in many respects the most ex-
traordinary evidence that ever was given. He con-
fessed, in his examination, to the murder Of Ran
dolph, and gave in full the shocking details. The
examination is continued from 9 O'Clock in the
morning until 9 o'clock at night. Question and
cross-question are followed up with rapidity, and
we suppose the evidence in print in this case will
fll printed volume as big as family Bible
Will It be as truthful? We understand that Mr..
Hoge proposes to examine in the District 500 wit
nesses; and, probably, Mr.. Reed as many more:
Who will ever read it2 MIR. Hoge has selected
Columbia to conduct the examination Of many of
his witnesses, because he does not consider his per
son safe in Newberry, AbbeviLle and Edgefeld
Counties"
Masonic Elections.
At the annual convention of the Grand Coun-
Gil of Royal and Select Masters Of South Carolina,