gaitoota itzttitimar. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1865 "The printing presses shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the pro ceedings of the legislature, or any branch of government; and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free commu nication of thought and opinions is one of the Invaluable rights of men; and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any sub ject; being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. In prosecutions for the publication of papers investigating the official conduct of offi cers, or men in public capacities, or where the matter published is proper for public informa tion, the truth thereof may be given In evi dence." Why the Democratic Press Supports Presi dent Johnson and How Far It Will Do So? Numerous Abolition newspapers, throughout the country, while they give to President Johnson but weak and half-hearted support, attempt to cast re flections upon the press of the Demo cratic party, because it speaks kindly and hopefully of the new President.— We are not surprised that his course of conduct in regard to the reconstruction of Southern States should give greater satisfaction tothe Democratic press than it does to the radicals. It is much more in accordance with Democratic doctrine than with the fanatical creed, and the crude political theories of the radical Abolitionsts. That the radical press should denounce it, while Democratic newspapers everywhere sustain it, is only natural. Whenever, during the last four years the Democratic press deemed it proper to call public attention to violations of the Constitution of the United States ; to disregard of the most ancient and sacred rights of the individual citizen ; to gross disregard of well estab lished law; to unnecessary assump tions of arbitrary power by the Executive; to shameless disregard of civil law by those who were dressed in a little brief authority; to the gigan tic frauds of corrupt officials, and the wholesale plundering of the public trea sury, which has done so much to swell the vast proportions of our enormous national debt; or to any other of the gross abuses and outrages which have saddened the heart of the true patriot, and made him tremble for the fate of free institutions—whenever the Demo cratic press, in the exercises of the sacred right of free speech, has dared to allude to any of these things, it was denounced as disloyal. Systematic attempts were made by those in authority to suppress the right-of a free discussion of public measures; and, when this failed, mob violence was encouraged. But, through all, and despite of all such opposition, the Democratic press spoke out plainly; dertOuncing what it regarded as wrong in plain terms of honest and patriotic reprobation. Then, as now, the democratic press was ready to give credit to those in au thority for whatever act of theirs, of public or private character, was calcu lated to enhance the general good of the nation ; reserving, however, the right to criticise all acts of those in power with that freedom which is necessary in any form of free government. That it found itself frequently standing in opposition to measures proposed and acts done by the dominant party, will not be regarded as strange, when the events of the past four years shall come to be read in the light of important history. It showed through all a spirit of fear lessness which forced even its opponents to respect it. Neither, attempts at sup pression, on the part of those in autho rity, no• frequently recurring acts of mob violence, for which there seemed to be no redress, could intimidate it, or force it to be silent for a moment. It spoke out bpldly and fearlessly, and the people listened to its utterances, and be lieved them to be honest and true. Since Andrew Johnson has been called upon to preside over the destinies of this nation, the Democratic press of the country has 'watched his course with anxious and eager solicitude. It stood ready to approve o• to censure, accord ing as his public acts proved to be wise and judicious, or the contrary. Find ing him willing to enter upon the great work of reconstruction with prudent foresight and statesmanlike sagacity, it gave him every assurance of sympathy and support in such a course. When it saw him boldly renounce the fatal doctrine of "State Suicide," upon which the radical abolitionists had so strongly insisted, it praised him—not from any sycophantic impulse, but, be cause what he thus did was in accord ance with correct political principles. When, in issuing his proclamations for the reconstruction of State Govern ments in the revolted States, he refused to assume powers not granted to him by the Constitution of the United States, and left each State free to control its own local affairs, he then took his stand squarely upon Democratic ground. It would seem strange, indeed, if in this the Democratic press of the country had not stood by President Johnson. When, in spite of all the pressure which the radical Abolitionists could bring to bear upon him, he steadfastly refused to in terfere for the purpose of helping them to carry out their favorite design of con ferring the right of suffrage upon the negroes of the Southern States, he again showed himself entitled to, and he again received universal commendation from the Democratic press. In thus giving President Johnson sup port in all which he does rightly and wisely, the Democratic press holds itself perfectly free to condemn when any of his acts shall call for reprobation. It has not failed to speak out boldly against the continuance of unlawfully consti tuted military commissions, and to de nounce as criminally wrong, the trial before them of parties, who, from their status and the character of their crimes, are amenable only to the civil law of the land. In every wise move which -the President may make to restore law and order ; to preserve, protect and de fend the Constitution of the United States, he will have the warm sympathy and the hearty and earnest support, not only of the Democratic press, but of the Democratic masses throughout the country. This support and sympathy will be given freely ; the more freely, because it could never be extorted, ex cept through the honest convictions that his acts are right, and his policy calculated to preserve the Constitution, to recement the Union, and to speedily restore permanent peace and prosperity to our war-weary and much distracted land. Mustering out the Veterans Preparations have commenced for mustering out between forty and fifty thousand troops from the armies of Generals Meade, Hancock and Logan. About eighteen thousand of those effec tive whose terms of service first expire will be mustered out from the Army of the Potomac by regimental organiza tions. • All absentees belonging to such regiments will be in addition to this number, and may swell it to twenty-five thousand. Hancock's veteran command will be reduced seven thousand. The Army of the Tennessee will lose fully Affeen thousand. " Hon. Ben. Wood. It is stated that Ben. Wood telegraphed to the authorities at Washington his de.sire to testify before the Military Com - lA:fission, concerning the • $25,000 draft sent to him by Jacob Thompson. He claims that it was given him to be used ;,,A.r.t.sposea/M in ing gold for a friend of ~„-iyhoixtpsam, ,axid eays that he so used it. It is not k,ixo t wn. whether his request Chief Justice Chase, after having made a, complete circuit of the Southern coast from Fortress Monroe to New Orleans, is announced to have arrived at Caro in time to be at home for the Ohio State Convention. Never since this nation ( had an existence, never, perhaps, in the history of the world, was there a more disgraceful and disgusting exhibition than that made by the highest judicial officer of this country during his elec• tioneering trip among the negroes of the South. Mr. Chase is apparently quite insane on the question of effecting his elevation to the Presidency. To secure the emoluments of that office he plain ly shows that he would willingly sacri fice judicial honor and honesty. With the Constitution of the United States plainly and unequivocally declaring the right to regulate the elective franchise to be entirely left to the control of each State ; and there being neither power in the General Government to assume such authority, nor any recognized precedent for its exercise, he, who is by virtue of his high office the chief guardian and defender of that sacred instrument, has had at the same time the unscrupulous audacity and the unparalleled mean ness to exhibit himself to this coun try as a pitiful beggar of votes from the ignorant . and degraded negroes of the South. If they had possessed votes to give, such an exhibition on the part of the Chief Justice of the United States could not have been regarded otherwise than as most disgraceful and degrading. When it is remembered that they not only had not votes, but, that they could never be endowed with the high right of the elective franchise otherwise than by State action, except through the most palpable violation of the Constitution of the United States, which Mr. Chase was sacredly sworn to observe, protect and defend, we cannot find words of reprobation strong enough to mark our abhorrence of his acts. The judicial ermine has been sullied and disgraced by this mostunworthy wearer of it. He has bedraggled it in the fil thiest purlieus of partisan politics, and put a foul stain upon it which centuries of time can never efface. Who could have any respect for a judicial decision pronounced by such a judge? All his acts will he subject to suspicion, and the conviction that Mr. Chase is not possessed of the honorable uprightness necessary for his high position can never be:efiiiced from the minds of the Amer can people so long as he lives ; and when he (lies his memory will only sur vive as a warning against the appoint ment of corrupt partisans to such posi tions. Only, as he shall thus serve, as a monument to mark the folly of these days, will either his life or his death prove to be of value to the country he has disgraced. He managed to get back to Ohio in time for the State Convention, but only to find the leaders of his party at home too cowardly to adopt the theories he had advocated in his stumping tour through the South. So ends The Chase. Judge Wilkins Hon. William Wilkins, who died at his residence in Pittsburg, on last Fri day morning, in the eighty-sixth year of his age, was the son of Gen. John Wilkins, a prominent citizen of Penn sylvania, and was born at Carlisle, in this State, in 1779. At an early age, his family removed to leittsburg. Judge Wilkins was admitted to the bar in his twenty-second year. His career as a lawyer was in the highest degree suc cesSful. In 1820, he was appointed President Judge of the Court of Com mon Pleas of Allegheny county. He was also a Ridge of the - United States District Court; and on March 4th, 1831, became a member of the United States Senate. During his senatorial term, the exciting question of nullification arose, and thoughout that great struggle, lie gave to General Jackson an earnest ud efficient support. He resigned his wsition in the Senate in 1834, to accept he mission to Russia, tendered to him y President Jackson, being succeeded n the Senate by James Buchanan. In 1840, after his return from Russia, Judge Wilkins was placed on the Van Buren electoral ticket, and was also the Demo cratic candidate for Congress in the Al legheny district, but of course, failed of an election. In 1843, he was again a candidate, for the seat made vacant by the resignation of the late Hon. W. W. Irwin, appointed by President Tyler, Charge to Denmark. In this contest, there were three candidates, the Whigs running Hon. H. M. Brack- inridge, the Anti-Masons, Neville B. Craig, Esq., and the Democrats, Judge Wilkins. The latter was successful, nit had not occupied his seat in Con :ress many weeks when President Tyler invited him to take charge of the War Department. Judge Wilkins, from the termination of Tyler's Administration in 184.5, took hut little active part in politics until 1555, when he allowed his friends to use his name for the State Sentite, to which he was tri umphantly elected for three years. In the Presidential contest of 1856 he serv ed as an elector on the Buchanan 'elec torial ticket, but advancing age admon- shed him of his inability to take au active part in that exciting contest. From that period until the breaking out of the civil war, the venerable deceased was but little seen in public ; but when the blast of open rebellion was wafted from South Carolina, he put on his har ness and labored assiduously, with all the powers of his great intellect, to arouse our people to their duty in the terrible crisis through whieh we have so happily passed. Moral Status or Negroes North an South. The N. Y. Tribune, in an editorial advocating negro suffrage, says : " The negroes of the South are in good part devout Chridians.." That is infinitely more than can be said of the free negro population of the North. It is indisputable that they are the most worthless and degraded part of our population. There are counties in this State where fully one-half the ex penses of the criminal courts, and at least one-third the expenses of the poor houses are entailed upon the community by a population of free negroes not numbering one-tenth of the whole population of the counties. This we know to be true of certain counties along the border. How does it come that the slaves of the South are so much superior in morals to the free negroes of the North? Has slavery elevated she former or freedom degraded and de moralized the latter? Which is it? Will the Tribune please explain? The Spirit of Radicalism The New York Times, a leading Re• publican journal, truly exhibits the spirit of radicalism by saying that "those who voted for McClellan merit disfran chisement." Is that what the Repub lican demagogues mean when they talk about " universal suffrage "—to take away the right of voting from white men who differ from them, and give it to negroes ? But the TbeneB consoles us with the remark that no such disfran chisement will be likely to take place. How generous! Appointments for Georgia. The remaining appointments for Geor gia were made on Monday, viz : Judge Erskine for United States Judge, Col. Stone for District Attorney, and J. I. Dunning, of Atlanta, for United States Marshal. These are among the strong• est Union men in Georgia. Waiting for Something to Tarn lip. When it was announced that the time for holding the Democratic State Con 'vention had been postponed, many Re pubilean newspapers, and among them the Excilniner, took occasion to make themselves merry over the matter. Paragraphs, weak in structure, and en tirely devoid of wit, went the round of the Abolition press. They professed to discover a sign of weakness, and a want of confidence in our prospect of success, in this movement. Poor Wilkins Mi cawber was invoked, and - many changes rung upon his favorite expression. The DeinoCratic party was "waiting for something to turn up." Well, something has already turned up. The Republican party of this State, feeling that the times are sadly out of joint with them, being very much at sea in many respects, not knowing how to meet the issues that present them selves, fearing to indorse the views of the New England fanatics, who have been their real leaders for years, and dreading a disastrous defeat this fall, have concluded to " wait for something to turn up." They have postponed their State Convention until " early in. September." In the meantime something will be sure to turn up, though, if we guess aright, little that will be likely to prove of advantage to the Abolition party.— The Democracy of Pennsylvania will meet in State Convention. They will lay down a platform as broad as our nationalty itself, which shall reiterate the great fundamental principles of the party, as applied to the condition of ex isting affairs. This will be done in terms entirely devoid of ambiguity, so that the people may see and know exactly what Democracy means, and what the party intend to do. After placing upon such a platform good and true men, against whom no word of reproach can be truth fully uttered, they will appeal to the people of Pennsylvania, laboring hon estly and earnestly for, and confidently expecting a complete and most signal triumph at the ballot-box. But it is possible, indeed within the range of probabilities, that by "early in September" the jarring and discordant elements of the Republican party may be arrayed in open hostility to each other. That corrupt and infamous po litical organization is doomed to speedy destruction. It may succeed in hold ing together for a little while longer, through the power of public plunder, but the end of its wretched rule is ra pidly approaching. It, may be that by " early in September" it will recognize, even more clearly than it does at pres ent, thc: fact that it has no hope of suc cess in the future, except the very du bious one to be found in negro suffrage. Nearly every Republican newspaper in this State has admitted, within the last month, that without this their party is irrevocably "gone under." There is no telling what may turn up by "early in September;" but we can see little hope of anything likely to prove of the slightest advantage to our opponents. The Democratic party ought to be obliged to them for postponing the Convention to " early M Sfptpmber." It is a confession of cowardice in these loud-mouthed braggarts, and it gives us the chance to be first in the field with our platform and our candidates. As our platform will be unassailable, and our candidates u nexeeptio nable,it will be to our advantage to be followed rather than to follow our opponents. We can be working while they are "waiting for something to turn up:" Negro Sulrrag,e: The Annual Conference of the Afri can Methodist Episcopal Church, in the Bridge Street Church in Brooklyn, on Thursday, listened to an exciting debate on the report of the Committee on the State of the Country. IZev. Stephen Smith, of the Philadel phia Conference, objected to that por tion of the report which said that the colored man ought to have confidence in President Johnson. Has he not re fused to let the black man have any power in the organization of Mississip pi, Tennessee, and other States? Presi dent Johnson has the right to let him have a voice in that, but he has not given it. I would just as soon be a slave in the hands of the bloody tyrant as a free man without my rights as a freeman Rev. R. H. Cain, of Fleet Street Church, said : My brother, who has just taken his seat, finds some doubts as to the good feelings of President Johnson towards the negro race. I confess that there is some little doubt in the matter, and yet when I remember that Andrew Johnson is President of the white man as well as of the black—when I recog nize this, I think we should forbear; for there are conflicting interests at stake, and it would be unfair for the President of the United States to be par tial to any paricular race. In the South there will, however, be another revolution yet. There is a deep under current of feeling running among the slaves, and they feel this—thatthey have been in bondage too long. All they ask is simply the right to live and to have the protection of the laws as other men have. Unless the Govern ment give the slave the right of fran chise, there will be trouble. [Louderies of " Yes!"] Take away the right of franchise from the black man, and there will yet come the darkest period in our history in the southern States. The whites down there will rise up some of these mornings—l was going to say it. [Laughter.] You know what 1 mean. [Continued laughter.] " The whites down there, (women, children and men), will rise up some of these mornings and find—l was going to say it. [Laughter.] You know what I mean." [Continued laughter.] What does this bloody, miserable, blasphemous " reverend '' scoundrel mean, but that he wishes and hopes that " some of these mornings " the white women and children of the South may be found nu in their beds! There are plenty of bloodthirsty w bite fanatics in the North who would be re joiced to witness the enactment of such Scenes. If left to their own devices, they will yet precipitate a war between the two races, which may excel in tragic horrors anything which has occurred during the prevalence of the bloody struggle now happily closed. It is the duty of all right thinking men to insist upon moderation and calmness. Agita tion of the vexed question of negro suf frage can only result in evil. President Johnson has resolved to leave the mat ter where the Constitution puts it, with in the control of the several States.— There let it rest. To agitate it now, is criminally wrong, and can lead to no good result. What the South Gains Senator Sumner, in his recent negro suffrage speech at Circleville, Ohio, stated that the Southern States will gain fourteen new members of Con gress, and as many electoral votes, by the freeing of the slaves. The former rule was to count only three-fifths of the slaves, but, as they are now no slaves, the whole negro population must be taken into the account. At the last census there were about 3,600,000 slaves in the Southern States, two-fifths of which number would be nearly a mil lion and a half, which, at the ratio of population entitling to a representa tive, (96,000, we believe,) would give the number at fourteen or fifteen. No won der the Rads want the negroes to vote. Fayette County. The Democracy of Fayette county have put in nomination the following ticket. Of course a nomination out there is equivalent to an election : Assembly, Chas. E. Boyle; Treasurer, ' Wm. Darlington • District Attorney, Thos. B. Schnatterly ; Sheriff, Samuel W. Bo.yd ; Commissioner, Griffith Rob erts; burveyor, Martin Dickson ; Poor House Director, Thos. G. Sherrard ; Auditors, D. W, C. Dombould' and W. B. Barris. ' The Condition or the Negro. For years past the ears of the civilized world have been constantly distracted by having dinned into them the most exaggerated stories of the sufferings of the negroes of our, Southern States tin der' their; cruel and tyrannical task masters,-,The Abolition ,newspaper press, and all the resources that NeW England possessed in fiction and poetry were fully employed in acrusadeag,ainst American slavery. The pulpit was ef ficiently used, andYankeeoratorsnever grew so eloquent upon any other theme as upon the wrongs of an oppressed and downtrodden race. They were philan thropists, these pale-faced Yankee wo men, and these intermeddling editors, preachers and platform orators. They were fired with all the zeal of a madand blind fanaticism. It was useless for any one to attempt to reason with them. Bent upon destroying slavery, they re fused to hear a single word of remon strance. Succeeding finally in having their peculiar doctrines engrafted upon a political organization, which acciden tal circumstances brought into pdtver by a minority vote, they at once proceeded to carry out their peculiar views. After such sacrifices of blood, of trea sure, and of all material interests as no nation ever made before, slavery has been destroyed. That is the only real and tangible result of the war. The people know it to be so, and even now they are asking themselves whether this is enough to compensate them for all the suffering they have undergone. No one pretends to claim that the white race has been benefitted by being killed and maimed by half millions ; no man of sound judgment has the hardihood to assert that a huge national debt is a great blessing; and we presume no single individual can be found who considers the payment of heavy taxes as a blessed privilege. It is no wonder the people are asking what has been gained by the struggle. Has the negro been benefitted? If he has, that is something. But, has he? We assert he has not, and we think we can very easily prove it. The breaking up of the old relationship be tween the masters and the slaves of the South has entailed untold miseries upon the poor negroes. Within the last three years more of them have died from starvation than ever before lost their lives by reason of neglect or ill usage since the first black man was brought from Africa to our shores. It would be easy to show this if any attempt had been made to gather statistics. The whole tenor of newspaper accounts of al - hilts in the South abundantly proves it. It is impossible to read a letter from any newspaper correspondent in the South without being fully convinced of it. A few extracts will suffice for the present. A correspondent of the New York Herald, writing from Charleston on the 7th, says : " According to the reports of the wart committee lately organized by Genera thirney, the mortality among the ne groes in this city is perfectly fearful.— The deaths among them are reported to average one hundred per week. Last week ninety-one deaths of negroes were officially reported, and the week previ ous one hundred and sixty-seven. No mortuary list is published as in most cities, and it is but right that the matter be made public. The mortality on the islands exceeds anything ever known in the history of this country." Yet it is on these islands, on the coast of South Carolina, where the new sys tem of free labor, is said to be working most admirably. The Louisville Democrat thus shows how negro philanthropy is working in Kentucky. It says: "The negro is more to be pitied than blamed. Freedom is establishing grave yards to hide its work allover the State, and, when its work is done, then let sickness, disease, freedom and death shout aloud, `free Kentucky.' We un derstand that during the past twelve months there have been about 1,200 deaths among the negroesat Camp Nel son, Ky., alone—one hundred victims per month. At that rate, how long will it take to make Kentucky a free State." A correspondent of the New York Tribune, writing from Raleigh, North Carolina, on the 17th, says: " Wilmngton is now reported on good authority to be sickly. Gentlemen who have just returned from that place state that a great mortality prevails among the colored people, and they were dy ing so fast coffins could not be procured to bury them. Typhus fever is the chief scourge. Streneous efforts are made by the military authorities to pre vent the accumulation of the late slave population in the towns, but the eager ness of these people to return to their old homes from the interior, where they were forcibly carried when our armies took the coast, brings large numbers to these central points, from which they wait opportunities to reach their desti nation. Once back where they were raised, they hope to meet old friends, from whom the war has separated them, and to find employment." When was there ever such suffering and unmitigated misery among the ne gro slaves of the South before ? The truth is the false philanthrophy of the fanatical abolitionists has brought only evil in its train. It has shown itself to be a plague worse than the opening of the fabled box of Pandora. No man can help pitying the poor negroes. They were comparatively happy and content ed in their former condition of depen dence ; but their present state is one of great destitution and suffering, while their future is very far from being hope ful. Message of Governor Saulsbury Governor Saulsbury, of Delaware, in his message to the Legislature of that State, takes strong and tenable grounds in favor of the unrestrained freedom of speech. He urges the members of the Legislature to guard with care against all attempts to niake the negro the equal of the white man. He also declares that the Government can gain nothing by dealing harshly with those who have been in rebellion. His message through out is a very able and exhaustive docu ment. The radicals may depend upon it that if President Johnson does not change his constitutional course with reference to State rights, not a negro in the whole South will ever be allowed to vote. Return of Governor Aiken to Charleston Governor Wm. Aiken was cordially welcomed back on his return to Charles ton. As he made his appearance he was recognized and enthusiastically cheered by the crowd on the wharf. He was, says the Charleston Courier, afterwards surrounded on all sides by his friends, shaking hands and offering their con gratulations. A carriage was imme diately engaged by the crowd, and the Governor conveyed to his residence in Aiken Square. He speaks in the warm est terms of the kind treatment and re ception he met with during his stay at the North, particularly in New York and Washington. His interviews with the President were of the mostpleasant and agreeable nature. "Loyalty" in Massachasettk , The Boston Courier says that the test of "loyalty" is undergoing achange in Massachusetts. Hereafter it will not be "loyalty " but " treason," according to the Abolition-Republican interpretation to " support the Administration." —The decision of the Internal . Revenue Department, a year ago, that certified checks were to be treated as currency, and, taxed accordingly, has been confirmed by the Solicitor of the Treasury Department, and may now be considered as 'finally settled. The decision is one of great int,restqo businessanen and bankers,' Artful Dodging of the Ohio Abolitionists -Will Pennsylvania Follow Snit? • Itis not probable that the Republican State Convention of Pennsylvania will prove bold enough to announce negro suffrage as one of the planks of its plat form in the approaching political can vass. • The same causes which operated to postpone it in Ohio will have double force in this State. We shall have a vast deal of nice dodging, and the exercise of great cunning in the wording of reso lutions. In all probability, all hands will agree to endorse the Declaration of Independence in full, but especially that clause of it which the negro worshippers swear by, "all men are created free and equal." This sentence may be sufficient to satisfy the radicals, who, equally with the timid and time-serving among the leaders, will be willing tosacrifice prin ciple for a proper price. In all proba bility the description of what occurred at the Ohio State Convention will accu rately represent the condition of affairs among the Abolitionists of this State, the time of whose assembling in Con vention is at present a matter of entire uncertainty ; but when they do gather, at the call of the incorruptible patriot Simon Cameron, we expect the condi- tion of affairs in the Committee on Re solutions will be like the inside view of a similar select party in the Ohio Con- vention. We take the following account of what occurred therein from " the in side view" given by the Cincinnati C'onwierciai, a leading Republican pa per: The sessions of the Committee on Resolutions were not especially harmo nious. The debate that was restrained in the Convention broke out in the committee-room, and there was a free and emphatic exchange of views. The army delegates were quite peremptory, and it is even complained they were a little rough, in obeying the instructions to insist upon unequivocally backing up Andrew Johnson. The representa tives of the Western Reserve had a res olution which they were prepared to stand and die for, pronouncing the times exigent and propitious, for the taking of an "advanced step"—and the advanced step meant negro suffrage North and South, and especiallyt he latter, and that right away. For a time, it seemed that if the advanced step could not be got into the platform, the committee would disagree, and two reports would be presented to the Con vention, and the cry would be havoc, and the dogs of war would slip. Fortu nately, everybody was prepared to in dorse the Declaration of Independence, and the unity of the party was main tained. " We must remark, however, that, though the radicals made but a slender showing in the Convention, there was no lack of the deepest anti-slavery feel ing in it, and that few were found who did not freely admit the unreasonable ness of the prejudice against the negro, and express a strong desire that itshould he eradicated. It is plain, from the above account that negro suffrage and equality is to be made a living issue. It was kept out of the Ohio platform, or only admitted in disguise, but, it is to-day a cardinal doctrine in the creed of the Republican party. Most of the Republican news- papers of Ohio profess to be satisfied with the platform adopted, and take care to interpret it as meaning "nigger" more plainly than the language would indicate ; but an occasional radical sheet has the honesty to grow indignant over the practiced deceit. The Cleveland Leader is down on all such dodging of the vital issue. It says : The resolutions adopted by the Union Convention of yesterday are excellent as far as they go. We endorse every one of them. The platform is, however, chiefly remarkable for what it omits to say, than for what it says. It weakly and timidly ignores the only vital issue of the day—the great question of negro suffrage. Besides this there.is no other live issue on which parties are divided. In dodging this the Convention has proved itself two years behind the times, and has inflicted a bitter disappointment upon all earnest and thinking Unionists. Greely comes to the relief of all such soreheaded Abolitionists, and in the Tribune of yesterday thus plainly inter prets the enigmatical action of the Con vention. Horace says: Those friehds of universal suffrage who hoped for an emphatic expression by the Republican State Convention of ()lac), have no occasion for discourage ment in the record of its action. The question, we are assured, will be can vassed in every school district of the State from this time until election day ; the Democracy having ranged them selves against it as Republicans have taken ground for it. General Jacob Dotson Cox, the Re publican candidate for Governor, was originally a Liberty party man, but has been an active member of the Repub lican party ever since its organization, and is at this moment an ardent advo cate of negro suffrage, a factwell known to the Ohio Convention, and, it may be added for the benefit of oneor two New York newspapers, that General Cox has been for many years and is now the warm personal and political friend of Chief Justice Chase. And it may further be added, for the benefit of the same newspapers, that Ohio Republicans "do not see" that 'split" in the Republican ranks for which they so ardently pray and so cheaply labor, but will proceed to finish the good work they have so long been engaged in—that of saving the country from the toils of pro-Slavery fanatics of every grade, and of rendering justice to that loyal class of Southerners who saved our country in the hour of its sorest needs. Gen. Cox is a young man of about 38 years ; of great abilities and thorough education ; has served in the Ohio Senate, where he ranked as a leader among the radicals, and has served from the commencement of the present war, first as Colonel, then as a Briga dier, and now as a Major-General of Volunteers. His services in the army are well known. His wife is a daughter of the late President Finney, formerly of Oberlin College, in which blacks and whites are admitted on equal terms. Will the coming Convention of con tractors, shoddy it es, Abolitionists and other political nondescripts of this State which waits for Simon to say " wiggle waggle," be so fortunate as that of Ohio? Will it be able to get up a plat form, which shall be heralded to the world as repudiating the doctrine of negro suffrage, but, which shall be in terpreted by the Tribune and other radi cal sheets as perfectly sound on that great issue? There is no little talent for deceit among the leading Abolition ists of this State ; some of them are most adroit political jugglers; not a few of them have been with every party that has had an existence, and on dif ferent sides of every political question. To more than one of them the saying of Talleyrand, that, "language is used by statesmen to conceal their thoughts," is familiar. We expect to see some very artful dodging, but, that they will be able to deceive the honest masses of Pennsylvania in re gard to the real designs of the Repub lican party we do not believe. Through its real leaders it is irrevocably commit ted, as a party, to the doetrines of negro Suffrage and negro equality. He who cannot see that such is the case must be politically blind indeed. The party in this State might as well pit themselves squarely upon the record at once. They cannot dodge the issue if they try. THE selection of the Hon. Charles J. Biddle, of Philadelphia, to deliver the oration before'the Democracy of Harris burg, on the 4th of July, was a happy and fortunate choice. Mr. Biddle is a forcible writer and eloquent speaker, a nd ranks among the leading public men of Pennsylvania. We feel assured, from his past record, that he will " win golden opinions from all sorts of people" on Tuesday next. —The President has pardoiied Charles Walsh, one of the Chicago conspirators im prisoned at Columbus, Ohio.. Trial of the Conspirators. WASHINGTON, June ..—The follow ing testimony was taken : TESTIMONY OF GEO. B. HUTCHJNSON I am a soldier. I saw C. C. Clay about February 12th last at Queen's Hotel, Toronto. I also saw Sanders, Tucker, and others, at Montreal, on February 16. I was present at a con versation in Montreal on June 2d or 3d„ at St. Lawrence Hotel, when the pres ent trial was discussed by Dr. Merritt, Tucker, Gen. Carroll, of Tennesset, and Ex-Governor Wescott, of Florida.— Beverly Tucker said he had burnt all the letters for fear the Yankee sons of would steal them. The witness had knowledge that Dr. Merritt enjoyed the confidence of Tucker and the others. THE ARGUMENT FOR ARNOLD. Mr. Ewing then proceeded to read the argument in the prisoner Arnold's case. He commented on the testimony at some length, and argued that Arnold had a rupture with Booth long before the assassination occurred, and could not have aided him in it. The evidence established only that at one time Arnold was a party to a plot to capture or abduct the President. If on the 14th of April the President had been abducted instead of assassinated, Arnold could not be punished, because he had long before withdrawn from the conspiracy. There was not the remotest testimony to connect Arnold with the commission of the murderous deed. .ARGUMENT FOR DR. MUDD After a recess, Mr. Ewing addressed the Court on the subject of jurisdiction. He contended that the Court had no lurisdiction in this case, and pursued a ine of argument similar to that ad vanced by Reverdy Johnson. In it he said if the laws govern, he (Mr. Ewing) felt satisfied that his clients were safe. One of them, Dr. Mudd, had committed no crime known to the law. He could not be charged with treason, nor as aid ing or abetting in the death of the Pres ident, for, at the time of the tragedy, Dr. Mudd was at his residence, thirty miles from the place of the crime. He certainly could not be charged with the commission of the overt act. There were not two witnesses to show it ; but there was abundant evidence to show he did not commit the overt act. Dr. Mudd never by himself or with others levied war against the United States, or gave aid and comfort to the enemy. He ventured to say that rarely in the annals of civil trials has the life of an accused person been assailed by so much false testimony as had been exhibited in this case, and rarely has it been the good for tune of au innocent man to so confute and overwhelm his false accusers by a preponderance of undisputed truth. There was no reliable evidence to show that Dr. Mudd met Booth more than twice, and that was last November in Charles county, on a mere matter of trade. He had never met Booth in this city. Mr. Ewing the❑ reviewed the evi dence relative to Dr. Mudd having set Booth's leg, and other events, in that connection, arguing that from all this there was nothing to lead to a conclu sion unfavorable to the accused. Dr. Mudd voluntarily, not on compulsion, gave information concerning the route by which Booth, with Hrold, had escaped; and instead of thanking him for this, as a good and loyal citizen, an effort was made to punish him. Truly the ways of military justice, like those of Providence, are inscrutable and past finding out. He concluded that his client could not he punished, either as a principal or as an accessory Hefore the fact, for the evidence fails to show eitherknowledge or intimation or supicion to commit the crime. If the prisoner was to be held responsible at all, it was as an accessory after tl le fact, and beyond all controversy there was no proof on this point. All sthe arguments for the accused having been read, Associate Judge Ad vocate Bingham said that on Tuesday next he would be ready with so much of his summing up as touches the ques tion of the jurisdiction of the Court, and he hoped by the next day to deliver the conclusion of his argument. The Court then adjourned until Tues day morning, at 11 o'clock. The Last of the Famous Rebel Crescen Regiment. lllrom the New Orleans Picayune, June 1-1.1 We met yesterday several young gen tlemen -who have lately returned, as paroled prisoners, from the Trans-Mis sissippi Department, who were of the small body of survivors of the Crescent regiment that left this city with so much eclat little over two years ago. The regiment numbered eleven hundred strong, and was composed of the sons of our old citizens, many of whom were taken from the schools before they had ever reached the higher classes. They had been called out for three months service, and in the expectation that they would be released at the expiration of their term of enlistment, many youths were persuaded to go who had not attained an age and maturity suited for military service. But the termina tion of their service occurring at a mo ment when the war was raging with the greatest violence, few were permit ted to return or were so inclined, and the regiment was, therefore, reorganized and enrolled for the war. From that time the Crescent boys were snbjected to a series of trials, hard ships, exposures and vicissitudes that told dreadfully upon their once full and enthusiastic ranks. Engaged in many of the most bloody battles that have marked the progress of this sanguinary, war, this regiment has been several times so reduced or disorganized as to destroy its regimental organization, and compel its consolidation with other re giments. At the battle of Labadieville the lieutenant colonel of the regiment was killed and the whole regiment cap ture-d. In the subsequentcampaigns of General Taylor, the regiment, having been exchanged and reorganized, was again severely cut up—until at last, in the severe fight at Pleasant Hill, it was nearly annihilated, the colonel, lieuten ant colonel and many of the officers and three-fourths of the men being killed and wounded. And now the war closes, and the proud, exultant, hopeful, eleven hundred of the most promising and exultant of our youth, who left this city three years ago, so full of military glory and ardor, return to their homes reduced to the pitiful number of sixty-one—the whole number left of this once grand and splendid body of young soldiers. Such is one of the sad pictures of the horrors of war ! May it contribute another to the numerous other lessons with which the history of the last four years is so fearfully replete, to warn our people, in all time to come, from ever embarking in so bloody and barbarous an experi ment. Proceedings of the Virginia Legislature. In the House of Delegates of Virginia at Richmond, on Wednesday, Mr. John ston, from the committee on courts of justice, to whom was referred the bill from the Senate to prescribe means by which persons who have been disfran chised by the third article of the Con stitution, may be restored to the rights of voters, reported back the bill with an amendment to strike out so much of the oath to uphold and defend the govern ment of Virginia as requires a person to -take the oath to the United States twice over. The bill as amended pro vides that the amnesty oath of the 29th of May, and the oath to support the Gov ernment of Virginia, as restored by the Convention which assembled at Wheel ing on the 11th of June, 18i4, as per tains to the State Government alone, be all that shall be requisite to restore dis franchised persons to the rights of vot ing. The bill was passed—one member voting in the negative—and sent to the Senate when that body, declaring it to be " unintelligible," laid it on the table and a committee of conference was ap pointed. The House also passed a bill amend ing the third article of the constitution. This article excludes from any office of honor, profit or trust all who have held office under the "Confederate govern ment," or the rebel government of Vir ginia. The amendment . proposed is to strike this disqualification out of the constitution, and to allow all to hold office, provided it shall be ratified by the people. A bill was likewise passed to stay the payment of all debts contracted mill accruing before the 26th day of July, 1861, the debtor or party liable to pay on the demand of the creditor and prin cipal. An act fixing the second Thursday in October, 1865, as the day for holding elections for Congressmen and members of the General Assembly was passed by the House. —The blockade-runner Wren, which sailed from Havana on the 11th, was seized by a portion of her crew and taken to Key West, the object being to obtain prize Money. Grant's Passion for Smoking The June number of Harper's Maga zine has an interesting article, entitled " Recollections on Grant," giving anec dotes , illustrative 'of his character and an estimate of his military genius. It seems that the motto of the Scottish clan from which Grant derives his sur name, is " Stand fast, stand firm, stand sure." The following extract is inter esting : " He is a more inveterate smoker than either Sherman or Rosecrans, but he smokes in a different style and for a dif ferent effect. Both Sherman and Rose crans take to tobacco as a stimulant to their nervous organizations. Grant smokes with the listless, absorbed, and satisfied air of an opium-smoker, his mind and body being soothed into re pose rather than excited by the effect of the weed. Neither Sherman nor Rose crans are neat smokers, the velvet breast-facing of their coats and their shirt-bosoms being generally soiled.— Grant, on the contrary, is very neat, and smokes only the best of cigars. He smokes almost without cessation, and is never at ease when employed at any thing which forbids smoking as an ac companiment. During the famous in terview with Pemberton before Vicks burg he smoked with his usual com posure. We pardon Gen. Grant for smoking a cigar as he entered the smouldering ruins of the town of Vicks burg,' said a rebel paper after the sur render. A little stage effect;' it added, 'is admirable in great captains.' But Grant never smokes dramatically. His cigar is a necessary part of himself, and is neither assumed nor abandoned for state occasions. ;He has been known to smoke at reviews, and has frequefitly been brought to a halt, and notified by sentinels or guards over commissary stores, No smoking allowed here, sir.' On entering the Senate Chamber lie had to be requested to leave his cigaroutside. Stamped Paper The New York Herald puts forward lie following sensible suggestions: The Waste of trouble and saliva which is at present involved in complying with the Internal Revenue act, with regard to stamps, is a source of great an noyance to the business public, and one which calls for the establishment of a stamp office, such as exists in the capi tals of each of the kingdoms of Eng, land, Ireland and Scotland. Stamped paper is bought from the stamp offices there and kept for sale by the law scriveners and licensed dealers in stamps throughout the country. Bankers, merchants and others send blank check books in large quantites to the stamp offices to be stamped with a press mark and kept for use. The process involves a mere indentation of the paper, and dispenses with the use of ink and gum. At the same time it obviates the risk of stamps which are affixed coming off, which in the case of legal instru ments is important. By the use of private marks also in the stamp, it can be ascertained at any time in what year the impression was made, and in this way the forgery of important documents have been detected. Where the stamp office furnishes the paper, an extra charge is invariably made for the same, but where the applicant for the stamps sends his own paper the net tax only is charged. We recommend the subject to the attention of the Secretary of the Treasury and the commission of three now sitting to inquire into the ways and means of improving the revenue and simplifying taxation. There should be a stamp office in the capital of each State, and by establishing it at the head quarters of the Internal Revenue De partment it could be done with little or no expense beyond that necessary for purchasing stamp machines. The Jeff. Davis Disguise Fiction Our reasons for discrediting the story of Jeff. Davis' attempt to escape in dis guise are these: First, the absence of any evidence of its truth; second, its incongruity with Davis' personal char acter; third and chiefly, the fact that Colonel Pritchard, whose name asso ciated with the story has given it all the credit it ever had with any one, has been making speeches frequently since his arrival North, iu no one of which has be in the most distant manner al luded to the disguise. On thecontrary, in private, as we are infOrmed on the best possible authority, he speaks of the story, but as distinctly says that he was not present, and did not see the report ed occurrence or any part of it. " It was reported to him," and, as he always adds, "sworn to at Washington." Besides this disclaimer of actual knowledge by Colonel Pritchard, we are informed, and believe, that the cap tain of the gunboat which brought him to Fortress Monroe reports Colonel Pritchard as having told him repeatedly that there was not a word of truth in the story, but some people thought it neces sary to keep it up. Mr. Davis was but partly dressed when the party rushed in. He surrendered promptly and with dignity, saying that he was unarmed. When about to be removed, Mrs. Davis threw or handed him the water-proof which he wore till put on the gunboat. The story so discreditable to our sol diers, who were represented in this same current narrative of the affair as having bullied and abused Mr. Davis, is equally false. They took no such advantage of their power, but, on the contrary, simply made it impossible for him to escape, and then treated him as brave soldiers would and should treat a fallen foe. This we believe to be the truth of the matter, and we certainly do not con sider the fact that Secretary Stanton has sent Mrs. Davis's aqua seutum to the Chicago fair proof that Mr. Davis at tempted to escape in disguise, any more than we should consider it proof if he had sent Mr. Davis's boots or Mrs. Davis's bonnet to the Paris exhibition. —N. Y. IVorfri. Applications for Pardon M. F. Conway arrived in Washington from Richmond bearing applications for pardon from Brig. Gen. Echols and Commissionary General St. John, of the rebel government, and from twenty five prominent citizens of Richmond, composing an organization known as the " Ambulance Committee." Gen. Echols is represented. to have been for the Union when a member of the seces sion convention, and only to have suc cumbed and accepted service under the rebel government when all opposition, became hopeless. The same argument is urged in the case of St. John. The "Am bulance Committee" partook largely of the character of a benevolent organiza tion, and was used to facilitate the trans portation of ['llion and rebel prisoners from the rebel railroad depots to the point of exchange on our lines. It em braces the names of a number of wealthy and charitable men of Rich mond, who are free from all charges that render them especially obnoxious to our authorities. Many of them are large holders of real estate, and com pelled to obtain pardons under the twenty thousand dollar clause of the President's proclamation. Mr. Conway bad an interview at the White House in their behalf to-day, and is to have a final one on Saturday. /knottier Oil Strike In Greene County. The Standard Oil Company made a big strike on Wednesday last, ou the Amos Hartley farm on Big Whitely, at 540 feet The well flowed a stream the full size of the hole for two hours. It was supposed that at least-one hundred barrels was thrown out of the well during the flow, which was scooped up out of the holes around the well. As soon as it ceased flowing they com menced tubing the well. B. li p . Arm strong, Esq., our informant, who left the well on Saturday morning, informed us that they were pumping at the rate of two barrels of pure oil per hour. It is said by good judges to be as pure as the Dunkard oil. This proves beyond all doubt that Greene county is one of the best oil regions in the State.— lVaynesburg McBsengcr. Cheap Patriotism The Loyal Leaguers of this city are exclusively patriotic and liberal to a fault. An instance of their liberality has just come to our knowledge. It ap pears that the government employs, and no doubtpays well, a band at Camp Cadwalder for camp purposes, with which we have no fault to find, as it is very just and proper that a camp so well conducted should be thus favored. We do object as tax-payers, however, to this band being detailed to play at the Loyal League House on Broad street, every day, for the gratification of those who have been and still are fleecing the government in every imaginable man lier. If the band is not needed at the camp, let it be discharged, and if the Leaguers wish to danee, let them "pay the fiddler."—Phila. Sunday Jlfel‘eltry. Breckinridge In Cuba. He Crosses from Florida. in a Small Open Boat—Eight Dais on the OceinL The Arguelles' Case Again—Was: the , Extradition of Arguelles Demanded by the Captain-General? • 'Special Correspondence of the N. Y. World.] HAVANA. June 17. General J. C. Breckinridge, accompa nied by his aid-de-camp, Capt. J. Wil son, his faithful war servant Thomas, - Colonel Taylor Wood, and two Confed- „ - erste soldiers, arrived at Cardenas on the 11th inst., in an open boat of about one ton burthen, from the coast of Flor ida. This party, after the capture of the President of the late republic, made I, their way to the St. John's river, where they procured a boat, in which they pro- _7 ceeded up that river until they reached a point due west of Indian river, near the head of navigation. At St. Johns, Colonel Taylor Wood joined the party, - having been captured by the command of General Wilson, which captured the ' President of the Confederacy by acci dent, but he made good his escape the - same night. The small boat was hauled across the country from the St. John's to Indian river, a distance of twenty-six miles, and launched for the ocean. On reach ing a point called Gilbert's bar, near the mouth of the river, the boat was beach- , ed, and dragged across a sand-spit sixty yards, and launched in an inlet com municating with the ocean. On this part of the route Indian parties supplied them with scant provisions - ff . " cumty," - of which they made bread. For the balance of the voyage they were com pelled to live on shell-fish, caughtalong the shore, and turtles' eggs, of which . they also laid in stores for their voyage • across the Gulf stream. • From the inlet near the mouth of In dian river they coasted south some fifty or sixty miles, when they beached their boat to hunt provisions. At this time a United States gunboat or steam trans port, running down south between the shore and the Florida reef, observed the party, and the commander dispatched a boat from the vessel to ascertain who they were and what they were doing there. As the boat began to show her self, there was some excitement in camp, and Thomas began to get his weapons ready for use. They were temporarily` located on a shell-ridge, between an im penetrable swamp and the waters of the ocean, so that if they lost their boat they would perish in the swamp. Taylor Wood, with the cool determi nation of " Rough and Ready," his grandfather, ordered his two men to launch the boat, which was instantly accomplished, and the others having retired under cover of the brush, the two soldiers took to the oars " with a will," and pulled for the advancing boat which they met at aboutone-eighth of a mile from the shore. An officer in the stern seat of the gig, with a revolver in one hand, hailed the boat with the usual marine questions. Taylor Wood became immediately the roughest 'long shore woodsman, wrecker, and fisher man that ever lived in Florida. " His men were paroled soldiers ; they had to live some how ; they were hunting wrecks ; and until they could find some thing better, they were subsisting on the rather washy charity of the sea— shell-fish driven on shore and turtles' eggs ; they meant to get as far as Indian Key, or possibly Key West ; they had a boat-load of papers, if he wanted to see them." And the ready boys pulled forth their parole documents, which were ex amined and found correct. "The folks on shore were of the same class; had plenty of papers—the same—and were trying to cook 'dinner, if they could find any eggs or shells; wouldn't the captain like to go along ashore—lie would be pa fectly weloomc to the best they had, and their papers too!" Their hospitality was declined—the dictum " all right" was uttered, and, "give too, my boys" —when away shot the gig on her re turn voyage to the steamer—name not known. The wearied and half-starved party breathed more freely after the in terview, which had been rather tedious while waiting for the result. That eve ning they left the shore, havingon board a few dozen of eggs, cakes of cumty bread, aril a few clams, so small that they might pass for muscles. They reached the banks in about thirty-six hours, having spoken one vessel and obtained a supply of fresh water the day follow ing their departure from the Florida coast, and met with no other incident, though terribly perplexed for want of food, until they reached Cardenason the morning of the I lth—eigh t days—where they were received by the people and the authorities with great kindness, well fed, well refreshed, and serenaded In the evening. The ladies wished to entertain them in their hospitable homes, which was, of necessity, declined for the wan t of suitable raiment. The Governor of Car denas furnished the party with transpor tation to Havana, where they arrived on the 12th, accompaned by an adjutant of the Spanish army, and took ,up their quarters at the Hotel Cubano. The adju tant reported his arrival with his guests to Captain General Dulce, who instruct . ed him to say to General Breckinridge that he had the " freedom of the city and Cuba, for himself and his friends, as long as they might wish to remain ; and when lie was rested from his fatigue and at his own convenience, he would be happy to see him." Those who know the country through the woods from Georgia to St John's, (the public roads not available for their services, except at night,) and thence by the route they took to the coast, will appreciate the troubles and dangers en countered to get through safely, besides the difficulty of obtaining food and sup plies for the six persons. The boat in which the voyage was performed did not admit of more than one sleeper at a time, and the only navigator, Taylor Wood, had to be always on the alert.— In a squall at night, he was thrown over by a sea, but having the halyards in his hands, he managed to get on board again without any one being aware of his brief absence. Before leav ing the coast they had religious services, and on reaching Cardenas, before leav ing their frail boat, they returned thanks with prayer , and praise to the Divine Providence, whereby they had been saved. Col. Chas. J. Helm, who has always been highly esteemed here for his gen tlemanly and social qualities, with the people and the authorities, continues to exercise a pleasant conservative influ ence for the benefit of many unfortu nates who come ander official interdic tion, and are homeless. He presented Gen. Breckinridge to the Captain Gen eral of Cuba at his country seat, on the 14th inst., and the distinguished confed erate was received with heart-warm earnestness of manner—courteous and most cordial—the Captain General ex pressing deep sympathy, and regretting that circumstances had rendered it ne cessary that lie should be a guest among strangers for a little while ; but lie might rest assured that the laws of hos pitality should not be violated in Cuba, and that he should not be allowed to feel that he.was a stranger in the land ; that as long as he desired to avail him self of it, Cuba should be a safe asylum for himself and his friends. Colonel Helm was requested to remember that he was included, of course, as a cherish ed and most valued friend. I n this cennection, GeneraliDulce re marked that lie had been much misrep resented in one matter, among North ern people, winch lie had never intend ed to notDe; but as his feelings, his principles, and his conduct might alike be misunderstood in the future, it was but just fir him to say, that he bad never asked of the United States Gov ernment die delivery of Col. Arguello in Cuba, nor had he by. private or any other means, authorized or sought the capture end bringing to Cuba of that person. Phis leaves that midnight cap ture and abduction where it belongs, among irresponsible subordinate offi cials of your Government—a voluntary offering, for which compensation was expected, but whether realized or not, I am rat posted well enough to tell— their pockets can respond. - Wehave no other news which you will not have re ceived direct from Mexico, Central America, and the South American States. Jeffrard is punishing rebels in Hayti ; and the evacuation of St. Do mengo by Spanish troops proceeds as rapidly as possible. DANA. gegro Biot in New Jersey. A serious nigger riot occurred in Sale m New Jersey, lately. A wench slapped the mouth of a very respectable young lady upon the sidewalk for some fancie affront, and got knocked down for her pains. Other " culled pussens" too k part, and a general pitching in followed, when die blacks, being overpowered fled. All business was suspended, and by elevOn o'clock that night not a n!gro. was to 'be seen upon the streets. Us tilitiea were resumed the next #4,, when some of the blaelts fired upon a white man, wounding hint severely:."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers