( frantlin gepoOtorty.
Wednesday, Jane 28, 1885
NEGRO SIIFFILAGr...
everal correspondents have addressed
us recently on the question of universal
enfranchisement, without distinction of
color. We have not diScussed the ques;
tion hitherto because we could'see no so
lution' of the issue, and even nob' we can
not, pretend to define it, policy and its
probable results. We have noticed much
discussion of the question in public jour
nalS, and have read impassioned speech
es in behalf of extending the right of suf
frage to the negro ; but no one pas as yet
pointed vut the way by which die desired
result on be readily attained.
President Lincoln studiously avoided
the issue, not because he WRS unwilling to
to-have his views known on the subject ;
but because he cold : Lee no means. with
in the scope of law; hy which the ;genera I
government could enlarge or abridge the
elective franchise. In his last address,
just before his assassination,lte expressed
the wish that the right of suffrage could
be extended to all who fought to preserve
the life of the Republic; but he felt pow
erless to enforce his own convictions of
right without fearful peril to our institu
tions. President Johnson has but follow
ed in the s'teps of his predecessor, and dis
cards the policy of troating the revolted
States as conquered provinces or territo
ries. He holds that no State can secede,
or obliterate its olganie existence'. its
government may he in abeyance, by the
temporm - triumph of treason. just as a
mob JorQ, - for-a time override the muniei-
pal authorities in a town or city; but the
existence of the sovereignty of the State
remains perpetually, anti resumes its po
erwwhenever the disturbing eattst is re
moved. Preserving the existent.** the
States. Congrei.:s is thus without power to
the qualtticwiums of the citizen:
and the laws in force when treason usurp
ed power, resume their supremacy as soon
as the power of the insurgents is broken
Upon this principle State governments
have been re-established by the loyal pee
in Louisiana. Arkansas. Tennessee and
ir g inia, and in all of them there has
4utim no extension of sullinge to tile freed
men whose disenthralment all acknowl
edge: and provisional governments have
been organized in Ninth Carolinh, Missis
sippi, Alabama, Georgia and Texas, sim
ply to restore the civil rule in the various
departments, and each, under the pro
. el:mations of the Presideut,is to choose of-
Ayers by the exercise of the elective fran
chise in accordance with the laws in ope
ration betbre secession—excluding of
'course such as have. by their overt acts of
tieason,, made themselves public enemies.
'While this policy-seems to defeat negro
suffrage, at least for the present and per
hapsindetinitely, in the revolted States,
we can see no remedy within the scope of
law.' It would have been a flagrant usur4
pation had President Johnson by au arbi
trary exercise of power, proclaimed that
in,the organization of the State govern
ments persons should vote who were de-,
nied the right of sarage under the laws
of those States. under no circumstances
whatever could the President exercise such
a power. It the States are to be treated
as conquered prOvinces and subject to the
laws which govern territories,:,Congress.
and not the President. must define the
qualifications of citizenship ; and if they
are to he treated as States, whose legal
power was for a time overwhelmed by
treason hut not obliterated. then the Pte
sideutlias no more authority to proclaim
the enfranchisement ot the negro in North
Carolina or Texas than he has to do it in
Pennsylvania. In any aspect of the ques
tion, the Executive has no power whatever
tit enlarge the right of suffrage. We think
that he has acted wisely, because lawful
ly. in the determination ot' the question,
and, the issue must in time 'be decided by
the competent ' power of the respective
States. To do aught else would be to
" confront the constitution; to bring about
the change by violence to law and prece
dent, and the evils resulting therefrom
would counterbalance the good an ttu
- dred fold.
—We share none of the feeling that
revolts at the exercise of the elective fran
chise by th e negro Ile who protests against
it Merely because the negro i 5 black, or be
ecause he has been wrongfully enslaved,
bows to unmanly prejudice or unpardon
able ignorance. We have committed the
crime and paid the terrible penalty of their
enslavement for three-quarters of a cen
tury, and thousands of them have partici
pated in the great struggle for the preser
vation of the Republic, and sealed their
devotion to free institutions with their
blood. 'They entered the struggle in the
darkest hour of the war—when treamm
was victorious, defiant and threatening
them with pitiless butchery; and they
have won from every unpri judieeernind
the respect due to undaunted valor. To
deny the soldier of the Republic the light
of.suffrage because of an exceptional race
and color, would be an act unworthy of
a free people : and we hope to see the day
when there shall he such distinction
among our common defender. -
We appreciate the forceof the argu-
Ment that it is perilous to confer suffrage
' indiscriminately - upon a million of men,
who are just rescued from the cruel bond
age that made it a crime to teach them the
simplest rudiments of education. /It is an
objection' not to tho;race; nor to the color,
norqo the condition of the freedmen ; but
to the prevailing ignoran7e of the princi
plef government whith must obtain
with such a people. Trife; we confer suf
frage in exceptional cases much less mer
itorious and with no higher degree of in
telligence; but the existence-of such a
Wrong is rather an argument against than
in favor of its enlargement. We should
welcome the standard of intelligence—
ability to read-and write—as the parent of
citizenship - in ail classes. With such a
- qualification ignbrance would soon fade
alrair and n nation of over thirty millions
would preeent the sublime spectacle of
scarcely an exception to thefuniv 7 ereal ed
ucation of its people. But in stumbling
on the question of the ignorance of the
emancipated slave, let us not be unmind
ful of the cansr•_of his pitiable_ deficiency.
It is chargabte to the predominating race
rather than' to - the victim of slavery- It
"s our act, ourlaw, our social, political and.
businerss ostracism, that has plunged and
held 'him remorselessly in mental darkness,
arid when the crime thereof has just
avenged itself in. a most 'fearful baptism
of blood. it becomes not us to stand aside
and perpetuate his enslavement in another
form because we have - denied him the
fitness for citizenship. Our first duty to
the freedmen is to enlighten, encourage
and strengthen them in their new state ;
'and the problem of their citizenship will
in time solve itself lawfully and 'justly.
That they will, become citizens or practi
cally slaves, or extinct as a race in the
United States, we regard as inevitable,
They cannot remain as they are now.
They will progre gt. or retrograde—increase
under eulighteued mid liberal laws, or
llegra tie and diminish under the despotisin
of caste, as the States may be just or un
gerous and the solution of the great ques
tion we do not pretend to foresee.
—Looking . practically at the proposed
enfranchisement Of the freedmen, we see
no hope fiir it at an early day. It cannot
be brought about, as things now are, ex
cept as time may prove their fitness for
citizenship and dissipate the causeless pre
judices which are cherished againsYthern.
The general government cannot, by-any
possible means. lawfully secure to theta
the right of suffrage. To the States alone
Belongs that power and duty; and thus
far not our of the regenerated states has
proposed it. A national convention has
been suggested; but that would require
the F•tates to- Bitty its aetiou, and the
states would thus hold the issue in their
hands iu any event. fli Pennsylvania it.
eould tint even lee tbruitt4ly proposed for
three years. and it Would require tiro
years to strike the word •ihite" from nor
organie law. By the Ist section of artieh.....
:311 "every tjdrite treenir of the age of
twenty-one rears." is a voter, and article
10th provides ; that "no atandment or
amendments shall be submitted to the
people oftener them once im fire years. -
Last year the people ratified the amend-
meat - enfrat : feit:,iug our ,ohliers, awl no
other zuuetiiiment eau he °tiered bet"in . 4.-
nUie,N by calling of con,titntiouotl
convention. Regardless of the doubtful
issue in this State on the merits of the
question. Pennsylvania is thus precluded
from formal action on the question at pre
sent.
.—We have thus presented the grtion
lather as it is than as we would have it.
and mast be content to abide the fruition
of tirne for its solution.
SRAM TIRE LEADERS RE PARDONED?
Robert - E. Lee. late commander-in-chief
of the rebel Armies, and Alexander IL
Stepheng, late Vice President of the so
called confederate government. have filed
applications with President Johnson for
special pardon. There are doubtle'ss
scores-of similar applications from rebels
of lesser note. who have held important
positions rimier the government before
the war, and under the Davis usurpation
during the war. Ex-United States Sena
tel.,: and Congressman. ex-Governors, -
and ex-Army .6dicers of all grades. seem
to have flooded the Departments of Wash
ington with petitions for their restoration ,
to :ill the rights of citizenship. •
This journal has steadily advocatedalih
ernl policy toward the revolted states. and
magnanimous dealing even with leitdm s
of the reltellion. now that they have faik
ed disgravefully and must beimpol c rat
lii Itenvettrat if merely let alone
but to piadon diem and make them again
citizens. would 1e a degree of clemen-,i
positively etiminal - on the pall . of the :.;y
eral government. No man wlfo has held
a commission in the Army or Navy of the
'United States, or who has been a Senator
or 'Congressman and subsequently joined
in the rebellion, or who accepted office as
a Senator or Congressman or member of
the cabinet nutlet the governm ent of trea
son, - or who as Goverudr of a State aided
in its secession, or accepted the position
of Executive under the rebel constitution,
should ever be restored to citizenship under
any circumstances whatever! There can
be nothing to extenuate the'treaehery of
such men. and it would be suicidal to the
interests of the Republic just rescued front
their bloody grasp. and a crowning wrong
fo the loyal people of the Nation, to make
them again eligible to the trusts which
they used to betray the government by
hameless perfidy.
By their own deliberate acts they have
wantonly arrayed themselves against the
government undec which they e4toyed the
honors of the peitple, and they requited
I the confidence reposed in them and the
distinction contend, by causeless war to
destroy the noblest fabric of free govern
ment ever reared by faithful men; and it
is enough—quite enough of. leniency on
the part of the government - they have
sought in vain to overthrow. if it permits
them to live. This it must do. Its thith
is pledged to every surrendered rebel of
ficer :Old soldier from Lee down that their
lives shall not lm demanded in expiation
of their crimes. Quibble as we may about
technical distinctions. the terms proposed
by Gen. Grant to Gen. Lee, and which he
accepted by his capitulation, preclude
the punishment of those Men either in the
civil or military tribunals Its traitors. No
one misunderstood fife spirit and plainly
expressed language of Gen. Grant's pro
posal, and no nation can afford to violate
its solemnly plighted faith. It. placed Lee
and his armies in the, position of public
enemies, and as such they remain for all
practical purposes. They have no part,
no. lot, no interest in the government
against Which they have revolted and de
luged the land in fraternal blood to give
anarchy to thirty millions of people. They
are aliens to the Republic, strangers to its
beneficent rights, and so they mnst remain.
their homes have lieert sacrificed on the
bloody altar of their treason, and the frat
ricide must, not be restored to luxury and
power while every State is dotted with
the 'graves of his victims,
AS they have
wantonly, wiekedly, murderously made
themselves aliens and strangers to the
countless blessings they enjoyed as citi-
.£tanlhlin Utposiiiitp, 41.Ijainbersburg, Pa.
tens, so let them remain. Let them lire
to wander through the land , they have
stained with gore from the Potomac to
the Rio Grande, homeless and citizenless,
as Monuments of the mingled poker and
justice and magnanimity of the great Re
public of the World. .
—Gen. Leo was the child of! favor un
der this government. lie Was educated,
promoted and honored by it,; and he left
the head-qUarters of the commander-in
chief to draw his sword against the Re-''
public. We do not known that his
tory career is stained by any immediate
act of cruelty at variance with the laws of
war; but he was the trusted chieftain of
the rebel cause. No campaign was un
dertaken without his asiieut.! No policy
touching the war was adopted without his
sanction. His counsel was potential in
the very temple of treason's power. and he
must at least share theguilt of the starva
tion of pii;oners—the crowning crime of
treason's fulness of crime, unless lie shall
show that he protested al4iinst such mon
strolls barbarity in vain. As_ yet no evi
dence has been produced torelieve him of
this damning charge, and until his skirts
are cleared, the government can exercise
no clemency whatever in his case. If he
shall satisfy the unprejudiced judgment
that he labored fruitlessly to make the
rebel government humane, it'will relieve
him of a fearful blot that now stains his
reputation; but even then we should pro
test in the name of a Nation that only
saved its existence by his overthrow. and
in the name of the thousand,,s :of gallant
soldiers he has slain, against his restora
tion to citizenship. Such mercy would be
erime: Every consideration of justice
ibrbids it, awl the future safety of the
Republic demands that its discomfitted
but deadly tbel4hall henceforth have no
voice in directing its destiny.
SEED WII EAT
ravages, produced in the wheat
Crop this year by the tint, fly and weevil
demand the serious attention of farmers
to. the char:l.l.4Pr of the seed they will saw
next fall. Nearly if not quir e e very va
riety of wheat in general mse in this :KT
tion ha , -urfered more or less by the en
emies ab4)ve named: and it is never safe
to continue to sow any variety that has
once been 8/Timis's injured.
We 'believe that the farmers of t he t 'um
bel-land Valley have never giv,n miwit at
iteution to the production of superior
'They will go to any reasonable labor and
expense to pmente a promising variety.
but we know of lint a very few itntanees
itaim;, ale taken to protract. a
,uperiiir,t.eeil by the p.ropagation of tlu
grain from selected plant-. It in this
Way that the he,t - Karietie , of wheat ale
tir,t seemed. and the:, are then if-ed with
out spegial cart , iu the preparation it the ,
, ee d 11.041 year to year until they all viol
in very iirdinary
.iptalitie , , and evit-le to
escape the enemies which have become
so common and so fatal.
The "Giant Wheat" and Pedigree
Wheht" giown by Mr. Hallett. of England.
in Itisl produced tifty-six bushels per
acre. and have since att ;tined great celeb
rity in the wheat growing countries of the
world. The wheat was brought to per:
fecti on by selecting from year to'year uiit
only the hest loads of wheat. hut the hest
kernels of the tinet-t - eats and using them
tOr seed. `oin of the heads' tint. pro
duced inea,tured ,4•VP1.1 .111VIIV.S in le»grh.
and one grain has produced seventy-two
heads and six thousand four bundled and
eighty gunit The highest product Mr.
bill( It attained 011 an ,icre was seventy
_t c. n bushels. let' county, 111.. lets
piotliteed whettl' heads siN mid a half in
: cites long, and Talbot vffilllty, Md., hail a
lield of nearly thirty acres in bait) that
yielded fifty-five bushels to the acre. and
nine of which
_produced si vty-f, mr and a
half bushels upon each acre. Mt .ilotchkiss,
of Niagara county, New York. had six,acres
of wheat in lesO which yielded sixty-three
~ anfl a half bushels per acre and Mr. Pow
of the stune county, raised seven ares
in 1853 which yielded within a !la ction of
seventy bushels per acre: All these ex
traordinary products were attained by
the selection of the best heads or grains
for beat from year to year, until some
thing like perfection in the stock and
heitd was attained.
There are very few fields in this section
this year which have entirely escaped the
rust and weevil ; but in very many local
ities there are portions of tiekl free from
these ravages. From such sinks farmers
should be most careful to select their seed; -
and if they will take the trouble to select
the best heads from such portions of their
craps. they will, we believe, he amply re
paid. It can be done after the wheat is
tut and gathered in tfutbarn, by opening
the sheaves and selecting therefrom only
such stocks as have clean, unbroken straw
and .Well developed heads. It is not so
tedious a process as might be supposed,
and considering the small quantity wanted
for seed, and the fearfal losses sustained
this year by farmers generally, it would
be well worth the trouble to make the
trial.' At least. let every farmer select in
this way a portion of his seed—enough to
test the wisdom of the plan, and then his
own experience can guide him thereafter.
It is well established that a very high de
gree of perfection in both stock and grain,
and a large increase in the yield can he
attained in that way.
—We would be glad to hear from far
mers in this valley as to the ravages of
the rust, Hy and weevil this year, and to
have any observations they may deem of
value in providing remedies. What we
want is fact, and however indifferently
they'may be expressed, we shall he glad
to receive them.
HON. WILLIAM WILKINS died 011 Friday
last; at Ildifiewood, his residence near
Pittsburg, at the advanced age of eighty
six years. He was a son of John Wilkins,
of Carlisle, and Wa.A admitted to the bar
in Pittsburg about 1800. He entered the
legislature nearly half a century ago as a
representative from Allegheny, and at
once took a prominent rank as a, debator,
and hi 1820 he was appointed President
Judge of the .Allegheny district, and was
subsequently Judge of the United States
District Court. In 1828 he was ehosen to
Congress after a contest of treat bitter
ness, but he never took his seat, Prefering
to remain on the bench, which he adorned
by his great legal attainments and blame
less integrity. In 1833 he was elected H.
S. Senator, in which position he served
until President Jackson appointed him
Minister to slissia. He continued abroad
as Minister until 1843, and in February,
1844, was appointed Secretary of War by:
President Tyler. He had also been elect
ed to Congress again in the fall of 1843,
but served only a few weeks until he en
tered the Tyler-cab/pet. After the expi
ration of Tyler's administration he re-'
mained in private life until 1855, when,
much against his will, he was nominate&
for the State Senate, and ejected byrea-,
son of a schism between the Republicans
and Americans. At the age of 76 he en-;
tered the State Senate, after haling served
in both branches of Congress; as Foreign
31inister, as Cabinet Officer, and both
State and Federal Judge, anti he com
manded an unbounded meusnre of re
spect from men of OF :parties. Ever
genial, most fascinating in conversation,
and singularly graceful in manners, he
was not only beloved but venerated by
all around him. His most notable effort
in the Senate was his leading oft' with
Brewer, Randall, Steele and one or two
other Democratic Senators in favor of the
side of the State Canals to tile Philadel
phia and Erie Railroad Company---a mea
sure against which there was much preju
dice at the time, but w hich has been more
titan vindicated now Its one of the most
beneficent legislative movements of the
last quarter of a century. He lived to
see the full fruition of the measure by the
completion of the Erie road from the sea
board to the Lakes. He was demisistent
but liberal Democrat, and wad' always
highly respected by his politithil oppo
nents. He was twice married—his second
wife. who still survives him, being a sis
ter, of the late Vice Presidenk.
He was a flutist accomplished scholar, and
earnest anti forcible writer, an' eloquent
orator. and was a true type of God's no
blest work. Few men die so widely la
mented as William
Tim spirit is attempting to capture
l'resi (kilt .luli 1151)11 Ly gradual approaches,
in intitati?ii ~f its party. Each 'week it
becomes a little stronger in its commen
dation ( .f sumo or his official acts. In last
week's issue it says that -.the Deo:Kidney
have seen in the course of the President
much to approve. and very little to Con
demn." and in a lbw weeks more it will
probahly &elate him a second Jackson.
We congratulate the Spirit on itshicid'in
ten al, and hid it good speed in getting
over in ,rapport of a sound Union adminis
tration. If it had leaned a little in that
direction in the dark days of theAlepub
lie. when Johnson stood up against the
,urges of treason North and South like a
Ivan of adamant, anti when it counseled
only in the interest of the enuntry's foes,
it would have donkthe nation some ser
vice. Now. when to go wrong would be
hopeless the Spirit crawls in under
the shadow of a Union President, and
like all new converts, seems more Union
Than Union men themselves. Go in freely '
GEN kV! cavoN, ellairman of the Union
State 0)41111it VVlntzt,:pOstponetfthe Union
State Convention called for the 19th of
.1111 y. and requests the State Committee
to meet on that day at tire Lochiel House,
Harrisburg. at 3 o'clock P. M. He sav s
that the convention has been postponed
—in compliance with the earnNzt appeals
of many prominent Vnion men, citizens
of different counties in the State.'' The
Ilen toc rats had previously postponed t heit 4
convention from June until August.
Wti,welcome Thomas 31'Elrath, Esq., back to
the list of publisher*. Fot many years he was the
leading' manager of the Tribune, and under his
direction it httained the highest measure of
,troc
(•es:, ever reached by any journal in the Country.
Ike now appears 11.13 pllblisher ot The . Citizen, a
heckle journal devoted to news, army and navy
matters. polities, literature and knenee, and it
sparkles tt ith freshWess in every column. We
heartily commend it to pergoni4 who want to read
a class weekly from New York. Prier $3
per annum.' -
Guy. CURTIN is endeavoring to have the State
prisoners, confined at various military forts,
brought belbre the• proper anthoritieg, that they
may be
.punished if guilt'. or be eet at liberty if
innocent. HA object is to save the National Ad
ministration from being misjudged by the North
fern 11111:N e.g.
WASHINGTON
The Weather—The City Full of Southern
ers—President ifoituson and the South
Carolina Delegation—The Conspiracy
Trial—Trial got , Miss Harris—More
Troops to he Mustured Dut—iohn Mi
nor liott.4=Appointfuellitti—Gen. Custer
and his Horse.
Com ),,,teloriee of the Franklin Iterogitory
WAIIINGToN CITY, June 25n,Aft,5
Notiaithstauding l y e have frequent showers of
rain, the weather remains uncommonly hot and
sultry, and is driving many tzansient perions to
more congenial places in the North, leavnig but
few strangers, other than those from the South,
and they are legion. They are 'rapidly tilling up
every nook and corner in the city, so that soon
mzain this hill he a city of Southerners - in place
of Yankees. The swag and haughty demeanor
which predominated in them in their better days
still is visible to a great' extent, but generally
they molding themselves with great propriety.
The President 15 now dealing with the South
Carolina delegation. to whom he has had to talk
rather 'plain. They =floured a good deal about
losing their slaves, but Mr. Johnson told them
there was no alternation. "„Slavery is dead—
gone forever.- Its status is changed. There is
no hope you can entertain of being admitted to
representation either in the Senate or House of
'Representative till you give evidence that you
too, have accepted and recognized that that in
stitution is gone. That done, the policy adopted
is not to restore the supremacy of the Govern
ment at•the point of the bayonet, but by the ,ac
fun of the people. While this rebellion has
emancipated a great many negroes, it has eman
cipated still more white mon. The negro in
South Carolina that belonged to a man that owned
from one to five handfed slaves thought himself
better than the white man who owned none. He
felt the white man's superior. 1 know the posi
tion of the poor white man at the South, com
pelled to till the sandy, and—poor soil
for a subsistence. You cannot deny how lie was,
in your eyes, of less value than the negiv. Some
here in the North think they can control and ex
ercise a greater influence over the negro than
you can, though his future must materially depend
on you. Let us speak plainly on this gubleet. 1,
too, nn ) . a Southqn man; have owned slaves,
bought slaves, br&never sold one. ;: You and I
understand this better we know our friends are
mistaken, [here the President rose up and con.
tinued emphatically,] and I tell you . that I don't
want you to have the control of thee negro votes
"against the vote of this poor white man. I re
peat our friends here are mistaken, as you and I
know as to where the control of that negro vote
would fall. When they COll.lO to talk about the
elective franchise, I say let each Siatejudge for
itself. lam for free government; for emancipa
tion and I run for emancipating the white man
as well as the black nan. •
A Delegate.-1 see you are for Maintaining_ the
Government and the Constitution.
The President. —Yes, sir: intact;
Delegate.—We are at this present moment with
out law. You have the power.
President.—Don't let us proceed upon the idea
of power, but upon that of right. My opinion is
that, for the present, you must have an agent of
the Government—a military or civil Governor,
call it what you will: then have a convention,
amend your Constitation,abolishing slavery,adopt-
Mg_ the amendment to the Constitution of the
United States.
After that, as far as white and black men are
concerned, they come into the. market as labor
ers, subject to the same genettillaw of supply and
demand.
Delegate.—But is' it necessary to have a conven
tion pass upon he question ? '
President.—Certainly ; and then, it remains with
the Government receive them, pr " leave them
out in the cold," to use a common expression.
Dclegate.—Therk our admission or rejection
would depend upon our adopting or not adopting
what you think right -
President.—No; I only advise: I would have
you understand me more correctly. In the first
instance we proceed upon this idea, that the Con
stitution guarantees to every State a republican
form of government. Now there comes a rebel
lion which has suspended the functions of the
Government; in order to restore to 'the State
its republican torso of government, which it has
lest,-it is.liecessary to take some initiative step.
A civil or military governor is appointed the agent
of the Government; through him the Govern
went may say convene yourselves, send your dele
gates, but we expect you to amend your Consti
tution and abolish slavery. You may refuse, but.
then Congress - can say we have the right to judge
(f the eligibility of our own memben, and if you
don't submit you must remain under military rule.
You may send your two Senators, but it is for that
body to admit or reject them, not fist me; but here,
ns Executive of the nation, I can only take the
initiative to enable you to do these things.
Delegate.—But there is the fact that slavery is
not mentioned at all in the Constitution of the
'State: -
President.—{smiling).—But therm is the fact
that it has existed in the State. and you can amend
the Constitution so that it will say it does not ex
ist there. .
Delegate.- . -Then this is a sine qua non to pre
cede our being restored. .
The President informed thein that it was.
Judge Foster, a delegate, then said that the
people of the mtb would submit, and he had no
doubt they were coming Out of the struggle wiser
than they went into it and it is the part of wis
dom to make the best of circumstances. The
Delegation was' then requested to nominate a
Military Governor. The-President said be would
submit the whole to a Cabinet meeting on next
Tuesday and wonld see the delegation again after
that.
The Military Commission meets again on Tues
day, when Conover, the witness whose evidence
was suppressed, and whoce statements ,were de
nied by Ben. Wood and parties in Canada, who
charged that he personated another individual
will be placed again upon the witness stand. t!o
-never bail been reported missing ever since the
day he gave in evidence. He hadeveral aliases,
serving the rebels under the name of James Wat
son Wallace a^d as Col. Geo. W:Margrave. It
is now said that he went from here to Montreal,
where the gang, Sanders, Cleary & Co. terrified
him into a statement denying that he was Conover.
at all, and compelled him to swear that the
revi
dence was given by some other man who had sto
len his personality, and in order to clear them
selves compelled him to offer a reword of Soo_
for the arrest of the counterfeit Conover. After
this he was freed'and fled toward the States.—
Before crossing he was recognized by a Police
officer who arrested- him-its—order to get the re
ward he himself had offered. He was taken back
to Montreal, but again escaped by the 'old of
friends. This iS the gossip now going and no
dottbt some interesting details, will be brought out
on Tuesday.
Miss Harris, who it will be recollected shot A.
J. Burroughs in the Treasury Department on the
30th of last January, is to be arraigned for trial
ir, the criminal court on Monday, July 3d. It is
stated that she has just recovered from a malig
nant attack of small-poschich has greatly marr
ed her heretofore good lo .r oks,:_
Forty more regiments are orderetlto be mas
tered out of the Army of the Potomac, which will
about wind it up as an organization.
.Roger A. Pryor has taken the oath and com
menced the practice of law in Petersburg.
The lo3alty of John Minor Botts proves a pro
fitable investment, for we learn that already he
hassucceeded in getting an order for the payment
of $lO,OOO for wood destroyed, taken or furnished
since the war began. If this is so, many men,
much more loyal, who have furnished coal, wood,
meat, &c., over two years ago, and who are yet
waiting and spending money in endeavors to have
_their claims adjusted, will be rather disgusted
with this settlement of the claim of Mr. Botts;
who, if be done nothirig to aid the rebels, never
did do anything to aid the Union' cause. =
During the past week a large number of clerks
have been appointed in the Treasury Department,
principally inen•-who have faithfully served their
,country in the army.
Allmon connected with the Signal Corps whose
term expires prior to October Ist, are to be mus
tered out.
Every person that was here on the day of the
grand review will recollect the beautiful horse
rode by Gen. Custer, and which ran off with him
from in front of the reviewing stand, having be
come frightened at the boquets showered en the
General. The horse was captured in an expedi
tion up the Shenandoah Valley, and is valued at
$ 1 3,000. It has been stated that the owner has
proved his loyalty and received an order from
s'ecretary Stanton to take him, wherever found.
N't‘ have authority to state that Mr. Stanton has
given no such authority and no owner has called
concerning the horse.
A government sale of 1,500 wagons and 20,000
sets of single mule harness will commence here
on next Wednesday. e.
PERSONAL.
—Maj Gen. Couch has resigned and is at ‘ his
home in Taunton, Mass.
Joo. W. Forney will deliver the oration
before the literary societies of Dickinson College
to-day.
—Maj. Harry- Gilmore, the rebel who was so
conspicuous in the burning of Chantbereburg, is
in i Fort Warren, and may be brought here one of
these days to face a Franklin county jury.
George A. Teenholm, formerly Secretary of
the Rebel Treasury, was arrested at Columbia,
S. : C., last week. He was taken to Hilton Head,
and it is expected that he will be sent from them
to Fortress Monroe.
—The Richmond papers say that Dick Turner,
the keeper of Libby Prison, under rebel rule, was
recaptured on Saturday week, and is now con
fined in one of the cells of Libby, constructed by
the rebels for the confinement of Col. Streight.
Edmund Ruffin, of Virginia, the man whO
filed the first gnu on Sumter, blew hie brains out
!rear Richmond on Saturday week. A statement
was found among his papers to the effect ; that he
preferred death to living under the United States
Government. • .
-
7—Jefferson Davis, it Ir'ncrii' undeWitoM to be
settled, Will lre , tried by civil tribunal, and.prob
ably by the S. District Court fix' the Maryland
District, Chief...Taal:lee Chase presiding. We do
not yet learn whether lie is to be tried for trea
son only, or for other offenses also.
—Cooper Gibbs, in command of the post at An
dereonville, is Washington on parole. -Captain
Henry Wirz, who had control of that terrible
prison Pen, is also confinement, awaiting
his trial for , murdenng o r prisoners. k Judge
Advocate has already b" assigned, and is now
preparing the•testimony.
—The Times' AVashin
eminent has received d
on special says the Gov
mentary proofs ineon-
Jeff. Davis, in the mat•
trosertible, of the guilt o
ter of the Mimosa!' and o ost brutal treatment of
Union prisoners. When disclosed to the public
as facts, as they Will be i a few days they will as•
tound the civilized world.
—Letters of administration on the estate of the
lato President Lincoln were issued on Thursday
week by the probate Court of Sangamon County,
to Hon. David Davis, of Bloomington, Judge of
the United States Circuit Cotitt for the Southern
District of Illinois. The Hon. J. P. Stuart As
sun...ty will the bond. The value of the estate is
.$73,000. -
—The family of the President, consisting of
Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Patterson (the new mistress
of the White House), and Andy, jr. who is expec
ted to supply the plac6 of the frolicsome Tad, ar
rived in Washington last week. The party were
met at Cincinnati by William Prescott Smith of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who accompa
nied them to Washington.
—Hon. Get). Rush Smith died at his residence
in Philadelphia.-on Friday last. He Las been
more or less prominent in the politics of the State
during the last twenty-five years. He entered
the legislature shoat 1841 and Served four or five
years, but nof consecutively, and in 1859 he was
chosen to the Senate. At the time of his death
he was Health officer under Gov: Curtin. He
was a kind and genial gentleman.
—We have the sad duty of recording the death
of Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Dupont, of the
United States Navy. He died at the. La Pierre
House, in Philadelphia, at five o'clock=-on the
morning - .0f the 23d. He was born at'Bergen
Point, New Jersey, September 27, .1803, and was
consequently sixty-one years Sdd.i He entered
thellavy on tho 19th of December, 1815, and re
ceived his present commission on the 16th of Jut
ly,lB62. , He wanted but a few months of filling
out an honorable half century in the navy of his
country. Rear Admiral Dupont sailed with old
Stewart, of the Constitution, in 1817 ; comman
ded in the Congress, off California, in /847-8,
and iu 1856 carried the United States Minister
to China in the, Minnesota, relieving Mr. Reed,
of the Powhatau, and Com. Tatnall. He re
turned in 1858, and in 1861 took command of the
Philadelphia yard. He comManded tue squad
ron which captured Bay Poini and Hilton Head.
The 7th of NoMmber, 1861, kill long he remem
bered, as also his assault on Charleston in 1862-3.
AdmiralDahlgren relieved him two years ago on
the ensuing Fourth.
'--The death at Washington, on the 21st
of Mrs. Frances Seward, wife of the Hon_ Wm.
H. Sen aril, will be widely and sincerely mourn
ed as more than a family 'bereavement Mrs.
Seward, born Francis Miller, daughter of 4udge
Elijah Miller, one of the honored pioneers of
central New-York, had attained the age of sixty
years, and bad filled for thirty years an ,exalted
position without once exciting au enmity oralien
sting a friend, and without ever meeting one
who had either the power or the wish to speak
ill of her: Intellectually gifted and cultivated far
beyond the average not merely of her sex bat of
her time, she gave much heed and thought to pub
lic affairs without it...electing or slighting any of
the duties of a beloved, exemplary wife and moth
er: and every pulsation of her heart beat strongly
for Justice, Humanity, and Freedom to aIL An
invalid and sufferer for several years past, she had
necessirily withdrawn in great measure from so
ciety, solaced by the admiring love of a devoted
family and walking cheerfully heavenward in - the
light of an unshadowed Christian faith. She has
remained for the most - part at home during the
last four years, but hastened to Washington on
the first tidings of the murderous assault on her
husband and son, and the overtaxing of her im•
paired physical strength by that trying journey
probably shortened her earthly career, All'her
children (three sons and a daughter) survive her.
Her mortal remains will doubtless rest in the
cemetery of Auburn, the city of her birth, which,
though not always het residence, was always her
home, .
POLITICAL EITTEIMIGENCE.
—The Union men of Wesinforeland have re
.nominated J. R. McAfee and JarnelleElroy for
Assembly.
—A correspondent of the Pittsburg Gazette
recommends Gen. John W. Geary for the Union
nomination for Governor. ,
—President Johnson has issued a proclamation
appointing Lewis E. Parsons Provisional Govei
nor of Alabama. Its terms are precisely the same
as, and identical in language with, those issued
for Mississippi and Texas.
—The Republican Convention of lowa have
nominated William M. Stone for Governor, and
Gei?rge G. Wright tor Supreme Judge. The Con
vention is in favor of striking the word' " white"
out of the State Constitution.
—The Ohio 'Union State Convention met at
Columbus lad" week, and nominated Gen. J. D.
Cox as candidate for Governor by acclamation.
A. S. i'lleDurney, of Warren, was also nominated
for Lieutenant Governor and J. Brinkerhoff for
:Attorney-General.
—The Union men - of Washington county have
nominated James R. Kelly and Joseph B. Velsh,
present members, for Assembly. 3f. C. Quay, of
Beaver, is the other candidate. AU served in the:
last House with great fidelity to the Uniomeausei
mid credit to thems e lves. t t-
—The Democrats of Bedford have nominated
John Palmer for District Attorney, Capt. W. G.
Eicholtz for Associate Judge, P. Donahoe for
County Surveyor, J. Bensinger for Jury Commis- .
niissioner and M. S. Ritchey for Commissioner.
No preference was expressed for Assembly. The
resolutions are rather tame, as contrary to the
platforms of the Bedford Democracy in such ea
ses made and provided, the rebellion has been sup
pressed, and they let themselves down as gently
as possible, and "find much in the administration
of President Johnson worthy of gdmiration."
--GovernOrMolden, of North Carolina; issued
a proclamation on the 12th, detailing tba plan for
• the reconstruction of the State government. A
• conveutionis to be held at an early period, the
,members to take an oath to support the Constitu
tion oDthe United States, and to abide by and faith
fully support all laws and proclamations: which
have been made during the existing rebellion with
reference to the emancipation of slaves. The con
vention is to alter or amend the constitution and
submit the constitution so amended to the' people
for acceptance or rejection. The convention is
also to provide for the election' by the people of a
Governor and members-of the Legislature, and
the Legislature will elect two United States Sen
ators. An election will also be held in due time
4 for membets of Congress.
—The probabilities are that the Southern States
will all be provided with regular or provisional
Shits governments before the National holiday
neat month. On the 17th inst. President Johnson
appointed provieional Governors for the State of
him 28,ticti' 5.
Texas and Georg* and. others for riorida and
South Carolina are to 14 appointed immediately.
'l i te following Southern States have elected reg
idar Governors, as follows
Kentucky 'Thomas E. Bramletti , .
Maryland ' Thomas Swann.
Tennessee William G. Brownlow.
Virginia .. -Francis H. Pierpont.
Missouri ........ -Thomas C. Eletcher.
Arkansas ...... —John Murphy.
Louisiana James, Madison Walls.
• The President hes appointed the following Pro
visional Governors for the following States:—
North Carolina .... L. . _ -William W. Holden.
Georgia James Johnson.
Mississippi - . William L. Sharkey.
Texas Andrew J. Hamilton. -
Aj a b ana . .Latvia E. Parsons.
Provisional Governors are yet to be appointed
for South Carolina and Florida.
lk:If P10tt1:40144)10,1A()4.'LN4
.7-601. Mosby, the notorious guerilla ehiet, has
ban paroled by the military authorities at Lynch
birri
—Gen. Sheridan is busy- preparing to go to
Texas. Gen. litredith is moving with a cavalry
force over Bunke' attempted route, via Red river
and Shreveport.:. Gene. Granger and , Weitzel
have gone into the Lone Star State byway of the
coast, entering at Galveston and Brazos. - Gets.
Granger hats the chief 'bommand.
—lt is said the War Department has Snarly a&
ceded to Gov. Curtm's views, and issued an or
der directing that enlisted Men of Veteran Re
serve Corps - who, if they had remained io the
'volunteer regiments from which they were trans
ferred, would now be entitled to discharge, will
all be mustered out, except those who voluntarily
wish to remain in the Veteran Corps.
—The Herald has a communication from Gen.
Hinks, chief mustering officer at Harrisburg, en
closing a carefully prepared statement which
shows that the mortality among tIM Union sol
diers at the Andersonville rebel prison, during the
ye!tr ending the 28th or February last, was twelie
Abliffilind seven handfed and ninety men. The
greatest aontlily mortality was 2,991, in August
last.
—Hon. James Speed, Attorney-Gener'al. has de
cided that a volunteer, accepted and mustered
into the service under the statute of July 4,1864,
whether for a term of one or twq years, or
for three years, if he iimustered out of the ser
vice before the expiration of the term of service
for which he - enlisted—is entitled only to receive
the proportion of the bounty allowed him by the
statute, whether one-third, or two-thirds thereof,
which had actually- accrued before the date of his
di , eharge. •
—An official gazette announces the , captgre of
Galveston by loyal forces übder the command of
Acting Rear Admiral Thatcher. The place is
now held by Generals Canby and Sheridan, as
well as by the navy: Galveston has been.surren
_ &red: On the 2d inst., GeneralsE. Kirby Smith
and J. B. Magruder went on board the U. S.
steamer Fart Jackson, and were met by Gen. E.
J. Davis, representing Major Gen. Canby, and
the terms of surrender heretofore agreed upon
were signed by Gen. Smith . . On the sth the U.
'vessels crossed the bar,-and the flag was raised
over the custom-house and all the forts in the liar
bor. The citizens behaved themselves very' or ,
derly. Gen. Brown,-with a brigade*of troops,
took possession of the garrison at Brownsville,'
Texas, on the Ist.
SECRETARY SEWARD
" Occasional," of the Philadelphia 'Press, who
has been privileged to pass several evenings with
Secretary Seward, during his,convalesenee, writes
as follows of the Secretary: -
" When he was able to move and to articulate,
he surprised those who crowded to his conch, by
the simplicity, the breadth, the vigor, and the
comprehensiveness ends views. Mr. ttivrard has
always been distinguished for his collestdalpow
ers Acute, philosophical, and felicitions in his
discussions and delineations of doctrines and of
nib his speeches and his essays have been mod
els of composition and of thought. But never be
fore, not even in the buoyancy of high health and
in the excitement of debate, has he more signally
'displayed those rare gifts with which above most
wen he is hountifully-4possessed, as during the
hours which succeeded his long and lingering suf
ferings, and his happy:entrance upon what prom
ised to be a new and if possible, a more honora
ble public career. It is not many evenings ago
since, as I was seated by his side and listening
to his suggestions, Surgeon General Barnes enter
ed his parlor and told him ie a low voice that
Mrs. Seward bad had a long and pleasant sleep,
and that reasonable hopes might now be enter
, tained of her recovery. "Ab ?" he said, ".,Dr.
Barnes this is good news-indeed; I now feel as if
the wing of the angel of death had been lifted,
and.as it this was to be once more a happy lind
healthful household." And then he told us what
a sad procession it would have been if he hid been
called, In his broken condition, to leave hissuffer
log boy behind, and to accompany the remains of
his true and beloved wife to the cemetery at Au
burn, New York. Under the influence of these
good tidings he diluted anew upon the bright pros
pects of .e country ; clearing awa,v many ot the
daub -that trouble the minds of statesmen, offer:
ggestions of priceless value for the discussion
o, the difficult questions of the hour and predic
.irg the brightest future for the people ot a rector
.ed Union. I shall never forget these words nor
the manner in which he uttered them "Time
alone' is necessary to heal our wounds- These
Southern people will come back In peace and in
obedience. They have been defeated by the bal
lot-box and on the battle-field. Having resisted
the one, and resorted. to the other, they are now
lett completely prostrate. In this condition they
have neither interest nor real inclination to renew
a conflict which has only brought beggary to their
households, destruction to their favorite institu
and ruin to their colossal fortunes. On our
part, having proved our strength, it is right that
we should now prove our wisdom. Patience. for
bearance, magnanimity—these are the instrumen
tatities which backed by unlimited and aneiam
pled material forces, Will re-establish the Repub
lic on enduring foundations."
Mrs. Seward died on the 21st last, aged about
sixty years. She was the daughter of Judge
Miller, o Auburn, N. Y., and was married to the
Secretary of State in 1824. The New York
Timm says, iu announcing the sad event:
"Mts. Seward, wife of Secretary Seward, died
on the 21st inst , atter an illness of about three
weeks from billions fever, induced in it great de
gree by her unremitting attention to her husband
and son. She was about sixty years . ' of age.—
The remains were embalmed, and taker, to Au
burn, New York, (or interment, accompanied by
several members of the family and a number of
friends. A singular degree of affliction seem's to
be meted out to this distinguished family. ; First
the Secretary's life is jeapordized by a serious ac
cident; then the assassin's knite '• brings himself
and his son almost to the verge of death, and per
ils likewise the lives of three, members of the
household; then the mother and sister of the As
sistant Secretary's wife are thrown' from a car
riage and severely injured, and now the estima
ble wife and kind and affectionate mother, whose
devotion throughout these trials has been nimetus
ing,is called away, and another grief added to
already overburdened hearts. The nation will
cordially sympathize with the family in these - af
fliction."
cortuEsPommter of the New York Trawls.
who lately voted the battlefield of Spoltsylvanis ,
says :
Ghastliest of all ghastly Bights upon this bloody
field a relhe skeletons of dead men broadcast over
the land=the nation's seed, plantid willingly for
a glorious harvest of Union and lea —brit never
covered from sight. Within a circle of one hun
dred and fifty yards, where an nanueceasfulaalanit,
was made upon the enemy's woks, I wonted fif
ty skulls, polished by Wile, reflecting grimly the
rays of the sun, as they fell carelessly upon the
last memorial of man. That these so remained
was doubtless due to the fact that both armies
moved away immediately after fighting. and have
never reoccupied the spot. pat what must be
thought of the farmers who left these dreiidful
souvenirs lie on their grounds. 'T saw one Plow
ing on the same field where lay a skeleton and he
coolly told me that when he came to it he supposed
he would bury it s 'Tie a pity for human native
that such people should live. -