davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
Notification of the Fugitive Slave Law in
 MaSSachusettS

Boston, May l8.-Both Houses of the Legis- lature of this State have passed the "personal liberty bill" which nulli6es the fugitive slave law
 The provisions of this measure are as strin- gent as treason could make them.
 The nulification of the fugitive slave law is a suitable climax to the Hiss affair After war ring upon defenseless women, it is well for the know nothing Legislature of Massachusetts to war upon the constitution Those who have no respect for female privacy, will not hesitate to stab their country.
 The next news from the North, we presume will be from Connecticut The know nothing Legislature of that State has assembled. We presume it will follow in the footsteps of its neighbor in Massachusetts. It is composed of the same material.
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

of July, (when the time for acceptance will expire,) for full and free conference with the stockholders whose views and opinions will no doubt influence the decision.
 An act of the Legislature on the subject of granting the right of way to railroad companies, was adopted and made part of the charter of the company, and also resolution authorizing amalgamation with the Cairo and Fulton rail- road company of Missouri, the object of which IS to bring the entire line, from the mouth of tn, Ohio to the Texas boundary, under one con- trol. On the organization of the meeting, a very able and interesting report was submitt ed to the stockholders by the president, contain ing statement of the receipts and expendi- lures of the company, and presenting an en- couraging view of its prospects. This report. with maps and statistical information in tabular form, will be published and distri buted at an early day.
 have to express my regret that the occur renee of an error--(for so it must be regarded) in the act of the Legislature, will result in with holding from the Cairo and Fulton or any other railroad company, for nearly two years, means granted by Congress to aid in the prosecution of a work of internal improvement 50 essential to the best interests of the State. But although they may regret it, the friends of the road en- | are elements founded in the progression of com mercc, sectional production, and the increase and mutations oftrade, that will carry it through as one; indeed, Dte principal division of a great line from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. | The stockholders in attendance manifested the utmost confidence in its completion at no distant day, and the opinion prevailed that the company should and would commence the work soon after the present crop could be made available for the subsistence of laborers With the most ample means, the policy of commence ing under existing circumstances might we'll be questioned Provisions are high and could be procured with great difficulty. Labor also commands high rates, and although the strin- gency in the momentary affairs of the country seems to be passing off, a favorable state of things in this regard has not been attained- Economy with us is indispensable as a means of success; without it, failure is inevitable 1 Having represented many stockholders in this and the adjoining counties at the late meet ing in Little Rock, the foregoing statement is made mainly to apprzc them of it's proceed ings, and very briefly of its views.
 Yours truly, EDW. CROSS.
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
Form the Hampstead Democrat Cairo and Fulton Railroad,
W0rZbr0Ok. May 18th

1h0/tOfOOh, May 1Otn, IOo0.
 MR. ED1ToR:-Permt me to state for the
 information of those concerned, or who may feel an interest in the ubect, that at the late meeting of stockholders on the 5th instant. there was no definite action on the subject of accepting the lands granted by Congress on the terms of the act passed by the Legislature, to aid in the construction of the Cairo and Fulton railroad" The proviso at the close of the se
 cond section of the act presented the principal difficulty. It is in these words: "Provided. that said company shall not sell or use any DOT
 tion of the lands hereby appropriated until after they have complied with the provisions of this section." The provisions of the section referred to are, " that after the expiration of twenty years from the date of the completion of the said Cairo and Fulton railroad" etc.. said company shall pay into the State Trea- sury an annual tax" etc., etc. Acceptance, therefore, on the terms of the act, would con- fer no right upon the company to seU or even use any portion of the lands granted bv Con- gress to ald In the construction of the road, until twenty years after its completion, and the payment of continuous tax, limited as to time only by the existence of the company as a corporate body. The proviso in question was most probably intended to apply to the third section of the act which requires the company to grade twenty-five or complete ten miles of the road on or before the first day of December, 1856. Had this been the case, although there are other conditions imposed by the act consid- cred objectionable, there would have been, SO far as could learn, no hestancy as to its accep- tance. Under the circum stances, however if was deemed most advisable to refer the sub;ect to the board of directors for final action. SHf6- cient time remains between this and the 17th
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

A NEW ORDER--A new order seems, accord ing to the Whig, to have sprung into existence We suspect it to be the coinage of Prentce's brain, re- echoed here by the Whig. It is in- tended only to justify the secrecy of the know nothings. There are buttwo parties now in ex- istence-thc democratic and know nothing- The democrats scorn all secret societies They are no Jesuts. They do not believe in mid night inquisitions, where men are judged with out hearing and condemned. They are op. posed to all secret political societies, whether they be know nothngs or sag -nichts Their or ganization is upon principle, and in the oper glare of day.
 Truly will the free government of America be abased, when she is ruled by secret orders meeting in alleys and by-places, at the dead hours of night.
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
LATER FROM EUROPE.


 Neac Xork May 19-The Collins steamship Baltic, Capt Comstock, has arrived here, with in telligence from Liverpool to the 5th inst, one week later than that brought by the Asia.
 Liverpool Cotton Market. According to the reports of the latest Liver pool circulars, cotton had advenced 1ad per pound. The sales of the week are reported at 1O7,OOO bales
 The sales on Friday, the 4th inst, are report ed at 5000 bales ted at 585 OOO bales. COnsOIs.
 At the close on Saturday, the 5th ult, con- sos are reported at 891a in the London money market reports. Provisions.
 Generally speaking, there is no change to re- port ln the provision market.
 Lard IS reported steady.
 Manchester Trade.
 The circulars report trade at Manchester and in the manufacturing districts generally with out change.
 Hing of Prussia Sick.
 Fedcric William, the Emperor of Prussia, is reported dangerously ill.
 Return of Lord John Russell. Lord John Russell had arrived in England on his return from the Vienna Conference
 The Crimea.
 The allies had been compelled at the latest accounts, to suspend the bombardment of Se- baStopol until the arrival of achievements. ] This may be regarded as equivalent to a defeat even though 1t should prove only temporary one.
 The latest despatches from Balaklava are dated the 17th ult.
 According to them on the preceding Sunday magazine No. l of the eighth attack (9 ex. poded
 On the Saturday preceding, the French fired three mines under the flagstaff battery with partial success.
 The Russians, fearing an approaching assault had opened tremendous cannonade along the whole line. The French had consequently lost six officers and 300 meE, but the Russians had lost immensely every night.
 Every night the men, of-war were engaged in firing brOadSldes against the town.
 The Russians in the city received provisions daily, and were engaged in constructing i'm mense works to the north and to the east of the place.
 Two Polish deserters state that there were 100000 Russians in the vicinity of Sebastopol, 6O,OOO of whom had arrived from Simpheropol. Two Russian ships were burned on the 16th ut.
 despatch from Vienna dated Monday night, states that decree that the army should be in- creased so as to raise it to full war comple- ment, would be issued immediately decree ordering all officers and soldiers ab- sent on leave, has been published.
 It is rumored that separate treaty was about to be signed between Turkey and Russia form ing part of a European treaty of peace. The first division of the Austrian army had received marching orders. | France has ordered another levy of 10000 men for the Crimea The appearances of affairs at St. Petersburg denoted great activity and energetic prepara- tions for the continuance of the war. The Czar was devoting the whole of his time to military preparations.
 Attempt to Assassinate Napoleon. The Emperor Napoleon had made the fol- lowing reply to an address of the Senate in re- ference to an attempt which had been made to assassinate him "I thank the Senate for the sentiments they have expressed. I fear noth- Ing from attempts to assassinate me. There are
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

uRoss OUTRAGE OFFERED TO MR. W,sr
 WASHINGTON CITY--The Union, in no.;a; the reception recently given to MT. W;so Washington city, says: :"
 "Mr. Wise spoke from the door of bi.
 ln-law, Dr. damett; in Ninth-street and :, son. presence not only of agreat crowd of c;t;n1Ne 'Ne but In the hearing of ladies and ni4n,ba-eu' b,,~0u' his family. This fact which wonld bo,'S ot strained even the most absolute charaot,,0 re- other days, did net prevent a gang of r,,aS 'h from making number of attempts to i,la'S ;raS the distinguished speaker and to break mn ','Sqt '. meeting It was easy to see that the actd.'. 'ne this shameless business bad been sent ,'s m ground to disgrace themselves and if 'ne to silence Mir. Wise. They resorted tn ,,.oIe, o., conceivable expedent to fulfill their ;,,s.e'y tons, but to no effect Mir. Wise rebnked ,I.uc' M with much dignity, and, after sbont,,. ''en sFoanng themselves hoarse, they fled, like g'T ty spirits, to their midnight haults. SnoII IO'!- the tactics ot the party that assume to rafora the reliSlon and morals of men. A more ,,raon less set oi rowdlos never infested the nnrIia' oi agreat city than the gang alluded to. A"S ye'' Ill the midst of this unprovoked and dor oerate outrage, no police officer showed his f,n- on the ground. Nothing but the forbearanooo of the friends of MT. Wise prevented a ,1oS Ios. There IS not another city in the Union in yboI iD,5 such scene would have been tolerated br 'Lu ~, authorities or if by the authorities, subnittnG tnG to by the people. But this is a part of the tso tics of the order. The officers chosen bv tb. majority dare rot silence the Americans vbo 'bo disgrace Amcrica;' and if these enterprising na trlots can get up conflict with peaceable c;t zens, some new martyr like Poole may be o6a. ed as fit occasion for Sabbath sorrow a,i some new pretext furnished for contin~nG "n4 warfare upon the public tranquility and neaco a~'u ~
 The Union IS mistaken in one respect. w. point to the late outrages in Cincinnati and ror m0 isville as fit parallels to the conduct of tbo know nOthin0S in Washinntnn - Vuo
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

0T The editor of the Gazette, in his extreme anxiety to place us in opposition to all railroads and particularly to the Mem phis road, does not sickle to misrepresent us. He says we object to the whole road being let out in one contract; and says "no man of sense can object to this, or would require the company to make seper- ate contract for each seperate mile." This we never asked. We only think that the contracts ought to be let out by tte divisions specifel in he laaC. Then the terms of the law would be complied with. The lands in each division could be applied to building that division as re- luired by law, We would know how much the road would actually cost between this place and White river, and the lands could be used to pay for its construction. As the contrac, now stands, the spirit, if not the letter of the law is violated, and Pulaski and Prairie coun. ties will have to pay for it.
 It will be remembered how bitterly we op. posed all restrictions upon the transfer of these lands to the companies. The Gazette advocat. ed restrictions. They were made Now the Gazette fayors the subtcrfuges of the company to violate them. We ask, what consistency is there in such conduct. We knew the Gazette would repent its course, and endeavor to get rid of the restrictions it was advocating, and il IS now even so.
 It charges us with objecting "Nat tue contyuc. to''s and oGicers cf his road are stochho11e,s"- This is false. Neither we nor any one else, to our knowledge, ever made such a foolish ob. jection. It would be an objection if the officers were not stockholders. The Gazette is indeed hard run. Its usual course, when hardly pres sed, is misrepresentation and traduction. It is driven to such resorts now
 What we have said, we deemed it our dutv as public journalist to say. We said it for the benefit of the company as well as the people It was said from no desire to injure the road but only to correct the false steps of the con- pany. If we had succeeded in doing so, we should regard ourself as having done the State, the people and the company great service- If we have failed, the State, the people and the company will, when it is too late, justify our motives and our course
 We do not wish to injure the Memphis con- pany. That company has our lands. The law that gave it to them is irrepealable. If then the Memphis company fail, we lose our lands, and lose the last hope of connection with the Mississippi river in this State Knowing this. we feel great anxiety that the company should succeed. Therefore, we desire, in setting out. it should pursue the proper course It should guard itself against even suspicion and stud ously hold its character above rcproach. It needs public confidence to succeed, and its great care should be to secure public confidence
 The Gazette charges us with opposition to railroads only to direct public attention from its own tergivesations It has done all in its power to destroy the grant of lands obtained for railroad purposes. It denounced the grant itself bitterly but when it found that would
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

ARE1vALs.-We were glad to meet our friend Lieut. Beale of the U. S. Army. We noticed his promotion to first Licutenantcy in the ca valry sometime since. He is now on his way to Indianapolis to recruit for his regiment He has been engaged in active service in the wilds of New Mexico for several years past and has distinguished himself by his faithful, efficient and untiring services.
 We also notice the arrival of Lieut.. Plymp- ton of the 7th, from Ft. Gibson, on his way to New York. He is ordered on the recruiting service
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
Withdrawal from Il Hindoo Iodo.

The Rev. J. II. Tackitt, clergyman of tbo Methodist Episcopal church. of Forestviuo Chautauque county, New York, has pubIicIv withdrawn from the know nothing order in :. card, which appears in the Fredoua Censor and which wears so markedly the stamp of good faith and uprishtness of purpose that we giye it place:
 1o the President and CoencHat FjrestuHe, Chm.
 tauqua Nst0 York:
 When l joined this council joined in good faith, and have acted according to the obiga. tons of the order since, as I understand them -thatls, that we are to vote for second -degree members for office if we judge it best for the American cause; and as judged it not for the best interest of the American cause to vote for Mir. Ullman for governor of the State of New York, under the circumstances under which he was nominated, I therefore voted for Mir. My ron Il. Clark for governor, and for secondde- gree membels of the order for all other offices, as deemed them proper persons to fill such of fees, and have acted upon this principle ever since l belonged.
 But recently learning from some of the mem bers of the council that the obligations of the order are construed by this council so as to bind us to vote for second-degree members, and those only, and that if we voted for any others and not such as nominated by the council, and 1t came to the knowledge of the council we must be expelled; and have seen documents from the supreme council of the order constru ing the obligations the same way; and as I with many others, joined before such construc tion was given, of which We had no knowl. edge, by our supreme council, and as such con. structlon operates upon Us an co post tc,cto law making an act crime and punishable which was committed before such law existed. and as Tn free government no person can be sub- jected to punishment by an er post tacto law. which Is making an act punishable in manner Tn which 1t was not punishable at the time it was committed, and as such law is contrary to the constitution of the United States and of every State in the Union, I therefore do here by most respectfully aojthdraw from this order that may exercise my elective franchise consti tut|onally and according to the dictates of my own conscience and judgment, untrammelled by the dctation of any man or set of men.
 l. H. TACKITT.
 F0restvtWe, Neao York, March. 1855.
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
The New Gold Diggings!
Fort Smith, May 21st, 1855.

AO'I o"t0Tt, nAay HAoI, IOOc. EDITOR OF THE TRUE DEMOCRAT:
 The gold fever here has just broke out in a new place. The richest gold mines in the known world have just been discovered on the Red Fork of Arkansas, and our people up here are greatly excited, and many are making pre- parations to leave for the new gold diggings as soon as they can lay in supplies, which are tol- erably scarce in these parts just at this time
 have just had conversation with Mir. Rhea, who is now here, and he informs me that the mines were discovered by some Missourians, who are said to have washed out $1OO per day to the hand, with nothing but common wash bowl. Delegations from different portions of Washington county waited on these men. who had returned from the mines, and found their accounts so fattering that several companies have gone from Washington county, and some three thousand men have already left from southern Missouri. Mr.Rhea has no doubt but there is now at least four thousand persons at work in the newly discovered mines.
 The Red Fork gold mines are about two hun- dred and fifty miles north from Fort Smith and are said to be in the Cherokee Nation What Uncle Sam and the Cherokees will do in the premises, should the mines lprove to be in the Cherokee country, is rather difficult to de- termine; but, one thing is certain, if gold be as plenty as it is said to be at these mines, there is no such thing as keeping the American people from the gold diggings. This information, as to the mines, is founded entirely upon hearsay, but is believed to be true here. am, yours truly,
 J. w. V.
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
ForestviAe, Neao York, March, 1855.
Terrible Powder Explosion near Roches. ter-Five Men killed-Interestins Parti.

Terrible Powder Explosion near Rocbes.
 ter-Five Men killed-Interestins Parti.
 Cu,ars.
 The Rochester (N. Y.) Union ofthe 9thi inst, has the following particulars of dreadful ca. lamity, brief account of which had before reached us by telegraph. It says:
 About twenty minutes past four o'clock r. M, yesterday, the city was shaken bv three successive explosions, few seconds apart It. was soon ascertaned that the powder-mills on AIIcn's Creek, in the town of Brighton four miles from the city, had blown up, involving the JOSS or 1ve lives. The men were employ ed about the works, and their names are James McCann, Christian and Frederick Meyers. bro- thers, Mat. Clark, and Edward Moran. Some of these men leave families Of course noth. ing IS known of the cause of the calamity. as all who were in the mills were instantly kill ed. The shock was very great, shatterinq the windows in surrounding buildings, though do- ing no material damage beyond the limits of the premises occupied by the powder makers. "The powdcr-mills were owned by E. Gil. bert & Co.,, the firm being composed of F. Gil. bert, John Crombie and w. Farnham They had five buildings, but few rods apart-two oi these were mills, one a corning house. an- other packing house, and the last a drying house. All these buildings were destroyed ex- cept one mill, which was running with cylin- ders hllel, only two hundred feet from one of the buildings which exploded The first ex- ploSlon took place in the corning-house, as a drlver states who was going to the mills, and was only some forty rods distant when the explosion occurred. The quantity of powder destroyed Is estimated at from three hundred to four hundred kegs of twenty-five pounds each
 " The bodies of the unfortunate men were scattered in all directions, some of them were torn in pieces, and all denuded and backensd so they could scarcely be identified One body was thrown some eighty rods distant. The un- fortunate men bore an excellent character for industry and sobriety, and some of them had ac, umulated considerable property.
 This IS the fourth time explosions have ta- ken place at these mills within half dozen years, and 1t is only few months since the last one occurred, but it fortunately involved no loss of life
 "These mills were making about one thou sand five hundred pounds of powder per day, for which the demand was quite active" The Coroner's inquest over the dead bodies of the men named above, returned the following verdict:
 "That the said five men came to their death by explosion, the employers or owners having men employed in and about the mills and works, not being men of experience and net proper for to work about the said powder mills, and that such might be the cause of the ex- posion."
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29
A MAN KILLED IN THE PENITENTIARY-Or

A MAN KILLED IN THE PEN1TENTIARY.-On last Thursday evening, as the convicts in the penitentiary were resting themselves previous to going to supper, Thomas s. Dalston renewed an old quarrel with John k. Herndon, and commenced an assault, when Herndon struck him two blows on the head and three in the left side, which killed him, Oalston) immedi- ately. The following is the verdict of the Coroner's jury:
 At jury of inquest, held at the Arkansas penitentiary on the 24th May, 1855, by the coroner of Pulaski county, on the person of convict named Thomas $. Daston, sent from Washington county for murder, the jury of in- quest found that the deceased came to his death by sundry blows with the fist, perpetrat- ed by John R. Herndon, also convict from Crawford county
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

do no good it became an advocate of it, and
 in that character, snake like has ever since as. sailed it. It urged the Legislature last winter to impose ruinous restrictions upon the compa- nes and ruinous restrictions were imposed.- We now find it, anxious for the company to nullify those restrictions. knowing that if the company does, it will forfeit the lands, ruin it. self and destroy the grant. Though inconsist- ent in it's means, in its nefarious ends, the Ga- zette has preserved most fendish consistency
The true Democrat., 1855-05-29

0cT The river is still low at this place. It will be seen by reference to our correspondent from Fayetteville, that a rise of five feet had taken place at Fort Gibson, and that, as it was from the very sources of the river, it was thought to be occasioned by the melting of the snow.- Our correspondent predicts the June rise at hand
 Having been disappointed so often, we have become skeptical. We are afraid our cores pondent is too sanguine