davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
St. Johns College.

/ The college building is sufficiently com pleted to be used for collegiate purposes. It is situated on the elevated plateau, near the arsenal, on grounds of great natural beauty, which, with the planting of shade trees and judicious ornamentation, will afford campus of large extent and mag
 nifcence. The building is some y feet wide, by S7 deep, in hanked by two towers, each four stories high, while the main build
 ing is three stories. The main entrance is from the west, through double gothic door, The hall or vestibules are like an inverted T, thus l.. The left leads to room in the tower, and to the door of one of the recitation or lecture rooms. The right leads to the great staircase, which is a fine piece of workmanship. The main hall leads to large, long room, to be used for chapel or lecture room. Each story is divided alike, giving three large rooms and smaller one. We shall, at an early day, give our readers drawing of the col- lege and plan, which will convey better idea of it than any words of ours. It will then be seen that 1t has been so planned that it may serve hereafter as the main building, by adding wings to it, or by building a similar edifice near it and connecting the two, it will serve as a wing to noble pile of buildings. The view from the upper rooms and from the tower, is magnificent one, bounded by the mountains of north and west Arkansas that stretch across the heavens their line of blue The building will be warmed in winter by stoves or grates, though it seems to us that the plan adopted in other places of dispensing with these things and warming the whole estab- lishment by means of heated air, would be cheaper and more convenient. The large, central, gothic windows in front, should be so altered as to be thrown open, thus afford
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
Clipoines and Comments.

Free negroes are at discount even in the strongest abolitionized States Carry a negro there and they will steal him, but let free negro go there, they will sell him. Read this, taken from an exchange:
 "SELLING A CoLoRED PERSON IN ILLINOIS. Recently, free collored man, named George Howlin, was put up on the block at Carrolton, Greene county, Illinois, and sold to the highest bidder His offense was violation of the law which prohibits the immigration of colored persons into the State. Having been tried and found gull ty, he was fined S63 and not being able to pay the money, he was sold to MT. Felix Morton for sixteen months. It does not appear that this little transaction in human flesh created any convulsive excitement among the philanthropists of that State."
 Read this and remember this girl was white and free born:
 "A few days ago the proprietor of a first-class hotel in Cincinnati drove out of his house one of his servant girls, who, while employed, had fallen sick with fever. She was confined to her room for day or two, but getting worse, the proprietor re- iected her, careless whether she lived or died, because as he brutally said, his house wasn't an hospital.'"
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

HE ATTITUDE OF ENGLAND.-Whilet the war ragged in Europe, the tone of the British press was friendly towards the United States, and they were prepared to make any concessions. Since the peace num- Der of the English papers have burst out in hostile and insulting language such as has not been used for years. After stigmatiz- ing us as having aggrandizing tendencies with threats to thrash us, if any more of this spirit is exhib ited, the London and Liverpool papers claim the right to occu- py and colonize all Central America
 These things become more important when taken in connection with the fact that Guatemala and other States have conclud- ed conventions or treaties with Great Bri- tain and surreder to her absolute sovereign Y in British Honduras.
 The troubles in the Pacific and the evi dent conflict to take place in Central Ame- rica may be the little cloud of war. now no bigger than a mans hand.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
News Items.

The Memphis Argus says that planter inaa Fayete county, Tenn, has a negro only ten yeah old, who measures sixty-four inches ahund the shoulders and weighs 320 pounds.
 The peple of Carson Valley or rather, the terrltrv of Nevada, had convention, organize the territory and framed consti- tuition, wich was submitted to the people on the q inst James Crane was elected delegate ] Congress.
 Over goo barrels of flour are consumed in the city of New York every day, or 50,- 900 barres during week.
 Wheneer the northern papers get an item of cfme and violence, they are apt to fix the locality in Arkansas. A New York pape says this concerning that burgh:
 C In Nev York, as an offset for fine streets ans shops, we have the heroic satis- faction of knowing that every tenth person in the colnnunity is arrested for murder, rape, arsol theft, violence, drunkenness, breach of aw or decency of some sort"
 In Arkasas, all arrests, indictments and all manner of offences committed are as one to evelr four hundred and seventy.- A slight dierence, you see.
 Two off he Mormon counterfeiters of army drafts have been found guilty and sentenced. They will be sent to the peni- tentiary in be District of Columbia.
 The total vote fer Magofin for Governor of Kentucl3 is 76,1s7, larger number than ever bsore obtained by any candidate in that Stau
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
That Caucus.

The differences between caucus and a convention are many The latter, compos- ed of delegates, may well declare principles,
 or in the party nomenclature of the day, lay down platform. These, with the candi-
 date selected, are presented for the approv-
 al and support of the members of the party.
 The legislative caucus, last winter, that
 nominated Senator Sebastian, is denounced
 by MT. Hindman, because 1t refused to
 adopt platform or, as he says, because it
 voted down the Cincinnati platform. We have yet to learn that a legislative caucus can bind party by its acts, or that de- claration of principles by it would be enti- tied to any more respect than the opinions of the same number of men elsewhere.- We desire to present to our readers some facts in connection with the re-nomination of Mr. Sebastian. We took no side in the contest between the aspirants for the Sena- torship. Every paper in the State that took any part in it, with the exception of the Southron, Fort Smith Times, the Traveller and, perhaps, one other, opposed the successful aspirant. The merits and demerits of each man were fully and fairly canvassed and in spite of all the opposition
 a majority of Sebastian's friends were elect ed to the legislature He had not only a majority of all the members, but of all the democratic members. The August elec- tions demonstrated that he was the choice of majority of the people. When this fact was ascertained it was evident that to defeat him resort must be had to cunning and trickery. Having majority, his friends had no need of caucus, for his election in the General Assembly would have followed his nomination. It was his opponents who needed a caucus, for in that, and nowhere else, could they hope to defeat him. It was demanded and his friends assented to it, At the beginning of the session and until the day of his election, his enemies were plotting, planning, coaxing, threatening and intreaguing to defeat and set aside the will of the majority. Outsiders, whose personal enmity to Sebastian was known, held secret meetings day after day, night after night, and consulted with the know nothing opponents of his as well as with others This was not all. Mr. Hemp stead's friends throughout the State will be surprised to learn that proposition was made to throw him overheard and unite on another in order to defeat Sebastian. It is true that the caucus voted down the reso- lutions drawn up by dictatoral outsider and framed with view to set aside their choice. But in doing so. they stated that the caucus was not place to lay down a platform for the party. Their action could not bind the party and had they been offer. ed the ten commandments and refused to vote Tor them, 1t could not have affected the truths of religion any more than refusal to readopt democratic resolutions could af-
 feet the truths of democracy They owed
 It to themselves as free white men tc
 spurn dictation from an outsider. who
 was there for the avowed purpose of defeat
 ing the expressed will of the people-wh,
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

was there for the undemocratic purpose of substituting his will for the will of the ma iority. He failed, ignobly failed, as he de- served to, and as We pray every demagouge may fail who attempts to ride rough-shod over free people or their representatives.
 The next point sought to be made, is that know nothings were admitted into the eau GUS. If they had been excluded the result would have been the same, or MT. Sebas- tian's majority would have been one less.- It would not have changed the result. If they had such horror of know nothings being received, why in the name of consis- tency did they receive and count the votes of know nothings against MT. Sebastian?
 This warfare against him was begun long before. His crime was that he lived at Helena and was in the way of an aspiring adventurer.
 Had the schemes succeeded and Mr. Se- bastian been defeated, though it had taken the vote of every know nothing in the leg ~lslature to have done 1t, the same men who now denounce the caucus would have extoll- ed and defended it, and sworn as fatly and Justify that it was right and proper, as they now swear to the contrary. The dis grace, if any, that attaches to the demo- cratic party in that affair arises from the ac- tion of outsiders who, protesting to be de- mocrats, undertook to gag and control free men in the discharge of their duty, to set aside the will of the people, to overcome by trickery the will of the majority and who disgraced themselves by their actions and were rendered ridiculous by miserable fail ure. If any man can be found who will deny that if that caucus had defeated Mr. Sebastian, the same men would now praise and defend who condemn it, he ought to be noted as one to whom no falsehood is too. great to utter, or to call whom fool would be basely fattering his intellect.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

ANOTHER CHANGE.-Major General An drew Jackson Rogers having vamosed the ranche" and James Monroe Jackson be- ing used up and superseded, the State Rights Democrat comes to us with the name of $. $. Calhoon, as editor and pro- prietor MT. Calhoon, has, for year or so past, edited the Yazoo Democrat, and is a forcible writer For new comer he takes sides promptly and in his allusion to us and to others is not very compliment tary. However, we greet his accession to the corps and hope that when he be- comes acquainted with the State, her peo- pie and her policy, he may be found battling for the right.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
From The Allentown (Pa.) Democrat. A Few Questions.

Democrats! cut this out and ask your know nothing and republican neighbors the following simple questions:
 Who are in favor of giving negroes the right of suffrage, which they refuse to foreign born citizens ?
 The know nothings" " and republicans Who passed the law in Massachusetts preventing foreign born citizens from vot- ing, when duly naturalized according to the Constitution of the United States?
 The know nothings and'' republicans" Who recommended the same law to be passed in New Jersey?
 The know nothings and republicans" Who recommended the same law to be passed in New York?
 The know nothings and " republicans. Who sanctioned and approved that odi- ous measure in Pennsylvania, by giving silent consent in their late State conven- tion?
 The know nothings and " republicans" :" Who introduced bill in the Legislature of Ohio to strike out the word |" white" from the Constitution, in order to give negroes the right ofsuffrage?
 The know nothings and republicans. !" Wto are in favor of foreigners not vot- ing until they are twenty-on years in this country?
 The know nothings and republicans 7" Who voted against admitting Minnesota as free State?
 The know nothings and " republicans. :" Who voted against admitting Oregon as free State?
 The know nothings and republicans. , Who carried banners in 1856, upon which only sixteen States appeared, where there should have been thirty one?
 The know nothings and republicans '' Who were in favor of letting the Union slide?
 The know nothings and republicans 2
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
w ARREN, ARKs..

oept. I2, ,09l My DEAR SIR-Circuit court is now in session here, and there are goodlv number of citizens of this county in attendance. and 1 have not met with solitary one of the pure old democracy who takes an inte- rest in the establishment of the Old- Line DenocrG." at Little Rock; and. strongly indicative of what the concern is intended to accomplish, # a can 5e done, is the fact that the only agent who has been known to solicit subscribers to the mis- named concern in this county, is, and has been known as the most uncompromising enemy to the democratic party; and his promptings now, as publicly avowed, ex- ists in the hope that the new concern may exercise some influence in distracting the democratic party.
 Yours, very truly,
 JNO. R. HAMPTON. EDITOR TRUE DEMOCRAT,
 Little Rock.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
"A COPY. !
Eaecutioe Office, Little Rock, Ark., ]
 Septemb Der 26th. 1S50 {

SRI have received your letter of the 10th of this month, and also the petition of many citizens of Craighead county, ask. ing how provision may be made for hold ing terms of the circuit court in the new county of Craighead, in the absence of any law fixing the times of holding the circuit court in that county.
 It appears that the General Assembly omitted to fix by law the times of holding the circuit court in Craighead county, but, in section 15 of the act establishing the county it is provided, "That the temporary seat of justice for said county of Craig head shall be at the store of William Pur. year"
 I will now quote from decision of the supreme court of the State of Arkansas, in the case of "Dunn against the State," which you will find on page 252, of volume ?, of cases determined in the supreme court of Arkansas, and printed in the year lS4l, !, "The common law defines a court to be a place where justice is judicially admins tered,' and therefore to constitute court there must be place appointed by law for the administration of justice, and some per son authorized by law to administer jus. tice at that place must be there for that purpose. Then, but not otherwise, there is court, and the judicial power of the State may be there exercised by the judge or person authorized by law to hold it; and 7 the loec prescribe 70 hne for hold;ng Me court, Me judge might laagtuly Hold a when, and as otten, as he chose''
 Taking into consideration all the laws upon the subject, and this decision of the supreme court, it is clear, to my mind, that the judge of the first judicial circuit of the State of Arkansas might lawfully hold terms of the circuit court in Craighead county as often as the public interests shall require the holding of such courts.
 Most respectfully,
 Your ob't serv't,
 ELIAS N. CONWAY.
 LEWIS H. SUTFIN, ESQ, Clerk of Craig head county, Lochbee, Arkansas.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

ExcERrTs.-The number of dead letters yearly returned to the department at Wash ington city is 2,250, ,000. Of these 10000 contain valuables.
 The children survivors of the Mountain Meadow massacre, have arrived in this state, and their relatives will be sought that the children may be placed under their con- trol. Congress will be appealed to on their behalf.
 A proposition is under consideration by the common council and citizens of Little Rock, to light this city with gas
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

GAs-We learn from the American Gas light Journal that there are 245 gaslight companies in the United States, with an aggregate capital of $40, 100000. The price of gas ranges from $2 50 to $7 per thousand feet. There are but compara- lively few instances, however, where the price exceeds $4. and when it is above that sum, rosin or some other expensive article is used for the generation of gas. Mr. Da- vid Melville, of Newport, R. l., is said to have been the first person to introduce gas light into this country. In the year 1912 he lighted his residence in Newport, fac tory in Pawtucket, and Beaver Tail Light house in this way.-Memphis Argus.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
ing free ventilation and cross currents of

ing free ventilation and cross currents of air during the summer.
 The principal, with the professors and tutors, are daily expected, and the institu- tion will go into immediate operation. This is noble enterprise, and as it is under the patronage of large and hourishing benevolent society, it cannot fail. Its maintainance is and should be matter of state pride, and we predict that the num- Der of applications for admittance will be as large as to any similar institution at the opening session.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

ES- AN ESSAY on the Atonement, by Elder Thomas H. Compere, has just been printed at this office.
 It was ordered to be published by the Caddo River Association last May. It is an able document on that subject. By for warding the money to Elder Compere, Charleston, Franklin county, Ark, or to Elder P. $. c. Watson, Little Rock, the work will be sent by mail at 10 cents per copy.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

WOVEN TO VOTE IN KANsAs.-"Ion," in the Baltimore Sun correspondence from Washington, says:
 One of the articles in the new Kansas constitution is susceptible of a construct ion that will secure to females the right of suffrage This is abolition progress. The next step will be to elect females, as we'll as males, to political offices of power and trust
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
Es- The True Democrat is not pub- lished till Wednesday morning, and no one need call for it before that time. .gsT
NOTICE.

There will be a meeting of the citizens of this county, on the 10th October, at 3 o'clock D. m, in this city, forrh purpose of organizing an Agricultural Society for Pulaski county. Every body is respectful ly solicited to attend.
 Old Line Democrat and Arkansas State Gazette please copy.
 We hope and believe that this move. ment will be promptly responded to. The capital of the State has Jagged behind in this respect, while other cities and towns boast of their agricultural societies and point, with pride, to the benefits resulting from their establishment The agricultural interest underlies and sustains all others: is the greatest and most important, yet re- ceives less attention This is owing, in geat measure, to the apathy of farmers, and such societies are productive of great good in diffusing information, enabling the far mers to compare facts and by stimulating and exciting those engaged in this, the noblest of all pursuits.
 We trust there will be full attendance on that day, and that the society will be fully organised.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
The Public Printing.

The charges made by our opponents in relation to this matter amount to nothing; their insinuations amount to a great deal. The gist of their assertions thus far is that within the past three years large sums have been paid to Johnson & Yerkes. These sums have been greatly exaggerated, and in stead..of taking each year separately, the time within certain dateshas been selected and the impression sought to be created that this was the average of a number of years Our readers will bear in mind within the two years so often quoted, the State had printed Digest, a report of the geological survey and heavy reports of the bank accountants. We have waited for a. charge of fraud but none has been made, though inuendoes and insinuations have been plentifully scatter ed. Statements are made in such a way as to create the impression that the treasury has been robbed, and these have been eked out by
 {" The small whisper of the as paltry few, The Janus glance of whose significant eve,
 Learning to lie with silence, would seem true, And without utterance save the shrug or sigh, Deal round to happy fools speeches. oboquy."
 It is the duty of those who make or in sinuate charge, to prove 1t and we might rest here by simply saying that we have never received dollar that was not fairly earned and to which we were not entitled by law. But to show the people of Arkan- sas what contemptible humbug this cry about the public printing is, we here state that we are prepared to prove:
 l. The rates paid for public printing are not higher now than they have been for if teen years or more, notwithstanding the ad- vance in the prices of labor and materials, paper especially.
 7. That we, as public printers, have never charged for any work that was not ordered to be done by the proper officers or body.
 3. That we have charged only the rates allowed by law, have faithfully performed the work and have not received cent, un- less for work aud labor fairly done and cer- tified to according to law
 4. That the sums paid to us in two years, during which we printed the Digest, bank reports, geological survey and otherunusual matter do not amount to as much as was paid the know nothings and others in the same length of time when these heavy la bors were not performed
 ). That the State Rights Democrat, when it had printing for the State to execute, charged from fifty to hundred per cent. higher than we charged for the same work.
 We repeat that we are prepared to prove these, or,,either of them when demanded. If the public printing cost seventy thousand in stead of seven thousand dollars year, it would not be our fault and if the labor was done and charged for according to law the public printer is no more to blame than any other workman who takes and per forms contract.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

STRIKES. The mechanics of London

STRIKES. The mechanics of London and in two or three of the principal cities on this side of the Atlantic have banded to- gether for reduction to the ten hours system of labor These outbreaks are pe- riodical and in Europe are often put down by cannon and the bayonet. These ire quently reoccurring movements of the woyk- ing class indicate deep seated wrong and op- presson. It is the conflict between labor and capital that always exists in countries where there is so called free-labor. Where the workingman is dependent on his employer the latter seeks, of course, to get the great est amount of labor for the smallest amount of money. The vast number of poor work men, with dependent families, who suffer, if one day is lost, make competition that the employees take advantage of. One half the wages paid in England are barely enough to keep body and soul together.- The true solution of the social problem is to be found in African slavery.
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

GENERAL LAND OFFIcE-Thomas A. Hendricks has resigned the commissioners ship of the General Land Office The po- sition has been rendered 10 ex- Congressman Hughes, of Indinia. His acceptance of it is doubtful, as in last March he was ohcr- ed and declined the office of commissioner of natentS
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28
The Circuit Court of Craighead County

For the information of many citizens of Craighead county, the Governor has fur nished us with the subjoined copy of let ter addressed by him to the clerk of that county in reply to petition signed by the clerk and seventy-ive other citizens of that county:
Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-09-28

RIVER, ETC. There is about 3 feet wafer in the channel and falling slowly There has been rise of about one foot since our last issue Steamers are making regular trips from this point to Napoleon, and occasional ones to Fort Smith.
 The weather is fine, giving opportunity to gather the abundant crops of corn and cotton that have been made this season.
 The health of the city and country gene rally was never known to be better than at present.