davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-07-25
Helald's Dispatch

New YORK, July II.
Reliable advices received from Richmond
state the rebel troops are in great numbers
with abundant artillery and full of confidence.
1t was thought there that our army would be
overwhelmed on the Chickahominy, and the
fact it was not is now attributed to the good
generalship of Mcclellan. The rebels planned
to break our lines on Friday and on the sue
ceeding morning but did not
Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-07-25

COKINTH, Ju1y TO.
Gen. Halleck has just issued a special field
order, saying in giving up immediate COM
mand Of troops constituting the army of the
South west, he desires to express his high
appreciation of the endurance, bravery and
soldiery conduct which they have exhibited
on all occasions, and to express to command
ers of army corps and their subordinates, his
warmest thanks for their cordial cooperation.
He says the soldiers of the West had nobly
done their duty and accomplished much
towards crushing this wicked rebellion, and
if they continue to exhibit the same vigilance,
courage and perseverance it is believed will
soon bring the war to a close.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04
NUMBER. S.
The Truth of History Vindicated.

The Abolitionists of the North who favor
the employment of negro soldiers to aid in
crushing out the rebellion, quote as a pre-.
cedent the action of Genera Jackson at New
Orleans, in lSl4-l5, and they gart le and
make unfair extracts from history to bolster
up their assertion. An investigation in the
fact of the case will show that the allegation,
as it is intended to convey the idea that be
had slaves, or even free negroes properly so
called; in the battle as soldiers, is wholly con,
founded. That he had "men Of color" in
his army is true; but they were refugees
from ST. Domingo, men of weath-quad.
rooms or octoroons and very far from being ne.
groes-who had fled from the prosecutions
of the negro authorities of that island. Gen.
jackson, in bis report to the Secretary of War
speaks Of them linen of color from St.
Domingo, about two in hundred In NUMBER"
and IN Partons Life of Jacksons, vol. 2, page
70, they are enumerated as a 'battalion of
St. Domingo men of color, 2l0." The ad.
dress quoted by some of our coemporaries
written, it is said, by Edward Livingston,)
a.ludes to them as "natives," but that was
evidently misapprehension. Hence the
assertion of Mr.. Mellon, as quoted by US
us last week, and which, we believe, is cor.
robora,ed by Mr.. Wicklihe, of Kentucky,
(who was with Gen Jackson at New Orleans)
in n recent speech at Indianapolis, is litter
ally true; and, if our memory serves US corr
rectly, is likewise corroborated by Mr.. Eaton,
the biographer of Gen. jackson. Let the
truth of history be vindicated
There were negroes engaged however. in
the battle below New Orleans, but not on
our side. The British commander tried the
experiment, and had two regiments of blacks
from Jamaica in his army. How they per.
formed is thus told by writer quoted by
Mr.. Parton, vol. 2 page 13o:-"The unfor-
tunate backs forming the West India regi
ments suffered most dreadfully from the
change of climate and alteration of fare
they were were positively not only useless,
but absolutely in the way. 1t
was an absolute cruelty to them on such a
service, and evinced little judgment on the
part of thGadvser of such a measure"
The British commander also employed
negroes to carry his sealing ladders, and the
result was perfect failure, as the blacks
could not be induced to advance under the
fire of the Americans but threw away the
ladders and fell flat on their faces to escape
the bullets of the volunteers.
SO much for the Jackson precedent, which
on investigation vanishes into thin air. 1t
has been also alleged that there was a regi
ment of negroes, from Rhode Island in the
army Of the Revolution. We have seen it
nowhere so sta ed in any history we have
read of that memorable conflict; and are
there fore inclined to set it down as alike
destitute Of truth with the statement above
alluded to.
Innc1 oier InfoILinencor
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04
Lancaster Mtelligencer.

KILLING RArs--A NOVEL TRAP.-The
premises of good many farmers are often
infested with rats, we are often asked for
modes of destruction. A resident of Brook.
lyn is vexed with an increasing family of
rats that seem to grow fat on arsenic and
Rat EXterminators. He dosent like rats,
and refers his case to the Sunday Times
That journal recommends trap made as fol-
lows:
Take mackere barrel, for instance, and
fill ii to about one third its height in water
Then place log endwise in the water, so
that one end of it will remain just above the
surface. Make the head of the barrel little
too small to fit and suspend it by two pins
to the inside of the top Of the. barrel, so it
will hang on Il pivot and easily tip by touch
ing either side, On this head, thus suspend,
secure piece of savory meat. The first rat
that scents it, will, to get the meat, leap on
the barrel head The head will tilt, and pre-
cipitate him into the water, and resume its
former position. The rat in the water will
swim to the log, get on the end of it and
spueal vociferously. His cries will bring 9TH
er rats, all Of whom will be tilted into the
water, and all of whom will fight for the
only dry spot in t-viz: the end Of the log .
As only one rat can hold it, the victor will
drown all the rest, and can, in the morning,
be drowned himself We have seen twenty
rats caught in one night by such a trick
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

Col. FoRMAN.-The other day we alluded
to a letter, purporting to come from sol,
der in the 4th Regiment California Volun'
eers, accusing Col. Forman of disoyalty,
incapacity, etc. An officer attached to that
regiment says that he is satisfied the letter
was written by an utsider, who has per-
sonal spite against the Colonel; that Col.
Forman is the only officer ho has caused
arrests in Los Angeles county for di sloya
conduct and insults to the flag; and that be
possesses the confidence and esteem of those
under his command. S. r. Journal.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04
ANoTHEE RIVER TROUBLE For SAcRAMEN,

ANorHEE RIVER TROUBLE For SAcRAMEN'
ro.-Sacramento city has another trouble on
hand which is not mentioned by her news
papers. The floods of last fall formed bar
at the mouth of the American and this dei
post is solidifying itself by the production of
grass and weeds. But worse than this, the
channel of the Sacramento from the bridge
to a point below the principal city front, has
has been changed to the Yolo side. A bar
is forming at the foot Of M street; the steap'
boats land atthe foot of @ street and cannot
turn their bows down stream until they have
backed below the city.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

CHILD Wives AND MorHERs--An Oregon
correspondent of the Bulletin chronicles the
marriage of lecherons old fellow aged for
ty six to a child of twelve years.
A dispatch to Chief Burke from j. A.
Doten, of Stockton, requests the arrest of an
individual named Livingston who he charges
with abducting his daughter aged twelve
years.
The Nevada Democrat, of last week, under
the obituary head, notices the death of Mrs.
Sarah Angeline Sawyer, who died at the
Blue Tent, in that county, on the 9TH instant
at the age of IL years, l months and lS
day, leaving an infant child,
"Can it be possible!" we mentally exclaim'
ed, when we read the above items. What
is the world coming to9 What manner of
men are they who seek wives and complain
in the nursery? What a dismal prospect
looms up for the mental and physical condi-
ton of future generations If the moral
standard of the men of the present day has
sunk so low, it is high time that our fegs-
lators should take the matter in hand and
enact laws, Furnishing with imprisonment in
the penitentiary for lengthy period, those
who are guilty OF such base deeds. A mere
fine of few hundred dollars has no terror
to such fellows. Police Gasstte.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04
Quincy (M.) Herald

How TO RAISE GIANT AsPARAGUS.-Mr
Downing In one Of the eary volumes of the
Hortcuturist, tells how to grow giant as
paragus, so that it will rival any giant prof.
ducton. He says:
Every one who has seen my beds has begl
ged me for the seed, thinking it was new
sort, but pointed them to the manure heap
(the farmers best bank) and told them that
the secret all lay there. The seed was such
as might be had in every garden. About
the first of November, as soon as the frost
has well blackened the asparagus tops,
take scythe, and NOW all down close to
the surface of the bed. then 90 to my
barn yard; take load of clean, fresh, stable
manure, and add thereto half bushel of
hen dung, turning over and mixing the
whole together throughout. This makes
pretty powerful compost. | apply Que such
load to each twenty feet in length OF my
asparagus beds, which are six feet wide.
With strong threeIprenged spud, or fork,
| dig this dressing under The whole is
now left for winter In the spring. as early
as possible, turn the top of the bed over
lightly once more. Now, as the asparagus
grows naturally on the side of the ocean,
and loves salt water, | give it an annual
supply Of its condment. | cover the sur
face of the bed about a quarter of an inch
thick with fine packing salt; it is not too
much AS the spring rains come down it
gradually dissolves. Not weed will app
pear during the whole se;son. Everything
else-pig, chicken weed, puslane-re'
fuse to grow on the top of my brny aspara
gus bed. But it would do your eyes good
to see the strong, tender stalks of the
vegetable itself pushing through the surface
early in the season. | do not all stretch
point when say that they are often as large
round as a hoe handle, and as tender and
succulent as any ever tasted The same
round of treatment is given to my bed every
year.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

CoRooRAN's DIARY.-G. w. Childs, Of
Philadelphia, who gave ten thousand dollars
to Parson Browlow for his book, has concu.
ded arrangements with General Corcoran
for the purchase of his diary, kept while in
the various prisons Of the South.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

TAKEN THE OATH.-A San Francisco pa
per rejoices over the fact that xJudge Terry
was recently compelled "to take the oath"
The Sacramento Bee states that Humphrey
Griffith has also taken it. We have seen
both of these gentlemen frequently take the
OATH" but like the Captains Of the Mackerel
Brigade, it had sugar in it.
Grass Valley NationnI.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

A resemblance between the present cot
ton famine in England and the terrible ca
lamty which overlook Ireland II years ago,
is traced by London journal. The article
shows that 100000 of the Irish staked all
no a tuber, and half that number in Eng land
have staked their all on pod
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

In London, there is now an average Of one
thousand and and one hundred and fifteen
deaths per week, and one thousand seven
hundred and fifty births. Of the births, nine
hundred are boys and over eight hundred
GIRLS.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

TRAINS ARREsT.-Th London correspon.
dent of the PhIadelphi Inqnirer, says that
George F. Train was arrested for debt, and
not for incendiary language as reported.
He has since arrived in the United States.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

Some "stupids," bantering fat compau.
ion, remarked that, if all flesh was grass, he
must be a load of hay. II suspect l am"
said he," from the way you asses nibble at
me-"
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

WASHING WooLENs.-If YOU do not
wish to have white woolens shrink when
washed, make a good suds of hard soap and
then wash the hannes in it. Do not rub
woolens like cotton cloth, but simply squeeze
them between the hands, or slightly pound
them with clothes FOUNDER. The suds
used should be strong, and the woolens
should be rinsed in warm water. BY rub'
bing hapnels on board and rinsing them
in cold water, they soon become very thick.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

CURn.-We find the following in the
Boston Evening Transcript:
AN INVALUABLE MEDIoINE.-Rev. DR..
Hamln, of Constantinope saved hundreds
of lives in the following simple preparation
during the terrible raging of Cholera in that
city, few years since. In no case did the
remedy fail, where the patient could be
reached in season. 1t is no less effected in
Cholera Morbus and ordinary diarrhes A
remedy so easily procured, and so vitality
efficacious, should be always be at hand. An
ordinary phal Of it can be had for 25 cents,
and no family should be without it over
night. The writer of this received the re-
cpe a few days since, and having been seri
ously attacked with Cholera Morbus the
past week, can attest to its magic influence
in affording relief from excruciating pain
He ardently hopes that every one whose
eyes trace these lines, will cut this article
from the paper, and procure the medicine
without delay Its prompt application will
relieve pain, and presumptvey Y, save life.
Take One part Laudanum.
One " Camphoraed Spirit.
Two parts lincture of Ginger.
Two " Capsicum.
Dose-l teaspoonfu in wineglass of
water. If the case is obstinate, repeat the
dose in or hours. Henry HoYr
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

DEMOCRATS AND TRAIroRs.--The attempt
Of our political enemies to brand the demo
cratic party as a reasonable organization,
because it will not bow submssively TO the
behests of the A dpinlstration, is a remarka
BILE exhibition of partisan impudence. 1t is
folly to say that democrats are disunionists,
for a simple reason that they differ on a
matter of national policy from the President.
This doctrine will not be countenanced in
the United States 1t is not calculated for
the free air of democratic government
What would Thomas Jefferson have said had
he been told that the day would come when
the citizens dare not question the acts of the
public servant; when it would be considered
treasouabie to differ from the views of the
Administration? Jefferson has too much
confidence in the intelligence and love of lib
erty among the people to believe it for mo
ment. The democratic party is now, as it
ever has been, faithful and true to the Con-
stituton and the Union. Democrats have
proven their devotion by reigiously respect
ing the rights of all sections. They have
never marched under sixteen starred flags;
they never deaced maps to obterate States
from the Union; they never waged war on
the institutions Of any portion of the people;
shep never invoked foreign aid for such a
purpose; they never encouraged tae robbery
and murder af their fellow citizens; they
never said the Union could not exist as our
fathers formed it, they never cursed the
Constitution as a league with Hell; they
never set the laws of the United States at
defiance; they never declared they would
ra her perjure themselves than obey the SUI
preme Court In short, they have not in
suited Heaven and outraged common decen
cy with expressions of sectional hate Of their
ueghbors and brethern. No, no! The de
mocracy stands before the country to-day
with clean bands-a great, national, Union
loving party-free from sectionaism, intol-
erance, prescription and tanatcsm
Union Democrat
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

The number of slaves emancipated in the
District of Columbia, under the law abolshl
ing slavery, foots up 3,lO0. The time for
claims has expired
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04
IA Hopeless Case" "

Under this head the Wing of last evening
states that DR.. Edsop, well known physi-
clan OF this city, had a controversy on the
street yesterday afternoon with a country
man, in which the doctor was trying to con
vince the crowd that was was present, that
he, the doctor, was Union man, but the
countryman was too much for him. and he
'skedadded' without being able to accom-.
plish his object" ."-This we are informed is
gross preversion Of the facts, which were
substantially as follows: "The controversy
between DR.. Edison and Mr.. j. Masters, the
conntryman, as stated by the Wing, in the
course of which Mr.. Masters charged the
doctor with dsloyaty, when the doctor to
test the patriotism of Mr.. Masters, proposed
to him that they should both 90 forthwith
and enlist uuder Lieut.. S. Hatch, who has
recruiting office in this city. Arriving at
the office the doctor entered his name on the
muster roll, and Mr.. Masters did the same
Of the parties by the lieutenant, he propo-
sed to administer the oath to both of them,
when Mr.. Masters requested permission to
see the young t1an who came to the city
with him that be might advise him Of his
circumstances, and send him home with the
team. Instead of returning to the office,
however, Mr.. Masters Jumped into the wag
on and "skedaddled," "puckashed," ."vamos'
ed the ranch" "cut stick" "broke for tall
TIMBER" and that was the last that was seen
Of the valiant Republican of the city. 1t is
proper to state, further, that DR.. Edson's
challenge was not confined to Mr.. Masters,
but was extended to any Republican in
the crowd, but none Of them intmated an
acceptance except Mr.. Masters, and he shame
fully, coward like, backed down and left the
city in exceeding haste.
Ouincu (IWl Herald
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

WHAT ONE DROP OF INK NIGHT. HAVE
DoNE.-As our Washington correspondent
says. one drop of ink used at the right time
might have saved this country from civil
war, but the Republican party in Congress
refused to use it. They preferred to shed
the blood of thousands Of their fellow citi-
zens and to sacrifice their lives, and to i'm
pose burden which remote posterity will
feel as an incumbrance. Yet the Republic
can party asks the people to retain them in
power, and let it have control of the Gov
ernment Will the people accede to this
request? or will they restore the conservative
element of the country, which would, if it
had had the power in the spring of 1861,
have prevented civil war by the use of a
drop of ink; by saying "aye' to the Critten-
den compromise proposition.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

GRADES IN rAE NAvY.-The present gra-
des are ten ia number, namely: AdmiraIs,
Rear Admirals, Commodores, Captains, Com
manders. Lieutenant Commanders, Lieuten-
ants, Masters, Ensigns, and Midshipman.
The relative rank between officers of the
navy and army is fixed as follows: Admi
rails rank with Major Generals, Commodores
with Brigader' G Generals, Captains with Col
ones, Lieutenant Commanders with Majors,
Lieuteuants with Captains, Masters with
First Leutenants, and Ensigns with Second
Lieutenans. OF the two new grades there
are to be nine AdtniraIs and eighteen Com
modores. The first only are to tie selected
on nomination by the President, the second
bv a board of officers
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

The SNEAK-About as mean a thing as a
white man can be guilty of is to hang round
where friends are conversing, listen to what
is said. and then 90 off and tell their enc
mics all that he has heard. Eavesdropping
is execrated the world over as the lowest and
most contemplate of human vices. The
informer is regarded with universal detesta-
ton. He is distrusted by his fellows-rel
spected by none; despised by all.
Union Democrat.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

JEWELERS. GoLD-The London Mechanics
Magazine contains the following interesting
remarks on the subject:
From very ancient times it has been the
practice to divide the ounce troy into twenty
four imaginary parts. An ounce of pure
gold, therefore, and what is called twenty.
four carat gold, are Identical terms. Any.
thing less than twenty four carat gold indi
Gates that in an ounce of that substance
there are so many twenty'fourth parts of
pure gold and that the remaining portions
of an ounce of it is made up of an alloy Of
some inferior metal, usually copper. Ex
cept for wedding rings, which are, or should
be, made of standard gold consisting Of
twenty two parts of carats Of pure gold, and
two Of copper alloy, jewellers seldom use gold
of higher rate of purity than eighteen
carat. How often they use it of much
lower degree of fneness they know best
There is no doubt that it is possible to give
almost any color to gold, by The addition
Of particular alloys, and of late ingenuity has
been at work to give the sixteen carat gold
the appearance ofpure gold. This is done
10y the aid, partly Of what is technically
known as the coIoring pot, in which the met
al is treated to an acid bath OF a ceria n a
mount of stren-th. BY the judicious use OF
this contrivance, twenty-five carat gold may
be made to resemble very closely native gold
as found in the shape of nuggets in Caior
MIA or Australia. Nuggets are never, how
ever, found to be pure gold they consist
for the most part OF 23 or 90 l carat gold,
the fraction being made up of an alloy of
some inferior metal, In order to test the
purity of gold the application of heat is, per
haps, one Of the simplest means. Pure gold
will not be in the least discolored by it,
while twentyIthree gold will take n
slightly red tint. There is this disadvantage
about the mode of testing suggested it will
certainly discolor very materially all gold Of
degrees of fineness inferior to that Of twenty
three carat, and nothing but the acid bath
will restore it to it to its original hue. In
order to effect this latter operation on a
small SCALE nothing more is necessary than
to obtain an ear;hen pipIin, or galIipo,
place the article in it, cover it with nitric
acid, and bold it over spirit or gas lamp,
or over a candle, until the acid bois The
result will be that the metal will be restored
to its original brightness
AS regards the testing of the genuneness
of gold coin, there is nothing equal in sim
plicity or efficacy to weighing it. 1t is i'm.
possible that any metal inferior to standard
gold can be- used in the manufacture of
counterfeit sovereigns or half soveregns
which will give pi ces, Of the same size, of
equal weight.
The testing Of Jewellers gold" when used
in the manufacture of many kinds of trinket>,
is a matter attended with considerable risk
and difficulty, and perhaps the only means
readily at the command of the purchaser for
ensuring a proper relationship between quail
ity and prce in such cases, is to ascertain the
respectabity Of the seller.
Twenty four carat cold means pure gold
independent of its quanliy-whetber an onnce
more or less.-ED.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

raj, that you draw on me every year for the same
purpose.
Adieu my dear sister, and believe me ever
Your affectionate brother,
b. FRANKLIN
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

To gathering Of learned friends, Adam
Smith said, as he was dying: 81 believe we
must adjourn this meeting to another place.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

lsham Randolph Jefferson, a nephew and
adopted son of the immortal Thomas Jetfer'
son, died on the 9th of July last, at his resi-
dence in Todd county, kentucky in the list
year of his age. The personal resemblance
which he bore to the great author of the
Declaration of In dependence is said to have
been astonishingly striking; nor was he de-
tirient in those great mental and moral attri
butes which distinguished that iustrious
statesman He left wife and several small
children to mourn his loss.
The Placer herald., 1862-10-04

Nor ABoLTIoNIsrs.- There is class of
persons among the ardent supporters of the
Administration A who grow wrathfuy indig
nant when the term abolitionists is applied
to them. Talk to these gentry a little. Do
they support Mr.. Lincoln's emancipation
policy? yes. Do they believe slavery is an
evil? yes. Do they think it was right to
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia'
yes. But they are not abolitionists-oh no!
It's not them-t's Gree y and Garrison who
are aboIi.ionsts. Union Democrat.