davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

Ten days ago the Republicans denoun-
ced as traitors every one who questioned
the right and legality of the arrest of Ma
son and Slidel. The word came that
they were given up. and straig ghtway Re.
publicans said it was right to give them up
and prevent war with England. Then,
the report was contradicted, and the Re-
publicans said they knew Old Abe would
never give the rebels up-they would
never yield an inch to England Then,
again. came the authentic report that they
were delivered up, and the Republicans
cry traitor at every man who don't Justify
it. If this amt getting TO be righ,
smart chance Of country. then. we are
no judge.
every time they turn about they do just so,
And every time they jump about they jump Jim
Crow."-Holmes Co. CO., Farmer.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
From Fortress MOnrOc.

We make the following extract from a
letter to the Lafayette Courier. dated Camp
Hamilton. Va. Dec. %. 1861:
This Sunday morning, about o'clock,
as the Newport News boat was on her way
to the fort with a schooner in tow, aud
about half way between the two places,
she observed gunboat; taking it for one
of ours. and paying little or no attention
to her. until. TO the surprise Of all hands,
there came shot from her directly over
the bow Of their boat. then another directly
over her, between the chimney and pilot
house. She cut loose from the schooner
in order TO save herself, when third
passed over her stern. all without any
damage.
Those left on the schooner put off in
the small boat for the shore---,he gunboat
coming up and fastening on the schooner
and takirg her off prize. This seems
strange work TO be perpctra.ed in the
midst. may say. Of a powerful fleet and
almost under the guns of one Of the strong.
est artificial forts in the world, but it is
nevertheless fact, as it was witnessed by
thousands of others as we'll as myself
Then the fun commenced One and then
another. and finally in all eight gunboats
gave clase, and for an hour or more the
firing was very interesting. But the bird
had flown, and perching herself under the
guns Of Sewall's Point, bid ours defiance
There were some TWO hundred shots 6ref
in all. and the damage not worth mention
ing. So ends another of their shar,
tricks. Full particulars may vary sum,
from this but not much.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
A Defeat Instead of n Victory.

The Wheeling inteligencer of the 2ed,
says that the late battle near the top of the
Alleghanies between Gen. Johnston op
the rebel side and Gen. Milroy on our
side was defeat to us instead Of victory.
The first accounts were fctions, for it
turns out not to be true that Johnston
was shot through the mouth, neither did
the rebels slip away in the night, burning
their camp. The Inteligencer gives as
facts the following:
Gen. M. took part of some four or five
regiments-the ed Virginia. the 9th and
18th Indiana, the 25th and 32c Ohio,
marched from Cheat Mountain, to the AL
leghanies. some thirty miles, and came
upon the enemy in ambush. some two
thousand strong, with his own men quite
exhausted. Our men discovered at the
first fire that a great mistake had been
made. They had been led to expect a
different meeting. Scouts had reported
the enemy only about thousand strong,
and in place where they could easily be
taken. Our men were all eagerness to
bag them. They supposed themselves
double as strong as the enemy. Instead
of that, they were scarcely more than half
as many. No wonder, then, that in
finding their mistake, ard coming on a
heavy fire, one or two of the regiments
tiiDched badly at first. The expedition
was volunteer one altogether, and com.
panies were made up of the different regi-
ments just as individuals offered.
How many we lost does not seem to be
known with any degree of certainty. Most
of our dead were left in possession of the
enemy. Neither do we know their loss.
1t is only presumed that they suffered
more than we did. 1t is we'll known, that
the design of the expedition was frustrated.
and We were compelled to fall back With
the enemy unbagged.
A correspondent of the Ohio Statesman.
who was in the battle, speaks of it as
another repulse.' Twice did our friends
drive the rebels, but after five hours fight
ing. and the giving out of the ammunition,
our forces withdrew, leaving the dead on
the field.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
The Stone Fleet at CharicsfOn---
The EfarbOr EHectualIy Closed.

The FfarbOr ElfectIalIy Closed.
Correspondence of the New York Times.
STEAMSHIP CAHAwBA. OFF CHARLEsToN,l
Dec. 2lst., 1861.
The main channel of approach te
Charleston harbor has been destroyed
Sixteen stone-flled hulks, placed checker
wise across the passage. in the deepest
water just at the inner and outer edge oi
the bar, are the mediums through which
the righteous retribution has been measur-
ed out
The vessels which have been sunk lef.
Port Royal last Tuesday, under the d.
rection of fleet Captain Charles H. Davis,
of the Wabash. They were nearly all
condemned whalers-some Of them sixty
and seventy years of age-the queerest.
qnaintest specimens OF ship building
afloat.
On Thursday morning, the lighthouse,
which had loomed vastly through the haze
the evening tefore. was not to be seen !;
but a look through our glasses showed
us its ruins on the ground. The fact ex-
planned loud explosion which had been
heard in shore soon after dark.
Supposiug that our whalers were first
class frigates come to lombard the city,
the rebels had blown the light house up.
that the bearings of the channel might be
lost. The trick hurt nobody except them
selves, bat after all. light houses hence
forth will be useless establishments at
Charleston.
At 3 o'clock on Thursday afternoon.
the channel had been buoyed. and the old
Tenedos was soon afterwards towed to her
final moorings. The position chosen for
her was at the northeastern edge Of the
passage. and she was grounded where
there is eighteen feet Of water at high tide
Probably she is anchored as firmly as her
island namesake of the L 5ean Sea- The
Leonidas was next sunk. in the same depth
OF water, an eighth of mile from the
other. These two vessels formed the
right anI left flanks of the barricading
column. and the remaining fourteen set
tied comfortably down between them.
The wrecks are not ranged in straight
line across the channel. That arrange
ment might prove an effective blockade for
time, but not permanently. Tho theory
of Capt. Davis was that the inland waters
about Charleston must have a channel to
the sea, and if the usual ones were artif.
cially closed, another would naturally form
His scientific mind devised another plan.
The hulks are placed in three lines. ch eek
erwise. This arrangement not only does
not prevent the passage of the water. but
forms Il SERIES of shoals, around which the
tide will whirl and eddy, making an ntri-
cate labyrinth which no vessel could navi-
gate.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
A "Ciiunk'' of Wisdom.

The Southern correspondent Of AL ex-
change relates the following amusing sto.
ry OF the yellow fever in Mississippi:
A gentleman from the country who had
been in Port Gibson some time during
the first week OF the epidemic, and was
riding home at pretty smart gait. was
brought up by man running out Of the
house inquiling:
Say, have you got the rale yellow fever
in town?'
'Oh. yes there's no doubt OF that
reckon was the answer.
And is it a fact they've got the quaran-
tine long with it? I'll swear, it's bad
enough to have one disease. without an.
other TO help it along!'
This filled the gentleman on the road
too full for utterance,' and putting the
switch TO his horse. he was off to make
the woods resound with his laughter
Reaching his destination he must tell it
to friend, plain honest-hesrted man,
who. however. had neglected the 'rudi-
ments.' The incident was too good 10
keep, and SO he related it,
'Haw. haw, haw = roared honest John,
why, dod durn the all fired FOOLS soul
to thunder. didn't he know that the quar-
antine was hothiIg bnt the black vomit y
The last brick floored the news. .bringer,
and he rolled.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
Hunlan Life

Men seldom think Of the event OF death
until the shadows fall across their path,
hiding forever from their eyes the uaces
OF loved ones whose loving smiles whe re
the sunlight Of their existence. Death is
the great antagonist of life, and cold
thought Of the tomb is the skeleton of all
feasts We do not want to go tn rough the
dark valley although its passes may lead
to paradise and with Charles Lamb, we
do not want 10 lie down in the muddy
grave. even with kings and princes for
our bed-fellows. There is no appeal from
the great law that dooms US to dust. We
flourish and we fade az the leaves of the
forest, and the flower that blooms and
withers in a day has not Trailer hope
upon life than the mi ghtiest moskrch that
ever shook the earth with his footsteps.
Generations of men appear and vanish as
the grass. and the countless multitd de
which fills the world to day will to NOR
row disappear as the footsteps on the
shore.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
DiSgracefuI.

TIE following appears in the proceed.
ings OF the United States Senate on Tues
day last.
Mr.. Summer offered resolution ,ha.
the committee on Patents inquire if any
additional legislation is necessary to Sc
cure TO persons of African descent the
right to take out patents. Agreed TO-
Isn't that refreshing! Was there ever
known such trifling whilst a nation was
OH trial for its existence? That this COW
ardly abolition fanatic dared. amidst n
state Of public anxiety such as existed on
Tuesday last. to intrude matter Of SO
trifling character on tile Senate of the
United States, is a most dsplorable evil
dence Of his callousuess and degensracy.
%Newdrk Adooeate.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

THE Earl Of Shaftesbury. who makes
great pretensions to abolitionism and evan.
gelical Christianity. is reported. by the
Albany Evening Journal. TO comment on
American affairs as follows:
IL. in common with almost every Eng
lish statesman sincerely desire tie rupture
Of tile american Republic. 1t has been
the policy of England to brook no rivalry.
especially in the direction Of her own
greatness. We Justly fear the commercial
and political rivalry of the United States.
With apopulation of thirty millions now.
they will soon, if not checked. overshad
ow Great Britain. We cannot look upon
such monstrous growth without appre-
hension."
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

Fremont in Beecber's Church.

On the Sunday after the arrival of Gen.
Fremont in New York he attended Beech
er's Church. The text selected was con-
teined in the Goth chapter of st. Matthew,
from the 25th to the 28th verses inclusive
After the sermon and the religious part of
the exercises had been gone through with,
the following. as stated by the local Of the
New York Herald, ID said to have taken
place, Notwithstanding it was the Sabbath
dvy:
AT the conclusion Of the services the
congregation again arose and general
rush was made for The pew in which
MAJOR General Fremont and lady sat.
Hundreds of hands were outstretched to
greet him, and after submitting to severe
manipulation for about half an hour, he
and company made their exit from the
church, followed by the entire congrega-
ton.
AS soon as the Major General and bis
party were seated in their carriage, the
crowd got up cheer and continued to
surround the carriage. shaking hands with
himself and lady until the patience of the
latter was nearly worn out, and directions
were given to the driver to go ahead. which
he did, and the crowd followed the car
riage nearly as far as Fulton Ferry, where
the party get aboard and returned to New
York
An exchange. in noticing this Sunday
and church ovation to General Fremont
well says
Now is not this making of religion
very mockery and q farce? The specta-
Gle OF a preacher and his congregation, in
a church erected and dedicated to the SER
vice of the living God. thus diverting
their attention from the solemn and i'm.
pressive service which should have enoa-
ged them, to worship a. the shrine of a
political alventurer, but recently dismiss
ed from high military command for dis
honesty and incapacity, must surely bring
a blush of shame to the cheek of any one
who has tru, regard for the advancement
Of religion and morality. Mantle silly Mr..
Beecher and his people are entirely igno-
rant of the text: Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
NUMBER 5O-WHOLE No. 1O2.
ITEMS.

Speak low, ladies, and yet always en-
deavor to be hightoneG women.
To be ahead of time--carry your watch
behind you.
To see how hard man strikes--tefl him
he lies.
To keep from being drg=-stsad out in
The rain.
One Swallow does not make a Sum.
mer. but one swallow often makes US want
to swallow more.
The man who tried to arrange his hair
with honey comb. has been tying to
catch whale with sandy hook.
What is the difference between a school
master and an engine driver? One
trains the raind, the other minds ths
train.
An old maid on the wintry side of fity,
hearing of the marriage of pretty young
lady. her friend, observed, with q deep
and sentimental sigh:
We'll, suppose tits what we must all
come to-
A gentleman was called upon 10 xpoio-
gize for words uttered in wine.
4 beg pardon, said he. L did not mean
to say what l did; but have had the
misfortune to lose some of my front teeth.
and words get cut every BOW aad then
wAhou, nv knowledge
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
Red Hot Shot.

When red hot shot are fired, the ord
nance used is elevated TO tie position de-
sired before the gun is shotted. The pow.
der in the gun is kept from explosion by
means of the wadding. Between the ex.
plosive substance and the heated mass are
generally three layers Of wad. That
against the ball is dry. and the second
wet. and upon the powder another dry
piece rests. The ball is discharged very
soon after being placed in the cannon.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
draft the NegrOes.

There is one way in which Congress
could get rid of the offensive petitions
which the niggerous Republican Aboli-
tionists are sending 10 that body. Pass
law requiring the signer of every free
niger petition to be drafted into the ar
my. and made to perform guard and picket
duty necessarily. and allowed to hold in
tercourse with no one but niggers. This
would rid the national legislature of a
dirty nuisance. These niger worshippers
are not in the army to any extent, unless
holding commissions. and some plan ought
to be adopted whereby they could be COM
PEELED to render the country service, in.
stsad of being a disgrace to the age we
live in.-4Nacom6 Eagle.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
What Manner OfMan-

Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, fully
comprehended the enormous crime and the
enormous folly of the proposition to arm
the slaves when he made that proposition
in his report,-tor those enormities had
been described n his presence by one of
his colleagues in the Cabinet. At the
famous dinner to Georgr d. Prentice in
Washington where Cameron first ind,ca
ted the nefarious scheme, Caleb B. Smith.
Secretary of the Interior. promptly com
batted it. Putting arms into slaves
bands!' exclaimed Mr.. Smith. IF this be
attempted 10 any extent, the whole world
will cry out against our inhumaniy, our
'savagery. and the sympathies of all man j..
kind will be turned against MS. as they
were against the blacks that murdered
and drove the French from Hayti. And,
If it be attempted, the soldiers in the
army from Southern Indiana, Southern
illinois, all Maryland, Ker lucky, Della.
ware. Pennsylvania nearly all, and from
New York south of the Erie Canal, with
the strong regiments from New Jersery,
will, before God, protest against being.
thus put on an equality with negro
soldiers in their ranks
These consequences weighed as nothing
with MIR. Cameron, for he coolly proceeded
to invite them, and at the same time to
kindle FIRE brand in the Cabinet, which,
had not the President promptly quenohed
it, would have blown up the whole concern
(Which Of itself was perhaps desirable }
and produced infinite mischief in the coun.
try. What manner of man must he be- ?
- Chicago Times.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

The Secesh are upon us. Ho! niggers
10 tie rescue! Can it be believed that
there are American heemen dastardly
enough to raise cry like that? There is
not day we do not hear it. 1t is bawled
at every point Of the compass. and comes
down to us even from the sacred walls of
the capitol. They demand emancipation
as military necessity. In effect we are
told that the twenty millions of the North
are no match for the six millions Of the
South-that we are doomed to defeat. un-
less we get the help Of the black man.
They do not liks to have i! put in just
that style, but it amounts to exactly that.
Short Of that, their military necessity
would be misnomer. and thei, claim to
abolilionize under the war power, the bald
est pretext. We say that viler insult
was never heaped upon the Northern
name. The worst libel uttered by South
ern slave drivers does not equal it. If it
10 u NC thdt, Win ouCu uuulcliCai ouus
our favor, and with the noblest cause that
ever appealed to man. we mnst crave the
succor Of the slaves if we must look to
the poor, blind. creeping African to help
vindicate our birthright and stay us up in
our extremity. then let it be recorded, we
are 'mudsills' indeed There is no word
Of scorn too low for US. We cannot court
the alliance Of slaves. without proving
that we are ourselves fit to be slaves. 1t
is our heritage that is assailEd. not theirs
and if our own good right arms, with all
they have. cannot protect it, we may as
well at once advertise our degeneracy and
to take our place as underlings. Emanci-
patton as military necessity! A military
necessity! Ii emancipation must come.
for the honor OF our fathers, for our own
independence. for the prospects OF our
children, for the good name Of free gov
ernment, and for the dignity Of the white
race. let it take any shape b.. that.-Nsw
| York World.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

We had an abundance Of predictions
that Mason and Slidell wonld not be given
up; but very few public men ventured to
assert the contrary, and. when they did,
were most numerically badgered for lack
OF patriotism. For instance, we find the
following in the Congressional Globes re-
port of a debate in the House on the
18th ult., regarding the disposition to be
made of Mason and Slidel;
"Mr. VALLANDIGHAM- These men
will be surrendered before three months,
i'm the face of a threat. l make that pre-
diction here to-day"
This raised a perfect storm about Val
landigham's ears, and cries of mo- mo-
mo-. re-echoed from all parts of the
House. But the Ohio member understood
the administration better than did Stevens,
Colfax, and the Tribune Ex-President
Buchanan, too. made similar prediction,
and was soundly berated for it, A COR
respondent Of the Cincinnati Commercial
who visited Wheatland soon after the ar
lest, stated in letter extensively copied
at the time. that Mr. Buchanan .hesitated
not to say that the prisoners would of
course be given up as soon as the facts
came officially before the government. The
ground of this opinion was that the Brit
ish flag was the same in its responsible
ties on the sea that it is on the soil of En-.
gland. The men under it were entitled
to its protection
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
A Desperate Naval Engagement.

~ hSSPCHotC Nas0l S8Scmc0ts
In these war times some of the Incl.
dents of past wars become interesting.
One of the most desperate engagements
We ever read Of occurred in 1857. On
December esd of that year the British
privateer Terrible. Captain William Death.
Of &c guns and goo men. captured large
French ship after An obstinate battle, in
which Captain Death lost his brother and
sixteen men killed. A few days after be
fell in with the French privateer Tengenc.,
SO guns and $50 men, who recspsured the
prize. and having manned her, both ships
bore down or tie Terrible, whose main
mast was shot away by the first broad
side. After desperate engagement, in
which the french captain and his second
mate were killed. with two thirds Of his
company. the Terrible was boarded. when
no more than &c persons were found alive,
l6 Of whom had lost a leg or an arm, and
the other ten were badly wounded. The
ship itself was SO badly shattered tha,
she could scarcely be kept afloat.
There was a strange combination Of
names in this affair. as the Terrible
was equipped at Execution dock. was com.
manded by Death, with Devil for lieutsn.
ant. and Ghost for surgeon.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

congressional proceedings of Tuesday:
'Mr. Morehead's resolution, instructing
the committee on Judiciary to report a
bill providing that any person or persons
engaged or employed in the present rebel.
lion be forever rendered incapable of hold.
irg any Office Of trust under tie constitu.
ton and laws of the United States, was
adopted
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
The soldiers Tear.

Upon the hill he turned.
To take last fond look
Of the valley and the village chnrch,
And the cottage by the brook;
He listened to the sounds
So familiar to his ear
And the soldier leaned upon bis sword
And brushed avs tear.
Beside the cottage porch
A girl was on her knees,
She held aloft snowy scarf
Which huttercd in the breeze:
She breathed pra, er for him
A prayer he could not hear
But he paused to bless her as she knelt,
And wipe away tear.
He turned and left the spot;
o, do not deem him weak,
For dauntless was the soldiers heart.
Though tears were on his cheek.
Go, watch the foremost rank,
In dangers dark career
Be sure the hand most daring there
Has wiped away tear.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09

Only waiting till the shadows
Are a little longer grown;
Only waiting til the glimmer
OF the days last beam has flown;
Till the night of earth is faded
From the heart once full of day,
Till the stars OF heaven are breaking
Through the twilight soft and gay.
Only waiting till the reapers
Have the last sheaf gathered home;
Fer the summer time is faded,
And the autumn winds have come.
Qaickly, rearcrs. gather quickly
The last ripe hours Of my heart;
For the bloom of life is withereI,
and | hasten to depart.
Only waiting till the angels
Open wide the mystic gate,
At whose feet long have fingered,
Weary, poor, and desolate;
Even now | hear the footsteps,
And their voices far away;
If they call me, am waiting,
Only waiting to obey.
Only waiting till the shadows
Are q little longer grown;
Only waiting TILL the glimmcr
Of the days last beam is flown;
Then frcm out the gathering darkness
Holy, dcathless stars shall rise.
BY whose light my soul shall gladly
Tread its pathway to the skies.
The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-09
Old Abe's Dancing.

The Leavenworth Conservative saws
A lew years ago We were so unfortunate
as to be present at dancing party in the
flat town of Springfield, ILL.,, and there
werc treated to the bideous sight Of A.
Lincoln, in call promenade" We defy
the most enthusiastic advocate OF salutary
exercises to see Old Abe on ball room
floor without having his most primal prn.
ciples severely shaken. Tears of anguish
fill our eyes as we recall that terrible even.
ing,