davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
DOMESTIC NEWS.

The Supreme Court Of the United States
met on the 5th inst All the Judges were
present After calling at the White House
and paying their respects to President John
son the Court adjourned till the following
day when II entered upon the business Of
the tenn.
The California Legislature assembled at
Sacramento on the 4th inst.
A conductor out West recently demanded
two tickets of the Siamese twins who were
riding on the train but the twins insisted
they were one and as the conductor could
not eject one without the other he had to
let them pass
Semi official statements received by the
Mexican Minister at Washington assert that
FIVE States have been abandoned BY the I'M
perialists ard that the Liberals are every
where gaining ground.
Sol. Meredith of Indiana lately defeated
by Geo. W. Julian in a race for a seat in
Congress coWhided Mr.. Julian in Richmond
IN that State a day or two ago
The weather was fine in Washington on
the 4th inst and large numbers of visitors
filed the galleries in the House to witness
the organization.
Gen Howard Of the Freedmen 5 Bureau
has forbidden the summary expulsion Of
freedmen and refugees from the plantations
restored to rardoned Southerners.
The Louisiana Legislature has declared
by accamation that there Is no opposition
to the t. S. Government in that State; that
Slavery is abolished forever and that they
cordially inderse the President reconstrue-
ton policy
A petition for the release of Geo Davis.
late Rebel Attorney General, is beng circu-
lated in North Carolina. All classes sign
the petition
Provisional Governor Hamilton Of Texas
has authorized the organization Of special
police forces in the several counties to assist
in the preservation of order.
Gen Humphreys is acting as Governor of
Mississippi although unrecognized as such
by President johnson. In his recent mess
age to the Legislature he spoke of the late
struggle as -four years of cruel war against
the South conducted on principles ofvandal-
ism disgraceful to civilization.
The Virginia Legislature met in Rich
mond Gu the 4th inst Gov. Pierpont an
nounces the State debt as S4l 000, 600.
against So 000, 900, of available assets and,
suggests taxes and a sale Of the public inter
est in railroads to meet the deficiency He
believes very little legislation in regard to
the freedmen is required but thinks they
should be allowed to testify in courts and be
tried and punished just as white men.
The Provost Marshal Courts have been
closed in Texas.
The Rebel Gen Stirling Price, in exile in
Mexico has forwarded am application to
President Johnson for pardon.
The Mississippi Legislature has passed,
over the Governor 5 veto bill exempting
from execution Of judgement s., coo worth
Of property belonging to the head of fami-
IL.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15


The President 81 tte Sanate of the Repuk-
lie Of Costa I{ica Don Joaquin Bernardo
C'aixo died recently ut San jose the capital
The insurreetiun ia the Republic Of Hon
duras is at an end.
The number Of Fenans enrolled and nov,
drilling IN Canada is about 81 ,000, nearly hale
Of whom are armed.
Clubs designed to agitate ia favor Of annev-
alton to the United States are being orparile5
all over Lover Canada.
Lieut.. Col Meyer; formerly Of the Copfed-
crate army, has been made General in he
Mexieai4 Liberal army.
The Mexican State of Sinaloa has been
evacuated BY the imperialists and occupied by
the Liberals.
The ex-Emperor SouIouque of Hayti has
been expelled from Jamaica by the British
authorities He was supposed to have had
something to do with the recent negro revolt
there
Twelve hundred troops Of the Foreign Le
gioL recently arrived at Aatamoras to rein
force the lmperialists there.
The cholera has appeared in the West-Ip-
dia island Of Guadaloupe.
The notorious George n. Sanders is in I.iiy-
erpool, England.
a collision has taken place between the
Spaniards and the Ghilians. A boat from the
Spanish feet atteispted to land at Valparaiso
bat was driven back with the loss of several
killed and wounded.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
An OVERSIGHT.

The Southern emigrants to Brazil have
overlooked, it seems, a fact essential to their
future happiness, in selecting that country
as their refuge. They knew it was slave
holding nation and took everything else for
granted; but it seems, from the Freeman S
Journal that the cabinet, or ministry, Of
the Emperor Of Brazil is chiietly composed Of
negroes, and that it sometimes happens that
there is not one man of pure white blood in
the ministry under him. The Judges, too,
that preside in the courts, before which the
southern emigrants viii have to appear, in
civil or criminal suits, are as often, or oftcne
negroes, as white men.
The Richmond Whtg, commenting upon
these facts, says they could not possibly have
been known to those who contemplate mi
grating to Brazil 1t would be a sad thing,
indeed, for the self exiled Southerner to Gnd
that, in his eagerness to get away from the
reign of Abolitionism he has taken refuge
under negro administration, and viii be
compelled to address the throne thEeugh a
negro cabinet officer, or to sue and be sued
before a negro judge Pittsburgh Gazette
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
FOREIGN NEWS.

4 French war steamer has arrived at Mata-
noras having forced the passes of the Rio
Grande between that city and Bagdad.
The Imperial Gen Zuolagg has been ban
ished BY Alaximilian for holding communica-
ton with the war Minister of the Juarez
Government.
The Iturbide family have renounced their
claims to the Mexican throne. They recei
we'd snug little sum from Macmillan for
so doing S
Twenty six whaling vessels were in the
port of Honolulu Sandwich Islands, on the
llth ult. The year receipts Of whale oil
footed up Is, 600 barrels.
In Chill the Spanish Admiral has 50 far
yielded to the remonstrances of the foreign
ministers against the unlawfulness of a block
ade OF more than 50 ports by seven stea-
mers as torestrict it to six ports.
The Chilian Government is unsbakep in
ITS determination to resist to the last the in
solent aggressons Of Spain,
The abolition Of capital punishment is be-
ing strongly advocated in the Republic of
Honduras.
Naron Vicente Cervio the new President
Of Guatemala, has received a congratulatory
letter ilen the rope and one also from tie
Queen Of Spain.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
PoDsNAPPERY.

The Reverend John Chambers delivered,
on Thanksgiving day, in Philadelphia, one
of his characteristic political sermons; for
it need not be supposed that all the polite
al pulpit harangues are on our side. The
Rev. gentleman is well known to this COM
munity (having spent many summers here)
as one of the loudest and most violent of all
who sympathize with the rebellion During
the summer of 1868 he joined with those at
the springs, who got UP a ball, to throw
contempt on the day appointed by President
Lincoln for fasting and prayer, Mr. Cham
bers is one of that class of diyines (now for
tunately growing very small) who imagine
themselves the special Interpreters of the
viii of God, and who regret that they are
not commissioned also, to hurl the bolts of
omnipotent wrath against all who have the
misfortune to differ with them on political
and religious subjects. The entire sermon
is worthy of perusal by those who would
see how much the views of a man may be
warped and perverted by his partizan pas
sion. In opposing the right of the negro to
vote, Mr. Chambers delivers himself thus /.
Gan right thinking men must feel that as a
nation, our condition is a deplorable one,
because we have departed from our old land
mark, and are attempting to amalgamate
discordant elements, which God never in
tended should be united This is what we
are endeavoring to do we arc nation Of
white men. There are Congressman who
are asking that the whole negro population
Of the South may have the right to the cleo
tive franchise, and to give it to every man
in the District of Columbia. / have no
hostility to the negro, but he must not be
put on an equality with white men, God
does not ateGR IT, y
Thus with flourish, with one of those
well known oratorical gestures, our Philadel-
phia Podsnapper consigns the negro to his
original degradation, and banishes the sub
iect from the universe We might meekly
inquire when this special revelation of the
meaning of Heaven came down to the Rev
erend gentleman, or where he finds the di-
vine authority that this must be nation of
white men. Mr. Chambers is opposed to
the negro voting in the Dirtrict of Colum-
bia, and by peculiar process Of podsnap
augmentation, he resolves the right of uni
versal suffrage into the amalgamation of the
races, to which We are opposed as well as
he. A few years ago, this philanthropic
divine who, to obtain credence, is obliged to
protest his want of hostility to the poor ne
gro, was opposed to his emancipation in the
District of Columbia and everywhere else
told us that Heaven did not mean that eth
el, and with wave of his hand consigned
him to everlasting slavery. But we are
weary of this church blasphemy, Q Pod
snapperl Podsnapper
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
FROM EUROPE.

HAIlfAx, December b The steamer
Asa from Liverpool al noon on the 25tfs
and Queenstown on the Goth, arrived here
at ten clock 4. ~ Her dates arc two days
later than those already received.
The Fenian's dispatch from Dublin an
nounce that Stevens. the Head Centre Of the
Fenian Brotherhood in ireland, escaped from
prison at two 0 clock on the morning of the
9th ult His escape, and the mystery at
tending il. caused great excitement
In the Court Of Queen Bench at Dub.
lin, the Lord Chief Justice delivered the
unanimous judgment of the Court, repres
sing the writ of ertiorari applied for hY the
Fenians, Oh tie ground that il was shown
that fair and impartial trial could not b
had in Dublin
The Sfol says that Parliament win prob
ably meet on the 2Sth of January to organ
ize, and that the regular business Of the ses-
sion will commence on the first Of February
with the delivery Of the Queens speech.
The question Of parliamentary reform shows
an increasing agitation.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
Slavery First Abolished in the Keystone
State

1t IS not generally known, we believe. that
Pennsylvania was the first State IN the Fed
eral Union, to abolish slavery within her
territory, which was ACCOMPLISHED hy an act
OF the OIeneral Assembly passed March l.
1850. Ii was the first act or edict eyer pas
sed or issued by any legislative body or au
toeratt, which abolished slavery The au-
thorshlp OF this act has been erromously
given to DIR. Franklin This is Il mistake.
At the time o. It's passage Dr. Franklin was
III Europe. The author was VIM Lewis. for
many years the leyiathan of the Bar Mr.
Blnney, IN his biography Of Mr.. Lewis has
adyerted to and corrected this error.
The Society Of Friends presented, as trib
ute OF their respect to Mr.. Lewis a service
OF plate. This service Of plate is said to be
IN the possession of Sharp Delaney Lewis.
of Wilkesbarre, Pa, grandson of Wm.
Lewis.
The merit of first abolishing slavery has
been claimed by Massachusetts. They base
their claims upon their State Constitution,
which was adopted on the ID day Of May.
1850, and which declares that all men are
born free andequal Substantially the same
language is to be found in the Declaration OF
independence of the 4th Of july, l776, but
1t has never been supposed that the Decla-
ration OF Independence either was intended
or actually did abolish slavery IN the old
thirteen United States No one can read
the opinion of Chief Justice Shaw, in the
case of the Commonwealth Us Thomas Ayes
18th Pickering's Reports page l94 with
out being satisfied that these claims arc
groundless,
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
UNIoN STATE CENTRAL COMMIT
TEE

a
a nieeiing of the Union Stale Central
Committee was held in Philadelphia 90
Thursday the S0th nit, at the National
Club Roeln Chestnut street The neeung
was weg attended, and much important
busineS, WIS transacted. The subject ofthe
,e;,lemcnt Of the time fer the meeting Of
he l.exi State Convention was postponed
until h. next meeting of the Committee,
To he held in Harrisburg about the middle
of .Jamaiy Arrangements were made for
keeping permanently open the rooms Of the
/ Committee, and resolution was passed re-
qllestine Union editors in the State to send
their ncwtpapers to therooms. Duo enotice
viii be gwen when the new rooms are Sc
cured
j memorial on the state of the country,
and address ed to the members Of Congress-,
was adopted
On motion Of General James Ekin, the
following resolutions were adopted
Ree9lrea. That the Administration Of
ANDREW johnson, President of the United
States. as eyinced in the generous terms
I4ufFefcd The States recently in rebellion
against the rightfal authority Of the General
Gosernment, commends itself to the admi-
ration, respect, and confidence of the people
of' this Commonwealth.
Resolred, That the principles recently
enupeiated at Washington, in the speech
delivered By Hon. Schuyler Coltax, late
speaker Of the House of Representatives of
the United States meets the hearty concur
renee of the loyal people Of Pennsylvania
ReSoIred, That the thanks Of the Union
party are eminently due, and are hereby ten
deTed Hon John Cessna, for his faithful,
energetic, and successful labors during the
recent political canvass in this State, contri-
buting, as they have done so largely, 10 the
triumph of the party represented by this
Committee
On Motion of Colonel Brice X Blair, it
was
Resolced. That Congress be requested to.
pass an act to equalize the bounties for Sol
diers, so that those who enlisted in 1861 and
1862, shall be entitled to receive the same
bounty as those that enlisted at subse-
fuent date.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
Payment of Communication Does not Ex.
empt from Bounty Tax.

An important case, and one in which the
public in general are interested to consid-
cradle extent, was disposed ofin the District
Court on Saturday last 1t was presented
IN form OF a stated case in which the School
Directors of Plum Township were plaintiffs.
and John Ever was defendant. The facts
OF the case are as follows; John Ever. a
citizen of said township, was drafted in July.
1868, under the act Of Congress. paid the
$500 Communication and was discharged from
further liability. In 1864, a Bounty tax.
under the provisions of the Bounty act Of
Pennsylvania, was assessed and levied on
him, amounting to $50, by the School Di-
rectors Of said township which he refused to
pay claiming that he was exempt under the
exceptions in said Bounty act, and hence
this stated case. The point of law submit
ted to the Court for its decision was, wheth-
er he, having paid the Communication in 1868
was liable to pay a bounty tax under the
proylslcns Of said act
Messrs. Mofiitt and Cochran appeared for
the School Directors, and b. @. Childs,
Esq, for the defendant. After hearing the
arguments OF the counsel the Court decided
that the payment of Communication did not
bring the defendent within the executions
contained in the 4th section of said act there
fore he was liable to pay said tax and order
ed judgment to be entered in favor of the
plaintiffs for $55, the amount of tax so as
sessed and levied on him as citizen of said
township. ~ Pittsburgh G0sette.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

THE ALABAMA DIFFICULTY.
Back Down of the English Ministry
The Queen our Friend.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.
The State Department received by the
last steamer from Europe an important dis
patch from our Minister to England There
is strong reason to believe that England, IN
der the new ministry, will back down from
her position on the Alabama question and
at once consent to a just and equitable ad-
iust1Ifent Of the question in dispute The
temper Of the last dispatch from the State
department, and which emanated from the
President himself, was calculated to open
the eyes Of the English Government. a
gentleman writing from England to a gen
tlemau in this city, by the last mail, remarks
that the Queen is our friend, and she will
not allow Earl Russell to take any position
which viii cause an estrangemeut of the two
GoYernments
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

TEN TO ONE.-Lord Palmerstons first
acceptance of high office was related by him
selfthe year before last dpropoS of bet said
to have been made and won by the late Slr
Mines, the father Of Lord Houghton man
Of remarkable abilities and requirements
although somewhat of an idler in his youth
He was lounging in club when he over
heard a college friend saying that something
was as unlikely as Bob Mines becoming
Chancellor of the Exchequer And why
should | not become Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer?' Simply because the odds are a
thousand to one against you VIII you
lay thousand to one?' yes, in tens. |"
''Doner The bet was regularly booked
ten thousand pounds to ten When Pereiy-
al wrote to Mr.. Mines to offer him the
Chancellorship of the Exchequer, heinclosed
the offer with a ten pound note to his friend.
-EcoA0mist
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

The .4Ha CaEtoyuia, Of the 10th ult.,
reports some remarkable discoveries of ma
tive silver 10 Idaho. 1t says 'We hear
that the Oregon Steam Navigation Compa-
ny have found mine that produces blocks
Of native silver as large as candle boxes, and
they hammer it out ike wagon tire. Seve-
raj other mines of extraordinary richness
have been discovered in the same neighbor-
hood If the story be true Il is a well
known fact that blocks Of native silver as
large as candle boxes have been found in
the silver mines of Mexico and Arizona,
and it is settled beyond any doubt that the
0wyhee region, in Southwestern Idaho, is
rich in silver lodes
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

The RESIGNATION or MAJOR GEN BUT
LER. Sent in some months ago was finally
accepted to day. 1t is known that for some
months past General Butler has at the re-
quest of the War Department, been thor
oughly examining the laws of treason and
cases of State trials, for over a century back;
but the final decision of the President has
been not to allow a military commission for
the trial of Davis for his participation in the
conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln,
and various raids in Northern States during
the war On the appearance of General
Grant report General Butler again asked
for the acceptance of his resignation which
request has at last been granted.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

Our MEXICAN MINISTER General Lo-
gan arrived here last night and had long
conversation to day with Secretary Seward
upon Mexican matters. General Logan said
he desired to have thorough knowledge Of
what policy the administration wanted car
ried out He expressed himself gratiied at
the appearance of matters, and viii proha-
bly, accept the position although he has not
yet positively made up his mind upon the
subject.
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

Fu1L returns of the New York City elec-
ton shows that Richard 0'Gorman, Demo
erat, Is elected Corporation Counsel BY sew
enteen thousand majority, being on ali but
the Republican ticket Eight Aldermen
were elected, of whom one was Republican
and seven Democrats, two of the latter be-
ing claimed as municipal reformers Twen-
ty-four members of Common Counsel were
elected, of whom thirteen are Renublicans
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15

GEN HUMPHREYS, Of Mississippi, finds
it impossible to forget the rebel officer in the
loyal Governor of a reconstructed State
In a recent message to the so-called Iegisla-
ture, he speaks of four years of cruel war
conducted upon principles Of Vandalism dis
graceful to the civilization of the age, -
meening thereby not the rebel mode Of war
fare as Illustrated at Andersonwile, but the
operations fisherman, Sheridan and Wilson,
all conducted strictly within the modern laws
of war, exclusively for the restoration Of the
national authority, which this same Hum
phreys and his fellow traitors were endeaY-
orng 30 destroy He also denouaces the
Freedmen Bureau as a black incubus and
'hideous curse, permitted of Heaven.
Very naturally. he eonfesses doubt as to
what will satisfy the government of our
loyalty and ability TO maintain order and
peace We should say that it would take
great deal to satisfy anybody of the loyalty
of such people - Chicago Rep
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
A Noble Gift to Pennsylvania College.

We learn that the Rev Mr.. John 4.
Giaefi, Of Philadelphia, has presented TO
PENNSYLVANIA College a Telescope of the very
highest order of excellence This instru-
ment has for some time been packed up in
Philadelphia, where it was taken after its
removal from the Sharon Observatory. 1t
having come to the knowledge Of Prof
Mayer, that this noble instrument was thus
lying idle and awaiting purchaser he wrote
to Mr. Graef to aid him with his influence
in getting up a subscription in Philadelphia
when to the joy Of all interested in the wei
fare Of the College, Mr.. Graef unexpected
~ presented it himself
The possession Of this instrument forms an
important era in the history of the Institu-
ton in our midst and cannot fail to give the
incentive to others to follow the noble exam
pie Of the generous giver.
This telescope was made by Merz & Son,
Obtic.ans, ofMunich, in Germany 1t Is an
achIomatic FefractOr Of over feet focal
length, with an object glass Of 81 inches ap-
erture. 1t is furnished with five magnifying
powers varying from s. to 460 times; with
a complete set Of sun glasses: prismatic
reflector: an annular micrometer, and a ter
restrial eye piece.
The instrument has two divided circles
for reading off angles, of93 inches in diane
ter, finely graduated on silver to minutes Of
arc and furnished with two verniers an MI
croscopes which read to + seconds each.
The whole instrument, although very
heavy, is so beautifully balanced on It's cen
tire of gravity that the slightest touch will
move it readily; and when it is adjusted on a
celestial object, a clock, attached to the tel
escope moves the tube Of the instrument, so
that it follows the apparent motion of the
heavenly body and thus it is always in the
field Of view without requiring any further
handling on the part of the observer.
This telescope has already done good work
in astronomical science and has been con
sidered by the first astronomers in the coun-
try to be perfect instrument 4dams Sea,-
fipe{
Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
Mr. Stewards first knowledge of the
Death of Lincoln

Mr. Seward had been kept in ignorance
Of the attack on the President, his pbysi-
elan fearing that the shock would be too
great for him to bear, and all newspapers
were rigidly exclude from the room. On
the Sunday following his assassination the
Secretary had the bed wheeled around so
that he could see the tops Of the trees in
the park opposite, just putting on the spfiug
foliage when his eyes caught the stars and
stripes at half mast on the War Depal tment
on which he gazed awhile, then turning tc
his attendant, said: The President is
dead " The confused attendant stammer-
ed and changed color as he tried to say nay,
but the sagacious old man said: If he had
been alive he would have been the first to
call and know how | am, and there's the
flag at half mast. The old statesman in
ductive reason had told the truth, and he
lay in silence, the great teaTs eoursing down
his gashed cheeks, as the dreadful truth
sank into his mind