davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
Prices Of Things-Trade COmbi-
natiOns--Systema ExtortiOns.

On the 5th day of September, 1868, gold
commanded the same premium as it did
yesterday Housekeepers who are
careful to keep an account Of their outlay
will discover, by locking back to the date we
have named, that they could then buy prime
pork by the barrel at $40 so, which to-day
costs $23. Hams, which were then sold by
the pound for 9 cents, cost now 10 cents;
shoulders, formerly at s or cents per
pound, are quoted at from IA cents to 15
cents. In bacon, the advance is over one
hundred per cent; in lard, about ninety per
cent; in butter fifty per cent; and in
cheese, ever eighty per cent. In sugar the
rise is less marked, but it nevertheless APP
proachcs twenty-five per cent. The COM
parison cannot so we'll be extended to bread
stuffs, the supply and the foreign demand
being subject to fiuctuation irrespective Of
the state of the currency. But we may
note that -four is, to-day, fifty per cent
higher by the barrel than it was in Septem-
ber, 1868, and that bakers bread is still sold
as high as when -four was quoted at 50 and
$40, instead of S., which is the quotations
to day.
These figures, however, glaring as they
are, come far short Of portraying in any
thing like its reality the systematic extor-
ton to which the poorer class of housekeep-
ers are treated by petty retailers. There is
scarcely an article of domestic consumption
to be named for which the charge is net
from 80 to 100 per cent higher than it
would be but for illicit trade combinations.
The currency has been made an excuse for
every species of extortion so long, that now,
even when its value is fast appreciating to
that of gold, the system of inordinate profits
has got such headway, and is, in measure,
so firmly established among the class we
speak of, that many begin almost to despair
of any change for the better.
The sxtortionists are hardly affected by
exposure And they stand in little appar-
ent fear of consumers, in their turn, COM
bining for their own protection strict econ
omy, and a rigid scrutiny of accounts by the
well to do house keepers, would be great
auxiliary in the way of reform. Careless
marketing of these who can afford it offers
high premium to extortion and dishonesty
A better example trem this class is needed
in every branch of domestic economy. Let
us hope that, a partial remedy for the evil
we describe, such an example will be more
generally set than it has been heretofore. -
New York Times, Of Tuesday:
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

A BE lUTIFUL THoUGHT.-A writer,
whose life has passed its meridian, thus
eloquently diseourses upon the speedy
flight of time:
"Forty years once seemed long and
weary pilgrimage to make 1t now
seems but step; and yet along the
way are broken shrines, where thou
sand hopes wasted into ashes; foot
prints sacred under their drifting dust
green mounds where grass is fresh
with watering of tears; shadows even
which we would not forget. We will
garner the sunshine of those years, land
with chastened steps and hopes push
on toward the evening whose sigma
light will soon be swinging where the
waters are still and the storm mover
beats" p
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
A BoY's LAwsurr.-Under gre,

A BoY's LAwsUIr.-Under great
tree close to the village, two boys found
a walnut ''It belongs to me-" said
Ignatius, ''for / was the first to see it. "
"No, it belongs to me-" cried Bernard
"for was the first to pick it up" and
so they began to quarrel in earnest
~ will settle the dispute" said an old
er boy, who had just then come up. He
placed himself between the two boys
broke the nut in two, and said: ''Tht
one piece Of shell belongs to him who
first saw the nut, the other piece O
shell belongs to him who first picked
it up; but the kernel l keep for judg
ing the case. "And this" he said, al
he sat down and laughed, sis the com
mon end of most lawsuits" a.la 7
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

LoyH.-People are loved, not in the
proportion to their intellect, but in pro
portion to their loyability. Intellect
ual powers are the leaders Of the world,
but only for the purpose of guiding
them into the promised land of peace
and amiableness, or of showing them
encouraging pictures Of it by the way,
They are no more the things to live
with or repose with, apart from quail
ties of the heart and temper, than the
means are without the end; or than a
guide to pleasant spot is the spot
itself, with it's trees, health, and quiet
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

Coon ADVICE An exchange gives the
following advice to its readers, which We
commend to the attention of sellers and
buyers: .. @
"Never buy goods of dealer that don't
advertise. You can be sure that he is close,
stingy, and lacks sufficient energy. to take
advantage of the markets and buy cheap
In fact, it is safe rule to set down that
you will have to pay twenty per cent more
for goods to merchant who don't adver'
tise than to one who does" .+
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

upon herself the vengeance Of public
sentiment outside Of hcr limits, and hostile
to her laws?
Is it so that 1t is wisely said 10 her that
she had better spare murderer, q robber,
a traitor, because public sentiment else.
where will glorify an insurrectionist with
martyrdom? If 80, il is time 10 do ere
cution upon him and all like him. And
therefore say to you, firmly, that | have
precisely nerve enough to let him be
executed with the certainty Of bis cendem-
nation. He shall be executed as the law
sentences him, aad his body shall be de-
livcred over to surgeons, and await the re.
surrection without grave in our soil. l
have shown him all the mercy which hu
manity can claim. Yours truly,
HENRY A. WISE.
How II woon
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

PIowINa AMONG TREEs.-Hitch the
traces at full length directly to the
plow; then take crooked jack stick,
like piece Of old scythe snath, two and
half feet long; sharpen each end to
60 into the links of the trace chain;
then put it under the horse Just forward
of his hind legs; then get a streaeher
about eight inches long and put it as
close to the piow as you can; this will
give the horse plenty of room for his
hind feet, and he can walk right against
the trees and bushes and never isjure'
them. f3
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
Hon. L. WooD.
MIR. LinCoin's Kindness Of Heart
and Disregard Of Personal
Danger.

Danger.
l well remember one day when a poor
woman sought, with the persistent affection
Of a mother, for the pardon Of her son, con-
demned to death. She was successful in
her petition. When she had left the room
he turned to me and said, Perhaps have
done wrong, but at all events l have made
that poor woman happy"
Th at this kindness of nature was sincere
and heartfelt cannot but think admirably
illustrated by an accident which [ recall
with peculiar feeling at the present time.
Kind to Others he had no idea any one
could entertain personal enmity to him. l
called on him enc evening at about 10
o'clock, and found him at work alone. He
proposed to walk acress to tbe telegraph
room at the War Department, and learn
the latest intelligence from the armies. As
we crossed the dark grounds which separate
the White House from the War Office, !
said to him, DO you often 60 over here as
late as this?" He replied, ooh, yes; | go
over almost every night" ventured to
demonstrate with him on the danger of thus
exposing himself, and said to him that he
ought 10 remember thatjust across the river
was hostile population, and there was
reason to believe that in the city of Wash
lngton tnere were many, possibly many hun
dreds, who sympathized with the rebellion,
and that his life was eminently precious and
should be guarded with the utmost care
l shall never forget, nor in this hour of our
mourning, can | fail to recall with deepest
emotion, the simple truthfulness of his an
swer, "Oh, they wouldn't hurt me-" The
emphasis on that word me" was most ex.
pressive Of the belief of his heart that none
could possibly entertain thought of harm
toward one who felt that be himself had
charity to all and malice to nome"
Alas, the fatal error! When | recall the
numerous evidences of the warmth of that
charity which my acquaintance with Mr..
Lincoln could furnish, | cannot hesitate to
believe that the assassin struck at his own
friend, and silenced by his murderous blow
the kindest heart in all the land. Mr..
Van Killer in New York Post.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
NEXT TO CAPITAL PUNIsHMENT.-A

NEXT TO CAPITAL PUNIsHAENT.-A
lady correspondent of the N. Y. Tri-
bune suggests that Mr.. Davis should
be compelled to wear the usual cos
tune Of women during the period OF
his imprisonment. No woman, she
declares, could wish him a severer pun
ishment. She adds that if he were
compelled to run in that dress one
hour every day, as fast as when he wal
captured, it would probably be the
death of him. ......
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
President Johnsen's Creed.

'Treason must be made odious and Trai-
tors punished" "The time has ceme fer
us to understand that treason is q crime, the
highest Of crimes; in ether words, that all
crimes are submerged in treason, and that
he who has committed treason has commit
ted all crimes" The people must under
stand that treason is the blackest Of criKes
and will be surely punished. Public
morals and opinion should be established
upon the sure and inaeIibe principles Of
Justice" "We must not forget that what
may be mercy to the individual is cruelty
to the State"
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

A LITTLE ragged urchin, begging in the
village the, other day, was asked by lady
who had filed his basket, if his parents
we're living2 "Only dad, ma'am, said the
boy. "Tben you have enough in your
basket to feed the family for seme time"
said the lady. 80, no, l haven't neither"
said the lad, dad and me keeps Eve ber-
ders; be does the housswork and do the
marketing" r.} #. ..s.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

II you send people away from your
company well pleased with Themselves,
yeu need not fear but they will be well
enough pleased with you, whether they
have received any instruction from
you or not Most people had rather
be pleased than instructed. ia'3 -
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

IT is to be feared that there are very
few who do not learn by degrees to
practice those crimes which they have
ceased to censure.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25

"a afraid l shall come to want" said
an old lady to q young gentleman. "Ihays
come to want already" was the reply. 81
want your daughterP
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
FERNANDO w OOD.
Hon. H. A. WISE.
ANSWER OF GOV. WISE TO FERNANDO
WOOD.

WOOD.
RICHMOND, VA, Nov. 4, 1852
MY DEAR SIR: have duly received and
weighed every word of your letter. | give
all credit for good motive and good morals,
and as suggesting what, perhaps, is good
policy. Now, listen to me, for my mind is
infexibly made up.
Had | reached Harper's Ferry before
these men were captured land would have
reached there in time had been forwarded
as | ought to have been from Washington
and the Relay House,, l would have pro-
claimed martial law, have stormed them in
the quickest possible time, have given them
no quarter, and if any had survived would
have tried and executed them under sem
tence of Court-nartial. But was too late.
The prisoners were captives, and then de-
termined to protect them TO the uttermost
of my power, and did protect them with
my own person.
1 escorted them to prison, and placed
around them such force as to overawe
Lynch law. Every comfort was given them
by my orders. And they have been scrup-
ulously afforded fair and speedy trial with
every opportunity Of defense for crimes
which we're openly perpetrated before the
eyes of hundreds, and as openly confessed.
They could escape convictions only by
technical exceptions, and the chances for
these they had to greater degree, by the
expedition OF prosecution. And the crimes
deliberately done by them are OF the deep
est and darkest kind which can be commit
ted against our people.
Brown, the chief leader, has been legally
and fairly tried and convicted, and admits
the humanity of his treatment asa prisoner,
the truth of the Indictment. and the truth
fulness of the witnesses against him. He
has been allowed excess of counsel, and the
freedom of speech beyond any prisoner
known to me in cur trials. 1t was impos-
sible net to convict him. He is sentenced
to be hanged; that is the sentence Of a
mild code, humanely adjudged, and re-
quirss no duty from me except to see that
it be executed. have to sign no death
warrant. If the Executive interposes at
all, it is to pardon and to pardon him l
have received petitions, prayers, threats
from almost every free State in the Union.
From honest patriotic men like yourself
many of them, l am warned that hanging
will make him martyr. All VIII itY-
Why? The obvious answer to that ques
ton shows me above anything the necessity
for hanging him. You ask: Have you
nerve enough to send Brown to the. State
Prison fer life, instead Of hanging him r.
Yes, if | didn't think he eugh ght 70 be hung
and that would be inexeusabls tor mitiga
ting his punishment, could do it without
finching, without quiyer of muscle agains
universal clamer for his life. But was i
ever known before that it would be impol
! itic for State 70 execute her laws against
the highest crimes, without bringing dewI
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-05-25
Curious Political Letters.
FERNANDO WOOD sUEINa FOR cLENENcY
FOR JOHN BROWN

The Philadelphia Press Of yesterday pub
fishes the following. letters. written, il will
be noticed, at the time ofthe John Brown
excitement:
Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-14
DAILY COMMERCIAL.
BALTIMORE, MD.
WEST VIRGINIA OIL REGIONS.

Recent deyelopments in our neighborng State have
deservedly attracted much attention among the busi
ness men of Baltimore. Some rare instances Of ex-
ceeding good fortune in the discovery of valuable
wells have occurred lately in the regions of Little
Kanawha and Hughes Rivers, which we are pleased
to notice. One among them falls to the cnviable lot
of Baltimore Company, which was organized in July
last and after expenditure of about $4,000, for
lands engines, boring ETC.. have present two pro-
ducing wells, which yield together an average of
$1,000 per week proft-realizng 10000 an
nually. Their property is on new territory, called
Standing Stone Creek In the same vicinity we
hear of other wells having been found by individuals
and small companies
Notwithstanding the widespread distrust which the
wild and impractical operations of the stock compa-
nies of the North have produced in the public mind,
we have never been shaken in faith that one Of
the most profitable sources of mining interest in this
country was in the production of petroleum. There
is an almost universal demand for it for purposes of
light and fabrication, which cannot be supplied in
competition from any other source. New for
this invaluable material constantly being dscov
cred, and ere long there seems a probability that it
will become an indispensable article of fuel No
other country has been so bountifully supplied by
nature with petroleum. and we earnestly hope to see
the business in the hands of practical men, and
brought to the full measure of its Importance as an
article of export. 1t has been cruelty and shame
fully dsgraced in its start by stock gamblers If only
those who deserved to suffer had shared in disap-
Ponment it would have been just but the fortunes
gained by few practical men were held up as bait
by set of swindlers who by of bogus opera
tions have numerically imposed upon thousands of
innocent and unsuspecting persons.
The subject is, nevertheless of great import
to the industrial pursuits of our country and
destined we believe to further develop our national
wealth, and have heretofore. shall continue
from time to time. to devote portion of our col
to the discussion of the question. In noticing
the progress of this interest, IN general indi-
riduot application shall be glad to receive. from
reliable sources accounts of new improvements and
dataIo ia
Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-14
Atlantic Cable Lost by Design.

In the last number of BlocItrood there is most
raey account Of the expedition to lay the Atlantic
ties very strong suspicion that the failure was the
result not of accident but Of design some one hav
It seems that some years ago, in laying cable in
the North Sea, man was brbed to destroy the in
sulation by the offer of thousand pounds if success
full. Two years afterwards he confessed it.
When, in the present instance the first fault was
discovered lit found that piece of the iron wire
ted S s Ras af R a pse
insulation of the copper wires. When the second
failure took place. on July 29. another fault was
announced and of far more serious nature than the
first. There was no delay this time.
As soon possible the vessel was stopped and the
cable cut and transferred to the bow but again owing
to the want of steam, two miles or more had been
paid out before the machine was ready to pick the
submerged portion 1t was the unanimous opinion
of the electricians that the fault only two miles
distant. tit being, in fact board when it was dis
covered and exactly that amount of the cable hav-
ing been hauled n the defective part was brought to
light. Again had piece of the wire penetrated
the cable this time right through, touching the cop
per wire and DESTROYING the continuity of the electric
current. The affair looked black indeed"
The writer says that the men almost unanimously
declared it could not have been the result of accident
and the engineers requested that the gentlemen in
the saloon should by turns watch night and day in
the tank, which they did But in three days after
wards, while Mr.. Cyrus Field was in the tank an
other loss of insulation occurred 1t was remarked
that all of them occurred lch the sae 01n0 Of men,
Then followed the hauling n shortness of steam to
face change OF ahe Elpd the rubbing of the vessel
when suddenly at twenty five feet from the bow with
sharp snap, the cable broke and, rushing through
the stopper ito to which the men held on bravey, il
The great question is, whether there is any real
to suspect that these three failures were the
Of design. These flaws hardly could have been
there all along they would have been detected
But in paying out. the slightest loose end of the wire
might have been pressed into the cable by the ma
derson did not attribute the misfortune to design
But the hole is nice matter that those on boarc
could not best judge. It at least esteemed sus
| picous; and when consider that about millior
of pounds sterling are supposed to have sunk Will
| the cable what wonder if men become susnicious
J each other, either with or without GaWseY
Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-14
The New Code of South Carolina.


The Convention at its recent session de-
clared in favor of a new Code in accordance
with events. The provisional governor was
directed to appoint a commission of two per
sons to prepare and report TO the legislature
what laws were rendered necessary and proper,
in consequence of the alterations which had
taken place in the state of affairs, and especi-
ally to submit Code for the regulation Of
labor and the protection and government of
the colored population of the State.
The commission was entrusted to able
hands. The Hon. ID. l.. Wardlaw. probably
the best constitutional lawyer in the State, and
the Hon. Armstead Burt, both well known
for their conservatism OF opinion and their ac-
curacy of Judgment, were appointed and the
result of their thought and labors has been
given to the Legislature in report of thirty
six pages which has been submitted to that
body. The topics treated of are the domestic
relations of persons Of color, including those
Of husband and wife, parent and child, guar
dian and ward, and master and apprentice
the contracts for service, the regulations
of labor on farms, the rights of the en-
ployer as between himself and his servant,
the causes of discharge of servant, the rights
of the employer as to third persons, the rights
of the servant as between himself and en-
ployer the rights of servants as to third per-
sons, the duties and obligations of house ser
wants and others not in husbandry, the forms
Of contract, the rights and duties of mechan
lcs artisans and shopkeepers. the eviction of
servants. and the regulations for paupers, va
grancy and ideness. Bills preliminary to the
legislation induced by the emancipation OF
slaves to establish the District Courts. and to
amend the criminal law, accompany the re-
mort -
Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-14
The Chinch Bug-HOw to EXterminate
the Pest of the Wheat

DR.. II. Sherman has made a discovery re-
garding the breeding of the chinch bug,
which we believe, will make it an easy mat
ter to totally eradicate this curse of wheat
growers. He writes as follows:
The chinch bug having destroyed my wheat
crop for a number of years, was anxious to
get rid of him, and believe have tracked
him home, and can destroy him, root and
branch.
| believe that next season, if the farmers
will follow my advice, they may raise good
crop of wheat, and not lose bushel from the
ravages of the bug. This is the important
secret. My investigation led me to believe
that the seed wheat or kernel was used as
sort of ''foster mother by the bug; and find
by inspection through microscope that in all
wheat grown upon land where there are bugs,
is deposited in the blow, or fuzzy end of the
kernel, large quantity of eggs, which pro-
duce the bugs next season.
Mr. Sherman says he will convince any
farmer of the truth of this, if they will bring
him a sample of wheat grown where there
were plenty of bugs.
1t follows, that if the kernel of seed wheat
is the general depository of the eggs of the
chinch-bug, that our farmers have been sow
ing the pest each year as regularly as they
have their wheat, and it follows, that if such
is the case, the eradication of the bug will be
easily mplished--either by sowing no
wheat that has been in contact with the bug
or by sleeping the seed in some solution before
sowing, which will destroy the larva
We are quite sanguine that Hub Sher-
man has "scotehef the little imp at last. and
furnishes the information that will insure the
rapid extinction of the terrors of wheat grow
ers. If Hubs" discovery leads to this re-
suit, he will be entitled to the highest graft.
tude of the farming community; he will richly
deserve to be knighted We hope that others
will investigate this matter, and give US the
results of their observations.