davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
INCo6E TAX.

The amended revenue law that passed
Congress provides that there shall be
levied, collected, and paid annually upon
gains, profits, and income of every person
residing in the United States, or Of
any citizen of the Uuted States residing
abroad, whether derived from any kind
of property, rents, interest, dividends, or
salaries, Or from any profession, trade,
employment, or vocation, carried on in
the United States or elsewhere, or from
any other source whatever, tax of five
per cent on the amount so derived over
$1,000, and like tax shall be levied, col
lected, and paid annually upon the gains,
profits and income of every business,
trade or profession carried on in the
United States by persons residing with
out the United States, and not citizens
thereof. And the tax herein provided
for shall be assessed, collected and paid
upon the gains, profits and income for
the year ending the 3lst day of Deem
Der next preceding the time for levying,
collecting and paying said tax.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
OUR LRaIsLATuRE.

The following, clipped from Nash
vile letter to the St Louis Republican,
indicates what our Legislature is thought
of abroad:
While thus refusing to legislate for the
public good, this body has never JAILED
to put money in its own pocket when
opportunity offered. | speak OF II as
unit, because the Conservative minority
is, in all such matters, mere cipher on
the wrong side. 1t is well understood
they Intend to pay themselves for most,
If not all the time intervening between
their numerous sessions. And the other
day resolution was put through both
Houses, by party vote-most, II not
all the Conservatives voting against it
to pay members iR gold With view to
securing for themselves, if possible, an.
other opportunity ut the money wrenched
from an oppressed people, this partisan
body has DISTINGUISHED great majority
of the white people, enfranchissd all the
negroes, passed military bill, by means
of which IL is expected the disiranchise-
ment of the one and the enfranchlSement
of the other will be made sure. The
military bill organizes a volunteer force
of negroes and mean whites, which has
been christened, while yet in the womb
of futurity, "Brownlows Thieves. 1t
is anticipated by trembling people that
when the world shall have beheld the
mighty works of John Browns spirit, as
they will show themselves forth in these
bands, Kinks lambs and " Fletchers
Militia" will lose the pre- eminent place
in the calendar of things atrocious.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

further damage on the road was re
ported. ID is hardly necessary to sa,
that Col. Innes is leaving nothing IN
done to have the bridges repaired. Mel
and material are being sent forward
rapidly, and IL the road is not very soor
in its normal condition il will not be fol
lack Of all necessary efforts looking e
that end. For the present, and until
further notice, we understand that nc
further freight viii be received at the
Chattanooga depot
The bridge across the Tennessee river
at Bridgeport was all right up TO last
night The water, as we learned, had
reached to within three feet Of the top,
and some fears were expressed that a
much further rise might result most dis
asirously. The bridge across the Ten
nessee at Chattanooga, which cost the
Government, toward the close of the war,
nearly half million dollars 10 construct,
was swept away on Wednesday.
The Cumberland, here at Nashville, is
still rising at the rate Of about two inches
an hour, and is now fully as high as il
was in the spring of 1865. Already its
enoroachments, both in North and South
Nashville, have resulted in great deal
of damage and inconvenience. Scores
of families have been compelled to pick
up all their household traps, and fee for
safety to elevated retreats. AS it has
not rained any here for twentY.four
hours, it is probable-to be hoped at
least-that the rise has nearly attained
its full hight
In referring to the Nashville and
Decatur railroad yesterday morning, we
gave the report, based on information
furnished us, that three bridges had been
washed away on that line. We learn the
statement was erroneous. There has
been neither bridge nor culvert displaced
on the road, and trains are running with
their accustomed regularity.
On the Louisville road, trains come in
aud depart with as much punctuality as
if we had not had drop of rain for a
month.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
THE RICHMOND PRESS.

The press of Virginia is speaking out
on the Military bill and the proposed
convention. The Whig favors the con-
vention. The Enquirer counsels an ap-
peal to the Supreme Court against the
law. The Times says it don't want the
people to accept merciless and inhuman
terms at the point of the bayonet, to
secure their lives aud property.
The Dispatch hopes for the dawning
of better day, and the Examiner is sp-
posed to any action by the Legislature,
further than to postpone and to submit
at as early day as possible to the peo-
pie of Virginia, the question whether or
not they will hold convention, and let
them authorize the Governor in the
event of an affirmative answer to the in
quiry to make the necessary proclama-
tion
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
AsELfY,s nARKEY.

A Washington letter says Ashley has
darkey on hand to testify on the i'm
parchment question. The cullud indi-
vidual and the great impeacher hold
freq6ent consultations in a committee
room at the capitol, and his testimony
will doubtless be very important; at any
rate it is highly necessary to the success
of the undertaking that negro should
have something to do with it. The proba-
biIity is, that it would fail if managed
exclusively by White men.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
THE FRANCHISE.

The recent decision of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania has probably
come in good time for the Supreme Court
of this State. The point decided is, that
citizen cannot be DISTINGUISHED before
conviction of an offeHse which would
exclude him from the ballot box. 1t is
law, Constitution, and, in this country,
has been little less than gospel. In this
State, the same question awaits the de-
cision of the Supreme Court Without
conviction Of treason, three-fourths of
the people have been disfranchised. The
question is, will our Court decide the
lnw2
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
A Horoscope of the Future.

A correspondent of the Metropolitan
Record, writing from this State, in.
dulges the following
Southerners who have any money are
now seeking investments in manufac.
tories and such channels. feel safe in
predicting that in the next FIVE years
there will be ample machinery in the
South to manufacture every pound OF
the raw staple gathered from its soil
Reason-decrease of staple, increase of
machinery.
In prospecting politically, the diggings
are uninviting. In 1864 / used to keep
my spirits up while nursing wounded
limb, by studying the geography of our
country as it will be some day. Begin
at the mouth Of the Potomac river, rus
above Harper's Ferry and across the
Ohio up to the line Of Ohio and Penn
sylvania, to the lake, and there is natu-
raj boundary, with one small exception. |
am sorry for you, but for my life can't see
how you will be separated from Puritania.
The interests Of Ohio and Pennsylvania,
although side by side, are as different to-
day as Vermont and Louisiana. The
Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the Mexi-
can Gulf will be another line, while the
great chain Of the Rocky mountains will
cut of the Pacific slope All that vast
territory north of the Ohio and Missouri
rivers will possibly constitute one eoun-
try.
With the increasing manufactures at
the South, what will New England do ?
With the decrease Of planting and the
increase Of farming and stock raising,
where will be the market Of the great
Northwest Will nobody be hurt?
Who will do all this The South is
utterly helpless but / believe there is a
God who overrules all things He pun
ishes nations as well az individuals.
Less than two years ago / believe a ma.
jority Of the Confederate soldiers would
have fought British or French side by
side with the blue coats; bot Stevens,
Sumner and crew have changed all that.
and 10 the event Of foreign war a spirit
Of utter Indifference would pervade the
Southern people ] believe God is
using the Radicals for His own purposes.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
THE SITUATION.

Our own sentiments are thus strongly
and elegantly expressed by that great
journal, the New Orleans Times The
condition of things in the South at
present is most extraordinary. Never
before in the history of legislation were
acts of grave moment passed, affecting
the we'll being of entire States, touching
which so little concern was manifested
by the people whose vital interests we're
thereby imperiled. Throughout the South
the great masses of the population feel
that they are politically powerless-that
they are controlled by an overmastering,
INSCRIPTIONS force, against which re-
sistance would be altogether vain. They
knew that the principles Of republican
ism have been set at naught to their
prejudice that the consent of the
governed is no longer regarded by
those who sit in the halls of Congress as
the only rightful source of authority.
But Notwithstanding all this, they await
the issue with calm resignation, hoping
even against hope that good may come
out Of evil. II is useless to spend time in
vain protests and vainer recrimination
Nothing can be gained thereby. If any
of the constitutional checks by which
the rights Of minorities are supposed to
be protected against the encroachments
Of oppressive partisanship can be in
voked in the premises, well and good /;
but It will be the ordeal Of law against
the ordeal Of force. and whether the
power Of the ermine will be sufficient to
cope with over confident authority,
backed up BY the public sentiment Of the
greater portion Of country, is, at this
moment, more than doubtful That the
constitutionality Of the recently estab-
lished military lava military law, il
viii be remembered, which has been cs.
iabhshed in time Of peace-will be
tested before the Supreme Court Of the
United Stgtes, is certain, and on the de-
cree which viii be rendered, much, very
much, depends We have faith in the
Supreme bench; but the arrogance Of
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
AshleY on 40 RampaRe.

10 late debate in the House on the
impeachment question, Ashley, 81 Ohio,
the sO-ealled great impeaeher, thus
alluded to President johnson:
II any man had doubted before, be can
doubt no longer, that Whilo this man re-
mains in the Presidency there can be no
tranquility in the country-no security
for life, liberty and property 20 the loyal
citizens Of the South-no such perfect
restoration Of the Government a. the
Union army, the Union men Of the
nation have docrccd-no safety for a
single hour from rebellion and revolu-
ton. Such q man as Nr johnson coming
into The Presidency as be came into il,
q man Of bis mental and moral culture.
! say nothing Of the dark suspicious
which crept over the minds Of men as %
bis completely 10 the assassination Of
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

Mr. Lincoln; nothing Of fact which ]
cannot Danish from my mind Of the
mysterious conviction between his death
aud the treachery of his successor.
say such man, in view Of all that has
happened, should have walked with un-
covered head, and very humbly, in the
presence Of the loyal men Of tho nation,
aud of their representatives in the
American Congress.
II this nation. does not brand with the
broad seal of his condemnation the usur-
patton, crimes and misdemeanors Of this
man, II will be but an invitation in the
future for a repetition Of his usurpations
and Of his demeanor.
Self protection aud desire TO pre-
serve the honor of the nation demand
that the representatives Of the people
shall declare, in manner not to be mis-
understood, that no man hereafter elected
President, or this President, shall pre-.
sent himself at his Inauguration drunk,
or shall he turn the White House into
den Of thieves and pardon-brokors nor
shall he be permitted, with impunity, 10
usurp the prerogatives Of Congress, and
TO assail this body with indecent Ian.
guage all over the country.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
REGISTRATION OF DAVIDSON.


In the afternoon the Senate bill, to
amend section 2ll4, part 2, chapter 4,
of the code, applying it to leaseholding
estates, was taken up.
Mullins offered the following as an
amendment:
Sec. l. Be it enacted, That the regis
tration in the county of Davidson, here
tofore had under the franchise act of
May Sd, 1866, be and is hereby declared
null and void, and no other person shall
be entitled to vote by virtue of any GER
tifcate issued under said registration.
Sec. q Be it enacted that the provi-
sions of this act shall extend to any
other county in this State where it shall
be made to appear to the satisfaction of
the Governor that frauds and irregulari-
ties have interviewed in the registration
Of voters in such county, and the Gov
ernor shall make known such facts and
set aside said registration by procla-
nation.
Sec. 3. Be it enacted that any person
violating the above section by voting or
attempting to vote by virtue of a certifi-
cate issued from a registration thus
declared null and void shall be guilty of
a msdemeanor, and upon conviction be
fined not less than ten nor exceeding one
hundred dollars.
Mr. Lellyett rose to point of order,
insisting thst Mullins'd document was not
pertinent to the subject under discussion.
In this he was overruled by the Speaker,
whose decision was sustained on appeal.
Mullins amendment was then adopted
by ayes 80 to noes 20.
To show how much connection exists
between registration in Davidson and
the section being amended, we transcribe
the latter from the code, page 430.
"2ll4 The homestead of every
housekeepsr or head of family residing
in this State, to the value of five hum
bred dollars, consisting of dwelling
house and outbuildings and land appur
tenant, occupied by such person as
homestead, shall be exempt from attach
ment and execution for the debts of
every such housekeeper or head of a
family"
A few other amendments more ger
main to the bill in debate were adopted,
and the bill passed on its final reading.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
PUBLIC LEDGER.
TAKE IN THE SAILS.

Yes, that is the word. The South,
within thirty days, will be under five
military governors, holding in their
hands the property of the people and the
tissues of life and death" Every man,
woman and child should begin to gather
about them whatever is necessary to exis
tence, for there is to be little or no COM
merce-little else than orders, marching
countermarohing and the tramp OF
armed men. The hopes built upon
cotton crop and the comforts itwould pur-
chase, should be at once dissipated Ex'
travagant expectations Of resurrected
country, freedom, quiet, luxury, should
not be INDUCED. Dreams of happy days,
mellowed and saddened though they be
with memories of those who can come no
more, must know dreadful waking.
Plans for great enterprises must be
abandoned in the gloom Of the terrible
night that has fallen over the South.
Strange to say, and it is truth to say it,
the people thus afflicted, do not realise
the calamity prepared for them. They
have not believed that fate so hard was
threatening them, and now, when the re-
atty bursts upon them, they appear to act
as one suddenly awakened by a fire bell
and looking vacantly on the blazing walls
around him. Gentlemen of the South,
your State governments are ruins. All
that you created by your labor, skill, en-
durance and genius, is demolished. You
have no law that is not promulgated by
a military officer. You have no protec.
ton to either life or property, unless it
comes through him. The negro popula-
ton are suddenly changed from laborers
to politicians. The time they will spend
at State, county and district meetings,
and at the polls, will leave them no leis-
lrs to produce cotton. Elevated above
you, they will think it degradation to la
Dor for you, and too important for the
duties Of servants, they will adopt their
own system of living. The sooner you
realize the situation you are in, the bet
ter it will be for you. Some
thing to live on, is what you should strug-
gle for. You can support yourselves by
your own labor. 1t would be perilous
to grow cotton, if you could command
the, labor. Con6scation will, inevitably,
sweep over the South. Ruin is to come
everywhere and leave nothing behind it.
All that you can hope for is to live.
Manufactures, wherever they can be
established, should be encouraged, and
capital, that has sought investment in
the production of cotton, should be turned
in different direction. Prepare to
stand siege, and let the finance Of the
country take care of itself Take in the
sails
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
STAMPS IN THE SOUTH.

The Commissioner of Revenue has
made an important decision concerning
stamps in the South. He says; The
first act imposing a stamp tax upon
certain special instruments, took effect,
so far as said tax is concerned, October
LIST, 1862 The impression which seems
to prevail to some extent, that no stamps
are required upon any instruments
issued in the States lately in insurree
ton, prior to the surrender or prior 10
the establishment Of collection districts
there is erroneous. Instruments issued
in those States since October lst ls62,
are subject TO the same taxes as similar
ones issued al the same time 10 the
other States.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
DEATH OF ARTEMUs WARD.

Charles F. Browne, better known as
"Artemus Ward" died Friday last at
Southampton This intelligence will
produce a feeling of sadness among
those who have laughed at the humor of
poor Ward" He was an innocent
being full of kindly feelings, and did
the world real service. Let it be not
said that his life was without usefulness.
He who makes you laugh, rescues you
for the time from some care, and in
many cases, from sorrow. Men are all
the better for laughing. The face that
never relaxes its muscles, is not beauti
ful, but impresses one with the idea that
the heart is not all right Poor " Arte-
mus Ward, may many flower, catch
ing the hue of his spirit, bloom and smile
over his grave
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
FROM NEW ORLEANS.

New ORLEANS, March IL. The trouble
between Governor Wells and Mayor
Monroe in this city, appears to be that
Monroe and the chief of police, Adams
ordered the police not to obey any
orders not issued by them. An election
of City Councilmen was to take place
on next Monday, and Governor Wells
ordered that the freedmen enfranchised
under the Reconstruction bill should
vote, and the class disfranchised should
not vote. General Sheridan's order
postponed the election until the District
Commander, appointed under the Re
construction act, has restored order.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE NOON DISPATCHES
FROM WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, March II. = Senator
Wilson's bill, to provide more efficient
government in the rebellious States, by
providing for the registration of every
voter in each military district, and other
purposes, preliminary to the admission
of Southern Senators and Representa-
tives into Congress, was taken up. 1t
meets the concurrence of leading South
ern men now in Washington as absolutely
necessary to the Reconstruction act.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Re.
lations adversely reported on the nomi.
nation of L. II. Sanford as Minister to
Brussels.
Our Minister at Paris writes, under
date of February 10th, to the Secretary
of State that much good feeling prevails
towards the United States, and announces
the abandonment Of the Mexican enter
prise. The letter was presented by the
Government to the Senate.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
DIVISION OF Pennsylvania.

A project is being agItated Tor The
division of Pennsylvania, making the
Alleghenies the line Of separation and
forming a new State from the counties
lying west of the great range. The
project is received with considerable
favor among Western Pennsylvanians,
who see in this separation their only
chance of delverance from the grasp OF
the Pennsylvania Central railroad, which
holds the Legislature so well in hand
that no enterprise looking to competition
with it has the shadow of chance in
that body.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
INDUSTRY.

We always take pleasure in recording
accounts of the success of well.directed
industry. The Richmond papers speak
of an industrious German now living in
the suburbs of that city, who owns a
piece of ground measuring thirty by one
hundred feet. Upon this small piece
of land he, during the war, raised vege-
tables, salads, etc., sufficient to support
his family, which consisted of himself,
wife and four children. He is now not
only doing this, but is laying up sur
plus Of cash for a rainy day.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

A Washington correspondent says
" The principal subject of conversation
among Congressman is the question OF
adjournment. The general opinion seems
to be that an early day will be agreed
upon. There appears to be three parties.
One headed by Butler and others, who
favor impeachment, are urging the con
tinuance Of the session and Immediate
action on that matter The second party
wishes to empower the Judiciary Com
mittee to continue the impeachment in.
quiry during a recess to exte nd to Octo'
Der. The third class wish to remain in
session for a fow weeks till it can be as.
certained whether the President viii ex
ecute the Reconstruction bill"
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
BRYANT.

A disloysl sheet says: William Cul
len Bryant is in Spain, and writes to the
New York Erening Post that he heard
among the Basques a band play Yankee
Doodle, and a Basque gentleman proved
to his satisfaction that for hundreds OIL
years it had been a popular air with his
countrymen. We have a high respect
for the Basques on general grounds, but
a most profound contempt for their mu
steal taste.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
FROM NEW YORK

NEW YORK, March ia Washington
special says the President will enforce
the Reconstruction act faithfully, and
offer no distractions nor cause delays
Ould and Crump have returned tc
Virginia. The President advised them
not to hold any Convention, but to leave
that duty to the military commander
This will defeat the bill in the House as
sembly to. morrow.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

R6~ An Atlanta editor, speaking of
Sherman's bill, says that he does not
propose to take any position on the sub
ject at present, as the country is in a
terrible condition and an open rear is a
prudent position at this stage of the con-
fict. He must have been a quartermas-
ter. This is Senator Sherman, Captain,
and not the General who went to the sea.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

words. There is no direct charge madei
il is an intended charge. All | have got
to say is that it is false false in its
charge, false in its intentions, and false
in its inuendoes, / never received a
copper from Mr.. Smythe. II the Senate
will permit me to say, will say it is as
calsa ne. hall -
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11

On the 9th, in the Senate, al Washing
ton, Senator Patterson rose and said
" Mr. President-In looking over the
papers / see I am involved in the same
charges that are made against the Sens.
tor from Wisconsin. that Of having re-
ceiyed S5ee0 from Mr.. Smythe. ! viii
dispose Of this question in q very few