Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-12-20
Weekly Review of Current News,

last week, by Wnlcn nlCeen persons
were killed and some thirty wounded. o
The railroad bridge had been burned n
a day or two before and the company i
were running car with workmen to I
erect a temporary tressle work for the
accommodation of backing up {
the car to the spot. Notwithstanding
there was but a mile and half to go
the engineer run at the rate of thirty
miles an hour and had come within a
few rods of the precipice, when those
on board saw the danger and besought
him to shut off steam, but he did not
do it until the engine had reached the
abutment of the bridge. The car and
tender were pitched over the chasm
and into the river sixty feet below
while the wheels of the engine itself
oycrlapped the chasm some four inch
es before it was stopped. All accounts
agree that the catastrophe was caused |
by gross carelessness or by the insani
ty Of the engineer. 1t was an up grade
track of fifty feet to the mile and near
the scene of disaster it was still beav-
Ter than that The engine was a new
one and the best upon the road. Ii
the accident was caused by careless
ness there is no punishment too severe
to be awarded the author, but if hi
was insane he is entitled to pity rather
than ceusure.
The time for holding the national
republican convention has been fixed
1t is 10 be held at Chicago on the 2Oth
Of May. We think the time aud place
arc well chosen. Now let US go to
work and bring out the right man.
make platform that all honest men
can stand upon, and then carry out
the principles of that platform. We
want no sounding generalities (as Is
the manner Of democrats no frame
work calculated for the popular eye
but one that says what we mean anC
means what we say. The signs Of thC
times indicate that we are to have NJ
child's play next summer; the dcmOc
racy are at work as they have neveI
worked before; they confidently ez
pect success, though they are doome,
to disappointment, but it will tax
work to beat them.
The Kentucky state senate have ad
opted by a very large majority res
olution asking for the appointment o
committee to inquire into and asses
the value of all slaves lost to the
owners during the rebellion in cons
quence of acts Of congress, eXecutiy
proclamation, &c, with the design 0
hereafter demanding payment of Il
general government for the same
Maryland and some Of the Gulf stat
have heretofore taken similar actio
Well, what will it amount to? If Il
republican party retains its power v
think these claims can be bought at
great discount. If the democrats ga
the asccndancy the demands may
worth something. What an idea tn
the government should be COMPEL
to pay for property taken from an {
cmy, when that same property was
ing used to destroy it Why not p
the rebel states for the arms tax
from them in battle? Why not p
the rebel soldiers for the time lost
fighting US? And then why not r
the rebel debt? These propositiC
arc lust as reasonable as the first.
The Boston Journal says the ch
is not born who will see a dollar p
10y the general government for CT
pcnsation to any former slave owne
We guess so, particularly now t
the negro is voter.
The republican party having al
ished slavery and made the negro m
than a chattcl, now proposes to a.
ish that other "twin relic of bari
ism, "-polygamy as it exists in
Mormon church. Senator Cragin
New Hampshire has introduced a
that if passed congress and enlor
will put an end to the Mormon chi
in Utah, to plurality of wives,
we hope to Brigham Young him
The bill makes it crime for any
to claim the services or the society
any woman not lawfully married
him, and also makes it crime for
person to be present at what is ca
the scaling" Of such woman, and
vides for heavy fines and imprisonI
in the penitentiary. 1t is to be he
the bill may pass and be rigidly
forced. 1t is time that such infa
as are practiced by the Mormon oh
were ended; the existence of 81
community in the heart of the A
lean continent is disgrace to our
ernment and shame to the civ
tion of the present century. But
community is doomed; there is