davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1868-07-07
(Frnm the N. Y. Herald, Jmnc IA
THE ST. THOMAS PURCHASE.

The ST.. Thomas purchase is one of the
prominent questions OF the hour. Untor-
ttunateIy, however, it is one of those mat
tiers which gives Congress a chance OF
opposing and resisting the administration
We have never in the history of the Uni
ted States had such anlagoniSm between
the houses and the Executive Depart
ment. The administration may have had
its faults but whatever may have been
the faults of the administration it is only
truth to say that the dominant party in
Congress have made themselves obnoxious
TO the great bulk of the American people.
The radical party has shown an amount of
selfishnesS which has not been paraIIefed
anywhere since the Jacobin faction do
minated the revolutionary elements of
France in the sad years that followed
1889. No political party, not even the
Jacobins of France, have ever shown
themselves so greedy, selfish and un-
reasoning. The radicals can see no in
~ttrtstS but their own. The welfare of
the American people is a small affair
when compared to what seems to them
the interest of their party. We have had,
aud we are still having, day after day,
striking Illustrations of this truth. Let
a disputed election come before them,
and oil the world can now determine how
it will end. 1t can only end in one way.
In or out the decision must he in favor of
the radical. The United States cannot
get on without the radicals. Without
this preserving element they must needs
go to rain. ST. Thomas is precisely a case
in point. Mr.. Seward initiated The pur-
chase; Mr.. Seward belongs 10 the admi-
nistration; the radicals hate the admins
t%ration; the radicals are a majority in
Congress; the St, Thomas purchase, there
fore must not be encouraged. There is a
point of vision which is neither hat of
the administration nor that of The radi-
Gals. The American people have inter-
ests which are different from those of the
administration or of the radicals. It is
for the advantage of the American people
that the island of st. Thomas be in their
possession. In the event of war breaking
out with any of the nations of Europe ST.
Thomas would be found 10 be Invaluable.
Cuba has been called the lock of the Gulf
of Mexico but if Cuba is the lock ST. Tho
mas is the key. If we cannot have the
lock just at present and can have the key
it is difficult 10 discover sufficient reasons
why we should not take it and hold it,.
We insist that this treaty purchase be
concluded.
, 1868-07-07

Since then Mr.. Seward has obtained some
further documents from the Danish Gov
m going to strengthen his appeal
to the committee. The Danish govern
ment is anxious that speedy action should
be taken.-Uid.
, 1868-07-07
SECRETARY SEWARD AND THE
PURCHASE OF ST. THOMAS.

Secretary Seward is earnestly at work
trying I o get the Committee on Foreign
Relations to take action on the Danish
Treaty about the purchase Of st. Thomas
The whole subject was laid aside by the
committee during the impeachment.
, 1868-07-07
Receivers

l.. FabeF, Esq, Trustee.
Amount offormer deposits !;
9 deposits of 20 cents each.
80 above 20 cts. and under S l..
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15

ticket over sixty thousand votes; but as her
Rebels all vote, while every oolored man-in-
Guiding even those who fought to put down
the Rebellion--is disfranchised we do not eX-
pect to carry her. We're either the Rebels
disfranchised or the blacks epirlDchised, she
would vote for Grant; aud so with Maryland
We shall not carry all the remaining States;
but We shall zealously contest them ALL and
hope to carry at least three-fourths of their
electoral votes. A good many of them are
beyond doubt. Vermont will give Grant about
three to one for Seymour; Massachusetts, at
least two to one Tennessee at least as much;
and we shall be disappointed il Maine Ohio,
Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas,
and Michigan do not each give Grant more
than 10, coo majority. We hope to give good
majorities for Grant in many other States; but
enough.
Finally-though bets prove nothing but the
confidence Of the parties-we happen to know
that Republican from another State, who
was here when Seymour was nominated, left
sl0000at the st. Nicholas to be invested on
the election of Grant and Colfax, il any Sey-
mourite should have equal faith in the sue
cess OF his ticket. We have not yet heard of
any one going for that money,
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15

Treasury ring is not myth, but a lamentable
reality. The members Of it in New York are
favored by the Secretary. They get informa-
tion directly, or indirectly, from him which
enables them to put gold up or down as they
please and to make large fortunes. They
have their agents in Washington, who are
made acquainted with the secrets of the Trea-
sury Department and exercise an extraordi-
nary influence over IL. Butler, when he got
hold of the Sam Ward despatch in his i'm
peachment Investigations, supposed he was on
the right scent for the information he wanted,
but he was on the wrong track. Had he been
investigating the gold operations of the Trea-
sury ring he might have made useful discove-
ries We look with astonishment at the
enormous whisky frauds and other frauds on
the Government, and with reason; but we
doubt if all of them together amount to as
much as the losses to the Government and
people through the operations of the Treasury
ring and the mismanagement of Mr.. McCul-
loch. The Secretary has the power to prevent
these evils, but he neither has the ability nor
inclination.
Some remedy is imperatvely demanded.
The administration of the departments, and
particularly of the Treasury Department, is
disorganized, corrupt, and inefficient. The
country must look to Congress. 1t should
begin with Wall street. To break up the
Treasury ring and to prevent the gold gam
blers from keeping up the price OF gold with
the depreciation Of the currency, it should tax
heavily all these pretended sales of gold. The
legitimate transactions for commerce might be
exempted upon proof but the gamblers should
be made to pay high. A sliding scale might
be established and such laws framed as to
catch all the bogus operators and let the legiti-
mate and honest merchants escape. This
would tend to break up the Wall street den
and Treasury ring. AT least the Government
might derive a handsome income from such a
tax, We hope Congress will do something
to remedy this monstrous evil before it ad-
iourns.
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15
Taxing Bonds.


From hs NJ p EVening Post.
There is a portion of the Democratic press
which openly acknowledges the humiliating
truth that the platform of their party is ds-
honest that it explicitly demands of the Gov
ernment the robbery of its creditors. But
there is another portion which is either very
illinformed or very uncandid; and some of
them even pretend that there is nothing in
their platform inconsistent with perfect good
faith.
The Democratic party, the resolutions say,
demand "equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real value, including
Government bonds and other public securi-
ties"
Now there are two distinct authorities under
which taxes are laid in this country-that of
the National Government and that of the State
government. The National Government taxes
trade, manufactures, business, and incomes.
1t has never attempted to tax equally every
species of property, according to its real
value.' Such tax is expressly forbidden by
the Constitution, which prohibits any direct
taxation, except when appOrtioned among the
States according to population. By ''direct
taxi has always been understood tax levied
directly upon persons or upon property, in
distinction from duties, imposts, and eXci5es.
To avoid this prohibition Congress has not
taxed property as such at ALL
But the States tax property, and nothing
else. The sessments they make are of the
''real value' of both real and personal pro-
perty, as the assessors estimate it; and the
fundamental principle of State taxation is
"equal taxation OF every species of property
according to its real value"
The only important exception to this prin-
oiple has always been the limitation OF the
power of the State by the paramount power of
the nation. But this limitation has always
been jealously enforced by the courts of the
United States, in defiance of the estates
Rights" party.
The State of Maryland levied tax upon
the Branch Bank OF the United States in Bal
timore. Chief Justice Marshall decided the
law dead letter. A little later the State of
Ohio deliberately attempted TO tax another
branch of the same bank cut of existence.
The whole Supreme Court agreed that the act
in the statute book was waste paper.
Pennsylvania was the next State to try the
Calhoun doctrine in practice. She undertook
to tax national officers in her territory for their
salaries. Mr.. Justice Wayne delivered the
opinion of the whole court, including Chief
Justice Taney, that "the States are restrained
by such prohibitions as are implied when
the exercise of the right of State conflicts
with the perfect execution of another
sovereign power delegated to the Unted
States That occurs when taxation by a
State acts upon the instrumentsiand emolu-
ments and persons which the United States
may use and employ as necessary and proper
means to execute their sovereign pow
ers." (l6 Peters 495) Pennsylvania cannot,
therefore, tax the salaries of national office
holders.
But South Carolina went further than Mary
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15
Political Dishonesty.

Prom ne ", Y. Commercial Advertiser.
The Democratic party must henceforth bear
the responsibility of educating the public
mind for an essentially dishonest method of
dealing with the national debt The following
plank in the New York platform must be re-
cognized in history as the first overt step
towards reputation upon the obligations of
the United States:-
Third. The payment Of the public debt
where the obligations do not Xpressly state on
their face, or the law under which they were
issued does not provide payment in coin,
should be paid In the lawful money of the
United States.
The frat instinct of the people at large ao-
corded with the understanding of the bond
holders when they invested in the bonds Tue
subscribers to the Five-twenties unqueston-
ably believed they were taking an obligation
the principal of which was payable III gold
the Secretary of the Treasury and his loan
agents plainly asserting as much while the
general public have felt themselves insulted at
any intimations by foreign ceilsors that the
bonds would be ultimately retired in any
other way. class of politicians, however,
who openly make boast of their contempt OF
the claims of the boudh olders, have put forth
the doctrine that as the werd gold does not
occur in connection with the principal of tAe
bonds, neither on the face of the obligations
nor in the acts authorizing their issue, it is
therefore competent for the Government to
determine that the intention was they should
be redeemed in paper currency.
This we unhesitatingy pronounce to be a
direct challenge of whatever there may bs OF
dishonest sentiment in the heart of the cOun-
try-a temptation of an honestly disposed peo-
pie to fagrant injustice; an attempt to build
financial policy upon rascality.
1t is not easy to comprehend the logic Of this
Democratic temptation to dishonor. If it were
necessary, in order to render the bonds paya-
bic in gold, that gold should be stipulated on
the face of the bonds or in the authorizing
acts, surely it should be equally necessary, in
order to their being payable in depre-
ciated currency, that greenbacks be
specifically designated as the medium of pay
ment; but these repudiators find no more men
tion of the latter than of the former. II the
Government meant anything different in the
word "dollars" from what it has always
meant; if it meant not actually dollars, but
suspended promises to pay them; then, in
negotiating the bonds, it was bound in honesty
to say so. ....
The Government, through its agents, did at
that time construe the term "dollars' as
meaning gold; and now the Democratic party
promises that, if admitted to power, it will
accommodate the large nOn-bOnd- holding class
by determining that the term means not gold
but paper. Nowhere in the domain of uni
versal politics, is there to be found such a
shamelessly dishonest bid for power.
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15

the Union. We have known for some time
that under cover of this claim plans have
been devised which menace the peace Of
the country. But Mr.. Wade Hampton is the
first, we believe, to proclaim and publicly in
doIse them.
The measure just passed by Congress places
the matter on the proper basis. II declares
beforehand that States, 30 called, which shall
not have completed reconstruction will not be
admitted to the Electoral College; in other
words, that only the States represented in
Congress will be recognized in the counting Of
votes. The declaration was not essential,
since it is plain that where provisional gov
ernments continue the people have no better
title to participate ia the election than the in
habitants of Territories. But it is enacted in
order that no charge of partisanship, or of an
arbitrary exercise Of power, may hereafter be
preferred against Congress.
Under the operation of this law, IL is posi-
BILE that two or three of the ten States may
be excluded from the electoral college. Mis-
sissippi will almost certain ly be still out of
the Union; Georgia is threatened with delay
by the Democrats in the Legislature, who
affirm their ability to prevent the ratification
of the constitutional amendment; and the
position of Virginia is not less doubtful.
While then, all the other States will, accord
ing to present appearances, be restored in
season for the November contest, these three
States may possibly be still unreconstructed.
In that case their votes ought not to be, and
will not be counted.
To this contingency, we believe, Mr.. Wade
Hampton's appeal refers. He calculates that
the states which temporarily defeat the Re-
construction plan may be relied upon to sup
port Seymour and Blair. And his purpose,
and the purpose of large section OF the
Democratic party, is to insist that their votes
shall be counted, in defiance of law, and of
whatever authority may be exerted in its sup
port. 1t Is demand that that Rebel element
which ressts the authority of the Union,
shall share the privileges of its Government
by violence, if necessary.
The case revealed by Wade Hampton is yet
worse. In speaking of the Presidential vote,
he excludes altogether the enfranchised ne
groes. He requires that the contest between
Grant and Seymour be determined by the
whites alone. "lf there is majority of
white votes" he says, Seymour and Blair
shall be installed Sin spite of all the bayonets
that shall be brought against them" Blair's
letter is not more revolutionary than this pur-
pose of the South Carolina chivalry. 1t is
madness, of course. But it is a madness
which indicates the temper at work in the
mind of the Southern Democracy.
The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15
2IT OF THE PRESS.

EDITORIAL OPINIONS oP THE LEADING JOURNALS
uPoN CURRENT ToP1Cs-coMPILRD RvERY
DAY FoR TBR EVENING TELEGRAPH.
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31

The Company pay interest at per cent IN cash on
an it's Outstanding Certificates Of Scrip 70 the legal holders
thereof ON and after the second Monday In June next
Tbs BOARD of Trustees declared Scrip Dividend
AZ rHIRTY.rHKEE AND oNE-THIRD per cent on the
earned premiums en parci for the year end
ing April So 1885, t. 49, certificates win be issued on and
.nsr the arss Ms August next, free Of GovsnnsnttAx
UMAs A. ADAMS. President
nMUEL II. KENNEDY, Vice President.
HENRY AOODhx Secretary.
TRUSTEES
rhonas A. Adams Samuel Il. Kennedy,
n r Buddecke Samuel B. Newman.
r. h Foley, VIM EDWARDS
A a. Char A. Thompson.
p s,mm. John Phelps.
A. Elmer Bader. T. d. Summers.
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31
MAYoRALTY OF New ORLEANS, l
Getty Hall, Oct. %, 1858. I

mo. HIN. ST.
WHEREAS, Doubts are entertained as to the
constitutonality and binding force OF tie .wo acts
of the Legislature-the one establishing the
Metropolitan Police Board, and the other creating
a State printer who claims to be paid out OF the
city treasury for advertisements never made BY
authority of the city;
RESOLVED, That the city attorney be instructed
TO take proper steps to contest in the courts the
copstutionalty or legality of said acts or the liza
bilty Of the city under them, and to resist and
prevent, by proper legal process, payment out OF
the treasury of the city Of any sum which may be
demanded OF the city by any parties claiming I'M
der said acts of the Legislature.
Resolved, That this council have not authorized
any payments to be made to any parties claiming
under the acts of Legislature referred to. and ex-
pressly deny the liability Of the city, and that tho
controller OF the city is hereby prohibited from
auditing any claims or demands which may be
made upon the city under the foregoing acts OF
the Legislature; therefore 80.
ResolUed, That the finance committee be
authorized and empowered to consult with end
obtain the opinion of other legal gentlemen be-
sides the city attorney in regard to the obligations
and rights of the city under the acts OF the Legn-
lature, and report the same to this council.
(Sicnedl THOMAS Marley,
President Board of Aldermen.
(Sirned) ALFRED KEARSy,
President Board Assistant Aldermen.
Approved Oct. 2S, 1868.
fSigned) JOHN X. CONWAY, Mayor.
A true copy:
JOHN w. OVERALL, Secretary.
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31

CRY HALL, NEW ORLEASs,
October so, 1868. !
The board convened in extra session, pursuant
to adjournment.
Present: President Kearny. and Messrs. Ait
kens, Walker, Pemberton, Montgomery, Fisher,
Pandely, Farrell and Breen.
The reading of the minutes of last meeting
was, on motion, dispensed with.
The following resolution, from the Board OF
Aldermen, was unanimously ooncurred in on its
several readings:
Resolued, That the street commissioner be and
he is hereby authorized to erect gas lamp on
Thafa street, between Camp and Prytania
streets.
The following resolution, from the Board Of
Aldermen, was read. and, on motion, referred to
the finance committee: s L.s
Be ii ordained, That the intent of the ordinance
No. 1913, (new series,) entitled an ordinance au-
thorizing the issue of city bonds and providing for
the payment of the same, (section 81 was and is
that warrants for the payment Of all salaries and
wages due to all the city employees, would be paid
by preference only when said warrants are held
by the parties in whose favor they are made, and
not 10 third parties to whom said warrant may
have been assigned by the original payees.
The Board then adjourned.
JOHN ToBIY, Secretary.
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31
MAYoRALrY OF NEW ORLEANS, l
City Hall, September Il, 1865. !
Inn NJ q


City Hall, September 81, 1865. 4
mo. 1032-N. 81
RESOLVED, That the controller be and he Is here
by authorized to sell, after five days notice IN the
official journal, to the lowest bidder or bidders
0 contract for constructing the following plank
sidewalk, viz on one side of Magnolia street,
from Keller Market to Washington street; also ON
enc side of Third street. from Magnolia street 70
Willow street; and also ON the side OF willow
street, from Felicity Road to Jackson street, 40
cording to plans and specifications on file in the
Office Of the city surveyor.
President Board Aldermen.
(Sirned) ALFRED KEARSY,
President Board Assistant Aldermen.
Approved September q, 1868.
Joux W. OVERALL, Secretary.
CoxrRoLLxn's OFFICE, CrrY HALL
sa New Orleans, Oct. 23, 1858.
Notice Ia hereby given that the controller will, 81
his Office on Saturday, October 81, ls6S, at noons
Adjudicate to the lowest bidder or bidders, the
above contract, according to specifications on his
=" ''' '''' PAS LABARRx. Deputy Controller.
MAYonALrY OF NEW OaLEAss,l
City Hall, September %, 1868.
mo. I037-N. 81
Resolved, That the controller be and ne y
hereby authorized, after five days notice In the
official journal, to adjudicate O contract 70 the
lowest bidder or bidders, for Smelling Claiborne
street, between Esplanade and Eysian Ffeids
with plans and specifications on file in the office
Of the city surveyor.
President Board Assistant Aldermen.
(sicuedl THOMAS MAREEY,
President Board Aldermen.
Approved septembes %, 1868; 49,
(siened) JOHN 4. CONWAY, Mayor.
a w" S'fJ' ror,, w Ovvv.rr Secretarv
CosrnoILER's OFFICE, CrrY Hail.
New Orleans, Oct.s23. 1891
Notice e hereby given that the con az is a.
| noon, adjudcate TO the lowest bidder or bidders
the above contract. according to specifications on
H'' ~ '' Pas. LiBARxz. Deputy Controller.
MAYoRALrY OF NEW oRLKAss,l
| City Hall, October IL, 1865. J
| mo. l0s1-N. 81
| Rssolped. That the controller be and he IL here
| by authorized to adudicste, after hve days no.
tee in the official journal, contract 70 the lowes
bidder or bidders for furnishing the city with nifty
barrels Of oyster sSss sss sty 70
'ey S;r,ss, THOMAS MARKEr,
V'eAss' President Board Aldermen.
| fo;unad, ALTRED KEARSY,
'0's-' President Board Assistant Aldermen.
1 tsIppneS, 0'' JOIN r. CONWAY, Mayor.
a "'' WY JoHs W. OVERALL, Secretary.
CosrRorLKR's OFFICE, CRY HALL,
- New Orleans, Oct. %, 1906.
Notice is hereby given that the oontIolier wiI ~
| his Office, on Saturday, October III, 1855 al moon
sdiudicate to the lowest bidder or bidders the
above contract, according to specifications on NE
~ A' PAS. LABARRs. Deputy Controller.
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31
7 p. 0ARRAzlAD
TOBACCO MANuFACroKr.

us r sARRAxIN thankful for the patronage extsnaso
80 hs bst sxsrticns inersass bis rspata
49, sod nov sbs 70 offer the Southern statss superior
yte of cut smoking pat up In al sorts o. peck
sres 70 trade His Assortment o. ensvns fooeoo
Yfnse Cigrra etc IL rsnswsd b. svsy arriv&
The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31

INSURANCE..

u
Mutual AID AND BENEVOLENT
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Louisiana.
DIRECTORS:
III LAPEYRE, VS. MOUNT.
JOHN DAVIDSON L. b POTHIER.
III. ZUBERBIER VIM McCULL0CH,
N. MARKS, q. OAvARoC.
e. r. SCHMIDT. WIN. oREEvY,
W. COOPER, TH0s X. FlNLAf,
Wa PIKE ANTHONY sAMB0LA.
DAVID McCOARD, PATRICK IRWIN,
L CAULFIELD JNo. @. sINNOrr.
GERARD STITH, w. @. NICHOLS.
OFFICERS:
JN0. DAVIDSON. President;
VS. PIKE. Vice President;
r W. YOUNG, Secretary;
L. A. FouRNIER, Treasure
W. B. KOoNTz, Attorney.
W. c. NICHOLS NJ D., Physician.
N. @. FoLGER Agent,
Office No 10 Carondels street, Davidson's Row.