Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-03-30

SKUNK scaipS are becoming more plenty
daily, and that the Commissioners are kept
busy issuing orders for the purpose of de-
fraying the expense ofgetting these nefarious
these chicken-thieving culprits, cunning old
Reynard and his perumed accon,plice--the
stench-tailed sk,snk-out Of the way 1t is
matter of surprise land perhaps regret to
the taxpayers of the county, that these
marauding quadrupcds do net revengefully
turn upon the late Democratic member Of
the Legislature, for thus creating n war,
simply for Ring purposes-involving
great loss of life, and useless and unjust ex-
penditure of the, as yet, Uncollected Idres.
This rassiveness on the part of the foe,
may be attributable TO their panic stricken
condition, in consequence Of the expertness
with which the sharp shooters connected
with the army of the Ring handle the dead
ly rifle, and the gradual reduction of their
forces during the bloody scalping campaign
of 1871.
Complaints are said to have been entered
against the conquering soldiers of the army
ofthe Ring in regard to the return to the pro-
per officers. of the scalps taken. Although
the prize money per scalp is sufficiently re-
munerative, good deal of fraud is prac-
ticed upon the County Officers by the
rank and file, which, it is said, is connived
at by their superiors in command. The
character of the frauds practiced, although
loss to the xpayer, are somewhat
amusing, and go to show the intelligence of
the American soldiery, and the inventive
character ofthe great American people-in-
dsputably the development Of our consti-
tutional liberty. 10 relation to the alleged
frauds it is said that many of the scalps
are manufactured out of the skins, the hair
of which is skilllully shaved down with
4 razor, and the nipple this seems to be
cruel war of ertermina.ion) is artfully at
tached thereto, forming artificial ears re-
sembling natures best so closely that the
officers at the Commissioners Office can
not make n distinction between fraudulent
and genuine scaps without the use of arti-
fetal aida microscope, or some sich like.
This disposition to fraudulent practices,
does not pervade the whole army, other
wise there would be larger number of
manufactured scalps, and greater amount
of money lost. 1t seems to be confined to
a company in the Sd regiment, called anti
Reynard Zouaves," n fine body of men, Sc
lected with great care, and drilled during the
late campaign, exclusively to the skirmish
and picket service, and a company in the
11th regiment known as the ''Skuuk Ex-
termnators," from the upper end of the
county. Men holding such dangerous po-
sitions in active military service-a body
of men we say, who are always in front,
and at all times engaged with tue enemy
become reckless of life and reckless in
principle. Although this fact is not an OK
tenuation of fraud, it will excuse, to some
extent, the heroic men who compose the
army sent forth as the great gatherers of
SCALPS-at five dollars n head.
We have recently heard from the Locust
Gap region, and also from the seat of war
in Schuylkill county, during the campaign
of 1871.
The army of the Ring in that county was
composed principally of the sons of Erin.
Their military prowess is proverbial, and
their prestige for ,cjt, during the late cam
paign, was more than fully sustained. Yes,
it is somewhat pleasing to contemplate the
Irish character, and we think we can see
them in imagination, with banners lifted
high in air, rushing to the charge with
three cheers for the Ring, and the warlike
cry of Erin Go-Brmgh.
But heroic as were their feats, the mo-
rale Of these men is not highly spoken Of
their natural turbulence and insubordina-
tion prevailing. Their usual inclination to
lcd manifested itself in various ways, but
more particularly in the return of scalps to
receivers. In this there was real Irish tcu
1t was exhibited in this wise 1t was not
an unusual thing Immediately after the
campaign, TO see one Of those war-worn
fellows enter The Office of Justice of his
own nationality, with forty or fifty of the
skins of the enemy on his back, for the pur-
pose Of receiving the prize money, which
after the usual proceedings, he receives
The Justice, from an aversion to the cne-
my, throws them into the street. They are
picked up by an accomplice, brought back
in the course of a few hours. and the usual
prize money paid the second time. Well,
we'll We must pay for foxy legslation
and we can afford 10 give something for an
exhibition of Irish wit
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THE GENEVA ARBITRATION. - As the
Alabama claims question still occupies
much of public attention. in consequence of
the unexpected difficulties raised by Eng
land, it may be as well to keep in mind the
character OF the men composing the Tri-
bunal of Arbitration who are to set in
judgment upon the two nations, as well as
of the character of the men who are to ar
que the points in dispute. The five Arbi-
traitors are Sir Alexander Cockburn, Lord
Chief Justice of England Mr.. Chas. Fran
els Adams, late United States Embassa-
dor at the Court Of st. james; Count Sclo-
pis, Italian Senator, and one of the leading
jurisconsults of Europe; Jacques Stemph,
eX-Presdent of the Swiss Confederation
and Baron Itajuba. a distinguished legst