davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE FATAL LETTER.
The following is a copy of Caleb

The following is copy of Caleb
CushIng's letter to Jefferson Davis:
WASHINGTON, March 90, 1861.
DEAR SIR: Mr.. Archibal Roane,
for the last six or seven years a
clerk in the Attorney Generals Off
ce, desires from me letter OF intro
duction to you, and he desires it
not in view of anticipating admins
trative favors, but that he may have
the honor of your personal inter-
course. Of this l take pleasure in
assuring you ;he is eminently worthy
"a Southern man by birth, family
and affection; he has carefully stud
led and ably discussed in Mr.. De-
BOWS RerieU and other Southern
works the lamentable events which
have been gradually undermining
and at length overthrown the Amer
ican Union. Whilst practical man
he is also ripe and accomplished
scholar with, indeed, predominant
literary taste and habits. In the
discharge of his official duties he
has combined, in singular degree,
the purest integrity and most en-
lightened intelligence with modest
contentment in his lot, having more
than once declined officers of more
conspicuous employment in the pub
lie service. He now resigns his
present Office from sentiment Of de-
votion to that which alone lie can
feel to be his country, namely, the
Confederate States, from one of
which (Texas) he was appointed. l
most heartily commend him as a
gentleman, and 1 am
With the highest consideration,
Your obedient servant,
CALEB CUSHING.
Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS,
President Confederate States.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
WHOM DEMOCRATS HONOR.

George L. Converse, whom the
Democrats in the Ohio Legislature
have honored with the highest gift
In their power, the Speakership of
the House, was during the late war
a disunion man, and not one whit
inferior in his bitter and malignant
hostility to the government than
Clement L. Vallandigham, himself.
A correspondent of the Ohio State
Journal says he addressed disun-
ion meeting at Gahanna (it place
for such meeting) in the darkest
days of the rebellion, when it seem
ed that the merest atom on either
side would turn the scale one way
or the other, and exhorted his hear
ers not to go themselves or allow
their friends to 60, to fill up the
thinned ranks of the Union armies,
but to treat draft officers like "mad
dogs" Has it come to this, that
such men are to be honored with the
chief places in the Legislature, while
war Democrats are forced to take
ssback seats?"
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE FRANKiNe PRIVILEGE

Members of Congress are exceed
ingly anxious to get through the
House the bill partially restoring
the franking privilege. Members
of the Committee on Postoffices and
Postroads went to work upon such q
bill with the encouragements in its
favor assured by a large per cent
age Of of the House, the Committee
knowing well that the House will
approve their course; consequently
the bill is to be reported next week
with the unanimous endorsement OF
the Committee. One hundred and
sixty thousand public documents
already stored away in the House
folding room, and as many more in
the Senate, will begin to go through
the mails upon the passage of the
bill.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
CHEAP FREIGHTS.

The subject of cheap freights by
way of the great lakes and Erie ca
nal to the sea board has its earnest
advocates in Congress. Hon. Ly-
man K. Ross, of Buffalo, who is a
member of the Railroad and Canal
Committee, which now has the ques
tion under its control, is confident
such a route deserves especial at
tentlon on account of its immense
grain trade. The committee are
still at loss as to the proper mode
of grasping this great question and
it is not improbable that Congress
will postpone any practical steps in
the direction of cheap freights until
the next session as an immense
amount of time is to be given to
hearing and considering the views
of almost everyone interested in the
subject and the committee is at pres
ent in the incipient stages only to-
ward settling the cheap transporta
tion problem.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
DONE At LAST,

Congress has at length made the
important discovery that one can
not eat his cake and have it, too;
that it could not keep its ill gotten
salary increase, and secure its re-
election. The grab law has been
repealed; and now, let us hope, the
people haye seen the last of these
miserable exhibitions of duplicity
and greediness on the part of their
representatives. We give Congress
no credit for its action IN repeating
the grab. 1t was by no means the
reeult of a spontaneous desire for
restitution, or Of noble compunction
for wrong doing. Members did not
seem to fear only the sovereign
voice of the people. But this, at
least, has made its self heard and
needed. Now let the guilty ones go,
and sin no more.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22

The question of appointment oi
Judges by the Governor with the adj
vice and consent of the Senate, came
up in the Constitutional Convention
on an amendment offered by Judge
Hoadley. He moved to subtitute
appointment of Judges for election
of Judges by the people. But the
principle of appointing Judges in
stead of electing them met little
favor in the Convention, the vote
standing 10 for the amendment and
Is against it.
Take the state through, and the
judges of local courts have, perhaps
been Of as high order since elected
by the people as when appointed.
But that has not been the case on
the Supreme Bench. Let the cleo
tion of judges be by such small dis
tricts as that the people can know
as to the personal character and pro
fessional ability of judicial candi
dates, and we think the people can
as safety be trusted as the Cover
nor and the Senate. In a county of
the population Of Hamilton, or in
any county that shall include q large
city, the election of judges is of
questionable propriety. But we
have no doubt the Convention rehec
ted the sentiment of the State in re-
fusing to amend the judiciary clause
so as to give the making of judges
to the Governor and Senate.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
CHEAP POSTAGE.

1t will rejoice importing merchants
and travellers and their friends, to
learn that there is at least fair
prospect of cheap postage between
France and the United States. Cor
respondence at twenty-five or thirty
cents letter is rather expensive,
especially when the maximum of
weights is only half that allowed on
inland letters. If France does as
well by us as England, We may send
letters to Paris and receive them
from the same place at the rate of
six cents.
AS things now stand,it costs much
more to write a letter to France than
to Germany or Italy. The situa
tion is not satisfactory, but it is no
worse than the case used to be re-
specting home correspondence. 1t
is not beyond the recollection of
many ofour readers when it cost as
much money and time to send a let
ter from Cincinnati to New York as
it now does to dispatch one across
the Atlantic to the French capital.
The postage for shorter distances
was proportionally high, and an anx-
ious lover who made written ten
der of his hand and heart to a lady
living hundred miles away was
very fortunate if he received an an
swer in weeks time, even if she
replied as soon as she had read his
missive. People who were cramped
and Inconvenience by slowness in
erything, did not realize, however,
their troubles as much as we do.-
The contrast between our advanta-
ges and vexations makes the latter
thoroughly apparent.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE SALARY BILL REPEALED.

The Senate Bill for the repeal of
the Grab Law came up in the House
Tuesday and, with a display of good
sense we had scarcely expected, was
at once passed. One or two feeble
attempts to get up a discussion
were at once.squelched by the de-
mand for the previous question, and
with no more time than it took to
call the roll the bill was passed and
now goes to the President for his
signature. That, of course, will be
appended with eqnal promptness
and the whole matter will drop out
of sight, though not out of mind, as
those who clung to the Grab Law or
who pocketed the back pay it
gave will discover in time. Now
that the work has been effectively
done In so short a time the wonder
is why whole month had been
wasted in seeking to accomplish by
roundabout methods what was done
in two days by direct action.
The bill was passed in the House
by a vote of 226 to 25. The two
dozen and one who distinguished
themselves by clinging to the Grab
Law after opposition to its repeal
had become hopeless were compos-
ed of Democrats and Republicans.
Northern and Southern members in
about equal proportions. Ohio
furnished to the forlorn squad the
gifted Lamison, the hero who of
all others might be expected to stick
by the sinking ship.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE LONDON FOG.

The London Fog, Of recent date,
is being criticised from a sanitary
point of view. 1t is mentioned as
one of the causes of the untimely
death of the big rhinoceros in the
Geological Gardens. Cattle suffered
from it extremely, but, when treated
to liberal libations of old ale, in sea
son, recovered, and were enabled to
resume their places in the show at
Agricultural Hall. Pigs did't mind
it any more than the old natives ot
the city among the human popula-
ton, and did not need to resort to
stimulants, though perhaps the old
natives aforesaid did not feel that
necessity. Why it should have been
attended with such curious results,
is the exact point of inquiry.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
TEMPERANCE.

The temperance crusade in South
ern Ohio, in Washington county
and thereabouts, is one of the re-
markable events of the age. The
commentators, wives, and sisters
are engaged in eradicatIng grog
selling with prayer. One after an
other the whiskey shops succumb
aud a revolution in many places has
been accomplished. When the visi-
tation of a praying band of women
has no effect upon the man who
dealt out damnation, recourse'is had
to the law and the grog seller is
made to pay for the effects of bust
ness in dollars and cents to the
wife or child of the victim of the
grog seller. i.a.. .e..-.ar
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
Mr.. WAITE FOR CHIEF JUSTICE.

One of the few witticisms record
ed of President Grant was his jocose
remark made to Chief Justice soon
after his first Inauguration, to the
effect that he had noticed that when
there was an important appointment
to be made, Ohio had a good man for
the place.So it has turned out at last
in the matter of Chief Justice. After
all the uncertainty which has over
hung that important appointment,
the mantle of Chief Justice Chase
has at last fallen upon another Ohio
lawyer, of whom it is but Just to
say that he is worthy Of the office
and of the great man whom he sue
ceeds. This nomination has been
made by President Grant upon the
deliberate judgment of the Cabinet
and many leading Senators, and it
is scarcely possible to conceive that
The Senate will find anything in the
record or character of Mr.. Waite
which will interfere with his imme
diate and hearty confirmation
Among all the eminent lawyers from
among whom the President might
have titlychosen a successor to Mr..
Chase, none, we are assured, could
have been more acceptabl. to theSen
1.-The bar and the people generally
irrespective of parties. Mr.Waite is q
man of Eastern birth and education,
and Western experience as a law
yer. He has been close student "a
vigorous, hardworking practitioner,
a conservative in legal practice as
well as politics.. and has never per-
nitted his ambition to lead him in
to any political alliance which can
in any way compromise his inde-
pendence as a jurist. He is in the
prime of life, full of healthy .vigor,
and if confirmed, will be able to give
to the duties Of his exalted office.
the best fruits of his ripe scholar
ship and experience. Mr.. Waite has
been for full 90 years the leading
lawyer of the Toledo Bar. but his na-
tional reputation dates from his ad-
mirable record as assistant counsel
of the United States before the &C.
neva Tribunal, to which duty he was
called upon the recommendation of
Mr.. Evarts, his classmate in college
and his intimate friend. 1t is a
proud honor for Ohio that she
should at this time be able to bring
forward a man so competent to be
come the head Of the highest court
known to modern law.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE CUSH-
ING NOMINATION..

There has been a great deal said
as to the useless expense in recov-
ering the "Rebel Archives" And,
undoubtedly, there is an immense
mass of stuff, fit only for the paper
mill, among these papers. Yet there
is history among them, and mems
antecedents among them, and mems
disloyalty there written, which may
be very valuable in making up the
history of the rebellion.
The Developments made in the
Cushing case, while the nomination
of that gentleman was pending in
the Senate for Chief Justice, has JUS
tilted all the opposition made to his
confirmation. 1t was clearly shown
not only that his sympathies were
with the rebellion when it broke
out, but that, like many other State
nights Democrats, he thought it
would be successful. He talked
glibly in his letters in 1861 about
"the late United States" thus show
ing that he thought the Union had
then dissolved; and his recommen-
dation to JEFF. Davis of his friend
Roane, as one who was in favor of
disrupting the government, is proof
clear, positive and conclusive that
Gushing was secessionist from the
beginning, bitterly pro slavery In
in heart, and strongly desirous of
seeing the rebels succeed.
To put such a man on the Su
preme Bench as its Chief Justice,
would have been as gross an insult
to the men who fought for the Un-
ion, as it was a disparagement Of the
other legal talent of the country
He never had anything in common
with the Republican party; his con-
victions( if he has any )are all against
the constitutional views held by that
party, and his record so palpably
with the enemies of the country, in
its hours of peril, there was no al
Tentative, on the part of those Re
publican Senators who believed in
their principles, but to determine to
reject his nomination.
The President, therefore, acted
wisely in Withdrawing a nomination
so repulsiye to the patriotic senti-
ments of the country; and the Re-
publican party has shown its fidelity
in taking decided stand it,while it
was pending. This is not time for
elevating political courtesans to the
highest offices in the land; and we
are confident that the President
could not have known the mans re-
cord when he sent in his nomina
tion. The developments which have
induced him to withdraw it must
have been as astonishing to him as
they evidently were to the members
of the Senate, when made.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
STRANGLING THE GLASS MANuFAC-
TIRE.

Pittsburgh puts in a strong ar
raignment against labor unions and
their effects upon manufacture.
The case in point just now pertains
to the manufacture of window glass
in which business Pittsburgh has
hitherto contained sixty per cent, of
the manufacturing capacity of the
United States. The glass works of
Pittsburg are mainly on what is
known as the 'South Side" There
are in that precinct eighteen idle
window glass factories. When in
operation, those factories employ
upwards of a thousand men. But
the glass makers are consolidated
in s'Union" managed by officers
who have gone on demanding high
er and higher wages for the men
until they have run the Pittsburg
manufacturers clear out of the mar
ket. The window glass manufac-
turers of New York, New Jersey and
Baltimore, where the labor unions
have not yet gained control, are
able to hire labor so much more
cheaply than the Pittsburg men
that they have undersold the latter
on their own territory and forced
them out of the business. The dead
lock at Pittsburg presents at this
time an apt and significant illustra-
zion of the tyranny to which the
trades union ideas lead whenever
they get control. Eighteen factor
les stand idle. Eighteen employ
ers are cndeavoring to show the
thousand idle men about them that
the wages they demand are incom
patible with the present state of
glass market; but the workmen are
doggcd and stubborn, and rather
than accept wages that will place
their employers on an equal foot
ing with their competitors, they
prefer to hold out and all drift tow
ard penury together. Nor is this
all. By reference to the statistics
it will be found that more than half
the window glass used in the U. S.
is imported from Europe. In Bel
gium alone, there has been erected
in the past year forty new factories
specially to make glass for the
american market. A staple arti-
Gle of every day use, for the manu-
facture of which we have in this
country an inexhaustable supply of
the best materials in the world, is
imported to the extent of millions
of dollars year, because labor here
is so costly that our manufacturers
are driven out of competition. We
do not see that any comment need
be added to enforce the plain teach
ing that the facts carry with them.
One thing, however, is clear and
inevitable. Unless the 'Union" re-
lents, the prominence of Pittsburg
as glass manufacturing centre is
gone. While the Eastern manufac-
turers are working away at a fair
profit, the Pittsburg men find it
more profitable to stand still and
see their customers supplied from
other sources. Glass blowing is q
trade which requires skill and expe-
rience, and by combining as they
have done, the workmen have, for
the time at least, got the game into
their own hands. Whether they re
lax their grip until they have killed
the goose that has hitherto laid their
golden eggs, remains for the futur e
to decide.-Cleueland Leader.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
NEARLY A RIOT.

The International demonstration
in New York very nearly amounted
to a riot, but was controlled by the
most energetic efforts of The police
to keep Tompkins Square clear of
the excited workmen. At one time
fear was entertained that a riot
would occur despite the effort to
prevent it.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
BIG BILLS TO PAY.

The bill to pay Illinois $473,075,
Indianna $403, ,56S and Ohio 1899,
400 in settlement of all claims
against the general government aris
ing out Of the sale of land in those
states, is now in charge of sub
committee of the House judiciary
Committee, consisting of Wilson OF
Indiana, Ward of Illinois and jew
ett of Ohio. This bill passed the
House during the last Congress
but never reached the Senate. The
subcommittee are quite confident
that they can secure favorable re-
port on the bill from the Judiciary
Committee and hope to make it a
law
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
HOW LIBBY PRISON LOOKS.

The grim old prison appears to
day as stolid and relentless as ten
years ago, when crowded with suf
fering and dying boys in blue. The
dingy brick wall, utterly destitute
of any ornament or characte., look
most chilling and replent, Doubt
less the association of ideas had
something to do with it, but l be-
lieve 1 never saw a buildi NC so COM
pletely hateful as the Ii bby. Stone
walls do or do not a prison make
according to circumstances, but they
have at least character, integrity,
and a power of resistance which
make them appear respectable. The
Libby, huge shambling,over grown
and misshaped pile of brick and
mortar, covering half a block, ap-
peals to no sense ofintelligence,an
only proyokes Indignation that our
brave boys were slowed anlsuffered
in such cattle pen. The building
stands down near the James, wide
basin, in which smaller vessels and
canal boats lie to discharge, inter
vening between the main channel;
it is four stories high, and without
attempt at grace or ornament in any
part whatever. The gratings still
remain in the windows but all the
cells in the basement have been re-
moved and the interior generally
put in order for business uses.
Three concerns are at this time oc-
cnpying the Libby: The Southern
Fertiliser Company, which manu-
factures and distributes through the
country districts of Virginia and
North Carolina a concentrated fer
talizer made by secret process; a
firm Of tanners and sumac dealers,
and a tobacco manufacturer and
packer. On the opposite side of
the street, nearly an entire block,
covered with the ruins of a fire dur
ing the war lies grass grown and
silent, while near by is 'Castle Thun
der" also tenantless and deserted.
The old castle bnilding has been
used for portion of the time since
the war as a tobacbo factory, but at
the present time, is without a ten
ant.
Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22
THE WATERS NEAR THE NORTH
POLE.

The testimony ofthe Polaris sur
vivors taken by Secretary Robson
develops the interesting fact, as dis
covered by DR.. Emil Bessels, that
from a point near Cape Hatherton,
in the waters of the west coast OF
Greenland; the tidal wave comes
from the north, and it was accurate
ly determined by careful observa-
tion that it proceeded from the wa
tiers of the Pacific Ocean. At New
man Bay the tide rose earlier than
at Pclaris Bay. While at the camp
near Littleton Island the tide came
from the South. 1t is this fact
which creates the ice pack always
to be found just at the entrance OF
Smiths Straits to Smiths Sound, at
which point the tides meet.