The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-12-18
THEN AND NOW.

dlmlnutive newspaper bearing the
name of the Ulster County Gazette, and
date of January 4th, 1904 fac siDaiIe,
perhaps, of paper issued when the CEN
tury was but four days old. Taking it
in our hands with something Of the awe
one feels when turning reyerently the
time-stained garments Of long departed
ancestors, we glance curiously up and
down the short columns, and find our
attention attracted by the recital Of the
proceedings of the American Congress,
Dec. 10th, 1893. This stray record of the
closing events of the past century, tells
US that upon the day mentioned, the
/ Speaker of the House, accompanied by
such members as were present, proceeded
to the Presidents house to present to
him their address in answer to his
speech at the opening of the session;
that at 12 o'clock of the same day the
Senate waited upon him in body for a
like purpose. Then comes the reply OF
John Adams to each of these honorable
bodies, the precise dignity of the Ian
guage used being itself an echo from the
past, a reminiscence of the days when
the Republic was young. Next We find
n compilation of late news from over
the water, bearing date of October Goth.
Accounts are given Of the movements
of Napoieon's armies, and detailed ac-
count of the battle of Zurich, which took
place on the 25th and 26th of September
Mentally comparing the tedious three
months required for the transmission of
news from over the sea to the lightning
speed of its present travel, we turned
the wee relic of the past, and found the
columns on the inside divided by heavy
lines of somber black, the old time way
for proclaiming a public sorrow. Sur
rounded by these deep lines of mourn
ing, we find the announcement made in
the House of Representatives of the
death of Washington, the address of
that body to the President upon the sad
occasion, the expressive language Of his
response, and an account of the simple
but pathetic rites with which the re-
mains of the "Father of his Country"
were deposited in the family vault at
Mount Vernon.
Turning once again the little sheet, we
come to the fourth page, devoted to the
advertising interests Of its patrons.
What have we here? Listen:
DOR sALE-oNE-HALF OF \ sAw-NuLL
Il with a convenient place for building. lying
] 81. u
active NEGRO WENCH.
a little farther on, at the head of the
next column, we see
/ CECOND NOTICE OF MY WIFE HANNAH
- is hereby given, forbidding all persons
whatever from haTbohng OF keeping her, or
from trusting her on my account, as am de-
termined TO pay no debts OF her contracting.
Who shall say that these two notices
are not twin relics of barbarism? Or
that there is more absolute ownership
displayed in offering for sale the black
woman than in bidding all persons
whatsoever, with an authority that can
not be mistaken, to close their doors in
the face of the white one?
What a lesson of progress do we learn
: from this stray leaf from the first days
of the century. Think of the Congress
of the United States waiting in body
upon President Grant to thank him fol
that prosy document, his annual mes
sage, and tarrying in solemn state while
he makes digniiied reply. Think of q
great battle having been fought in Eur
in ataI
> being given for the first time in Janu.
aTy; of human creature being adver.
tised for sale in New York, along with
) saw-mill; of pompous Dutchmar
, forbidding all persons from befriending
a woman whose life had become unbear.
able with him. Slowly, silently, almost
imperceptibly, one by one, do these rel.
les of ancient aristocraey, of tyranny
) and oppression disappear; aud If per.
chance some freak of fortune shall wafl
a copy Of the Salem Record of Decem.
ber llth, 1874, into the first days of tn,
twentieth century, the following notice
found therein will excite as much won,
dering disgust in the minds of thos,
who read it as those above mentioned
have done in our own:
I FORBID ALL PERSONS To TRUST NY
: wife, Mary F. smith, on my account, and
give notice that, after this date, will pay n,
debts Of her contracting, nor viii be responsi
BILE for any pecuniary engagements which d,
not make In person. OTIS ii. SMITH
, When comes equality before the law
, and with it equal ownership in the join
, accumulations of the matrimonial firm
, such exhibitions of sellishness and tyr
, amy as this will be as much a relic o
the dark ages as the disposal Of a human
being at public auction now is.
, Feeling assured that this century shall
: not pass away until all these things shall
r be fulfilled, We cheerfully work and wal
: for the time when
, Right, not might, shall win the day,
And be acknowledged stronger;
Well win the battle by its aid,
, II we wait little longer"
In the various Appropriation Bills W,
, find the following for the Pacific Coast