The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-12-16
NO. 10
1870, the prospec, of virgini. seems fiAtter-

senator Christiancy, of Michigan, wa:
given farewell banquet by his friends and
neiyhbors previous t. his departure for
Washington last week. Ia brief speech
he declared himself in favor Of the speed
lest possible return TO specie payments OPP
posed 10 third term, aud in favor of that
policy which would be best for the country,
without regard 10 party. Bnah. party plat
/ ioTins seemed to him alike, and while he
had always been Republican, he should
continue to act with it only when he could
do SO and not go contrary TO his convic-
tions.
Just before the late war, John Slidel,
then United States Senator, secured an ap.
preparation aud authority To have naval
vessel sent on "a cruise along the coasts OF
| Central and South America, AMI certain Of
the West India lsanis, for the purpose oi
collecting new specimens of seed of sugar
cane tO be experimental with in the S..uth-
ern States. Congress will be urged, this
| winter, Ia repeat the enterprise, in the
hope that the har6ier cane known to
exist may be introduced in the large sugar
districts.
Weston railroad men are excited about
what appears to be very unfair verdict
against one of the companies. A man
named Nathaniel Lyle slnuggled himself
into box car ON branch OF the ST. Paul
Rtilroad, between Austin and Masun City,
Iowa. The car took fire, and Lyle suffered
solne injuries He sued the company Tor
damages. Physicians swore that Lyle was
| afflicted with consumption, the result of
partial suffocation and roasting in the car,
and a juiy gave the plaintiff a verdict for
! fifteen hundred dollars.
Ex-Speaker Blaine AS Presidential can
dioate does not like the idea of the third
term people getting ahead of him on any
of the popular issues. Mr.. Blaine is now
"ut with proposition which he saws will
| settle the public school agitation for all
times. He proposes the following as & consti-
| tutionai amendment: mo State shall make
any law respecting an establishment of re-
| lisiou or prohibiting the free exercise thel e.
OF and no money raised by taxation in any
State Tor the support of public schools, or
derived from any public fund therefor shall
ever be under the control of any religious
sect, nor shall any money so raised ever be
divided between religions secls or denomi
| nations"
7
mobths past there has been NO secret made
OF the fact that the President and the Cam
erons are ''eut," The President has for
some time been aware that 1t was entirely
due 70 the intrigues of Gen. Cameron that
the anti-third;eIm resolution % was put
through the Pennsy lvanIa Republican Con
vention last spring. This WAS In revenge
| for the refusal OF the President to allow
Gen. Cameron t. control at will the Federal
patronage for Pennsylvania. l. rely a move
mcnt has been started by Gen. Cameron to
| provide for the election of the Pennsy lvania
delegates TO the national Republican con-
vention as early as heAt March. The object
ol this Is To secure an anti-Grant delegation
or delegation which can be useu 6y the
Cameron clique exactly as it may further
their iuteres $. The friends of the Presi-
dent in Pcnbsy lvana are at wol k to check
mate this move. aud lively times among the
Pennsylvania Republicans may be antici
pated. Already the opponents Of the Came
ron faction In the Slate are talking about
the necessity of sustaining the President
The result will be apt to show how much
real strength the third term has in Peunsyl-
vania."
The career of Mcdonald, late supervisor
of the internal revenue in st. Louis, who
has just been convicted of completely in the
whiskey ring frauds, is described as having
been somewhat remarkable one. Previous
to the war he was nobody--a runner for
steamboats, and hotels in St. Louis in the
palmy days of steamb atDg. Possessed of
a degree of energy and bplduesss, though
firm a.il h..u
prominence among men of his class, and be-
came an intimate friend OF Gen. Morgan L
Smith, who became subsequently, famous Is
commander of the Eighth Missouri Regi-
ment, regiment composed chi, fly of levee
characters, and equally noted during the
war for It's bad qunlity, morally, aud its un-
deniable pluck IN action Mcdonald fol
lowed the fortunes Of Smith when the war
began, ana when it ended came out with
the rank Of major. Then came the appoint
ment to the supervisorship of internal rev.
enu'-a surprise t. everybody. How that
appointment came, and why it came, is not
even yet publicly understoOd. That he ac-
qIired large wealth is well known. His
country place 1T Green Lake, WIS.,, is said
I" lie n magnificent place, and there, dur
ing the past summer, he has entertained in
sumptuous style, while in money matters
generally he has shown an astonishing pro
fuseness. Spme fIiends whom he was en-
Pertaining, struck with the display OF
wealth, aeked Nc Donald: s'IIow Is IL that
man with salary no greater than yours
can possibly afford to spend 80 mnch
money" Mcdonald Cid not reply directly,
bur, with queer look on his lace, au-
swered: "Weil, my wife is very econom-
zeal woman" Joyce is supposed to have
II
thing. Joyce was the brains, the energetic,
active agent; Mcdonald tie 6gure-head
possessing, tihaBcnl influence. How the
combination prospered is already known.
In person Mcdonald is rather portly, Of
middle height. and with an air ungracefuI-
ly imposing. lie weighs, perhaps, 100
pounds, AMI upon his shirt-front a huge
diamond cross glitfers, in the display Of
which he takes special pride.