davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
The Calling Gan-Ames' Anstrn-
menf OF Vengeance.

By an act of the Legislature, the Cat
ling gun is to be employed upon the peo-
pie of Mississippi who are politically OBJ
iectionable to the Ames ring, on the plea
of preserving the peace There is no
little curiosity 10 know what manner of
death dealing implement it Is In the
first place its inventor is native of Hert-
ford county, North Carolina. At an
early age he drifted into Indiana and be-
came an inventor of agricultural imple-
ments. During the war he became i'm
pressed with the idea that it would be
humanity to use weapons that would be
most effective in destroying life, in order
to bring it to speedy close, and hence
this product of his genius Now for a
description of the gun itself:
1t is admitted By all capable of judging,
to be the most terrible instrument ever in
vented for the destruction of human life
A board of officers of the army, under
the direction of Major Gilmore, of the
engineers, by orders from the Adjutant-
Generals office, met at Fortress Monroe,
on the 9th of June, 1873, and after the
Z" most thorough and exhaustive trials OF
the Calling gun, said in their report :
"Among the advantages possessed by
the Calling gun may be enumerated the
lightness of its parts, the simplicity and
strength of its mechanism, the rapldity
and continuity of its fire without sensible
recoil, its effectiveness against troops at
all ranges for which a flank gun Is re-
quired, its general accuracy at all ranges
attainable BY rifles, its comparative In
dependence of the excitement Of battles,
the neutrality-suspicious. ofits ammunition
with the same calIber OF small arms, and
its great endurance"
The principle of its construction and its
effective power is alike adaptable to every
kind of weapon, from small arms to the
heaviest kind Of cannon. We learn that
eight different sizes of the Calling gun
are being made, the largest having a
range of over two miles, and the smaller
sizes having a rapidity of fire of over -four
hundred shots to the minute.
OF course the potentates who deal
death and damnation to disohedient sub
jects and public enemies would not be
slow to employ this terrible instrument
of war for their service. Orders for il
have been sent from Russia, Austria
Italy, Egypt, and even China on the other
side of the globe. 1t was not to have
been expected that it would be over
looked by Gov. Ames in his search fol
an instrument of vengeance upon such
of his subjects as are becoming FESTIVE
under the load of ubiquitous taxation
which is crushing the life blood out Of
them. But his intended victims should
beware how they grumble and protest
The Calling gun is dreadful thing.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

1t would be well, says a Washington
correspondent, for capitalists, banks,
bankers, merchants and business men
generally in New York and throughout
the country to watch the drift of public
opinion in the two Southern States which
are still under the thumb of the Radical
emissaries Of the administration, black
and white-Mississippi and Louisiana
l have it from the best authority that
nothing less is contemplated than whole
sale refusal to pay taxes. x ,;
Both my correspondents-one former
United States Senator, and the other once
cabinet minister-admit that the RENE
dy Is desperate one, yet advise their
people that it will prove effectual if all
the taxpayers stand together. A passage
from one of these letters is too interest
ing not to quote. Rather" says the
ex-Secretary Of the Interior, "rather than
continue to toll from years end to years
end, and have all the fruits of their labor
sliced for the enrichment of the spoils-
men, who are rolling in wealth on their
hard earnings, our people will initiate the
example of the blind giant, and
PULL DOWN THE PILLARS OF THE Ed
IFICE,
That the torturers as well as the tortured
may be involved in the common ruin"
And the ex-senator of The United
States writes me that 'fthe taxpayers of
Mississippi will in state convention de-
clare their determination to pay not one
dollar more of taxes of any kind, and
unanimously abide by the declaration"
Some may, perhaps, think that this
strong language is only the fruit of the
madness of despair, but can assure the
readers of the Sunday Mercury, that the
determination to block the wheels of all
local government in that State by refu-
sing to furnish the money required, is
entertained In earnest and is universal.
The foregoing is an extract of Wash
Ington letter to Northern journal, and
is going the rounds of the press of that
section. 1t shows that attention has been
to the condition to which the
tax-paying and property-holding classes
Of this State have been reduced, and to
the exPedient which they contemplate in
the event of failure to elect Legislature
which will heed their petition for relief |
from the burdens under which they have
been groaning for the past five years.
The name of the ex-senator who writes
The words quoted can be readily inferred, |
while the quotation from an ex-Secreta.
~ of the Interior can point to but one
person.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
The distractions 10 Commerce at
fhe Mouth OF the Mississippi.

On our first page will be found the
speech of Gen. Sherman at the St. Louis
banquet to Capt. Eads. His views are
expressed with the straightforward frank
ness characteristic of the soldier A warm
advocate of the scheme of removing
the Instructions at the mouth of the
Mississippi TO the commerce of the
South and West, he denies the statement
that the Engineer Corps of the Army,
which is the most competent to judge of
the feasibility of works of the kind, is
opposed to the petty project of Capt
Eads, which has received the sanction of
Congress. The speech contains many
valuable statistics of the agricultural
products of the Mississippi valley, the
natural entrance of which into the sea,
is the mouth of the great stream whose
name it bears. The people of Mississippi
are not less interested than those of any
other State in the success of the scheme;
and looking to the grand object sought to
be attained rather than to the mere plan
of doing it, they viii rejoice if it should
prove as successful as its originators
and supporters have confidently pre-
dicted.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
The Pending Canvass.

The Shubuta Times opposes the open
ing of the canvass for the November cleo
tons earlier than July or August, in def
erence to the planters whose time will be
required in their crops, and says:
Office seekers may lead off noe but
there will be few to follow. Let the pc
litical sea be calm, we would suggest, till
more leisure time-say till July or Au.
gust. Physical life, by then, will be pro
vided for in the new crops and the mind
will grasp, more readily, the means pre-.
sented to preserve political life. La the
meantime newspapers may be of more
service in other ways than by trying To
get the people to engage in struggle toi
which they are unprepared.
The Brandon Republican concludes
an article with a good suggestion as fol
lows
1t seems 20 us that some plan of organ
ization can be adopted which will be nc
ceptable to all who favor reform and
economy. AS to who has committed
blunders in the past is matter Of small
concern. x
In planning the great battle to be
fought next tall, we would venture the
suggestion that the "rules and regula,
tions" should not be too stringent, but
sufficiently liberal to allow every citizen
opposed to filching and plumber to fall
into ranks. Once in line and satisfied as
to the justice of our cause, there will be
no struggling, but a square fight, with fair
chances of success.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
Am Honest Judge.

The Liberty Herald states that at the
late term of the Amite Circuit Court,
Judge Smiley administered a severe re-
buke to the Board of Supervisors in rela-
ton to the selection of grand jury. He
remarked, says the Herald, that in this
District it was common thing to find
men serving on grand juries who were
at the time of appointment under indict-
ment for grave violations of law. The
remark was called out by the announce
ment upon call of the docket that the
accused was serving on the grand jury,
and that he could be found in the room of
that honorable body.
The Herald is informed that in Natchez
Judge Smiley discharged the whole
panel, upon the ground that the grand
jury had been packed, in order to prevent
an investigation of certain charges.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
The CcntennIaIC Celebration.

In the course of an article deprecating
Southern State appropriations to the
Philadelphia Centennial, the Corinth
Commonwealth says:
The South has as much interest in the
Centennial Celebration as New York,
Massachusetts, or even Pennsylvania it.
self
That's all true historically speaking,
and nobody opposes appropriations by
the Southern States to the Celebration by
denial of the fact The opposition arises
from a very sufficient, reasonable. and
just cause, viz, they haven't the money,
and therefore their Legislatures have no
right to vote the appropriations. Look
at Mississippi, whose financial condition
is no worse than that of other Radical
ridden corporations. She is several
millions of dollars in debt and her tax
payers are paying heavy interest upon it.
Notwithstanding taxation is so oppressive
as to amount to practical confiscation, the
debt is increasing at the rate of six hun
dred thousand dollars per annum. Her
charitable institutions are languishing
for the want of means. Her people are
getting poorer every year; and her war
rants are at a discount of twenty-five per
cent. Can any one in the face of these
facts say that it was not shameless, bare
faced robbery for the Legislature to vote
an appropriation to the Celebration; and
that it is absurd and unreasonable to
ascribe such opposition to a disloyal or
rebellious feeling? Our friend of the
Commonwealth talks about New York.
Doesn't he know that the Empire State
is opulent and prosperous; and that
though the revenue which her people pays
into her treasury without feeling it,
to s25, 900, 600 per annum, her
has refused to appropriate a
cent to the Celebration.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

ADril 2nd. 1875.

April 2nd, 1875.
have met with many things IN the
columns of the CLARION, which have
my hearty approval; but on reading your
remarks in the last issue under the head
of the "West Point Tragedy" cannot
resist writing you line, not alone to say
how cordially the article has the endorse
ment of one so humble as myself, but to
saw how it impresses the mind Of the
people as the Golden Rule which
journalists should observe.
The public has observed how strictly
YOU have ever followed this dignitied and
manly course, and the result to yourselves
and your journal shows whether 1T Is not
the best policy. 1t demonstrates the IN
stincts of the gentleman, and the honora-
bic course of a man who will no sooner
give an insult then be will submit 10 one.
trust you will pardon this liberty,
but the inspiration is so strong that 1
could not we'll refrain from writing to
von K.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
Democratfc-Consc Victory
fn Con necficut.

The reports of the election in Connect
lieut. on the 9TH, show that the Democrats
and Conservatives Tor Liberals) have
not only not lost ground since the Poilt-
ical revolution Of last year, but have
made decided gains The sum Of the
news is that Gov Ingersoll, Dem
has been reelected by an increased vote;
that the Democrats and Conservatives
have held their majority in the Legisla-
ture, and probably elected all the
Congressman.
The State went for Grant in 1872, by
4,766 majority. In 1874 the majority
of Ingersoll, Dem. } for Governor over
all, was ,809.
In the last Congress, the Republicans
carried three out of the four Districts.
The big gun of the delegation was Gen.
Hawley, whose defeat is now claimed.
Two of the anti-Administration candi-
dates for Congress, at the late election,
were conservative Republicans Judge
Phelps and ex-U. S. Senator Foster.
Hence the result deserves to be called a
Democratic-C Conservative victory, graft
flying because it is a triumph over the
prosoriptive policy of the President
and is an indication that the bonds
of union between the Conservative
elements of the country, proclaimed at
Cincinnati in II, and ratified at Balti-
more, have not been severed. 1t is upon
the maintenance of this allia nee in the
Northern States, that the hope of the
country rests for deIiverance from Rad
ical misrule in 1872.
The issue was squarely made up be-
tween the opposing parties on Grants pol
icy of ruling the Southern States with
the bayonet 1t was announced in their
platforms, and. the Radicals emphasized
their endorsement of it by nominating a
candidate for Governor, who, as Mayor
of Norwich, fired one hundred guns IN
honor of the Louisiana message.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
The November Elections. = The
Pending Canvass.

SOME of our contemporaries are evil
IDENTITY acting under q misrepresentation
in reference to a Democratic State Con-
vention at Vicksburg on the 21st of
April No such convention has been
called, or even proposed, by any one.
We presume the error originated in the
invitation extended by the Executive
Committee of Warren County to the
State Committee appointed by the Con-
sentative and Democratic members of the
Legislature, to meet in that city for con-
sultation, on the 21st. Whether this
invitation has been accepted, or time
and place has been agreed upon by the
Committee for the meeting of It's MEM
bers, we have not been informed. Hon.
j. NJ. Stone is the chairman of the Com
mittee; and, we presume, he will an
nounce or call a meeting when a conclu-
sion has been reached.
AS we have before said, the Committee
is fairly apportioned among the various
elements of opposition to Radical mis-
rule in the State, and all who are sin
cereIy DESTROYS of reforming the State
Administration will, no doubt, cheerfully
cooperate in whatever measures of re-or-
ganization or plan of canvass the Com
mittee may suggest. For ourselves we
can say that we will await its decision,
and will endeavor to do our part in
achieving the victory which we believe
will crown united and properly direct
ed effort
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

Congressman Lamar of Mississippi told
a reporter of the Atlanta Herald recently
that he did not regard the New Hamp-
shire election as an indication of a return
ing Republican ascendency in national
politics. He thinks thatA if the opposi-
ton to the Administration can be har-
monized Oh a platform that shall ignore
all minor considerations, there will be no
difficulty in electing either Charles Fran
els Adams or Judge Davis of the Su-
preme Court, or possibly Senators Thur
man or Bayard, or Gov Hendricks. On
the third term subject he said 81 think
Grant will try third term. | think
that he is now candidate for re-nomina-
ton An immense effort will be made
to defeat him in the nominating conven-
ton, but this have no idea can be done !"
Exchange.
From our knowledge of Col Lamar's
views, we re certain that they were not
correctly understood by the reporter.
The opinion he no doubt expressed was
that either of the persons above named
could, as the nominee of the Democratic
and Conservative, or Liberal, party, be
elected to the Presidency on platform
which will harmonic the various anti
Radical elements in the country. There
is no danger of division about men.
The Liberal allies, having tried their
chances at the last election under leader
of their own choice, will no doubt be
willing to support any statesman, no mat
ter how old his Democratic faith, who
is opposed to the re-opening of the ques-
tons settled by the war, in favor of local
elfgovernment, the subordinaton of the
military to the civil power, the right of
each State to manage its own affairs sub
ject to the Constitution of the United
States-and the Inauguration of honesty
and economy in the administration of the
government.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

If Grant does not force re-nomina.
ton, Ex-Speaker Elaine will almost
certainly be the Republican candidate for
the Presidency. In late speech, the
plan of canvass for prolonging the pow
er of his party, was foreshadowed. 1t is
to divert attention from their own crimes
and rally the North to the Republican
standard by reviving and keeping alive
the sectional and war issues. The cleo
ton will greatly depend upon the success
of this reckless and desperate game.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

CHIcKAsAw CoUNTY-Capt. Frank
Burkitt, Chairman of the Executive
Committee, calls "a mass meeting of the
party opposed to Radical misrule, igno-
" rant legislation, and enormous taxa
" ton, at Houston on Monday the 18th
inst, for the purpose of affecting "a
" thorough organization Of all the opposi
" ton elements, and agreeing upon a
" plan of operations for the coming cleo
ton"
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

His Excellency Governor Ames, has
appointed Mr.. II. A. Simmons, Sheriff
and Tax Collector of Holmes county.
Inasmuch rs Mr.. Simmons was recently
elected Sheriff by over 600 majority,
the appointm ent, which was rendered
necessary in order to enable him to get
possession of the office, because of re-
fusal to canvass the votes, cannot but
prove satisfactory to the people Of his
CONTEMPLATING Times.
This appointment seems to have given
offense to the other wing of the party.
Query, if the governor intends to APP
point as Tax Collectors the sheriHs elect
ed by the people, why was the law passed
detaching the two officers? What is
gained but an increase of Executive
power already overgrown, and an adj
ditional expense to tho taxpayers
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

A correspondent from good old Law
renee informs us that the Democracy of
that county will probably concentrate on
this gentleman for the House of Repre-
sentatives. Not to violate our rule of
leaving to each county the management
of its own affairs, but to speak the I'M
adorned truth in the intensity of our de-
sire to see the right men in the right
places in the coming canvass in which SO
much is staked, we cannot refrain from
saying that if the choice should fall upon
Mr.. benson, the county will be redeem
ed and will secure the services of as
competent and true a man as can be
found. The taxpayers should take care
that none but honest and capable men,
thoroughly identified in sympathy and
with them, are put on guard.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

The stupidity perverse Washington
Chronicle, still intent upon its purpose to
keep alive sectional and war aRimosities,
says it only suggested the availability
"of Mr.. Davis as candidate in the
Southern States in the event Of the
leaders Of the Democratic party find.
ing 1T necessary to run two candidates,
"for the purpose Of throwing the cleo
"tion into the House Of Representatives
(which they have already secured"
OF course, the Chronicle has succeeded
in giving itself notoriety, and at the same
time venting its malice in very absurd
and stupid way.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

Gov. Coke, of Texas, has called upon
the President to give security to
the people on the Rio Grande bor-
der, from Mexican depreciation. In proof
of thenecessity, he says:
1.-The depredations of organized bands
of robbers from the Republic of Mexico,
have of late increased in frequency and
atrocity to an exent which threatens the
depopulatIon of the lower Rio Grande
country. The alarm in the country be-
tween Nueces and RIO Grande, conse-
auent upon these raids, in which our people
are ruthlessly murdered and their prop
erty forcibly taken by these foreign des-
peradoes, is wide spread, and unless some
assurances of protection are given, must
resuls in general breakup of the settle
ments.
The Secretary of War replied that the
request would be complied with. 1t is
very strangs that defenceless citizens are
murdered, or driven from their homes on
the frontier, by sivages, for the want of
protection, while large bodies of troops
are Idle an unemployed in Southern
States where their presence is not need
cd
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

The Mississippi Legislature passed a
bill to repeal the judicial printing law,
which would have killed stone-dead the
mushroom organs; but, says the CLAIR
ION, Ames having use for them, put it
in his breeches pocket, and they still
live. Exchange.
We have been informed that it was the
section Of the law that authorized the
printing of the proceedings Of the Board
of Supervisors, from which his Excel
lency withheld his approval. No matter
what it was, the bill has become a law by
operation of Act 4, section "a, of the
Constitution.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07
"T"1e- Abute,l

Mr.. EDITOR :-Iu my arH..
lished last week under this uut
types made me say paid
much" (taxes last year, "ou hl. b
and dollars worth of property $751; psi
before the war on one hundred .aH
dollars worth" wrote II .tI L
and dollars worth" Please mas
correction. Ir. r.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

For A quarter of a century New York
has been the victim of canal frauds,
which are said to exceed in enormity the
villains of Tammany. Gov. Tilden,
through whose efforts mainly the perpe-
traitors of the latter were brought to light,
has boldly taken up arms against the Ca
nal ring, and has appealed to the Legis-
lature'for support, which there is every
prospect, he will receive, notwithstanding
the gigantic power of the ring, and the
opposition which he will encounter from
that quarter. The best men and the most
influential newspapers of both parties are
applauding his course; and it is already
claimed that his dealing with Tammany
and the Canal ring has exhibited to the
country in the person of SAMUEL TILDEN,
a marvellous proper man to cleanse the
Augean stable at Washington during the
four years, commencing March 4th, 1877.
The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-04-07

WE have been informed that many
farmers in our county are now without
corn. Farmers, now is the time to pro-
in the future. Plant large food crops,
and don't forget to cultivate them.--Lib-
erty Herald.
A sheriff from one of the eastern coun-
ties informed us recently that there was
actual suffering among his people from
the want of the common necessaries of
life. The enormous tax levies had alb
sorbed all their surplus earnings, and
not having raised provision crops, many
of the farmers were destitute. A state
ment of the causes suggests the remedy.
Reduce taxes by reforming your State
administration. Several counties in
which the white element largely FREEDOM
mates permitted men to be elected to the
last Legislature, to make laws forss the
State, who had no interest in common
with them, and were intent only up
on keeping up the present extrava-
giant rate of expenditure. Clark county.
for example, was represented by car
pet-bag negro (from Ohio over one of
her oldest and best citizens. While the
taxpayers were quarreling and dividing
among themselves over courthouse, or
some other local question, the tax consul
mers were organizing and voting soIidly
for this interloper. If the people would
rid themselves Of the curse of bankrupt
cy and its attendant restitution, they
must reform in two essential particulars
One is to sink minor issues and unite as
one man for the election of trustworthy
men to the Legislature; and the other is
to change their system of agriculture and
produce supply of provision crops, no
matter what is neglected in consequence.
If they unfortunately fail in the for
mer, and the tax collector, in spite of all
their well directed efforts, persists in
their earnings for the benefit
Of the bloodsuckers, with corn and meat |
and potatoes stored away, they can still
drive the wolf away from their doors.