davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

Says the 81. Louis Republiean, "Robbing
the poor and deirauding the dead, are, by
the common consent OF mankind, stigmatiZ.
cd as the mcanest of crimes. Yet by selling
post traderships the republi lean officials have
robbed the poor private soldiers by compel.
ling them TO pay four prices for the small
luxuries of their hard life. While Republi.
can orators in Congress have been pouring
out an ocean'of cheap talk about "our brave
Union soldiers" Il cabinet minister Of Re
publican administration has literally drain.
ed soldiers pockets of the las, dime And
while these same Republican orators have
been chanting the praises OF the heroes who
fell in defence of the old flag, this same cab.
met minister has replenished his finances by
cheating the aforesaid heroes out of the
gravc-stones ordered for them by the govern.
mentn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

The evidence Is conclusive that Gen. Bel
KNAPP was democrat up to the date of his
appointment as secretary Of war,-Rad. paper.
The evidence is conclusive that Grant was
democrat, or At least an Andy Johnson
man, up to the date when johnson and his
cabinet proved him liar. The proof is con-
elusive that Logan was once democrat
that Blame, Oglesby, Cameron, Butler and
hundreds Of now good republicans were once
democrats, and very honest men, too while
such; but like poor Belknap, they lost char.
acter at a fearful rate after they became re.
publicans.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
NEW JAIL.

Resolced, That this board recommend the
question OF building new Jail be submitted
to the voters ofthe several towns in this coun.
~ at the next spring election, to guide this
board in its future action on the question:
Rec0M Beard Of SupeIctsors-ldst session.
This resolution is embodied in the notices
for town meetings TO be held in April, and
will come up for consideration at these meet.
ings. We are glad to see that something is
to be done a, last in reference tothis Jail mat
ter. Though tor many years past every grand
jury has reported the present Jail nuisance
that ought to be abated, no attention has been
paid to the matter, and that vile hole, a dis
grace to any decent community called by the
dignfied name of "jall,' has been pointed
out to visitors, officers from other and poorer
and smaller counties, us the "lock up of La.
Sale county, the largest and weathest of all
the counties in the great state Illinois, save
one.
There is no need to go into a dissertation
on the La Sale county jail--lts character is
well known in this county and outside of it
also. We are never asked about it by neigh
bors but we blush to confess that in these days
when decent and comfortable prison houses
are the rule all over the country, La Sale
county, rich and prosperous, provides for her
criminals a vile hole in the ground, without
ventilation or drainage, without the possibil-
ity of good light without room for exercise,
without anything considered neccsstous; a
place man enters with horror, and comes
out of tainted with filth and vermln, which
il is impossible TO keep out of the hole.
Let the people OF this county, for the love
of humanity and decency put on record
their willingness to build a new Jail and re.
deem the county from this crying disgrace.
Already the county owns the land for such a
building and has expended a considerable
sum for plans and specifications. She is also
practically out of debt, and the question is,
will we spend few thousand dollars for each
of The next few years and have comfortable
Jail, or shall we say no, and continue this
present pen which IS not only dirty and I'll.
thy because 1t cannot be kept clean, but al.
together inadequate for the demands made
upon it, and unfit for the safe keeping of dan
gerous and skillful prisoners?
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

\ BONANZA-This word has rot into The
common vocabulary, and means, in general,
big thing, but more particularly, on the
Pacific slope, rich gold or silver mine The
big bonanza, par excellence, is the consoi.
dated Virginia mine, at Virginia city, Neva.
da. An idea of the almost incalculable rich.
ness of this deposit Of ore may he CLEANED
from the following statement of the produc-
ton OF the mine during the month of Febru-
airy, figures which are derived from unques.
tionable authority and which have not here.
tofore been made public. During February
there were shipped from the Consolidated
Virginia Office 81, 629l2 pounds avoirdupois,
or 4G,G29l5 tons of bullion. This was melted
and run into S03 bars of the following char.
acter and value: Gold, 81 ,205, 1885; silver,
$685., l505S; total yield, 1881 1904. In
this connection it might be stated that the
income of John Mackay, who owns two.hfths
of the property, reaches the fairly fabulous
sum Of $S00,O00 per month.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

| Orvlllc OTant, the fTcSldent DTotHcI, ias
been talked about rather roughly. in the pub
lie press as being the "boss" salesman OF the
military posttraderships out west He, in a
most positive and emphatic manner, denies
the truth of the charges, and challenges the
most searching investigation by congress-
Joiid RepublicaR.
Yes, he denied any connection with the Fort
Sill posttradeship, but this is the report OF
his testimony before the committee
He denied that he ever, directly or indi.
reCtly, exercised any control over the Forl
Sill or other military poSttradershlps, but al
mtted that he had obtained the poSt-snttler-
ship for man appointed at Fort stevens. lie
was not interested with any parties VINO Cd
tanned appointments of p sttradcrshlp from
the secretary OF war, He said he was inter-
ested IN contracts under the Indian depart
ment and that he obtained a post on his own
account from Commissioner Smith. He made
application for the trading-post at Fort Peck,
and received Il letter from the president IN re-
! ply which was favorable. The president
notified him that there would lie vacancy
AZ Fort Peck, Fort Belknap and Standing
Rock, and he applied for these places in pur-
suance of knowledge given him by the presi-
dent These are the only trading stations in
which witness had any interest Witness was
| half partner with JOS. Leighton in the Stand
| ing Rock leadership, though he never put in
anything. He was not only required to fur.
niSh capital, but not required to 60 out to ut
| tend to any business, He always felt CRATE
full to his brother, the president for his intlu.
ence in procuring the offices. He had int1u-
ence with the president to manage such mat.
tiers TO some extent, although he did not al,
ways find the matters to be profitable.
No-he didn't sell military posttrader-
ships; these were the peculiar property OF
Beknap and his gang; but he sold lndia"
traderships under Delano and Smith. And
my brother" would kindly advise him when
and where there would be vacancy and a
chance for Orville to go into profitable
partnership without advancing any capital or
giving any personal attention to the business.
Oh, it was all straight, of course, and nice
for me and my brother"
But" as the n. Y. Ecsniag Post remarks
on The above evidence, "it was piutully small
business and deplorably dirty-all the dirtlcr
because contemplate. Here is a man who
admits that he has made merchandise Of his
relationship to the President of the United
States; that he has "sold his influence with
his eminent relative forSl 900 in one case and
for various sums in other cases. lie seems
perfectly unconscious that what he has done
is wrong, and the only thing he is sorry"
about is the fact that he has not made more
meney by his gross traffic Defective moral
Instincts not peculiar to Orvlle Grant. When
the history Of the federal capital IN these cen
tennial years is written, it will be found that
its special vice was strange lnsenslbilty 10
shame"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

The Bank of the State of New York, one OF
the Oldest aud regarded as one Of the most
solid end reliable banks in the city, suspend
ed on Monday. A partial investigation shows
that the failure is mainly attributable to the
Encouragement and dishonesty OF its officers
1t is probable the depositors and other cred
tors Of the bank will lose nothing, but mos,
of the stock is sunk. Thursdays dispatches
state, however, that the stockholders have
held meeting and decided like the stock
holders Of the Bank of California, to make
10 the stock deficiency out of their own peck
etc, and go on with the bank under new
and better management
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

The confirmation Of Dana, the new Minis
ter 10 England, holds Ere in the senate. They
have brought against him an ugly charge OF
literary piracy in stealing Lawrences notes
TO "Wheaton's American Law" Lawrence
had got out valuable edition of Wheaton
Tor the benefit OF Wheston's widow, who was
poor. bana stole Lswrcnce's notes and go,
out an editieR of his own, thus robbing the
poor widow. The literary reputation of Dana
is also questioned, mos; of his fame IN that
line arising from his name being the same
with that OF his father who teds an author OF
some note
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
some note.

A very carefully prepared table, compiled
from official sources for the use of the ways
and means committee Of congress, states the
amount of gold and silver in the United
states in 1Sls at $1,000 600; production
tince that tine, 8. 500, OOOe 600, imports, ssss,
SOC, 600; total since ls4s, S2,O6l, 100000 De
Quoting exports since 1865, 1855 600 600
leaves f475, 0e0,093, which, with large al
lowaace for the amount used in arts, vindi
Gates over { ie6, OOe oO0specie and bullion in
he country instead Of $40, 0o0, 1000, as repre-.
Gated by the directot of mint and comprolle
o( the currency. Hence the resumption o
specie payments does not seem so difficult a
has been supposed.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

DivoRoEs.-The last Sun day TJmts gives a
summary of last years counting in Chicago
with view 10 separation" The figures show
that during the past year 52G suits for divorce
were commenced in the Chicago courts, in 2S5
of which DEGREES were granted, in 20 denied,
and 1863 rcmaine.. undisposed of Cause for
divorce assigned. in Ia cases, deser,lon: in
l5i cruelty; III adultery, and 90 drunken.
ness During the same time jO0i marriage
Licenses were issued, showing that about one
OF every 10 marriages IN Chicago ends IN a
suii Tor divorce.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

The young man who robbed Robert Wade
Of Farm Ridge, of $500 couple OF weeks
ago, and was not arrested by Sheriff McIn
tyre on the train at Ottawa, but another man
IN his place, was arrested day or two after.
wards in Wenona. His name was Jacob IL
Lewis, 81 years old, home at Providence,
Rhode Island, but he had come west TO visit
Mr.. Wade, who is a relative; and running
out of money, and knowing that Mr.. Wade
kept $500 or more in certain drawer, he
helped himself, and came TO grief. lie now
fingers in durance awaiting trial on the
charge Of grand larceny.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
SILVER As A LEGAL TENDER.

The republican party in congress Is not on.
ly guilty of the hideous outrage, involved in
the "Schneck bill' of 1869, of pledelng the
faith of the nation to pay the SEQ bonds,
which by the law under which they were is
sued were redeemable in greenbacks, in coin,
but is guilty Of the further outrage, by the
acts of Feb 9th, 1874, and June 22d, 1874, Of
making those bonds payable IN gold only,
whereas even by the law of 1869, they were
made payable in "coin," which means both
gold and silver. Up to 1874 no law of con.
gress ever made any distinction between gold
and silver as legal tender; bat about Janu.
airy 1874 the German empire talked strongly
OF passing a law to demonetize silver The
payment of large portion of the French in
demnity in silver had made that coin so plen.
ty throughout Germany tina, it became almost
u nuisance. The proposal Of Bismarck to
demonetize silver, however, having had the
effect to deprec!ate that mental per cent In
Germany, he became alarmed and the law
was Fever adopted. About the same time,
however, the holders of American bonds in
Europe and New York, and all the bankers
throughout the country, wao have some $780,.
0000OO of bonds on deposit at Washington
as security for their circulation, also took the
alarm, ana by their secret but always effective
way of manipulating congress, succeeded in
smuggling through, by having it surrepti:
tIously inserted In long act relating to the
mint, u clause taking from silver its quality
as legal tender above the sum of five dol.
lars, and by the Revised Statutes, adopted IN
June, 1874, this rascally clause WAS re-enac-
ted. The result is already depreciation of
silver of Q per cent. below gold.
1t would be impossible for congress by any
act more glsringly TO show its subserviency
to the behests of the national banks, Wall
street and the bondocracy than Is show in
these acts. They have already cost the peo.
pie millions of money and these millions will
be multiplied as the years roll on. They are
Il standing indictment agains, the republican
party that should bring dosn upon /, a
popular Indignation To be increased and in.
lensitcd by every additional dollar these un
righteous laws are the instruments OF wiring
ing from the hard earnings of the people
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
From Washington.
CONGRESS-.

The only notable action Of Congress is the
passage, by the senate, of II bill for the AL
mission of New Mexico az n state and the
passage, by the same body, of the law fxinr
the Presidents salary, after the close ot the
present term, at $4,000. The only object Of
the former bill can be to get two more repub
licans into the senate, as no one pretends that
New Mexico has the requisite population to
entltle her 10 admission, and even if she had,
twothirds OF her population consists of Mex
can greasers land half-breed Indians, worse
element than heather Chinese.
The house has been mainly at work on the
legislative aud judicial appropriation bills
the republicans savagely fighting every at
tempt to reduce expenditures. A bill has also
been under discussion to direct the secretary
OF the treasury to redeem fractional currency
with the Tlo,OOO,O00 of silver in his posses
sion.
CURRENCY QUESTION.
The democratic caucus has had about forty
meetings to come TO some agreement on the
currency question, and on Tuesday evening
finally voted, by G7 to 49, in favor of the
Payne bill This Payne bill proposes 10 re
peal the present resumption act, and then get
ready for specie payment by the U. s treasu
ry and the banks boarding annually 3 per
cent of the outstanding paper until both have
enough to commence specie payment 1t
also forbids the charterng of any new ma
uonal banks. 1t is not believed however.
that the bill has any chance of passing the
house.
JUDGE TAFT,
Belknap's successor, appeared and took
the oath Of Office and entered upon the dis
charge Of his duties on Saturday.
kTLBOURN.
The promised revelations IN reference to
the corruptions Of the Washington real estate
ring have been defeated by the s,ubbornness
OF the principal witness in the case, one Xii
bourne, who kept all the books, and attended
to the business of division and silence" He
refuses point blank TO show his books or an
swer questions, and the committee having
reported his case to the house, that body has
ordered HIM to be imprisoned for contempt,
and he says he will lie there and rot rather
than answer.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

Capt Lads, Of ST. Leafs, who cook the con.
tract year ago Of the government TO deepen
the outlets or passes of the Mississippi
river below New Orleans SO that the channels
should he deep enough Tor the passage OF
large vessels. progressed 90 far with the work
during last summer and fan that last week
vessels drawing II feet Of water ENTERED by
(ke South Pass. Capt FADE is confident that,
before he gets through with The job, II will
have 10 feet Of water over the bars. HIS con.
tract with the government IL that he shall
baye S3,OO0.OO0 for the job lift succeeds, ard
notl Jog ii lac fails Success now seems Ger.
tain
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
From Utica.


On las, night March 18th the drug store
of Highly and Briggs was broken into ny
some nerson or persons devillshly inclinea'
nd roll of wall paper saturated with trr-
ocn;ine and set under the barrels Of 'nrpeH-
,,nc and other liquids and the faucets turne
Los. and set on fire The fire was first d.
covered by James Isham, who instantly CAV"
,he alarm. and gathered a crowd and put tn
fro ont. The insurance on the stock j.
5000. in the Underwriters Insurance c..
The door was pried open by Lar, and should
the perpe,ra,or Of such gross outrage b.
found gu, the people will doubtless make -
hard f,r hun. Hisby and Briggs, the pr
pr,e,ors, have the sympathy of the en'iFe
and il is 10 be hoped they VII
soon resume business The mail was unin
iur,d The building stood the Ere well.
Dan.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

QUEER NAIN.-A most wonderful pheno
meRon' transpired near Mount Sterling
keutucky, last week. During sunshine and
a clear sky there tell from the heavens quiz
ering flesh which came down in large guam
titles and filled many acres of territory. Hog:
aid chickens eagerly devourcd the flesh
which had the appearance of veal. Speci
mems of the flesh were taken to Louisville
where some of the Swans started the theory
that the flesh fell, like meteoric stones and
shooting stars from a zone surrounding tn,
sun, which occasionally comes within the
attractive power of the earth. Prof c. Law
renee Smith, however. spoiled This theory by
demonstrating that the supposed flesh was
nothing but "batrachlan spawn" that is, the
spawn Of frogs, which having been taken IN
into the air dry, became mois,enel by the
moisture in the upper atmosphere and fell
A. above
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

Gen. J. ID. Webster, collector of internal rev.
enue at Chicago, died in that city on the 18th
inst, OF pneumonia-aged about GJ years.
Gen. W. was a native of Hampton, n. H.,
where he was born August %, 1911. He grad.
uated at Dartmouth College in the class OF
1899. He studied law three years, but OBJ
tanned position In 1885 under the Govern.
ment as a civil engineer Three years later
he became a member of the UAited States To
geographical Engineer Corps. lie remained
in the Government service until 1854 A part
of his official life had been spent In Chicago.
He was engaged in manufacturing in Chica-
go until the war came, when he rc.entered
the public service.
The first call for troops 10 suppress the re-
bellon brought General Webster to the front
He repaired to Cairo and superintendent the
works around that city during the first year
of the war. He took part, as Colonel of the
First Illinois Light Artillery, la the battles
of Belmont For: Henry, Fort Donelson and
Shiloh. He served during the war as chief
of staff for Gen. Grant, Sherman and Thomas.
He was with General Sherman in his famous
march to the sea. lie was the intimate per.
sonal friend of Gen. Grant, and possessed the
confidence Of the public in pre-eminent de.
gree.
Though possessed of no parts that could be
called brilliant or shining, Gen. W., in the
various responsible public positions he held
during his life always acquitted himself cred.
mate and confidential friends, was, except
Rawlings, almost the only one of that pecul.
lar military coterie by which Grant surround
ed himself the only one who maintained to
the last the reputation of sterling, honest
man.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18

There Is little probability OF bringing Bel
KNAPP TO trial. An examination of the evidence
does not disclose sufficient on which 10 base
AN indictment. Marsh, the only witness
against him, has been allowed TO escape
through the conn.vsnee, it is alleged. of
Clymer, the Democratic committeeman who
seems more anxious 10 extract political capi.
tai than 10 convict rascal Ii is ssld Inc
knew too much, and ms evidence impl;cateG
several leading democrats in the perpc,rat,on
Of grave frauds. To the honor OF the rcpub
licau press. be il said, they are nearly unit
IN asking for the prompt prosecution and
speedy punishment of the eS secretary nf war
-Ldc0'i Home Journal.
yfthe president aud republican party are
so anxious to punish BelknRp and set Marsh,
testimony 10 implicate several leading demo
crats,' why don't the President send fol
Marsh 1T him simply -onl 10 Marsh j
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-18
AURORA HERALD ON KELLYIsM.

The Aurora HGUN, WHICH ooiouSs W 'i''
insane rabble who believe that government
stamp, ",hls is IA dollar on piece of paper
or chip, makes it just as good money as
gold or silver dug out of the ground anu
stamped in the mint is indignant because we
questioned its consistency in advocating the
scheme of Mr. Wright, of Indiana, who,
scouting the nonsense that money can be made
of bits of paper or chips, proposes to have the
government issue promises to pay which
are to be redeemabe in low interest govern,
mcnt bonds the principal and interest of
which bonds are to be paid in gold. When
the FREE TRADER intimated that this scheme
was very different from the Kelly scheme,
which the Herald has all along been advo-
eating, the latter grows rude, and asserts that
"the FREE TRADER don't know anything
about Mr. Kelly's financial views" That is
q point about which we shall not argue. If,
however, the Herald, which claims to be
thoroughly posted on that head, can point
out to us any speech, letter or remark Of Mr..
Kelly on the financial question within year
or two in which he proposes any other but
the bottomless, no redemption gold or silver
bond scheme of currency which is advocated
by himself in common with Horace Day,
Peter Cooper, S. NJ. Smith, DR. Hooton and
that whole tribe of lunatics, and which is
certainly the opposite Of the plan of Mr..
Wright or Newton Booth, then we will ad-
nit that we have no; understood Mr.. Kelly.
What the FREE TRADER is combating IS
this idea OF making something out of nothing
this notion tnat the government by its fiat
can create a currency, based purely on credit,
as the phrase goes, but which has even no
legitimate credit at its base, but is converti.
BILE into no fixed quantity of anything, and
therefore represents noihing-and that such
a currency would be received apd pass cur
rent as an equivalent for money-dollars-
ELECTROMAGNETIC of value. Such a
notion, the FREE TRADER holds, is idiocy,
and, as Professor Seelye says, finds its para-
lei only IN mad house. 1t is this sort of
idiocy that prompts the Cincinnati Enquirer
gravely to construct an argument to prove
that illegal tenders are always at par, never
can be anything else, though gold may be at
100, 900 or 300 per cent premium" and
which induces the st. Louis Republican, 10 re-
mark that it, is the wigwam and not the
Indian that is lost
We are glad that the Herald, by denying
that IN advocating the Kelly notions it meant
to supper, any such nonsense, shows man.
hood enough to scout such insanity We beg
the Herald, however, before it commits itself
too far to Keilysm, to examine the scheme
more closely and ascertain if 1t does not in
reality involve what it so vehemently denies
d processes 70 scout Before accusing 9th
crs too confidently of ignorance on that head,
make sure you are right youself