The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-12-13
TUE WEEK.

This has been a week of ~incessant
and intense excitement. There has
been nothing like it since the nomi-
nal surrender OF the South at Apo
mattox, except the black week that
witnessed the assassination of Lin
coin, AMI the stormy week in which
johnson was impeached. Sensation
has succeeded sensation with kaleiGe.
scopic swiftDess and variety; and the
changes in this living kaleidoscope
have been made by human hopes aud
human fears; by snake-iike craft and
tiger-like ferocity-the devious tricks
OF the demagogue aud The manly res
olution OF the patriot. The election
of a new Democratic Speaker; bis
consistently inconsistent decieions-
defying the rules Of justice but obey
ing the rulings of the caucus; the
national triumph achieved 10 the
"honest count of votes of Republi-
can Louisiana, Republican Florida,
and Republican South Carolina the
constant danger of a bloody conflict
of races and ef parties at New Or
leans and at Columbia /: the orang-
outang device OF the Democrats of
Oregon-which is the strongest proof
yet offered OF some mems descent
from the monkey, and a demonstra-
ton that it will need centuries still
before Governor Grover ascends to
oae ; the appointment of Democrat
ic investigation into the recent cleo
tions in three Of the Gulf States, and
the refusal of the House to extend its
operations into Mississippi the mas
terly and patriotic movement Of Sem
ator Edmunds, of Vermont. TO insti-
tute inquiries into the methods by
which at least five millions of Amer
lean citizens 10 the ex-rebel States
have been cheated out Of their cleo
torai rights Sherman's Louisiana
report and the fierce debate on it
Ingalls, resolution for the calling of a
National Constitutional Convention /;
Morton's renewal of an amendment
for a reform in the mode Of electing
our Chief Magistrates; the Presi
dents Message the reports of the
Departments the threat of impeach-
ing Grant /; the election of Hayes and
Wheeler (; the grave aConstitutonam'
issues that have arisen from recent
complications, and the rapid develop
ment of the new Southern CoDspira-
cy-these are the chief but not the
only transceDden: topics that the an
nails of the week present. A full cat
alogue of them would ill one letter.
WENDELL PHILLIPS OWL STORY.
But if we act like the fanatic 10
Wendell Phillips Owl Story we shall
neither be dazed nor confused by
these uovel and dazzling complica-
tons in our National affairs. A far
mer (says Phillips) saw an owl on
his barn. He shot at it. The wad-
ding from the gun set the hay on fire.
The barn was burned down. When
the news went to the village a knot of
men talked about it. One didn't see
how the vadding conld have set fire
to the hay. Another wondered wbeth-
er the property was insured 4 third /,
saw a mice legal question" would
the insurance company pay up when ,
it should be shown that the owner
himself was the innocent cause" OF
the fire? A fourth inquired, what the :
loss was? There was a fierce debate '
Suddenly, in q lull of the talk. an old
fellow asked Did he shoot The oul!"
That man (said Phillips) was a "a
matte: be was not o 'be led astray by :
side issues
TIE NTM REREIIInN !,