davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

ministration has only by lts oayo- nets to hold State nsarpation long enough in power for 2 cor rupt Returning Board to do Its vile task, and the work is done. If man thus returned to power can ride in safety from the Exccu- tive Mansion te the Capitol to be inaugrrAted, we arc fitted for the slayery that will follow the inang- gpfation.'
 We do not believe that the pee- pie of the United States are ot this seryile sort. We do not be- lieve that they are prepared with out blow to part with their hard earned, blood stained 0e- sessions. Notice is now sD
 on the citizens of Louisiana and South Carolina that they must care for themselves. How soon lamp posts will bear fruit is for them to say. To the people of the North and West notice is giv- en that all the toll to which they are subjected that bondhoIdcrs and monopolists may fatten se- cure, is repaid by no security for their rights, and that shrinkage of values is now in order. If there IS jaw for fraud there is req son for violence, and to that we make our last appeal"
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
Our Railroad Interests.

The discussion of the railway tax bill has developed the disa- greeable information that the money invested in railways in this State is permanently placed, and these facts will have a direct ten dency to stop the further invest ment of capital in railways in Arkansas. A correspondent of the St. Lonis Republican makes the statement "that the Iron Mountain Road has all that it can carry, and that it is Tn a better condition than any other road in the State" While this may be true, it is saying but little for that road, as It's reports show that the entire business of it's line in this State has scarcely been snfii- cient to pay it's operating eXpen- ses, and were it not for its Mis- souri and Texas business, the company could not maintain itself. The land grants to this road and to the Little Rock and Fort Smith road, which were offered as brill iant inducements to capitalists to build the roads, are likely just now to prove a curse rather than benefit. When these roads built it was understood that the land grants were exempt from taxation. Since the completion of the roads, q tax has been lev jed on the lands, so that their en tire annnal sales of lands would not pay the taxes. If the pay ment of these taxes upon the land is enforced, the companies will be compelled to allow the State to buy them Tn. The State now has more land than It can sell, though it. offers what it has at fifty cents per acre. And even if the State had no other lands she could not sell the railway lands without an expenditure ten times greater than the cost to the com panies; and if the State coulC not, or did not sell the lands, bu' allow them to lie vacant unti buyers came for them, the tide O immigration which the railways are now inducing to enter th' State would be stopped, and Ar kansas, by a foolish measure, vii have killed the goose whicn ha been laying the golden eggs 10 her.
 Last year the Little Rock ant Fort Smith road sold 44,000 acre of land at cost to the compan, of $47 300, to say nothing of tin
 free passes issued to iand buyer over their line, and the low rate oi fare which they procured iron other points to their road. Tn
 Iron Mountain, or Cairo and Ful ton, sold about 92, 1000 acres 0 land last year, and with all 2
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
THE STATE DEBT.

For the past week much ot the time of the General Assembly, more especially the House, has been consumed in discussing the various resolutions and bills touching upon settlement of the States Indebtedness. The Fish back resolution. has been thor oughly discussed. The Avery substitute has also received con. siderable portion of time, and f. nally on last Friday, this substi tue was adopted. We do not know what the substitute is, but we are under the impression that it means postpopement and per haps an extra session.
 We see nothing to be gained now by staying this matter off. If it had not been so extensively agitated, and drawn forth so many arguments pro and con, thereby attracting so widespread notoriety, we should have thought it good policy to let it rock along just as it has been, until we got our outstanding scrip taken in. But as the matter has now attrac- ted the attention of the whole country, we think it would have been well for the present session to have disposed of it at once. As we said before We see nothing to be gained by letting all the dust that has nov been raised settle down, and only to raise il again after a little while. As fol an extra session we are squarely opposed to it, and deny that the exigencies of the case call for it We don't think the people want any extra dishes in theirs. The regular course is expensive enough without the extras.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
INCONSISTENCY.

The New York Herald shows some strange inconsistency in discussing the result of the Pres idential Commissions decision.
 After commenting on the result and tile likelihood of a ready ac- .quicscence in the New England States, the Pacific States and the Western States, he comes to the Southern States and says: five now come to the old slaveholding States, all of whose electoral votes, 13S Tn number, would if honestly counted, have been given to Mir. Tilden, excepting the seven of South Carolina" Now after stat ing this much, which if it means anything, means that the electo- ral commission has defraudcd NJ I Tilden out of the electoral votes. of Florida and Louisiana, which onestly belonged to him, and which would have elected him beyond all dispute, we think it is the night of folly and inconsist- ency to say, as the Herald says in concluding it's article, that, "If the Democrats will rise above the heated political atmosphere of Washingt n and cast their eyes abroad over the whole country they wlll look in vain for any sec tion of our great country that will refuse to recognize Nil. Hayes as the lawful President of the United States"
 Queer consistency, that! To our notion it would be nearer the truth to say that, in the face of the plain facts, it would be hard to find any section of the country where there are honest candid men, that will not always look up on Mir. Hayes as a usurper,. an H. legitimate and fraudulent Presi dent.
 While the South expects to ac- quiesce and abide her time in pa tience, she does not intend to ev- CT acknowledge the honor, the fairness or the legitimacy of Mir Hayes title to the Presidency.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
OREGON-HAYES GETS TT
 BY EIGHT TO SEVEN.

On Friday last the electoral commission, (electoral fraud, it should be, took vote on Oregon. The result was s votes--all the republicans--in favor of counting the three votes of thas State for Hayes. Thus Mir. Hayes has his necessary 1so votes. If he can take any comfort from accepting them tainted and reeking with fraud and corruption as they are, let him have them. We will take defeat instead of dishonor every time,
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

minority to rob It of victory. The country demanded peace and the democracy has given it peace. Had party success been erected by the democratic party, as 1t has been by the republican party, as the shrine at which they worship ed, the strife and commotion might have been prolonged, and even civil war precipitated, for the party had it within its power to assert it's victory by either means. What was there to hin- der the Democratic party from throwing the election into the House and thereby electing Tilden What was there to hinder the par ty from defeating Hayes, even af- ter the decision in the Florida and La. cases by objecting to every succeeding state and delaying the final award of the Commission un- til after the 4th of March? And what was there, with more than a quarter of million of the popu- lar vote in their favor, to prevent the party from appealing to force itself to maintain it's victory? Its patriotism alone. In striking contrast with the narrow partizan ism of the republicans and their interruptions violation of every principal of right and justice, the patriotism, forbearance and love of pc ace on the part of the democ racy stands out in bold relief The loss of the democracy is slight. The dishonor of their op
 ponents is great.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
OUR RAILROAD INTER-
 ESTS.

In another place in this issue of the DEMOCRAT we reproduce an
 article with the above caption, from the Little Rock Daily Ga zette of the 25th ult. The article is on a subject which is intimate ly connected wit. the development and progress of our State, and We commend for it careful perusal. The subject is worthy of profound study and nasty conclusion should not be formed on matter of so much weight. While we have not devoted as much thought to this subject as we should like to before expressing our conviction, we recognize much truth and force in some of the positions taken by the Gazette; but we can not say that we coincide with each presentlment of the case as made out by that paper. That the railway companies of the State have done noble and valu- able service in advertising Arkan- sas and in inducing immigration IS beyond dispute. We believe that ther influence ill this dlrec- tion has had more effect than all efforts put forth by the State, not even excepting our worthy dis- play at the Centennial. For this we hold the companies in grateful remembrance, and would be pleas ed if the State could make some proper acknowledgment. We are decidedly in favor of fostering and building up this great inter
 est of our State, but how to dc it is the question. We do moi heheve that the aompanles can bt exempted from their share of tho burden of taxation without doing violence to our State Constitution in letter, perhaps, as we'll as il spirit. Leaving out the legal as
 Dect of the case, and looking a
 it merely as a matter of policy placing it upon its merits--a cast is presented which is susceptible of some strong arguments on botl
 sides, and until we have consider cd the matter more fully we shal venture no opinion as to whethe
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
LET THE SCHOOL TAX
 ALONE.

Not content with the display of wisdom which our legislature has made Tn repeali 1g the best law enacted at the proceeding session (the irrepressible dog law), they are now discussing the chances of acquiring still greater reputation for sagacity, by reducing the school tax. Tine present rate is only two dollars on the thousand. The proposition is to reduce it to one dollar and fifty cents.
 We say, pause gentlemen, in your wild career and let this item of taxation alone. If there is a man in the State. outside of the Legislature who is unwilling to pay his two dollars on the thousand for school purposes, we would like to see him, or at least secure his picture. We want more intelligence among the mas ses. The common schools of the State is the fountain from which it must be obtained. Would you strangle the fountain gentlemen, and turn thirsty generation of boys and girls away to plod their way on to 2 useless manhood and womanhood in darkness and ignorance? If the people can afford to pay taxes for anything it IS for good free schools, and we beseech our law makers to not kill the school sys- tenn by reducing this item of tax ation. Make a reduction any where else, but let this alone. Reduce the amount for general State purposes. This will bear it. Reduce it two and a halt mills and add half mill of it to the State school taxes.
 Them's our sentiments!
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
,E- POPE CO.,. ARK. THURSDAY. MARCH l. 1877.
Rejected-yeas ', nays 8, as

Rejected-yeas ', nays 8, as above.
 Senator Bayard then offered the following:
 Resolved. That the vote of w. II. Odell and the vote of J. C.. Cartwright, cast for Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio, for President Of the United States, and for William A. Wheeler of New York for Vice President of the United States, were votes provided for by the Constitution of the United States, and that the aforesaid Odell and Cartwright, and they only, were the persons duly ap- pointed Electors in the State of Cregon at the election held No yember z, 1876, there having been failure at said election to appoint third Elector in accord ance with the Constitution ard laws of the United States and the State of Oregon, and that the two votes aforesaid should be counted and none others from the State of Oregon.
 Rejected-Yeas ', nays s, as above.
 A vote was then taken on Sena- tor Edmunds original proposition and it was adopted-yeas b, nays none. Senator Morton then offered the following:
 Resolved, That w. H. Odell, J. C. Cartwright and J. W. Watts, persons named as electors in cer- tificate No. 1, are lawful Electors of the State of Oregon, and that their votes are the votes provided for by the Constitution of tue United States, and should be counted for President and Vice President of the United States.
 MT. Hunton moved to strike out the name of J. w. Watts. Disagreed to-yeas z, nays s. Senator Morton s resolution was then adopted-yeas 8, nays 7-as follows:
 Yeas-Messrs. Bradley, Ed muads, Frelinghuysen, Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton and Strong -S.
 Nays -Messrs. Abbott, Bayard, Clifford. Field, Hunter, Payne and Thnrman-7. The decision of the Commis- sion was then drawn up and sign ed by the eight members voting in the affirmative. On motion oi Senator Morton, the injunction of secrecy upon the acts and proceedings of the Com mission, except as regards their report to the joint session of Congress, was removed, and the Commission adjourned to meet in the Supreme Court room at 12 o'clock tomorrow.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
GRANTS TYRANNY.

Washington birthday was not celebrated Tn South Carolina. The following correspondence will explain why it was not. If any one can read this correspondence without coming to the conclusion that our president is very ty- rant and a coarse bully, he must be a Grant worshipper indeed. And if any one can read it with. out admiring the true ring of Governor Hampton's letter, he must be devoid of all apprecia- tion of that which is noble and honorable. Here is the cores pondence:
 PosT OF COLUMBIA, Feb. 20, 1871. Capt. Thompson, Columbia, $. c.
 Dear Sir:-I have the honor to notify you that have this day been notified by the Honorable Secretary of War to inform you that His Excellency the President of the United States directs me to notify you that members of the so-called rife clubs, who, under hls proclamation of the l7th of October last, were instructed to disband, are not to make any pub lie demonstration or parade on the 22d inst, as is said to be con templated, and it is hoped that you will give a cheerful obedience to this order and notify the mem. bers of your club or company, in order to prevent a parade of any kind taking place. My orders require me to see that no such pa rade takes place. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient ser want, II. M. BLACK, Lieut.. Col. 18th U. $. Infantry Gov. Hampton, being informed of the receipt of the Presidents order, issued the following proc lamation:
 EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, COLUMBIA, s. C., Feb. 20, 77.)
 His Excellency the President of the United States having or dered that the white militia com panies of this State should no parade on the 22d inst, to cele brate Washington's birthday, II deference to the office he holds hereby call upon these organiza tions to postpone to some future daythis manifestation o.respect t' the memory of that illustriou' President, whose highest ambi ton 1t was, as it was his chic glory, to observe the Constitution and to obey the laws of his coun try. If the arbitrary command O Chief Executive, who has no sought to emulate the virtues O Washington, deprives the citizen of this State of the privilege 0 joining publicly in paying rever encc to that day so sacred to cv cry American patriot, we can least by our obedience to the con stituted authority, however at ruptly exercised, show that W are not unworthy to be the cour trymen of Washington.
 We must, therefore, remit { some suspicious period, which trust is not far distant, the excl else of our right to commemorat
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
"JUsTICE,"
As Melted Out to Forty Million
 People in this Republic.

S Electoral Commission reassembled in secret sesslon at 10:3O a. m., and remained III consultation on the Oregon case four and q half hours. At 3 o'clock, the discus sion heinz concluded, and Sena- tor Thurman not having been able to attend the sitting on ac- count.of illness, recess was taken Tn order to ascertain whether he would prefer coming to the Capi- tol, or that the Commission should proceed to his residence and transact the business incident to taking the vote. A committee, consisting of Senators Bayard and Frelinghuysen, was appointed for this purpose, and reported in due time, that Senator Thurman pre- ferred to receive the Commission at his house.
 At 4 o'clock, therefore, the other members of the Commis- sion proceeded in carriages to the residence of Senator Thurman, who was found confined to his bed, where he remained during the proceedings of the Commis- sion. The Commission was call ed to order by Justice Clifford, President, and q vote was taken on the following pronositions, which had been informally sub mitted and discussed, but not voted upon during the days ses- sion, by Senator Edmunds:
 Resolved, That the certificate signed by E. A. Cronin, J. N. T. Miller and Jno. Parker, purport ing to cast the Electoral vote of the State of Oregon, does not con tam or certify the constitutional votes to which that State is enti- tied.
 Justice Field offered the follow ing as substitute:
 Whereas, J. w. Watts, desig- hated in certificate not as an cleo tor of the State of Oregon for President and Vice President, on the day of election, viz: the 7th day of November, 1876, held an office of trust and profit under the United States: tn erefore.
 Resolved, That said J. w. Watts was then ineligible to the office of elector within the express terms of the Constitution. Re .iected-Ayes ', nays s--as fol lows:
 Yeas-Messrs. Abbott, Bayard Clifford, Field, Hunton, Payne and Thurman-7.
 Nays -Messrs. Bradley, Ed munds, Frelinghuson, Garfield Hoar, Miller, Morton and Strong -S.
 Justice Field then offered tht following:
 Whereas, at an election held or November ', 1876, in the state O Oregon, for electors of Presiden ana Vice President, w. H. Odell J. w. Watts and J. c. Cartwright received the highest number o votes cast for electors; but | Whereas, Said Watts, the. holding an office of trust and prof it under the United States, was in eligible to the office of an eiector therefore
 Resolved, That said Odell an' Cartwright were the only person duly elected at said elecuon, an' that there was failure on tn part of the state to elect a thir' elector.
 Rejected-yeas [; nays S; tn
 same vote in detail as in the pre-
 ceding.
 Justice Field then offered til
 following:
 Whereas, The Legislature c Oregon has made no provision fo the appointment of Electors, un der act of Congres, where ther was failure to make a choice 0 , the day prescribed by law; there fore
 Resolv-d, That the attempte
 selection of third Elector b , two persons chosen was lnopers
 tive and void.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

the civic virtues of that unsullied character who yielded his sword only to found and perpetuate that American constitutional liberty which is now denied to the citi- zens of South Carolina.
 WADE HAMPTON, Gov'r.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
DEFEATED, BUT NOT DlS'
 HONCRED.

IIOAN oLeAbA(s If defeat always brought dis honor the Democratic party of the i United States. would to cay be in q bad fix, but as such is by no means the case, we see no cause for Democrats, looking at the re- suit of their late contest from a party standpoint. to despond. True, we may all blush, as Amer ican citizens, at the humiliating spectacle which is now presented to the world,-the humillating spectacle of seeing the highest of flee in our government occupied by defeated man, through fraud, perjury and corruption. But the disgrace and dishonor ofthis state of affairs comes to us not AS DEM ocRATs; It comes to us NOT ALONE; it comes to us all, democrats, re- publicans, independents and all, as AMERICAN CITIZENS, ,-as a peo- pie who have lived to see the chair of Washington filled by president whose title to the place is based upon fraud, and bought at the price of sacrificed justice. Tn democracy need not despond for they will gather new strength from this robbery of their clearly won victory; robbery, as clearly as it is robbery for the highway man to place his pistol at the traveler's head and compel him to deliver his purse. The Demo crals have furnished the only re- deeming feature about the whole contest. The conduct of the con test on the republican side is reeking with fraud and sinking with corruption. True, it is yet within the power of Mir. Hayes to purge himself of the great dis grace. It is within his power alone to spare the country the humiliation of acknowledging the authority of a Chief Magistrate with fraudulent title. But Mir. Hayes is a republican, and being such we need look for nothing so honorable as a declination from hiu.
 The Democratic party has shown a self abnegation which in- licates a patriotism as pure and noble as the partizanism of their opponents must be base and mar row. The Democratic party has looked clear beyond and above party lines aud party aggrandise- ment. It has looked to country of 40,000,000 of people, most oi them toiling and depending upon their own mammal labor for a sup port. It has looked to this peo ple, and has seen that their whole interests demanded peace. It has seen that civil commotion, tha revolution and that a continua tion of the political excitement would bring the wolf to the dool of million women and children And seeing this, it has, with patriotism and self abneg atioI which must and will endear it tt a grateful people, ignored self-in terest; abandoned legitimat, means for securing the fruits of fairly won victory because to con tend would prolong strife and ex citement; and has permitted tenn porary defeat by means as fou and unfair as they are extraordi nary and unprecedented. It i not because the democratic part has exhausted its means of as serting and maintaining the vic tory which it won that it now al
 lows a usurper to carry off tn prize. It is through patriotisr and a profound sympathy for tn toiling masses whose interests rt quire quiet and peace, that tn dpnOCrgiic marty has normittpd
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

BETRAYED and deceived as the, Democrats were, they will stand by the compromise. Bad as its results are, shameless as were the means taken to count in Mir. Hayes it is stil, better than revo1 lution and anarchy. We want peace, order, growth and progress in the South, and if MT. Hayes will but let us alone, we shall have them. And it is better for the country that Mr. Hayes should come to his office with n show of legitimacy than by arhitrary measures. The whole truth is4 that the republicans meant tc. have their president, right oil wrong. elected or defeated. We were powerless to prevent it, and must make the most of the case trusting to the good sense and pa triotism of the people in the time : to come. Gazette.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

or whether not the companies should be exempted from taxa tion.
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01

of whic prices We also keep large stock of Vos School Books Wall Paper Piano Stools and Covers od faho and Organst exchange
 Agents or Thon Jet Black Ink (best in the worldly
 KELLOGG x CO.,,
 Dcncka Block, Little Rock Ark
The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-01
New Pianos for $250.
We are sole agents in this State for

Steinway & Sons Pianos, Ernest Cablers' Pianos, MarchaI & Smiths Pianos,
 Mason & Hamin's Organs.
 B.Shoninger & Cos Organs