Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-01
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Morning. January I, 1877.
IS76-1S77.


which it has made. To citizens Of the
United States 1t was an eventiul year, for
It marked the lapse of a century since
the birth Of our republic, it witnessed the
great international exhibition held at Phil
adelphia, and its record tells of the quad
rennial contest for the election of Presi-
dent and Vice President, which will be
memorable for the intensity of the strug-
gle and the closeness Of the result. In
other respects the year has not been one
Of many remarkable events. The pro-
ducts Of the earth have been given In fair
measure. With the exception of the Sci
Wan war, the Indian war In this country,
some hostilities In Abysslnia. and the
chronic troubles in Cuba, Mexico, and
some of the South American States. the
world has been at peace. The greatest
catastrophe of the year from natural
causes, and one that will always be me-
morable, twas that caused by the terrific
cyclone in Eastern Bengal, last October.
in which three large islands were sub
merged and 120, 900 lives lost. The burn
ing of the Brooklyn theatre. and the loss
of life occasioned by it, was heart rend-
ing calamity not soon to be forgotten.
Though the record of the loss of life and
property upon the ocean by storms has not
been made up, we have no doubt that the
loss will be found to have been more than
the average. December was a fearful
month for mariners. Among the persons
Of notoriety who have died during the
year are Alexander T. Stewart, the mer-
chant prince OF New York; Henry A.
Wise, famous 10 the politics of Virginia;
Braxton Bragg of Texas. one of the Con-
federate Generals; Francis P. Blair, Sem
Tor, of Maryland; James Lick, the Cali
fornia millionaire and phlanthropist;
Henry Kingsley, the distinguished Eng
lish author; George Sand, the brilliant
Partisan novelist; and Cardinal Antonelli
the Roman ecclesiastc. Among scientific
operations one of the most noted was the
blowing up of Hallett's Point reef near the
entrance to New York harbor. In crimi-
nal affairs the event of greatest interest
was the escape of Tweed from Jail in New
York. and his capture in Spain and return
to his quarters in the Jail from which he
escaped. Only second to this was tie
case of Winslow, the Boston forger.
1t win be seen by this slight glance at
the record of 1876 that 1t was by no means
an upeventful year. Being the Centen-
nary Of our national independence and
the season OF the Presidential campaign,
1t was . year of great interest to the
American people, year of national jub-
lee. also year of such political trial as
we hardly have seen before since the for
nation Of the government.
Turning from the old year we look for
ward to see what the new may have in
prospect. Happily we are able to see that
the clouds which have overhung the Pres
idential question are dissolving, and the
skies are looking bright for the peaceful
installment of Hayes as President South
Carolina and Florida are yielded to him,
and the more Louisiana is investigated
the more certain is it that the counting of
her electoral vote for Hayes was legal
and just. This will settle the matter, for
the democratic party will never dare
claim the election OF Tilden by the Grover
outrage. With Hayes President, uncer-
tainty will vanish at once from our
national affairs, our industries will leap
into activity, all kinds of business will
revive, and before the year closes pros
petty will have been established in all
the land. On the other continent the
nations of Europe are debating the ques-
ton of peace or war. The Russian and
the Turk are embroiling Europe in their
troubles. What the outcome will be can
not be told at this time, but the indications
are that war will result. If it prove so,
the war will be fierce and bloody, mark
ing the year with more ensangulned
hue than that worn by any other year since
the close of the Franco-Prussian war.
What Of good or i'll may be In store for
individuals during the year just begun,
none can tell, but we may trust His good
ness in the future as in the past, who
"doeth all things we'll" The time is one
for hopefulness. 1t is not time to sit
down despairingly ever failures. losses
and sorrows of the past, but to form good
resolves and look forward 10 happier and
better days to come. Over what Is past
we have no power. but the future is large
ly In our control, and it depends much
upon each individual whether It will or
will not be to him happy New Year.
Wade Hampton.
i'll. Al.