davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The United States Supreme Court.

The Albany Law Journal opposes any
amendment of the Constitution which
shall provide for the canvassing OF the
electoral votes by the supreme court OF
the United States, for reasons Which cer-
tainly have great deal of force. 1t says:
At present the supreme court stands
high in the respect OF the people, and
every one has confidence in the purity of
the motives influencing its members.
But let it be brought into the conflicts OF
politics, whether as Gn arbitrator or
otherwise, and the high regard which is
felt for it will no longer remain. No
matter how pure and exalted the nd-
yidrlal, the moment he becomes involved
in confession public Office he is charged
with every kind of wrong, and whether
the charges be true or false they have
the effect to stain his reputation, and no
vindication will completely efface the
stain. If the supreme court takes part
in politics, those not satisfied with Its
decision will impeach the motives lead
ing to such decision, and many will be
led to believe that proper motives dlu
not influence it. Then, too, the tempta-
ton to do wrong will often be very great,
and there is danger that it may some
time be strong enough to influence even
our highest tribunal, and if such should
be the case we would be well on the way
toward a destruction of constitutional
government. We have a court Of last re-
sort above the shadow of suspicion. Let
us keep it 50.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The Spaniards in Cuba.

In the Spanish Cortes recently a lead
ing member said, speaking of the Cuban
matter: "Spain can do no more than
what she has done. While soldiers were
wanting here with whom to resist the
different factions in arms against U.s.,
heavy contingents were sent to Cuba.
Since the year 1868 we have sent there
Ill $50 men, of whom $4,000 have died
there. What results have we obtained
If We believe the official reports and
the news published by the government,
these results have been satisfactory; If
we believe the truth, the sole result has
been heavy losses, as will prove. The
losses of the insurgents in the space of
three years and half were, according
to the government reports, $4,000 kill
ed and prisoners, and the surrenders
10000, with constant insurgent force
of from 5000 to 5000. These 12S,00O
casualties prove either that the dis
patches were incorrect, which I do not
believe, or that the insurgents, after the
fashion of the Ecija boys, are replaced as
fast as they disappear. Either of these
explanations deserves the attention of
Congress"
Tie Ecija boys referred to above were
celebrated band of forty outlaws, who
infested for a long while the roads in the
vicinity of Ronda, in Andalusia.
Troops were continually sent against
them, and the officers in command of
such troops invariably reported that they
had killed sundry of the band. But as
the band always kept up its effective
force of forty men, Los Ninos dc EcJa
became byword in Spain for false mill
tary reports.
Another member said: "Thls war in
Cuba is abnormal in it's character. The
enemy lives in the bush as we'll as he
would in his house. If one of their
men should fall out exhausted OH n
march, in few moments he is taken up
and carefully tended. If one of our
men gives ont on q. march, he is a dead
man within a few minutes. They re-
quire no rations, because they live on
what they gather in the woods. All,
therefore, that they have to carry is their
small supply of ammunition. By their
spies they are kept informed of our
every movement. They know the mo-
ment at which the rations which our
troops must necessarily carry will give
out, they lay in wait for them, they fall
upon them, and although they may be
repulsed, as our men are obliged to re-
turn to camp for provisions, it follows
that we are always obliged to retreat
with heavy encumbrances, consisting
principally Of our wounded. Then the
enemy reforms and hangs upon our rear,
so that although we may have been VIC
torious in the fight, it is very shady
victory in the end. Judge, therefore, |
repeat, whether our generals in command
are not entitled to some excuse.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The Burning of the Richmond Theatcr.

The Richmond Theater was burned in
the month of December, like the Brook
lyn Theatcr, but the day after Christmas.
Richmond had then only 10000 inhabl'
tants, but there were six hundred people
at the play. The points of the tragedy
we're much like those Of the present one.
4 chandelier set the scenery on fire, the
stage mechanics became panic stricken,
the flames burst upon the audience, and
there was only one door for escape, and
the windows were very high. Sixty-one
persons were published next morning as
dead, and in all about ,one hundred
persisted, among them many fashionable
ladies' and children, the governor of the
State, the president of the bank, and
members of such families as Mayo.
Venable, Bolts, Braston, GalleSo, Page,
Coutts, Nelson, Marshall, Stevenson,
Clay, Griffin and Greenhow. A slave,
Gilbert Hunt, personally rescued twelve
ladies by catching them III his arms.
"He obtained his freedom, wrote the
annalist of the city.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Business Before Congress.

A very large number of bills are be-
fore the United States Congress which
were left over from the last session, but
it is not probable that one-fourth OF
them will be acted upon. The calendar
of the Senate shows that 212 bills are
pending before that body, besides num-
Der OF resolutions. Seventy-follr of the
bills now before the Senate have been
passed by the House, and 13S are Senate
bills, many of them being of minor i'm
portance. The calendar Of the House OF
Representatives shows that there are
forty-two bills of a public nature, and
231 of private character pending before
that body.
Among the bills of Importance before
this Senate are the three bills amenda'
tory of the Pacific railroad acts.
The bill to equalize the bo1nties OF
soldiers who served III the late war
which passed the House last session, also
stands upon the Senate calendar, having
been reported favorably from the com
mittee on military affairs. This bill
passed two years ago, Oh the last day OF
the session, but did not become a law
The vote upon its passage in the Senate
resulted in tie, and the late Fice-Presi
dent Wilson gave the deciding vote i'll the
affirmative.
The bill reducing the salary of tho
President of the United States from $50,
600 to $4,000 per annnm passed las
session, and was vetoed by the President
The House last session passed bill t(
repeal the Bankrupt law, and the Senate
committee on the judiciary reported /
back without amendment, but also re
ported bill providing for the appoint
ment of IL commission to investigate th'
operation of the several statutes i'll rela
ton to bankruptcy, and to recommend
Legislation thereon. This bill has ncve
been considered by the Senate, but still
occupies a place on the calendar.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Remarkable Cure of Group.

4 remarkable cure of case Of mem-
brnous Group in New Haven, Conn., in
Il little boy two years and nine months
old, is reported. The child seemed GER
tain to die and Il surgical operation was
decided upon. A hole was cut in the
winlpipe and a bent tube inserted. In
side of this tube was one of Il smaller
size. the two being necessary in order to
keep the one through which breathing is
carried on free from the distractions of
blood and membrane which were given
off in coughing. The tubes were i'll use
from Tuesday noon until the Thursday
of the following week, and for five days
the only nollrishment administered to the
patient was little milk. His recovery
is remarkable considering the exhausting
character of the disease, but perfect Sue
cess attended the hazardous operation.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The Sioux Treaty.

The Sioux commission has made it's
report to Secretary Chandler BY the
terms of the agreement the Sioux sur-
render all claim to any country lying out
side the boundaries of their permanent
reserve MS defined by the treaty Of
1868, and to 50 much of said reserve
as lies west Of the one hundred and
third meridian of longitude, and as is in
cluded between the north and south
forks of the Cheyenne river, east of said
meridian. The United States govern
ment thereby secures full possession of u
tract of country which includes the
Black Hills and is defined by natural
boundaries. The Indians grant Il right
of way over their reservation for three
roads from Missouri river to the ceded
territory, the routes to be designated by
the President. They also agree to re-
ccive all subsistence which may hereafter
be furnished at such points on or near
the Missouri river as the President may
designate. The area ceded in the treaty
is estimated at from ten to twelve thou
sand square miles.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
It's just Awful.

Mr.. George William Curtis, talking Of
railway manners, tells this story: A
young woman suddenly hounces in hel
seat and throws up her arms, and ex'
claims to her fellow travellers, through &
companion: "Did you ever know any
thing so hot? I'm sitting. Can't You
open this window? Whew whew On,
dear, it's dreadful, isn't it ! It's always
so III these cars. Ny it's awful y Oh
one occasion, when this kind of remark
had been made at some length for the
cditication OF the company, Il voice was
heard from the other end of the car
"Yes'm, it's awful. But let's try tt
bear mp. 'Tain't nothin to the sutferin's
of the early Christians y A genera
laugh followed, and nothing further wa:
heard from that young woman.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The Winter and the Poor.

The Christian MfcNiycncci' has taken
up the cause Of the poor, most appro-
priatcly Mt this season. 1t says: At no
time have these lnfortrnutcs been SO
largely re-cnforced rs they have this year
by persons VINO belong to the Industrious
labOring and artisan class, who are mas
ters of some calling and who arc able and
willing to work. Merchants have re-
duccd the number of their clerks, factor
les are running on half time or have
stopped work, building has almost entirely
ceased and as a result wherever we turn
we see score of men waiting to do one
mans work, and thousands cannot pro-
cure the privilege to labor ut any ex-
penditure of effort or solicitation.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
4 French Commune.

A French agricultural paper gives an
interesting account of remote garden
commune called Roscoff, in Brittany,
where immense quantities of vegetables
arc raised for the French and English
markets on land now valued at from
81, 900 to 81 400 an acre, which tradition
asserts was reclaimed from the sea.
During 1875 some 1887 tons of vcgcta-
hles, valued at S290,000, left the port.
Besides this, immense quantities are sent
off by rail from Morlaix, whittier they
are conveyed in old fashioned numbering
carts, fer in most respects the Roscoflians
are still very primitive. The principal
articles grown arc potatoes, onions, arti-
chokcs, and broccoli. The temperature
in winter rarely docs any of these harm
Scarcely any manure is used but that Of
marine plants known as goemons.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
THE POSITION IN MEXICO.
How Matters Stand M Nearly ~ Can
Asccrtniucd,

Asccrtnincd.
The position of affairs in Mexico is
somewhat intricate, and possesses a re-
markable difficulty in the way of being
easily understood. In the year 1871
Juarez and Diaz were the rival presiden-
tial candidates, and Diaz was defeated.
Juarez died in Office and was succeeded
by Chief Justice Lerlo. When Iierdo's
term of Office expired he became q candi-
date for second term. Whether he was
elected or not is n disputed point. He
claimed that he was and assumed the
Office.
Judge Iglesias, MS chief justice of the
supreme court, was the person desig-
mated by the last edition Of the constitu-
ton to become president in case of a va
cancy in that Office. He declared that
Lerdo was not elected, and that he
illegally held the position. There being
no president elected the Judge himself
assumed to be president and assumed
the reins of power, being sustained by
MI the clergy.
Diaz, who was defeated first by Juarez
in 1871 and had been waiting ever since
for an emergency, now said that it was
not worth while to bother about his per-
sonal claims. All he wanted was to Sc
cure the triumph of his friend, Iglesias,
and to that end he would command the
Ecclesiastical army. His assistance was
accepted. and he marched to the attack
of the capital With his success we are
already familiar. President Lerdo ran
away, but WAS caught and locked up.
His general, Escobedo, was executed.
Diaz entered Mexico and announced that
he was the only genuine Mexican presi-
dent, all others, including Lerdo and
Iglcsias, being impostors unworthy of
the slightest attention.
This is now the actual condition Of
affairs in. Mexico, Diaz being president.
What Lertlo and Iglesias propose to do
about it, the future alone can disclose.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
His Dinner.

4 financier was receiving at dinner a
distinguished guest renowned for his
taste, and in the course of conversation
the latter spoke Of having dined the day
before at a house where the host had
entertained the company with some ex-
cellent epigrams." The fnancier's ieal-
ousy was excited. He rang for his cook,
and, in the presence of his distinguished
guest, asked him whether he could make
epigrams, and, if so, how it happened
that he had hitherto concealed his talent.
Without allowing the astonished cook to
reply, the inancier ordered him in q per.
cmptory manner to serve up dish of
epigrams at the next days dinner, and at
the same time invited the distinguished
guest to come and see whether they were
as good as those of which he had just
spoken.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
The Late Speaker Kerr.

In the United States House of Repre-
sentatives Mr.. Cox, of New York, spoke
of the late Speaker Kerr MS follows Mr..
Cox stated that, when by Mr.. Kerrs
death bed, he asked him whether he was
readyto meet the terrors of death, the an
swer was, that death had no terrors for
him. He believed (Mr. Cox said) that a
just life on earth would give him his re-
ward. What, he asked, did Mr. Kerr
believe in regard to the great future
His faith was in his works; his religion
was to be honest; he believed that hisin-
tegrity and conscience were the sum OF
pure, undefiled religion. He did not
accept the dogmas of the church, or any
church; he did not accept all that was
written or said about the Savior; but he
did make the teachings of Christ q model
for his own life. He believed in that old
creed of creeds, the loveliness of perfect
deeds. With him laborare was orare;
work was his orison. And when he left
to pass gently through the portals to the
other world it seemed as if nothing in.
carnate was left of him. He was de-
votee of the peculiar class of philoso-
pliers known as Positivists.
Mr.. Cox related Mr. Kerrs late con-
versation with his son, in which he told
him that he had nothing to leave him but
his good name, and to guard that as he
would guard his mothers honor, to live
as he had lived, to pay all his debts If
his estate warranted it without leaving
his mother penniless, and if not, to pay
them as far as he could, and then to go
to his creditors, tell them the truth, and
pledge his honor to wipe out the mdebt-
edness. The national flag in the hall,
now draped in honor of Mr.. Kerr, was
an omen painfully suggestive of the con-
dition of the country, and it was to be
regretted that Mr.. Kerr was not alive to
give his counsel in this time of solici-
tude and anxiety, because he loved the
whole country and loved the States as q
rnit
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Discharged.

Four hundred employees of the Uni
ted States bureau of engraving and
printing at Washington were discharged
nearly one-half the force of the entire
bureau. About two-thirds of them we're
women, many of them being press-girls
who have been employed by the printer
individually. These discharges are due
to the recent action of the government in
giving the work of printing revenue
stamps to the bank note companies in
stead of to the engraving and printing
bnrea11
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Kate Clayt0n'S Escape.

Miss Claxton gives thrilling account
of her escape from the Brooklyn Theater,
in which she says There never was q
drawer man on earth than Studley. He
stood by me cool and collected as the
best man of the "Six Hundred" and
kept the falling fire off me. When the
flames swept down upon us and flight
WAS imperative, and no good WAS to be
done by staying, 1 gathered my woolen
petticoat firmly in each hand, and fought
the fire from me as / dashed through it.
stopped only once. and that was to
seize poor Murdoch, and try to drag him
off, but he was pulled away from Inc.
Then I fought my way through with that
wooden petticoat it was my salvation.
1 either heard Maudc Harrison in her
room aud got her out or met her at the
door of it. Then I remembered the
underground passage to the box office,
and went for it, for the burning stage
began to fall i'll upon us. The horror of
the few minutes in that dark place-only
wide enough for one to pass at time
is indescribablc 1 knew that the door at
the end WAS usually locked, and might
be now but the Good Providence that
directs even the fall OF the sparrow made
a whim of mine the means of or escape.
In tho morning Of that dreadful day
merely for full had insisted upon
having the door opening from the box
Office to this passageway unlocked, and
I weut through it to my dressing-room,
instead of going round to the stage door.
Tie key was reluctantly given tony agent,
with many iniunctions to lock the door
behind him. He promised to do 50, but
dropped it in his pocket Instead of put
ting it i'll the door On the inside, as he
should have done. He says that lis
fingers were cold, and that went he put
them into his pockets he vowed he
wouldn't take them ont for all the keys
in Brooklyn. 'Fhose cold fingers, by
Gods mercy, saved all our lives, for after
We hal stumbled through that passage
and up the stairs the door yielded and
We tnmhlcd into the box office. The
smoke was suf1ocating
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
DO Not Drink Vinegar.

.IEaWs Journal Of Health advises
over-stout people not to seek to reduce
flesh by drinking vinegar Or smoking,
but to maintain as perfect digestion as
possible and avoid fatmal1ing foods, such
as starch in the shape of potatoes, -four
bread and rice. Spirits, malt liquors
and sweets are to be abiured. The
gluten of wheat is the best food. 1t
will sustain life in full vigor, but it vii
not add an ounce of fat to the body.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Disasters in ThenterS.

While the Brooklyn Theatcr calamity
is -emincntly the most terrible the
United States has ever been called OIL to
bewail in the number of its victims, and
in the horror of their fate, in Europe it
has been exceeded by the burning of n
playhouse in Amsterdam, in 1772, when
800 people were killed; by the destruc,
ton of the Saragossa Theater in Spain,
in the same year, when 1000 people per,
ished; by the destruction Of the Pnlais
Royal in Paris, 1871, when 500 people
were burned; and by the fall and conse,
quent confagration Of the Cafe D'Istria
Theater in Italy'by which disaster ovel
1000 men and women lost their lives in
1894.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Disabled Soldiers.

The board of managers for the United
States national home for disabled 'ol'':. =:
teer soldiers say that the ATTENDANCE IS Is
larger now than it has ever been Ihele
are 5000 disabled soldiers at the 7S's,, eenIrai
branch. Dayton, O.; 754 at the Eastern
branch Augusta, Me-; 75s at the North,
western branch, Milwaukee, Wis; ana
627 at the Southern branch, Halnpton'
Va, making total Of 1888.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17

POLAR PEcULIAR1TIEs.- is well
known that the spot at which the ships
of the Arctic expedition wintered was SO
far north that they lost all advantage
during their long night of 140 days of
the aurora borealis. Apparently they
got behind not the north wind, but the
polar light. This, however, was not al
together unexpected, but what was a
surprise to most on the expedition was
that by way of compensation they got
nothing but full moons.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
Christmas Time.

Heap on more wood the wind is chill;
But let it whistle rs it will,
Well keep our Christmas merry still.
Each age has deemed the newborn year
The fittest time for fcstal cheer
And well our Christmas sircs of old
Loved when the year its course had rolled,
And brought blithe Christmas back again,
With all his hoSpitable train.
Domestic and religious right
Gave honor to the holy night:
On Christmas eve the bells We're rung;
On Christmas eve the mass was sung:
That only night III all the year,
Saw the stoled priest the chalicc rear.
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen:
The hall was dressed with holly green;
Forth to the wood did merry men so,
To gather in the mistlctoe.
Then opened wide the baron's nall
To vassal, tenant, scrf, and all;
Power laid his rod of rule aside.
And ceremony doired his pride.
The heir, with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choose;
The lord, mdcrogating. share
The vulgar game Of post and pair.
All hailed, with uncontrolled delight,
And general voice, the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the crown,
Brought tidinSs OF salvation down.
The fire, with well dried logs supplied,
Went roaring up the chimney wide;
The huge hall tables oakcn face.
Scrubbed till it shonc the day to grace,
Bore then upon its massive board
No mark to part the squire and lord.
Then was brought in the lusty Drawn,
BY old blue coated serving man;
Then the grim boars head frowEcd on high
Crested with bays and rosemary.
Well can the green garoed ranger tell
How, when, and where, the monster fell:
What dogs before his death he tore,
And all the batting of the boar.
The wasSel round i'll good brown bowls
Garnishcd with ribbons, blithcly trowls.
There the huge sirloin reckcd hard by
Plum porridge stood, and Christmas pie;
Nor failed old Scotland to pr0dUcc,
At such high tide, her savory goose.
Then came the merry maskcrs in,
And carols roarcd with blithcsome din;
If unmclodious was the song,
1t was a hearty note, and strong.
Who lists may i'll their mumnl;nS see
Traces Of ancient mystery.
White shirts supplied the masquerade,
And smutted cheeks the viSors made;
But, oh . what maskcrs richly Digit
Can boast OF bosoms half SO light?
England was merry England, when
Old Christmas brought his sports again.
Twas Christmas broachcd the mer,iest ale
Twas Christmas told the mcrriest tale
A Christmas gambol oft would cheer
The poor mans heart through half the year
SIR Walter Scot.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17

EDO you believe it is true" asked a
gentleman, of rather slim reputation for
honesty, of q lady, "that whenever 3
man gets into trouble there is always a
woman at the bottom of it?' 81 don't
know but it is true" demurcly replied
the lady; 81 have heard that in your
own case there wasa certain nlis-demeanor
mt the bottom of your trouble"