davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

1T Is well known that the shad, like
the salmon, spends a considerable part
of his life nobody knows where. Two
fish experts, who had spent all their
lives in the shad business, testified on
the subject before Committee of the
Connecticut Legislature this year. One
sid the shad came to Connecticut from
Florida by way of He'll Gate, and the
other said Connecticut River shad
never went twenty miles south Of
Saybrook. Neither Of them knew any.
thing positively about it. The fish ap
pear in the spring, in swamps, fat and
lively; but in the winter not shad
dead or alive, is to be found in the rivers
nor the sea. They are in their sub
marine feeding ground somewhere.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30
THE Iowa Supreme Court has Just de-

The Iowa Supreme Court has just de-
cided very interesting case touching
the legality of a conditional pardon.
Kirkwood pardoned one Dick Arthur on
condition that he keep sober and refrain
from crime. Arthur violated the con-
ditions, was rearrested and released on
habeas corpus by Judge Newman. Gov
ernor Newbold appealed to the Supreme
Court, which now holds that con-
ditional pardon can be issued, and, if
accepted by the convict and violated,
can be withdrawn and the sentence en-
forced. This is the first time the high
est Court has passed upon this question.
johnson County had such case with
Hockenberry, who was conditionally
pardoned, and afterward, upon proof
of violation, was made to serve out his
! term.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

AT length the Chinese, in spite of the
prejudice and superstition of centuries,
appear desirous Of utilizing the valuable
coal and iron deposits of the Empire. A
native company is about to develop the
rich coal mines of the Province of
Sbautung. The coal and iron known to
exist in the Province Of Chill, to the
northwest of Tientsin, are also to be
mined on an extensive scale. If these
enterprises prove successful, the effect
upon the social and commercial condi-
ton Of China will be incalculable.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

CARRIzAL, Mexico, has lately lost an
exceedingly novel bank of deposit, and
burglars are bewailing their ignorance
oil local institutions. Three years ago
priest built house there, ordering the
fnasons to leave the partition walls un.
finished. These he ran up himself in
the night time, an old woman holding a.
candle for him. In series of holes in
the walls he secreted $50, 900 in gold and
silver coin, and then completed the walls,
leaving small holes to drop other earn
ings In. Up to month ago he lived
alone in his house, allowing no one to
pass the threshold. Deciding to re.
move into another parish he broke open
his vaults of deposit, took out his saw
ings, and departed leaving about ten
dollars scattered on the floor in hi,
haste. Then the discreet old lady tolt
the story, and the swearing was begun.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

IT is not so very bad after all to be
an ex-empress. The once gay and
beautiful Eugenie has an income of
$25O,0 upon which she manages to pay
her grocery bill and to live in what is
called "dignifed retirement " at Chisel-
hurst, England, where she daily takes
long walks about the pretty lanes and
wide commons. SUI days and fast DAYS
and on the 9th of each month, she visits
the Catholic Church where lie her hus
bands remains. She gives up her morn
ings to her correspondence and the news
papers, breakfast at noon, and, as she
has royal memory and much vivacity
makes the meal a charming occasion
teas at five o'clock, usually receivint
neighbors or visitors at that time, anC
dimes at eight.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

IT is probably Cumana-not Qua, as
the telegraph had it-Venezueia, that
has been overturned by an earthquake,
destroying six hundred lives. Cumana
is the capital of the State of Cumana,
and is situated near the mouth of the
Gulf of Cariaco, one mile from the Car
ribean Sea. 1t has population of
about twenty thousand. This is at least
the third time since its foundation in
1923, by Diego Castellon, that it has
been visited by an earthquake, the
shocks of October 81, 1866, and Decem-
Der IA, 1894, having on both occasions
laid il in ruins
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

Nor long since the Reading Railroad
Company was about to appoint a man to
take charge of a station on one of its
numerous branches. Among the many
applicants was single young man who
had been in the employ of the company
for some time. When he applied for
the position he was informed it would
be given to married man. Such an
obstacle as that was easily overcome,
and the enterprising young man went
to work and was soon no more bach
elor. OF course, after showing such
good business qualifications, the COM
pany could no longer refuse him, and he
now has charge of his new Office
Easton Free Press.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

O'LEARY has come back with his belt
and his gold; but, poor fellow, be will
be compelled to walk twice again. should
he be challenged, before the belt can be-
come his exclusive property. Even to the
pedestrian, life is not all sunshine, and q
champions belt is about as uneasy g
thing TO wear as the monarch's crown
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

ARDENT LovER-We do not think You
should remit your attentions to the girl
simply because her father kicked you out.
Go to the old man and say frankly that if
he repeats the action you should regard
it as an insult. 1t was surely rather un-
ladylke for the young woman to hop
upon chair and shout, Go in, dad
give him h'ister! He's been loafing
round here long enough"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

A CALIFORNIA genius surpasses Edi-
SON. He has invented machine to
freeze up the atmosphere to solid rails
in advance of a railroad train, and thus
proposes to travel to the moon. As soon
Ms a corporation of capitalists can be
formed, the happy invention will be put
into execution.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

THERE is factory in Davenport,
Iowa, for making sugar from Indian
corn. The product somewhat resembles
maple sugar, and sells readily in the
neighborhnod. The syrup is especially
liked.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30

THE destruction of the Free Press
Office is accounted for by the fact that
there was a manuscript poem by Kate
Claxton in the building at the time.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-30
TOPICS OF THF DAY

IN ancient Sparta to grow fat was
crime, and the offender was punished at
the whipping-post. In modern Amer
ics it is a virtue, and the possessor of
adipose matter is rewarded by an Alder
mans chair or seat on the Supreme
Bench. So fashions change from age to
are
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
Makeup Of the Next Congress.

OF the one hundred and forty-eight demo-
Gratis elected to the Forty-sixth Congress
fifty-three are new men. OF the one hun
bred and thirty-three Republicans elected
ffty-four are new men. This excludes men
who have served in previous Congresses,
such as General Hawley in Connecticut.
The eight greenbackers are all new men,
and the Forty-sixth Congress will have
therefore one hundred and fifteen new mem
bers out of total of two hundred and
ninety-three. Twenty-one of the fifty-three
new democrats are from Northern states.
1t follows that the greater part of the Forty
sixth Congress will be composed of expert
enced members. Some states, like Missis-
sippi and West Virginia, have reelected the
whole of their present delegations others,
like Massachusetts, South Carolina, Texas
and Louisiana, have changed but one or
two New York will send eighteen mex
perienced legislators, Pennsylvania ten, Ohio
eight, Missouri nine, and Illinois seven. A
state which keeps one delegation in Con-
gress for number of years inevitably gains
largely in influence in the national council,
even if its representatives are not conspic-
uously able men; and political party which
keeps its men in Congress for term of
years can make itself felt, even if it is in
the minority in the House 1t takes new
member almost the whole of his term to
learn the ways of the Uouse and IL il
scarcely ever before his second term that he
is able to make his influence felt over the
body, though there have been some notable
exceptions to this rule, for conspicuous
ability tells in the House even against its
traditions and rules.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
Another Point Gained,

A suit was brought at Middletown, in the
state of New York, in 1875, against the
landlord and tenant of liquor saloon, for
damages caused by the loss of horse which
was driven to death by the plaintiffs son
while intoxicated by liquors supplied to him
at the saloon. The plaintiff obtained ver-
dict in his favor, which was confirmed at
the general term, and the landlord carried
the case, so far as he was concerned, to the
court of appeals. The action was brought
under the law of 1873, known as the civil
damage law, which makes the owner or les
sor of premises on which intoxicating liquors
are sold jointly liable with the tenant for
any damage done by an intoxicated person
who has been supplied with liquor on such
premises. The court of appeals now affirms
the judgment Of the lower courts, thus estab-
fishing the liability of owners or landlords
Of any premises in the state used in the
liquor business for damages done by any
drunken person who may procure liquor at
such places. If man should get intoxicated
in New York saloon and commit murder,
inHict wound or do any injury to person or
property while in that condition, the land
lord or owner of the premises would, under
this decision, be liable not only for damages
actually sustained by the parties in interest,
but for exemplary damages as well.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
The Beginning Of the End.


The various different causes which oper-
ated TO produce the late rout of the demo-
cratic forces, as given by their organs and
ca ders-each one Of which is measurably
true-reveals most conclusively the serious
ness Of the defeat and the hopelessness Of
speedy recovery therefrom. On the one hand
we are told that the cipher dispatches did it.
Doubtless this was largely procuring cause;
for what party could hope to retain even
self-respect in shouting the battle.cry OF
fraud while the hands Of its standard-bear-
ers were reeking with one of the most 81
gantic frauds of the age. Another charges
IL to the reflex influence of the solid South.
1t would not be fair to deny that this was
material factor in the result; for when one
party openly and avowedy resorts to sys-
tematic and wholesale intimidation and vio-
lence to stamp out free speech and free sui
frage in one half of the Union, for the sake
of placing the government in the hands OF
those who so recently staked their all upon
its destruction, could the other half of the
Union fail TO spool their issues as aore-
timer Another-and with truth-charges
the defeat of the party upon its base sur
render to the greenback heresy. The timid-
ity and hypocrisy of the democratic leaders
all over the country, with few signal and
honorable exceptions, upon a subject of such
vital Importance as that of sound currency,
did more than all the rest to accomplish the
utter defeat of the party. Some of them
swallowed their principles in silence, while
others-like Senator Thurman-boldly con.
fessed to an inglorious surrender. The
American people are honest and respectable,
and they like courage and principle in their
public men. And it is largely because the
men who assumed to lead the democratic
party this year had neither courage nor
principle upon this vital issue, that they
were brought to experience such an ignoble
defeat.
And now the spectacle is presented of the
great democratic party, lately so boastful
and confident of an easy national victory in
the near future, handicapped and weighted
down to the very earth with Ben. Butler and
Phil. Kearney conspiracies, Tammany Hall
cabals, greenback heresies, and, deadiest of
all, solid South, procured by means of
ballot.box stuffing and red-shirt rifle clubs
Out of this Babel-like confusion, who can
hope to organize victory?
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
Legislation versus Morality.

The good state of Vermont is understood
as being thoroughly opposed to a license
law. 1t is thought to act upon the princi-
pie that we have no right-at least it re-
fuses to exercise the right if it has ito
regulate any evil by license. Regarding the
sale of liquor, gambling and the keeping of
houses of prostitution as evils, it prohibits
them. The moral sentiment of our people
is utterly opposed to anything looking like
their license.
But the truth is, that there is on our stat
ute books license law of a most mischiev-
GUS character. In dealing with An evil on
which the Holy Scriptures speak with a
.learness unsurpassed, if not unequaled, for
its utterance upon drunkenness and licen-
tiousness the state has license law of an
exceedingly bad influence We refer to the
divorce laws of our state, and the proposed
continuance Of the bad system, even under
the improvement that the bill which has
passed the House would make.
Our state deals with this great evil by at
tempting to regulate it. 1t does not say the
state forbids unholy divorce by law and
will punish those who practice it. On the
contrary, our laws absolutely encourage the
evil and afford facilities for its practice.
They say under what condition and by what
rules one of the sorest evils in society may
be allowed. If this is not license law of
the worst character, we do not know where
to look for it. And the legislature that
provides for it is of kind that is most EN-
phatically condemned by our course upon
the temperance question. Does Vermont
desire to continue this mischievous incon-
sistency2
But why, it may be asked, has this been
allowed We answer, simply because at
tention has not been sufficiently directed to
the matter Reforms are made one at a
time, and lead on from one TO another. The
advocacy and success of one reform often
discovers principle of broad application.
They also lead TO the discovery of other re-
forms in similar directions equally needed.
By-and-by comes the awakened sense and
the demand for further action. Then, if
the people are evil, the work goes on.
We are persuaded that the statistics we
print have convinced any one who may have
been a doubter in the matter, that the evil of
divorce is great one. 1t is equally clear that
the evil is one condemned in unmistakable
terms by the Scripture and by every pat
riotic citizen. Now, shall our state continue
this license law Or, shall it make con-
sistent prohibitory divorce law We com
mend this question to the friends of temper.
ance and sound legislation.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
POlygamy in the Courts.

The first of the Utah polygamy cases
which stand on the calendar of the United
States Supreme Court for the October term
came up last Friday and was argued by
Ben. Sheeks, of Utah, for the prisoner, George
Reynolds, and by Acknowledgement Devens
for the United States. Reynolds, who is
Mormon, was indicted by the grand jury in
1875 for having contracted polygamous
marriages, and pleading not guilty." was
tried in the district court for Utah and con-
victed. On an appeal to the territorial
Supreme Court the judgment of the lower
tribunal was affirmed, and the prisoner
thereupon appealed to the United States on
a writ of error, the error alleged involving
the question whether Congress has con-
stitutional right to prohibit polygamous
marriages in the territories. 1t was con.
tended by counsel for the prisoner that
polygamy is enjoined as a religious duty
and held as an article of faith by the sect to
which the prisoner belongs, and that Con-
gress is forbidden by the first amendment
to the constitution "to make any law re-
specting an establishment of religion or to
prohibit the free exercise thereof" Attor-
ney-General Devens urged in reply that an
Interpretation Of the constitution which
would restrain Congress from attaching q
penalty to the crime OF polygamy on account
Of its being an article of religious faith
would also restrain it from attaching a
penalty to any other crime which might be
sanctioned by religion that, under this
rigid Interpretation Of the constitution, a
sect of East Indian Thugs who should settle
in the territories might commit murder
with IMMUNITY on the ground that it was
sanctioned and enjoined by their system OF
religious belief. He closed with an eloquent
and impressive reference TO the well known
Mountain Meadow massacre by Mormon
"ayenging angels as an illustration of the
fanatical extremes 10 which men unre
strained by law might be carried under {
mistaken conviction of religious duty. Tn,
case is still under consideration.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
A Strong Plea.

The women of Utah who are not Nor
mons have issued an address, directed TO the
" Women of the United States" and person
ally to Mrs. II. b. Hayes, as the highest rep
resentative of the sex in the land They
represent that polygamous marriages are
more frequent than ever, and that during
the last year more of such alliances have
been formed than in any year in the history
of Mormonism. The leaders of this abom-
Unable system are busy fencing it round
with guards, and protecting it with civil
enactments, which tend to fix il in the heart
of social and political institutions in Utah.
The right of dover has been taken away
from the lawful wife by special statute, so
that no difference shall exist between her
and concubine An earnest cry comes
from the women who witness the degrade
ton of their sex, beseeching the government
TO enforce the laws which are on the stat
ute book, and they specially ask that the ad-
mittance of Utah into the circle of states
shall be deferred until this evil is purged
from the land. They propose to ask the
women Of the states to memorabilia Con-
gress in behalf of their degraded and UNI
happy sisters in Mormondom.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
The Southern Question.

The details of the South Carolina plan
of carrying the elections, in all their I'M
blushing enormity, are now before the
country. By methods such as these an
honest Republican majority of at least
thirty thousand has been transformed into
a democratic preponderance of seventy thou
sand. In fact, the Republican vote has
been virtually extinguished, and the state
made unanimous"
But the South Carolina plan is only an
aggravated illustration of the methods and
results in the other Southern states. The
seizure of Republican meetings by the " red
shirts, the intimidation and running off of
Republican leaders by the rihsclubs, and the
burial of the Republican vote under mass
of fraudulent tioouo ballots-all these high
handed measures are carried out with a
more INSCRIPTIONS audacity in South Caro-
lima than in other localities. But it was a
difference in degree, and not in kind.
A South made solid by such means and
moving forward to the possession of the
government, is the situation which the
country faces to-day, and will face two
years hence. The utter denial of the rights
of American citizenship in a large section
of our country the deliberate elevation OF
force over law; the open and unblushing
suppression of Republicanism the violent
extinguishment of free speech and free cleo.
tions-this is the spectacle presented in the
Southern half of the Republic. If it in.
volved nothing more than the local result
it would be enough to make the blood OF
every patriotic American Jingle with shame
and burn with indignation. But the master
force in the South puts its heel upon Re
publicanism there only to make this the
stepping-stone to supremacy in the country
With fifteen states solidly united, it conf
IDENTIFY reaches forward to clutch the national
government.
The question of saving the Republic from
the sway of solid South fresh from rebel
lion will not down. 1t will appeal to the
patriotic instincts Of the people just so long
as the methods of South Carolina prevail
And this high duty, with that of restoring
honest money and sound prosperity, gives
the Republican party as great work fol
the future as it did in the past.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
Divorce Statistics.

We have compiled from official sources the
statistics of divorce for the sixteen years
covered by the registration reports. For
convenience in printing we have put them
in two tables, and have also put them all
under FIVE causes. This has been done in
part because there is no one system that
runs through all the official statistics. We
have put under adultery the few cases OF big
amy, nullty, fraud and adultery combined
with other reasons. The same is true OF re-
fusal to support Its combination with
desertion and severity we put under the
head of refusal to support. Eight cases
escaped classification. The ratios of divorces
to marriages in the official reports were
often inexact. II is thought that those
given in the tables are more trustworthy.
These tables are the most complete, we think,
that have ever been printed in any state.
We call attention to certain facts in them.
Aside from the large and increasing number
of divorces, especially in proportion to the
marriages, notice the relative decline in the
cause of adultery and the great and rapidly
increasing number for the causes of deser-
ton and intolerabe severity. Well-nigh half
for the last two years are for this latter cause
alone. The increasing tendency of the wife
to become the libellant is remarkable. Only
five divorces were on account of insanity,
and but eleven for the confinement of the
libellee in the state prison. There are other
points, which we leave to the reader to dis
cover. We do not see how it is possible for
any citizen to examine these tables and not
become an earnest advocate of reform in
our divorce laws.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
State Of Vermont.
A PROCLAMATION.

In accordance with the custom Of our fore
fathers, and in compliance with the Proclama-
ton Of the President of the United States l.,
Redfed Proctor, Governor of Vermont, do hereby
appoint THURSDAY, THE TwENrv-EioHTH DAY
OF NOVEMBER, A. u. 1873, as day of public
Thanksgiving and Praise.
"Thou shalt keep the feast Of
harvest, the first fruits of thy labours, which
thou hast sown in the field; and the feast Of
ingathering, which is in the end OF the year,
when thou hast gathered In thy labours ont Of
the fields"
That we may "after more special manner
rejoice together" let us, on that day, abstain
from our ordinary labors, and unite in giving
thanks to God.
A harvest Of abundance the blessings of peace
and health, and the continued preservation Of
our country in her integrity, and in her honor
are among the many mercies which we may
remember with special gratitude.
While observing the day as one Of family
gatherings, reiocings and festivity, let it also
be season for the exercise of the broadcast
charity, in thought and deed
Given under my hand and the seal OF the state
in Executive Chamber, at Montpelier,
this fourteenth day Of November, in
the year of our Lord one thousand
I LIS. 7 eight hundred and seventy -eight, of
N~--~' the independence of the United States
the one hundred and third, and of this
commonwealth the one hundred and
second.
BY he Governor: REDFIELD PROCTOR.
II. p. SrMsoN,
.Sec'y Civil and Military Affairs