Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-01-03
The Events of Al 1877.

nancial depression and gloomy for
bodings for the future have been its
persistent characteristics. And, yet
who can say as he enters the new
year, and begins the race of 1878
that he is not supplied with many
things for which to be thankful? In
all this broad land there has been a
plenty to eat, and whoever would
work has been supplied with the
necessities Of life. The year has un-
folded many pictures Of crime and
wrongdoing, but as its dark receding
waves are lost in the ocean OF time,
there comes the forecast of the pres
ence Of happier scenes, and more
prosperous times.
We present sketch Of the years
history, which begins with the over
shadowiDg political agitation Of last
January. During that month seri-
Gus threats were made by the Dem
0cratic party that Mr.. Tilden would
be inaugurated by force, IL necessary.
Many people believed that the country
was on the verge Of trouble in con-
sequence of the rival claims for the
Presidential Office. Happily better
counsels prevailed, and the law crea-
ting the Electoral Commission was
passed by heavy majority in both
houses Of Congress At about the
same time Judge Davis was elected
to the United States Senate from
Illinois, and thus taken off the Su-
pTeme bench.
It had been in contemplation to
make him the fifth Judge in the
Electoral Commission. While Judge
Bradley may lament the circum-
stance which made him accidentally
the target for so much Democratic
criticism, yet the President probably
does not begrudge the new Illinois
Senator his political seat. With the
Inauguration of President Hayes the
country breathed more freely. The
disputes which threatened to end so
seriously had been settled by a tribu-
nal to which both parties had assem-
ted, and the uncertainty which hung
over the country cleared away.
The most remarkable events in
this country during 1877 were the
strikes and riots of July last. Like
all misdirected efforts of labor
against capital they resulted in doing
as much injury to the former as the
latter, and doing no good to either.
Commencing on the Baltimore &
Ohio, they rapidly spread to the
Fort Wayne and Pennsylvania Rail-
ways, where their fury seemed to
eliminate. The terrible scenes en-
acted at Pittsburgh are too fresh in
the mind to need recapitulation. In
their blind fury the rioters destroyed
millions Of dollars OF property and
scores OF lives were sacrificed. Pitts
burgh has been financially ruined
thereby, and attained an infamous
notoriety that will not be effaced for
a century. The disturbances spread
to all the large cities and many of
the small ones.
The commercial stringency has in
creased during 1878, rather than
abated. In Chicago no less than
twelve banks and bankers have
closed their doors. While some OF
these failures are to be attributed to
fraud and folly, many OF them are the
result, pure and simple, Of deprecia-
ton In values and circumstances
over which the managers themselves
could exercise no control. The same
has been true all over the country.
Notwithstanding the immense crop
which was harvested in the finest
condition, the year goes out with a
feeling o: insecurity pervading the
whole country. AS consequence
the agitation for a restoration OF sill
YER to the coinage has become gener-
al and seemingly invincible. The
brief extra session OF Congress did
not suffice to allow the passage Of the
bill as presented, and hence the
measure of relief for which the
country asks will have to be included
among the laws OF 1878.
In May last ex-President Grant
sailed for Europe on a prolonged
visit. He was everywhere received
with the most distinguished honors
by the exalted personages with whom
he came in contact.
The Indian troubles on the frontier
which eliminated in the bloody Nez
eTercs r,have been suppressed, and
ublesome chief and his bant
are now at Leavenworth. Sitting
Bull Is not likely to again cross the
border, unless peacefully inclined,
and the wars with the aborigines
seem to be permanently terminated
It is a sorrowful fact that thil
appears to be only due to the fac
that there are few Of them to fight
and that they are too feeble to con
tend against the overwhelming force
OF the United States. Our Indians
have been constantly subject to tn
policy OF fraud and determination.
In the far East The people hav'
suffered in a manner unknown to u
In America. The great indian fam
inc has spread over a population a
large as that of the United States
and has numbered its victims by the
hundreds of thousands. The failur'