The Russellville Democrat., 1882-02-16
VOL. VIII.


 Circuit Court commenced at Darda- peIIe last Monday.
 Gen. Hancock was in Little Rock on the 7th and the citizens gave him q grand reception.
 The local prohibition law and the Fishbacl amendment are topics being discussed by the State press.
 -Thcrc will be no racing over the courses at Little Rock this Spring. The failure of last years crop the cause Of it..
 The postmaster at Woodson, on the Pine Bluff road, borrowed all the mon cv he could, stole his partner out of $lGl0 and skipped the country,
 While crossing Seventh street at Washington, 10th inst, Senator Lamar was struck by a team of horses, and badly, though not seriously hurt.
 -Reducing the service on the St. Louis and Iron Mountain read has re- suited in the destruction of bridges, wood, etc, along the road by the labor CTS.
 Under article ,, Sec. of the Con- stitutlou it is made the duty of the governor to issue writ of election to fill the uncXpired term of the late Jolln r. Hill, State Senator.
 A mass meeting was held on the llth in Memphis endorsing with joyful hearts the decision of the supreme court declaring the funding act uncon- stiutional.
 -Be ltonyille and Rogers is to have railroad connection. Articles of ineor- poration were filed in the office of sec rctary of state on the Huh Feb. The line is only six miles.
 Justice Hunt has tcndered his res ignation. Another Justice on the Su- prcme bench is to be appointed. What an acquisition to the country if the president wopld appoint Thos. Coo ley to fill the place of Hunt
 There is but one reaso n in favor of an extra session of the legislature. Times arc unusually hard, provisions and supplies so extraordinarily scarce, aud no money to buy with, that the collection of taxes ought to be suspen- dcd tall next year.
 The cotton crop is estimated at over 5,O00, ,000 bales. The decline in cotton is said to be attributed to finan- cial pressure. In the last week there has been great decline in grain as well as cotton. Hard times aud scar city of money the cause of it.
 In accordance with the original contract with the boudholders the last iustallmcnt of the national bonded in- debtednesS becomes due and payable in 1907. It bears interest at i per cent. in coin. Principal $73S, 76S, $50 which is nearly one half of the whole funded debt.
 And still the prohibition spirit goes marching on. A resolution has been introduced in the Senate by Plumb, of Kansas, proposing an amend mend to the Constitution to prohibit the manufacture, importation, or sale of any kind of distilled spirits as bev- erago within the United States or Ter ritories. When accomplished we shall hear no more of the "blind tiger"
 Upon a peace basis the German army is composed of 230,000 men; the English Army, 120,000 men, and the United States army of 25,000. The expenses of maintaining the German are $S3, 300, ,000; the English, SEQ ,000,- 900, and the United States, S10,o00,0 ,0O0. In proportion to size the United States army is maintained at the greatest cost of any in the world. The expense of the l.. $. army is nearly half as much as is required to maintain the German army.
 Tennessee bonds in Il muddle. It is rumored that the Supreme Court of that state has its judgement made aud will be out in few days, declaring the funding act of the last legisl ature un- constitutional. It is not definitely or generally known upon what ground
 LArER.-lhe supreme court decided Feb. II the funding act unconstitution- al upon the ground that the act prorid- ed that the coupons were receivable for taxes; that the legislature could not make valid contract making coupons receivable for taxes for % years.
 It is iatimated that the initiatory steps are on foot for an appropriation to bc made by Congress paying each one of the jurors in the Guitenu ease $lO00 That would be bad precedent, indeed, one step in the direction of knocking down the safe guards thrown around the accused. If, in cases of great popular prejudice the jury is 10 he rewarded with handsome sums of money for verdict that meets the ap- proyIl of the populace, then there is no protection tO innocence when accused of crime. The scrupulous and consci- entious conviction of the innocence or guilt of the accused from the law and evidence ought to be the ouly incentive