smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1862

in the beginning, the suppression of news
from our fleets and armies is turning out to
be mammoth humbug. .


While the citizens OF this and every other
city are cheated out of the legitimate news Of
the day, the rebels are just as well posted as
they ever were. As a loyal citizen we are
perfectly willing to suffer any Inconvenience
that We may aid the Government, but we
can see no propriety in keeping back news
from US the knowledge of which can do
no harm. The suppression of dispatches is
left to irresponsible persons who appear to
think they must strike cut certain portion
of every dispatch whether it is contraband
or not. We have reason to believe that this
useless system will ere long be done away with
when we will again be able to furnish our
readers with descriptions of events as they
happen, and not have to wait till they have
been published in every paper in secessia.
Year: 1862

The Parson Brownlow, in
his Cincinnati speech, said he was slave
holder; but he had no hesitation in saying
that "when the question comes, as it will, the
Union and no slavery and slavery and no
Union,' he was for the Union and let slavery
go to the dogs, or where else it may be sent" :"
What rebuke to the snivelling hunkies in
our own midst who cry "hands off, when
ever it is proposed to tread upon the corns of
the peculiar institution"
Year: 1862

WHY THE MONITOR DID NOT PURSUE THE
MERRrMAc.- the success of the Monitor
in her encounter with the Merrimac, on the
9th Of March, many persons have expressed
their astonishment that the ''cheese box
did not pursue the retreating Merrimac, and
sink her before she arrived at Norfolk. 1t
was very feasible theory, but unfortunately
there was an insurmountable obstacle to its
being put into practice. The rebels have
constructed a trap at the mouth of Elizabeth
river, go that in case the Merrimac should be
compelled to fee from an attacking force, the
pursuing ships might be ensnared and CON-
PEELED to surrender. The channel of the Eliz-
abeth river was staked off with spikes so that
q clear channel of from seventy to ninety feet
only was left by which Norfolk could be ap-
preached. Just beyond the mouth Of the
river the Germantown was moored with
springs upon her cable and ready for instant
movement. The ship was also prepared, by
boring, SO that she could be sunk in five
minutes after the valve ropes were drawn.
The plan was, in case the Merrimac was pur
sued, to let her and her pursuers pass in and
then swing the Germantown across the chan
mel and sink her, thus placing an impossible
barrier to tho escape Of the pursuing vessels.
By examining the principle upon which
rat is trapped one may readily sec what would
have been the position of our "cheese box"
in the Elizabeth river with the bars put up.
All our efforts to release her would have
proven futile, and we should have been COM
PEELED to record far greater disaster than
the loss Of our two noble frigates. It must
be borne in mind that our enemies are as
fertile in invention as ourselves.
Year: 1862

men escaped in one way and another The field piece
lost, and rs doubtless now exhibition in the city
Of Savannah. That il result Of this crazy mode OF
conducting afars. The lessons may be valuable TO the
officers in the department, and they perhaps they
may not in the end prove too expensive.


Affairs on Tybee remain as quiet as usual The rebels
indulge in little pleasantly nearly every day IN the
shape OF ten-inch Shells which they throw from Fort
Pulaski to Tybee Island but which have not resulted
in any damage TO yet. They are determined 10
hurt some side am convinced, but they had
better wait awhile before they burn more powder, as
they can hardly afford II at present.


From Florida there is little or no news. General
Wrghps headquarters now in Jacksonville. Every
thing progressing quietly enough there except and
then skirmsh between the Regulators and pckets
We have lost two three by these scoundres and
General Wright s determined to put stop to it.


The missionaries are getting along rather unharmo
niousy in Beaufort Several to New York in the
Atlantic. The balance might as well CO.
Year: 1862




General George w. Randolph, the new Secretary Of
War, needs introduction to Virginia community.
grandson Of Thomas Jefferson, his public and proies
siona has reflected dscredt even upon that
husrious As lawyer he has no superior at the
bar of Virginia, and in forensic legal debate tho
strongest OF statesmen and advocates would find in
him a oeinan worthy Of their STEEL" We have listen
cd with great admiration to his simple unadorned ir
rcsstible current Of thought and logic which flows
smoothly, quiety and powerfully as great river.
Dignity and simplicity tho characteristics OF the
genius both OF the lawyer and the man. II those were
all Mr.. Randolphs recommendations, however, we
should think OF his being peculiarly qualified for
Secretary Of War; Mr. Randolph, however has received
military education, and during the present war has
shown vast energy and aptitude in military organization
rising rapidly from the post o, captain Of artillery to
that Of general until he has been honored with the
present most responsible and difficult position. Mr..
Randolph comes to the helm Of the ship dark hour,
with the tho breakers in hearing, and tho eager
throwing the spray and foam over her decks But
she has stout hearted board and the who
rightly collect and Apply their energy viii yet have
the prou satisfaction Of seeing her safe and aoat in the
open sea- her broad flag kissed by favoring winds and
his name honorcd and immortal.
Year: 1862

From the Fayetteville (N.C Observer, March Ill


Wo have been greatly cheered within day or two
past by information Of perfectly reliable nature, but
which are not at liberty TO detail to the public Wo
cannot withhold this much however, that bright pros
pect opens in the future Of most important results
in our favor. Besides what liberty to tell
the fact o the safe arrival Of 600 guns s OF ITSELF OF
ncalculabie importance.
Year: 1862

MAysvILLs, s. c., March Is, 1862


see in your paper Of to-day official call for lead
call for sulphur and sapetro had previously appeared
would respectfully suggest to the ordnance officer that
State il prac icabs be requested to agent pro-
curing each OF the above articles Unless depot FOR
these essential articles Is established in each district
hundreds Of citizens who would cheerfully give thom
for defence will be debarred the privilege. Ger
tainly any man who, at this critical period OF
our country's history, would hold back from
tho government property whatever which might aid
defence is infatuated beyond hope of redemption
Come up, fellow citizens in every possible way to the
rescue. Move withxpsed and energy and our country
shall be free. Delay and our cause is lost SUMTER.
Year: 1862




MORE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
1t will be seen that some mysterious hand
writing has been discovered upon the
walls of the prominent places in Rich
mond. The Union men, who, we were
assured some time ago, had a secret
league, no doubt find this writing the on
ly sure means of corresponding with their
friends. The Examiner, of the 10Th inst.
has the following comments


The citizens of Richmond had their pa
triotism shocked again yesterday NOR
ming by reasonable writings appearing
on the walls and public places in the city.
We are not of those who see in these de-
vices the evidence Of the existence in our
midst of feeling in sympathy with the
sentiments therein set forth-but rather
look upon it as the malicious work OF
some lawless characters who should be
arrested by the police and made to pay for
their mischievous doings under the laws,
by the imposition of fine for the deface-
ment of police property.


There may be traitorous design it,
but we do not believe it. Still the thing
may work evil by augmenting in weak
minds the excitement which the present
events naturally excite in all minds Fol-
this reason citizens would be justified il
visiting upon any one found so meanly
engaged, summary punishment, sudder
and severe, on the spot. Let the mid
night 'chalkers' look out, whoever they
be, whether secret foe in our midst, or 8
mischief maker at large. There is ven
geance sleeping for such, and it may fal
when not looked for.
Year: 1862

reception of Gen. Dan Sickles
by his brigade at Bottoms Bridge, was q
marvel of enthusiasm When Daniel
appeared on his well known white horse,
the guards were entirely unable to repress
the men, who. from all parts Of the camp,
rushed to surround him, throwing up their
caps and shouting themselves hoarse in
his honor. Gen. Dan. is not easily over
come, but he was affected to tears bv this
manifestation of devoted regard on the
part of his soldiers.
Year: 1862

g An attempt is being r1ade to resuscit2te
the Harper's Ferry Armory. The Secretary of
War has been requested to inquire into the
condition Of the Government works there. the
authority By which they were destroyed, the
amount necessary to repair the damages done
there, and the cxpediency Of restoring the ar
mory to be used as heretofore. ills probable
that Secretary stanton's report will put at rest
the subject Of rebuilding this armory,
Year: 1862

be returned To the treasury of the United States;
and all moneys SO returned shall bear an interest
at the rate Of six per centum per annum, until
paid by order of the Secretary Of the Interior to
those entitled to the same; and no money shall
hereafter be paid to any person or appoint.
ed by any Indian council to receive moneys due to
incompetent or ophan Indians, but the same shall
remain in the treasury of the United States until
ordered to be paid by the said Secretary to those
entitled to receive the same and shall bear six per
centum interest until so paid.


Sec. 7. And be ii further enacted, That
the following sums be, and the same are hereby
in like manner appropriated out Of any money in
the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the
Indian service in CALIFORNIA;


For salaries of clerks to superintendents Of In
dian Affairs for the Northern and Southern Dis.
trict of California, for three quarters Of the fiscal
year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and
sixty two, at eighteen hundred dollars pei annum
twenty seven hundred dollars


For the same service for the fiscal year ending
June thirty, eighteen hundred and sixty three at
one thousand five hundred dollars per rannum, three
thousand dollars;


For compensation Of five supervisors for the
reservations in California to instruct the Indians
in husbandry, for fiscal year ending June thirty
eighteen hundred and sixty three authorized by
act of June nineteen, eighteen hundred and sixty
nine thousand dollars.


For the purchase Of cattle for beef and milk
together with clothing and food teams and farm
ing tools for Indians, for the fiscal year ending
June thirty eighteen hundred and sixty three, fol
the Northern District of California, twenty five
thousand dollars


For the same for the Southern District Of Cali
fornia for the fiscal year ending June thirty eigh,
teen hundred and sixty three, fifteen thousand
dollars; Provided, That the Secretary of the Ia.
terror is hereby authorized and directed to inquire
into the expediency Of reducing the Indian roser
yatOns in California to two in number; the proper
places for the same the probable expense thereof
the propriety OF disposing ofany Of the reserva
tions, and tho value thereof, and the property
thereon; Of the manner and terms of such disposal
and, in what manner, in bis judgment, the expense
Of the Indian Department in that State can be re.
duced and its system smpied without injury to
the same, and report thereon to the next regular
session Of Congress.


Approved, July 5, 1862.
Year: 1862

Should one Of the high contracting parties here
after impose discriminating duties upon the pro-
ducts Of any other nation, the ether party shall be
at liberty to determine the manner OF establishing
the origin Of its own products intended to enter
the country by which the discriminating duties are
imposed,
Year: 1862

We learn that an officer belonging to one of
the regiments across the river, whilst riding
across the Long Bridge on horseback, yester.
river and drowned. The horse became fright.
ened by hearing the whistling of an engine
which was passing over the bridge n, the time.
Year: 1862

FRoA TIE New MIsEs-A gentleman nam


ed Lizot has shown the editor OF the Dalles
Moautaineer specimen Of Powder river gold


weighing twelve dollars He states that at


the time he left there was five hundred persons


10 the mines, all doing well and satisfied with


their prospects Provisions were very short,


and unless supplies are thrown into the mines


an early day, there must be great suffering.
There Is good road open through from the


Dalles TO Powder river for pack animals, and
loaded wagons can 60 to within few miles of
the mines The only obstruction in the way is
one or two miry places. which could be easily


Tiled up. and then the road would be open the


whole distance for teams. Communication


was open from Powder river TO Salmon Par
ties who had recently came over reported the
snow from three to four feet deep on the noun
taius. be roads leading out from the Dalles
are literally lined With miners. At present the
principal rush is TO Powder river, and not less
than two thousand persons are supposed TO be
on their way TO those mines. Very many of
these. most likely, will eventually reach the
Salmon. The communication between these
two mining districts Is open, and those who
are dissatisfied with their prospects in one
quarter can readily leave for the other


A gentleman on his way to Salmon river
writes from Lewiston, under date of April 90,
as follows Flour has been sold here at SO
per Dbl, but as some has come in, it will not
be over $50 The mines are not vet open,
and none bat foot passengers can get nearer
TO them than fifteen miles. A train of one
hundred men are now engaged 10 packing
goods INTO the mines on their backs.
Year: 1862

PERILoUs ENTERpR1sE-Th Sierra County
News says that a company of miners at Table
Rock are about to tap shaft full of water to
the depth of SO feet. They have dug within
20 feet of the shaft and are boring through
with an auger. 1t is a most perious under
taking for, if the survey be not correct, they
may drift under the vast column of water,
which would burst upon them with unmeasu-
rable power and certain death. The miners
perils are often greater than those of the bat
tie field
Year: 1862




An anonymous correspondent begins an
article with the remark that he has ''no ed
ication to write for newspapers" and calls
our attention in the following style to the
subject of taxing Cinnamon:


"The Cinnamon are certainly great dis
advantage to us; for the washing they do
is now sought after by emigrants and other
needy families; but the Cinnamon being on
the main street, so convenient that the
families are cut out of it; otherwise it
would afford many family living. The
Chinaman takes or sends all his money to
China. He wouldn't give cent for school
purposes nor any thing else having for its
end the public good so he is really dis


'antage to us in a money point of view,
Id if allowed to remain here will trouble
is as in California. But families would
give allthey could for the support of schools,
and besides be an advantage to the commu-
nifty. Can't our city fathers raise more tax
from the Chinese, or make it so high that
they will give place to good families? or
will everybody think it is not their busi-
ness to meddle with them, and SO let them
go until they will ask for privileges under
our laws?'


Contrary to our usual custom in reference
to anonymous communications, we give
place to the above. We believe there is
no Territorial law providing for the exclu-
sion or for the special taxation of China
men. and this being the case, we doubt
whether the city fathers have any authority
to tax them at rate beyond that levied
upon those engaged in other branches of
business. 1t is matter, then, first for our
legislators to act upon and to insure the
passage of such a law, petitions having this
end in view, should be circulated in COM
munities most interested.


The people of the upper country are es-
pecially interested in this matter, as the
Celestials will in future doubtless be insin-
uating themselves into all the mining re-
gions from which they have not been pro-
hibited by miners law-and where there is
no Territorial or State law upon the sub
ject, they can most likely find means and
advocates to nullify these local regulations.
The question as to whether the Chinese are
in any respect beneficial to States or COM
munities has been sufficiently we'll tested on
the Pacific coast to stimulate the people to
action; and it is from them, first, that a
law protecting them from their presence
must spring. For the present, and SO far
as our own community is concerned, we
think the evils complained of by our cor
respondent can be remedied. There are
but few people who would not patronize
''families" in preference to the Chinese ;
and we venture that the reason why this is
not more generally done, is that the fami-
lies do not make the same effort to get the
work. When they do this, they will OBJ
tain the patronage of the public, and the
Cinnamon must seek some other locality
for their business.
Year: 1862

FUND OUT THE Use OF THEM.-A
Florence merchant who was detained for
several days week before last at Wallula,
says that while dividing his attention be-
tween keeping the sand out of his eyes and
the volubility of the " Irrepressible,' he
observed number of workmen engaged in
digging holes in the street. Subsequently,
he saw them filling the holes up with cob
BILE stones The utility of the work he
was unable to comprehend until he received
a coEcussion upon his mental appara tus
from ''dornick" about the size of a goose
egg, which the wind had sent whistling
through the air, when he came to the con-
clusion that this system of burying the
stones had been resorted to by the inhabit-
ants of the place to prevent the total ami
hilation of the population during the prev
alence of the auttmnal zephyrS.
Year: 1862

A SELL.-A practical joker from the Vi
cinage of the ''old Fort" whom we shall
designate as "Van,' paid our city a visit a
few days since, and in his perigrinations
about town brought up in crowd who
were examining one of Wesson's rifles, re-
Gently brought out by the overland escort
Van, being an amateur sportsman, and an
excellent shot, took hold of the gun to ex-
anime it. After looking at it thoroughly
a wag in the crowd offered to bet him the
drinks he could not hit the ball on flag
staff that stood on the opposite side of the
street. "Done," says Van; pop went the
rife, and whiz went splinter from the
aforesaid ball. But hardly had the report
died away before Van found himself in the
bands Of i policeman, for the violation of a
city ordinance. Van wilteG; saw that re
was badly sold, and succumbed with as
good grace as possible As Charley led
him off to the Recorders office, he remarked
to the wag who sold him


"All right my boy-it's all the same to Van; 2


You've got me, but I'll get some other man."
Year: 1862

"CHAos." "A Dalles correspondent of
the Portland Times, writing to that paper
over the above signature under date of Oct.
18th, uses the following language in refer
euce to the editor of the MOuntaineer


So mote it tbe With all those who seek to
muzzle private opinion, and public exposure
of doctrines which have but one object
the downfall of the Union Not loved by
his household-gods, despised by the com
munity, and more than suspected by his
country, the worshiper of southern chivalry,
and craven images, violates the sanctity of
private life, puts decency to the blush by
the vilest of epithets, outrages social life
by slanderous attacks on men Of well-known
probity, and finally winds up by vilifca-
tions on men, women and children, whose
shoe-tie he is unworthy to loose. We could
even pardon this, but when he paralyzes
common sense, and sickens the ear with
bad grammar, worse phraseology, and COM
pound nonsense, we treat him as beyond
the pale of sympathy, and advocate the same
treatment that civilized communities author
ize to the rabid canine-strychnine or lead,
excellent antidotes to public nuisance.


PREPARATION FOR Observation-Disclosures
from the large wood piles corded up about
most of the business houses and private
residences in this city there will be but lit
tie inconvenience experienced on account
of the scarcity of this article the coming
winter, and wood merchants will not be
likely to receive the high prices paid last
winter. The present price is $S to $40
per cord.
Year: 1862

The same correspondent has the follow
Ing upon the subject of fues:


"There is one thing about the city that
certainly should be changed, and that is the
sheet iron stove fues should not be allowed
to come through a roof or side of house,
but brick fues should be built instead
We all can tell of many a house and some
towns that have been burnt up from sheet
iron fues A city ordinance to that effect
might save the town from being burnt I;
and where lumber is so high the loss would
be great Other towns are preparing
against this accident"


There is an ordinance providing for the
protection of property against fires, and the
fire wardens a short time ago gave twenty
days notice to all property-holders on Main
street and the alleys adjoining, that they
must within that time provide their build
ihgs with proper fues otherwise they
would be proceeded against according to
law. The twenty days time has expired,
and though we notice a number of build
ings within the limit described that are not
yet provided with fues, we presume the
wardens will do their duty in the matter
Year: 1862

Work FOR THE Cry FATHERs.-In-
asmuch as we are soon to have fire engine,
the city fathers should be providing house
for its reception and something in the shape
of cisterns The creek on Second street
will for the present obviate the necessity of
cisterns there; but Main street should be
provided with not less than three, with sup
ply pipes leading into them from the creek
at the head of the street. aaa -lslaloa.un