smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1868

At the great Democratic meeting, over
which he presided, in the public square of
the Borough of York, Pennsylvania, on Mon
day evening, August "a, Hon. Jeremiah S.
Black delivered an eloquent and interesting
speech:


The following were his concluding re-
marks:


Congress must be sadly dcmoralized al
ready OF course you will not believe without
evidence, that they vote on money bills as
they vote on constitutional questions, accord
ing to theirinterests and not according to their
public duty. But if it were proved to your
entire satisfaction that they represent their
own breeches pocket with far greater fidelity
than they defend the rightsof the Taxpayers,
it would not excite your surprise or lower
them in your estimation. They cannot commit
any higher crime than that of betraying the
liberties for which our forefathers suffered
and died. If they have done that you may
say to them what Otbello said to the man who
slandered his wife


Never pray more abandon all remorse,


On horrors head horrors accumulate;


For nothing canst thou to damnation add


Deeper than that."


But look a little further and see the horri-
bic effect of their example,. Congress has
taken control of the Executive branch. The
Senate usurps the power of removal from Office
and forbiGs It's exercise by the President
they are masters of the administration and
command the army of holders Of
course the subordinates are ready to adopt
the code of morality which their masters act
upon. All dishonest officers may say to Sen
ators and Representatives, You are bound
to protect us we are not faithful to the pub
lie, but we are as true as you are to the party
aud ourselves you swore to support the Con-
stitutiou and we swore to perform our duty
with fidelity; our oath is no stronger than
yours if you can swindle the nation out OF
her liberties, what shall hinder US from cheat
ing the Treasury? Aye, the lesson you have
taught us we will learn, and it shall so hard,
but we will better the instructions"
The consequence is, that We have the most
corrupt government on the face of the earth.
l cannot speak with perfect accuracy, but
believe am within reasonable bounds when
l tell YOU that a thousand millions would not
cover the frauds committed since the close of
the war. We have the heaviest debt that
the industry of any people ever struggled un-
der without being totally crushed, and it is
| increasing instead of being diminished. We
| are taxed enough to keep the government
running and to pay off the whole debt in ten
| years, if the money were honestly applied
| But one-half the internal revenue imposed
! by the Federal Government aud collected
from the people, is stolen before it reaches the
Treasury, and the other half is seuandered
by Congress in schemes of the most extrava-
CANT corruption. Before the war our current
expenses we're less than seventy Ave millions
of dollars; noy they are nearly four hundred
millions. besides the interest on the national
! debt and without eoEnting what is stolen an
Year: 1868

transitu. The financial difference between
Democratic rule and DIongrel mis- rule is
worth your serious attention.


This is the necessary result of the Radical
system 1t cannot be otherwise as long as
they remain in power. No evil tree can
bring forth good fruit. If you cease to be
governed by law and allow yourselves to be
held down by mere brute force you must pay
for it, Tyranny is always expensive. The
price of your enslavement will be proper
TONED to the cruelty of the vassalage Con-
gress keeps up an army, a navy, a Freed
mems Bureau, aud other machinery of des-
potism, and makes US pay hundreds of mil
lions for them, in order to maintain in the
South lawless domination of negroes, scala
wags and carpet baggers. By this means
they hope not only to control the South but
to do what they please il the NOrth--;o rule
us for their pleasure and plunder Us for their
profit.


The most hideous shape that tyranny ever
puts on is that of corrupt oligarchy, where
the forms of free government are coupled
with substantial despotism, where the rights
of the people are acknowledged in theory,
while they are practically trodden under foot;
where there is written Constitution which
the rulers swear to preserve without keeping
their odths Rather than see Gen. Grant
elected President, with the understanding
that he is to administer the government on
the Congressional plan of disregarding all
constitutional obligations, it would be far bet
ter to let him or somebody else be proclaimed
absolute dictator, and abolish the Constitu-
tion at once. For myself, if must choose
between the two most frightful evils that ever
scourged the human race, will, without hes
itation, take an unlimited monarchy, in pref
crence to rotton republic.


But we are not reduced to that alterna-
tive. We will save our institutions by put
ting an end to the power which threatens
their overthrow. This mighty and puissant
nation is already ''rousing herself like a
strong man after sleep, and shaking her in
vincible locks" We will elect Mr.. Seymour,
and the government shall be administered
again in the interests Of justice ana liberty
regulated by law.


Judge Black retired amid long continued
shouts of applause.
Year: 1868

should teach theology, or in any way exert a
sectarian influence. But that he should so
conduct his government as to encourage those
tendencies to good which are to some extent
the common Inheritance of all our youth
Let his system be SO nodded that there shall
unconsciously spring up in the youthful char
acter an antipathy to evil and love of the
true, the beautiful, and the good.


In this way he can make heroes, and no
other. 1 firmly believe: that the youth who,
with mind full of knowledge and with tacul-
ties trained by long and severe discipline, yet
enters the world with the purpose of crafty
ing selfish ambition. by means of his ac-
quired skill, is not half SO well educated as
the boy who has only graduated in grammar
aud arithmetic, but who goes among his fel,
lows with the high resolve to achieve noble
ends by noble means.


The Courier calls this Inauguration the
happiest affair in the whole history of their
schools. We are gratified to see the manner
in which our old friend, Capt. Mcdonald has
been received in his new home.
Year: 1868

Sydney Smith, in his work on Moral Phi,
losophY, speaks in this wise of what men lose
FOR the want of a little brass, as it is termed


"a great deal of talent is lost to the world
for the want of little courage. Every day
sends to their graves n number of obscure
men who have only remained in obscurity
because their timidity has prevented them
from making first effort, and who, if they
could only have been induced to begin, would
in all probability have gone great lengths in
the career of fame. The fact is, that in order
to do anything in this world worth doing we
must not stand shiverIng on the bank think
ing of the cold and danger, but jump in and
scramble through as well as We can. 1t will
not do to be Perpetually calculating risks and
adjusting nice chances; it all did very well
before tie Flood, when a man could consult
his friends upon an intended publication for
hundred and fifty years, and then live to its
success for six or seven centuries afterwards
but at present man waits and doubts, and
hesitates, and consults his brother, and his
uncle, and his first cousin, and his particular
friends till one day he finds he is sixty five
years of age, that he lost SO much time in
consulting first cousins and particular friends
that he has no more time left to follow their
advice. There is SO little time for over
squeamishing at present, the opportunity slips
away the very period of life at which a man
chooses to venture, if ever, is SO confined that
it is no bad rule to preach up the necessity,
in such instances, of little violence done to
the feeling, aud Of efforts made in defiance
Of strict and sober calculation.
Year: 1868

What is beauty, after all? Each eya
makes it for itself. You think Smiths lady
love raw-boned and hard-fGatured. lie calls
her magnificent woman" and wonders
what you see in your little angel with her
baby face apd stature. So it is the world
over and yet we would each give something
to be beautiful after our own fashion How
the powders and lotions which are to besiow
upon poor bilious mortal skins of satin and
snow, and the hair dyes and pomades, aud
cosmetics Of all sorts, sell, we need not men
ton to prove the facts In France, old indies
are being made over, at the cost of half thejr
fortunes. Heaven keep me from ever catch
ing glimpse of one of these enameled, dyed
and miserable old creatures after the renova-
ton. by the way. Yes, we all want to be
were what they should be. we might accdm-
plish our desire easily Meekness and love
make all faces pleasant. Were We good we
should be beautiful. We all feel this
There are plain features so charming with
the sparkle of good humor. that we love them
There are blemished faces 10 sweet thar they
more pleasant TO look upon tLan the most
perfect After all. it is in tie expression that
the actual Charm lies. So that were come onc
to promise the secret If beauty for tweSiv


five cents and postpaid envelope, he woula
scarcely be an imposier should he return ,he
golden rule with Instructions to learn apd
practice it. If we only do this earnestly and
truly for one generation, the next might won
der if it were not fable that snch thing
as ugliness was ever known upon old earth
Year: 1868

be in tho full maturity Of his health and
strength. He went TO the bench fresh, young,
and vigorous, before his physical constitution
had been impaired by great practice at the
bar he is used up-that is exactly the phrase
in Just seventeen years, for the three years oil is
service in the Common Pleas were years OF
comparatively light labor. The sittings in badly
ventilated court-rooms have done part OF the
mischief-hard work in chambers and in the
preparation Of opinions at home, the rest


Good Chief-Justices of the Massachusetts, stamp
are not to be had in every attorneys Office; !;
and the State viii find it difficult to supply
Judge Bigelow's place. 1t would have been far
better to Tighten his work and to keep him Tor
life; but that would have been quite contrary
to our American system, which presupposes that
every man of ability in any kind of sedentary
public employment musthave something the mat
ter with his brain or his stomach, so that ro-
bust clergyman is always suspected OF neglect
ing his duty, and Chief-JustIce without symp-
toms of apopexy is thought to be unsound IN
his law. The same folly lost England the SER
vices of Baron Talfourd and of Sir William
Follet, who were each killed off at an early
ACE. Why can't we be wiser in America
Year: 1868

When we yentured, very recently, to point
out the disastrous effect Of "OverW Work and
"Under-Rest" upon tho health and lives of
public men and of men of letters, we did not
anticipate that so soon we should have fresh
illustration of the truth of our remarks and Of
the Importance of the subject. Chief-Justice
Bigelow of Massachusetts,, in letter to the
Bar, upon the occasion of retiring from Office,
which he held by the life tenure, says: after
twenty years of judicial life, seventeen Of
(which have been passed upon the bench Of
"the Supreme Judicial Court, find that rad
"ical change, by which / can obtain permanent
"relaxation from constant and arduous labor,
"has become necessary. am admonished by
"my physicians sthat ] cannot look forward
with any degree Of certainty 10 a condition
"of health adequate to the discharge of my
official duties, if continue TO undergo the
confinement and incessant mental effort which
care essential to their due performance"


This is only repetition of the old, old story.
When we get hold of really good public man,
we work him TO death, treating him as no con-
siderate farmer would treat his day labOrers
and, in fact, as no intelligent horse-fancier
would treat his favorte trotters. Judge Bige-
low resigns at a period of life when no should
Year: 1868

The Coroners jury, in the cases Of the 30
persons slaughtered by tho Angola disaster on
the Buffalo and Eric Road, find that their
deaths were caused by the last two cars being
thrown off the track by bent axle in the for
ward wheels of the rear truck Of the rear car
of the train, "the axle being so bent (by causes
(which we have been unable to discovery that
the wheels dropped from the end of the frog
"inside of and did not lap on the wing rail,
thereby forcing the opposite wheels of that
"truck Off the rail, and the car off the track
The car had been inspected on that trip. but
the bent axle was not discovered, and could
only have been discovered by mechanical tests
moro accurate than the ordinary inspection.
The cause of the disaster seems to have been
of O character to elude ordinary or even extra
ordinary vigilance, and the verdict of the juy
will absolye tho company from blame In the
general judgment of the public.
Year: 1868

A


The Richmond Examiner, which devotes its
editorial columns mainly to working up war
of races in the South, and which hollis over, as
usual in abuse of everything that is from or in
the North, has at last found another malignant
enemy of the South, and pitches in after this
fashion:


"The ways OF Providence truly inscrutable Often
they are IN such apparent conflict with that goodness
and mercy with which they really instinct that the
afflicted guish If hrsaken OF God, while their ol
pressOrs point to their prosperity as proof OF His
special favor. Such IS the Souhs present case Tyrdn
nlzed outraged by man. the skies have been
propitious Consuming drouths AZ wasting inunda


tons have ruled the seasons. and the light and the
have reaped tho maturing haryests. Tho helds
prise and industry have been instead
Of benefit. and in place OF relief have resulte
in fresh disasters But perhaps this blight OF our agr
speedcr end The trial made sharper and that
tmey be shortened The conflict OF white and black Is
quickly and forever. The fanacs, like Parhasus, would
prolong the seses OF the South for their purposes
and profit, and exut they exclam, Sec how fine
agony works upon her brOwp But by wasted fields and
ca misrule intensified In their legitimate action and
will exhaust tho patience and tho ndgna


on OF the most caous heart and the most sunber
Ing conscience and thus secure relief II may be- before
all is lost Tor all his hOcere' The North must day
stDeror her positive wrongs, and for the remedial sGer
'ngs of q counterdcfhg Iroridenee."


We would not be irreverent; but 1t is diff
cult to repress q smile when one sees in down
right earnest the threat of Virginia editor to
avenge the evils Of drouth and unproductive
tillage upon the cursed Yankees, and get even
with God Almighty by giving New-England
something to suffer for.
Year: 1868

A correspondent, referring to the railroad ca
tastrophe at Angola, suggests the substitution
of air-tight wood stoves for coal stoves in cars
and that they be fastened securely to the floor.
We hope to be spared the experiment of test
ing in our proper person whether burning coal
or burning wood, if upset in railroad smash.
would cook q frst-class passenger the more
expedtiousy. Whether stove can be fast
ened securely in its place, SO as to remain there
through a smash-up, may be doubted; but If it
could, it may be well to consider whether the
same fastening should not be applied to the
passengers, or whether the stove should not be
large enough for all the passengers TO ride
"insider in case Of an emergency.
Year: 1868

There is unfortunately reason for believing
the report that the incorrigible old Jack-in-the
box, Santa Anna, has started up again In
Mexico and is cursing Yucatan with o fresh
attempt at revolution. He is terrible aftc-
ton to his native country, and up to the
present advanced period of his career has been
of no particular benefit to any portion OF the
human race, not even to himself. The best
thing ho can do now is to come back to New
York and open a cigar-shop. lie can no harm
in the United States, because nobody will mind
him; and if his course here does not promise
to be brilliant, it is likely at least to be safe.
Year: 1868

We have news from Mexico that the I'm.


perialists who had been condemned and par


doned for their adhesion to the Government Of
Macmillan, as well as those whose sentences
had been suspended, have been ordered into
exile. This is disappointing intelligence. The
sensible and liberal attitude of the Mexican Re
publcans toward theirconquered adyersares was
the best guarantee we had seen for the future
peace of the country. If reign OF vengeance
and prescription is to be inaugVreted, the fu-
ture looks dark indeed.
Year: 1868

We understand that the newly elected Alder
men have for some time been canvassing ways
and means for the removal of the venerable
David T. Valentine, Clerk of the Common
Council. Mr.. Valentine has been for thirty
years permanent officer in the City Hall. He
is the only man now in office who really knows
from experience the history Of tho City Gov
ernment. That he has discharged the duties
of his place conscientiously and intellgently,
no one doubts; indeed the attempt to get him
Year: 1868

out of the way, when one considers the char
aeter of those who are engaged in the effort,
is pretty conclusive evidence that he ought 10
be retained. We have no particular feeling IN
the matter; but it seems not only hard but,
so far as the public is concerned, at least
ipiudicious, to send off an old servant who has
spent nearly all his life in merely clerical
office and who, We may add, has done such
valuable service in exploring and explaining
the history of our city.
Year: 1868

The long uncertainty respecting the fate OF
DR.. Livingstone has at length ceased. The
Doctor is alive and well, and may now read with
special interest thousands of sympathizing
obituaries which tho papers of the civilized
world have devoted to him.
Year: 1868

1t may be wieked-we cannot help it,
but if we had seen the keeper of Libby
Prison at the New York Convention; if we
had been prisoners surrounded with the
filth. misery, starvation and tyranny, we
should have done just what the two soldiers
did, thrashed the custodian if we had not
been prisoners, likely we should have grated
our teeth, pressed our lips together, and
hissed something ike an epithet What
did that 6end who kept Libby prison want
at New York? Is he one of those trying to
save the nation? Is that the kind of stuff
of which Democracy is composed Is be
the man to dictate Democratic nominations ?
The Democrats, not content with the man
responsible in the moral law for New York
hangings, murders, burnings; not content
with Wade Hampton, YaIlandigham Rhett
and host of rebel Generals, Majors and
Captains, went so far as to have the jailor
of one of the yilest and most. abominable
deus in the world at the Convention. Are
the Democrats ashamed of the war? Let
the keeper Of Libby prison BY his presence
at New York answer. And what unspeak
able inpudeuce the jailor Of such den must
have to haunt himself in the streets of New
York City. Who can ever forget the
miserable condition Of the prisoners when
released; who has forgotten the horrors, re-
vealed by the Photographic art, of the suf-
ferings there endured To appreciate the
injury and insult fully, of the attendance Of
such a representative at the Democratic Con
vention, father, husband, brother or son
must lave been confined in one of the vile
dens down South.


To say the least, it was in exceedingly bad
taste to allow such a man to appear in a
representative character. Yet there was
no reproof, no apology the Democracy took
his appearance as a matter of course, and
must take now the odium that attaches to
Libby that hell hole of torture. CONNER
cidl
Year: 1868

TIE hopes of the Southern rebels are
thus expressed by the Mobile Tribune, a
rank secession sheet, in an article calling
upon the people to meet and endorse Sey-
mour and Blair:


five are successful in the approaching
contest we shall regain all that We lost in
the Lost Cause. We shall be able to re.
verse the iron rule which has been imposed
upon us, and turning that iren into brands
Of FIRE, hurl them back upon the heads oi
the fagitious wretches who have inflicted SO
many foul and fragrant wrongs on our blee.
ding country Once more to the breach
then-yet once morel and when the cloud
shall have cleared away from the flaming
field, our hsg--the grand Old Democratic
aag-will be seen in all its glory, and strea-
ming like the thunder cloud against the
wind.
Year: 1868

Toomba said in his Atlanta speech:
These so called Governors and Legislatures
which have been established ia our midst
shall at once be made to vacate. The Con-
vention at New York appointed Frank Blair
especially to GUST them. +"


Says the Montgomery (Ala.) AdUeTtiser
(ConserystiEe): ''It is better that the
Democracy Of the North should realize the
truth as to the Southern Presidential vote,
in order that they may proceed at once to
reflect upon the facts and resolve upon such
action as may be suitable to the case. 1t
may be relied on as fact that in the seven
so-called reconstructed States Grant electors
will be chosen, without any exception what
ever.


Howell Cobb's views Of the treatments
due to Southern Union men are as follows:


The doors are wide open, wide enough,
broad enough to receive every white man
in Georgia, unless you should discover him
coming to you creeping and crawling under
the Chicago platform. Upon them there
should be no mercy. They have dishonor-
ed themselves and sought to dishonor you.
Anathematize them Drive them from the
pale of social and political society. Leave
them to wallow in their own mire and filth.
Nobody viii envy them, and if they are
never taken out of the gully until reach
forth my hand to take them up, they viii
die in their natural clement Laughter
and applause J"


The following from the Mobile Tribune is
plain enough:


Friends -follow-eitizens of Mobile
comrades of the Queen City of the Gulf
let us make one more effort in behalf Of our
rights aud our liberties. IF we are success
full in the approaching contest we shall re-
gain all that we lost in the Lost Cause -


And this, from the Charleston Merc,ug,
is both plain and terribly significant:


Congressional reconstruction, as we
anticipated from the first that it would be,
is failure. To go on further with it, will
only involve danger and increase exaserpa-
llOus DUNG uuEUAcLlluLlUudt1 dA AUO
attemptto enfOrco it or to exercise power
by its authority are simply trespsssers. A
trespasser can be sued in an action for dam
ages, A trespasser may be justifably Kill
led. +"


The following, from the same paper, is
good reading for Northern Democratic edi-
tors and speakers:


THE platform Of the Democratic party is
square upon the letter of Gen. Blair, and
Gen. Blair's letter is the legitimate and
actual expounding of the platform 1t viii
avail little to deny it North, South, East,
or West Any palliation of the fact is a
perversion of the fact. 1t is more-it is all
faith to the body of the convention-and it
is an attempted deception of the voters at
the polls The Richmond E.oanliner is
correct when it says that those who attempl
to lead the Democratic party, if they intend
to abandon It's platform, might as well
abandon the field, for they are whipped
already
Year: 1868

TUE nomination Of Blair was the last
straw to break the camers back. When
the vote was being taken, an Alabama dele
gate made this significant announcement;
"As a rebel soldier Of Alabama, l take
pleasure in casting her vote for Frank X.
Rlair. -
Year: 1868

DEMOCRATIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
orators and editors have the audacity to lay
the charge of the responsibility for the
heavy taxation imposed upon Us BY a
Democratic rebellion, at the door Of the Re-
publican party. Was ever anything more
audaciousl Yet it Is but the old Democratic