smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

The original of the following private
letter from General Lee to his son was
found at Arlington House, and is interest
ing as illustrating phase in his charac-
ter:


ARLINGTON TlousE, April 5, 1852.


My DEAR Son am just in the act of
leaving home for New Mexico. My dear
fine old regiment has been ordered to
that distant region, and must hasten to
see that they are properly taken care of.
! have but little to add in reply to your
letters Of March &c, 27, and %. Your
letters breath true spirit of frankness
they have given myself aud your mother
great pleasure. You must study TO be
frank with the world frankuess is the
child of honesty and courage Say what
you mean to do on every occasion, and
take it for granted you mean to do right.
Ia friend asks favor you should grant
it, if it is reasonable if not tell him
plainly why you cannot you will wrong
him and wrong yourself by equivocation
of any kind, Never do wrong thing to
make friend or keep one the man who
at sacrifice. Deal kindly, but firmly,
with all ycur classmates you will find it
the policy which wears beat. Above all,
do no, appear to others what you are not.
lfyou have any fault to find with any
one, tell him, not others, Of what you COM
plain there is 10 more dangerous exper-
iment than that Of undertaking to be one
| thing before mans face aud another
behind his back. We should live, act,
and say nothing to the injury Of any one.
1t is not only the best as matter of prin-
ciple, but i! is the path to peace and hon
or.


In regard TO duty, let me, in conclusion
of this hasty letter, Inform you that near
ly hundred years ago there was a day of
remarkable gloom and darkness, still
known as the dark day, q day when the
light of the sun was slowly extinguished,
as if by an eclipse. The Legislature of
Connecticut was in session, and as its
members saw the unexpected and unac-
cohntable darkness coming on, they
shared in the general awe and terror. II
was supposed by many that the last day
Of judgment, had come. Some ono, in
the CONSERVATION of the hour, moved an
adjournment. Then there arose an old
Puritan legislator, Davenport, of Siam
| ford, who said that ii The last day had
come, he desired TO be found at his plaoe,
doing his duty, and, therefore, moved
that candles be brought in, so that the
House could proceed with its duty. There
was quietness in that mans mind-the
quietness Of heavenly wisdom an infex-
lble willingness to obey present duty.
Duty, then, IS the subimest word in our
language. Do your duty in all things
like the old Puritan. You cannot do
more you should never wish to do less.
Never let me and your mother wear one
grey hair for any lack of duty on your
part. Your atiectionate father,


h. Il. LEE.


rrn @ w ITnrIis 1oo
Year: 1864

n~It is reported from Paris that the
King of the Sandwich Islands has SEPT an
ambassador 10 France to say that he
would gladly accept the ptotectorste OF
Napoleon, giving large territory in pay
rent for the support.
Year: 1864

IHE FORTHCOMING DRArT-Previous to
the election, one of the Washinton cor
respondents of the World stated incident.
ally that the call for five hundred thous-
aud men had been a failure, and that the
necessity of the service wss such that a
new draft would certainly be ordered
early in the winter. For publishing this,
the World was very heartily abused, and
the statement was pronounced an elec.
pioneering canard. While no official de-
NAL was made, certain INSCRIPTIONS city
journals were used to declare
that there would be no more drafts, as
the administration had all the men il
needed to finish up the war. Mr.. Whit
ing, solicitor of the War Department, also
made a'speech in Boston, in which he said
1--WE quote from the Hartford Cdurant of
NovGber 3dD:


There could be no improperly in
stating that on the first day Of October we
had received, under the last call, over one
hundred and twenty thousand volunteers,
and he had been informed by authority
TO which he gave the highest credit, that
the last draft. when completed, wOua furnish
all the men that sOould be needed for tic uar."


Yet when Mr.. Whiting made this
speech he knew that preparations for the
new draft had been going on in Washing
ton ever since September last.


The documents we give elsew here show
that the new draft is coming right along.
1t may be postponed until Congress can
strike out the provision permitting the
hiring Of substitutes, but it is tolorable
certain that January cannot pass without
the enforcement of real con scription -
such an one as we have not had since the
war commenced.
Year: 1864

E-E5- Do not forget the election for Judge on
the 9th (prox.) 1t is an Office Of the highest
Importance, which the people are apt to disre-
gard AL our vast civil interests will b. at the
disposal OF our Courts, when the war is over,
and many very different cases will arise in their
adjustment. 1t IS important to have the best
man oa the bench, and the vote should be cast
wholly regardless Of personal favor. IL is not
like political election. As a Judge can neither
exercise enmity nor partially on the bench, SO
he should be placed there without either, by the
same calm impartial judgment, which be is him
self bound to exercise. 1t is important also,
that the fyI(Tote Of the District be expressed.
We hop~S therefore, that every voter in the Dis
trictrsill make it point to vote that day. for
thE man OF his choice.
Year: 1864




MEASURE OF NIBRATIoNs.-W often
read of delicate measurements, the mi
nuteneSS of which strikes US with sur
prise: and the question at once presents
itself, by what means such extraordinary
precision can be attained, as will, for in
stance, give US the hundredth part Of a
second? On this subject we find some
curious methods and apparatus described
in an important professional work entitled
"Traites des MecaniSmes," by II. Haton
de 10 Goupiliere. Suppose it were re.
quircd to measure the exact time of the
descent Of the hammer Of gunlock on to
the nipple; the motion is so rapid that
the most delicate stopwateh is at fault
A needle might be fixed to the hammer,
so as. in descending, to mark o curve on
blackened metal plate; but still the
time would be an unknown quantity. 1t
may, however be measured by means Of
a tuning fork, also provided with mark
ing needle; then, while the former one
marks the curve described by the descent
of the hammer, the second needle will
mark the vibrations Of the fork and, as
we know that they are isochronous, each
of the small sinuosities thus obtained on
the blackened plate will represent frac-
ton of time, and show how many such
minute fractions elapsed during the fall
of the hammer. To give an idea Of the
degree of precision which may be attained
by this process, let US suppose the normal
French tuning fork, which performs eight
hundred and ninety-six vibrations in a
second; then the duration of each will be
one eight hundred and ninety-sixth of a
second; and as the greatest error that can
be committed cannot exceed half vibra.
tion, the measurement will be exact to
one seventeen hundred and ninety-second
part of q second. A similar apparatus
has been employed in counting the yibra.
tions of piece Of ordnance. In this case
the needle is made to curve on cylinder,
and, in order to avoid the confusion re-
sulting from the needle passing twice over
the same ground, the cylender is made to
advance while it turns, SO as to move like
a screw. When such an apparatus is ap-
piled to the pulsations Of the heart, it is
called sphygmograph. The strokes are
communicated by means of air tubes to a
very elastic membrane, and thence to q
system of levers bearing needles which
trace the corresponding curve on turn.
ing cylinder. The contrivance was in-
vented by Vierordt.-[Galignani.
Year: 1864

PuNcn says that the other day lady
STOPPING over her sewing machine, got q
most painful stitch in her side.


DR.. FRANKLIN said a good kick out of
doors is better than all the rich uncles in
the world.


LOVE and bad weather are things We
had better keep out Of if we can.


A SICK cobbler must be regarded as be-
ing we'll when be begins to mend.
Year: 1864

SIMPLE MODE OF COMPUTING INTEREST.
A new method of computing interest on
any number of dollars at six per cent.
which appears simple. Multiply any
given number of dollars by the number
of days of interest desired, separate the
right hand figure, and divide by six l.; the
result is the true interest of such for such
number of days, at six per cent. This
rule is so simple and so true, according
to all business usage, that,every banker,
broker merchant or clerk should post it
up for reference and use. There being
no such thing as fraction in it, there Is
scarcely any liability to error or mistake.
By nc. .other arithmetical process can the
desired Information be obtained with so
few 6zu.es
Year: 1864

We made a short visit to Johnsons L.
land on Saturday. Every thing about the
Island bears the imprint of neatness and
order. We were informed that two forts
are to be erected on the Island, one in the
rear Of headquarters, east Of the prison,
commanding the approaches to the Island
from the entrance Of the Bay. The one in
the rear Of headquarters will be on the
highest point Of the ground on the Island,
and viii effectively command the appro-
aches to the Island from every quarter
Sandllsku Rsqister.
Year: 1864

Sam Cox was handled roughly in Rich
mond, Indiana, because when the people
were about to hurry out Of the place e
blathering rebel with whom Cox was, the
latter attempted to interfere, drew pis-
tol and finally got roughly handled. That
comes from being in bad company.
Year: 1864

believed in this doctrine is unquaiiAedlv
false. There never has been an hour in
which the States were recognized as abso-
lutely sovereign. Nevertheless, Mr.. Stepb-
ems sees in the action Of the Chicago Con-
vention beam of light The Ncrsh hum
bles itself if It allows of q Convention of
the States. State Sovereignty against
which we have been fighting, is
directly acknowledged. There will be no
genuine peace until this heresy of State
sovereignty is settled forever bv the sub
| jugatlon OF the rebels. The issue to be de-
cided in the November election involves
the question whether this country Is or 4
not nation, and the election of tie Union
candidates will be q measure for speedy
peace. Peace will come soon alter their
election, and 3 peace which viii give US 3
truly free country, without slave within
its borders So long as slavery was a mat
ter Of the States-so long as it was g do
mestic institution, We had no right to touch
it, and we did not do so. But when they
made national question Of slavery, the
Government had a right TO touch It. And
if it leaves q slave in the country It viii
be both unwise and unjust The Southern
States have put themselves out Of the pale
Of the Constitution, and we are now
pledged to do what ten years ago, it would
have been crime to do. Slavery must
fall with the rebellion, and they both viii
surely fall.
Year: 1864




VieuA Of the ReOeI PrisOuers Taken


BY SheFldau.


The New York HSraLFs correspondent
with Sheridan thus writes: i.-t3I


l have eonversed with many of the
prisoners We have captured, and there
seems 20 be but one opinion among them.
They are all very anxious for peace. They
say that if our Government would only lat
them come back and have the rights thew
had before the war they would all be glad
to throw down their arms. But the7 have
been told, and the most of thom believe.
that we wish to keep thom in eternal sub
lection, and the most Of the misguided
creatures are fighting, they think, 70 free
| themselves from vassalsSe. This belief is
instilled into their minds by both the press
and the pulpit. After such discouraeing
reVerses as the rebels have met with in
the Valley, it is reasonable to suppose that
they will not be foolhArdy enough to offer
| battle to General Sheridan again. The
idea that rebel army cannot exist in the
valley since the burning of the grain and
forage is all CANNON They brought any
quantity Of -four and NEST with them, and
issued very large quantities of those arti-
cles to the needy citizens However, if
they are very anxious TO redeem the Val
ley, presume Generals Sheridan and Tor
bett viii be only too happy to meet any
new savior they may send. to meet
them.
Year: 1864

HILTON HEAD, Is. Co. NOVEMBER 80, 1854


For days. by order of the military authorities at
this point the publication of newspapers has been proh
operations 10 the Interior.


Yesterday morning at three O'clock MsloF Gen j. G.
Foster commanding the Department Of the South sailed
from Port Royal and proceeded up Broad river to Byds
Point i've miles below Pocoaligo bridge. Upon his
rival there the General ordered the Decentralization of
bis forces and succeeded in eecting landing without OPP
position


Alter landing and forming his column the General or.
dered the troops TO advance Gen j. P Hatch with his
command led the van. and Gen Potter brought up the
rear with his reserve corps The column had moved but


short distance when the advance detachment encountered
seven rebel pckets and after successful vancouver
ing and spirited charge. captured the entire number


The latest Information received here from the of
operations is to the effect that Gen Foster made an
mediate attack Pocotaligo bridge, and after sharp
fight succeeded in capturing it, obging the garrison to
evacuste summary and hastily BY the capture of the
bridge large quantities of cotton fell into the hands of
forces For the want of sufficient transportation the cot
ton is being destroyed.


Two former attempts have been made upon this posi-


on but persistent the opposition of the enemy that
both we're abandoned In the present instance Gen. Fos
ter has succeededn its capture without the loss of single
man. 1t is generally supposed that the enemy is ex
tremey weak aong the coast having considerably essened
the strength Of his garrsons order concentrate force
against Sherman
Year: 1864

From the Richmond Enquirer of November 25th.


On Thursday lest serious attempt was made by the
Federal prisoners confined at Salisbury (N c. to make
their escape, which was rapidly and esctuay queed at
the expense of considerable Yankee blood 1t appears


that plot had been formed among the prisoners of whom


there are at Salisbury thirteen thousand to
the interior guard Of the encampment then break
through the line of the parapet guard and after securing
al the they could to march through Western North
Carolina into Tennessee and make good their escape In


the first part of their programme they succeeded The
interior guards overpowered and two of the
unfortunate men were killed while resisting. They then
attacked the parspet guard who fought bravey against


the terrible odds until the alarm had been fully commu
nicated to the garrison and two pieces Of artillery
thrown into position bearing upon the encampment Two
of the parapet guard killed their gallant defence
In good time the artillery opened and, after few rakpg
discharges Of grape aud canister the nEurrectonsts cried
out for mercy, ard declared that they would make fur
ther effort to get away BY this time they COM
plee!y surrounded with artillery and infantry and it is
well for them that they cersed their demonstration and
sued for mercy. In ten minutes the whole camp
would have been of slaughter As it about
forty killed, and large number wounded. Thus
very foolish attempt TO escape from Confederate dursnce
has ended 1t will prove, doubt lesson TO prisoners
in the South But for the coolness aud IL may be added
the consideration Of the officers commanding the garrison
the punishment i1hcted upon these misguided capves
would have been far serious, if indeed il hSd not
amounted to the aunihilstion of the entire BODY.
Year: 1864

The New York Times, of the lst instant, in
some judi,ous reflections on the only issue and
the only solution of the war, takes occasion to say


"We can tell the South, IN all sincerity, that ths
Northern people will carry this to any extremity
rather than st The nationality be broken This is TIE anal
erabts determination Of nnsens Of the Northern people
ohether supporters opponents Of PTssdent Lineoins
Administration"


1t is in the presence of such statements, made
after the Presidential election, that we can mea-
sure the wicked injustice Of those representations
by which, before the late election, it was common
for the Republican press to charge the supporters
of Gen. Mcclellan with disloyalty to the cause of
the Union. The admission Of the Times carries
with it the corollary that the real issues of the
late canvass were hidden from the people by par
tisan calumny and misrepresentation
Year: 1864

From ne Cumberland Telegraph


Ga Monday last. about ii O'Clock A H.. three four
hundred rebel cavalry, estimated by peraons who
saw them, belonging TO the different bands that have
often been nesng this locality, suddenly appeared at
New Greek an having completely surprised the garrison
stationed there captured it almost without resistance In
fact said the fort taken and the guns turned upon
our men before they realized their situation Oar troops
there being portions of the Fifth and Sixth West Virginia
Regiments snd numbering three hundred men, were all CAP
tured except what few have escaped to the mountains
The extensive Government buildings used for quarter
master and eommissary purposes all destroyed with
their contents that could not be carried away large
number Of horses and cattle were also captured The
whole loss to the Government is estimated at very large
amount If the facts be true We have heard this has
bsen one Of the most rcusabe buuders Of the war 1t
was complete surprise in broad daylight and that too
with Knowledge of the fact that an enemy was near
We do not know where the blame attaches there be any,
but we do hope that the proper authorities will take the
matter in hand and fully investigate it, and punish the
guilty parties, whoever they may be.
Year: 1864

The overland emigration during the past season IS said
to have exceeded hundred and fifty thousand souls 1t
difficult to trace the destination Of these vast migratory
mulhtudss but undoubtedly they send tributary detach
meuts to Montana IDAHO Colorado Nevada Oregon and
California. SO far discern, the main body prefer
Colorado, Nevads, and California The most surprisipg
and Thing connected with this migratory move
ment that it st continued up to the latest dates AS
illustrative of this quote the suboued from letter to
the Chcsgo Tribune, dated November l4lh:


The amount Of travel westward and the rapidly with
which Territories being psoped can scarcey
be conceived Of by those who dwelling quietly at home


took the pains to count the which we met
the road in day outward bound They numbered by
actual count sixteen hundred and seventy cattle They
mostly loaded with machinery owned by gold comps-
MES in Colorado, though going further west
do not know whether the trains met day counted
them would or less than average but il but hall
the number only should be met every day through the
son. oil can see by simple act OF multiplication that the
Of the road alone is beyond the reach of ordinary
minds 10 comprehend its vasness and scarce worth
the count Yet am told that there is lying at Atchlson
Leaye1wOrh, and Kansas City machinery than
be freighted out tbs by all the means within
reach Wagon masters are Offering from 500 to SIPS
per month TO the drivers Of oxteans and yet cannot get
supplied"


By the rapid extension westward Of the settlements 10
Kansas aud Nebraska together with the progress eastward
Of the settlements in Colorado, as we'll as the establish
ment Of stations and ranches along the emgrant
trail, tbs journey is shorn Of its rmer terrors
Philadelphia Amsrt, al
Year: 1864

The New York Evening Post Of Thursday says: " The
military authorities aud the police acting together for
the detection Of the persons concerned in the plot fire
this city, and doing all that lies in their power to unravel
the mystery. Military Commission now 10 session,
taking testimony ia regard to the plot; but it would
defeat the purpose in view to make known any thing
nected with the proceedings Of that body information
withheld There is doubt that the persons con-
cerned in the plot here Of the class the De-
tro and ST. Absns raiders and that in those csses
they dispersed and returned to their asylum Canada the
moment they thought they had accomplished their work
There s strong to believe that them will be
detected and made to pay the penalty Of their crimes Our


information is derived from the best All persons


from the insugent States whether they have been here
since the commencement of the rebellion or now arriving
are required to report and register their names The
number Of these persons no has been much
oVertated many who here from Kentucky and
Missouri, which are not States in rebellion"
Year: 1864

The New York Times very opportunely argues


that one Of the mos urgent dutit Of Congress is
retrenchment For the first thIas- years Of the
war; it says, the nation has conducted the strue gle
on the principle of immense outlays of money and


men to accomplish great results speedily, The


following views seem to differ somewhat from those


Of the President in his message The Tunes says


We are spending al a frghtiu rate. Our taxes ara
stretched almost to the extremity The gold bssyug loans
will soon come to al end from the limit fxei BY the gold
returned IA dutes New loans viii be placed sId readily
taken but they cannot probsb!y onehaf Of our daily
expenditure. Production itselt--IEa measure Of ouT
wealths already feeling the effect Of the oaa OF labor
and has diminished in the most important cereals about
per cent during the last year instead OF ncreaang
we had hoped it would do 1t is true that the most re
markabe and fortunate development Of our mineral Il
during the last three years in the produce a7
mines Of Colorado and Neysd and The sudden discover,
OF petroleum in immense quantities give " much hops
for the future Still we spending gigantic scale
There IA limit even to the power Of ths nation in boar
ing public debt 1t should always be borne mind thst
national bankruptcy among the things possible OF The
crushing the rebellion there can be 40 doubt but il
may bs gained through the destruction Of The public credit
Bankruptcy in the Free States would DO \ calamity ii
which in all the material evils OF this war We have nogel
yet experienced even the resemblance"
Year: 1864

The British Government has just issued through The
medium Of the Canada Gazette, the following order hay
ing reference to international relations


Whereas the Governor in Council has deemed it <.
pedent that the expectation and aso the carrying coast
wise, or by inland navigate Of arms, ammunition
gunpowder and military and naval stores and any articles
manufactured for the purpose Of forming part Of any kind
Of description Of for the purpose Of mounting the
same, from our Province of Canada be prohibited:


"Now, therefore, know ye that do, by and with the
advice and consent Of Executive Council and by this
royal proclamation, prohibit the expectation from our
Province Of Canada the carrying of coastwse by
inland navigation, any manner or way whatever OF
arms, ammunition gunpowder, or military naval
tores any articles manufactured for the purpose of
forming part Of any kind description Of arms for
the purpose of mounting the OF all which our low
ing subjects to take tce and govern themselves
cordingy."


Quebec paper, speaking in the interest Of the Gov
ernment says has taken this from information in
its possession that Southerners aDd their sympathzers
in certain Western towns, "sre manufacturing and clan
dcstiney collecting, at convenient points shot she'll and
cannon"