smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1860

The PosT OFFICE.-The NetD York Eren-
ing Post is strongly in favor of abolshing
the government monopoly Of transmitting
the correspondence of the people. After al
luding to the great saving, both to the gov
ernment and the people, which would thus
be made, it adds


''There is another advantage to be derived from
surrendering the mails to the private expresses
The expresses would be responsible for every dol
lar of money and every article of value committed
to their char5e The post office department is
not. If the government appoints a postmaster
who is rogue, or makes a bargain with dishOn-
est mail contractor, and he steals the money en-
closed in our letters, there is redress. Great
as cur loss may be, the government, whose agents
we were compelled to trust and who have robbed
us, makes no restitution Private expresses are
subject to a different rule. The government is
above the law and SCOTS at the idea of making
compensation to the injured person; public ex-
presses are compelled hy law to make good any
losses we may suffer from the infdelity of their
agents.


Then again, the expresses more punctual
than the government mails. In thousand in
stances the expresses outrun and distance the
mails. The expresses depend for success on their
reputation for availing themselves of the most
rapid means of communication, and delivering
letters and parcels with the greatest exactness; ;
the government has no such inducement to exer-
ton and vigilance. Whether it perform its work
well or i'll, we must employ it to carry our let
ters.


To speak the truth respecting the post Office de-
partment, it is, regarded simply from a financial
point OF view, spendthrift device, most expen-
sive folly. Fifteen millions of dollars are paid
annually to work this awkward and unsatisfactory
machinery, and only eight millions of dollars are
received back; so that we lose millions a
year by engrafting this excrescence upon our gov
ernment, in imitation of the practices of Europe.
This monopoly of the mails is such an intrusion
upon the province of individual enterprise, and
as foreign to the proper functions of government
as the monopoly of salt and tobacco which some Of
the governments of Europe have seized into their
hands We dare say there persons in certain
parts OF the old world who, by force of habit,
can as little form an idea of government without
the monopoly of salt and tobacco as some of those
in this country whom we call statesmen can form
an idea Of government without post office de-
partment-"
Year: 1860

NAPLES, Jan. Sd, IeOU.


Having determined t. ascend Mount Vesu-
vius and witness, on the spot, the eruption
commenced during the past week, we started
for Kesina, from which place the ascent is
usually made


On our arrival there, we found awaiting
us four sturdy steeds, and half dozen hardy
guides who were 10 accompany US up the
mountain As there were but four persons
in our party. besides our trusty courier, we
very naturally concluded that this force
would be all that we should require We
found. however, that as we advanced tho
number of assistants increased, and before
wa rooohed the top. we had an es-
cort of thirteen men, six horses, two sedan
chairs, and two hungry looking ours. When
we had ascended about wothirds OF the dis
tance to the new crater. We were obliged to
dismo. mt from our horses, place the ladies
upon chairs, and follow the guides over a
trackless extent of lava, which has become
hard, and which presented all kinds of rough
edges and sharp points. Over these we were
obliged to scramble as best we could, at one
moment dragging ourselves up steep height,
and at the next jumping into hole upon
the sharp lava. Path there was none, and
as far as the eve could reach, the huge mass
es of lava were piled around in wild confu-
sion The eight men who carried the two
ladies of our party. being accustomed to this
kind of work, managed to sustain each other
by yoking themselves together.


By dint of hard struggling, we finally
reached the new crater, which is now filed
to the brim with boiling mass of red hot
lava, pouring over in solid stream on the
opposite side from which we stood As we
approached this spot, the heat was so intense
that we were forced TO hold screens before
our persons in order to endure it, On arriv
ing within a few PAGES from the verge of this
fearful cauldron, we saw far beneath us,
through crevice, the burning lava in red
hot state while the heat penetrating our
heavy boots, caused our feet to smart by its
intensity. Our guides soon led us away
through the less dangerous sections of this
fiery furnace. and as we passed along, the
treacherous lava cracked and crumbled under
us.


Regarding ''the disturbed state Of the
country | would here remark that although
l have travelled a great part of the way by
land from Nice to Naples, and have spent
nearly three months on the route, have seen
no signs of disturbance.


The Tuscans say that since the Grand
Duke has been driven from Tuscany, they
have had better government and much less
discord than ever they had before.
Year: 1860

PROGRESS OF THE CONFLICT T.-E4tract of a
letter from gentleman In Boston, connected
with one of the great Sewing Machine compa-
nies, which advertise extensively in various
periodicals, and among others in The Mdssd-
ch,Lsetts Teacher:


Yesterday the editor told me that club of
twenty subscribers in South Carolina sent
their names to him for The Teacher, provided
he said nothing on slavery. He felt that he
was sound in that respect, and accordingly
sent on twenty copies Of the January number
of I he Teacher. In few days, what was
his horrer at finding every copy returned to
him with a letter explaining the cause
And whai do you suppose that was? Why,
the article in The Teacher on Sewing-Ma-
chimes, by Henry Ward Beecher! Nothing
was found against the article, but It's author
was known as an abolitionist. | think tins
is great country. Hurrah for the 4th OF
July. he editor of The Teacher thinks
that crawling in the dirt is more than he can
DO for the patronage of Southern school
masters y
Year: 1860

The Warrenton IN. C.) paper offers
prize for Southern Gunpowder, the alarming
discovery having been made that all present
supplies of that article are from the North /,
which, in case of a war to dissolve the
Union, would leave the South as badly of as
our fleet that went to Paraguay.
Year: 1860

A PROFITABLE BUs1NEss.-The Eagle Screw
Company, of Providence, is one of the most
valuable in New England Very rarely does
one of its shares find its way into the market.
Its par value is $500, and its market value
fifteen thousand dollars.
Year: 1860

SAKE was poetizing in public, at Trenton,
the other evening, when the gas went out
whereat SAKE told the audience that if they
wouldn't find fault with his metre, he
wouldn't mention the defect in theirs.
Year: 1860

ESCAPE OF 4 WOMAN FROM THE FIFTH SToRY
OF THE ONO STATE Prison. The Columbus
(OhiO) papers state that, on Saturday night
a girl named Mary Fuller, made her escape
from the fifth story of the prison, by passing
out Of her window and passing along the side
of the building upon a cOrnice or water table
about eighteen inches broad. Passing along
the front Of the building, at the immense
height Of fifty or sixty feet from the ground,
with nothing to hold to, and upon the pro-
lection, scarcely visible from the ground, she
reached, at the distance of about forty feet
from her room window, place where it was
necessary for her to Jump about twelve feet
to the roof of the west wing. The leap was
taken, proved a safe one, and the dauntless
woman next fastened TO the corner of the
roof a rope which she manufactured out of
her bedding, grasped it in her hands, and,
swinging from the roof, passed down on the
outside of the wall, over windows where
other convicts were sleeping, and down TO
terra frna, where, at a distance OF 45 feet
below the roof, she alighted in the arms of
discharged convict, who had served out his
time a few days before, having been con-
federate in the crime for which the woman
was sentenced to a longer imprisonment.


Inc PAIR were lOunu tne next evening uOlu-
iciled in an old deserted cabin, and both con-
Quoted back, the man being lodged in the
City Prison, to await exam nation for aid
ing prisoner to escape.


A Honolulu paper mentions the picking
up, by schooner. some six or eight miles
from the Coast, of native boy, deserter
from a whaleship which left port the preced
ing day. The boy, it seems, had felt little
home-sick when he saw the green noun
tains of Oahu growing dim in the distance,
and about eight clock in the evening, he
Jumped overheard, and struck out for the
land-then about twenty miles distant. He
swan all night, and at daylight was within
half mile of the shore. Here, however,
b was opposed by a strong current and af-
ter buifeting the waves for while in a vain
endeavor to reach the beach, he discovered a
sail in the distance, several miles to the lee
ward He accordingly changed his course
for the vessel, and at nine o'clock Friday
morning, he was standing upon her deck,
apparently but little the worse for his four
teen hours swim.
Year: 1860

BOGUS so COLD PHCFs.-A most danger
ous counterfeit of the gold Eagle was di-coy-
cred a day or two since in New York. A
customer of the Metropolitan Bank paid a
number Of the coins, which he received from
the institution. into the United States Sub
Treasury when the specie clerk rejected one,
apparently as fair in appearance as the best
Of the heap. This coin was returned 70 the
bank. and in spite Of the well-known skill Of
the specie clerk I'm the detection Of spurious
coins, about thirty bank tellers to whom it
was shown, pronounced it genuine, and Of
fered to take it at its face. Some were SO
sure Of the correctness Of their judgments
that they would bet < 100 to so that 1t was
good And well they might be thus confident,
since it answered all the tests of weight, sound
inference and thickness.


In fact, externally it was standard coin;
but upon being cut in two, the cheat was
made palpable The piece had evidently been
split edge-wise, both halves filed quite thin
and IN place Of the stolen gold piece Of
whitish metal placed between the halves, and
the whole re-milled What metal was sub
stituted for the gold is not known, but some
Judges pronounced it platinum butit is not
likely that 50 costly and scarce a mineral
would be employed in cOunterieitng and
yet it must have been ola very dense body TO
equal gold in bulk and weight. After this,
who will not agree with Us that the American
Eagle is in danger?
Year: 1860

WE publish the following by permission
OF the gentleman to whom the letter was
addressed. Many of our readers are ia
miliar with tho writer, and may have seen
other productions of her pen.
Year: 1860

One WHO LIVES IN EVERY CoNMUNIiY.-
Black Heart has his finger in every pie,
and has his nose into every domestic i'm
broglio. lie is one Of those men " no take
upon themselves responsibilities with
which they have no business, and mix
themselves up with affairs out of which
they ought TO be kicked. Black Heart
has all the private histories Of the mem


bers of the church, of which be is a SHIN
ing member. He offers up prayers for
this young man, and groans in spirit for
that young woman. He makes as much
scandal as he can in a private way, and
thanks the Lord that he is not as other
men arc. lie lives on coffee and soda
water, and has dyspepsia and general de-
blity in consequence. He is a model
man, respectable parsonage, and gen
eral censor OF morals. He is one of those
individuals who make long prayers, and
who think themselves better than this or
that publican. Let Black Heart and his
smooth faced neighoors make long pray
ers in the tabernacle and pitch into the
ungodly. There was One who rsbuksd
Pharisees and said kindly word to pub
licaus and sinners. There is One who
would say to Black Heart in the last day
-" Get We from ms-ye that work iniqui-
ty." Smooth faces and Grape on our hats
don't altogether satisfy the Power. above.
The hear. is the thing, and not the out
side seeming. Have we a Black Heart
among Us , Wlkamsburgh Times.
Year: 1860

A SAD AFFAIR IN TRoY.-Troy, n. Y,
ia in an excitement, the cause whereof
may be briefly stated as follows; A me-
chaRio engaged at large establishment
has a young and handsome wife. Lately
he has heard of her flirtations, and one af
ternoon last week left his work and went
to bis own house. His wife was not at
home. he went to her sisters (also mar
ried) house, and she was out. He wan
dersd about until his usual hour Of return
my from aud then found bis wife at home
lie asked her where she had been, but
could get no satisfactory answer; he
forthwith went TO the sister, and charged
her with having been with his wife on
some improper expedition, and the woman
supposing that he knew something, told
him hat the two had spent the afternoon
at hotel in a nsighboring village, with
two married men. Armed with this in
formation, be returned to his wife, and she
too snPPosing he knew all, confessed to
long series Of gs!lantries with the parties
named by her sister. He then knocked
her down and beat her, and finally sent
her home to New Jersey to her parents
For three days, armed with pistol. he
sought his rival, but that indidiyidual
kept ont Of his way. The result is that
the peace Of four families is wrecked-per-
kaps forever and Troy is in a grand state
q excitement.
Year: 1860

Wilkes Spirit publishes letter from
John c. Hesnan, in relation to the prize
fight, and it is certainly the plsinest and
most authentic news we can get on the
subject. We ex!aact freely from it as q
matter of interest to all our readers:


| am happy to inform you that [ am
very well, and that the little scar l got
under the eve is almost entirely gone. In
a week or more 10 one would suppose
that had ever been hit there at all. |
need not say anything to you about the
manner in which the fight was brought to
conclusion--only this, have no fault
to fad with Sayers for anything that was
done. 1t was natural that he should avail
himself of every opportunity that offered
to save his belt and his hard-earned rcpu-
tation. | am glad to say that through
the determination Of Mr.. Wilkes, l have
got day set for nea0 battle, but cannot
mention it at present, as it would come
back here IN time to interrupt the meet
ing. In the meantime, think | shall 70
over to Ireland to train, or to some place
at any rate where shall not be harasseJ
as | was before


l must say, however, that I have but
little faith in being able to get the belt,
though | have the most perfect confidence
in being able to win it in less than half
an hour. There are hundred Difficult
ties in the way, and the fighting part is,
so far as am concerned, the least one Of
all. They now say that the government
will surely interfere to prevent US If we
meet again ana in addition to this they
threaten 10 prosecute us both for what v 8
have already done. Rather tight on the
American people that as the boys say at
home and to tell you the truth, | am a
lit!le uneasy that they may keep their
word. Under this state of things, |
should shouldn't much wonder now to see
Sayers arrested for the first time; and II
that course is taken, and he is bound over
in heavy sum, | shall be told that Il
is not his fault he cannot meet me, aud
the stakes will be drawn, and be vii! keep
the belt. for his term is out sometime IL
June. To become Champion after that |
should have to wait till a new belt Id sub
scribed for, and then | should have to
fight for it. However, | shall sticl, to my
point as long as can, and get new
meeting out Of Sayer8 ifpossibie. So if |
do not bring over the belt, nobody shall
say did not take every fair chanGe for it.


We will have no speculation in the next
fight in the way of railroad trains or three
guinea tickets. There will be merely a
party of twenty-five side, seconds, prin-
oipals and spectators, all told, and then |
hope and think that the best man may
win.
Year: 1860

An act in alteration of an act, in addition to ana

 in alteration of " An act to establish the State

 Reform School

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-

 sentatives in General Assembly convened:

 Sec. l. That sections four, five and six of the act of 1857, " in addition to and in alteration of an act to establish the State Reform School, "'be, and the same are hereby repealed.

 Sec. 2. There shall be taxed quarterly in each year, in the months of January, April, July and October, by the comptroller of public accounts, the sum of one dollar for each weeks board, (as well as for the clothing and fuel) of each person committed to the State Reform School and the superintendent of said state reform school shall make his bill therefor, and present the same to the comptroller, who shall tax and allow the same upon his finding it just and correct and the comptroller shall draw an order in favor of said superintendent. for the amount so taxed, upon the treasury of this state and the treasurer shall pay said order out of said treasury.

 Sec g. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith, are hereby repealed.

 Sec. A. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.

 Approved June 19, 1860.
Year: 1860

An act in addition to an act in alteration of an act entitled An act for the protection of In-

 dians and the preservation of their property D Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-

 sentatives in General Assembly convened

 That the overseer of each tribe of Indians lv- ing within the limits of this state. in addition to his report to the Superior Court, as now by law provided. shall file in the Town Clerks office a copy of his report, so allowed by said Court. in the town or towns in which such tribe statelly resides and said duplicate shall be kept on file by said Town Clerk.

 Approved, June 19, 1860.
Year: 1860

An act in addition to and in alteration of an act

 concerning education. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives in General Assembly convened That whenever any town shall include ten or more school districts within it's limits the board of school visitors of such town may appoint sub committee of one or more persons, of their num- ber to visit the schools of any number of districts not less than five, in which case such committee shall be called acting school visitors.

 Approved, June 19, 1860.
Year: 1860

Tue RUsn FOR WAsHoE.-Eyery day par
ties are being fitted out at San Francisco and
Sacramento for Washoe. A gentleman of
Sacramento, who has just returned from Car
son Valley, informs the Standard that the
rush of people is almost as great as during
the Fraser river excitement provisions are
scarce. and, Of couse. very high in price.
Town lots in Carson City are selling at enor
nous prices ranging as high as $40 and 800
per front foot on the main street. 1t will be
several months before any large supply Of
provisions or goods of any kind can be con
veyed to that place or distributed throughout
the mines 1t is believed there are more
people there now than make n living at this
season Of the year
Year: 1860

AccIDENT.-ElUah Ransom and Theodore
Littleield were yesterday having drive in
one of Eckert Il Johnston's buggies. As
they came down f street, and arrived at the
corner of Third. one Of the shafts broke, and
the horse being frightened he ran up on the
pavement so suddenly and violently that the
buggy was overturned Both the young
men landed into a mudhole, while the horse
broke loose from the vehicle and stampeded
for the stable. Nobody hunt, and the buggy
but slightly damaged.
Year: 1860

TnE Detroit Free Press says, that recently
a big negro. as black as tar, and a white
girl about seventeen years of age, ran away
from some place in that State to Canada, for
the purpose Of getting married.
Year: 1860

F1xED.-Dllon was found guilty, before
the Recorder. yesterday. of being drunk and
disorderly and thereby end' ngering the
peace and dignity Of the sovereign State Of
California. For this offense he was fined 50
which, being moneyed man, he shelled out
Year: 1860

HUNTING SILvER.-A party of ten or twelve
persons have left Orovile, on an expedition
IN search Of silver mine, said to be SOM.
where in Tulare county The story goes,
says the Butte Democrat, that some one,
years ago, discovered such a mine in that
region. and brought some rich specimens
from it into the white settlements, but that
unfortunately it could never be re found by
parties which subsequently, made the attempt.
Our party hope to be more successful. The
guide of the silver seekers thinks he knows
almost the very spot where it can be found
Year: 1860

Sister, go you to the window, look out and tell


me all
That you see in the great world-al that meath


your eye does fall
What is moving, what is passing what is still.


dear Sister, say
Is there anything in all the world that's beautiful


to-day
Oh Brother over Natures face a smile is play.
ing now
The sun is slowly sinking behind the mountains
brow
His mighty disc just fingers on the horizons rim,
And in sea of glory the whole world seems to


swim.
And now his beams of purple are midst the


forest shed,
And the great pines everlasting green is tipeed


with lurd red;
ana the clouds afar in space have caught ra.


diant hue!
Whata scene of matchless splendor passes before


my view
Now the sun has gone from sight, and the crimson


turns to grey;
And the glories of the twilight faint one by one


away
And now upon the mountain mark nights


brooding wing,
And hear the song of greeting the winds to her


do sing.
And afar away in Heaven the stars come one by


one
Planets and consultations by Gods own hand


unspun,
Blaze out in grand professions, cheering all space


with light
And driving half the shadows from the gloomy


brow Of night.
And the snow outside the window glistens be-
meath the stars,
And now the silver sleigh-be.ls ring joyous in my
ears.
oh, Brother tits a lovely world, this one in


which we dwell,
If we have only patience left to mark its beauties


well. q.
Year: 1860

1t vas observed that certain COW
etous rich man never invited anybody
to dine with him. ~ will lay bet
that l get an invitation from him.
said wag. The wager being &C:
cepted. he goes next day to the rich
mans house about the time he was to
dine and tells the servant he must
speak with his master Immediately for:
he can save him a thousand pounds.


Out came the master and invited
him. in to dinner. ~


After dinner was over the man of
the house wished to be informed how
he could save thousand pounds.
Z. ''You have daughter to dispose Of
in marriage and her portion is ten
thousand pounds"


eyes sir"


swell then sir, let me have her.:
and I'll take her with nine thousand"


A scene cnsued.
Year: 1860

QUALIFICATION OF VOrERs.-Many emigrants
are arriving in California the present season.
They quilted their Atlantic homes more than six
months ago, and are now locating in our Stale
Are they voters? If we are correctly informed
the Supreme Judges of this State several years
ago delivered an affirmative opinion on this point,
which was eoneurred in by several of the prnc-
pal lawyers of the State in card published in
one of the San Francisco papers-tbe Herald, we
think. The Supreme Judges held that residence
Is question of intent to be judged of by the act
of the party consequently, if man quit one of
the Atlantic States to emgrate to California, his
residence (six months) in this State dates back
from the time be left his former residence. Will
some of our Bay contemporaries look to this and
re publish the opinions
Year: 1860

ACCIDENT TO AN OLD TRINTTARIAN.-The Red
Bluff Independent of last Saturday publishes the
following


G. P. Rice was very badly injured yesterday,
by being thrown from horse which he was ri
ding The horse reared aud fell over backward,
the horn of the saddle striking him in the stom-
ach. The force and weight was such that the
horn was broken from the saddle Mr. Rice is
not considered dangerously hurt.