smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1863

We have received the following report Of
Chaplain Murphy, Of the lst Delaware Regi-
ment, which shows gratifying improvement
in the moral condition of the troops:


HEADQUARTERS lST RECT. DEL. Vols. !


FALMOUTH, April list 1863
Col. T.. \. SMYTH, Commanding lst Del.


Regt.,


Sir | have the honor to present the fol-
lowing report Of the moral and religious condf
ton of the Regiment during the quarter just
closed.


The few opportunities which have occurred
during the inclemency of the winter months
for holding public religious services have been
embraced, and the attendance on these Servi-
ces has been good. The Regiment has been
re-supplcd with the New Testament Scriptures
and [ have also distributed large number of
tracts and other religious publications. which
have been read with good degree Of interest
Besides preaching in the camps, [ have held
weekly services in the Hospital when the CON
dition of the patients would permit. What
has been and will be the result Of these scrvi-
ces L will not presume to say. The seed of
truth has been sOwn and the promise of God
is, that his word shall not return unto him void.
To mo it Is solemn thought that it will be a
SAVIOR of life or of death tO those who have
heard, and that they who dispiSc the truth
will perish As not all the seed sOwn by the
huSbandman terminates and yields forth fruit,
neither are we to suppose that every truth
yields its fold in return. But it is very certain
if no seed is sown there will be no harvest
1t is equally sure that if the gospel be not
preached, souls will perish. For God has
determined by the. foolishniss (as some men
count it, of preaching to save them that he
! lieve. Let no one thcn contend with his Ma
ker as to the necessity and importance Of preach
ing, but on the contrary, let each encourage
others TO attend the dispensation of the divine
| word. 1t has often been remarked in my hear
! ing, that the moral moral condition of the reg
iment was never better than now Gambling
since your order against if, is far less common
Drunkenness is confined to few, and our ear
are not so often greeted with profane and indie
cent language The Improvement in those res
poets is as pleasant as it is marked In m,
personal and private intercourse with the men
find them in their manners, respectful to M
Office and attentive to my counsel, receiving it
as it is given, for their highest good | can
not think of the active service into which the
are about to be called, and reflect upon the pro
bable consequence to some Of them withOu
anxiety on their account May God be you
shield in the day of battle, or, if You shoul
fall, give crown of glory and Righteousness
which he has prepared for all those that low
him.


| think it proper to call your attention t
the noisy and insubordinatc conduct Of some
, the servants in camp. | submit whether the
free and familiar intercourse with the soldier
; does not tend to the decentralization and insul
ordination Of the soldiers.


f Very respectfully, yours,


THos. G. MURPHEY,
, Chap. lst Reg Del Vol
Year: 1863

Col Curtis proved himself qualified to do his
share towards entertaining such an asSemblage


Wishing to give the party slight taste of
camp life, We didn't put the members of it in
feather beds, but introduced them to our spring
mattresses of barrel slaves and corduroy beds
of pole manufacture, regardless of prospective
dOrsal rains and unrcfrcshing maps They in
sisted however that they scpt well, having a
slight apprehension upon the part Of one that
the tent would blow down.


The guests remained until to-day, and had
the opportunity of witnessing the drills and the
condition of the soldiers. When the Governor
took his departure, he was Justify checrcd by
all. He has endeared himself greatly to the
Regiment. Aside from his social qualities he
has rendered himself deservedly popular by the
deep interest he has taken in the soldiers from
our State. The boys are assured that he has
not forgotten them, and that he will carefully
watch their interests They fully appreciate
the visit and its purposes; it has acted as a
stimulus, and the effect is already apparent.
The soldiers will not soon forget the visiters
who came greeting from their native State


Yours, BILLY
Year: 1863

DEMOCRATIC CONsIsTENCY.-A steady and
continual opposition is made by the Democratic
party as q mass, to every measure of Congress
identified with the vigorous prosecution of the
war but to none more so than to those which
prc-cmincntly represent the national authority
the Consr, iption act and the authorization Of
Treasury note issues. The opposition to these
is made the test of Democratic adhesion, and
is kept up by every Democratic orator and
newspaper in the North. 1t is curious fat
that the South, with which they all sympathize
had from the very start resorted to these mca-
sures, and that they were the most effectual
weapon of the rebellion
Year: 1863

The evidence of a slow improvement of
public sentiment at the South begins to make
its appearance. The Richmond Erdminer ac-
cuses the Wings of Virginia of acting in the
spring elections in accordance with their old
Union views, and says that they ehdeavor
to seduce Democrats by appealing to the
sold Union sentiment" by attempting to
prejudice them against Democratic leader as
the authors of the present war, and by say
ing they {the Whigs) could have prevented
u dissolution, and are now the only party
capable Of restoring the ancient order Of
things This is by no means Improbable.
The Wings of the South were always strong
ly national in tone, opposed to the intense
sectionsllism of the South Carolina school of
politicians and in favor of consolidating the
faith of the people around the national
Union, Constitution, and government. This
was especially the case with the Wings OF
Virginia If the Southern remnant OF this
once powerful party can succeed in reorgan-
izing public sentiment at the South on a
Union basis, it will be more glorious
achievement than any in their past history
The pressure of the secession despotlsm has
kept them down thus far, and doubtless the
ruthl. ,s hand of war has forced many of
them into the army and into their graves
But it is gratifying to know that the old
leaven is still powerful, and not crushed out
| by the rebellion. The Democratic party at
the South has been extinguished by the war,
! Democratic doctrines ere secuted at by those
who once made use of the party 10 accom-
pli4h their own designs. They cannot give
the lie now to the course they have been
pursuing with so much violence since 1860.
But it seems that there is still Union par
| ty at the South in the remnant of the old
| Wing, who still fondly cherish the memo
ries of the great republic in its glorious days.


1t is sufficient to know, by the admission o.
the ELaauiiur, that these Wings have found
courage at last to make their true sentiments
known i'll favor of the restoration of the


Union. No immediate results may follow
this: but such movement once begun il
the heart Of rebeldOm must increase with
the march of time and the lingering courst


Of the war. The significant action Of the


Georgia Legislature, and the recent state


ments Of rebels who have reached Nashville


of the proStration ofsplrit at the South, an(


the loss ofhope in ultimate success, taker
in connection with this demonstration il


Virginia, import coming events of moment


North American.
Year: 1863

betray him--traitors kiss Democracy for the
same purpose


Treason, rank as hell, now reigns in Della
ware, under the name of Democracy, seeking
the overthrow of liberty, and the establishment
of universal slavery! Show me man who
has been or ought to be arrested for treachery to
his country, and | will show you man who
claims to be Democrat. Who are those Sc
cret treason-workers who, under the name of
the $ Knights Of the Golden Circle are now
holding their dark schemes of villainy in our
midst they are men claiming to be Demo
Gratis. They are working for the overthrow of
the country, and God will cause their works to
prove their own destruction The clue to this
dark cabal is now known. Let them beware
how they act-thc hemp has already growl,
WHOA will environ their neck-and if not. like
Judas, willing to hang themselves, they will
lind people willing to do the act for them.
A p o.
Year: 1863

York, men, falsely usurping the name of De-
mOcracy, have been willing to invite the inter
position of the aristocracy of Europe Theg.
men must be made to know that they stand
alone. A nation which has always prOfessed
zeal for free trade, aims at a monopoly of the
International carrying trade for themselves, by
sending out shi)S built in their o vn ship-yards,
to prey upon our commerce. Cheers 1t is
here in New York, more than in any place in
our land, that the Government should be able
to count with certainty upon unanimous sup
port in its ettOr.S to maintain against any for
eign power, the rights and the dignity and the


interests Of the country. So then the love of
the CONSTITUTIONS the love of liberty, the love of
country, proper sense of overhanging dangers
a just appreciation of our resources, conspir> to
demand the patriotic union Of the people as our
security at home and our only protection against
wrongs from abroad. Loud cheering.


THE INDIANA TROUBLES was an essen
tlal feature of the rebel plans, for the present
campaign, that there should be agitation for a
division Of the North, and if possible serious
public out break. The cOpperhead leaders
! made themselves willing and scr,ceable tools
of the rebels in this affair." and have worked
long and steadily to influence the minds of their
followers against the government, by an Outcrv
that the war was made for abolition purposes


1t was originally the aim of the rebels to start
| movement for the separation Of the North
| west from the Union. and its erection into a
Seperate cOnfederacy, and to aid this the rebel
| emiasaries concealed in the Democratic party
| organized lodges of knights of the Golden Cir
Gle all over Indiana and Illinois In Indiana
| an official exposure of the whole machinery has
deransed it altogether Nevertheless the mis-
| informed aud ignorant have persisted IN the


conspiracy, and have engaged in various riots
! to carry out the objects to which they are sworn
! The leaders OF the conspiracy, however. see the


Iangcr and accordingly the Ltd6u.nDoiS Sen


ttpcl the chief organ Of the copperh ads, want,
peace. 1t says


The Democracy want peace in Indiana -
| They have made and will continue to make
! great sacrifices to procure it. The responsible
| ity of the future, however, rests with the pub
! lie officials, and it is for them to say, as the


guardians Of popular rights and administrator,


of the law, whether they will insure domestic


tranquility and secure the blessings of liberty tC


all alike, a. they have the power to do. and


which should be the first and highest object OF


every good government and all its representa-
| tiIcs'


This pompOus outpiving is intended to holG


out TO the government the idea that it mus


trust only to the legal machinery of the court.


to put down military conspiracy clearly prOvcC


to have been formed for the most desperate ant


reasonable purposes.
Year: 1863

Th. Nashville rebel sympathizers who have
been ordered by General Rosecrans to go South
have almost without exception asked to be sent
North. Advice, from rebeldom are not in
their favor.
Year: 1863

The Joliet Republican, which is fed from
the Government crib, has the audscity to
charge that we have at some period in our
career as editors, counteDaDced aud justi-
fed the suppression Of free speech. -.-


Now we deny the charge in every par
ticular. We have slways beer the adyo-
Gates and defenders of the constitutional
right of free speech and free press. In
deed we defy the editor, or any one else, to
produce sentence, line, or syllable, that
has appeared in the columns IF the Siqnal
since it has been under our control, which
can be construed in such manner as to
justify the suppression of the right of dis
cussion. We have always sustained the
widest freedom in this respect. When the
men who are now arresting and imprison-
ing citizens for the exercise Of this heaven
born right, were Dob6ed for uttering' their
fanatical views at ar early period in the
history of their sectional and unconstitu-
tionsl party, We denounced the Outrages as
anti-American and contrary to the broad
and liberal principles Of Democracy


The editor oftbe Joliet Republican is, Of
course, expected 20 hex the hand that feeds
him. He is favored with a good Office, by
the Administration, and hence must sus.
tain the acts of the Government officials,
however re2ugnsnt to law, reason and
common sense. All that it is necessary
to know on his part is, that it is the COM
mand Of bis superiors, and he obeys with
an alacrity truly surprising. So fierce is
he to endorse all that is done by the Ad.
minIstration, that he barely waits for the
confirmation of the declaration of an act OF
order before he espouses it with all his
might. We do not object to this-we are
even perfectly willing that he should abuse
US without stint and apply to US all manner
OF epitheis, but we insist that he shall noI
grossly falsify our position. This he has
done time and again, with a recklessness
that admits of no excuse. ...


Not satisfied with misrepresenting OUT
position on the right of free speech, be
again repeats the foul islseho 4 that we
sustained the right of State to secede
when o majority Of it's inhabitants so de-
termiDed. As far as Onr readers are con
cerned, it is not necessary for us to deny
this faIsehOod. But as there are tt ose who
will read bis article that are unacquainted
with our position on this question, we call
upon him to bring forward the proof Of his
charge, or to do US the justice to retract it
This he will do # be has any respect fol
the principles Of hcnor.


1t really appears that the ASolitiOnist:
cannot speak OF Democrats or their acts
without stating falsehOOds. They have be
come so accustomed to this habit of lying
about Democrats, that they will not speak
the truth when it will subserve their pur
pose just as we'll Their cause is a bad
one, and is founded on falsehood and de
ception, and hence requires lying to sus
tain it.
Year: 1863

b%There is rumOr that Captain Sem
Tes, late of the Alabama, has resigned the
command of that vessel to his late first
officer, aud that he had taken command Of
a fine confederate ship mounting twenty>
two guns
Year: 1863

NEGRO TRANsPoRrATIoN.-OuIy one con.
tract has been made and carried out by the
government for the transportation Of free
persons of color beyond the limits of the
United States, and this was at the rate of


fifty dollars each for five hundred of them.
to the Island of Avash, in St. Domingo.
Year: 1863

R9There are some psoplc who do not
seem to understand that it is contrary to
law for civilians to wear military uniforms.
1t is no uncommon thing to see men clad
In soldiers coats, pants and caps, who are
not attached to the army. Those who do
this are subject to a foe of six hundred
dollars and one years imprisonment, that
being the penalty attached for a violation
Of law. -
Year: 1863

lnrOm tue bOulbFllle JOuInht'I


The Journal once said the restoration of the
Union upon the Abolition programme was i'm
possible. Now it is furnishing men and money
TO carry out tnat programme. -L,uisuille Demo
erat D."


Oh no! We now say o restoration of the
Union upon the Abolition programme ls impossi-
BILE; and we are "ot for furnishing men aud
money to cary out that progTamme. We are
for furnishing men and money to put dosn The
rebellion, and for opposing vigorously In every
legitimate mode the use OF either 70 carry cut
the Abolition programme. But we do not regard
the stopping Of the war and the surrender Of
the Government to the rebellion as legitimate
mode OF opposing the Abolition programme.-
Our neighbor does. And that 10 the difference
between us. El.t.v


In lieu of stopping the war and suIrendering
the Government to the rebellion, as means OF
annulling the Abolition programme, we would
appeal to the people at the ballot box to annul
the Abolition programme by strengthening the
conserV alive representation in Congress, and
by changing the Administration. We would
maintain the Government, and under its forms
annul the Abolition programme as speedily as
possible. Our neighbor, If he cannot at once
annul the Abolition programme under the forms
of the Government, would overthrow the Gov
ernment Itself And that again Ia the differ
ence between us.


Our neighhor certainly does not abhor the
Abolition programme more deeply or more
thoroughly than we ourselves do; nor is his sense
OF IT'S destiuctiveness, ii permanently carried
oat, more vivid than our own. Nor yet is he
more infexibly opposed TO the execution Of the
Programme than we are. The sole difference
between us on this point concerns the true mode
OF opposing the execution OF the programme,
if ifthecgnservatives in the next Congress-, second
ed by a lnst public opinion, should prove unable
10 override the absurd and attociOus scheme. We
hold that in this event the true mode is to ap-
peal to the people at the, ballot.bo for more
conservative strength in Congress, and for a
change of Administration. Our neighbor, on
the contrary, holds that in this event the true
mode is to stop the war, and surrender TO the
rebellion. Andthat once more is the difference
between US.
Year: 1863

New YoRK, April 23.-Paper manufacturers
held meeting yesterday aud agreed to STOP
half their work on writing paper and quarter
work on printing paper. The object is to raise
the price still higher.
Year: 1863

COMMON StNsE.-lt has made moro great
men than book learning. Washington
never saw the inside of a college; and yet
he has left higher mark in the temple of
fame than any other man of his age, be-
cause he exccllcd in good common scnsc'
Napoleon B6naparte was scarcely better
educated. except in what concerns the art
of war, and was a man of cratic genius,
and yet his great practical shrewdncss or
common sense did more for him than any,
thing else. He was rarely ever borne
away by passion or genius iii manner to
hide from his view the true relation OF
things around him, or the practical con-
nection of cause and effect. AS slecauly
SAYS, mo man ever knew better than he
what men and horses could do" Cesar
excellcd as much in common sense as in
genius. And, indeed, no man was ever
truly great who lacked this quality. Even
in the ordinary callihgs of life low mani
festly has common scnsc more to do with
our success than any of the rarer qualities
of character. What can farmer OF &C.
MUS do i'll comparison with one who takes
a practical view of what his business re-
auircS, and who prosecutcs it accordingly?
Merchants may indeed, now and then. be
made rich by venture, but if lacking i'll
common sense to guide them in their new
position to know what is fitting in the cx
pcnditurc and investment of money, and
so sober their ideas on all subjects they
will just as soon become poor again. So
of ministers, lawyers, physicians and
men who live by their wits; our experience
is, that of common scnse.-N. Y. ChvOmi-
cIe
Year: 1863

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTIONS
A disposition is manifested i'll the Legisla-
ture to incorporate some of the provisions
of the new Constitution of Nevada in:o
that of California. The suggestions made
are that the section declaring the para
mount allegiance Of the citizen to be due
to the National Government, and that
which DISTINGUISHES those who have been
in the rebel service, shall be made part
of our fundamental law. To this we do
not suppose there will be much objection,
except that which is made by Copperhedds
and other rebels. 1t is also proposed to
adopt as an amendment that section i'll the
legislative department which provides
that every bill shall be read three times by
sections, unless majority of two.thirds
decide, in case of emergency, to the con-
trary; but every bill before it passes shall
be read by sections, and the ayes and noes
taken upon its passage. The Nevada Sec
ton requires majority of all the members
elected to pass bill. The proposition i'll
the Assembly does not include that pro
vision it leaves it so that on call for the
ayes and noes, majority of those voting
may pass bill. This section is one which
ought to be adopted as an amendment to
our Constitution. 1t would operate to
prevent the passage Of good many bad
bills, and as wholesome check generally
on the acts of future Legislatures. The
Nevada Convention exhibited its want OF
confidence in future Legislatures in rather
a marked degree. 1t manifested itself in
wise precautions against legislative vaSa-
ries.-Sdc. Union.
Year: 1863

THE INDIAN HEAVEN AND HELL.-The
deceased Indian has, according to them, a
long journey to make towards the west
until he comes to deep and rushing river,
which separates him from the happy hunt
ing grounds. The two shores of that are
connected by long pine trunk, stripped
of bark and polished, which must be used
as a bridge. The good man passes with a
firm and secure step across this slippery
bridge, reaches the happy hunting
grounds, and enters on the possession of
eternal youth and strength. His sky is
always clear, and cool breeze is perpetu-
ally playing about him, and he passes his
time in sailing, hunting, dancing, and
boundless felicity. The bad man, when
he steps upon the bridge, secs two over
hanging shores totter, he attempts to cs-
cape, and falls into the abyss below, where
the water is rushing, with the sound Of
thunder over rocks, where the air is pois-
oned by the exhalations from dead fish,
and other animal bodies, and the water,
whirling round and round and round,
brings him always back to the same point,
where all the trees are withered, where it
swarms with lizards, snakes and toads,
where the dead are hungry and have
nothing to eat, where the living lead a
diseased life and cannot die. The shores
are covered with thousands of unhappy
beings, who climb up to get glance into
the happy hunting grounds which they
can never enter.
Year: 1863

WILL CURE ITsELF.-The Carson hlc-
pendent complains great deal about the
"fair fame of Nevada" being destroyed by
the man-killcrs of that Territory, and
would have it stopped by Vigilance
Committee, or the uprising of the people.
The independent don't look at this matter
in the right way. The good people of
Nevada ought to be pleased at the work
going on, though it is not pleasant to see
the lowest and vilest take each others
lives. But the killing going on i'll that
Territory is very Legitimate. 1t would
have cost thousands of dollars to have
legally executed the outlaws which have
one after another slaughtered themselves
during the past year. Though no man,
however wicked and guilty, has right to
commit indirect suicide, still we do not
consider it the duty of good men to stop
it. If the rebels down South would conf
mcnce slaughtering one another, we do
not believe it would be the duty of Gen.
Grant to step in and stop the work.
MarysrWe appeal.
Year: 1863

feel the more, the more know,


That friendship is thing apart,


A mute assurance of the heart,
A faith that little cares for show.
A sympathy Of soul and soul,


Which feel themselves in spite of birth,
And all the petty cares of earth,
Two halves of one eternal whole.
That asks no change, if undeceived,


And shuns to court the vulgar eye,
Contented in obscurity,
If it believes and be believed.
A lamp that needs but little oil,


But is with its own burning fed;


A virgin stream that will not wed
or mix iGscir win earthly soil.
A beauty that no tongue can tell,


That underlies our common dust,


As bright beneath the rough-ribbed crust,
Glistens the glory of the shell.
Felt in the pressure of hand,


Though face and voice be stern the while
Sent in the message Of a smile,
That only two can understand.