smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

A SLOW CHASE The U. s. Gunboat Da-
cotah, it is said, saw the pirate Tallahassee
on Tuesday OF last week, about eleven
miles ahead of her, and chased her at tho
rate of Tx knots per hour, the rebel
going twelve. The result of this chase
was the consumption Of two hundred tons
of coal on board the Dacotah, the rebel
far out of sight and tho Union glhboat
sent back again to Boston for fresh sup
ply of coal. Sending old tubs to catch
fast steamers is not the most economical
and satisfactory way Of doing business
and especially that in which SUCCESS is 50
important.
Year: 1864

A WORD FROM BaIGHAa.-Brigham


Young says the devil is much Of a gentle
man in comparison with many who serve
him In one of his late sermons Brigham re.
lates the following A gentleman said
to me, 4 would like to establish billiard
table and drinking saloon in your city
you must have such places here by-and-by'
May be we will, and may be we will not
VS. shall see whether God Almighty WIN
reign among his people, or wether the dev'
il will. shall keep such Christian inst,,
tutions out of this city as longas l can
Year: 1864

VALUE OF GaRENBAcKs.-Thea average
value of Greentacks during the past week
has boon about thirty eight cents on the
dollar.-A glorious currency, indeed, 6u'
one that well represent the party issuing
it--of little intrinsic value and growing
beautifully less ever day.
Year: 1864

The above boots madc from the best stock, and
expressly to my own order. Every pair Is warrant
cd. the same as IL measure was Ia en-. This work
the same ss sold BY the fret class retail dealers In
Boston, and pronounced BY them or TO the best
New York work.
Year: 1864

Resolved. That In the future in the past will
adhere with answering fidelity TO the Union under the
Constitution the only solid foundation OF our strength
security and happiness people, and framework
o equally conducive to the welfare and pros
pey Of all ths States, both Northern and Southern.


Resolved That this Convention does explicitly decl re
a. the sens. Of the arrc an neonI. al fonr
OF failure the ion by the experiment Of
during which, under the pretcnse Of military necessity
power higher tba the Constitution the Consttut
itself has dsregarded in every part and public lib
erty and private right alike trodien down, and the


rial prosperity Of the country essentially aired justice
humanity hbeay and the public welfare demand that
immediate efforts be made for cessation OF hostilties
with view to Gu ultimate convention Of the States,
other peacesbe means. to the end that the earliest
practicable moment peace may be restored the basis
Of the Federal Union OF the States


Resolved That the direct Interference Of the military
held in Kentucy Maryland Missouri and Delaware was


shameful violation Of the Constitution and repetition
OF such acts in the approaching election will be held
revolutionary and Tesisted with all the and power
under control.


Resolved That the aim and object OF the Democratic
party Is to preserve the Federal Union and the rights
the States unmpared and they hereby declare that
consider that the Administrative usurpaon Of extraordi
nary and dangerous powers not granted by the Conu
to the subverson of the civil by military law in State,
not in insurrccon, the arbitrary military arrest mpris
onmen trial and sentence Of American citizens in States
where civil law exists In full force The suppression o
freedom OF speech and OF the pres the denial Of the


right OF asylum the open and sVowed disregard Of State
rights the employment Of unusual test oaths and the
interference with and denial of the right Of the people
bear in their defense; Is caculaed 20 prevent
Of the Union and the Perpetuation OF tbs
Government deriving just powers from the consent
the governed


Resolved, That the shameful disregard OF the Admins
it. duty in respect fellow trens WI:
are snd long have been, prisoners OF war in suf
ferng condition deserves the reprobstion
the score alike Of public policy and common humanity


Resolved, That the sympathy OF the Democratic part,
hear lily and earnestly extended to the soldiery o.
army and sailors Of navy who and have been il
the field and the under the flag OF their country
and ia the Of its attaining power they will receiv
all the care protection and regard that the brave sol
der and sailors OF the republic have nohly earned
Year: 1864

The END OF TIE WAR-We are asked fifty times
q day, more or less, when We think the war will
end As we have no right to think, in the absence
Of data to think upon, we are sometimes at loss
for an answer. However. for the information Of
those who are particularly inquisitive and anx-
ious upon the subject, we will relate dream that
friend of ours had upon the duration of the war.
which may throw some light upon the subject. He
dreamed that he awoke from dream of ffty years,
ana found himself upon the south bank of the Rap.
idan. He saw at . little distance from the spot
where he awoke Corporal with II men and
wheelbarrow. He approached and asked the Cor
poral what this little gathering nee nt "This,"
replied the Corporal is the Army of Northern Viz
ginia." "Where are the Yankees?" inquired our
friend. "They are on the other side of the river"
replied the Corporal. "They have the advantage
of US in numbers and transportation-as they have
21 men and two wheelbarrows-butw We expect to
get the advantage in position, will whip them and
then the war will end"


As this is the best and all the information we
have about the probable duration Of the war, We
give it free gratis for nothing at all-Abingdon
Virginidn.
Year: 1864

mond and it is also my firm conviction that if
the foregoing resolutions had been adopted by the
Congress at its last session. measures would at this
time have been in progress tending to a final and
satisfactory settlement of the questions at issue be-
tween the North and South But # these efforts
had been made and mad failed, we should have been
no weaker either in moral in physical resources
at home, while abroad, among the people of Europe
and Of the North, we should have gained great
moral power by the exhibition on our part Of an
earnest disposition to st:y the eusion Of blood and
to terminate this awful conflict in accordance with
those principles of reason and justice which reflect
lustre on civilized, Christian nations. We might
then have hoped that the people of the North,
giving heed to this appeal and anxious as they must
be for peace, would have risen up at tie polls and
defeated MI Lncolns re- election in November next,
and thus have paved the way for settlement Of
our difficulties by the Conservative men Of the two
sections. As it is, with the temper which seems
to govern the rulers of the two sections, can per-
ceve no reasonable ground for hoping that Mr. Lin
coin will be defeated or that the war will ceas
until the South shall have conquered the North, or
the North the South. We are not fighting for con-
quest and we should not incur the risk of being con-
quered by the North without putting forth every
effort meanwhile to terminate the struggle by ne
gotiations.


The Standard will continue to be devoted to the
rights Of the people and to the independence and
sovereignty of the States. 1t will maintain the
integrity and independence Of the judiciary, the
freedom Of the press and Of speech, and the free
dom and purity of the ballot-box, without which
our present struggles will be in vain, and our
free forms of government an empty mockery 1t
will insist on strict construction of the Confed.
crate Constitution, and on searching but not un-
generous scrutiny of the acts of rulers. 1t will
inaexibly oppose any and every attempt to render
the civil authority subordinate to the military pow.
er. And it will oppose, at all times and every
where, with the utmost earnestness to the last
moment, all attempts to subvert our present form
of government and to establish dictatorship or
monarchy on its ruins.


As the elections are now over, and as the Stand
ard will be relieved for some time to come of the
pressure Of matter purely political in its character,
will endeavor to render it a more welcome and en-.
.ertaining vehicle of news, literature and science.
trust my friends will exert themselves somewhat
to increase the circulation of the paper.


With many, many heartfelt thanks to my friends
and patrons, I am Very Res pectfuily,


W. W. HOLDEN.
Year: 1864

SuELLs.-The following from the Richmond
Sentinel should prove warning to those who are
in the habit Of handling shells, or other explosive
missiles with which daily familiarity renders
carelesss:


Some old shells believed to be empty, which had
been sent to Bradleys Foundry, in Winchester, to
be cleaned up, were being taken out of wagon by
some negroes. Several little white boys were play.
ing about the wagon and persisted in handling the
shells though repeatedly driven off While the
wagon was being unloaded shell which turned
out to be loaded exploded on being thrown in the
pile already collected on the ground. Instantly


fifteen or twenty shells in the pile also exploded.
causing the report to be heard in the city, and kill


ing almost instantly five negro men and three white
Toys The victims Of this sad tragedy were horribly
mutlated One of the boys and two of the negroes
were literally blown to pieces.


The fragments of shell flew far and wide through
the town Of Manchester strikinga number Of houses
and producing great excitement 1t is surprising,
considering the number Of persons moving about
the streets. that the casualties were not more nu.
merous The foundry where the accident occurred
is but short distance from the cotton factory.
Year: 1864

As an evidence of Gen. Hoods determination to
increase the strength and efficiency of the army,
was shown to day an order Just issued from head.
quarters, requiring all able bodied men in the diff
ierent departments to report at once to the 'front.'
and requiring, whenever it can be done, the heads
of departments to perform their own clerical labor,
and when that is impracticable, the employment
Of men unfit for the field. This order is directed
not only to Quartermasters, Comm,ssaries, Com.
mandants of Posts, Provost Marshals and Surgeons,
but also TO the Generals. Enforced, as have as.
he intends it shall BE- it will bring Several
thousand additional men to the field. 1t will be
received with great satisfaction by our gallant mem
now confronting the enemy, and trust will not
meet the displeasure even Of those upon whom it
is intended to operate The sentiment behind the
army should contribute to its enforcement Cor
respondsace Griffin Rebel
Year: 1864

TEACHING CHILDREN RHYMES.-SOme one, in urg.
ing upon parents the duty of teaching the children
spiritual songs and hymns, very appropriately re,
marks that i" there is chord in every human soul
which is touched by poetry" hence the magcal
power oil ballads, national songs, and religious
hymns. Listen to the snatches Of popular ditties
which you hear in the street from passers by, after
you have gone to bed, and you will own that metre
and music have avenues to human souls, and, con.
sequently, that they should be largely employed
in religion There is reason to believe that versed
truth has peculiar force upon the commond mind,
as it is certain that it affords aid to the memory
Luther and the other reormers felt this and hence
arose the wonderfully rich collection of hymns in
the German language, to which there is perhaps,
nothing comparable on earth. To this stock Luth-
or himself contributed much. He was aided by
Hans Sachs, the poetical shoemaker. In a later
period came Paul Gerhardt the greatest hymn
writer Of Germany, not of the world. Wherever
there are pious Germans you find them with their
beloved hymn books and, FROM frequent use they
generally know great numbers of these hymns by
heart 1t is error to confne children to the
learning of children's hymns, because when they
become older these will have lost much of their
ftEess. Why should We not fill our children's
minds with the choicest evangelical hymns in the
language? These they will remember after we arc
dead and gone. They should not merely be learned
once and then left for others, but repeated again
and again, and sung over in order to fix them in
the memory, and to lay basis for lasting associa
tions. The old words and the old tune come back
to US with indescribable tenderness Let the pious
mother, when causing her boy to learn some sacred
song say to herself " Perhaps, years hence, my
SOU will remember the saving truth ofthis hymn, as
having been taught by bis mother
Year: 1864

class of the South. This may be
by the education of the freed ne
groes; by their emigration, white
cultivators succeeding them; but
probably by both together, as the
South will support a uuch larger
free than slave population. Such
an infusion of Nankee industry and
energy as the South is sure to ex-
perience after the war-as is indeed
already felt in the subjugated dis
tricts-wiIl soon make that section
much more productive, ard conse
quentlv richer, than it ever could
have been under the lazy and thrift
less system OF slave labor. And
here is another economical reason
for desiring the general confiscation
of rebel property; it will not only
lit large portion of the national
debt at once, hut will put the South
in condition TO pay in future 4
more liberal share of the taxes by
which the whole debt is to be ulti-
mately liquidated.


Congress has little to do at the
present session. Legislation for
the war has been pretty nearly fin
ished up. 1t had better make this
matter of coniiscation a chief study.
II it can discover means to estab-
lish sweeping conliscaton of the
property of rebels, without stretch
Ing too faulty its constitutional pow
ers, it will accomplish more for the
social regeneration Of the South,
and assure more certainly the 10y
atty OF its future population, than
it can by propoundlng any theories
of reconstruction. Crush out the
rebellion, punish the rebels and
take their property, and reconstruc-
ton will take care of itself. Spring
fcId (Uass.N RePubiicaa.
Year: 1864

In the early ages of Christianity,
there was little care taken to analvze
character. One momcntous question
was heard over the whole world.
Dost thou believe in the Lord with
all thine heart ? There was but one
division among mcn,-the great unta-
oneable division between the disci-
pie and the adversary. The love of
Christ was all in all and in proper
ton to the nearness of their memory
Of his person and teaching, men un-
derstood the infnity of the require
mcnts of the moral law, and the
manner i'm which alone it could be
fulfilled In their pure, early, and
practical piety, the early Christians
saw that there was no need Of codes
Of morality or systems Of mctaphy-
sizes. Their virtue comprehended
everything, entered INTO everything
it was too vast and too spiritual to
be defined but there was no need OF
its definition. And, therefore, when
any OF the apostles have occasion to
describe or enumerate any form OF
vice or virtue by name, there is no
attempt at system in their works.
So, also. speaking of virtue, st. Paul
gives up all attempt at definition; he
leaves the definition to every man S
heart, though he writes so as to mark
the overlooking fullness of his own
vision of virtue.-Ruskin.
Year: 1864

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;


The year is dying in the night;
Ring oat, Wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,


Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the fcul of rich and poor;
Ring in redress to all mankind
Ring out slowly dying cause,


And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes Of life,
With sweetcr manners, purer laws.
Ring ont the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring cut my mournful rhymes
And ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring ou. false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;


Ring in the love OF truth and right;
Ring in the common love Of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease.
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years Of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,


The larger heart the kinilcr hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land;
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Year: 1864

The fear of confisca,ion Of pzop-
erty is now most relied upon y the
rebel leaders to nerve the southern
people 20 action under their present
dlscouragcmcntS. They tell them
that not only will the negroes all be
freed, but the entire property OF the
Sotth will pass into Yankee hands,
it the government succeeds. This
idea OF course has great effect. The
chivalry dread the loss of property
quite as much as the loss OF power
and social position. We should be
glad to believe that these fears are
to lie realized. II Judge Under
woods Interpretation OF the coniis-
cation law and It's constitutional
lin itationS can be maintained, the
rebel leaders may be pretty gener-
ally punished bv the loss OF their
property In lands as well as in
-laves. The real estate OF the South
IS in few hands, aud the large ma
jority Of the property holders have
been actively and earnestly engaged
il the re1elliona> Contiscation OF
their property during the remaining
portion OF their lives will he but a
small punishment, and the govern
ment will realize lit e or nothing
from the sale of the incomes Of the
forfeited estates. Indeed confisca-
4 ton TO the extent which the con


stitution has been supposed to allow
does not pay costs. 1t will inillct
temporary inconvenience upon the
rebels and their families, wherever
it can be enforced, iut the govern
ment will realize no considerable
mount OF revenue from it.


the loyal people OF the country
feel th1t those " ho have made war
upon the nation ought to be forced
to pay the expense OF their own sub
jugation. II there is no real and
radical contiscation of the property
OF re1el<, the loyal people oil the
country vii have TO ray the cost OF
the war, for the South will be i'm
poverished and have no means OF
paying much for some years TO
come. The war will leave upon
the country the burden of a debt OF
two thousand millions of dollars,
more or less. Must the loyal states
pay this debt, or the larger part OF
it? Most certainly il any means
can be devised by which those who
have brought this calamity upon us
can be compelled to pay the cost,
it will satisfy the popular s-nse OF
Justice, and it Will be wholly and
absolutely right in itself. The val
ue of the cultivated lands in the
now inSurgent states was estimated
in the census of 1880 at something
over eight hundred millions. 1t Is
now considerably larger. Nearly
all this land is owned by men who
can be convicted of treason. But
suppose only half these lands are
thas forfeited at least five hundred
millions Of dollars might be real
lied by their sale, and the other
property OF rebels confisca;ed should
yield an equal amount. Thus one
half the war debt might be extin-
guIshed at once, or very nearly that
amount.


Another advantage Of this radi-
cal confiscation will be the more
rapid social regeneration OF the
South. This is certain to come IN
time; the causes are already at
work, and the arToga.: planters are
to sive way to industrious farm
ers the great plantations are to be
cat up into farms, and an intelligent
la5oring population to supersede
the degraded and servile working
Year: 1864

/ Immediately aud silently assumed a
similar attitude and think that from the
relative positions of our boots and our
heads, aud our attempts to restrain our
laughter, apoplexy must have inevitably
ensued if horrible groan which John
gave vent to in endeayoring to suppress
his visibility, had not betrayed our hiding
place.


In rushed my aunt and my wife, who
by this time comprehended the joke, and
such a scolding as l then got / never
received before ands hope never to re-
ceive again.


know not what the end would have
been if John in his endeavors to appear
respectful and sympathetic, had not Civ
en- voice to such diabolical noise, some
thing between groan and horse laugh,
that all gravity was upset, and we
screamed in concert.


/ know | was very wrong and all that,
but | think that "Mrs. Opie on Lying"
herself would have laughed if she had
seen Aunt Mary's countenance when she
was informed that her hearing was defec-
tive.
Year: 1864




wanted to fix a nice yard for my
bees,-where they would be retired,
quiet, and undistnrbed by noise of peo-
pie. / knew they must fly over high
fences and even over houses to get out
into the country, where their food was to
be found. The only spot l had was a
mere san bank some fifty feet
square-pure sand, not green thing on
it. The first thing did was TO bring
load of young pine trees and to set out
so many that if one in four lived, it
would be enough. The next thing was
to get green turf over the yard. Ny
hives were set down close to the ground
as they always should be, and each hay
ing a roof over the white box, they look
ed like a miniature city set down on a
miniature Sahara. / asked advice, and
everybody said, sits of no use, you can't
make anything grow there


There is nothing like trying. So ]
sent away and procured a quantity of
pure white clover seed,-almost four
times the quantity grown on such space.
| next had my ground spaded and en-
riched-burying the fertilizer under the
sand. Then | sowed my seed and care
fully raked it in. This was in the early
Spring. | had done all l could and as
well as / knew how. / now waited for
the Spring rains. In due time they came.
The sands soaked them up, and l could
find no evidence that my seed was alive.
The Spring passed away and Summer
came and went and Autum came and
went, but there was no sprouting ! Not
a single clover leaf showed itself. Then
came the cold, hard freezing Winter
and where was my poor seed theh The
second Spring returned, and still no
signs Of life. "Your seed must be dead"
said one. "You will never hear from it
again" said another. "Such sand can
not give life to anything" said third.
Not knowing what to do next, l did
nothing. Now notice. Towards h e
close of Summer, 1 went away for some
weeks. On my return-lo! my yard
was covered with thick, green, beauti-
ful dress Of young clover, and much of
it in blossom 1t was a thick mating of
life, covering and hiding all the sand,
and the blossoms we're like miniature
snow balls impaled each on a green