smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

The light in many home went out in the
battle at Manassas: but among the rebels
there is JOY and among the loyaists there is
Il sadness that passes tears. Our army went
out full Of hope, to battle for their nation s
iiag. We sent them away with PRAYER for
Gods blessing upon them-beieving that in
the strength of justice and truth, and patriot
ism and personal courage and prowess, they
would conquer. They met-this single di-
ylson-nearly the whole southern army
The whole available troops of the confederate
army en- this side of the mountains were at
Manassas. They had been withdrawn from
the various points at which they had mani
tested their presence, and concentrated there
The guns in battery, at sundry points along
the Potomac, had been Withdrawn and there
met Gen McDowel's division, not only the
"ilower of the southern army" but the army
itself. Johnston's division effected its juno
ton with that Of Beauregard in time to give
to this one battle the nearly whole effective
force of the confederate states.


Our men were overborne by numbers anl
It is not to be denied that the enemy Tough
bravely and well. 1t is very evident tha
they were under the direction of exceedingly
skilful officers-ofiicers, it is sad to remeu
Der, who were educated by the government
they were fighting to overthrow. Our mel
seem to have behaved with great gallantry
but they fought against overwhelming odd.
ard exhausted themselves in driving the en-
emy from positions chosen at leisure, ant
rendered almost impregnsble both by art an
nature


The events and results of this battle Wi
shift the scene Of war to point nearer Wash
ington. Whether it will lead the enemy t
adopt an aggressive policy remains to be seer
We confess that it seems probable that


grand struggle for the possession of Washing
Year: 1861

THE CoNTRAsT.-From the Philadelphia Press
we take the following: "What healthy and
eloquent contrast there is between the loyal men
of Kentucky, Tennessee North Carolina and


Western Virginia, aud the peace men of the
Free States The latter employ their time in
constant attacks upon the Administration of Mr..
Lincoln, in misrepresentation of the objects of
the war, and in bitter abuse of all who sustain it
covering their real intention with thin var
nish of hypocritical devotion to the country.
The loyal Southern men sink every other object


before an absorbing aud present love of the
Union. They forget that Mr.. Lincoln is a Re-
publican, applaud every effort he is making for
their protection, and welcome the soldiers of the
Republic into their midst, no matter from what
quarter, with every manifestation of gratitude. )"
Year: 1861

THE FLooD-CREDIToRs AND DEBToRs.-We
learn that several attachment suits have already
been commenced against sufferers by the late
food. We regret that any necessity should force
creditors to further embarrass and in most in
stances by a sudden peremptory demand for
payment, entirely ruin those who have been fnan


cially crippled by the late river disasters butwho


If permitted a short time, would be enabled to
recover from their present money embarrassment


1t is our opinion that creditors stand in their own
light and are injuring the prosperity and credit
of the county by forcing partial collections and
entirely destroying the chances of the debtor for
repairing his fortunes by rebuilding his mining
improvements or renewing his stock of goods, as
The case may be. Under the workings Of the
present Attachment law the debtor is wholly at
the mercy Of his creditor he may be worth ten
times the amount of his Indebtedness, but have
his effects in such condition as not to be availa-
BILE, and if this condition his creditors pounce up
on him with an attachment, the debtors whole
property must be sacrificed under the sheriff S
BANNER, and his business ruined to satisfy an eX-
ecution, which he could pay ten times over il
permitted few months time. Mercy is said to
be the first attribute of Deity If our citizen
creditors would just at the present crisis, borrow
n little of that virtue from their Father in Ilea
ven, we feel assured it would be better for. them
selves, their debtors, and the county at large
We have every faith that the river miners will
during the coming summer, fully repair their late
Losses, and that another seasons work will set
them all right Give them chance and thereby
profit afterwards
Year: 1861

CuR1srMAs! What associations and olden mem
ories come thronging up as we pen this simple
word Christmas the synonym of all that is
joyous. gladstone and happy in the remembrance
of childhood and young-manhood. The Yule
Log-the mistle toe over the door-the kiss claim
ed under it from bushng cheeks and poutine
lips-ihe annual souvenir still treasured-the AL
exander bowl of eggnogg-the roasted turkey
the family dinner-the Christmas tree-the gen.
eral merrymaking and all the innocent pleas
ures that lang syne" belonged to tbs annver-
sary of the day that gave to the word medium
of atonement between sinful mar and an Offend
ed God. Let skeptics and Atheists set up their
goddess Reason, worship at Ter shrine, pour forth
their libatons of panegync to her superior attri-
butes; when this annieersary OF the God OF all
virtue and goodness arrives, all civilized nations
give the lie to tleir sophstries, and pay tribute
to the man. Deity who lived like an angel and
died like a God" No nation on the broad
earth that has attained to any eminence in civil
izaton, or noted for its science and arts, or has
power in the worlds affairs, but what observes
with thanks and rejoicing Christmas day.


CHRIsrMAsl The very word should drive from
every heart all selishness all bitterness, all dis
appointment, all differences all hatred gener-
GUS sentiments forgiveness, joy and love should
fill every BOSOM The day should be typical Of
the great goodness of a benfcent Deity who
blessed a sinful world with pardoning Savior
Let the remembrances of childhood, the happy
influence of many of these old anniversaries past
take possession of your souls, and radate their
JOY upon all around and about you gladden. with
"merry Christmas" and kind word your unfor
tunate neighbor, rejoice the heart of your poor
friend with present, and brighten the face o
childhood with the expected Christmas gift.


On this day peculiarly should the poor be re-
membered let nothing around you want, for
this is the anniversary Of One who came to exat
TO equal rank the most lowly and humble man
with the kings and rulers of earth. " Cast your
bread upon the waters and it shall return to you
after many days"


Next Wednesday is Christmas day. Let it be
a day Of general thanksgiving beneYolence and
joy. No State in our present unhappy Union
has more cause for rejoicing than California !;
here none of the fearful consequences attendant
upon the sad and sangunaTy struggle of our sis
ter Atlantic States is felt Let all differences of
political sentiment be forgotten in the ballOwed
memories of the day would to God it could be
done all over our bleeding country Let kind
acts, generous sentiments, and friendly greetings
mark the day, and make it one to be remembered
with pleasing emotions in the future.


A merry and happy Chris mas to our patrons,
and every body else Who'll invite us to eat
Turkey
Year: 1861

On Monday evening Dec. 23d, lecture on
School Teaching will be delivered at the Union
Church, by r. Desty. Citizens generally are in
vited to attend as the purpose of the lecture is
to organize course on the subjects of Gram
mar, Composition and Mathematics. Any funds
arising from said lectures to be applied to the
construction of bridge over the gulch to facili-
tate the crossing of children to school,
Year: 1861

The Sierra Democrat gives lengthy account
of the flood at Downieville. The Democrat office
was expected to go at one time, and was cleared
of its contents. For his lucky escape Forbes
thanks God for his mercy and his other friends
for their muscle. ..
Year: 1861

Dr. II s e Tt er . o M G II Blu
ters.-These Bitters are universally acknowledge
Ague, Flatulence, Heaviness of the Stomach, or
any other like affection. Their effect upon the
system is most miraculous they give healthy
tone to the system, relieve all morbid matter, and
in fact thoroughly cleanse the system of all i'm
purties. In no case has it been known to fail,
but on the contrary, new virtues have been found
in its use. To those afflicted with any of the
above ills Of the body, the "Bitters" are offered
as speedy and certain cure. Try them and form
your own opinion. Sold by Druggists and deal
ers everywhere. 494.
Year: 1861

In the village of W, lived man, who had once been Judge of the county, and was known all over 1t by the name of Judge L--. He Kept store and saw-mill, and was always sure to have the best of the bargain on his side, by which means he had gained an ample cempeten- cy and some did not hesitate to call him the biggest scoundrel in the world" He was very concelted withal, and used to delight to brag of hls business capacity when any one was near to listen. ene rainy day, as quite number wore seated around the stove in the store, he began as usual, to tell of his great bargains, and at last wound up with the expression, "Nobodyhas ever cheated me, nor they can't do it neither

 Judge said an old .nan of the company, live cheated you more'n you ever did me- How so :" said the Judge.

 If you'll promise you won't go to law about it; you are too much of law character for me. Let's h ar let's hear!' cried half dozen voices.

 I'll promise said the Judge and treat into the bargain if you have.'

 Well, do you remember the wagon you rob- bed me out off?

 I never robbed you out of any wagon,' ex- claimed the Judge, Il only got the best of bar gain

 Well, made up my mind to have it back, and

 You never did ? interrupted the cute Judge

 Yes did, and interest too.'

 How so ? thundered the now enraged Judge.

 Well, you see, Judge, sold you one day a very nice pine log, and bargained with you for a lot more. Well, that log stole off your wood pile down by the mill the night before, and the next day sold it to you. The next night, drew it home and sold it to you the next day and so kept on until you bought your own log of me twenty seven times" That's lie.' exclaimed the infuriated Judge running to hi, books, and examining his log ac- counts. you never sold us twenty-seven logs of the same measurement" | know it., said the vender of logs, by draw ing it back and forth the ends wore off, and as it Wore kept cutting the ends off until it was only ten feet ong-j ust fourteen feet shorter than it was the first time 1 brought it, and when it got 50 short l drew it home agaia and worked it up into shingles, and then l concluded 1 had got my wagon back and slowed away in my pocket book"

 The exclamation of the Judge was drowned in the shouts of the bystanders, and the Iog-drawer found the door without the promised treat. And to see a mad man, you have only to ask the Judge if he ever was ever shaved.-N. Orleans Ptcayune.
Year: 1861

I saw there was some mystifcation, so I sait politely, T think you had better take my offe of a seat in private carriage You are responsible for the body, have nc official cognizance of its presence But murmured my son. sadly bewildered

 burdened as was already with three upon my crupper-'

 Your crupper? said the governor, little wildly.

 A scream of an engine whistle close to ou ears made us start another express has jus come in. An official ran up hastily. The pri soner's in the train there waiting for you

 What! the convict Rudd?'

 Yes, sir, heavily ironed. MT Gyves and two other constables have got him in firstclas compartment all to themselves

 The governor burst out laughing, hay per ception of something like a mistake broke upor me looked down at myself, at my hand crossed under the cloak as if fettered and at my two supporters on whom I leant. I must have been very like the convict Rudd, going down tt Stratford Goal.
Year: 1861

SANDY HOOK, IhuIsday May 10, IS6l.
Three nan from Company B, Of the New-losk
Zouaves, deserted from here last night, taking the
news boat belonging to the Associated Press with
them. The Of the boat were bid under the boat
house. where it WAS thought it would be impossible to
find them, but Notwithstanding the de~erers managed
To discover them.
Year: 1861

FOR some time the people Of New Orleans have been
threatening that they would break the blockade and
destroy our vessels and prove that they meant what
they sad, they set about constructing vessel that
10 enect this object though they somewhat troubled
as TO the shape, size, &c. that this affair was TO be-
The name she was TO be called also die
turbed them much, and last IL became
known to the people 'thc thing the nondcscriptn
The despatch states that s'our iron sunk tho
Preble with her iron plough and it tho intention
Of the rebels to this vessel with armor il may
have been the same that building; but this y
hardly probable, was launched but short time ago
and could hardly have been got ready in short
The great probability is that their clad steamer,
with which they claim to have done so much damage
is the propeller Enoch ain formerly Of Boston, weasel
that purchased by New Orleans merchants for
the purpose of towing account Of her great strength
she having immense power in q small compass. When
VIC heard from her last they encasng her with rail
road iron and adding TO her bow strong iron PROV for
pushing or smashing against vessel The Enoch Train
propeller Of about four hundred tons burthen IL
hundred and feet long, twenty six feet wde
aud twelve feet depth Of hold This her
ment before being altered by the rebels sho was built


in 1855, and strong, though not very fast boat.
The other vessels composing the rebel feet are Of
COURSE at the present time unacquantcd WITH but thers
converted into gunboats had they the proper armament
to place board. This, however, Is wanting and rem
ders them useless.
Year: 1861

seis that the government At to for the purpose
OF blockadng She is n comparatively vessel, hay
ing been built in 1860 at Boston She is 5o tons bur
then and has draugh Of fourteen feet She side wheel
steamer, and is in every respect hrst class vessel Al


though built for the marne she has been engaged the
blockade in the Gulf Her chief officer Commander Nc
ancton Smith, United States Navy.
Year: 1861

The Boston papers publish the following note
from Charles Francis Adams, written in reply to
one OF his constituents, who protested against
his course in the House Committee of Thirty.
three:


Washington, Jan. s, 1861.
"DEAR SIR II have received your letter and
have read it with respectful attention. Nothing
pleases me better than the frank expression Of
opinion. deal in it myself and expect it from
others. But you may remember that have al
ways claimed for myself the right to judge what
ought to DO in public affairs, and although 9th
ers whom greatly respect do not quite agree
with me. But for this quality / should have re-
mained where | was Is years ago.


81 am so unfortunate as to believe that have
offered no compromise, or any concession which
is not already granted either in the Chicago plat
form or in the national statute book. If you car
show me that have, will admit myself to have
been wrong. In the meantime, it may be well II
consider that what was rejected by the othe
side, could not have been priced much by thos'
as an advantage.


81 say no more at present But having you
interest and your principles in my keeping,
shall endeavOr to prove to you in the long rul
that you may have been hasty in your opinions


81 am, very truly, your friend,


sc. F. ADAMS"
Year: 1861

Missouri is the greatest and most prosperous
of the Slave States. She gave the largest pop
ular vote at the last Presidential election. She
has more elements of wealth than any other
She is really manufacturing State to a large ex-
tent She has coal fields which would supply
the world iron ore unsurpassed in richness and
amount. She is soon to be great wool growing
country, and is contiguous to the great sheep
walks which will extend to the base, even to the
tops of the Rocky Mountains cotton near at
hand; provisions to any amount either within or
near her borders; and will, at no very distant
day, be capable of manufacturing for the whole
continent A Southern Confederacy would not
only cripple her present manufactures, but de
stroy her future prospects by imposing the insup-
portable barriers of direct taxation and admitting
European goods free of duty. This, however, is
what South Carolina and the Cotton States pro-
pose to establish They will unquestionably,
demand the reopening Of the African Slave trade,
which would not only ill Southern Couhederl-
cy with hOrdes of savage and cannibal slaves, but
rednce the price of slaves in Missouri to $50 or
SIOO per head Is that what We want? The
secessonists admit that they have seldom lost a
slave by him or her escaping to Free State
They do not desire to remove their negroes from
a climate almost tropical, to our cold and bleak
Territories. What then is there in which any
portion of the people of Missouri can sympathise
or agree with South Carolina or the Cotton
States? Is this State to be carried by the Cot
ton States like tail of a kite, wherever they
may GO even into civil war and rebellion p
Missouri Democrat.
Year: 1861

The morbid nervousness OF the present day
appears in several ways. Ii brings man sOme-
times to that startled state that the sudden open
ing of door, the clash Of the falling fre-irons,
or any little accident, puts him in a tutter How
nervous the late Sir Robert Peel must have been
when, few weeks before his death, he went to
the Geological Gardens, and when amonkey sud
denly sprang upon his arm, the great and worthy
man tainted! Another phrase of nervousness is
when a man il brought to that state that the
least noise or cross occurrences seems to jar
through the entire nervous system-to upset
him, as We say; when he cannot command his
mental powers except in perfect stiffness, or in
the chamber and at the writing table to which
he is accustomed; when, in short, he gets fdg-
ety, easily worried, full of whims and fances,
which must be INDUCED and considered, or he is
quite out of sorts.


Another phase of the same morbid condition
il when a human being is oppressed with a
vague, underlined fear that things are going
wrong, that his income will not meet the demands
upon it, that his chid's lungs are affected, that
his mental powers are leaving him-a state Of
mind which shades rapidly off into positive i'll
sanity. Indeed, when matters remain long in
any of the fashions which have been described,
suppose the natural Examinations must be dis
ease of the heart, or shock of peralysis, or in
sanity in the form either of mania or idiocy.-
Numbers of commonplace people, who could
feel very acutely, but who could not tell what
they felt have been worried into fatal heart dis
ease by prolonged anxiety and misery. Every
one knows how paralysis laid its hand upon Sir
Walter Scott, always great, lately heroic. Pro-
tracted anxiety how to make the ends meet, with
large family and an uncertain income drove
Southey's first wife into lunatic asylum; and
there is hardly more touching story than that
of her fears and forebodidgs through nervous
year after year. Not less sad the end of her
OverwrOugh husband, in blank vacuity; nor the
like end of Thomas Moore. And perhaps the
saddest instance of the result of an Overdrawn
nervous system, in recent days, was the end Of
that rugged, honest, ~vnde,ful seniue, Hugh
Miler.-Reereatio'l of a Country Porson
Year: 1861

REFUSING TO ABEr TREAsON.-The Troy Dali
ly Times has the following information:


"We are grati6ed to learn that orders have
been received by the freight agent of the Hudson
River Railroad Company, in this city, from the
Board of Directors, not to tranship any arms or
munitions of war from this place to any southern
city, outside the demands of the government.
This action is timely and just-just to the peo-
pie Of the NOrth-and the community will ap-
plaud the step. Where citizens will incur the
hazard of criminal prosecution for treason for
the sake Of money-making, they should not seek
to bring others down to the level of themselves.
The railroad and its agents and employees, in
transporting over its route appliances of ware
fare, designed to be used against the government,
would be legally guilty of treason also; and this
view of the case no doubt stimulated by the
management to deny parties in this city the priv
ilege Of rendering them fit subjects for an ignom-
ious scaffold, if government saw fit to prosecute.
We understand that a considerable quantity of
Of warlke implements are now stored in the
freight depot at the foot of Adams street, having
been cut off from shipment by these orders.
The Directors deserve a public expression Of
thanks from the people for their patriotic course.


We learn that about six tons of cartridges were
shipped . day or two since, over the Hudson
River Railroad from the Watervliet Arsenal for
the government, designed for distribution"
Year: 1861

RAREY AND THE SOUrH CARoLINIANs. The
following is an extract from letter written by a
Yankee girl to a member of Congress on the
crisis:


"Mother is still rather rabid on the subject of
news; her interest is now pretty fairly balanced
between Rarey's method of tanning horses and
the Southernor's method for tanning US, which
does not seem. for some inscrutable reason to
work go well. have no doubt they could throw
the North down if they could get the strap fas.
tened on the fore leg, but there Is some une1'
planned difficulty about that first step in the pro.
cess. Poor people! am sure We are all sorry
for the wretched, impoverished, foolish South
erners. l am afraid they will be as destitute a:
Dick Swiveller on recovering from fever, and
finding that the small servant, or az he chose to
designate her, the Marchioness, had pawned al
his cloths to defray the expenses OF illness
We'll, this is little embarrassing, Marchioness
in case of fire; even an umbrella would be some
thingr"
Year: 1861

ADMISSION OF kANsAs.-The weary appren.
ticeship of Kansas is at last, it would seem, about
to close. The bill admitting her to the Union,
passed the Senate yesterday by the decisive vote
of SO to l6. An amendment having been added
to the bill in that body, it goes back to the
House, where it will be acted upon without
much delay, we presume. The President can.
not withhold his approval, and thus we shall
have new star added to the galaxy before many
days. The close of the territorial history OF
Kansas, We feel prompted to say, will close a
whole political cycle, and usher in new one
Our rational troubles commenced with the open
ing of the Kansas drama-let US hope that they
will end with its termination, and that our era
of peace and good feeling will succeed. All hal
to Kansas !-.Lissouri Dem.
Year: 1861

We the people OF the Confederate States each State
acting its sovereign and independent character in
order form permanent federal government, estab
lish Justice insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings OF liberty ourselves and Posteri
ty-inyoking the faver and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
llnfed afe nf America
Year: 1861

pleased to learn that this Body is pro-


noplced to be in healthy condition.


we have been panied to notice, that
or some causes, of which we have now
no knowledge, thisCompany has seem
ed to be little under the weather.
But now, we understand, that at the
last Monthly Meeting, it was deter
mined to sustain the organization;-the
Rifles will celebrate their first ANN
vERsARY, by engaging in a Target
Excursion on the 23rd inst. We
expect to see a full and brilliant
turnout on the occasion. Nothing
could be more disastrous for our city
than the disbanding of this Company;
particularly at this time in the history
of our Southern Confederacy-s if
the Company will steadily adhere t
their determination to remain organized;
we confidently predict, that not many
weeks or even days will roll over, before
their numbers will be greatly aug
mented. SO gentlemen, push on the
work and God speed you to its accom-
plishment.