smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1863

possible path to Union. Would 70 God
that there we're, but the painful truth IS
manifest to evory eye. War with
Cancellation oIers the only path. We
must either give up the Union, give up
all nationality, give up the hope Of
tranquility and prosperity through all
coming time, give up all power Of pay
ing either notional debts or individual
debts, give Up the worlds. respect as
well IS cur own, give up every thing
worth living for, and quietly sink below
the level Of the poorest communities of
all the earth, or else meet this rebellion
WITH force Until its military power IS
broken, and if in spite Of us, just and
honorable Cancellation shall be withheld,
and our Constitution shall be wounded
by the hands Of those who should pro
tect it, We VIII at the earliest moment
healup every wound inflicted upon II,
and assure It's full possession TO the
Southern people whenever they shall
return to their allegiance. This Is the
mission Of tie Democracy, and Of itself
CONSTITUTES the only practicable conciE-
TN
Year: 1863

MILITIA OFFICERS Militia officers have been
exempted from conscription for the purpose of aid
ing the authorities at home in arresting deserers
and inforcing the conscript and other laws. But
in some sections these officers have neglected to do
their duty. They have not only neglected to as
sst the State and Confederate authorities, but some
Of them have actually helped to embarrass the au-
thoritics aud iniurc the cause by taking part with
the grunlblers and disafect6d they have allowed
men who subject to conscripton to 60 clear and
evade the service, and in other ways acted badly
All such must be broke of their commissions and
sent to the conscript camps. We hope those who
have the evidence sufficient to convict these negli-
gent and unworthy militia officers will send it to
Gen Fowc at Raleigh. If true meo do not inter
est themselves in this matter the cause will suffer
Let the real friends Of the South speak cut.
Year: 1863

How WOULD he BE TREATLD!-Srppose that
some nan should be elected to the next .Confcder-
ate Congress who entertained sentiments inimical
to the auseof the South, or who had secured his
election by panderng to the tories and traitors Of
his sccton, how would he be treated by the true
men who will compose that Congress? Why he
would be degraded and insul1ed and spit upon as
he onght to be, and no respectable southern man
would associatc with him. The Confederate Con-
gress viii be composed of loyal southern men, and
if any miserable dena-ogae should happen to OBJ
tain a seat ia that body who has favored subuis-
sion or rccons truction encouraged opposition to
the Government among the people, he would find
the place too disagreeabe for his person. We
do net suppose that any portion of people will
disgrace themselves by eIecting such man, but
if they were to do SO, he and they Vould certainly
occupy an unenviabIc position aid merit the con
temIt and scorn Of ali PATRIOTS
Year: 1863

EDITOR OF THE JouRNAL:-I notice in the
Courier numerous falsehoods in regard to
Provost Marshals and deputies, and lest the
articles containing them might fall into the
hands of some who may not know but what
the editor of the Courier can sometimes tell
the truth, l have concluded to state some
things that know.


One of his statements is that Provost Mar
shals get ten dollars for arresting deserter.
l pronounce that wiliful falsehood, and
prove it to you by the law, which you can all
read: The law governing Provost Marshals
or Deputies. 80 'Provost Marshals or
Deputy Provost Marshals are not entitled to
receive the reward for the apprehension Of
deserters."


He states that discharged soldiers are
arrested. No Provost Marshal can take any
soldier that can show his discharge papers,
nor has it ever been done.


He states that soldiers who return with
furloughs may be arrested. He knows that
there is no truth in the statement, and so
does every soldier in tie field and their
friends.


He states that any person may be arrested
and sent to whatever regiment the Provost
Marshal may designate. Now it would seem
that such a falsehood was too glaring to need
refutation. The facts are that no soldier is
arrested as deserter until his regiment or
hospital reports him as such.


Now, in regard to McGill, whom arrested,
as he says. "to keep until after the election" :"
can give the facts in the case: The COM
mander Of the company to which McGill be-
longed reported him 10 me as deserter, and
McGill acknowledged to me that he belonged
to that company, and had he not been a de-
serter he might have been back here in less
than day after his arrest.


But what is the use to notice fe Y only of
the Misrepresentation and falsshoods that
are being served up daily to the readers of
that secession sheet? Has the Government
or its officers done one thing since the REBEL
ion commenced that has pleased that clique
Have the rebels done one thing but what has
pleased them? Can a loyal Government do
anything that will suit traitor party? Can
an officer under that loyal Government do any
thing for his Government but that all traitors
will condemn and curse him for?


All statements made by the editor Of the
Courier about Provost Marshas have been
made through ignorance or falsehood for the
purpose Of defeating the action Of officers in
the execution of their imperative duty and
orders issued to them by those higher in au-
thority, prompted doubtless by his strong
sympathies for Jeff. Davis Government in
preference to the Government under which
he lives, and which he is, with all his ener-
gies, striving to overthrow.


H. S. COMPTON,


Deputy Provost Marshal of Muscatine Co.
Year: 1863

BEAUTIFUL ExrRAcr.-When the summer
of youth is slowly wasting into the nightfall
of age and the shadows of the past year grow
deeper ss if life were on its close, it is pleasant
to look back through the vista OF time upon the
sorrows and felicities Of years. If we have
home to shelter US, and friends have been
gathered together by our firesides, then the
rough places of wayfaring will have been
worn AMI smoothed away in the twilight Of
life, while the sunny spots we have passed
through will! grow brighter and more beauti-
full. Happy, indeed, are those whose inter-
course with the world has not changed the
tone of their holier feelings, or broken those
musical chords of the heart, whose vibrations
are so melodious, so touching to the evening
Of age.
Year: 1863

We learn that the celebrated clown of the
Democratic party in this county performed
in the country one night last week. Refer
ring to Convention of ladies then in session
in this city, for sanitary purposes, he sneer-
ingly called it Hen Convention" For
the benefit of those people who heard this
remark, we will say we were present during
the sitting of that Convention, ard to our
certain knowledge the woman who spat upon
the American flag, once upon o time, was
not there
Year: 1863

A FEW weeks ago the local editor Of one of
our city papers, on visiting the cells OF the
Ninth street station house, fell into conver-
sation with a poor fellw who had been sen
fenced to three days Imprisonment for drunk
enness. To his surprise, he found theman to
be a person Of superior education, acquainted
with the classic and modern languages and
possessed of great natural powers. Plying
his state, he procured the release Of the man,
who was a stranger in the city, took him to
his own house fed and clothed him, and prom
ised him a home until he could find some en-
ployment A few days passed by, when one


morning the local editor discovered that five
dollar bin had mysteriously disappeared from
his pantaloons pocket during the night, which
led to the dismissal of the accomplished stran-
ger. The unfortunate fellow hung about the
city for some weeks, a woe-begone, wretch
ed looking object when his attention was call
LED to an advertisement III paper for pastor
to a church in a small town in this State. He
had studied theology, but was not believer
in the tenets of tie church in question; how
ever, he became a candidate for the sacred Of


fee. There were other candidates and on
different days they preached before the con
gregation. The late tenant Of the Ninth
street cells was the last to exhibjtll powers
he preached, and with such JUNCTION that he
was at once chosen as the most able, pure and
pi0us of all the. competitors. lie had good
testimonials, given in former days-some o.
them in Latin, too, to show. The eongrcga-
ton was satisfied; and now the man who was
sentenced to three days Imprisonment fol-
drunkenness-whow was so closely associated


in the mind Of his benefactor with the disap-
pearance Of a five dollar bill; and who was SC
well acquainted with the interior of Cincin-
natl drinking saloons, is shepherd, divulg-
ing to the faithful 'the word of life" Strange
as the narrative may appear, we know it to
be true.-Cin. Tsmes.
Year: 1863




TIE Springfield Republican gives the
following amusing account of the turning
point in General Summers early life:


General Sumner, when young man,
was a stage-driver among the Berkshire
hills, and this is how be happened to get
into the army: Ata time in winter when
the roads were dangerous going down
steep hill, the stage slowed and turned
over, but he horses kept on. One of the
passengers pushed out of the door on the
upper side of the coach and climbed up
on the box, and attempted to take the
reins from Summers hands. You let
the reins alone, OF III throw you of p
said the driver, with determination. The
passenger wisely abandoned his attempt
at interference, and Sumner guided the
team firmly till it was safe to stop them,
dragging the overturned coach along,
and so saved passengers and team. The
passenger who attempted to take the
reins was General Worth. He was so
impressed with young Summers sterling
qualities that he cultivated his acqUaint-
ance, and induced him to Join the army,
and the cool and determined driver made
an intrepid commander
Year: 1863

YANKEE SrAGE-DRvER-The obliging dis
position OF the Yankee stage-driver is aptly
illustrated in the following bit OF satire:


As Mr. j, the driver, was proceeding
from Boston, not long since, a woman called
him to take bedstead ON the top without
uncording it. He told her he would obHge
her the next time he came along, but he could
not then, as he had engaged to take on a
windmill little ways ahead and as he had
a large cradle en- the top at the time, he was
afraid he should not have room. Proceeding
little further, he was requested by wo-
man to wsit till she had finished her washing
and ironing. He told her he often had to
wait for the women to do their ironing, but
he could not stand washing and ironing both
Year: 1863

St. Louis correspondent Of the Virginia
City Enterprise, gives the annexed particu.
lars OF the destructien of the gunboat Cairo
near the mouth OF the Yazoo, BY torpedo,
some three or four weeks ago:


We have heard so much of torpedoes, infer.
nal machines, and other destructive inyen.
tons of the enemy. since the commencement
of this war, and have seen so little of the ac
complishmcut Of any Of their wholesale works
Of destruction, that We have come to lose all
ccEfdence in szch devices, and 10 consider
them only as big bug a-boos But we now
have unfortunately. clear and forcible IL
lustration of the power of this class of engines
for destruction. One of our stoutest and best
boats mas fallen victim to the power of q
torpedo, and was forced to succomb in Just
seven minutes.


The Cairo was steaming leisurely along in
the main channel, with a sharp lookout on
all sides for all suspicious looking objects,
when suddenly there was sharp report un.
der her bow, followed by the unmistakable
staggering OF the ship, that indicated only
too surely that she had been struck A has.
tiy examination disclosed a very ugly breach
in her bottom, extending nearly across the
ship. 1t was we'll forward, Just below the
forward ports. The water was pouring in in
perfect torrents.


There was no hope of saving the ship, or
anything on board. unless it were the human
life the vessel carried. Ofthis she had eigh.
teen officers and one hundred and sixty men.
All her boats were quickly lowered away and
filled. and boats from the other vessels that
had seen the catastrophe were quickly along
side, engaged in the humane work Of taking
OH the crew. he the time was short the
vessel was rapidly filling and settling; she
would soon go uown like a lump of iron, and
1t would be well for all small craft to be out
OF her way when that final plunge should be
made. Still the gallant tars worked to save
their comrades, and hesitated not until the
last man was taken off, and then the old
Cairo, with her beautiful and serviceable
buttery of thirteen guns; her amply stored
magazine all her engines and boilers; her
furniture. and the personal effects of officers
and men, went down, total loss. She sunk
Unjust seven minutes from the time the tor.
pedo exploded under her bow. She now lies
in six iathoms of water, an irrecoverable
loss.
Year: 1863

Cox. WILKES cannot long remain as the
commander of the squadron in the West In-
dies. from the fact that he has arrived at the
age of sixty five. being, indeed, Of that age
when he received his present commission OF
Commodore. He is removed to the retired
list of Captains. There is regulation of the
Department requiring officers to periodically
advise it of their ages; but this has not been
strictly complied with bv Commodore Wilkes
and perhaps Others There is a law which
provides that officers who have been forty FIVE
years In the service, or are over sixty two
years Of age, shall 60 upon the retired list
Year: 1863

Mrs. FREMoNr's New BooK-Mrs. Fre-
mont's new book, Story of the Guard !"
which will be published in a few days by
Ticknor & Fields, Boston. is described
by the authoress, in letter to her publish
ers as 8 nothing more than freside story
of the Guard; Interesting, because in some
ten thousand houses some vacant place will
lend stronger interest to the tale Mrs.
Fremont adds:


These young men gave their lives to
save the State my father loved SO we'll ard
served SO long. Some rest there, as he does,
until the last trumpet call.


81 For any personal object l should new
er use my name, which has been to me a
double charge to keep, but l think my fa-
ther would more than approve, when it is
to do justice and to aid the widow and the
orphan.


:. Such as it is, my offering goes to make
fund for them, and 1 turn over the manu-
script to you, relying on your experience
and good sympathy to manage the rest
My part is to give you the story of the Guard.
and yours is to make it profitable to Them"
Year: 1863

SELLING CHILDREN IN CHINA.-The Espe-


rance, of Nancy, publishes the following


particulars concerning the proceedings Of


the Society of the Saint Enhance in China,
sxtTacted from letter written by a lady, a
na&se of Nancy, residing at Hong Kong


yau have heard about Chinese children
is fut too true, They are not indeed given
TO the pigs here but that is the case farther
in she interior. At Hong Kong, mothers
come to the asylum of st. Enhance and Of
fer them for sale; as l myself saw a few
days ago. have just visited the asylum,
kept by the nuns of St. Paul, whose princi-
pal establishment is at Chartres. While
was in the bell rang, a nun went to the
door, and returned in an instant with fe-
male infant, only a few days old. The price
paid was 200 sapeks but the mother, a
hideous creature, wanted more, OF else have
the clothes returned, which were according
ly given to her. The nuns told me there
were women who carried on quite trade
in these poor babes. One had brought no
less than forty to the asylum, and she con-
fessed that before she had the opportunity of
selling them she had thrown above six hun
dred into the sea. | must tell you that
stood godmother to the poor thing purchased
in my presence. The great cause of these
horrors IS that the Chinese can repudiate
their wives and marry again every year.
The divorced wives, according to the Chin
ese laws, have the right of life or death over
their children, and if unable or unwilling to
rear them, they get rid of them in any way
they choose"
Year: 1863

Mr. Chase the Secretary Of the treasury arrived here
night before last from Washington and Is stopping
the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Yesterday afternoon he had
interview with several OF our leading bankers At the
American Exchange Bank. II Of social and not OF
business nature last evening he remained In consua.
tjon with Mr. Cisco at his residence
Year: 1863

The Navy Department has purchased
the iron prize steamer Neptune, which
was captured by one Of our wooden Ves-
sells while attempting to run the blockade.
She was turned over to Admiral Paulding
few days ago. This is one Of the mest
extraordinary looking craft ever brought
to this port. While she measures no less
than two hundred and fifty feet in length,
she is only seventeen feet wide, or one
fifteenth Of her length-the average pro-
portion Of fast steamers being about one
eighth. Her shape is, Of course, very
novel, resembling that Of an overgroWn
canoe. She will be converted into q man
of.Ear at once. -INelr York Post
Year: 1863




The Cincinnati Gazette says that the
present fax crop of the United States,
though somewhat shortened in some dis
triots BY the drOuth, is by far the largest
ever raised in The United States, and in
quiries are being made as 10 the best mode
Of disposing of it At present these ques-
tions cannot be readily answered in dis
tricts where the fax has been grown for
the seed, and where labor is scarce. The
advice given by gentleman engaged in
cottonizing it, and who has recently made
an extensive tour through New England,
New York and Pennsylvania, is for farm
ers, after threshing out the seed, to stack
the straw carefully, protect the stacks
with boards, or a good thatch, and await
the coming of customers, who will appear
between this and the close of the year. Il
is important that the straw be kept dry,
otherwise ii will rot aud the fiber be de-
strOyed.


From present appearances there is nc
doubt thai there will be demand for every
ton Of fax raised in the West, and farm
ers will do well to preserve sll their
straw in good condition, for the betterit is
taken care of the more it will bring when
the market for it opens.
Year: 1863

A letter has been received by brother
Of distinguished rebel officer and sn-
gineer, captured by General Grant 81
Vieksburg, wherein that officer says:
aThe capture of Vieksburg and our army
is fatal to our cause. We can never re
organize another army in the West The
war may go on for some time with guer-
rilla fighting, which think would be un-
worthy of the country, and which I shall
not approve. We have played big game
and lost. As soon as am exchanged !
shall leave lhe COnfederacy and the cause
for Europe"
Year: 1863

As in all probability the draft will soon
be'enfOrced here, the following article from
the Philadelphia North American will be
read with interest:


ESinee the draft was begun substitutes
brokers have sprung up like fungi upon 6
rotten stump. Their advertisements loom
conspicuously from the columns Of such
papers as circulate among the class likely
to be open to SPECULATION. The brokers
charge from 500 to $3.50 for e man. The
Year: 1863

The sanitary Commission At Fort Wagner.


We gnd the following in the Port Royal
Free South Of the S5th ult.


"The officers of the United States Sani-
tsrY Commission have won for themselves
q splendid reputation in this department.
They have by their discretion and zeal
saved many valuable lives. Under the
guns Of Wagner, in the hottest Of the fire,
their trained corps picked up and carried
of the wounded as they fell. As many Of
cur men were struck while ascending the
parapet and then rolled into the noat
which at high tide contains six feet Of va
ter they must ineTitsbly have perished hsd
they been suffered to remain. But the me7
VINO were detailed for service with DR.
Marsh went about their work with intre
Pidity and eonlness worthy Of all praise
The skill and experience Of the members
Of the Commission has, since the battle
been unremittingly employed to render
comfortable the sick and wounded"
Year: 1863

facts is that the people who 60 to the bro
kers act ungisely. The place TO apply
for substitutes is at the Office Of the Provost
Marshal In every district large numbers
Of men have applied for chances to sub
stitute themselves for drafted men, In
stead Of going to the brokers, many Of
whom advertise what after all, they can
not supply, applications should be made
TO The Provost Marshal At Broad and
Spring streets yesterday We watched the
thing. We saw its operations. Men were
coming and going continually. While
some were entering claims for exemption,
others we're negotiating with substitutes,
About $50 was the average price. AT
this figure we saw . number Of parties ae-
cepted as substitutes. While we were look
ing on, colored preacher, pastor Of the
Zoar Church, in this city, walked up with
SPLENDID looking black man by his side.
The man beside him he had brought as
substitute. He was unhesitatinglya accept
ed, and in ten minutes Afterwards was at
tired in army blue, grinningl with salts
faction in a manner that showed two sets
of ivory from ear TO ear. What sum he
received it was not our business to inquire.


"Substituesp are coming into the city
very largely from other places. They come
by dozens on coasting vessels from British
provinces. In many cases they are likely
TO desert in the same manner. The third
class tsverns all about the city are full Of
sdventurers, willing to take a bonus o.
$500 by assuming the responsibility falling
upon some other man. We repeat, avoid
the substitute brokers. The Provost
Marshal will give all desired information
relative to the procurement of substitutes"
Year: 1863

FeHoU- citizens: | have not accepted
this invitation to address you with any
4 hope of giving you new light on the issues
before the people. There arc some things
too plain for discussion, and the man who
does not understand the fundamental prin-
ciples now in contest, is below the reach
of an argument.


This Government this Constitution and
these laws-were made by the patriots of
the Revolution to secure the blessings of
liberty to themselves and their posterity.
4 Their blood and treasure expended upon
the erection Of the Government, gave them
an Unbeatable estate in it which has come
down in the regular course of descent to
II cir heirs. We, the white men Of Amer.
Ica, are their heirs.


4 The Government being our property,
@e have the same right to save it from
overthrow, by warning one another of its
danger, that any one of you has 20 pre-
vent the destruction OF his house by rails.
ing the cry of fire when he sees the flames
bursting from the roof And this is a
duty which will surely be performed for
the people of this country have been SO
long accustomed to speak plainly what
they believe sincerely upon the subjects
which concern their temporal salvation,
that they could not be silent if they would,


This great combination OF independen
sovereignties, uniting all the powers of a
consolidated empire for the common de-
fence and general welfare, with all the ad-
vantages of local self government in our
domestic affairs, was the grandest politi-
cal structure ever made by human hands,
and its preservation was the most sacred
trust ever committed to any people on the
globe. If we shall be compelled to close
this contest without restoration of the
Onion, our worH misiortunes are yet be-
Year: 1863

eD- A Republican paper says The
great mass OF the Democracy of Pennsyl.
vania are not copperheads. Ofcourse not
especially as we are on the eve Of the elec-
ton, and some oil them may possibly be
honey-fugled into vo ing for Shoddy' Cur
tin. The election over, however and they
will all no doubt again degenerate into
"copperheads' in the estimation of this
Abolition pOsey. Fool who