smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1859

We began the discussion of the question
of Constitutional Convention, to arouse
the people of this section, and, if possible,
the press of the State, to the important SUBJ
ject. We are less anxious that our peculiar
views in regard to it should prevail, than
we are that the attention of the people
should be called TO il, and that they should
vote upon ii with deliberately formed opin-
ions. We can live under any Constitution
that suits the majority. The yincennes
Times is the only paper north Of us in the
ton. II says:


The Evansville papers are doing good
thing. They are agitating the subject OF the
proposed calling of Constitutional Con-
vention. Very few of the papers of the
State have had anything to say on the sub
ject, and so far as they are oracles OF the
parties, and representatives of public opin-
ion, doing all they can to let the people
alone in their blindness in regard to one of
the most important matters which can come
before any people, and which is just new
especially important TO the whole people of
our great State. This is not right. The
papers ought to agitate this matter until the
people are forced to see what is their interest
and duty.


The defects of the present Constitution
should be pointed out-the mistakes OF Its
trainers should be commented upon, upon
the one hand; and upon the other, its per-
fections should be shown up-its virtues
commended By this means the people
could vete in October intelligently upon the
proposition to be submitted to them. But
If the bare proposition comes before them
without their considering its magnitude and
Importance, it is indeed folly to hope for
better things, and we must put up with swell
enough"


Between this time and the election, we
propose to review, through this paper, the
whole subject at some length, either editc-
rally or by a series of communications
from the pen of a lawyer; and in these
articles we shall deal with the subject fairly
mot as partisan and politician, but as a
gentleman and a citizen.


The Evansville Enquirer, the Democratic
organ for Evansville, is opposing the Con-
vention in jealous editorials, and objects to
the proposition IN toto. The journal, the
Opposition paper. favors the new Convention
with signal ability and earnestness. Were
it not that we dissent from its most promi-
nent reasons for the new Constitution, we
should copy and commend its articles. As
it is, however, we make few extracts from
one of its articles, which will at least sound
plausible to the reader, however much he
may be opposed to a change, revision, or
abolition of our present State Constitu-
ton.
Year: 1859

e@- 1t is reported that Judge Douglas is
preparing a new and elaborate argument on
the question of popular sovereignty in the
territories, which he is about to publish
It is intended to be a clincher to the argu-
ments already put forth by him on the sub
ject
Year: 1859

pB The following poetical production
which has the merit of easy versifcation, if
nothing more-is from the pen of a young
man of this city, whose days are devoted to
the dry and severe duties of counting
room. If from such ungcnial exercise his
fancy can achieve modest flight, it is evi-
dence of a good deal OF native strength;


Foo The .Ionrnsi
Year: 1859

nA.. The critic of the Buffalo Republic
does not like Karl Formes. He says his
voice is wonder in compass and strength
but in regard to the musical part Of it, if
Karl Formes should come in our backyard
at night, and sing in that style, we should
feel justified in stoning him off the premises.
Year: 1859

There may be many ways TO make good
butter, but there is ono way that will never
fail. Have everything that pertains to
it sweet and clean. In summer, good,
cool, dry cellar is very essential. Pace
the milk in pans in the middle of the
cellar, on a shelf, not too close togetl-
er, not admitting, in warm weather,
nor indeed at any time. too much air
Pans that arc much the largest at the
top arc best, and thosessthat hold from
four 10 six quarts arc sufficiently large.-
Invariably skim the milk before it is lop-
pered. 1t is the best to be SKINNED as
soon as sour, which can be done in tin
cream tub, with tight lid, which will hold
as much as you can churn at time, and
which should be kept on the cellar bottom.
The best butter is that when the cream
docs not stand too long before being churn-
ed. 1t should be churned every other
day, at farthcst. Let the churn in warm
weather be rinsed with cold water, and set
in cold water while cburning. Boiling
water should be taken to rinse the cburu
when it is cold, and tue temperature will
admit, before cream is put in for churning.
Tho best butter we have ever eaten, has
been when the up and down churn has
been used.


When the butter has sufficiently come,
take up in tray or bowl, work out the
buttermilk, and then pour over pure cold
water, working it through that, pour it of,
and add fine salt-an ounce 10 pound
When this is thoroughly Incorporated, set
it in cool place, until the morrow, when
il should bo worked with ladle until the
buttermilk is separated, but not until it is
greasy, when it is ready for packing. Keep
the firkin covered with a thick cloth, under
the lid, while the firkiu is being filed, is
all sufficient.


/ deem saltpctre or saltpctre water, on
butter, highly perpicious. Butter, is like
many other things, whose beauty and
sweetness is much mared by too much
handling All know we can make butter
white and Of the consistency Of cream, by
beating. Hence to churn too long after II
has come, TO work too much, in water OF
out Of water, will make white rancid butter


A word TO the wise is sufficient-[ Cen,
Farmer. M. s. B.
Year: 1859

The people Of New York must have less
crime or more prisons. 1t is stated in the
Albany Journal that there are now in the
male department Of the Prison at Sing
Sing ,03l convicta, with only 991 cells
to accommodate them, and not shop room
enough for all to work in. In the female
department there are stated to be 119 con-
victs. with but s5 cells for them. This
makes in all the unprecedented number Of
l,17o prisoners. In the month Of Janua-
ry alone, Sc were received, 46 of whom
were alone from the City of New York.


Nor is Sing Sing Sing alone in its mad
equacy to hold the convicts whom the law
orders to be confined in it. From Auburn
it is reported that the prison is fuller than
ever before, and last week it was said that
but four vacant cells remained, since which
time two or three more at least have gone
there. Clinton Prison is also full. II looks
as If crime was Increasing so rapidly that
an Enlargement Of all these institutions will
soon be necessary. Measures looking to
the enlargement Of ono or moro Of them
have already been introduced in the lcgis.
lature.
Year: 1859

The yield of Maple sugar in Michigan
has been so extsaordinary this Season. that
farmers are selling it for from six to eight
cents per pound. More sugar has been
made in the western counties of Pennsylva-
mia this season than for many years past.
Year: 1859

We would venture the opinion that the
Constitution newspaper at Washington City
has discovered that there is no playing fast
and loose in the game of politics, without
growing the worse for it; and that it will soon
become heartily sick of the predicament of
lettering moodily about on neutral ground,
cursing all, and espousing nothing. 1t has
been in the constant habit of denouncing the
doctrine of the power of territorial legisla-
ture to exclude slavery but yet it has not
the manliness to plant itself upon the declara-
ton of the Supreme Court that it is the duty
of Congress to afford protection to the owner
of slaves against the exercise of such forbid
den power. If it sees everything to condemn
in the Douglas dogma, it has no toleration for
its opposite forgetting that if one is wrong,
the other is necessarily right What that is
useful. and beneficial to the Democratic party
and the country it can hope to gain by a
course so extraordinarily vacillating and ab-
surd, We are at a loss to imagine. 1t will
conciliate neither the advocates of Squatter
Sovereignty, nor those who hold that it is the
duty of the federal government to afford ade-
quate protection to the persons and property of
its citizens at home or abroad-but it viii be-
come byeword Of reproach, and challenge
the scorn of every one. What care the South
ern Democracy for its denunciation of Doug
las, when it interposes its scruples and timid-
tiles to prevent the adoption of remedies for
the wrongs he seeks to inflict.
Year: 1859

Nobody expects this erratic man to
follow straight course. His chang es are so


requent and his somersets so complete, that
fthey have almost ceased to attract attention.
1t is now stated that he is wondrous kind to
Douglas and his squatter sovereignty dogma,
although, in the last Congress, he was as
bitter against both as he was capable of being
In 1848, placing the squatter sovereignty
construction upon the Nicholson letter of
Gen. Cass, he denounced it as the emanation
of demagogue, and said that its doctrines
were worse than the Wilmot Proviso but
true to his destiny, if not to principle, he is
shifting his ground and making ready for
new political operations. For what port he is
now shifting his sails nobody knows and but
few care. 1t seems that in one of his late
speeches-the same in which he became the
eulogist Of the Illinois apostate-he discovered
the traits of the hyena and went down into
the grave of the Patriot Quitman. 1t was
appropriate that the panegyrist Of the one
should become the reviler Of the other. His
last exploit is thus appropriately noticed by
the Alabama Spirit of the South


Mr.. ToombS is reported to have said in his
late speech at Lexington, that he could draw
from the Grand jury box of OglethoLpe
county, two as good political leaders as Quit
man and Bonham.'' IF so, we hope that the
people of Georgia will see to it, that these
Oglethorpe Grand Jurors are speedily drawn
from their obscurity to represent the State at
Washington City, where such political leaders
as Quitman and Bonham are sadly needed
We should be quite resigned even to seeing
one of them substituted for the eloquent
Senator himself To say nothing of Gen.
Bonham, who is at least faithful and efficient
Southern Representative in Congress, was it
quite in good taste for Mr.. Toombs thus to
disparage the memory of man illustrious
alike by his gallantry in the field and in his
wisdom in council, the weight and dignity of
whose character extorted the respect even of
Black Republicanism ITSELF and whom the
Georgia Senator, be his fortune ever SO bright
and successful, may never hope to rival in the
affections and esteem of his countrymen
After all, it is not so much slur on the fame
of Quftman, as it is satire ON political
leadership, for what is it but saying that stub
born honesty units man for politics, and
that the qualities of head and heart that most
adorn humanity, are not reckoned among the
requirements of political leadership? We
are not so much surprised that this is Mr..
ToombS's opinion, as that he should have
found it necessary to proclaim it in a public
speech.
Year: 1859

That the Democracy of Mississippi in their
opposition to the Rag Money system, are in
advance of the party in its progress towards
reform in most other States, is not to be ques-
toned. But the gratifying fact is equally ap-
parent that the cause is moving forward, and
will ultimately triumph. The Memphis Ava
lanche, one Of the leading Democratic journals
of the country, reproduces the views which
were urged on this subject in recent issue of
the Mississippian, and tells US that we are
"right"-saying


It were better that war and pestilence and
famine should sweep over your beautiful State
than that it should be again cursed with rot
ten, worthless and corrupt rag money system.
If the lessons they have learned at home have
not convinced your people of its dangers, or if
those lessons have been lost sight of and for
gotten, point them to Tennessee bank
ridden Tennessee-where they may learn
another, and, if possible, more bitter one
than has yet been taught them.
Year: 1859

0sT The Vicksburg Wing, in the phrenzy
of despair, puts forth an Opposition State
ticket, and lays down as its platform Sub
mission to Black Republican rule--no protec.
t;on to slavery in the Territories We be-
lieye we won't meddle in State politics this
wear but will attend to the kettle Of fish thai
;s stewing in our own county. The platform
laid down by the Wing is somewhat opposed
to the Fillmore maxim Of resistance to . sec
tional President and the old wing doctrine
Of aprotection to slavery in the Territories y


The foregoing is the discouraging reception
which the Prairie News, an Opposition journ.
al gives to the platform and the nominees q
the vicksburg Wing.
Year: 1859

DEowNED.-A german lady and her
child were drowned in the Cottonwood a
short distance above this place few days
ago, while attempting to cross the stream
with an OK team during the recent high wa
ters. The huss and and father of the unfor-
tunate victims drove into the river, think
ing, in all probability. there was no danger,
but the current was too swift, the wagon
bed was carried off, containing the wife an d
child, and they were waited into etsrni ty
ere they could be rescued.
Year: 1859

Among the many excellent institutions oi
which the goodly town of Lawrence can
boast, is the Dry Goods House of Mr.. Ford,
whose advertisement win be found in anoth-
er column If any of our citizens in want
of anything in bis line should go to Law
renee, we advise them to give him call. as
they will always find that those who adver-
tise as extensively as does Mr.. Ford, are the
most liberal dealers.
Year: 1859

Was there not company organized last
fall, for the purpose of constructing bridge
across the Neosho? What has become OF
its If there is such company in existence,
we move they get themselves about the
work Immediately. Who seconds the mo-
ton?
Year: 1859

gross proclivities, conquer the temptations
that assail US, and find ourselves growing
stronger and better as we grow older if,
in this world of evil and in measure
through its ministry, we become elevated
and enobled, how safe and glorious must
that future be which shall find us free from
the appetites that chafe us, aud released
from all pain and sorrow | Now, is it not
worth something to make that future so Sc.
cure that we can approach it with fearless
ness Ah yes The life which is, no less
than the life which is to come, is ours, il
we will take it, With this lion in our way
removed, how sweetly will taste the pleas.
ures Of life How precious will become
loves that our hearts drink so greedily, and
often so powerfully, when we know thai
we may drink them forever ! How charm
ing will become the songs of birds, and
how fragrant the perfume of flowers, tc
him who believes that he will only lose them
to listen to angelic music, and breathe the
breath of flowers that never decay |


Much of the mystrey that hangs over the
world, as world of evil, grows out of a
msconception of the highest life. If the
hlS SuSoO BOOu vi buO ouOII years JudJ are al
lotted to us on the earth be happiness, then
is the existence of evil indeed a mystery
but it is not, and cannot be. Happiness is
a legitimate object of life, and am even
now endeavoring to show how more of il
may be secured but it is an object to be
held subordinate to the education necessary
fer service in another realm, and the perma.
nent enjoyment ofanother estate / believe
that the truest happiness of the world is to
be found in heartily accepting and entering
into the scheme by which evil is made pow
erful agency in the development and eter-
nal security Of the soul. Accepting this
ministry, and trusting in the goodness-pro-
found and eternal-in which it was conceiv-
ed, what food Of light and love is let in
upon the soul! Mol three is something bet


ter for US in this world than happiness, what
ever there may be beyond We will take
happiness as the incident Of this, gladly and
gratefully. We will add thousand fold
to the happiness of the present in the fear.
lessness of the future which it brings, but we
will not place happiness first, and thus cloud
our heads with doubt and fill our hearts
with discomfort. In the backest soils grow
the richest flowers, aud the loftest and
strongest trees are planted among the rocks
Year: 1859

SALT LAKE AND ITS ENVIRoNs.


SALT LAKE Cry, July lS, 1859.


A party of us visited the Lake on Sat-
urday. 1t is not visible from this city, tho
it must be from the mountains which rise
directly north of it, and more / remotely on
all sides /; but Antelope, Stansbury, and
perhaps other islands in the Lake, being
mainly covered by high, rugged bills or
mountains, are in plain sight from every
part of the Valley The best of these
islands is possessed by "the Church" (Mor-
mon) as herd ground or rasche for its
numerous cattle, aud is probably the best
tract for that purpose in the whole Terrific
ry. That portion of the Lake between it
and the Valley is so shallow that cattle
may at most seasons be safely driven over
to the island, while it is so deep (between
three and four feet) that none will stray
back again, and it would be difficult and
dangerous to steal cattle thence in the
night, when that business is mainly carried
on. So the Church has large and capital
pasture, and her cattle multiply and wax
fat at theleast possible expense The best
canon for wood near this city is likewise
owned by "the Church"-h0a0 owned can't
pretend to say-but whoever draws wood
from it must deposit every third load in the
Church's capaclous yard. These are but
specimens of the management whereby, tho
the Saints are generally poor-often quite
poor, so that Saint who has three wives
can sometimes hardly afford to keep two
beds-yet "the Church" has a comfortable
allowonce of treasures laid up on earth
And her leading Apostles and dignitaries
also, by curious coincidence, seem to be
in thriving circumstances 1t looks to me
as though neither they nor the Church
could afford to have the world burned up
for while yet.


Crossing, just west of the city, the Jor-
dan (which drains the fresh waters Of Lake
Utah into Salt Lake, and is large, slug
gish creek), we are at once out of the
reach of irrigation from the northern hills
the river intercepting all streams from
that quarter-and are once more on parch-
ed clay plain covered mainly with our old
aequaintances, Sagebush and Greasewood;
though there are wet springy tracts, es-
pecally toward the southern mountains and
near the Lake, which produce rank, coarse
grass. Yet this seeming desert has natu-
rally better soil than the hard, pebby
gravel on which the city stands, aud which
irrigation has converted into bounteous
gardens and orchards. rejoice to perceive
that dam over the Jordan is in progress,
whereby considerable section of the val
ley of that river Gao miles long by an aver
age of 20 broad) is TO be irrigated, There
are serious obstacles to the full success Of
this enterprise in the inequality of the
plain, which is gouged aud cut up by nu.
merous (now dry) water-courses; but. il
this project is well engineered, it win double
the productive capacity of this valley, aud
l earnestly trust it may be, In the absence
of judicious and systeme.do irrigation, there
are far too many cattle aud sheep on this
great common, as the Gaant look Of most
Of the cattle abundaptly testifes. Water
Year: 1859

"What is the little one thinking about
Merry wonderful things, no doubt,


Unwritten history


Unfathomable mystery
But he laughs and crys, eats and drinks
And chuckles and crows, and mods and winks,
AS if his head was full of kinks,


Warped by cholic and wet by tears,


Puuctured by pins tortured by fears,


Our little nephew will lose two years


And he'll never know


Where the summers go
He need not laugh, for he'll find it so
Who can tell me what the baby thinks
Who can follow the gossamar links
By which the mannkin feels bis way
Out from the shores of the great unknown,
Blind and wailing and aloue,


Into the light Of day
Gut from the shores of the unknown sea,
Tossing in pitiful agony
OF the unknown sea that reels and rolls,
Speeked with barks of little souls
Barks that are launched on the other side,
And slipped from heaven on an ebbing tide
And what does he think of his mothers eyes
What does he think of his mothers hair +?
What of the cradle roof that flies
Forward and backward through the air 2
What does he think of his mothers breast,
Bare and beautiful smooth and white,
Seeking it euer with fresh delight
Cup of joy and couch of his rest
What does he think of her quick embrace
Presses his hand and buries his face
Deep where the heart-throbs sink and swell
With tenderness she cannot tell,


Though she murmurs the words


OF all the birds
Words she has learnt to murmur we'll !
Now he thinks he'll go to sleep


can see the shadow creep


Over his eyes, in soft eclipse,


Over his brow and over his lips


Out to his little finger tips,


Softly sinking, down he goes


Down be goes down he goes
Rising and carefully retreatiDg to her seat,]
See he is hushed in sweet repose r
Year: 1859

Oh, ever thus, from childhood's hour.
We've seen our fondest hopes decay
We never had a dog nor cow, nor


Hen that laid an egg day,


But what twas marked and tuck away.
We never raised a sucking pig,


To glad US with its sunny eye,
But when it growed up fat and big,
Aud fit to roast, or bile or fry,


We couldn't find it in the sty.
Year: 1859

When Sarah Jane, the moral Miss,
Declares tbs very wrong to kiss


I'll bet shilling l see through it
The damsel, fairly understood,
Feels just as any Christian should


Shed rather suffer wrong than do it
Year: 1859

A good name is above all price. Have
you not found 1t so, young man, you whose
well known virtues have placed you in a
position which you occupy with feelings
of commendable pride z And you whose
fame has beenthe target of enyious ton
CUES, have you not seen good name to
be the only breastplate that is impervious
to the poisoned shafts of calumny? Gold
and talent, what are these without char
acter A light TO render daskness visi-
ble: gliding which by contrast makes the
substance more revolving.


Cherish it then, all ye who plssess it,
gaurd it carefully-for, depend upon this
its purity once furnished. the most un-
wearying effort viii hardly restore it to
its pristine lustre Let attend you through
the journey through life, crowning your
days with peace and happiness. The
rectitude which won it, will engrave upon
your face letter or recommendation to
people of every nation and tongue. And
when the treasure is no longer needfulto
you, it shall decend to yonr posterity, a
legacy with which millions upon millions
would not fear to be compared.
Year: 1859

Some years ago, in a quiet New Eng.
land village, as a pleasant curly-headed
boy of about ten summers was crossing a
pasture on his way to his days work, he
saw something bright upon the grass; and
what should it be but silver dollar. He
did not run home to tell the glad news,
nor away to shop to spend it in cakes
and candy, as many little boys would have
done but went on and performed his days
work, like man. At night his mother
saw him coming home with smile upon
his face; she met him at the door, think
ing he had some good news, when he op-
ened his hand and behold "silver dollar.
"Now, mother y, said be, "if you will
give me the bag, l will go and buy you
some meal: and before he entered the
house to take any refreshment, he went
away and paid his dollar for bushel Of
meal. You might well expect the bless
ing of God on such son. 1t has attend
ed him, and / think it ever will. He has
carried out the same principle of kindnes:
and benevoIence thus far through life.