smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

DEclsioS.- is a sign Of weakness for mas
mach the good and evil of the different modes of
tGn about which hesitate seldom equally balanced


strong mind should perceive the slightest inclination
there where the preponderance wlhe very
miauc, even though there be life in one SCALE and
dc:th in the other.


It Is recorded of the late earl Bcrbey, that he was
suddenly awakened at night in his carriage bya high
waymau, who forcing pistol through asindog aud
presenting it close to his breast demanded his money
extdaiming the time that he had heard that his
ogdshp had boasted that he would never be robbed
by a single highwayman but he now should be taught
to The contrary. His Iordship putting his hand in his
pocket replied "Nether would now be robbed, ifit
were not for that fellow who is looking over your
shoulder" The robber turned his head, when his
orlship WHO had drawn pistol from his pocket in
stead of purse, shot him dead on the spot.
Year: 1861

Nothng is feared so much as calmness. We do not
fear man whip tells his neighbors what he has done or
what he is to 60 We do not respect the man VINO be-
trays bis emotion any more than we respect great
Year: 1861

THE HrMsN FIGuRE-The proportions of the human
figure strictly mathematical. The whole figure is


times the length of the foot. Whether the form is
slender or plump this rule stands good Any devia-


on from it IS departure from the highest beauty Of
proportion TheGreeks made all their statues accord
5s to this rule. The.facc from the highest point
tSe forehead, where the hair begins to the chin, is
ohe-tenth of the whole statue The hand from the
wrist to the middle finger, is the same The chest is
is onefoufh and from the nipple the top Of the head
il the From the top OF the chest the highest
point Of forehead, is seventh If the length Of the


face from the roots Of the hair to tile chin be divided
into three equal parts, the first division terminates at


tie place where the eyebrows meet and the second at
tie place of the nostrs The navel is the central part
OF the human body and if shcad lie on his back
with his arms extended, the periphery of the circle
which might be described around him. with the nave.
fo its centre would touch the extremites of his hands
and feet The height from the top Of the head is the
same the distance from the extremity of the fingers
when the arms are extended
Year: 1861

There is nothing among the current ryth-
nical paragraphs Of the day, that convey smore
pleasantly the very spirit of nightfall in the
country--the sights and sounds of season to
which the gas lighted city is always a ssran-
ger. than the whistler's tune.
Supper was over. the boy went ont


He passed through the yard and over the


stile.


The big dog barked as he went along by,


And followed him nearly mile.
He sat down on q hickory log


And whistlsd lively tune this boy.
VIII ich took the ear of the barking dog,


And he wagged his tail for joy!
The beetle stopped from pinching the fly.


The toad in his hole stood still,
And the tom-tit heard with tear in his eye,


And 4 shipg worm in his bill;
And the grass-bopper said, II know that air,
But cannot whistle it so--
The tune of the man with no hair on his head,
Where hair ever ought to grow"
Year: 1861

Oae Of the most remarkable facts
in the history of Christ is, that be
left no writings behind him, and
the only record of Dis writing any.
thing, is in the case where be stopped
down shd with bis fngers wrote on
the ground. What be wrote then
and there, no one knows; though
perhaps the most plausible conjecture
is that be wrote the answer 10 the
question asked him.


Reader, did this strange fact ever
occur to you, that thAgreatest re-
former that ever live0- professedly
the Divine Teacher sent Of God to
reveal bis truth in the world-whoss
teachings have survived the wreck Of
ages aud now command the credeace,
The respect and the most profound
admiration Of the civilized world,
and is claimed as the author aud
the finisher of the grea, system OF
faith and practice, has left behind
him no sentence Of bis writing, aud
those unknown characters written
with bis finger in the sand consti-
tuto the sum total of bis writings
Of which there IS any account.


is there or has there ever been
siuce the invention Of letters, or rude
hieroglyphics, or any such thing as
"a system of religion, whose founder
did not take special pains to re.
duce bis system to writing and
thus give them an exact and per.
manent form! We think the absence
of that feature in the Christian re-
ligion, to stamp it with unmistaka-
bic signs of its divine origin.
Year: 1861

TTNHE attention of the District School Committeeman
called to the following Section of the late Act
corning COmmonSchOols:


Sec. g. Be further enacted, That the district commit.
tees of schools, to consist of three
heretofore, and each of whom shall be qualified voter
the State shall be appointed in the following manner,
lClt The board of county superntendens county
shall annually the third Monday April and select
committees for the several districts of their respective
ties in all cases where they have not been designated
manner hereinafter provided And it be lawful for
majority OF the parents guardians OF the children en
tied to the benefits OF the school fund.-
legal voters of any district to Designate by written
ton such persons they desire for committee When
ever majority of the parents guardians and qualified
ters without children, agree upon members
OF the committee for any district and state their preference
in writing, signed with their names, and present
ting petition to the board of county supernendens
or before the Sd Monday OF April the board shall appoint
the persons designated and there be three
med and preferred shall select the Others Such petitions
must be signed by majority of those who constitute
whole humber OF parents guardians and allied of
the district each person signing parent, he have chill
den of the age to be entitled the benefit school
fund.- guardian, if he be such ard if he have
dren and be not guardian voter being entitled
to sign his name more than If the children have
father living in the district the mother guardian
sign such petition and it shall be ncGmbent the
toner's Of them to prove that they constitute
majority of the persons enUed to petition The district.
The board of superntendents shall appoint in all other
and when vacancies in te committees after the
annual meeting of the board the chairman may fill them
until the next annual meeting.


STEPHEN D. WALLACE,


Chairman Board Common Schools New Hanover County.


March 2l.
Year: 1861

MOB LAVA Free Negro, Sib Rankin, who has
been making threats that he hoped before long to the
time when he could have the pleasure OF washing his
hands in some white man woman's blood and who
carried them out insomuch on Sunday last to knock
an officer down, who attempted to arrest him for
ting disturbance in the street, violently taken from
our town authorities yesterday hy mob carried 20 the
woods and hanged up by the neck until they thought he
was dead lie was cut down, and has since recovered
however. He left for Charlotte last night lie is a
dangerous negro and the Charlotte people would do well


to run him from there-SaLlsburu Bonner, 1911 INST.
Year: 1861

OLD STAND.


- THE SUBSCRIBER takes this method of returning
:A her sincere thanks her friends for the


liberal patronage her house has received for the past
years, and would respectfully inform the public that
she prepared accommodate Transient
or Regulation the most liberal terms.


Her being situated the South side of Chestnut
street, below 'front.' in convenient location to business
Her table will at all times be found amply provided with
the best market Her kept the best
possible manner rendering every comfort and convenience
to her guest in her power.


continuance public patronage respectfully solicit
ed. MARY =. McCALE6.
December II, IS6O-dtf.
Year: 1861

SECESSION OF R1vER.-Tbe New Orleans Delta
says the communication between the Red river and the
Mississippi s being gradually cut off. The former is ta
king itself off to the Gulf by way of Atchaalaya into
Berwck's Bay Unless something is done to prevent
the Red river from seeding. New Orleans will lose
large amount of valuable trific. company is talked
of to keep the channel open 1t is thought it will cost
60 mn nan
Year: 1861

terics, armed with numerous heavy rifcd
cannon, against which they had only three
light field pieces to bring into play.


The unfortunate collision between the
New York Seventh (German) and our Third
(Albany) Regiment is explained in the fact
that it occurred before daybreak. Such
mistakes have frequently occurred in the
heat of battle in broad daylight. At the
storming of Chepultepec one detachment of
our troops was somewhat cut up by CO.
operating detachment mistaking their friends
for the enemy; and similar misapprehcD-
sion, if we mistake not, very seriously de-
ranged for time the unity of the French
army at the battle of Magenta. It is ccr-
tainly very hazardous business to be NOV
ing about in the dark detachments of troops
from different points through forest known
to be swarming with enemies. In this in
stance, no doubt, the collision between our
two New York regiments contributed much
to the advantage of the enemy, in giving
them abundant warning of their approach
ing assailants, and in retarding the onward
movement of our troops.


It strikes us, too, that the prolongation
OF the night, with our troops fully exposed
before the masked and inaccessible battery
of the rebels, after ascertaining its strength,
was culpable sacrifice of brave men and
foolish waste of ammunition. The tried
and established bravery of our troops is the
great redeeming feature Of the expedition;
but their lives are too precious to be wasted
in headlong enterprises Of this sort, and in
utter ignorance of the position, the defences
and the strength of the enemy. We have
no desire to PREJUDICE General Pierce, the
officer in command of this expedition; but
it seems to us that, having discovered that
three small field pieces were insufficient to
cope with hidden battery of thirty heavy
guns, he should have withdrawn from the
range of its fire, reported progress to Gen.
Butler, and awaited reinforcements or fur
ther instructions.
Year: 1861

exist that the suspension will be useless, and
the whole mischief which the suspension
might prevent take place if there be any
delay. TO guard against the suspension by
limiting the cases, as is done, seems to me
wise to obstruct it by requiring the delay
necessarily arising from legislative action
would seem to be unreasonable. 1t is true
that my construction gives to the President,


in the two cases Of rebellion and invasion,
vast power; but so is all militery power.
. 1t is vast power to send into a rebellious
district fifteen thousand soldiers, as Wash
ington did, whose duty it would be to maet
the rebels, and, if necessary, kill as many
as they could. But it was power which
belonged to him, of necessity, as President
and so, I think, did the power Of martial
law. If it did not, then, when his troops
had captured the armed rebels whom they
were sent to subduc, the nearest magistrate
who could issue a writ of habeas corpus
might have summoned the officer having
them in charge to bring them before him
and might have liberated them at once to
fight again, and this as often as they were
captured, until law could be passed by
Congress.


IF the power belongs to the President,
he may exercise it at his discretion, when
either invasion or rebellion occurs, subject
however, to two qualifications. One, uni
versal one, applicable to his exercise of every
power. Ifhe abusesit, or exercises it wrong.
fully, he is liable to impeachment. The
other is more matter of discretion or pro
priety. l suppose that he would of course
report his doings in such a matter to Con
gress when he could, and be governed by
their action


"My conclusion is, therefore, that in case
of invasion from abroad or rebellion at home
the President may declare, or exercise, OF
authorize martial law, at his discretion"
Year: 1861




The Union arms have received a check
in lower Virginia, which, though the loss
on our side was inconsiderable, aud probably
fully equalled by that of the traitors, will
doubtless be magnfied by their organs into
an important victory for the rebel cause -
And this circumstance, with the slight col
orlng OF fact to sustain it, gives the affair a
consequence which it does not essentially
deserve


By whose fault We cannot say. the Union
forces were most wretchedly handled. The
collision between two of our regiments
advancing by night from different points to
attack common foe. was the first and most
criminal blunder. Whoever planned and
ordered an advance by night, and did not
provide thoroughly against our own corps
mistaking each other for foes, is unfit for
his position; if he did give proper directions,
and they were disobeyed Or UNDECIDED, then
whoever is in fault should resign. The case
is very plain one, and Nobody Justly re-
fuses to bear the blame.


We dc not believe that Gen. Butler or
dered an attack by wearied troops, having
but two or three guns, on an intrenchment
or breastwork brlstling with artillery Nor
do we believe Gen. Butler ordered an attack
on such position in ignorance of its real
strength. We presume the officer in COM
mand of the expedition was fired by stern
resolve to efface the recollection of his initial
disaster in the briliancy of his ultimate
achievement, and was thus impelled to ex-
ceed his orders. And the galantry of our
brave volunteers would have wrested victory
Year: 1861

CoMMUNICATED.


To THE EDITOR: Enclosed you will re-
ceive an extract from letter of Professor
Parsons an eminent jurist of Martial Law
and the habeas corpus. I have also the
opinion of Mr.. Jefferson that it (the habeas
corpus) could be suspended under certain
circumstances without waiting for the action
of Congress. This is a period of war and
abuse, and enquiry and everything which
may throw light on the subject ght well
be brought out. B.
Year: 1861

No. Am act in addition to an act entitled,


an act relating to the sureties Of the late


State treasurer"


1t IS hereby enacted, &c.


Sec l. The Committee appointed by the
'' act relating to the suretics Of the late State
Treasurer approved Nov. 26, 1860, are author
lied in their discretion to commence and prose-
cute any suit at law or IN equity in the name
of the State of Vermont against said treasurer,
and any of his sureties, and any other parties,
to enforce and protect the rights of this State.
and may employ counsel for that purpose; and
| said Committee may also redeem any property
attached on any process in any suit now pend
ing against said Treasurer or his suretiee, from
any mortgage or incumbrance if in their judg-
meut the interest of the State requires it, and
| the auditor of accounts is directed to draw all
necessary orders upon the Treasurer Of the State
for that purpose Pror,ded, that if all the
assets of the late state treasurer belonging to
the state, growing out of the defalcatlon OF
said late treasurer, now Ill the hands OF any
person. shall be surrendered to the State, then
said commissioners are hereby authorized, if in
their opinion it shall be for the interest OF the
State 80 to do, to discharge any or all OF the
sgners of said late treasurer bonds who may
prove, to the satisfaction of said commissioners,
that they have in no way participated in the
use of treasury funds, for speculation or other
purposes and provided that ruch discharge
shall not be 80 construed as to impose upon
any person not discharged the payment Of any
larger sum than he would be obliged to make
if no such discharge had been given.
SEC. g. This act shall take effect IRON its
passage.


Appyoyed November 81, 1861.
Year: 1861

No. lG.-An act in addition to Chapter 81


of the compiled statutes relating to sale Of


property on Mesne Process.


It's hereby enacted. &c.


Sec. l. The same request may be made. and
the same proceedings had for the sale or other
disposal Of property attached upon n,esne pro-
cess, after such process shall have been retur
ned, as are provided in Chapter thirty one of
the Compiled Statutes. for the sale or other dis
posal Of property attached on mesnc process,
provided that such sale or Other disposal shall
be made before final Judgement in the suit in
which such attachment was made.
Sec. 9 When the officer shall sell property
as provided in section one of this act, he shall
forthwith make return Of his doings and sale to
the Clerk Of the Court or to the magistrate
before whom SAID process shall be pending, and
such return shall be appended to, and made
part Of tho officers return on said process.


SEC. 3. This act shall take effect from its
passage.


Approved Nov. l6 1861.
Year: 1861

grip of Deaths throat; and the latter, thus re
leased, springing to his feet, finished his career
by bringing the heavy breech of his rife with
sledge-like hammer force down upon his head.


The remaining four Indians had been like
wise dispatched and the victorious rifemen,
none Of whom had received any wound worth
mentioning, now sent up such shout of tri-
umph for their victory, that the echoes of the
old wood rung with it for minutes after.


As Col. Innes had promised, Death was pro-
NOTED to the vacant post of lieutenant; and
now, dear reader, we beg to inform you that
our hero and the incorporating veteran,
Gen. Morgan, of revolutionary notoriety, were
one and the same individual


About fortnight after this eventful night,
Stanhope Farm became the scene of as much
mirth, good eating, and dancing as could be
possibly disposed Of during the twenty-four
hours; and though we think it will be almost
superhuous to do so, we will add, that the
cause of this "merry y-making' was the marriage
of the beauteous Hester Stanhope with Lieut..
Henry Morgan.
Year: 1861

TIE L461 FOREST FEsr1vL.-1n another
the Lake Forest Festival tomorrow, to
which we have before referred It is rare
opportunity offered for delightful day among
the noble groves and romantic surroundings
f,f lake Forest,
Year: 1861

EXCURSION TO OAK FoaEsT-The Annual
Picnic Of Wabash Avenue II. E. Sabbath
School, will be held next Saturday at Oak
Forest, delightful grove shout twenty miles
distant, On the Rock Island railroad. We are
glad to observe that the managers Of this Sab
bath School are thus early providing for their
yearly holiday in theEoods-
Year: 1861

The l4ru.-it is now uncertain when
this regiment will move to St Louis The late
heavy influx OF troops from tie Northwestern
States. and the arrival Of the Federal force from
Western Missouri creates a heavy tax upon
The capacity of the barracks at that point. The
l4.h may etay with ua several weeks yet.
Year: 1861

SEAL HUNTING.


The pursuit of the great Spitzbergcn seal
(PhooaJGrJata), although it lacks the wild
excitement OF the chase of the sea-horsc, is
a very delightful amusement. The great
seal will never allow himself to be caught
mapping" do not think ever saw Sleep
ing seal which did not. about once in every
three or four minutes, raise his head from
the ice and look uneasily around; so that
he cannot be harpooucd in his sleep, like his
more lethgaric congener, the walrus. l
imagine this greater wltchiulness on the
part Of the seals to arise from the greater
cause they have to apprehend being 'stalked
by the bears whilc taking their siesta; how
ever this may be, recourse must be had to
the rifle before the harpoOn comes in play in
the case Of PhOea bdrbdia, and to make good
work with them requires the perfection OF
riae-practice, for il seal be not shot stone
dead on the ice he is almost certain to roll
or jerk himself into the water, and sink or
escape; and as a seal never lies more than
twelve inches from the edge Of the ice, the
most triliug spark of life is enough.


The only part of the huge carcass IN which
bullet will cause the requisite amount Of
"sudden DEATH is the brain, and this, in the
biggest seal, is not larger than an Orange
A seal will seldom allow the boat TO ap-
proach nearer than fifty ar sixty yards, and
u large proportion take the alarm much
sooner. Every rifle volunteer and every gun
makers apprentice who reads this will prob
ably exclaim. Z" oh, there is no difficulty in
that; can hit an orange every shot at 100
yards" This may be true, my gallant vol.
unteer or skilful gunmaker, but you have
not yet taken into account that the boat is
heaving more or les from the motion Of the
waves, and that the slab Of ice on which
your orange Is lying is heaving also; and
this, upon consideration, you will admit in
creases the difficulty" little; neither
Lord David Kennedy nor myself were alto
se,her tyros in the use Of the rifle before We
began, but We found the difficulty consider
able; however, after few days We became
adopts at il. aud rarely missed killing a seal
dead. Tho rides We both used were ellipti'
Year: 1861

CLovER.Scx L,SD.-It is well known that


in many instances. after clover has been grown
on land for long time, il will not flourish.
The term "clover-sick" is applied to land in
such cases. The question-"what ails the
land?" has been puruling one. One class
OF agricultural philosophers attributed the
failure to the exhaustion Of the mineral ele-
ments of tho soil but the application Of
potash and other mineral manures was not
found to be specific remedy. In practice it
was found tha, the land required rest from
clover. and that after an interval Of several
years it recovered the ability to produce this
crop. DR.. Yoelcker, chemist to the Royal
Agricultural Society Of England, made many
experiments in reference to this subject few
years ago, which formed the basis OF valu-
able paper in the Journal Of that Society
lie, however, did not arrive at any positive
conclusions in regard to the principles Of clo-
ver-sickness. Yet he suggests that the fall
ure Of clover in the cases alluded TO may be
owing to the want OF a sufficient supply OF
certain organic compounds in the soil. The
idea which has been widely entertained, the
organic matter in the soil is only valuable to
plants as n source of carbonic acid, he thinks
requires modification, as it is probable that
some plants derive considerable amount Of
their substance from carbon compounds 10th
er than carbonic acid" while Others depend
on that acid mainly Cor their supply Of car
bon.