smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

A Committee of distinguished gentlemen in
the city Of New York have offered five hundred
dollars for National Hymn, the necessary limits
and conditions of which are set forth in an adver-
tsement. The object carries with il high II
al Importance, and the design of those who have
conceived il is praisworthy and patriotic. As
vet We have nothing which in sentiment or the
accompanying music deserves the name of a ma
tional anthem, nothing which can be mentioned
in the same breath with the simple majestic one
of our mother country, or the majestic, soul-stir


ing MarseiIlase. Hail Columbia" is a tol de-
roi composition, and Yankee Doodle " a toot-
ing piece of raillery, only adapted to the drum
and fife, and the "Star Spangled Banner" writ
ten by the father of the late Phillip Barton Key,
with decided merit and highly spirited, is not ex
actly what is wanted Up to this day, SO practi
cal has been the spirit OF the age, and our peo
pie during long peace have been SO engroSsed
in matters arising out of an immense material
development, that the lyricai bard has not been
found to originate that which shall embody a re-
ligious sentiment with simplicity and grandeur
of movement so as to Interpret, i'll all its tullness
that feeling which ought to throb in the breast
of every American citizen


Notwithstanding the inducemcnt of such a b-
eral reward as is row offered, and the great
numbers who will he drawn into the lists, we
have strong doubts of their success Five hun
dred dollars will not make the poet, although
| the poet would like to make five hundred dol


lars. II he is out at the elbows he will be at
least disposed to try, but no perceived design,
and only happy inspiration (which will at some
time or other be vOuchsafed can accomplish
what We wish. Those who are recognized as
among our standard poets, might make hun
| dred attempts without being able 10 hit the key
note, while it is jast likely that some one who
has never been heard OF before, will, when the
| aHatus comes, but when the money is gone in
divine frenzy burst out i'll strap to thrill the
national heart. He who wrote Marco Bozza-
ris ought to be able to do this thing, but he is


the bird that can sing yet won't sing He who


wrote " Thanatopsis' should be prevailed on to


attempt it. Prayers ought to be offered up how


ever, for the commit ee, for there is great dea


of light which they will have TO hide under


bushe, medocrty will be in terrible state o


excitement, and Pop Emmons feel sorry that ht
is dead.


But in sober earnest, We never felt the wan


Of such composition so badly as at present, no


ever did the love Cf country so ycarn for expires


sion in this identical form. The fire of such


Columbidd would tell upon the foe. We there
} fore hope that this excellent move will accom-
plish the desired end, and that some one of es
! tablished fame, or "to fame unknown" will b
: worthy to receive the prize For il out of thi
crisis the genius should be born thus efiectiyel
to strike the Tyre, jeff Davis might hang up hi.
! and secession would be as dead as door-nail.-
, Vt. Watehman aud State Journal.
Year: 1861

the picket guards extended TO Long Bridge where
he knew the draw was raised, it soon became
perilous in the extreme, by general alarm, which
was given in consequence Of the fact that the
flag vas missed. He saw patrOlmen ru-h in
every direction, so he concluded TO conceal him
self in an old shed, until the moon should be Oh
scured by passing clouds, when he determined to
push for the back country, make circuit above
the town, and swim across TO EllswOrth's Zou-
ave camp, whose fires he could plainly see He
saw his brothers boat with detachment of II
men from the Massachusetts, fifth, living off in
the middle of the river, but dared lot hail her,
for fear of causing his certain arrest. He man.
aged TO push from picket to picket, by wary ad
vances, at one time lying fiat on his back for half
an hour, until he broke cover in the open coun-
try, beyond the suburbs when the moon shOne
out brightly, and he found himself Suddenly con
fronted by two sentries He made rush TO pass
them, when both Of them seized him. He grasp
ed one by the breast and threw him to the ground
with such violence that he wren, he'd off one OF
the Virginia army buttons, which he now wears
on his watch guard, trophy. The othe.
sentry dropped his gun and fled; but third sol
dier, a powerful man. cnched him from behind,
and after brief but fierce struggle, lie was hope
lessly prisoner. He retained his presence Of
mind, and by ready Wit and fertility of invention
saved hi Bselt from personal violence; and ulti
mately. by his own stfatsgcm and the diplomacy
OF his brother, he slipped his meek out of the
halter
Year: 1861

Why, 'the South, says the Republic
ans. Poor fools! can they be SO blind?---
What was wheat worth at this time last
year, and for years before? Why is ev-
erything begging market now, and
no buyers to be found at price
equal to the cost of producings? 1t is
because our great home market is closed
by Uoekade, imposed upon the people
by abolition government, and the people
made to believe that it is to put down un-
just rebellion. The great Northwest
produces five hundred and sixty millions
of dollars of surplus produce. Of that,
all has found market at the South, but
thirtysix millions. The South has been
taught to believe that when the anti-sa-
veryites got the power they would, by
some means, war on slavery, and destroy
the social condition of all the slave
States; that eight millions of white
people were to be sacrificed for four
millions of negroes. They thought they
had every reason to fear it. They rose in
arms almost as one man, and the war be-
gan. That great southern market is clo-
sed, and produce falls to mere nominal
value, and tie prosperity of the great
North West is prostrated. The farmers
and producers of these North West
ern States will have to pay all the erpen-
Ses ofMe aOar, and support Lincolns army
of five hundred thousand men, and their
children sweat out their lives to pay his
debt Of five hundred millions of do lars.
The war will drive the South to become
their own producers; and if we whip them
ever so much we will not make them love
us, nor seek our friendship or trade.


Think of it, laboring men. But 70.
this war wheat to day would go to south
ern markets at over one dollar per bushel
and you can not now sell it for half that
sum. Every dollar taken from the South
only makes you poorer as we'll as them.


How can we stop the war!


Easily. Let Lincoln and his suppor-
ters abandon the odious Chicago Platform.
Let them say to the South, "Lay down
your arms, and your rights shall be re.
spected and protected. Your slaves shal.
be left as you see fit to place them. The
Supreme Court shall decide the law Of the
land as made by Congress from time to
time, and we will abide by it. We will
you as American citizens, and
our equals in the Union, and give you all
the rights we claim for ourselves" Do
this, and the war will stop, and once more
prosperity will smile on us, and our har-
vests bring us wealth.-Plymouth( Ma.)
Democrat.
Year: 1861

But, sir, no languagage, either in prose
or verse, can portray the greatness Of his
loss. His fame is printed in the hearts
of the people. From the Green Noun.
ians of his native State to the white OF
the Pacific Sierras, while the heavens
bend above our land to bless it, the riv-
ers roll and the mountains stand to unite
it or the ceaseless interchange of traffic
ard thought goes on by sea and rail, by
telegraph or post, the people of Ameri-
ca, from whose midst, as a poor boy, by
his own self-reliance he sprung, will pre-.
serve in the Pantheon of their hearts, to
memory, the name of STEPHEN
ARNOLD DoUGLAs.
Year: 1861

Washington, Oct IL.


The city and the camps have been the
scene of more than usual excitement for
the last thirty hours-the prospects of a
battle appearing, on Saturday morning. to
be imminent. During an extended re-
connolsance on Saturday afternoon the
enemy were discovered drawn up in lines
as if for battle, and in numbers that
showed n recent great accession to their
troops in this quarter 1t was believed
that 1T was their Intention to engage us a {
that point, and Gen. Mcclellan at once
made preparations to give them battle
Though no battle then or has since result
ed the army has carried itself through
what was believed to be the night before
battle with a spirit and enthusiasm most
gratifying and auspicious


Later in the evening skirlnishing began
between the pickets, and some of ours
were driven in by superior numbers OF
rebel cavalry. Numerous shots were ex.
changed, and one Of the rebel cavalry vas
killed


Gen, Mcclellan and his officers were in
the saddle all night, and morning saw
them Offering an imposing line Of battle,
with readiness for general engagement,
should such be the result, when il was
found the rebels had prudently retired,
having withdrawn their piekets two miles
beyond Lewinsvile.


The affair, though without marked re-
suit, is still most valuable in the proof it
gives Of the effective mobility of our troops
which cannot be far distant from
more brilliant and practical test.
Year: 1861

Washington, Oct. IA.


This afternoon, soon after 5 0 clock, a
small detachment of rebel infantry and a
squad of rebel cavalry appeared in view
around house occupied by widow Childs,
about three miles from Miners Hill. A
body of our troops, who were out on a for
aging expedition, advanced upon them
A sharp skirmish Immediately took place,
and for time brisk firing was kept up
on both sides, when the rebels were driven
from the house. One of our men was
wounded. 1t is impossible to learn the
rebel loss 1t is believed that number
had secreted themselves in the outbuild-
ings, but after the firing of the first shell
from Miners Hill they left
Year: 1861




Statistics and estimates gathered and
made for the Government show conclu-
siSeiy that the foreign demand for bread
stnfis from this cosntry must largely ex-
eeed the demand of any previous year. 1t
Il susceptible OF positive proof that we
must receive for our cereals, within the
present hscal year, more money from Eu-
rope than We have heretofore received for
both food and cotton, and supposinp that
VT shall not this year sell one pound of
cotton to Europe, We shall yet have large
balance IN our favor which will be PAYABLE
IN specie. 1t our imports decrease as rap
idly as they have done, or if but the pres
ent rate OF importations be continued, the
excess OF specie importatons will be so
large as to make this country the great
depository of the precious metals. 1t il
the commercial conyulsions ia England
and France and the great marts of Europe
that must speedily be felt. that gives
such tone OF bitterness to the business
men Of those places, when considering the
Rebellion now in progress here Wash
ington Cor. n. Y Times.
Year: 1861

ENTERPHIsE OF NEW 1Okk FAPERSs-A
Washington correspondent says:


The New York papers make astonishing eff
forts TO get intelligence. There are, for in
stance, four men here regularly employed by
the New York Herald to send news and they
are instructed not to send anything by mail, but
everything by telegraph. Their carriage hire
and all incidental expenses are paid by the
Herald Office, and they search the camps, pub
lie Offices and public resorts daily for " news"
and send it off to the Herald in wads by the
telegraph. And the other great New York
papers have equally extravagant establishments.
There was a eannonade at Aquai Creek the
other day. The Herald had special" on
one of the vessels engaged. As soon as he ar
rived here he wrote out adj he could tell Of the
fight and sent i by telegraph And the CORES
pOndent was at the Navy Department when the
official report of the action reached the Secrcta-
ry,and as soon as it could be copied and ex-
pressed to the telegraph Office it was off Still
another correspondent visited the Navy Yard,
found the officers who had been engaged, visit
cd the battered vessels, and telegraphed all the
items that could be gatheredin that way. And
the people OF Washington had the pleasure of
reading the full particulars Z" of the fight when
they got the New York papers and before that
time they knew very little about it, beycnd the
fact that there had been a brush Of some kind,
and " nobody hurt on oGT side.
Year: 1861

ships tail cracked across the upper bar,
swapping like an Indian cracker.


Again John set forward, utterly regard.
less of the girls, for the extra tickle from
the snakes tail, as he leaped the bars,
banished all his bashfulness and modesty,
and again he had the pleasure of finding
the snake in a straight line, drawing stead
lily at the hem of his solitary garment.


The house became the centre of the at
traction, and around it he rovolvcd with
the speed Of thought. -Four times in each
revolution, as he turned the corners, his
snakeship came around with whiz that
was quite refreshing.


Willie describing the third circle, as he
came hear the group Of wonder struck
girls without removing his gaze from the
snake, he managed to cry out-'calI u
man."


And away he whirled again, turning the
corner so rapidly that the uhio of the
snake sounded half way between low
whistle, and the repeated pronunciation of
double-o.


Before either of the girls had stirred
from their tracks, he had performed an
other revolution-"caN q maH.n


Away he few once more, but his strength
was rapidly failing. Nancy Clark was the
first to recover her presence of mind, and
seizing hoop pole, she took her station
near the corner of the house, and as John
reappeared she brought it down upon the
snake with force that broke his back
and hold upon Johns garment at the same
time.


John rushed into the house and went
to his room, and at tea time appeared in
his best Sunday clothes, but little the worse
for his race, and to all appearances entire
ly cured of Lashfulness. That night he
walked home with Nancy Clark. The
next New Year they were married, and
whenever John feels inclined to laugh at
his wife hoops, or any other popularity,
she has only to say: "Call man." when
he instantly soDcrs down.
Year: 1861

on horseback. The rear was brought up
by Company G of the Lincoln Cavalry,
forming the escort.


Arriving on the ground at half.past
three o'clock, the musicians and the escort
took position little to the left, while
the criminal descended from the wagon.
The coffin was placed on the ground, and
he took his place beside it. The firing
party was marched up to within six PAGES
of the prisoner, who stood between the
clorgymon. The final order of execution
was then read to the condemned.


While this order was being read John
son stood with his hat on, his head a little
inclined to the left, and his eyes fixed in a
steady gaze on the ground Near the
close of the reading one of his spiritual at
tendants whispered something in his ear
johnson had expressed desire to say a
few final words before he should leave this
world to appear before his Maker. He
was conducted close to the firing party,
and, in an almost inaudible voice, spoke
as follows -


BoYs-I ask forgiveness from Almighty
God and from my fellow men for what i
have done. | did not know what l was
doing. May God forgive me, and may
the Almighty keep all of you from all such
sin.


He was then placed beside the coffin
again. The troops were Witnessing the
whole of these proceedings with the inten-
sest interest. Then the Marshal and the
Chaplains began to prepare the culprit for
bis death. He was too weak to stand
He sat down on the foot of the coffin


Captain Boyd then bandaged his eyes
with white handkerchief. A few min
utos of painful suspense interviewed while
the Catholic clergymen were having their
final interview with the unfortunate man.


All being ready the Marshal waved his
handkerchief as the signal and the firing
party discharged the volley. johnson did
not move, remaining in a sitting posture
for several seconds, after the rifles were
discharged. Then he quiverod a little ,and
fell over beside his coffin. lie was still
alive, however and the four reserves were
called to complete the work. 1t was found
that two of the firing party, Germans, had
not discharged their pieces, and they were
Immediately put in irons. johnson was
shot several times in the heart by the first
volley, Eeach of the four shots fred by
the reserves took effect in his head, and
he died instantly, One penetrated his
chin, another his left check, while two en-
tered the brain just above the left eye
brow. II died at precisely at a quarter
to four o'clock.


The troops then all marched round ,aud
each man looked on the bloody corpse Of
his late comrado who had proved traitor
to his country.


The universal sentimen. was that he
deserved his fate, and tho example will
prove highly beneficial.
Year: 1861

s9g> DR., Hayes recently, at public
dinner given to him at Halifax, made a
speech, in which he said that it is his pur-
pose to renew the attempt next year to
discover the North Pole, and expressed
the belief that, with steam power, a strong
team of dogs, and well organized system
of advanced depots, the North pole can be
reached.
Year: 1861

SAMpLE.-A good story is told of the
late W. Il. Burton wLieh we have never
seen in print. While travelling on steam
boat down the Hudson he seated himself
at the table aud called for some beefsteak.
The waiter furnished him with small
strip of the article such as travellers arc
usually put off with, Taking it upon his
fork and turning it over and examining it
with one OF his peculiar and serious looks,
the comedian cody remarked, "Yes, that's
it, bring me some"
Year: 1861

INLAND IpEAs.-A clergyman in the backwoods,
who had never seen the ocean, was drawing a
a simle between some religious tenet and an
anchor, and fearing his congregation might not
fully understand the use of anchor, he thus de-
scrbed it


"An anchor is large iron instrument that
sailors carry to with them and, when a
storm arises. they take it on shore and fasten it
to n tree, and that holds the ship till the storm
blows over"
Year: 1861

New BooKs.-II. II. Bancroft 4 Co., of San Francisco,
have completed arrangements for the regular receipt of
all new works of every character issued by Eastern pub
fishers They will notify the public through the press of
the State previous TO the arrival of each steamer of the
list of Books to arrive. BY Pony express they have
ceved notice of the following list of Books by the
Year: 1861

W- The Union prisoners confined for some
ally. The Judge told them that be would not
exact the taking of the oath Of allegiance to the
Oonfederacy, but would administer it, if they de-
sired him to do SO, whereupon all of them volun
Iarily took the oath,
Year: 1861

The Hon. John p. King, Of Georgia,
has written letter on tho crisis, to COM
mittee in Augusta, in that State, in which
he says:


"The great difficulty in the way of an
efectual accommodation is, that great ma
ny of our leading men don't icant Il. Our
government is too republican-to free and
too weak for them, because they win net
obey and submit to it'll Their minds filed
with visions of strong and splended Gov
ernments, with the whole country glisten-
ing with bayonets, and glittering with ar
NOR and epulettes, they wish the people
humbled by being loaded down with taxes,
and the toilng, millions reduced to meat
once week. They are right in one posi-
ton at least. Such government would
give us peace. Napoleon, with his six
hundred thousand men, would execute the
fugitive slave laws, neutrality laws slave
trade laws, and all other laws, and without
submitting them tojuries. He would also
collect plenty Of taxes, whether received
from the customs or not. He would also
make short work with some of our noisy
conventions and public meetings, and some
Of our great men would soon find themselves
on the way to Cayenne. l have no wish
for such a government, but if the people
want strong government because they
will not submit to a weak one--if they
wish to be governed by force, because they
will not govern themselves in the name Of
peace let the will of the people be done
l am only one of them, and will submit to
share their destiny. i am native of the
South. All my ties and interests are hero
here have long lived, and here / expect
to die.
Year: 1861

WELL AND TRULY SAID.-The Mem
phis Bulletin gives the following strong
and true statement of the position of the
Middle States:


The peace and safety of the country is
now in the keeping Of the Conservative
Slave States, Virginia and Kentucky, and
Tennessee, and Nerth Carolina, and Mary
land. Thus strewed between tho violent
States of the North and the South, they
have the power to say to both sides, hands
off until we can arrange an honorable and
satisfactory adjustment Of the strife. Ten
nessee will do her duty, sure. Her people
pie can neither be bullied nor cajold. They
will neither submit to wrong from the
North, nor dragooned into destroying the
Government, by the rash and thoughtless
people of her sister States in the South


Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and
North Carolina, now hold the, peace and
destines of this continent in their hands.
BY wise and prudent course of policy,
they can preserve peace, maintain the guar
antees necessary to the safety Of the slave
institutions of the South.


Breaking up the Government in order
to mend and strengthen it, is madness and
folly. 1t is an absurdity in terms 1t is
the delusion of wild theorists. Practical
men know that this thing of constructing
in government ID not boys, play.
Year: 1861

Gov. HoUsToN's LAST MEssAaE.-The
following is copy of Gov. Houston's last
message to the General Assembly of
Texas:


l have the honor of transmitting to
your honorable body the joint resolutions
adopted by the Legislature of the State of
Tennessee, in reference to certain resolu-
tons adopted by the Legislature of the
State of New York.


In these perilous times it is proper that
the representatives of the people Of Texas
should meet at the threshold every assault
upon their liberties, and whether that as
sault comes in, the forms of threats or. ac-
tual invason, it should alike be repelled.


Having called you together so provide
for an expression of the sovereign will of
the people, at the ballot box, also deem
it my duty to declare that while the free.
men of Texas are celebrating upon this
question, no impending threat of coercion
from the people of another State should
be permitted to hang over them, without
at least meeting the condemnation of their
Representatives. Whatever the sovereign
will may be, when fairly expressen it must
be maintained. Texas, as one man, will
defend it.


While the Executive would not counsel
foolish bravado, he deems it duty we owe
to the people to declare that even though
their action should bring upon us the con
sequence which now seem impending, we
will all, be our views in the past and pres
ent what they may, be united.


SAM HOUSTON.
Year: 1861

Yankee Doodle took saw,


With patriot devotion,
To trim the Tree of Liberty,


According to his "notion.
Yankee Doodle on limb,


Like another noodle,
Cut between the tree and him,
And down came Yankee Doodle.
Yankee Doodle broke his neck,
Every bone about him,
And then the Tree of Liberty


Did very well without him.