smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

FINDING BoFroM.-Ne are approaching
soundings ia The way Of taxation at q tolerably
fair rate Of speed, tut not fast enough. The
pace should be accelerated. so that we can
find bottom as soon as possible. The quicker
the better. The tax levy of the city of New
York for the next fiscal year amounts to fif-
teen millions Of dollars-three millions more
than last year; and committees Of rich men
and Knickerbocker wiseacres are going to Al
bany to have the tax reduced. This is sheer
nonsense. What is the use of lobbying on the
subjects Are not all our tax burdens and tre-
mendous public debt the offsprings Of the
moral, religious, political and financial false
trainings of past years. The bitter fruits Of bad
and corrupt legislation How are committees
to correct the evil? The State of New York,
it is authoritatvely stated, is now-including
city, county and town debts-one thousand
millions Of dollars in debt--two- thirds the ag-
gregate value Of all the property of the peo-
pie, which, according to the last valuation,
does not quite reach fifteen hundred millions.
try couple of millions or SO in the matter of
taxation? Instead of reducing the tax levy for
the city it should be increased from fifteen to
twenty millions Of dollars; and twenty-five
millions will not be too small sum for the
succeeding fiscal year. Let the State debt be
increased from a thousand millions to two
thousand millions, and let US have an entire
change in property holding in the State. Let
us get at the bottom as soon ss possible, and
begin again. Look at the present state of legis-
lation: workingmen appealing to their ser
wants in Albany to perform for them an act Of
plain justice. We shall probably next have
the So]ons in Albany proposing to sell the
workingmen in order to defray the expenses Of
freeing the niggers. We are living in wonder
full times. in very costly times, and the sooner
we get at the bottom the better. Pile on tax
alton.
Year: 1864

THE TAxEs-THE SNEws OF WAR-It is
evident that the present Congress must take the
responsibility that was avoided by the last one
Of providing by taxation revenue that shall
be equal to the extraordinary expenses of the
government Our present taxes are totally in
adequate to meet those expenses, and in some
respects the Tax bill is failure Several of
the States, for instance, have made no return at
all from the income tax, and Others have made
very small one. Congress must 60 over this
whole matter earnestly, and must give us tax
bill that will yield three or four hundred million
dollars year, or the credit Of the country is
gone. II matters not what kind of bank bill
We have Our present bank system and the
greenbacks seem to be sufficient for the busi-
ness Of the country. But with the question Of
taxes Il is different. Congress has great and
all important duty to perform in the prepara-
tion Of new tax bill that II must face boldly
and 60 through with National bankruptcy
will otherwise be the result, and our finances
will fall into as lamentable . condition as the
finances Of the rebel States are in now.
Year: 1864

How CoBBLER PLAYED SHARP


The following curious story is told of
an old lady living in Buckinhamshire,
England:


"The husband Of this ancient dame
died without making his will, for the
want of which very necessary precaution
his estate would have passed away.from
his widow, had she not resorted to the
following expedient to avert the loss of
The property. She concealed the death
of her husband, and prevailed upon an
old cobbler, her neighbor, who was in per-
son somewhat like the deceased, TO 60 to
bed at her house and personate him, in
which character it was agreed that he
should dictate will, leaving the widow
the estate in question. An attorney was
sent for TO draw up the writing. The
widow, who, on his arrival, appeared in
great affliction at her good mans danger,
began to ask questions of her pretended
husband, calculated 10 elicit the answers
she expected and desired. The cobbler
groaned aloud, and looking as much like
a person going TO give up the ghost as
possible, feebly answered, al intend to
leave you half my estates, and l think the
poor old shoemaker, who lives opposite, is
deserving the other half for be has always
been good neighbor" The widow was
thunder-struck at receiving reply so diff
ferent to that to which she expected, but
dared not negative the cobbler's will, for
fear Of losing the whole Of the property,
while the old rogue in the bed (who was
himself the poor old shoemaker living op-
posite,) laughed in his sleeve, and divid-
cd with her the fruits of project which
the widow had intended for her sole bene-
fit.
Year: 1864

God give us light In the darkness,


God give us comfort in woe.
Grant that the cup may pass from us,
Let us not reap as we SOW.
We have shed blood in Thy vineyard,
We have blasphemed with Thy breath,
o, spare us the fruit Of our doing,


Spare us the harvest Of death.
We have burnt Liberty's affairs,


Light from the chnncel is fed,
Tho priests are reeking with slaughter,
Christ in the churches is dead.
Father, forget-o forgive us !


Do not unto us, Lord God,
As we unto others are doing;


o, Judge us not out of Thy Word.
For we have shed blood in Thy vineyard,
We have blasphemed with Thy breath,
o, spare ps the fruit of our doing,


Spare us the harvest of death.
Year: 1864

A SAD Loss.--An old lady was tell
ing her grandchildren about some trouble
in Scotland, in the course Of which the
chief of her clan was beheaded. at was
nae great thing Of a head to be sure" said
the good old lady, "but it was sad loss
10 him."
Year: 1864

THE following is the world-reuowned
epitaph of the Lady Elizabeth O'Loomey :
First cousin to Burke, commonly called
the Sublime, she was bland, passionate
and deeply religious. Also, she painted
in water colors, and sent many pictures TO
the exhibition, and of such is the kingdom
of heaven"
Year: 1864

A SINGULAR TRADITIoN.-Among the
Seminole Indians there is singular ira
dition regarding the white mans origin
and superiority. They say that when the
Great Spirit made the earth, he also made
three men, all of whom were fair complex
ioned and that after making them, he led
them to the margin of a small lake, and
bade them leap in and wash. One obey
ed and came out of the water purer and
farer than before; the second hesitated q
moment, during which time the water ag-
itated by the first, had become muddied,
and when he bathed ho became copper.
colored; the third did not leap until the
water became black with mud, and he
came out with his own color. Then the
Great Spirit laid before them trhee pack
ages, and out of pity for his misfortune
in color, gave the black man the first
choice. He took hold of each of the pack
ayes, and having felt the weight, chose the
heavicstS the copper-colored man then
chose next TO the heaviest, leaving the
white man the lightest. When the
packages were opened, the first was found
to contain spades hoes, and all the i'm
plements of labor the second enwrapped
hunting, fishing, and warlike apparatus /;
The third gave the white man pens, ink
and paper-the engines of the mind and
the real foundation of the white mans SUI
pCriority.
Year: 1864

The Davenport Qowa) Democrat describes the plan Of
Gen. suys campaign against the Sioux Indians 1t states
that Gen Suy has received permission from the War De
partent rsse regiment Of friendly Indians to assist
him. and that he expects to raise these recruits from the
Delawares Rees, and Grow tribes, all Of which
ready to take Sioux scalp They use their own arms,
practice their tactics, and ask further compen-
sato0 rstioos blankets and such tnkes may be
thought best to give them 1t is thought that they will
render efficient service.


From Heart river the expedition will plunge into the
unknown region OF the Northwest All the wag,
left behind at the ga risoD aud every is mounted
The baggage alse mounted the backs of
hundred pack mulestwo hundred pounds to each mule
and thus vexaous delays avoided aud from twenty
thirty miles per day be made with the greate ease


The Sioux have declared that they shall be prepared to
meet our forces with army of thousand braves and
without doubt they will be afforded that felicity IL they
meet our in force much the better battle will
end the campaign whereas should they scatter about in
different parts OF the Territory forces must be
also divided and much greater will be- the trouble and
longer the time spent on the expedition.
Year: 1864

1t will be observed by the record elsewhere made of the
proceedings yesterday had 10 the Court of Claims that that
tribunal has adjourned to Monday the Sd day Of October
next being the opening day of the October Term for the
year 1864 We learn that the Court has disposed Of all
the that ready for trial during the term that
has just closed, with the exception of two three in
which the arguments have been had but upon which the
decision of the court withheld until the next term


The Supreme Court it is known has adjourned its late
session without prescribing the regulations contemplated
by law for the taking Of appeals to that Court from the
Court of Claims and as the absence of such regua-
tons appeal be properly TAKEN it is obvious that
the interests of claimants will not be prejuiced by the
action Of the court n withholding decision upon the few
pending until the preliminary question raised by the
Supreme Court in regard to the consttutonay of such
appeals shall have been settled.
Year: 1864

press. But, after the withdrawal Of his name by
Secretary Chase from the preliminary contest for
q nomination at Baltimore, We had supposed that
the rivalry between him and President Lincoln
was at an end, and we might still have supposed
so if the conduct Of the President did not seem to
indicate suspicion in his mind to the contrary.
1t is charged by Major Gen. Blair that Mr. Chase
is still an asprant for the nomination, and that he
is using the patronage Of his Office to promote his
aspirations. And the President, who cannot be
ignorant of this charge, elevates the man who
makes it to high military command on the very
day on which it was made, and he has since de-
Tended the propriety Of the appointment against
certain implied objections contained in an inquiry
Of the House Of Representatives. If the quarrel
between the Major General and the Secretary is
regarded by the President as purely personal
matter between them, it seems to us that the coun-
try, and especially the friends Of the latter, ought
to know it. If more than this is implied by the
countenance which the President has seemed to
give to the Seoretary's accuser, it is equally plain
that the proprieties of the positions respectively
held by the President and his Secretary in the
eyes Of the people call for reimbursement,
less indeed the most serious accusations are to be
treated with insensibiliSy when made by one re-
sponsible officer of the Government against an.
other. We have heard much of late about the
duty of Sustaining the Administration in all its
measures and in all its Departments" but this
duty becomes impossible when, because of politi-
cal or personal differences, an official incumbent
In one branch of the Administration inveighs
against the official integrity of the Head of an
other, and when he does SO apparently with the
Presidents approval. Such conduct, without ex-
PLANTATION, can signify nothing less than that the
President is strangely careless to preserve the poll
tcal unity of his Administration, or else that he
desires to attain this political unity not by formal
ly ejectng Secretary from his post, but by plac-
ing him in position where he may voluntarily
prefer to resign, as both Secretary Seward and
Secretary Chase before felt called to dc in re-


spect for the proprieties of their position and in
regard for the confidential nature of their official


relations to the President, and when they both re-
ceived the renewed assurances of the Presidents
continued confidence as the token in consideration
of which they resumed their places in his Cabinet.
Year: 1864

1t is known to our readers that the House of
Representatives on Monday last adopted resolu-
tion requesting the President of the United States
ito communicate to the House whether Hon. f. p
BLAIR, jr., Representative from Missouri in
the present House, now holds any appointment or
commission in the military service of the United
States, and if SO what that appointmentor commits
sion is, and when the said Blair accepted the same,
and whether he is now acting under the authority
of any such appointment or commission"


In reply to this inquiry, it will be seen that the
PRESIDENT informed the House, in communica-
tion which will be found elsewhere in to-day s
paper, that Gen. BLAIR, on entering upon his du-
ties as member of the present House of Repre-
sentatives, resigned his commission with the un-
derstanding and agreement of the Secretary Of
War and the Executive "that he might, at any
time during the session, at his own pleasure, with
draw said resignation and return to the field" !,


The Constitution of the United States pl lovides,
in the sixth section of article l., that no person
holding any office under the United States shall
be member of eithsr House during has continu-
ance an Office" 1t therefore becomes a question
whether the conditional and provisional resignation
of Gen. Blair operated a complete legal discon-
tinuance of his Office as Major General of the
United States, or whether it did not. If it did,
then he could not be lawfully reappointed to his
former military command without denomination
by the President and his confirmation by the Sc
nate. If did not then his occupation of seat
in the House Of Representatives was not warranted
by the Constitution, unless we construe the words
"duripg his continuance in Office" to mean " while
actively engaged in the duties of his Office con-
struction which will not be contended for, we pre-
sumo, by any who regard the plain language of
the provision and the motive of its insertion in the
Constitution The President, we think, made q
mistake in accepting the resignation of either Gen
Blair or Of Gen. Schenck with such reservation,
designed to save their commissions as Major
] Generals.
Year: 1864

The accent decision of the Legislature of the
State of New York in repudiating its indisputable
obligations to pay the interest of its bonds in gold
or its equivalent, is felt by al the respectable cit
zens of the State to be not only severe blow on
its financial credit and prosperity, but also re-
proach on representative institutions, because Of
the anomaly it presents between their theory and
their practical working. No one disputes that the
odious decision is adverse to the wish of the great
majority of the people of the State, without dis
tinction of party, and yet majority of the mem
bers of the Legislature have chosen to disregard
equally the manifest popular will of their consti-
tuents and the plain injunctions Of common ho-
nesty.


1t appears that twice before has this great State
been threatened with similar disgrace, but on each
occasion it was happily averted. In 1888, during
the general suspension Of specie payments, Mr..
Flagg, the Comptroller at that time, refused to
accept the legal privilege Of repudiation which
was accorded to him. With great trouble, and at
considerable expense to the State, he succeeded in
paying the interest of the State debt in gold.
Again, in 1862, as We have previously recalled,
Comptroller Robinson saved the State from the
disgrace which now threatens it. No provision
had been made fer obtaining gold to pay the State
debt interest; but he succeeded in obtaining it at
his own risk, and his act was subsequently ratified
by the Legislature. That body also then made pro-
vision for the honest payment of the interest due
to foreign creditors for the year 1868.


Some of our contemporaries in the State express
the hope that wealthy citizens Of the State will
advance sum necessary to enable the Comptroller
to pay the accruing interest in gold with the un-
derstanding that they shall rely the honesty and
honor of the next Legislature to reimburse them.
The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser refers to the
subject in the following terms:


"We trust that the Comptroller will take similar
the present year. and feel confident that he will
b. sustained not only the people, but the next Legs
lature. Unless this be determined upon, believe it
be the duty of the Governor to call extra session OF
the Legislature and make them recall their dishonest egs
laton in obedience to the declared sentiments of their
sttuents With single exception Journal in the State
of any preensions to respecabty influence has had


the hardhood to defend the action of the Leg stature
We believe that the people Of the State not only
to- but that they desire to be honest and that ey will
endorse the language Of Governor Seymour special
sage upon this subject"
Year: 1864

The State Convention Of Maryland resssembled on
Monday last but, owing to the absence of its resident,
the standing committees of the body not announced
The session principally consumed by the discussion Of


resolution for the adjournment Of the Convention to Bal
tmore. motion to lay the subject on the table was
rejected by tie vote. of the Union members
Of the Convention held subsequently to it's adjournment
on Thursday Last, adopted the following resolution


Resofpd That this Conferences unanimously accept the
policy OF immediate emancipation without State conpen
saon az the instruction Of the late election and that
will this respect faithfully represent the expressed will
of the people OF Maryland"
Year: 1864

We have been favored with the annexed letter
| from the American Consul at Lii erpool to the
Secretary of State relative to the unprecedented
emigration now In progress from that port to the
United States. We understand that letters Of
similar import have been received from other parts
of Europe:


U. 8. CONSULATE, LIVERPOOL


april %, 1864.


SIR: perceive notice in the papers of recommsn-
daon for act to encourage emigration from Europe to
the United States. This probably will be considered
sufficient excuse for my venturng to call your attention
to the matter far this port is concerned EmQra-
ton may be said to have been active il now
1t is quite unprecedented For the past two months all
the emgrant vessels from Liverpool to the States both
with steam and as have taken emgants to their utmost
capacity At the there not half enough
ships to carry those who want to CO. called this morn
ing on two or three of the leading shipping houses to
ascertain the true state of the business and will briefly
detail what learned. Inmans steamers-the Liverpool
New York, and Philadelphia lne-told me that every
passage on all their steamers up the 18Th Of May next
now engaged and onehaf of those Of the steamers to
sa after this period up to the 1st of june Guion Co.
and c. Grimshaw a. Co., two other large houses told me
that all the their respective to sail be-
tween now and the lt day of June already TAKEN
and that they turning off people every day for Of
That they pressed that they do
not know what to do They have half vessels enough
and cannot them to carry the psssengers who
want TO 60. What they say will appy with equal force
to all the other shippers at this large proportion
OF the emgrans bave had their passage paid the Stats
These have preference They have raised the price of
their tickets for passage within the last few weeks least
third higher than they All the vessels sailing re-
filed with passengers, and the only way ration can
now be ncre ased far England and Ireland are con-
c-rned is to increase the OF transportation Ore
of the houses told this morning that they could send
out fifty thousand emgraBs the States in two months
if they had the ships to carry them do not write this
with the view of interfering with the passage of the pro-
posed bill to facilitate emigration it may be
ssy for the continentbut merely put you possession
of the facts they exist at this place And quits
that you will rejoice with myself learn that il is
not required for Eng and Ireland at least for the pre-
sent, to encourage emigration.


i am, sir. very respectfully, yuur obedient servant


THOMAS H. DUDLEY.
Hon. WILLIAM III, SEWARD, Secretary of State.
Year: 1864

Inc following 10 IRON late Georgia journal:


Following in the footsteps Of Georgia. Mississippi through
her Legislature has expressed her decided dsapprobaon
of the action of Congress suspendng the writ Of hsbeas
corpus. This unanimous expression of sovereign State
cannot be dsregaded by the next Congress tits not only
the sentiment OF the people of Mississippi that here enun
cated but also that of the rejecting portion of the people
Of the Cobederscy Among all such the verdict unani
that the act Of Congress suspendng the privilege
Of the writ of habeas corpus dangerous to the liberty of
the citizen uncons in Of its features tends to
make the owl power subordinate to the military, and
abshes pre- cedent OF doubtful character and should
be repealed" Let our representatives remember this.
Year: 1864

SHAREHOLDERS NOT RECOGNIZED IN
THE METHODIST CHURCH.-The Metho.
dist Conference yesterday acted upon the
long mooted question of slavery in that
church. The church has always opposed
the system of slavery, recognizing no law
that held human being in servitude, but
the opposition was quiet and imperative.
Now the action of the church is bold and
positive. Its General Conference, speak.
ing in the name Of the mighty body it re.
presents, enacts that no STAKEHOLDER can be
. member of the Methodist church. Such
action was needed, and it is . cause Of
rejoicing to know that such action was ia.
ken. The vote Of the Conference was sin.
gularly unanimous, the nays forming but
nine in count of two hundred. The good
work gains everywhere. The oppression
which for years has been the curse Of the
American Union will never stain our hon.
or and mock our liberties after the present
struggle for liberty and Union is over.-
DdiIv Ness.
Year: 1864

CThe following act passed the recent
sessions Of our Legislature


That heresfter the counties Of Snyder
aud Union shall become attached to and
form part of the Eastern District Of the
Supreme Court, and the writs of error and
appeal from the several courts Of said
counties shall hereafter be made returna.
Die to the fourth Tuesday after the first
Monday in January, or on such day or
days as said court may direct, Provided,
however, that all records from said coun-
ties made in pursuance Of writs of error
OF appeals that are now pending which
nave not been argued shal! be remitted by
tho Clerk Of the Northern District 70 the
Middle District for hearing or srpumen,
on the seventh day Of jane, A. ID. 1861.
or on such day or days thereafter during
the Msy Term Of said Court As the said
Court may direct.
Year: 1864

The author of the bogus Proclamation
has been arrested and confessed the crime.
AS we predicted the whole affair origina-
ted in New York, and was gotten up for
speculation in gold aud stocks.
Year: 1864

THE Presidential campaign, the result Of which
viii decide the fate of the country, is now open.
1t will bo of less than one months duration, and
its result depends upon the vigOr with which the
democracy prosecute it. No higher duty rests up
on every citizen who believes that the reelection
of Mr.. Lincoln viii be the destruction Of the last
hope of the Unien to devote himself to tho defeat
of that consummati9n. The success Of the Demo-
cratic party will bring PEACE and REcossrsuc'
rIoN, 1t will stop the awful carnage which has
filed the land with mourning, and the awful waste
Of treasure which is fastening national bankruptcy
and ruin The REGISTER will exert its utmost
energies to the defeat of Mr. Lincoln and the sue
cess of the democratic party; and its usefulness in
these respects will be commensurate with the mag
nitude of tbs field of its operations. That this
field, already large, may be extended, the Weekly
Edition of TIE REaIsrFR will be issued as