smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

By law, the present session of the Confederate
Congress expires on the 18th of February next
less than a month from this time-and by law, it
does not meet until the first Monday in December,
niDe months hence. The Senate, seeing the exi.
gcncies of the approaching Spring, resolved that
Congress should meet the first Monday in May
Tue. House, TO the surprise and pleasure Of every
body, resolved to meet q month sooner than the
Senate had suggested. A bill to this effect passed
the House by considerable majority, but on the
molten Of Mr. Barksdale, whose relations to the ad
mnistratiOn are well known, the bill has been
committed to the Judiciary committee 1t seems
this is to be made q test question, and there is
possibility-we trust and believe that 1t is nothing
mOre-that the country may again be called upon
to mourn q second interregnum, longer and far
more dangerous than that which followed the fall
of Vicksb1rg and Port Hudson, when our finances
ran to ruin at the rate of two or three millions
day, our armies dwindled away, and he alone who
had the power tor call Congress together was deaf
to public entreaty, and made no sign.


This disposition to put of the meeting of Con-
gress is unaccounrsble except upon the hypothesis
tnat the friends of the Administration are Of opinion
that 1t is the intention Of Congress to lnere, with
the Executive. Congress has no such Intention
A great deal Of important business is unfinished
and but little time remains to finish 1t in The
rency question has not been settled The military
bill has not been settled. These are matters of vital
importance, and if hurried over at the heel of the
session Will d0uoteSS need early revision. 1t is I'M
portant what the effect of the currency meas
ures will be. crisis is at hand, when the people
will not be satisfied unless their representatives
in their places. It's necessary that the new mem
bers should be here at the earliest moment Indeed
it may be said there hundred reasons for the
carly re assembling of Congress and scarcely one
good one against it The people desire it, and they
will watch with jealous eye those who attempt 20
thwart their wishes


Whence comes this factious opposition in Congress
to the will Of the people? What is the meaning of
it7 Who are the instigators of the movement and
what is the endthey seek to accomplish! We con.
feSs at loss !or answers to these questions
Is it not designed to subVer the government What
then, means this attempt to place the whole power
of exemptions in the hands of the Secretary of War;
to conscribe everybody from l6 to 60, to suspend
ha6eas cOpu and to postpone in this time public
peril the meeting of the Rep eSentatives of peo
pie? Weshoud be glad to obtain candid responses
to these Observation-Disclosures Wing.


In crisis like the present Congress ought to be
constantly in session, and as soon as the present
Congress expires the members of the new Congress
ought to be permitted to take their seats.
Year: 1864

Special Despatch 10 TIE Rreaiag Telegraph.


New YoRK, October 27.-It is said that several
from the western portion Of Pennsyl-
ITania have just returned from Orange, where they
had an interview with General Mcclellan, urging
him to make political tour through the Key
stone State for the purpose Of strengthening their
sinking fortunes. General Mcclellan is under
stood to have accepted their invitation, and will
reach Philadelphia this afternoon.
Year: 1864

--on Tuesday, the upper part of the body of a
six weeks old in ant was found lying in the
streets OF Chicago. The remainder Of the corpse
had been deyoured by the dogs No clue TO It's
origin or the manner In which it came there could
be obtained.
Year: 1864

saw crowd Oh the steps of the Astor
yesterday. They were watching the at
tempt Of the great pugilist, Tom Hyer, to
ascend into the house. His tall form was
bent by disease his once firm step tottered.
his great strength had departed With
crutches and the aid Of a strong arm of a
friend he slowly and with anguish took ope
step at time. as an infant would 20 up.-
1t was gall and bitterness to him to cast his
ewes around on that crowd, and see how un-
like their greeting was to the crowd that
cheered him on in his great fight with Sui
Ivan. BY a singular coincidence Morrissey
came along But how unlike Hyer Mon
rissey is a proffessed gambler. It is his
trade. He has taken care of himself and
keeps within bounds% He is temperate, fox
his calling demands it, He dressa. in ele-
CANT taste--is full ieweled - and would Pass
for we'll to do banker with the unper ten
or as Professor in college. MoErissey
has taken Saratoga under his special charge,
and intends to drive this year larger bust
ness than he did the last He has taken
his headquarters already, and With an ele-
giant exterior smart address, and cool and
adroit habits, he will allure into his embrace
many of our youth, and send the curse into
many homes in the form of ruined, and
once manly sons.-N Y Correspondent,
Boston Journal
Year: 1864

William Henry Smith, the Republican
candidate for Secretary of State, has been
drafted This will create a vacancy on the
State ticket of the Lincoln party, and make
another nomination necessary - for it is not
doubted that William Henry will at once
shoulder his musket and go to the ''front, "
as his loyalty is above suspicion. He is
at present Private Secretary to the Govern
or. This position will also be vacant in a
few days just as soon as our friend shoul-
ders his musket. Here is an opportunity for
some enterprising Miscegenationist to get a
good office, if he will but make application
in time. We take it for granted, that Capt.
kaga will be put on the ticket for Secretary
of State, as he was the principal competitor
of William Henry's, in the late Lincoln
State Convention But there will be no
lack of candidates. We suppose that the
Governor will also be able to find success
or to his Private Secretary, without any
very great delay. We regret that William
Henry will be compelled to go, for it will be
difficult to find a man that can fill his place
in the Executive Office. Having been a
Member of the Press himself, he knows ex-
actly how to treat editors and reporters
We trust that the Governor will have an
eye to this thing in selecting his new Pri-
yate Secretary Our best wishes go with
our drafted friend; and our prayer is, that
he may get through his three years service
safely and successfully, and may return the
same genial clever fellow he is to-day
Goodbye, William Henry. Statesman.
Year: 1864

THE PRIVATE SoftIER IF there is q
being in the world who is deserving of pri-
vate affection and public gratitude, it is the
soldier who marches as a private in tho
ranks of the army, to fight for his country
and offers his blood and life as a sacrifice for
the maintenance of the Union and the Cen
stitution. And yet how seldom it is that
they get the honor and reward their services
entitle them to! It is the private who car
ries the gun; it is the private who marches
on foot through the mud, frost and snow;
it is the private who erects bridges over
swift streams, and rears the lofty fortifcs-
tions, and it is the private who. with the
bayonet set, charges on the deadly rife pits
and against squared columns of the enemy !;
and yet how seldom it is that he receives
the honors and the rewards fhis noble cuA-
duct!
Year: 1864




At the recent annual meeting of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, rule was adopted
which henceforth excludes from member.
ship all persons who hold slaves. 1t has
long been subject of modification in these
godly men, that our Savior when on earth,
adopted no such rules as that which they
have at last set up on their own authority,
How to account for his remisness, they have
not been entirely able to agree. Some of
them explained it by supposing that he was
an ignorant man. Others are clearly of the
notion that he lacked that sound morality
which lights the souls of modern divines.-
Still others seem to think that he was a
'dough-face' and shirked q full expression
of his views for fear of rendering himself
unpopular. But these modest men, whilst
differing as to the cause of the omission re-
ferred to, all agree that Christ's preaching
was not up the necessities and intelligence
of the present day They think that our
Savior did very well for the era in which we
lived, but that considering the necessities of
" sectional party which could never have
attained power and Office on its own merits,
he was vastly inferior to. the Granville
Moodys of modern times.
Year: 1864

The Soldier should remember that while
he is away fighting under the flag of his
country, for the Constitution, there is a
class Of the Republican party at home sap
ping and undermining it, and where there
no Democratic party to uphold the freeman s
rights, you would perhaps come home as
Scared veterans only to find that Liberty
had fed, and your days were to end under a
Kingly government.
Year: 1864

A SINGULAR BATTLE INCIDENT. "A cor.
respondent with the Army of the Potomac
describes the following singular respite
from fighting as having occurred on Satur'
day, after the flank movement Of our forces
Observation of the field yesterday forenoon
revealed curious sight. The advance
forces of both armies were quietly digging
within four hundred yards of each other,
exposing their bodies in full view without
firing shot. Batteries were cooly placed
in position, and the aspect showed that the
troops were too worn out by hard fighting
and marching to waste their strength in the
useless animosities of the picket line.
Year: 1864

LORD BRoUGnAM once said the ot
Constitution of the United States, that Il
was the greatest refinement in social policy
to which any state Of circumstances has ever
given rise. or to which any age has ever given
birth" And yet a set of fanatical theorists


who have no practical common sense them
selves, have undertaken to tear it up and
make better one. Tho Democracy stand
by the old book.
Year: 1864

MANY of the young women pride them
selves upon being excessively pale as if
they would resemble the Venus of Rome,
besides being the goddess of beauty, was al
so the goddess of corpses.
Year: 1864

T Gen. Hooker authorizes the editor
Of the Washington Republic to say that
any and all statements that be intends to
declare for Mcclellan ARE false He says
be Is for an uncompromisiug and vigorous
prosecution of the war against the armed
enemy Of the nation.
Year: 1864

The New Albany Gndiana) Ledger
tells this story


printed few days ago, from an
Atlanta paper, an account of a mockino-
bird, which at the battle of Resaca, perch
ed itself on the top of tree, and during
the fight initiated the whistling of the bul-
lets and other noises incident to battle.
Another and more touching incident Of
a similar character was yesterday related
to us by Captain George Babbit, of Gener-
al Gresham's staff, and of which he was
htmselfa witness. During the fierce can
nonading at Nickajack, small bird came
and perched upon the shoulder of an ar
tilleryman-the man designated. we be-
Ieve, as No. / whose duty it is to ram
down the charge after the ammunition Is
put III the gun. The piece was Il Napo-
leon, which makes u very loud report.
The bird, as we have stated, perched itself
upon this mans shoulder and could not be
driven from its position by the violent
emotions Of the gunner,


| When the piece was discharged, tho
poor little thing would run its bealt and
head up under the mans hair at the back
of the neck, and when the report died
away would resume its place upon his
shoulder. Captain Babbit took the bird
in his hand, but when he released his
grasp, it immediately resumed its place on
the shoulder Of the smoke begrimmed
gunner. The scene was witnessed by a
large number officers and men. 1t may
be subject of curious inquiry, what in
stinet led the bird thus to place itself
Possibly frightened at the violent commo.
tiOn caused by the battle and not knowing
how to escape or where to go, some in
stinet led it to throw itself upon this gun
ner as a protector. But, whatever the
cause, the incident was most beautiful
and pleasing one to all who witnessed it.
Year: 1864

4" We want all the men we can keep at
home to supply our scant labor market,
and vote tie Democratic ticket merit Fall
N T. World.


If any Republican paper had made the
above statement against the Democratic
party It would have been denounced as
untrue and outrageous. The high Demo
cratic authority upon which the statement
is made does not permit US to doubt it.
Year: 1864

which We shall make special effort to secure and
offer to our patrons in all cases where they can be
used in place Of Imported Goods.


American Manufacturers already produce many
Goods altogether superior to Foreign, which they
have not sold as American owing to the prejudice
heretofore existing in favor Of Imported Goods Our
Year: 1864

p. s. Any person xnowing of any one in his
neighborhood who have failed to make q true
report ofany article Of Tax in Kind, either one
of the assessors would be glad to hear from
them. As 1t is but just that all should pay
their mite.


Nav 8 l. At
Year: 1864

The KEARssRcE AND THE ALABANA.-A
correspondent in England sends for publica
ton the following letter from an English
sailor who was on board the Alabama during
the fight:


l see in the English papers great deal
too much said to the credit Of the Alabama
and the discredit of the Kearsarge. Even
Semmes himself, in his official report, has
uniustly insinuated against the Kearsarge
that she wilfully fred upon us number Of
times after knowing that our coiors were
down. On board the Kearsarge they believ
ed, as was the fact, that our colors were shot
away. On our side a man was ordered on
the spanker boom to hold up white flag, as
a token of surrender; but on board the kear-
sarge, at the distance they were off, they
misunderstood that for a man persisting in
raising again the Confederate ensign-the
greater part of it being white. They, there
fore, continued firing. We then ired lee
gun, and on board the kearsarge they imme-
diately ceased firing. Now, sir, here is the
point which must be decided by the public,
either in justification of one party or the 9TH
er: After our thus surrendering, another
shot was sent from us at the Kearsarge from
our forward gun, which caused them to re-
turn again our fire, and, in my opinion,
would have justified them in blowing us all to
hell, though thank God that matters are as
He already intended them. On board the
kearsarge our treatment was unimpeachable.
Men, said Captain Winslow to his crew,
. treat your prisoners as your brothers. Give
them everything they desire" He even gave
US our grog he would not have us searched;
everything there we were welcome to. Such
kindness never saw, nor ungrateful retail
alton neither.
Year: 1864

APPEARANCE OF THE Sun FROM THE NORTH
PoLE.-To person standing at the north
pole the sun appears to sweep horizontally
around the sky every twenty-four hours with
out any perceptible variation during its cir
cult In its distance from the horizon On the
2lst of June it is $50 eS> above the horizon, a
little more than one fourth of the distance to
the zenith the highest point that it ever
reaches, From this altitude it slowly de-
scends, its track being represented by spi-
raj or screw with a very fine thread, and in
the course of three months it worms its way
down to the horizon, which it reaches on the
23d of September On this day it slowly
sweeps around the sky with its face half hid
den below the icy sea. 1t still continues to-
descend, and after it has entirely disappeared
it is still so near the horizon that it carries a
bright twilight around the heavens in its
daily circuit. As the sun sinks lower and
lower, this twilight gradually grows fainter
till 1t fades away. On the Goth of December
the sun is 230 2S> below the horizon, and this
is the midnight of the dark winter at the pole.
From this date the sun begins to ascend, and
after time his return is heralded by a faint
dawn which circles slowly around the hori-
zon, completing its circuit every twenty-four
hours. This dawn grows gradually brighter,
and on the Goth of March the peaks of ice are
gilded with the first level ravs of the six
months day. The bringer of this long day
continues to wind his spiral way upward, till
he reaches his highest place on the 21st of
June, and his annual course is completed.
Year: 1864

'Tis all ore whether ! sit and spin,


lis all orc whether I rise and weep,


Hope has no premise with me to keep,
have nothing 70 lose, have nothing to win.
The work falls ont of my weary hand,


Life's path Is lost To my weary feet,


The world to my vision is incomplete,
Ar atom OF shifting and shapeless sand.
The best ont Of all that is best miss;


TIE light from the morning is gore away


TIE noontide sun is a shadows Pl Y,
and love but the hint of higher bliss.
All things have fallen to the blindness Of fate;
There is no, hing that either doubt OF believe
Neither has faith any trust TO retrieve;
Therefore l sit in my darkness, and wait.
Thou who hast laid on my spirit this pain,
Leave me, q leave ne not thus in the dust;
Grant me to feel and to know thou artjust,
Though the bright daybreak dawn never again
Year: 1864

The LEoPARDs ArT4oK-rne power Of
the leopard is wonderful in proportion to
its weight. I have seen q full grown bull
lock with his neck broken by tho leopard
that attacked it. 1t is the popular belief
that the effect is produced by blow of the
paw. This is not che case. Few leopards
rush boldly to the attack like a dog; they
stalk their game, and advance crouchingly,
making use of every object that will afford
cover until they arc within q few bounds of
their prey. Then the immense power Of
the muscle is displayed in the concentrated
energy OF the spring; he flies through the air
settles on the throat, unusually throwing
his body over the animal, while his teeth
and claws are fixed on the neck. This is the
manner in which the spine of the animal is
broken, by a sudden twist, and not blow.
The blow from the paw is, nevertheless, i'm
mensely powerful, aud one stroke will rip
open bullock like knife. But the effect
Of the wound are still more to be dreaded
than the force of the blow, there is pesu-
liar poison in the claw. which is highly
dangerous. This is caused by the putrid
flesh which they are constantly tearing, and
which is apt to cause gangrene by inocula-
tion.-Baker's Wandering in Cevlon.
Year: 1864

laid him low by superior strength or cour-
age, we should have sung the sad requiem
Of the stalwart soldier, who fell by the for
tune of war. But surprise was not among the
weapons by which we thought the great
guerrilla vulnerable. Treachery was not a
means by which we supposed he could be
taken off,. Morgan Is no more. The foes
of freedom will rejoice at his loss; they will
be more delighted that he has been be-
trayed and shot down by superior numbers.
We remember his courage, his services and
his sufferings. Kentucky will long ch erish
the memory ofa gallant son, whose ohival-
rous instincts taught her truth that liberty
was never gained by compromise, nor the
oppressor sppeased by submission. She will
bitterly repent that she did not take earlier
counsel of his courage
Year: 1864

MooNLIGHT.-Whata a heart break is this
same moonlight. The young delight in It.
the old grow jealous over it, even the canine
race are peculiarly fascinated with moon
light. Such a night, too, as last night was


enough to put one wild with delight. The
full round moon shone deeply down and tho
light was almost as brilliant as the light of
day. Beautiful too as was that moonlight
blessing sto thousands was that last beauti-
full night-raptuous to the lover was the
bright ray of Luna as she peeped laughing


y into the secrets of his social delights
But that same moon witnessed different
places. On the Southern mountain and in
the Southern vale it lighted up scenes that


would make the stoutest heart quail. Un-
ion and rebel refugees, grouped together,
housele ess and homeless, saw the light of
that same moon. but saw it only to add Bit
terness to their sorrow. and to make their
wretchedness more visible. On the battle
field, too is glared and CLEANED that same
moonlight; down upon the decaying bodies
of thousand of our own uncofined fellow
beings, aid upon earth'srough surface, with
out shroud or grave, or friend, or hope, only
In death. All, that same moon that smiled
serenely down on our joys might blush and
crimson when beholding the wretchsdness
OF others as good as deserving as we, caused,
too, by the hardness of our own hearts and
our empty love of earthly glorv.
Year: 1864

GooD ADvIoE.-If the body is tired,
sleep. If the bowels are loose, lie down in
a warm bed and remain there, and eat
nothing until you are well. If an action of
the bowels does not occur at the usual hour,
eat not an atom till they do act, at least not
for thirty-six hours; meanwhile drink large
ly of cold water or hot teas; exercise in the
open air to the extent of gentle perspira-
ton; keep this up until things are rightsd; ;
this one suggestion. if practiced. would save
myriads of lives every year both in the city
and country. The best medicines in the
world are warmth. abstinence and repose
Jo&gnekof ReotA.
Year: 1864

SrRYcHNINE.-This has become to be OF
late a noted article. We are informed, IN
reference to it, that it is most uncertain
in its action on the human frame; in some
producing almost d death; the same does in
others bringing on tetanic convusions, and
in a lucky few no effect at all; and this doss
not appear to have any relation to the ply s.
ical strength Of the patient. 1t is whitish
crystalline substance and is extracted from
the nut of tree called strychuine, nur
Vonlicd.


This tree grows in Ceylon, is of a moder-
ate size, and has thick, shining leaves, with
a short crooked stem. In the fruit season
it is readily recognized by its rich, orange
colored berries, about as large as golden
pippins. The rind is smooth and hard, and
contains white pulp of which many vari-
cites of birds are very fond. Within this
are fat, round seeds, not an inch in dame
ter, covered with very beautiful silky hairs
aud of an asy grey color. The nut is the
deadly poison which was we'll known and
its medicinal properties we'll understood by
Oriental doctors long before Europe or
America had heard its name. Dog killer
and fish scales are translatons of two OF
its Arabic names. The natives of Hindos-
tan often eat it for months and it becomes
a habit, like opium eating. with the same
disastrous results. They commence with
taking the eight Of nut day, and grad
uallv increasing their allowance to an entire
nut which would be about twenty grains.
If they eat directly before or after food no
unpleasant effects are produced, but if they
neglect this precaution, spasms result. The
chemical tests for it are numerous but only
one or two can be yelled upon as being
accurate.