smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Persons who act upon the principle that
''the highty purpose never is o'ertook un-
less the deed 60 with it, are often accused
ofjudging rashly and without proper con-
sideration, but this charge is often un-
deserved. The value of decision does not
depend upon the rapidity with which it is
made, but upon the correctness of the in
formation upon which it is based Slowness
in forming an opinion is as often an evil
dence of ignorance as of profundity, our
friend Jack Bnnsby being a notable example
OF the fact. As rule men who impress the
world decide quickly when suddenly called


upon to act, and this promptitude is in nine
cases out of ten one Of the principal elements
of success. This is especially the case when
aprompt judgment is founded on solid ex-
perience. If the late NJ lie verrier had been
informed that a planet had been seen between
the orbits OF Neptune and Saturn he
would have instantly declared it impossible.


but no one would have presumed to have
called this snap judgment. If physician
finds n man apparently in the arms OF death
and prescribes q remedy without hesitating
n minute he does not render snap judg-
ment in the case. The experienced politi-
cal writer who is unexpectedly re-
Year: 1877

The objects Of the temperance people, who
have lately held national conference in
this city, are SO commendable that it is ia
be regretted that their zeal did not permit
them to become the advocates of wholesome
and practical measures Believing that
''total abstinence is the only true temper
ance," they insisted in their declaration OF
principles on the action Of Congress to for
bid the importation Of liquors and prohibit
their manufacture, and declared that "the
history and results of oil past legisla-
tion in regard to the liquor traffic abund.
antly prove that it is impossible satisfac
torily to limit or regulate system 30 essen.
TALLY mischievous in its tendencies" On
the contrary, the history and results of past
legislation prove that attempts ut prohibi.
ton invariably fail to be effective, and leave
the liquor traffic without wholesome re-
straint and regulation, while wise and strin-
gent license laws hold it in proper check
and are the best safeguards against abuse.


The unyielding spirit which insists that
mems appetites shall be legislated out Of
them altogether. aided by the politicians
in the last Legislature who hoped to profit
by the absence of good license law in New
York city, left us in the excise muddle
which followed the Court Of Appeals de-
cision, declaring that no licenses for the
sale Of liquor to be drunk on the premises
could be granted, except under the old law
of 1867. The result has been that the Board
Of Excise has brought ridicule on oil law by
its glaring evasions Of the one they are sup-
posed to enforce, that the liquor traffic has
been more free from restraint than it has
been for years past in the city, and that the
police have knowingly winked at offences
they are officially bound to punish. When
the Excise Board and police disregard the
law on the thinnest pretences it il
not likely that the people will oh.
serve it, and the consequence is
that we have to-day more unlicensed,
disgraceful, degraded rumholes in opera
ton than we ever had before. A stringent,
sound license law fit for metropolis could
be properly enforced in New York. and the
liquor dealers would be the foremost to
aid the authorities in preventing its vio-
lation. Governor Rice, Of Massachusetts,
himself temperance man, vetoed the pro-
hibitory law passed by the last Legislature OF
that State on the ground that good license
law was in force and was exerting an excel
lent restraining influence on the liquor
traffic, while former attempts at total pro-
hibition had signally failed. If the tenn
perance conference would give up theories
and aid in advancing practicable restrain
ing measures they would do much more
than they are now doing to advance ana
strengthen the temperance cause.
Year: 1877

Vh0 Dem Ocr0tlc STATE convention


This body is to organize in Albany day
after tomorrow. Like its republican rival,
which did such wonders at Rochester, it
will contain elements Of discord, though
not of SO explosive character. The causes
Of intestine quarrel in the two parties differ
MS fresh nitro-glycerine differs from stale
gunpowder The Democratic State Con-
vention has no administration Of its own
party at Washington to mutiny against it
has no personal feud to be ventilated be-
tween two such orators as Mr.. Conkling and
Mr.. Curtis it has no such large bodies of
interested spectators and keen sympathizers
outside the State as watched the two
bclligerent factions at Rochester The
democratic dirty linen, though washed in
public, will be soused into an ordinary tub,
and not held under cataracts of brilliant,
dashing eloquence, whose sunlit spray and
rainbow hues gave sort of picturesque dig
nifty to the dirty process ut Rochester The
democratic discord is simply question be-
tween the old and new ticket, the old hav-
ing no very extraordinary claims to respect
and the new not being yet agreed upon by
its advocates. We suppose there is no
danger that SO petty quarrel can disrupt
the party. Mr. Bigelow and Mr.. Fairchild
have no large and devoted body Of demo-
cratic followers who will attempt to avenge
their defeat if the Convention rejects them,
and after splashing dirty water in the Con-
vention its members will 90 home and
work zealously for whatever ticket hap
pens to be nominated. 1t is even pos
sible that the quarrel may be hushed up
before the Convention meets. Ex-Governor
Seymour is already on the ground as q
pacifcator and he always commands SO
much Difference from democrats that he
ought to be able to still this tempest in a
teapot. At any rate quarrel over Mr..
Fairchild is very small matter indeed in
comparison with quarrel over the policy
of President Hayes and the leadership of
Senator Conkling. There will be nothing
at Albany to call forth brilliant displays of
invective eloquence, even if there were to
be present on the floor Of the Convention
such brilliant practitioners of the art as full
minated and corruscated at Rochester.
Albany will seem tame enough after such q
surprising display.
Year: 1877

urged the repeal OF thls law, the evil enect
of which he plainly saw. But the republi
cans were then overwhelmingly strong
in both houses. and they peremptorily
refused this first request of theil
newly elected chief. Now, the demo.
Gratis have always been opposed to this
law they have no interest in keeping it on
the statute book, and if the House repeals
it there is no reasonable doubt that enough
republicans will be found in the Senate to
join the democrats there in confirming the
action OF the House. If this is done an
almost fatal blow will be struck at the mis-
chievous interference of Congressman in
the appointments, and if the two houses
should agree to repeal also all laws limiting
the term Of appointed officials Congress
would then, in our belief, have done all
that is required to enable the chief execu-
tive to make the civil service honest and
effective and to keep its hands off politics.
We should be glad to see the President
recommend to Congress the repeal of the
Tenure of Office act; in doing this he
would only be following in the footsteps OF
General Grant.


But it will be said that in what precedes
we have taken for granted that republican
President is to have his measures approved
by democrats. We reply that the President
of the United States is the chief executive
of the whole nation and not of party. He
is chosen upon certain platform, and we
freely admit that he is in honor bound to
remain faithful to the policy thus an
nounced. But President Hayes is un-
doubtedly faithful to the Cincinnati plat
form. If part of his party repudiates its
own policy that does not lessen his obliga-
ton those who oppose him are the unfaith-
full. But in the cases we have spoken of
Congress is likely to act without his recon-
mendations or interference, and he is not
responsible for its action. A Presi-
dent who finds himself in opposition
to the majority in Congress, MS Andrew
johnson was, is certainly in an uncomforta-
BILE position, even if he is in the right. But
the whole drift of what we have said above
is to show that Mr.. Hayes will not be in
that position. On the contrary, the first
act Of the new Congress is likely to be q
formal approval of one of the leading parts
Of his policy. That cannot make him un-
comfortable. The second is likely to be the
repeal Of bad laws crippling his just inde-
pendence That is not hostile to him. And
if he recommends wise measures, nominates
honest and capable men, and avoids setting
his will for personal ambition or purposes
against that of wise men in Congress, we
do not see whence he has trouble to fear or
why his administration should not be sue
cessful and useful to the country, no mat
ter what the anti-administration republi-
cans may do.
Year: 1877

The conditions upon which the Sioux
chiefs now in Washington are willing to
abandon all claims to the Black Hills are
clearly stated in the conversation they had
with our correspondent, which we print to-
day. Spotted Tail and his comrades talk
sensibly, and hardly one Of their demands
seems exorbitant. They want to be trans
ferred to good lands upon the White
River, and when they are established
remain permanently. 1t is encouraging
to find the Indians thus inclined, and when
they ask that the land shall be distributed
among the heads Of families and that each
family shall have the same rights to the land
that white men enjoy, we think they request
no more than the government should be
glad to give. They profess desire to settle
down to the cultivation Of the land, and
the assistance they need in the way
of wagons and instruction from few
farmers will be no doubt cheerfully
given. They ask for free trade with
the whites, and protest against the policy
which forces them to buy their goods
Of post traders only, who, having monop-
oily of the Indian market, are able to
plunder their customers. Still another
reform they wish is the right of transferring
their supplies from the posts to their homes
in their own wagons, and they argue
intelligently that it is an extortion to
compel them to pay the traders high
prices for work they are able to perform
themselves. To US it appears that these
proposals of the Sioux chiefs are practical
and moderate, and certainly harmonize
with the humane and civilizing policy
which our government has been always
anxious to carry out. When such hostile
tribes as the Sioux profess their willingness
to give up fighting and to try to learn civ
ilized ways o great peaceful battle has been
won, which, if properly used, will almost
compensate for even such failure as Gen.
eral Howards campaign.
Year: 1877

ORIN PORTER ROCKWELL the Danitc chief,
who has been indicted for participation in the
Aiken massacre, is probably the very worst Of
the living Mormon murderers, and if the jury
that will try him can be free from the influence
Of the Church he viii undoubtedly be convicted
md punished as he deserves. He was accused
of murder nearly forty years ago, and from that
day to this he has been always ready to commit
any crime, no matter how atrocious. in the in
terest of Young and the Mormon Ring.
Year: 1877

THE ARTISTS have nearly all returned from
mountain and valley forest and seashore, and
an idea Of the treasures they bring may be OBJ
tanned from our columns this morning Some
valuable foreign pictures have, it will be seen,
been recently added to our galleries. The art
outlook is altogether rather encouraging.
Year: 1877

The NUMBER OF SHIPS that left the port Sat-
urtlay was unusually large-larger than in any
single day for a long time. Nearly all of them
were bound for European ports and were laden
with general cargoes. This is one of the most
significant and truest signs Of real business
reyiXnl
Year: 1877

The place was a grave yard-The
old cemetery-The night was dark
Last Tuesday night-the hour was
11--Prest Never Run, and his daugh-
ter-a boy fixed for the occasion
took promenade out to the old
grave yard to visit their future graves.
While they were meditating on the
mortality of this life and how uncer-
tian it was, Richard the l made
his appearance in company with his
friend Mr.. Blow Hard. Mr.. Blow
Hard seeing no one on the field except
the charming young Miss wanted to
be introduced. Richard the / did
the agreeable. Just then Prest.
Never Run raised up out of the grass
and in an ancient sepulehral voice
trembling with rage very coolly re-
marked, 'swhat in the Ill are you
fooling around my daughter for
Blow Hard answered with a shot.
Richard the thinking it was the
Prest. shooting, took his cue, ran
nobly, knocking down an even half
dozen of monuments With the gentle
zephyrs from his coat tail. But
Blow Hard did not think he HAD to
run, so he just turned On his Gatling
gun once more. This time he struck
the Prest in the side just below the
heart. Seeing that Blow Hard was a
member of the American rife team
and not disposed to listen to the voice
Of Richard who was telling him to
leave the field of carnage. he drop
ped his pistol and ran in and grabbed
Blow Hard around the waist-now
Blow Hard knocked him down on his
knees and then showed his cannon up
to his head and snapped at him, but
Providence interposed and would not
let the pistol go off, but as fast as
Never Run would get up Blow Hard
would knock him down on his knees,
but just as the Prest. was getting the
house to order ABOUT 20 of his friends
arose as it were, IRON their graves
and commenced falling over tomb
stones in that direction and separated
the warriors, and thenit was that Blow
Hard did his KEELING. He thought
his time had come and yelled murder
Justify, but the boys told him to
''carry the mail' out of there, that
be should not be hurt, and it did not
take him more that hour TO get over
in town. They tell us that Maj.
General lantern split tomb stones
getting tot , his friend, Never Run,
but when he struck the ground he
was up above Humplnies vineyard.
A surgeon was called and pronounced
the wounds not serious, although
some of the boys, and especially the
father of the young lady ran a very
narrow escape. Now graveyard is
a nice place to bury man in, but it is
Il poor place to call on the ladies.


Those gentlemen that went out
To- the yard to see the race were dis
appointed and we will state here, that
the fall races are over. Blow Hard
wont repeat. We learn that last
spring he stepped a mile in !. - and of
course he ran this last time and went
for revenge and he came very near
getting it. If his pistol had not hung
fire he would have closed the career
of one of Mexico's young men. 1t
was all . joke and he knew it was all
a joke, but you see he held the little
Joker and thinks he won the dav.
Year: 1877

Once upon time M. Kennedy
living about two miles South of
Mexico, bought black snake whip,
he took it home and hung it on the
porch. That night as it was very
warns he went out on the. poarch to
take cool nap. The whip fell down
on him. lie yelled ''Snaix," ran for
his gun, shot two loads OF No. two
buck shot into his whip, went to bed
telling his wife he had killed an l8
foot "Blue Racer" He awoke in
the morning wiser and better man.
Year: 1877

IAPoRTANT.-The Public School
opens Monday and it is of vital inn
portancc that every child should be
enrolled the first day. Let each
child enter the lists the same day and
then they will all have the same
choice. Parents de not realize how
mach is lost by their children being
absent a few days, especially at the
beginning of the school term.
Year: 1877

VIM. o. Lee of this city complains
of the oppression of the Fulton fair
directors for charging him SIC fpr
space during fair week for displaying
his pianos and organs. The Associ.
alton did not charge for room to
display other artioles and we think
it would have been just not to have
been so rough ON Lee. He did not
ask for premiums only for room.
Year: 1877

Mitchell Bros. are selling wall pa
per at low down prices, their object
is to prepare their stock Tor spring
trade. They have fine patterns and
Il good assortment. II you wish to
purchase any thing in their line now
is the time to give them call.


10 2-t
Year: 1877

Insley & Armstrong have moved their
Mammoth Stock of groceries to their
large and commodious rooms in the
LEDGER building. Let all call and
ex anime their new and fresh stock OF
Fancy and STABLE Groceries,
Year: 1877

News from the seat Of war has an unpleas-
ant aspect tor the Russians. If they cannot
take Plevna. and take it speedily, they will
soon be reduced to the defensive at every
point and if there is so little tactical ca
pacity in their service that they cannot
handle hundred thousand men in the
country around Plevna with skill enough to
hold the redoubts they have actually
carried, it is not likely that they
will come out brilliantly when assailed
with equal fury on every hand; when Me-
hemet Ali thunders ut Biela, Osman Pacha
assumes the offensive on his side and the
desperate resolution of Suleiman Pacha
revives in the Shipka Pass. There is one
aspect of the news from Constantinople
which needs explanation. 1t is said that
Osman Pacha had captured at Dubnik re-
to prevent the advance of his reinforce
ments. Dubnik is west of the Vid, on the
road TO Orchanie and about ten miles from
Plevna That Osman Pachn, assailed on his
whole front by the Russians and Roumanians,
had time enough and troops enough to 60
thus far to the rear to open communications
that could be closed again the moment he
withdrew seems odd, and may Justly excite
some suspicion as to the precise nature of
that movement to the rear. Was Osman
Pacha, while yet opposing fair front Mt
Plevna, convinced that his position there
had become untenable, and therefore pro-
viding for an early retreat by this effort to
keep open the road behind him; or was the
battle at Dubnik with part Of his forces
actually retreat? That, at all events, is
one of the possibilities, and if Osman's err
rand to Dubnik was of this nature it was only
what might have been assumed as n conse-
quence of the impression made ut Grivitza.
Year: 1877

In Hindostan. when the natives suffer be-
yond endurance from the mislnanagement
of their English rulers, they do not waste
their time in denunciation or idle and use
less complaints. They take different and
quite novel method. The other day, feeling
that they were oppressed by the course of
one of the higher courts, the natives of one
of the wilder districts of Eastern Bengal
carried IN old idiot to the top of a hill and
offered him up as burnt sacrifice to the
gods who preside over the deliberations of
the high court. 1t just occurs to us that the
next Legislature ought to do something for
this city. There is convenient hilltop at
the upper end of the Central Park. But we
should advise the cremation of at least two
''old idiots" one from each party.
Year: 1877

The great contest of Thursday and Friday
ut Creedmoor has awakened in the lovers
of the rifle keen curiosity regarding the
sporting antecedents Of the men who made
such splendid score for Great Britain. To
crafty this as fully as possible we print
this morning communication which gives
interesting information, both with regard to
the members of the British team and the
great shooting range ut Wimbledon, where
many of them have graduated as marksmen.
Compared in area with that of Wimbledon
the range ground ut Creedmoor is but
small place, but, as our wel-informed cor
respondent remarks, possesses the advan-
tagc of being almost perfectly level, and,
therefore, better adapted for great rifle
moor Is comparatively new place. The
first competition took place there in the
fall of 1874, before even the butts were en-
tirely completed. Wimbledon, on the other
hand, has been the scene of many memora-
BILE contests since 1862 and during the early
days of the volunteer movement when oil
patriotic Britons prepared to Assist French
invasion. Again, wimbledon mas been
patronized by the wealthy English aristoc-
racy to an extent that can find no parallel
in the case of Creedmoor, Tor our own
untitled but wealthy magnates have given
neither money nor countenance to the move
ment so recently initiated in this country.
DiscreditaLle rs this selfish disregard of
noble and useful sport may be to those who
should be foremost in encouraging Ameri-
can rifle shooting, it surrounds the victory
ut Creedmoor with a brighter glory because
of the difficulties that our champions had to
overcome in order to gain it. When rifle
men. the majority OF whom knew nothing of
the art four short years ago, can SO utterly
defeat the best representatives of u school of
many years standing our prospects in all
future matches are decidedly reassuring.
Our correspondent remarks that MIR. Mil
Year: 1877

None of the statements made by the Boss
at bay are precisely startling, because all
that he tells has been whispered before as
within the limits of the probable, and,
therefore, does not come with that pc
culiarly surprising effect which absolute
novelty gives to remarkable statements. 1t
has been profoundly discussed hitherto
whether or no Senator Woodin and other
public men more or less distinguished in
politics were actually on the list OF pension
ers who received Tweed's money for infamous
services rendered to him in circumstances
where these men had sworn to serve the peo-
pie in the discharge of official duties. Sem
ator Woodin's completely has been denied
with magnificent assumption of his per-
sonal superiority to all others whose names
are involved. and his guilt has been as per-
tinaciously insisted upon as if his guilt
were more significant than the guilt of
another. Tweed now testifes as Byron did
in the case Of the editor of his grandmother's
review:-"All can say is that he had the
money"


1t is now, therefore, explicitly alleged
that Senator WOOuln received forty thou.
sand dollars for certain vote, and that
about half million dollars was spent
in one Legislature to secure the pass
age of certain bill. Although this
is the declaration of q man whose
word is no longer Of much value the
circumstances give it such weight that it
cannot be put aside by more impeachment
of the author of the statement. 1t calls
for deliberate inquiry, and we do not
see that the inquiry can be made
so effectively in any other way as it may be
in prosecution by the State authorities
under the law for the punishment of legis-
lators who accept bribes. If Tweed is in
famous and q hundred times rogue for his
public robberies they are no better who
opened the doors of the city treasury to
him and his pals by passing his laws at so
much bill; and if there is substance be-
hind his statements some of the infamy that
now covers him should he shared by these
sshonorable" accomplices.