smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

voters. All OF the present precincts at which


over 500 votes were pol1ed last November


ought to be divided. There is no evil to be


apprehended from having the precincts too


small. The less number of voters IN


precinct the, less danger to be ap-


pretended from voting by persons not


entitled to vote therein. In a precinct


with 100 voters, each man entitled to


ballot could be readily known, and all


others offering to vote could be detected and


exposed. In another column we give some


detailed figures on this subject. Arportion-


ing voting-places to the wards according to


the number Of voters would call for large
increase in the number Of voting g-places; but


this is trifiing consideration compared with
the present evil. Taking the yote at the last
election, every precinct where the aggregate
equaled or exceeded 500 ought to be so reduced
as to leave that number the maximum. If
division be made so as to create three precincts
out Of one at which 900 or 1000 votes were
po1led in November, so much the better; the
increased facility for voting will call out
larger vote in every precinct. The reduction
of the number of votes polled at each pre-
cinct will greatly facilitate the counting of
the vote, and give the inspectors time to
complete their count and make QUE their re-
turns in compliance with the law, which it
will be remembered was found to be impos-
sible in so many instances last November.
The recent laws passed at Springfield have
doubled mp two elections; SO that, BY adding |
forty or fifty more voting-places, the in
creased cost of the elect1or will be offset by |
The saving in holding one election in place Of
two. We hope the City Council will not
neglect OF overlook this matter.
Year: 1877

The Pope of Rome does not seem to meet
with success in his effort to have q reopen
sng Of the Vatican Council. In reply to the
queries addressed to the Congregation of
Cardinals, they answer that, as the causes
that interrupted the Councilhave not ceased,
its resumption would not be opportune, and
that he had better wait for more favorable
opportunity to make new Syllabus. Eri-
dently, the Cardinals have had of late ali the
experience they want in attempting to deal
with political questions
Year: 1877

It WIS predicted by the quid-nuncs at
Washington that if ScHuRz we're confirmed
it would be BY an extremely close vote. The


Golc- Democrat went so far as tosay that, " If
Scuuz is confirmed at all, it will be BY the
votes Of some thirty Democrats and eight or
ten Republicans, the former voting to create
mischief in the Republican party, and the
latter from the belief that they ought to sup
port the Cabinet just as it is nominated" 1t
turns out that be received forty five votes
against two. 4 few Republicans did not
vote, but the majority of those present sup
ported him. Even SIMON CAMERON voted for
him, and also voted for EvAnTs and KEY.
He could not stand the pressure SO many
Of the influential men Of Pennsylvania
poured in letters and kilograms upon him,
calling on him to indorse the Cabinet nomi-
nees, as to convince him that he was going
contrary to popular sentiment, and he re-
considered his intentions, swallowed his
chagrin. and voted to confirm.
Year: 1877

It Was narrow escape for the people Of


Chicago, and every other large city in the


State, when Mr.. KEHoE's Town-Election


bills all but failed Of passing in the House


without the emergency clause, which would


have defeated their operation this spring. It


is fair to assume that the opposition came


from misunderstanding Of the measure on


the part Of some Of the country members.


But as the two bills are now part of the


law Of the State, having been promptly


signed By the Governor, the city officers and


town officers Of Chicago will be elected on
the same day,-the fist Tuesday in April
instead Of two weeks apart, and the same
voting precincts and election judges appoint
eddy the Common Council for the city lection
will serve fer the three town elections in the
South, North, and West Divisions This will
almost certainly insure as large vote for
town officers in their respective districts as
for city officers, SO that the bummers will no
longer have the whole matter in their own
hands, and there will be the same protec-
don against repeating and ballot-stufing in
the town elections that there is in the CITY
election. The town-meeting system has
been maintained in Difference to the country
districts, where it works well; but the law
provides TINT the Common Council shall also
have the discretion of designating the place
Of meeting in the towns located within the
andit is probable that some large
hall will be selected where the taxpayers,
who are chiefly interested in the amount
voted for town taxes, will be willing to meet
OF this and the voting-places the Common
Council of Chicago should now give imme-
late notice, SO that the public may have
he full benefit Of the law this spring,
Year: 1877

THAT widely circulated journal of
advanced thinking, the Evolution, Of
New York city, almost copies the
STATESMAN when it says that suffrage
is not a right or even privilege. 1t
Is burden, like that of bearing arms,
to be borne only by class fitted to it.
But when tie door was once opened
wide, without regard to race, color,
behavior, 'or previous condition, there
was no other way to determine suprem-
acy except natures laws. No guber-
Material chair can we'll rest on bayo-
nets. We know how slim an argu-
ment it is, but we have yet to meet
personally the man who does not ap-
prove the Presidents Southern policy.
All our exchanges Indorse il. What a
feeling of repose it gives to be in the
majority for once! Neither has our
rest been disturbed by the Democratic
ass who thinks his party drove the
President through fear into his policy
of peace. The voice of this animal at
a sufficient distance excites to mirth."
Year: 1877

FRAUD.-A letter-wrlter in the Gal
weston Neos calls attention to the fact
that time has been given to the con
tractors for opening Caney creek and
the San Bernard river to comply with
the provisions of law. The best thing
that Governor Hubbard can do in this
connection is to stop the work, if with
in his power to do so. The bill passed
for this purpose is such glariug SWIM
die within itself as to vitiate the whole
matter. 1t was worked through the
Legislature by the men who have con-
trolled the contracts, and eight or ten
times the pay necessary to clear these
streams is given. No one can connect
himself with the scheme without be-
ing tainted by it, and we are anxious
to see Hubbard do just as be has done
keep his gubernatorial foot on the
outrage.
Year: 1877

ment we will surely be content and
none the less prepared than to-day to
approve or condemn the conduct of
the President. We approve not be-
cause he would or would not confer
offices upon our friends; but we re-
spect and will serve the President just
so long as he serves the country faith
fully and wisely and patrIotically.
The mode of distributing spolls is the
smallest and meanest and unworthlest
test of the worth of these who fill non
orable Offices.
Year: 1877

the st. Louis Times says:


mo one connected with the paper
is an officeseeker, nor shall be while
the connection lasts, and assuredly 1t
shall not be used to promote the
schemes of any clique or combination
of persons less than the Democratic
party at large. 1t is the undoubted
right of every citizen to seek Office,
but as far as ourselves are concerned
we hold that the exercise of that right
is incompatible with our duties as
Journalists"
Year: 1877

In addition to the above both ma
tions have almost an indefinite number
of irregular troops, of which they can
avail themselves in strait. The Rus
sian navy is supposed to be inferior to
that of Turkey. 1t consists of the fol-
Year: 1877

Mr. Gale, the Secretary of the Missis
sippi Colonization Society, communicated
the following to an indianapolis news
paper, in reference to the two hundred col
onists who recently came from Indiana to
settle in North Mississippi, 1T, and near,
Michigan City, Benton county:


The arrival Of the emigrants was quite an
important event in the history of tie town
and several OF the prominent citizens were
at the depot to meet the train. Temporary
shelter was found for the party, and the
next morning the planters from the sur
rounding district, taking in radius Of
about five miles, were early in town. Mr.
Gale says that each of the colonists was lett
to make his own bargain with the planters
for employment. They all succeeded ia
perfecting arrangements which seemed sat-
isfactory to all concerned. He did not hear
a cross word on either side. The planters
were evidently glad to meet the party.
They were men of character and capital,
well able to.carry out their contracts with
the colonists, and professed to have work
enough to afford constant employment TO
those whom they engaged. Getting on to-
ward the afternoon several planters came
to Mr.. Gale and expressed their regret that
every man in the party had been engaged
before they had had an opportunity to get
all che hands they needed for work on the
farms and plantations.


CAS- an indication Of the hearty way In
which immigrants were received, one cir
cumstance may be mentioned. Three or
four of the men intimated on their arrival
that they had had experience i'm ditching,
and would prefer work in that line rather
than the kind of employment offered by
the planters. DR.. Shoup, prominent citi-
zen of Michigan City, at once headed a
subscription list with 800, stating, that the
town needed the construction of ditch "a
mile and "A quarter long, and these men
might as well be be employed 10 construct it
at once. During the day $3.50 was raised by
public subscription, and the ditchers were
set to work. Mr.. Gale says the entire party
were satisfied with the reception of Michi-
gan City, and with the exception OF folr
or five young men, who praferrcd going q
few miles further onto Holly Springs-tbe
colonists will work and reside near enough
to each other to keep up friendly and social
relations .
Year: 1877

JACKSON, Oct. 9Th, 1917.


DEAR SIR;-I am in receipt of your
letter and will answer it frankly.
without fear, favor, or affection. do
not know who are the candidates for
Sheriff in your county, and will not take
the trouble to inform myself. | will thus
escape the suspicion Of giving an opinion
in the interest of any particular person.
While striving to do right, you yourself
seem to be halting between two opinions


Your nominee did not do right two years
apo when he declined to vote for two OF
the regular Democratic Conservative can
didates, though the offence is mitigated
by his refusal to support the candidates
of the Opposition. Personal enmity
does not absolve a Democrat from his
obligation to support the candidates OF
his party. 1t is related of John Ran
dolph, of Roanoke, that on one occasion
when a candidate for Congress he became
involved in personal difficulty with a
leading member of his own party. A
challenge to duel followed which was to
have been fought after the election. The
old Virginia method of voting was oira
uoce. His antagonist walked up to the
nolIs and in clear distinct voice voted


"For Congress, John Randolph. Mr..
Randolph standing near by, overcome by
the magnanimity of his foe, stepped for
ward and rendered him his hand, "No,
sir" said the constituent, 81 will not
take your hand. l have voted for the
nominee of my party. Next Monday l
will put ball through you if l can.
This is the true doctrine. Vote tor the
nominee. Subordinate personal consld-
erations to the paramount duty OF stand
ing by your party nominations. Your
candidate for Sheriff himself ought to have
acted upon this rule to the letter in 1879 !;
but upon the same rule he should now be
supported by his party as their regularly
nominated candidate. Persons who re-
fuse to support candidate because they
are not satisfied with what he did on
some past occasion, will commit the
identical offence which they are attribut-
ing to him. l grant that that the obJec-
ton would have been proper before the
nomination. 1t would have been right
Year: 1877

in forming the decision as to who should
receive the nomination, to take il into ac-
count, and it no ioub, was, but when the
highest tribunal of the party rendered its
decision, the question was closed, and lis
members were precluded from urging it
any further. The truth is, it is best as a
rule to put your trust in those who have
been faithful through evil and through
good report, but it must be remembered
that Is human to err, and all are more or
less talllble. There Is scarcely anything
good on earth, which has not its accompa-
niment OF evil. Nominating conventions
and primary elections have their abuses,
and they are almost inevitable, and vet
they are essential TO success and must be
adhered to, otherwise our party Of Re
form will become prey to dissensions
Of which our political foes will become
arbiters, and our State viii be remitted
to the slough of despond from which she
has been rescued after long years Of suf-
fering and by efforts which nothing short
Of the desperation of despair could have
achieved.


Promising that you have stated the
objections to your county Convention
fairly, ] must say with Difference that
they are simply frivolous. After having
been called by the regular authorities OF
the party; agreed to by the people
and responded to in the appointment o.
delegates, its power to make nomina
tions could not be doubted. The admis
sion Of delegates of questionable ortho
doxy does not detract from the authority
of the Convention. They were commits
stoned by the people in their primaries
and were received by the Convention a
duly qualified members.


There is no safety but in standing b,
the nominees. | beg you to understan'
that do not seek TO come between an.
mans desire to obtain office and tn
qualification of it. My aims are higher
| am pleading for the inviolability an
integrity Of that party through whic
4 Mississippi has been reclaimed from mis-
rule, and upon which it depends for sue
cess in the new life upon which it ha
entered.


Yours respectfully,


+. BARKsDALE,


Chm'n Ex. State Com.
Year: 1877

We learn with pleasure that Col. w.
II. McCardle has been solicited to pre-
pare history of Mississippi as text
book for the public schools of the State,
and that he will have the assistance of
Col j. f. H. Claiborne, who like himself
is a writer of almost unequaled merit,
and is trained journalist and historian.
This latter gentleman is collecting a vast
fund of material il the preparation of
his own work which will be at the dispes
al of Col McCardle. The latter will
perform the task as one of love for the
State to whose advancement he has de-
voted many years of iabori0us life.
His extensive information and varied
resources qualify him admirably for the
task; and we are pleased to notify our
school authorities of his enterprise in ad
vance.
Year: 1877

The Iowa law provides that all rail
road property within the state shall be
valued by State Census Board, and
the valuation of each company appor-
toned among the several towns through
which its road runs, according to the
length of the track in each. In the city
of Dubuque are five miles of track, and
its share of taxable value under the act is
$50, 600, whereas, assessing the railroad
property within the city on the same
scale as other city property, it would be
$1,000, 900. The city appealed to the
Supreme Court to vindicate rs right to
tax the property on this basis, on the
ground that the State Constitution sub
jects the property of corporations to the
same taxation as that Of individuals
The Supreme Court, however, has, for
the second time, decided that the act is
valid.
Year: 1877

THE election in Connecticut, recently,
on two Constitutional Amendments, is
believed to have resulted in their adop-
ton. They prohibit extra compensation
to public officers, and town aid to rail
roads. This may do for communities
where no more railroads are to be built.
But after all would it not be wiser for
the people themselves to determine
whether they are willing to extend such
aid7 They are the best judges of their
own affairs,
Year: 1877

a CLAUSE of the constitution requires
the first Legislature of the State of Col
orado to enact law submitting the
question of woman's suffrage to the legal
voters of the State at the first general
election following the adjournment of
the Legislature. That election occurs
this month and the question necessarily
intensihes the interest usually manifested
on such occasions. The fair ones have
entered the field valiantly in their own
S: behalf and are making brave fight.
Year: 1877

THE COLUMBUS INDEPENDENT has a
new attraction for the public, Gen. ia
cob H. Sharp will hereafter conduct its
political department and share its busi-
ness management. He wields a power
tul pen. and the press of the State will
be largely the gamer by his permanent
connection it. We always had fancy
for the Independent, and it now has an
other claim on our good WILL
Year: 1877

Hon. G. E. HOOKER spoke in Cincin-
natl recently. Senator Thurman made
the following pleasant allusion to his ad-
dress on the same occasion:


There was one thought that came through
my mind while my friend Col. Hooker was
speaking While l was listening to the
earnest, true and patriotic remarks OF that
man, who had been an honorable soldier on
the Confederate side, but who is now as true
a Union man as walks this earth-when L
heard the tributes he paid to our army and
peoule-when | heard him speak OF the dis"
tresses of the Southern people since the war,
and their disposition to do Justice, thought
had ! been one of these malignant Radicais'
make speech breathe denunciauon ana
hatred of one section against the other, |
should have hung my head in shame and
modification.
Year: 1877

This gentleman has received the nomi-
nation for Senator in the Seashore Dis
trict. He has served the people one
term in that capacity with rare zeal and
ability, and his reelection will secure the
services of faithful and efficient men,
hor
Year: 1877

The Rocky Hill CLAY county Dem
ocratic Conservative Club, deprecates
the attempt to divide the Reform party
aud resolves that


We will treat with contempt any man
offering for office as Independent candi-
date
Year: 1877

Mr.. Conkling has made of the gathering
at Rochester a demonstration against the
President not only hostile, but fierce and
contemptuous. Not a minute was lost in
formal cjvities; the attack began with the
first speech and lasted all day it was ag-
gravated IN every possible manner by ran
c1r and studied insults; made so malignant
that no friend of the Administration could
avoid resenJiug it; made with vast parade
and trumpeting as if the universe were in
vted to come and see how a Republican
Convention could have a Republican Presi-
dent.


And while the "rogues are quarreling
honest people will get their dues"
Year: 1877

The gamblers and their police "pals" are
frantic and desperate in their Efforts to secure
votes enough to override the veto of the PresI.
dent of the United States OF the bill abolish
ing the Board of Police Commissioners. In.
credible as the assertion may seem, It is never
theless q fact, that these men-these social
scourges-actually gained access to the floor
of the House Of Representatives on Saturday
last, and spent several hours in lobbying
against the action Of the Executive. They
left perfectly satisfied with the result of their
labors, and have been Boosting ever since that
their bill will surely be passed over the veto
in the House. We are very 10th to believe
that such will be the case. We can
not, for moment even, imagine that
gambler, a thief or corrupt police
detective, proven as such by his
own confession, can persuade an honest
man to advocate any measure he favors. On
the contrary, the very circumstance that this
criminal class unanimously supports bill
ought Of itself to be sufficient to array every
respectable citizen against It. What Senator
or Representative will so disgrace himself as
to place his name upon the record as the
friend and protector Of gamblers and faithless
police officers! Let every man who votes to
override the Presidents veto remember that
by so doing he is sustaining the reign Of vice
and crime in Washington. Can any man
afford to do that We call upon the respect
able members of both political parties to think
well before they decide to uphold the cause Of
criminals and their accomplices.
Year: 1877

THE INVESTIGATION into the election frauds
Of Cincinnati Is becoming very interesting.
From private information received here last
night 1t appears quite certain that Mr.. Banning
will be ousted and Judge Matthews given his
seat. The rhetorical and economical Banning's
star Of destiny is on the set.
Year: 1877

afternoon. 1t is not yet decided when
the inquest will be held.


The scene of the fire is Illuminated
tonight by two huge bonfires. About
twenty-five men are now engaged in
removing the debris by basketful from
the ruins. The firemen were busy all
the evening until after eleven O'Clock,
endeavoring to extinguish two Large
streams of fire which came from the
gas mains under the first floor of
Greenfield's building. The firemen
finally reached the main pipes and sue
ceeded in stopping the burning gas.
Three streams of water are playing
upon the ruins. A large force of police
are keeping back the crowd gathered to
watch the searchers.
Year: 1877

ONE of the most brilliant receptions
ever given by the Union League Club
of New York was witnessed last night.


in.honor OF President Hayes and PARTY.
who We're among the guests of the
Year: 1877

Two Poughkeepsie men were fishing on
the Nevcrsink a few days ago, and while
they were few miles apart, each trying
with all his might and main to catch
more trout than the other, the man who
was ahead accidentally ran across hey
who was plodding along with bare feet,
one of his toes being very conspicuous by
bandage of mullen leaves, who carried
large string of trout in his hand.
+" Here, boy" shouted the Poughkeepsie
man, "come here, I'll give you two dol
lars for those fish," ''All right" replied
the boy. The bargain was soon made,
and the money paid in silver, which made
the eyes of the lad brighten as it clinked
in his hand.


Then the man bethought himself that
the trout was very heavy, soput private
mark on the stick and told the boy to
leave them at Satterly's, where they were
stopping. The boy promised, and no
doubt he would have executed his COM
mission if he had not run across the other
Poughkeepsie fisherman, who, having had
bad luck, upon seeing the fish, took the
boy by the coat-collar and swore he must
have those fish. :" Butt said the boy,
(boo-hoo) "they don't belong to me.''
"Never mind" said Poughkeepsie, "I'n
give you So. so for them, and you can tell
the owner you lost them in the creek. "
The boy could not withstand such an offer,
especially as the man threatened to use
force, and so he took the money and deliv.
cred over the trout.


That boy then made himself scarce, and
it is said lay behind the barn whole day
counting his gains, for he was lad OF
spare education, and thought he was q
millionaire sure. When the two Pough.
keepsians arrived at Satterly's, and the
first man began to look for the trout,
which he espied in the possession of his
companion, knowing the fish by the mark
on the stick, there was an open confession
and resolution passed that they woulo
buy no more trout until the Ulster County
missionary had established a Sunday
School along the Neversink.-Ezchan0e