smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1866

THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.


The annual report of GIDEON WELLEs, Sec
retary of the Navy, occupies forty-twO pa
ges, document size He states that the
large navy necessary during the war has
been reduced and brought within the linn
its of a proper peace establishment, and
congratulates the country that since the
surrender of the armies and the termina-
tion of the blockade, tranquility has per-
vaded the States which were in rebellion"
He then discourses at lenght upon the
peaceful submission of the South to the re.
suit of the war observes that he is not at
all surprised that its people should oppose
the attempt to impose upon them terms
which are regarded as in the nature of er
post facto laws, and constitutional amend
ment " in the preparation and presentment
of which they had no voice or representa-
ton" The New Orleans Massacre he as
serts was in the beginning ga domestic
disturbance of local character, having its
origin in a controversy concerning the
State government" and proclams the fact
that the riot was speedily suppressed with
out assistance from the naval vessels which
were in front of the city I" and ready to re1


der aid If required" In the next paragraph
a general exhibit of the navy is given, from
which we learn that the total number of
vessels at this time is two hundred and
seventy yeight, armed with two thousand
three hundred and ffty-one guns, one hun
dred and fifteen in number, armed with one
thousand and twentynine guns, being in
commission and on active duty The total
number of seamen is about l3,600. A list
of the vessels composing the different
squadrons, and the movements of each dur
ing the year, is given that the policy of
the department is not to allow the country
to become complicated in the controversies
of other powers with Japan is announced
and the course pursued by Commodore
Rodgers in maintaining a strict neutrality
during the bombardment of Valparaiso is
approved. In regard to the building of ves-
sells, he believes that the Government should
have its own shops and machinery and
construct it's own iron and armored naval
vessels, and that, in the event of foreign
war, one of the navy yards north of the
Year: 1866

How THE PARsoN GOT ExCrED-A few
years since, near the city of n, in Con-
necticut, lived and preached old Parson B.,
who was bit excitable and near-sighted


One day he had been to the city with
his horse, and among his purchases was a
barrel of flour, one head of which was par
TALLY out


On the way home the old man was over
taken and passed by fast young man
driving fast horse, and putting on airs
Now, the parsons horse was usually a
quiet, steady-going animal enough, but he
couldn't stand that so he started after him
on the fast order in 2:40, in good earnest


The jolting of the wagon at length Jared
the head completely out of the barrel, and
the strong wind which was blowing direct
ly after the pastor, blew the flour all over
him and the horse.


At last the young man was left be ind,
and the village reached but the speed of
the horse was not checked In driving
through a street to reach his home, he came
in contact with one of bis deacons, who
was naturally surprised to see his minister
driving at such apace, and signaled him to
stop.


"Why. Parson b." said he, "what on
earth is the matter? You seem greatly
excited"


Excited y yelled the old man, "excit-
ed ! who wouldn't be excited-snow storm
in July. Get up, Dobbin"


The deacon smiled, but was silent.
Year: 1866

FIRMNEss OF CHARACTER--It is wonderful
to see what miracles a resolute and un-
yielding spirit will achieve. Before its ir-
resistible energy the most formidable OBJ
stacles become as cob-web barriers in it's
path. Firmness of purpose is like the
crushing avalanche, which sweeps every
thing before It while in motion Difficult
ties, the terror of which causes the unde-
termined to shrink back with dismay, pro-
woke from the man of lofty determination
only smile. The whole history of our
racial nature indeed teens with exam
Piles to show what may be accomplished by
intrepid perseverance and patient toll


1t is related of Tamerlane, the celebra
ted warrior, the terror of whose army
spread through all eastern natl rs, and
whose victory attended at almost every
step, that he once learned from an insect
an example Of perseverance, which had
striking effect on his future character and
success. When closely pursued by his enc
mics, as the anecdote is related, he took
refuge in some old ruins, where, left to his
solitary musings, he espied an ant striying
and tugging to carry away a single grain
OF corn. His unavailing efforts were re-
peated sxty-nine times, and at each sever
al time, as soon as he reached a certain
point he fell back with his burden unable
to surmount it. But the seUentieth time he
bore away his spoil in triumph and left the
wondering hero terminated in the hope of
future victory.


How pregnant the lesson this incident
conveys! How many thousand incidents
there are in which inglorious defeat ends
the career of the timid and desponding,
when the same tenacity of purpose, the
same unfiinching perseverance, would
crown it with triumphant success.


Resolution is almost competent. Sheri-
dan was at first timid, and obliged to set
down in the midst of speech. Convinced
of and mortified at the cause of his failure,
he said one day to friend, "it is insane
and shall come out" From that moment
he rose and shone, and triumphed in con-
sumate eloquence. Here was reason and
resolution.
Year: 1866

One exceedingly warm day in July a
neighbor met an old man and remarked that it was
very hot. Yes, Joe, IF it wasn't for one thing
should say going to have thaw." What
is that ?" inquired his friend. There's nothing
froze," said Joe. The man went his way much en-
hghtened.


The following new version of Scripture
passage is recommended for the use of Southern
Christians ''Let the little white children come
unto me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven"
WE frequently hear of our generals cap
turing ''pieces of artil cry" whats the use OF
continually capturing pieesS2" say Mrs. Partington
why not capture whole ones p


They say--Ah well, suppose they do,


But can they prove the story true?


Susp cion may arise from nought


But malice, envy, want of thought


Why count yourself among the ''they,"


Who whisper what they dare not say?


They say-But why the tale rehearse.


And help to make the matter worse?


No good can possibly accrue


From telling what may be untrue


And is it not noble plan


To speak of all the best you can?


They say-Well, if it should be so,


Why need you tell the tale of woe:


VIII it the ibtter wrong redress,


Or make one pang of sorrow less


Will 1t the errlng one restore,


Hencetorth to 'go and sin no more 2"


They say-Oh pause, and look within,


See how thine heart incline to sin:


Watch. lest in dark temptations hour


Thou, too, should'st sink beneath its power
Pity the frail, weep DER their fall


But speak of good or not at all
Year: 1866

There is n good deal in the subjoined
article from the London Times, that is
worthy of thought on the part of all
havinh any hand in framing a policy
to be pursued toward the South
While we would not adopt all of its
suggestions, there are some which
might well be pondercd by radically
disposed persons, including a large
portion of the majority in Congress:


The utmost that can reasonably be
expected from people situated like the
Virginians is such political conform
ity as Gen. Lee declared to exist. 1t
is barely twelve months since these
men were engaged in one of the most
desperate wars OF modern times-a war
fough to "the bitter end" with every
circumstance of passion and fury. To
expect that they should nowlook with
positive affection on their conquerors,
condemn their most eminent country
men as traitors, and rcpudiate as a
bominabIe the principles for which
they sacrificed their fortunes and stalk
ed their lives, is beyond all reason. 1t
is enough if they know themselves
beaten, if they accept the results with
out reserve, if they cherish no idea of
deferred rebellion. and if they are pre-
pared to return to their former posi-
ton with resolution to perform all
their duties as citizens, and with q
readiness to receive tho warmer i'm
pressions which time and lnteycourse
may bring. These are actually the
feelings with which Gen. Lee describes
them as now animated, More, it must
be evident, could not be expected but
if more is desired, it is manifest that
the result can only DO secured by that
very policy which the President has
avowed, and which the Radicals arc so
fanaticaIly opposing, If something is
still to be done--as nobody need deny
before Virginian can look upon
the Union as be looked ten years ago,
it can only be accomplished, as Gen
Lee affirmed, by liberal and conciliato.
Year: 1866

ry conduct on the part of the Govern.
mcnt. If passive acquiescence is to be
converted into cordial sy mpathy, il
must be by kind and generous treat.
ment. The policy of the radicals is
stultifed by their own professions
They pretend to desire more sympa.
thizing South than they have alread y
got, and then, to improve Southern
feeling, they propose TO inhct politi.
cal disgrace and humiliation on the
Southern people. They pronounce
them to be still dsaffected, or not suf
fciently well affected, and, by way Of
conciliating them,I would condemn
them to alienation and outlawry.-
Such policy stands selfconvicted, for
its only result must be to make bad
worse. .. .


1t is not probable that Virginian
looks upon the Government of the I'm.
ion exactly like a New Englander; no
reasonable person would expect that
he should do 50. 1t is enough for the
purposes of the prudent reconstruction
if the States lately in secession have
abandoned all ideas of independence,
and are prepared to make the best of
their position as members OF the Un-
nion once more. The rest must nee.
essarily be a work Of time, but it will
be accomplished most speedily, as well
as most surely, through such policy
as tho President now advocates. He
does not desire to swamp the South
with a swarm of black voters, nor 10
place the negro in q position of invid
ious and perilous antagonism to the
white man. He asks only for simple
professions of political honesty He
stipulates that the Southern States
shall forego their views of secession,
acknowledge and confirm the abolition
of slavery now and forever, deal fairly
with the eniranchised slaves, and re,
pudiate the debt contracted for the
purpose of the rebellion. To these
conditions they are willing to assent,
and the President would open the
doors of Congress to them and so re-
store the Union. What his opponents
desire, or profess to desire, we may
collect from the examination to which
General Lee was subjected. They de-
mand impossibiltes, for it is simply
absurd to require that the South
should humbly and thankfully kiss
the rod after thefashion they prescribe.
The policy of the President. on the
other hand, is a policy not only of mod
Grafton, but of promise. 1t bids fair
to bring back the South to those senti,
ments of perfect concord which the
Radicals pretend to demand, 1t is
Generals Lees opinion that such a pol
icy, aided by the indispensable coop
Grafton of time, will really produce this
effect, but it needs no argument to
show that policy Of provocation and
oppression continued after victory
must intensity and perpetuate that
very hostility which it is intended TO
cxtinguish.
Year: 1866

A WRITER who says his COW gives
all the milk that is wanted in fami-


y of eight persons, ard from which
was made two hundred and sixty
pounds OF butter during the year, gives
the following as his treatment. 1t is
cheap and worth trial.


If you desire TO get large yield of
rich milk, give your COW three times
day, water slightly warm, slightly
salted, in which bran has been stirred
at the rate Of one quart to 9 gallons of
water. You will find, if you have not
tried this daily practice, that your COW
will give % per cent. more milk i'm
mediateiy under the effect of it, and
she will become so attached to tho
diet as to refuse to drink clear water
unless very thirsty, but this mess she
will drink almost any time and ask
for more. The amount of this drink
necessary is an ordinary water pail
full each time, morning, noon and
night. Your animal will then do her
best at discountiag the lacteal. Four
hundred pounds Of butter are often OBJ
tanned from good stock, and instances
are mentioned in the dairy statistics
Of England where the yield was even
at higher figure.
Year: 1866

To have really good coffee that
Strengthens and stimulates, the bever-
age mus; be strong-strong in distinc-
tiOn to weak; not dense enough 10 bear
an egg. Persons of weak digestion
find that weak coffee creates fatulence,
and is a burden gricvious to be borne,
while the reverse is the case with
strong coffee. A a-cup full of ground
coffee will make from five to six cups
as strong as it should be. OF course,
there are stomachs which can bear
turpentine, but they are happily in the
minority.


Coffee should never be brought into
contact with iron. Timed coffee.pots,
that have been used for some time, are
apt to get worn on the surface, so that
the iron the tin plate is made of comes
through. When this occurs the coffee
will be bitter and black, for it attacks
iion, forming an acid very quickly
This, any one can see by putting few
drops on case knife.


Above all, to have good coffee, the
pot must be scrupulously clean. 1t
should be scalded every morning be-
fore using, and once week lump of
soda as large as walnut should be
put in the pot and boiled thoroughly.
The result will surprise many who
thought their vessels were clean.
Year: 1866

Inc NOlulllUuS UuHClIo hdO D.


awe learn that some 100000 of the
stock of the Hooking Valley Railroad
has been taken in this city. The
amount apportioncd to this city is
100000. The subscriptions along
the line arc quito liberal and the in.
dications are that the requisite amount
for the building of the road will be
taken.


The. Athens Messenger of the 10th
inst, after giving n list of recent sub
scriptions to the stock of this road, re-
marks as follows:


We feel confident that our people
will have the full amount made up be.
fore the issuo of our next paper and
then Athens will maintain her position
of being first and foremost in respond
ing to the calls made on her, especial
ly for an enterprise of so much merit
and value as the Mineral Railroad will
be. We hope soon to hear that Mel
sonvile has made up her proportion,
and then Athens county will have
responded as she should do, to an en-
terprisc of so much Importance to her
people. We hope soon to hear that
Columbus.has made up her amount,
and then having the two ends of the
line made up, the middle must res
pond, or be responsible for the failure
of the enterprise, which any locality
on the route would forever regret.


Come on Logan, Lancaster, Carroll
Winchester and Groveport and re-
spond to The call of the Mineral Rail
Road with Athens.
Year: 1866

The Fort Wayne Democrat says that


indianapolis affords some queer incidents
in a matrimonial way. A short tine
since couple got married in the morn
ing, got drunk by twelve o'clock, and
spent the first night Of welded bliss in the
county Jail. Fast place, and fast people.
Year: 1866

The Supreme Court Of the United States
have agreed upon decision upon the con.
stitutionality Of the test oath. The question
came up on the cases presented in regard to
the exaction of the oath from attorneys, Of
which there were several under consideration
by the court, which were argued last Sum-
mer. The court has decided by vote Of
five to four against the constitutionality Of
the oath. The opinions will probably be
read on Monday next, if Judge GREER should
be able to be in attendance. 1t is under
stood that each Of the Judges will read his
own opinion.


The next important decision which ought
to eminate from this tribunal Is whether q
State, under the Constitution, can secede
from the Union.
Year: 1866

Correspondence Of the Nashville Union and


Dispatch,


COLUMBUs Miss, Nov. %, lS66.-DEAR
SIR: The cotton crop Of this section has
been gathered, with very few exceptions
1t will not be more than one-fourth as
much as it wos in 1860. The receipts are
now very heavy because, as before stated,
nearly all the cotton has been gathered.
Cotton will be much higher in the spring
than it is now, for by that time the short
ness Of the crop will be aseertained. No
contracts have yet been made, but l do net
thiRk there viii be much difficulty in
making contracts next year. The corn crop
is also very short. / doubt whether the
cotton made in Mississippi this year will
be more than sufficient to buy the provi-
sions which the State will need. Until the
people learn TO rely less upon oottoB, there
will always be destitution in the South
The cotton should be surplus. Plant less
cotton, and more corn and grain is our true
policy. Until we adopt this rule We will
never prosper as a people. Ny own crop
is much better than many. ! viii make
near One-third Of bale to the acre, whilst
many are not making more than one-tenth
Of bale TO the acre. however, planted
toe much cotton, or too little corn. This /
will not do again. s
Year: 1866

II is said shat a New York miIIienairs
recently gave dinner at bis residence to
forty guests, one-half Of whom were ladies,
and by the side Of the plate Of each Of the
lady guesis was a present worth Ave hun
drsd dollars Generous old boy.
Year: 1866

TIE following noyes question has been
submitted to US for publication Sup
pose man and girl we're to get mar
red; the man thirty FIVE years old and


the girl f,e years. this makes the man


: zen times as old as the girl, and they
liv, together until the girl is ten yeats
old, this makes the man forty years ole ,
and four times as old as the girl and IL
they live together until she is fifteen, the
man would be forty fvei this makes the
man three times old, aud if they still live
on till tho girl is thirty years old, this
makes the man sixty, only twice as old,
and SO on. Now how long would they
have to live to make the girl as old as
tho man, at the same rate of reasoning
Year: 1866

The Power OF THE HEARr.--Let any one
while setting down, place the left leg over
the knee of the right one, and permit it to
hang freely, abandoning all muscular con-
troll over it. Speedily it may be observed
to sway forward and backward through a
limited space of regular intervals. Count
ing the number of these motions from any
given time, they will be found to agree
exactly with the beatings of the pulse.
Every enc knows that, at fires, when the
water from the engine is forced through
bent hose, the tendency is to straighten
the hose, and if the bend be sharp one,
considerable force is necessary to over
come the tendency Just SO it is in the case
of the human body. The arteries are but
system of hose, through which the blood
is forced by the heart. When the leg is
bent, all the arteries within it are bent too
and every time the heart contracts the
blood rushes through the arteries, tends to
straighten them and it is the effort which
produces the motion of the leg alluded to-
Without such ocular demonstration, it is
difficult to conceive the power exerted by
the exquisite mechanism, the normal pulsa-
tions of which are never perceived by him
whose very life they are.
Year: 1866

Not SO very long ago, in one of the Wes-
tern States, there was a certain Baptist
church whose members were not exactly
unit on the subject of immersion. At a
meeting of church officers, on one occasion,
a certain person, not remarkable for purity
of life, sent in request for admission into
their fold. One of the committe, rather
rough man, on hearing the name of the in
dividual "That man Well, if that man is
to be admitted to the church he ought to
soak oUer night"
Year: 1866

been in the wrong But who says she's
blind !? She has gone where faith is sight,
and where they know the end from the be.
ginning, and she has her share of the knowl.
edge. / warrant she sees farther than any
of us, to have us all round her again, and
her, bonny Jean Ciephane, restored to i'm
mortal youth cannot rightly understand
how the lass and the wife and mother can


be one and the same but am sure it
shall be, and that will be perfection. And
oh Jean, woman, when Pve sorted and
settled the BARNS, and done something more
for my Master, l will be blythe to go home
to my old friend and my young wife"
Year: 1866

A Justice, better verscd in law than gos-
pei, married couple in this way:


g Hold up your hands. You solemnly swear
that you will faithfully perform the duties of your
office, jointly and severally, according to your best
skill and Judgment so help you God. That's all,
fee one dollar"
Year: 1866

1T is stated on good authority that
cne of the Presidents organs in Wash
ington is about to collapse for want Of
support. Being unable to pay for its
news, the agent of the Associated Press
has refused to furnish it any more tele-
grams, and it made its appearance on
Tuesday with such dispatches only as were
published in the evening papers of the
previous day. From this it is evident
that supporting my Policy is not pay
ing business, at least at the National Cap
ital.
Year: 1866

Our attention has just been called tc
one of those little episodes in life which
are SO full of romance, and which put to
blush the fat aud insipid efforts of tie
novelist who 80 strains at the imaginative.
We VII. tell the story as we have learned
i. as briefly as possible.


Some ten years ago German family
left the old country to fud home IN the
rev. 4 member Of the family, and the
one to whom we shall particularly refer,
was bright eyed, lovely girl of sixteen,
named Kate. In Germany she had plight
ed her troth with young farmer, who
expected to leave fox this country in the
same ship as Kate, but some antoward
circumstdhce prevented, and they must
porforce separate for a time. Before do
Ing SO they again and again swore to be
true to each other, and that no sea should
Year: 1866

THE CHICAGO TIMES OUT IN Favor OF Ne
GRO SuFFRAGE.-A special dispatch to the
N Y. Tribune, dated Chicago, Nov. II, SAYS:


Under the heading, "Shal the Democratic
Party Live or Die?" the Chicago Times de-
clares to-day for impartial suffrage, and con-
temptuOusly d1scards the White House politi-
eian. 1t says the Democratic party will not
SIT down i'll helpless and decayfng inactivity.
What, then, shall the new line be? In the first
place, must we not cut loose from the adminis-
tratlon OF Andrew johnson and leave that hv-
brid concern to float on the sea of public con-
tempt into which it some time since entered.
and from which no power can rescue it? 1t is
dead body, longer adherence to which is
death also to the party. What next? Is not
negro suffrage inevitable, and is not the quick
est way to get the negro shape out of the wav
to at once concede the negro suffrage, making
issue only on the degree to which it shall be
conceded? Qualified negro suffrage once Weld
cd by the Southland by this we mean Impair
tial Suffrage dependent upon the intelligence
OF the man, irrespective OF color, as is now the
rule In Massachusetts-and the negro ouestion
VIII have been disposed of, and the occuDation
OF the Northern Republican, Radical party will
be gone forever. We know that many Demo
Gratis have not reached this advanced view of
the case, and that such still feel greatly inclined
to revolt at the proposition of negro suffrage in
any degree; but let us tell them that it Is al
ways wise to accept the inevitable when the in
evitable comes.