smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Jeremiah D. DlaCK Argument.


There has been much talk here about
getting behind the action of the State,
do believe firmly in the sovereign power
of the State to appoint any person cleo
tor that she pleases, if she does it in the
manner prescribed by the legislature
and after she has made the appointment
in that manner no man has right to 90
behind her act and say that it was an ap-
pontment not fit to be made. A man
whether he be an officer of the State or
an officer of the general government, who
undertakes to set aside such an appoint
ment is guilty of a usurpation and his act
is utterly void Therefore, if the Cover
nor Of the State of Florida, after this ap-
pointment of electors was made by the
people, undertook to certify that they
were not elected and put somebody else
in the place which belonged to them, his
act was utterly void and false and fraudu-
lent. We are not going behind the ac-
ton of the State we are going behind the
fraudulent act of an officer of the State
whose act had no validity in it what
ever.


This is question of evidence. Who
are the electors ? Two sets of persons
come here, each of them pretending to be
the agents of the State of Florida for the
purpose of performing that important
function of the State, the election of a
President and Vice President of the
United States. 1t is the business of the
two houses to count the votes. Now re-
member the argument that Mr.. Merrick
made upon the Constitution; let it sink
into your hearts, and do not forget it, be-
cause it is the Gods truth. The word
!'votes" it is that controls the meaning of
it. "The VoteS shall then be counted"
the V0teS mind you; not the frauds, nor
the forgeries. But they on the other side
tell us that, if the President of the Senate
lays before the two houses when the votes
are to be counted false paper, paper
which was absolutely counterfeited, that
is an end of it; you cannot produce any
extrinsic evidence for the purpose of
showing that it was forgery or any evi-
dence to show that it is not genuine. The
doctrine goes that far if tits to be adopted
at all. Garry that proposition to its log
ical consequences, and where does ittake
you? That you must simply receive
whatever anybody chooses to fabricate
and lay before Congress through the
President of the Senate, and that neither
the President of the Senate; nor either OF
the two houses; nor both of them together
can do anything but just take what is
given to them without inquiring into its
genuineness at all. l affirm, everybody
afirms, and hope to God that nobody
here, even on the other side, will attempt
to deny that the Congress of the United
States has the verifying power, the power
that enables it to inquire whether this is
forgery or not; and, if you have the
right to inquire whether it is counterfeit,
you have right to inquire whether it is
or is not invalidated by the base fraud in
which this thing was concocted, The
work of the counterfeiter is as well enti-
tied to be received for truth as this spawn
of criminal conspiracy, got up to cheat
the State and the Union, overturning and
oyerthrowing the great principle that
lies at the foundation of all our secur-
tiles
Year: 1877

David Dudley Fields Argument.


The greatness of the question in re.
spect to the Presidential office and the
vast interests depending upon it, is as
nothing compared with the moral ele-
ments involved; for true as it is that the
person upon whom your decision will
confer the Office for four years will be
Chief Magistrate of forty-fve millions Of
people, Commander-in- Chief of your
Army and Navy, the organ between you
and all foreign States, the bestower of all
offices, the fountain of honor, and the
distributor of power, the executor of your
laws, but that is as nothing compared
with the greater question whether Or not
the American people stand powerless be-
fore gigantic fraud. Here is a certif.
cate; one feels reluctant to touch it. Hold
it up to the light. 1t is black with crime.
Pass it round; let every eye see it; and
then tell whether it is fit to bestow power
and create dignity against the will of the
people. One of the greatest poets in the
palmiest days of English literature,
writing of the coming of our Savior, has
said:
Year: 1877

No party can stand before the public
with the infamy upon il of the Louisiana
Returning Board. We are really surpri-
sed at the efforts of Republican journals
to carry the load, to justify and uphold
Wells in all his rascality. Is it because
Senator John Sherman endorsed him as
a pure and honest MANI Is the Shiny
Johns word law and gospel?
Year: 1877

SENATOR Conkling's late speech as re-
ported by the Associated Press made
him say, che believed the Republican
nominee had been chosen the chief mag
istrate of this country" 1t seems the
Senator made use of no such expression
in his speech, which is published in full
in the Congressional Record.
Year: 1877

The principal features in the debt state.
ment, besides the reduction of two mil
lions in the total, are decrease of ten
millions in the coin of the treasury, a
transfer of ten millions of the 6 per cent
bonds to four and a half per cent, and a
decrease of million each in legal ten
ders and fractional currency. The de-
crease in the total amount of currency
outstanding was only half million dur.
ING the month,
Year: 1877

Ancient fraud Was there ever fraud
like this In previous ages fraud has
succeeded only because it has been sup.
ported by the sword; and protesting peo
Piles have been powerless before armed
battalions. Never yet in the history of
the world has a fraud succeeded against
the conscience and the will of the self
governing people. If it succeeds now,
let us hang our heads for shame, let us
take down from the dome of this Capitol
the statute which every morning faces
the coming light; let us clothe ourselves
in sackcloth and sit in ashes forever
Year: 1877

WE will publish next week history of
the early settlement of Sandy township.
Extra copies of the paper will be printed
to supply those who desire to send a
COPY to their friends at distance.
Year: 1877

NdnuOlpn 4uCKeI ) argument.


The whole question presented to this
tribunal, the question presented to the
two Houses of Congress, and which they
have substituted this tribunal in their
stead to decide, is simply this: Is there
any power in the Constitution under
which we live by which a fraudulent and
illegal title to the office of President can
be prevented? Must man that every
body knows to bea usurper be pronounc-
ed by the two Houses of Congress, or by
this tribunal in their stead, to have a
valid title to the office when all the world
knows he has not? | will not ask wheth-
er the decision of a Returning Board is
to screen the illegality & fraud from your
vision, but whether the Returning Boards
can run their fingers into the eyes of this
tribunal and prevent their seeing what
all the world sees? Shall the two houses
Of Congress, the sentinel guards appoint
ed by the Constitution against the usur-
patton of this high office, shall this tribu-
nal as the substitute for those sentinel
guards, permit fraud to crawl with Shiny
trail into the Executive seat, whence it
may spring from its coil and sting with
fatal fang the life-blood Of the
grandest Republic in the world2 Is the
power Of a Returning Board, tainted with
fraud. based upon lawlessness, to con-
clude the judgment of American people
and put usurper in the seat of Wash
inpton That is the question


Now, sirs, whatever may be the decis-
ion of this tribunal, shall die in the
faith of my fathers, that the fathers of the
Constitution never framed an instrument
of that kind and said that their posterity
were to live under it.
Year: 1877




Now, then, may it please your honors.
you have from that State this evidence
from her judicial tribunals, that the cleo
tors to whose vote we object were not
the duly appointed electors of Florida !;
and through all the departments of her
government Florida therefore comes to
the United States Congress and begs that
you for you now exercise that power
and it is vested in you) will protect her
people from the enormity of having their
voice simulated by parties never ap.
pointed to speak in her behalf. Is not
that competent evidence to go before the
houses of Congress If it is not, and if
Congress itself cannot in the exercise of
its original power go forward nd inquire
into the manner and due election of
these electors, then you have placed the
whole government and administration of
the United States in the power of any
executive who may issue his certificate to
a party never voted for at all, while the
unanimous vote of State may have
been for another party. You may take
the whole population of Florida, and al.
though they may never have voted for
A and B at all, and though the vote may
have been unanimous in favor of other
parties, if the Governor chooses to issue
his certificate to A and B that certificate
becomes binding on Congress and may
cast a Presidential election. If this be
Year: 1877

THE Shoe and Leather Reporter warns the
trade against being led to extravagant pur-
chases by the prospect of general European
war, and says: 1t is possible for the tanners
to throw away all the profits they can realize
on their present stocks by replacing them at
extravagant figures. They can do this if they
like. 1t is their own affair. But We wish in
all seriousness to sound a note of warning
against line of action that seems to us ina
polite and suicidal. The war can hardly be
prolonged one. Even if it should become
general it is likely to be short. Aud while it
continues, however lalge the demand may be
for leather, there is nothing that can occur
which threatens a diminution in the ship.
ments of hides to our shores. The countries
which are at peace get the commerce which
is diverted from belligerent points. We are
so far removed from the influences and casu.
aties incident to state of hostilities that we
may confidently reckon upon receiving all the
foreign merchandise we can take, at any rate
enough to protect us from the necessity of
paying high prices for any description of it.
If foreign powers are foolish enough to aban-
don their legitimate pursuits and incur the
waste and havoc of war, our tanners, curriers'
and shoemakers are abundantly able to fur
nish them with such supplies in our line as
they can pay for. Our productive capacity is
very great, and we are employing it to such
an extent that we really need some extrane-
GUS outlet to relieve us of our surplus. 1t
will be great mistake, however, If we renew
our stocks at high prices, for by the time they
are ready for consumption there may be no
armies to equip, and the home demand will
not be sufficient to prevent losses which will
make heavy inroads upon the gains derived
from sales to the fighting people abroad. In
fine, the tanners have an oppertunity..of ben
efiting themselves by the misfortunes of the
Russians and the Turks if they will only have
the good sense to avail themselves of the
present demand for leather, and not run wild
in speculation in hides. They will have nc
trouble in procuring all the hides they can
possibly use, and the prices they will have tc
pay can be kept largely within their own con
troll, if they are cautious and conservative.
The season is in their favor, and it will be
their own fault if they do not keep the rates
for hides down by buying so few OF them tba,
there will always be enough in first hands tc
afford them the choice of selection and fail
terms of purchase.
Year: 1877

HOWEVER large the ornaments of Russia
and Turkey they are not so large as the lies
which the governments of those countries
will tell during the campaign. The game of
falseLood is already begun and the combat
ants are well matched. No man this side of
the Dardanelles knows who won or who lost
In the Aslatic battle near Batoum. 1t will be
wise to take all statements with at least car.
so of salt and trust to time, the revealer Of all
things, for the truth.
Year: 1877

We do not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations The name and address of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty Of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
nications that are not used
Year: 1877

DELINQUENT TAXEs-At the last session
Of the legislature important changes were
made in the revenue law, all of them looking
to a more SPEEDY collection Of the outs and
ing taxes. Under the ucw law the Sheriff Is
required to make bis return to The auditor
on or before the first Monday in May. After
this return i made, ali taxes remaining an
paid or delinquent, will "d draw interest at
the rate Of twenty per cent, per anDum,
and the TAX becomes perpetual lien upon
the properly" See. 43 Of the law provides
that "any person whose tax upon personal
property shall have been returned delinquent,
may pay the same at any time by taking
from the county auditor certified statement
Of the amount of such taxes, interest and
costs, aud paying such amount to the county
treasurer" The provisions Of the law are
imperative, and nll persons will bear in mind
that taxes remaining unpaid on ana after
the first Monday IN May will bear interest
at the rate Of - percent. per annum.
Year: 1877

The closest attendant upon the whal-
ing vessels is the fulmar or mallemoke,
petrol nearly as large as a gull, and
properly denominated "the bird OF the
storm, !" for it seems to fit about on the
crested waves of storm as easily as
duck upon pond. It follows the whal-
er for such portions Of blubber as it may
get hold OF, and this impregnates its
body with oil to such an extent that it
even uses'it as weapon of defense; and
when captured, squirts it out in jet OF
pure oily liquid over the person who at
tempts to handle it. When shot, too,
if it falls into the sea, partial calm
arises from the oil which pours
from it's mouth. The capture of whale
always attracts vast multitude OF full
mars, who afford an endless fund of
amusement by their greedy fights over
the largest piece of blubber. The
right to these is disputed with them by
the gull, the kittiwake, and the snow
bird, in which the glaucous gull is at
once the most powerful and rapacious,
on account of which qualities it OBJ
tanned the name of the burgomaster
from the Dutch, that being the name
of their chief magistrate, whose all
thority no one dares to dispute. He
does not take the trouble to- search for
food for himself, but hovers III the air
until he sees some smaller bird in pos
session of some choice morsel which ap-
pears unusually inviting to him, when
lie at once descends and asserts his
right to the prize.
Year: 1877

The other day, just as the sun had
fairly settled himself in the meridian
heavens and fixed up for a good run
down to the Pacific slope, solitary foot
man wended his way up Mechanic street
toward Center, in Galveston, Texas.
While crossing one of the intersecting
streets the traveller was noticed to stag
ger, but, regaining his equilibrium, he
moved onward, all unconscious of the
interest that was centering itself in his
welfare. He had hardly progressed the
distance of half block when he reeled,
staggered and fell to the pavement. A
large and deeply interested concourse of
anxious spectators soon gathered abont
the PROSTATE form of the unfortunate
mau, and with one accord the multitude
proclaimed his malady to be clear case
of sunstroke.


A solid wall of mortality was formed
around the spot where the victim of the
suns fierce rays had fallen. Not a
breath of air could penetrate the ram
parts thus constructed, and not zephyr
that aoated over the head of that highly
edited assembly deigned to cast pity
ing glance upon the palid face of the
sufferer. By-and-bye others came to
ascertain the cause OF the unexpected
gathering, and among them an old man
with a huge proboscis and powerfully
developed olfactory organs. He asked
what was the matter with the afflicted
man. and was told that he was suffering
from sunstroke. He raised his nasal
tube to the proper elevation and scented
the air and then said: Gentlemen, you
are mistaken in your diagnosis. This
thing touching his nose) has never de-
ceived me, and I make bold to assert
that John Barleycorn is at the bottom of
this trouble. Whether it is fresh case
or the continuation of an old spree, am
upable to say; but that he is drunk I
will wager one of the prettiest sloops
that ever glided over the waters of
yonder bay against a pint of picked
peppers" An old tar who was present
looked up into the venerable visage of the
speaker and said: "Governor, your head
is level yet" and then they moved the
sick man into the shade.
Year: 1877

Too much gravity argues shallow
mind.


Joys are our wings, sorrows are our
spurs.


The beams of Joy are made hotter by
reflection.


There is in jealousy more OF sef-love
than of love.


Joy-a moon by fits reflected in a
swamp or watery bog.


Outward Judgment often fails, inward
justice never.


The only real bitter tears are those
shed in solitude.


The surest remedy against scandal is
to live it down.


Frowns blight young children as frosty
nights blight young plants.


Everything, even piety, is dangerous
in man without Judgment.


He who can conceal his joys is greater
than he who can conceal his griefs.


Love often reillumes his extin-
guished fame at the torch of jealousy.


The world is an excellent Judge in gen
eral, but very bad one in particular.


Gravity is a mysterious carriage of the
body invented to cover the defects of the
mind . ..-


A man is a brute to be jealous of a
good woman-a fool to be jealous of a
worthless one. r :.


Friendship is the medicine for all mis-
fortune; but ingratitude dries up the
fountain of all goodness. Ls...,


Agood man will be doing good where
soever he is. His trade is compound
of charity and justice.


The vices Of the rich and great are
mistaken for errors, and those of the
poor and lowly for crimes.


Through woe we are taught, to reflect,
and we gather the honey of worldly wis
dom not from flowers, but thorns. .


There is nothing that is meritorious
but virtue and friendship, and, indeed,
friendship itself is but part of virtue.


The current coin of life is plain sound
sense. We drive more substantial and
thriving trade with that than aught else.


The moral courage that will face
obloquy in a good cause is o much rarer
gift than the bodily valor that will con-
front death in bad one.


Never seek to be entrusted with your
friends secret; for no matter how faith
fully you may keepit You may be liable
in thousand contingencies to the sus-
picion OF having betrayed it.


We ought never to believe evil of any
one till we are certain of it. We ought
not to say anything that is rude and dis
pleasing even in joke ; and we ought
never to carry jokes too fur.


It is a great misfortune to have fret
full disposition. It takes the fragrance
out of ones life, and leaves only weeds
where a cheerful disposition would
cause flowers to bloom. The habit of
fretting is one that grows rapidly unless
it be sternly repressed; and the best way
to overcome it is to try always to look on
the cheerful side of things.
Year: 1877

On a certain occasion, when there was
prospect, or at least possibility, of
civil war in Great Britain, the Duke of
Wellington addressed the house of peers
rs follows: my lords, I am one of
those who have probably passed longer
period of life engaged in war than most
men, and principally, may say, in civil
war, and I mustsay this: That if I could
avoid, by any sacrifice whatever, even
one month of civil war in the country
to which I am attached, J. would sacrifice
my life i'll order to do it. soy that
thereis nothing which destroys property
and prosperity and demoralizes character
to the degree that civil war does. By it
the hand of man is raised against his
neighhor, against his brother and against
lia father-the servant betrays his man
ter, and tho whole scene ends in confu-
sion and devastation
Year: 1877

According to the Temps the military
authorities of France have decided upon
issuing an order sanctioning the wear
ing of spectacles by the officers and men
of the French army. In Germany spec
tacles have long been worn by both Off
GERS and men in the ranks. It is recog-
nized as essential that an officer should
be able to see his men, and that these
latter should be able to clearly distin-
guish the target at which they have to
fire and therefore, unless spectacles or
eyeglasses are permitted, every short
sighted man must be excluded from the
army. Consequently by allowing man
to assist his defective vision by artificial
means large number of men who are
at present necessarily rejected will be-
come available for service in the ranks.
Year: 1877

A party of six gentlemen were taking a
sail up McGirt's creek, Florida, recently.
While proceeding up the stream their
attention was arrested by the spectacle of
black animal, which they took to be a
hog, swimming from one bank to another.
Suddenly the serrated back of an alliga-
tor, who doubtless considered himself in
suited by the invasion of his domain, was
seen cleaving the water in the direction
of the intruder. As his ponderous jaws
were about to close upon the victim,
bruin raised one of his massive paws and
bestowed hearty twack upon the skull
of the assurian, which caused him to dis
appear beneath the surface. He soon
emerged again, but the near approach
of the boat prevented renewal OF the
contest. The eparty were, unfortunately,
unprovided with weapons OF any descrip-
tion. One of them, seizing plank lying
in the boat, struck the bear several blows,
and another broke an oar over his head,
but failed to prevent his reaching the
bank, up which he scrambled more
frightened than injured. He was we'll
grown, weighing probably 2a0 pounds.
Year: 1877

Time to me this truth hath taught
'Tis truth that's worth revealing
More offend for want Of thought


Than from any want Of feeling.
II advice we would convey,


There's time we should convey it :;
II we've but a word to say,


There's time in which to say it.
Many beauteous flower decays,


Though we tend it e'er so much;
Something secret on it preys,


Which no human aid can touch.
So in many a loving breast


Lies some cancer grief concealed,
That If touch'd is more oppressed
Left unto itself, is healed.
Oft, unknowingly, the tongue


Touches on chord 30 aching
That word or accent wrong,


Pains the heart to almost breaking.
Many tear of wounded pride,
Many fault Of human blindness,
Has been soothed or turned ASIDE


By quiet voice of kindness.
Time to me this truth has taught


Tis truth that's worth revealing:
More offend for want of thought
80 Than from any want Of feeling.
Year: 1877

Rats can be banished by covering the floor near the rat hole with thin layer of moist caustic potash. When the rats walk on this it makes their feet sore. These they lick with iheir tongue, which makes their mouth sore, and the result is that theynot only shun this locality, but appear to tell all the neighboring rats about it, and eventually the house is entirely aban- doned by them.
Year: 1877

feel under increased obligations for the patronage so liberally accorded me as the successor of the old and successful house of Wn1. B. Hooper & Co.,, and while ac- knowledging this fact, allow me to add that those dealing with me will find as complete a stock as was ever offered by the old firm with all that is new and desirable in addi- tion.

 JAMES M. BARNEY
Year: 1877

nituro all pawned, and her only flannel
garment, the remnant of an old blanket
wrapped around her; thought of that mer-
tribuling to the support of one OF our great
charities, and is now dependent on it for
the bread for his family and here is this
cripple, without the right use of legs or
arms or hands or voice, supporting himself
and his wife, "happy as a king" and ask
ing charity of no one aud 1 said, l will
leave the thread unspun on the editorial
distaff till have written down the lesson
for hard times. Lyman 1bbot, in Christian
Union