smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874




This question was decided in the Senate,
on direct vote, adversely to constitu-
tional convention. Those versed in parlia-
mcntary law, say that this is final; that it
connot be considered again during the
present Legislature. On the contrary, the
House, on Wednesday,night declared for a
convention by vote of forty-one to thirty
eight. It is understood that Governor
Coke is opposed to commission, and that
he will veto bill of that character if
adopted.


We have done what we conceived to be
our duty. We opposed commission and
the policy of amendments. Neither, in our
Judgment, met the wants or expectations
of the people. They desired, as we thought
and shall still think, Convention, and
nothing else would satisfy them.


Were we wrong, or is the Legislature il
error The question has passed from our
hands, and from the press of the State.
The people must now speak for themselves.


The opponents of a convention contend:


First. That the plank in the Democratic
platform in favor of convention amounts
to nothing; that it was adopted without
due consideration, and that the enlightened
people of tho.state are opposed to convo-
cation.


Second. That it is revolutionary and
dangerous; that people flushed with VIC
tory like ours arc not to be trusted; their
action might be intemperate, and would
lead, in all probability, to Federal interfer-
ence; that it is best to let well enough
alone, and await time and more temperate
councils. In the language of the gentle
man from Harris, it is best to suffer the ills
before us than to rush upon others we
know not of.


Third. The expense of q convention is
variously estimated at from two hundred
and fifty to four hundred and eighty thou
sand dollars; that the people are indiffer-
emit and would not vote, and that they are
opposed to this outlay.


Fourth. That it would revive the Radi-
cal party, and lead.tO the destruction Of the
Democratic party.


All these points we have discussed, and
adversely to the propositions briefly stated.
We respect the opinions of those who disa-
gree with us. We know many Of the mem
bers of the Legislature, who hold these
views are honest, earnest and patriotic. 1t
is presumable all arc so.


Only one thing remains, that is for the
people themselves to speak. They know
what they desire, and we await their vcr-
diets, if they have any 70 render. If they
have none, the convention question is at
an end, and the amendments to the present
Constitution viii be Offered for adoption or
rejection, to 90 into operation two years
hence. Does that suit theml
Year: 1874

Every day cOnvinces rs more and more,
and rivets the conclusions Of years of
thoughtful study Of the great mission of
the newspaper press Of the country. It's an
engine of good or evil. It's independence,
intelligence, and conscientiousness consti-
tute its distinguishing traits. If these are
wanting, society and government are the
sufferers.


We have sometimes thought that its man
ayers have not properly weighed their re-
sponsibihties and their accountability. The
man who addresses an audience of thou
sand persons, whether from the pulpit orthc
hustings, recognizes that much is expected
of him, and that there Is personal respon-
sibillty which not only he, but all who hear
him, appreciate.


Should it be less so with the writer for
public journal The humblest newspaper
addresses no limited audience. There are
at least ten readers to every newspaper that
is printed. With thousand subscribers
there are ten thousand readers; with five
thousand, fifty thousand readers. Think of
it, and calculate the great influence OF the
press upon society.


Is it an indiscrelon or crime to conduct
newspapers as somo of them are managed
to-day, in which all those moral standards
which men are not unmindful of in soc ial
life, are abandoned and forgotten


This is the great evil of independent and
personal journalism. Mark the character of
all such papers; their want of honesty, pu-
rity, chastity of diction, their recklessness,
and disregard of all rational interests ex-
cept those of self. There is no personal
responsibility, and they send forth their
crude and too often vulgar compositions,
seemingly as if they were designed to be
written in the sand.


We protest against this. We earnestly
invoke not only those who conduct public
journals, but to the many who write for
them, to look to their great mission. The
man who utters an idle or criminal thought
is censurable. How much more so, one who
deliberately writes and prints evil thoughts
to be sent forth broadcast upon societyl


None of US are independent of that which
is just and pure, and there can be no one
who is impersonal to praise or censure. The
country demands press in which personal
responsibility and an open accountability
are recognized. And when this is the case,
its tone will he higher or its conductors
driven from society and from the positions
which they have abused. A distinguished
writer, when dying said he had written no
line he would blot. We sincerely wish all
newspaper editors would pursue course
equally conscientious.


ImpersonAl and independent journalism,
which does not recognize these truths, may
regard such remarks as unjust, but an en-
lightened public opinion will respect and
uphold them.
Year: 1874




The Waco Examiner has this TO say on the
frontier bin lately passed by the House ol
Representatives


The bin lately passed by the House Of
Representatives, providing for frontier pro-
lection, seems more like a grim Joke upon
our frontier people than anything else. Il
is simply poking fun at the people who arc
daily risking their lives Ia the effort 70 plant
the banners of Texan progress out upon the
extreme borders of her empire Il Is pfae-
tically dishonOring the pledges made by the
candidates, and that plank Of the platform
which guarantees adequate protection to our
frontier. The Legislature promised our
frontier people bread, and now behold they
substitute stone We warn the Fourteenth
Legislature that the cause Of the frontier
people is strong in the State, and their
cause viii find able advocates all over this
broad land, and that their acts, in this re-
spect, will be closely scrutinizcd and bit.
terly commented upon by the brave, the
fair-minded and the merciful Of the whole
nation. The measure, as it passed the
House, is not a measure OF protection, but
simply plan to spend that much money
without the remotest chance Of effectine an
object bearing the faintest shadow Of what
was contemplated by the trainers OF tie
platform, when they guaranteed adequate
protection TO our suffering frontier


Our cotemporary should bear in mlnd
that the frontier policy Of the State is yet
under consideration. Tho Legislature Is
dcsirOus Of pursuing wise course, and we
have no doubt their deliberations will prove
satisfactory 10 the country
Year: 1874




Never was this grand old motto more apt
ly illustrated than by the first decisions
rendered by our present Supreme Court.
The old bench had earned an immortality
Of infamy by its partisan decision In the
Rodriguez case. They had usurped juris-
diction conhded to the Legislature, which,
as remarked by one OF the counsel, they
had ''no more right to exercise than had
the money changers TO ply their vocations in
the temples" But while in Office they had
appointed q clerk, who though clever
gentleman, was never q Democrat. The
first decision made BY the present court was
as to the right Of Major De Nomandie, to
hold his Office. Many of our ablest lawyers
contended that the constitutional amend
ment which created a aeD court, vacated
the office of clerk. But his term was
fixed by a separate clause, and the
court held there was no vacancy, and thus
continued him in Office. Had they adopted
the Republican tactics in the South, they
would have appointed q new clerk, and
4AhJOh CS ANOAuAtAl4uAc MOuAu uuhO Occu Will
out remedy. Or they could have removed
him without assigning cause, and again
there would hare been no remedy and no
power in any tribunal to inquire into the
cause Of removal. Major De Normandie
had acted with the Republican party he
was scarcely acquainted with the new
judges he had received his appointment
from those whose patronage could inspire
no confidence, and whose friendship could
only excite distrust. We may well suppose
that each of the judges could have selected
many Others they would have preferred.
But the court, rising above the bias of party,
and blind to personal preferences, looked
only to the Constitution and the law, and
did their datg. For this they deserve no
praise.


Our people, who know their pure and ex-
alted character, are proud that wo have a
court that will discharge its duty regardless
Of popular favor.


But the lesson taught in this first de-
cision is one whichthe enemies of Democra-
cy may. well ponder-and which some
courts can never learn. Trus Democracy
bows before justice with her bandaged
eyes and subjects the interests of party to
the demands of LaW.
Year: 1874

We turn, for the moment, from barren
field of Radical corruption, the subject
Of universal complaint, in which no root
takes verdure, to one fruitful and worthy
of pleasing contemplation. Our people
sustained tho desolations of civil war,
but the evils that followed were greater.
Throughout this period, in which free
government was imperiIed, the Demo
cracy of the North stood firm and true.
II they committed errors, they were those
of Judgment, their hearts were right; and
to-day, the "empire State of the South, -
which has record equal to the national
government, in its original formation
and in its struggle for freedom, sends
forth its kindly greetings, and its emo
tions of gratitude for acts which command
their admiration.


II we had a clarion voice, we would say
to the Northern Democracy, that every true
Southern man respects and honors them.
They are worthy of it. They have been
just to themselves and to fidelity and prin-
ciple, and their aim has been for the re-
establishment of pure and honest gov
ernment. They have been the subjects of
reprOach and cOntumely, but they begin to
see that all their noble sacrifices and their
heroism, is about to receive just reward.


We love the Democracy of the North.
1t was noble, devoted, patriotic and unset
fish. Every good man in the South honors
it. The libations of the hearts of great peo-
pie are poured out upon them, and honest
hands reach out to greet them in fraternal
friendship.


Let none of them, or any honest, patri-
otic Northern man misunderstood our peo-
pie. We labored for nothing but good gov
ernment. That is all that is desired now /;
the government of our fathers, united and
homogeneous, in which the rights of every
section are protected.


We have made the first step in a just
reconstruction. Intelligence and integrity
hold the reins of power.


It is the beginning Of new and brighter
era. The country will soon realize it-and
as the end of sectional strife.


We cannot have country half slave and
half free. The freedom of Texas, and its
reassertion of popular government viii
arouse the American people to the deplora-
BILE condition of South Carolina, Mississippi
and Louisiana, and we predict there will be a
speedy change, in which their corrupt
rulers win be driven from power.
Year: 1874

In this issue we publish the text of bill
introduced in Congress on the sixteenth
day Of February, looking toward the relief
of those who have suffered by losses from
frontier depredations. We earnestly hope
thatsuch bill may pass. The people along
our border nave suffered long, and they
have lost much, while protection ample
and sufficient has all the time been due
them from the federal government.
Above all, we insist that this government
should give the frontier that protection
which is due, and when it has failed to do
so it is nothing more than right that those
who have suffered from its negligence
should be compensated for losses sustained
in consequence. We hope that Mr.. Han
cocks bill will pass, and to thisend we So
licit the earnest support of all members Of
Congress, who realize that there are sufferers
upon the frontier.
Year: 1874

SoNE time since the Gazette charged that
an outrage had been co mmitted by the late
Treasurer cashing about ten thousand dol
lars worth Of our warrants Now he says
it was twenty thousand. He thinks it a
great outrage that we should be paid any
thing. The only reason, we suppose, why
the editor of the Gdsette feels as ne does is
because the warrants do not belong to him
self. Of course, if he owned large batch
of warrants he would be too generous to
ever ask the State to liquidate one of them.
Why does he not propose to do the State
printing gratis for the next ten years9
Year: 1874

WR,are informed that parties are acting
in direct conflict with the provisions of the
law declaring that it shall not be lawful for
any person to sell, barter, give away, or in
any other manner dispose of any alcoholic
spirituous or other intoxicating liquors Of
any kind, within three miles of Parsons
Female Seminary, located at the town of
Manor in this county, persons violating
this law passed on the thirty-frst day of
May, 1873, win be subjected to fine of not
less than twenty nor more than one hun
dred dollars for each single offense.
Year: 1874

SAYS the Denton Monitor, tersely and
forcibly: The Fourteenth Legislature passed
a resolution OF thanks to Grant for not
overriding civil government in Texas, which
is almost an admission that he had right
to set aside the late election. Grant did
nothing but his duty, and was entitled to
no thanks from this people.
Year: 1874

was its effect upon the King, (" or the pro
cessiOni There are a dozen more interrO-
gatOries We would like to ask, but we for
bear. We thought the Galveston and Hous-
ton newspapers were the only journals that
dealt in this character of news items. They
tell one just enough to excite curiosity.
Year: 1874

The FIRST NOTE or WARNrNe.-A pub
lie meeting was called in Red River county,
at the court house in Clarksville, to instruct
their members of the Legislature upon the
question of constitutional convention.
Year: 1874

Chattanooga Letter to the Cincinnati Com


mercial.


That was a good reply which
a colored barber in this city
gave to a delegation of colored
men who called upon him for the
purpose of claiming the right
to be shaved ''the same as a
white man." "Sir,'' said the
spokesman of the delegation,
eve demand the right to be
shaved here"


at can't be done," answered
the colored barber.


Then the spokesman came
down with a pertinent thrust,
saying, CANT our money as
good as anybody's?" And the
coIored barber answered thus:
eyes, just as good, but there IS
not enough of it."


The barber, in telling me Of
this circumstance, said: 81 am
a colored man and have to work
for a living, and the minute l
commence shaving darkeys that
minute every one Of my white
customers would leave me. The
biggest radical in town would
q;:it me just like the democrats.
It's contrary to the nature Of a
white man to want TO mix that
way with the negroes; and,
what's more they won't do it
You can't get a white man in this
town to shave in a shop Whsre
negroes are shaved; / wouldn't
either if | was them; and I'm
not going to break up my bust
ness to accommodate 4 few
sweIl-head niggers who want to
put on all the style Of white
men"
Year: 1874

Chicago is a decidedly here;ical


city. The epidemic has broken


out in al unexpected quarter


There Is young, cultivated, orig


inai Catholic priest in that city


known as Father Terry. He lee


tured before the Catholic Library


Association few evenings ago
and threw Professor Swing into
the shade by the ultraness of his
views and the cleverness with
which they were expressed. He
'complained that the people who
Icontended that the earth was made
in six working days do not say.
whether the Lord worked on the
eight hour system, and claimed
that the Book of Genesis is an epic
product of Oriental genius. Some
.of the explanations are harder to
believe than the books, as, for in-
stance, that Adam was thirty.fve
years old when be was created,
and that he was put to sleep when
the rib was taken out Of him, so
that Eve might be spared the pain
.ol having her mode Of construction
'crilicised. Ip speaking Of the
Ark, Father Terry said it was
remarkable how the different ami
mails said to have Feen preserved
in that structure reappesIed again
in the very parts OF the world to
which they must have been origi
ually indigenous. Some theologi-
ans thought that they were trans
ported to the Ark aud back again
by meaDs Of angels. Just think,
said Father Terry, Of an elephant
sitting jauntiy on the shoulder of
Il seraph, and of apes borne grand
ly III the air on ihe wings of cher
ubim. These and similar things
Indicate that Chicago is not likely
TO lack for theological sensations
right away.
Year: 1874

Professor Swing, of Chicago,
the Presbyterian clergyman re-


Gently tried for heresy and ac-
quilted, in the course Of a SER
mon preached last Sunday, said /:


''It would appear that there is
now taking place, in all the E
evangelical Church, reform rap
id and thorough enough for him
who wishes the most good for
the most. What we all most
need is the power to forget the
Church's matters and to look
for a few years after the world
that has 10 church, no human
friend to love it, and almost no
God to allure it to heaven. 1t
is not the discussion of old doc
trines before PreSbyteries and
Synods the world demands, but
a brotherly argument and deal
ing with men who are without
argument and without hope
The Church is being reformed.
We can afford to hand over all
the dark doctrines and false doc
trines to the solemn silence Of
the next ten years. In that aw-
full stiffness of neglect, they
have been sinking in the life
time Of you all; and in the SOL
emn silence OF the future il no
human complaint even so much
as breathes whisper, they will
go down into an oblivion to
which no waking can ever
CONC"
Year: 1874

A CURIOUS CUsToM.-Talk-
ing the other day with a travel
ing salesman Of a London wool
en- warehouseman-jobber we
call him here-there came to
light a curious custom which
prevails in England in that line
of trade. A tailor instead Of
having a heavy line Of stock
for his customers to select from,
keeps on hard, in many eases,
only a full line Of patterns, rep
resenting the stocks OF the
leading warehousemen. The
customer selects from the pat
terms the style and make that
suits his fancy and his purse
Then, his measure having been
taken and his order booked, an
order goes up to the warehouse
man for the cloth. He sends it
down by the porter-the whole
piece-who leaves it with the
tailor. The tailor cuts of what
he wants, and the next day the
porter looks in and carries back
the piece to the owners, who
had it measured before it left
them, and again measure it ON
its return, charging the tailor
with the difference. Our 'Job-
bers' have learned that a short
er way is to cut off what
the tailor wants, and send it to
him; but this idea does not seem
to have occurred to our cousins
over the water, or else it is too
new-fangled and simple to suit
their ideas Of business.
Year: 1874

Papa, come help me across


the Dark River.
Papa, come help me across the dark river
Voices are calling my spirit tonight,
The shadows around me are fading forever,
And the angels, dear papa, are close to my


sight;
One clasp of your hand, the way seems SO


lonely,


A sweet loving word to your poor dying


child,
For I'll be here with mother but few mo-


ments only,
And then who will comfort her anguish


so wild?
Papa, come help me across the dark river,
Lead me the way my footsteps must go
Eli wander beside you and leave you, ah
For the angels, dear papa, will love me, l


know.
There mother will come, where days are


all gladness,
And there in the sht of yon heaven we'll


stray;
Though its long since you left us in weep


ing and sadness,
I'll know the kind face of dear papa


straightway.
Papa, come help me across the dark river,
Faint is my breath, and the angels


have come,
O weep not, my mother, that now we must


sever


For go to dear papa in yOnder bright


home
T saa bio hrirhf cniIe so tonder and Ioyiup
And calmly my spirit is taking its flight,
And my footsteps are done with all sadness,
For shall be with you, dear papa, tonight.
Year: 1874

The tax of one-twentieth Of
one per cent. on all bonds or
stocks sold Or owned or bought,
was approved by two-thirds Of
the lower house OF Congress.
Wall street is frantic. There
wasn'taword said by Wall street
when the cOtton-taX was fas-
tened on the South; now, how
ever, a great commission of
bondholders comes down to
Washington to protest against
the intolerable outrage proposed
to be done the goodly masters
of the country who issue edicts
from Wall street.
Year: 1874

People who like to do things
on the spurofthe moment should
emigrate to Harding county.
Iowa. a couple there were re-
Gently married, and after the
ceremony the bride was obliged
to ask her husband what her
new name was. The parties
had only been acquainted few
hours.
Year: 1874

A young woman in New York
recently answered an advertise,
.ment OF a man In Omaha, who
stated that he wan ed wife
The preliminaries were arranged
by letter and She eventually star
led for Omaha, to marry the man
she had never seen. On arriving
there, she was very much dltap-
pointed with his appearance. The
lovely black mouotoche and the
brilliant pair of indoient brown
eyes with which her fancy had in'
vested him, proved to be entirely
wanting, and in reply to his ten,
der greeting, she very plainly IN
formed him that she would not
marry him on any account. The
following day the gentleman was
arrested by the United States
Marshal for robbing the postofiice,
and the lady returned to Ne"
York.
Year: 1874

Grace Greenwood says that
if the same test Of virtue were
to be applied to the members Of.
congress that is proposed to be
applied to the female employees
in government offices, there
would not be a quorum left in
either house. 0, Grace!
Year: 1874

Whenever the average lee
turer lacks "a subject on which
to pile up agony, he generally
resorts to the Pyramids and
gives them afresh rubbing down.
They are as inexhaustible as
they are imperishable.
Year: 1874

The Lieut.. Governor of Mississippi has
telegraphed that he has sent to the Presi-
dent, by mail, statement of the condi-
tion of affairs at Vicksburg, which leads
him to apprehend disturbance of the
peace, which, owing to the unorganized
state of the militia, he would be unable
to suppress. The Mayor and postmaster
at Vicksburg have on the other hand tele-
graphed to the President protesting
against the sending of troops to that city,
as such an act would have the effect Of
increasing the excitement, and as there
are no indications ofan outbreak. Iester-
day the Secretary of War ordered two
companie. of troops from Jackson to
Vicksburg, us their presence might have
the effect of preventing acts Of violence,
should such be contemplated or be likely
to occur in the absence Of restraining
power The action of the Secretary OF
War meets the approval of the Presl-
dent Nothing more will be done in the
premises.


The Secretary War, in view of the
protest of the Mayor Of Vicksburg and
! the Postmaster ut that city against send
ing troops there, counternandcd all or
der directing the troops to proceed 10
that place until full particulars Of the
whole trouble had been received from the
/ acting Governor
Year: 1874

u yWag walked into saloon the
other day where three men were sit
sing around the fireless stove. AS
he entered all eyes were turned to-
wards him. Apparently taking a
mental inventory of the number of
people in the room the new conner
stepped up to the bar and blandly
ordered four glasses Of beer. The
boots that had adorned the top of
the stove now sought the floor
three men cleared their mouths of
tobacco, and looked at the bar ten
der as he filled the glasses and put
them in a row on the bar. When
everything was ready the three
loungers rose and the stranger paid
for the beer. Then starting with
the glasses furthest from the door,
he emptied all that the bartender
had filed and quickly left the sa-
loon. The three chairs were re-
sumcd.- Wasau wis., Central.