smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1866

The Scranton (Pa.) Repablican,
radical Journal which was very full
some in its praise of tho German and
Irish citizens previous TO the election,
says of them now the election is over:


"But to allow elections to be car
ried Us that was carried in this Dis
trict on Tuesday, is to put despotic
power into the hands of the worst ele-
ments of socioty-to make the intelli-
gent, patriotic, enlightened American
citizen tho mere servant and slave of
the lowest dregs Of the most ignorant
and imbruted populace of Europe"


This is and always has been the at
titude maintained by the Republicans
toward our German and Irish citizens
the mon who build our railroads,
canals, and as laborers and business
men contribute largely to the indus
trial wealth and business interests of
the country. The men, too, who at
the first signal of war, cheorfully took
their muskets and went to the front
and fought gallantly for their adopted
country, and in no small measure
aided in putting down the rebellion.


But Notwithstanding all this, they
are stigmatized here by the radical
leaders as ignorant, degraded people,
who ought not to be allowed the right
of suffrage, and who should be pro-
hibited from taking any part in the
political affairs Of the nation. These
same radicals, however, are in favor
of supporting a lot of indolent, brutal
negroes at the expense of the Gov
ernment, and strenuously advocate
negro suffrage and negro equality


We are glad that our German and
Irish citizens here thoroughly appre-
ciate the feeling Of the radicals toward
them, and are not so wanting in in
telligonce, but that they fully under
stand that nothing would please the
radicals better than to inaugurate a
policy which would be most unjust
oppressive and proscriptive to all OF
our foreign-born population, and that
their safety and welfare depend or
the success of tho old Democratic
party. which now stands, as it has al.
ways stood, bulwark between then
and insult and oppression.-P Patriot
Year: 1866

MCRDEgous ASSAULT on LADY BY NJ
GRo.-Yestcrday morning about half-past
6 o'clock, negro man went into the gro
ccry store Of Mrs. Reynolds, at the corner
of Main and Second streets, and bought
few articles from her. There was no other
person in the store at the time. He put
the articles he had bought into bag, but
did not pay for them. He walked about
the store short time, and finally went to
the door, looked up and down the street,
and returned to the counter and remarked
to Mrs. Reynolds that his sister promised
to meet him there. She suspected no.
thing until he picked his bag up, and as
he did so, drew from under his coat about
two feet of an old gun barrel. On seeing
this, Mrs. Reynolds screamed, but he dealt
her blow with it which knocked her
down. He then ran off. The scream was
heard by persons in the neighborhood, who
ran to the store. Officer Kelly was two or
three squares of, and hearing the disturb
ancc and seeing the negro running, came
up as quickly as he could, but not in time
to arrest the scoundrel, who ran up Second
to Franklin street, and had disappeared
when the pursuing party got to the corner.


Mrs. Rcynoldss head was badly cut. A
physician was called in, who dressed the
wound. At the last account she was get
ting on comfortably.
Year: 1866

BOLD RoBBERY.-AsM Mrs. Charles Trabue
was returning from market on the morning
of the 4th, she was followed by negro boy
apparently about eighteen years of age,
but her suspicious were not excited, 1t
being nothing unusual. She had her
pocket-book in her hand most of the way,
but Just before she got home she put it in
the basket. She had scarcely gotten her
hand off of it, when it was snatched by the
negro who had been following her, who ran
off with it. She gave the alarm, but the
thief got off before q policeman came up.
The pocket-book contained about thirty
five dollars
Year: 1866

The RICHMOND CRY P0LIcE- THEIR
PRESENT PAY AND THE NECESSITY OF AZ
INCREAsE.-It is not necessary to repeat
here that this city is, in spite Of many
drawbacks, in remarkably peaceful and
quiet condition nor is II necessary to state,
what we oil know, that for these benefits
and advantages We have to thank the en-
ergy and fidelity of our police. The Rich
inond police force Is made up Of men OF .
far higher character than are usually found
In similar bodies; men who would not now
oil its ranks bnt that the exigencies OF the
Year: 1866

ATTEMPTED BuRGLARY.-A few nights
since an attempt was made to break into
the house of Professor Dabney, on Grace,
between Adams and Foushee streets. The
front basement window was found broken
open in the morning, but the burglar was
prevented from getting into the house by
iron bars on the inside Of the window.
There was no one in the house, the family
being in the country. 1t would be the
part of wisdom in persons who contem-
plate leaving the city to make proper pro-
vision to resist the cncroachments of bur-
glars either by getting some person to
sleep in their houses OF by employing a
private watchman.
Year: 1866

NOBLE SENTIMENT. HT.-Condemn no man for not
thinking as you think. Let every one enjoy the
full and free liberty of thinking for himself. Let
every man use his own Judgment, since every
man must give an account of himself to God.-
Abhor every approach, in any kind or degree, to
the spirit of persecution. If you cannot reason
or persuade n man into the truth, never attempt
TO force him into it,
Year: 1866

The New York World says it is leading
part of the plan of the hot headed radicals
to impeaeh the President at the next session
of Congress, in the. expectation that he will
resist being put out of Office by such Ruuip
and that, in this manner, civil war would
be precipitated. Senator Wilson has declared
it as his opinion that ''the President would
be impeached next winter, unless a change
took place this fall" Gerrit Smith has pub
lished a letter, iu which he expresses his
opinion that another civil war is probably
necessary. He says, 'The war will break
out again if suffrage is withheld from the
black man. 1t will, in that case, burst out
in revenge upon the loyal whites of the South.
in persecution of the blacks of the South.
and but too probably on a much broader, if
not, indeed, on a national scale In all pro-
liability our nation will learn no more of
Righteousness until she shall have drifted on
to another breaking up. In all probability
she must reach another bloody catastrophe
before her sunken soul shall feel another up
ward impulse"


~ In any other than an era when the senses
OF nIankind seem to have forsaken them. such
an atraciOus measure would consign its author
to lunatic asylum. Is the nation prepared
for the entertainment to which these fanatics
invite them? Ii it is. then farewell forever
to the peace, progress and liberty Of America.
Every man who has anything at stake, had
far better emigratc to Brazil or Australia
than remain. in the event of such horrors,
in the United States.
Year: 1866

Legal questions are no Longer cry
and unintcrcstng. The war has brought
the law to every mans door, and no one
knows when he may be drawn up for
account Judge King, of the Circuit
Court of Common Pleas in Baltimore,
has Just rendered a very important de-
cision. 1t is Us follows:


A contract for the payment OF debt
in gold and silver is unquestionabiy Il
LEGAL contract, and to estimate the
damages in case of Il lreach Ill another
currencv-a paper rcurrency-and place
it on lrvcl with gold and silver, when
the inheXiblc laws Of trade make II fun
damental distinction between them, Is
to accomplish II legal lraud. The act
of Congress may therefore well apply
TO all eases where the payment OF the
debt incurred is not expressly reserved
/ in cold or silver; but contracts tor tho
payment of gold and silver coin are
still valid and binding, and it is tho
duty of the courts 10 maintain them ill
violate, and to render judgment III
them so as to enforce them in goo'
faith.
Year: 1866

Bv the act of July l3, 1866, section
80, there is laid on distilled spirits up
On which no tax has been paid, Il tax
oftwo dollars on every proof gallon.
This tai is to be in lieu on the spirits
distilled in the distillery, used for dis
.illng the same, with the stills, vessels,
fixtures and tools therein, and on in
terest of the distillcr in the land on
which the distillery is situated, from
the time the spirits are distilled, until
the tax is paid. The tax is to be cot
lectcd upon the wine gallon when the
spiri are below proof, and upon the
proof gallon when they are Of greater
strength than proof.


The exemption from this rule in ia
vor of spirits used in the manufacture
of vinegar or acctic acid, which was
rated by the act of March 3, 1860, hay
ING been repealed by the act of july
Id, 1866; such spirits will be taxed here
after in accordance with the above rule.
The making or Keeping by any persons
of grain, wash or bcefprepared or fit
for distillation, together with the poses
sion by such persons of a still, or other
apparatus capable Of use for distilla-
ton, upon the same premises, is to be
deemed presumptivc evidence that
such person is disti!ler.


Every person who is, or even intends
to be, distillcr, must give notice, over
his own signature, to the assessor OF
the district in which such business is to
be carried on Bond given under the
old law will not suffice. The use OF
any still. boiler or other vessel for the
purpose of distilling is forbidden in any
dwelling house, or any building, or on
any premises where any other business
except the manufacture of salaratils is
carried on. In the proviso to section
twentv-ninc in the law, authority is to
some extent implied in the collection
and removal of spirits from the dlshi
lery, in the absence ofany inspector or
assistant inspector; but this should
never be exercised except in cases where
the inspection officer is' unavoidabl.l
kept away for short period, an,
where the collector is entirely satisfied
that no loss to the revenue will cnsue


The above section provides for tht
appointment Oft an inspector for eacl
distillery. except those which dls'I
brandy from apples, peaches Or grapes
exclusively and who is not to engage
in any other business while employed
as an inspector and who cannot hav'
charge of more than one distiilcry.


In the publication from which tn
above is extracted, the COMMISSIONS
of internal revenue directs the attention
of internal revenue officers TO sectloI
80, which prohibits, under penalty OF
fine not less than five hundred dollars
their becoming directly OF indirccu
Interested in the production Of spirits
ANY such officer now interested in III
same, must divest himself of such IN
terest within sixty days after Angus
1st. 1866, if he would avoid the penalty
Such unlawful interest will also b
deemed cause for prompt removal lrol
office.
Year: 1866

WILKES BooTn, whose body Secre-
tary Stanton took so much pains to
dispose of so that no man should even
know the spot where it was buried, is
reported to be in Europe. The story
is that the man whom /" Boston Corbctt
so heroically shot, and whose body
Stanton refused to exhibit to any one
that ever saw Booth, was poor wretch
hired by the assassins to personatt
Booth, in order tc facilitate the escape
O the latter. Whether there be or be
not any truth in this story, it willne
cease to be a suspicious circumstanc,
connected with the fate of Wilkes
Booth, that Stanton refused to deliver
the body that was brought up from
Virginia to his friends, or even Lei
them look upon it.
Year: 1866

A Memphis lawyer relates, if we
may rely upon the statement Of the
Memphis Bulletin, that while in Carroll
county last week, he had attended the
preliminary trial Of man before Il
country magistrate, charged with steal
ing corn from Il neighbor's crib. The
evidence went to show that the defend
ant had been found with his hand in an
aperture in his crib, safely fastened i'll
a stccl-trap, which the owner of the
crib had set for the purpose Of catching
the thief, who had been prcying upon
his grain. 1t was also in evidence that
two empty corn sacks were found lying
at the feet Of the ontrapped individual
The decision Of the magistrate was tina
there was no proof that the prisonc
had stolen any corn, and as to bein!
caught in steel trap, any gentlems'
had perfect right to stick his hand il


one if he felt inclined to do so.
Year: 1866

The New York Heralds Washington
correspondent Of the l4th inst says:


In previous dispatch I understood
there was good reason to believe that
in n few days jeff. Davis would be re-
leased on parole or bail. received
my information from a high official
who possesses excellent facilities foi
learning the President views and in
teutions on such subjects The an
nouncemont created quite a iluttcl
among the politicians and several very
influential ones favorable to the Presi.
dents restoration policy, vcntured to
call on him to ascertain ifthc announce
ments were well founded. They urged
the President to defer any action in the
matter until after the fall elections, re.
minding him he was already accused
ofsympathizing with rebels and abusing
the pardoning power, and assuring him
that the release of the head rebel, at
this time, would be handled by the
Radicals in the present campaign with
powerful effect. ndgreatly impair the
chances of the party now laboring to
elect to Office men who would support
his, the Presidents policy. This ! have
ON undoubted authority.


The President replied that many dis
tinguishcd and loyal gentlemen, from
both the North and South, had appeal
ed to him for the release of jeff Davis
and had presented several considera.
tons which made a favorable impres
sion on his mind why Davis should not
be held any longer in confinement and
that he had said to them, that it,, from
any fault of the court or the proper Of
iicers of the Government, Davis should
not be brought to trial in October, he
should not, from any reason then known
to him, deem it necessary to hold the
prisoner for another day. But ir
giving the friends of Davis this assu-
rance, he had anticipated the action OF
the court, and had not appointed amy
time for Davis release in the event OF
his not being tried.


lie declared that he had from the
first desired to have Davis tried fol
treason, and had used such influence
and authority as he possessed to have
the trial take place at an early day, buI
if there should be any further delay in
bringing on the trial, he believed tha,
neither the interests Of the country non
his duty, demanded that he keep the
prisoner logger in custody. He also
stated that he was unable to perceive
that the release Of Davis on parole OF
hail, would furnish the Radicals with Il
valuable weapon, but that he believed
the masses, if there should be further
unnecessary delay in bringing him to
trial, would approve Of his being con.
litionally y released.


1t is well understood in the best in
formed circles that Davis will not be
tried at the October term, 50 that his
release may be looked for soon after
but not till after that time. Mr.. Reed
one Of Davis counsel, had been author
lied by the Attorney General to say to
his client that the Government would
direct his immediate release on the con
dition Of his leaving the country and
never returning, and that Davis in
dignantly rejected the offer.
Year: 1866

A mining company in northern
Louisiana on the lIth, struck a solid
block of pure lead weighing about 6J
tons. Other large blocks were found
at a distance of eleven feet oil 'he
ground.
Year: 1866

rWThe Fond du Lac Press says: "a
very painful accident occurred at one Of the
schools in our city yesterday. When the
teacher left the school-room at noon, she
gave the key to the young ladies, and told
them to keep the door locked until she re-
turned. During her absence a number Of
young boys came to the school-room door,
and amused themselves by looking through
the key-ho One of the young ladies in
sport, thrust a small stick through the
key-hole, which entered the eye of one of
the boys, and put it out instantly. The
names Of the parties we did not learn"
Year: 1866

THE NEW CHEsNUT STREET BRIDGE.-
placing the keys in the iron arches of the Ches-
nut street bridge. This will protect the arches
in case OF freshet apprehended by breaking
up of the ice in the Schuylkill.
Year: 1866

This rumOr OF ploJ 10 rescue Jeu' OdVl5 ndu,
l am told its origin in Washington. No one
here feels the slightest apprehension OF danger
from the probable carving out OF such plot. l
very much fear that if Jeff Davis has to stay in
prison until he is rescued through successful
storming OF the fort by his friends, the limit of
his natural life alone will be the limit OF his
soiourD here.
Year: 1866

WASHINGTON, November II.


The Cabinet deliberations appear to lave
taken wide scope. Last night the President
and Cabinet, and the Chief Justice and Gen
eral Grant were in council till a late hour
1t is we'll understood that the subject related
to proclamation for general amnesty,
and that its effect upon the status of Mr.
Jefferson Davis was to be considered. The
opinions of Chief Justice Chase and General
Graut were, therefore, desired, If any tech
nical objections were to be made, so far as
Mr.. Davis is, concerned, it was expedient to
know what they were
The Attorney-G General was not present: BE
was temporarily called away from the city:
But it was known that he had advocated a
general amnesty.


Afother thing is known, to wit that Chief
Justice Chase is in favor of general amnesty
and equal s. ffrage. There is reason to be.
lieve that he will take the lead in the party
now formed or forming. for reconstruction
upon this basis. The Northwestern Demo.
cracy will probably cut loose from the John
son party and embrace this, if it promises to
prevail. The Democrats who contended
without allies for the johnson restoration
plan, are defeated and discouraged. They will
not fghton that line any longer. BY striking
for impartial suffrage, they will take the wind
ont of the Radical sails. This harmony will
be powerful when it shall unite upon the doc.
trine of free trade, low taxes, governmental
economy and tle inevitable negro suffrage.


However this may come out it is very GER
tain, as l. understood yesterday, that the
President is pressed to declare himself in
favor of equa' suffrage and general amnesty,
the latter to b. dependent on the former. 1t
is advised that Congress will be ready to give
any encouragement or support to the scheme.
II the Southern States accept impartial suf-
frage as proposed, then restoration, as we'll as
amnesty, are to follow.


What the President will do no one can yet
say. He is certainly considering and consult.
ing about some important political movement,
which may precede the meeting of Congress.
The opinion gains ground here that he will
take some new ground as TO restoration'in
bis message, or by some proclamation.
Year: 1866

The following Act, in relation to the scaling of
Confederate Currency, from the time of its first
issue to the end of the war, passed at the recent
session of the General Assembly:


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 10


ESTABLISH A SCALE OF DEPRECIATION


OF CONFEDERATE CURRENCY.


WHEREAS, By an ordinance of the Convention,
entitled An ordinance declaring what laws ane
ordinances are in force, and for other purposes,
ratified ON the 18th day of October, A. D., 1865,
it is made the duty of the General Assembly to
provide scale of depreciation of the Confederate
Currency from the time of its first issue to the
end of the war; and it is further therein declared
that "all eXecutory contracts, solvable in money,
whether under seal or not made after the depre-
citation of said currency before the 1st of May,
1865, and untitled (exccpt official bonds and penal
bonds payable to the State) shall be deemed to
have been made with the understanding that they
were solvable in money of the said currency"
subject nevertheless, to evidence of different in
tent of the parties to the contract; therefore,


Be it enacted by the General assembly Of the State
Of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the
1etthoriy Of the same, That the following scale of
depreciation be and the same is hereby adopted
and established as the measure of value of one
gold dollar in Confederate currency, for each
month, and the fractional parts of the month of
December, 1864, from the 1st day of November,
1861, to the LIST day of May, 1865, to-wit:


Scale Of depreciation Of Confederate currency the


gold dollar being the unit and measure Of Ualue,


from November 1st 1861 to Man 1st 1865:
Year: 1866

We have now to chronicle another
attempt at robbery quite as bold and
impudent as any that have yet taken
place. Wednesday after noon, while a
young girl, the daughter of one of our
old citizens, was sitting in the drawing
room she heard slight noise in the
hall. She walked softly to the door
and discovered the door ajar and the
theft walking quickly, though very
stealthily, up stairs. She waited a mo-
ment, then following cautiously, OBJ
served him enter a front chamber; the
door of which being opened exposed to
view tempting array ofjewelry and
other articles Of bijouterie scattered a.
| bout the toilet bureau. With pres
ence of mind wonderful in one so young
she hastily closed and fastened the
door, but not before catching glance
of most vicious looking pair of eyes.
She descended to the drawing room,
almost overcome with agitation at the
success of her bold experiment, for she
was alone in the house. She waited in
breathless anxiety until dark, when her
parents returning she communicated
the startling intelligence to them of
the thief she had SO dextrously Gagged.


Mr.. Smith seized mallet and Mrs.
Smith another and both ascended to
the chamber. Upon entering they dis
covered the thief, partially screened
by the bureau. Mr.. S. demanded his
business there, received no reply save a
malignant glance, accompanied by a
dash toward the door, which Mrs. Smith
quickly pushed too while MIR. S. gave
him a blow with his mallet. The
wretched creature now rushed from one
side of the room to the other, making
frantic efforts to escape the blows lev
elled at him by Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
Finally a crushing blow on the head
stretched him senseless.


One would suppose humanity should
now have prompted cessation of hos
tilities, but Mr.. Smith was seen to kick
the inanimate form, and then carried
him down stairs and threw him, all
bleeding and senseless, into the street.
In the morning the poor outcast was
found stark and stiff, having probably
bled to death dnring the night. The
Common Council have taken no steps
to remove the remains, and they are
still to be seen in the vicinity of the
Baptist Church.


During the melee blow from pate,.
f0naaIsds aimed at the robber came
near disabling Mrs. Smith instead,
while a fierce lunge from her mallet
(they were croquet mallets) shattered
several valuable panes of glass. 1t is
to be hoped the fate of this unfortunate
thief may prove salutary lesson to 9TH
er evil doers.
Year: 1866




Washington, d. c., October 1S, 1865.
w. W. HOLDEN, Provisional GoOer7aor, Raleigh,
NJ c.:


Every dollar of the debt created to aid the
rebellion against the United States should
be repudiated finally and forever. The great
mass of the people should not be taxed to
pay a debt to aid in carrying on rebellion
which they in fact, fleft to themselves, were
opposed to. Let those who have given their
means for the obligations of the State look
to that power they tried to establish in vio-
lation of law. constitution, and will of the
people. They must meet their fate. 1t is
their misfortune. and cannot be recognized
by the people of any State protesting them
selves loyal to the government OF the United
States and in the Union. l repeat that the
loyal people of North Carolina should be ex-
onerated from the payment of every dollar
of Indebtedness created to aid in carrying on
the rebellion trust and hope that the peo-
pie of North Carolina will wash their hands
of everything that partakes in the slightest
degree of the rebellion, which has BEEN SO
recently crushed by the strong arm of the
government IN carrying out the obligations
imposed by the Constitution of the Union.


ANDREW JOHNSON,


President Of the United States