smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

There can no longer be serious doubt that
some Southern politicians have been, if they
are not still, looking toward Grant with the
liveliest interest as their possible candidate in
1875. Whether the President himself is party
to their schemes may perhaps be questioned.


He has been the worst enemy they ever
had since the fall of Jefferson Davis.
He created the usurpation in Louisiana,
fomented the disorders of South Carolina,
and is more responsible than any one
other man for the misgovernment of Ala
bama, Arkansas, Texas, and other recon-
structed States 1t is only few weeks since
he treated with gross indignity the Committee
of Southern gentlemen who came to him with
a respectful petition for relief; aud it is
pretty certain that he could not have enter
Year: 1874

duce such state of prosperity as exiSted
throughout the civilized world in 1872 Mean
while the immediate consequences OF good
harvest in both Europe and America may DC
productive of incOnveniences to our western
farmers, and, conformity with other circum-
stances, to the general trade of the country.


The United States are great sellers OF gram
and provisions in ordinary years. fall OF
25 per cent in breadstuffs operates injurously
upon the producers and carriers. 1t makes
them less able to pay their debts and COM
pes them to restrict their purchases OF manu-
factured goods and other articles Of commerce.
The ordinary mortal spends all, or very nearly
all, he gets. Only the few save. Whatever.
therefore curtals the money which has been
enormously said to "fructifyn in the pockets
of the people checks the consumption of mcr-
chandse and tends to produce dull times.
And it is not only the consumption OF mer-
chandse by farmers and those dependent
upon the custom of farmers which is likely to
fall below high-water mark. The price of
cotton has been low for nearly year, and
bids fair to continue depressed. Moreover
that great industry. the iron manufacture,
still remains PROSTATE. 1t seems to us that





present and prospective low prices of all
articles consumed by laborers is a reduction
of wages. But wages are not reduced in
good times. On the contrary they are in
varaby advanced in such times. If wages
are TO be reduced times must continue to be
dull for a while.


Considering, therefore, that the whole COM
mercial world is stimulated and depressed by
slow working influences, which, like the sun
shine and the air, have no boundaries re-
membering that the transitions from prostra-
tion to eyaltatiOn have hitherto usually been
provOkingly gradual, and believing that many
obstacles still exist IA both hemispheres to that
full working of the industrial machinery which
requires every mans labor and supplies every
mans rational wants, we cannot join in those
cheerful predictions of impending prosperity
which, it is said. will overflow the country at
or before the time Congress meets Weeks
before the panic, we warned Our readers. 1t
was not grateful task; but those who
needed us have had reason to be grateful
since. 1t would be far pleasanter now to
prophesy smooth things. But our readers
look to us for what is true rather than what
is pleasant, and have a right to demand
that we shall point ont the actual situation
aal prospects rather than what we and they
alike should be glad to have them We ex-
pect revival of business to begin to mani
fest itself this Fail, but we do not expect to
plunge at once into the full tide of such
apparent prosperity as the country was riding
upon in the Winter and Spring OF 1873.
"Slow and sure" should be the maxim of
business men.
Year: 1874

A few negroes are reported as joining the
armed whites moving to the relief of Austin,
on the ground that they "want to see this
"fooishness stopped" They are probably
among the wisest of their race in that region
Those will be the wisest of the white race
who know how to stimulate such a feelin &
among the negroes, and thus put an end to
the difficulty without sprinkling more blood
in the faces of the contestants. A war of
races, even on small scale, means misery
for both, and 1t is high time that the cooler
heads about Austin should begin to cOmpre-
hend the situation and the impending danger.
Doubtless the negroes display ugly temper,
and, in the present aspect OF the case, seem
much to blame. Bat the whites should re-
member that "a white man was the original
aggressor; that, in ready recourse to his
pistol in an atfray with negro, he contrived
to kill an innocent little negro girl, and that
the circumstances were quite sufficient to
arouse the fury of an ignorant and exctable
population. There has rarely been in these
South Western affrays a better occasion for
people to keep their heads cool and their
hands off their pistols.
Year: 1874

We have always thought that man shows his ht-
ness for the paternal relation by his willingness un-
der all circumstances to take care OF the DaDy,
before breakfast. after dinner, and at midnight III
cases of stomach agony. The duty OF pushing the
baby wagon ON Sunday" is one which is not quite so
clearly defined In the first place, the Sabbath
should be day of rest and if by the provisions OF
the decalogue oxen and asses and other creatures
are exempted from drawing wagons can man Do
properly asked not merely to drag the baby but TO
do it publicly In tho second place, pushing Is
more ignominiOus than pulling, since the pusher
must walk behind, and can only solace himself by
gazing upon the back of the cherubs head. We do
not know that the Louisville father went into these
nice casuistres-we only know that he refused most
emphatically either to pull OF to push, whereupon
his wife dreadfully hurt in her maternal feelings,
has taken out bilr against him, and sought to be
divorced from such an unnatural husband. In TINS
case as in many Others, little shrewdness upon the
mart of the husband would have brought matters to
a pleasanter adjustment or at any rate TO one less
extreme and conclusive. Our opinion Is that the
man should once or Internationally, OF course
have upset the baby. Run away with the carriage
perhaps Convinced the tender mother OF us inca
nacitv in the propelling department OF human
energy. But some men don't know how to manage
woman.


With a manner of very pleasant simplicity and
prec,son a writer in The Penn Monthly relates some
of the perils of modern Quakerisn. If we may be-
lieye him the Quakers in the South during the Re-
belon suffered nearly as deeply as did their ances
tors in old Colonial days and under the thumbs of
the royal Charleses. The Southern Quaker wouldn't
fight aud wouldn't pay his exemption tax, con-
sequently he dragged into the ranks, and mild
means failing to make him carry bayonet or spade
he was tortured after fashions that recall the agree
able ways Of Claverhouse. Instance after instance
is told of the passive but resolute resistance
these thoroughly believing men made. After all
manner Of punishments had proved of no use. one
of them was led before a squad of men to be shot
As the order to fire came to the officers lips. the
Friend raised his hands and said simply, Father
forgive them for they know not what they do"
No one fired the soldiers said they could not
shoot such man" These stubborn Quakers would
not run away; impriso nment had no effect upon
them. and in sheer despair furloughs were given
them because they were impediments, Of no use To
the army IT, is q pleasure, in these somewhat naooy
days TO read of the absolute devotion with which
these men arc represented as cingng to their con-
vlctIQus,
Year: 1874

The developments of mismanagement in
the Kings County Lunatic Asylum indicate
that the Commissioners of Charities were In
dcted and convicted none too soon. Evi-
IDENTITY this Commission was not much supe-
rior to the late Board of Education in the
same county.
Year: 1874

The Mayor is suffering just now from neg
iect of the politicians, who wait to see what the
Governors decision will be. They will doubt
less hasten TO apologize when the Governor
.dismlsses the complaints.
Year: 1874

IL our Government is not represented, as a


correspondent elsewhere predicts, at the Postal
Congress at Berne, which is called to form a
General Post Union, having for Its ultimate
end the establishment OF uniform rates and
Year: 1874

The Secretary of the American Missionary
Association makes a conSderate and careful
plea, in the letter elsewhere printed. for a
higher estimate of the intellectual capacity of
the average negro, and of his ability to re-
ceive severe intellectual training. than has
been current either North or South. The au-
thorities he quotes scarcely go to the length
of his own assertions, and we incline to the
belief that no well informed persons either
North or South yet believe that, as compared
with the whites, the negroes are capable OF
the highest culture. The facts actually de-
yeloped by experience, however, are of the
utmost value, and we shall be glad if the
Secretarys letter should draw out other con-
tributions to the available knowledge ON this
subject.
Year: 1874

A French physician is out with long
dissertation on the advantages of groan-
ing and crying in general, and especially
during operations. He contends that
groaning and crying are the two grand
operations by which nature allays anguish;
that those patients who give way to their
natural feelings more speedily recover
from accidents and operations than those
who suppose it unworthy for man to
betray such symptoms Of cowardice as
either to cry or groan. He tells of man
who reduced his pulse from 120 to 60 in
the course of two hours by giving vent to
his emotions. If people feel af all unhap-
py about anything let them go to their
rooms and comfort themselves with loud


boohoo, and they will feel hundred per
cent. better afterwards. In accordance
with the above, the crying of children
should not be too greatly discouraged. If
it is Systematically suppressed, the result
may be the st. Vitus' dance, epileptic fits,
or some other disease of the nervous sys-
TEN. What is natural is nearly always
useful, and nothing can be more natural
than the crying OF children when anything
occurs to give them either physical or
mental pain. Probably most persons have
experienced the effects of tears in reliev-
ing great sorrow. 1t is even curious how
the feelings are allayed by free indulgence
in groans and sighs. Then let parents
show more indulgence to noisy bursts of
grief on the part of children as well as
persons, and regards the eyes and mouth
as safety valves through which nature dis
charges her surplus steam.
Year: 1874

THE RIGHT OR LEFT ARM.-The ques-
ton whether gentleman walking
with lady should give her his right arm,
is frequently discussed. Custom and
written etiquette are rather in favor of the
right, although there are excellent reasons
in favor of the left arm. Either one or
the other, permanently retained, is vastly
better than the awkward and absurd habit
of changing arms, so as to place the ladies
on the inside OF the promenade. One ad-
vantage of giving the left arm is that the
person on the right naturally takes the
lead, SO that in the country or city, in the
street or park, he thus directs the way.


instead of waiting to consult with his COM
panion, or causing a jostling by each of
them trying to move toward opposite
points. Another advantage is, that in a
crowded thoroughfare, such as Broadway,
for example, where the sidewalk is inva-
riably encumbered with merchandise and
thronged with people, a gentleman needs
his right arm to remove distractions and
keep rude or careless folks out of the
way.-Scri6ner's.
Year: 1874

The chatty correspondent of the Gin
ciunati Gazette writes from Berlin /:
Unfortunate America, with its one poor,
done to death, half extinct, fire-cracker
shooting, spread-eagle Grafton, relief
when it is over, forlorn Fourth of July
holiday You don't know how to have
holidays any better than you know
what to do with them when you get
them. Only look at us over here.
Since Christmas-and the year isn't
half gone-we have had no less than
eight different festival days, on which the
stores were closed and all business sus-
pended, besides half holidays and any
amount of royal birthdays thrown in.


Americans across the water who do
nothing but chase the everlasting dollar
can't appreciate this delightful way of
letting it alone. As "Mr F.'s aunt
says of mysterionsly profound Glen
ham, "Drat that dollar" let is go and
learn to do without it. Ten chances to
one you don't catch IL in the long run,
and if you do, what have you besides
it You commence the race bright
and fresh, and healthful and vigorous.
In your eagerness for success you
sprang over this resting place, you
| thrust away the pleasure, you put all
aJide until the goal is reached. Per
haps even at middle age, which should
be the very prime of life, yOu have at
tanned your end, but with it you have
gray hairs, anxious, ugly looking care
lines on the face, and, worst of all, no
taste nor enjoyment for these elixirs OF
life that you have left far behind. Far
better to have too many holidays than
to have none at all. But, first of all.
learn the secret how to make use Oi
them how to extract every drop oi
pleasure they contain.
Year: 1874

One of those people with whom ''see-
ing is believing" and the deductions of
logic and mathematics go for nothing
an Englishman bearing the immortal
name of Hampden-reeently risked
i've hundred pounds on the assertion
that the earth could not be proved to
him by ocular demonstration to be
round-or, more precisely, that the sur
face of a sheet of quiet water was fat,
not curved. The bet was accepted by a
Mr.. A. b. Wallace presumably the
eminent naturalist of that name), and
the experiment. was tried on the 50 Bed
ford Level, where a line of six miles
could be obtained. Three disks were
placed, one at each end of this line and
one at the center, each disk being ex-
actly 40 feet above the surface of the
water Immediately under it. The
three were then observed through a
selected and improved telescope, and
the central one was found to be about
five feet above the line joining the two
others. That rise of five feet forced
Mr.. Hampden to come down with five
hundred pounds. It is to be be hoped
that he paid his water money. ANY
surveyor could have told him that in
running levels over any considerable
distance it is necessary to make correc-
tions for the curvature of the earth,
as we'll as for refraction. These correc-
tions become very important when it is
desired to survey a line for the con-
struction of a ditch or canal. A man
sighting through telescope at an OBJ
iect ten miles distant, and apparently
on level, would be really looking at a
point nearly fifty-seven feet higher in
altitude than his eye; and if he made
no allowance for this fact, it might hap
pen TO him, as it happened to rude sur
veyors and contractors before now, that
when his ditch was done, the water
could not run in it. At this distance the
positive error in curvature is nearly
sixt-seven feet: but there is partial
Offset in the opposite or negative error
of refraction
Year: 1874

We are sometimes RmuBed-that will
be better than to say anything Sc
vere-at the posture of some preachers
They seem not to know what to do with
their legs. They were, doubtless, made
to stand on, to give the body firm and
commanding bearing, and impressive
dignity. They stand on one leg snd
crook the other around it like 3 cork
screw, and keep up a perpetual twist
ing as if they were winding themselves
up. Then they lift and wind up the
other side, and it seems all the time as
if what they we're saying was worked
below. Of course such an unnatural
and ungraceful posture as this detracts
very much from the effect of their
preaching, because it excites your SYM
pathy or something else unpleasant,
for they seem to be in pain all the time.
In this position every gesture is
awkward, for the hands are needed to
support the body. Then what a part
the pocket-handkerchie plays with
some preachers. One spreads 1t length
wise in the Bible as if it were accessory
or help to his sermon. He makes it a
kind of Elisha's mantle with which to
divide the waters, to make passage for
his ardent spirit, and he seems to rely
on it for that purpose. Another rolls it
up as a compact argument, and gripes
it and talks to it, as much as to say,
Z" Now I've got you. Another makes
it into ball, and seemingly hurls it at
some stronghold he is bent on demol-
ishing and still another makes RAM s
horn of it, not the {" little horn which
Professor Stearns so learpedly de-
scribes, but such as Joshua used against
| Jericho, only he puts 1t to his nose when
/ he blows the demolishing blast. We
| cannot explain it, bat there are some
things done by small men that would
excite mirthfulness, which IN a large
man would produce no such effect.
And we do not wonder, when a very
small man rose to preach as a candi-
date in a certain place, whose head
could scarcely be seen above the pulpit,
and gave out his text, 60 1t is I, be not
afraid" that the whole congregation
were moved to laughter.
Year: 1874

The GarteDiaube publishes an anus
ing article an the theatrical elGQlte in
Berlin, in which the following Is related
about Mile. Vestvah, the female Ham
let "She wanted to have boHquets
and wreaths thrown to her. demanded
twenty dellars for it, which she said was
too much for one night. But explained
the whole thing TO her. 3 Madame, I
said, the twenty dollars are sufficient
for two nights. To-day I and my men
will throw the bouquets to you from
the first tier. After the performance is
over 1 shall take the flowers home with
me In a basket, put them in water, and
leave them there all night and the fol-
lowing dsy. Tomorrow night no one
in the audience viii find out that the
bouquets have been used before.
ThereupOn she paid me the sum had
demanded. +"


IT is to the credit Of Milwaukee that
only four men looked at q giraffe the
other day without remarking that il
would be nice to have that throat-one
could taste his drink so long.


IT doesn't look well for Judge Fuller.
ton to be running around the country
with Goldsmith Maid. Their friends
ought to ''break the sileues" at once,
Year: 1874

/ The GOVERNMENT GRANITE CONTRACT
Colonel Albert Ordway having received the
contract for furnishing the granite for the
eastern wing OF the State Department, work
will be very shortly resumed at the yard op-
posite Rockets. A large quantity of stone
has been quarried, and the plans will arrive
in few days, and no further obstacles will
remain to the complete resumption of opera
tions. About two hundred stone-cutters will
be given employment in the beginning, and
at least that number will be continuously at
work on this contraction two years. AS the
front portion of the building has been con-
structed of Richmond granite, and the east
ern wing is to be of the same material, it is
reasonable to suppose that the western wing
and south front of the building will also be
Of Richmond granite, in which case there is
four more years work ahead.
Year: 1874

RAMA steady rain fell here during the
latter part Of yesterday afternoon, and up to
yery late hour last night. From the wea.
ther report it would seem that we are enti-
tied TO more rain to-day.
Year: 1874

that the States do not by the existing
laws have 1.-THE right OF property In th'
arms issued for arming the militia" !
any absolute right Of property is there
meant, and that they derive no authOri'
! " under those laws 20 sell or dispose o.
such arms at their pleasure. In regard
TO the actual case presented, which con.
Germs part OF the quota of arms due
! the State OF Virginia, j may add
| that the disposition OF the revolvers
| hereinbeiore mentioned recently sought
| to be made by the authority OF the
State would clearly have been unwar-
ranted by the existing laws oil congress
on the subject Of armiDg the militia.
The arms cannot be indefinitely with
! held from the State, the statute requlr-
| ing them not TO be annually distributed,
but to be transmitted to it by the officers
Of the general government e


Runaored Plots and COunlesI u lOts.


Chicago Tribunes Washington Special


1t seems more than ever probable that
the law eonyening congress on the
fourth of March will be Te-eDaeted, since
1t IL understood that many Democrats
are in favor of it. By its enactment
they viii be enabled to proceed at once





TO repeal such measures thst have been
passed by the Republicans that are OBJ
noxious to them. Anticipating prob
able opposition from Republicans, the
admissibility Of preventing the passage
of one or two important appropriation
bills with q view to forcing the success
OF the desired bill is being discussed.
On the other hand, the Republicans are
devising legislation which will make
the Democratic house pOwerless for mis-
chief, such as q measure to authorize the
secretary of the treasury to borrow
money for current expenses in case of a
failure OF congress to appropriate, ana
others Of the sort. II such bill should
pass at the next session, the fOTty-fOurth
congress could not repeal it, as the two
branches would be entirely different in
political complexion, aud Republican
senate would be ia existence to defend
and protect the work Of a Republican
majority in the forty-third congress.
Year: 1874

The Prince of Wales owes debts to


the amount of $500, 900. Some of these
debts have been running for a long
time, and the creditors are somewhat
impatient for the money: How did it
happen that the Prince got 80 deeply in
debt Who can tell ? From his birth
up to his majority the revenues Of the
Duchy of Cornwall were saved up for
him. Last year his income from this
source was G62,349. It was not 80
much before his shrewd father. stopped
many leaks in it's administration, but
the sum must have been large Then
there is his annual allowance from Par
lament and the animal allowance to
his wife, and while he pays no rent Tor
his town residence, Marlb borough House,
he probably gets q small income from
his tenants at his country estate, Sand
ringham. Besides all this, his late Ia
mented father is known to have left a
very large amount of money, although
it is probable that his mother keeps
close guard over this. No one can tell
anything about it, for If the Prince
Consort left will, his widow has never
sent it to be recorded. But, on the
whole, one would be inclined to soy
that . gentleman with an income of at
least $45O, 900 year ought to keep out
Of debt, even If he had q large family
of small children and entertained much
company. : -@e*..4 =


The Prince of Wales has not kept
out Of debt: He owes, as I have said,
$500, 900, and the government are
about to ask Parliament to pay
his debts. The proposition will cause
a row, and, if the Republicans had any
real influence, they could make some
capital out Of the affair. The plea in
favor of the proposition will be that the
debts have been incurred in the per-
formance of state duties which have
been imposed upon him by the Queen.
The truth is, believe, that the Prince,
who is a very shrewd man in his money
matters, has always borrowed the funds
which have been expended on these
occasions, refusing to use his own
money for such purposes, and saying
that in the end either Parliament or his
mother must pay his, debts thus. con-
tracted. Ia r0ison. The simple JUS
ticc of th.' case would seem to demand
that the Queen shonld pay the money!,
She receives from the state very
ample revenue for the, discharge Of
certain duties; it would seem only
right that if she deputies her; son to
perform these duties for her she should
pay the expense attending them.
Many disputes are said to have taken
place between the Queen and the Prince
on this subject; but Her Majesty does
not like to spend her money any more
than the Prince does, and as the credit
ors are growing clamorous Parliament
is to be asked to vote the money. 1t
is an ill advised piece of business j; but
I suppose the request will not be re-
fused.