smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

The most monstrouS graSshopper we
have ever seen is on exhibition at the
office of T. VI. West, County Treas
urer 1t is preserved in alcohol, and
was captured some time since near
CopperopohS. 1t is nearly sin inches
long and its body is an inch and a
quarter in depth, while its head is as
big as a mans thumb. The wings
when spread must have measured ten
inches from tip to tip. The legs are
as large as a lead pencil at the body,
and about four or five inches long
The enormous body is quite translu-
cent and its ribs can be distinctly seen.
An army of that species would eat up
a quarter section of wheat as slick as
whistle in five minutes. Stockton
H,8epeDdeH
Year: 1878

nThc Democrats can find no escape
from the charge OF reckless extrava-
gance," says a Republican newspaper.
That is so. The charge will be made
and repeated so long as there is q single
Radical left unconvertcd- But q mere
charge amounts to nothing until it Is
proven, and the proof, in this case, is
altogether wanting. The simple fact
that Radical Senate added many
millions to the appropriation bills sent
from the Democratic House is quite
sufficient to dispose of all such wild
assertions. The difference between the
Republicans and Democrats in their
conduct of a. controversy is that the for
mer charge while the latter convict.
No man or party can escape charges.
Honesty is generally an effcctual safe
guard against conviction.
Year: 1878

Cotton goods are now more and
more weighted with chloride OF mag
nesium. Certain shirtings lose on
washing from Is to 15 per cent of their
Original weight. The chloride of mag
ncsfun is sold for this purpose some
times openly under its own name and
sometimes as "crystal size." SuIphate
OF magncsia (Epsom SALTY is also used
for the same purpose.
Year: 1878

The young men of Portugal have
occupation more important than wear.
ing tight boots, and which almost, III
fact, goes with it-that of making the
very mildest form of love known
among men. The young gentlemen
pay their addresses by simply stand
ing in front of the house occupied by
the object of their affections, while
the young person in question looks
down approvingly from an up
per window, and there the matter
ends. They are not within speaking
distance, and have to content them
selvss with expressive glances and
dumb show, for it would be thought
highly unbecoming for young lady
to allow blllet-dOur to futter down
into the street, while the laws of grav-
itation stand in the way of the up
ward fight of such document, un-
weighted, at least. with stone, and
this, of course, might risk giving the
young lady a ablack eye, or breaking
her fathers window panes. So the
lovers there remain, often for hours,
feeling no doubt very happy, but look
ing unutterably foolish. These silent
courtships sometimes continue for
very long periods, before the lover can
ask the fatal question, or the lady re-
turn the final answer.
Year: 1878

Not with reproof for any
of that days sins of omis-
sion or commission. Take any
other time but bedtime for that. If
you ever heard a little creature sigh
ing and sobbing in its sleep you could
never do this. Seal their closing eve
lids with kiss and blessing. The
time will come all too soon when they
will lay their heads upon their pillows
lacking both. Let them, then, at least
have this sweet memory of happy
Childhood, of which no future trouble
or sorrow can rob them. Give them
their rosy youth. Nor need this in
volve wide license. The iudicious
parent will not mistake my meaning.
Ii you have ever met the man or wo.
man whose eyes have suddenly filled
when a little child has crept trusting
y to its mothers breast, you may have
seen one in whose childhood's home
dignity and severity stood where love
and pity should have been. Too much
Indulgence has ruined thousands Of
children; too much love, not one.
Year: 1878

Thus sighs the Burlington Hawkeye
One by one all the comforts of this life
are taken away from the toiling millions
II used to be great consolation for US tC
think in our poverty that none OF ouI
rich neighbOrs could ever get to heaven.
Now, alas we are assured that there is
no place else for them to go. Oh, woe
ful timesl Oh, wretChed, haEah aud
incOnsiderate world Oh, dog gone it
alp
Year: 1878

one, and is introduced to show that even
at that esrly day there was strong feeling
between the sections. On one occasion
Cumming was interrupted Extensively
during a speech at the bar, by an oppOs.
ing counsel, whose character he was
scr4ping of. He turned without saving
a word and, planting his fist in the fei.
lows forehead, knocked him down.
Perfectly unrufled he turned to the
judge and said: Having thus sum-
marily disposed of the gentleman will
proceed to treat his argument in like
manner" Colonel Cumming was offered
the command of the army by Mr.. Polk
when the war with Mexico began, but
declined it because of his advanced age.
Year: 1878

grounds and without reasons. Do not say any
more that everybody swears to lies that whole
neighborhoods conspre to perjury and fraud
and that the very officers of your own selection
and appointment join to defraud the Govern
ment. Do not say this if you cannot prove it. IF
you can prove it, punish the offenders as the
law requires.


There is such thing as official .aundice, that
blinds the eye, darkening the mind, and preju-
dices the judgment; that looks for evil in all
things and all men, and the outlook from the
nigh places of the Pension Office seem to be of
the most melanchoic and bilious hue


A little healthy exercise a little more ming
ling with actual living men and women; lit
tie more faith in human nature and less in
official nature, would soon restore the patient
to a normal, uncolored, undistorted vision to
better digestion; to a more hopeful frame of
mind, and an appreciation of the fact that this
world is not absolutely a failure, and that it
will continue to go on even should the new bill
for the creation of sixty travelling members of
the medical staff Of the Commissioner of Pen
sions be defeated, as we hope it will.
Year: 1878

We print in full for the examination of our
numerous readers, the bill prepared By the
Commissioner Of Pensions and introduced into
the House Of Representatives by the Hon A.
" Rice, of Ohio.


This gentleman will hardly assume the pa
ternity of this measure, when he shall have
thoroughly studied its purpose and effects.
However severe may have appeared our criti-
cism upon this measure heretofore careful ex
animation and dissection of its aims and ends
will show good reason for much severer terms.
If this bill, or anything like it, should pass
Congress, the title should be changed 50 as to
fit the bill. 1t should be entitled /" A bill to
diminish the number OF pensioners at the ca
price OF the Commissioner; to prevent poor and
disabled claimants from presenting their cases
to create medical aristocracy, and to central
ize all jurisdiction in pension matters in Wash
ington


We have in previous numbers stated the pal
pable defects in the system proposed, but this
blll comes now with the full weight of the
Pension Office behind it and crushes out the
rights of hundreds and thousands of men the
most deserving of all who have claims against
the United States


1t seems as if it was an inevitable fact, that
as soon as man becomes an officer of the Gov
ernment, he forgets that governments are not
constituted for themselves but for the benefit
OF the people who make them AT once there
arises an assertion of distinct difference be-
tween the interest of the people and the Gov
emment Mr.. Bentley has forgotten that the
pension laws We're made for the benefit of the
pensioners, not to accommodate Commissioners
and clerks. These latter are only the machinery
TO bring about an end, but not the end itself.


The one thing which the law contemplates is /
Year: 1878

The appropriation for this purpose ceased on
the Both of June, 1877. Claims are piled up in
the Second Auditors Office, and no money to
pay them.


Yet Congress has been in session since last
October, quarreling over all sorts of things; but
the Committee on Appropriations has not found
time to report and pass this bill to meet the just
debts of the Government


Is it not time to do justice? And is not this
delay useless and unnecessary?
Year: 1878




pauper and without means, then he must paw
in some way the expenses of his examination,
or be cut off from his claim. Those who have
friends or means or comparative health can 90
to the board and be examined at the cost of the
Government, but those who are too poor or dis
abled entirely must pay the commission for
coming to them, or pay such other officer such
fees as the Commissioner may prescribe The
proposition is an outrage upon humanity.


But the concluding sentence of this section
deserves notice.


Notwithstanding that the Commissioner of
Pensions has by this section created a special
commission to replace the present examining
surgeons for the avowed reason that he does
not trust them and therefore supersedes them
by another set deserving more confidence, we
find that he cannot trust those whom he has
thus created, for at the end of this section he
reserves the right at his will and pleasure, to
call together board of three to make these
same medical and surgical examinations


Now let it be remembered that all these ex-
aminations are required to be in writing. to
state not opinions but facts actually obseryed, to
become the basis of opinion here in Washing
ton by the medical referee, and it becomes diff
cult to imagine the necessity or excuse for three
men to do what one competent man ought to
perform Or does he mean to admit the prob
able ncompetency of these new appointees?


1t looks exceedingly like the multiplication
of offices, and the increase of travel fees


Section provides for the appointment of
pension surgeons, not to exceed sixty, with not
less than five years active practice in medicine
and surgery, and, if possible who have had ex-
perience as army and navy surgeons, to hold
commissions at the pleasure of the Secretary of
the Interior, and with salary Of dollars.


There is no provision for their appointment
from the limits Of any district; nothing to re-
quire them to be resident any where no limita-
tion Of numbers to be selected from any State
or Territory, and they may be all selected, even.
from the District of Columbia.


Mr. Bentley has already given his opinion in
his report as to the assumed disadvantage of an
examining surgeon living in the neighborhood
of those whom he examines, and has instanced
wonderful results obtained by translating DR..
Clarke from Wisconsin to New York Cat cost
ofnearly one thousand dollars per month .)sothat
it may safely be presumed that all these limita-
tions are purposeIy left out and, taking this
in connection with the travelling expenses al
lowed elsewhere in the bill he makes out a very
pretty opportunity for his special friends to
travel where they wish at Government expense.


Some pension surgeon residing, when at home,
in Maine is assigned, we will say to California
and makes his trip at the expense of the United
States; or DIR, Clarke, of Wisconsin, visits Flor
ida.


In the course of few years, with little
friendship at headquarters, clever fellow could
travel over all the desirable parts of the United
States under this economical bill.


The salary is left blank, but it cannot be less
than $4,000 per annum. No physician or sur
ac IA Il,
Year: 1878

y
y and as safely as possible; to give all possible
facilities to the wounded and disabled of all
classes to present and prove their claims before
the lneXorabe death, which hangs around them
makes such relief unmailing. This is one
branch of the service in which a false economy
is crime. Delay is cruelty, ard postponement
is frequently starvation.


Above all men the Commissioner of Pensions
should be the last to lend himself to any scheme
which would unnecessarily hinder or delay the
speedy settlement of these claims He is in
office as the guardian and nearest friend of the
soldier the widow and orphan; the agent of
the nation to see that its bounty is Justly and
rapidly handed over to proper recipients.


That is the high tenor of his commission, but
he has fallen sadly below it when he listened
to the adviser who shaped the present bill


We propose to demonstrate from the bill it.
self that it is most ingenious contrvance to
heap up delay, cost and expense upon claimants
OF pension and those who now enjoy pensions
that it will build up class of favorite officers
at large salaries and unlimited expense, to travel
over this country in all pleasant places with





gerous power to the head of the office that It
cannot but delay hinder, and in many cases
totally deny the opportunity of hearing Just
claims; that it slurs the truthfulness, honesty.
and intelligence of the existing examining sur
geons; that it substitutes slow, selfimportant
and wholly irresponsible body of men in their
place, and that it has not even the paltry ex-
cuse of saving money to the United States.


1t IS a measure to magnify the Pension Office
and its employees; to centralize the whole sys-
tenn here at Washington; to escape the whole
some effect of neighborhood watchfulness. and
to establish petty tribunals Of unlimited power
and unlimited arrogance all over the country.


Now, without any desire to state things ex-
travagantly, these are our ideas as to the pur-
pose and effect OF Mr.. Bentley's bill There
fore it is that we throw into this opposition to
it our full strength, and intend if we can to de-
feat it,


We now take it up section by section and
will see if it deserves the criticism we have
given and we ask every one of our readers to
read over carefully each section of this bill and
then consider our comments upon it,


Section / provides for districting the United
States into not more than sixty districts, for
the designation of posts or places where ex-
aminations shall be nad and testimony taken
in pension cases At least one annual session
of. the commission shall be had at each post,
and more if practicable


To this we say that even the maximum num-
Der of sixty is wholly insufficient to make the
examinations required to be made and do JUS
tice either to the United States or the claimant.
and that it win be impossible for such commits
sion, in many districts, to attend at more than
one post


Section ?. That the commission shall consist
of one pension surgeon and one clerk from the
pension office; that these shall make all the
medical and surgical examinations authorized
Year: 1878

On the 22i OF March last Senator MERET-
MON introduced bill into the Senate in re-
lation to the payment of taxes and ASSESS
ments in the city of Washington, District Of
Columbia, which is next to the measure
that defines the relations between the Fed
eral Government and the District rs to the
rates of proportiOnate tnxpaying, in i'm
portnnCe to those prOpcrty-holdcrs who bear
the burdens Of taSatOn. These burdens
have been heavy ut the best, but the pcn-
altes that have bccu imposed upon dclln-
quency under these burdens transcend all
limits of justice or iorbcarancc. The bill to
which we now refer has for its purpose to
the payment of taxes overdue at the assess
mcnt rate, adding interest thereto at the
rate of q per cent. per annum. This is
highly just and bcneflcent measure and
Congress should not adjourn without pass
ing it to law. The relief to the people
would be immeasurable. The defaults in
payment Of taxes have, almost without cx-
ception, occurred from inability to pay
under existing circumstances. The
penalties have been heavy, and
have largely increased the burden
In this way the poorer property owners
have been literally crushed under the load
laid upon them, and the sacrifice of their
property seems inevitable.


If Congress will pass this bill it will
spread more joy throughout this city than
can be produced by any other measure
within the range Of conjecture. 1t will
bring emancipation from an oppressive con.
ditiOn of affairs that weighs down the en-
ergics of property y-holdcrs, and keeps them
constantly on the ragged edge of despair.
The city will receive its taxes and interest
thereupon, and the taxpayer will be re-
! lieved OF a burden that is constantly in.
creasing in magnitude and rendering his
prospects more and more hopeless We
| appeal to Congress, in the name Of Justice
and generosity, that it pass this measure OF
relief, and enable the Taxpayers to wipe
out all old scores and take an entire new
departure under the proposed new form o
| government.
Year: 1878

lN one breath the writer of the reply to
Judge KEYS Open Letter declares it to be
the policy of the Democracy to expose the
alleged frauds hy which President HAYES
reached his Office, but to submit to them
quietly. and in the next he writes:


Finally, and this is the object of your Judge
KEYS letter, you appeal to such of the people
OF the South aS may be- willing or sufficiently
courageous to recognize you rs one Of their
number, TO continue in submission to the
fraud, in order that tho peace of the country
may he assured. The peace you crave seems
to bc the peace that passes all understanding
While the fraud was being enforced you couu-
sclcd submission. because no mlttcr what
wrong was inflicted it was still within the
power of the people to rtctify. Now that it
has been made operative You counsel submis
sion, because il has been successful. In other
words. you would do nothing to apprchcnd
thief while in the act OF the commission of Ii-
crime because he had not accomplishc it nor
thereafter because he WAS no longer engaged
in its commission


If this means anything it means re-
volt against an alleged fraud that has
" been made operative that President
HAYES stole the Presidency and must be
punished for his crime, and that he does not
enjoy immunity from that punishment for
that crime because lie is mo longer en-
gagged in its commission" Taken alto
gcthcr, this is a very remarkable letter,
and, whoever its author may be, it is evil
dent that he has imcLUtiously, in his anger
toward Judge KEY, betrayed the full scope
and intent OF the new Democratic rebellion.
II..I It,., / "a. IL
exposed its purpose To be the torcble re-
mOval of President HAYES and the installa-
ton of Mr. TILDEN.
Year: 1878

President HAYES has been interviewed
again, this time by that ubiquitous scribe
who conccals the name and peculiar fame of
GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND under the sig
nature of "GATH." The President should
have known better than to tell it" in
GATH's presence; but he did and now the
whole thing is out. But the country will
breathe lreer when it ltarns, even from this
source, that he is determined to deliver the
Executive office in its integrity to his sue
ccssor" 1t is to be hoped he will succeed
in this determination.
Year: 1878

II Il is n crime, as the Greascrs so vche-
mcntly charge, for Democratic Judge KEY to
have accepted and to remain in the Cabinet
of Republican President, even though lie
be nominal President, it was certainly
mistake to appoint him. The logic of this
is pertinently applicable to the expectations
to Republican oilice-hodcrs who seek rctcn-
tion or reappointment in the event of Dem
ocrntic success at any time in the future.
To these eXpcctant idiots We say briefly
that the Democracy inauguratcd the policy
Of To the Victor Belongs the Spoils in
this country, and that their present seeming
devotion to civiI-service reform is sham.
II they ever do get power again in the Ex-
ecutive Departments they will return to
that policy post haste. The way to retain
your Offices, you unseldsh " patriots, is to
retain the Republican party in power
Year: 1878

st. Louis Globe. .Democmtl


1fGcneral Grant can not possibly be elected why
are Democratic papers 50 much afraid that he will
be nOininated2 We should think they would rather
encourage than discourage the nomination Of q
Republican who was SURF to he beaten.
Year: 1878

u SHOULD defend my Office and the indie
pendence of the Executive against any in
truder,' remarked President HAYES at
Gettysburg. Some one should now propose
three cheels. 1t is true a response to this
proposition might disturb the serenity OF
the Executive as he sumbcrs in confident
repose upon the belief that Democratic Sen.
ators BAYARp, TnrRMAN, GORDON. and
HILL will not" agree to make the Senate Il
vehicle for carrying out the revolutionary
edlct OF party caucus" but three cheer,
must come in some where now and then
even at II sacrifice, just to show that some,
body is enthusiastic on our side Of the
question.
Year: 1878

THE AbheNlIc -. c. Mdium comes to
us drapcd in mourning as part of the oh
serNance of Decoration Day. The 10th OF
May was observed in the South Us an occa-
sion for decorating the graves of Confederate
soldiers and leviNing the sentiments which
eliminated in rebellion. The decoration of
the graves Of the dead is a service to which
no civilized objection can be made but the
revival aud reitcrLtion of the views and SEN
timents that led to rebellion is no part of
civilization or reconciliation. Neither does
it attach to loyalty to the Government, or
belong to the duties of good citizenship.
Year: 1878

over which supremacy in the Empire State
was soon to be tested at the ballot-box. II
was mere dead wood that was maliciously
thrust into the convention and was promptly
kicked out of the way.


The case is different now. The question
OF title is raised by the popular branch of
the law-making power and with view TO
revolutionary action and consequences The
Republican party to man accepts the issue
as now presented by the revolutionists, and
will place itself sternly between these con-
spirators and the consummation Of their
conspiracy, determined to defend the law
upon which the Presidential title is based
and the nation from the insidious assaults
now being made upon its peace and well
fare by its worst and most implacable enc
mics. As Mr.. STEPHENS very justly re-
marked, this POTTER movement will either
turn out ridiculous farce or terrible
tragedy. and 1t is to protect the country
against the latter that the Republicans
stand arrayed solidly against it, and will so
stand until the storm passes and the stabil-
ity of the Government becomes assured.
The Courier-JOurRai is toying with this mo-
mentOus question when it introduces so
triviala matter rs a make weight in the pend
ing issue. WATrERsoS is mere triher at
best when he attempts towrcstlc with ques-
tions Of craftsmanship and public moment.
Year: 1878

o'clock to-day, the various nominations
which have been reported upon adversely,
and to continue in executive session until
all have been disposed Of Among the NOM
nations are that of Smith, for the Mobile
Collectorship, aud that of Williams for the
same office In New Orleans. Upon both of
these appointments an angry contest may
be expected, and, altogether, it is probable
that to-day's executive session will be as
lively as any yet known in the history of
the Senate
Year: 1878

National ASSOciated Press 70 the star.


PIrTsBURa, Feb. 21.-Dealers in this city
and in oil the Oil producing regions were
thrown into great excitement when it was
announced that a petition for the dissolu-
ton of the Standard Oil Company and the
appointment of Receiver had been filed
in Court at Butler, Pa. The indications are
that Receiver will be appointed.
Year: 1878

You that he has for sale dentifrice identi-
cal with or containing ingredients eqalling
or superior in efficacy to those of SOZO-
DON'T, discredit the statement and insist
upon having that alone. BY doing so, you
will secure dentrifice par excellence the
best in the market, containing botanic ele.
ments Of rare preservative influence upon
the teeth, and one which will endow them
with most becoming whitcness. Another
desirable feature Of this staple toilet article
is that it imparts fragrance TO the breath,
Sold by druggists.
Year: 1878

A very interesting and instructive
pamphlet under the above title has
been prepared under the direction of
Professor T. P. James, Commission
er of Agriculture for the State of
Georgia. Those who are engaged in
agriculture will find it very useful.
We hope one of these days to see a
Bureau of Agriculture established in
this State, our people are sadly in
need of instruction which such Bu-
reau could furnish.