smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

We are at loss to understand on
what tho objections Of the News to
Mr.. Simpsons bill rests, providing
for the appointment of o Public
Weigher. The bill provides for the
appointment of This truly important
officer-important to every planter
and shipper by the Governor.


Fair dealing and honesty in the
administration of the duties of the of,
fee is sought to be enforced: Every
planter and shipper we have heard
express himself on this subject insists
upon the passage of this law. When
it Is remembered that nearly the
whole cotton crop Of the Stat passes
through the hands of the welgher,
upon whose honesty and correctness
every planter depends for the COM
pensation of his toll and industry, it
may be understood how much this
matter interests him. We will fol.
low the bad example of the News in
addressing word to the members on
this subject, differing, however, In its
purpose. We say to Mr.. Simpson :
Push your bill through to law, and
force every one opposing the bill, if
there are such, who wish to 60 on the
record thus, to come out plain.


We deem it proper to call attention
to the bill now pending with reference
to Insurance sni the regulation
thereof in this State. We have long
and badly needed some law upon this
subject, and hope that the interests
OF the people in this respect will be
considered and carefully guarded by
sound legislation ON the subject.
Year: 1874

it out, will occasion in the ranks OF
the Democracy. But what does it
care for that, and it will be The acme
of assanine stupidity, should the
party leaders determine to listen to
the sirens song, in this instance,
disclaiming as it does all connection
with the party, or its common hopes
or ends.
Year: 1874

The closing ola bank seems to a
surface observer, to be but a simple
affair, but how many hearts are
c, ushed by such notice, how many
bright hopes buried forever, how
much Joy turned to dispair? The
Franklin Fund Bank of Philadelphia,
was closed by government order on
the end, and many poor people are
involved. God pity them.
Year: 1874

It will be seen, by reference to the pros
ceedings of The Fourteenth Legislature,
in another column, that, on the Cd instant,
the Committee on the constitutional
Convention reported favorably, and re,
commend that the Governor issue at once
his proclamation ordering an election on
the second Tuesday of August for dele
gates thereto; and that said Convention
sit in the hall of the House of Represen-
tatives on the second Tuesday in October,
and shall consist Of two delegates from
each senatorial district, and thirty from
the State at large. There was also mi
nority report adverse, and the reason as
signed-expense. We are one of those
old fogy people, who believe in the faith
full performance Of all solemn pledges and
contracts. The platform of the Demo
cratic party, adopted At the Conven-
ton, held on the second of September
last, guarantees expressly that there shall
be o Convention. There are alleged de-
fects in the fundamental laws of Texas,
of grave character, and which work
evil to the best interests Of the people.
Many fthese imperatively require change
and amendment. Many of them should
be expunged. The understanding had
with the people was that they should have
the privilege of electing and choosing
their immediate represe tatives, and of
instructing them specifically as to their
views and needs in changing the Consti.
tuition of the State.


A Constitutional Convention is great
AID solemn eonvocation Of the people in
the might and majesty Of their supreme
power, and should. only be convoked
upon occasions of grave moment to the
people. The immediate necessity of rad
ical change in the fundamental laws of
the State is conceded by both the friends
of the measure and its opponents. The
difference is only in the means to be used
to effect the same object. Its opponents
claim that the needed reforms can be ef-
fected by means of suitable legislation in
the way of amendments, and thus saye an
alleged great expense. Were all the
needed reforms thus made, our Constitu-
ton would indeed prove an unwieldly,
cumbersome document, beyond the grasp
of the most acute lawyer of Philadelphia,
even, The beauty OF republican consti-
tutions and laws are their simplicity
This unquestionably would be defeated
with the new accumulation. The ex-
pense of the measure is certainly its
greatest objection. That it will tempo
rarily subvert and succeed the present
State government is no objection. We
for one are not afraid to trust its destinies
in the hands of the people themselves.


We remember that tine Democratic
party of the State, acting in its highest
and most sacred capacity, pledged the
measure, and should it now find it inexpc,
dient and unwise, the reasons for its mons
fulfillment should be OF the clearest and
best. We feel safe in the hands of a
Democratic Legislature OF Texas, and
are convinced their action in the"prem-
ises will be wisely and judiciously taken.
Year: 1874

The Indianapolis printers are on a
strike. The city papers are generally in
volved. It seems to US to be bad sea-
son of the year to inaugurate measures of
this kind. The evils from want of EN-,
ployment are of so much more grave a
character in winter than summer,
Year: 1874

A gentleman who has large circle or


friends in this city, while walking along


Main street one day last week discovered


two crisp, new ten-cent Shinplasters


repOsing c0nspicuOusly on the sidewalk.


He at once picked them up and exulting


In his good fortune showed them to some


gentlemen of his acquaintance. They


Immediately suggested that such good


luck should be celebrated by his treating


the crowd.


They demonstrated TO him that The


twenty cents would buy four glasses OF


beer, and he agreed to the arrangement.
The parry at once adjourned to neigh
boring saloon. The gentleman was as
tonished to find at least fifty of his az
quaintances comfortably reposing in the
saloon, apparently awaiting his appear
ance. The friends who came in with
him took occasion to tell of his good for
tune in finding the twenty cents, and tina
he had come to treat on the strength
thereof.


The acquaintances all moved up to
the bar with strange unaDmity. The
gentleman was taken somewhat aback
by the trrn things had taken. but putting
on cheerful face he invited them to
nominate their poison. Not man OF
them took beer. The demand for cock
tails, smashes and straights was certain
ly marvellous. The bin for the entire
treat was sc 40. The gentleman (who
is city OFFICIALLY has spent many days
studying over the affair, and has finally
come to the conclusion that it was "a
put up job"


in other words some CT his friends had
hid the twenty cents where he would


find 1t. KIN. wing they cor'd on the
stl ength thereof inveigle him into sa-
loon to treat, in the meantime taking
care to have large number OF friends
present to enjoy the treat. He now


says that if he were to see ten dollar
note ly ing on the sidewalk he would not
pick 1t up. aensble.-Pateraon GNort}5-
an,
Year: 1874

ELECT ROAD OVERS EERs. A petition
is now in circulation here praying the
Legislature that the Road Law be so
amended that Road Overseers in this
county shall hereafter be elected, instead
of being appointed by the Board of Su-
pervisogs. In most of the counties Of the
State Road Oyerseers are elected, and we
believe this way of choosing them will
give better satisfaction than appointing.
Year: 1874

FROM SuAsTA.-Doc. Gardiner tells
that on account of some informalty-j
what, he didn't know the Reading stage
robbers will have to be tried over again.
Doc says that the high wind on We'd
nesday night blew all the snow on the
mountain into the road, and he is now
praying for another wind that will blow
ont
Year: 1874

EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD.-The TRINITY
JOURNAL closed its Eighteenth Volume
with the issue of December 9th. The
JOURNAL is ably conducted, and one of
the most neatly printed weekies that
come'to our table. Being the only paper
in Trinity it is necessarily prosperous.
May it always continue So West Coast
,NjOODJ
Year: 1874

1t has become the fashion of late to
coddle the English sparrow and en-
courage its propagation because of its
supposed vaIueSas an insect destroyer.
writer in the Canada Farmer, how
ever, brings list of terrible indictments
against the russet-clad little biped. which,
If true, will make US rue the day it was
imported from England. Everybody
who knows the history of the tribe, he
says, knows them to be most aadacious
thieves and robbers, and [ have yet TO
learn that they have one redeeming
trait in their character. These active
and unsparing thieves commence their
depredations with the gardener, in the
spring by stealing the seed from the
beds, and ripping them up as they be-
gin to sprout. Owing to this, peas have
sometimes to be sOWn two or three times
over. As soon as the currant and goose
berry bushes begin TO blossom, the spar
row may be seen actively engaged, not
destroying insects, as some innocent
people believe. but enjoying the luxury
of fruit in embryo, and destroying as
much in one meal as would produce
quart or two when ripe. Green peas
are great treat to them, and they claim
most of the early crop. Not contented
with fair share, they seem to take
malicious pleasure in destroying about
ten times the quantity they eat. The
farmer has a still more serious charge.
He has TO employ boys to prevent them
from stealing this seed grain when scat
tered in the land, and as soon AS grain
Is formed in the ear, scare-crows have
to be placed in the fields. boys again
brought into requisition, with rattles,
to keep them off the standing crops, and
in spite of all precautionary measures,
they can not be prevented from doing
an immense deal of harm, as small
flock will soon destroy an acre of wheat,
or any other grain.
Year: 1874

At the session of the social science
association at New York, lengthy pa
per, by William G. Flagg. of Illinois,
was read, on the farmers movement in
the west. After giving the history of
the movement and its effect upon po-
litical parties, it concludes "The
farmers movement meant primarily an
advancement in the intelligence and
ability of the tiilers of the soil; second
", an unusual feeling of oppression and
distress, resulting from the mischievous
legislation of the country, and finally,
an effort TO reform abuses and carry to a
more logical conclusion the principles
of our republican democratic system.
It was a part of the universal upward
tendency of the manual workers of the
world, and was as irrepressible as the
progress of democracy on earth. It
foreshadowed the time when the cum
ming of the hand would be displaced
by the brain of the worker, equal and
exact justice to all men, all men are
created equal ; 'governmenAderives its
Just powers from the consent of the
governed > Whatsoever ye would that
men should do unto you, do ye even so
unto them These were all accepted
principles and must work out their logi-
col YeSuIts -
Year: 1874

An English writer says In the Pail
Mall Gazette Many political phenom-
Ma of the modern democratic world have
shown hat blunders and injustices be
lOr to no particular era or state of So
ciety: and here we have the congress of
United States repeating that particular
fraud of feudal princes which even in
the middle ages had fallen into the low
est discredit. There is absolutely no
difference in principle between adulter-
ating the metallic coinage and d" infla-
ting the paper circulation. The sole
distinction consists in the greater liabil-
ity of the older piece of cheating to be
found out. A medieval gold coin had
its proper intrinsic value IN the market,
and the mOney-changer who melted
down coin of some particular issae
and discovered that it was half made up
of copper, at once knew that the sover-
eign had been swindling his subjects.
But the effects of adulterating a paper
currency have to be detected, not by
the scales or the tests. but by some
slight labor of the brain. As a bank
note is, to begin with, piece of paper
which is absolutely without appreciable
value, a very superficial person may
conclude that any number of pieces of
valueless paper may be made valuable
by printing on them the same wor Is
which appear on the face of redeem
able note. The difficulty, such as it Is,
Of seeing through this fallacy gives the
modern corrupter of money his sole ad-
vantage over his execrated predecessor,
but both the act and its consequences
are identical in tha Two cases. The i'm
age and superscription of thS monarch
lied in the older example tile assertion
that 8" the United States promises to
pay IS a lying assertion in the modern
instance
Year: 1874

How NeVvspHpers WIN be Affected by


the Proposed Change.


The subject of newspaper postage
and the practical inconveniences Of the
present system, have lately been under
discussion with the postal committee of
the house, who have decided to report
in favor of a radical change in the pres
ent mode of mailing and stamping. As
the matter stands at present, newspaper
pOstags can either be paid at the Office
of reception or delivery, and in this
way two systems are really at work,
which necessarily cOmplicates business,
and causes a loss of both time and
money. Under the present system, if
- receipt IA obtained; and thereafter the
| paperB vii pass through the mail with
out further trouble but in case it is
not prepaid, then postage must be col
lected at the Office Of delivery, either
quarterly in advance, or else Mt the reg
ular rate as each paper is delivered by
the carrie.


It is now proposed to abolish this
plan and charge entirely by weight, at
the rate of two cents a pound. Such
an arrangement, ii S. said, will be no
additional expense to the newspaper
publishers, while it will secure to the
government its entire revenue.


Outside of the large cities, not more
than one-third of the newspaper post
age is ever collected, owing to the man
ner in which country postmasters com
bine private lfsiness with their duties
to the goyerIhent. Thus, country
postmaster generally keeps q small
store, and if a good customer is in receipt
of a newspaper, he will not often press
his claim for postage at the possible
ri-k of iDiuring his other business. In
this manner, me government suffers
great loss that cannot be well remedied.
Under the system proposed, the rate of
two cents per pound is so low that pub
fishers will not be taxed any more than
at present, and the trouble of stamping
and preparing will be o3viated. The
bundle of papers, or in fact any printed
matter when delivered at the post-office,
viii be weighed, and the amount
charged against the paper. which will
be collected quarterly as heretofore.
The fact of a paper then being in the
mail viii be the best evidence that it is
paid for, and it will be delivered in any
part Of the United States without fur
ther Alarge or trouble. Or if news
papebdOes not wish to have an account
kept, book of stamps may be retained,
of which an amount equal to the weight
of mail matter delivered can be carcel- |
led by the clerk receiving the bundles.
Year: 1874

Unauestioning obedience we must
demand from tie child for her own
safety. It may often be question OF
life and death whether the little girl
runs when she is called, or throws
away something which she has in her
hand instead of putting it into her
mouth. But has not this habit OF obe-
dieucs a higher office than this 1t IS
the first yielding of the unframed will
TO rightfnl authority, and as such has
Year: 1874

To retain or recover health, persons
should be relieved from anxiety concern
ing disease. The mind has control over
the body. For person to think he has a
disease, will often produce that disease.
This we see effected when the mind is in
tensely concentrated upon the disease of
another. 1t is found in the hospitals that
surgeons and physicians who make
specially of certain diseases are liable to
die of them themselves; and the mental
power is so great that sometimes people
die Of diseases which they have only in
imagination. We have seen a person sea-
sick in anticipation of voyage, before
reaching the vessel. We have known a
person to die of cancer in the stomach,
when they had no cancer or any other
mortal disease. A blindfold man, slightly
pricked in the arm, has tainted and died
from believing that he was bleeding TO
death. Therefore, well persons, to remain
well, should be cheerful and happy; and
sick persons should have their attention
directed as much as possible from them
selves. 1t is by their faith that men are
saved; and it is by their faith they die
AS a man thinke,h so is he. If he wills
ease; and if he has little or no attachment
to life, he will slip away rs easily AS q
child will fall asleep. Men live by their
souls and not by their bodies. Their
bodies have no life of themselves; they
are only receptaces of life--tenements
for their souls. and the will has much to
do in continuing the physical occupancy
OF giving it up.
Year: 1874

RICHMOND, December 2.-The gener-


al assembly met to-day; Governor


Kemper submitted his annual message.


He favors a recapitulatiOn of the State


debt in form and obligations, payable


in thirty years, bearing an annual inter-


est of four per cent, sterling. A plan


for providing State currency is pro-


posed, which the governor believes


would relieve one of the most greivOus


wants of the people. He renews the
recommendation of his first message on
immigration, and says the State should


be her own agency in the matter and


thereby freely giving to the actual and


prospective immigrants information in
an authenticated form and insuring


them against all impOsitiOns, etc. He
recommends stringent and effectual
Legislation to prevent the gross inequal-
tiles in charges on some of the railroads,
especially at points where competition
does not insure the proper charges. He
fayOTs the completion of the central
water line by the common government,
and urges the Withholding of no possible
aid or encouragement which might con-
tribute to the contamination of that
great work. the governor makes nu-
merous other recommendations looking
TO economy and improvement in the
State government. The follow
ing extracts give some idea of
the governors views in regard to the
political situation: "Recent events Gre
ate the hope that the government of the
Union is TO be brought back to the con-
stitutiOn, its ancient landmarks and ira
ditions recovered and respected, and
fraternal relations revived throughout
the country. They cheer the oppressed
and respondent southern people with
the promise that the burdens which have
so long borne them down are to be lifted
oil. The most auspiciOus day for the
honor and well.beiDg OF the whole cOun-
try will be that in which the great ex-
port producing States are restored to
peace and productive energy by being
restored to their constitutional rightsand
relations. We may rest assured of sue
cess as soon as the repeal or judicial
amendment OF all the enforcement laws
shall peacefully relieve us from harrass-
ment and apprehension Of the military
and other coercion from without, and
from the intermeddling of mere political
Adventures within. Heneeforth let il
be understood of all, that the political
equality Of the races is settled, and that
the social equality of the races is a set |
tied impOssibility.
Year: 1874




of Memphis, has also been mention.
ed. His only public service, we believe,
was in the Confederate army. He is q
man Of fair ability, and the Democratic
party might do worse than to elect him.
This embraces the names OF the most
prominent candidates, but there are
scores OF Others who are waiting for
something to turn up in their favor, and
who hope they may come in they
scarcely know how. The contest will be
lively one. or those above mentioned,
all except Ex-President johnson sympa-
thized with ami worked for the success
of the rebellion. All but three We're
generals and colonels in the Con.
federate srmy. Service in the rebellion
will be the highest recommendation any
man can produce before the incoming
legislature. Unless something is done
TO break the spell by which the rings
snd Governor Brown has bound the
party, he is certain TO be the man. Saw
age, Bate, Ewing, Henry, etc., may not
see this now, but before the middle of
January they will see it, but it VIII then
be too late for them. The Republicans
ia the legislature are in such an insig-
nifieant minority that they can accom-
plish nothing. Hence they will watch
and wait.
Year: 1874

The ehesp transportation convention
did a good thing when it yesterday
recommended congress to extend such
reasonable aid to the Texas Pacific rail-
r0ad ss will insure its speedy completion.
Year: 1874

From the Evening Ledger OF yesIerday.I


The APPEAL OF this morning in an
able leader, urges the prOpriety OF a
Democratic caucus when the legislature
meets to determine who shall be nomi-
mated and elected to the United States
senate. The article is well tempered,
and will attract general attention, as it
is the first significant utterance on the
subject coming from leading Demo-
cratic DaDer.
Year: 1874

EDITORS APPEAL was pleased TO
see the APPEAL advocating the caucus
system in tie matter Of selecting a
proper candidate for United States sena-
tor, to I'LL the place Of Mr.. BrownlOW,
whose term expires with the pres
ent session of congress. COnven-
tiOns are acknowledged to be 8
part Of the machinery Of the great
Democratic party, and caucuses are 3
part Of the machinery Of conventions,
vet the great Democratic machine has
been Idle so long that perhaps the old
and best rules of its workings have been
forgotten, and / think the APPEAL is
doing faithful service to the party by
rubbing of the rust and Frightening
CD the work so that when the
great wheel is put in motion
every part of the great ma
chine will work as smoothly as in days
of yOre. AS to the putting a suitable
man for United States senator before the
l know Of no other way than
by caucus in which that harmony which
should prevail can be insured. aud /
think the APPEAL is doing good work in
urging Il upon the Incoming legislature.


DEMOCRAT.
Year: 1874

q man who was one of the best lawyers
in the State well nigh a half century
ago, has formally announced himself a
candidate. He is in his dOtage, and,
like the gentleman just above mention
ed, is full Of hatred aud bitterness. Were
he in the senate, he would favor a repeal
of all laws and constitutional amend
ments passed as result Of the war; and
while he would not advocate a law re-
cognizing the existence of southern
Confederscy, he would favor that which
comes the nearest to il.
Year: 1874

SEVERE Cutting AFFAIR.-Philip Robin
son "a colored many was cut in four places
yesterday afternoon by an unknown white
man whom he met at an alley near Baker
street and between Third and Fourth streets.
The white man was drunk and had been
lettering around the neigborhood all day,
and had been pelted with stones by crowd
Of boys. In chasing the latter from the alley
be came suddenly upon Robinson, and sup
posing that be was one of the offenders
against his peace and dignity, lie at once at
tackled him with his pocket-knile. From all
accounts Robinson was so frightened as to
be unable to make any defence, and was cut
in the breast, shoulder, and stomach, when
be turned to fly, and received the fourth cut
in the back. The drunkard, seeing the
blood squirting from the wounds, became
alarmed and ran of, and Robinson, raising
his courage, pursued him nearly as far as the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad deI0., when
the fugitive got in among the trains OF cars
and escaped. Robinson reported the facts
at the First Police station, and then went up
to the Office of DR.. Carter, under the In
change Hotel, and had his wounds dressed.
The one in the breast and the one in the
blck proved to be triflng, but the one in the
shoulder, or rather in the arm-pit, and the
one in the stomach, are more serious, and
the latter may prove to be dangerous.


The police al II o'clock last night were on
the track OF the ruflian, and were confident
OF arresting him in few hours. Robinson
is 1T bis home, in the neighborhood where
the cutting occurred.