smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Circumstances may occur between this time
and the day of election to change the present


outlook entirely. The Democrats may do some


thing wise--which, by the way, is not prob


able-or the Republicans may be guilty OF
some stupendous folly, or be made responsible
for some fatal blunder Of the Administration,
which is not by any means unlikely. But
should no such change occur, the proceedings
of the Democratic Convention at Sara


togs have definitely settled the result
of the November election in this State
and in the nation. Mr.. Tilden Is al


ready defeated for the Presidency, and
the Democratic ticket In New-YOrk, whether
it remains as the Saratoga Convention made
it, or is changed by the State Committee or
by new convention, in consequence OF Mr..
Seymour's persistence in declining, is as good
as beaten before theEcanvass has fairly opened.
They greatly mistake who consider the work
OF that convention as having consisted mainly
In the nomination Of Mr.. Seymour. Its sig
fsnifcance did not lie in that act merely. In
deed that part Of the result was Of no special
consequence, except as it grew out of other
and more important things. The event of the
convention was the defeat of Mr.. Clark


son N. Potter and the .anti-Tilden wing
of the party which supported him. The
great fact in the situation is the success
of Gov. Tilden's friends over John Kelly
anil the rest, and not the selection of Gov.
Year: 1876

Welcome to our country eousnsl Within tho last
few days they have added an unaccustomed variety
TO the motley throngs of Broadway and our public
squares Whether going to or returning from Phila-
delphia whether Signalling this Centennial year
by long delayed holiday trip; or attracted to our
city by the fame Of her spendors and her virtues.
we cannot decide: but before, at this season,
were SO many visitors from the country seen among
us. They patiently walk the hot pavements, with
or without their umbrellas and satches, gazing with
q hearty and honest interest on many shows which
long ago lost their advertising value for our cit
izens. 1t s pleasant to our comnOnplaces re-
freshed to our own eyes, as they become new and
curious to those of others to find architecture
grander than we had supposed, onr extent and
activity so much greater. But these rural neigh
bors none the less understand how to compare and
criticise: they observe keenly while they enjoy.
They win not fail TO notice the evidences Of poverty
beside those Of luxury, the mixture of steady labor
and vagabondage Of brilliance and dirt. Of order
and revolt, courtesy and impudence, which so to
make up the life of great city. Nevertheless, they
are welcome! The slightest intercourse between
any two classes of population is far better than
mutual ignorance.
Year: 1876

from which alone it can be paid This GER
tainly was bad enough. Yet some credit
WIS given this man CoLy1N when he offered
to fight his claim to the Mayoralty III
the Courts, md in the meantime to permit
the people to do something for themselves
through the representatives theyhnd chosen.
But GOWNS notions for the past two or three
days, and the actions of those whose fortunes
are identified with him, indicate that there
was never any honest purpose Of letting 60
the hold they had on the city funds and abid-
ing by the decision OF the Court. Having
brought on the city NIL the misfortunes it
suffers, this disreputable crowd are now en-
deavoring still further to confuse, compll-
cate, and hamper the municipality. Co1S1S
is trying the patience Of q patient people TOO
aorcly. He may go too far. Now TINT he
has appealed to the Court for the privilege of
mismanaging city affairs another year,
common decency, even if he has no concern
for the welfare of the city, should prompt
him to await the decision Of the Court, and
in the meantime hold a1oof from the affairs
of the municipality. He may rest assured
that, if the Court awards him the office he
coyets SO desperately, lie shall have it with
out hindrance but he may also rest assured
that he can not have it till such an award be
made
Year: 1876

he did not want. His claim to be *'6sca1


agent of the city might provoke smile


we're it not for the announcement that he
holds two millions Of city scrip which he
and GOWN signed in anticipation Of their
removal. and with which they we're, we
suppose, to carry On sort OF lnde-
pendent Government Mr.. HATES has
about as much authority to sell city
bonds or certificates, or to create any
city Indebtedness, az NIKE BAILEY has" he
has no authority to sell bonds OF perform any
other official duty as Comptroller, except to
hand over the books and other public prop
erty to his successor. He is officially de-
funct- So long as Mr. HAYES confined him
self to lamentations over the loss of his
of5ce,-which Office, by the way, he has
always said he held at great personal sacri-
fce,-his complaints were harmless But
nov that he has set himself up as fiscal
agent" of the city, and offers to sell bonds to
the amount Of two millions of dollars, he
puts himself in less favorable light, and
warrants the suggestion that he is himself
anxious to hold the Office. He forgets that
the credit of the City of Chicago does not
depend upon his being the Comptroller
that the money to be borrowed is to be
borrowed upon the credit of the city,
and not upon that of the Comptroller
that the personal and official credit of alr.
DEn1cKsoN is fully equal to that of Mr.
HAYES; and that hispresent proceedings look
very much as if he sought to destroy what
he is not allowed to govern and control at
his pleasure. His letter is an indication OF
moral weakness which is not natural to Mr..
HAYES, and it is to be hoped he will discover
how rapidly he is wearing away the patience
Of his wxrnest personal friends.
Year: 1876

A Washington special states that the
minority of the Committee on Pacific Rail
roads have agreed to- report adversely to
Judge LAwREScEs bill providing for collec-
tion Of the ninety-four millions due the
Government by these railroads. This
on the ground that the LAWRENCE
bill is unconstitutional, because impair
ing the obligation of the contract be-
tween the roads end the Government
which is embodied in the various acts under
which the roads were constructed The re-
port Of the minority is rcassertion of the
doctrine that the roads are in fact superior to
the Government, aud that against them the
Government ia wholly without redress. l.
Year: 1876

defeated the efforts to keep the Chicago
prices for grain uniformly higher than those
of the Eastern and foreign markets, and that
it's operation has caused the farmers to seek
other markets in preference to Chicago for
their wheat and corn, then they will not be
slow to move for the repeal of the rule.
The merchants cannot afford to be made SUBJ
servient to either one or the other of the
speculative cliqnes on the Board of Trade.
They are confronted with the fact that the
grain trade is falling of, and they must know
that their own business will necessarily
follow the grain trade, and either increase or
decrease in proportion. This is their first
and only interest in the effect Of the present
rulo for the settlement of time trades Oh the
Board, and their personal examination OF the
matter should begin with this end in view.


At the same time there should be vigor-
Gus movement to reduce the switching, ele-
vator, md all other terminal charges on
grain to as low and fair figure as prevails
in any other city. The practice must be
abandoned OF carrying lot of empty ware
houses by the increased charges of those
which continue to do the business. The term
Of first storage charges must be changed so
as to conform to the different necessities and
desires of the different shippers. New York
should also do something in the same direc-
ton, for in this matter the interests Of New
York and Chicago are identical. With the
proper facilities at both ends for handling
the grain at reasonable charges, the tendency
to decline may be changed to tendency
to an increase in the grain trade of both
Year: 1876

The resignation of 3fr. JAMES F. joy as
President Of the Michigan Central Railroad
will occasion n good deal OF surprise just al
this time, though it is known that his posi-
ton has not been comfortable one in his
relation to 1nanyof the stockholders for some
time past. Whether it means that Mr.. JoG
is no longer able to control the stock and
management Of the Company, or TINT lie vol.
untarily abandoas contest which no longer
has any attractions for him, can only be
demonstrated by subsequent developments.
His railroad career has been one of the most
ambitious and enterprising even in this couu-
Try of railroad 1nonarchs.
Year: 1876

At the meeting of bankers, citizens, and
others yesterday, an extraordinary letter was
read from Mr.. HAYES, which letter will be
found elsewhere in TIE TRIBUNE When it
a week ago, and that the City Council con-
frmed the appointment Of his successor, this
letter from him is open to the term ''pe-
cuiar." Having been relieved from Office,
he is doing violence to his own credit and
standing by this pretended claim to an Office
Year: 1876




The dispatches in yesterdays TRIBUNE con-
tanned two very important items relative to
the fine arts, which do not often figure in the
telegraph columns of the daily press. The
first Of these was the destruction by fire ut
Cincinnati of the mammoth painting of


s.The Prodigal Son." The patient work Of
years was destroyed in moments time by
careless janitor. Probably no other painting
in the United States-not even Churchs


"Niasara or ''HeArt of the Andes" s"-was so
we'll known, or has attracted so much popu-
lar interest It had been exhibited in ell the
principal cities Of the country, and thou
sands Of people had visited and admired it,
both on account Of the familiarity of the
subject and the immensity and grandeur
of the artists design, as we'll as of
the brilliancy and beauty with which
that design YVES executed While we
would hardly place it among paint
ings of the first rank, as judged by the
standards of high art, it WIS nevertheless
noble work and public educator, and its
destruction thousands of people will almost
feel as personal loss. Commercially speak
ing, its value was very large, as it Was con-
stantly yielding large interest to the owner
upon his investment, which the insurance
will fail to make good.


Another notable picture was lost on the
same dag, but not by fire. It Was GAINS
BoRoUGH's portrait of the Duchess Of Devon
shire, who bought votes with kisses. It had
been sold only few days before for the
enormous sum of $52, 500, which was about
the price set on The Prodigal Son, and the
owner hardly found it in his possession be-
fore some thief cut it from its frame and
carried off the fair Duchess The first
question that will occur is, What
will he do with it? It would
seem to be an elephant in the hands even of
the most expert thief He cannot openly
sell it, nor would any pawnbroker take it in
pledge, or reputable dealer dare to buy it.
The practice Of stealing pictures from their
frames, however, has been reduced to q
science, and there is evidently ring formed
between these picture-thieves and dis
reputable dealers, by which the p1under
before it gets back to the hands of tho
original owner, as it eventually must
1t will be remembered that one Of
the saints was recently cut out Of q
Murillo picture in Spanish cathedral, and
that his saintship travelled about Europe for
some time, and that after years absence he
turned up in New York picture-store, where
he was reclaimed by the cathedral and taken
back to his homo above the altar. The
Duchess of Deyonshire may have like fate,
and even turn up in Chicago some day as the
result of cheap bargain, but she viii get
home again. She is too valuable to keep,
and is too we'll known to remain in one place |
any length of time |
Year: 1876

Extract from the speech of Judge Hoar of Massa


chuseit> on the relknap trial


my own public life has been brief and
insignificant, extending little beyond the
duration of single term of a senatorial
office, and 10 that brief period | have seen
five judges of high court of the United
States driven from office by threats of im-
peachment for corruption or maladminis-
tration. | have heard the taunt from the
triendliest lips that when the United State 8
presented herself in the East to take part
will, the civilized world in generous
competition in the arts of life, the only
product of her institutions in which she
surpassed al! others beyond question was
corruption"


CARL sCHURZ S TESTIMONY.
Extract from Mr. .Schurz's speech at Cincinnati,


August 81.


1.-The actual condition of things is so bad
that the people have become justly alarm
ed, and the cry has arisen that there must
be change. Yes, want change, and
you want change, as every honest and
patriotic man in the country wants it.


There will be one or two things, either
thorough reformation or inevitable and
perhaps rapid decay. On this question of
reform, then, upon the purity of govern
mtnt, how do you propose to stand
Which side will you be on2 Will you be
for maintaining corruption in its fast hold
upon the institutions of your country, or
will you step out, independent of party,
and take sides for reiorm?"
Year: 1876

Mr.. Bristow, like the honest, manly,
straightforward statesman that he is, has
gone before the House Committee on War
Expenditures and explained his connection
with the mule case, in which it is claimed
that he took part in defrauding the govern
ment. His explanation is clear and con-
elusive, and will be so accepted by the coun-
try. We observe that the Secretary would
have the committee inquire as to the author
of the story. This would be proftless.
The air is full of rumors, and the duty of
the press is not to take any mans character
for granted, but to insist upon having every
one investigated. Mr.. Bristow should there
fore feel grateful for the opportunity of de-
stroying calumny, which, as we learn from
Washington, has been il circulation for
some days. In this season of suspicion and
investigation no one can hope to escape
scrutiny. The story about Bristow was not
n whit more improbable than the story about
Pendleton. So far rs character is concerned
Mr.. Pendleton, until the railway charges
were made, stood as high as Mr.. Bristow
But when the scrutiny came Pendleton fell,
while Bristow came out not only stainless,
but with renewed lustre.


Therefore we repeat that Mr.. Bristow
never received a better service than when
the HERALD gave him the chance of going
before the House committee. We congratu-
late him upon his triumphant vindication,
and we congratulate the country upon hav-
ing at the head of the Treasury a statesman
who has been tried in the crucible and found
to be tho finest gold.
Year: 1876

Wehave published several communications
from officers Of the navy, both of the line
and staff, in reference TO rank. The point of
the quarrel is plain. Engineers, doctors and
paymasters arc graded according to their
service and fitness. There are engineers
who nominally rank as captains, doctors as
commanders and so on. There is another
class of officers, trained to naval service, who
are really captains commanders, and so on.
The members of the staff are given grades as
a courtesy. They are not really captains or
commanders in the naval service. An
engineer captain" is no more q captain than
an engineer ensign. He is captain of his
engines and of the coal beavers, the oil and
coal. A doctor commander" does not COM
mand anything but his pills and lancets
Now, as we understand the quarrel, it is this
The engineer captain wants to be real
captain, the doctor commander" o real
commander. That is to say, doctor who
has the rank and pay Of commander may
command all officers of lower grade Now
it may happen, say in action, that line
officers of high rank are killed. In that case
the doctor commander" who is down
in the hold saving broken legs, be-
comes the ranking officer. According to
the staff this doctor must at once throw
down his knife and sponge, his ether and
mustard poultice, and go on deck to fight
the ship. He may be fine surgeon and not
know howitzer from a martingale; but
still his rank compels him to take command
and direct the battle. AS any person of
common sense will see, the effect of this rule
would be that the wounded sailors would
die for the want of skilled care, and the ship
would sink or be knocked to pieces for want
of skill in the command.


What the navy needs is line officer who
knows how to command, and doctors and
engineers who know their business A good
doctor and good engineer, in their places,
have most important duties; but their
places are not in command. AS to rank, the
actual naval officers should have their rank,
the doctors and engineers their own grades
likewise. But their grades should have no
connection. The officers of the line COM
mand the vessel and all who are on board.
The officers of the staff have no business
whatever with that branch of the service.
The pretensions of the staff to any such au-
thority, or to any rank, actual or construc-
tive, that would permit its exercise, are abb
surd. The best way to end the quarrel
would be for Congress to take all rank what
ever from the staff, except what belongs to
years of service in their own grade. Let
rank and authority go together, where they
belong, with the officers of the line.
Year: 1876

Union League smoking room loungers, who,
having no offices, cry reform, "and fashion
able intelligence chroniclers should not be
permitted to force the party into an attitude
of hostility to the brilliant and gallant re-
publican leader who now stands ut the head
of his party in the Senate and the country.
The friends of Conkling comprise the vast
majority of the republicans in the State
His enemies are a club cabal, every one of
whom feels that he would make a much bet
ter candidate. 1t would be weakness in the
highest degree, and not only weakness, but
ingratitude, for the republican party to aban-
don Conkling. Such an Abandonment would
be reflection upon the State for if New
York does not present Conkling she will
be dragged into some Eastern intrigue for
Blaine or some Western intrigue for Morton.
No republican who respects his State cares
to assume this humiliating position. If there
were q controversy between rival leaders-if
the opposition to Conkling meant the nomi-
nation Of Evarts, Fish, Wheeler, Morgan, Dix
or some other New York statesman--we could
understand how there might be honest diff
VI OpluiOu. Dub tutIo 10 no SUCH
difference New York is not asked to name
any other of her eminent sons, but to aban-
don her favorite Senator, SO that scheming
politicians may use her for their own ends in
the Convention. This is not the position
which this great State should assume. We
trust, therefore, that the Convention will put
on record the will of the party-namely, that
Roscoe Conkling is its candidate for the
Presidency, and that the New York delega-
tion to the National Convention will not only
present his name as unit, but support
him first. last and all the time Whatever
objection there may be to Mr.. Conkling
as candidate for the Presidency before
the people there are none whatever to his
nomination by the republicans for that high
Office.
Year: 1876

The Methodists of North Carolina have
just celebrated their centennial, and we
print this morning very interesting report
of the proceedings. There is no special sig
nifcance in this celebration in so far as its
centennial aspects are concerned, but the
occasion serves to recall the history of pow
erful religious movement, both in the past
and at present. No one can doubt
that it was the itinerancy which SO pc
country in which both men and con-
sciences were struggling to be free. In
all respects the century of growth of the
Republic has also been in an equal degree
century of growth for Methodism. North
Carolina is an example of this, particularly
appropriate at this time, because the Metho-
dist Church, as an organization, was first
established in that State just one hundred
years ago. Up to 1776 Methodism was
almost unknown in the South, and every
where it was still in its infancy but it grew
with remarkable vigor until in the Southern,
as in most of the Northern States, it
is to-day the controlling religious influence.
The secret of that growth and paramount in
fluencc is in its adaptability. Its itinerant
clergymen, missionaries all of them and
men of great religious fervor and self
sacrificing spirit, were suited to do the work
of evangelizing new country, and it is not
surprising that they accomplished it success
fully. Everywhere are the monuments of
their zeal and their labors. The Methodists
of the United States have much reason to be
proud of their achievements, and of the
Christian pride they take in their work this
North Carolina celebration is ON excellent
example.
Year: 1876

There may be great difference of opinion
as to whether the sort of emotional storms
that are stirred up in community by the
Hippodrome process are of any permanent
benefit in religious sense whether the fer
vid piety and contrition and good resolutions
that result from excitement are any more
lasting than the excitement itself. But there
is one result of the Hippodrome campaign as
to which there is very little room for doubt,
and this is that it is largely increasing the
number of religious maniacs. Every day
cases of this character are reported, and it is
in the nature of things that we should not
hear of all the evil of this sort that is done.
Only one case in ten of persons who are actu.
ally driven to lunacy by this process Of
awakening" is reported, and there are hun
dreds that are not driven to that point al
which they lose control of their reason in
whom, however, the balance of the mind is
sadly shaken. Feeble minds, persons whose
morbid notions take always the direction
of over-consciousness and self-accusation,
should not be permitted by their friends te
go within gunshot of the Hippodrome. They
are like unseaworthy craft that cannot stand
ON hour of rough weather, though they NAV
go on for lifetime in smooth water.
Year: 1876

A SINGULAR STORY of persecution on the
one hand and subserviency on the other is
that relating to the Bishop of Paderborn.
1t now remains to be seen whether the Ger
man authorities will make demand upon
England similar to that which was made
upon Holland, and whether Mr.. Disraelis
government will yield to it il it is made.
order that England may have an opportunity
to reassert old-fashioned English independ-
ence of foreign dictation.