smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

We copy below letter from


Mr.. j. NJ. Henderson to Uncle


Sam. WINS, setting forth his rea-


sons for supporting the Hayes and
Wheeler ticket, and we would re-


commend a careful perusal of it


by every one, for he certainly


puts forth some sound reasoning:


EDITOR PosT:-In your last


weeks issue Of the Post | think


you do me injustice in one or two


paragraphs.


If | choose TO do so, | have the


right as an American citizen to


vote the Hayes and Wheeler tick
ct at the ensuing Presidential
election, without apology or ac-
count to yourself or any one else.


No man owes any fealty to any
particular party, except so far as
he believes it a fit instrument to
advance the general good. SO
soon as he believes it fails to ac-
complish that end, SO well as an
other party, it is not only his right
but it is his bounden duty as a
lover Of his country, to change
his party relations; and that too
without being held to account to
anybody for the act, and most GER
tainly without having his motives
impugned, or his private charac-
ter assailed. Political parties
seem to be necessary in a popular
government, and in the hands of
good men, and controlled by
proper ideas and principles, as
moral forces they are capable Of
doing much good. But in the hands
of bad men they are capable of
infinite mischief.


Again, all popular governments
rest upon the fundamental idea
that the people left to their own
free, willh0ge virtue and intelli-
gence enough to see and do what
is right and best for their own III
terests. The proper mode of as
certaining the popular will in a
government like ours is by free,
open and fair election. Conse-
quently, if our elections are not
perfectly free and fair, they do
not truly reflect the popular will,
they become a mere farce, and
the whole theory of popular gov
ernment vanishes "like the base.
less fabric Of a vision


All distractions to perfectly |
free and voluntary use OF the priv
ilege of the elective franchise or
all intimidation of every kind and
character, are species of. disfran.
chisemeht, and are directly sub.
versive of constitutional liberty.
The simple question to be settled
by each voter, and the one in my
opinion that dwarfs all other ques-
tions into perfect insignificance is
this: Will it be safer for the next
four years to entrust the admins
tration of the restored govern
ment of the United States with all |
the legitimate results and fruits
Of the war, in the hands Of the
Republican party, composed
Of those persons who pre-
served tia few years since from
overthrow, rather than to place
the purse and sword of the nation
in the hands of the Democratic
party, composed mainly of those
persons and their sympathizers
who were lately engaged in arm.
cd rebellion TO overthrow itt ]
think il would be safer in the
hands Of the Republican party.
The stream is too deep and the
Year: 1876

The foolish public are hoard.
ing up the silver change as fast as
it comes into circulation, and con
sequently change is getting very
acarce in this section. The put.
ting away Of the silver change is
simply foolishness, and works
great inconvenience to the pub.
lie- Any one can have az much
silver as he wants by sending frae.
tionaI currency 10 the Treasury
Department, and there ia no
sense in blocking the wheels Of
trade in my such way.
Year: 1876

Let the common people every
where regardless of politics work
for the election of Bradford and
Dowell. They don't represent
any bonded aristocricy-but they
do represent the common people.
Year: 1876

PINCHBAoK SETTLED. Wednes-
day the Senate by vote Of 42 to ~
decided not to admit the negro Pinch
back to . seat in that body as Senator
from Louisiana. Five Republican Sen
ators refused to submit to the dictation
Of the Radical fanatic Morton, Of In
diana. but preferred to assert their ewn
manliness and voted with the Demo-
Gratis to save the United States Senate
from the disgrace Of admitting that dis
reputable adgenturer, whose claimed
election was q fraud, to seat in It.
Thus this vexed question which, for
more than three years has been bother
ing the Senate and Notifying the
country,is At last settled, and it is earn
estly hoped will never again be brought
Year: 1876

Congress, the press and the people.
are all aDxiously discussing the 6nan-
cial problem. Presidential aspirants are
on the fence fearfully uncertain as to
which theory will prove most expedient
and become the popular one 10 the en-
suing campaign, whilst legislators are
striving in favor Of imitation or resump-
ton as will best serve the particular
section Of the country they represent.
forgetting 10 their zeal that this great
country is as diversified in its interests
and products, as its inhabitants are in
their nationality, and that financial
theory, a tariff or taxation, favorable to
one section, may be disastrous to an
other. Wise Legislation would seem to
consider, what would be best for all
sections, and for the general good. and
if in mapping out plans for the future
financial policy Of the country, legisla-
tors would examine the financial record
Of the United States prior to 1861. they
might easily find short cut to resump-
ton without Congress fixing day and
then wasting time discussing which
party will make the most BY repeating
such action enforcing it. In the ante
bellum days each State chartered bank
ing institutions Of her own. with certain
privileges Of creating promises to pay
money, and issuing such promises as
currency. They we're received and
passed BY the people as money in their
dealings one with the other, because
they could, whenever it was needed or
desired procure gold. on presenting one
Of these promises at the counter where
issued. Why cannot Congress com
mence resumption BY repeating the uo-
just tax Of ten per cent upon State
banks issue, recall the four hundred
million dollars Of national bank circula-
ton and issue greenbacks in their place,
purchasing up the Government bonds
thereby, saving to the Treasury twenty
one million dollars Of interest now paid
annually to the bond holders, or their
representatives, in gold. This would
be big stride toward resumption and
reach it much sooner than Congress
sional resolutions. Next, with the in
tcrest thus annually saved. buy more
bonds and continue until the debt is
sufficiently under control to give no
trouble. Then begin and redeem the
greenbacks. Gold thus paid out. let
State banks again procure for basis
upon which to issue their own circula-
ton, as the sooner We can return to
State banks, that much sooner will the
diversified interests Of the country be
the better subserved and agriculture the
basis Of all wealth be fostered and en-
couraged. Suppose this old Bourbon
fashion Of decreasing debt, lessening
expenses, and placing men and mea-
sures, labor and capital on an equal
footing be tried. 1t certainly can make
times no worse. and if "a penny aaved
is two earned" twenty-one million
saved is . good thing surely.
Year: 1876

SAD News OF AN ACTRESS. Miss
Clara Morris is dangerously sick, her
illness confning her abed in her
residence 10 New York. The old
affection Of the spine is supplemented
by disorder Of the lungs. She can
not speak aloud except a few moments
at a time. 1t is very unlikely that she
will soon, if ever, again appear on the
stage, the attending physicians regard
ing her ailments as chronic. requiring
entire abstinence from disquiet.
Year: 1876

of the stock of the Association is now open
Besides being a safe and profitable investment
it enables its members to purchase for them
selves homes with money they would other
wise pay for rent. Application can be made
to the Secretary at any lime, who will be
pleased to give any information desired.


The Annual Meeting of the Association for
the election of officers will be held TUESDAY,
March 81, at Z o'clock. A. G. cox,


feb 26tm Secretary.
Year: 1876

A Docs FIDELITY.-Psssengers on
the Valley Railroad are attracted daily
by the conduct of "a large and intelligent
dog waiting by the roadside for the daily
newspaper, which WAS formerly thrown
to him from the baggage car for his mas
ter, who lived half mile from the rails.
The master has been dead many months,
but the faithful dog has not missed the
mail-train u day since. There is 70 pa
per for that master now, but sometimes
the baggage master, in pity for the dog,
tosses n paper to him as the train rushes
by, which he eagerly siezes and starts
joylully over the hills for his home
When the train has gone by and no pa
per is thrown he rushes wildly up and
down the track, gazing after the cars
with an almost human look OF disap-
pointment, and jogs dejectedly home
ward.
Year: 1876

An unusual marriage took place in
Omaha, Neb. the parties thereto being
Spencer Wright and Miss Bessie
Roberts, daughter of United States
Deputy Collector John Roberts. The
CEREMONY took place at the house where
the young man boarded, as he was too
i'll to be removed elsewhere. The Rev.
l.. F. Britt, pastor of the First Metho-
dist church, performed the ceremony.
Mr.. Wright has been failing in health
very rapidly of late, and the physicians
here having given him up, his father,
who is u merchant tailor in New York
city, arrived to take his son home to
die of consumption. Miss Roberts, to
whom young Wright has long been
affianced, decided to 60 East with her
dying lover, and give him all the care
and attention that her love could prompt
in his dying hours, and the better to
enable her to care for him, she decided
to have the marriage ceremony per.
formed before the journey to New York
was undertaken. While the wedding
was sad in its attendant circumstances,
it was ightened up with the great cheer
fulness manifested by the bride in tax
ing up her labor Of love.
Year: 1876

"Dora" was being enacted in a
Western city where the choice of actors
is not great. and Mary Morrison, on
making her exit to bring on her little
Willie. of four years, was shocked to
find a lubberly boy of at least fourteen,
who must go on, as no other was to be
had. The Farmer Allen of the play was
no doubt equally shocked to see Mary
coming upon the stage with boy near
ly as big as herself. Whist was worse,
the audience began to litter. But Farm
er Allen was equal to the emergency,
and instead of asking "How old are
you, my little boy2" said: elbow old
are you, my strapping fellow2" proba-
bly, hoping that the boy would have the
good sense to give an age more suitable
to his size. The boy, however, with
painful fidelity to the book, and in a
sepulchral voice that made the answer
all the more preposterous, said "Four
to five, grandpapa." "Forty-five %
exclaimed the other, cheerfully "you
look it, my boy, you look it ~ There
was laugh at the moment, but the
play was saved from shipwreck. 1t was
told of a famous tragedian that at the
close of an act in which he had been the
prominent character, q goose's head was
thrown upon the stage by some one who
had spite against him. The tragedian
picked it up, handed it to one of the
others to take away, and said, with per-
feet nonchalance: "The gentleman
who has thrown his head upon the stage
can get it back at the close of the per
formance."
Year: 1876

Says a writer: It is very exciting,
but the sea was not very rough. The
Surf board is o rough plank shaped like
a coffin lid, about two feet broad and
from six to nine feet long. The men,
dressed only in malos, carrying their
boards under their arms waded out
from the rocks ON which the surf was
breaking, and, pushing their boards be-
fore them, SWAN out to the first line of
breakers, and then, diving down, were
seen no more till they reappeared as q
number of black heads bobbing about
like corks in the water. What they seek
is very high roller, on the top Of which
they leap from behind. diving face
downward ON their boards. As the
waves speed on and the bottom strikes
the ground the top breaks In hinge
comber. The swimmers appeared pos
ing themselves on it's highest edge by
deIterous movements of their hands and
feet, keeping just at the top Of the curl,
but always apparently coming down hill
with slanting motion. So they rode In
majestically, always just ahead OF the
breaker, carried sboreward by its mighty
impulse at the rate of forty miles an
hour, yet seeming to have o vohion OF
their own, as the more daring riders
knelt and even stood on their surf
boards, waving their arms and uttering
exultant cries. They were always ap-
parently on the verge of ingulfment by
the fierce breaker whose towering white
crest was ever above and just behind
him; but just as one expected to 500
them dashed to pieces, they either waded
quietly ashore, or, sliding of their
boards, dived under the surf, taking ad-
vantage Of the undertow, and were next
seen far out at sea, preparing for fresh
exploits. The great art seems to be to
mount the roller precisely at the right
time, and to keep exactly on its crest
lust before il breaks. G i
Year: 1876

There is no lady deserving of the
name who could witness without feel
ing of horror the process of preparing
for use the feathered beauties which
form such conspicuous ornaments in the
present style of women's hats. If those
who wear such ornaments knew the
tortures to which these helpless little
creatures are subjected, and the heart
less cruelty with which the business is
carried on, they would shrink from even
indirect completely in it. OF course the
impression prevails that all birds used
for personal decoration are killed inn
mediately when caught and prepared in
the ordinary way by ta1idermists !; but
here is where the mistake is made. The
birds are taken alive, and while living
the skin is skillfully stripped from their
quivering, ghastly bodies. By this pro-
cess it is claimed the feathers retain a
firmer hold upon the skin. Such is the
method by WHICH all birds used in the
decoration of ladies' hats are prepared.


Think of the exquisite humming bird,


the blue bird, the cardinal bird, the
oriole, and numberless others of beauti-
full plumage, struggling beneath the
knife of the heartless operator think of
this, tender hearted ladies, as your ad-
miring gaze rests on the latest novelties
in fashion by which our city bellies are
crownedl Hundreds of thousands of
birds of the brightest plumage are liter
ally fayed alive every year, and 80 long
as our ladies will consent to wear such
ornaments, just so long will this cruel
business continue. The Baroness Bur
dette. Coutts has placed herself at the
head of movement in England de-
signed to put an end TO the brutal bust
ness, and it is to be hoped that she will
meet with cordial encouragement and


co operation on this side of the Atlantic.
Year: 1876

The Feelings of Bernard Bailey, who Shot


Himself in st. Louis Because no was


Tilted.


To THE PUBLIC: Would you like to
know how q man feels who is about to
commit suicides In the first place, he
must feel so badly that no matter what
is to come hereafter, it is more endura-
BILE than the present; and secondly, he
must feel that, more enGurable or not,
he cannot help the act; that If even the
future is worse than the present, the
present is uncomfortable. I suppose
medical men would like to know just the
mental condition of one who can shuttle
OFF this mortal coil.


1t is this: My nerves and senses are
as sound as they ever were. I can attend
to business as efficiently, and as fully
realize that the chief end Of man is to
gather ducats, as ever could. but I
can also realize that without my better
half am as perfect engine without
steam-useless.


Doctors of divinity would doubtless
like to know my moral and religious
ideas. My moral idea is this: That man
should do his duty In spite Of obstacles
the only thing which will bring the
10
1 acknowledge that was too weak so to
do. In regard to my future state, my
reason does not fully accept that there is
future state of which we will be con-
scious. believe in the Immortality of
the soul, or the life principle, or what.
ever it is, as I believe in the Immortality
uf bushel of coal; that it may change
its form so essentially as to be uncon-
scious of having ever existed before, but
that still, as the coal, it is not destroy
ed, but simply changes its form. My
heart may speak differently to me, but
even then believe that whatever is. is
inevitable, as it must all proceed from
one great original, and 80 must be in
accordance with his will.


However, shall probably know more
about it in twenty-four hours than all
the D. DIS living. am not crazy. ]
know that the world is full Of good and
enjoyable things, and that they were
put here for our good and benefit, and
that we should strive and work 70 obtain
them.


But I am unable to care for them
without the love of my darling. Iwish
to state that Miss is in no way re-
sponsible for my having loved her; that
almost before she had ground for think.
ing that my feelings toward her were
more tender than those of friendship,
she informed me that her heart was an.
others, and that, while she esteemed
and cared for me as friend, could be
nothing more to her. But she was mis-.
taken in that, and though I could not
convince her of it while living, she viii
realize it when I sleep the sleep that
knows no waking. A sweet good night
to all.


APPENDIX


On the back of sheet of note paper
we're the words: "Respect this" On
the other side was written the following


"I wish to be buried just in the
clothing in which die. Do not move
me from where I am found, except to
my grave.


"Bury me in plain pine coffin, and
have me carried to my grave in one
horse spring wagon. Do not let the
total cost of my burial exceed IS. AS the
last request of dying man, conjure
you to respect these Instructions"
Year: 1876

The Black Eyed Rebel.
A boy drove into the city, his wagon loaded
down
With food to feed the people of the British
governed town;
Aud the little black eyed rebel, 80 cunning and
30 sly,
Was watching for his coming from the corner
OF her eye.
His face looked broad and honest his hands
were brown and tough,
The clothes he wore upon him were home.
spun, coarse, and rough;
But one there was who watched him, who long
time fingered nigh,
And cast at him sweet glanoes from the corner
Of her eye.
He drove up to the market, he waited In the
His apples and potatoes were fresh and fair
and fine;
But long and long he waited, and no one came
to buy,
Save ths black eyed rebel, Watching from the
corner of her eye.
"Now who will buy my apples ?" he shouted,
lung huQ iOuQ;
And "Who wants my potatoes ?" he repeatsd
to the crowd;
But from all the people round him came no
word Of a reply,
Save the black eyed rebel answering from the
corner Of her eye.
For she krew that meath the lining of the coal
be woro that day
We're long letters from the husbands and the
fath:rs far away,
Who wore fighting for the freedom that they
meant to gain CT die;
And a tear like silver glistened in the corner
Of her eye.
But the treasures-how to get them crept
the question through her mind,
Since keen enemies were Watching for what
prizes they might find;
Aud che paused while and pondered with a
pretty little sigh;
Then resolve crept through her features, and
shrewdness fired her eye
So she resolutely walked up to the wagon old
and red;
May have q dozen apples for kiss ?" che
sweely eaid;
Aud the brown face flushed to scarlet, for the
boy WAS somewhat shy,
Aud re saw her laughing at him from the cor
ner OF her eye.
"Y1u may have them all for nothing, and
more, if you want" quoth he.
~ will Lave them, my good fellow, hut can
pay for them" said she.
And she rlambered on the wagon, mindng not
who all were by,
With a laugh of reckless romping in tho corner
OF her eye.
Olinging round his brawny neck, she clasped
her fingers white and small,
And then whispered: "Q1ick! the letters
thrust them underneath my shawl!
Garry back again this package, and be sure
that you are spry!"
And she sweetly smiled upon him from the
corner of her oyo.
Loud the motley crowd were laughing at the
strange, ungirlish freak,
And the boy was scsred and painting, and so
dashed he could not speak;
And MISS, I have good apples" q bolder
lad did cry;
But she answered "No, thank you," from
the corner of her eye.
With the news Of loved ones absent to the dear
friends they would greet,
Searching them who hungered for them, swift
she glided through the street.
"There is nothing worth the doing that it
does not pay to try
Thought the little black eyed rebel, with a
twinkle in her eye.


VIII Carleton in Ha,per's
Year: 1876

KEEPING ACCOUNTS. are
quiet and sweet tempered during the
year, but they keep accornt of their
husbands sins aud shortcomings, and
b We grand settlement when house
cleaning time comes. During the few
days devoted to whitewash and soap
and water they infiict the necessary
amount of punishment and so start
square again.
Year: 1876

The Democrats determined to make
this an investigating session, but
things have not turned out just as
they intended. One Democratic can
didate for the presidency has been
laid out cold two Democrat ex-mem-
bers of Congress have been caught
tn the real estate pool the clerk of
ihe Ways and Means committee has
been discharged for disgusting exhi :
bition of his joy over the assassination
of Lincoln and lying about it /; the
journal clerk is about to retire for a
gross prostitution of his place to
lobby purposes the Clerk of the
under House is charges of fraud on
the Post Office department; one door
keeper has been dismissed for mis-
conduct the chief door-keeper is
being investigated on charges of lar
ceny and perjury the clerk of the
military committee is charged with
revenue frauds, and there are sundry
other unpleasant features of the case.
For a party that was to show us
official purity in the concrete, this is
doing pretty well, considering its
opportunities. Suppose it had all
the departments of the government
for a field, what might we. moi
expect
Year: 1876

The bill introduced by Senator Sherman,
proposing convention between this coun-
try and Great Britain for the purpose of
unifying the gold coinage system of the
two countries by the introduction of a
common monetary unit, will no doubt at
tract much attention from monetary stu
dents, and much opposition on the part of
the adherents of the metrical system. Con-
si3cIiDg our great commercial and social
relations with Great Britain, it seems but
proper that the first step towards harmo-
nizing money terms and values should be
taken with that Government. By the
measure proposed the money OF account
in each country shall be the dollar, con-
tanning % 10 grains of standard metal, or
90 G-1O grains of pure gold. Taking the
present sovereign of Great Britain, which
contains about 113 grains of pure gold, the
quantity of pure metal in the proposed dol.
lar is evidently made to conform to the
quantity of pure metal contained in one
fifth of the sovereign or pound sterling,
and the five dollar piece would therefore
corrt spond to the pound sterling of Great
Britain. Without entering at the present
into the merits of the proposed new coin,
the idea seems to possess some advantages,
and should be carefully considered by the
present Congress. 1t is an important step
in the right direction, and may eventually
lead TO the adoption of a common unit and
money of account and greatly simplify ex-
changes between the two countries.