smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

WASHINGTON, ID. C., Aug. Il, 1876


To the Editor Of the National Republican:


SIR: In my recent communication correct
ing a statement that charged Ex-Governor
Davis with the crime of overthrowing the Re-
publican party in Texas, mentioned among
others the name of Major B. Rush Plumly as
being in part responsible for that calamity.
have been informed that he thinks wronged
him: that he is now supporting the party, and
that ought in fairness withdraw what l said
of him, since it is not the truth. In order that
may set him right and at the same time not
do myself injustice, it is necessary that l
should make brief statement. Some time In
1S10-'1l there was a formidable outbreak
some where in Limestone county. 1t was
perfect reign of hell on earth.


The White Liners were determined to have
things their way at any cost, and the local Iu-
thorities were powerless to enforce the laws.
They appealed to the Governor for aid, who
Immediately dispatched several companies of
the State police to the scene of trouble. When
they arrived there and began restoring order
and arresting the ringleaders howl went up
from the Democratic members of the Legisla-
ture. Several Republican members Joined in
this cry about military despotism, among
whom was Major Plumley. No particular at
teDtion was paid to what the Democrats said,
because they were always ready with excuses
for their friends whenever they had taken the
life of some timid negro or some unarmed
white Republican, but when Majo Plumley
arose, with his acknowledged ability and high
standing in the party, and began to denounce
Governor Davis for interfering in the local af-
airs Of Limestone county, 1t had the effect of
discOuraging and alternating from the Republi-
can party a large number of good but not very
determined men, who would have continued to
act with US had It not been for this blunder on
the part of our well-meaning but over zealsus
friend. We knew II was mistake of the judg
Year: 1876

THE Democrats of South Carolina are
striving hard to get now and then respect
able negro TO accept Places on their execu-
tive committee. They think this will look
well at the n orth although they we'll know
the masses of the negroes, ex-siaves, will
never support the Democratic ticket. They
will adhere to the party which emanci-
pated and enfranchised them, and those
who expect to be leaders OF the ex-slaves
must join their party. This is the token
of conversion which they can reasonably
REQUIRE of those of their old masters who
fought four years 10 keep them enslaved.
If they honestly mean freedom and eleva-
ton of the race by education and franchise
why not join the party that is pledged to
carry out this policy! Southern politicians
have generally shown less sagacity in re-
gard to the manipulation and control Of the
negro vote than they have ever exhibited
concerning any other public question.
Gen. Longstreet the late James L. Orr
and few others saw the thing In its proper
light, and had they been Joined by few
more leading Democrats could have easily
shaped Southern Republican policy that
would have given satisfaction to all respect
able people in that section who had the
material well being of the South at heart.
All men of sense mustsee that such result
can be achieved in no other manner.
Year: 1876

THE ''Silver Commission" authorized
by act of Congress will not meet for per
manent organization until the second Mon
day in September. No more important
commission than this one will prove TO be
has ever before been convened in this
country. 1t is authorized to investigate
facts and recommend legislation which
will in time become questions of party dI-
vision and paramount partisan importance.
1t is hoped, however, that the commission
will have the courage to recommend a re-
turn TO the double standard of gold and sill
yer, which formed the basis of our financial
system when the public debt was con-
tracted
Year: 1876

WADE HAMPTON S nomination to be the
Democratic candidate for Governor of
South Carolina is in keeping with the de-
sign of the Southern Democracy to confer
honor upon none but those who served
them faithfully in the Confederate armies.
Now let the Republicans of the Palmetto
State nominate for their standard bearer
some man who is an out and out, unquali-
fed and uncompromising Republican,
straightforward Unionist, and not a tenn
porizing, sycophantic Gusher. In such an
event the coming election would be a square
contest between the two parties. Right
Year: 1876

THE WEEKLY NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
is now ready for the mails. 1t is the
largest paper in the country, comprising
sixty four long columns of reading matter.
The current number contains the closing
proceedings-of Congress and the list of acts
which have been passed at the first session
of the Forty fourth Congress, besides all
the current general and political news of
the week. 1t is the cheapest paper in the
world.
Year: 1876

TAKE A DOSE of your own medicine"
was the thought uppermost in Don Cam
eron's mind when he made use of the Scott
Lord resolution, passed by the Democratic
House, as a basis of instructions to the
General Of the Army. And somehow or
another their own medicine does not sit
well on their stOmachs.
Year: 1876

THE news from North Carolina is en-
coursging, Judge Settles canvass against
ex Governor Vance is one Of the most Wig
orous assaults that has been made upon the
Tar-heel Democracy since the war, and his
election to be Governor is as certain as any
thing of the future can be- Vance's war
record proves to be a milestone which will
carry him to the bottom of the political
poud next November.
Year: 1876

II THE New York World is right in its
assumptions, Scott Lord and Secretary
Cameron are wrong in their belief that the
exercise Of the right of suffrage should be
protected in this country. 1t should be
remembered, however, that the World is
never very particular regarding this ques-
tion except when the Democrats are pre-
vented from exercising their characteristic
partisan privilege of voting early and often.
Year: 1876

SECRETARY CAMERON letter to Gen.
Sherman continues to be the most promi,
nent topic of public and political converse
ton. The question is often asked anent
this subject whether Scott Lord in
dorsed the bloody shirt or Don Cameron
indorsed Scott Lord. However this may
be it is certain that the Democracy have
fallen into trap of their own setting, and
are liable to loss paw or two if not their
femDer
Year: 1876

"UNDENIABLY SMART" is the phrase
used by the New York Tribune TO charac-
terize Secretary Cameron's letter to Gen.
Sherman. There is no doubt but that the
Southern Democracy will smart undeniablY
if the spirit of that letter is carried out
Year: 1876

here let it be understood that with Wade
Hampton at the fore the South Carolina
Democracy will be consolidated to man,
and no weak -kneed Republican can win a
single vote from them.
Year: 1876

They have new way of making Democrats
in the West. They take Conservative, and
after having him bitten by a rattlesnake they
fill him to the eyes with whisky. 1t cures the
bite, but it makes them Democrats every time
Year: 1876

The attack made by Engineer George c.
Ellison upon Professor Gardiner in the Capitol
was more characteristic of the brute than of
humanity. His record is unclesn enough,
without adding any other mean act to it. 1t is
to lie hoped that in the court of justice con-
dign punishment will be meted out to him as
his deed deserves.
Year: 1876

ENACT the part of the good Samaritan
to-day by sending succor to the yellow
fever sufferers in Savannah. Washing.
tonians, ever blessed with large proper
ton of health, seem to be hardly able to
realize the depth and breadth of the ca
lamity under which our sister city is now
laboring. Her population of 5000 is now
reduced to pitiful 5000, only one seventh
of her ordinary number, and of these there
are dying an average of fifteen to twenty
daily. A like proportion of deaths in this
District would give daily mortality of $50
to COO. Just let us imagine such condition
of affairs here, and then let our sympathy
take tangible shape in such contributions
as We would have others send to US in like
circumstances.
Year: 1876

THAT TILDEN preferred wounded and


sick soldiers should starve rather than help
them; that he was in sympathy with the
rebellion, and yet willing to sell iron and
extract OF coffee to the stronger party for
gain; that he was willing to defraud the
revenue by conce tlug his income; that he
is mean enough to plead the statute of limi-
tation ON the price Ot the furniture adorn-
ing his house, and thus defraud the manu-
facturer and laborer, are not now to be
questioned. They are matters proved be-
yond doubt AS a substitute for merit in
Tilden, the Democrrtic press are parading
the virtues, patriotism, benevolence to
the poor soldier and economy of the pres
ent House of Representatives, and credit
ing them all to the account of Tilden. This
is by odds the cream of the joke Of the
Year: 1876

Oh OUR FIRST PAGE will be found an
impassioned letter from "Vindex," an
ardent Southern Republican, who wishes
to know what the Administration and the
Republican party and Col. Bob Ingersoll
mean when they say the American flag is
broad enough, the Government of which
it is the insignia is powerful enough to
protect the humblest of American citizens,
at home as well as abroad. His language
is plain and to the point. Why is not the
present good time to answer his ques-
tions? South Carolina is in armed rebel
lion and deties the Government to disarm
the rebel banditti and protect the unarmed
citizens
Year: 1876

The Louisville COurier-JournaE gives
its editorial sanction 10 the falsehood that
Indian Commissioner Smith shipped goods
by rail which could have been shipped by
water. The fact is that at this season there
is no safety in shipping by water. The
mountain SHOWS have ceased to melt; there
are no fall rains, and the waters commence
to go down in August, and in such season
as this soon become too low for navigation.
This misfortune is due wholly to the re-
fusal of the rebel Democratic House, of
which the editor of the Courier Journal is
one, TO make the appropriations in due time
Year: 1876


character in the American family and excels
anybody in the world in seeing the most sights
for the least money.


Tilden's income returns were not made by
him in the hour of peril to the nation, and the
returns of the nation on the 7th of November
will not be such as to permit him to come in.


The Centennial year has brought associa-
tions, conventions and congresses Of every
kind and name. The very latest is the Butter
and Eggs Association, which meets in Phila-
delphis on the nth instant. The day for the
meeting of the peanut venders international
congress has not yet been fixed.


Our public spirited citizens have taken steps
which, in conjunction with the arrangements
made by the committees of the Society of the
Army of the Tennessee, will insure credit
able and gratifying reception of the visitors as
well as a satisfactory management of the
ceremonies attendant upon the unveiling of
the Mcpherson statue, which latter solemn
performance has very properly been made an
auxiliary on this occasion to the annual meet
ing of the above-named society. This will be
the first meeting of society of war veterans
held at the National Capital, and will be an
important event in the history of this city.
We hope, therefore, that every effort will be
made to render the occasion as enjoyable as
the ceremonies of unyeiling the statue will be
interesting and impressive.
Year: 1876

Facilities for the public to move with celer-
ity from one point to another in any direc-
ton in a great city are of primary conse-
quence to nearly the whole people, and while
we may fairly rate this city as about the
third in the world in most respects it is
certainly at best the 'fftieth in this respect
What is the reason of this? Cabs are so few
with us that they are scarcely feature in
our streets, and what few we have seem TO
be worked not so much with view to gain
a livelihood for their owners and drivers as
to exhibit the possibilities of extortion. This
has always been so well recognized, whether
with the carriages" or with the various ex-
periments made at cabs, that city people
themselves have never made much use of
these vehicles, but have left them to the
unwary wanderers from the outside world.
Formerly the omnibuses that ran up nearly
all the main streets accommodated the pub
lie sufficiently, for by some one of these it
was possible to get within easy distance of
almost any point in the city; but as the city
spread out and tended TO cover the whole
island and the distances became greater it





means of transit than the omnibuses sup
piled would produce cab system. At that
critical point in our municipal history the
street cars came in. They were in one sense
an accident Tryon row, opposite the Hall
of Records, was within the memory of man
the starting point of the New Haven Rail-
road; but it became necessary to prohibit the
use of locomotives below Twenty-seventh
street, and the company, therefore, organized
the service of small cars to carry passengers
from the downtown station up to the
train, and these cars became con-
venience to the general public, and
that local service became the Fourth avenue
line. Other lines were copied from it in
other streets simply for the use of the public,
and without reference TO uptown trains,
until the system grew to its present propor-
tions. This system now monoDolizes pas
Year: 1876

Englishmen, even those who view Sba
monarchy with undated loyalty, have been
of late years prone to put rather ungener-
Gus construction on the movements of
Queen Victoria Hence, when our London
correspondent tells us that the announce
ment of Her Majesty being about to open
the coming session of Parliament fore
shadows the request for another cash grant
to help settle her remaining manageable
daughter in life, he only echoes the sentiment
of the English capital Since the death
of the Prince Consort the Quees has taken
scarcely any part in public life, and if she
comes personally to Parliament when asking
marriage portions for her children it would
be perhaps little more generous to look at
it from the side that she believes such
request really calls for a personal solici-
tation and that in so asking she ac-
knowledges the power of the people to re-
fuse. If the English people like monarchy
they must pay as we'll as play. The Ritual
lists still make a stir with their over
lures to Rome, and between the oppo-
sition Of the masses and the immovability
of Rome they pay the penalty of all half
way parties. Mock turtle receives equally
the scorn of calfs head and green turtle
The success of Miss Genevieve Ward in her
performance of Lady Macbeth at Drury
Lane, for the benefit of the Centennial fund,
is gratifying, as much because Of
the lady being On American as the
object of the performance being so
patriotic in its nature The hand
some subscriptions of Miss Nelson
and Messrs. John S. Clarke Jefferson and
Sothern will be appreciated here. The
strength of the colony of American players
in London is strilzingly shown in various
items Of our cable letter, and among them
Miss Field should not be forgotten. Lon
don, apparently, has a gay season before it,
and this gives US promise of a weekly budge
of interesting news for some time to come,
which we shall be glad to lay before our
readers
Year: 1876

We have received many letters relative to
the authorship of ''Pique." One of these is
from Rose Rayland, who made the original
charge that Mr.. Daily had taken his first
three acts from Florence Marryats novel,
"Her Lord and Master y another very long
and very able communication is signed
''Looker On = another is from can English
Playwright" and another, in defence of Mr..
Daily, is from the always witty and generous
pen of John Brougham. That we decline to
publish these letters, treating the subject in
such different ways, is not from any want of
respect for their authors, all of whom show
signal ability in their arguments. We de-
cline because we think the only question we
undertook to examine has been finally de-
cided. That question was whether the play
was taken from the novel. 1t is admitted
that it was. No denial has come from
Mr. Daily OF from Mr.. Brougham
or from any one, because no one
can contradict evidence of which
the public has now full possession.
The discussion now tends toward the ques-
ton whether Mr.. Daily had the right to an
nounce the play as his original work, with
out acknowledging his Indebtedness to the
novel. Here we enter the realm of ethics,
and courtesy, and independence, and the
relations of the stage to literature, and prec-
edents, and dozen other things-a wide
domain, in which any single man. from
Plautus to Boucicault is but as an insignifi-
cant figure in an enormous landscape. In
delivering an opinion upon the issue be-
tween two of our correspondents in
respect to 'Pique" we had no intention
of making Mr.. Days play the pivotal point
of an abstract controversy. We admire
his brilliancy and success as q writer
too much TO do him that injustice,
and, therefore with our decision as to q
simple question of the facts, the debate, so
far as the HERALD is concerned, must end.
The general subject of the right of a dra-
matist to use materials not his own without
acknowledging his debt is of much interest
and may be considered hereafter but if we
ever should do so we shall not begin with
Mr.. Daily, nor Mr.. Boucicault, nor Mr.. Tom
Taylor, nor Mr. Robinson, but with Shake
speare. Starting from the eternal centre we
may more justly judge Of the perpetually
shifting circumference. At that time we
shall sincerely welcome the correspondents
we now reluctantly exclude, as a man who
is not at home to his friends on one day
meets them gladly at his door the next
Year: 1876

a position so eminent that the votes of the
New York delegation would reasonably be
construed by him as a recognition of we'll
established claims. 1t would so excite his
hopes and strengthen his ambition that he
! could not get the idea out of his mind that
he had been entered for the race in the ex-
pectation that he might win. 1t is therefore
safe to assume that even if his pride could
| descend to the position of sham candidate
and political decoy duck the glittering
prize would have the same overmastering
fascination for him which it always exerts on
American politicians.


We regard as absurd every suspicion that
Senator Conkling would consent to be a can
didate as a means of playing into the hands
of General Grant. We favor his candidature
as opening an easy way for the withdrawal of
President Grants third term pretensions
With Mr. Conkling as President his influence
on public affairs would survive him. He
would be such trusted adviser of the new
administration as jefferson in his retirement
at Monticello was of his friends, Presidents
Madison and Monroe, and as General Jack
son, at the Hermitage, was of his successor,
President Van 'Buren, whose choice by the
democratic party he virtually dictated. We
have no personal hostility to President
Grant, and have never opposed the third
term on personal grounds. 1t is our sincere
wish that he may pass from his high station
into a voluntary and honorable retirement,
and that his influence for good may survive
the expiration of his term. Believing that
he could gracefully relinquish his aspirations
in favor of his friend, the eminent New York
Senator, we should be truly glad to see the
difficulty solved in this way.


We are not blind to the effect of Mr.
Conkling's nomination on the democratic
party but as he is entirely sound on the
vital question of the currency we could as
safely trust him as any democratic candidate
that might otherwise be selected from this
State We say otherwise" because it seems
plain that if Mr.. Conkling should be the re-
publican candidate the democratic candidate
would be taken from the West The nomi-
nation of Mr.. Conkling would preclude the
republicans from deriving any advan-
tage from the peculiar public senti-
ment of the West which the democratic
party could utilize and monopolize
by selecting candidate who represents it,
The nomination of Mr.. Conkling at Cincin-
natl would, therefore, inevitably locate the
democratic candidate in the West, and give
him powerful and Jealous support in that
important section of the country. The dem
ocratic party will not relinquish so great an
advantage if Mr.. Conkling is put in such
position as would insure the vote of New
York for the republicans; for without New
York the only chance of democratic success
lies in recovering Ohio and electing the
President by Western and Southern votes.
Year: 1876

We are sorry to observe that the English
rihemen seem determined to stand upon their
chosen ground of an imperial team or none
The interview had with General Shaler which
is published elsewhere shows distinctly the
position of our National Rifle Association.
The association sent circular early in last
December to various nations, inviting
them to send teams to the Centennial rifle
meeting, and such circulars we're sent to
England, Scotland and Ireland. The ac-
ceptance of this invitation by the Scotch was
in due course and will not interfere, SO far
as America is concerned, in the English send
ing an imperial team or one distinctively
national. That is for the English
Rifle Association to consider, and we
still venture to hope that they may see their
way to sending out some representation.
The Irish rifemen still have the matter un-
der advisement, and as General Shaler says,
their acceptance of our invitation would
leave us no other course than to welcome it,
In fact, having sent a wide invitation to the
rihemen of the world, we cannot in our
character of Centennial hosts, presume to
limit the number of those who graciously
choose to accept it.
Year: 1876

senger tratiic to such an extent as to render
1t impossible that we shall ever have cab
system, for it leaves out too small portion
OF the public to support such system. The
many who would pay a cab fare without
grumbling will still pay five cents in the
cars with little more satisfaction and
endure the inconvenience. But as the
people are thus forced by the existence OF
these lines and by their absolute possession
of the field to depend upon them, so the
people and all organs and authorities that
act for the people must fight resolutely to
secure.to the people adequate conveniences
and accommodations.
Year: 1876

DARK LANTERN DIPLOMACY received an
other blow from the publication of the An
drassy circular by the Cologne Gazette. Just
as the HERALD unmasked the recent Fish
diplomacy in reference to Cuban affairs, and
brought that piece Of cd de sac craftsmanship
to light in America, the GazeiteS enterprise has
forced an authentic publication Of the note to
the Porte, which it was not intended should
be made until the Turkish government had
given its decision. The people want to know,
nowadays, what their rulers are doing,
and the two instances above quoted show
how the press is helping them.
Year: 1876

PRINCE BIsMARcKs STATEMENT that over
lures for q modification of the Falk laws
must come from Rome may be construed to
mean that the German Chancellor is ready
to listen to a reasonable effort at compromise
ON the troubled relations of Church and
State. He must begin TO feel that
Churchmen ore the natural allies OF
the Empire against its greatest danger,
the spread of materialistic liberalism. The
spirit of mutual toleration growing up in
France between the Republic and Rome
shows him also how dangerous it would be
TO force such union in Germany. The re-
cent alliance between the ultramontanes and
the German liberals was an application Of
this near home.