smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873




ing stockholders they struggled to relieve
themselves of it and get free of tho transac-
ton because it was discreditable; not that
they had entaagled themselves in false
statements about it; not that they were
corrupuy Influenced by their ownership In tne
Company-not for any of these things did
The TRIBUNE arraign them. If there was
corruption or dishonesty or perjury In the
business, that was for Congress to take cogni-
zance OF, and in such way as seemed 10 IL
proper punish the offenders and purity itseii.
But our arraignment of these men was Ior
their cruel deception of the people; for their
Misrepresentation, their eyasions, preyarica-
tions, and downright falsehoOds during the late
campaign, and their using in this wicked
business the cloak Of the Christian statesman.
That was their great Offense. That was what
sapped the public trust and struck down the
standard. low enough before, of political
morality.


1t may be considered rather weakness than
a crime that these gentlemen allowed Mr.
Oakes Ames to make investments for them the
profits of which were so enormous that men OF
ordinary discernment must have felt compelled
TO look into it much more closely than they
seemed to. Perhaps it was natural tlmldlty
and shrinking from doubtful business trans
action that led them to abandon the enter
prise when the McComb lawsuit threatened
publicity. The otfense is closer ut hand than
that, and bears more directly upon the relation
they sustained to the public as holders OF q
trust They sinned against truth and against
the people who had trusted them, when either
by their own carefully framed speeches or by
the utterances of their friends they conveyed
tho impression of an untruth to the public
Though they kept technically within the truth
their plain intent was to deceive. thousands
of people throughout the country read these
speeches and authorized utterances in the light
of the previous good character of the men
concerned and took the deception in as a0so-


ute truth. In consequence thereof men and
newspapers who knew nothing of the facts
charged Mr. Greeley in the most brutal manner
with circulating calumny and slander because
in one of his speeches he referred to the facts.
The very good name which the friends of these
men are putting forward now as plea In
mitigation of their Oilenses gave currency to
the falsehOods of their campaign defense.


In plain phrase these prOfessed Christian
politicans deliberately deceived the people. SO
doing they have weakened the popular belief
in all our public men; they have caused people
to say, "If these Christian statesmen are false,
nobody can be trusted !" they have created
widespread distrust of religious professions
among politicians; they have injured the cause
of morality, religion, truth. Shall THE TRIBUNE
gloss over these grave offenses or spare the
offenders because they have heretofore sus-
tanned unblemished namesF Shall it not rather
hold up the facts and demand in the name of
the people who have been deceived that so
much at least of punishment shall be awarded,
whatever Congress may do, that they may feel
the force of popular reprobation 7
Year: 1873

Both workingmen and employers continue
their preparations for the chaos of the Spring
strikes. unwarned by the fair notice each has
had of the others strength and determination.
If 1t comes to struggle it must prove des-
perate one and mutually disastrous. Advice
is probably thrown away upon both sides, and,
for that matter, information too. There is
quaint story told of young lady, whose
mother sought to warn her against the COM
mission of follies by recounting her own
youthful foibles. Unfortunately she concluded
her recital with sigh and the aphorism,
Experience is a hard but good teacher
And you know, mother" answered the
willy but not wise miss, II insist on hav-
ing the very best of teachers Evidently
the mechanics and their employers have
learned nothing from past experience, and
mean to try again the problem which each
annual struggle serves only to complicate.


Suggestion will probably be thrown away
on meu so predetermined. Nevertheless. COM
Year: 1873

Our readers will remember how Mary Harris, sons
four or five years since in Washington, shot Ireas
ury clerk because he would not marry her, aud hsw
the murderer as acquitted the ground otinsaHity
This energetic lunatic has since been employed asa
clerk in the Patent Office, having become suddenly
sane enough for that avocatOn. Still Miss MaVs
liable to little lapses into lunacy. About week
ago. she got together the necessary apparatus Of
pistol, powder, and ball. and started TO kill another
man but she was in time prevented from commit
ting another homicide, and is now in the Govern
ment Insane Asylum, to the great relief, We should
suppose of all the single marriageable men In Wash
ington We shall not at this distance of time, and
with our inaccurate knowledge of the facts pretend
TO Quarrel with the verdict which set this murdera
at large to kill more men :" but here we hayeA
striking example Of the absurdity of acquittng mur-
derers on the ground of insanity and of then letting
them loose to do the thing over again whenevf
moved thereto by passion or by delusion. Under
the law which has been proposed in this state, ana
in these columns by an intelligent correspondent
Mary Harris would have been locked up. and ren-
dered incapable of destroying either her own life
that of another. To think of woman acquitted Of
the highest crime known to the law. walking oat OF
the courtroom made free by plea of insanity, only
to be employed as a clerk in a Government Office,
simply fIightfu and enough to bring law and all lie
administrators into contempt.
Year: 1873

A PLEA OF PREVIOUS GOOD CHIRACTER.


The question was quite often asked during
the late investigation, by the friends of the
Congressman inculpated in the Credit Mobiler
transaction, whether, after all, long life of
unsullied integrity and unquestioned honor
should not be sufficient answer to charges and
imputations affecting their veracity. Forgetting
that Mr.. 0akes Ames stood as high in this regard
as any of them until these developments began.
the friends of the beclOuded members asked
if the testimony of this corrupt man should be
received to destroy the regulations of some of
the purest statesmen in Congress, and protested
against the injustice of giving the slightest
credence TO his word, even when fortified by
record evidence, az against the explanations
and denials of men whose stories, to say the
least, were contradictory and inconsistent.
These inquiries bring us face to face with
considerations which go to the marrow of the
whole subject as question of political morality.


THE TRIBUNE arraigned the cOnspicuously
good men who have been brought out in the
course of these exposures rs guilty of greater
mischief and crime from the very fact of
their previous good repute and high standing.
And Ii arraigned them, not upon any charge
they have denied or attempted to repel, but
upon admitted facts; upon so much of this
scandaOus history as they themselves confessed.
1t was not that they held this Credit Mobilier
stock under such circumstances that when a
lawsuit threatened TO reveal their names "a
Year: 1873

The good which the dozen or more City
Dspensaries accomplish in a very modest way
is told in other columns this morning. There
are great many small charities of similar
scope and purpose in this city whose benefits
are only known to those who dispense or re-
ceiYe them.
Year: 1873

A change of heart as sudden as it is graft
flying seems to have been experienced by the
New Jersey Legislature. Two important rail-
road bills were passed by the Assembly yes
terday, with triAing opposition, and the AS
sembly bill for a general railroad was
reported favorably by the Senate Special
Committee. Best of all, the indca-
tions are that the latter will pass. But
we caution the friends of the people against
too implicit trust in this apparent surrender
of the monOpolists That they are thoroughly
alarmed by the indignant protests of the
people is very evident, yet they will bear
watching closely until the redemption of the
State is secured Count nothing safe, while
anything remains in doubt
Year: 1873

Is it too much to hope that our new Secre-
tary of the Treasury, whoever he is, will have
the goodness to let Wall Street alOnef What
could be more demoralizing than the late per
formanee2 One or two favOrite brokers
Calling themselves bankers), absolutely without
standing, save in so far as the favor of leaky
underlings about the Treasury secures
10 them advance knowledge, profit by
their knowledge, in the midst of
the stringency, that in a few days few
millions of extra currency is to be issued.
Then, when the gudgeOns rush in to bite at
the big prices in the belief that money is
to be easy these same people profit by
their knowledge that the extra issue is already
being withdrawn. What is this but using the
Government money for private stock
sDecuIations Yet we shall be the
less disposed to grumble if the Government
will follow its latest pOliey.-take out of the
WAY The rest of its extra issue, and leave the
existing and dangerous initiation in nearly all
yalnes 10 cure itself. Nothing but Government
,ocdding has prolonged this unsafe condition
Year: 1873

A. J. Shuman, of Linda township,
California, has large flock of ewes and
lambs. A few days since he noticed a
stampede of sheep in the distance, and
supposing some dog was running about
among them, hastened to the spot,
where he arrived just in time to see q
large eagle rise from the ground, bear
ing in his talons fair-sized lamb, and
fly away with it. His attention was soon
after attracted to other work of destruc-
ton by the eagle. One lamb was found
minus the top of his skull, and dead,
his skull having been broken in by an
effort to capture it. Another lamb was
found minus an eye, which the vora-
cious bird had struck with its beak in
one of his belligerent swoops. The
careful shepherd took the wounded
lamb to the "lamb hospital to be
nursed. Some time ago an entire litter
of small pigs disappeared in a mystic
rious manner, and it is believed they
were carried away by eagles.
Year: 1873

Not long ago, John Thomas was ar
rested in New York city and found
guilty of burglary. He was sentenced
to two years in the penitentiary, and
John seemed highly delighted at his
easy escape. Another Court consider
ing the sentence, changedit it to eighteen
months in the Sing Sing prison. One
would naturally suppose that cutting
Johns sentence down from two years
to eighteen months would delight the
fellow, but on the contrary John was
exceedingly put out about it, and
through his counsel sought every means
to have the original sentence carried
out. A reporter, who could not under
stand Johns arithmetic, sought an in
terview, and here was the result. Eigh-
teen months at Sing Sing meant eigh-
teen months confinement for John, but
two years in the penitentiary meant just
as long as John desired to stay there
say, from four weeks to six. When
John grew tired of the Island, boat
would, some pleasant evening, drop
along side the dock, and John Thomas
would step on board. When the boat
was two hundred yards away the guard
would suddenly awaken, and fire his
gun into the air,-the alarm bell would
ring, and general turn out take place.
Meanwhile John Thomas would quietly
step from his boat upon the New York
shore, and in three days be up to his old
tricks again. From $50 to 800 would do
all this, and John Thomas would be hap
py man again. We begin to understand
Johns arithmetic now, and no longer
wonder that in New York thieves have
found their true hunting ground.
Year: 1873

I believe the time is to come, says
Beecher, when mencan have large prop
erty, and be sweet-minded and full of
heavenly contemplation when men can
have these luxuries and not be wasteful,
and not be self-indulgent. The time is
to come when manhood can be strong,
and take on those permissions which in
its weaker and lower state injure it, and
we are to be allowed to do these things
on the same principle that we do not al
low children to do what we allow men
to do. It seems to me if the world were
like fire just kindled. You must not
at first put on all the wood that you
mean to put on, but only the kindlings,
and shavings, and the dry material and
as the fame gathers strength you put
on little more-some hard wood, some
sticks, and as they begin. to glow, it
raises the flames, and by and by arm
fuls and armfuls may be thrown on, and
the fame now penetrates every part of
the vast mass, until at last that which in
the beginning would have smothered
and destroyed it now only makes it
burn fervently and more brightly. So
in the world of time small things and
feeble things demand gentle treatment,
and many exclusions but as human ma
ture grows strong, and religion is re-
fected upon men, not simply from the
record, but from the family, the law of
the State, and the usages of life, men
begin to be more and more stalwart, and
believe they can carry off pleasure, and
wealth, and honor, and influence, and
all those manly things which we sigh
for and aspire to, and do it without det-
riment to benevolence and those other
qualities of noble Christian manhood.
That time is not yet, but it is coming !;
and the pursuit Of wealth is one of the
things which lead in that direction.
Year: 1873

1t is not very pleasant to hear thus
early that the peach crop is ruined in
Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana, but it
appears that there is no doubt about the
matter. A writer in the Chicago Tribune,
whose accuracy is vouched for by that
journal, says: "The present aspect is
that we are to have another season, as
to peaches, like that of 1856. have
just come from the peach region, and
know whereof l speak. Even apple
trees have been injured in some places
in Michigan, among young orchards,
and light crop of berries also may be
anticipated. The news from the States
further east is not very much more en-
couraging, and unless something of an
unusually favorable nature should oc-
cur, house-keepers will be likely to find
peaches too expensive luxury to be
INDUCED in this year.
Year: 1873

TARRINa THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
Immense excitement prevails in
Winnipeg owing to the fact that it was
sought to pass a bill through the Leg
islature which would have let the Hud-
son Bay Company and other landed
proprietors off with the payment of
one-third the usual taxation on their
lands. An indignation meeting was
held and a committee appointed to plead
at the bar of the House, whittier they
were followed by 400 people. The bill
was ultimately thrown out on techni-
cality. On account of the ruling of the
Speaker he was decoyed from his house
at midnight and administered coat of
tar. The Government has offered 81, 900
reward for the conviction of the per-
petrators. Fearing further breaches
of the peace a military guard has been
placed over the Parliament House,
Year: 1873

LEARN A TRADE.-One man with q
trade is worth thousand without one.
The hosts of young men in every large
city who apply for employment and fail
to get it, for the reason that they can
not truthfully affirm that they are edu-
Gated or especially fitted for any par
ticular business, constitute potent ar
gument in favor of reform. Under the
apprentice system, we should have fewer
ignorant mechanics and incompetent
business men, A trade is fortune in
itself.
Year: 1873

THE LAw.-The vagaries of the law
are shown in New York case. Chas.
Cordes was tried for the murder of John
Damn, pleaded guilty to the charge of
manslaughter in the third degree and
was sentenced to State prison for four
years. 1t is singular fact that if the
deceased had not died from the injuries
inflicted upon him by the prisoner, the
latter would have been tried for felonious
assault and would undoubtedly be con-
victed and sentenced to seven years
State prison. Thus for killing man
he received only four years while for
iniuring him he would have received
seven
Year: 1873

Almost every family in Pittsfeld, Mass,
keeps Benne's Killing Magic Oil in
the house for use, People there, where it
is made, know how good it is t. cure pain,
and if you try it fairly you will hardly he
willing to live without it in the house. 1t
is sold by your merchant
Year: 1873

Here is q new outburst Of the West
crn salutatory mania: With our
publication we want to please every
body, but never having acquired the
knack of placing each persons adyer-
tisement at the head of the first col
umn, we don't expect to. We don't
mean to be very touching in our re-
marks, hut if as q reform educator or
any thing of the kind, we displease
any parties, it may be well for them
to consider the fact, before taking sum-
mary vengeance i'll their hands, that
our weight is always over one hun
dred and fifty pounds, and that in the
many leisure moments we have had
the pleasure of entertaining in our
earlier career, we went heavy into the
practice of loisting two hundred
pound anvils over our head, holding
bags of -four at arms length, and
other fcats for muscular development.
This is not told as a dampener to any
of the pusilistic spirits of this com
mnnity, but to let people know that
we are independent; and fearless"
Year: 1873

This is from the Opelousas Journal


1t is said that the politicians in
New Orleans have begun to move in
ahc attempt to organize one or tive
anew parties. The straightout Dem
s,crats are to break Oft from the Liber-
ais and unite with the slightly colored
.of the colorcd population who have
wealth and influence, Social equality
TO u certain extent, is to be conceded.
And it is said that the Liberals will
go for the blacks direct. 1t is all in
embryo yet: but such discussions will
wind up with the whole loaf going to
lie Republicans Us usual.
Year: 1873

An exchange says that "a two
story brick spring bed factory out
West has been burned" People il
the ncighborhood who have beeu ac-
customed to sleep on two story brick
spring beds will have to put up will
something less Luxurious for while
Year: 1873

That was an unhappy editor who
wrote that " white pique costumes are
now popular" and was gravely in
formed by the proof next morning
that I" white pine coftins are not popu-
laI" "
Year: 1873

The remarkable old man turns up
this time in Chester county, Pennsyl-
vania. His name is Gill: his age
ninety two; can read smallest print
without glasses; Il pensioner OF the
war of 1912, and can walk ever so
many miles, or cut any amount OF
wood before breakfast.
Year: 1873

In the Uakaine (Russia) the women
court more generally than the men.
When young woman falls in love
with Il man she is not in the least
ashamed to go to his fathers house and
reveal her passion in the most tender
and pathetic manner, and to promise
the most submissive obedience if he
will accept her as his wife. Should
the insensiblc man pretend any ex-
cusc, she tells him she is resolved
never to go out of the house until he
gives his consent, and accordingly
taking up her lodgings, remains there.
If he refused her, his case becomes
exceedingly distressing. The church
is commonly on her side, and to turn
her out would provoke her kindred
to revenge her honor, SO that he has
no method left but to betake himself
to fight till he is otherwise disposed
of.
Year: 1873

The wild spirit Of war which pre-
vailed In the country a few days
since appears to be somewhat toned
down toward aspirit Of reason. Ma
ny Of the reports which infiamed the
public mind, prove ia have been Ell
ther false or greatly exaggerated.
There is now bope-perhaps with
little ground-that Spain can make
honorable reparatiOn and avert war.
However, the civilized world will
demand that Cuba shall be freed
from slavery, and that some sort OF
safe and humane government shalt
be established and maintained upon
that island.
Year: 1873

If into the Jaws or Death.


From the Someryille Falcon, April lO.l


1t is rarely we are called upon to re-
cord any event so sad and heartrending
in its nature and details as the one to
which we now allude. Last week a
young lady named Eliza Stewart, whose
mother resides on the farm of Mr.. Clay
Irwin, near Macon, in this county,
started out TO take ride ON a rather
wild horse. Being reckless rider, and
wishing to enjoy the exercise, she laid
whip to the animal and was soon going
at rapid speed On she went, unmind-
full of danger uatil she came to sudden
turn in the road, when the saddle turned
as the horse was in the act of making
the circuit, and she was dashed
headlong against tree, and fell lifeless
aud mangled to the ground, never to
rise again. Her chest was completely
crushed, and without speaking word
she ceased to breathe in about fifteen
minutes. She was only sixteen years Of
aqe. was in the bloom and flush of maid
enly beauty, and her sad and unexpected
death was hard blow to her widowed
mother and the remainder Of her family
The deceased was native of East Ten
nessee. and came to this county about
a wear ago. Her family are poor but
respectable people. They have the
heartfelt sympathies Of the entire COM
murity in their sad bereavement.
Year: 1873

Tholepin has been 10 Chicago He
doesn't like the smoke there. He re.
marks: Chicago boasts Of being n
self.made town, and TO that boast amen
say / for il relieves the Lord OF great
responsibility. All, all is black. and the
stiaed air is vested with funeral pail.
so il stranger from the unsmoked
East should gaze upon this mighty
smokehouse OF the West, great mo.
mentous question would settle chronic
on his soul: Whether the aspirant for
that immortal life beyond the grave had
not better take occasion by the hand and
90 elsewhere to die-for that subtle
cloud of Erebus is terribly suggestive
that il any clay-made Adamite longed
for celestial membership in the world TO
come, it would be no fursherance Of his
plans to die in this dark place, for the
shriyed and heaven-bound soul that is in
deep misfortune doomed to lay its NOR
tai coil down here must be content to
stay wandering Sprite about the town
until Chicago burns again or else the
Blossburg coal mines fail.
Year: 1873

Revivals in Indiana have been the oc-
casion Of some unpleasant developments.
One of the leading pillars Of the church,
in the fervor of his devotion, declared
recently that he had lately committed a
perjury in court, and that he had been
a liar and hypocrite all the days of his
life. Another confessed that he had en-
5sszlsd school funds intrusted to him,
and third acknowledged that he was
addicted to stealing whenever he had a
chance. 1t would, perhaps, be advan-
tageous for these people to postpone
their deliberations for a time, consider
ing that the reception recently accorded
to the late Vice President is yet fresh
in the minds Of the people.