smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The Military Committee Of the House, 1t
is understood, will show conclusively, that
the manner of letting the contracts for the
furnishing of headstenes for the graves Of
deceased soldiers in the national cemeteries,
was of the most fraudulent character. II
will be established that the contracts were
awarded to the party whose bid was the
third from that of the lowest bidder, and
who was o friend of General Belknap's from
his own State.
Year: 1876

About four hundred persons gathered at
the Opera House last evening to witness
the performance Of Duprez and Benedict's
Minstrel Troupe, parts Of which was per-
haps as good and as laughable as that of
most minstrel shows, but some OF it fell a
little below the average. The concluding
piece drew forth the plaudits of the audi
snce, and was doubtless the most deserv-
ing one Of the evening.
Year: 1876

Revelations of the spirit and purposes of
the Democratic party have been made this
week which must be rude shock to those
who have brought themselves to believe in
that contradiction reformed Democracy"
In Ohio the Democrats have declared for the
reputation of the national obligations and
have fully endorsed the wild theories of the
currency lunatics whom Kelley and Carey
lead. In Louisiana and Mississippi the
Democrats have not contented themselves
with words, but have shown a Demosthenic
faith in action. Reputation platforms may
attract few Republicans who are infected
with the soft-money delusions, but the South
ern Democrat knows much better way to
reduce the Republican vote, and that is to
kill the voters. He knows that it is abso-
lutely necessary that all the Southern States
should throw their electoral votes for the
Democratic candidate for President in order
to give his party any reasonable chance of
success, and he goes to work to assure a
Democratic majority by preventing Repubi-
cans from voting. He reasons correctly that
the only sure way to do that is to murder the
voters. So he goes out and shoots score of
negroes, and even assassinates a white Re-
publican if he can "draw "a bead on him.
from the shelter of some bush or
building. In Louisiana the terrible
scenes of the summer of 1874 are be-
ing repeated. The White Leaguers are mur-
dering negroes in patches of twenty, and
driving hundreds of Republicans out of the
state. In Mississippi the White Regulators
have warned prominent black men that they
must refrain from voting or be shot, and to
emphasize the warning have killed large
number of them. The laws of the land are
openly defied. The constitutional amend.
ments are treated as nullities.


Thus in the West the De mocrats are
assaulting the national credit and in the
South the fundamental law of the land.
Their course is a warning to all who are in
clined to trust them. If, while on their good
behaviour, they cannot restrain their tenden.
cies to murder and swindle, what will they
do if they achieve power and feel under no
restraint at all? If, under the strongest
inducements to carry themselves we'll, they
cannot restrain the negotiating spirit at the
South and the honesty-hating spirit at the
West, if they cannot now resist the tempta-
tion to kill the black man and cheat the pub
lie creditor, what will they do when they
have all power in their hands? The result
of Democratic victory is plainly indicated,
and is to be contemplated only with indgna-
tion and dread. The man who votes the
Democratic ticket this year cannot claim
ignorance as an excuse, and takes upon him.
self responsibility for murder and breach of
public faith.
Year: 1876

THE Democrats are boasting loudly that in
Iowa their party is no nest, and they point to
the resolution adopte at the state convention
for proof That resolution can only be described
as "hard-money resolution in favor of a soft
money currency" The Iowa Democrats fa-
vor resumption but oppose any steps to bring
it about. If this is hard-money Democracy
then hard-money Democracy is poor article,
ipIood
Year: 1876

SENATOR THURMAN can now afford to be
honest. His party has repudiated him, he
has no further political favors to hope for, and
consequently will be under no temptation to
surrender his convictions in order to win sue.
cess. We look to see him take hereafter an
honest and manly stand in favor of hard
money
Year: 1876

We DO not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations. The name and address of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty CT good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
nications that are not used.
Year: 1876

THE admirable exhibit made by the Port
land schools at Philadelphia is highly gratify-
ing to our pride as city, and reflects great
credit upon the ability and industry of our
teachers and pupils,
Year: 1876

The Consolidation Schesne-FailMre of the


Chester Regatta Plan-GOssip.


The proposed consolidation of the Undine
and Pioneer boat clubs, of this city, is in a
fair way now to be consummated. The Pi-
oneer members were the first to propose the
scheme and The Undine club, Informally,
among the members, considered the propo-
sition some time before meeting was called
to pass judgment upon the matter.


Last week, however, the Undine club
held their first Spring meeting, and the en-
tire session was taken up in considering the
proposition of consolidation. Finally it
was determined to appoint committee to
confer with the Pioneer club and see what
could be done. Another meeting, to hear
the report of the committee and for the
election of officers will take place this week,
when the consolidation will either take
place or some other arrangements made.
We understand that the committee which
was appointed, Mr.. Jackson being the
chairman, has already had conference
with the Pioneer members, and that the
consolidation scheme will in all probability
be successful. 1t is pretty certain that the
Undine club will not change it's name, and
the uniting of the two clubs will result in
the loss of identity to the old Pioneers.


Those interested in the sport say that the
change will give the Undine club, already
strong in skill and muscle, an immense ad-
vantage over the Bachelors, the newest OF
the boat clubs of the city, but from brief
conversation between HERBLp represent
ative and member of the Bachelor club, it
does not appear that the doughty little
club is at all frightened; they are ready
pearances, it would seem that the regatta,
which will take place in June, will be o
hotly contested one. The proposed re-
gatta with the Chester club has been
broken off, on account Of the dissimilarity
between the boats of the two clubs, but It
is quite likely that the Chesterlboys:will join
our regatta. The proposed Lew club Of
which we spoke some time ago, is still
being agitated, and 1t will probably, now
that the consolidation plants likely to be
adopted, take definate shape.
Year: 1876

Nobody knows why pancakes are eaten on
Shrove Tuesday more than any other day of
the year. The custom has descended to
us from remote antiquity like many other
rites the origin of which is lost Why pan
cakes should be eaten is clear, for they are
palatable, wholesome and cheap; but why
eat them on Tuesday and not on Monday !?
There is the problem which puzzles the pro-
foundest philosophers. To see great theo-
logian or antiquarian pondering in vain over
simple pancake is touching. All deep
thinkers know why they peck eggs at Easter,
but pancakes are as bad as the origin of sin
in one way, though much better in another.
They are plain rs the sunlight on plate,
being cake made of flour, eggs and water,
and with butter, sugar and lemon juice, de-
cidedly good. But historically considered
pancake is as obscure as Robert Brown
ing's "Inn Album" Shrove Tuesday
comes in and makes mystery of
the pancake. Shakespeare, who refers
to everything, refers to the custom in "Alls
Well That Ends WELL" where the clown
saws that his answers fit TO all questions as
well as pancake for Shrove Tuesday; but
even the immortal bard does not attempt to
explain it, Neither do we. 1t is enough
that the excellent custom exists, and that it
was yesterday generally observed. Pan
cakes are good on all days of the year except
during Lent, and why should not they have
one day dedicated to their virtues2 Let us
not mediate too long upon such matters,
but cat the pancake first and cross-examine
Shrove Tuesday afterwards This is n phi
losophy which might have more general ap-
plication.
Year: 1876

dense cold air. A canopy of cold
atmosphere was formed over this space
toward noon, and it was owing to
sudden rupture of this superintendent
volume, and the upward rush through the
opening so created of the confined warm air,
that the whirlwind or tornado was generated.
The contact between warm and cold volumes
OF air always creates the phenomena of storms
IN some OF their many forms but when, as in
this instance, the enclosed warm air repre-
sented volume seeking an outlet through
an enveloping mass of cold atmosphere the
consequence of its escape would represent,
but on grand scale, the terrific forces un-
loosed during a boiler explosion. This
evidently occurred Immediately over or
very close to st. Charles, and the violent
whirling movement of the air which accom-
panied its upward flow destroyed everything
movable that lay within reach of its infu-
ence. This terrible visitation suggests the
propriety of redoubled vigilance on the part
of the Signal Service observers, in order that
some indications might be discovered which
will warn us of the probable generation of
these meteors.
Year: 1876

The efforts for the release of Rubenstein
and Dolan, two prisoners convicted of MUIR
der and condemned to death, suggest the
take it that the general sense of the whole
community is that these two unhappy
wretches are guilty and that their lives are
forfeit to the law. They have been certainly
fairly tried. But we have appeals from
friends, motions for new trial, money raised
to fee greedy lawyers, heaven and earth
moved to secure their freedom. In the
meantime Justice is unsatisfed The
murderers see how Scannell and Stokes
escaped. They naturally feel that if
these red-handed murderers can evnde
punishment they may do the same. In
the meantime the wretches themselves
are in no condition to die. They are not
preparing for death, for they have no idea
that justice will have its way. The few
weeks which the humanity of the law allows
to condemned criminals for preparation for
the last great change are occupied in
struggles for liberty. There is no certainty
about the law, no assurance of justice. All
interests suffer-the interests of law and
of humanity as well. The way to avoid this
is to pass law giving all prisoners under
sentence of death an appeal to the highest
tribunal of the State, the Court of Appeals.
Such writ should be made q writ of
right The law should declare that upon the
conviction of any criminal of capital crimes
it should be the duty of the District Attor-
ney to certify the whole record to the Court
of Appeals. The Court, within thirty days,
should take up the whole case, and decide
whether the forms of law have been OBJ
served. This should be o writ to right; for,
certainly, if we give claimant for bit of
property the right to the highest judicial de-
cision the same right should be given to a
citizen in peril of his life. This right would
put an end to the interminable effort, in
nearly every capital case, to have new trial.
After the decision of the Court of Appeals, if
adverse to the petition, there should be a
short time (not more than three weeks)
allowed the prisoner in which to prepare for
death. These long delays between Judgment
and execution are in themselves cruel beyond
imagination. They are not, really, humane.
Once that the dread sentence of death is de-
livered the sooner it is over the better for
the interests of justice and the wretch who
is doomed to die. The value in the penalty
of capital punishment as preventive of
murder is its certainty and swiftness. The
murderer should know that he must die.
AS it is, our law is very unsatisfactory and
should be amended
Year: 1876

Ten days ago the House of Representa-
tives asked Attorney General Pierrepont "by
what authority and for what purpose" he
wrote his letter ''discouraging witnesses. I"
After weeks delay Mr. Pierrepont sends
in a reply which is no answer. He does not
say by what authority nor for what purpose
he wrote that letter. One thing we remark
about his note to the House. 1t is in very
much milder vein than his note to the
HERALD. He seems to have recovered his
temper and that under peculiar aggrava-
tions; for 'the whole press, West as well as
East, has been ever since reproaching him
for that letter, telling him that it is in
furious to his reputation as lawyer, and
that it touches his honor as Attorney Gen
eral; while lawyers everywhere regret to see
brother lawyer calmly sitting down under
such n cloud.


1t is an unpleasant spectacle, and the
worst of it for Mr.. Pierrepont is that it will
not help him. Congress will go on asking
questions, and he cannot forever go on
evading, while he seems to have greater diff
Guilty in Exposing" the facts which, as he
hastily remarked in his letter to the HERALD,
would enable the public to understand his
letter. than he or some one very near him in
Washington had in exposing" the letter in
Washington.
Year: 1876

sibility for him. There was neither energy
nor sagacity, neither spirit nor persistency
in the pursuit of any policy. 1t seemed as
if the Prince thought the Spanish crown
butterfly that he could catch under his hat
at any moment in the mountains of Navarro.
He was, in fact, so sure of it that he would
not make the alliances that would have
given it to him; and, in that light, it is only
one more of the 'sure things" that always
fail.


Had Carlos made such use of ~ that the
abdication could have been fairly attributed
to his efforts it would have given him great
prestige, and the country would have risen
for him against Castelar's Republic but
Carlos had done so little that the pretence of
a connection between his advance and
Amadeus retirement was laughed at as
ridiculous. Yet, with all his weakness and
his failures, he maintained for four years n
war that will for q long while make the name
of Carlism redoubtable to Spanish rulers.
1t was, however, n useful war to Alfonso; for
as it just fell short of the strength that
might overcome the Republic it left his adj
vent possible; and as again it fell short of the
strength to overcome his forces it supplied
the danger that compelled those forces to be
properly equipped and efficiently oficered.
1t gave his government legitimate, practical
occupation saved it from the common dam
ger of Camarilla influences, and as the first
duty of any Spanish government was to whip
the Carlists it has given this government at
the outset of its career the prestige of
great success.
Year: 1876

OUR JAPANESE ADvIcEs this morning
though there are, perhaps, too many threat
tnings of war, are in the main bright and
rhatty and ON evidence Of the great progress
Japan is making in the arts of Western civ
ilization. The item in regard to tho recep-
tion accorded Minister Mori, for instance,
recalls familiar name TO American readers
and shows us that in few years we shall
feel as much interest in japanese statesmen
as we now havo in an English premier or a
French president Then we hear that the
Japanese Commissioners are on the way to
the Centennial Exhibition, and this must
prove another tie to bind America and the
West TO Japan and the East
Year: 1876




Mr.. T. r. Butler, the President of the
Sixth Avenue Railroad, sees things with a
vision denied to other men and argues in
behalf of his own interests with logic
which is peculiarly his own. ''The cause of
the crowding of street cars in New York, he
said, in an interview published in q sympa-
thetic journal, 'is the peculiar shape of
Manhattan Island, which is twelve miles
long and less than two miles in average
width. London is ten miles long and seven
miles wide, and Paris has the Same super
fees. In those cities cars are run on streets
radiating like the ribs of fan; but here they
must run in parallel lines" All this sounds
very profound and important, but it is not
true, and it would make no difference if it
was true. In this city the street railways all
start in the neighborhood of the City Hall,
the cars on nearly all the avenues on both
the east and the west sides starting within a
few feet of each other, and we know of no
better figure to describe their routes than
Mr.. Buffers figure of the fan. But what
difference can it make whether the streets



in parallel lines? The same law applies to
both, and there may be overcrowding in the
one case MS well as in the other. London is
MS long as New York; so the difference in
width makes no difference in patronage, and
it is just as easy to provide for the travel
within the two miles width of New York as
the seven miles width of London. There
tho population is much greater than here,
and so Mr.. Buffers logic falls to the ground.
Now, the point of this whole controversy is
simply this The people of New York want
sufficient number of cars on the street rail-
ways to accommodate the travel, and, at the
same time, to provide every passenger with
a seat, while Mr. Butler opposes it because
it would reduce the profits of his company
All the logic of the President of the Sixth
Avenue road has no other significance than
to prevent few dollars from radiating out
of the pockets Of his stockholders.
Year: 1876

BUSINESS INTEGRITY seems to be priced less
and less as the relations of trade are ex-
tended. In this city many of the recent
failures were in fact fraudulent bankruptcy,
and the same thing seems to apply to those
of London and Liverpool The cable this
morning brings report of the failure of a
firm of cotton brokers in the latter place
who bought freely on their own account
while pretending to buy for others. The
boasted honor of English tadesmen is fall
ing to level with other nations, and it is
to be feared. from present indications, that
it will suffer more in the future than in the
past
Year: 1876

DoS CAnLos, finding his occupation gone.
does not know exactly how to dispose Of
himself, and he goes to England apparently
because he can go nowhere else. We expect
so many kings and princes in this country
during the summer. or we might ask him
over to the Centennial.
Year: 1876

A CORRESPONDENT, referring to the hand
some manner in which John Quincy Adams
alludes to Mr. Hastings as the member of an
Albany delegation to jackson, reminds us
that Uncle Dick was the friend of jefferson
and counsellod the purchase of Louisiana.
We should like to know the authority upon
which the claim is made that Uncle Dick
took an active part in politics MS early as
1904 1t would be interesting to have this
point settled. In the case of Mr. Hastings
lhe evidence is clear, but it is not so in
regard to Uncle Dick. Still it is possible,
for Judge Herring who died few days
since, was on the Marine Bench in 1905.
Year: 1876

A San Francisco correspondent Of the
Philadelphia Press says that a well authen-
ticated rumor is prevalent in San Francis
co that the great bonanza kings, Messrs.
Flood, OBrien, Mackay, and Fair, are
going to send one hundred and fifty tons
Of the gold and silver bullion from their
Consolidated Virginia Mine to the Cen
tennial, aud pile up the glittering bars in
some conspicuous spot, 50 that all the world
can see what one mine produces in FIVE
months The value of the bars will be
ten millions Of dollars in United States
gold coin "If the idea is carried out it
viii be the grandest sight among a million
Of grand sights, and / venture to say more
people will visit this mountain Of wealth
than any other single thing in the build
ings. Five millions Of the bullion is now
boxed up for shipment, and the balance
will be ready in due season. Few people
ever saw such vast sum rs ten millions
Of dollars in gold and silver, all in one or
several piles; and l think the proposition
Of Messrs. Flood & Co., If carried through,
will add much to the charm, the wonder,
the eclat, and the success of the Exposi-
tion"
Year: 1876

In 1863 a gentleman was passing one
night over Point Neuf, Paris, with Ian
tern. A man came up TO him and said ;
'"Read this paper He held it up to his
lantern and read as follows:


"speak not word when you've this read,


Or IN an instant you'll be dead


Give us your money, watch and rings,


With other valuable things


Then quick, in silence, you depart,


Or /, with knife will cleave your hearth


Not being man of much pluck, the
afrighted gentleman gave up his watch
and money and ran off Hesoon gave the
alarm, and the highwayman was arrested
"What have you to say for yOurselfg' in
quired the magistrate before whom the
robber was ushered. "That l am not
guilty Of robbery, though I took the watch
and money" .'Why not guilty2" asked
the magistrate" Simply because I can
neither read nor write. picked up the
paper just at the moment / met this gem
tleman with lantern. Thinkingit it might
be something valuable, | politely asked
him to read it for me. He complied with
my request, and presently handed me his
watch and purse and ran of. supposed
the paper to be of great value to him, and
that he thus liberally rewarded me for
finding it, He gave me no time to return
thanks, which out of pOliteness I was
ready to perform" The gentleman ac-
cepted the plea of the robbery and with
drew his complaint.
Year: 1876

The only captive gorilla in existence re.
Gently died in the Geological Gardens, in
Dresden. The animal, female, was long
supposed to be chimpanzee, and it was
only lately that, TO the surprise of all nat
uralists, her gorilla characteristics were
recognized. The story of the death scene
Of this almost human monkey is remark
able one, since it goes to show that the
animal was the possessor of feelings hith-
erto deemed absent among the brutes.
Says a writer in the London Echo: Gas
Director Schopf (the director of the gard
ens) leaned over his favorite, the ape drew
him toward her, placed her arm around
the neck of her kind friend, and looked at
him for some time with clear and tranquil
eyes; she then kissed him three times, with
short intervals between each salute, mo-
toned to be laid upon her couch, gave her
hand to Schopf-as though bidding fare
well to companion of many happy years
--and slept never to wake again"