smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

In addition to the Mayoralty candidates
already spoken of in political circles, rumor
had it that Charles o 'Conor was about to be
selected and triumphantly elected. This, how
ever, if ever contemplated seriously, is now
blasted, withered and shrivelled by the authori-
tative announcement that the gentleman in
question would not serve if all Gotham cast its
vote for him on o single ballot. Hence we
return to the old moutons.


The rival political machines that in former
elections were run in the interest of the two
great parties Of this city have come to COM
plete deadlock. They are in this campaign,
up to the present time, as completely stuck in
the mud as were the artillery of the rival CON-
batants in the late war, when proceeding
against each other after o severe storm. In
fact, they have collidcd and smashed up, and
the leaders are now engaged in sort of polti-
cal raiding, holding useless conventions, form
ing entangling alliances and playing at hide
and-seek combinations oil over the city at
clubs and other out-of-the-way places-so far
as the general public are concerned-for nomi-
nations for the one great prize on the city and
county ticket-the Mayoralty. 1t would seem
that the way of the reformer is almost as hard
as that of the transgressor, SO improbable ore
all their schemes and devices to the attainment
of the object they have in view-ther own self
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. In the political world all
who hold Office for any length of time are
invariably declared corruptionsts, enemies to
the common veal, &C., and reform crusade
is inaugurated for their destruction Then
rush in the would-be reformers, filling the fat
places, the acquisition of which had so lately
aroused their zeal for the public good. This
is just the political position of to-day, and it
is this repetition of history which has brought
chaos and confusion into the councils of the
people and their leaders.


Senator o. Brien controls the Apollo Hall
democracy, and for his early part in the re-
form movement his guerdon must be the high
est Office in the gift of the people. To secure
this it is said he has allied himself with the
hereditary political foes of his stanchest
adherents This causes wavering in tho
ranks, and ON uncertainty as to their fidelity
on the day of conflict On the one side be is
Year: 1872

proclaimed as the supporter of Grant and Dix,
and on the other this is denied-it being
admitted, however, that as between Grant and
OBrien gordian knot presents itself, which
can only be undone by Bezonian himself
declaring under which king he goes into the
conflict ON the State ticket-whether he is for
Dix or Herman.


Other chief refOrmers are also in the field as
candidates for the same prize, and who are
laboring under somewhat similar but not 60
great difficulties as O'Brien. William A.
Havemeyer, chief of the Reform Council of
Seventy, is hankering after the city feshpots
In this pursuit he is as eager as any poor
ofice-hunter could be- Through him and
Andrew H. Green, another city reformer
already provided for with fat Office and now
candidate for Mayor. is reflected in most un-
favorable light the purity of the motives which
induced them and others of their stripe to
seize the chance which brought them from
their political obscurity and on the tide of re-
form riding to place and power at the expense
of the people. The citizens difficulty was
their opportunity. and they have made the
most of it.


The complications arising from this state of
things are becoming every day more apparent
to the citizens, and moro and more impress
them with the fact that they are completely at
the mercy of the politicians of the hour. In
most cases. when once the seat of a disease is
ascertained, the remedy is within the power of
medical science. So in the body polite, though
the evil at work may for q time be hidden or
be kept concealed, it will surely show itself in
time for eradication and cure The reform
movement exposed the corruptions and frauds
that existed in the city government; but the
reformers have not honestly, as they assumed
to do, set about cleaning the Augean stable.
That is still the work of the people, through
honest municipal and legislative representa-
ton. The chaos into which things political
have been cast by partisan and selfish leaders
will assuredly be soon dispeled. 1t cannot
continue and no doubt before the week has
passed leader will present himself who will
restore confidence to the citizens, and under
whom, as their candidate for the Chief Magis-
tracy, they may take a new departure in the
charter election of 1872
Year: 1872

Custom HOUSE REFORM AND WAR HoRRoRs
N CupA.--From Havana, under date of the
10th instant, comes news of the efforts which
are being made by the new Intendente to
purge the Custom House of Cuba of dishonest
officials, and secure a more efficient collection
OF the import trade duties. He expects that
by an adherence to this course he will increase
the Spanish revenue from the island from five
to six millions yearly. Two surgeons--one
American, the other German-were captured
by the commander Of the Matanzas battalion
when on duty in an insurgent hospital in a
mountain district. They were Immediately
executed-a fresh proof of Spanish ferocity
when excited by the clash Of war and stimu-
lated by the passion which frequently results
from baffled power.
Year: 1872

Bound FOR A LAND OF EQUALITY. Eight
hundred and eighty French Communists, con-
victed of various outrages against life and
property, were embarked at Brest yesterday in
penal deportation to the convict settlement in
New Caledonia. Captain Cook found the
island inhabited by population of the
Papuan negro race when he discovered it,
in 1774 If any of their descendants remain
they will, no doubt, fraternize agreeably with
the would-be reformers of society and public
morals in exile from France.
Year: 1872

and the standard Of morality in Wall street
harden their consciences and give them diff
ferent character in business from that which
they have elsewhere.


Tho evil is growing yearly, and has been
greatly augmented by the war. II has assumed
a national importance and affects the whole
community. Black Friday and Fisks opera
tions then were but phases of this general de-
moralization. The events in Wall street within
the last day or two were only a recurrence of
the gambling in the stock and money mar
kets on that and other occasions The
consequences are always the same Business
suffers; everything is unsettled for time; a
ruinous rate of interest demoralizes exchange
and prevents exports A bale of cotton could
not be sold during the height of the present
financial disturbance. just as the Fall trade
was opening in the most promising manner
everything received check. Values to the
amount Of hundreds of millions are affected
through the cunning and unscrupulous man
agement of six or seven millions in the hands
of Wall street clique of three or four men.
Such monstrous anomaly, evil and really
uuuucRsA dDSuIuiVy OuBH1 W Oo IoinoVoA ooAAo
way or other by the government Gambling at
the faro bank is not whit moro immoral and
by no means as disastrous in its consequences
to tho community as the disgraceful move
ments in Wall street to which we have referred
A remedy is imperatively needed and ought
not to be postponed. Either the federal or
State government, or both, ought to act at
once in the interest of trade. the community
generally and for the sake of the public morals.
Year: 1872




with the most vital interests Of the country
ought to be and can be suppressed. The
officers Of the law may not, in certain locali-
ties, be vigilant enough in breaking up faro
banks or other similar establishments, on
account of certain local influences and be-
cause the victims are limited and voluntary;
but the whole mercantile and business COM
munity would be interested in restraining the
gold and stock gamblers if there were O law
for that purpose.


1t is well to remark here that much depends
upon the standard of morality in this respect
fixed by the government primarily and by the
public secondarily. A few years ago gambling
in Washington, but the government suppressed
them, and the federal capital has undergone
healthy change In such countries as some of
the South American Republics, where gambling
is allowed and fashionable, the priests even en-
gage in it publicly. Such a spectacle would
not be tolerated in the United States All de-
pends upon the standard of morality estab-
lished by government and consequently ad-
mitteafby the public. Our Wall street men
deem it Legitimate to plunder each other and
the merchants, to victimize the people and to
paralyze trade for the purpose of gain. Men
who claim to be pious and are pillars of our
churches will deliberately plot to deceive
the ignorant and to overreach the un-
wary in order to make money. The
jolly fellows of the stock and gold
boards and on the curbstones of Wall and
Broad streets will misrepresent and cheat as
readily as the gamester with loaded dice, and
then go home contented that they have only
been trading in the recognized way. The same
men may pay all their bills punctually, have
sort of pride in being considered honorable,
aud never fail to pay their pew rents or SUBJ
scrptions to their preacher, but are demoral-
lied when dealing in stocks or gold. Custom
Year: 1872

THE SPECIAL SESSIONS MIDDLE.
AGREEMENT ON THE HABEAs CORPUS CASES


JUDGE BRADY RESERVES HIS DECISION.


The long expected argument in reference to
the legality Of the Court OF Special Sessions has at last
been held and the decision will be looked for with
greater eagerness. The Courtroom OF Judge
Brady well filed, yesterday with spectators, not
the least interested OF whom the 10 prisoners
brought from Blackwelrs Island on writs OF habeas
corpus. VIM. f. Howe, appearing for q large
number Of the convicts presented his views
in their behalf. discussing the question Of
the legality Of the Court Of Special Sessions,
first when two Justices were sitting, and aferwaTd
when a single Justice presided.


DistrctAttOrney Garvn, in reply. said that the ques
ton presented, new, although II not tho


first time problems OF this description had been alated
He alluded TO the argument raised In the Smith CASE
that there had been legal Court OF oyer and Ter
miner for some point overrGled but illustrating
the looscness with which laws were drawn He adj
mtted that the Court OF Appeals had decided In
Hubers case that the provision OF the law under which
the court organized void because OF techni-
cal uncOnsttutiOnay But was there anything before
this Court but the bare record, and could tho
Court discharge these men on that aOnei That, he
claimed could only be done by writ OF error and after
argument. There no doubt that Judge Shsndley
Police Justice and these Justices were de Jaco
court 1t the of an officer falsely certified TO be
elected whose acts valid till lie decided not 10
be entitled to the Office But assuming the acts OF the
just ices 10 bc void. then they nuy. II nothing
then I'D law they had not been restrained OF their liberty
They coud be remandcd for trial and 1t was only his
duty TO furnish the Court with authorities making Us
course plain In the matter


Mr RObiqsOn appearing for the House OF Refuge. said
he supposed tbal the wrs reating TO that Institution
OF them would be decided at the time. and then re-
served his decision.
Year: 1872

TO the razor Of The Tribune.


SIR: The recent amendment to the United
States Homestead Laws granting extra privileges TO
soldiers and sailors TO be misunderstood by many
OF those for whose benefit 1t intended and this mis-
understanding II not corrected expose many to the
wes Of sharpers. The general opinion that an agent
can hold land claim for soldier or sailor until the
title is perfected Incorrect for the law explicitly states
that agent only hold the land for six months ana
that at the expiration Of that time the soldier or sailor
must enter upon personal possession and then remain
for the full period year. in order TO secure tte
The rule applies To the widows of those who ded
in tho service or from wounds disease contracted
therein their orphan children can have guardian
appointed hold land for them until they become
OF age While much to be regretted that the law re-
0ures soldiers pay the entry fee and commission
so of land that demanded OF Others
those fees he paid before entry can be made


FRIEND THE SOLDIER AND SAILOR.


NelC- York Aprl ~, 1872
Year: 1872

o the EQfIOr or IhC ITlOuhc.


SIR: would like to call the attention of
your readers to the system Of Civil Service REFORM
now carried by the Administration. About the mid
die Of March the President concluded to change the
rules in a number Of ways; the old rules with
drawn, and all candidates for appointment
PEELED await the issue of the At least forty
men, the majority of them young, have come from diff
ferent parts OF the country and have been promised
each day that the rules would surely be ssued the next
and that they would have the opportunity, IN an exam
iDatOn, of competing for Of the vacancies In the
Treasury Department. II Is four weeks since
this promising begun and Is kept up yet Many Of
these expecting TO ascertain within few
days whether they would be successful not and have
been kept here all this time without being any better
informed than they the day they came. Several
without means having been here SO much longer
they expected to be, and will be compelled 10 bOr
money pay the remainder Of their board bill and
their passage home. The worst Of the whole affair is
that prominent Senators, favored by the AdmDistra
ton, have recommended personal friends for appoint
ment and they have received positions notwithstanding
the deadlock account Of the rules In this nearly
all the vacancies have been filed What Is the OF
having any Civil Service rules at ALL IL they DO
disregardcd In this wayf WEsTBRSER.


Washington, April 10. 1872
Year: 1872

From a gentleman who was recently at Camp Grant, WIG learn that the loaicrs, bum ners and affidavit-men who have been stay ing around Grant for several years past, are feeling very blue on account of the new post to be established in Arivapai Valley. They feel that their occupation is going from them, knowing that Colonel RoyaIl will not tolerate any such nuisance at the new post that is to be-
Year: 1872

Lieutenant Wheeler, of the Engineers, is now exploring Southern Utah. He will come as far as the Colorado. Have not yet seen an account of his explorations in Arizona, but hope to see it soon.
Year: 1872

D. Henderson & Bro. are bound to make room Tor fal! and winter goods now on the road, and to do so, announce their settled purpose to get rid of their present stock by selling it of at tempt ing prices. They have everything, and mean what they say.
Year: 1872

Ii does n't pay station keepers o write forage receipts wen they send to this office and procure any desired number af neatly printed blank receipts gotten up actly s per instructions from the Chief Quarermase of the district, and at cheap rates
Year: 1872

The Tribune says the Senators who are only
waiting for chance TO ''pitch into" Mr. Sumner
have made an opportunity The Senate would
not touch his resolution to erase sectional en-
blems and inscriptions from battle-aags; but it
has received from the House a Joint resolution
setting forth that such an erasure should not be
tolerated. This will come up mere negative
proposition and thus enable the waiting Senators
to cir their sentiments concerning Mr. Sumner
and his suggestion. 1t is understood, of course,
that the gentlemen who are to make speeches DO
not much care for the battie-fags what may be
on them.
Year: 1872

UnquestionabaG Wilmington is one OF the best
localities for the erection and running furnace
for making pig iron in the country, and the fact
thar great amount of the iron made would be
other fact that be shipped to this city from
the mines iu Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania
and the South, at rate that will guarantee that
furnace run on proper principles would pay,
ought to induce capitalists, who understand the
business, to invest money in it in Wilmington.
Year: 1872

Position AND MoT1oN.-Somc interesting
facts regarding standing, walking, and lying
down are grouped in lecture by Professor
Burt G. Wilder. In man the great toe is
the essential part Of the foot in standing and
walking. In the ape this is a thumb stand
ing out from the side of the foot, and there.
fore has no power Of supporting or propeling.
The ape cannot carry himself erect. Put
man OIL all fours, like an ape, and the enor-
nous disadvantage appears at once. The
head hangs as a great weight, with no ade-
quate muscles to support it. The curve OF
the back is such that the knees touch the
ground, and we have to raise the thighs in
order to make the feet touch the ground.
Mans foot is called a plantigrade foot-that
is, it has the whole sole fiat upon the ground.
One other animal has plantigrade foot, but
he uses it in different fashion; he lifts the
whole foot together and puts it down Hat,
while the man strikes with the heel first and
rolls forward upon each toe alternately. The
erect attitude is maintained by constant
though unconscious control of the muscles OF
the leg by the brain. The length of the man
is greater when he is lying fiat than when he
is standing. In the former case the body
stretches itself; in the latter it settles down
upon itself. A man is shorter when stand
ing on one foot alone. He is shorter again
when walking. For this reason ladies skirts
which just clear the ground when they are
standing, drag on the pavement as soon as
they begin to walk. The different parts Of
the body are bent upon each other, and swing


ON one side to the other. A very singular
fact connected with walking, is that one side
of the body tends to outwalk the other. Per-
sons with their eyes shut cannot walk in a
straight line for any length Of time; and per-
sons who are lost in the woods or prairics are
sure to travel in a circle. There is greater
tendency to wander off to the right than to
tue left.
Year: 1872

IMPROVED SOAP BUBBLES. We find in an
exchange paragraph which teaches the art
of blowing soap-buhbles that will show the
changing colors of the rainbow, and may be
of special interest to some of our juvenile
readers. The directions are as foliows:-
Take threc-quarters Of pint of water that
has been boiled and become cold, and put
into it quarter of an ounce of CASTLE soap,
cut up fine. Put this into pint bottle, and
set it in hot water in a saucepan, on the fire;
there let it remain an hour or So now and
then giving it good shaking, till the soapis
dissolved. Let the fluid stand quiet for the
impurities and coloring matter of the soap to-
settle; then pour off the fluid and add to it
four ounces of glycerine, and your soap-bub-
BILE solution is ready. In an ordinary way
you may blow the bubbles easy with to-
bacco pipe, but if you wish to attain scientific
perfection, you had better employ glass
pipe. By adding large quantity of glyce-
rine, you may make these bubbles so strong
that you can play battledore with them.
Year: 1872

BY THE AUTHOR OF "MY EARLY SCHOOL DAYS"
Some wondrous men have late appeared on earth,
Pregnant with vain delusions from their birth,
Forebodng to the world final stroke,
Who, like the raven, daily croak and croak;
The times and seasons with curious eye
Through floating mists and vapors they descry,
Or into far futurity would reach.


But Shakespear says, die, Prophet, in thy


speech"


How from the false shall we detect the true?
When God sends Prophets He nstructs them,


too,


And lifts the curtain that is drawn between
The world beyond and this sublunary scene,
Condemns pretenders either soon or late,
Disproves their words and leaves them to their


fate.


The gypsy -sybil who upon your palm
Your fortune reads, is not greater sham;
She from hypocrisy at least exempt
Receives the silver coin and smiles contempt;
But they, disdaining such inglorious things,
Predict the fall of Empires and of Kings,
And with anathemas in thunder hurl'd
Like Doctor Cumming, finish up the world.
One talks of comets, earthquakes, fire and blood,
Another browns US kindly in a food.
In calculation profound, the hour
Is fix'd and settled for the fame or shower.
Some Saints there are who, not content to kneel,
Sell their mahogany and purchase deal;
For which the only reason l can state
Is that the loss would not be quite so great;
Like chivalry of which we've seen the last,
Methinks the age Of prophecy is past.
There have been prophets, sterling, truthful,


sound,


But only in the Scriptures to be found;
Inspired by Him, the One Supreme on high,
Sole source of truth, the One who cannot lie.
Such was the son of Amos when he poured
His spirit out on Judah from the Lord
His gifted spirit that in light awoke
And made her children tremble as he spoke.
And such was he Goods messenger, deem)
Who in Chaldea stood by Chebar's stream,
And saw displayed before his mental eyes
A bright cherubic vision from the skies.
Such he, who when Belshazzar in his hall
Quail 4 at the mystic writing on the wall,
That gave his kingdom to the warke Mede,
Explained and solved what none beside could


read.


These their credentials had-I wish to know
If modern Prophets have the like to show?
As well expect miser to display
His purse in friendship, and persist to pay;
Or in the desert find table spread
With viands rich, that pilgrims may be fed;
The blind to clearly see, the deaf to hear,
Or meet a lawyer with conscience clear.
As we'll expect what yet has never come,
An angry woman struck by reason dumb.
When croaking prophets visit us in troops
They're followed by at least ten thousand dupes;
OF ueraa'a gulls in man behold the chief,
The greater lie, the frmer the belief.
All history tells us that he has preferr'd
To common sense the monstrous and absurd
Ignorance and imbecility combined
Degrade his nature and enslave his mind,
And make and leave him while he dreams or


raves


The fool of fiction and the prey of knaves.
Year: 1872

A CHINA CoLFAx-When Colfax and
party made their last visit to the Pacific
coast they stopped at Truckce, and during
their stay a Chinese wedding took place at
Campbell's Hotel, Judge Sykes performing
the ceremony, and Vice President Colfax
giving away the bride. Since that time the
Celestial couple have lived together happily,
and what is more, boy has been born unto
them, and they have named him Colax.
His name was so given by the mother and
duly entered upon the return by the Census
Marshal. .-Neuada Transcript.
Year: 1872

O, MEMORY, thou art a jewel! To possess
thee in thy greatest attainable strength, is to
possess a prize, the value Of which is inesti-
mable. Thou art susceptible of an increase
of strength and enlargement of power by
cultivation; how important, then, that we i'm
prove every opportunity to cultivate our MEM
ory, that it may be ours in strength and vigor
to serve US in times of need,
Year: 1872

What is life, and what are we?
Only leaves upon a tree,
Green to-day, tomorrow scar,
Then we are no longer here!
Others fair and brave as we,
Grew, of old, upon a tree;
Now they crumble in the mould,
With their histories untold.
So shall we; it is our lot
Thus to die and be forgot;
BY and by the tree will fall,
One oblivion waits for all.
Year: 1872

WONDERFUL. SIGNAL LIGHT.-A signal
light that will live in the water is one OF the
latest discoveries. When thrown into the
sea it will Immediately ignite, md will burn
for forty minutes. Contact with water is
the only means of producing the illumination.
1t will ignite in no other way. When
once lighted, wind or storm does not affect it.
Experiments have been made by num-
Der of scientific gentlemen, to determine its
brilliancy. On one occasion, a lamp was
plunged into bucket of water on the top of
hill, which produced light SO brilliant that
after burning twenty minutes, a newspaper
was read by the light at seventy yards dis
tance from it. "The weather was dark, thick
and foggy." They are said to be easily
made, cheap and safe.