THERE PORTER
J. FKM»Kn, | j. T. DA HUNG TON j
Editor. AnK"datc Editor. \
3 THURSDAY, MABCH R 1870 ~ I
i
DANBUItY I*O.ST~OFFICE. |
In reply to a petition to tho Post- |
office department for increased mail
facilities, wo received iho following ro- j
ply from the Second Assistant Post- j
jnaxter (reneril :
"A* the revenue derived from Dan-!
bury is only about £ls ;>\>r annum, I
this seoms to be as freqomit supply us
the importance of the office will jus
tify."
If the post-office at Dunbury can- j
pot be made to pay the Department
)uoro than $lO per annum, we would
1 e unjust iu asking additional facili
ties for our accommodation. But is
this eo ? \Vill not this oflico-yield the
Department from 875 to §125, with
the attention which is duo a public
office? Dr. M., the postmaster, is a
practicing physician, and is from home
a large portion of his time. His
wt»o is Mstfepus7 is offen'out oft lie
village, superintending tho farm work.
People come from tho country, six or
eight miles, to mail and receive their
letters, and have to wait half or all
day and thou return to their homes
without getting to see the inside of
the out-of-the-way little place, called
our post-office, with one portion a
doctor shop and the other portion a
corn house, without a partition.
Citizens have urged us, as tfce con
ductors ol a newspaper, to bring this
subject to tho notice of the Post-office
Department for the last year, but we
liave heretofore declined on the ground
that the postmaster was our neighbor.
But from the refusal of the Depart
ment to give U3 increased mail facili
ties, and us Danbury is the county
neat of justice, and public and private
interests are suffering from our past
neglect, we feel it our duty to our
countrymen to notice this subject. We
want a post-office which will be kept
open all day, always supplied with
postage stamps and cards, whore we
can mail and get our letters and pa- j
pt-rs at time.
We are assured by postmasters from
different sections that this office, with
only one mail a week,.could be made
to yiel4 the Department three or four
times as much as it does; and if wo
had increased mail facilities the in
crease of revenue would be propor
tionably enlarged. Mete and better
mail uud pcst-otfico accommodations
are due us, and we will, not be still
until we get thom.
HELKXAF'S FALL.
The seriouß charges against Wm.
W. Belknap, late U. S. Secretary of
War, of coiruption and bribe-taking,
has proved to be no sensational ru- j
mor. The evidence of his guih was
laid before Congress on the 2d instant,
and it was too explicit and voluminous
to be discredited. The Investigating
Committee guarded well their secret
for several days, but before their work
could be finished and resolutions of
impeachment presented to tho House,
the guilty Secretary tendered his res
ignation to the President, which was
immediately accepted. Why General
Grant should thus step between jus
tice and a aelf-cenvicted offender, we
ouinot say; but his conduct is very
harshly criticised by leading mon and
journals all oYer-tho irrespec
tive of politics.
After this, General Belknap wont
before the Committee and admitted
the truth of the charges against him.
lyt is believed by many that his hasty
resignation will not save him from im
peachment ; but, for somo cause, no
fjnal action had been taken up to date
of our last information.
The Grand Jury of the District of
Columbia has found a truo bill against
Belknap, and he will be dealt with by
t)\e civil authorities. In case of con
yiction, the law prescribes as punish
ment a service of threo years in the
penitentiary, and a fine of double the
amount of money corruptly received
by him. Belknap was admitted to
iu the sum of 8-5,000.
This affair lias created quite a sen- 1
sation in political circles. It is thought
"third term" prospect is now I
i entirely destroyed, and that to Grant
ism alone this deplorable condition of
j things is traceable, is a great pub
j lie shame, and should bo honestly
deprecated by every citizen of every
party. But the end has rot yet come.
Exposures will follow close upon the
heols of exposure until the United
States will become a stench in the
nostrils of civilization. Yet, let thq
work go on ; expose the roots of the
national cancer, and then the healing
remedies cai> be applied with more
direct and certain effect.
AV'e hereby tender our thanks to
Joel F. Dill, Esq., at present of Wash
ington, D. C., for copies of late papers-
A Disgrace to Stokes County.
Ebitoks Danbpey Repqktkh :
The people of Stokes and surround
ing counties are aware of the fact that
Dan river runs neaily centrally through ;
the county of Stokes, and that Dan- |
bury, tho county seat, is situated ou !
the wtpj ** f
town mJunUin. 'lt is further known
that the ford at Daubury is exceeding- j
ly dangerous, and that the people of
the county are sometimes compelled
to go to the Court House, and one
half of them have to cross this ford or ;
travel several miles distant to find a j
safe crossing. The county has paid
for bridgos over Town Fork and Snow
Creek, near the border; would it not
be well to provide some safe way of
crossing at the Court House, where all
the people of the county are interested |
in having a safe and expeditious way
of getting to and froiu their county
seat ? Is it not a disregard of the
convenience and even the safety of the j
lives of its citizens for the county not
to remedy this great evil. If the ;
County Commissioners think it too ex
pensive to build a bridge, or inexpe
dient to do so, I learn a good ford
m«y be had some two hundred yards
bolow the present ford, which would
cross into A. H. Joyce's field. Mr.
Joyce is a public-spirited citizen, and
I believe would grant the right of
vny ; but if he would not, the law
provides a method to get it, by paying
for it.
I hope that you, Messrs. Editors,
and all other citizens of the county
will urge this matter upon the Com
missioners at every meeting until 6ome
action is taken. The present arrange
ment is a crying shame to the county
of Btokes and her authorities.
A Citizen ov Stokes.
-M - Hf— ——"U-J
Reminiscence of Travel.
Editors Daxbuby Stromas :
I have just returned from an unex
pected trip from Danville, Va. In
place of going to Winston andgettiug
on the railroad) I went through the
country to Beidsville, and from thence
on cars to Danville. I passed by and
through place* and along, roads I used
to visit and pass many years ago.
How things, people and places do
change in thirty years! Yet many
places looked familiar. Four miles
west of Wentworth I crossed Dan j
rivor in a ferry boat, just above the
famous Settle bridge. That bridge is
now undergoing repairs. Wentworth
looked familiar and has improved cou- i
siderably since 1861, when I was last!
there.
Arriving at Boidsville late in the
evening, I passed the remains of whut 1
was Reidsvitle in 1863. I mean Beid's
old store place. I can but think that
the people of Beidsville havo large no
tions of a town. They seem to be
scattered around the boundaries ol
what they expect to be Beidsville when
the intervals are tilled up. 1 had but
little time to spend in this town, but
; saw enough to know that it is a live
| place and a good market for tHe pro
ducts of the farm.
I
I passed on the railroad from Reids
j ville to Danville, Va. I had not been
ito Danville since the fall of 18 J.
' Danville is growing very fast. 1 no
ticed a number of fine buildings on
i Main street, and many other streets,
which had been built since I was
there; but the greatest improvement
j I noticed was in the streets and side
| walks
Having gotten through with the
I business that called me to Danville,
' ifntj having takon leavo of my friends
! whom I staid, 1 started for tlfQ
j djpot. My way led me through what
:is called "the park" of Danville. It
I is a beautiful grove of thfe forest oak,
| in which was held the great "Thomp
son festival" of 1840—thirty-six years
ago, which was my first trip* to Dan
ville. I stopped at the old Bell tavern
ion Main street, .kept by a man named
| Sudduth. There was a great gather
ing of £he people. Political excite
ment ran high. It was my start
in political life. I can never iorj
log cabins aud hard cidei, the c
andjcoon-sk.ns. "I was a Whig
ndt old enough to vote; yet I reel
the charges against Mr. YanH
who was asking the people to
him a second timo. lie had
aboiit $«5,U00 in refitting and fus
ing the White Hguse, and one o
officers was a defaulter to the ami
of |Bo,odo or 540.000. Yet, strl
to s«y, Goneral Harrison beat h,im
a unanimous vote. Such bttj^
noOTod, and would Otily be cousidered
as small pocket-change among the;
Government officials anH whisky men.
Tho United States Distr.ct Court
Wiu in session in Danville. I was told ;
that there were about 1,500 of the
citizens of Patiick, llenry and Frank
lin counties in attendance on the
Court. Crooked whisky aud retailing
without license was the order of the:
day, and many conviction* were being
made. How will it be before the ;
"crooked" men of our sectiou will be
called t j Greensboro to answer before
the lYloral Court, aud be straightened j
out by iino and imprisonment ?
1 vill say, in conclusion, that to- ;
bacco was doing well iu Keidsville and |
Danville. The farmers along the road j
over A'hich I passed seemed to be mak- I
ing j'.ood use of the fiuo weather. J
Plow*, single and double, could bo ,
seen turning over the fine Dau river j
lands in every direction. The wheat ;
crop is promising beyond auy former
prospect in my recollection.
DANBCKV. |
■■ ■ '!
The Poindextsr-Davia Dobt.
«
ANOTHER PROMINENT CITIZEN QIVKS HIS j
SAUIUTOWN, STOKES Co., N. C.
EDITORS DAXBUKV REFOKTER :
I see in your issue of the 2-1 th ofj
February, a letter from "Justice" about
the suits of J. F. Poindexter vs. Wm.
Davis—a county debt which he has to
pay, according to the decision of our
Supreme Court.
So far as justice and equity is con
cerned, I say the cOunty of Stokes
should say to Mr. Davis we will pay
thi debt. As lam no lawyer I have
nothing to say about law, but give us
the old Constitution as near as we can
get it. The money was borrowed un
der the old Constitution of the State •
' why not the law# govern it ?
It is a well known fact that the
money was borrowed as a county debt,
and a war debt. Mr. Davis never re
ceived one cent of it, but only helped
| the couijty to borrow money, on the
faith that the coifnty was to return it.
War debts were repudiated, directly
\ and indirectly ; hen why should Mr.
j Davis pay the county's liabilities ? But
! by a construction of the law, Mr. Da
i vis is to foot the bill. He is the inno
cent party ; yet he is to suffer and pay
a coflytjkHnd a war debt. I the
j county (1/ Stokes should come to his
| aid, or the tax-payers should say :
Mr. Davis, we will pay or reimburse
,'
1
i
]
I
(
I
.
i
i ]
»
you.
It ig n well known tact that thp
county can pay it und not feel it
Two dollars on tho tax-payers of Stoki s
would relieve Mr. Davis, and they
would be doing nothing but justice to
themselves and to him.
Mr. Davis is an aged man ; and now
in old age to seq his all taken from
him to pay a county debt is the great
est injustjue that could be perpetrated
in a civilized country. lam a small
tax-payer of the county. I am will
ing to pay a double tax for 1876, and (
if the tax-payers of the count} would
all do HO, it would bo nothing more
th'in justice, and honorable to tho
county and its tax-payers, and would
relieve Mr. Davis of the debt.
Now, Messrs. Editors, in conclusion, i
jjia a well known fact that Mr. Davis , t
1 via born and raised in the county of 1
jokes, and his lather before hjfn was '
tie of the first settlers of the county. , i
Ie did what he did, or as aify other
' jerson would do under the/ circura- ui
itances, to thfl honor of A lB native |
i kounty —not wishing to see/it behind :
: »ny in the State in those tying tunes. . J
I The past is gone—let it W goae and I
1 forgotton. Do justice /> all, »s my 1
motto. Give the wido/'e mite, and -
all will *«• anA " Wt * And 1
, in the
ar feel
•jpubli-
on the
i coun
county
TIP.
on
| iM-r 0 "*
' New Yofk is so rampant
acy of VriAMt
prints a long editorial, entitled "The
One Condition of Democratic Victo
ry," arid makes that condition the
adoption of a hard-money platform
and the nomination of a hard-money
candidate. Circumstances, and a full
review of the situation do not, in my
judgment, point to that conclusion.
With an honest endeavor to prevent
any preconceived idea?, or personal
preferences, from interfering with a
candid statement, I cannot agree with
the world. That the financial ques
tion will be a most prominent one in
the canvass, is not now denied. Like
Banquo's ghost, it Avill not down at!
any one's bidding. It cannot be ig
nored and must be met, not with such
determination to rule or ruin as the
Vv orld displays, but in a spirit ol com
promise and fairness. Our Govern
ment is based on compromises. It has
been sustained by compromises, as
have the political parties which have
existed iu it, and struggled to impress ■
their ideas and systems upon it. That
at this time this spirit should rule in
Democratic councils is apparent to ev
ery man of sense, whose tuind is not
bliuded by prejudice, or judgment
cloudqd by personal or sectiqnal inter
ests.
Unfortunately, many of our Con
gressmen are, like the World, guided
j by local feeling, or influenced by a de.
sire to secure their own persqnal ad
vancement ; and they fail to rise above
these, and view the situation from a
national standpoint. Such men should
be taught a lesson by the press of their
sections. The Democratic newspapers
ha»e a high mission to perform. It
must be done at one*. Only fools and
madmen ignore patent facts when jusl
just conclusions are sought. It would
be the act ef a fool or madman to deny
that the ohances of Democratic suc
cess are greatly imperilled by the fi
nance question, as it has been handled
by the Democratic members of Con
gross. It was thought that the ap
pointment of the caucus committee of
thirteen would result in the introduc
tion of some measure which would
unite and nnify the party. But tji&t
committee seems to be composed of
men who will concede nothing; and
each member of it stands to-day where
he did when apppinted.
The refHsal on the part of the hard
mpney men, who have the House or
ganization, to permit any ofjthe soft
money men to obtain the floor, more
particularly the unjustifiable manner
in which Mr. Atkins was ruled off re
cently, is calculated to do serious harm
and embitter the l'ee ings of those thus
treated.
The remedy rests with the press of
tho : country. And when I say this, I
meau the country press—the papers
which J each the ma3s of the people.
Let I hem speak out and rebuke intol
erance and sel.-seeking; let them in
each Congressional District demand of
their representatives moderation and
sell-sacrifice, aud urge a compromise
of individual and sectional views, for
I tfip general good. This aotion is im
peratively demanded, or for another
four years the country will, be sub
jected .to Republican rulo
The Southern and Southwestern
members arp complaining, and with
| some show of reason, against the ae
tion of members from the Middle imm}
Eastern States, on another subject.
The former say that in all the paste*,
istence of the Republic large outlay*
of Government money have been made
.in the North and East, and they have
grown rich on the subsidies and tariflft
intended t*>. protect their manufacture
ing interests; and now when the
South, impoverished, and the West,
suffering under a grinding monopoly*
comes to Congress and simply asks a
guarantee upon bonds, (the Govern
ment being amply secured,) by which
a new route across the continent can
be secured, that they are met with the
bitterest of opposition and are told to
wait. This, too, in the face of the
fact that the measure •?* will;
secure the investment of eighty-five
millions of dollars of foreign gold in
tho country —will furnish employment
to thousands, will revive trade and
manufactures, and generally benefit
the whole country. On this subjeet
the press should speak out.
Oungrcss "is working a#ay at tfafeap
propriation bills, and the expenditures
are being steadijy deceased. The
bill restoring the pensions ©Jfsnsh sol-,
diers of the Mexican w w as were en»
gaged in the rebellion, was up fß the.
House, but was recommitted after
some debate. The investigations ate.
being conducted, ru-.
mor says that some very high in place*
will be shown tainted, at leaet» with a
knowledge of frauds committed against
the Government The Senators at
work upon the West Point appropria
tion bill, and will probably reftise to
concur in the House reductions. A.
protence of investigating Sttiator
Spencer is being made.
A new candidate for the Democratic
nomination for President has oome to
the frant. Thi&is Colonel Jamse 0.
Broad head, of Bt. I onis, Missouri.
So far as capacity and integrity are
concerned, he is the peer of aay man
, on tho continent He has been
' a Democrat, is a man of visws >
and has held office, preferring to
i practice his. profession, rathsr
i than mix in the political
! would mark a new era, if, in this eur
; centennial year, a candidate for>.Prss-,
ident should be chosen from the qpal.ka
of private life, because of bis higk .
. ability and unblemished character.
[I The war in Spain ia over and Don
| Carlos has fled to England, while his. .
; followers are submitting to the Gov-*,
t ernment. Russia baa annexed amth-.
k ! er slice of Asia, and now has only Af- >
[ ghanastan between her border ends
r India. Tho Turkish insurrection still,
i continues. Nothing also of hupor-%
t tance from over the water. Diut. '
I - J '~i
AMERICAN"
1 AND
FOREIGN PATENTS.'
GILMORE & CO., successors to CmfipAr., N
: Hosmbr & Co., Solicitors. Patent* proceiwa/
"! in all countries. No feea in ndvanet. Bo
1 charges unless the pateDt is granted. No few
for making preliminary examinations. Ko
additional fees for obtaining and conducting
- a rehearing. By a recent decision of the
p Commissioners all rejected applications may
be revived. Special attention given to Inter*
- ference Cases before the Patent Office, Exten
i sions before Cougress, Infringement 'a
differeut States, and all litigation ippertalning
t to Inventions ov Patents.- Sena stame to
f Gilmobb & Co. for pamphlet of sixty jM^ea.
1 LAND CASES, LAND WARRANTS,
a AND SCRIP. «
Contested Land Cases prosecuted* before
i the U. S. General Land Office and DfepttU
meat of the Interior. Private Land Claims,
■- Mining and Pre-emption claims, and Heme-
Y stead cases attended to. Land Serin •Jn 40,
c 80, and 160 acrs pieces for M{e. ™s £orip
e is assigr.ab e, and can be located in the name
of the purchaser upon any Government .laad
subject to private entry, at, $1 25 per sere. 'lt
i- is of equal value with Bounty Land War
rants. /Send stamp to Gilmore dt Co. for
pamphlet of Instruction.
8 ARREARS OF PAY AND 80VN
-4 TX
j Officers, Soldiers and Sailors of the lata
1 war, or their heirs, are in many casei entitled.
■8 to money from, the Government of which they
have no knowledge. Write full history of
'• service, and slate amqunt of pay and bpimty
[- received. "Enclose stamp to Gllmortf %
and a full reply, after examination, will he
givon you tree. ■
if PENSIONS.
d AW Officers, Soldiers and Sailors wouhded*
e ruptured or injured in the; late war, fepsrefrr
slightly, can obtain a pensiorj, by addrgssieg
r Gilmore & Co.
Cases prosecuted by Gtjmore. A Co. before
the /Supreme Court of the United (States, tho
r . Court of Claims and the southern- "Claims
i_ Commission.
Each our business is cop-,
ducted in a separate .bureau, under charge e(.
n the same experienced parties employed by
. I the old firm. Prompt attention to 4u btisinesa,
11 ' entrusted to Gilmore & Co. is thus* foe
i. We desire to wjn su;eesji by deserving.'
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