Newspapers / The Danbury Reporter (Danbury, … / May 31, 1877, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Danbury Reporter (Danbury, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
THE RIP ORTER. J.Pfi+tß, | J. T. DA RUN Editor. Attociatt Editor. THURSDAY MAY 81, 1877 TBS LIQUOR QUKSTION. It has ever been urged hy those who are in favor of the retail lioense system that no measure ean he adopted which will result in even a partial suppression of tho vice of drunkenness, or in any way tend to the improvement of society. It is olaimed that the more rigid the laws are in this rsspeet, the greater will be the temptation to evade them, for men will bay, sell and us* ardent spirits, let the circumstances and conditions he what they may. It has be n the pet theory of a few intereeted parties in this section that if the bar rooms were olosed unlicensed retailers would beoome almost as numerous ss locusts, and that either • jug, demijohn of runlet would be hidden behind every hill or secreted in every ravine surrounding Dan bury Bat the experience of the preeent week has thoroughly exploded this fal lacy. Some of the oldest oitiaens of the county express positive surprise at the wonderful and satisfactory elect of the local prohibitory law, and assert that the present hss been the most orderly Court ooeasion they have witnessed in at least, twenty years. Fer once, no disgraceful street scenes have been enacted; no boisterous, abusive or blasphemous lan guage has reflected upon our civilisation; the nights have not been rendered hide ous by the carousals and drunken orgies of the depraved, nor by the yells and pistol shots of the more desperate. A better behaved multitude never assem bled in Denbary, and possibly not within the State, on a similar occasion. And this great change is to be accounted for entirely as the result of prohibition. But prohibition is regarded with gen eral disfavor by a large majority of peo ple in this section. They regsrd it ss curtailing their rights and privileges, and subjecting them to restraints tbst should not be imposed upon s free peo ple. We sre by no means in favor of general prohibitory lsws applying to the sale of liquor or the abolition of any other right. We are not in favor of destroying or taking away a singta privL lege ever bequeathed to or enjoyed by oar fellow eitiiens. These are things that should be surrendered only when they conflict with more important interests, and then with positive reluctance. A liberty once surrendered msy be gone forever. Arbitrary enaotments never yet brought about a favorable reaction in public sentiment, and a permanent social or moral improvement. They may have the power to control for a time, but their effects are not often per manent or healthy. Yet, while we do not favor harsh and extreme legislation in this direction, we .do elaim that the liquor traffic should be judiciously regulated. If "liquor is a good thing in its plsce," ss is olaimed, and a demon out of it, it must be equally true that it is liaMc to infliot injury, and when it does exert a pernicious and de basing influence upon society it becomes an evil, and as such should be restrained to eertain limits. Is any liberty that binges upon the existenoe of a retail groggery of sueh intrinsic value to a community that the people should be foroed to listen daily to the horrid oaths and witness the many indecencies that originate therein ? And have other people no rights that should be respected by the votaries of intemperance, or should it be regarded as a persecution when the protection of law is invoked to save from wreck, and rain the civili sation of oar section ? We have never yet uttered a syllable or written A TIM i» favor of prohibition in regard to the buying and selling of liquor; bnt we have nrged the abolition of the retail license system in thie ooun ty, an 1 from the very beat motive*. No man's rights or liberties wonld suffer in the least if every retail drinking saloon in tbe State was closed. Those who bay their drinks now oould purchase tbeir quarto then ; bnt the advantage we eon tend consists, first, in the fact that the ■umber af lienor houses would become fewer, and, second, that tltose alone who bought liquor would drink it. It in a fact beyond dispute that, m a general rule, thoee who drink to escese, raise disturbances and disgrace society, never bear the expense of their dissipation, bnt depend largely upon the liberality of their friends There sre men who baLitaally wait and lounge around b >r- MOOIS in order to drink liqaw that other men pay for. Hut when the retail trade is abolished, these men will find "the winter of their discontent," tor it in an admitted fact that thers is no free whisky where there are no retail groggeries. Then, if the retail system is respon sible for the volume of intemperance, it should be abolished ; tod if the traffic »>uld be ao regulated as to diminish temptation tsd abate ibe evil, should not the remedy recti »e iKe sanation of every philauihfnpist in the count; ? Wk»t fight or privilege ti destroyed or surrendered in the wetter ? Clearly ■ J right whatever. We admit, re gretfully, that men do hwe certain ' privileges," and these privileges some times seriously effect th* dearest inter ests of society. It was Adam's privilege to est the forbidden apple, and the re sult was that haaad his wile were turned out of doori in poverty sod nakedness. It ia sow a cititen's privilege to indulge in the luxuries of the grogshop, and on this acoouut thousands annually share Adam's experience. Rights should never be confounded with privileges, as privileges are often hurtful rather than bmie&ci&l Wc, therefore, hope men will no long er elaim it as their right to ignore the rights of others; to degrsde and de bauoh society, to place temptation in the way of the unwary, to rob communities at their prosperity, sod to spread pov erty, vice and misery all around them- And we hope a hotter sentiment of duty and patriotism will not only deny this so-oalled right, but will prevent its exer cise. The closing up of bar-rooms has worked a miraele for Daobury, and would be of equal benefit to any other community. Beaumption of 8p«oi« Payment. Secretary Sherman contemplates the publication, within a few days, of an official explanation of hia financial poii ey, so far as it relates to the execution of the Resumption act of' January 14, 1875. In it, say dispatches which seem to be by satbority, be will show that he intends to adopt no aggressive measures, and that the oourse he will pursue, in stead of crippling the industries ot the country or embarrassing its finances, will promote the interest of both. His purpose is simply to execute, both in its letter and spirit, the act providing for the redemption of legal-tender notes on tbc Ist of January, 1869. The method adopted will be that suthoriaed and provided by the law. In accordance with the provisions ot this set the volume of outstanding legal tender notes is now being gradually reduced simul taneously with the issue of new national bank notes; but at the CIOBO of business on Thursday last in the Tr«aaury Do partment the amount of greenbacks still outstanding was $61,494,404 in excess of the three hundred millions the mini mum contemplated by the aet to be kept in eireulation until January, 1879. To prepare for the redemption of this 1300, 000,000 of legsl-tender notes in coin at the time fixed, the Secretary now con templates the sale of $100,000,000 worth of United States bonds at par in coin, tbc prooeedsof which he will hold as a special redemption fand. The sale of $£,000,000 of 4} per cent bonds, negotiated hy the Secretary of the Treaaury with the Syndicate last week, was the first of a series of sales hy which it is proposed to obtain this fund. The Ihmlnc in China. Simultaneously with the dearth which is casing so much anxiety in India, a famine is raging in the north of China ; but while the care and energy of the Indian government reduce the distrecs in the former oase to a minimum, people are dying by the thousands in China of sheer starvation. The scenes of the obief distress are in the extreme North of Kisngsu, in Shantung, in Pecbili and in Sbanse ; and from Shantung especial ly the aecoasts which reach us are heartrending. The whole traet of country in ques tion suffered last summer trom severe drought, which nearly destroyed the crops; and the peasantry, having eaten what little grain tbey had in store, or were able to gather are reduced now to tbe last stage of want. The picture drawn by Protestant missionaries in Shantung, and who are distributing tbc alms liberally contributed by tbc foreign c immunities in China, is terrible. Mr- Richard writes: "Having finished their corn, the peo ple are BOW eating grain husks, potato atalke, aod elm bark, buckwheat atalks, turnip leaves, aod grass seeda which the; gather in the field*. When theee are exhausted they pall down their houses sod sell the timber, and it ia re ported everywhere that many eat the rotten sorgoot staika from the roof, and the dried leavee they usually burn for fa I Ot their eating fael leavee there ie no doubt; thousands eat tintm, and thoueaods die beesueu they eaunpt get even that. They sell their ulotbee, auJ children. Having no clothes lelt to protect them fru ji the eold, many take refuse in pits built underground to keep themselves warm by the fetid brestb of the orowd. W ABHIN QTOW LETT KB. WASHINGTON, D. C.,) May 24, 1877. j [Fraw Our Own Cairtepo»lent.J For nefatal day* past there have bee a repeals that the troops had beca ordered from Louisiana and South CaroHoa. It is officially denied that such order has been issued, but their removal is only a question of a little time. Their "use fulness" in the South eeascd when they were ordered oat of the State buildings. The sabjoct of compromising the moaey claims of the Government against distiller* who were charged with de frauding the revenue, will be referred to Coogreea by Secretary Sherman. This is an odd matter for Congressional ac tion, bat the Administration is ia a delicate position. First these distillers raised sn enormous amount of money for the election, aad aided materially in making Hayes President. Then the principal offender, ia bis efforts to be relieved, was represented by a very close friend of President Hayes. Pending Congressional action the Secre tary of the Treasury will continue • HM* ia the oourts against the parties, but this will be only to keep up appearanoes. The strength of the Administration will be used in Congress to seoure their re lief. The amount involved ia several asillioas of dollar*. Ingenious methods of getting mono; to pay the army are being suggested. The law expressly forbid* raising none; fur any nth purpose, and the President ia trying airnply to do by indirection what he dares not do fraakly and openly The House of Representatives will probably look into all these transactions whenever Congress meets. Much ia being said ia Republican papers ol the faet that Mr. Tilden de clined to be present at tbe meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, in New York, recently, at which meeting President Hayes wa» a guest No remarks from Republicans, as Republicans, are in O'der. The meeting was not, ostensibly, in honor of President Hayes, and Mr. Tilden may have had excellent private reasons for refusing to attead. Busi ness, health, or tbe mere disinclination to be preaent would be sufficient reasons 'lt is likely, however, that Mr. Tilden believee, with most of his countrymen, that Hayes was not elected President and is not, in either law or equity, en titled to the office. If )ie so believes, then, that, also, was a sattoient reaqpn lor bis absence. I fail to see just grounds for party attacks on Mr. Tilden. whatever may have kept bias away Let oar Republican friends oonfine themselves to explaining Senator Conk ling's absence These nestings have heretofore beea graced by that distin guished gentleman, aad be has never before, I believe, pleaded other business as at Mease for abseaee. One of our largest Building Associa tiona in which sereral hundred men of •mall means bad in Tee ted their earnings, in preferenoe to plaoing them in a •triage bank or other depository, has just Met with a loee t>f some 920,000, through the dishonesty of it* officials By A defect in our laws tbe defanlters eannot be punished for tkeir crime. This is one of tke evils ftny community it liable to—if tbera be in the world sveb a community outside of Washing ton —which has no vote or Voiee in ■Miking its own laws. D» Jefferson Davis was invited to be pres ent at tbe memorial serviocs on tbe 10th of May at Chattanooga. He could not aooept, bat wrote to the committee of tbe Chattanooga Monument the follow ing beautiful letter, which deserves to be treasured ap: "When your children's children (ball ask what means this monument, letthkm be answered : It was reared by a grakji ful people to oommcmorate tbe virtues of those wbo died in defense of the altars and hearthstones of Tennessee. In memory of tbe man wbo gave their for tunes aad their liven tbat their obildren might be wbnt their fathers bad left them, fret and independent citisena of •rrareign States, thus hoping to trans mit to sn endless posterity tbo blessings of th*t liberty which belongs to those ■boss governments exist only hy their consent and exercise only delegated functions. Let BOM mourn as without consolation for those wbo fell in that ef fort. The manner of their death was tbs mviitg glory of their livsa Neith er let their Inborn be reckoned as lost.— Tbe everlasting principles to sustain which their blood was shed may be there by revived snd supported. Sanctified by the taetfftees made in tbeir behalf, sWI they net be endeared to those for wfcaa our heroes died? Your not, therefore, may not be regarded as a mere tribute to departed worth; it is also ; homage to troth, a d contains ths high est touching which patriotism can offer to tbe earning generations. "What though ve IU1? We feed the high traditions of tbe world, And lea tp our spirit in our |ieO|>le'j breast.'' What Sherman Think >. In reply to the toast to "The army aad navy," at tha receat dianer to Preaident Hayes in New York oity, the Bummer Sherman said that "withoat an army tba American people would bo a mob," and a viler slander upon the American people was never uttered. But no matter how untruthful the statement may be and how absurd, yet ooming from the Qeneral of the Armies of the United State* it deserves notice. If this be the opioion of the General of the Army the dnty of Congress is a plain one. The army must be cut dewn to each a figure as to make it powerless for evil. An army, certainly a regular army, is sure to take its opinions, as well as its orders from the General commanding. '-Like master like man" is to the full as true when applied to the army as whea applied to other peo ple. We may take it, therefore, when General Sherman openly proclaimed, and in the very presenoe of the Preei dent of the United States, that the Federal Government was held together oaly by the Federal army, a>.d that without it the American people would be a mob, that he was but giving ex pression to the common sentiment, and belief in Federal Military circles. And yet this sentiment, so utterly subversive of the first principles of Democratic Government passed unrebuked by Presi dent Hayes. Not even Marshal MeMa bon, the Military President of Franoe, could have held a more obstinate silence at a similsr utterance from the Com mander-in-Chief of hi* army than did Mr. Hayes at the declaration of Gen. Sherman. We say that the duty of Congress in the premises ia plain. Let the army be cut down until its power for evil shall be so diminished that it matter.-t not what sentiments such men ss Sherman and Sheridan may entertain. The aristocracy of the federal army must be taught that it does not ocoapy the same position in the United States that the French army holds in Franoe, as the force to be conciliated by sny govenment that wants to retain power over the mobocracy of tbe people. But this is not quite the whole duty of Congress in the premises). Taking Sherman as a representative of the military idea of the country and remem bering that he is the product of West Point it will be tbe duty of Congress to consider very gravely how far the teach ings of West Point are responsible for such undemocratic and ot>-American views of government, and if it be re sponsible in any degree therefor whether the American people will care any longer to propagate any such views. We take it that the great popular heart in America is set upon witnessing onoe more the supremacy of tbe civil over the military in the oonduet of our government. For sixteen years and more tbe Radioal party has day and night ceaselessly fought against this contamination so devoutly to be wished. For a time the military was supreme in all tbe land. As Mr Seward boasted, be had but to ring a little bell and the most powerful citizen would be cast into a dungeon. Peaceful citisens, quiet civilians were tried by military tribunals; in a word, the civil authority was dead. But tbe war ended and the people of the North would no longer submit to military rule among themselves ; in the South only was it permitted. But no Eoglish speaking people will long sub mit to military rule, and aooordingly, we find in the South, State after State throwing off the yoke, until now the eivil authority is everywhere supreme. The struggle has, indeed, been a long one and everywhere a hotly oontestcd one. The Radioal party and the federal government fought against ua step by atep until driven back to tbe last ditoh ia Louisiana and there finally over thrown. In Tennessee and in Virginia, ia Georgia and North Carolina, ia Ala bama ae in Florida and Texas, the re turn to a goveraoseat of tbe people, by tbe people, and for the people, waa re sisted evea onto the death, and resisted in vain. And yet in the faoe of all this history, Genera! Sherman has the assurance to declare io the very presence of the American Preaident that without an army the American people would be a mob ! It aertaialy is high time that the Bummer had his wings clipped RaUiyk Obterver. Tha Asheville Citizen says: By a sweeping order from U. 8. Marshal Douglaaa all the Deputies in his District are to oonsider themselves dismissed on aad after the 30th of June, the eloea of the laaal year of Jadioial Department. This will be a cause for rejoiewg ia many quarters, only oaa thiag rataaia ing to utake this joy oomplete, and wa understand this in to be done—the re moval of Douglass himaalf at the same time. A Oen. Leach'a Speech. We publish oa our Irst page the maoh talked of latter of Gen. James Madisoa Leach, aad we atop to get our breath,at the amaaemen|,we felt in con teaiplatiag the magnificent amount of egotism and Leachism cropping out in every line. We feel sorry for our friends of the Raleigh Observer, for the awful, terrible, overwhelming rebuke for their audacity in publishing anybody's letter, or communication reflecting on the patriotism of this mighty man, wbo rescued the State from Radicalism, and now refuses to tell us whether he will let it stay reaoued or not. If any man in the State can tell us what the Gener al is after, or what be proposes to do outside of his own glorification, we must acknowledge that he can see further in the grindstones than we have been able to do. Does he propose to affiliate with Holden, Tourgee, et id amue ijewutf Does he think he can transfer the brave, gallant, high-toned members of that grand old party, whioh they profess now to have such a high respect for, to the leadership of Holden 7 If such a thought ever entered the mind of any man, we respectfully suggest to him to take up the ' Raleigh Constitution, published during the summer of 187G, and if he ever had any respect for Gen. J. M. Leach, we think any inclination he may have had in that direction, would soon be removed. We understand very well the game of these new fangled Southern Rights gentlemen, and we hope our readers will not be deluded into any such trap. — Surely no Southern Whig would prefer to connect himself with a party led by the infamous Holden, and officered by such men as Tourgee, Keogh, Hester & Co., to one led by the noble and chivalrous, gallant Vance, and officered by such pure, honest and accomplished uieo as A. M- Scales, George Davis, D. W. Fowle, &o. "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askolon" that North Carolina Whigs have been invited to a feast prepared by W. W. Holden, immaculate Governor who in augurated the Kirk war, and who for years prior to the war filled the colnmns of his lying sheet with all manner ot abuse and slander upon the uuble men of that party. Would not the spirits ol Geo. K. Badger, Willie P. Mangum, Win. A. Graham and "a legion" ol otheri rise up and denounce any such cotlition ?—ami right here we would ask every decent white man in the State, Democrat, Old Line Whig or Republi can, if any party controlled by such leaders as now control the Radical party in this State even under the Dynasty of that paragon of booe-ty, who presides at the White House, deserves the respect of any friend of the South '! Who are those men that we mu-rt bow the suple knee to '( When the Chief Magistracy is in the hands of an honestly elected President, be be Republican or what not, and he uses the high functions of his office to see justice done in all sections of the country we ire willing to give him our humble support, bat when a man who has been forced upon t*.e country by ooe of the most gigantic frauds knowo to the civilised world, invites us to compound that fraud, we respeftlully decline the offer, and call upon our po litioal friend- to close up the ranks of our party and propoae to make uoceasing war upon administration whioh thrusts Fred Douglas, \V W Holden, J. Madi son Wells, G JV. Stearns and men of that ilk in our lace as exemplars ot the Re formers, who propose to do so much for the South. Why this wonderful cry •bont doing H*yes administration jus tice t It is because he wants to buy Democratic Congressmen enough to elect Garfield Speaker. We suppose Gen. Leach knows something of this man Garfield. Hayes pledges himself to do everything in his power to have him elected Speaker of the next Congress, and how does he expect to do it when there is *n acknowledged 1 emooratic majority of Bor 10? Of oourse by try ing to buy enough to chsnge the political complexion of the House. Will it be done ? We wait for some Old Line Whig to answer.— Reudsville Newt. The Siintitjr School World for May appears in a neat oover, Into whioh is packed the usual number and variety of valuable artielee foood ia this excellent Sunday School monthly—Re*. Cbas 8. Robinson, D. D, treaU of "Lesson Help* f Rev. George E. Post, Byria, of "The Pig Treef Rev. Wm Ormiston, D D., sketches the ebsracter of "Eli sha;" Mrs. W F. Crafts explains "The Kindergarten," as applied to Sunday Schools; Rev. Moeely H.Williams shows "How no* to keep scholarsßev. Ed win W. Rice writes oi the "The Pro pbetio Books." Added to these are Dr. John Hall's Lessons, Mrs. Koox's "Pri mary Talks;" Lessons Applied ; a Bible Oonoert Exercise, nod the usual Edito rials, making an interesting, varied aad valuable ansoant of reading for the Sun day Sohool worker which he would find it difficult to procure elsewhere at three times the cost of 7%» World. Five revenue officers were shot last weak, in Lee county, Va., while in be diaeharge of tbair duties. One was mortally wounded. The Sabbath of American Politics. The most urgent need of tbii cointry just now is ■ rest from politic#—• period of national repose—some in term iss ion of etcitement, of party struggle* and of party animosities. Nations need repose now and then quite as muoh as individ uals ; for what are nations but aggrega tions of individuals f What woald be come of individuals and of Bocietyj if they had not the blessed Sabbath day for rest and meditation ? A continued state of activity and exertion works Un told evils, and what is true of the indi vidual finds its oonnterpart io political parties and in nations. It has bees well said that "the best political condition is that whioh gives ns the least politics." The writer from whom we quote goes on to say that the business of politics as earned on in this country is tar trona being profitable to the people or conducive to the general welfare. "Wherever a community is foaod to be eagrossed in polities, with political topics nppermost, politioal dis cussions always rife, and party spifrt rampant and bitter, there, we may be sure, one of two things equally deplora ble will be found true. Either past mistakes or follies have brought about business prostration, financial depression, and the disasters of hard times, far whioh all forts of political quacks and empirics are urging political expedients and makeshifts as remedies, or prosper ity bos engendered the idleness whioh is so fruitful of mischief; and the aban donment of honest industry for political inventions is the beginning of a down ward progress." None will doubt that tbe country is prosperous wbc» its eitiiens are so fully occupied each with bis own individual pursuit or occupation that he has little time and less inclination for wrangling over political principles. Tkfct, il baa been wisely said, is not a condition of health which sits the whole oommunity on debating over the policies of parties and tbe functions of government.— Sound aen do not spend their time dis cussing their constitutions or wrangling over the merits of competent doctors or rival specifics. The country is best 0 3-, there is mire prosperity, more enjoyment in life, mora real happiness around the hearths ones of the people, where there is a truce be tween parties, a lull in political excite ment, and a general turning of the pub lio attention to all tbe things that per tain t > a Btate of perfect national repose industrial aod art progress, education al and religious advancement, tbe ex pansion of trade and commerce, the ex tension of aur lines of inland aod OCMD communication, the cultivation of our fields, tbe planting of orchards and vine yards, the stocking of our rivers with fish, and the development of tbe biddes resources of our bills and forests. These are objects more worthy the attention of our people just now than subjects uf po litical discussion. If it be possible, let us have a res* from politics—a breathing spell—a time for devotion to material, educational and religious interests—a season for enjoy ment, nfreshmeot and reiovigoratioo, before the next campaign opens. Tbe Republican party is broken aod demor alized ; let the Democratic fotoes be furloughed awhile; aod let every man who did battle for his oountry in the last conflict of parties now unlace his armor for a rest. If the present season be not a sort of Sabbath day in Amerieio pol itics, it will be the fault of demagogues. —Raleigh News. Sewing Machines. We referred yesterday to the reduc tion in tbe price of sewing machines. We are glad. The various companies have enjoyed a tremendous monopoly and hundreds of thousands of people have been made to pay the most ex orbitant prices The New York World gives the oust of a first-olass sewing maohine, retailed at S7O, as but sls, tbe profit to the manufacturer $13.50, or nearly ooe hundred per etat. to be divided among agents, appro priated to the expenses of sab agencies, or absorbed in interest aod oosts of ool leotions. This leaves an opportunity for a reduotion of at least one-half, and the publio should not be satisfied with less. AH a contemporary jusly says, sewing machines, instead of depending on the pertinacity of agents, often running into an encroaobmeot on private rights, should become one of tbu regular arti cles of trade, and if aold with a fair living profit only, their sale would be largely increased and they would find their way into thousands of families from which their cost has hitherto shut them out. Thus Car prices hare fallen but twen ty-five per oent. The; will some down at least fifty per oeot. more, so do not buy DOW. A hundred dollar maohine will be bought far fifty dollars before six month*. The monopoly baa bees immensely profitable One company paid eight hundred thousand dollars in tea year* for the right to use the "needle-plate." Inventors should be allowed certain privileges, but • striotly useful invert- Lion should be entitled to no such great privileges as the s*wwg maohine i&- ventors have had. — Wit. Star.
The Danbury Reporter (Danbury, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 31, 1877, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75