JU
i
JSneijl ,
Cumbria Freeman,
EDEKSBVIIG, PA.
Tucrsdat Mokklso, Aran. 28, 1870.
A OOJ.oaKD STATRSVaN who assists lo IE4
ktot; Uwt fur the trAite fro of Mississippi,
answers to the sweet sounding name of
FFAiu& Simmons, when the roll of the
Bobm U called by tbe clerk.
Jcdox WoorwiiD has publicly announced
tbat he will not be t candidate tor re-election
to Congress from the Luzerne district.
Be la gentleman of great ability, tad of
anblemlshed personal character two qual
ifications not possessed bj many of tbe men
who now make oar law. Whin Judge
Woodward retiree from Congress, Pennsyl
vania will loa ber foremost representative.
AluaT0 Cotoos bas published a lorg
aod aelf-glorifying letter. In which be retj
forth direr weigbty reasons why he cannot
and will not again be a candidate for Con
gress. Ho man in tbe United States, cot
Yft excepting that prince of fools and dem
agog oe, Qeorge Train, CTer compressed in
the space as ranch loyalty, bombast,
egotism and nonsense as baa the illustrious
CoTodr lo this letter. Great is the Diana
of tbe Spbesiana.
Soxx weeks ago, tbe Supreme Court of
the United States, In the case of Hepburn
ts. Qriswold, decided that contracts made
before tbe passage of the legal tender act in
February, 1862, are payable In coin. After
tbe recent appoint ment of Messrs. Strong
and Bradley as Associate Justices of that
Court, an application was made to the Court
by Mr. Hoar, tbe Attorney General, lo have
tho case reargued. This motion was grant
ed, and tbe general impression was that by
tbe added votes of the two new judges the
former decision would be reversed. On yes
terday week, however, the Court decided by
a nnanimons vote that the case should not
be re-opened, and the former action of the
Court therefore stands as the supreme law of
im land. It decided the two following
principles :
First. That contracts made before the pas
sage of the Legal-Tender act are payable In
eoia. even although no special reference -was
made in the bargain as to the methods by
which payment should be made.
Second That all contract made after the
ptsag of tbe Lgal Tender lair, by which it
was specially agreed thnt the debt should be
parable iu cola and not In currency, must be
paid in coin.
The Wmi or Johnstown.
We publish e!se where a most singular con
troversy between Daniel McLaughlin. Esq.,
and tbe Hon. Cyru9 L. Perching, growing
out of the late abortive attempt to remove
the evunty seat from this place to Johns
town. It seems to us that Mr. McLaughlin
evinces an undue amount of personal resent
ment, not to say fully, in his effort to hold
Mr. Pershing responsible for the failure of
that Quixotic project. Nor do we clearly
perceive how a letter written by Mr. Pershing
to a member of the House, but which was
tuctr dJivertJ, could acomplish juch a fatal
result. In his simplicity, therefore. Mr. Mc
Laughlin Is wonderfully mistaken when ha
adopts the thjo:y that it wss Cyrus L. Per
shing who struck the immortal Billy Patter
son. The bill itself contained within it the
elements of its own destruction. It was a
monster of such hideous mien, that reckless
and corrupt as was the last House of Repre
sentatives, there was a profound depth of
Infamy yawning before it, in tbe passage of
thla measure, from which it instinctively re
ooiled. Although it was fatally bent on the
perpetration of the most shameless legisla
tive iniquities, yet whon this removal scheme
stood before it, in all its naked deformity.
It waa forced to exclaim with the affrighted
Macbeth to tbe ghost of Banquo, "Take any
other shape than that!" Mr. Perching is.
therefore, guiltless of the deep damnation of
its taking off. It fell, as it ought to have
fallen, from its own inherent weakness and
injustice.
A xxw scheme is before the present eco
nomical Congress, with a fair chance of suc
cess, by which it is proposed to take from
the treasury tbe moderate sum of one hun
dred thousand dollar, to begin with, to send
out Capt. Hall, with the necessary vessels,
etc., to explore the frozen regions in the
direction of the north pole. Wherefore and
for what beneficial purpose? Certainly not
to discover the exit-tance of a Dorth-west
passage, for that problem has been definite
ly aolved, both by Sib John Fbasklin and
Capt. McCliktocx. To the commercial
world tbe discovery has been, and forever
will be, utterly useless. This one hundred
thousand dollars might as well be sunk in
the Arctic ocean, as squandered in a fruit
less effort to enable Capt. Hall to reach the
opeu polar sea." England, after spending
millions cf money and hundreds of brave
men, has ceased to prosecute this expensive
and profitless bus ices. Is it not the ex
treme of folly for our government to renew
these useless expeditions at an enormous
drain on tbe treasury 1 But this administra
tion is in pursuit cf glory, at whatever cost,
and as it is not likely to acquire very much
cf that article inside of the United States, it
is doterrx.Ir.oJ to try its hand in the highest
northern latitudos, amongst po!ar bears and
the Esquimaux. With the purchase of San
..Domingo and Hayti the annexation - of
: Cuba, Porto Rico and the Feejee Islands,
(Mr. George Winters, tbe Envoy or Minister
of these Islands is cow in Washington to
finish up this little job.) the acquisition of
Canada ami tbe Hudson's Bay territory
the cutting of a ship canal across tbe Isth
mus f Darieo, and Capt. Hall's expedition
to tbe Uorth Pole -who will not repeat the
stereotyped boat of Radicalism, that this is
"tbe greatest and freest government" the
world ever saw. The accomplishment of all
these things U our manifest destiny, regard
less of expense.
pebt up IJUca contract our powers-
Tt w facie bcuuttesa cvste&t u ours."
Govcrnmcat In the Sooth
The most monstrous evil growing out of
the reconstruction policy has been the sadden
elevation to places of high honor and die
tinctioa, Id tbe Southern States, of raea who
are alike unworthy and incompetent for a
proper discharge of tbe duties of thetr posh
tioni. This state of things has been the
natural and inevitable result of the disfran
chising provisions cf the third section of the
fourteenth amendment, as well as tbe en
forcement of the test or iron clad oatb, but
more especially of the adoption of negro
suffrage and its legitimate consequence, the
right to bold office. Under the white dis
franchising process of Radicalism and tbe
enfranchisement of the slaves, the intelli
gence, culture and wealth of the South have
been banished from her Executive chambers,
her legislative halls, and her courts of jus
tice, and ignorance, corruption, and worse
than all, carpet bagism, have been installed
In their place.
Of all the States that composed the South,
em Confederacy, only three of them have
State Executives who were born on Southern
suit and who bad a fixed and permanent
residence there. The rest are geverned by
needy adventurers from the North, having
in most instances been connected with tbe
Freedman's Bureau, and who reached their
present positions by tbe force of bayonets
and by pandering to the worst passions and
prejudices of tbe negro. In the legislative
bodies of the Scuth but very few men are to
be found who are native and to the manor
born, or who, by reiderce. bad identified
themselves with Southern interests. They
are composed mainly of the alimy, scheming
carpetsbagger and the ignorant, uncultiva
ted negro the former intent only on p!un
der, while the latter seeks merely the glory
of holding office, ignorant alike of its duties
and responsibilities. While Northern legis
latures are proverbially venal, the same
bodies in tbe South are equally as corrupt,
with tbe superadded enrte of being shrouded
in utter ignorance aid imbecility -that of
South Carolina containing eighty odd mem
bers who can neither read nor write. A
majority of the Governors of the reconstruct
ed Stat en have been openly charged by their
own partisans with the most stupendous
frauds and peculations upon their respective
8tate treasuries, while others have becu
threatened with impeachment for gross mis
demeanors in office.
North and South Carolina, Florida. Goor
gia, Louisiana and Arkansas have presented
a wide field for the innate cupidity and offi
cial rapacity of euch corrupt creatures as
Holden, Reade, Bullock, Warmouth and
Clayton. The Judiciary of these States has
not escaped this frightful upheaval of igno
rance and incompetency. Men without
ability, experience or character have been
elevated to the highest judicial Beats. A
Judge of the Supreme Court in South Caro
lina has the same duties to perform that are
required in a judge of the same court in
Pennsylvania, and ought to possess the some
legal training and experience. And yet in
that State, under the new order cf things,
the disgraceful spectac ie bas been presented
of a Pennsylvania negro, who never tried a
cause in a Court House in his life, reaching
at one bound a seat on the bench of her Su
preme Court.
We publish below a biographical sketch
of this negro judge, taken from a recent
number of Harper's Weekly, an intensely
Radical sheet, which of course presents tbe
subject in its most favorable aspect. We
will not discuss tt. The mere reading of tbe
article affords its own best cornmontary :
Judos J. J. We oht, or South Carolina.
The Hon. J. J. Wright recently elected to
a seat in the Supreme Court of South Caroli
na, whote portrait we five on page 149, was
born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and is
cow about thirty one years of age. When he
was about six years old bis parents removed to
Montrose, Susquehanna count, in the same
6tat, whete for several years be attended the
district school during the winter months, work
ing for the neighboring farmers the rest of the
year. Having saved up a small sum of money
he entered the Lancasterian University, at
Itbiaca, in New York Slate ; aad after a thor
ough course of stndy there returned to the
villag where his parents resided, find entered
the office of a law firm, where he read law for
two years, supporting himself bv teaching.
He subsequent! v entered the t-ffice of Judge
Collins, in WilKcsbarre, Pennsylvania, wiih
whom he read law for another year. Feeling
himself qnalified for the leal profession, he
now applied for admission to the Bar; but so
great was the exis ing prejudice, against col
ored men that the Committee refused to ex
amine him.
In April, 1865, he was sent by the Ametican
Missionary Society to Beaufort, South Caro
lina, as teacher and laborer amnner the fr ed
it) en. He re in dined in Beaufort until after the
Civil Rights Bill bad passed, when he returned
to Montrose, Pennsylvnnia. and demanded an
examination. Tbe Committee found him Qual
ified, and recommenced bis admission to tbe
Bar. He was admitted August 13, 1665. being
the first and only colored man ever admitted to
practice law in Pennsylvania. In Anril. 18(56.
he was appointed by General O. O. Howard.
legal adviser lor the freed men in Beaufort, and
acted in that capacity until he was elected to
the Constitutional Convention of South Care
lina. He was soon afterward elected Senator
from the county of Beaufort, and acted as such
until Kebrunrv 1, 18T0, when he was elected to
the Supreme Bench of the State, and immedi
ately entered upon the discharge of hia duties
u Judge.
A Carpet-nagger Floored.
A piece of Radical bread fell quite unex
pectedly on tho buttered side a few days
ego in Congress. Louis St. Martin, Demo
crat, was elected to Congress from the first
Louisiana district by the trifling majority of
12,327.. A carpet-bagger by the name of
J. Hale Sypher, who for some unknown
reason is styled General, put in proposals, in
tbe approved Radical form, for St. Martin's
seat. ' The sub-committee on elections of
course reported in favor of Sypher, and the
Radicals of tbe House adopted the report.
The Speaker requested the uow smiling and
jubilant Sypher to come forward and take
the iron clad oath of office. The valiant
General did so promptly, so far as the mere
stepping op in front of tbe Speaker's chair
was concerned. But now an unexpected crisis
arose in Bypher'a political fate. Hie loyal
right band was uplifted, but the welcome
catll t4 sot yet ta repeated by tbe ek '
er. uss at mis juncture jut. wwib, t w
ical member from Illinois, moved a reconsid
. . ... t . W . t - MM si
eration of the vote admitting Sypher to bis j
eeat, wbieb was carried by a Tote of 85 to
79. Then Mr. Fitch, Radical, of Nevada,
whose tense of decency and political justice
revolted at the enormity which tbe Radical
leaders were about to perpetrate, followed
up tbe game and offered a substitute for the
original resolution in favor of Sypher's ad
mission, declaring that there had been no
valid elcctieain tbe district, aBd sending
the whole case back to the people for a new
election. This resolution was adopted by a
vote of ICO to 69.
As to Mr. St. Martin, we have no doubt
that be yielded to the infliction with Demo
cratic fortitude and Chiistian resignation.
He was in the position of the man who, hav
ing failed to draw a prize iu a lottery, de
clared that be bad not been disappointed,
for be expected nothing. But who shall do
justice to the crushed hopes and wounded
ambition of General J. Hale Sypher. They
may be faintly Imagined, but can never be
adequately described. Sypher is a Peunsyl
vanian and U a special pet of Forney. We
trust that the voters of the first Louisiana
district will re affirm their former over
whelming verdict against him, and again
return Louis St. Martin to tbe seat from
which he has been so unjustly excluded.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Radical.) ?n
an article denouncing this msn Sypher for
attempting to smuggle himself into a sent to
which be had never been eleeted, uses the
follow'rrg sensible language :
"Let ub hope that Mr. Stfber will be the
last of the carpet baggers. Let us hope, too,
that the South abo.ll be to enfranchised by a
general amnesty that it can select its own peo
ple to represent it upon tbe floors of Congress.
What does a Pennsylvanian know of the polit
ical economy of Louisiana 7 Who can an alien
represent there ? The interests of that State
are altogether divergeut from those of Penn
sylvania, and they thould have an exponent
and defender in the councils of the country
thoroughly conversant with them. Reconstruc
tion will prove the shallowest fraud in exis
tence while citizens of the North pretend to
legislate for those of the late Confederacy."
A Hoxribli Stort. Small-Pcx Among
the Indians. Commissioner Parker, of tbe
Indian Bureau, bas received a letter from
General Alfred Sully, Superintendent of the
Montana Indians, in which he reports that
the ravages made by the small-pox among
the Gros Ventres and Assiniboin tribes have
been so gresU as to almost exceed belief.
By General Sully's letter it appears that
since last September to the first of February,
when the smallpox broke out among the Gros
Ventres, there have been 741 deaths, which
leaves only about twelve hundred of this
nation alive. What makes this calamity
still more to be deplored is, that, of all the
Indiaos in Montana, the most friendly
towards the whites and among the Indians
most disposed to accept civilization are the
Gros Yuntres, and they have suffered terri
bly. I am informed at one time that deaths
at the agency were so rapid that tbe few men
tb?re could cot dig graves fast enough.
They had to fill up the ice near the forts
with tbe dead and then cover them up. It
was fortunate that the weather was cold,
otherwire it would have beeo necessary to
abandon the agency. It further a pears that
when the disease waa at its height those
suffering with it would prevail on their
friends to carry them from their huts into
the open air. where they would crawl to the
river side and remain fur hours immersed in
the ice-cold water. The consequence was
that many took cold from tha exposure and
died in frightful torment. Others commit
ted suicide to escape further suffering. The
locality of the camp was made known by
tbe cries of the sick, which could be heard
a long way tff. Under the superstition
common among the Indians when greatly
afflicted by disease, one cf their medicine
men was killed to propitiate the offended
deity. Tbe scene for long weeks was ap
palling in tbe extreme, and it was only
through the exertions of the physician and
the few citizens employed for the purpose
that the ravages of the disease were checked.
The late action of the commissioner in send
ing out an abundant supply of vaccine vi
rus, it is thought, will prevent the recur
rence in future of such terrible mortality
among all the tribe. Washington Corres
pondence New York World. Jpril 18.
Tub Death Penalty. M. Jules Simon,
in a recent t eech delivered befcre the French
Corps LegUlatif, gives some striking statis
tics which afford a strong argument in favor
of the abolition of capital punishment. He
said, that prior to 1789 there were in Eng
land 240 crimes called capital. Now there
are only two: treason and murder. Still,
cases of crime of every kind have diminished
in cumber. In France corresponding results
have been observed. But the most striking
facts cited were from tne experieuce of some
of the smaller States of Europe, in which
capital punishment has been wholly abolish
ed. In the Grand Duchy of Weimar, the
death penalty was abolished in 1849, but
re established in 1856. In 1862, on a prop
osition to abolish it again, a deputy in the
Diet declared that between 1849 and 1857,
when there was no death penalty, only two
murders were committed, and after that
they increased tenfold. So it was again abol
ished, and remains so. In Belgium, where
the death penalty is virtually abolished,
crime has ercatly diminished. In the prov
ince of Liege, Limburgh, and Luxembourg!),
there has not been ao execution since 1850,
and the accusations of murder are very rare ;
for example, between 1832 and 1835, there
was one at Bruasles, in a population of 125.
000 ; one at Ghent, in a population of 86.000
and one at Liege, in a population of 66.000.
The inference to be drawn from the facts
stated is that crime is checked by the cer
tainty of punishment, and not by its sever
ity, criminals relying uron the sympathy of
jurors and the possibility of pardon from
merciful rulers in cases of capital punish
ment. While a wholesome dread of punish
ment by imprisonment, which is more
certain to follow crime, is calculated to
deter them from its commission.
General McClellan arrived in Bedford,
on Tuesday of last week, and stopped at the
Men gel Iloute. The distinguished visitor'
presence brought quite a crowd in front of
the hotel, who' were anxious to get a peep
at "Little Mac," tho hero of Antietam.
"After partaking cf dinner the General, and
tbe gentlemen who arcompanied him, drove
out to look at the valuable mineral lands in
that neighborhood. Their visit was one of
burineta connected with the proposed ereo-
tion of furnaces about Bedford.
-Kow that tbe Fifteenth Amendment
has beon declared ratified, tbe Judiciary
Committee of the Senate is engaged in pre
paring a bill to enforce its provisions in the
Eeveral States. In this manuer conpolidation
if being made familiar to tae people.
THE BURSTED BUBBLE,
The Removal Question in a New Shape
A Second Daniel Come to Judgment
I,
Who Killed Ceek Rotln-Who Saw
- Ulna Die AA Hew Hit Tragi
Fat AVava Broaght Abant,
From the Johnstown Democrat.)
Daniel IucLavghlih, Esq Dear Sir. It
is currently rumored in this place that one of
the persocs who ostensibly acted with the
friends f the fceature for the removal of the
seat of justice Irom Ebensbnrg to Johnstown,
secretly joined tbe enemy and aided ic defeat
ing the bill, and that you have the evidence of
the same iu your possesion. As all who took
an active part in the removal are suspected',
we deem it but an act of justice to ourselves
and the public, that the wan who would thas
betrav the conldence placed in him by the
people shouhi be known. We therefore ask
you to have tbe evidence published.
(Signed) James Potts, John F. Barnes,
Cyrus Elder, Jas. McMillen, Gea Engelbach,
S. B. McCormick, John Hannan. B. F. Speedy,
Wm. A Lego, Samuel C. Williamson, P. O'
Conrell, . W. McGarey. G. J. Thomas, Ro
nald Walker, Alex. Miller, M. W. Keiro, Geo.
Fockler, John Sharp. Samuel White. Charles
Samuel. Ebenezer Liu, John M. King, Cyrus
I art, H. A. Boggs, John J. Murphy, A. Kope
lin. Dan'l McDonald. O. B. Elli, N. B. Hart
zell, George McLaue. Mathew Mooney, John
W. Seigh, C. Weaver, H. B Barnes, Wm. R.
firubb, George Shaffer, M. L. Levergood, J.
W. Haynes, J M. Fockler, T. Fockler, A.
Fockler, J. M. Fredericks, Jas. H. Howard.
Johs6Towh, April 14, 1870.
To Messrs. Potts. Kopelin, Hannan, Barnes,
Ellis, McLane. Levergood.Fockler, Mooney,
O'Coimell, and others :
Gentlemen: Your request is of such a
character, that I would not feel at liberty to
withhold the evidence which is in my pos
session, on the subject you refer to. It is
certainly right and proper that our people
should have the privilege of scrutinizing the
conduct of eacl an J every gentleman who
acted as a committee in endeavoring to pass
the bill for the removal of the ccunty seat
from Ebeneburg to JohnstowD, and indeed
of every person who took an active part in
the measure. I present to yoa, therefore, a
copy of Mr. Pershing's-letter, accompanying
my statement, fur publication, or such use
as yon may think proper to make of it.
1 would have published this letter, with a
full explanation u tbe subject, sooner, but I
preferred to let tbe excitement caused by the
defeat of the bill in some measure subside,
notwithstanding the outrage perpetrated ou
myself, not to speak of that committed on our
people, is perhaps without a parallel. Had
the personal, professional or political rela
tions existing between Mr. Pershing and
myself been of an unfriendly character, this
cross outrage, making me the dupe aod tool
to execute as it v.ere the death warrant cf
oar peorjle, would not have canted me so
much pain. I pass over this, however, for
the present, and proceed to give you as full
a statement and history of the matter as I
doubt not will enable our people to form a
correct judgment and pass their verdict ao
cordirgly. It is proper to state in tbe first place, in
order that all may correctly uuderetaod tbe
sublet, that Mr. Pershing took ao active
part in the passage of the bill up to the time
it came before the house. lie attended our
mcttiags and on mere thau one occasion
epoke warmly in its favor. He gave me,
previous to the bill co.a.iog np oa a hearing
before the committee, two letters to personal
frienas uue a prominent n.emter of the
Democratic side, the other a leaiiing niembt-r
on the Republican side of the House. These
letters were, as such letters should be, in opeo
envelopes. After the bill parsed the com
mittee of the House, Mr. Pershing signed the
petition favoring its passage. He went to
Llarrieburg with MeesrB. Bggs, Campbell,
Barnes, and myself, as a committee to advo
cate its passage, on Monday the 28th of
February. It was expected to be on the
Private Calendar on Tuesday following, but
did not come up on that day, as no Private
Calendar had been made up by tbe clerks,
hence it lay over until the following Tues
day. Mr. Perthing and I remained until
Tuesday evening, when we returned, leaving
Messrs. Boggs. Campbell and Barnes bdhiod.
They returned on Friday night, and on Sat
urday morning informed me that some of the
leading members in favor of the bill instruct
ed them that it was of the utmost importance
to get Mr. Pershing there on the next Mon
day, to see four of the Democratic member,
whose names he gave. I saw Mr. Pershing
on this subject, but he informed me that) he
was compelled to attend cou-rt at Ebeosburg
on that day. When I reported his reply to
Messrs. Boggs and Campbell, they requested
me to get letters from him to thi.se four
members and take tbem with me 011 the 5
a. m. train on Monday. I promised tlx-m I
would do so, and called on Mr. Pershing fur
that purpose. Aa there were two of the
gentlemen with whom, as he stated, he had
DO acquaintance, I did not insist on him wri
ting to them, but took letters tu Messrs.
Brown and Schnatterly, the other two mem
bers named. I was somewhat surprised,
when he handed me the letters, to find they
were sealed. I did not like to intimate to
him, however, that this was wrong, lest he
might suppose I had no confidence in him
being with us. He merely told me the sub
6tat.ee of one sentence in the letters, which
I repeated to Mr. Barnes a few minutes after
wards, and which was as follows: "Tbe
naked proposition to move the county eeat
might at first sight seem inequitable, but
the clause submitting it to a vote of the peo
ple would relieve it of that feature."
I delivered Mr. Brown his letter either on
Monday evening er Tuesday morning. I
learned shortly after my arrival that Mr.
Schnatterly had paired off on our bill with a
member in favor of it, and had gone home.
On Tuesday morning we endeavored to see
as many members cf the House before tbe
opening of tbe session as possible. General
Campbell aud Mr. Boggs exeited themselves
on the Republican side and I on the Demo
cratic side. We noticed Mr. Brown exerting
himself with tbe Democratic members, as we
hoped then, in our favor, while we knewthat
Captain Porter was then laboring bard with
both sides against ns. It is due to him to
say. however, that be did not deceive us. He
gave us fair notice that he would do all in
his power to defeat the bill. I saw the great
er number of the Democratic members, but
could get nothiDg definite or favorable from
them. Several of them inquired of me if
there was anything political in it. I replied
there was not that both parties in our place
were almost a unit in favor of it. 1 was then
asked the question bow it would affect our
party politics in the county. I replied that
I thought it would strengthen our party in
the south of tbe county. I also told tbem
that Mr. Pershing, who had been our candi
date for Judge of the Supreme Court last
fall, was in favor of it that his n.me was
to the petition that he bad given me letters
to members on the subject, and that tSey
would recollect the fact that he had been with
ns as a committee on the previous Tuesday.
To all this they made no reply. .
I then informed Boggs aod Campbell that
it waa made a political issue on the Demon
cratio side, and that they would find the
members on that side would be almost a
unit airllnof if TKaa AA nnt lfim t DM
unit agahst it. Tbey did not seem to agree
uu mo in tv.ia Tt kh ahnut this time 1
thought of the Schnatterly letter. It was
obtained and purported to be for onr benefit,
so far as MY. Pershing had made known its
contents, hence it would be as available, I
had no doubt, with any of the Democratic
members as tbe one to whom it was address
ed, if not much more, for we all knew that
Mr. Schnatterly was one of the leacmg mem
bers against us. not only on this b'ftl, but
also on the bill lor general jurisdiction. I
would now be able to counteract the move
ment8 of our opponents in making this a
political measnre. It was thus I reasoned.
aod felt at the same trme cnagnnea mi
did not think of nriog this letter sooner. I
immediately tore it opea. but to my surprise
and amazement found every Hne and sen
tence of it, as yoa will readily perceive,
against us. I put it back in my pocket, but
said nothing at the time to Messrs. Boggs
and Campbell, more than to repeat the warn
ing that ihe Democrats would be against us.
It was about this time we got a despatch from
Johnstown informing us we were old. The
bill cane up and was laid aside, almost every
Democrat voting against it, and Mr. Brown
exerting all bis ffforts to have it killed. Mr.
B"ggs and I theu met in Gen. Campbell's
office. As was nataral, be was excited at
the result and at the contests of the despatch
from Johnstown. It was clear t' him that
it was one who pretended to- be with ua, and
who was in our confidence, that betrayed in.
He then, in a somewhat excited manner,
asked for the Schnatterly letter. He re
marked that it was ours and we mast see it.
I replied that there was no difficulty about
that, and handed it over to bim. We did
not let it be'known to Gen. Campbell until
ten o'clock that night. I shall not attempt
to describe the feelings of wrath an indigna
tion which be manifested. He remaiked
that bad an angel appeared In bim and told
him that it was possible for Mr. Pershing to
do this, he would be loth to believe it. He
insisted that I should have it struck off in
handbills, as soon as I returned, and posted
in every public place in Johnstown and the
adjoining boroughs. I refused to do this.
and remarked that, notwithstanding I had
thus been stabbed by my friend, I would
prefer that my own reputation might in some
degree suffer than that, under the state of
excitement which would be caused by such
a disclosure at that time, unpleasant results
might follow. 1 requested both of them, in
the meantime, not to reveal the name with
out my permission. I felt it my duty, how
ever, a lew days alter my return, to let tne
members of the committee and one or two
others see the letter.
Tou have now the history of the matter,
so far as the letter is concerned, in as brief a
statement aa I could give it with any degree
of satisfaction.
I am, very respectfnlly,
Tour obedient servant,
D. McLAL'GHLrK.
fCorflrtentUl.
Johnstown, March S, 1870.
Hon. T. B. Soh.nattislt :
I have been strongly importuned to go to
Harrfcburg on Monday? but as our court meets
at Ebentburg n that day, I have re.'uff d to go
to Harrisbuig There is nothlrg more dita? te
Jul to me tan the business of button holing
members for their votes.
The bill (or the removal of the county peat
from Ebeneburg to Johnt-town will be on the
calendar lor Tupsdav. I have been strongly
pressed to write 'o you, in the event of my not
going to Hairisburg rcyself. The naked pro
position to remove the county se.u would be
inequitable ; submitting it to a vote of the peo
pie may relieve it of this feature. Ua tbi sub
ject you must get all the light you car. ana
then vote as your conscience tells you is right
Beyond this I bare 00 demand to make or fed
vice to give.
The couctv seat here would be a great ad
vantage to us in some reppects. Many of our
Democratic friends fear, however, that there is
something political concealed behind the move
inent. Could 1 have a personal interview I
could more tully explain myself and the sub
ject. 1'lease regard this as on riDEVTr al.
Wishing you success in your legislative ca
reer, 1 remain yours, very truly,
Cykcb L. Pebshikg.
To Ail Wrii It Mat Cokcers."
Having learned that an atiack was to be
made upon me through the Democrat, under
cover of a communication signed D. Mc
Laughlin, I requested of the Messrs. Wood
ruff a proof" of the aiticle. in ordtr that
my reply might appear in the same issue of
the paper. The very limited time afforded
me between the reception of the proof sheet
and the publication of the Dtmocrai, com
pels a hurried reply.
Mr, M-cLaughlin manifests great indigna
tion in hia article. That this is assumed to
divert attention from his base conduct, will
be plain to every one who koows hiw. The
sent-e of delicacy which restrained him from
publishing a confidential letter till called on
by a suspected committee is exquisite. How
a letter entrusted to bis care for delivery to
a gentleman in Harrisburg, and which Mc
Laughlin admits he did not hand over to the
party to whom it was ad 'ressed, but which
he (McL ) opened and still retains, could be
the "death warrant of our people." I will
allow bim to explaiu when he ia relieved of
the "so much paia" with which be is now
afflicted. If the opening of a private letter
belonging to another party revealed to him
that he was a "dupe and tool," all he has to
do in the future, to avoid such unpleasant
revelations, is to keep his itching fingers
from opening letters that do not belong to
him. I deny, however, that I made bim or
that he is my "dupe and tool." . I have no
notion of introducing a new subject of con
troversy with my assailants by claiming
their property. "
Mr. McLaughlin's whole communication
is nothing but a piece of special pleading,
intended to shield bim from merited odium.
In it he labors to make it appear that' two
letters which I Wrote at his special solicita
tion viz; . one to Mr. Schnatterly and one
to Mr. Brown were th means of defeating
the bill for the removal of the county seat.
The charge is wholly without foundation.
Mr. McLaughlin admits that he did not
deliver the letter entrusted to him to Mr
Schnatterly, but alleges the absence of Mr.
S. as his excuse. The fact is, Mr. Schnat
terly waa in Harrisburg for several hours
after Mr. McLaughlin reached there on the
7th of March, and Mr. McL. could have de
livered the letter, and potsibly would have
done so, had it net been, as I have good rea
son to believe, previously opened. Mr
Brown received the letter directed tn bim
He was an opponent of the bill, and I have
incontrovertible proof that he was uledeed
against it before I went to Harrisburg on
the 28tn ot reoruary. o iittl did mv let
ter suit Mr. Brown's position on the ques
tion, that he wrote to me shortly after the
dfeat 01 tbe 0111 : "i never even informed
any one that 1 got a letter from you." To
claim that these letters defeated the removal
is absurd.
Mr. McLaughlin refers to the bill intro.
duced at tbe late session for the extension of
the jurisdiction tf the Dtetrict Court. I re
garded the passage of that bill aa absolutely
necessary if the court was to be of anv wr.
vice iu the trial of oivil cause, and so wrote
to the chairman of the Local Judiciarv. Gen
McCreary. My letter waa read during the
aifcussion oeiore toe committee. This bill
I was negatived upon the ground, as reported
" k ptliiat f - I. - t . r ...
that it prqTidexj for the ekotioa of as addl-
:rtn1 set of officer. Fllowlcg thw was
tbe bill for the removal of the county seat
from Ebeneburg to Johnstown.
I went to Harrieburg n Monday tbe A8tb
of February, bat Dot as Mr. McL-states with
Messrs. Boggs, liarncs, troputi. uu u it
self They were all tnree in auvauuo ui uij
arrival. It was expected the bill would be
en the Private Calender the next day. I
went of my own accord, ana was no cmu
missoDcd by any meetir g or party. I fouud
soou after reaching Iiarrislurg that were
was no chance fur the pasFRge Ol me u u.
the House. We all agreed that should the
bill come befoie the House on Tuesday, it
would be overwhelmingly defeated. Every
Democatic member with whom I conversed
- inund with the belief that the otject
of the bill w political, aod I was atsured
that the authorship of the bill was aitriouieu
to the Cambria Iron Company, and that in
formation bad been received that nearly
every Democrat in southern Cambria was
opposed to it. Others, and of both parties.
argue that the county seat would be of very
little advantage to .fuhnstowu ; that we had
the immense iron works, and that our town
was growing and prosperoun ; that the pas
sage of tbe bill would.be fatal to Ebenslurg.
and ruin every property holder there. A
map was produced which was intended to
show that Johnstown was so far r. moved
from the north aod east portion of the coun
ty, that the people frrm those wcticna would
be compelled to travel more than one day to
reach the county 6eat, if located at JobnB
towrt. To this the reply was, The bill refers the
whole question to the people : Why not let
them oeclde 7
The answer was. that this was fair on its
face, bEt that if the bill was pasted the Iron
Company would easily coirmixe votes enough
to defeat the 6oncr fide residents f the coun
ty. 1 suggested to a prominent Republican
of tho Huwi a proviso, which, if inserted in
the act, wuuld, I felt confident, insure a fair
election. His reply was that be was unal
terably opposed to the bill, and that H
defeat was certain.
If needed, I could bring abundant evidence
before the public as to what I said and did
while at Harrisburg. but my assailants admit
that I took "d active part in tbe passage
of the bill op to the time it came before the
House," which was tbe wt-tk following. How
the impression which prevailed originated I
do not know. The fear of colonizing might
possibly be traced to borne of tbe political
speeches of Mr. McLauglin, ia which, as
heard by hundreds, hedeeounced 'the min
ions of Daniel J. Morrtll. ho were coloni
zing votea.in the rftill and in the miDes."
and execrated the "perjure.! scoundrels who
were engaged in the business of fraudulent
It has not escaped the notice of the public
that some of the parties of nhbiu Mr. McL
thus spoke are now his intimate fiitud.s. (?)
Mr. McLaughlin and I left Harrisburg 011
the ibt of. March. Mr. B'g;js Hated ho
would remain "to watch Barker." Cm my
return 1 informed our people tl at unless a
change was effected at Harrisburg before the
following Tuesday, when tLe bill would
come before the Ii-jue, it would be defeated.
I was afterwards requeued by Mr. MtLauh
iin to return to llarribbuig on, Monday, the
7th of March, but my engaiienieijis at. court
precluded my going. I iurihe-r said to Mr.
McLaughlin that :t was useUs to spend
time with the Legislature, units a couiul;t
change had beeo made in tbe mine's of thu !
members. Mr. LIcLauLliu theu Lauue l me
the names cf four taetiibers, aith a n quest
that 1 should write to tbem. I informed him
that with two of those on his hat I had iu
squaintance; that I knew Mr. Brown very j
well, and my acquaintance with Air. Schtiat
. ,. "f . . 1 .-, . r , t inner, i;u n.u uuiii iu.i.i.t,
terlv was so vtry slight that 1 did D"t feel i r . 1 - 11. v
, . "V .- I Central avenue, pocc'el tof-J.J
at liberty to write to h.m cu the surjtct. I , . 0 f...,
?; ... . . . . I where her eon Jsrrea.8 vm; : M,-
JU. aitiiatgiiiiu :tq-irtivu 10c iu jiie iu
Brown and JSchnatteriy. It wr.s a request
made at au improper time, and to which I
t ii . 1 --J.1 j:j 1
t-nouia not nave yieiaeu. t uiu, nowever,
write the letters aud hauded them to Mr.
McLaughiiu, taking care at the same tirue
to explaiu the coctentsjf not a single sentence
as Mr. McL states), of the SSchDutterW let
ter. As Mr. McLaughlin states, We all
kuew that Mr. Schuatterlv was one of the
leading mutbers against us not only ou this
bill, but ako on the bill tor general jurisdic
tion ; and it was in view ot thm lact. and
cf the Etate of things as they existed ic liar
risbnrg. that 1 wrote this letter, which had
such terrible icfiutnee, that although Mr.
Schnatterly has tuner seen it to this day, it
was the "death warrant of our people," .
"stabbed" the honorable gentleman who
opened it, made him "a dupe and fool," and
gave bim 'much pain." Did evcroue short
letter accomplish more 1
My information as to the time when, and
the place where, Mr. McLaughlin opened
Mr. Schnatterly 's letter, differ very widely
from the statement he has given. Time will
settle which of the statements ia correct.
Naturally. Mr. McLaughlin desires to make
tbe best defence he can for himself.
I cannot believe that General Campbell is
fairly represented in Mr. McLaughlin's state
ment. Honorable men are usually indig
nant again Bt those guilty of a breach f
confidence, not azaiust their victims. I am
at a loss to Cud anything in my letter which
warrantR the tragic scene in tbe Surveyor
General's office, as described by Mr. McL.
General Campbell cannot be ignorant that
the defeat of the bill extending the jurisdic
tion was charged to him by some of tbe very
men whose names appear to the call ad
dressed tu Mr. McLaughiiu, as well as by
others, who, for prudential reasons, have
kept their names from appearing. It was
alltrged that Messrs. Campbell and Barker
had entered into a political alliaoce. and that
part of the contract was that General Camp
bell was to secretly use bis influence and
position at Harrisburg to defeat the Johns
town court bills. Gen.C. may be loth to
believe an angel, when in the company in
which Mr. McL. places him, but be certain
ly knows that some of the same parties who
now assail me, but a short time ago were
fluent in their assaults upon him. He has
this advantage over me, however, that if he
wrote any private letters, be was more for
tunate in his messenger than 'I was. If
Gen. C. really did propose what Mr. McL.
states, there was the "wisdom of the ser
pent" in the advice given him not to attempt
it. "Unpleasant results" might have fol
lowed to somebody, and as there may b
some doubt as to whom,- perhaps it is not
yet too late to try the hand-bill experiment,
and test the "results."
My assailants unwittingly fully explain
tbe agency by which the county seat bill
was defeated. . Mr. McLaughlin states that
Captain Porter labored hard with both sides
against us. 0 "He gave us fair notice that
he would do all iu his power to defeat the
bill." Every one conversant with legisla
tion knows that on ail purely IocrI questions
tbe wishes of the member representing them
are respected. Mr. Porter, aa I was inform
ed by Messrs. Boegs and . McLaughlin, bad
gone to members of the House, aud person
ally appealed to them to assist in the defeat
of the bill. He was assisted by an influen
tial delegation from Ebensburg. All these
things are ignored by my asailaot8, who
falsely charge the defeat cf the bill on a
letter intended foi the eye of Mr. Schnatter
ly alone ; a ccr.Ec'ential letter, the contents
of which an honorable gentleman like Mr.
Schuttterly vouW cot have indulged. Tbe
and the few hor.wt owa wbotCl.T'?
deceived, ean see how Frou
have b en misrepresented. 1-
when it wtuid beCeiivered u 'P
whom it was addressed thac!-
town wonM be presented &tw7
hearintr 'both sidr. v . J
. c- . a. ieve, j,
roe that the envelop t!rg tuJT
mucilage (not "sealed") adteri-j
be made tbe pretext bv a Ofck.. ,
orable profession for tearing it or
I do not agree with the .
the letter addressed to Mr. Hell'""
"all who took an active part
the removal are eusi.erto.'
them are. and have
. ' a -ikT
b.ea
" V-t
doubt true.
If thpv in
picions which surrncd thtm It Li
duced Mr. McLaughlin to rob'JUa V
infamy, they are excee-'inffi. L
t . ic, r,.i ....
will leave t'je public to ctcice
j t ct tta
weeks i'8bt to traduce r
anv fairer refutations than 1 . .n
ones which by tl,;r written cr.t,.'.
are not prompted bv some other d-C"
a cenre to auvance tbe lLtert r iv.
munity. Ciars L.
General N?vrs Item,
Captain Eyre, of tts Boat,.
have to fsce a formal tri.! '
. "r hi-
id tnfiaru. ruoiic str.nntct j;-.
mi8takah!y in that direction.
Th last Ven ftnrr t .
- - J v ' 1 i I t'.
eonuty. 111., wLere a Ln hid
egg. r.i 1 hue rpps fsftened to encb.:'-
The wife r.f a rtspectab'e i:vr
01 uuuaig ia oten COI.D0M to fatj j,
sickr es for a few days, a&d dmi:j
riod of her illness the idea- euterl fe.
that her bab. a girl onh nine wtt.
so nrmiy esuoiunea in tier brain ;L
ana to avert tne calamity, seiid is
on Saturday night, and ttranj'u;
death.
A curious carard In elrcnlstiy
ada. and has been teWraphtd be-,
Toronto. It is to the effect tbat lu'
States government has ccTmnnic;
lynuiiuii'u 1111 mm; mat 13a ItZJ
moving, that there is uot s a2hea:.
of military ou this siffe toi.hetk tbtcj
that were arns trusted w the rci iu
would use them in the Fenian cuc .
this disquieting tale is goir.g the rx..
the Canadian pres. ,rder hiTebcisi.
from Ottawa for the withdrawal uf sit
nnteers from the front, "do troubk if,-.
IDg to exist tl.erp."
Tbe Irish FvTCo !a- r i.y nf-J
subiiiijsifin on tt.v Irish, lit ht.
j reported to be unsi:i'!v active.
ures have been rrare t v t:.c
'.wl1 ol I'
and i.sl.er w a
the men who
material. Kvea in List)
make CaraJa 'irrvr L'
fS.:hteufil an obii. xi'-ns :wi
death. The Pall Ma'.l Giztiit Ul
particularly severe on tha g!U.,
putt drawn croa itso'f threa w t-
vengeance. Ite protne:.'TS :.t
the poiire for p'otactUT., ajil 1 L'itT
patrols the r-igf'bcrh;Kfi of the '0:.j
ly. If the Fenians soccet-a a n-v.a
they keep the BritUh i.aiU-r., imfct;
of the water, iu a consul ttaietiu
A ?icxssiyo IJ'B.Ra. A !or:!U-
iv occurred in lia t.nnr tuuLt i i
P. M. on Thursday a'telCCCE
I Othtnre Al-nrsh. r-Mi:B :it. :M
father nrd fi n r t citintr riiU.i:!?. i
. ....
pupil. She raPed him iito trMi'i
him behind ashed atd tl.rr. rbt
with a knife, ttl.ich she b.-rnwi ;
minutes before f.-utn simp. Ffe
homo hurriedly, and there k';tri'-'
piaining children. tVil!:ni. tt! J ,;
Mary, aged 6 years, an Gwji j
years, in-like manner. All tr-e f-1
appear to have xp'r?j a'nW 1
The poor crea'rre rext attacif-d J
mrtber. Mrs. Nel'it; Dwver. wbi h
irjurid and cannot recover. At !.
er's ir. quest the te'inv ry weit k
that Mr. Marh is hne!es.-ly ir.:
parted with her husband a'-t"r'
on account of religious d Cl:""
murdered children were bunJ it
rick's (Catholic) cemetery oc S:ur.
1870. APRIU in
1 1 11 tarn t i "
OF THIS
SPRING TR10
READY-MADE CI
Hi
WANAMAKER & BB
TOIS MOTlI,
orax TO TBI rtorit in
GRANDEST STOCK
or
FINE CLDTHIEG PaRMlS
THAT
OAK HALL HAS EVER CON
Since last F-U we hare m"
lots adjoining us, od hve er
an iron front buildihg.quli " j
iner BuilJicg, making
IIH JC Mail IWIIO 3
in orJer to accoow-
.. PEC 1
GRE4T M bS w "
who have become our tri 9
cufI!;i
We Invite
all our
their neighbors and lrieu. - .
visit, to eximiue our -irl
MAMMOTH BUHE'
our
ana to i3i' -
AiurimnTH STC
IT 1 ryiiiui"
Trrr,o maker & &c I
1 V CXL
C14K HL .,r
CLOTHING ESTAbLl
Nos. 53i. 1 H
Hot. 1.3.5.7.9.11
y8 rti u?0
IT