VOL. 49
The Huntingdon Journal.
J. It. DURBORROU
C trOLISREICS AND PROPRIETORS
Odiee um the Cornet of Fifth arid Washington aired*.
Tun HUNTINGDON JOURNAL is published every
Wednesday, by J. R. Dunnonnow and J. A. Masa,
tinder the firm name of J. R. DURBORROW & Co., at
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for in six months from date of subscription, and
t 3 if not paid within the year.
No paper discontinued, unless at the option of
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No paper, however, will be sent out of the State
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Transient advertisements will be inserted at
TWELVE AND A-HALF CENTS per line for the first
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and FIVE cart, per line for all subsequent inser
tions.
Regular quarterly and yearly business advertise
ments will be inserted at the followinz rates :
i 3mi 0313 1 90111 y I 316 m 19m ly
I_ l _ 1
_I .
Hoch 3 50 1 4 501 55C 8 mil %col 90 0 18 00 $ 27 $ 36
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S " 7 00110 6011.4 00118 00 i y .. 34 00 60 00 6.1 80
4 " 800 14 00 23 00 21 0011 4 c01 1 36 00 60 00 SO 106
Local notices will be inserted at Ft sTEEN CENTS
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Advertising Agents must find their commission
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All advertising accounts are due and collectable
when the calrectisement is once inserted.
JOB PRINTING of every kind, in Plain and
Fancy Colors, done with neatness and dispatch.—
Hand-bills, Blanks, Cards, Pamphlets, ec., of every
variety and style, printed at the shortest notice,
and every thing in the Printing line will be execu
ted in the most artistic manner and at the lowest
rates.
Professional Cards
AP.\V. JOHNSTON, Surveyor and
• Civil Engineer Huntingdon, Pa.
Orinca : No. 113 Third Street. ang21,1872. .
DR. H. W. BUCHANAN,
DENTIST,
No. 22811 Street,
HUNTINGDON, PA.
July 3,'72
CALDWELL, Attorney -at -Law,
D•No. 111, 3d street. Office formerly occupied
by Messrs. Woods b Williamson. [ap12,71.
DR. A. B. BRUMBAUGH, offers his
professional services to the community.
Office, No. 523 Washington street, one door east
of the Catholic Parsonage. [jan.4,'7l.
EJ. GREENE, Dentist.
• moved to Leister's new WWI
Pvltingdon.
GL. ROBB, Dentist, office in S. T.
• Brown's new building, No. 520, Hill St.,
Huntingdon, P.
HC. MADDEN, Attorney-at-Law
• Office, No. —, Hill etreet, Huntingdon,
Pa. [ap.19,'71.
T FRANKLIN SCHOCK, Attorney-
KJ , • .t-Law, Huntingdon, Pa. Prompt attention
given to all legal business. Office 229 Hill street,
corner of Court House Square. • [dec.4,'72
SYLVANUS BLAIR, Attorney-at
• Law, Uuntingdoo, Pa. Office, fill street,
hree doors west of Smith. [jan.4'7l.
Tr CHALMERS JACKSON, Attor
ti • ney at Law. Mee with Wm. Dorris, Esq.,
No. 403, Hill street, Huntingdon, Pa.
All legal business promptly attended to. [janls
R. DURBORROW, Attorney-at
'c." • Law, Huntingdon, Pa., will practioe in the
Pereral Courts of Huntingdon county. Particular
attention given to the settlement of estates of dece
dents. _
-.„.
Office in be JOURNAL Building. [feb.l,'7l
W. MATTERN, Attorney-at-Law
J • and General Claim Agent, Huntingdon, Pa.,
fieldiere claims against the Government for back
pay, bounty, widows' and invalid pensions attend
e•l to with great care and promptness.
Office on Hill street. , • pan. 4,11.
S. GEISSINGER, Attorney-at-
L• Law, Huntingdon, Pa. • Mee one door
East of ft.•Mt Speer's office. geb.s-ly
J. HALL MUSSER.
K. ALL. Lovett.
L OVELL & MUSSER,
Attorneys-at-Law,
HUNTINGDON, PA.
Special attention given to COLLECTIONS of all
kinds; to the settlement of ESTATES, &c. ; and
all other legal business prosecuted with fidelity and
dispatch. in0v6,12
RA. ORBISON, Attorney-at-Law,
• Office, 321 Hill street, Huntingdon, Pa.
imay3l,7l.
JOHN SCOTT. F. T. BROWS. J. X. BAIL.'
QCOTT, BROWN & BAILEY, At
t.-, torneys-at-Law, Huntingdon, Pa. Pensions,
and all claims of soldiers and soldiers' heirs against
the GoTernment will be promptly prosecuted.
Office on Hill street. fjan.4,ll.
WILLIAM A. FLEMING, Attorney
at-Law, Huntingdon, Pa. Special attention
given to collections, and all other legal business
attended to with care and promptness. Office, No.
229, Hill street.. [apl9l7l.
Hotels.
JACKSON HOUSE:
FOUR DOORS EAST OF TILE UNION DEPOT,
HUNTINGDON, PA.
A. B, Z EIGLER, Prop.
Novl2;ll—Goi,
MORRISON HOUSE,
OPPOSITE PENNSYLVANIA R. R. DEPOT
HUNTINGDON, PA
J. 11. CLOVER, Prop.
April 5, 1671-Iy.
Miscellaneous
ROBLEY, Merchant Tailor, in
H• Leister's Building (second floor,) Hunting
don, Pa.. respectfully solicits a share of public)
patronage from lowa and country. [0ct18,72.
- 111 A. BECK, Fashionable Barber
-Lt. and Hairdresser, Hill street, opposite the
itranklin House. All kinds of Tonics and Pomades
kept on handled for sale. [ap19,71-6m
I:IOFFMAN & SKEESE,
Manufacturers of all kinds of CHAIRS,
and dealers in PARLOR and KITCHEN FUR'S'.
TITRE, corner of Fifth and Washington streets
Huntingdon, Pa.. All articles will be sold cheap'
Particular and prompt attention given to repair
ing. A share of public patronage is respectfully
solicited. Lisn.ls,l7gy
WM. WILLIAMS,
MANUFACTURER OF
MARBLE MANTLES, MONUMENTS.
' HEADSTONES, &C.,
HUNTINGDON, PA
'STER PARIS CORNICES,
MOULDINGS. 4!ZU
ALSO SLATE MANTLES FURNISHED TO
ORDER.
Jan. 4,11
(29 TO THE JOURNAL OFFICE
Fnr all kinds of printing.
FOR ALL KINDS OF PRINTING, GO TO
THE JOURNAL OFFICE
The Huntingdon Journal.
Ulm
J. A. NASH,
[Original.]
A Parody on John Anderson Me Jo.
BY THE BARD OF THE GLEN.
Escll poet hath his day, John,
And so have I had mine,
But you can write away, John,
For you are in your prime.
But do not tire your brain, John,
By writing late at night,
There's nothing to be gain'd, John,
But wearing of the sight.
Go sooner to your bed, John,
And with the lark arise,
Then clear will be your head, John,
And bright will be your eyes.
And now that I've grown old, John,
My days are yet but few,
The muse, the pen, and all, John,
I give them up to you.
And when that I am dead, John,
You'll write a line for me,
Your name be at the head, John,
That all who read may see.
If you should go before, John,
Then I will do the same,
Your writing will be o'er, John,
But still will live your fame.
Vita tong-geller.
A CLOSE SHOT,
Where the Kentucky cuts its way
through the mountains, having upon eith
er bank bob], rugged cliffs that lift their
summits five hundred and a thousand feet,
as the case may be, above the stream there
lived, in early times, a settler by the name
of Rufus Branson, who with his wife and
only child, a charming girl of some eight
or nine years, occupied a rude cabin at the
bass of a precipice a little back from the
river.
Although greatly exposed to danger—
the Indians at that time being plentiful
thioughnut the region—he managed to live
quietly for several years.
The Indians frequently visited the home
of the rude hunter, and being always wel
comed and provided with such food as
might be in the larder, they maintained a
very friendly attitude.
Especially were they fond of the child,
Maggie, and mote than one fierce warrior
bad been sitting on the grass in front of
the cabin, listening to the childish prattle
of the little one, or else engaged iu making
her some toy or plaything from twig or bark.
In this manner several years had been
passed and Rufus Branson came to feel as
secure as though he was within the walls
of a frontier fort.
Office re
ig, Hill street
Lian.4,'7l.
One evening Branson and his wife were
seated near the door-way, when suddenly a
shadow fell across the threshold, and the
next moment a tall savage, whos3 reeling
and blood-shot eye told that be was intoxi
cated, appeared, staggered to the log steps
and threw himself upon them.
His first demand was for "fire water,"
which was, of course, refused on the plea
that there was none in the house.
[0:p12,71
The Indian became cross and ugly,
swearing with terrible oaths that if the
liquor was not produced he would murder
the household. Branson was a brave man
and, although he dreaded the necessity,
yet he saw that he would be compelled to
take prompt steps to prevent the savage
from executing his threats. Waiting un
til the warrior had Made a demonstration
—which he soon did by attempting to draw
his tomahawk—Branson sprang upon him,
knocked him down with a blow of his fist,
and then disarmed and bound him where
he lay. After a few minutes of futile ef
forts to free himself, the savage rolled over
and sunk into a drunken slumber.
lie did not waken until next morning,
but before he did so the settler had quietly
removed his bonds and restored his wea
pons, which he laid by the sleeper's side.
The savage, on waking, rose slowly to
his feet, felt his rists, as though the thongs
had left a feeling there, took up his wea
pons and, without speaking a word, left
and disappeared in the timber that stood
near by.
"W hat do you think of that ?" asked
the wife, turning to the husband with a
scared look.
Pshaw ! don't trouble yourself about
the drunken brute," answered the settler
lightly; but, as he turned away and step
ped into the yard, he muttered : "Like it !
Well not much. The fellow must be
watched. I was in hopes he would not re
member ; but that lump where my fist
landed was enough, if nothing else, to re
call the circumstances."
The summer passed ; they saw the
drunken guest no more. He failed to
make his appearance. But as the leaves
began to fall the settler, one day, while re
turning from hunting on the hills and pass
ing through a dense piece of timber, caught
sight of a figure lurking in the bushes, but
which quickly disappeared when he ad
vanced toward where it was. The figure
was that of an Indian warrior, and Rufus
Branson would have sworn that it was the
Indian whom he had knocked down and
bound the previous summer. The knowl
edge was not in any way comforting;
hence he did not tell his wife of the dis
covery. It would alarm her, without, per
haps, any good result. He merely told
her he had discovered bear tracks near by,
and she and the child must stay within or
close to the house when he was absent.
Several days afterward, Rufus Branson
heard his dogs in the timber down by the
river, and knowing that they never open
ed without good cause, he caught up his
rifle and hastened to where they were
barking. They had struck a fresh bear
trail and as he arrived in sight they fbirly
lifted it, going on in a straight line down
the river.
The chase had led him several miles and
when at last he got in his shot that finish
ed Bruin's career, he found that it was
three or four o'clock in the afternoon.
Swinging his game to a sapling, out of
reacts of cat or wolf, he started for home
to get the old gray mare and return and
fetch it that night. Taking a short cut,
he approached the cabin from the western
side, where the timber grew heavy up to
within a few rods of the building and con
sequently he could not see the clearing,
or what might be transpiring there, until
he passed through the wood.
Thus it was that when within but a
very short distance from home he heard a
wild, piercing shriek. He could guess that
something terrible must be taking place
beyond the screen of bushes and leaves.
Uttering a loud shout. that his presence
might the sooner be made known, Bran
son sprang forward with the leaps of a
wounded buck, a great fear at his heart,
for he had only too clearly recognized in
that scream the agonized voice of his wife.
It took but a moment for him to clear the
intervening timber and undergrowth, and'
as he dashed out into the clearing, holding
his rifle ready for instant use, he compre
hended in one swift glance all that had
taken place and what was further to fear.
Near the end of the cabin, facing the
cliffs of which I bad spoken stood the
mother, her faCe white as the dead, her
arms outstretched, and ber staring eyes
fixed upon the precipitous height up
which the form of an Indian warrior was
straggling.
"My. child ! my child !" was all the wo
man said, and then Rufus Branson saw
that the bundle borne in the Indian's arms
was the form *of their only child, little
Maggie.
Firm of heart, and with nerves as steady
as the rocks around, the father for a mo
ment actually quaired and cowered under
what his quick sense told him was the
deadly peril of the little one.
But he was quick to recover.
The Indian was drawing away; step by
step he was increasing the distance, and as
he occasionally glanced backward the pa
rents saw in his hideously painted coun
tenance the fell purpose that actuated the
abduction
"God and me !" Branson muttered as
he raised his rifle, glanced through the
sights, and touched the trigger.
The Indian started violently at the shot.
He was hit, but not badly, and with a
yell of devilish triumph he passed'upward.
"Too low by a couple of iLches," said a
low, calm voice at the settler's elbow.
Branson started as though he himself
had been shot.
Where had that man came from ? Who
was he? Neither had seen him approach.
But there was no time for explanation.
The stranger, a man rather below than
above the ordinary height, whose fine, ath
letic form was fully displayed by the close
fitting buckskin garments, stepped forward
a few paces, and grimly planting his left
foot in advance, threw up an unusually
long rifle as though preparing to fire.
'For God's sake, stranger, be careful of
my child !" cried Branson, white the ago
nized mother muttered an inaudible prayer.
"It's our only chance. I know that
Indian," was the quick reply, and the
sharp click of the hammer as it was drawn
back told that the critical moment had
come.
..By this time the Indian had nearly
reached the summit of the steep. That
he was wounded now became evident, as
upon a broad ledge of rock he rested a
moment.
The opportunity was seized by the un
known.
Although the savage had taken the
precaution to hold the child in front.of
him as a shield, covering nearly the whole
of his brawny chest, but leaving his head
uncovered, the stranger did not hesitate
in making the shot. For one second, as
it gained its position, the rifle wavered,
and then instantly became as immovable
as though held with a vise. With clasp
ed hands and straining eyes the parents
watched the statue-like form upon whose
skill so much depended.
Suddenly a sharp report rang out, the
white smoke drilled away, and as the vis
ion became clear they saw the savage loose
his hold upon the child, reel wildly for an
instant, end then pitch forward upon the.
rocks. It may be imagined that the fath
er was not long in reaching the place where
the child lay, and in a few moments the
little one was in its mother's arms.
"Tell 'us who you are, that we may
know what name to mingle with our pray
erEl," said the mother, as the stranger pre
pared to depart.
"My name is Daniel Boone," he said,
and was gone.
gentling frir the
Brain Power.
The fact that Mechella, the criminal who
was executed it Hudson City, N. J., re
cently, was the possessor of an extraordi
nary heavy and well-developed brain has
puzzled the experts, and seems likely to
lead to an interesting inquiry. The claim
was made for this prisoner that his ac
tions showed him to be a man of deficient
intelligence, and that owing-to his par
tially idiotic condition he was not morally
responsible for his acts, and should not be
hung. The New Jersey Court of Pardons
would not, however, entertain this appeal.
A post mortem examination showed
Mechella's brain to weigh 51 grains and
1 scruple ; a weight which has been only
exceeded in one instance. Daniel Web
ster's brain—the heaviest of any recorded
—although there have very possibly been
hbarier ones—weighed but two or three
scruples more than that of the Finish mur
derer. Furthermore, as far as present
knowledge of the subject extends, the
shrewdest anatomist, with it alone before
him, and lacking all particulars of the
person who had once carried it about him,
would have pronounced it, without hesita
tion, the brain of a man of compelling in
tellect. So much for cornered wisdom !
This case shows, once more, how easily
the most earnest theories relating to the
connection of mind and matter may ba
overturned. It must be said that there is
little ignorance among students on this
subject. There is such an evident myste
ry about the matter that it would be very
surprising to learn that there has been a
radical misconception of the nature of the
brain function, or even to know that the
brain is a mere receiver, instead of being
as now supposed, the originator of nervous
force. The Mechella case would appear
to offer one more proof that intellectual
power by no means depends on the size of
the brain. Instances have heretofore
been adduced to show this, but the latest
evidence is always the best. Vary recent
ly a measurement of Prof. Aggassiz's brain
showed that while the organ was large
and healthy, it did not approach the huge
brains of which special account has been
kept. Mechella's brain was many grains
heavier that than of one of the brighest
geniuses of our times.
THE ADVERTISER who says he- dosen't
see the ude of a standing advertisement—
snaps his fingers and says he wouldn't give
that for one—prefers to speak to the peo
ple through the newspapers once in a while
in a news-like way, to just keep them in
Mind of him—this man don't consider.
He contradicts his own opinion the very
first time he goes from home. In a strange
place, the newspaper is his directory. If
he wants to buy a carpet, or a cook store,
or a book, or a dress, or get a suit of
clothes, or have his watch fixed, or his
hair cut, or a pair of boots, or a box of
cigars—he looks for an advertisement.
Finding one that looks fair and business.
like, he don't ask questions, but goes and
buys. This man has friends who like what
he's bought, and the next time they go to
that place they are likely to seek out that
merchant. In this way many an one has
become famous in his line of business. A
single sale of this sort has been the means
of making many a man's fortune.
HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1874
Speech of Hon. Charles Albright, De
livered in the House of Represen
tatives, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Speaker, as early as the 4th .of De
cember of this session I introduced a bill,
No. 42. providing fbr the free transmission
through the mails of newspapers in the
counties where the same are published, and
also for the free exchange of papers and
periodicals between publishers. It is as
follows :
• Be it enacted by Me Senate and Muse of Representa
tives of the United States of America in Omgress assem
bled, That the publishers of newspapers and periodicals
may send to each other from their respective offices of
publication, free of postage, one copy of 1.01 publication ;
and may also send to each actual subscriber, inclosed at
their publications, bills and receipts for the same, free of
postage. The publishers of weekly newspapers may send
to each actual subscriber within the comity where their
papers are printed and published one copy thereof free of
postage. . . . . .
FEC:' 2. That all laws and parts of laws inconsistent
with the provisions of the foregolug station be, and the
same are hereby, repealed.
I did this in deference to a general
public sentiment in its behalf, and because
tile people never favored the legislation
which compelled then► to pay postage on
their home papers. The people arc the
losers by the present law much more than
the publishers of newspapers. Since the
introduction of bill N 0.42 I have received
numerous letters from different parts of
the country urging the speedy passage of
the same. It was referred to the Com
mittee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads,
and that committee, before the holiday re
cess, reported the bill now under consid
erauion, and which in its third section im
bodies the principles of the bill which I
bad the honor to introduce.
I propose at this point briefly to refer
to the history of legislation upon this sub
ject, to show that the newspaper was al
ways under the friendly tutelage of Con
gress. The twenty-first section of the act
of February 20, 1792, provides :
That every printer of newspaper. may send one paper
to each and every other minter of newspapers within the
United States, free of postage, under such regulations as
the Postmaster General may prescribe.
Section 21 of the act of May 8, 1794,
re-enacted the same.
Section 4 of the act of March 4, 1845,
is as follows:
That all newspapers of no greater tine or snperftcles
than nineteen hundred square inches may he transmitted
through the mail by the editors or publishers thereof to All
subscribers or other persons within thirty miles of the
city or town er other place in which the paper is or may
be printed, free of any charge for postage whatever.
This is the first law that allowed sub
scribers (within thirty miles of the place
where the paper was published) to receive"
it postage free. It embraced daily papers,
and was net confined to county lines. This
law continued in force six years—as to
daily papers, to March 3, 1851.
Section 35 of the act of March 3, 1863,
after regulating the postage on newspapers,
periodicals, &c., provides as follows :
But the publishers of w,okly newspapers may send to
each actual subscriber within the county where their pa
pers are printed and published one copy thereof free of
postage.
This law confines its privileges to weekly
papers, and makes the county line, instead
of thirty miles, the limit. Section 3 of
the act of July 27, 1868, modifies section
35 of the act of March 3, 1863, as fol
lows :
Bnt nothing in this net shall be so construed as to re
quire narriere to distribute :mid papers unless postage is
paid upon them at a rate of five cents per quarter, dm.
The act of January 31, 1873, swept out
of existence all franking laws and privi
leges, and went further than many of the
enemies of the franking privilege desired.
The people now demand a restoration of
this privilege, and I am gratified to know
that in all the speeches which have been
made upon the bill under consideration no
voice has been raised against this provision.
The Postmaster-General concedes the fact
that he never desired the adverse legisla
tion on newspapers, and does not now ob
ject to its restoration. The honorable
Speaker of the House, [Mr. Blaine,] in a
letter dated December 17, 1873, says:
If I would vote for any possible exception to the role of
uniform and universal payment of postage it would be hi
favor of newspaper exchanges and the free circulation of
county papers within their Ma bailiwicks.
It is not necessary here to speak of the
power of the press and the influence it
exerts in the education of the masses either
for the right or wrong. If it is true that
the press is corrupt an unreliable, public
men have had much to do in giving it its
present status; but certain it is that you
will not elevate and improve it by hostile
and unfriendly legislation.
I take it for granted then that so much
of this bill as relates to newspapers will
become a law. We see that these conces
sions to the cause of popular education
have existed for many years and have met
the prompt approval of some of the wisest
statesmen with which our country has been
blessed. In view of this fact, Mr. Speak
er, I am led to the conclusion that these
excellent provisions must have been inad
vertently swept away by the besom of
economy that was set in operation by the
popular call for reformation in the extrav
agant practices which bad of late years
grown out of the injudicious use of the
frankinr , privilege. They met this fate
from the fact that newspapers were trans
mitted in company with matter which had
fallen into disgrace by obtruding itself into
the mail-bags and showing a pass instead
of paying fare; like the tame goose in the
fable, they had their necks wrung for hav
ing been found in bad company.
Mr. Speaker, the other question is,
whether the things named in the first sec
tion of the bill under discussion shall be
allowed to pass through the mail without
charge, or whether the people shall have
them ; because it seems to me that unless
provision is wade to send them out they
had better not be procured. If the only
idea upon this subject is saving money,
then the bast road to travel in is to take a
cross and near cut and dispense altogether
with the printing and publishing of the
things named in the section to which I
have referred. If we print and procure
them, then the means ought to be provided
for their distribution ; oiherwise they be
come waste material. The repeal of the
franking privilege puts this whole matter
in an anomalous position, as I shall en
deavor to show in the course of my re
marks.
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the policy
of the Government with regard to the
management of the Post-Office Depart
ment, it has been more with the object of
accommodating the people in the speedy,
safe, and certain transmission of mail mat
ter than with a view of raising revenue,
and hence efforts have never been specially
made for having the Post, Office Department
make money, because it has at all times
been in the plwer of the Government to
make large revenues out of the Post-Of
fice Indeed the machinery of this De
partment is peculiarly fitted and adopted
to this purpose, but the history of the
Post-Office Department shows that a con
stant and steady reduction and equaliza
tion of the rates of postage has been going
on. Within my recollection letter postage
has been reduced from twenty-five cents to
three cents. This has been done becau.e
the Post-Office Department stands before
the world as a benefactor and educator, by
bringing intelligence to almost every door
at a rata much cheaper than individual or
corporate influence could accomplish it,
while the benefits it dispenses inure alike
to the rich and poor, yet particularly is it
the friend of the poor, because the conces
sions in the way of cheap postage and of
affording mail facilities in rewrote and
sparsely settled portions of the country are
directly in the interests of the hardy and
enterprising pioneer; and the same may
be said with regard to the free-delivery
system in the large cities. 'The free-de
livery system brings the post-office to every
fireside in the cities at an extra cost now
of about $2,000,000 per annum.
It is not a question of so much impor
tance, then,
whether the revenues of the
Post-Office Department pay the expenses
of the Post-Office Department, as it is
whether the revenues of the Government
generally pay the expenses of the Govern
ment. How any money is made for the
Government by the Executive Dopartments
thereof using postal stamps in their official
correspondence instead of an autograph
frank is not readily comprehended, or how
the use of stamps checks abuse. When
the franking privilege existed' all matter
sent through the mail by the Departments
of the Government went free. The use
of stamps makes the cost to the Govern
ment no less. In all the discussion upon
this subject I have failed to discover
where the saving of money comes in ; nor
have I been able to find where the Post-
Master General has elucidated the matter,
except upon the principle that it pays to
rob Peter to pay Paul. The Executive
Departments of the Government still frank,
but under another name—a stamp instead
of an autograph. The stamping business
costs thousands of dollars more annually
than the autographing did, but Uncle Sam
foots the bill as before for carrying the
mail. There may be great wisdom in all
this, but-the progress of the masses has been
too slow to comprehend it, and hence they
can but look on the car as it passes by, and
wonder.
In this light, then, can it be fiiirly and
truly said that anything has been gained
by the abolition of the franking privilege?
I hear gentlemen say that the franking
privilege was a good thing, but that its
abuses broke it down. I amit this; but
tell um what good thing you could have
if the abuse of it was a conclusive argu
ment for its abolition and removal? This
bill is an attempt at a partial restoration
of the franking privilege, with the abuses
cut off. Franking, as exercised by Con
gress, was instrumental in the dissemina
tion of intelligence among the people. It
is suggested by some that everybody was
not supplied with the same document, and
that therefore the system worked unequally
and unjustly, and should not be even par
tially restored. Well, sir, if there is any
force in this argument, it might apply to
the abolition of Congress itself. Because
everybody cannot be elected to Congress
at the same time, nobody ought to be, and
therefore there should be no Congress.
I think every member on this floor ex
periences this truth, that it is a little
easier to supply a constituent with a public
document than to procure a seat in this
House. You provide far the printing of the
Congressional Record; you donate to each
member twenty-five copies or more ; you
do it out of the people's moue:. Now, it
it is understood that each member will
distribute these among such persons as he
sees fit, and where he thinks they will do
the most good. If the argument of the
gentlemen on the other side of this ques
tion is worth anything, there ought to be
enough Records prcvided to furnish one
to each constituent, or none. This state
ment shows the absurdity of the argument.
It is to be presumed that a member of
Congress ought to have some little sense
and discretion in the distribution of such
documents as he may be intrusted with.
The truth is, that all persons connected
with the Government are endowed with
the privilege of franking except Senators
and members of the House of Representa
tives in Congress, and their Secretary and
clerks; that is, they are supplied with
frank-stamps at the expense of the Gov
ernment. The stamping army now con
sists of forty thousand men and women, to
say nothing of boys and girls, and I sup
pose it is growing daily. All, or nearly
all, Government officials are mustered on
the stamp-rolls except Congressmen. Of
ficial stamps are authorized, because pub
lie servants ought not to be called upon or
excepted to pay postage upon correspon
dence relating to public business, and be
cause it is safe to trust everybody in the
public service except Senators and mem
bers of the House of Representatives. The
Petroleum V. Nasbys, postmasters at con
federate cross•rosids, can be safely intrusted
with the necessary stamps for their official
correspondence, even if they should per
chance occasionally write letters to their
friends, the Deacon Pogroms.
If Congressmen have constituents—and
it is to be presumed that most of us have
—a few to whom we must write and send
public documents occasionally, we may
safely be 'entrusted with the privilege, if
we buy the necessary stamps, for sending
them through the mail. If the 'Ameri
can Congress cannot respect itself, the
people will not, much.
Mr. Speaker, if I may be permitted to
say it, I think there is very little strength
in the statement that public documents
ought not to be distributed gratuitously
unless enough are provided to send one to
each tax-payer or voter, but that they
ought only to be sold. It was well said
by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Can
non] that there can be no law, however
just, thlt will work perfect equity in all re
spects.
I will illustrate what I mean. Take
the Agricultural Report. Several of these
sent to a few practical and intelligent men
in a township, who generally wake such
use of them as. will blss and benefit their
entire community, will do fully as much
as if every soon in the townihip bad one,
and in that way useful knowledge is dis
seminated, the nation profited, and the
'material interests of the country advanced.
The same is true with many other docu
ments, and particularly with packages of
seeds, cuttings, roots, and scions. To
supply every voter with each article would
bankrupt the nation worse than the war.
If this whole business is to be regula
ted upon the princle of money saving only,
the printing of documents. Stop
sending out packages of seeds, &c. You
cannot send a quart of wheat to every fir
mer ; and if you cannot, then, according
to the argument of the apostle of the gran
gers, you ought to scud to nobody. This
point can never be reached unless you can
turn back the finger of progress on the dial
plate of time. The argument closes in
upon you. You must follow it up by do
ing away with the Department of Agricul
ture, of Signal Service, and other depart
ments of useful and scientific information.
Thereby you can make the greatest sav
ing, and blind but stupid equity can be
measured out to everybody, and nobody
will be benefited, but everybody injured.
Some statements have been made with
regard to the expense of printing andbind
ing of congressional documents during
this which are wide of the mark.
To correct these, I propose to read the
following extract from a letter from Hon.
A. M. Clapp, Congressional Printer, un
der date of December 27, 1873 :
Appropriation fee the printing and binding for the Gee
erament for several years has been about $2.000,000 per
annum. During the last year, ending September 30, the
amount expended for printing and binding for Congress
was D 314,908.07.
Far al l'the Executive Departments, including thejudi
chary and the Government Printing Office, was $1,210,2:39.-
77.
-- It is but truth to elate that the printing and binding far
the executive and judicial departments include all blanks,
blank-booke, &e., required for the business of the Govern
ment here and elsewhere throughout the country.
The Department of Agriculture also is nipplied with all
its printing and binding Dom this office.
It is apparent from the records of tide office that the
greater part of the 12,000,000 appropriated for the public
printing aid binding ie absorbed by the Executive Depart
ments of the Government, instead of being, as is stated in
the paragraph quoted above, '•expended for public docu
ments which have gone through tne mails free."
From a careful aantinaticirand analysis of the books
of this office, it appears that of the $874,93827 expended
in 1873 for all the printing and binding for Congress, the
amount absolutely used fur the printingand binding.uf ex
tra numbersof documents “which have gone through the
mails free is $518,394.12, which, instead of being the grea
ter part of the $2,009,000 appropriated and expended for
the public printing and binding, is really only one-fourth
of the entire amount. Of the above amount, 8153,751.84
have been expended for the cenims 011870.
Now,
sir, while I have no anxiety or
desire for a restoration of the franking
privilege for myself, so far as it relates to
my little correspondence, Ido think that
if we authorize the printing of public doc
uments and the maintaining of the Depart
ment of Agriculture and other valuable
and important Bureaus of the Government
to furnish such information for the people
at great expense, we ought to provide some
means whereby we can send out the docu
ments and the seeds, information, &c.,
from the Departments so that they may
do the good we expect from them. Be
lieving that this will be rf r ilit and that the
people will justify it, I shall vote for the
pending bill. If it is considered unwise
to provide the money to send out these
documents, then we had better retrace our
steps.
the appropriations for the Department
of Agriculture last year were $127,550,
and 1 believe the people have more than
realized this amount oat of the knowledge
they acquired from this source. I believe
in wise, liberal, and judicious legislation;
and I believe this bill points in that di
rection, and I shall vote for it. I have
no objection to putting the daily papers on
the free list.
The Girls
SOME ADVICE BY A WOMAN.
AN OLD LADY'S ADVICE.—"Now, John,
listen to me, for I am older than you are,
or I couldn't be your mother. Never do
you marry a young woman, John, before
you have contrived to happen at the house
at least four times before breakfast. You
should know how late she lies in bed in
the morning. You should take care to
surprise her, so that you can see her in
morning dress, and observe her occupa
tion when she is not expecting you. If
possible, you should be where you could
plainly hear the morning conversation be-
tween her and her mother. If she is
natured and snappish to her mother. so
she will be to you, depend upon it
1 y.
Profound, truly ;'particularly the decla
ration that the old lady is older than her
son, or she couldn't be his mother. Good
advice it may be; but, girls, how are you
to become enlightened
CONCERNING JOHN ?
or are you to take it for granted that he .
is all right ? Perhaps you consider it a
matter of minor importance that you
should know about him beforehand. See
ing him three or four times before break-
Eist will not help you, should you attempt
to investigate. How can you find out his
disposition and habits? How are you to
know whether he intends to support you,
or has planned fur you to gain a liveli
hood for both ? Perhaps be can almost
take care of himself, and you may help a
little.
It is generally understood that each
takes the other for better or worse; surely
neither should look for or expect perfec
tion. Even were it possible to obtain, who,
in their sober senses, on mature consider
ation'
would for a moment wish it ? Who
could abide
A PERPETUAL REPROACH?
who would not willingly—nay, gladly—
see such treasure take to itself wings and
fly away—to Heaven ?
Now, so long as Susan cannot follow
John to his haunts, in order to gain infor
mation in regard to his habits, mode of
life and various other little items; cannot
tell whether the gallant and affectionate
lover will wear the bonds matrimonial
right royally ; does not know whether the
fret and worry of every-day life will de
velop nobler traits and loftier aims, or if,
on the contrary, that shall prove but dross
that she counted gold,—why should John's
mamma be so anxious for him to go early
in the morning in order to play the spy on
Susan's movements ? Why should he not
take his chances as well as she ?
Now, girls, my advice is: Should any
such person show himself, on any such er
rand, at your kitchen-door, at the break of
day, and find you the very quintessence of
neatness, your face covered with smiles,
and hands with biscuit dough, all things
favorable, and should he, his visage aglow
with satisfaction, signify that "Barkis is
willin', "—or, in other words, ask you to
marry him,—turn your back to him at
once with
A DECIDED NO.
He will make a selfish, indolent, parsimo
nious husband, who will, in all probability,
be asking, three months after you ore mar
ried, if not sooner: "What in the world
has become of that pound of sugar I brought
home a month and a half ago?" or, "What
did zou do with that quarter of a dollar I
gave you last week ?"
Ile will oversee the kitchen work, have
his fingers in every pie, and weary you
with his everlasting talk of wastefulness
and extravagance. In fact, such men as
John make the very worst kind of hus
bands; they
TAKE TO MEANNESS NATURALLY.
Many of both sexes are deceived, it is
true; nor can it, taking human nature into
account, be otherwise. The result is,
some go through life with bowed heads,
and hearts full of bitterness; while others,
if possible, profit by the divorce laws, and
others still elope forthwith, a la free love ;
and thus it will be so long as the world
stands. A sorry state of affairs, I admit,
but who is to be censured ?
The old Serpent, or Eve? Not Adam, of
course, because "The woman gave unto
me, and I did eat."
Answer the question as you way, the
facts are the same, and, if either sex is to
be deceived, disappointed and duped, I
prefer it should be the rougher one. They
easily throw it off; they go out into the air
and sunlight (and aod's blessed sunlight
causes many a burden to be more lightly
borne); they mingle with their fellows;
business matters divert their attention,
and they are usually not so crushed (there
are exceptions, it is true) that they cannot
enjoy their cigar, the club-room or saloon,
or it is just possible, the society of some
interesting lady friend, to whom they look
unutterable things, or at least those, not
lawful to be uttered under the circum
stances, and sigh as they think of "what
might have been."
But, girls. if you marry one who proves
indifferent to you, whose habits are bad,
and whose soul is small, and you find your
selves neglected and uncared for,
WHAT CAN YOU DO
Why, wait wpon John, care for the chil
dren, and through a monotonous routine
of duties with a heart full of pain and ev
ery nerve unstrung (and how these little
daily du tie stings and irritate when the soul
is crying out for rest !), when one would
fain bury her face in her hands, and think,
and weep, until at least comparative quiet
comes; until she can look upward with
the eye of faith, and feel that "Jesus knows
it all."
Do not he in haste to marry, nor fancy
it is the main road to happiness. There
are but too many pitfalls in the way, that
are not discovered until it is too late to re
trace one's steps.
THERE ARE MEN WITH NOBLE SOULS,
who live pure, unselfish lives, and who
will shield their loved ones in their strong
arms, and hold them in the innermost re
cesses of their hearts; who disdain not to
show their appreciation of little kindnesses,
and in whose‘presence there is no restraint.
Little golden heads are pressed to the
cheek of such a man ; tiny, dimpled hands
stroke his hair; even baby crows a welcome.
The wife does not look askance to see if
husband is in good humor; too well she
knows his untiring love. The day's golden
hours are when husband and father has
come.
Upon such men, be they peer or peasant,
Nature has set her seal of royalty ; but such
a one never in his life played the part of
spy or evesdropper.
Beware, girls, of these Johns, and never
marry for a home. Be independent;
CHOOSE SOME VOCATION ;
be workers—self supporting. Pay no at
tention to all this talk about being good
housekeepers, nor be afraid to say that you
do not understand it, if such is the case.
Walk in the plain path of duty if it be di
rectly through the valley of Humiliation ;
do not shrink; light will come by and by—
a change for the better; or, mayhap, the
work considered a burden may anon prove
a source of deli2ht.
If housework be the duty nearest to you,
do it by all means; but if you are permit
ted a choice, and talents and inclination
lead you into an entirely different path, do
not hesitate, nor bury your gifts in a nap
kin, in order to fit yourselves far the possi
ble contingency of being elected house
wives for John. Make the most of your
selves ; do right in the sight of God ; be
fully pursnaded in your own minds; and
each of you is
A POWER IN YOURSELF.
You are now bearing many self imposed
buialens, which help to defeat your plans
for usefulness. Remove from your heads
some of the numberless superfluities that
have long wearied them; be content to
wear shoes with but a reasonable amount
of heel ; if you wish to walk on stilts, do
not in any way have them attached to your
ordinary dress; and, aboveall things, abol
ish—or, if that. be impossible, at least loos
en—the corset, so that you can breathe
freely; do this and you can think and
work with ease,—rise higher and higher in
the vocation yon have chosen, and never
fear but the place you seek will be yours
when you are prepared for it.
God made you girls to be
FREE ARP HAPPY,
aye, as free as the fresh, wild wind, that
wanders where it will, now through the
deep, dark forest, where grow the ferns
and lily-bells, and anon over the fields of
bright-blossoming clover, blessing and
cheering all in its way,—a typeof full un
fettered joyousness.
Do not be tempted to marry a John,
who will deprive you of this freedom,—
one who will wish you to sink your indi
viduality into his own narrow-mindedness.
Remember, a life of cheerful, self reliant
effort is far better than to be an unappre
ciated, neglected wife, and, if it be your
lot to mate with one of the nobler type of
men, you are the better fitted, by previous
years of self sustained endeavor, to stand
by his side in life's conflict.—Mrs. 0. E.
Snyder, in Chicago Tribune,
Failures in Business
The man who has never failed in busi
ness cannot possibly know whether be is
honest or not, cannot possibly know wheth
er he has any "grit" in him, or is worth a
button. It is the loan who fails, and then
rises, who is really great in his way.
Peter Cooper failed in making hats,
failed as a cabinet maker, locomotive buil
der and grocer ; but as often as he failed
he "tried and tried again," until he could
stand upon his feet alone, and then crown
ed his victory by "riving a million dollars
to help the poor boys in times to come.
Patrick Henry failed at everything he
undertook, until he made himself the or
ator of his age and nation.
The founder of the Herald kept on fail
ing and sinking money for ten years, and
then made one of the most profitable news
papers on earth.
Stephen A. Douglass made dinner tables,
bed steads and bureaus for many long years
before he made himself a giant on the floor
of Congress.
Abraham Lincoln failed to make both
ends meet by chopping wood, failed to
earn his salt in the galey-slave life of a
Mississippi flat boatman ; he had not even
wit enough to run a grocery, and yet he
made himself the grandest character of the
nineteenth century.
Gen. Grant failed at everything except
smoking cigars; he learned to tan hides,
but could not sell leather enough to purch
ase a pair of breeches ; a dozen years ago
he "brought up" on top of a wood pile,
teaming it to town fcr forty dollars a
mouth, and yet he is one of the great sol
diers of the age, and is now the honored
head of a great nation. .
The lesson for every youngman is this:
As long as you have health and power to
do, ahead; if you fail at one thing, try
another, and a third—a dozen even. Look
at the spider : nineteen times it tried to
throw its web to a place of attachment,
and on the twentieth it succeeded. The
young man who has the "gift of continu
ance" is the one whose foot will some day
stand on high ground, and will be able to
breast the angry waters of human engage
ment.—Journal of Health.
NO. 10.
Tit-Bits Taken on the Fly
Adam was the first trader. He sold us
all for an apple.
The New York Arcadian is about to
give up the ghost.
There are several very angry people in
the State of Massachusetts.
Disreli is getting bis new broom ready
for a clean Conservative sweep.
The Third National Prison Reform Con
gress will meet at St. Louis, May 13.
Love me, love my dog. The Virginia
Legislature has refused to impose a dog
tax.
The Ohio saloon keepers are crying out
with one voice—Di-o Lewis. But Lewis
won't di-o.
A South Carolina legislator has intro
duced "a bill to rejoice the bounding . debt
of the Stait."
Lucifer matches were taxed last year
$1,500,0130. The report does not give the
tax on matrimonial matches.
The New York Graphic wants the Cen
tennial celebration in that city by having
a grand explosion of the Hell Gate rocks.
Mark Twain's jumping frog may take a
back seat. At Wanpun, Wis., seven young
females n cently bad a jumping match.
And now a ring among the claimants
for the Geneva award has been discovered,
and a Congressional investigation is threat
ened.
College commencements are not very far
off, and poor bat brilliant students are ma
king wages writing theses for the rich but
stupid.
Departed greatness. A bill is before
Congress to change the name of the propel
ler Wm. M. Tweed, of Buffalo, to one less
notorious.
The late conference of the four Latin
money nations at Paris resulted in defer
ing the proposed introduction of a single
gold standard.
The attendance on the Methodist Sun
day schools throughout the world is set
down at more than three millions. A
pretty large army .
Tupper is said to bear his pension and
the comments it has called forth with re
markable equanimity. But then his phil
osophy is proverbial.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company is
making arrangements to build car shops, a
round-house, and other buildings at Vin
cennes, Indiana.
In the matter of self-interest and self
development alone, it is of the utmost im
portance to the South to take part unreser
vedly in the Centennial.
Everything has its compensations. In
consequence of the financial hard winter,
hundreds of marriages throughout the
country have been postponed.
The New York Legislature is striving
to secure pure liquor for citizens of the
Empire State, and for their visitors. It
will not succeed. Rotgut will triumph.
They are stirring up the corruptionists
in the Minnesota Legislature, and hard
stceies are told of prominent men in and
from that State.
Texas cattle drivers are busy gathering
herds for an early drive. Cattle are in
better condition than ever before at this
season of the year.
Wonder if Nellie Grant knows what her
young man's name is. The- newspapers
get it Sartoris, Sartorions, Saetoris and
Saetoeiores.
A New Orleans editor acknowledges a
visit from the editor of the Louisiana Su
gar Bowl. He doesn't state who famish
ed the other ingredients.
Many people, particularly young females,
are becoming deranged in different parts
of the country from the effects of religions
excitement, consequent on the prevalent
revivals.
"Wor-nk "' exclaimed a North Carolin
ian who was offered a job; "do you s'pose
I'd wor-nk, mister, when coon tracks are as
thick as grass blades ?" • This is what
keeps the South poor.
The President of Cornell University
states that as a rule young women at-that
institution average ten per cent. better on
their papers than the young men, and seem
to be quite as healthy.
The latest horse disease is gradually dy
ing out. The remedies used are washings
and introductions of tar smoke, together
with constant examinations of the stables
and daily whitewashing.
Much excitement prevails in one of the
interior counties of Missouri, on account
of the hideous cries of some wild animal
which is said to be roaming the woods.
Maybe it's the spirit of the lost cause.
Many of the •North Carolina planters
are said to have become demoralized, and
now accept positions on railroads or in
stores at from $4O to 850 per month, giv
ing up their former occupations.
Of the first issue of the new postal cards,
printed by the German government for
letter communication with the United
States, the steamers that left Hamburg
and Bremen last month carried seven
thousand.
Quite a formidable array of petitions
are before Congress praying for an amend
ment to the Constitution, providing for
the election of United States Senators by
the people.
One of the bitterest ingredients in the
Simmons pill, over which Boston is making
so many wry faces just now, is the morti
fying fact that the new collector isn't a
"Harvard man."
lowa raised more wheat in 1873 than
any other State in the Union. She did
the same thing 1872. The figures are
34,000,000 bushels in 1873, nud 32,000,-
000 bushels in 1872.
Pease, the new Senator from Mississippi,
has distinguished himself early, by offering
a bill requiring the government to endow
a female university and six normal schools
in Mississippi !
These monarchs are not all useless.
King Oscar, of Sweden, is the inventor of
a fire escape apparatus. It was lately tried
in Stockholm and proved a valuable in
vention.
It is reported that Jeff Davis has gone
to Europe. The cause of his foreign trip
was his quarrel with Foote. A Washing
ton correspondent says : "It is reported
that Jeff. said either he or Foote had to
leave this continent." Foote was obsti
nate, so Jeff. went. This country has no
further use for him, and his flight to
Europe will cause no regrets.
•
. .