Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1877 — FRESH PARAGRAPHS. [ARTICLE]

FRESH PARAGRAPHS.

During the year ending Sept. 1 there were 1,152 deaths from scarlet fever in Chicago. The greatest number, 83, died in September, 1876, and the smallest, 13, in June, 1877. During the same period there were '457 deaths from diph • theria. At a recent meeting in Chicago of the Association for the Cure of Drunkards, there was a long discussion upon the effects and cure of inebriety and opiumeating. The conclusion arrived at was that the use of opium is a habit, while drunkenness is a disease, and that peculiar methods are necessary in the cure of those addicted to the one and suffering from the other. George H. Williams, late Attorney General of the United States, has sued William McKee, of the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat, for SSOO. It appears that Williams was employed by McKee to obtain for him a pardon from President Grant, for which he (Williams) was to receive $2,500. He was successful in securing the pardon, but McKee has refused to pay more than $2,000. Hence the suit for SSOO. That peace on earth and good-will among men may be promptly established, the self-appointed “Twelve Apostles” of the Mormon church have issued a ukase to the effect that their right to reign comes from Heaven, and that any man who doubts it will be put to death. Of the propriety of appointing these men to rule and guard the destinies of Mormonism there can be no doubt. Most of them are under indictment for murder and other crimes. One of the leading Chinese merciiants of San Francisco has sailed for Hong Kong, for the purpose of visiting the provinces of China whence tho principal portion of the emigration comes to the Pacific coast. He is under instructions from the Six Companies to advise the people to stay at home, and to use all possible means for the purpose of maktliis advice effectual. The Texans complain that the Mexican officers on the Rio Grande are not living up to their promise to co-operate with the American forces in the pursuit of raiders whom the latter drive back to the border, but seem to connive at their escape every time. The army officers are represented to share this feeling, and to regard the policy of following marauders across the Rio Grande, whether Mexican troops are on the other side or not, as the only c-ne that will accomplish anything.

It seems to be understood at Washington that no appropriations will be asked for at the approaching special session of Congress, except for the pay of the army and navy and to meet the expenses of the Federal courts. These seem to be imperative demands, and will probably be promptly met. It is, however, anticipated that the question of reducing the army from 25,000 to 20,000 will be raised in connection with the appropriation for that branch of the service. The sentence of Gambetta to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 francs, for his Lille speech, in which he said of MacMahon “soumettre ou se demettre”—“give up or get out”—is a rather sharp reminder that republicanism in France is of a quality strangely unlike ours, but very like the European article of that name. The sentence is a great convenience for the Government, for it will take off MacMahon’s hands the exasperating duty of preventing Gambetta from making speeches until after the elections. The military authorities have determined to make a vigorous effort to ferret out and arrest the trouble-makers among the Western Indians, who are at the bottom of the periodical outbreaks, and send them out of harm’s way, as prisoners, to the Dry Tortugas, on the Florida coast. It is alleged that the red-skins have a greater dread of Dry Tortugas than they have of death, and it is confidently believed taat when they once find out that this will henceforth be the punishment to which every “ bad Indian” will be subjected, if captured, it will have the effect to make them much more circumspect as to their conduct. Definite information as to the fate of men reported lost on what are known as the Staked Plains has been received. The New York Tribune publishes a letter from Lieut. Charles L. Cooper relating the adventures of the thirty-one men reported killed by Indians. They were four days without water, and four men and twenty-seven horses died from thirst. The officers finally reached Double lake, where they found six men of their command. These started with filled canteens to bring up the famishing men, and all alive at that time were brought in. The story of the sufferings and rescue of the men forms a thrilling chapter in the history of border warfare.

The story told of Sitting Bull’s departure from Canada is very touching. The gentle savage had attended a council with the British officers in the neighborhood, and afterward took part in a scalpdance. The scene recalled sweet recollections of the happy days when he was harvesting the hair of hundreds of Americans, and he sighed as he thought how long his scalping-knife had rusted ingloriously in its sheath. There was a young half-breed in the company, a Dominion Government scout, upon whose plentiful shock of hair the great chief’s eyes rested longingly. Some words excited the longing into an irresistible impulse, and Sitting Bull’s revolver was instantaneously drawn and aimed. A heartless Canadian officer sprung between the two at this moment, and rudely said to the noble exile, “ I want you to understand that you cannot commit deviltries here as you do in the United States. I give you and your tribe five days to leave this country. If you are not gone then, I will fight you. Jf you are ever caught here again, or if you shoot this man, I will have you hanged.” Sitting Bull put up his weapon, packed up his scalps and other jewelry, and sadly shook the dust of inhospitable Canada from his feet next day.