Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1886 — Page 7

SHOT AND SHELL.

Old Veterans’ Reminiscences of the War of the Rebellion. Embracing Anecdotes or Actual Experience and Colloquial Acquisition. The Battle of Franklin. “I belonged to Joe Johnston’s army,” said Thomas; “we had ceased to talk of our victory at Kenesaw. The daily fighting during the long retreat before Sherman had been almost forgotten. Our lost opportunity on Peach Tree Creek—lost by the removal of Johnston—had ceased to trouble us. The loss of Atlauta, and thousands of our comrades who fell in the battles around that town, was still fresh in our memories. And fresher still was the recollection of the bloody assault on the two redoubts near Allatoona that were held by a couple of thonsand Yankees. We had lost Johnston, In "whom we had unbounded confidence. Hood, whom we did not consider a snfe soldier, was in command. We feared that some of the belief as to the fightingcapacity of Northern men held by the slaveholders before the war ling ‘red in his mind. We privates had promptly discovered that the Yankees were as efficient fighters as we for two days, and our superiors if the battle lasted three, four, or five days. We had a saying, which was founded on fact. It was: ‘Yankees must be whipped in two days, or they Cannot be beaten at all.’ “We marched north, south, east, west, in any direction Hood saw fit to lead us, and Sherman trailed after us. At Gaylesburg he tired of the pleasure of the chase, aud abandoned us. We camped for a few days, then crossed the Tennessee River a few miles above Florence, aud marched rapidly toward Columbia. Here we had our first hard fighting in forcing the passage of Duck River. We pushed the Federate from the river, and then made a furious march, fighting as we went, so as to intercept the retreat of Schofield's army. We outmarched them, and slept near Spring Hill. When we bivouacked we knew that we had Schofield in a trap, and that he was ours.” Thomas ceased talking. He looked gloomily into the fire for an instant, and then said, regretfully: “Yes, we outmarched Schofield, and then we slept, and while we slept Schofield marched by—marched within a half a mile of our camp fires. I have never Been more intense rage aud profound disgust than was expressed by the weary, footsore, battletorn Confederate soldiers when they discovered that their officers had allowed their prey to oscape. Suddenly we fell into column and resumed the chase. We pushed Schofield closely. He struck the Harpeth River at Franklin, where the stream makes a right angle. We were so close to Schofield that he didn’t dare to attempt to cross the river for fear of losing not only his trains but his army. The Yankees formed a battle lino across the neck of land formed by the winding river. Their flanks rested on the-water. Their center was on a low hill, where a couple of batteries stood in action. We were on the ground early in the morning. The Yankees had just begun to break earth for an intrenchment. We could see their entire line and judge correctly of their numbers. We outnumbered them over two to one. The Confederates, though tired and hungry, were keen to be ldd to the assault. We one and all prepared to fight at once rather than to wait for an hour or two and be fed. After our bloody experience at Allatobna we dreaded to attack earthworks manned by veteran Yankee infantry. Now"w.e had Schofield’s army cooped. They could not retreat. The river was behind them. We knew that if we attacked at once we could kill them, or capture them, or drive them into the river, But we also knew that if Hood allowed them to throw up ah earthwork, it mattered not how slight, they would most tenaciously hold that defense. They were desperate men. Their only chance was to fight, and fight, and still fight. In the open we could have crushed them in an hour. Once covered we knew that they could not be crushed, and we privates, who had fought these men for three years, knew they would fight to the last man, almost, once they were warmed to their work. “As we stood in column waiting for our orders, 1 saw the corps aud division commanders crowd around Hood, who had ridden onto the field-.._ JL-droppfld—out -of the

ranks and drew near to the group. They _were inspecting the Yankee line. I heard Cleburne, approved and fearless fighter, urge Hood to order the assault at once. I heard other general officers advise him not to waste time, not to allow the Yankees time to cover themselves. Hood refused to order the assault, saying the troops were tired and: hungry, and needed food and rest, and he added, contemptuously: ‘ln ten minutes we can drive the Yankeesout of any works they pan fhiow up in two hours. They cannot hold that line.’ Cleburne, shook his head negatively- at this, but Hood was firm. When I saw Cleburne, wbo-sas ever keen for battle, shake his head I was discouraged. If Clebui-ne dreads the work, it must be hopeless, I thought. “The men were ordered to cook breakfast, and obeyed sullenly. The Yankee earthworks steadily grew as we looked on. Two hours passed and they were finished, and the Yankee infantry sank out of sight behind them. Then came marching and countermarching...ou our part. It was four o’clock before our dispositions for the assault were made. From the position I was in I could plainly see the Yankee line. It seemed to be deserted. Now and then the head of a man would appear above the works, or au artilleryman would crouch behind a gun and gaze in our direction. We were formed for the assault. The plan was to launch several columns against the line and endeavor to break it at ditferent points, while the real attack would be made on the little hill where the two batteries stood. Our artillery went into action. Some dismounted artillerymen were formed behind ns. These were to follow us closely, and when we had captured the Yankee guns they were to turn them and pulverize the flying Yankees. It was a good idea, and the artillerymen laughed gleefully at the picture they conjured. It was well they had their laugh first. “All was ready; we arose and dashed forward. Out of tho ground rose the Yankee pickets, and, firing once, they ran for their earthwork. As we screamed ont the charging yell the Y’ankee troops rose up from behind their works and their rifles fell into a horizontal line, the Federal artillerists sprung to their guns, we instinctively pulled our hat brims down as though to protect our faces and dashed into the open. In, stantly we were met by a storm of bullets and canister that caused us to stagger as our dead and wounded comrades fell against us. We wavered badly, then gathered ourselves and pushed on, firing as we went. “The powder smoke hung on the field. Through rifts in it we could see the Federal gunners spring ninthly to and fro from the Napoleon guns. The responsive flash pf the guns as the lanyards were pulled would be followed by the rip of canister as it flew past and through ns, tearing great gaps in our ranks, cracking men’s bones as pipestems, and knocking brave men dead

with great hole# in their bodies. The zip, tip, zip of 'ftying rifle balls was a mighty and steady hum, as though the empty'cylinders of countless threshing time bines were revolving at full speed all around us, “Steadily the veteran Yankee infantry, who had to hold their line of earthworks or take .to the water, loaded and tired. Our men fell by hundreds. We staggered on through this storm of bullets and canister for five minutes. We had not reached the Union line. Then we heard exultant shouts to our left, aud through tho drifting smoke caught a glimpse of our battle flags planted on the Federal breastworks on the hill; and as we saw the men clad in gray clamber over the works and disappear, we redoubled our efforts to take the line in front of us. Its fire did not slacken a particle. Its defenders paid no attention to the disaster that had overtaken their center. As we drew closer, the parapet, reddened in the smoke and the fire, resembled the fury of hell in its intensity. Then loud above tho battle’s roar sounded the charging cheer of the Yankee troops, and we knew that the Confederates who had broken the Federal center were being called upon to make good their success by meeting the charge of the Yankee reserves. Could they withstand it? Promptly came the answer. There was a solid crash of musketry from that portion of the line, and in an instant the remnants of the victorious Confederates swarmed out of the captured works and ran for cover. Instantly the earthwork was manned by a double line of blue-coated infantry, who shot down the flying Confederates by scores. * “We pressed on. We were so close to the works that some of oar men fell into the ditch. We could see the eyes of the Yankee infantry as they looked over their rifle sights. Their faces were pallid, their jaws set, and their eyes blazed with battle light. I never before saw such rapid handling of artiliery. It seemed to me that I could see No. 1 impatiently tap with sponge staff on the blackened muzzles of the brass guus, as he called for canister, and more canister, and still more canister. We were sufficiently near to feel the wind of the guns. I looked back. We had not advanced far. The dead lay in windrows. Wounded men were staggering over the field and falling in ones, twos, and threes, as they came together for aid, between the lines of dead. The men hesitated. They realized that they could riot carry the works. Their line officers tried to hold them. Tney staggered a few feet nearer the Federal line, firing wildly the while, to be scorched by the hot breath of cannon and rifles. They wavered badly, tried to hold on, then broke aud ran for cover. We were under fire for about ten minutes, and one- third of our division, Reynolds’, were killed or wounded. Stunned, bewildered and horribly disappointed, we gathered in a protected position and were speedily reformed. We were allowed to rest for awhile.

“Of course the planned simultaneous attack by several columns had failed. Of course they did not get off together. They went in one after the other, and they wore all whipped. Again we were formed into charging columns. Our officers briefly explained the necessity of carrying the works. We swore to take them or die in the attempt. Ah,” said Thomas, “it is easy to swear to do things when you are not under fire, but hard, exceedingly hard, to accomplish them. We rushed to the assault again, again to be met by a fire the heat of which warped us out of line. It seemed to me (hat the air was so full of bullets that I could have caught some by simply grabbing on either side or above me. We ndvaneod close to the works, and again we broke and fled for cover. The Yankees, now thoroughly angry, and merciless, began to shoot at every living object within range of their rifles. Wounded Confederates, who moved a leg or au arm, were instantly selected as targets, and were literally shot to pieces. “Darkness descended and still the battletorn Confederates were formed into charging colnmns and launched against the Yankee works. We advanced, stumbling over our dead and wounded. The latter shrieked as -Sve trod on their mangled limbs. Powder smoke hung over the field in clouds, which reflected the lurid fire that blazed along the Yankee parapet. Eight o’clock, 9 o’clock, 9:30, and we were still fighting, still dying, still trampling our dead and wounded comrades into the earth. Then we gave it up. We had made five desperate charges. Pat Cleburne’s men had made six, aud he fell dead while leading the last. Every general officer in the army, except Hood, was killed or wounded.- Ourlossesrmd rnn high up te the thousands. We stacked our- arms and lay down. All night our wounded comrades crawled off of the field nnd sought comfort and rest and water among their ( jmhurt brothers. Men with one leg trailing gh the earth behind them, others with shattered shoulders or torn entrails, or ghastly flesh wounds, or with smashed jaws, or eyes shot out, would crawl, walk, or be led into our ranks, where they would sink beside ns and murmur: ‘I am glad to get home to you. It was hell itself, boys! ’ And they would sink into sleep or death, r

“We were aw.ake early the next morning to discover that the Yankees had crossed the river during the night, and were probably well on their way toward Nashville. We were mighty glad they had gone. Hood seemed to be stupefied at the disaster that had befallen us. He allowed his discouraged army to remain in camp by that bloodv battlefield. The men, already dispirited and doubtful of his ability as a commander, were permitted to roam at will over the corpse-Strewn field. I never before or after Raw strch a. frightful battle-ground. Many of the dead were shot to shreds. And I saw scores of men who had been wounded—legs broken probably—who had put their thumbs into their mouths and had chewed them into shreds to keep from crying, coward like, as they lay exposed to the merciless tire of the Yankees, waiting for death to keep them from voicing their fear. Frankiin was the only battle ground I ever saw where the faces of the majority of tho dead expressed supreme fear and horror. Dead men’s far os were drawn awry. Their eyes were wide open and. fear-staring/ Their very attitude as they lay prone on the ground with extended, earth-clutching fingers, and with their faceß practically buried in the mil. told the tale of mental agony they had endured before death released them. And then, the chewed thumbs, Blowing the direful necessity they had to brace th ‘mselves to receive death, was inexpressibly affecting. * “Tho repeated disasters we had encountered under Hood, had dampened our ardor: The unwise rambling of onr men over the battle-field of Franklin broke their spirit. We would not fight at Nashville; we lost that field because the specter of Franklin, livid, with distorted features, with blood-streaming wounds, with ghastly, horror-stricken eyes, chewing and crunching its thumb, stalked among us. It was in the ,columns as we marched. It rode astride of the Napoleon gnus. It sat by our cam}) fires. It stood in the trenches' at Nashville. It lay in the rifle pits o' nights.” Thomas ceased talking, and looked intently and sorrowfully into the tire, as jthough he were searching for the faces of ’the comrades he had lost,: I did not intrude on his grief, but quietly rolled mvself in my blankets and lay down, not to sleep, bat to think of the horrors of the war, and

of the bloody fields in Virginia, on which I had worked at a cannon’s muzzle. Frank Wilkeson.

Old John. John was a noble clay-bank horse, of the Copperbottom stock. Hs was bought by my step-father, a physician, when a Colt, and had beeu raised by him, and being on intelligent animal I had taught him many tricks. The war coming on, “we boys” volunteered in the Confederate army. The darkies took French leave, so my stepfather had to tend this horse himself. Our house fronted on the main street, and the lot ran back to an alley upon which was the stable. My step-father, when he had a professional call in the oounlry, to save timo, would bring John through the back aud front yard and out the front gate, and the same also in returning. The “non-conscript act” let me out of the Virginian army, and I returned to my home —Alexandria, Tennessee. The Yankeos being unpleasantly numerous there, I persuaded my step-father to let me take John and join the rebel cavalry. A year after this I was captured and carried to Camp Morton, Indiana, where I remained thineen months, then returned home, just two years and one month from the time I rode John off to the war. I should here state that mother and sister, after I went to the war, would very often feed and caress John, and he would come at their call.

Upon my return home mother told me the following: About a month before my return a body of Federal cavalry passed in front of our house at a double-quick. Just in front of our gate a soldier, riding a large clay-bank, turned out, galloped up to the gate, and stopped so suddenly as to nearly throw him forward. The horse commenced whinnying, pawing, and nosing the gate most energetically, the rider in the meantime cursing, jerking the reins, and Toweling the animal most unmercifully with his spurs. The poor beast moved off reluctantly. My mother and sister had seen all this, and the latter said, “Ma, I believe that is old John. If it is, he will know my voice.” So she called, “John, poor John.” By this time the horse and rider had moved up the street about fifty yards. But at the word “John” the horse wheeled and came back to the gate with such velocity that the rider scarcely kept his seat, and actually dropped off at the gate, and was so awfully mad at the horse that no doubt he would have shot him had not my sister and mother interposed in his behalf. By leading him the soldier finally got him away. And yet further. That night a noise was heard in the yard. Upon examination it was old John, as was his custom, grazing on the tender blue grass. The part of a halter on his head showed that he had broken his fastenings and came back to scenes he loved., Although two full years had elapsed, he had not forgotten his ancient habit of coming in at that self-saine front gate, or the voice of one who was always gentle and kind to him. But he was cruelly taken away the next day, aud never more heard from. Spunk Dennis.

Too Much Imagination. Our officers had given ns strict orders against foraging. Colonel Randall and Captain Whiting,- of Company H, were especially severe. In spite of orders the boys used to pick up young pigs, abundant in that vicinity, and work them up into “possum stews.” The Captain chanced to discover that the boys' game of which their stews were made was contraband, and he at once confiscated a fine stew and had the owners arrested. Now the Captain was a great lover of poker, and he and his set regaled themselves with poker and the soldiers’ stew. The boys resolved to get even. In the natural order this event happened twice. The second time it was essentially varied, as follows: Fojy puppies had been procured. Three of them were killed, their bodies buned and heads left outside, just back of the tent. After the officers’ set had got the well-seasoned stew disposed of, the little puppy remaining alive was left at the officers’ tent, and began to whine. They investigated the whining at once, and found the little fellow with a card to his neck, upon which was inscribed, “You have eaten my three brothers; now eat me. (Signed) Jeff. Davis.” In the expr. ssive language of the colored gentleman, there was commotion in that camp. Investigation followed, the pupdraw a veil over the scene that followed. A puppy’s whine, bark, or even a howl was altogether too suggestive for a long time after. The boys’ stews were not confiscated any more. The disagreeable results of the affair were entirely the effects of the imagination, as the stew which the officers confiscated was entirely composed of good chickens and pigs. —Chicago Ledger. —_.

A Surprised Darkey. The further South we found ourselves the more ignorant . and superstitious the blacks proved to be. It was a constant source of wooderment to them where so many men came from as they saw marching through their country. We were in Georgia with Sherman. We were marching in line four abreast, and the line extended as far ahead as the eye could reach, with an apparently endless continuation in the rear. ** At the side of the road stood a forlornlooking old darky, with his eyes rolled up “like a hen a drinking.” and his mouth wide open—the utter picture of amazement. A comrade said to him, “Hello, Uncle, what do you think of us Yanks, anyhow?”The old man took a long breath and said: “Fo’ de good Lawd! whar you ’uns all do cum from?” ‘.’Oh, this is nothing, 1 was replied, “It will take a week yet for us all to go by you.” The look of astonished amazement on that poor darkv’s face as he ejaculated: “Lawdy Gawd,” aud fled for the fields, was too utterly comical to be described, Such another shout of laughter as greeted his departure, joined iu by all who witnessed the scene. It Was an army marching shout, joined in by thousands who really knew no cause for laughter.

lonia, Mich. - “An,, Lucius!” murmured Fedora, as she twined her white arms around his three-story collared neck with a firm “twostrand twine,” and vainly endeavoredito tickle her cheek against one side of his hairless, lip “wouldst thon really perform any act —however difficult to accomplish—in evidence of thy love for me?” “Even soj Fedora!” emphatically replied her loverfc gnzing fondly into the (writing) liquid deptlis-ef her (navy) bine eyes, and stroking with one hand the alleged downy growth on the unoccupied portion of his labial; “put thy devoted Luish to the test!” “Then, sir I” Shrieked site, with the shrillest kind of a piercing shroke, “for heaven's sake, raise a decent mustache inside of three months from this evening, or else ‘walk the plank’ in my affection!”- (He shaved, morning, noon, and-night , for ninety copse utive days, and used forty-nine different varieties of patent “Whisker Producers,” bnt he had to “walk,” ju9t the same.) —Chicago Ledger.

E. VAN DOREN.

CRITICISING THE PRESIDENT.

Interesting Debate In the House on Mr. Cleveland’s PenL . slon Vetoes. Evidence Going to Show that the Executive Does Not Carefully Examine the Documents. The Democratic Chairman of the Pension Committee Take Issue with the President. [Washington dispatch.] Immediately after the reading of the journal in the House the Speaker announced that the regular order was the vote on the demand for the previous question on the motion to refer to the Committee ou Invalid Pensions the message of the President vetoing the bill granting a pension to Sally Ann Bradley. Amid a great deal of confusion Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, on the part of the Republicans. aud Mr. Matson, of Indiana, representing the Democrats, endeavored to come to some arrangement to prevent the time being frittered away with roll-calls. It was finally agreed that the demand for the previous qnostion should be withdrawn and that Mr. Grosvenor, of Ohio, should be allowed fifteen minutes to oppose the motion to refer, with permi sion to some Democrat to reply, if so desired. Mr. (Arosvenor snia he desired to heap no recrimination or condemnation upon the President for his veto messages. They were caused by a total misapprehension on the part cj the President of his relation to the administration of the Government. He (Mr. Grosvenor) had read all the vetoes coming from that prolific source of vetoes, and he thought the trouble was the President understood it was his duty to exnmine oarefully every act of Congress, and if he, as a member of Congress, would not vote for the bill, he gave no sort of consideration or weight to the fact that the legislative branch of the government had acted affirmatively upon it. The President acted upon the idea that the Executive had a right, and it was his duty to decide absolutely on every question. Another idea of the President’s was that no private act should be approved unless there was a law authorizing it, wholly oblivious to the fact that Congress was the lajr-making power and had a right to confer a pension upon anybody. Mr. Grpsvenor then detailed the facts of the special bill under consideration, and commented on the fact, as he asserted, that the President had approved the Fitz John Porter bill on the very day that he had vetoed the bill granting a pension to Sally Ann Bradley, the mother of four sons, two of whom had died on the battle-field, and tw o of whom were in the hospital disabled. Fitz John Porter would go on the pensionr<Jll, while Sarah Ann Bradley would go to the poor-house, and this was the Government which undertook to say that it was dealing generously and liberally with its soldiers. The House was paralyzed and terrified by the veto of a single man —a proposition tyrannical, in the direction of absolute usurpation, in the direction of turning from its normal position the Congress of the United States, and turning over the administration of the generosity of the Government to one mail. - [Applause on the Republican side.] Mr. Matson merely remarked in reply that he. had just learned that in the Fortyseventh Congress a Republican committee of the Senate had reported that the woman ought not to be pensioned for the same reason the President SRid he thought she ought not to be pensioned. [Applause on Democratic side.] Mr. Long (Mass.) suggested that at that time the woman had a husband living who was in receipt of a pension. The bill and message were then referred —yeas, 112; nays, 111. OTHEK PENSIONS. When the veto message of the bill granting a pension to Francis Deming was reached, the Republicans demanded and were accorded half an hour for debate. Mr. Boutelle, of Maine, arraigned the President for what he characterized as his crusade against the veterans of the country. The time had come, he said, when the Democratic, .party Mt itself., sufficiently firmlyseated in the saddle to utter its defiance and hostility to the men who went to the front to save the Union.

Mr. Brumrn, of Pennsylvania, denounced the Democrats as poltroons and cowards, who exonerated their President whenever ho chose to slap them in the face and spit upon them. 'J he.' action of the House reminded him of the play of Hamlet. | Laughter.] He would substitute or the young Prince the young, courageous man of nerve, President Cleveland, and for the poor old Polonius (he poor miserable cowards of. the Democratic party. {Laughter.] Mr. Hill, of Pepusylvafiia; made an argument to show that the Democratic party had the credit for much of the pension tegtehftion of the country.'**®'Mr. Curtin, of Pennsylvania, said thnt this vituperation and abuse of, the President was all wrong. He asserted his entire confidence in the integrity of the President and in his desire to do his duty. After further debate the message was referred without objection. The next and last veto message upon the Speaker's table was then laid before the -House. It was a message vetoing the bill granting a pension to Joseph Romiser, and a 3 this case is regarded * as presenting specially strong features, the Republicans determined to make a fight over its reference- . ■ .

Mr. McComas, of Maryland, said the President declared that though the Committee on Invalid Pensions had reported that Romiser had filed a claim for pension which had been rejected by the Pension Office, there was no such case in <he office. The President said that Romiser hod never filed a claim. If this were true the committee was indeed convicted of gross carelessness, and doubtless the President made the statement to illustrate the loose methods of the committee and his own accuracy in examining the private pension bills. If this charge were unfounded then the President was convicted of still grosser carelessness, because the report of the committee had warned him that there was a case in Ihi office. He (Mr, McComas) held in his hand the very bundle of pension papers in the case of Joseph Romiser. The packet recorded all the proceedings from the time of the filing of the claim in 1879 until its rejection. The records show- d that; tlie Pension Office found that though Romiser wa* seriously w .unded by a mmie l a 1 passing thro .gh his head and face, because he was not mnstered in the office was “coustiaried” to reject the claim. When the President's veto enme to the House declarthat there were no such papers be had te,ephoned to the Pension Office and had had no trouble in getting them. To-day had not the President done* likewise? Why had lie reproved the committee for what proved to be his own carelessness? The -committee had been diligent, the President negligent. Congress had been just; the President hail denied justice to a citizen whose case be had never con-.

aidered. Romlser, he aaid, was justly entitled to a pension, because he had been inspired by the spirit of the Minntemen of Concord and Lexington. There were many precedents for the bill. The very first Congress had passed a bill pensioning the Minntemen of Concord and Lexington, and George Washington, nniike President Cleveland, had approved it. Thomas Jefferson, the father of the Democratic party, had signed a bill granting a pension to men who had'never been mustered info the army, and Andrew Jack*on had signed a similar bill. Abraham Lincoln, iu a like cose, had said that he would not inquire whether a man had been mustered in but only whether he had done his duty. [Applause.] If members of Cbngress could not riso above party feeling and go with Washington, Jackson, Jefferson and Lincoln, let them go with Cleveland, and send back this woor soldier who had never received n dollar of pay, who liad the scars the bnllet left, and who had twenty-five years of neuralgia for serving his country. Evary man who thought that the fathers of the Democratic party were inspired with the heroism of Concord and Lexington, would vote for the Minutemon of 18G1, who got a bullet in his head when on his way to join “the Boys in Blue.” [Applause.] Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, also vigorously assnulted tho veto, and maintained that there was no reason why the bill should be referred to a committee. There were no facia to be ascertained, and in such cases it was customary to act upon a veto without reference. The last noteworthy case was the veto of President Arthur on the Fitz John Porter bill. That veto had been immediately considered by the House, without reference to a committee. The President had vetoed the Romiser bill because he had not been mastered in at the time be received his wound. It was true Romiser had not taken the oath to defend the Constitution, but he had been defending the Constitution against the domestic enemies of the flag. A mab who, in his enthusiasm and patriotism, went to the defense of the Constitution, without taking the oath to defend it, was entitled to as much consideration as the man who look the oath to defend the flag, and then violated that oath; and yet Joseph Romiser’s pension bill was vetoed, and Fitz John Porter was put upon the rolls. [Applause on the Republican side.] Mr. Warner, of Ohio, believed this to be a meritorious case, and to be in the line of all precedents, but he thought it ought to be referred to the committee.

EX-SENATOR WINDOM. He Believes that the Democrats Will Commit Blunders Inough to Insure Their Defeat. Hon. William Windom, of Minnesota, was recently interviewed at Chicago. To a reporter he said it was too early to express any definite views on the subject of general politics, as opinions given now coaid be little better than mere surmises. He was satisfied, however, that the country was growing tired of the present administration, and ho was confident that the Republicans would win in the next Presidential campaign. Democracy could not conceal its hypocrisy, and it was certain to commit enough blunders to make its defeat an easy matter. President Cleveland, the Senator believed, was strongly in favor of the civilservice law; but, being antagonized in that by his party, the reform so admirable in theory became a farce in practice. The Democratic party was opposed to civil-ser-vice reform, and even rs every Republican were at once turned out of office there would be only the few Democrats holding office still in favor of it. “Do you think Cleveland will be nominated?” “Thai is a question that cannot be answered just now. With the masses of his party he is not strong at present. Indeed, the party itself does not know its own mind, and its policies and doctrines are more vague now than before it came into power,” “You are Sure, then, that the Republicans will carry the country in 1888?” “Certain of it. We must do it. The people will demand it of ns.” “Who do you think will be the Republican nominee?” “It is impossible to assert whom the Republicans will nominate, but I don’t (hink it will be Blaine. However, it is vain to discuss these matters at this time.”

Slavery’s Last Relic of Barbarity.

Match this for grinding, brutal injustice if you can, and when yon cannot, remember it is part of the law a Democratic Pension Commissioner deals out to dead soldiers: Mrs. Shaw, an old colored woman of Tennessee, had four sons in the Union army, one of whom was killed in battle. A little while ago she applied for a pension, to which his death entitled her; bnt, although it was shown that she received his bounty of SIOO when he entered the service, Commissioner Black held that as the woman was a slave at the time of her son’s death, she was not dependent upon him for support, and therefore could not claim a pension! The statesmanlike quality which Commissioner Black exhibits in this wonderful decision is his highly generous assumption that Mrs. Shaw was a slave voluntarily, and by her own consent! Not since the Dred Scott decision spread the shadow of slavery over free soil has American law been disgraced by a worse ruling. Let Congress act in this case and see if President Cleveland dare veto!—Philadelphia Press.

The Cleveland-Black Pension Slate.

Penniless slave mother, Whose three sons fell for the Union SOO.OO Sporting Colonel Dick Wintersmith,Washington man-abont-town, friendly at the bar anil heir-at-law to his Bourbon son, ; who “ ’tended door" in the House of Representatives and* had served in the Confederate army. Distressing pass 3,500 Fitz John Porter, disobedient officer and arrogant subordinate : New York Police Commissioner at 57.0C0, and granted a cumulative pension that Btarts with 3,378 Mrs. General Hunter, widow General David » Hunter. Husband gallant soldier in three wars, serving bis country fifty years. Obeyed orders till his heart stopped. Most distinguished quasi-military service, President of Porter court-martial. Aged widow needs help. Gets it—in a horn —........ 0040 Grand total, as footed up by entire public school: Disunion and insubordination 55.575 Patriotism and the Union OXOO Note.—Colombia, this school wants the old artthmetlo just as soon as yon can find oopies enough to go around —1888, or sooner. —Chicago Int.-r Ocean.

The New. York Sun's assertion that “the Democratic party is not a free-trade party or a protectionist party; it is the Democratic party,” reminds the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat of “the case of the unfortunate Missoniinn who, being exposed to raids on his property from both armies during the war, had a habit of saying, when asked his politics: Tm neither a,Union man or a Confed’rit; I’m jest nothin’, and d d little o’ that.’ ” "•'>o:™- JjiV"— - - ; 1 Dis am mine poy’s pirthday. I most giff him somedings—what shall I giff him? Py golly, I guess I get his tooth palled. The ate hour business is a past time.

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

——t — . i —Reports from various portions df Walash County, indicate that the severe storm of wind, rain, and bail, which prevailed in thnt section recently proved far more dieasterous than was at first stated. The track of the gale was originally from northeast to southwest, and when it reached Wabash city, it suddenly veered to the northwest/ The track of the storm was about four or five miles in width, and within this scope fences were blown down, growing com ruined, vegetables destroyed, fine timl>er prostrated, and fowls killed. Several barns and corn-cribs were unroofed, the detached portions being carried a long distance. The estimates of the damage in the county vary from SIO,OOO to $20,000, the former sum probably approximating the loss. The hailstones which fell were of prodigious size, and fanners near La Fontaine report finding drifts of hail in fence-comers nearly two feet in depth. Stock exposed to the storm suffered severely, and travelers who failed to find shelter were bauly cut and bruised. —The corner-stone of the new St. Mary’s Catholic Church, at Jefferson and Lafayette streets, Fort Wayne, was laid July 11 with the usual ceremonies. . Bishop DweDger delivered an address in English, and Father Meisner, of Peru, spoke in German. The crowd was immense, and the parade of fraternities and sodalities -very imposing. The church, which is to replace the one shattered by an explosion last November, will be the finest in the dioces. It will be fully as large as the Cathedral, and will not cost less than SBO,OOO. The aggregate cost of the three edifices now being erected in that city, St. Paul’s and St. Mary’s churches, and the orphan asylum, with the furniture, frescoing, pictures, 6ia(nary, etc., will reach $250,000. —A few weeks ago a long tunnel on the uarrow-guage railway, a few miles from Koleen, caved in from the top, and since that lime a force of men on the mountain have been employed in hauling dirt from the tunnel across a bight trestle work. The work-train was being used for this, and was returning for a load to the tunnel, when four men, who were sitting on a board that crossed the comer of a flat-car, were thrown from their seats and fell headlong through the trestle down on. the rocks forty feet below, a lot of lumber following them. They were all more or less injured, two of them fatally. —A very odd-looking animal, half fish and half- frog, has been found in Lamotte Creek, south of Palestine. The bead and bpdy are those of a frog, but the mouth resembles that of a buffalo fish, the tail is that of a catfish; on one side of its body are three t perfect frog legs, all in one cluster, and on the other side of the body there is but one leg. It is about three inches long from head to tail, and is as well proportioned as a fish. When found it was lying on a log, dead. —Sam Archer, the last of the notorious band of desperadoes, was executed recently in the presence of about 600 peace officers, at Shoals. His deportment on the gallows was the source of much remark. He spent his last night almost as usual, receiving friends and visitors until a late hour. A most touching scene was the parting between him and his heart-broken mother, sisters, and brother. —About a year ago the town of Corydon issued bonds to the amount of $4,000, which were sold to parties in Ohio, and the town Board of Trustees failed to levy sufficient tax to pay the interest on bonds, which soon became due. The town treasury is depleted, and as the corporation is heavily in debt no funds can be secured to pay the accumulating interest. —Recently, while an inspection waa being made by several members of the Fire Department at Kokomo, it was discovered that some scoundrel had ent the hose of both hose companies. The hose was new and first-class, having just been purchased by the City Council, and is damaged to the amount of S3OO. A St. Joseph County rattlesnake, though cut in three pieces by a mower, had enough vitality left in its business end to bite a German woman who was raking hay. The jaws of the reptile had to be torn apart to remove the fangs, and the woman had a close call for life. —A young lady at Raglesville, while handling a revolver, accidentally shot her mother. The ball entered midway between the ear and eye, on the left side of the woman’s face, passing through the cheek-bone, and lodging, it is supposed, at the side of the nose. —Soldiers’ reunions will take place in Northern Indiana as follows: Warsaw, August 13 to 16; Kendallville, August 12 to 14; Michigan City, August 16 to 18, Fort Wayne, August 19 to 23; Lafayette, July 26 to August 2; Hartford City, August 11 to 13. —Evansville has forty churches, allotted ns follows: Baptist, 10; Metbcdist, 9,5; Roman Catholic, 0; German Evangelical; 3r Lutheran, 2; Jewish, 2; Protestant Episcopal, 2; Christian, 1, and Unitarian, 1. —The Mississinewa Valley Christian Conference will hold its nineteenth annual session with the Shiloh Church at Swayzee, in Grant County, Ind., commencing Angust 18. —A bine racer got into the kitchen of a Warsaw lady and knocked down pans and dishes at a lively rate. It -was finally killed, and was found to be five feet in length. —St. Mary’s Catholic Cbnrch, at Huntingbnrg, was dedicated a short time ago. Bishop Chatard assisted in the ceremonies. —The South Bend Register wants a paid fire department for that place, and says the Studebakere, Olivers, and other large manufacturing firms ore heartily in favor of it. —A 5-year-oid son of N. B. Jewell, of Vincennes, was seriously burned on one side, from head to foot, by setting his clothing on fire with matches. —Lafayette is striving for the new L.,N« A. A C. Railroad shops, which are to be located somewhere along the road. —A bee tree on a farm near Jeffersonville, yielded nearly 400 pounds of .honey.