Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1875 — WANTS ANOTHER GRAB. [ARTICLE]

WANTS ANOTHER GRAB.

The finding of the jury and nsent/eiiee of court in the case of McCullough charged with the murder of Morgan, which was tried before Judge Hammond in Benton county a year or two ago, lias been affirmed by the Supreme court iu a recent decision. McCullough was sentenced to penitentiary for life. Gov. Hendricks in a recent special message to the Legislature recommended that an appropriation be made to pay the expenses of Circuit ProsecutorS. P. Thompson who so successfully worked up the case and procured the punishment of the guilty party. —........ft The terms St the circuit c#urt of this district have been changed, and also the duration of holding court at the several county-seats. Under the new law tho terras for Jasper county will commence on the 4th Monday of February, 2d Monday of May, 4th Monday of September, and 2d Monday of December, and continue for only two weeks, instead of three weeks as formerly. It is understood that this new arrangement will go iuto operation immediately, so that the lime for holding court here will Jie postponed one week, not commencing until the 22d instant. The people of Galena township narrowly escaped having a sad tragedy in their locality one day last week. George Rhodes wits driving a buggy in wnioh were seated three young ladies, and several who sa w them concluded they were returning from a wedding. Among others whom they met was Sylvester Brewster, who had a rifle iu his hand, which he playfully pointed at Rhodes and demanded the cigars. The gun was loaded and by accident was discharged, the bal! passing through the collar of Mr. Rhodes’ coat, and between the heads of two of the young ladies, but without doing the least bodily harm to any of them. It was a very narrow escape, as the variation of half an inch would have beyond question killed Rhodes. —LaPorte Argus. It is a pity there is no law for sending such pi ay ful emu in als as Sylvester Brewster to the penitenvtiary. About ten years incarceration would be the proper penalty for such funny pranks. Probably most every newspaper reader lias heard of a trans-conti-pental railroad project with which General John C. Fremont was connected, a few years since, that was known as the Memphis, Texas, El Paso & Pacific road, and which was to furnish a southern route to California. Well, it row transpires that the adventurers who composed that company distributed over eleven millions of dollars of stock among members of Congress, for the purpose of interesting them favorably towards the project, and to obtain through thffir influence Government aid lor the road. Among others who participated in this huge Credit Mobilier swindle were General Morton C, Hunter, and General John Peter Cleaver Shanks, Republican members of Congress from ludiana. Although the company failed to accomplish their scheme of swindling the government, all members of Congress who accepted stock from the company showed their corruption and willingness to become parties to the scheme. Mr. Hunter received SBOO,OOO worth of bonds; Mr. Shanks a much smaller amount. It is singular how given to the love of filthy lucre many of our prominent “Christian Statesmen” are found to be, when temptation is presented and they discover an oportunity to make a haul from the public treasury. Jt gives us pleasure to sav that the Legislature of Wisconsin last week defeated the aspirations of Hon. Mat. Carpenter for a re-election to the United States Senate. Little is known of Hod. Angus Cameron who was elected to succeed Mr. Carpenter, but that has not much to do with the cause of our rejoicing, and we care not to know anything about his antecedants if he only proves to be honest and of average ability. The reason we are glad Mr. Carpenter was defeated is because, while undoubtedly ranking among the ablest men in Congress, his career has showed him to be nntrne to the principles which are the foundation’ of our republican form .of government, unscrupulous iu his efforts to uphold the corrupted organi-

sation now controling public affairs, and because of his participation in, and defense of, the salary steal proved him to bo-a dishonest man. With the defeat of Mr. Carpenter the people succeeded in retiring from public life the last of the trio who were conspicuous champions of the “Newspaper gag-law.” Luke P. Poland, of Vermont, Benjamin F. Bu ler, of Massachusets, and Mathew Carpenter, of Wisconsin have been condemned by the great jury of (public opinion for stealing back pay, and assisting to pass the “newspaper gag-law,” which last act was nearly as infamous in its aim as the rebellion of Jefferson Davis, being no less in effect than a direct assault upon free speech, and an insidious and cowardly thrust at popular liberty. Mr. Nathan C. Weathers, of Little Valley, McPherson county, Kansas, well known to many people in this vicinity, having formerly been a resident of Marion township for several years, has written a lengthy letter which he requests to have published in’l’iiE Union; but which we decline to do, for tho reason that it is a graceless and uncalledfor attack upon certain of Ins relatives and former neighbors, because they sent money and supplies to him as one of the grasshopper sufferers, acting upon his own representations, which seem, however, to have been made for another purpose. Mr. Weathers reviews an old family feud in which the public cannot possibly have an interest, and takes occasion to deliver himself of many mean innu' endoes and charges against one of his relatives with whom but few people in this countv have any acquaintance. Although admitting that the grasshopper scourge made sad havoc with his own crops and those his neighbors, causing scarcity with some, he says that lie has plenty to eat, a better farm than there is in Jasper county, wants no assistance from people here, but desires them to “mind their own business’’ and not talk any more about him or his family. We suppose this much of the sul*' stance of his letter will be enough to accomplish the purpose ot the writer, and that his neighbors — who are members of Union Grange, together with all others that -were kind enough to send him money and other supplies when they supposed he was in need, and suffering from a general calamity, being prompted thereto by the noblest motives which inspire human actions—will see that their sympathy was wasted upon an unworthy and an unappreciative being, and treat the subject accordingly. The Colonel Morrow whose recent testimony before the New Orleans committee has afforded the Democrats so much eorfeolation, was au officer of volunteers during the war. isa Virginian by birth, and a former Democrat. 11 is funny how these things always come out . —Indianapolis Journal. The General George H. Thomas whose services to the nauon during her struggle for existence against domestic traitors will always have an honorablj position in his country’s history, “was an officer of volunteers during the war,” was “a Virginian by birth, and a former Democrat,” so far as army officers have any polities! President Grant wfio declares it to he his belief that there U a disposition to magnify the story of Southern wrongs and outrages, and who details the army to maintain iu office and protect in their usurpations men whom he officially announces procured their places by means of a “gigantic fraud,” “was an officer of volunteers daring the war.” is a native of Ohio, “and a former Democrat.” Senator John A. Logan whose recent speech in the United States Senate upholding the interference of military force in a State of the Union not in insurrection, and not proclaimed under martial law, for the purposed enforcing the decisions of a returning board which two Congressional committees have pronounced irajust and unfair, has afforded Republicans so much consolation, “was an officer of volunteers during the war,” a citizen of Illinois, “and a former Democrat” of the Breckinridge faction, of whom it 1 is reported that hq. tendered the services of himself aud a regiment of men armed and equipped for the Confederate serv-

ice in consideration of a bigadier general’s commission,' but which proposition was rejected by Jeff Davis, possibly for the reason that he thought such treason would rival his own in wickedness, and > have a tendency to divide the admiration of his followers. “It is funny how these things always come out.”

Yesterday, (February 10th, 1875,) Hon. Jasper Packard, Representative in Congress from this District, by his attorneys, Messrs. Osborn & Calkins, of LaPorte, filed Lis complaint in the Jasper county circuit court against Horace E. James and Joshua llealey, editors and publishers of The Rensselaeb Union, for “false aud malicious libel,” claiming damages and reputation” to the amount of ten thousand dollars, for which he “demands judgment and all proper reliet.” There are three counts in the complaint, which is based upon the alleged publication in TheRensselaer Union January 7th, 1875, of the following words, to-wit: DID JASPER PACKARD GET ANY OF IT? It has now been proven that over one million of dollars was used to corrupt members of Congress two years ago, ami procure the passage ot the Pacific Mail Steam-Ship Subsidy bill. That bill provided that the company in question should receive from the United States government an annual subsidy ol $500,U00 for a period of ten years for catryiug the mails twice a month from San Francisco to China. At ti»e time of the passage of this act '1 he Union denounced It as a corrupt job, and charged that Hou. Jasper Packard, together with his compeers, ba< 1 violated their solemn pledges and outraged tlieir constituents by assisting, with their votes and arguments, to pass the infamous measure. From the testimony that has already been elicited by the investigating committee it is known that, iSchumaker, a Democratic member from New York, King, Republican member from Minnesota, and formerly postmaster of the Douse, aud Parsons, Republican member from Ohio, all were feed by the company to influence members of Congress lor tlie passage of their job. There is no longer a doubt that members sold their votes to the Hteam-'Ship Company, some for more, some for less; and we are fully persuaded in our own minds that Hon. Jasper Packard was one of them.. He probably did hot get more than SSOO or SI,OOO, his influence not being very extensive, If he got nothing, he is even more fool than knave, because the stamps were being passed round and when he decided to vote for the robbery it was just as well to share iu the spoils. It would seem from this action that Hon. Jasper Packard despairs ot ever being returned to Congress where lie might participate in another back-salary steal, and now proposes to support himself and family by grabbing from his constituents. Heretofore large city newspapers have monopolized the libel-suit business, and members of Congress estimated damages to their reputations at 525,000,550,000 or $100,000;- but a new era dawns when small-fry Congressmen sue country journals, demanding excessive sums tor very indifferent articles.