The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume], November 01, 1861, Image 1

About The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
VOL. XIII.-NO. 20
OUU KIYKUi
(F'JR ASL'M.VER FESTIVAL AT ■ THE LAURELS
ON TUE MERRIMACK.)
BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.
Oace more on yonder laurelled height
The summer flowers have budded ;
Once more with summer’s golden light
The vales ot home are flooded :
And once more, by the grace of Him
Of every good the giver,
We sing upon its wooden rim
The praises of our river:
Its pines above, its waves below.
The west wind down it blowing,
As fair as when the young Brissol
Beheld it seaward floating—
And bore its memory o'er the deep
To soothe a martyr’s sadness,
And fresco, in his tioubled sieep,
His prison walls with gladness.
We know the world is rich with streams
Renowned in song and story,
Whose music murmurs through our dreams
Of human love and glory ;
We know that Arno’s banks are fair,
And Rhine has castled shadows,
And, poet tuned, the Boon and Ayr
Go singing down their meadows.
But while, unpictured and unsung
By painter or by poet,
Our river waits the tuneful tovgue
And cunning.baud to show it,—
We only know the fond skies lean
Above it, warm with blessing,
Aud the sweet soul of our Undine
Awakes to our caressing.
No fickle .'S,'u*Ood holds the flocks
That grai;* its shores in keeping;
No icy ki of l)ian mocks
The you;;, ueside it sleeping:
Our Christo..; iver loveth most
The l.’ea'itif .1 and human;
The he ■ streams of Naiads ooas’t.
But ou.-i cf man and woman.
The miner in his cabin hears
The ripple we ate hearing :
It. whispers soft to homesick ears
Around the settler’s clearing.
In Sacramento’s vales cf corn.
Or Santee’s bloom of cotton.
Our river by its valley born
Was never yet forgotten.
The drum rolls loud—the bugle Alls
the summer air with clangor;
The war-storm shakes the solid hills
Beneath its tread of auger:
Young eyes that last year smiled in ours
Now point the rifle's barrei,
And bands then stained with fruits aud flow
ers
Bear redder stains of quarrel.
Bui ui it idits srnifb, and dowers bloom on.
And rivers still keep Hawing—
The dear God still his raiu and sun
On good and ill bestowing.
His pine-trees whisper “Trust and wait!”
His flowers are prophesying
That all we dread of change or fate
His love is underlying.
And thou, O Mountain-born !—no more
We ask tha Wise Allotter
Than for the firmness of the shore.
The calmness of thy water,
The cheertul lights that overlay
Thy rugged slopes with beauty.
To match our soirit to our day'
And make a joy of duty.
The Attack on the Pire Z. in live- Near
Newport News.
The correspondent of the Philadelphia
Enquirer, writing from Fortress Monroe,
gives the following account of the attack
upon and capture of a number of the Fire
Z naves by the Confederates, near Newport
News, on Saturday last:
On Saturday, a company of the New
York Fire Zouaves left their camp at New
port News point, for t h e purpose of cutting
wood for fuel. They proceeded to cut wood
about two miles and a half from the camp,
and hud nearly loaded up an army wagon,
which was drawn by four mules, when the
rebels surrounded tit* in with about two
hundred well armed men. The Zouaves
w» re armed, but had neglected to establish
any sentinels to give any alarm in ease the
enemy should be in the vie nity. The first
th Zouaves knew they were entirely sur
rounded. A scene ol the utmost coufusiou
prevailed. They dal not use their arms,
nor would the rebels lire upon them, lest it
should alarm the camps, and they would be
pursued A large number of them escaped,
howevi r, and 1. It thirteen of their comrades
i i the hands of the rebels. During the night
two of them i - aped, and came into cump.
Previous to this, some anxiety was felt tor
their sale'y, and scouts were sent out to find
out wiial ban become ol them, and they
returned, bringing no tidings whatever.
The men who came in report tb it the rebels
say they have e large force near our lines,
and they will soon move towards us.
It will be recollected that a few weiks
since, Geu. McCleilau conceived a plan, and
bad it just ready for execution, for captur
ing Mun on’s iidi with the eight or ttn
thousand renels ou it, but that his coup was
d leated by the betrayal of his plan to the
enemy. The traitor Ins been discovered in
the person ol one ol the clerks in the War
Department, and he is sow aifely lodged in
Fort Lafayette.
Thu Louisville Cou ie» , now published at
Bowling Green, Kv.. under date of the 25th
inet., publishes Breekeuridge’s card resign
ing his United States Seuatorship.
THE 4JtCTIC EXPEDITION.
OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT
VOYAGE OF THE UNITED STATES BY
DR. HAYES.
Exploring Schooner United States, /
Harbor of Halifax, Oct. 1, 1861. J
My Dear Sir :— I have the pleasure to
send you the following account of the pro
ceedings of the expedition to the Arctic
seas, under my command, subsequent to the
14th of August, 1860. My letter from
Upernavik to the contributors to the expe
dition bearing the above date, will have
instructed you of my movements up to that
time.
We sailed from Upernavik on the 16th
of August, 1860 ; but calms detained us on
our way to Tessuissak, and we did not
reach the latter place until the 21st. Hav
ing there increased the number of our dogs
by the addition of the interpreter’s team,
making a complement ot tweuty-.five ani
mals, and having further increased my crew
by the addition of two Danes and one Es
quimaux hutiter, we put to sea again on the
22d, aud stood Northward with a fair wind.
On the morning of the 23d we entered
Melville bay. On the following day at 3
o’clock i*. m . v/e passed the Sabine Islands;
thence we made a direct course for Cape
York, which wa3 reached at 5 o’clock r.
m., of the 25th.
Our passage through Melville *Buy was
remarkable. No field ice was seen until we
reached within a few miles of Cape York,
when we encountered a narrow stream,
which under full press of sail was bored
without difficulty. We were only 55 hours
in ellectiog the passage of the bay.
Standing close in under Cape York, I
kept a carelul watch from aloft for Esqui
maux, and soon had the gratification to dis
cover a group of them moving down to
ward the beach. The schooner beiDg hove
to I went a3hore, aud was met by Hans,
Dr. Kane’s runaway boy, and other natives.
Hans quickly recognized Mr. Sontag and
myself, and having expressed a wish to go
with us, I took him, together with his wife
and child, his hunting equipment and two
dogs, on board and again stood Northward.
At 7 o’clock of the morning of the 26th
we were brought up by a heavy ice pack,
twenty miles South of Smith’s Strait.
There be».ug*Vt» high sou sett'ng directly
upou the ice and the air being thick with
falling snow, we lost no time in playing to
windward, and having obtained a good
offing, hove to to await better weather.
The wiud soon fell to calm ; the clouds
broke during the night, and on the rnornmg
of the 27th we rounded the ice, in shore,
aud, under a light N E. wind stood out
toward the centre of the strait, which we
entered at 9 o’clock, p. m. Here we met a
heavy pack through which no practicable
lead could be distinguished. Our examina
tion of its margin with the view of finding
an opening was cut short by a heavy gale
which broke suddenly upon us from N. E.
The bergs being very thick about us we
could not heave to; and we ran great risk
of losing every exposed sail. The gale
lasted with very little abatement in its vol
ume during the 28th and 29th. On the
morning of the 30th, having carried away
the foresail we were glad to reach a small
cove twelve miles South of Cape Alexan
der, and there dropped anchor in four fath
oms water. Here I obtained an excellent
view trom an elevation of 1200 feet. The
pack appeared to be impenetrable, aud very
little water was to be seen along the West
shore. I determined however to attempt
the passage.
I had scarcely returned from my journey
to the mountain when the gale again set in
Irom the same quarter, and with a violence
which 1 have scarcely seen equalled. On
the morning of the 31st we were driven from
our moorii gs, aud iu the effort to save our
anchors we were forced upon a group of
icebergs which had drifted in with the cur.
rent, uud carried away our jib boom. The
wind modtrated soou afterward, and we
once more entered the strait, but the gaie
setting in again, the fore guff was broken in
wearing, and being now obliged to heave to
we were a third time driven out ol he strait,
io seek shelter behind Cape Alexander.
Damages having been repaired we again
entered the strait on the evening of Sep
tember Ist. Discovering no lead through
the ice to the Westward, we bore up for
Littleton island with the hope o' finding
near the more solid ice higher up the strait,
a practicable opening. The gale still con
tinuing to blow with great force, and being
under reduced canvas, we made but little
headway.
Littleton island was reached September
21. Being unable to penetrate the ite to
the Westward, i determined to work up the
coast to Cape Hatberton, with the hope of
there finding the ice more open The under
taking was uccessarily attended with con
siderable risk to the vessel, on account of
the heavy fields ol ice lying ofl Littleton
island. The schooner frequently came in
collision with ice fields from fifteen to
twenty feet in thickness. The quarter inch
iron plate on the cutwater was torn ofi, and
the false etern was carried away. Soon
afterward we encountered a severe “ nip,"
and before the rudder could be shipped, the
two lower piniels were broken ofl.
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1861.
In this crippled condition it was impossi
ble to make further headway, and after ex
tricating ourselves from the ice, we ran
down into Harstein bay and anchored.
During the 3d, 4th and sth of September
the wind blew with great force Irom the
same quarter as before. On the 4th, 1
reached, with much difficulty, Littleton
island in a whale boat, and obtained a view
to the Westward from an elevation of some
four hundred feet. The ice was very heavy
to the West and Southwest—a thick im
penetrable pack—but to the Northward,
along the land, it was loose, and the pros
pect of working Westward from Cape
Hatherton was encouraging.
On the Cth the wind fell to calm. The
boats were got out and we pulled up to
Littleton island ; but two days had com
pletely changed the position of the ice.
Between Littleton island and Cape Hather
ton there was no open water, nor was there
any visible from the top ot that island to
the Northwest,West, or Southwest. Unable
to advance, and fearful of being frozen in,
we again extricated the vessel from the ice
aud ran back into Hartstein bay.
Everything about us now began to wear
a wintry aspect. The temperature had fal
len to eighteen degrees below freezing.
Thick snow had been falling at intervals
since August 25th. Our decks were cov
ered with ice, the sails and rigging were so
stiif with it that they could barely be
worked, the schooner’s sides were lined with
a thick crust, and large masses of ice had
accumulated on the cutwater aud forward
rigging. The navigable season was clearly
drawing to a close.
Northeast gales detaiued us during the
7th and Bth, and the temperature continu
ing to fall I deemed it imprudent again to
enter the ice, and accordingly we went into
winter quarters on the Dth in a bight, at
the head of Hartstein bay. The schooner
was moored by four hawsers forty yards
from shore, in seven fathoms water. I’he
sails were unbent and the topmasts housed;
aud after giving the crew a holiday, our
winter preparations were commenced. The
stores were deposited in a house built for
the purpose on shore. The hold was con
verted into a comlortable room for the men,
and the upper deck was housed over with
boards. Owing to bad weather three weeks
elapsed before these arrangements were
completed.
Oar winter harbor, which I named Fort
Foulke, in honor of Wm. Parker Foulke,
Esq., of Philadelphia, was well sheltered
except to the southwest. Observations
made by Mr. Sontag, at the observatory,
erected on shore near the ves-el, gave its
position, latitude 78 17 41 N , longitude 72
30 57 W., twenty miles further south than
Dr. Kane’s winter quarters, aud distant
from it by the coast ninety miles.
I need hardly say that 1 deeply regret
that we «>uld not attain a higher latitude
with the vessel, particularly do 1 regret that
we could not reach the west coast. That
coast was wholly unapproachable with a
sailing vessel.
The weather continued boisterous through
out the autumn ; and indeed, during the
greater part ol the winter In consequence
of the repeated gales the water of! the har
bor was not froz.n over until March, so that
sledge traveling to the northward was im
practicable during the month of October, at
which time I had expected to carry out
provision depots for use in the spring. Mr.
Sontag made an attempt to reach Renssel
aer Harbor in November, and although the
darkness of the winter had then set in, he
was baffled by the open waters.
While the daylight lasted we were profit
ably employed. A survey of the harbor
and adjacent coasts was made by the joint
labors of Messrs. Sontag, McCormick,
Dedge aDd Radcliff. la September, Mr.
Sontag put up iu the observatory the fine
pendulum apparatus, constructed express
ly for the expedition by the Messrs. Bond
of Boston, and a full set of satisfac
tory experiments were obtained. The mag
netic instruments were subsequently placed
in the same building, and observations were
there made from time to time. A meteo
rologic observatory wu- erected on shore,
aud observations were there recorded three
times daily, with several instruments. A
bi-hourly record was kept near the vessel,
with a single instrument. I may mention
that all of the instruments have been well
compared. A survey of Johu’s glacier was
made by Mr. Sontag and myself in Octo
ber. This glacier, which was discovered
and named by Dr. Kane, approaches the
sea through a deep valley, and its face is
two miles from the sea. The angles, not yet
reduced, obtained in October, were repeat
ed by myself last June, and they show a
considerable movement of the glacier. The
survey of this glacier was further continued
by me late in October; with a party of five
persons I ascended to the me? de glace, and
traveled eastward fifty miles. Our great
est elevation was 4,500 feet, the tempera
ture at which elevation was 15 deg. lower
than at the level of the sea.
The Winter passed in health and comfort.
We were fortunate in capturing upward of
200 reindeer, which kept both ourselves ar.d
the dogs constantly supplied with fresh
food.
The Winter brought, however, some seri
ous misfortunes. A disease which had been
prevailing in North Greenland daring the
INTENTIONAL DUPLICATE EXPOSURE
last few years, broke out among the dogs,
and of the fine pack which I had taken from
the Danish settlements only eleven animals
remained alive on the 20th of December.
You are well aware that my plans of explo
rations wrs wholly based upon dogs as a
means of transport across the ice, and situ
ated as I was—on the East side ot the strait
and ninety mi'es further South than I had
anticipated, I became seriously apprehen
sive for the success ol the approaching
effort.
My party being necessarily small, I con'd
not send into the field more than a boat’s
crew of able bodied men, and these I had
always considered as merely auxiliary to the
dogs, and without the dogs, altogether un
available for the services to be performed.
My anxiety was fully shared by Mr. Son
tag, the g.-ironamer to the expedition, and
my able second in command. He early
volunteered to go south to endeavor to open
communi-ation with the Esquimaux of
Northumberland Island, with the hop? of
obtaining dogs, li is former experience
when with Dr. Kane had familiarized him
with all tbe phases of Arctic travel, and no
one could have been better fitted for the
task. B sides the usefulness ot the pro
posed jour uev, it was peculiarly in harmony
with his uctive and enterprising spirit.
His offer was accepted, and he left the ves
sel on the 22d of December, with a sledge
and nine uog.s, accompanied by the .Esqui
maux Hens, intending to make the journey
and letu’-'.t taring the moonlight period then
setting in. It is my sad duty to inform you
that he died while absent.
It appears that from Han’s report, that
the immediate cause of Mr. Sontag’; death
was cold Hans, upon his return, stated
that they traveled the first day to Suther
land island, where they camped in a snow
hut, and were there detained two days.
Their Dext camp was at Sorfalik. a deserted
Esquimaux statiou on the coast, fifteen miles
below Cape Alexander, where they built
another snow hut. They set oil' next day
directly for Northumberland Island. The
ice, although covered with light snow, ap
peared to be sufficiently strong. Mr. Son
tag walked in advance of the sledge, and
when about five miles from the laud he came
upon thin ice and broke through. Huns
assisted him out of the water, and they im
mediately put back for Sorialik. Before
that pla* e was reached Mr. Sontag was iu
seosibltfand he died soou afterward. His
remains were subsequently brought to the
vessel, and were interred near the observ
atory.
Hans succeeded in reaching the Esqui
maux; but by over driving and injudicious
management, five of the dogs were killed,
and the remaining four were permanently
injured. I had now only six animals. The
Esquimaux came to the vessel some weeks
later, and from them I obtained by purchase
a sufficient number to make two teams of
seven each.
It was not until late in March that the
ice formed around Cape Ohlson, and the
land being too mountainous for sledge trav
eling, I was not, until that time, able to
set out northward. At that period I made
a preliminary journey to Fog Harbor, and
there established a provision depot. I avail
ed myself of this opportunity to visit Rens
selaer Harbor. Dr. Kane’s winter quarters.
No vestige of the Advance was discovered.
She has probably drifted out to sea with
the ice. During this journey the colde-t
temperatures of the cruise were recorded.
On one day the thermometer sank to 66 %
degrees, and on another to 68 degrees below
zero. We camped at night on this, as well
as on all subsequent journeys, in the snow
hut of the Esquimaux.
Active preparations had been making
since January, for the spring campaign and
we were ready tor the fioal start on the 4th
of April. The chief equipment consisted
of a metallic lifeboat, twenty feet in leogtb,
mounted upon runners, provisions for a boat’;
crew o? six persons for five months, pro*
visions for seven persous and fourteen dogs
for six weeks, together with a careful al
lowauce stock of fuel for the above named
period. We started from the ves-el on the
above mentioned date, with our eutire equip
meut, the boat and its cargo being druwn
by the whole available ship’s company aud
fourteen dogs. Mr. Radcliff with two men
was left in charge of the vessel.
Upon reaching Fog Harbor we made
nearly a due north course, intending to reach
the west coast and travel thence upon the
land ice. We soon encountered hummocked
ice of extraordinary thickness, through
which it was often necessary to break a pas
sage with axes and shovels. It fiually be
came evident from the slowness that the
entire summer would be consumed in reach
ing the west land, even if the boat could be
transported to it at all. Being well assured
that nothiug could be accomplished with
the boat expedition, I sent the main party
back on the 28th of April, aDd continued
northward with three companions and two
sledges.
The ice grew worse as we advanced, and
we were fourteen days in reaching the West
coast, a distance in a direct line of only
forty miles. From this fact you can form
some estimate of the character of the ice
over which we traveled. The severity of
the labor broke down the dogs, and I was
compelled to feed to them a double ration,
thus consuming rapidly the provisions, and
proportionally shortening any Northward
journey. Reaching the West coast at Cape
Hayes we traveled a ong the land through
Kennedy Channel until the 18th of May,
when our provisions being exhausted we
were compelled to turn oar faces South
ward. The latitude attained upon that day
was 81 deg. 35 min., a degree o Northing
which I belirve not to have been exceeded
or equalled by any explorer except Sir
Edward Parry. The land was taken pos
session of in the name of the United States,
with the usual forms, aud the dag which
was used upon the occasion has covered the
most Northern known land upou the globe.
Although thus early in the season, the
ice in Kennedy channel was everywhere
much decayed and unsafe, aud in some pla
ces was entirely gone. In one extensive
poo! a flock of water fowl was discovered. I
entertain no doubt that the ice of Kennedy
channel was broken up and dissolved at a
very early period of the summer. It was in
this channel that Dr. Kane discovered an
open sea at a period six weeks later, in the
summer of 1854. Be ore reaching the ves
se; I lost all but seven of the remaining dogs,
and the ice having broken up around Cape
Ohisen, lurther exploration to the North
ward was impossioie during the present
season.
The six weeks subsequent to my return
to Fort Foulke were occupied in preparing
toe vessel tor sea, in completing some unfin
ished surveys, in making magnetic and
other observations, in collecting specimens
o! Natural history, in photographing the
scenery, and objects of interest in the vicin
ity. The schooner had been much damaged
by the ice encounters of the previous sum
mer, and it was found impossible to restore
ner original strength. Being without a
carpeuter, a large share of the labor of
ot repairs fell upon Mr. McCormick,
the sailing master of the expedition, of
whose ready ingenuity and practical skill
I cannot toowarmly express my acknowl
edgments. The ice broke up around the
vessel on the 10th of July, and we put to
sea on the 14th.
After much difficulty and two trials we
reached the West coast, twelve mi.es South
of Cape Isabella, and being unable to pass
the Cape we dropped auchor, and on the
28th I made a journey to the North side
ol the Cape iu a whale boat, and from an
elevatiou of six huudred feet obtained a'view
io the Northward. In that direction, fif
teen miles above Cape Isabella, the ice was
solid and unbroken as far as the eye could
reach.
To the Eastward, the pack ice was heavy
and impenetrable. To penetrate the strait
under these circumstances with the view of
reaching a practicable point for future
sledge operations with my rtdueed force
(lor I had only five dogs) was clearly im
practicable, aud believing that I was not
justified in incurring the heavy expeuse of
another year’s absence, without a prospect
of corresponding results, I reluctantly
abandoned the field and turned Southward.
Taking Whale Sound on the way, I com
pleted the survey of that remarkable iulet
aud obtained there an excellent set ol mag
netic determinations and some photographs
of the natives, the glaciers, and other ob
jects of interest.
After boring through the ice of Melville
Bay tor one hundred and fifty miles we
reached the southern water,and entered the
harbor of Uperaavik on the 14th of August.
There we remained ten days, engaged dur
ing that time in various scientific explora
tions. On the Ist of September we reached
Gorham or Lie-vely, and were there simil ir
ly occupied. We were ready for sea again
on the 6th, but a succession of southwest
gales detained U 3 until the 17th, when we
again put to sea. We were on the 22J, 20U
miles to the southward of (Jape Farewell.
From that time uutil the 9th ol October we
encountered constant southerly weather,
with frequent gales. When ofi Halifax we
sustained serious damage, and were obliged
to put into that porl for repairs. We are
now again ready for sea and expect to leave
this port to morrow.
1 have to (regret that we could not ac
comp'ish a greater Northing, but situated
as we were with Smith’s Straits to cross,
and with a small lorce at command, I can
but regard the summer exploration as for
tunate and successful, 'he fied of re
search, although more limited than I bad
expected, was, however, new, and my ob
servatioDS iu different departments of p‘ys
ical and natural science will, I feel as.-ured,
meet the approbation of the putrousol the
expedition.
1 am well sati-fied that they will be found
fully to justify the labor and exp. nse which
they have cost. The unfortunate accident
which occasioned the untimely death of Mr.
Sontag, caused a serious loss io tfie expedi
tion. The system of oi .-ervatuu s aud ex«
peraments which we had pi nued iu concert,
bad already accomplished important addi
tions to Artie science, when death deprived
me of his invaluable assis'un e; and with
the duties incident to Artie explorations hi
the field pressing constantly upon me, 1 was
not always able to execute the plans which
we had devised. My officers, however, on
all occasions contributed their best assis
tance, and I was by them relieved of many
onorous duties.
I am especially indebted to Mr. Radcliff,
assistant astronomer, for bis zealous assist*
NEW SERIES—NO. 413
ance in the work at the observatory, and for
assistance in taking photographic views ; j
and to Messrs. Knorr and Starr I owe ob
ligations for valuable aid in collecting spec*
imens of natural history aud other scientific
duty.
• I will mention, in conclusion, that I am
still of opinion that Smith Strait can bs :
uavigated with steam. Under sails alone,
lam satisfied that it cannot. It is my I
hope to be able to renew the attempt with
a sma 1 steamer. With this view 1 have
left some stores at Port Foulke and at
Upernavik.
With the hope that this will find you in i
the enjoyment of health aud happiness, I
romaiu, very siucereiv, your frieud and ser
vant. ' J. J. Hayes.
George K. H. Uay is Furnished with
si Chssracler
:u Ue St. Cloud Union
To the Editor ok the Union :—Sir—
In these times of treason and rebellion it is
sufficient evidence to the minds of some, ol
disloyalty, for one to criticise the acts of
the “ powers that be.” But, while we are
willing, under the circumstances, to sustain
the Government in its confi ct with rebel
lion, the right to criticise its civil appoint
ments wid be insisted upon by every free
man, especially in a case where the Presi
dent has either been imposed upon, or has
himself imposed upon a community an unfit
and notoriously corrupt man.
Corruption in the offices of government
was urged in 1860 as one great reason lor
a change of administration, and it was
hoped alter so much had beeu said that a
reform wouid be initiated. It is true that
with the unusual carts brought upon the
various departments of government, grow
ing out of the labor of prosecuting the war,
that scrutiny cannot be exercised in regard
to the appointments that might be expected
in time of peace. Yet when a community
have forced upou them such an appoint
ment as that of Geo. E. H. Day of St.
Anthony, it is not in human nature to re
main quit-t.
George E. 11. Day was appointed last
spriug to an office, created, it is understood,
for his especial benefit. The office confers
upon him the general supervision of schools,
&e., in this part of the Northwest, amoDg
the Indians. Having heard that Mr. Day
was trying to obtain the appointment, I
left unwilliog the President should be im
posed upoD, and induced to appoint such a
notoriously infamous character, and think
ing, in the excess of tny verdancy, that his
antecedents needed only to be knowu at
Washington to defeat his object, I addressed
Hon. C. Aldrich, the Representative in
Cougress from this District, apprising
him of the desire felt here for him to
prevent the imposition to which let
ter I received a reply from that gen
tleman which I have in my possession, but
w ithhoid for the present, from publication.
Suffice it to say, he desired me to take other
steps, which 1 accordingly did. I wrote to
the President, informing him that the person
besieging him for an appointment was a
utau of notorious bad character. I inform
ed him that affidavits to any number could
be procured, establishing the fact that he
was a perjurer and iu every way a dishonest
man aud a bad citizen I luformed him
further that the criminal records of Henne
pin county would show the charge 1 have
made to be true. 1 informed bin* likewise
tb it his son, whose euiistment in the army
might be urged as a reason for appointing
ifie father, was under an indictment for a
ielony together with another son who had
absconded from justice. To this letter I
received no reply
Conversation upon this subject with lead
ing Republicans in St. Anthony iuduces me
to do the Rtpubiic.iu party justice, for all to
a man deprecated the appointment, and con
sider it a monstrous outrage upon the party
as well as the people of Minnesota. 1 have
made no efforts to get up a petition to the
government on this subject although one
would be almost unanimously signed at the
home of Mr. Day, but I ask that you will
give publication to the facts alluded to
above, so that our delegation may have an
opportunity to act. and clear themselves of
uii suspicion oi comp'icity with the appoint
ment to an office of trust of a notorious
-coundrel, a pujurer, and a libel upon nt: n
kind. In the meantime 1 hold myself it all
limes ready to produce the proof of the
charges which I make against Mr. Day.
p. c. ransom.
Pricks of Government Stores. — The
following are the prices paid by the Gov
ernment lor army stores :—Pork sl9 per
barrel, beef sls per barrel, beef tongues
$lO per barrel, bacon 10 ceDts per pound,
ban' 12 cents per pound, flour $7.50 per
barrel, hard bread 4 cents ptr pound, beans
$2 per bu.-hel, rice 7 cents per pound,
hominy 2% cents per pouud, riced barley
4 y 2 c« hts per pound, ground coffee 20 cents
p. i pouud, green coflee 14 cents per pouud,
lea 50 cents per pound, sugar B*£ cents per
pound, vinegar 12% cents per gallon, can
dles 26 cents per pound, soap 6 cents per
pouud, salt 5 cents per pound, desiccated
potatoes 11 ceuts per pound, desiccated
mixed vegetables 24 cents per pound, pickles
$3 75 per keg, dried apples 5% cents per
pouud, split peas $2 per bushel, molasses 32
cents per gallon, potatoes 60 cents per
bushel.