The Donaldsonville chief. [volume], December 30, 1871, Image 1

About The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

THEI DONALDSONVILLE CHIEF.
VOLUME 1. DONALDSONVILLE, LA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1871. NU [BER 16.
penalbson.1illet if
Oftice in Crescent Place.
Published Every Saturday 3lonming
--AT-
Donaldmonfville, La..
-BY
4LI NDEY E.arENTL Ye
EDITOR ANDI PROPRIETOR.
TERMS OF SUBJNCRIPTION:
.4hne copy, one year.. $3 00
.Orecopy,six mo1 ths..------- 150
Single opayabl 10
aabe invariably it advance.
ADVERTISIL'G RATES:
[A square is seven lines Minion type.]
Space. I wk. 1 m. .3 mos. 6 mon. 1 yr.
I square.... $1 00 $3 00 $. 00 $900 15
2 sqare... 2 00 O 9 00 02500
4 que.. 0 090 54 sq~uares... 4 00~ 8 00 15 00 .: 001135 00
Fceolnman... 7 00 13 0 25 01 40~ 0050 00
J column... 14 00 25 40 00 60 70 00
l oolumn... 2800 400055 a 75 .000
Transient advertisements. $1 per squa first
insertion; 75 cts. each subsequent inaion.
All official advertisements $1 per sqwr4 each
insertion.
Communications may be addressed simply
Curav, Donaldsonville. La.," or to tbie edi
tor and proprietor personally.
Buy presents for the children about
this time.
It strikes us that the only claini the
New Orleans organ of the Custom
house faction can have to the prietix
of " National," is that the money for
its support virtually comes out of the
National Treasury.
A dying manu in a Western i tate
was asked if he would like a minister
to be called to his bedside. With
great effort he rose up and said:
Why, what should I want a niinis
ter fore I never voted the Demo
cratic ticket in all my life !"
An affecting incident related by an
exchange is that of a lady who actu
ally wept her sight away within two
weeks after her husband had been
killed by a railroad accident. What
a story those sightless balls tell of a
woman's wonderful love."
The Opelousas Journal relatesi that
. .Aae..wayae of the Deputy Sheri s of
St. Landry parish took actual pdes
lion of a tract of four hundred hcres
of land, under a writ of seizure, was to
get down on all-fours and go around
the boundary lines frog fashion.
An exchange reports that About
140,0(10 barrels of apples have 'been
purchased by dealers in Lockport,
New York, this season, but the dpple
ations of those dealers are not kntown.
This joke was not the fruit of inten
tion on the part of the editor, for
when he discovered it he nearly.went
off into a fit of applcplexy.
The Citizens' Guard used to ,neer
at our brother, of St. Mary, for calling
his paper the Attakapas Register AND
St. Mary's Bawaer. The daily rgan
of the Custom-house clique, into
which the Guard was merged, is
called the National Republican AND
Citizens' Guard, and even the at le in
which the name is put in type is in
imitation of the Register.
The latest instance of the retuark
able sagacity of animals is that of a
Boston store cat that improves every
favorable opportunity to abstract a
five-cent nickel piece from the money
drawer, which it carries in its iitouth
to a neighboring butcher's shop, and
drops on the counter, receiving in
return the wherewith for a " square
meal" of fresh beef. We admirn. such
a cat as that one.
In expatiating upon " printing office
bores" the Americas Newspaper Be
pa rter says: "When a man conies in,
as one did the other day, with a
-32-page pamphlet, with the backs
torn off, and insists on us printinig him
a copy of that same, backs and title
pages included, for ten cents, ltecause
.4hat is all the original copy cost; him,
we feel disposed to explain to him
the quickest mode of getting down
stairs, free of charge."
We are afraid our friends of the
Iberville News have become father
"puffed up with pomposity "' that
they should express dissatisfaction
with the compliment which we paid
their journal upon the oecasion of its
enlargement. When we expressed a
hope that the News might *dlain a
rank second to no country jouakLal in
the State, we meant in point af mrcu
lation and public patronage. Lt al
ready holds that rank as regards
. ability.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
WAsa5nsrox, December 4. 1871.
Tu fL senate and Meuseof Representatives:
In dresº g my third annual mes
sage o the law-making branch of the
goverilment, it is gratifying to be able
to At te that, during the past year,
sue s has generally attended the
efim to execute all laws found upon
the tatute books. The policy has
been, not to inquire into the wisdom
of the laws already enacted, but to
learn their special interest and enforce
then accordingly. The past year has,
und( a wise providence, been one of
GENERAL PROSPERITY.
T( the nation it has, however, been
attez ed with more than usual chas
tiserients In the loss of life and prop
erty )y storm and fire. These disas
ters ave served to call forth the best
ele .ntsof human nature in our coun
try n3d to develop friendship for us
oi tie part of foreign nations which
goes far toward alleviating the dis
tres occasioned by the calamities.
The benevolent who have so gener
onsl shared their means with the vic
thus of these misfortunes will reap
theiº reward in the consciousness of
havi g perfonned a noble act, and in
rece iug the grateful thanks of men,
won n and children whose sufferings
they ve relieved.
T1 relations of the United States
With4
FOREIGN POWERS
cootmue to be friendly. The year
has een an eventful one in witness
ing wo great nations speaking one
lang age and having one lineage,
settl g, by peaceful arbitration, dis
Plutea of long standing and liable at
at Iii time to bring those nations in
to 1 lsaly and hostile conflicts. An
exar le has thus been set which, if
succ ~uI in its filial issue, may be
follored by other civilized nations,
and be the final means of returning to
pros ictive industry millions of men
who ire now maintained to settle the
disp tes of nations by the bayonet
and 3-roadsword.
I flansinit herewith a copy of the
trea allued to, which has been con
clud since the adjournment of Con
gres with her Brittanic Majesty, and
a c( ,y of the protocol of the confer
enc of the commissioners by whom
it iisnegotiated. 'This treaty pro
vide3 methods for adjusting the ques
ti pending between the two nations.
Vamius questions are to be adjusted
by hitrmm4pn. I recommend Congress
at r' eatf dqy to make the necessa
ry F ovis a =fur the tribunal at Gene
va, and for the several commissions
on tte part of the United States called
for by the treaty. His majesty, the
Kinf of Italy, the president of the
Swi confederation, and his muajestx,
the 'mperer of Brazil, have each con
sent d on the joint request of the two
powers to nauw± an arbitrator for the
tub nal of Geneva. I have caused
my hanks to be suitably expressed
for -e readiness with which the joint
reqi at has been complied with by the
app intment of gentlemen of eni
nue e and learning to these important
ios ions. His majesty, the Emperor
of ( nanny, has been pleased to com
ply with the joint request of the two
gov rnments, and has consented to
act a arbitrator of the disputed water
bun dary between the Uniteil States
and 3reat Britain. The contracting
par es in the treaty have undertaken
to r gard as between themselves cer
tail. mnrinciples of public law for which
the .,cited States has contended from
the commencement of her history.
Then have also agreed to bring these
pri: Miples to the knowledge of the
oth r maritime powers, and invite
the i to accede to them. Negotia
tiox , are going on as to the form of
the iote by which the invitation is to
be axtended to the powers. I reconi
mem j the legislation necessary on the
pal of the United States to bring in
to ( 4eration the articles of the treaty
reb ing to the fisheries and to the
oth r matters touching the relations
of t e United States toward the
BRT ISI NORTH AMERICAN POSSES
SIONS,
to ecome operative as soon as the
pro ler legislation shall be held on the
par of Great Britain and its posses
siot R. It is much to be desired that
thi4 legislation may become operative
bet re the tishermen of the United
Ste as begin to make their arrange
me ts for the coming season.
1 rave directed a communication,
of rhich a copy is transmitted here
wit , to the Governors of New York,
Pet isylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michi
gall Illinois and Wisconsin, urging
upt the governments of these States
res' 'ectively the necessary action on
the r part to carry into effect the
obj et of the article of the treaty
wh 5h contemplates the use of the
car. is on either side, connected with
the iavigation of the lakes and rivers
for, sing the boundary, in terms of
eqi ty by the inhabitants of both
cot: tries. It is hoped that the im
por snce of the object and the benefits
to ow therefrom will secure the
ape dy approval and legislative sanc
tiot of the States concerned.
I new the recommendation for an
ap )priation for determining the
tru position of the forty-ninth par
all of latitude where it forms the
BOUNDARY
bet -een the United States and the
Bri ash North Amixerican Possessions,
bet see the Lake of the Woods and
the umwit of the Rocky Mountains.
Th early action of Congress in this
rec emendation would put it in the
pl jr of the War Departmmeat to
place a force in the i.eld during the
summer.
The resumption of diplomatic rela
lations between
FRANCE AND GERMANY
has enabled me to give directions for
the withdrawal of the protection ex
tended to Germans in France by the
diplomatic and consular represent
atives of the United States in that
country. It is just to add that the
delicate duty of this protection has
been performed by the Consul General
at Paris and the various consuls in
France under the supervision of the
latter with great kindness as well as
with prudence and tact. Their
course has received the commendation
of the German government, and has
wounded no susceptibility of the
French. The government of the Em
peror of Germany continues td mani
fest a .friendly feeling towards the
United States and a desire to har
monize with the moderate and just
policy which this government main
tains in its relations .with Asiatic
powers, as well as with the South
American Republics. I have given
assurance that the friendly feelings of
that government are fully shared in
by the United States. The ratifica
tions of the consular and naturaliza
tion treaty with the
AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE
have been exchanged. I have been
officially informed of the annexation
of the States of the Church to the
KINGDOM OF ITALY,
and the removal of the capital of that
kingdom to Rome. In conformity
with the established policy of the
United ttates, I have recognized this
change. The ratifications of the new
treaty of commerce between the
United States and Italy have been
exchanged, and the two powers have
agreed in their treaty that property
at sea shall be exempt from capture
in case of war between the two pow
ers. The United States have spared
no opportunity of incorporating this
rule into the obligations of nations.
The Forty-first Congress, at its third
session, made an appropriation for
the organization of a mixed commis
sion for adjudicating upon the claims
of citizens of the United States against
Spain, growing out of the insurrection
in Cuba. and that commission has
since been organized. I transmit
herewith the correspondence relating
to its formation and its jurisdiction.
It is to be hoped that this commission
will afford the claimants a complete
remedy for their injuries. It has be-er
madle the agreeable duty of the
United States to preside over a con
ference at Washington between the
plenipotentiaries of
ALLIED SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS,
which has resulted in an armistice,
with the reasonable assurance of a
permanent peace.
The intimate, friendly relations
which have so long existed between
the United States and
RUSSIA
continue undisturbed. The visit of
the third son of the Emperor is a
proof that there is no desire on the
part of his government to diminish
the cordiality of these relations. The
hospitable reception which has been
given to the Grand Duke, is a proof
that, on our side, we share the wishes
of that government. The inexcus
able course of the Russian Minister at
Washington rendered it necessary to
ask his recall, and to decline to longer
receive that functionary as a diplo
matic representative. It was impos
sible, with self-respect or with a just
regard of the dignity of the country,
to permit Mr. Catacazy to continue to
hold intercourse with this government
after his abuse of the government
officials, and his persistent interfer
ence, through various means, with the
relations between the United States
and other powers. In accordance
with my wishes this government has
been tdlieved of further intercourse
with Mr. Catacazy, and the manage
ment of the affairs of the imperial
legation has passed into the hands of
a gentleman entirely unobjectionable.
With
JAPAN
we continue to maintain intimate re
lations. The cabinet of the Mikado
has, since the close of the last session
of Congress, selected citizens of the
United States to serve in offices im
portant in the several departments of
the government. I have reason to
think that this selection is due to an
appreciation of the disinterestedness
of the policy which the United States
have pursued toward Japan. It is
our desire to continue to maintain
this disinterestedness and just policy
with
CHINA,
as well as Japan. The correspond
ence transmitted herewith shows that
there is no disposition on the part of
this government to swerve from its
established course.
Prompted by a desire to put an end
to the barbarous treatment of our
shipwrecked sailors on the Corean
coast, I instructed our minister at
Pekin to conclude a convention with
COREA
for securing the safety and humane
treatment of such mariners. Admiral
Rogers was instructed to accompany
him with a sufficient force to protect
him in case of need. A small survey
ing party was sent out and on reach
ing the coast was treacherously at
tacked at a disadvantage. Ample
opportunity was given for explana
tion and apology for the insult;
neither came. A force was then
landed andaixfter an arduous march
over a rugged and difficult country,
the forts from which the outrages had
been committed were gallantly is
saulted and were destroyed. Having
thus punished the criminals and vin
dicated the honor of the flag, the
expedition returned, finding it hi
practicable under the circumstances
to conclude the desired convention. I
respectfully refer you to the corres
pondence relating thereto herewith
submitted and leave the subject for
such action as Congress may see fit to
take. The
REPUBLIC OF MEXICO
has not yet repealed the very objec
tionable law establishing what is
known as the free zone on the frontier
of the United States. It is hoped that
this may be done, and, also, that
more stringent measures may be
taken by that Republic for restrain
ing lawless persons on its frontier. I
hope Mexico by its own action, will
soon relieve this government of the
difficulties experienced from these
causes. Our relations with the var
ious republics of
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
continue with one exception to be
cordial and friendly. I recommend
some action by Congress regarding
the overdue installments under the
award of the
VENEZUELA
claims commission of 1866. The in
ternal dissensions of this government
present no justifieation for the absence
of effort to meet their solemn treaty
obligations. The ratifications of an
extradition treaty with
NICARAGUA
have been exchanged, and it is a sub
ject for congratulation that the great
empire of
BRAZIL
has taken the initiatory steps toward
the abolition of slavery; our relations
with that empire having always beex
friendly will naturally be made more
so by this act. It is not too much to
hope that the government of Brazil
may hereafter tinl it to its interest,
as well as intrinsically right, to ad
vance towards an entire emancipation
more rapidly than the present act
contemp!ates. The true prosperity
end greatness of a nation is to be
found in the elevation and education
I of its laborers. It is a suxlject for re
gret that the reforms in this direction,
which were voluntarily promised by
the statesmen of Spain, have not been
carried cut in West Indian colonies.
The laws and regulations for the ap
parent abolition of
SLAVERY IN CUBA,
leave most of the laborers in bondage,
with no hope of release until their
lives become a burden to their em
ployers. I desire to direct your at
tention to the fact that the citizens of
the United States are large holders,
in foreign lands, of this species of
property forbidden by the fundamental
law of their adopted country. I re
commend to Congress to provide, by
stringent legislation, a suitable re
medy against the holding, owning or
dealing in slaves, or being interested
in slave property in foreign lands,
either as owners, heirs or mortgagees,
by persons of the United States. It is
to be regretted that the disturbed
condition of
THE ISLAND OF CUBA
continues to be a source of annoyance
and of anxiety. The existence of a
protracted struggle in such close
proximity to our territory, without
any apparent prospect of an early
termination, cannot be other than an
object of concern to a people who
while abstaining from interference in
the affairs of other powers, natu
rally desire to see every country in
the undisturbed enjoyment of peace,
liberty, and the blessings of free in
stitutions. Our naval commanders in
Cuban waters have been instructed,
in case it should become necessary,
to spare no effort to protect the lives
and property of bona fide American
citizens, amn to maintain the dignity
of the flag. It is hoped that all pend
ing questions with Spain growing
out of the affairs of Cuba may be ad
justed in that spirit of peace and con
ciliation which has hitherto guided
the two powers in their treatment of
such questions.
To give importance and to add to
the efficiency of our relations with
JAPAN AND CHINA,
and to further the retaining of' the
good opinion of those people, and to
secure to the United States its share
of the commerce destined to flow be
tween these nations and the balance
of the commercial world, I earnestly
recommend that an appropriation be
made to support at least four Ameri
can youths in each of these countries,
to serve as a part of the official family
of our ministers there. Even then
our representatives would not be
placed upon an equality with the rep
resentatives of Great Britain and'
some other powers. As now situated,
our representatives in Japan and
China have to depend, for interpret
ers and translators, upon natives of
those countries, who know our lan
guage imperfectly, or procure for the
occasion the services of employes in
foreign business houses, or the inter
preters of other foreign ministers. I
would also recommend liberal meas
ures for the purpose of supporting the
American lines of steamers now ply
ing between San Francisco and Japan
and China and the Australian line,our
only remaining lines of ocean steam
ers, and of increasing their service.
The enlarged receipts of
THE POST-OFFICE
department, as shown by the accom
panying report of the postmaster
general, exhibits a gratifying increase
in that branch of the public service.
It is the index of the growth of educa
tion, and of the prosperity of the
people-two elements highly condu
cive to the vigor and stability of
republics, with a vast territory like
ours, much of it sparely populated,
but all requiring the services of the
mail. It is not at present to be
expected that this department can be
made self-sustaining, but a gradual
approach to this end from year to
year, is confidently relied on; and
the day is not far distant when the
post-otlice department of the general
government will prove a much greater
blessing to the whole people than it is
now. The suggestions of the post
master-general for improvements in
the department presided over by him,
are earnestly recommended to your
special attention, especially the docu
nments favorable to the consideration
of the plan for uniting the
TELEGRAPH SYSTE3i
of the United States with the postal
system. It is believed that by such a
course the cost of telegraphing could
be much reduced, and the services as
well, if not better rendered. It
would secure the further advantage
by extending the telegraph through
portions of the country where private
enterprises will not construct it. Com
merce and trade, and, above all, the
efforts to bring a people widely sep
arated into a community of interests,
are always benetitted by a rapid ii
terconununication. Education, the
groundwork of Republican institu
tions, is encouraged by increasing the
facilities to gather speedy news from
all parts of the country. The desire
to reap the benefits of such improve
ments will stimulate education. I
refer you to the report of the post
master-general for full details of the
operations of last year, and for cow
parative statements of resnlts with
former years.
There has been imposed upon the
executive branch of the government
the execution of the act of Congress,
approved April 20th, 1871, and com
monly known as the
KU-KLUX LAW.
In a portion of the State of South
Carolina the necessity of the course
pursued will be demonstrated by the
report of the committee to investigate
Southern outrages. Under the pro
visions of the above act, I issued a
proclamation calling the attention of
the people of the United States to the
same, and declaring my reluctance to
exercise any of the extraordinary pow
ers thereby conferred upon me, except
in case of imperative necessity, but
making known my purpose to exercise
such powers whenever it should
become necessary to do so, for the
purpose of securing to all citizens of
the United States the peaceful enjoy
ment of the rights guaranteed to them
by the Constitution and the laws.
After the passage of this law, inform
ation was received fronm time to time,
that combinations of the character
referred to in this law existed and
were powerful in many parts of
TIHE SOUTHERN STATES,
particularly in certain counties in the
State of South Carolina. A careful
investigation was made, and it was
found that in nine counties of that
State, such combinations were active
and powerful, embracing a sufficient
portion of the citizens to control the
local authority, and having amongst
other things, the object of depriving
the emancipated class of their sub
stantial benefits of freedom, and of
preventing the free political action
of those citizens who did iiot sympa
thize with their own views. Among
their operations were frequent scour
ings of the country and occasional
assassinations, perpetrated in the
night by persons in disguise, the vic
tius in almost all cases, being citizens
of different political sentiment from
their own, or freed persons who had
shown a disposition to claim equal
rights with other citizens. Thousands
of inoffensive and well disposed citi
zens were the sufferers by this lawless
violence. Thereupon, on the 13th of
October, 1871,
A PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED,
in the term of the law, calling upon
the members of the combinations to
disperse within five days, and to de
liver to the marshal or military officers
of the United States, all arms, ammn
nitions, disguises and other means and
implements used by them for carrying
out unlawful purposes. This warning
not having been heeded, on the 17th
of October a proclamation was issued,
suaspending the writ of habeas corpus
in nine counties in that State. Direc
tion was given that within the coun
ties so designated, persons supposed
upon creditable information to be
members of such unlawful combina
tions should be arrested by the mili
tary forces of the United States, and
delivered to the marshal to be dealt
with according to law. In two of said
counties-York and Spattenburg
many arrests have been made. At
the last account the number of persons
thus arrested was one hundred and
sixty-eight. Several hundred whose
criminality was ascertained to be an
interior degree were released for the
present, these generally having made
confessions of their guilt. Great
caution has been exercised in. making
THESE ARRESTS,
and, notwithstanding the large num
her, it is believed that no innocent
person is now in custody. The pris
oners will be held for regular trials in
the judicial tribunals of the United
States. As soon as it appeared that
the authorities of the' United States
were about to take vigorous measures
to enforce the laws, these parties
absconded, and there is good ground
for supposing that all such persons
have violated ths law. A full state
ment of what has been done under
this law, will be submitted to Co'
gress by the Attorney General.
In Utah there still remains a rem
nant of barbarism repugnant tocivili
zation, decency and the laws of the
United States.
Territorial officers have been found
who are willing to perform their duty
in a spirit of equity and with a due
sense of sustaining the majesty of thla
law. Neither
POLYGAMY
nor any violation of existing statutes
will he permitted within the territory
of the United States. It is not with
the religion of the self-styled saints
that we are now dealing, but their
practices. They will be protected in
the worship of God according to the
dictates of their consciences, but they
will not be permitted to violate the
law under the cloak of religion. It
may be advisable for Congress to
consider what, in the execution of the
laws against polygamy, is to be the
status of plural wives and their off
spring. The propriety of Congress
passing an enabling act, authorizing
the territorial Legislature of Utah to
legitimize all born prior to a time fixed
in the act, might be justified by its
humanity to these innocent children.
This is a suggestion only, and not a
recommendation.
The policy pursued toward
THE INDIANS
has resulted favorably so far as the
law can be judged, from the limited
time during which it has been in op
eration. Through the exertions of
the various societies of Christians, to
whom has been intrusted the execu
tion of the policy, and the board of
commissioners authorized by the law
of April 10th, 1869, many tribes of In
dians have been induced, to settle on
reservations, to cultivate the soil and
perform productive labor of various
kinds, and to partially accept civili
zation; they are being, cared for in
such a way, it is hoped, as to induce
those still pursuing their old habits of
life to embrace the only opportunity
which is left them, to avoid extermi
nation. I recommend liberal appro
priations to carry out the
INDIAN PEACE POLICY,
not only because it is humane, chris
tian-like and economical, but because
it is right. I recommend to your fa
vorable consideration also the policy
of granting the power of territorial
government to the Indians of the In
dian territory west of Arkansas and
Missouri, and south of Kansas. In
doing so, every right guaranteed to
the Indians by treaty should be se
cured. Such a course might be the
means of collecting most of the In
dians now between the Missouri and
the Pacific, and south of the British
possessions into one territory or one
State. The Secretary of the Interior
has treated upon this subject at
length, and recommended to you his
suggestions. I renew my recounnen
dations, that the
PUBLIC LANDS
may be regarded as an heritage for
our children, to be disposed of only as
required for occupation and to actual
settlers. Those actually grunted have
been in great part disposed of in such
a way as to secure access to the bal
ance by the hardy settler who may
wish to avail himself of them; but
caution should be exercised in attain
ing so desirable an object.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS
may well be subserved by the grant
of the proceeds of the sale of public
lands to settlers. I do not wish to be
understood as recommending in the
least degree a curtailing of what is
being done by the general govern
ment for the encouraging of educa
tion.
The report of the Secretary of the
Interior, submitted with this,will give.
you information, collected and plre:
pared for publication, in regard to
the
CENSUS
taken during the year 1870; the op
eration of the bureau of education for
the year; the patent office; the pen
sion office; the land office and the In
dian bureau, and the report of the
commissioner of
AGRICULTORE
gives the operations of his department
for the year. As agriculture is tho
groundwork of our prosperity, too
much importance cannot be attached
to the labors of this department,
which is in the hands of an able head,
with able assistants, all zealously
devoted to introducing into the ag
ricultiural productions of the nation
all the useful products adapted to
any of the various climates and soils
of our vast territory, and giving all
useful information as to the method of
cultivation of the plants, cereals and
other products adapted to particular
localities. Quietly, but surely, the
agricultural bureau is working a great
deal of good, and if liberally support.
ed, the more widely its intiuence will
be extended, and the less dependent
we shall be upon t!e products of for
eign countries. The suhicet of
COWPENSATION
to the heads of the bureau and ofti.
CONTINULEl) ON FOURTH rAf;E.