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Franklin Repository: August 22, 1866 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Geary Meeting at York
(Column 7)

Summary: An account of the political gathering held on August 9th at York, Pa., where Gen. Geary and Gov. Curtin spoke to a reported crowd of 10,000, 7,000 of whom were soldiers. According to the article, the rally was a huge success.

The Union Ticket
(Column 1)

Summary: The editorial lavishes praise upon the Union nominees for election, and calls attention to the fact that the party's candidates who are competing for the most "lucrative" and "important offices" are "gallant and faithful soldiers."
(Names in announcement: Col. F. S. Stumbaugh, Maj. George A. Shuman, Sergt. Harry Strickler, T. M. Mahon, Gen. Koontz, James Ferguson, William H. McDowell, Jonas C. Palmer, Martin Heintzelman, Samuel Myers)

Full Text of Article:

The Union ticket is now complete, and the issues involved in the election of our candidates are so clearly defined that none can err or be deceived as to their import and logical results. Of the men presented for the suffrages of the loyal people of this county and the districts with which it is connected, for most of the lucrative and important offices, the Union party have presented gallant and faithful soldiers, who have won distinction on our sanguinary fields and have the requisite fitness to fill the positions for which they are candidates with efficiency and credit. The noble soldier Maj. Gen. Geary heads the list for Governor. Col. F. S. Stumbaugh and Maj. Geo. A. Shuman, both soldiers from contested fields, are presented for the legislature, where they have already served with the hearty approbation of their constituents. Sergt. Harry Strickler and private T. M. Mahon, the candidates for two of the most lucrative offices in the county, have served in the army until disabled by wounds, and they are eminently fitted to make most acceptable officers. Mr. Strickler has been tried, and it is no injustice to any one to say that no county officer has served with more satisfaction to the public. Of Gen. Koontz we need not speak in detail. He is known to all our readers, who have watched with the liveliest interest the effort to defraud him out of the position to which the loyal people elected him, and he will be returned so triumphantly that fraud will be powerless to defeat the will of his district again. James Ferguson, the candidate for Associate Judge, is one of the most worthy men in the county; a man of unblemished integrity, intelligent, and in all respects fitted for the important office for which he is presented. Wm. H. M'Dowell is one of the oldest and truest supporters of the principles of the party; a man of most blameless character, and will make an obliging and efficient officer. Jonas C. Palmer, the candidate for Commissioner, Martin Heintzelman, the candidate for Director of the Poor, and Samuel Myers, the candidate for Auditor, are all of our mot substantial and deserving citizens. The offices for which they have been nominated are not important to them, but they are most important to the taxpayers of the county, and it is gratifying that men so eminently qualified for the trusts have been nominated.

The whole Union ticket can be elected from top to bottom by a decided majority, if the Union men of the county and districts do their whole duty. We must have organization--it must be immediate, systematic and thorough; and we must have hearty, cordial, earnest cooperation for the entire ticket. Franklin may decide both the Congressional and Legislative contests, and we must buckle on our armors and meet the foe with a zeal and determination worthy of our cause. We feel that we cannot too earnestly impress upon the Union men of Franklin county the necessity of immediate action. If we stand idly by while the opposition are working with tireless energy, we may sacrifice a portion of our ticket to our criminal supineness. We have the Union votes to make the victory complete, and it is worse than folly--it is a wrong to every loyal man and a wrong to the nation, for any Union man to sacrifice his cause to indifference.

The election is less than two months distant. The time is short, the labor to be performed is great, but it can be done, and well done, in time to leave no star on our flag blotted by defeat on the second Tuesday of October next. Union Men! organize for victory!

Mr. Sharpe and the African
(Column 2)

Summary: The editors ridicule Democratic nominee William Sharpe for his inability to focus on any other issue beyond the "dark spectre" posed by blacks. Judging by his remarks on the stump, in which "African was omnipotent," the editors assert that Sharpe is deserving of considerable sympathy since he seems certain of his inability to compete with "the downtrodden and oppressed African in the race for social, political, and religious honors."

Full Text of Article:

We condole with Mr. Sharpe. He unbosomed his grief to the Democracy on Tuesday evening last in the Court House, and the dark spectre of the African was omnipotent in his remarks. His whole frame vibrates and trembles at the apprehension of negro equality. He confesses himself so poorly endowed by his Creator that he fears some stalwart, long-heeled, wooly-headed and perfumed African may equal or surpass him in his profession, make his rhetoric pale on the stump, jostle him in his inordinate ambition for Congressional honors, and may even ride in the same car, bow down in the same church, worship the same God and finally turn up in the same locality where future rewards and punishments are dispensed by infinite justice--all because of the Freedmen's Bureau and Civil Rights bills.

We can render our stricken and sorrowing fellow-townsmen an indefinite amount of sympathy. Since it is his misfortune to be unable to cope with the downtrodden and oppressed African in the race for social, political and religious honors, he is surely entitled to protection. How it is to be given, we can't exactly divine, but it must be had. But for the fact that Mr. Sharpe peremptorily forbids any amendment of our constitution lest rebels should be somewhat inconvenienced for their murderous treason, we should join our afflicted fellow-citizen in demanding our organic law be so changed as to provide that no person of African or mixed blood shall ever learn more of law, politics, religion or social graces than said Sharpe; that no such person shall travel in the same vehicle or on the same road, or, if need be, in the same direction with Mr. Sharpe; that no such person, even to the fourth mingling of African and Southern Democratic blood, shall kneel in the same pew, supplicate the same throne, or go to the same heaven, with Mr. Sharpe; and that no such person shall intrude upon his social circle, bow to him on the street, or marry any of his relations.

It is a sad, sad story that Mr. Sharpe is helpless to protect himself against the aggressions of a degraded race, but sad as it is, he pronounces it no less true, and his infirmities appeal to the law-making power of the nation, in mute but most pathetic eloquence, for protection. Sleeping or waking, the African haunts him as a triple-headed giant with mountains of wool and most threatening ambition. Sharpe might point this hideous spectre to the bleaching bones of its fellows in Memphis, New Orleans and elsewhere, but the very dry bones seem to rattle new horrors in his ears, as he protests with heavy heart and tremulous tones against his unequal contest. Living or dead, the African is before him. His ghost will not down however bidden, and his dusky person and presence greet him on the street, in his office, in his study, in his social circle, in his praises and prayers, and even in his allotted tomb. In life the African is about him, in perpetual conflict for the mastery of learning, honor and fame, and even in the dark valley of the shadow of death, the negro will sleep with him, decay into inanimate earth so that the stain of caste will be obliterated, and when the last trump shall summon all the earth, behold there will be the African to cloud his spirit land, and what is sadder still, there will be no appeal to the high chancery of heaven against the harsh law of equality for all the people of the earth.

We do not produce this picture of consuming sorrow to Mr. Sharpe to inflict a needless wound where there are gaping wounds already; but we have drawn it to point the imperious necessity of some high decree, some reversal of the laws of a common Creator, to rescue Mr. Sharpe from this mountain of grief. He might take up the beneficent policy of his political friends of Memphis and New Orleans, and gather in the harvest of death while the African could be found in his path; but it would be as tedious as bloody, and even his ruffled ambition and wounded dependence might weary and sicken the gory carnival. There is therefore no relief but in an appeal to the law-making power both human and divine. They must be reversed. A new creation must be improvised for the purpose, and the line of distinction between the man and the brute must be marked up over the heads of the sable part of creation. True, there might still be fear and quaking, for unless the new order of brutes should be bereft of their reasoning faculties, the next shadow in Mr. Sharpe's pathway would be the rivalry of the animal kingdom for his honors. What then? We are lost in the bewildering mazes of this momentous question. Its misty labyrinths precede the cradle and reach far beyond the grave; and we can see no positive balm for his agonizing fears but by reversing the court above all created powers. This cannot be done by Democratic mass meetings or resolutions, nor by impassioned appeals to vulgar prejudices. Mr. Sharpe must, therefore, wade through the Congressional contest with the African confronting him at every step, in every condition, and in every shape that fancy can suggest, and when he is defeated, as he must be, there will be the dark spectre multiplied into an innumerable throng chanting, in ghostly, ghastly and horrible discord, the requiem over his political grave.

Courage, Mr. Sharpe! There is One whose attributes are measured by no human conception, who in life and in death will deal justly with all. In the fullness of time, prejudices of the ignorant and vulgar will fade away, and with them will perish the fears which seem to make life itself intolerable to ambitious Democratic politicians. The negro will fill his sphere--will cease to be hated by those who have only wronged him, and will be judged by his merits and usefulness as other men. He may not vote, or go to Congress, and physical laws as well as instinct forbid his mingling with his pale-faced oppressors, save as Slavery has brutalized the master and prostituted the slave; but the time is nigh at hand when to declaim against an ignorant, helpless, degraded race on the plea of possible equality, will, as it deserves, class the declaimer as beneath the level of those whose endowments and progress he effects to dread. Mr. Sharpe should appreciate the fact that the world moves; that some things are best to be forgotten, while some other things are best to be learned. He and his terrible African will both be wiser by and by, and the wiser they grow, the less they will fear each other!

[No Title]
(Column 3)

Summary: The piece informs readers that Thaddeus Stevens, "the ablest parliamentary leader in the history of the Republic, and the ablest and most faithful of our living statesmen," was nominated by Lancaster Unionists last Wednesday, and will be re-elected next October "by the largest popular majority ever given by the Old Guard in any of his contests there."

[No Title]
(Column 3)

Summary: It is reported that the "rebels" have emerged victorious in the late election in Kentucky. Following the decision of the "kind-hearted Union men" to repeal the laws excluding former Confederate soldiers from voting, the article explains, the rebels showed their appreciation for this display of "magnanimity" by "defeating nearly every Union man in the State."

[No Title]
(Column 4)

Summary: A tally of the vote from the most recent election for Auditor General, which the Union party candidate easily won.

[No Title]
(Column 5)

Summary: Relates that President Johnson has "issued a proclamation surrendering Texas to rebel rule and abolishing martial law." The final election tally gave the rebels an aggregate vote of 50,000 to 9,000.

The Rebel-Johnson Convention! Treason Nationalized & Honored! Traitors to be Restored to Power!
(Column 5)

Summary: A scathing account of the Philadelphia Convention held last Tuesday, and a list of the "rebel delegates"--former high-ranking Confederate soldiers--who attended the gathering.

Local Items--Court Proceedings
(Column 1)

Summary: The following cases were disposed of last week: Quarter Sessions--Com. vs. Abraham Beckner. Assault and Battery on oath of Lena Meisner. A true bill. Verdict not guilty and prosecutrix to pay the costs. Com. vs. Lewis Snyder. Assault and Battery, on oath of Mary McCrae. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $5 and costs. Com. vs. Landon Thomas, Geo. Dice and Albert Dice. Assault and Battery, on oath of Henry Dice. A true bill. Verdict not guilty and prosecutrix to pay costs. Com. vs. Jacob Heisey. False Pretense, on oath of Jacob R. Smith. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Motion for a new trial. Com. vs. Andy Burns, Cyrus Black and George Black. Larceny. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Andrew Burns and Cyrus Black sentenced to pay a fine of $1, the costs, of prosecution, and undergo an imprisonment of thirteen months in the Eastern Penitentiary. Geo. Black, being under 15 years of age, sent to the House of Refuge. Com. vs. David Bender. Larceny. A true bill. Pleads guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $1, costs of prosecution and undergo imprisonment of one year in the Eastern Penitentiary. Com. vs. Solomon Ely. Assault and Battery, on oath of Catharine Schmidt. A true bill for assault. Def't pleads not guilty, verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $10 and costs. Com. vs. David Shoemaker alias David Brant. Horse Stealing. A true bill. Def't pleads not guilty, verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $1, costs of prosecution and undergo a prison sentence in the Eastern Penitentiary for four years. Com. vs. Peter Hatfield. Larceny. A true bill. Def't pleads guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $1, costs of prosecution and undergo an imprisonment in the Eastern Penitentiary for one year and eight months. Com. vs. Sammuel Norris. Assault and Battery. A true bill. Def't pleads guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $1, costs of prosecution and undergo an imprisonment in the county jail for 3 months. Com. vs. Hamilton Bently. False Pretense and Larceny. A true bill. Def't pleads guilty. Sentenced to pay a fine of $1, costs of prosecution and undergo an imprisonment in the Eastern Penitentiary for thirteen months. Com. vs. Philip Householder. Assault and Battery. A true bill. Def't pleads not guilty, verdict not guilty, but that he pay one-half the costs and the prosecutor, James Cosgrove, the other half. Com. vs. John W. Dittman. Selling ale to confirmed drunkard. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Motion for a new trial. Case settled by Def't giving up license and paying costs. Com. vs. Jacob Kelly. Surety of the Peace. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay costs of prosecution. Com. vs. William McCaine, Henry Barger, and Jesse Reichter. Assault and Battery and Riot. A true bill. Verdict not guilty and county to pay costs. Com. vs. Peter McFerren. Assault. A true bill. Verdict not guilty. Prosecutor to pay costs. Com. vs. John Wayman, Jr. Assault and Battery. At true bill. Verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay fine of one cent and costs. Com. vs. John Weyant. Assault and Battery--A true bill. Verdict not guilty. Def't to pay two-thirds costs and prosecutrix, Mary Plum, one-third. Com. vs. Peter Williams. Threats. A true bill. Verdict guilty. Sentenced to pay costs of prosecution. In addition to the above cases, there were several cases for fornication and bastardy, a number dismissed by the court, and fifteen were ignored by the grand jury--in many cases the prosecutors being saddled with costs. There was an unusual amount of trivial prosecutions, and it is to be hoped that in all such cases the the prosecution will be made up to pay costs until such prosecution cease. Common Pleas--John Miller's vs. S. R. McKesson's Estate--Summons in assumpsit founded on promisory note. Judgement confessed for $342.18. This was the only case before the Common Pleas. Restaurant Licenses--Licenses to keep restaurants in Chambersburg were granted to Messrs. Rice and Heffleman, E. Finafrock, Adam Wolf, and D. B. Little, and refused to Conrad Harmon, George Dittman, and Henry Daniels. The application of Daniel Greenawalt was withdrawn. The applications of Philip Fendricks and James Snyder, of Mercersburg were put off until next court.
(Names in announcement: Abraham Beckner, Lena Meisner, Lewis Snyder, Mary McCrae, Landon Thomas, George Dice, Albert Dice, Henry Dice, Jacob Heisey, Jacob R. Smith, Andy Burns, Cyrus Black, George Black, David Bender, Solomon Ely, David Shoemaker, Peter Hatfield, Samuel Norris, Hamilton Bently, Philip Householder, John W. Dittman, Jacob Kelly, Peter Williams, William McCaine, Henry Barger, Jesse Reichter, Peter McFerren, John Wayman, John Weyant, John Miller, S. R. McKesson, E. Finafrock, Adam Wolf, D. B. Little, Conrad Harmon, George Dittman, Henry Daniels, Daniel Greenawalt, Philip Fendricks, James Snyder)

Local Items--Agricultural Meeting
(Column 2)

Summary: At the meeting of Agricultural Society in Chambersburg last Thursday, the directors of the organization decided to cancel the agricultural fair scheduled for the upcoming fall. The reason: The army seized all of the fencing and most of the improvements made at the Fair Ground, but the Society does not have sufficient funds to replace them at this time. The directors also determined that the site should be moved to a "suitable" location closer to town and serviced by running water.
(Names in announcement: Emanuel Kuhn, J. S. Nixon, William Bossert, D. K. Wunderlich, Samuel Myers, William S. Everett, Thomas B. Kennedy, John Ruthrauff)

Local Items--Serenade To Hon. T. Stevens
(Column 2)

Summary: While en route to Iron Works, Thad Stevens spent the night in Chambersburg where he was greeted by a large crowd and serenaded.

Local Items--Fatal Accident
(Column 2)

Summary: John Croft, Sr., died in an accident that occurred while he was loading coal into a cart at Melhorn and Eyster's coal and lumber yard, near the Franklin Rail Road. Apparently, Croft's horse was frightened by an engine that had somehow cut loose from a train of cars. In his effort to restrain the animal, the man was thrown on his head and instantly killed.
(Names in announcement: John CroftSr., P. Hammon)

Local Items--Another Veteran Gone
(Column 2)

Summary: John Pensinger died at his residence on Tuesday after a brief illness. Pensinger was "among the first to respond to the call of his country," joining the 2nd Penna Regiment. Upon the expiration of his service (a three month term), he re-enlisted with the 77th Penn, the regiment he stayed with until he was discharged near the end of the war because of an illness he had contracted in the field. Pensinger's remains were buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with "the honors of war."
(Names in announcement: John Pensinger)

Local Items--Waynesboro Items
(Column 2)

Summary: John A. Light has indicated that he intends to make a balloon ascension from Waynesboro on September 17th. Also, the goods reported stolen from Sallie T. Brotherton in the last issue of the Repository have been found in Samuel Leckrone's barn, secreted away with a quantity of bacon that was reported missing by John J. Irvin under similar circumstances. The suspected thief is a man formerly in the employ of Leckrone. He has yet to be apprehended.
(Names in announcement: John A. Light, Sallie T. Brotherton, Samuel Leckrone, John J. Irvin)

Local Items--To Soldiers
(Column 2)

Summary: Calls attention to the advertisement of Jacob Heyser, of Philadelphia, who specializes in the "collection of bounties, and gives special attention to the extra bounty just awarded by Congress to soldiers and their families."

Local Items--Painful Accident
(Column 2)

Summary: An unnamed German man lost his right hand after he was involved in an accident at Jacob Heyser's Paper Mill. Somehow the man caught his hand on the machinery while attempting to fix a problem. In the process, the "hand was crushed in such a manner as to render amputation necessary."

Local Items--Attention "Boys in Blue"
(Column 2)

Summary: A notice that "honorably discharged soldiers" of Chambersburg will meet at the Court House on August 24th to form an organization to be called the "Boys in Blue."

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On August 7th, William Bender and Mollie E. Wolf were married by Rev. G. Roth.
(Names in announcement: William Bender, Mollie E. Wolf, Rev. G. Roth)

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On August 14th, Robert McClelland and Susan Jane Brinkley were married by Rev. A. K. Nelson.
(Names in announcement: Robert McClelland, Susan Jane Brinkley, Rev. A. K. Nelson)

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On August 16th, David Burtsfield, of Fulton county, and Isabel Ritter were married by Rev. P. S. Davis.
(Names in announcement: David Burtsfield, Isabel Ritter, Rev. P. S. Davis)

Died
(Column 3)

Summary: On August 8th, B. Rush Peebles, formerly of Chambersburg, died in Cincinnati. He was 48 years old.
(Names in announcement: B. Rush Peebles)

Died
(Column 3)

Summary: On August 1st, Albert Harper, son of Eveline E. and Edward M. Heist, died in Philadelphia. He was 9 years old.
(Names in announcement: Albert Harper Heist, Eveline E. Harper, Edward M. Harper)