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Franklin Repository: May 25, 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

The County Convention
(Column 01)

Summary: Col. Theodore McGowan, Chairman of the Republican County Committee, announces that the committee will meet in Chambersburg on June 4th to set a date for the county convention. Although the local posts up for election in the fall are not those most highly sought after, the paper urges enthusiasm and support.
(Names in announcement: Col. Theodore McGowan)

Protection Versus Free Trade
(Column 01)

Summary: The paper reports that the House has postponed a vote on the tariff bill, but fierce conflict is expected in the future. The editors assert that the issue is not partisan or sectional in nature, but regional and should produce odd combinations of support and opposition.

The Fated Democracy
(Column 02)

Summary: This editorial suggests that the Democrats are stuck in a political bind for, having positioned themselves against emancipation and black enfranchisement, they cannot alter their stance and, as a result, are losing supporters.

Full Text of Article:

It is somewhat interesting to observe the efforts of the Democracy to adjust itself to the new order of things. Without any principles to guide its movements, it seems quite at a loss to know what expedients will avail to make it appear in harmony with the popular sentiment. Having committed itself against the negro and in favor of human slavery during the terrible struggle which our country endured in its throes to get rid of the foul blot that made it a reproach and a byword in the eyes of Liberty and Christianity and having suffered defeat after defeat in the interest of the foul monster, now that slavery is dead and the emancipated race have been enfranchised, the Democracy is sorely tried by the dilemma that presents itself to their choice. The Democratic press and Democratic leaders have educated the rank and file in bigotry and prejudice to such an extent that they now find themselves totally unable to undo their own work or to bring the mass of their voters to see that equal rights to all men, irrespective of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, is a settled fact, and that acquiescence is the duty and policy of all parties. No doubt, then, with this condition of things the Democracy has found itself sorely puzzled to know what to do in the premises. Finding, however, that the colored voters have determined to vote with the party that followed principle rather than prejudice, and that the only chance of success to the Democracy, was in swearing that the "horse was sixteen feet high," because in their mistake, they had at first said so - they concluded:

"Stept in so far that should they wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er."
'Twas a sad necessity, but the horn of the dilemma they have chosen is to be "consistent," not "simply to be true," so they again launch the boat bigotry alias prejudice, and strike for the port of success, forgetting that they have been stranded again and again in that same fated vessel. Always measuring popular sentiment by their own narrow views, they have hoped to draw from the masses enough to give them the majority, the power, and especially the spoils; instead, however, of making converts and gaining strength, they have generally succeeded in driving from the remnant of what was once the great Democratic party, the honest and intelligent who had still clung to their sinking fortunes. The leaders will find popular sentiment still far in advance of their "white man's party" theory, and the most unaccountable feature of their whole scheme is that while laughing in their own sleeves at the manoeuvre, they should suppose that the weakest in the Republican ranks should be caught with their twaddle about the necessity for a white man's party. The fortunes of the Democracy have been untoward, and if experience has failed to teach them the utter folly of staking their fortunes in the lap of bigotry in its conflict with truth, we suppose they are fated to exemplify the old adage, that "whome the gods intend to destroy the first make mad."

County Committee
(Column 01)

Summary: Theodore M'Gowen announces that the Republican County Committee will meet in the office of Thomas J. Grimison on June 4th.
(Names in announcement: Theodore M'Gowen)

Decoration Day
(Column 01)

Summary: This article reports the formation of committees for the upcoming Decoration Day celebrations and invites the ladies of Chambersburg to join in decorating the graves of the fallen.
(Names in announcement: John A. Seiders, T. M. Mahon, Harry Strickler, George Wampler, S. W. Hays, D. F. Leisher, J. L. P. Deitrich, Dr. G. F. Platte, Daniel Glass, M. W. Houser, Solomon Swert, Jere Donavin, John Shinafield, Dr. S. G. Lane, G. W. Welsh, W. Clugston, S. G. Barnes, T. J. Grimason, George W. Skinner, Col. Theodore M'Gowan, John A. Seiders, Lt. G. F. Platt, Lt. George W. Welsh)

Full Text of Article:

At a meeting, on Monday evening last, of the Committee appointed by the soldiers to make arrangements for the ceremonies attending the decoration of the soldiers graves in this place, on Monday next, the following committees were appointed:

Committee to mark the graves of soldiers and place flags over the same - Jno. A. Seiders, T. M. Mahon, Harry Strickler, Geo. Wampler.

Committee on Invitations and Music - S. W. Hays, D. F. Leisher J. L. P. Deitrich, Dr. G. F. Platte.

Committee to see to the tolling of the bells - Daniel Glass, M. W. Houser, Solomon Swert, Jere. Donavin, Jno. Shinafield.

Committee to secure an Orator for the occasion - Dr. S. G. Lane, G. W. Welsh, W. Clugston, S. G. Barnes.

The different secret societies and the citizens generally are cordially invited to appear in the procession, and to take part in the ceremonies of the day.

The following circular has been addressed especially to the ladies:
"Strew Garlands of Flowers around each sleeping Hero's Grave."

IN MEMORIAM

To the Ladies of Chambersburg: At a meeting of the soldiers of the Borough of Chambersburg, held on Monday evening, May 16th, the undersigned were appointed a committee to invite the ladies to join with them in procuring flowers for the purpose of strewing the graves of those of our soldiers who sleep in our midst. The committee remember with gratitude and pleasure your noble response on former occasions, and take the method of reminding you at the return of the annual decoration day, believing that this alone will be necessary to insure a liberal donation of choice flowers and boquets. The living comrades of our gallant dead desire to make the coming occasion one of peculiar interest. They realize that one after another the years are settling down over their passionless mounds and over the events which called so many of them from life to death - hence they believe that on each successive occasion redoubled efforts should be made to keep alive the memory of their invaluable services.

"A debt of gratitude we own
To them is justly due,
And till our nation's latest day,
Our children's children still shall say,
They died for me and you."

T. J. Grimason,
Geo. W. Skinner, Com.
T. M. Mahon.

Contributions of flowers may be left at Repository Hall, between the hours of 8 and 12 A.M., on Monday, May 30.

Col. Theodore M'Gowan, chief Marshal, has appointed as his side Capt. G. W. Skinner, Sergt. John A. Seiders, Lieut. G. F. Platt, Lieut. Geo. W. Welsh.

The procession will form in front of the Court House, at 3 o'clock, on Monday afternoon next, and move off in two detachments, one to decorate all graves south of Market street and the other all North of Market street, when they will join in the Diamond and proceed to the cemetery, where the oration will be delivered.

The procession will then countermarch to the Court House and be dismissed.

Base Ball
(Column 03)

Summary: A baseball match was played between the Osceola Nine and Academy Nine of Chambersburg, resulting in a victory for the academy.
(Names in announcement: Case, Duffield, Hastings, Shook, Kreps, Ferguson, Robeson, Bowers, Snively, M'Dowell, Hull, Foreman, Burnett, Kennerly, Seibert, Skinner, Henninger, Kreichbaum, J. W. Sharpe, D. W. Nevin)

[No Title]
(Column 03)

Summary: Jacob S. Brown died at his residence in Chambersburg after suffering a lingering illness. Brown served as sheriff and deputy sheriff before resigning due to ill health. He was burried in Cedar Grove Cemetery. The Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was a member, led the ceremonies.
(Names in announcement: Jacob S. Brown)

[No Title]
(Column 03)

Summary: A. M'Elwain is offering teacher preparation courses.
(Names in announcement: A. M'Elwain)

[No Title]
(Column 03)

Summary: The paper notes that many veterans are clerks and mechanics, and asks that employers excuse them to participate in Memorial Day ceremonies.

[No Title]
(Column 03)

Summary: The soldiers and citizens of Greenvillage are invited to attend the Decoration of Soldiers' Graves on May 30th.