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Valley Spirit: February 15, 1860 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

Judge Black's Pamphlet
(Column 04)

Summary: Judge Black, who the Valley Spirit backs for President, summarizes his views on popular sovereignty, saying that the principles have been firmly established: Slavery within a state's limits cannot be interfered with; Congress cannot abolish or interdict slavery in a federal territory; Popular sovereignty will determine slavery's fate in a territory at the formation of a constitution; territorial legislatures cannot interfere with slavery; territorial governments are not sovereign.

Origin of Article: Preface to Black's pamphlet of observations on Douglas's views of popular sovereignty

The Bridal Veil
(Column 06)

Summary: Poem about a bride on her wedding day.

Judge Black's Replies to Senator Douglas, with Prefatory Remarks
(Column 02)

Summary: This article praises Judge Black's opinions on the territorial question, saying that while not original, they are much more ably expressed than Douglas's views.

Judas Iscariot Forney
(Column 02)

Summary: Attacks another anti-Lecompton Democrat in the House of Representatives who shows Republican tendencies.

Report of the School Superintendent of Franklin County
(Column 05)

Summary: Financial crisis has slowed building of school in Chambersburg. Furnishings were being slowly improved, and teachers were supplying much of the teaching apparatus. There are 203 white schools and 5 black in the county, 213 teachers and 11,000 students, with one school in Fannett admitting 100 students in a school built for 50 with one teacher. Low salaries and short terms hold back the number of good teachers available. Classification in the schools has increased. The election of school directors has been tainted by politics. Saturday schools have been almost completely abandoned.
(Names in announcement: John Croft, P.M. Shoemaker)

Extension of the Borough
(Column 01)

Summary: Residents of Guilford and Hamilton have petitioned to extend the limits of the borough of Chambersburg to include them. The editors are more disposed not to, and would rather tax everybody who does business in the city to help support city services. Also includes a discussion of where the town boundary runs.
(Names in announcement: Johnathan Hawk, Clark, Shepler, Culbertson, Keyser, Esq. George Kyster)

Full Text of Article:

--A number of property holders in the townships of Guilford and Hamilton, immediately adjoining this borough, have petitioned the Town Council to extend the borough lines so as to embrace them within the corporate limits of the town. The petitions are so numerously signed in both districts and the Council are disposed to grant the prayer of the Petitioners. In Guilford township the movement meets with no opposition, but in Hamilton, we learn, an attempt will be made, by a few persons, to resist the measure. It is not thought, however, that their opposition will be very strenuous or thwart, in any degree, the will of the majority. We feel perfectly indifferent as to how this matter may terminate, and don't much care whether they come in or stay out. The outsiders are alone the party benefited by the measure and if they choose to resist what is evidently their own interest, we would say let them remain out. We cannot see in what particular the citizens of the borough are to be benefited by enlarging the borough limits. Additional school accommodations will be required, and any number of new streets and alleys to be laid out, made, and kept up, which will impose a pretty heavy borough tax on our citizens and for which the tax accruing from the property annexed will be no equivalent. Notwithstanding these disadvantages the pride every citizen must feel in the progress and improvement of our town will prevent them from interposing any obstacle in the way of consumating this measure. But if those who will alone reap the advantages expect to be coaxed in we would rather see the project abandoned, and let our Council go to work and levy a tax on all persons doing a regular business within the borough no matter where their place of residence may be. These outsiders have all the advantages the borough affords--make their money here--have the use of our streets through which to haul their wood, brick, flour, and other products, and do not contribute a single cent towards improving the town or keeping up repairs. Let a sufficient tax, for borough purposes, be laid on all persons of this description--their occupation--work done--amount of sales made within the borough--money at interest, &c., and then they will be brought on an equal footing with our own citizens and justice be done to all parties. We believe the Council have authority to enforce such a regulation, or if not, they can readily get an Act passed giving them the power.

A measure of this character would we conceive operate with equal and exact justice to all, and those who live out of the borough, but enjoy all its advantages, would thereby be made to contribute towards removing the burden of taxation by which our citizens are now oppressed in order to make improvements and keep up the repairs of the town. As we have before stated we are indifferent as to the result of this movement. We have no feeling in the matter one way or another. If the persons residing in the suburbs of the town desire to be admitted into the borough we think they are sensible, and if the Council grant their request we have no fault to find with them for their action. If on the contrary the Council reject that application for admission, or a majority of the outsiders oppose it, we are equally content.

We understand the Council have, at the instance of the petitioners, made several surveys to determine the exact boundary of the districts desiring to be admitted. The first survey made the shape of the borough a perfect octagon, but to obtain this figure it took in more territory than was desired, or desirable to admit. The last survey, and the one we think likely to be agreed upon, commences at a point east of the property belonging to Mr. Jonothan Hawk on the Baltimore turnpike and running north to a point on the C. V. R. Road, keeping east of the buildings on the Ritchey farm. From the Railroad the line extends to the Gate- House on the northern turnpike taking in a pretty large slice of ground north east of the Saw & Planing Mill of Messrs. Clark, Shepler & Culbertson. The Gate House is left immediately outside the line. From this point the line runs west to the creek and then keeps the east side of the creek running south to the cemetery, including the Straw Paper Mill and buildings on the farm of J. Heyser, Esq. It then runs in the rear of the Cemetery grounds, crosses the Strasburg road, and takes in the residence of Geo. Eyster, Esq., on "Federal Hill." From this point a straight line is run to near Gordon's Tavern on the Western turnpike. The Tavern being the place for holding the elections for Hamilton township is left out. From Gordon's the line takes a direct course to the property of Mr. Charles Burnett on the Greencastle road, taking in, in its course, Wolfstown and the several log buildings immediately south of the "Seceder Grave Yard." From the Greencastle Road a straight line is run to the point of starting, passing in the rear of the property of Mr. Charles Hutz--now the residence of P. W. Seibert, Esq. We have endeavored to describe the course of the survey, divested of all technical terms, so that its points may be readily understood by all our readers.

St. Valentine
(Column 2)

Summary: A mention that yesterday was Valentine's day and an observation that, although it is Leap Year, few ladies sent any love notes.

Full Text of Article:

--Yesterday, the 14th, was St. Valentine day, but, although it is a leap year, the love missives were rather sparse.--Ladies must either not like to pre-pay postage, or think that this is not a very formidable way to attack the citadel of a man's heart. They ought to know.

Incendiarism.
(Column 2)

Summary: A note of the frequent arsons in Warren township and of a reward offered for the detection of the criminals.

Full Text of Article:

--For sometime past incendiarism has been ripe in Warren township, in this county. Several buildings have been maliciously set on fire and destroyed, and we notice by the Mercersburg Journal that a reward of one hundred dollars is offered for the detection of the villains doing the mischief.--We hope they may be caught.

Chambersburg and Gettysburg Railroad
(Column 02)

Summary: Fayetteville group is undertaking survey for railroad linking the two towns; editors urge support of Chambersburg residents.

Full Text of Article:

--We learn with much pleasure that the citizens of Fayetteville, and the eastern side of the county generally, are becoming interested in the construction of the road. Several meetings to further the object in view have been held, at which Committees were appointed to take up subscriptions to defray the necessary expense attending an examination and survey, of the contemplated line of road. The people of Fayetteville, and neighborhood, have subscribed liberally towards carrying out these preliminary measures, and they ask, and expect our citizens to co-operate with them, and furnish their quota of pecuniary aid, to advance the undertaking. Fayetteville has already contributed about eighty dollars towards paying expenses of the survey, and in a few days our citizens will be waited upon by some gentlemen of this place, interested in the project, to raise fifty dollars additional which will be a sufficient sum to conduct the survey in a proper manner. We have not the least doubt that our citizens will subscribe a sufficient amount, for this purpose, without any hesitation, and that they will enter into the movement with the right spirit, and a determination to push it vigorously forward. Should the weather continue favorable the survey may be made within the present month, and when that part of the work is accomplished an Act of Incorporation may be obtained for the road during the present session of our Legislature. We are all well convinced that a more favorable time than the present could not have been selected for pressing this important enterprise on the attention of the public, and that they men who have started the project are the very men of all others to conduct it to a successful completion.

The Lowly
(Column 02)

Summary: A poorhouse resident, well known to townspeople, died.
(Names in announcement: Wesley Howe, Mrs. Shenefield, Mary Early)

Full Text of Article:

--Died at the Franklin County Alms House, on Wednesday morning last, Mary Earley, aged 77 years. The subject of this obituary notice was well known throughout this neighborhood. She formerly resided in this place for many years, but during the later period of her life, previous to becoming an inmate of our Alms House, she was provided with a home in the family of Rev. Wesley Howe, at Greenvillage. In addition to the hard lot of a life of poverty was super-added an existence of the most agonizing physical suffering, yet, amid all her trials and tribulations, she evinced a sweetness of temper, a soft dignity of manners, and a meekness of disposition that readily secured her the sympathy of every christian heart. She was never heard to utter a murmur at her lot, but, on the contrary, endured her sufferings with a patient resignation and truly christian fortitude, manifesting an humble submission to the Divine Will and a firm reliance on Him who "giveth grace unto the lowly." Her remains were brought to this place, on Thursday last, and interred with appropriate religious services, in the burial ground of the Methodist Church. A few friends, of whom she had exacted the promise, followed her body to the grave and saw it decently laid to rest.--The sum total of her worldly goods--her Bible and her Spectacles--she bequeathed to the former Matron of the Alms House, Mrs. Shenefield, as a mark of her gratitude for friendship and kindness.

Tavern Licenses
(Column 02)

Summary: Tavern licences were granted to the above men at the recent term of court.
(Names in announcement: John Taylor, Alexander Martin, Samuel Hays, Jacob Steak)

Full Text of Article:

--At the recent term of Court the following Tavern Licenses were granted, viz:-- John W. Taylor, Chambersburg; Alexander Martin, St. Thomas; Samuel Hays, Montgomery Townsihip; Jacob A. Steak, Upton.

Died
(Column 02)

Summary: Weiser, scalded in a fire at the Straw Paper Mill, died from his injuries.
(Names in announcement: Lewis Weiser)

Full Text of Article:

--Lewis Weiser, the man so shockingly scalded at Heyser's Straw Paper Mill, died from the effect of his injuries on Tuesday last, after suffering the most excruciating agony.

Religious
(Column 03)

Summary: Charles Steck will fill in at the Lutheran Church until the Pastor-elect, Rev. Jacob Steck, arrives.
(Names in announcement: Chas. Steck, Rev. Jacob Steck)

Educational
(Column 03)

Summary: Superintendant Shoemaker held a series of meetings on the state of the school system, and was received warmly by his audiences.
(Names in announcement: Superintendant P.M. Shoemaker)

Trial of Hazlett
(Column 03)

Summary: Report from trial of Hazlett, one of the Harper's Ferry suspects, in Charlestown, Virginia; Hazlett was found guilty of murder.

Married
(Column 06)

Summary: Married on February 2nd at the Indian Queen Hotel.
(Names in announcement: Rev. S. McHenry, Abraham Stamey, Catharine Foreman)

Married
(Column 06)

Summary: Baker and Brown were married on February 7th.
(Names in announcement: P. McGarveyEsq., Augustus Baker, Barbara Brown)

Deaths
(Column 06)

Summary: Mary Orr died on February 11 at age 63.
(Names in announcement: Mary Orr, Hon. John Orr)