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Valley Spirit: September 18, 1861 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

The Public Schools
(Column 5)

Summary: Reports that the public schools reopened last Monday and urges parents to send their children to school regularly.

The Valley Spirit is Always Right
(Column 1)

Summary: Accuses Nill of abandoning the Democratic party in order to seek a judgeship as a Republican. Item also asserts that the Democratic Convention has vindicated the Spirit in all of its editorial positions.
(Names in announcement: James Nill)

The Judgeship
(Column 3)

Summary: Reports on the political machinations within the Franklin Republican party.
(Names in announcement: Nill, Rankin, McKnight)

So It Is
(Column 3)

Summary: Accuses the Republicans of being the real disunionists.

Hard to Please
(Column 3)

Summary: Questions why Nill would want a judgeship after having been a judge in Chester County.

Legislative Ticket
(Column 4)

Summary: Endorses the Democratic ticket.
(Names in announcement: Lesher)

The War Party
(Column 4)

Summary: Questions the motives of the county Republicans for not nominating any soldiers to their ticket
(Names in announcement: James Nill, John Nitterhouse, John Rowe, Col. Stumbaugh, Capt. Housum, Capt. Doebler, Capt. Elder, Capt. Stitzel, Lieut. Rowe, Lieut. Welsh, Lieut. Taylor)

Interesting Letter
(Column 5)

Summary: Letter from a soldier who fought at the battle of Manassas. He is a native of Concord, Franklin County, but has lived in Michigan for the past two years.

Confiscating Slaves
(Column 6)

Summary: Criticizes Lincoln's plan to confiscate slaves from those in rebellion.

Full Text of Article:

The bill confiscating property of men in arms against the Government, was signed by President Lincoln with great reluctance. Wendell Phillips, in a recent speech, said the Senate had to go down on its knees to Mr. Lincoln to implore his signature. Mr. Russell, in a recent letter to the London Times, corroborates this. He says:

On the very last day of Congress the bill which sets free slaves belonging to rebels engaged in war was signed with reluctance by Mr. Lincoln, and was all but lost by lapse of time, for had he not been persuaded to overcome his scruples the Congress would have adjourned without the signature could not have been obtained, as the President at first refused peremptorily to put his name to the bill, alleging that "It will lose us Kentucky;" but there was a pressure of Senators put upon him, and he yielded at last, but ten minutes before the House rose. On such occasions the President comes down to his room in the Capital, and affixes his name, or receives the official visits of the legislators, and if the clock had not been put back, and the sittings carried on beyond the time agreed upon for the adjournment, this bill could not have been presented to the Senate.

The right of the Government to confiscate rebel property, says the Albany Argus, is admited [sic] on all sides. But the moment the slave question becomes mingled with it, it becomes embarrassing. The Secretary of War took the ground that only those slaves who had been employed upon batteries, or with regiments, or some other way contributing to the support of the war, should be confiscated. But the effect of this was to reward service against the country with the boon of emancipation! The ground was untenable and had to be abandoned.

It is now proposed to emancipate the slaves of all disloyal men in the rebellious States; and many imagine that this can be done with the concurrence of the loyal Union-loving population. But is it true? can half the slaves in Missouri be set free; and the other half be retained in servitude? Do not all Southern men recognize the impossibility of retaining a large free black population (especially one suddenly emancipated) in the midst of slave communities?

This feeling is certainly strong in the South, to make schemes of partial emancipation, very odious to even Union men. It is well to strike terror in the ranks of the rebels; but it is not well to sow distrust in the ranks of the loyal.

Measures of this kind must be judged by their effects; and the President should see to it that under the pretence of "confiscation," a scheme of emancipation is not attempted that would consolidate against us the sentiments of the now-divided South.

Who Fight our Battles
(Column 6)

Summary: Alleges that Democrats comprise the bulk of the soldiers from Indiana who are engaged in combat.

Origin of Article: Indianapolis State Sentinel

Married
(Column 5)

Summary: Married on September 12.
(Names in announcement: Rev. R.H. Deatrich, Wm. Bell, Ann Mills)

Married
(Column 5)

Summary: Married on September 12.
(Names in announcement: Rev. William Harden, George Hummelsheine, Caroline Manespeaker)

Died
(Column 5)

Summary: John Fuchs, aged 11 months, died of diptheria on September 9.
(Names in announcement: John Fuchs, Peter Fuchs, Mary Fuchs)

Dissolution of the Republican Party
(Column 1)

Summary: Alleges that many Republicans are unhappy with Lincoln's policy and are seeking to abandon the administration and form another party.

Origin of Article: Albany Argus