fllborton's
Butbcntic, Complete
(Copyrighted 1000. All rlchts reserved.) lij courtesy of Editors and Publishers of Morton's Hlitory, tho Publishers Newspaper Union of Lin-
coin, Nebraska, Is permitted its reproduction In papers of their Issuo
CHAPTER VI CONTINUED (20)
"When tho first govornor arrived
In this territory lio found but ono
plnco ontltlcd to tho nnmo of village,
oven, nnywhoro north of tho I'lntto
rlvor. Tho town of Bollovuo, tho first
town-slto north of tho Platte, wan tho
placo whoro It wns known It wan his
Intention to locate tho capital. IIIh
death, however, loft tho matter in
other hands, and tho capital was lo
cated at Its present slto. Your com
mltteo aro loth to say what Influences
nro universally believed to havo boon
brought to bear in Inducing tho pros
ont location. It 1b BUlIlclent for them
to say that tho peoplo of tho territory
aro by no means satisfied with tho
location or with tho means by which
it was located, and still less by tho
meanB by which it has boon kept
there."
Omaha was exactly midway between
tho north and south limits of papula
tion at that tlmo, and nearer tho edi
tor of tho north and south limits of
tho praspoctlvo nnd now actual stato
than Ilollovuo. Distances east and
west wuro of llttlo consequence, be
causo it was thought that for an In
definite tlmo to come tho country
would not bo settled more than forty
miles westward from tho rlvor. Re
gard for tho Bontlmont of tho peoplo
and for superior eligibility as a Hlto
for a city and ns a point for a railroad
crossing certainly would havo niado
Iicllevue tho capital. Rut the popula
tion was so juuall and so shifting that
this consideration was of llttlo coiibo
quenco. Tho now order of man-mado
cities was soon to bo Illustrated In
Omaha herself, so that tho priority
argument for Ilollovuo bad llttlo
weight.
It is a truth or abstraction of small
practical consequence to say that Act
ing Governor Cuming should havo con
vened tho first IcglBlaturo at Rellevuo
In nccordanco with tho decision of
Governor Burt, though there waB at
most nono other than a moral obliga
tion to do bo. It would bo more to
tho purposo to say that Acting Gov
ornor Cuming should havo fairly ap
portioned tho members of tho first
IcglBlaturo, bo that tho South Platte,
or anti-Onmhn settlors would havo
had tho majority to which they wero
entitled. In that caso tho IcglBlaturo
would pcrhays havo located tho cap
ital at Bellovuo, whoro It would havo
remained, not unlikely, to tho present
tlmo, nnd whoro tho Union Pacific
brldgo and tonnnals w.ould havo fol
lowed It. In othor words, Bollevuo
would havo taken tho placo of Omaha
as tho commercial capital of Nebraska
Jmt moro than that, for an Indefinite
tlmo would havo been tho political
capital also. But wo say "porhaps,"
because tho samo potent Iowa. In
miCfiGG, focused at Council Bluffs',
which after years of effort had com
"passed territorial organization nnd
mado Nebraska a separate torrltory,
might havo prevailed In splto of any
adverse Initiative of tho govornor. To
contomplato this might-have-been, to
conjuro In tho mind tho splendid dual
capital which might havo adorned tho
beautiful slto tho most beautiful as
well as tho most ollgiblo of tho avail
ablo sites of tho now deserted vlllago
Is porhapB ldlo speculation, or at most
a fascinating fancy. But to rolato tho
facts and Interpret tho motives which
Contributed to this Important incident
in tho beginning of a commonwealth
is legitimate history.
On Saturday, October 21, the gov
ornor Issued tho second proclamation
which announced that an enumeration
of tho Inhabitants of tho torrltory
would begin Octobor 24, tho purposo
of tho notice being to onnblo persons
who woro temporarily nbsont from
tho torrltory to return In tlmo for tho
census. Tho third proclamation, dated
Octobor 2G, gavo Instructions as to
tho duties of tho six deputy marshals
who woro to tako tho census In tho
six districts Into which tho torrltory
had boon divided for that purpose
tho first three lying north and tho last
threo south of Piatto rlvor. Accord
ing to tho Instructions tho work was to
bo completed by tho 20th of tho fol
lowing Novomber and roturns to bo
mado to Mr. Llndloy. postmaster.
Omaha City, or to tho govornor, at
tno mission nouso, liouovuo. Tho gov
ernor appointed as enumerators
Josoph I. Sharp, first district; Charles
B. Smith, second district; Michael
Murphy, third district; Ell R. Doylo
and yv. symmos, lourtn district;
Munson H. Clark, fifth district;
unarics w. rterco. stxtn district.
Tho fourth proclamation, mado No
vombor 18, I8H4, appointed Thursday.
Novomber 30, as a day of thanksgiv
ing. Tho fifth, dated Novomber 23
1854, promulgated rules for tho olec
tions. Tho Bixth oxecutivo document
pertaining to territorial organization
issued Novomber 23. 1854, proclamed
that elections should bo hold Docom
ber 12, 1854, to choose a dolegato to
congress nnd members of a loglsla
turo which was to meet January 8
1855. Tho sovonth nroclamntlon. Is
sued December 15, 1854, authorized a
special election at Nebraska City on
tho 21st of that month to fill tho va
cancy In tho council loft by a tlo voto
cast at tho regular olectlon. On tho
20th day of December tho last two
proclamations pertaining to terrltorla
organization woro Issued, ono convon
Ing tho legislature at Omaha, and on
tho 16th Instead of tho 8th of January,
1855, tho othor announcing tho organi
zation of tho Judiciary system, and
designating judrrps nf probate 1ustlcc
of tho peace, sheriffs, constables and
clerks for tho several counties, and
History of
In tho Bamo proclamation the three
Judges woro placed. Chief Justice
Ferguson was assigned to tho first
district, comprising Douglas and
Dodgo counties; Justice Harden to tho
second, embracing all of tho counties
south of the Platte river; and Justice
Bradley to tho third district, com
prising the counties of Burt ami Wash
ington. Judgo Ferguson arrived In
the territory October 11, 1854, and tho
noxa day look tho oath of office be
fore Secretary Cuming "at, tho town of
Bollevuo." Judge Bradley arrived
Octobor 14, and took tho oath before
Judgo Ferguson at Omaha City, Oc
tober 28; Judgo Hardin arrived De
cember 1, and took the oath boforo
Judgo Ferguson nt Bollevuo, December
4. Attorney General Estabrook ar
rived at Omaha City, January 22, 1855,
and took tho oath before Secretary
Cuming. Marshal Izard arrived Oc
tober 20. and took the oath before
Judgo Ferguson, at Bellovuo, October
14. Tho Palladium of December C
gives this account of Judgo Harden:
"Hon. Edwnrd R. Harden, one of tho
nsBoclato Judges of Nebraska, ac
companied by tho clerk of his court,
M. W. Rldon, nnd J. D. White, Esq.,
of Georgia, arrived at Bollevuo, De
comber 4. Tho Judgo Is a middle
aged man, sparo In person and to ap
pearanco quito feoblc In constitution
his manners, dreBs and equipage all
Dear tho stamp of domocratis sim
plicity and economy. Ho is courteous
in manner, agTeablo and nffablo In
conversation."
On tho 23d of December tho gov
ornor called for two volunteer regl
monts for defense ngalnBt tho Indians.
Tho dato marks of thoso stato
papers show that tho oxecutivo office
was wherever tho governor happened
to bo when ho desired to perform an
oxecutivo act; and they faintly sug
gest that tho aspirations and hopes
of each hamlet to become tho capital
wero delicately nurtured, or at least
not Inconsiderably or prematurely
blighted.
Giving a strict construction to tho
provision of tho organic act that noth
ing thoreln contained "shall be con
strued to impair tho rights of person
or property now pertaining to tho In
dians in snid territory so long as such
rights shall remain unextinguished by
treaty between tho United States and
such Indinns, or to includo any ter
ritory, which by treaty with any In
dian tribe, is not without tho consent
of said tribe, to bo included within
tho territorial limits or Jurisdiction
of any Btato or territory," ho had
aimed to includo In these districts
only such territory na hod been ac
tually relinquished by tho Indians.
But doubt as to tho scopo of this re
striction having arisen, on tho 1st of
November Governor Cuming ad-
rossed a letter to tho commissioner
of Indian affairs asking whether ho
had dono fight to restrict election
privileges to U1030 actually within the
Otoo and Omaha cessions nnd to Ox
cludo "tho trndors and others north
ward of tho Blackbird Hills, who by
tho Intercourse act of 1834 havo been
given special privileges, or thoso in
any othor part of tho territory who
aro living on Indian lands not yet
ceded, but to restrict all election con
trol within tho Omaha and Otoo ces
sions, reaching north to tho Aoway
river, south to tho llttlo Nemaha rlvor
and west to tho lands of tho Paw
nees." "Some of tho territorial officers
and many of the citizens," ho said,
contend that olectlon precincts
should bo established over all tho tor
rltory wherever white men (traders
and othors) reside comprising tho
Sioux, Blackfeet. Crows and other
tribes. Others nro of tho opinion that
such olection privileges should not
only bo enjoyed by tho settlers within
tho Omaha and Otoo cossions whore
It Is now understood that tho whites
havo tho authority of tho govornmont
to make a permanent resldoneo." Tho
commissioners was asked to "stato
also whether thero Is any neutral or
United States ground south of tho
Piatto rlvor, south and west of tho
Otoo and Missouri cesBlon, whoro an
olectlon precinct may bo mado."
Tho commlSBloner, Mr. George W,
Manyponny( nnswored that, "Whoro
thero has boon no cession mado by an
Indian trlbo. ns has not been dono by
tho Sioux, tho Blackfeet. tho Crows,
tho Poncas, and some othors, any cx
orclso of authority for territorial pur
poses by tho government would bo In
my opinion in contravention of tho
proviso of tho act organizing tho tor
rltory."
To Govornor Cuming's second ques
tion tho commissioner replied:
"Tho country west, of tho half-breeds
and south of tho Piatto rlvor west of
the Otoo nnd Missouri cession am'
bounded on tho north by tho Piatto
rlvor as far back as 101 dogreos west
of lonuitudo. nnd from that point In a
southwesterly direction to tho lino
divldlmr Kansas and Nebraska nenr
tho 203d. degree Is of such character.'
In necordnnco with tho commission
er's opinion tho govornor sent Deputy
Marshal Josso Lowo to spy out this
"United States ground" to tho south
wost. Tho only record wo havo of tho
objoct and result, of this Investigation
Is contnlned In Marshall Lowe's re
port Docembor 10 ,1854:
"To Acting Govornor T. B. Coming
"Sir: Having boon sent by you to
establish what is called Jones county,
bounded as follows, commencing CO
miles1 west from, tho Missouri rlvor
at tho north corner of Richardson
county; thence west along tho south
bank of tho Plntte rlvor to "tho 101st
IKkbraska
degree of west longltudo; thenco
southwesterly to tho boundary be
tweon Kansas and Nebraska at the
203d degroo of west longltudo; thence
along Bald boundnry to tho southwest
corner of Richardson county; and
thenco to tho place of beginning, and
Instructed to apportion to said county
ono representative or moro as the
number of Inhabitants should require,
I respectfully report that by ascer
taining from satisfactory information
that thoro aro no votors in said
county unless a few living in tho
neighborhood of Bolews precinct in
Richardson county, and who would
naturally voto at said precinct, nnd
believing furthermore from satisfac
tory Information, that Richardson
county has been glvon moro than hor
Just representation, I am of opinion
that no apportionment should bo mado
for Jones county.
"Very respectfully,
MARK W. IZARD, Marshal,
"By Josso Lowo, Deputy."
Govornor Cuming sent tho following
curious announcement:
"Omaha City, Nov. 30, 1854.
"To Editors Newspapers:
"Dear Sir: The deputy territorial
marshal has boon sent below tho
'Piatto' In tho neighborhood of 'tho
Blues to establish a now county.
"Tho notices of election In tho cen
sus district above tho Piatto (Belle
view and Omaha) will not bo circu
lated until ho can be heard from, as
It will bo Impossible till then to cor
rectly fix tho apportionment, which Is ,
iimueu oy law to a certain number
for the whole territory.
"It will bo well to make this an
nouncement public. The othor coun
ties havo received their apportion
ment and this is the only district in
tho torrtory where this course will be
pursued, It being the most compact
and least subject to Injury by delay.
"Respectfully yours ,
"T. B. CUMING.
"Acting Governor of Nebraska.
Tho inference from this communica
tion Is that tho governor Intended to
cut out Douglas county representation
cloth to suit tho whole garment after
It should bo completed by the attach
ment of that par on "tho Blues," Just
as ho evidently entirely disregarded
Mr. Sharp's comprehensive count of
Richardson county, quite In accord
ance with tho suggestion or warning
of Deputy Marshall Lowe.
It was at onco freely and forcibly
charged by tho enemies of Governor
Cuming, who appear to havo been
nearly Identical with thoso who op
posed tho location of tho capital at
Omaha, that this first census was doc
tored, with fraudulent intent, in tho
Interest of Omahn. Though at the be
ginning of tho session the governor.
in complanee with a resolution of the '
louse, mpved by Mr, Decker of No- i
braska City, had furnished copies of
the census roturns to that body, they
arc- hot now In existence. That thero i
woro gross falsifications and other Ir-
regularities in this census there Is no
doubt. These leglslatlvo districts J
wore gerrymandered by Governor ,
Cuming In tho Interest of Omaha, and
thero is only ono motive that may bo 1
assigned therefor. Tho Interests of a I
cotorio of enterprising Iowa specu- .
ators who had gathered In Council
Bluffs, and some of whom wore camp-
ng In expectation on the slto of '
Omaha, required that tho capital
should bo located thero, and they sot
about to reach their end by much the
samo means and methods as always
havo boon employed for like purposes.
They won. as was inevitable, on ac
count of tho groat superiority of their
resources. If Govornor Burt, who, bo
ng a southern gentleman of tho old
school, would havo been proof against
these means and averso to theso
methods, had lived, his Inltlatlvo
might havo drawn this Iowa influence
to Bellovue. As governors of new ter
ritories go, Burt was tho exception
and Cuming tho rule; moro of thorn
act as Coming acted than as Burt
would havo acted thought few would
act In like circumstances with a vigor
so naturally effective and so llttlo im
paired by nicety of moral scruple or
conventional restralts.
Tho story of tho proceedings fn tho
capital contest rests mainly upon per
sonal recollection and tradition. It
Is doubtless truo that Governor Cum
ing demanded of "Father" Hamilton
ono hundred ncres of tho section of
mission land at Bellovuo as tho prlco
for designating tha placo as tho cap
ital. It would doubtless havo been
difficult to alienate this land at all,
slnco tho board of missions did not re
celvo a patent for It until 185S.
"Father" Hamilton seemed to bn filled
moro with tho fear of tho Lord than'
of losing tho capital, and tho reader
of tho Pnllndlum gains an Impression
that Its editor, Mr. Reed, was too
much possessed by a sense of tho
righteousness of Bellovuo's cause tot
bo willing or ablo to meet her oppon
ents on their own morally less de
fensiblo but practically far stronger
grounds. Tho moral sunslon of thoso
good peoplo of Bollevuo was not
backed up with mnorlal arguments
sufficient to meet thoso of tho Council
Bluffs & Nebraska Ferry company,
which not only represented but consti
tuted Omaha's Interests.
Under nuthorlty of tho organic law
Govornor Cuming had divided tho In
habited, portion of tho territory Into)
eight counties, and after the census
had been taken ho npportoned tho sev
eral counties Into leglslatlvo districts.
TO BE CONTINUED
Turned up her nose
Opposlto tho two men who wer
talking on general topics sat a femuH
f 35, and oven a child of 10 could
lave Identified her as belonging to tha
ilass called old maids. Sho was dlgnl
led and sho was reserved, and per
anps a salesgirl had put her out o '
temper In shopping. Finally ono of tin
lien said.
"By George, but do you know tha'
St, Valentino's Day is duo next week? ,
"It Isn't much of a duy, carelessly ro j
plied tho other.
"Dont send valentines?" !
"Haven't for a good many years
Tho laat ono I sent was to an old" maid ,
of about 26 or 27. Sho lived in mj
neighborhood and her tonguo was wag
ging about everybody. I mailed her an
old scorcher of a valentine, and 11
drove her away. I hoard that she fell
so bad about it that "
Tho old maid opposlto roso up.
Sho glared at tho man who was talk
Ing.
She Was Aware.
Sho stuck up her nose and there
was a look of contempt on her mouth
"So It was you!" sho finally exclaim
sd as sho withered him with a look.
"I I don't understand, madam," h
stammered.
"And I wish to say to you," sho con
tinued, "that you are no gentleman
And that you aro a loafer. And thai
you ought to bo taken out and tarred
and feathered, and sent to Jail" for a
year. Yes, sir, I am aware that Val
entine's Day comes next week, and 1
am also aware that if I can't horse
whip tho man who sends me a bur.
lesquo I've got a brother who can
Sood day, sir!" Joo Kerr.
A New Kansas Bank.
A Washington dispatch announces
that tho comptroller of tho currency
lias authorized the Bankers' National
bank of Kansas City, Kansas, to com
mence business. The new bank is cap
Itallzed at $250,000. C. B. Hoffman,
president of tho Banking Trust Com
pany; J. W. Breldenthal, vice presl
flent and manager of tho samo instltu
lion; Mayor George M. Gray, A. II
Jennings, Henry McGrew and W. R
Berry, aro tho organizers. Tho men in
terested in this now bank are well
known financiers of tho west and tin
nstltutlon starts out with exceptional
promise. It will open for buslnesi
ibout April 1st
The Poor Censured.
It is not often that a man Is founi
who is bravo enough to censure th(
poor. It is a popular opinion that
the rich man should receive all tin
blame, though ho acquired his monoj
honestly, and that tho poor mat
should receive nothing but sympathy
though his poverty Is plainly the re
sult of his own shlltlessness. Bui
the Rev. Dr. James Roscoe Day
chancellor of the Syracuse university
llnds that tho poor man Is largely te
blame for hi3 poverty.
"What Is all this cry that is belnj
made about tho poor wage earner?'
tisked Dr. Day. "Tho wago carnori
pot enough for what they do, and t
great many of them get moro.
know tho poor. I have been amon
lli'eni and havo studied them. )
know thnt they are tho chief sup
porters of upwards of 10,000 saloon!
In thl3 .city. I know that they art
'.ho chief causes of intemperanco and
shiftlessness, and then blame Is pul
m tho hard-hearted corporations.
"Wo should ceaso some of the phll
mthropy which wo practice and holi
tho poor to learn their duty and tc
mako them help tjioniselves.
"I beliovo thero is not a -greatei
piece of despotism thnt rules todaj
than labor unionism. It is a hin
drance itself to tho advance of t
man."
First Freight Rider Willie, do yot
kno.v that all tho railroad passes hav
been cut off?
Second Freight Rider Yes. Hot
Gouie people must evny us hoboes.
I J i 4 l J $ $ $ 4 lj
MILLIONS IN OIL.
t The Uncle Sam Company Maktn an
Alluring Offer. -Ji
4 4 4 4
In every part of this country the peo
plo are watching with nbsorblng Interest
the tight being mado upon tho father of all
trusts the Stnndnrd Oil Company. Tho
rerent report of the Interstate Commercq
Commission, showing up tho cut-thronf
methods of this organization, created a
profound nensatlon nnd gavo thousands,
yes millions, of peoplo an ldoa. of tlio
grasping greed and defiance of nil law that
ins always marked the career of tho
Standard Oil company. There has novo
been before so great an opportunity for
an Independent oil company to securo a
foothold ntul build up a great business,
specially In the states of tho Middle
West. Attention Is directed to the largo
advertisement of the Uncle Sam Oil Com
pany which appears In this Isbih This
company was organized about two yearn
ai'.o when tho leglslntuye of Kansas pass
ed the Maximum freight rate and anti
discrimination laws and made It poMsiblo
for an Independent company to live and
do business in this state. From a smnll
local concern at Cherryvale tho Undo
Sam Oil company has grown to b a great
Independent enterprise with more than
ten thousand stockholders scattered all
over the United States, Canada nnd Mex
ico. Tho company has refineries nt Cher
ryvale, and Atchison, Kansas, and Tulsa,
Oklahoma; nearly (ISO miles of main
trunk plpo lino completed and In use;
forty tank cars engaged In hauling crude
nnd refined oil; sixty-eight distributing
stations, completed and soiling refined
and fuel oil In every part of Kansas and
hundreds moro projected for Missouri.
Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Arkansas;
oil properties In Kansas and Oklahoma,
worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This enumerates In part what this com
pany has done In tho short tlmo It has
been In existence. It has now reached
tlio point whero a wonderful stride In ad
vance Is to be taken that will result In
placing this company at tho head of tho
'ndepondent enterprises of tho country.
The management of tho company hns dis
cussed the situation from every stand
polnt nnd the decision was reached to Is
sue C per cent llrst mortgago bonds that
tho great work projected might be swift
ly and certainly brought to a conclusion.
It Is the Intention to take the money
raised through the salo of these bonds
nnd at onco erect storage tanks and
place In storage six million barrels of oil.
Owing to the grasp of the trust on tho oil
'loldB of tho country oil Is at its lowest
abb nnd can be bought for 33 cents per
barrel, tho lowest price In Its history In
the Kansas-Territory fields. Any man
with halfin eye to business can at onco
?eo tho wisdom of this move and tho re
Riilt It will have on thefuturc of the Undo
Sam Oil company.
This company has proved In tho past
that Its promises can bo relied upon ab
solutely. It promised to pay dividends
and the knockers howled that it would
never do It. Yot two dividends have al
ready boon paid the stockholders. A care
ful perusal of tho advertisement In this
issue will furnish food for thought to tho
fnreful Investor. It Is without doubt ono
of tho best propositions that has been
placed before the public with money to
Invest. In ndd'tlon to tho bonds, which
are amply secured, the company offers a.
handsome bonus of Its stock which has
always commanded a ready sale. Here Is
an opportunity for any man to not only
make a wise and conservative Investment
jut nt tho same time help strike a. blow at
:ho un-American, thieving oil trust which
mb had this country In Its grip for so
ong. Tho tlmo Is ripe and the Undo
Sam 101 company stands ready to take ad
antago of tho wave of public sentiment
which Is slowly, but none the less surely,
driving tho trust to the wall. This Is your
opportunity to help and Incidentally make
tin Investment that the future will prove
to have been an eminently wise one. Head
the advertisement printed in this Issue
nd make your decision. It has tho right
Ing and tho men behind it aro willing and
iblo to back up every promise made.
Their past history proves this beyond the.
lhadow or a uouut.
Senator John T. Dryden of New Jersey,,
withdrew from the race for re-election be
fore tho legislature, nlleglng 111 health.
Senator Drydcn's secretary gave out a
statement for him. which follows In part:
'Senator Dryden had hoped at this meet
ing to bo able to convince tho gentlemea
who havo refused to be bound by tho ac
tion of tho party caucus that their oppo
sition to him was based on mistaken
nrounds. Fooling constrained to heed the
Imperative Injunction of his physicians,
nnd knowing no other means of Influenc
ing the minds of tho gentlemen referred
to, or having any reason to anticipate
that they would change their attitude In
tlio near future, he concluded thnt a con
tinuance of his deadlock would tend to tho
Injury of tho party of the state. Accord
ingly ho formally announced his intention
:o withdraw, lie will make public later
:ho statement ho desired to make to tho
Trenton meeting. Senator Dryden is not
Jaiigerously ill Ills condition Is such, how
ever, that his physicians and family con
elder It Imporatlvo that he bo relieved at
mice of further strain upon his strength
nnd that complete rest is absolutely nec
essary." Seven Rcpublloai" members of
Iho New Jersey legislature had declared
their unwillingness to vote for tho elec
tion of John F Dryden to succeed himself
in senator. The Republican majority on
lolnt ballot Is only four nnd thus Demo
cratic votes would havo been needed to
rlcct Diyden. The New Jersey sltuntlon
Is almost Identical with that which con
fronted tho Nebraska legislature In 11(01,
when Thompson, had a clear majority In
a Republican caucus. Seven Republicans
signed a written agreement to remain out
of tho caucus unless thero was an amend
ment that three-fourths majority would
be necessary to nqmlnato. Tho legislature
was deadlocked until the last week or tho
session and Thompson wns defeated.
In response to a direct cablo from tho
editor of tho Chicago Trlbuno to Morn ills
Bnlonji. minister, of foreign affairs at To
klo, tho Japanese government has In
itructqd its embassy here, also by cablo
to convey to tho American peoplo Its dis
avowal of all inclination toward war with
tho United Snttes and Us bcilef that tho
llfforences between the two countries aro
nnd always havo been susceptiblo to pac
ific treatment. Tho emperor's govornmont
sent tho following cablo to tho Tribune:
"Answering your telegram to Marquis Sal
onjl, I am directed to refer you to tho
Jnpaneso nmbnssndor nt Washington for
Information concerning the absolutely un
founded rumors." This wns followed by a
dispatch to the VIcomto Sluzo Aokl, am
bassador extraordinary and plenipoten
tiary to tho United States : "Tho Chicago
Trlbuno hns sent a telegram direct to the
Imperial government to ascertain tho at
titude of Jnpnn in the present situation.
You nro authorized to give out categor
ical declarations of absolutely pacltlc char
ncter of tho Japancso Intentions."
Tho oldest valentine In tho United
States Is in Cleveland, Ohio ,nnd wus ad
dressed to Miss Sarah Brett, In 1790. Tho
British museum has one almost like it, In
tho hand of tho same flcklo youth who af
fected to admire Miss Brett. Jt is a sheet
Jn dimension, folded Into squares of four
Inches: sealed' with a red heart.
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