10 THE OMAHA DAILY BI3E : SUNDAY , AUGUST 10 , lvS86.-T\VEL B PAGES.
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH ,
A Discussion of the Recent Outrageous
Utterances and Actions of tlio Anarchists ,
SOME RESTRICTION NECESSARY
To HtrcilKtticn tlio KoimdtUlon < ) null
ItiBiirc tin ; 1'orpcttintlon ol'tlic
KetMilllc Old unit New
Candidates.
11. C. lifnin * . ft Hie Tonim.
"In regard to liberty of writing nnd
speech , " fiays Jeremy Heiitham , " ! would
place matters on exactly the same foot
ing ns that In which they are in the
AnglO'Amnrlran United Slates. " The
practice thus heartily indorsed consists
in perfect freedom of uttcranco. lly the
first amendment to the federal constitu
tion congress Is forbidden lo encroach
upon this fundamental'right of personal
liberty , nnd the policy which finds such
expression in thn organic law of the
eiMilral government may be accepted as
properly portraying the practice in the
several states. As Is well known , the
early fedeialists endeavored to intro
duce unusual punishments fortlioolVcnsc
of criticising either the policy of the
government or the conduct of olllcinls ,
and the "sedition law , " nsil was termed ,
parsed during the administration of
John Adams , mot with the approval of
the court , lint the reception of this law
by the people emphatically declared that
they believed in no sort of censorship , for
the Indignation which it aroused could
not bo allayed except by the humiliating
defeat of tlio party that passed it. So
far as I am aware , there lias been no
subsequent attempt on the part of civil
authority to control the expression of
opinion , or to limit the sphere of criti
cism upon the government or upon the
existing order of society. It is'truo that
during tlio late war certain papers which
advocated the cuaso of rebellion were
suppressed In districts where martial law
had not been declared ; but such acts
wore defended as war measures , and
proceeded from the military authority ,
It may then bo said without reserve that
tlio American people have , thus far in
tlioir history , acfcd upon the belief that
individual freedom , exorcised under con
ditions of strict responsibility , is
Bilfllciont guarantee for that personal
Hocurity the enjoyment of which is the
best test of a just society.
Have wo now , after n hundred years'
experiment , como to ti point in our
development as a nation when tins policy
must bo reversedV It seems unnecessary
to remark that thn occasion for under
taking such tin Inquiry is the disclosures
that have boon made In Chicago concern
ing anarchist organizations , and the
perpetration of the crime , altogether un
usual in the United States , of using in
famous weapons to strike terror into the
minds of a peaceful community. Wo can
no longer treat with amused indifference
the threats of those who propose to
establish a now heaven upon this old
earth by means of indiscriminate murder.
How then shall wo treat thcniV The
necessity of answering this question
brings again into review the theory of
personal libei'ty ' which secures to every
man the right to express his opinions.
Wim this theory rational when estab
lished ; ind , If so , have now forces of any
sort boon introduced into our modern
life which should load us to modify the
old defense of freedom of speech ?
Although Hontham's praise of tlio policy
adopted in this country is fully merited ,
it should not bo forgotten that the
principles of personal liberty enjoyed by
the Ameiican people were received by
them from England herself. Thooloqucnt
argument of Milton against public cen
sorship may bo said to have determined
English thought respecting freedom of
utterance , and it is a cutting from this
plant of liberty removed to the virgin
soil of the now world which has grown
into that freedom which wo now enjoy.
In Mr. Mill's " "
"Essay on Liberty , which
met with hoirty approval from American
readers , wo find the thoughts writ by the
old Puritan expanded and reduced to
argumentative form ; in this essay , there
fore , may wo expect to lind the most nor-
feet expression of the theory of free
speech.
The considerations by which Mr. Mill
urges that government should inteifero
as little as possible with public discussion
are tlio following ; 1. By interfering to
suppress opinions or experiments in liv
ing you may resist truths and improve
ments in a greater or loss degrro. 3.
Constant discussion is the only certain
moans of preserving the freshness of
truth in men's minds and the vitality of
its inlluonce upon their conduct and
motives. 3. Individuality is one of the
most valuable elements of well-being ,
uml yon can only bo sure of making
the most of individuality if you have an
atmosphere of freedom , encouraging
frco development and expansion , -i.
Habitual resort to repressive moans of
influencing conduct tends more than
anything eiso to discredit and frustrate-
the better moans , such as education , good
example , ami the like.
The readiness with which wo admit
these propositions shows that they form
a part of our inheritance of thought ; and
yet we demur when tlio princine3 | pro
pounded by Milton , Ersklno , liontham
, und Mill arc urged to shield tlio utter
ances of anarchists , whoso avowed purpose -
pose \n \ the destruction of that personal
security now guaranteed to every citizen
by a carefully developed system of con
stitutional law. Listen , for example , to
the following , which is paid to comu from
the pen of a respectable citizen of Toledo ,
Ohio :
"Tho capitalists' golden baurt < and the bond
holders have don led us all rights. They
would make us slaves. Our only hope is In
earnest , organized action. Kuril , kill , and
destroy until wo toruo the autocrats to terms ,
Wo have lost hope In ( ! ml , hope In humanity ,
and hope In the world at laiw. Let every
man do his duty. This Is a tlmo when the
working man will either become a slave or a
master. Choose between the two , and cliooso
at once. Let us give no quarter und ask
none ; only let us stand by each other , and
each man at his post , if wo must die , let us
dlo like men and not slaves. "
Would the denial of the right to use
such language tend to "resist truths ? "
Does discussion of this sort preserve the
"freshness of truth in men's minds ? "
Does it savor of the "atmosphere of
freedom , " or would Its suppression
"fnistratu the Influence of good ex
1 ; ample ? " It seems evident that the argu
ment of Mr. Mill is addressed to a dlll'er-
ont sort of expression from that which
is disclosed In the quotation thus casually
selected. Ho refers to discussion , and to
such exhortation as may properly follow
impassioned discussion ; he would not
lend the authority of his name to the frco
use of language which becomes the first
atop in crime , So far as the expression
of opinion is concerned. 1 see no reason
why the theory of frco discussion Is not
tis fully applicable to the anarchists to
day ns to those who dissented from the
established order of society at any time
in the past ; but having made this con
cession , it seems that the full require
ments of the doctrine of liberty have
been complied with. The right of self *
protection is as essential a part of the
doctrine of liberty ns the right of self
assertion. It is not the argument in the
above quotation which would give the
law of a free people just cause of action
ngalnst him who wrote it. Discussion
respecting the nature of properly or the
equity of modern methods of distribution
uaunol fail to disclose more clearly and
scttlo more firmly what is true. Btit
language which goes beyond discussion
aniHticitoa to civil crimes comes to bo nn
oflcuso accessory to the crime , and so
far n * moral right Is concerned may ; bo
prohibited , in order to prevent the crime
to which It lead < ! . The reasoning upon
which sueh n conclusion rests is thn same
as that which allows the law to prohibit
the carrying of concealed weapons.
There H but ono conceivable condition
on which the warfare of terrorism may
be defended by the moral code of liberty ,
and that i < ? when the organic law of the
country fails to provide for peaceful
revolution. I'nt this is not the i-aso in
the I'nlted States. Here the will of the
people when legally expressed becomes
the supreme law of the land ; and , when
it set of desperate men endeavor to ter
rorise n peaceful community Into
cowardly compliance with their wishes ,
they act in a manner for which no theory
of liberty makes provision. They place
themselves outside the law by refusing
lo carry on their agitation according to
the lawj ami the law Is
not ( o be blamed If it accepts
the sentence which such men pronounce
against themselves and treats them as
outlaws. Anil I cannot forbear saying
in this connection that the laboring men
are of nil citizens the most Interested In
maintaining this distinction. The solu
tion of the labor problem lies In a further
development of certain proprietary
rights which shall bo to the advantage of
the workmen ; but should these new
rights bo developed , they must rest for
their enforcement upon thn same foVm
of legal procedure with which wo nro
now familiar. It would bo suicidal for
working men to adopt the methods of
anarchists , for in so doing they would
destroy the only means of defending such
rights as they may acquire.
Giving , then , a definite answer to the
question lirst asked , wo may say : Free
discussion is essential to a society that
Seeks the enjoyment of the liberty and
consequently liiuls support In sound
reason ; but the doctrine of free discussion
does not contemplate such license to
press and speech as will endanger the
ncaco anil tranqnility of the community.
But have any new forces been introduced
Into our modern sooioty that call for a
modification of the rnlu ot liberty ? It is
milural that the factors that makp up
society should change , nnd that princi
ples should present themselves to suc
ceeding generations in slichtly modified
lights. iNliltou did not write for a people
of mixed education , nor did Mill contemplate -
template a rapid increase of tiio foreign
dement. It is a significant fact that of
the anarchists now lying under arrest in
Chicago , not ono is a native American.
It has been assumed that the United
States , with her boundless opportunities
for industrial development , could easily
absorb all immigrants and instruct them
in the ways of free institutions. For the
most part this expectation has been met.
but of late certain Poles , Bohemians , and
Hungarians ( many of whom , it must bo
said , were imported by labor-contract
ors ) , as well as some Germans who loft
their country for their country's good ,
have proven to bo a hard meal to digest.
They congregate in sections of our
crowded cities or work together in
mines ; tliev are slow to learn the English
language , and easily fall the prey of
designing men. A speech which all
Americans would laugh at rouses them to
frenzy , and because the arm of the
government is not over visible they are
quick to presume that nothing stands
between them and lawless intimidation.
The invention of dynamite also changes
somewhat the argument for freedom of
.speech. The significance of dynamite as
a means of enforcing convictions
consists in tills , that it may bo
employed with less danger of discovery
than a \ \ inehestcr rilio or a dirk ; and the
power of destruction which it places in
tlio hands of a single man far exceeds the
just weight of that man's opinion in shap
ing public sentiment. These arc fac's '
which load us to bo a little more severe
in guarding public discussion than might
otherwise be necessary.
Hut tiio most important question yet
remains. Assuming that anarchist
opinions , when expressed in such a
manner as to incite naturally to crime ,
can claim no protection from the doc
trine of liberty , would it bo wise for tlio
police authorities to enter upon a policy
ot repression ?
There are two reasons why such a pro
posal cannot moot with hearty approval.
The , .racticability of a measure cannot
bo fully determined by the immediate re
sults that may bo expected from it , but
its probable remote effects must likewise
bo taken into tiio account. It cannot bo
( lonied that public opinion fails to dis
tinguish clearly between the ends for
which working men are striving , which
in themselves nro perfectly legitimate ,
and may bo attained in a legitimate
manner , and the purposes of those men
whoso theory of agitation implies the
destruction of the law which guards
personal security. And there is great
danger that a policy of public surveillance
ance- established over the latter would bo
gradually extended in the former , and so
ultimately result in the curtailment of
such agitation as lies wholly within the
boundaries of liberty. This may bo a
remote contingency , out it suggests a
thought wortn considering. But , in the
second place , there is danger that n
policy of repression would strengthen
the hands of the anarchists themsulvcs.
It is because the poor have a just com
plaint against tlio existing order of society
that men who talk murder and riot am
able to gather u tolerant audience ; but
should the police authorities undertake
to suppress the speakers , there is reason
to fear that this bare tolerance would
warm Into genuine sympathy. As .Lord
Bacon truly remarks : "Tho punishing
of wits enhances tlioir authority , and a
forbidden writing is thought to bo a cer
tain spark of truth that Hies up in the
faces of them that seek to tread it out. "
Laborers as a class do not perceive any
more clearly than the public in general
the necessary antagonism between their
interests and tlio methods by which they
may bo the best served , and the pur
poses and methods ot anarchists. Hut
being conscious of bearing unusual
burdens , and having perhaps grown
morbid under this sense of wrong , they
stand ready to join htuuU with ail who
cry out that thu power of the Ktato is
turned against them. In my opinion an
industrial revolution must bo accom
plished before wo may hope for plenty
'
with peace , but the fate 'of Christian
society depends upon the manner in
which it shall bo accomplished' ' , No
greater misfortune could befall our civil
ization than the union of all the discon
tented classes under anarchist senti
ments ; nnd our safety ngalnst such a
calamity lies in holding clearly before the
minds of men the fact that the law itself
provides tor peaceful revolution , and
that a reign of terror is not only un
necessary but would bo disastrous to the
establishment of a now order of indus
trial society. The chief objection , there
fore , to the adoption of unusual methods
in dealing with the comparatively small
number of anarchists that exist Is , that
such methods would tend to obscure the
real point at issue in the great contro
versy now engaging public attention.
It Is never wise to sit for any consider
able length of tlmo on the safety valve ,
I would not , however , leave the Im
pression that the law should deal
Ilniontly with anarchists , as though their
opinions were tlioir misfortune , or the
casualties which follow their speeches an
accident. Whether sanu or bereft of
reason , when men mix dynamite with the
pyrotechnics of their oratory , society has
the right to take measures for self-pro-
toctlou. Hut this protection , as it ap
pears to mo , may be the best secured by
a rigorous enforcement of the Jaws now
upon our statute books , rather than by
HID enactment of now laws that shall en
deavor to define a now crime. Nothing
would play more directly into the bunds
of the.so ngitntors than the establishment
of some method of procedure , or .tho
adoption of ft policy of pohco super
vision , which iniiriil give color to the
claim that the ollenscs committed by
their followers are political offenses , The
truth Is. that anarchist rioters ar ordi
nary criminals and should bo dealt with
ns .Mich ,
The theory of criminal procedure is
not difficult to understand. It starts with
the assumjttlon that every man who
knows the law is free to obey it or not as
suits him best , but to Mils liberty there is
attached full responsibility for all acts
winch aflcel In any way other members
of society. That Is to say , nvcry man Is
Permitted to do ns ho pleases on con
dition of receiving the approval or eon-
snro of the law. Tnis arrangement is
regarded try English jurists as the most
practicable method of preventing
wrongs , for if men can only bo brought
to act under n keen sense of personal
responsibility It Is believed they will en
deavor to keep within their clear leg. l
riglds. It thus appears that personal
liberty and personal responsibility are
the counter forces which hold the units
of our nebulous society In their proper
spheres.
It is , however , by no means easy to
apply this theory. The Perfection of its
working depends upon tlio certainty and
swiftness with which jnstico Is executed.
But it is not always possible in case of
Incendiary publications or of speeches
followed by riot for the law to lay its
hand on the real principal in the oftense.
It is the action of mind on mind that
must bo traced , and the dilllculty of ap
plying tlio rule of responsibility arises
from the faot that such action leaves be
hind Itself no visible evidence. Still it
lies In the purpose of the law to over
come the difficulty thus suggested , and
to that end three stops are recogni/.ed in
the perpetration of a crime ; the intent ,
the plan , and the execution of tlio plan.
For ollenscs such as wo are now consider
ing , the basis of Intent is the opinions
which anarchists entertain. But our law
itoos not undertake to question individual
opinions ; for not only would such ques
tioning bo useless ns leading to no
practical measure forgrantiug protection
to society , but it would encroach upon
that somewhat vaguely defined territory
In which a man is bound to recognize no
responsibility except to himsolf. On the
other hand , it is impossible for men of
sane mind to oseapo rcsponsi bllity for
overt nets. But the wrong committed by
those who propagate the doctrines of
anarchy lies urtweon these two extremes.
It pertains to the crystallization of
opinion nnd to the formation of plans.
There are , however , two ways in which
the law may make its appearance on
this debatable ground between intent
and act. If several persons "combine to
carry into oiled a purpose hurtful to
some individual , or to particular classes
of the community , or to the public at
largo , " they arc individually suoject to
indictment as members of a conspiracy.
Or supposes some ollbnso to be committed
in the course of a riot ; provided only a
jury may be convinced upon reasonable
evidence that the perpetrator of the
crime was at tlio time acting under the
influence , or at the instigation of another
man , although tiio individual who com
mits the deed is hold to answer for his
act , the principal in the olfenso is not
permitted to escape. Tlio indictment in
such case would hold the conspirators or
instigators as 'accessories to the crime
prior to the fact , " and the punishment
allowed would vary with the degree ot
responsibility ,
Ono fools a natural disinclination to
recogni/.o that his investigation leads only
to negative results , but in the present in
stance it seems necessary to rest satisfieil
with such a conclusion. I cannot think
that tlio ovcnta which have lately oc
curred show that the iloetrino ot free
speech , which properly understood is the
doctrine of responsible speech , exposes
society to unnecessary dangers , or that
established criminal procedure is unable
to cope with such dangers as exist. At
least there is no modification of the sys
tem with which wo are familiar that does
not look toward the adoption of police
surveillance as practiced in continental
Europe. To say nothing of its inlluenco
on character , it is quite doubtful if
Americans would submit to the potty
annoyances necessary for rendering
police surveillance effective. A much
more pertinent suggcsthm is made by
Joroiny Bontham. In his "Principles of
Penal Law" there are mentioned twelve
"indirect moans of preventing the will to
commit offenses , " the most important of
them being "to diminish the uncertainty
of procedure and punishments. " This
proposition exposes the weakness of
criminal practice in the United States.
The oflicicney of our penal system , and
in consequence tlio security of all law-
abiding citizens , depend upon creating
in the breast of every inun a keen sense
of personal responsibility for all his
acts ; and this can only bo donn in case
each in fraction of the law is followed by
sure punishment. If , however , justice
frequently miscarries , men conu > to re
gard a criminal court as a sort of lottery
in which they may reasonably take their
chances. With \ \ hat reason may wo ex
pect that a law against bribery should
keep public officials In the course of
honesty , when the fact is , that until the
present year , the criminal proceeding * of
the state of Now York noyor recorded a
conviction for bribery.
But the offense of anarchists , which
consists in spreading terror in a peaceful
community , is ono with which our courts
have seldom boon called upon to deal.
And though the law itself is perfectly
clear , it may bo doubted if they who
commit the olfenso nro f nlly aware of the
degree of their responsibility. Most , of
them como from countries where police
surveillance is rigorously enforced , nnd
it is not surprising that they fad to un
derstand the Anglo-American doctrine of
freedom or speech , It is the duty of the
prosecuting attorney to leach them this
doctrine ; and this ho can do provided
only the court will give him a lair chance
to trace such crimes as are perpetrated
to the men who are in reality responsible
for them , Our system of liberties is not
endangered by the freedom granted to
press of speech , but by the prevalent
practice of criminal courts which so fre
quently defeats justice , and in consequence -
quonco weakens tlio sense of personal re
sponsibility. I have sometimes thought
it might bo well to allow indictment
agaiiiNt certain criminal lawcrs us "ac
cessories to crime after the fact. "
Ho Didn't niumo Tliom.
Merchant Traveller : The now baby
had proved itself the possessor of extra
ordinary vocal pownrs , nnd had exor
cised them much to Johnny's annoyance.
Ono day ho said to his inotner ;
"Ma , little brother came from heaven ,
didn't , ho ? "
"Yes , dour. "
Johnny was silent for some time , and
then ho wont on ;
"Say , ma. "
"What Is it , Johnny ? "
" 1 don't blame the angels for bouncing
him , do you ? "
What aVifo Hlioulit Know ,
Cleveland Plaindcalcr : 1 think that n
wife's opinion should always bo consulted
by her husband on important matters.
She should know all the ins and outs of
his business , if ho makes or if ho loses ,
thereby gauging her own and household
expenditures. If this were more the case
there would bo less disagreements in
families and fewer divorces. Lot them
begin right. A good wife can govern u
husband'hi almost everything if she has
tact and knows how to go about it with
out Ids knowledge. 1 have a husband ,
and know this is the true sec-rot of our
never having a disagreement , The wife
should have an allowance each week or
month , and all ever and above house ex
penses should bo hers iu every souse ot
the woid. .
GEN ' 'MEMOIRS
, FREUD'S ,
The Romance of the Pathfinder in Love , in
War , in Politics a'jid ' in Business ,
A ROBUST HISTORIC FIGURE.
A Pathfinder in Ivxtcusloti or Km pi re
ns Well ns In 1'olltlos.
Philadelphia Times : The announce
ment that General John C. Fremont is
engaged upon his autobiography , with
the assistance of liis jiccomplisliod wife ,
reminds their countrymen that oven this
noted couple have grown old , General
Fremont is in his sovonl.y-fourth year.
His wife li twelve years his junior , nl-
.though she was little more than half his
age at the time of their marriage. Both
show tlio marks of time in whitened liair ,
but the general is still litho and wiry as
of old , and Mrs. Fremont is a plump and
well-preserved matron , almost as viva
cious as when as a girl of llftonn tiio cap-
tlvntcd the young soldier-scholar who
dared to steal away the daughter of ' 'Old
Bullion. " Colonel llonton is ono of the
few robust figures that stand out boldly
in American legislative history. From
1820 to 1850 lie sat in the United States
senate , whcro ho was the peer in argu
ment , if not in oratory , of the brilliant
leaders of n brilliant era. It grieved the
sturdy western .statesman sorely Unit his
daughter should run nway with anil wed
a young teacher of mathematics and sur
veyor , who hail only two years before
been appointed a seeond lleillenant of
topographical engineers. That event oc
curred forty-live years ago , but Jessie
llonton Fremont's cnlliiulajin for her
husband has never abated , and now she
is determined that ho shall have a memo
rial of his career not loss enduring than
the "Thirty Tears' ' View" proved lor her
father's fume. The work is now passing
through the press anil will bo ready for
the public in ocptcmbor , when it will ap
pear in two largo octavo volumes. A
romantic record it must prove , for
whether engaged in exploration , brought
lorward as a leader in politics , invested
with command in war , or vainly striving
to succeed in business , General L'remont's
career was a romantic ono that has Inter
est alike in Us failures and its successes.
*
* *
It often happens , as in General Fre
mont's case , that it is the romance of n
lifo that lifts a career ordinary enough in
itself out of the regionsof commonplace ) .
From the moment that young Fremont
stole away old Honton's daughter ho was
sot apart as a here by h a admiring coun
trymen. Other mo si might have sought
and found an overland route to the Pa-
cijio , oyon at the time the far west was
still n mysterious wonderland , without
achieving any marked distinction , but
Fremont almost at the outset of his ex
plorations and cpnquests received from
Ills countrymen ( he signilicant title of
"The Pathfinder.1' ' ' ( The name was an in-
Hpiration and the events of a long lit'o
have jitstilicd it. ' 'He has been the path-
Under always , buflikto most of those who
go before ho left the fruits of his leader
ship to bo gatherwl | iv others. Ho led the
way to the PacilM , , fiver the peaks pud
through the canjqh.s.'of the Hooky moun
tains , out while to. him was granted the
glory of being "the pathfinder , " others
cair.c in for the nipr'a substantial rewards
of. the conquest ol.California , the discov
ery of gold on tliCjupper fork ot the Sac
ramento and the founding of new states
on the slone.s of the Sierras. It is to Fre
mont most of all that wo owe the acqui
sition of California. His only reward
was to bo madeiUnited States senator
from the now etatoi' ' but , drawing the
short term , ho sat in that august body
about half as many days as his distin
guished father-in-law had been years in
the senate. A more enduring monument
of his achievements resulted from his
ascent of the highest peak ot the Wind
River mountains in 1842 , which was
named in his honor , "Fremont's peak. "
*
* *
Active as Fremont's life had been and
great as were his services , his nomination
lor the presidency in 1800 , bv the newly
formed republican parly , was something
of a .surprise , lint that nomination was
in keeping with his destiny. Ho was to
bo the pathlindcr in polities , as ho had
been in the extension of empire. His
services , however , had made him a lit
loader for the now party. If his political
career had boon a brief one , it was be
cause of his early opposition to the ex
tension of slavery in California. That
opposition had cost him his re-election to
the senate and driven him out of poli
tics. Horn and educated in a slaveholding
ing state , allied bv family nnd personal
associations to slave-holding interests ,
his hostility to slavery was purely a mat
ter of conviction. Ho was still a com
paratively young man ami bad all the
ardor , impetuosity and independence of
youth. His character , Ins attainments
and his principles all united in arousing
the enthusiasm of the young republicans ,
who chose him as tlioir standard-bearer ,
and though ho failed of election , his can
didature paved the way to the subsequent ,
successes of the new party. History will
novcr overlook the tact that John Charles
l-'remont was "tho pathllnder" who led
the way to the destruction of slavery.
*
* #
Again , in the war for the union , ho was
the pathfinder who pointed the way to
emancipation. General Fremont was in
Paris ut the time of the capture of Fort
Sumter , but ho immediately sailed for
homo to take part in the struggle , arriv
ing at Boston Juno 27 , 1801 , Having been
appointed a major-general by President
Lincoln , he was assigned to the command'
of the western department on the Cth of
July and arrived at St. Louis on the 25th.
In a little ever a month after assuming
MH command to bo precise , on the ! 30th
of August in proclaiming martialjlaw In
Missouri , ho declared all slaves belonging
to rebels in arms free. Indeed , ho tol-
lowed up his proclamation by actually
freeing many of them , among them the
slaves of Thomas L. Snoad , the author of
n recent book entitled "Tho Fight for
Missouri. " Tho. formal deeds of manu
mission that ho isiiuod in freeing Snead's
slaves as historical- documents nro not
less interesting than the original drafts of
Provident Lincoln's proclamation of
emancipation , because ) in the matter of
emancipation it 'will1 thus bo seen that
Fremont was again , the pioneer the
pathfinder. UutTlio country was not .yet
prepared tor thii .liiovitablo , and President -
dent Lincoln revoked Ids decree , It was
perhaps this proclamation that prevented
General Fromont.from realizing a great
career In the wanforUho union. Huavas
too radical. As'\Vhif ' \ tier sings :
Thy error , I'ramont , ehnWy was to act
The Uruvo man's imrt Without tUo statesman's
tncl , . l
Anil , tiikliiBtouiisl'lbufor common erneo ,
Toatrlko ut i-uuso iv ) wytl ns COIISI > < IUCIH > U ,
Besides , Fremontindicated ) a purpose
to bo too vigoroustx , > suit other generals
nearer headquarters. With an army of ,
50,000 , men ho started forward to swoop
the Mississippi valley of rebels. "My
plan , " ho wrote to the government , "is
Now Orleans straight. 1 would prccipl
tate the war forward and end it soon vic
toriously. " It was not to bo. Detrac
tion's busv tongue bad already begun to
seek his dost ruction Men who wore
jealous of the success ho might win as n
soldier , and men who had been opposed
to him in the political campaign of livu
years before , became his accusers. They
sought and too readily obtained the ear
of poor old General bcott , and without
eood reason Scott removal Fremont from
Ids command , nnd not only blasted his
career , but destroyed his plan of cam
paign and turned luck 1m confident and
successful army disappointed and dis
heartened to rust In inactivity or rein
force the commands of his military ri
vals. In Ids autobiography it Is to bo
expected that General Fremont will toll
the whole story of his Missouri campaign.
*
The life story of apalhfimler must boone
ono of exposure , of hardships and toll ,
and all these go to make up General Fre
mont's romance. When , ns a youngster
of twenty-seven , ho was courting Jessie
Ucntoti , just blooming into womanhood ,
ho was suddenly hurried away to make a
survey of the Ues Moincs river. Proba
bly Colonel Benton had a hand in the
order. Fremont obeyed , of course , but
the survey was rapidly executed. It was
on his return that the lovers were secret
ly married. With them it was not to bo
love in a cottage , however , for it was in
the .summer of 1812 that he explored the
Wind Hivor mountains , making n report
to congress that attracted much atten
tion. The young wife was delighted and
oven the stern father was mollllied. In
1810 Fremont began n still more ambi
tions undertaking , exploring ( ho Great
Salt Lake valley nnd pushing as far
north ns Fort Vancouver , near the mouth
of the Columbia river. On his attempting
to return ho encountered snows that
threatened the destruction of his entire
pnrtv. Between him and California lav
a range of mountains which , the Indians
declared , no man could cross in winter ,
but ho undertook the passage without a
guide and reached Sutler's For I , on the
Sacramento , early In March , 1811. Hav
ing returned , after an nbsonco of four
teen months , ho made his reports , nnd In
the spring of 18J5 started on his third ex
pedition. It was on this occasion that he
canto in oonlhct with tlio Mexican au
thorities. The next year , 1811 ! , ho was
directed to watch the Interests of the
United States in California , fears being
entertained that the province might bo
transferred to Grout Britain. On tlioUh
of .July of that year ho was elected gov
ernor of California by the American set
tlors. In the conquest of thai province
ho co-operated with Commodore Stock
ton , and during the conllict of authority
between Stockton and General Kearney
he refused to obpy Kearney's ' orders , for
which he was tried by court martial at
Washington In 1848 , found guilty of mu
tiny , aniongotherolfenses , and sentenced
to bo-dismissed from the service. Presi
dent Polk refused to confirm Iho verdict
convicting him of mutiny , and .remitted
the penalty ns to the rest of the offenses.
It was a fatality with General Fremont
to bo tried by hostile courts and con
victed. After the close of the war for the
union General Fremont undertook to
build the Memphis & El Paso railroad
under a grant from the state of Texas ,
and bonds based on the Texas land grant
were sold by his agents in Paris. These
bonds were represented by the French
brokers as guaranteed by the United
Slates. This was a mistake of his agents ,
for which Fremont was in no way respon
sible , but rival railroad interests roprc-
bunted the matter in its worst light , and
the subject was investigated by the Pa
cific railroad committee of the senate and
considered by that body in the summer of
1870. Fremont's connections with the
transactions in Franco were fully justified
by the action of the senate. Senators
Sumncr , Trumbull , Cameron and Nye
took an active part in his defense. Pro
ceedings were nevertheless begun in the
French courts during his absence from
Franco and without any notice to him.
In 1873 hei was accused of fraud in con
nection witli the sale of tlio bonds in
Paris , tried as in continuation , because of
his absence , and sentenced to line and
imprisonment. As before , while it was
his fatality to be convicted , it was his
good fortune to escape punishment , his
presence in Franco being necessary to
give clfcct to the sentence of the court.
*
It is said General Fremont hopes , with
the money derived from tlio sale of his
book , to bo able to prosecute his claim
against tlio government for the properly
known as llluck Point , which it has occu
pied for military purposes since the days
of the Argonauts. The general has long
vainly sought to recover this property ,
but ho was more successful with tlio Mariposa -
iposa estate , a largo tract of land which
lie bought in 1857. His title was con
tested by the state , but finally in 1835 the
supreme court of the Unitcil States de
cided in his favor. In spite of the acqui
sition of property in California and his
determination to make that state his
homo , General Fremont never really be
came a California ! ! . In 1853 ho was in
Paris. In 18"i5 ho was living in Now York
with his family. In 1800-1 ho was again
in Paris. Within thol ast few years ho
was accustomed to make Now York his
home in winter and to spend hissummcrs
> at Mount Desert. Now , however , ho oc
cupies a cosy house in Washington ,
where , with Ins wife , he is hard nt work
upon the biography which is to relate the
story of a career singularly interesting ,
unusually successful , nnd yet marked by
failure and disappointment.
SMITH'S SALOON.
AVIiy n PltiHlnirg Mu.ii "VVcnt Out of
the Ijlqiior liiiHincss.
Pittsburg Dispatch : "I hear that
Smith has sold out his saloon , " said one.
of a couple of middlo-ageil men , who sat
sipping their boor and eating a bit of
cheese in a Smlthficld street saloon last
Friday night' .
"Yes , " responded the other , rather
slowly.
"What was the reason ? I thought ho
was just coining money there. "
The other nibbled a cracker abstract
edly for a moment and tnonsald : "It's
rumor a funny story. Smith , you know ,
liyos on Mount Washington , right near
me , wharo ho has an excellent wife , a
nice home and three as pretty children as
ever played out doors. All boys , you
know , the oldest not ever nine , and all
about the same si/e. Smith is a pretty
respectable sort of a citizen , novcr drinks
or gambles , and thinks the world of Ins
family.
"Will , ho went homo ono afternoon
last week , and found his wifa out
shopping or something of that sort. Ho
wont on through the house Into tlio back
yard , nnd there , under an apple tree ,
were the little follows playing , They
had n bench nnd some bottles and tumb
le rs and wore playing 'keep saloon.1 Ho
noticed that they were drinking some ,
thing out of pail , and that they acted
tipsy. The youngest , who was behind
the bar , hail a towel tlod around his
waist , and was setting the drinks up
pretty free , Smith walked ever and
looked in the pall , It was boor , and two
of the boys wore so drunk that they stag-
gored. A neighbor's ' boy , a couple of
years older , lay asleep behind tlio treo.
" 'My God , boys , you must not drink
that , ' ho said , as ho lifted the six-year-
old from behind the bench.
"Wo's phiyln' s'loon , papa , an1 I was
a sellm' U just like yon'said the little
follow. Smith poured out the boor , car
ried the drunken boy homo and then took
Ids own boys in and put thorn to bed ,
Whan his wife came back she found Him
crying like a child. Ho came back down
town that night nnd sold out his business
and says he will never sell or drink
another drop of liquor. Ills wife told
mine about it , and she broke down cry-
ng while she told it , "
This is a true story , but the name was
not Smith.
It Is said that Maurice Stiukosch has ills-
coveied another nljflitliijHdc. This out' , like
JIme , ChrlHtlno NuWn , In a Swede , Her
name is Mile , Slgrld Ariiohlsun. .Sho is ( .till
In her teens , and is remarkable both for her
beauty and n suncib soprano voice. It is
now fully thirty years slnco Mr. Strakosch
discovered the gieate&t ot all feonu birds in
Ills voting sister-in-law , AUpllua 1'attl , bat
long as is her reign , and great as has been
the lllirht of time since his tlrst marvelous
discovery , he Is still unwearied lu the search
for greai singer * .
SHORT ANIMAL STORIES ,
From the Phoonixvlllo Star ; Engineer
Jacob Hoopes and some of the employes
of the P. S. V. H. K. wont to Frazer on
Sunday for a load of stock , nnd on their
return they noticed n large chicken hawk
sailing away with a pigeon In its talons.
Just then the engineer cave a loud blast
of the whistle of the engine for a road
crossing , which evidently scared the
hawk , ns it lot loose from Us prey and tlio
pigeon sailed away in ono direction nnd
the V awk in another.
A ; < tngo driver and two tourists , while
near Yellowstone lake , claim to have
seen tin enormous reptile which , while
running through the grass , carried its
head ton to fifteen foot above ground.
They think it must have been at least
thirty feet long. A partv wa organized
to pursue the reptilo. Col. Wear , super
intendent of the park , and his assistant ,
Captain Barronette , while near the eave
of an oxtinot geyser In the vicinity of the
lake , hoard a hissing and saw the head
of the reptile thrust out some fifteen foot
nnd immediately withdrawn. Parties
are watching for another sight of the
monster.
Myriads of small frogs were deposited
in various parts of California last week
during n severe rain storm ,
Two horned toads were received at the
Minneapolis postollico. They were in n
paper box and were on tlioir way to Fair-
baull , Minn. As live animals are classed
with unmailablo matter , the package was
withdrawn from the mails.
Murphysboro dispatch to the St Louis
Globo-Domoorati The Big Mudtiy river
is nt a very low stage now , nnd fish arc
confined to deep holes , being unable to
pass the shallow places. Either low
water or its being the spawning snuson
lias made the fish sluggish. A few days
ago two young sons of Mr. Reynolds
were swimming , when Marshall Reyn
olds , who is about 12 years old and
weighs about thirty-live pounds , felt a
large fish strike him. Ho jumped on its
back and hold on whllo the lish carried
him thirty-live- forty yards. The boys
then called for assistance , nnd the tlsh
was scoured with n gig. It was a catfish
weighing fifty-one pounds , ana v.-as
brought to Murphysboro and sold.
West Chester Local News : Wo have
hoard of hawks eating chickens , but wo
do not remember having heard before of
a chicken eating a hawk. The story
comes to ns in the following shape : Evan
Atkins , West Brandywino township ,
found a hawk's nest and brought ono of
the young hawks homo. After exhibiting
it to his family and neighbors ho killed
the bird , which was not yet fledged , and
throw it out. Shortly afterward ho
found ono of his chickens chocking , and
going to its relief was surprised to lind
that it had been trying to swallow ono leg
of the hawk. The thigh and lower part
of the limb hail passed into tlio gullet of
the chicken , but the sharp claw mid cut
through the ambitious young rooster's
gills. lie succeeded in relieving the
cliickou and drawing the leg of the hawk
from its mouth , otherwise tlio chicken
would have soon died. Once relieved it
was all right again in a few minutes.
Representative Ilisoock has a family
of eats domesticated under his hotel
window at Washington , and much en
joys watching the mother drive awav tlio
stray dogs that now and then intrude.
A largo Newfoundland dog belonging
to ex-Alderman Love , of Port Huron ,
Mich. , saw ono of its owner's children
fall into the water. The dog sprang
after it and rescued it from drowning.
A young woman of Potstown , the
other day , found a cent of the date of
1881 in the yolk of a hen's ' egg that she
had broken for cooking purposes. Tlio
"
date of the egg was not"given.
A two-foot alligator and two big artifi
cial swans are in a fountain basin in
Macon , Ga. The other day it was noticed
that the alligator was not to bo soon and
that one of tlio swans seemed to be an
chored close to the fountain. Investiga
tion showed that some boys had tied the
alligator to the swan to sec him drag it
around the basin , and that the 'gator had
wound himself up around the fountain
and could not conic to the surface , and
not only that , but had wound the string
tightly around his mouth. When rcloasut
ho showed great pleasure , opening his
jaws to their full extent , lashing the
water with his tail and barking like a
dog.
Sacramento Record-Union : Frank Fos
ter , son of Captain Albert Foster , of this
city , recently came across the nest of a
mink at a place above Colusn , where a
barge was being loaded , and found in it
two of Mrs. Mink's children , quoor-look-
ing little fellows , s.o young that their eyes
wore not yet open. They were brought
to the captain's residence , and are thriv
ing linoly nnd wocm full of play. At lirst
they were fed witli a bottle , but since
their eyes opened they help themselves to
their milk , and like meat. The captain's
Jittlo spaniel , 'now quite advanced in
years for a canine , took u great fancy to
the little strangers from the first , watched
ever and slept with them , and is full of
light if a cat attempts to go near them.
A remarkable Maltese cat is to bo
found in Toronto. While sitting sunning
itself the other day , all unconscious of
game near by , a largo rat that had boon
watching it stealthily from under an ad
jacent shed suddenly darted out across
a narrow passageway about six foot from
puss' nose , and through a friendly knothole -
hole in the fence. At a glance the cat
took in the situation. With ono bound
shu topped the fence , some live foot high ,
and with the second she lit upon and
caught Mr. Rodent just as ho emerged
through the knot-hole on the other side.
The owner submits that it was tlio smart
est feat that or any other cat ever accom
plished.
While Robbins1 circus was on the way
from Manor to Sag Harbor , Long Island ,
via the Long Island railroad , a largo ele
phant In a cur with two camels attticked
the latter , killing them both , The keeper ,
who attempted to quiet the elophunt , was
driven from the car. narrowly escaping
with his life. The noise made by the ele
phant excited the lions and tigers to such
an extent that they attempted to break
out of their cages , and a terrible uproar
prevailed for some time ,
TALK AHOUT TUKTI.KS.
A turtle throe foot in longih was caught
at Half-Moon lake , Wisconsin.
Dublin ( Ga. ) Gazette : Master Hugh
Moore nnd a negro boy last 'IncsUay
morning heard the squalling of a chicken ,
which .seemed to proceed from the branch
lust below Stubb's mill in this town.
They proceeded to the spot from whence
the soiinil Issued , and were surprised to
sou just the head and neck of a half-
grown chicken protruding from the mud ,
An examination was made , which pro
duced the disclosure that the foot of the
chicken was firmly fastened within tlio
jaws of a huge turtle , measuring fifteen
inches across the back , A compromise
was effected , which gave the chicken to
the negro anil the turtle to Hugh , which
ho now has , alive and active as ever. It
is suppossed that the chicken had walked
across the mud where the turtle had
buried himself , and his tiirtlcshlp took
this opportunity of obtaining u dainty
meal.
A turtle of the species popularly known
as "rubber turtlo" in southern latitudes ,
where Its homo is , was captured oil' the
Massachusetts coast recently. It was
twelve feet long , and when It was landed
n tent was erected over it and a big busi
ness done ,
SS'AKi : hTOKir.3.
Snakes that wit poisonous snakes by
choice always catch them by the no o. s > o
they cannot open their months. Then
they swallow them , nose and head first ,
nnd the roptllo never has a chance to
bite. King snakes , the black snakes with
white marks , do that way. There U an
other snftko , of n dull load color , in th ,
West Indies , that docs the samo-wivy.
A snake measuring seven and a half
feet In length nnd nine Inclios In circinn *
foronco was' recently killed in Monroe
county. West Virginia , by n nino-ycar-
old girl.
Orange City ( Fla. ) Times : Whllo Judge
A. M. liniloy turn Captain FraiiK P. Craln
were returning Thursday evening from
DoLnnd , they came upon , about ( wo
miles north of Orange Citv , two Immense
snakes In the road in deadly combat.
They had tlioir teeth buried Into each
other's necks , nnd were npparenlly intho
last agonies of death. Hoth snakes woto
killed , nnd proved to bo a rattler nnd n
high-land moecasln , the former six and
the latter seven feet in length.
Franklin Roposltoryt In answer to a
correspondent who asks ; "Will yon in
form mo if there is a snake called a hoop
snake ? If there Is such , what Is IU man
ner of locomotion after it has assumed
the shape of a hoop ? How does it man-
ngo to propel itself forward , supposing
the snake to b on lovcl ground ? " The
Philadelphia Nows' seioutFlio editor says
there is no such thing. If the aforesaid
scientist should attempt to make Frank
lln county people believe that ho would
soon get weary. . Ho is right , however.
I here is no sueli rcptllo known to stu
dents of natural history.
Atlanta Constitution ! Dr. J. W. Hrad-
lov killed n rattlesnake last Wednesday
afternoon that measured ciuht Inchon
around and four feet long , lie had eight
rattles. The doctor said ho had to fight a
long battle before ho could conquer Ins
Biiakcslup. Ho nays that ho saw another
track across the road that would measure
at the very least seven inches. This was
some time ago.
Hagerstown ( Md. ) Glebe : A moun \
taineer , who was in town selling whortleberries -
berries , said that , taking into account the
risk ho and others ran In picking the
berries , ho should have $1 per quart. The
risk will bo bettor nnderslooa when U is
learned that ho has already killed eigh
teen copperheads and three rattlesnakes.
And for this ho had trouble to cot sis
cents a quart for his berries.
" \Vnfjo Scnloorcivlllzntlon.
When the dally wage ther
mometer gets ii ] > hero it must
either overflow into private
business or co-operation ,
1.00- Fools pleasant. Owns bin
place in the suburbs , frco and
clear. Takes several papers
and monthly magazines. Has
shorter hours and talks of go
ing into business for himself.
$3.50- Owns his little place , hut
trying to lift the mortgage- ,
with good prospects. Is hap
py , and sometimes contented ,
lla.s his little ollico and library /
ry , and tries to have his boys
go to college. Is generally
iked. Comfort.
? 3.00- Is independent and imbued
with American ideas. Has a
small library , and wants his
- hildron to have a good cdnca-
.lon. Takes the newspaper
regularly and believes in get-
ing n homo of his own.
$2.50- Not afraid to get married.
Sends children to school. Uuyrf
i newspaper protly often ,
j'airly well posted and has 0110
or two books.
$2 .pa Poor , but honest and hard
working , nnd makes a gallant
ight for his family.
st.oo A bite and a sup and a
ilaco to lay the head. Goner-
illy lots of children.-
$1.00 Contractors' wages. Liv- '
ng in gangs. No homos. '
50c Misery and vice. Pauper I
tihor , '
Freezing point. . Chinese-
nbor.
Glued to Their Powa.
Great must have been the delight of
the organist of a parish church near Liv
erpool , England , recently , who during
the rendering of a particularly happy im
provisation , looked about and behold the
congregation still coated , seemingly awe
struck with astonishment , and great must
have been his disappointment when thu
actual reason was discovered to uc a
really painful one , calculated lo nut his
listeners in. a contiition of displeasure
under any circumstances.
It scorns that the church had lately
been undergoing repairs. Among other
Improvements n now coat of paint was
placed on the pews , followed by a coatof
varnish. Thoresnltwasmo.it pleasing to
tlio eye , but unfortunately lluf varnish
had been applied so late in the week that
it had not time to boeoino hard hoforo
Sunday , when the congregation flocked
tolhcirscals. No apparent Inconvenioncn
was siilfered until the clergyman was
about to deliver the benediction , when
the congregation were horrified to find
that they were unable to stand up they
were , in fact , glued , or rather varnished ;
to tlioir seats. Their spasmodic efforts
to rise were most distressing to witness.
In vain did the clergyman exhort them
from the pulpit to resignation. They were
seized with a kind of panic , all the more
frightful because they were for the mo
ment powerless , At last , by what seemed
to bo a simultaneous and herculean jerk ,
they managed to tear.themselves from
their sittings ; but at what a wienlicu !
The paws were literally covered with
Sunday apparel. Shreds of will ; , lawns ,
calicoes , broadcloth and cassimarcs wore
left ns souvenirs of the tenacity of var
nish used in beautifying that church , and
the hapless congregation , rushing from
the doors , hurried homeward with an ex
pression on their faces as though their
lioarts were oven more sayoroly rent than
their garments.
Jll > H In tlio Hen.
Philadelphia'limes : French maids at
the seaside hotels , as a rule , out on an old
skirt , without stockings , anil go trooping
into the ocean about dusk.
The Baltimore bounty plunges boldly
in and is generally soon head under water
witli symmetrical incarnadine hosiery
waving high above the waters blue.
The Now Jersey girl is timid and usn-
illy requires a pair of stout arms to hold
icr. It thnre Is no gallant on hand to
.oss bur through the breakers , she hugs
the ropo.
The Virginia girls at Old Point and
Capo May swim and tumble like ilol-
iliins , and love to swim out to the life-
) oat , and clambering into it take a long
live , coming up close to slioro.
The fashionable Philadelphia irlrl la
very particular to have Homehody "nico"
go In with her , nnd is usually so lOccluslva
.hut she won't even bathe in the same
ocean with any ono not of her sot.
The Boston hello prefers to take her
ablutions in private , but her favorite
wrinkle at Narrugansott is lo lie at the
edge of the surf , and when it wets her on
ono side , then roll ever und got wet on
the other ,
The nice Presbyterian girls nt Spring
Lake like to have somebody "flout" them ,
and , held up by the tmtliing-inustor or
eonio stout , inlddlo-iigcd deacon , will Ho
rigidly on top of the waves , with their
little noses and toes out of the water , fo
a quarter of an hour.