Houston Daily Mercury (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 103, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 1874 Page: 2 of 4
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MERCURY
■ar '■ ■. , —
TdV. OSLV IX11EPESDENT PAPF.K
i 1st *fr i£1 ixl -a- & .
Fsssessteg th« j-argest llrcnUtloa
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*• *>f ■ s* - >* v''i i
men of any paper in
the state.
ADVERTISING RATER:
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Our friwdi will im tbemae'.Toi and its
■aoyanoe by beerin* in rolnd that
WR Hi-TK HO OTHER BATES
TO THE PHE-iS OP TEXAS.
Those newspapers using patent
oatsides or insides can have them
supplied in size and quantities to
suit, with the latest State, Isa
tional and General Neidfc. If
they desire politics as a part 01
the .reading matter, strict ob-
servance will be paid to their
peculiar political belief. Terms
reasonable and prices low. Send
orders at once to
The Mercury,
Houston.
THURSDAY, - - - - - JMf 8. 1874
THIS TRUE POLICY.
After a careful investigation
of the subject, we have arrived
at the conclusion that the Appor-
tionment Bill, passed by the Thir-
teenth Legislature, does not
affect the stafcas of members of
that body. The. text does not
stale that it shall go into effect
immediately after its passage,
and .though new counties have
been ereated, and old ones con-
solidated and otherwise changed,
the argument that the legislator
would not know, where these
changes have been made, which
(kmatitnency he represented, fs
weak and of no force.
This being conceded, the true
policy then is for Governor Davis
to convene the Thirteenth Legis-
lature. When they meet it is an
easy matter for them to pass a
constitutional election law with-
out flaw. The law recently de-
clared unconstitutional was hasti-
ly drafted and hurried through the
various stages of legislation as a
party measure, in the early part
of the last session. It was re-
garded as a party measure, and
Me all measures o£ a partizan
character, was ill digested, crude
and—unconstitutional! Some of
the able jurists in that body did
not even read it prior to its pas-
Uow, being independent journ-
alists, who have no interest out-
side of the welfare of the State,
we think the reflective minds of
our community will agree with
us, that an upright) straightfor-
ward and manly course, will best
conduce to the public peace and
prosperity. The Republicans
can gain no undue advantage by
•uch a course, unless the contin-
uance in office for a brief period
of the present incumbents bp
so considered. The Legisla-
ture, being overwhelmingly
Democratic, can pass any elec-
tion law they may see fit to
trame, while the voice of the State,
expressed so unanimously for
their candidates at the
late election, will again
utter the same sound. Henry
Clay said "he would rather be
right than be President!" Coke
and Hubbard, as conservators of
the "peace, have no desire to
forcibly assert doubtful rights.
They will again meet their large
constituency* popularized by
their forbearance, and thus furn-
ish convincing evidence of the
truth of their conservative and
law-abiding professions. An ex-
ample ot this sort will exercise
an influence over the people
which will outlive the present
ag&ors, and make Texas one of
the most popular as she is one of
the richest States in the Union.
It is irrelevant now to remind
the people that we cautioned
them against Wm. Ji. Baker's
wholesale importation of voters
by the Texas Central into this
county; though we are convinced
that his Mexican friend Rodri-
guez, whose dual voting was the
immediate cause of the law be-
ing declared unconstitutional,
was only one of many who fraudu-
lently voted tor him. We did
not, however, expect the trouble
to come in this way. It may be
truthfully asserted, that the un-
constitutionality of the law would
ultimately have been detected,
and that much personal suffering
and pecuniary loss have been
avoided by its being established
before the newly elected officers
took their seats.
The State is now in a state of
tremulous excitement. Fanatics
and fools may counsel violence.
We believe in peace. As good
citizens we accept the law as in-
terpreted by the Supreme Court,
and though we desire to see Coke
Governor, and Davis defeated,
we an not so impatient a« to
urge the people to resort to vio-
lence to bring about the consum-
mation of our desires. Weloveour
State and count ry too well to see
them clash. With us the war is
over. There is room for mil-
lions of Northern, Eastern,
and Western people in this
State, with homes for all.
Their political and religious
feelings will not be interfered
with. Whether they come with
carpetbags carried, in horny
hands or with yellow metal in
their pockets, they are welcome.
We want their muscle and their
wealth. Immigration will not
come if we are internally warring.
We repeat our advice, the true
policy is to settle our local
differences without outside inter-
vention 5 and the only wjty this
can be done is by keeping within
the pale of written law, adhering
to the Constitution, and proceed-
ing in an orderly and legitimate
manner.
IIPK 15 MEXICO.
How is it we do. not hear of
any fighting in Matamoras ! We
expected to hear of lively times
in heroic Matamoras on the 1st,
when the newly clected Mayor
was to take his seat, and have
been awaiting anxiously to re-
ceive the glorious intelligence
that Juan Cortinas had gotten a
bullet through his brutal heart.
Juan Trevino Canales, the old
Mayor, must have backed down,
for Juan Cortinas will fight as?
well as steal. • *fj •
It is strange too that a Ca-
nales would quail, for the Ca-
nales blood is game. He must
have^ been unable to get forces
to back him. Is old Caravajal
dead,that we don't hear of him in
these latter days! He was a
mighty man in the day* of the
Bojos and the Crinolinos, when
he besieged Matamoras for
weeks and weeks, fighting only
at night, manufacturing during
the day the powder he used at
night in bombarding. Gemini,
how the yellow wretches yelled,
rang the city bells and fired
their escopetas "from dewy eve
till early morn P
It was John Bandolph, of
Boanoke, we believe, who said
Mexico was "a blanketed na-
tion of thieves and harlots."
We do not know about the lat-
ter part of the charge, bnt if the
country can't turn out some as
lively specimens of the cow and
horse thief as the sun ever shone
on, then we haven't been in
T^xas thirty years. With all
their restlessness and internal
dissensions they are a happy
and contented people. Sandeas
in the summeij time, chili con
came and a few frijolas in the
winter time, is all they want to
eat; and when they get tamalas
and peloncilla they are feasting
like lords. A ragged looking
pony, a pair of big jingling
spurs, a thirty foot rope, a bun-
dle of shucks, and some leaf
tobacco, a broad-brimmed hat,
with a &nake ou it, and a red
sash, is big enough fortune for
any Bio Grande frontier greaser.
They must be a happy people!
What do they care whether their
Supreme Court decides the laws
constitutional or unconstitu-
tional? It is only the by-laws
they care for, and every man who
can raise two hundred followers,
makes his own by-laws, besieges
a town, levies a contribution to
pay his troops, lives on Texas
beef, frolics with the black-eyed,
black-haired maidens—the most
beauteoys women of earth, with
hearts as warm and true as ever
gladdened the soul of man—ere.
ates a sensation, makes himself
a name in his country's fame,
and dies some day, "shot
to death with musquetry," by
order of some rival chieftain
into whose hands he has fallen.
Ah, it is glorious; it is exhil-
arating ; it is carrying out to the
full letter and spirit the old
motto, dum vivimus vivamus.
Oh, the breezes of that favored
land, o'erladen with the sweet
breath of ten thousand flowers;
its limpid, plashing waters, its
ever blue skies, its mountains
high, its wooded steeps and far
spreading plains, its gladsome,
light-hearted maidens, whose
glances are joy, and whose smiles
are heaven; love lingers and
lurks in the meshes of their hair,
in the dimples of their cheeks,
and they know naught but love!
There aren't any man who wants
to get up a colony to go there, is
there f
Adjutant-General. — Col.
John T. Whitfield, is an appli-
cant for the position of Adjutant
General of the State nnder the
new administration.
The editor of the Age met Colo-
nel Whitfield at Newman, Geor-
gia, in the days of peace and at
a time when the nerves of men
were put to the test. Will he
make a good Adjutant-G«fMil ?
Charles Bemis, a descendant of
one of the original settlers of Wal-
tham, Mass., and for more than
twenty years the .President of
the Waltham bank, died on the
2d inst.
BY TELEGRAPH
CONG
iSIOJMI..
House.
Washington, Jan. 7.—Butler
continues his speech. It mainly
consists of a resume of his ex-
ploits during the war.
Stevenson gave notice that
when the Louisiana case would
be taken up he would move to
refer the whole matter back to
the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, with the authority to
take proof as to the validity of
the election.
Butler moved to recommit his
bill. His apology to the House
was that he wished to prune it of
the absurd amendments over
which the house could vote two
or three days.
A resolution was adopted call-
ing for the names of paymasters
of the late war whose accounts
are unsettled.
Crutchford, of Illinois, asked
leave to offer an amendment to
the supplementary civil rights
bill, providing a penalty against
any woman who refuses an offer
of marriage on account o/ race,
color or previous condition of
servitude. (Laughter.)
Butler, of Massachusetts, ob-
jected. In the course of his
speech, Butler said that if he
might be allowed to speak for
the Republican party, he would
embody the doctrine in a sen-
tence, not that all men were
equal, but that every man had a
light to be the equal of every
other man if he could. All con-
stitutions, all laws, all enact-
ments, all prejudice, all caste,
all custom, all thought against
that, in contraventiou of that,
were nnjURt, wicked, unchristian
and certainly must be brought
to naught. The bill only re-
moved all impediments to every
man to be the equal of every
other man, if God had given
him the power to be the equal.
Monroe, of Ohio, from the
Committee on Education, on the
biWoffered yesterday by Sypher,
of Loaisiana, directing army ra-
tions to be issued for the relief of
the starving poor in the South-
ern States, said the committee
had talked over the matter fully
and freely, and the result arrived
at was the committee didn't re-
gard it as the proper sphere of
Congress "to enter on a general
system of providing for pauper-
ism in the States. If this prece-
dent were established it would
soon be found that Congress had
entered on the whole business of
taking charge of pauperism gen-
erally throughout the States.
The report was adopted and the
committee discharged from fur-
ther consideration of the subject.
The McEnrey Legislature
through a committee have tele-
graphed to the presiding officer
ot the Senate and House at great
length. The communication is
in the form of a petition for re-
lief and recognition. The dis-
patch is signedby Messrs. Booth,
Worral, Lobdell, Foster and
Searcher.
Senate.
Morton gave notice that when
the salary bill is disposed of he
will ask the Senate to take up
and dispose of the Louisiana case.
Sumner presented a petition
of 35,000 citizens of Ohio, against
the proposed theological amend-
ment to the Constitution.
The tedious debate over the
salary bill was exhausted to-
day.
There was no Executive ses-
sion to-day. *
Expulsion of Nuns.
Geneva, Jan.7,—The Catho-
lics of Switzerland, sent a protest
to the government against the
expulsion from the country of
nuns.
Robbers Foiled.
Boston, Jan. t.—Four masked
men overpowered, bound and
gagged a patrol watch between
Abingden National bank, and
the tack factory of Abingden last
night, and started for the bank,
a half mile distant from the scene.
The watchman managing to free
himself, gave the alarm, and the
ruffians fled.
Prnwlan Archbishop StUl Firm.
London, Jan. 7.—A special
from Berlin to the Times says
the imprisonment of Archbishop
Ludoviski is threatened; all
his furniture has been distrained,
and he still refused to pay the
fines imposed by the courts.
Spanish News.
A telegram from Cartagena
says it is reported on good au-
thority, that the burning of the
man-of-war Letuan, was inten-
tional,- and that the Numencia
and Mendez Nunez were to have
been destroyed at the same time,
but the plan was discovered and
they were saved.
A Madrid dispatch to Vau-
dard reports two hundred per-
sons killed and wounded in the
disturbance in Sargossa and Val-
ladalia, before it was suppressed.
The Government intends to send
100 additional men as reserves.
Fanta Ft.
Santa Fe, Jan. 7.—Border
disturbances are increasing.
Particulars of the Storm.
Philadelphia, Jan. 7.—The
severe storm and sleet which pre-
vailed west of Pittsburg, has
prostrated all the telegraph
wires, cutting off communication
with Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleve-
land, Columbus, Indianapolis
and St. Louis.
Pittsburg, Jan. 7.—It is re-
ported that the telegraph lines
are broken in mauy places.
Action of the New York Bar.
At a special meeting the Bar
Association passed resolutions
deploring the nomination and
objecting to Williams; they also
voted down the resolutions fa-
voring unconditional repeal of the
bankrupt law.
Cholera StiU Raging.
Penang, Jan. 7.—Cholera and
other diseases prevail to a fear-
ful extent in the Dutch Camp in
Acheen. Native allies are the
greatest sufferers.
Women Suffrage.
Concord, N. H., Jan. 7—
At the Republican State Con-
vention, Jas. F. Bright, in a
speech gave his opinion in favor
of women suffrage.
Massachusetts Legislature.
Boston, Jan. 7.—The legisla-
ture organized with the old
officers.
Probable Suicide.
Mrs. Adeline Badger, prin-
cipal of a large private school,
and member elect of the Boston
School Committee, is missing.
It is believed she has suicided,
Washington Dots.
Gen. Ames, with family, leave
Washington for Jackson to-night
to take charge of the gubernato-
rial chair and mansion. Mrs.
Gen. Ames is a daughter of Gen.
B.F. Butler.
No executive business to-day
affecting the South except the
theft of about $11,000 worth of
drafts for refunded taxes, mostly
belonging to people of that sec-
tiou. These drafts were in a tin
box in the refunding division of
the Internal Revenue Depart-
ment.
A supplemental report to the
House from the Secretary of War
shows that the Freedman's Bu-
reau swindle was carried on by
false reports of money deposited
in the U. S. Depository and of
amounts covered in the Treasury.
Death'of a. Captain at Sea.
Providence, Jan. 7.—Ar-
rived at Tarpaulin Dove yester-
day, the schooner John Balch>
from Wilmington, North Caro-
lina, with her Captain who died
on the passage.
"Weather Probabilities
For the Gulf States, partly
cloudy or clear weather, with
rising temperature and light, va-
riable wind. For Tennessee and
the Ohio Yalley, light snow and
rain.
Compounding -with Distillers.
Washington, Jan. 7.—Dis-
trict Attorney Farrow, of Geor-
gia, with the endorsement of all
the representative men from
that State, cognizant of the facts
has been secured, and the ac-
ceptance by the Commissioners
of Internal Revenue of the prop-
osition of ex-Representative
Price,in the matter of illicit distil -
lers in north Georgia. The prop-
osition involves the liberal set-
tlement and approximation to
a general amnesty for the past
irregularities, and looks to the
pardon ofAhese in prison. The
latter class, however, depends
upon the Executive clemency.
There are about thirty-five in
jail, and over three hundred
cases unadjusted. There are also
about 300 distillers against whom
no proceedings have been insti-
tuted, and who desire to avail
themselves of the settlement
proposed.
,Now Tork Customhouse.
New York, Jan. 7.—Customs'
receipts to-day, $124,000. The
Sub-Treasury paid to-day $7,-
700,00 gold for interest, and for
called bonds $225,000.
TH8 YIRMIJiH S.
Mp*sage from President Grant <<n the
Virgin us Affair.
MARKETS BY TELEGRAPH
BVENiNG.
New Orleans, Jan. 7.—
Cotton in beter deifiand. Sales
9600 bales; all descriptions stiffen
medium and low grade eaiy.
Good Ordinary to strict Good Or-
dinary 13|®14Jc. Low Middling
to strict Ik>w Middling 15®15|.
Middling to strict Middling
16J®16gc. Good Middling 17^®
1.7$c. Receipts, gross, 72,95 bales.
Exports, Great Britain, 3391
bales; Continent, 108,73 bales;
coastwise, 2182 bales. Stock oh
260,836 bales. Unsold, 146,500
b(ll63
Monetary — Gold 110^111.
New York sight,\ discount. Ster-
ling, bank, 5,35.
Groceries — Flour quiet; XX,
$6 25; XXX, $6 50®7 09;
Family $7 50®9 00. Corn, good
demand and firmer, at 73®75c.
Oats, higher at 59®60c. Bran
quiet at Si. Hay firm; prime $22;
choice, $24. Pork firmer at
$15 50. Dry salt meats firm
at 6f, 8|®8fc. Bacon firmer at
8, 9§®9fc. New hams, jobbing,
12i®13J. Lard, light supply
and in fair demand; tierce, 8^®
SJc; keg, 9£®9§c. Sugar dull;
inferior, 4®4£c; common, 5®6e;
fair to fully fair, G£®7£c; prime
to choice, 7|®8£c. Molasses,
suppliy light and quality poor;
inferior, 40c; prime, 65c; strict-
ly prime, 67c. Whisky, Louisi-
ana, 98c; no Cincinnati. Coffee
quiet; ordinary to prime, 21|®
27c. Carn meal firm at 3Jc per
pound.
Liverpool, Jan. 7—5 p. m.
Cotton, sales of upland but noth-
ing below good ordinary was
shipped. January and Febru-
ary, 8 l-13d. Corn, 38d. Lard,
41£®42d for new Cumberland
lard per cwt.; 39d for new short
middle.
New York, Jan. 7. — Cotton
—net receipts 445 bales; gross
667 bales. Futures closed
firm; Sales, 164 bales, as follows:
January 15£®15 9-16 ; Febru-
ary, 16®16£; March, 16 9-16®
16 19 32; April, 16®16 31-32;
May, 17|®17 7-16; June, 17|.
Cotton steady at 16£®16§c.
We cannot forget the kind at
tention shown to visitors by the
Magnolia Histrionic Club, the
members of which made their
debut on the stage in the new
Opera House a few nights since
to play before one of the largest
and most refined audiences ever
assembled in the city. And we
will not forget to extend them,
too, that commendation as ama-
teur performers which they most
highly deserve. Their second
performance comes off soon.
Unlike the first, it is not free
upon invitation, but for the wor-
thy purpose of raising fuuds to
relieve the wants of the sick of
the city hospital. All success to
them, and may their efforts be
repaid by the ;;e«-n imitation of a
most handsome fund —Demo-
cratic Statesman.
"Charlie'' Noble, one of the
ablest practical railroad men in
the country, and universally
esteemed, died of a lingering ill-
ness at his residence, on Bergen
Heights, last Saturday.
Washington, Jan. 5.—The
President to-day sent the follow-
ing message to the Senate and
House of Representatives:
In my annual message of
December last, I gave reason to
expect , that when the full and
accurate test of the correspond-
ence relating to the steamer
Virginius, which had been tele-
graphed in cipher, should be re-
ceived, thepapers concerning the
capture of the vessel, the execu-
tion of part of its passengers and
crew, and the restoration of the
ship and th^survivors, would be
transmitted to Congress. In com-
pliance with the expectations
then held out, I now transmit the
papers and correspondence on
that subject.
On the 26th day of September,
1870, the Virginius was regis-
tered in the customhouse at New
York as the property of a citizen
of the United States, he having
first made oath as required by
law that he was the true and
only owner of the said vessel,
and that there was no subject or
citizen of any foreign prince or
state directly or indirectly, by
way of trust, confidence or other-
wise, interested therein.
Having complied with the
requisites of the statute in that
behalf, she cleared in the usnal
way for the port of Curacoa, and
on or about the 4th day of Octo-
ber, 1870, sailed for that port. It
is not disputed that she made
the voyage according to her
clearance, nor that from that day
to this she has not returned
within the territorial jurisdiction
of the United States.
It is also understood that she
preserved her American papers,
and that when within foreign
ports she made the practice of
putting forth a claim to Ameri-
can nationality, which was re-
cognized by the authorities at
such ports. When, therefore,
she left the port of Kingston, in
October last, under the flag of
the United States, she would ap-
pear to have had aa against all
powers, except the United States,
the right to fly that flag and to
claim its protection as enjoyed
by all regularly documented ves-
sels registered as part of our
commercial marine. No state of
war existed conferring upon a
maratime power the right to mo-
lest and detain upon the high
seas a documented vessel, and it
can not be pretended that the
Virginius had placed herself
without the pale of law by acts
of piracy against the human
race. . . s >
i If her papers are irregular or
fraudulent, the offense was one
against laws of the United
States, and justifiable only in
their tribunals. "When there-
fore it became known that the
Virginius had been captured on
the high seas^by a Spanish man-
of-war, that the American flag
had been hauled down by the
captors, that the vessel had been
carried to a Spanish port, and
that Spanish tribunals were tak-
ing jurisdiction tfver the persons
found on her, and exercising that
jurisdiction upon American citi-
zens, not only in violation of in-
ternational law but in contraven-
tion of the provisions of the trea-
ty of 1795,1 directed a demand
to be made upon Spain for the
restoration of the vessel and for
the return of the survivors to the
protection of the United States,
for a salute to the flag, and for
the punishment of the offending
parties. The principles upon
which these demands rested
could not be seriously questioned,
but it was suggested by the
Spanish government there were
grave doubts whether the Vir-
ginius was entitled to the char-
acter given her by her papers,
and that therefore it might be
proper for the United States,
after the surrender of -the vessel
and the survivors, to dispense
with the salute to the flag, should
such facts be established to their
satisfaction.
This seemed to be reasonable
and just. I, therefore, assented
to it on the assurance that Spain
would then declare that no insult
to the flag of the United States
had: been intended. I also au-
thorized an agreement to. be
made that should it be shown to
the satisfaction - of this Govern-
ment that the Virginius was im-
properly bearing the flag, pro-
ceedings should be instituted in
our courts for the punishment of
the offense committed against
the United States. On her part
Spain" undertook to proeeed
against those who had offended
against the sovereignty of the
United States, or who had viola-
ted their treaty rights.
The surrender of the vessel
and survivors to the jurisdiction
of the tribunals of the United
States, was on admission of the
principles upon which our de-
mand had been founded: 1, there-
fore, had no hesitation in agree-
ing to thejarrangement finally
made between the two govern-
ments—an arrangement which
was moderate and just, and cal-
culated to cement the good re-
lations which have so long existed
between Spain and the United
States. Under this agreement,
the Virginius, with the American
flag flying, was delivered to the
navy of the United States, at
Baliia Honda, in the island of
Cuba, oji the sixteenth ultimo.
She was in an unseaworthy cou-'
dition..
In the passage to New York
she encountered one of the most
tempestuous of our winter storms.
At the risk of their lives, the
officers and crew placed in
charge of her, attempted to keep
her afloat. Their efforts were
unavailing, and she sunk off'
Cape Fear. The prisoners who
survived the massacres were
surrendered at Santiago de Cu-
ba, on the 18th ultimo, and
reached the port of New York in
safety.
The evidence submitted on the
part of Spain to establish the
fact that the Virginius at the
time of her capture was improp-
erly bearing the flag of the
United States, is transmitted
herewith, together with the opin-
ion of the Attorney General
therein, and a copy of the note
ot the Spanish minister, express-
ing on behalf of his government
a disclaimer of any intent of in-
dignity to the flag of the United
States. U. S. Grant,
TRUTH STRINGER THAN FICTION.
A New Orleans^Frnit Dealer Heiress
to Thirty-Three Million
Dollar?.
The Dayton, Ohio, Journal, of
recent date, contained the fol-
lowing curious story:
In 1864, there came to Day-
ton, a man. who gave his
name as Benjamin Macke,
and was engaged at intervals as
a paper-hanger. He was about
fifty-five years of age, very poor
and very proud. He was evi-
dently a foreigner, but it was
difficult to determine to what
nationality he belonged, as he
never communicated, even to his
most intimate acquaintances,
anything in regard to his histo-
ry. He was soon overtaken by
ill health, and so reduced, finan-
cially, that he was compelled to
seek an asylum in the county in-
firmary, where he died in 1867,
unknown, and since that time
unthought of. But recently it
has transpired that, at the time
of Macke's death, he was entitled
to the possession of an estate of
thirty-three millions of dollars,
which makes his previous history
a matter of some consequence.
The name by which he was
known in Dayton, and at the
county infirmary, was an assum-
ed one. His real name is said to
have bfeen Alfonso Barrano; and
he was a native of one of the
Basque Provinces of Spain.
Barrano married in his native
country, and soon after the birth
of his first child the young wife
and mother died. She grew up
to womanhood, when Bhe, with
her father, came to America,
landing at New Orleans, wheire
they stopped and opened a fruit
stand. The beauty and cultiva-
ted manners of the daughter at-
tracted a good share of custom,
and- among others whose'atten-
tion was directed to the pretty
fruit girl of Carondelet street was
a rich planter of Louisiana, by
the name of Giroudf who spent
his winters in the city. As the
reader by this time suspects,
Giroud made the humble fruit
dealers daughter his wife. After
his daughter married, at the in-
stance of her proud and wealthy
husband, she virtually renounced
her father, and sought to settle
an annuity upon him which would
be amply sufficient to keep him
in comfortable circumstances for
the rest of his life. But, as one
of the implied conditions of this
generosity was that Barrano
should not be known or
publicly recognized as the
father of his daughter, he
indignantly spurned it, and
with a desolate and heavy heart
he left New Orleans and went to
Louisville, Kentucky, from which
point- he _ wrote his • daughter,
Mrs. Giroud, requesting her to
write in the name of Benjamin
Macke. This gave her the clue
by which she has since probably
traced him to bis miserable
grave. From Louisville Barrano
came to Dayton, where he lived
and died as has been related.
But as time wore apace there
was a change in fortune with
Mrs. Giroud. Her husband en-
tered the Southern army and
was killed, and his property,
which consisted chiefly in slaves,
was swept away as one of the re-
sults of the struggle in which he
lost his life. The widow disposed
of the plantation for Confederate
money, so that when the war
closed she was very poor.
She returned to New Orleans
and again opened a little
fruit stand and wrote
and advertised for her
father at every point where she
thought a communication would
reach him, but nothing could be
heard from any source. She led
a life monotonous enough, until
one day scanning over the list of
advertised letters, her eye fell
upon a letter advertised for her
in her maiden name. She went
to the post-office, and when the
letter was delivered to her, she
found that it was from a school-
mate who had gone to school
with her in France. The com-
munication contained some intel-
ligence about an unknown uncle
and a princely estate to which
the Barrano family of Biscay
were entitled.
It seems that Alfonso Barrano
had an elder brother, who rah
away from home when a mere
boy, and went to sea. What
his adventures were, or how he
got his start in the world, is un-
known, but in 1866, it has been
ascertained that he died in one
of the Phillipine Islands, a por-
tion of the Spanish possessions
in the East Indies, in possession
of an estate valued at $33,000,-
000. If he had heirs, they were
unknown ; but as it was ascer-
tained that he had originally
come from one of the Basque
Provinces, the fact of his death
and an account of his estate
were communicated to the au-
thorities of Biscay. The matter
there became one of great inter-
est, and was probably talked
about very generally, and this
talk prompted the letter which
we have referred to. It was de-
termined that Alfonso Barrano,
or his representatives, if living,
were the legal heirs of the de-
ceased millionaire. So then
commenced a search for an
heir, which has continued
for years, aud which is
gradually developing a true story
as thrilling in interest as any re-
corded in the world of fiction.
The representatives of the Span-
ish Government throughout the
world have been charged with
the duty of finding out the
whereabouts of Alfonso Barrano,
orhis representatives, and it is
possible that no clue would ever
have been obtained had it not
been for the letter which Mrs.
Giroud received from an asso-
ciate of her youth. The estab-
lishment of the fact that Macke,
the man who died in the Infirm-
ary in this county, is one and the
same person with Alfonso Barra-
no, of New Orleans, will not be
conclusive, yet it is an important
fact for Mrs. Giroud, and when
she succeeds in establishing it,
there will be no person between
her and the succession to the
estate, and it is likely that, being
personally known in Biscay be-
fore she left that country, she
can establish her own identitv.
A Considerate Murder—Corpses Made
Expressly to Order.
A few days ago as Mr.
Brutsche, the agent of the Texas
Express Company, at Denison,
Texas, sftt quietly reading his
family Bible, preparing for his
evening devotions, a stranger
burst into his office, and, ib the
rough manner common to those
regions, demanded to know the
cost of sending a corpse to Dal-
las. Mr. Brutsche, regarding
this as an act analogous to help-
ing his neighbor's ox out of the
pit, did not think it would inter-
fere with the fervency of his
subsequent devotions, and fig-
ured it out to the stranger at
eight dollars, and in answer to
his inquiry told him the train
left at six that evening. The
stranger guessed he would have
the corpse fixed up. But the
agent had his duty to the Ex-
press Company to perform, aud
told the man he would require a
physician's certificate as fo the
disease which had made the
corpse so far ready for shipment
"Disease, hell!" exclaimed the
stranger. "I don't want no cer-
tificate ; I shot him this morning,
the d d horse thief. I want
to send him home to his mother."
The Journal sincerely regrets
the fact if its oorrespendent has
done injustice to Houston. It is
essential for both the interest of
St. Louis and the cities of the
State to the Southwest that no
misunderstanding should arise,
even to the extent of a difference
Over the relative muddiness of
streets. Peace is the thing
wanted. The Journal will ad-
mit, not only as a reparation,
that the streets of St. Louis are
in a more miserable condition,
but with a profound conviction
that such must be' the case, be-
cause here we have the superla-
tive degree of negligence and
mismanagement in such things.
It may be truthfully admitted
too, without any knowledge of
the character of the Houston au-
thorities, that our own are proba-
bly much less efficient; if this is
not the case the Houston officials
should be suppressed, for they
must be bad indeed. Upon one
point however, issue must be
taken with the Merctjry. It in
timates darkly that Texas whis
key is superior to the Missouri
aiticle, and that the Journal cor-
respondent held such an opinion
It is needless to say that the
Mercury is either malicious or
mistaken. A Journal attache
with such mistaken views wonld
be disraiseed instantly. — St.
Louts Journal.
Every one who has the ability
to do it should make it a special
point just now to settleja.ll bills,
small and large, without delay.
If it is only a dollar that is out-
standing, it should be paid
promptly, for that one dollar
may pay twenty others in the
course of a day. A five dollar
bill may pay ten times five by
being put into circulation at this
season, and so all other sums up
to hundreds-and thousands may
be multiplied in the payment of
debts, by passing ^om hand to
hand in the course of prompt
settlements. The tradesmen
whom each of us may owe have
their own debts to settle with
others, and those others are
waiting to be able to pay others
still further removed. All whole-
some trade and all payments of
money move in circles. The
true rule is to make as few debts
as possible, but when debts are
made and become dne, the best
investment that can be made
with any money in the purse,
the pocket book, in the bureau
drawer or in bank, is to pay.
The man who is not hi debt is,
in one most important sense, the
most independent man.
The Library of Congress now
contains about 258,752 volumes,
and about 48,000 pamphlets, but
the restricted accommodations
for the books, makes a large
number of them useless. Over
12,000 volumes were added dur-
ing the year, and the books are
now p;led up in alcoves aud on
the floors of the library. De-
signs have been received for a
new library building, which will
be made to accommodate three
or four times as many books as
those already on hand, besides
giving accommodations to the
department for the granting of
copyricrnts. One of the interest-
ing series of books $o which ad-
ditions have been made during
the past year, is that of English
county histories. All but seven
of the forty counties of England
are now represented in the libra-
ry, besides many of the town his-
tories and the local histories and
genealogies of Ireland, Scotland
and Wales.
Some malicious scoundrels
have, New Year's night, entered
the office of the German paper
"Der Unabhwngige," of Houston,
and deliberately emptied several
galleys of matter into pi. So
says the Mercury. We live
over 200 miles from Houston,
but still have our suspicion, and
advise the police of Houston to
watch all fellows connected in
some shape or Other with that
meanest and most worthless of
all the German newspapers of
the United States, the Houston
"Deutsche Zeitung.v We know
we are not far from the truth.—
San Antonio Express.
Hlffb Railway Points.
The latitude of the highest
point in the world where railways
are now in operation is at Apiza*
co, on the Vera Cruz and Mexico
Railway, 7478 feet above the
level of the*sea. The next highest
is on the Central Pacific, in the
Nevada range, 7111 feet above
the level of the sea. The third
is at Arequipa, an important city
in Peru, 7000 feet above the level
of the sea, and, under the Peru-
vian railway system, the work is
to be continued, and is expected
to reach double that altitude. It
sets out upon an ascent, to pass
to the west of the Eastern Cor-
dilleras, and puts itself thus in
connection with the famous lake
of Titicaca and the entire Andine
Bolivia, also with the great his-
toric realm of the Incas, the an-
cient capital of Cuzco, and must
reach a point at the breath-taking
height of 14,000 feet above the
level of the sea—less than 4000
feet lower than the crater of Po-
pocatepetl, and over 6000 feet
higher than the City of Mexico.
The inspirations of our Peruvian
neighbors are shown by these
vast undertakings to be as grand
as the traditional empire of their
Incas, and as lofty as the sub-
lime heights of their magnificent
Cordilleras.
The marine losses during 1873
of vessels belonging to or trad-
ing to ports in the United States,
aggregated 459, valued, exclu-
sive of their cargoes, at $11,783,-
000. In 1872 there were 4i7
vessels lost, valued at $11,097,
000. In 1873 the lost vessels
were 24 steamers, 51 ships, 102
barks, 64 brigs and 218 schoon-
ers. Of these, the losses report-
ed during December, were 28,
valued at $1,660,000.
There is a clergyman (the Rev.
Seth Clark) in Kansas, who, be-
ing of the perambulatory sort,has
provided himself with a portable
Church tent, having accommoda-
tions for seven hundred people.
He has also two good mules and
a spring wagon; and so wherev-
er he goes upon his missionary
labors he takes his tabernacle
withiiim.
Spiritualism is said to be on
the increase in England.
New Aflrert'sem' nts.
TO CASH BUYERS.
-*r<
The larger th& school fund, tfe
less the prison allowance.
ON AND AFTER JANUARY «, 1874,
•ur entire of
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Colored Dress Goods,
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At tht Lowest Xarkot Bates, ££
" "■ ' -S?
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WITH A
DISCOUNT OF SO PER CENT* §"
To all parties paying CASH for our
COLORED DRESS GOODS. *
THOS. R. FRANKLIN,
jan3 tf
73 Main Street.
New Advertisement*.
DISSOLUTION.
The firm of Burk, Turner ft Co. is this
day dissolved by mutual consent .Mr A.
J. Burke is alone authorized to settle the
business of the firm, and sign in liquidation.
A. J. BURKE,
~L. R. TURNER,
M. N. ROGEB&
jjac6 lw
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f
a
cw
Houston, Jan. 6,1874.
1 f
copartnership.
Having succeeded to the business of the
late firm of Burke, Turner k Co., X have
this day associated with me, L. If. Rich
and Edward Haight, under the firm name
of BU&KE, RICH k CO., for the purpose of
continuity the business in all its branches
as heretofore. -•
} .n8i A. J. BURKE.
f—■
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9
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3
HOUSTON OPERA HOUSE. ?
I
Jf!
EL Gbexxwaix, - . Lessee and Manager.
L. H. Everxtt, - - - Stage Mansger.
Fourth appearance of the beautiful and
talented
f;
3
s?
t
*
HISS ADA GRAY, £
I N—
This evening will be repeated 1
request, Lin II. Harna^ beautiful
Dramatization tf W
celebratedA
THE
MAG DALEN!
Mkrct Merrick, - - - Miss Ada Grat.
FRIDAT EVXX1XG,
BENEFIT OF MISS ADA GRAY.
saturday aftzexoox, 2 p. m.
GRAND FAMILY MATINEE.
2
s
TRAWBERRIES.
I have ft fine stock of Plants from fine
varieties, at the low price of one dollar a
hundred, ,*!
Also, a large cuIIlJUu*^ Fine Ever-
greens, Rare Roses, Hniit Trees, Umbrella
Cliinas, and general fcursery stock. Send
for a catalogue. A. WHITAKER,
jan8d2w Houston.
PRATT'S ASTRAL OIL
Absolutely e fe. Perfectly odorless. Always ®
uniform, niomlnaUBg qualities superior to "
gat Barns in <>ny Ismp without danger of ex- ^
ploding or taking lire. Manalsotersd expressly jS
to dUplsoe the ass of voteUls and dsogerous {£
oils. Itsbsflsty under every pos Ibis tost, and
its perfsct burning qualities, are proved by its t"
oontinned use in over 800,000 families.
Millions of gallons have been sold and no ae. Of
oldest—directly or indirectly—has ever oo-
currsd from burning, storing cr handling it.
The immense yearly loss to life and property, 9
resulting from the nee of ch«ep and 4
otb in the United States, is appalling.
The Insurance Companies and Fire
doners throne boat the country recommend the
A iTRAL ae the best safeguard whfn lamps are
need. Send for circular.
For sale at retail by the trade generally, and at
wholeeale by the proprietors, <
(XX. 10« Fulton Street. Hew 7«
OH AS. PRATT ft
ork. aagMflas
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Baker, J. H. & Wilson, J. H. Houston Daily Mercury (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 103, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 1874, newspaper, January 8, 1874; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth232952/m1/2/: accessed June 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.