Valley Spirit

Miss Anna E. Dickinson delivered her great lecture, entitled "To the Rescue" on Tuesday evening of last week. The Hall was comfortably filled. A large number of our ladies went, exceedingly prejudiced against her and her cause. They came away delighted with the lecturer and enthusiastic in support of Female Suffrage. It would be impossible to do justice to such a lecture in the space to which we are limited. She gave utterance to a great many very wholesome, although unpalatable truths. She speaks plainly and to the point. The lecture has been prepared with great care, and she knows how to deliver it. Not prepossessing in appearance--in fact, rather unprepossessing at first--she leads one to dread that she may be a failure. But as she warms up with her subject, her manner becomes very interesting and her matter, clothed in the choicest language, can not fail to command attention. One listens for an hour and a half with unflagging interest and there is no such impression left upon the mind as that the woman has disgraced herself and her sex by "speaking in public on the stage."

Her converts can now be reckoned by the score. We can not include ourselves in the number, for we have, for a long time, held the notion that the women ought to vote. When she spoke to us, therefore, she told her story to willing ears.

The profits of the lecture--about $125--go to the Monumental Association. It gives us pleasure to state that Miss Dickinson was gratified with her visit to Chambersburg, and has consented to give us another lecture next Winter.

Since the proclamation of the Secretary of State was issued, declaring the Fifteenth Amendment adopted, the negroes of our town have met together several times, to compare notes as to how they should best organize for the proper exercise of the right of suffrage. Cessna has been writing letters to them, to our certain knowledge, desiring lists of the names of the colored voters to be sent to him, so that he may mail the necessary documents to them to induce them to vote the Radical ticket and, particularly, for John Cessna. It is intimated that he was informed as to the precise time when the amendment was to be declared ratified, and that he had a congratulatory letter lithographed, enclosed in envelopes and addressed beforehand, so that they might reach his colored constituents at the earliest possible moment. In furtherance of his wishes, a few of the colored men have furnished him with such lists, and the mails will be overloaded with all the political matter that he can manage to frank to the negroes between this time and the adjournment of Congress.

The Radical local politicians are also moving. The editors of the Repository backed by one of the constables of the Borough and, accompanied by a few others, have been attending the meetings in the African Wesleyan Church for the purpose of attempting to mould the opinions and shape the action of the negroes according to their wishes. They regard them as "dumb, driven cattle" and they think and say that all they need to do is to direct them to do so and so, and, forthwith, it will be done. They believe the negroes to be like a flock of sheep which will follow where-ever the bell wether leads the way. Hence they are making vigorous efforts to secure the few leading men among them, thinking that the common herd, as they call them, will be governed entirely by these few leaders.

They indulge in vehement denunciations of the negroes who dare to assert their independence. They instruct their pupils to threaten to murder the man who shows the slightest symptoms of flinching from the support of the Radical party. They cried lustily in the meeting when one of the negroes asked to have his name erased from the roll, "put him out," "kill him," &c. They resort to entreaty and intimidation in order to effect their pupose. They impose upon the credulity and seek to inflame the passions of the negroes in order to secure their votes. These "leaders" expect to collect their colored brethren in "squads" and march them to the polls in droves. Any colored man who protests against this mode of dealing with his race, even though he is honestly in favor of the Radical party, is denounced as a traitor and a "Copperhead nigger." We do not doubt that this same system has been adopted all over the country. To this it has come at last. Can there be any doubt that Radicalism is waning when it is obliged to resort to such desperate means to sustain itself?

The following cases were disposed of last week in the Court of Quarter Sessions:

Com. vs. Martin Justices and Lewis Steffy. Charge of Larceny. Verdict not guilty.

Com. vs. Samuel Brooks. Assault and Battery. Wm. Brooks, Prosecutor. This was a quarrel between father and son, both colored. Verdict, not guilty; and Prosecutor and Defendant each to pay one-half the costs.

Com. vs. C. R. Gordon. Surety of the Peace. John Gelwicks, Prosecutor. Deft. sentenced to pay costs.

Com. vs. Catharine Johnston. Surety of the Peace. Wm. Franklin, Prosecutor. Dismissed. Prosecutor to pay costs.

Com. vs. Margaret Smith. Surety of the Peace. Dismissed. Prosecutor, William Franklin, to pay costs.

Com. vs. Margaret Smith. Assault and Battery. Eveline Jameson, Prosecutrix. Verdict, not guilty. Prosecutrix and Deft. each to pay the one-half of the costs.

Com. vs. William Streets. Larceny of a wood saw. Verdict, not guilty.

Com. vs. John Fillkill. Larceny of five chickens from H. B. Davidson, Esq. Verdict, guilty. Sentenced to 13 months imprisonment in Eastern Penitentiary.

Com. vs. Reuben Beasley. Surety of the Peace. Betsy Beasley, Prosecutrix. Dismissed. Prosecutrix to pay costs.

Com. vs. Lewis Oyster. Assault and Battery on Frederick Seiple. Verdict, guilty. Sentenced to pay costs.

Com. vs. Lewis Oyster. Assault and Battery on Barbara Seiple. Verdict, guilty. Sentenced to pay costs.

Com. vs. William Streets and Columbus Green. Larceny of five chickens from Geo. W. Rice. Verdict, guilty. Columbus Green sentenced to imprisonment of 13 months in Eastern Penitentiary. William Streets, being the same man as John Fillkill who was sentenced for stealing Esquire Davison's chickens, the Court suspended the sentence on this case as to him.

Com. vs. Howard Gray. Surety of the Peace. Francis Myers, Prosecutor. Deft. sentenced to pay costs.

Com. vs. Henry Gray. Charge of breaking into the Post Office and stealing money. Verdict, guilty. Sentenced to 2 years imprisonment in the Eastern Penitentiary.

Com. vs. Dr. John E. McKee. Surety of the Peace. Jacob Bricker, Prosecutor. Deft. bound in $100 to keep the peace and pay costs.

Com. vs. Wiley H. Alfred and Andrew U. Collins. Charge of breaking into the store of Isaac Clugston in Doylesburg and stealing from $500 to $700 worth of clothing. A true bill. The real names of these larks are Wiley A. Himes and Andrew C. Unger. Himes did some tall swearing and had the case put off to August Sessions. But Unger insisted on telling what he knew about the matter. He claimed to have been persuaded by Himes, and gave a minute account of the whole affair. The Court inclined to leniency on account of his youth and candor, and sentenced him to fifteen months imprisonment in Eastern Penitentiary. Himes has but recently returned from the Penitentiary.

Com. vs. Henry Hellene. Assault and Battery. Wm. Pentz, Prosecutor. This prosecution was begun before Justice Kauffman, in Greenscastle, by Henry Hellene, charging Wm. Pentz with an assault and battery on him. The Justice granted a hearing and concluded to change the position of the parties by making Pentz the Prosecutor and Hellene the Defendant.--The result justified the change, for the jury found Hellene guilty, and the Court sentenced him to pay the costs.

Com. vs. Henry Stoner. Larceny of five turkeys from Joseph Arbegast. Defendant pleaded guilty. Sentenced to two months imprisonment in county jail.

Com. vs. Frank Elliott. Charge of selling goods at auction contrary to law. H. C. Keyse, Prosecutor. The defendant is a Merchant Tailor doing business on Main street, near the Diamond. For a few years past, he has carried on two stores on Main street--one located near Queen street, in which he sold ready-made clothing, and the other in which he now carries on the business of a Merchant Tailor. From January to April, he sold off his goods in the Southern store at auction and the remnant he brought to the Northern store when his lease of the Southern store expired. He was indicted for selling these goods at auction. In 1832 an act was passed by the Legislature prohibiting the selling of goods at auction in Chambersburg under a penalty of $500. In 1833 a supplement to that act was passed, fixing the penalty at from $50 to $500, and providing that a person who had been in business six months, and intending to decline business, might sell off at auction. In 1869 an act was passed providing for the appointment of an auctioneer in Chambersburg for the term of three year, and in express terms, this act repeals the act of 1832. Does it repeal the supplement of 1832? Defendant's counsel contended that it does. Counsel for the Commonwealth contended that it does not. The Court held that the supplement is still in full force, and that no one can sell at auction in Chambersburg unless he intends to decline business. Mr Heyser was commissioned by the Governor as Auctioneer under the act of 1869.

Then came the question for the jury to decide as to whether or not the Deft. intended to, and did, decline business, in closing out the one store, or whether the goods were sold at auction on a mere pretence of declining business. The jury was unable to agree and was discharged.

Com. vs. Edward Burns. Assault and Battery. Sophia Rhodes, Prosecutrix. The Prosecutrix is a colored woman who lives in Norristown. On the 12th of February she went to the depot of the Cumberland Valley Railroad to take passage East. On approaching the first passenger car, the Deft., who is a brakeman on the road, directed her to take the rear car. She went back accompanied by a few colored friends, looked into the rear car, said it was filthy, and there were "rough fellows" in it, stepped from the platform of that car to the platform of the front car and attempted to enter it. She was met by a young man from within, who she says was the Deft., and he strove to keep her out. After a considerable struggle, she succeeded in getting in and took her seat. She prosecuted Edward Burns for Assault and Battery. On the trial the foregoing facts were developed, except that it seems as though the person who met her at the door was not Burns but a young man named Cameron. Burns, however, stood on the platform of the car, and, to the question, shall I let her in? replied no. The District Attorney took the ground that, under the act passed in 1867, prohibiting any conductor, or employee of a railroad, from excluding or attempting to exclude a person from a car on account of race or color, the Deft. was guilty of an Assault and Battery. He took occasion to say that it was a damnable act, the product of "the civilization of the Nineteenth century," which has elevated the negro, in point of this privilege, above the white man, but as it is the law of the State it must be obeyed and enforced. But the jury could'nt see it. Their instincts revolted at the idea of standing by this work of Radicalism, and they acquitted the Defendant and made him pay one-third of the costs, and left the dusky Prosecutrix to shoulder the balance.

The criminal business occupied the Court all week with the exception of a few hours. A jury was called in the case of John R. Stickell vs. J. Allison Eyster, but was discharged and the case continued at the cost of Defendant.

Bills Ignored.--Com. vs. Thomas Cook, Prosecutor Sarah Williams to pay costs.

Com. vs. James Rouzer & Thomas Jenkins.

Com. vs. Tish Thompson, Eliza Thompson, Amanda Tucker and Jane Howard, the Prosecutor Francis Myers to pay costs.

Com. vs. C.R. Gordon. Not a true bill and Prosecutor George Brown to pay costs.

Com. vs. Sophia Seiple. Christian Oyster Prosecutor. County to pay costs.

Com. vs. Samuel Overcash. Prosecutor George Arria to pay costs.

Com. vs. George Arria. Prosecutor, Saml. Overcash to pay costs.

Com. vs. Diggs Little. Prosecutrix, Mary Stevenson to pay costs.

Com. vs. J.C. George. Prosecutor G A. Shull to pay costs.

Com. vs. David George. Prosecutor, G.A. Shull to pay costs.

Com. vs. Geo. Arria. Prosecutor, Saml. Overcash to pay costs.

Com. vs. Bill Williams and Stewart Carl.

Com. vs. Patrick Henry. Prosecutrix, Sarah Henry to pay costs.

Com. vs. Archie Ferguson, George Shull and Samuel Shull. Prosecutor Peter George to pay costs.

Com. vs. James F. Lippincott. Larceny. Peter C. Hollar Prosecutor.

Com. vs. John Welch. Prosecutrix Ann Tarman to pay costs.

Com. vs. Charles Diggs. Andrew Valentine and Henry Jones. Prosecutor, Michael Miller to pay costs.

Com. vs. Thomas Cuinson. Michael Miller to pay costs.

Cases in which a Nolle Prosequi was Entered.--Com. vs. Samuel Etter Surety of the Peace; com. vs. W.M. Gougher, Fornication & Bastardy; com. vs. C.R. Gordon et al. Conspiracy; com. vs. J.D. Vanlear, Surety of the Peace; com. vs. Jeremiah Shockey. Disturbing Meeting; com. vs. John R. Gelwicks. Selling liquor to minors; com. vs. John Hughes. Larceny; com. vs. John Murphy. Malicious mischief; com. vs. Elias Butler. False Pretence; com. vs. George Buchannan. Larceny.

Licenses.--The following licenses were granted last week.

For Taverns: Adam Wolff, Daniel Trostle, John Fisher, Huber & Feldman, Eli Little, Samuel R. Boyd, all in Chambersburg; John Ely, in Greenwood; B. B. Hough, and Margaret Holland, in Fayetteville; John Dittman, Charles Gillan, in St. Thomas twp.; Charles Ridgely, John Treher, in St. Thomas; George Miller, in Funkstown; Francis Bowden, John Mullen, in Waynesboro'; Henry Yingling, Valentine B. Gilbert, in Washington twp.; John Hyner, in Orrstown; Christian Gross, in Fannettsburg; Notely Easton, in Upton; Isaac Quigly, in Strasburg; Wm. C. Kyner, in Greenvillage; James Mullen, John G. Mullen, in Loudon; H. R. Gaff, S.S. Hays in Greencastle; Thomas McAfee, Charles G. Lowe, in Mercersburg; Michael Gable, in Hamilton twp; Henry Wilt, in Concord; Jacob Elliott, in Welsh Run; E.P. Brumbaugh, Dry Run.

For Restaurants: John Gelwicks, Reuben Mickey, Rhodes & Brown, Abraham Kyler, Jacob Mickey, George Dittman, Conrad Harmon, Margaret Shireman, all in Chambersburg; Rufus H. Byers, in Mercersburg; Francis Bowden, in Waynesboro;.

For Ale House: A D. Gordon, in Waynesboro'.

For Wholesale Liquor Store: H. H. Hutz, Jno. F. Croft, in Chambersburg.

Second Week.--The Court convened at half past nine o'clock on Monday morning, His Honor Judge King on the Bench. The first case tried was that of Huber & Tolbert vs. Wm. Adams. Appeal by Deft. from the judgment of H. B. Davison, Esq., for $75.75 and costs. Verdict for Defendant.

John W. Sollenberger, Trustee of Jacob L. Winger, vs. Ephraim Shank. Appeal by Deft. from the judgment of S.M. Armstrong, Esq., for $87.50 and costs. Verdict for Plaintiff $94.50.

Jere. Cook, Trustee of Eliza Cook, vs. Daniel Palmer. Feigned Issue to try the validity of judgment No. 120 of January Term 1869, for $3,000, wherein Jere. Cook, Trustee of Eliza Cook, is Plaintiff and John B. Cook is Defendant. On trial.