Middletown, 150 Yrs Ago: Mayor Warner Runs for Congress; Snowstorm Brings Good Sleighing

From The Constitution, Wednesday, March 11, 1863 (volume 26, number 1315)

REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET

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For Governor,

WM. A. BUCKINGHAM, of Norwich.

For Lieut. Governor,

ROGER AVERILL, of Danbury.

For Secretary,

J. HAMMOND TRUMBULL, of Hartford.

For Treasurer,

GABRIEL W. COITE, of Middletown.

For Comptroller,

LEMAN W. CUTLER, of Watertown.

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For Members of Congress,

No. 1—HENRY C. DEMING, of Hartford.

No. 2—SAM’L L. WARNER, of Middletown.

No. 3—AUG. BRANDEGEE, of New London.

No. 4—JOHN H. HUBBARD, of Litchfield.

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War News

There has been some fighting in Tennessee. The rebel General Van Dorn advanced towards Franklin on the 4th inst., where he encountered the Union troops and was driven back with a loss of thirteen killed. On the fifth, another engagement took place which resulted unfortunately to our troops. The rebels have since fallen back.

All our Connecticut soldiers have been removed from the hospital at Frederick, Md. They numbered 89, and all but 37 have been or soon will be discharged. Those not discharged have been removed to the hospital at New Haven.

There appears to be some suspicion that the surrender of the gunboat Indianola to be rebels was unnecessary.

The canal between the Mississippi river and Lake Providence is completed.

A strong revolution in public sentiment is progressing in England. On the 19th ult. a most imposing demonstration was held in Liverpool in support of the emancipation proclamation.

A Charleston dispatch says, the Yankee fleet at Port Royal now numbers 123 vessels, including 3 frigates and 20 gunboats. The rest are chiefly transports. There are now 30,000 men collected there and more are expected.

There are contradictory reports regarding the gunboat Indianola. One rebel account states that she has been blown up, and another that they were engaged in raising her.

Dispatches from Vicksburg, in the rebel papers of the 6th, state that our gunboats have passed through the canal to Lake Providence and are doing great damage to the enemy.

It is stated that Gen. Burnside has been positively assigned to a command, and will leave in a few days for the seat of his duties.

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Our Nominee.—Samuel L. Warner, the nominee for Congress in this district, is a lawyer of high standing in Middlesex County, and at present Mayor of Middletown. He is not a man who changes his opinions lightly, or who watches the tendency of public opinion for the purpose of joining the popular side. When the war broke out he took strong ground in favor of the suppression of the rebellion, and from that time to this has not ceased to sustain the Government.

With such a candidate there ought to be no doubt of our success. We believe he will receive the united support of all Republicans and Union men of this district, and that these constitute a clear majority of the voters of the district we do not doubt. Let us then unitedly go to work and secure as our Representative in the next Congress a man who will face the music every time, and who will neither be humbugged into voting as he didn’t mean, nor frightened out of voting as he did mean. Earnest men are needed in Congress, who will stand up for loyalty and truth, without considering whether this vote or that will damage them with their party. Mr. Warner has shown himself to be such a man, and we can and must elect him.—Palladium.

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The Register’s report of the Republican Convention contains this sentence : “Mr. John M. Douglas, of Middletown, advocated Warner, and said he was a Garrisonian in principle.” Mr. Douglas said no such thing. He said that Mr. Warner was so decided in his principles that he had been charged by men opposed to him with being a Garrisonian. That is simply saying that Mr. Warner has been denounced just as the Republicans are, for the Register is accustomed to call us all Garrisonians.—Ib.

Local News

Town Meeting.—At the meeting held on Saturday afternoon the votes previously passed for the payment of the war debt were rescinded, and it was decided to issue bonds for the amount. The debt is not far from $40,000, and the bonds will be issued as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made. This will afford a fine opportunity for investments, and the bonds will be in demand as soon as offered in the market.

Three installments of $4000 each are made payable respectively on the 1st of May 1874, 1875 and 1876 ; three of $5000 in 1877-8-9 ; three of $6000 in 1880-1-2. The whole amount is $45,000. Bonds with coupons attached are to be issued, bearing interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually. The bonds are to be denominations of $100, $500, and $1000, and bear interest from May 1, 1863. The action of the meeting was unanimous in the adoption of the report of the committee appointed at the previous meeting.

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Mr. Robert M. Clark, son of Capt. Ezra Clark, of this city, who sailed as Acting Master’s Mate in the U. S. mortar schooner John Griffith in Dec. 1861, has been promoted to Acting Ensign, receiving orders on the 19th ult. to take command of the U. S. brig Sea Foam at Baton Rouge. He has been in the navy but fourteen months, and his rapid promotion indicates the esteem in which he is held by his superior officers.

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Bonney.—A few weeks since an enquiry was made by the friends of William S. Bonney of Co. B, 14th regiment, as to his whereabouts. He was in some Government hospital, but they could not learn where. We are glad to hear that he has come into view again. Last week he was brought to the hospital at New Haven, from Frederick, Maryland, where he had received excellent care. He will probably obtain a discharge.

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News was received last evening of the death of Amos Fairchild of this town, a member of Co. B, 14th regiment. He was a son of the late Amos Fairchild, and a brother of J. S. Fairchild of this city. He died in Washington.

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Sent to the Reform School.—A boy named George Hart, 12 years old, was tried before Justice Clark on Thursday for stealing money from the store of Lyman Joslyn in the south part of Main street. The theft was committed on Wednesday, and the money, about two dollars in amount, was taken from Joslyn’s money drawer. The boy denied having done the deed, and charged it on another boy. But this other boy’s mother proved that he was at home when the money was taken, couldn’t go out of doors for want of clothes, and so could not have defrauded Mr. Joslyn as then and there stated. Master George Hart had no other defence to make, and so was convicted, and sentenced by the court to a residence in the State Reform School at Meriden until he shall be 18 years old. He is now 12 years of age. He was taken to Meriden on Friday. The father of the boy is a member of the 24th regiment.

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Loud calls for clothing from several hospitals for soldiers and from the New England rooms in New York, we hope will be responded to by the patriotic women in this vicinity. They can prove their zeal by calling at the rooms of the Soldiers Aid Society, (over Ransom’s store) where plenty of garments are ready to be made. Work will be given out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3 to 5 o’clock. A barrel is sent from the room as often as it can be filled. Any one disposed to donate any comfort for the sick can have it forwarded safely.

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Portland.—There has been much sickness of late in Portland and an unusual number of deaths. The prevalent disease has been scarlet fever. On one day three funerals were attended. There is considerable sickness among the Irish families.

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Ice.—The ice houses of Ferree and Hubbard at Pameacha have been filled with ice of good quality. For several days past loads of the precious material have been taken from Pameacha pond to the large ice house on Washington street, which was owned by the late Otis Fisk. This is done by C. E. Putnam. So it seems we are to have ice for next summer though we have had to wait for it till March ; but this is not the first season that it was more plenty in spring than in any of the winter months.

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The weather during the week has been very much like winter and very little like spring. Thursday morning was very cold, the mercury falling as low as 4 degrees. The average for the week at sunrise has been 19 degrees. On Saturday and Sunday we had a heavy snow storm, and for the last two days have had good sleighing. The river is frozen over.

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Maple Sugar.—We had supposed it rather early for the luxury of new maple sugar, but the article is already in market in this city, and may be found at the store of C. E. Putnam. The manufacture of maple sugar will undoubtedly be much more extensive this year than usual. The sugar maple grows freely in many portions of this State, and large quantities of both sugar and molasses may be produced. According to the census reports there were made in 1860 in Connecticut 44,258 pounds of sugar, and 2,277 gallons of molasses. On account of the present high prices we presume that these figures will be doubled this year.

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The Stereoscopticon last evening at McDonough Hall presented some most beautiful pictures. They have a remarkably life-like and natural appearance, and the observer often wonders how it is possible to produce them so true to nature. Some of the views almost lead one into the delusion that the very objects themselves are actually before him. We learn that another exhibition will be given some evening next week. It will well repay any one who may then visit the hall.

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