The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-30
GENERAL DEVENS.

\
Not satisfied with having, at cost thai
it makes one shudder to Wink Of made the
once prosperous and happy States Of the
South waste Of desolation, and persecutet
her impoverished and helpless people with
Insulting and oppressive legislation, The
Radicals have inaugurated system Of, pet
ty prosecutions directed against those off
GERS of thearmy whose sense of Justice OF
sclfrespect forbid them to take part in the
crusade against the people Of the South
From Generals Blair and sickles down 10
the hn'nblest snbaltern, every officer, who
has evnced disposition to shape his off
cial course in accordance with the dictates
ofreason, justice and humanity, has been
made to feel, in one FORM or another, the
weight of Radical displeasure. .
The latest case of the sort that has fallen
under our notice is that of General Charles
Devens of Massachusetts, who has been
denounced, through the press, as little bet
ter than a traitor, because he was unwilling
to sanction a crime, the perpetiator Of
which, in any other service than our,owl,
as regulated by the Radicals, would have
beer summarily shot, This denunciation
is based chiefly upon General Deyen's ac-
ton in the case of Lieutenant Colonel
Irowbridge, tried by court martial for the
murder Of Calvin Crozier. The facts ID
the case are briefly these. Crozier, who
was a paroled Confederate soldier, was
travelling about year ago on the Newber-
~, 5. g. train, accompanied by two ladies.
Just before the cars reached the depot,
some negroes belonging to the Thirty third
Regiment, us. Cs'E., who had got aboard
at wood station above, entered the ladies
car and commenced insulting the passen-
|gers. One of them, named Mills, came up
to Croziers party, and, putting his arm
around the waist Of one Of the ladies, at
tempted to kiss her. A scufle Of course
ensued, in the course of which Mills was
stabbed. He was carried out, mortally
wounded, as was supposed, and immediate
ly the cars were surrounded bya furious
mob ofnegroes belonging to the Thirty
third Regiment, which was quartered there
at the time. Crozier was arrested, and
although there was no evidence that he
had inflicted the wound, within twenty.
minutes thereafter, be was shot by order Of
Colonel Trowbridge without any trial
whatever. The affair created an intense
excitement in the community, and all
through the State, to allay which an ec
pd7fe Court OF Inquiry was called, which,
as matter ofcourse, acquitted Trowbridge
of all blame in the matter His excuse
was that, If he had not caused Crozier to
be shot, his men would have sacked t'oa
town. Governor Perry, however, nc',, he.
ing prepared to believe that the fTnited
States authorities would sanctic a 80 rross
an outrage, applied to Genersl (iilmoTne far
an investigation. This vas ordered by
General Devens, then tc.mporariIy in CON-
mand, and upon the report Of the Insnec.
tor to- e General "a a Cart Martial was ordered
Dy General t,llrAore, who by that time had
r : ! an resumed command. Mills.
iof Woose murder Crozier had been shot,
was pre- sent at the trial, but, strange to say,
was Aot examined. The Court Martial
acc Quilted Trowbridge on the ground already
stated, and General Devens disapproved
the finding, using in regard to it the follow
ing language: Calvin Crozier was exc
euted summarily by Lieutenant Colonel
Trowbridge for the.mulder Of private Mills,
ihirty-third U. S. q. T., who not only was
not murdered by said Crozier but is to-day
alive and well. 1t was in my opinion q
most uujustifable act, 'letc What else, in
the name of common decency, could he
have done? If Crozier had killed Mills on
the spot, he would have been Justified
But he did not kill him, and there was no
evidence that he had even wounded him !.
and yet when this blood-thirsty scoundrel
Frowbridge, this coward who could not
control his own men, deliberately murders
Crozier at the instigatiou Of his black ruff
fans, General Devens IS called upon to en-
dorse his conduct, and denounced because
he will not Was there ever such ty.
ranny, such atroeious prescription, such
unblnshing aYowal oflawlessness I'd
The time hath been boyish, .blushng time,
When modesty was scarcely held a crime,
When the most wicked had some touch Of
grace,
And trembled to meet virtue face to face !:
When those, who, in the cause of sin
aa grown gray, ~
Had served her without grudging day bv
day, q 2il
Were VT so weak IN awkward shame to
feel, ste
And strove their glorious service to con-
We, better bred, and than our sires more
wise,q "a IS ST. 3
such paltry narrowness Of soul despise; IA
10 virtue every mean pretence disclaim, 3.
Lay bare our crimes and glory in our
500 shame. 1853
We have referred at length to this case
of Crozer's, because it throws LIGHT upon
the course pursued by post commanders
and petty officers in the interior of the
Southern States, and will serve to explain
the irritation and uneasiness caused by the
continuance Of the military occupation and
the suspension Of the Uabeas Corpus. AS
for General Devens, who is a gentleman.
which is more than can be sud Of his defa-
mers, ne will survive these attacks upon
his loyalty; and the time will come when
his action ia the Trowbridge case will be
regarded, even in Boston, as the only re-
teeming feature Of a transaction otherwise
most foul and disgraceful. New York
News -, 80. .,ss
81 ~~~>cS>~H>~~~o~-o 10
IHE LAUGH OF A WoMAS.--A woman has
10 natural gift more bewitching than a
sweet laugh. 1t is like the sound of flutes
On the wafer 1t leaps from her in clear
rill, and the heart that hears 1t
feels as if bathed in the cool, exhilarating
spring. Sometimes il comes TO Ms in The !