The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-02-14

Fashions Of tho South During the
War.
Iron the Richmond Times.

l. ~.-..s rs
lFroln the Richmond Times.
Fashion begiaS to reassert its empire in
the South. During the war a man was
deemed. fortunate sifhe oYned q couple Of fig
bushes, for then ile was sure Of having his
family provided with . suit Of priG live
jelothes, as good as that worn BY our first
parents. if things came to the worst, Men
and women did not care much what they
wore, so they wore something. Nor was
the style or cut Of garments much regarded,
| for there was a sort of carnival of old
1clothes. 1T WIS not uncommon to meet a
gentleman with q coat or pantaloons which
looked as il they mad been cut out with d
broad axe and nailed together hurriedly nv
10 rough carpenter. The patterns, too, were
as strongly spiced with variety, as well as
the oder Of great antiquity.
| The old swallow-tail and shab-belly coat
which is! Thought ~ many to be. the style
worn by Noah VIXEN he flarangued the an
tediluyan on the probabilities of an unpre.
cedented freshet, vas exhumed and, restor.
ed to general favor. Tfowsers made in the
good old fashioned way, with an apron Or
sort OF drop curtain in front, were brought
to light BY venerable and respected gentle
men, who have never been satisfied with
moderate innovations in dress, and for q
long time battled stubbornly against them.
Hats, not, inapsly designated as camp ket-
ties, stoyeplpes and bee gums, bymany sol.
eiWs 0f Lees army, whenever they encoup.
tered the iackless wearer and called upon
him "to come oat of it, were very preya-
ient among sobe-sided civilians coon.skin
land skullcaps, Of 4 strange and unique
model, were worn in bold and utter defiance
Iof al previous proprieties offashion.
The ladies' ofshe South exhibited a SINH
lar spirit in yielding to the necessities Of
! the times. The Discussions Of crinoIiue
were neglected, and our danes and damse,s
looked as lovely and attractive in i,omespu,,
and linseys as they had ever done in silks
land satins. Bonnets Of the coal scutAe,
gig top, and chicken coop type, fossils 81
fashion which Were the pride and glory Of
Elizabethian age, were drawn forth H,enl
dusty closetsia and old tine baad-boxes, and
were conscribed and forced ifte service.
Shoes which we've regular old knockers and
beetle crushers, covered tender toes and
well turned ankles, which had been used to
the finest calf sim and most delicate ne.
rocco. There Was eminent good sense and
good tastein ALI this, and we hope that talle
lessons OF wisdom andeconomy, inculcated
10y the war, will not be forgotten at its con.
jclusion. ,it9
The Law OF LIBEL--Judge Jones, d
New York, has rendered decision, which
Is OF interest to the newspaper press. The
! Express says: gal
The decision of Judge Jones in the case
LOT McCage against the Sunday Mercury
which resulted IN the plaintiff being non.
suited, this morning, is ofinterest to the
newspaper press Of this country. The
Court held that5an editor or reporter is rot
legally liable to prove the absolute truth 81
any charge or accusation which may be EN-
bodied in a fair report ofproceedisss before
Ia legal tribunal, asd it 10 sufficient justi6ca.
ton to show that the facts reported have
transpired as they were narrated. K the
decision were otherwise, every conductor o1
ilanewspappr could be forced, at the will a
i caprice of allitigant, to become the plant
sIiFor defendant alluded to in any rcport
1 which miekt appear in his. Journal, the &c.
curacy ofwhich might be questioned. Tie
Irnling thus decides that all editor Is {. mere
| pxhlisler ofactxal occurrences, and cannot
possibly assume in law the position of d lit.
j giant in cases which he reports, and Of the
merits Of which he must necessarily be
wholly ignorant. sss 4. sl
/ Had the court ruled differently, an editor
Tor reporter could be compelled to take Che
/ places Of dozen plaintiffs or defendants ii
q day-the number to be oaly decided b,
the reports which either party to q sui
might choose to consider libeious.
4 The onus Of proving the truth Of a charp,
4 made before a legal tribunsa will thus de
yolye on the party who prefers it, and no
on theheditor who gives it publicity es
part Of the news of the day. Yicksbar1
Herald, LIST. VA - Il 'siS, IS.
i a8 sl4A@-l5.-....~-.
4 TAG FsEEDxEN's BeREAu. The New
d York World. in an elaborate article upo,
/ the injurious effect of Trumbnll s negro Bill
! says that the Freedmen's Bareau bill pro
longs the negroes condition Of dependence
j 1t substitutes dependence -1pon i Bureau
upon a Government, for dependence unf,,, /