Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-09-16
lCONIMUNICATED.


has not greatly changed in his nature, notwith
Standing the march OF civilization and christi
anitv. Many good men, who,if they had been
iod that they we're capable OF such and such
octs Uould have indignantly replied: is thy |
servant a dog that he should do this thing,
ran into greater cnormities with grecdlDcss.
Tbcre were few instances, il single one, like
that related in the history OF the clVi! Wars in
Enpland, where two friends, who cspoused
different sides of the quarrel, one adherlng TO
Richmond and the other TO Richard, when
separating to join their respective armle:, en-
braccd und mutually promised each other that
if one should fall in battle, the survivor "oulu
take care of the family OF the slain promise
that was Dobly kept We tear that the MS
tory of our civil war records but little OF the
silver lining to the dark cloud. We have been
led to these reflections moro particularly ny the
recollection Of one means of cruelty and OPP
presson, rcsortcd to in Alexandra, and which,
i il had succeeded in that city, would have
been practiccd in every Southern city within
the Federal lines. Sometime in the tall OF
1861, one Judge Freese, as the Provost Judge
Of the city of Alexandria, assumed civil Jurls'
dic:ion. and asserted that by means OF his
court Northern creditors would collect one
million of the million and halt OF dollars due
from rebel debtors. Exercising this civil jurls'
diction in the city Of Alexandria, New lork
and Philadelphia merchants came on, MADE
affidavit that certain Acxandrians we're ~
debtcd to them, and Immediately the Provost
Judge took possession of the property OF the
debtor, and proceeded without jury, witness or
form of trial to dispose Of it, in satisfaction OF
the claims. Several stores in the city were
seized in this way. The mode OF appropriate
ing the goods was as follows Appraisers we're
appointed, who appraised tho goods at some
thing more than one halt OF the cost and at
this valuation they we're delivered to the credl'
tors in satisfaction of the claim Twenty live
. per cent OF the claim was added Tor costs, and
court costs were paid in the goods, at the same
valuation. Such justiee was indeed like the
. tender mercics oil The wicked, decidedly cruel
The merchants Of Alexandria greatly alarmed
at this extraordinary proceeding took counScl
t of one of the resident lawyers, ii. .. Claugh
. ton, esq.,, who was so fortunate IN his efforts
!, in their behalf, as to not only save the Alex
, audrians from utter ruin, but also to protect
the merchants of every city and town at any
time, in the possession OF the Federal troops
from this terrible tribunal. lie went without
: delay to the city OF Washington, and sought
an interview with the Attorney General OF the
United States. presented the facts to him, and
asked that nc would in his official capacity
present petition to the freSIueht OF the
h United States, praying that this Provost court
: be abolished The Attorney General heard
=, him attentvely, and kindly concurrcd in his
G views and consented in person to present the
D petition to the President lie did 50, and the
result was an order, prohibiting the Provost
, iudge from taking jurisdiction IN civil matters
# As soon as the knowledge that such an order
D had been made reached the Provost judge, be
# left Alexandria, went North and made az APP
peal to the Northern people TO sustain his
!. court, assuring them that if his court was sus
n tanned he would collect tor them one hundred
# millions of dollars from the rebels, which would
@ be lost, unless the President could be prevail
$ ed upon to revoke his order. The greatest IN
ter1st was aroused. The chambers OF com
mercc of the Eastern cities passed resolutions
= deprecsting tho course of the President, and
Y earnestly appealing to him to protect his loyal
supporters, and sent Populations TO the White
House to detail their grievances and appeal
l. for protection. The Legislatures OF some OF
0 the loyal States took the subject under consd'
S Grafton, and passed joint resolutions calling
upon the President to sustain the Provost
:. Judge. All the time His Honor was busy, in
n flaming the public mind: The Alexandrla
lawyer was bcrated without limit. The
Attorney General was assaiIcd Us being
under the influence of rebc! Attorney OF
I, Alexandra, who would be better employed
II picking tarred rope at Fort Lafayette than in
interfering with loyal men in the collection Of
: their just dues from rebels For more than
a month this unequa! contest was waged but
the right step had been taken at the right
:, time the President Of the United States, un-
a der the advice of his constitutional legal ad.
. wiser, had committed himself before the power
: iul influences had been brought 10 hear up
t on him and there was lett hin no way OF retreat
from his position. He wavercd, hcsitatcl, re
pented, but the rebel lawyer pertinaciollsly
claimed the fuIilment Of bis promise to abo-
ish the obnoxious and unauthorized tribunal,
: and the order which this powerful combination
had succeeded in suspcndIns Tor more than
I voted head of the Provost judge, and 10 he
was not, and Southern merchants 0Ec2 more
: breathed freely.
| loo much credit cannot be given 10 the At
Q torncy General for his frmncss 10 this matter.
r He was charged with disoya.ty, Of being under
? the influence Of a rebel Attorney, OF disregard
to the interest of the loyal supporters OF the
administration, of being everything that was
evil. He told his Alexandria friend that one
, Of the lending New York merchants had call
t ed tc demonstrate with him. The Attorney
General assured him that his tinal action had
been taken, At whose instance inquired the
merchant? At the Instance OF ii. y. Ciaugh-
Ton, esq.,, OF Alexandria. "Why sir" ha re
piled, do you know that he IS the most violent
, seceSsionist 10 the State? Il don't care sir, II
he was Beauregard," was the emphatic reply.
During he tendency OF the struggle the AZ
torney General informed the Alexandria At
torney that it Was the purpose to establish the
Courts in every city in the possession Of the
Federal authoritics that z few days alter his
petition had been presented to the President,
be received Information from St. Louis Of the
purpose to organize the Court iii that city, and
that the order made uuon his petition. was
made applicable 10 all Of these courts where
ever organized The Alexandra lawyer so
obnoxious to his honor was one of the twenty
three citizens sent to the Old Caritol prison
upon the charge Of providing tor tho families
of the volunteers from Alexandria, and was
detained nearly two months in prison after his
associates had been released. When General