The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-16
Ct)+LUMBfA. Sc:
Tues lay Morning, December 16. 1873.

u : : ! 4
Tues lay Morning, December 16. 1873.
Captain Fry's Dylns Appeal for Justice
to the south.
Tue name OF Captain Joseph Fry,
commander OF the Virginius. has already
become historic. Everything said or
written by him, in those last houss of a
troubled existence, when the trials and
sorrows of the oheckered past blended
With the shadows Of the eternal world,
show the man OF horoic mould, yot
wearing in his breast the tender heart
of woman. His protest throws clear
light upon his view OF his position as
one OF assured safety under the folds of
the American fig. and also shows his
unacquuintance with local proclama-
ton which forbade his landing on the
soil OF CUBA. His eloquent appeal for
his crew has touched oil generous hsnrts
in all countries wbice it has reached,
and elioitea the warmest expressions Of
admiration for the high qualities Of
sslf-denial. unAiuohing fortitude and
Christian resignation. The letter to
his wife is poem uueqnaled by the
highest creations of art, or the most
elevated conceptions OF genius. The
OCCASION was grand, aud hs alone. Of all
the victims OF a hasiy aud prejudiced
trial, by tho power OF lofty soul, rose
to full appreciation and to serene
and compressed expression of its eternal
import. He stood upon the verge Of
another existence. his heart throbbirg
with the tenderest affection for home,
family and down.trodden country, and
yet calmly looking forward. with hope.
faith and love, to the realities OF tho
unknown world, whose breezes came
like psalms of Paradise to his rerturbed
spirit
We have now made public letter to
President Grant from Captain Fry. It
bears the high impress Of his other pub
lications It asks for justice and the
pay due him as an officer in the United
States Navy at the time OF his resigna-
ton. in January. 1861. to be paid to his
familys when it should become known
that he was dead. Ho we'll knew. from
experience. OF ths coldness OF the Go
vernment, which had not even replied
to his applications for this arrearage,
that it would not payit to him while
living. The letter gives solemn express
sion to his sense Of the disabilities
under which he labored in his native
land. It is the protest OF dying mau
against tho prescription which abridged
his field OF usefulness. and drove him to
destruction as an adventurer on foreign
shores. He asks the President, us O
''brothsr officer" to see to it that his
poor family receive this little sum from
the Government And he goes further
and counsols the President to cherish
both; arms Of tho service. He stigma
tizss the oarpetbag policy as ruiuons Q
the land. These are solemn words.
They came from q man emiuontly en-.
titled to speak. as ono who has finished
his career, and been purged of the dross
of hum IN passion and of all earthly in
terests. It will BIZ will be we'll for the
country if the President and Congress
shall stay their cruel and prosecuting
hands against the South. in conformity
With, if not in difference to. the dying
appeal of one OF her sons, whose
grandeur of soul and maganimity OF
character enabled him to make his last
utterancs, the voice of justice, magma
nimity and true patriotism.