New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-11

slave who had been returned from Massa-
chusetts. Lydia Maria Child relates the
circumstances clearly. "SOme months, she
saye, "befOre the war broke OUT, a friend
showed me letters from ThOmae Slime, ex-
pressing en- earnest desire TO obtain his
freedom. His master had promised to LETT
him buy himself for $780, 1t was large
suW, but tried to raise it by writing many
Letters, most of them TO pereOns more,
or less imnlicated in the rendition of
Sims. A thort time after
commenced these operations l was
astonished by the following note from
Worcester, Massachusetts: Mrs. Child l
have heard that you are trying to raise
money TO redeem Thomas SIMS from
slavery. If you have received any eontri-
buttons please return them to the donors,
as | wish to contribute the entire sum my
self. Yours respectfully, Charles DsvehH,
g. In making my applications | had
CHANGED to overlook Mr. Devens, though
knew he had acted as United States mar
shal at the time of the rendition of Sims.
According to his request, l returned the
contributions had received, and in writing
to thank him l informed him of the high
price demanded. He replied that the sum
was subject to my order whenever should
call for it ?" Mrs. Child took steps to ee-
cure Slm's freedom, but the outbreak of the
civil war frustrated her plans. Immediately
before the war General Devens as one OF
the ablest and most promising young
lawyers OF Worcester and had already dis
tiDguished himself as an orator.
In the spring of 1861 General Devens en-
tered the army with the rank of major.
Some months later he became colonel of the
Fifteenth Regimen, which took part in the
Peninsula campaign. While before York
town he was appointed Brigadier General.
He suoseq quentiy served with great credit
in the army of the Potomac, and lost q
limb in battle. Since the war he has been
most of the time on the bench, and is row a.
member of the Supreme Court of the State.
General Devens represents the best element
in the Republican party Of his State, and is
regarded with confidence by the refOrmers.
de has, however, been so much removed
from active politics as not TO have placed
himself in open autsgOnism with General
Butler and others of like character.
GEORGE W. M'oRARY.
Mr. McCrary is Western man by birth
and lifelong residence; he passed the first
year OF his life in Indiana, but has einoe
lived in Iowa. He was born at Evansville
in August, 1885, and in the following year
removed to what was then Wisconsin Ter
ritOry. He studied in the public school
and was graduated from en- academy; then
took up law az q profession, and in 1856,
when twenty-One years of age, was admit
ted to practice at KeOkuk. He took a pro.
nounced position among the people of that
city at once and in 1857 was sent to the
| State Legislature. In 1861 he was ele 3ted
| to the State Senate, where he served
until the close of the war, taking an active
| part in the legislation incident to that peri
| Cd He gave the remaining years until
1865 to the practice of his profession, and
was then elected to Congress. He was
then appointed one of the Committee ON
| Naval Affairs and also served on the com
| mIttee to revise the laws of which Mr.. PO-
land was chairman. He was reelected to
The succeeding Congresses, receiving in
| 1874 IL 3Si votes against 1921 for l. roy G..
Palmer, the anti-mOnopOly candidate. He
was not a candidate for reelection last fall.
In the Forty Congress the familiari-
ty he had shown with election laws recon.
mended him for the Ohairmanship of the
Committee on Elections. In the following
Congress he was chairman of the Commit
tee on Railways and Canals and in the For
tyfOurth served on the Judiciary.
To Mr.. McCrafy belongs the credit of
having taken the first step in the leeisla-
tion which created the late Electoral Tri-
bunal. On December last he introduced
a resolution providing for joint committee
OF the two houses to consider mode of
counting the electoral vote.
The resolution was referred to the Judi.
ciaTy Committee, of which he was a mem
Der. They. reported it promptly, aud Ii
was passed. Mr. McCrary was one of the
joint committee on the part of the House,
and when the electoral bill was finally laid
before that body for action he was the first
speaker in its support. He also appeared
before the tribunal. He and Mr.. X 4ssOn.
also of lows. were the first who supported
the Republican position in the Florida case.
He argued against the power of Congress
to go behind the returns, and gave great
deal Of attention to the law of quo ioairant0
citing authorities to show thai proceeding
on such witt do not invalidate the acts Of
public officer done before the case is de.
termined. Mr.. MoCrary has been regarded
as one of the most Trustworthy and able
members of the House on tho Republic an
side. He has been careful and aborious
worker, aud few Congressman have been
thought his equal in their knowledge o.
election laws He has published book on
the subject.-New York Tribune.