The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-03-30
Hen. Alexander Sheppard.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

WASHINGTON, March 1.-The
gentleman whose name forms the
caption to this letter formerlylived
in this city and was known as Boss
Sheppard-monuments in the
shape of public improvements all
over the city survive his depart
ure, "under a cloud for Mexico;
and were he 10 return here to-day
he would meet with a most elegant
reception from all, including his
former traducers as we'll as his
friends. When he dies a suitable
statue, in either marble or bronze,
it should be gold and silver; will
be erected TO his memory. lie
was not known and properly APP
preciated until after his failure and
departure-now he Is both known
and appreciated. Chicago needs
just such man as Boss Sheppard
to tear down its death dealing
buildings, to fill up its stinks and
river and convert a nasty city into
what it might be-one of the
loveliest on earth. Old Ben But
Ter did something for New Orleans
once, upon the same basis, and
with all his faults we will not be-
lieve he stole the spoons. The
late decision in the Supreme-court
in the Hallett Kilbourn case calls
to recollection the following pub
lished in THE AsToEIAN April 10Th,
1876, from the pen of Capt. c. P.
Crandall:
The Ex-COnfedeFaIes DIsmouRt from a
High Horse.
Hallett Kilbourn has been in the
district Jail for five weeks for ''contu-
macy. He was a witness summoned
by the committee on the real estate
pool, and when the committee asked
him to produce has pricdte books, he
declined. The chairman of the com
mittee. one j. vi. Glover, Of Missouri,
the identical honest man for whom
/ Diogenes hunted so many years, re-
ported the contumacy To the house, and
procured the summary imprisonment #
the contumacious \. From that time
till now. Glover and the ex-confeder-
ates who hold the dignity of the house
above all human or earthly things,
have been talking very loudly about
letting kilbourn rot in jail unless he
wonld come ont with his private books
and papers. When anything was said
about a writ Of habeas corpus they
have invariably turned up their legal
noses with contempt for the man who
might even suggest a doubt of the su-
preme right Of the house to hold the
prisoners. What were courtsl Mere
creatures of the house. Who shall
dare to question the puissance of the
housel What ex-confederate demo-
crat is weak enough to yield to a law
Of congress when il is the will of the
ex-confederate house to defy itl Who
is it that admits congress to be superb
or to the housel These and similar
queries were noticed upon the ex-
confederate banner which was nailed
to the mast head to stay. But the
chronicler of current events has occa-
sion to remark that the other day
Judge Carter issued a writ of habeas
corpus in the Kilbourn case; that
the ex-confederates proposed, al
once, to snap their fingers al
Judge Carter's writ and say tc
him shoe fly; that a resolution to that
effect was introduced and that there
upon the blue -bloOded gentlemen oi
Huguenotic lineage footed their horn,
sonoriously, and wondered whv tn,
devil the Just lightnings of HEAVIER
didn't descend upon the impious head
of Carter and splinter him into kind
ling-wood. But, after all, the faithful
chronicler is compelled to say that tn,
aforesaid sub-resolution failed by [;
large majority and that resolution
directing the sergeallt-at- To pro
duce the body of Kilbourn befnr,
Judge Carter, in obedience to the wrl
Of habeas corpus, was adopted by th'
same vote. And now the eX-confed
crate brethren are wondering what
the use of having a democratic ma
jority in the house. Lane of Oregon
was sick and didn't vote. Kilbourl
slept at home last night, under guard
and this morning the papers have sucl
head lines as "The Ex-C0nfederat,
Bastile Opened" " DC. 1.
L