Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-12
FIFTY YEARS ago
IN THE STAR

| Conditions in California at this time fifty
years ago were so serious that fears were
expressed lest the crisis
California might assume national
Troubles aspect. The governor of the
state having failed to obtain
| the support of the militia in his effort to
suppress the vigilance committee he made
| overtures to the federal government for as
| sistance, but without avail. On this point
| The Star of August 4, 1856. said:
IF Gov. johnson had not known that the
state was with the city in this matter he
would undoubtedly have made his appeal to
it; and not for the army and navy of the
United States to put down the people by
force Of arms. which. IL persisted in. would
probably lead to really fearful conflicts and
bloodshed. In the temper of the state tho
strife to be generated by such interference
from abroad could hardly fail to become
general. the real people being involved in
| the movement, and upon principle They
have gone too far to be turned back in that
way, even II to persist In sustaining the
committee might lead to a general revolu-
ton in the state and, by possibility. to a
separation from the rest of the states. Up
to this time 1t Is evident to our minds that
that bugbear is only the creation of the COM
mittee's opponents by way Of exciting feel
ing against them, and that the thought has
not been entertained by those to whom 1t
has been attributed. But If their friends and
relatives should be shot down by United
States soldiers and sailors. practically to re-
store the reign of villains of the deepest
dye. whose expressions drove the people to
desperation, there would then be serious
reason to apprehend that secession might
be the upshot of the temporary revolution.
in San Francisco against the municipal and
state authorities. Not otherwise. however,
X
When people were arrested by the Off
GERS of the law in this city half a century
ago, they were walked,
BLACK Maria" run or dragged to the
Needed. stations and even from
the courts to- the places
of Imprisonment. though hired vehicles were
sometimes employed for this final journey.
Patrol wagons were unknown being indeed
of comparatively late introduction. One
consequence of this lack of facilities for
the quick and seemly dispatch of prisoners
was that scenes of excitement were often
enacted upon the streets as the captives re-
scented their detention and sought to effect
their escape. A particularly disgraceful
affair of this kind occurred one morning in
the summer of 1856, in course of the
women on their reluctant way to the
workhOuse in a hack which had been Sc
cured in consideration Of their sex. They
screamed and profaned and otherwise COM
ported themselves so flagrantly that The
Star was the next day, August 6, moved to
remark:
I'VE trust that Mr.. Queen put them
through the severest punishment permitted
under the rules Of the workhouse immedi-
ately on their arrival for they richly de-
| served it. 1t will be well for the corpora
ton to procure Black Maria van In
which to convey prisoners being transport
ed through the civ closed all sides
that its contents cannot be seen from the
street. 1t can be sufficiently ventilated at
bottom and top. Gags. handouts and fet-
| ters for the heels of such subjects as were
sent down yesterday are absolutely neces-
sary to screen at least semblance of de.
cency in their transportation through the
streets of Washington"
X
Despite the failure Of the proposed duel
between Representatives. Brooks and Bur-
lingame-which caused
dressed be tne the flow of gallops Of
Peacemakers." of printers ink If not
one drop Of blood-the
| advocates of the code were In nowfse dis
| couraged. The following card. printed in
| The Star of August 7. 1856, indicates that
| duels were in fact fought. and also dis
| closes would-be principal of the averted
meeting in the guise of a peacemaker. the
! card being signed by P s. Brooks. H. A.
Edmundson and John s. Caskie:
'Messrs. Ridgeway and Pryor of Rich
mond, Va, met and exchanged shots with
| out effect. We. the undersigned. who ar
rived on the ground after the fire. then in
terposed and at our request the challenge
was withdrawn. 1t appearing to our ats
! faction that the article of Mr.. Pryor which
was the occasion of the challenge. was
written under the belief that there was
studied purpose on the part of Mr.. Ridge
way to insult him and to provoke quar-
81 hot Mr. O.
claim such deliberate purpose, and that
each and every article that was regarded
offensive either by Mr. Pryor or MT.
Ridgeway be simultaneously and frankly
withdrawn: and we trust that hereafter
those relations of kindness will subsfst be-
tween them which become gentlemen who
have we'll approved their courage and
honor"
The respective friends of the duelists
copied the adjustment honorable and
just and the incident was thus closed. while
the wordy war between the Brooks party
and Burlingame party continued witkout
abatement and consumed many columns OF
space.
In The Star of August g. 1885, occurs a
brief paragraph Of interest now. as indca-
tive Of the lengths to
Slave Woman which some of the north
Manumitted. ern opponents of slavery
cry were willing to go in
behalf of individual members of the black
race and in token of their dsapproval Of
the institution:
"Eljza Brown. a colored woman. aged
twenty-four was yesterday manumitted by
her owner, Mr.. Lemuel Shaw of this city.
on receipt Of $3.50 raised for her among the
members Of the House and Senate by the
Rev. Mr. Trafton, Massachusetts, repre-
sentative. Her value was about $500. In
taking $3.50 for her. her late owner practi-
$0rrr I'd frr0
dom which is proof not only of her capac-
ity to enjoy freedom without abusing 1t. but
of the charity of her late owner. She Is to
20 into the family of Mr.. Trafton as do
nestle"