Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Halr q century ago washington mef-
chanfs< had considerable trouble with q
deprecated coinage then
Deprecated legally current, relics Of q
Coinage. past period. Many efforts
to secure legislation to re-
lieve the community had failed. and at last
the business men took hand to try the
effect Of radical action. The Star Of Feb
ruary 2, 1857, contains the following &C.
count of this proceeding:
Smooth fps and Levies-A war Of ex-
termination was waged upon these UNI
happy coins all about town on Saturday.
The crusade was commenced by few
Of the leading grocers, and was entered
upon by the market people with such I'M
relenting severity as to give no quarter to
really good and unworn Mexican and Span
ish quarters. Every butcher, baker and
huckster wore 'no-you-don't! air and
scrutinized each coin presented most rigid
ly, bouncing on q foreigner, when pre-
scented, with as much ferocity as IL an
attempt had been made to palm so much
bogus money upon them. Many drOll scenes
occurred in consequence, and at almost
every market stall could be seen q group
OF customers who, unprepared for the emer-
gency. were supplied with nothing else but
the obnoxious coin, and whose only hope OF
dinner lay in persuading the dealer to re-
ceive it, for this occasion, at least, as an
equivalent for his eatables. We had to let
our smooth levy slide for ten cents worth
Of veal. But what of that? No good citizen
will shrink from sacrificing something to
the public veal
+ ~
In The Star Of February 3, 1857, is the
following statement of the departure Of
President elect Buchanan
Buchanan,s from the city and tho
Departure. fruits Of his visit.
Mr.. b u a a left
Washington this morning on his return to
his residence at Wheatland. We feel at
liberty to state that he took his departure
from hence without having finally deter
mined upon any oneNmember OF his cabinet
During his brief soj0urn here he' was called
on BY nearly every prominsns -deaoeratic
and listened with frank and cordial atten-
ton to all each one Of them thought proper
to say with reference to public affairs. In
that way he has obtained extensive infor-
nation concerning the men Of his party
and the views of his political friends In all
sections of the Union, much of which will
doubtless be Of material service to him in
leading to a sagaeious arrangement of his
government and policy. The impression
he made on all was most happy. That is.
all his political friends here feel well as
Sured that he will make cabinet bent
simply on aiding him to carry out the letter
convention, on which he was elected"
-
Meanwhile preparations for the cere-
monies incident to the Inauguration Of the
new President were pro-
Inauguration cesding apace. In The
Parade. Star Of February 8, 1857,
appears a proclamation Is
sued by William Selden, marshal-in-chief Of
sigma to be worn by the marshal and his
aids, it directs that these officials Of the
day meet at the marshars residence, on
New York avenue between 18th and 18th
streets. at 8 o'clock am, March 4. The
military and civil organizations were also
directed to assemble on New York avenue
at 8 O'Clock. with the right resting ON 18th
street. The order of the procession was to
be as follows:
command Of Col. W. Hickey, or senior
officer ON duty; a national flag, with APP
proprfate emblems; the President Of the
United States, with President-elect and
suite, with marshals on their left and the
United States marshal for the District OF
Columbia and his deputies ON their right;
q rugged ship, as emblem of national duty
and power; the committee of arrangements
of the Senate; the Jackson Democratic As
ISOLATION; the judiciary; the clergy; foreign
ministers; the corps diplomatique;" mem
bers-elect and ex-members of Congress, and
ex-members of the cabinet; governors and
ex-governors Of states and territories. and
members of the legislatures of the same;
officers of the army, navy, marine corps
and militia; officers and soldiers of the
revolution, of the war of 1872 and Of sub
sequent periods; the corporate authorities
of Washington and Georgetown; other po-
litical and military associations from the
District and other parts; all organized civil
societies; professors, school masters and
ct, ,<, III ~ Ut - HO1 hit
citizens Of the District and of states and
territories.
The National Theater was burned during
the afternoon Of Friday, February g. 1857.
and in The Star of the day
Theater following appears an &C
Burned. count Of that disaster from
which this extract Is taken:
"At about o'clock yesterday afternoon
the startling cry was raised that the Ma
tional Theater was on fire, and in an in