Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN The STAR:

IeIsons VINO are inclined to grleNe over
the decadence Of the times and to bewail
the supposed increase of
Rough crime and disorder should
s.. Town read the old files Of news
papers. Judging from
the following paragraph from The Star of
November is. 1859, there has been a great
Improvement during the past fifty years
in urban conditions. This relates to af-
fairs in New Orleans:
1.-The state of morality and regard Of
human life Is pretty low in New Orleans.
Scarcely day passes without some hor-
rible deed of blood being enacted. Eac.
day the local columns of the newspapers
contain one or more 'atrocious MURDERS
mysterious murders or diaboical out
RACES. Wednesday,. November 9. the daily
journals contain accounts of no less than
three murders, not to mention other minor
crimes. or these murders one was said
to have been committed by policeman.
The victim was an unoffending young
man, clerk, who while quietly walking
in company with a friend was interrogat-
ed as to his having halloed for Parker, a
political candidate, and on answering in
the negative, was shot down by one who
should have been the first to keep the
peace. On the night before an old wom-
an sixty years of age, a fortune teller by
profession, was mySteriously murdered in
her own house by some one unknown, for
the little money she possessed. The
other murder was also committed by I'M
being one Patrick Shields, who having
imbibed too freely cried out in the street
'Hurrah for Harrison in response to a
similar expression from some persons
from the opposite side. The crowd init
mated that he was lying and he was then
pursued and killed.
Thanksgiving day has been observed
for the past forty-six years in response to
annual presidential proc
thanksgiving lamations. Before 1853,
nhserx,.,,,. however, the matter was
left to the governors Of
the states save In the case of special occa-
sions when the President called upon the
people to give thanks for blessings be-
slowed. In The Star of November 16
1859, is the following letter to the editor
"Twentyfour states have SO far SET
aside the oath as day of Thanksgiving
This is we'll understood to be a northern
custom. as originating with the pilgrim
fathers and altogether an American in
stitution-one that has been generally
y
state In the Union. Thankfulness to God
from q grateful heart will not be with
held and is regarded as but small trib-
ute for the countless blessings we, the
people, enjoy in this land Of ever-fowing
plenty and where all men, rich or poor.
exalted or ever SO humble, have full lib
erty to worship God from the dictates of
their own conscience. This time-honored
custom is now looked to as one Of our
national days and for q secession from
a and when churches will
be open for religious services. 1t Is vol
untary. 1t is not established by any COM
pulsatory law to force the people to obey
or suffer the penalties of fine and i'm
free people, and none can be or are
worthy to be who in their hearts are
ungrateful to their Creator.
Our city fathers for some cause have
refused. as the custom has been to recon-
mend to the mayor that he request. by
proclamation, the observance Of such a
day. BY this failure therefore, our citi-
zens, or such as desire it. may in town
meeting determine to have a Thanksgiv-
ing day AS there is no law to compel
it's Observance there is none to prevent
it. 1t is to be desired that some move be
made to this end
The trials at Charles Town of the par
Elephants in the John Brown raid had
been finished, but there
Night was still grave anxiety in
A1. this part Of the country
as to the possibility of
further uprisngs and attempts at rescue.
In The Star Of November IS, 1859. is
news article descriptive of excitement in
this city the night before on this account.
About l o'clock III the morning the
Waterman at the penitentiary was star
tied by a violent knocking at the main
entrance by stranger who demanded
immediate admittance, stating that he was
Capt Evans from Virginia and had
friends outside who had come with an or
der for arms and ammunition to quell an
abolition disturbance at Charles Town.
The guard directed him to the arsenal.
Capt. Evans and the other officers were
from Alexandria. having been commits
stoned by Gov Wise to procure arms and
ammunition from here. The Mount Yer
non Guards and the Alexandria Rfflemen
from Alexandria left Washington during
the morning for Charles Town. while the
Alexandria Artillery left that city by
another line for Winchester. taking their
two brass field pieces. Rumors of serious
hours.
The excitement caused by the alarming
reports from Charles Town and Harpers
Ferry. however. subsidized
Burning the next day when it
yuh..+ was found that there was
no real occasion for
alarm In The Star of November 10,
1859 IS a Geographic dispatch from Har
pers Ferry as follows:
THE excitement here last night was
caused by the burning of a wheat stack
about three miles from Charles Town.
The military and populace were called
to arms and the widest terror prevailed
among the people, the supposition being
that Col. Davis had some information of
approaching danger. The panic OF the
messenger was sent by him to the Ferry
with a dispatch for the governor calling
for two companies of cavalry. This morn
ing the fire was found to have been the
work of an unknown incendiary, but no
person could be found in the county on
whom suspicion could rest. There are
now 600 men under arms and no enemy
to be found further to encounter. The
troops from Alexandria arrived at Charles
Town this afternoon and those sent by
way of Winchester are expected tomor-
row morning. There is much dissatisfac-
ton expressed both here and at Charles
Town at the precipitate action of Col.
Davis in sending dispatches for troops in
stead OF first sending ont a posse to In
ulire into the of the fire. They
think they have been made to appear in
they are more than half right on that
point.