Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-28
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

After the outbreak of the civil war
this government was given considera-
BILE trouble at one time and
Tests for another by the excessive
Az. zeal OF officials who failed
AAoAS' to discriminate between
aliens and citizens in the matter OF the
tests of loyalty which We're applied from
time to time. Consequently the follow
ing executive order was issued. printed in
The Star of July %. 1867:
Representations have been made TO the
President by the ministers of various
foreign powers in amity with the United
States that subjects of such powers
have. during the present insurrection,
been obliged or required by military au-
thorities to take an oath of general or
qualified allegiance to this government
1t is the duty of all aliens residing in
the United States to submit to and obey
the laws and respect the authority of
the government For any proceeding or
conduct inconsistent with this obligation.
and subversive of that authority, they
may rightfully be subjected to military
restraints when this may be necessary
But they cannot be required to take an
oath Of allegiance to this government be-
cause it conflicts with the duty they
owe to their own sovereigns. All such
obligations heretofore taken are there
fore RENTED and annulled. Military
commanders will abstain from imposing
similar obligations in future, and will. in
lieu thereof, adopt such other restraints
of the character indicated as they Shall
find necessary. convenient and effectual
for the pubic safety. 1t Is further d.
made affecting the personal liberty of an
alien, reports Of the same and of the
causes thereof shall be made to the
War Department for the consideration OF
the Department Of State
There seems to be very general
Misrepresentation" says The Star of July
%. 1867 with regard to the
Stamp act authorizing payment in
nr stamps and to prohibit the
0n1J' circulation of notes of less
denomination than 81. which was APP
proved the 18th of July last Under
the provisions Of this act the Secretary
of the Treasury and not the Postmaster
General is directed to furnish postage
and other stamps to the assistant treas
urers in such designated repositories of
the United States the former may Sc
lect. to be exchanged by them on appli-
cation for the United States notes and
from and after the LIST Of August next
such stamps shall be received in pay
ment of all dues to the United States
less than So and shall be received in ex-
~ Ynit tad ttaS
presented in sums not less than 81 to
any assistant treasurer or designated
depository.
Hence this law does not make postage
stamps a legal tender. nor does it require
postmasterS to receive them in exchange
for United States notes. 1t is expected
that the Secretary of the Treasury will
furnish postage stamps to be used as a
circulating medium under the law in such
form that they cannot be attached to let
tiers other mailable matter. Such
stamps will be exchanged by postmasters
for the regular postage stamps. besides
being redeelnable in Treasury notes by
assistant treasurers and such designated
repositories as the Secretary of the
Treasury may se.ect No postage stamps
redeemed by h Treasury Department. un-
less furnished through the agencies OF
that department. Postage stamps now
sold by postnlasters are not exchangeabie
OF TeueeuldUle pN tHefH, anu IL SuCH
stamps are gummed to pasteboard or
other paper it soils or renders them UNI
fit to be used in the prepayment of
postage, and they will be rejected for
postage, because when so soled they can
not be distinguished from the stamps
that have already been used for postage"
The rules early adopted for the ex-
change Of prisoners between the north
and south did not prove al
Exchange together satisfactory, and SO
negotiations were undertaken
As1eS' for the substitution of new
regulations, as discussed in the following
from The Star of July -. 1867:
1T is expected that the new rules for
the exchange of prisoners will be an
nounced next week. The parties author
lied to make the basis of exchange are
Gen. Dix on the part Of the Union army
and Gen. Hill for the rebels. The basis
of exchange agreed upon is as laid down
in the war of 1872 between the United
States and Great Britain. All these
points were considered last week al
Haxall's landing on the James river be
tween the two generals and the stan
The point in dispute was as 10 the dlS-
pOSal or position of persons i'll the Union
and rebel states who may be In sympathy
with the United States or the states con-
federated against them. and this was TO
be finally settled yesterday. Cen DiX
having left Washington for that purpose,
it is said. The Union released prisoners,
il is supposed Will be sent to the Mis-
sissippi and the James rivers. as the two
points of exchange agreed upon What
will be done with political prisoners Is
not yet known. but it is probable that
they will be exchanged Surgeons and
chaplains will be exchanged upon terms
of perfect equality and not regarded as
prisoners. Suffers and tieir clerks, too,
will be held like surgeons and chaplains.
a. iion-comba tantS and released.
The issue of Srog to seamen of the navy
was continued during the first year OF
the war AS q relic Of the
No More old custom of furnishing
drink to mariners In The
uIos. Star of July "A. 1862, is the
following text Of an order just issued by
the Secretary of the Navy:
1.-The attention of officers and others in
the naval service is called to the follow
ing section OF an act Of Congress APPROX
ed July IA, 1867, viz:
Section 4. And be it further enacted,
that from and after the first day Of Sep
tember, 1862, the spirit ration in the navy
of the United States shall forever cease.
and thereafter distilled Spirituous
liquors shall be delivered on board of
vessels of war, except as medical stores
and under the control Of the medical Off
for medical purposes. From and after
the said first day Of September next.