Evening star., 1915-06-27
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

At this time fifty years ago the testi-
mony in the conspiracy trials at the
washington bar
Payne's Identity racks had all been
taken and argu-
1StaDllsneu. ments were in prog
ress by counsel for the various pris-
oners. AS previously In the case. In
terest centered in the personality of
Payne. who had up to this time been
mystery. In The Star of June 81. 1865.
is an abstract of the speech of Mr..
Doster, counsel for Payne and At
zerodt, covering nearly page or the Is
sue. Mr.. Doster resolved all questions
as to Payne's identity by stating that
he was the son OF Rev. George c.
Powell, a Baptist minister living in
Florida He traced the development of
the lad. who was fanatically devoted to
the cause OF the south. The attorney
then described the manner in which
Payne, or Powell. fell under the lnf1u-
ence Of Booth. whom he had seen on the
stage in Richmond at the beginning of
the war. meeting the actor shortly after
the performance. Mr.. Doster declared
that Booth had acquired malevolent
dominion over Paynes mind. when in
March, 1865, the two met again and
Booth saw his opportunity to acquire a
tool for use in his assassination plot.
Payne's counsel did not deny the fact
that It was he who attempted the life
of Secretary Seward. and put in no claim
of insanity within the medical definition
xa Anfa
urged that Payne was merely the crea-
ture Of a stronger will. The Star thus
described Paynes conduct during the
course of his attorneys argument:
X 4
Upon the commencement Of Mr.. Dos
ter's argument Payne moved uneasily
once or twice in his seat,
Payne's and, after casting his eyes
n.l slowly about the room.
Oonoue'' fixed them with a steady
look on his counsel. but with an air
Of unconcern strikingly in comparison
with the interest manifested by the
other prisoners. Arnold ceased to look
through the grated window by which he
was sitting. and leaned forward. as II
to catch every word Of Payne's history.
while Herold. seated Immediately on
Paynes right. turned half round and
watched the face Of the latter with
sort Of half amazed stare. The illusions
to Payne's early life. the teachings OF
his mother and the social influence OF
his sisters seemed to move the prisoner.
His eyes grew misty and assumed a va
cant look. and his fingers toyed with
each other nervously Finally Payne
dropped his head and maintained that
posture until the conclusion of the argu-
ment with the exception of an occa-
sional sidelong glance. Once he raised
his eyes and his face flushed during the
narration of his experience in the rebel
army and his destitution in Baltimore.
At the conclusion of the argument In his
defense he crossed his legs and rested
his manacled hands on his knees slowly
sweeping the room with his eyes. and
finally settling down into an easy pos
ture as If relieved by the determination
of his case"
Under the Presidents proclamation
applications for pardon were being
numerously re eived
Applications here at this time half
a century ago and the
AVA 1aAuoA. process of reconstruc-
ton was thus begun. In The Star of
June "a, 1865, is this comment upon
the situation:
at is sincerely to be hoped that the
President will act speedily and favor
ably on the application of the twenty
five merchants Of Richmond for par
don, who apply through the Hon. Mar
tin F. Conway. We understand that
there can be no doubt of the entire
loyalty of the purpose of these gentle
men in resuming their allegiance to
the United States government. The
exceptions in President Johnson's am
nesty proclamation were evidently de-
signed but to secure thorough loyalty
in the restored southern states gov
ernments, not to get vengeance out Of
any man or class of men. The general
public interest requires imperatively
that the last secession leaders, Confed-
crate. state and county. shall be de-
barred from opportunities to re-estab
lish their ascendency over the southern
popular mind. The exceptions above
referred to are simply to secure that de-
sirable state Of things past peradven-
ture. There can be no doubt that they
will prove amply sufficient for the pur-
pose. Nor can there by any doubt that
in the end the number of persons in the
south who must be permanently disfran-
chised, If not banished, will be found
much less than was anticipated a few
weeks since.
We must hereafter live with the peo-
pie Of the south as equals under the gov
ernment of the
The Problem of United States
Reconstruction. whole theorv. = nr,ns sne
cip1e and practice Of our political sys-
tenn must be changed and the republic
come to an end. north and south. Our
government, as it was in spirit before
the rebellion. cannot be maintained at
the north unless 1t is also maintained
at the south. That Is we cannot have a
free republican government in one sec
ton and military despotism in the
other section, for any considerable
length of time. Any statesmen who
essay such an experiment will be voted
out of office on the first occasion in
which the people can get at them
through the ballot box Notwithstand-
ing the herculean efforts of the extreme
politicians to organize popular senti-
ment against the views of President
Johnson upon this subject. as developed
in his appointment of provisional gov
ernors and in his state papers on the
question of state reorganization. they
are making no headway whatever: as
upon no other question does there exist
so great unanimity of American public
opinion just now as in favor of permit
ting the loyal voters Of the states lately
in rebellion to manage their own affairs
as completely as such affairs are man
aged by the people of the several states
north of the Potomac. provided they are
managed upon the terms of republican,