Evening star., 1916-09-10
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THB STAR

When affairs in the south began to
settle down after the return Of peace.
movements were start
Virginia Gets ed to secure immi'
Immigrants. 81 eIn ssn,.nhsr aa 8. n 1855 SIS !.
a paragraph on this ubject:
We see that the leading journalists
and public men OF Virginia are saga
ciously advocating the adoption in that
state of policy which. conforming to
the altered state Of things there and the
impossibility Of working large tracts Of
Land prof1tably under the present sys-
tenn of labor. proposes to encourage tho
better class Of immigrants to settle there.
Some TOO immigrants Of this sort have
just landed in New York on their way
to Virginia. who propose to purchase
farms Of 80 to 100 acres Immediately
on their arrival and to enter at once
upon the requisite building and other
preparations for permanent settlement.
They have ample means for building.
stocking and provisioning their home
steads, but will require credit of five
paying interest from the date and with
the privilege Of paying portions of the
principal as from time to time they
may be able to do so. They are skilled
agriculturists and have among them me
chanics of all kinds and some laborers.
Should their experiment be q success A
yet larger number Of immigrants of the
same class will follow them to Virginia .
k*
One of the problems confronting the
government after the close OF the war
was the reorganization of
Southern the militia Of the states
M;,:4: lately in rebellion. In The
Star Of September 6, 1886.
is an item on this subject:
I'VE learn that vigorous efforts are
being made to reorganize the Virginia
militia in portions of the state. but that
the rank and file do not exhibit any
great degree of alacrity in responding
to the calls for that purpose. The
high privates' a1lege that they saw
enough of soldering in four years
war, and have no idea of engaging in
holiday parades for the glorification of
officers of the home guards. In Rich
mond elections of officers are now being
held. but even in that city. where fear
or negro organizations acts as a spur
to the lukewarm, but little interest is
manifestedf Applications for arms WILL
no doubt, soon follow successful at
tempts at reconstruction of the militia
regiments. as that seems to be one of
the objects Of the movement Com
plants are being made all through vir-
ginia that the federal authorities have
heretofore furnished the blacks with
arms, while the whites were unarmed
Judging, however, from the discharges
OF firearms in the suburbs Of Richmond
every afternoon by parties shooting at
bats "a perfect fusillade is generally
Kept up for an hour or two), and by
the number Of revolvers to be found
by the occasional ARRAYS in which pis-
tolls are used. we are Of opinion that in
that section at least the white popu-
lation is not altogether defenseless"
The subject of the bearing of arms
in the south was perplexing to the
government in view of
Regulators the appearance in GER
p,.h;h;..5 tain localities of bands
fronlolted. of Regulators" IN q
way the forerunners of the subsequent
Ku Klux Klan. In The Star of Septem-
Der 6. 1866. is this item:
Maj. Gen. sickles, commanding the
Department of the South, has Issued an
order prohibiting the organization of
white or colored persons having arms
or intended to be armed, not belonging
to the military or naval forces of the
Uni. ed States. This order will not be
construed to prohibit the lawful en-
rn1 1ltrna ar,t NJ II.
OF outlaws. known as regulators en-
gagged in acts Of hostility against the
United States forces or in depredations
and outrages upon the persons and
property Of we'll disposed citizens. will
be deemed as guerrillas, and when cap
tured will be summarily punished
Commanding officers Of posts are au-
thorized, when these bandits cannot be
dispersed by means of the regular gar
risons, to accept the services of such
capturing the offenders. This order
prohibits the formation Of associations
composed Of persons who served in
the rebel army having for their object
the perpetuation of any military or
civil organization which was engaged
in the rebellion or the commemoration
of any of the acts of the insurgents"
In The Star of September 7, 1866 is
news Item telling of a great trotting
match at Chicago for a
Dexter and purse OF $4,000 partici-
MIL. pated in by horses that
1ateeA' were then, perhaps. the
most famous animals in the world, Dex-
ter and Patchen. The account runs:
"Patchen drew the pole and an even
start was effected on the first trial
At the quarter pole Dexter went OF his
feet and Patchen put two lengths be-
tween them. Dexter instantly recover
ed himself and made a beautiful burst,
tapping Patchen at the second quarter,
putting a length between them at the
last quarter and coming in at the score
three lengths ahead. Time, 2.30h. The
spectators hissed when the time was
announced, being greatly disappointed
In the second heat Dexter took the lead
and kept 1t all the way round, making
a splendid dash during the homestretch
and coming in a dozen lengths ahead
heat was much like the second. Dexter
a length behind at the start. quickly
passed Patchen and came in eight
lengths ahead. Time. 2.2S."
4*
In The Star of September 10, 1866. Is
a news item regarding improvements
in the White House
Imnrovements at grounds then being
-, made. The gate
tAe AieasuAy' ways at the head of