Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-06
FIFTY YEARS Ago
In THE STAR

~ = AAee
Eminent northern republicans were
active fifty years ago in efforts to es-
tablish their
M;s.;on.r;., party in strength
in the south h,
From the North. where. before the
war, 1t had had but a small following
Missionaries were sent into the south
to preach republioanism. particularly
to the newly enfranchised. In The Star
of May 8. 1857. is the following:
I'm a few days more there viii be
three earnest and able northern repub-
licans in the southern states. devoting
all their energy to the great work OF
Fastening the reconstruction OF those
states on a loyal basis. under the iate
acts of Congress. Senator Wilson, the
pioneer in this useful field of labor, has
been very successful, and his speeches.
have been listened to with attention,
fairly reported in the newspapers. and,
ate and dispassionate terms by those
who differ from him. While he has
not hesitated to boldly state the whole
truth in relation to the questions at Is
sue as seen from his standpoint, he has
not provoked hostility by any unchar-
itableness. This enables him to reach
and impress the minds of his white
| auditors. while his close connection
with the anti-slavery party for SO
many years and in such prominence
William D. Kelly. the eloquent Penn
sylvania representative. who will COM
mence his labors in New Orleans short
ly, travelling northward from that city,
genuine sympathy for the working
| classes will enable him to command
their attention and respect. Senator
Stewart leaves for Mississippi today.
1T is hardly possible to overstate the
value of the service which will be rem
dered to the country by these three
missionaries in the dissemination of
political truth in the south. II they
are met and opposed in debate by rep
| resentative southern men, SO much the
better. Their presence will attract to
the meetings some of the whites who
would not otherwise attend, and many
of the rank and file may be brought to
doubt the infallibility of their former
think there Is chance of truth break
ing through the thick crust of preju-
dice. which has heretofore cramped
their moral ideas and restricted their
view Of politics to the narrow field
bounded by human slavery. That the
peculiar institution should have deep
| 1y impressed itself on their minds is
| not to be wondered at, as it was the
dominant power in the government for
| so many years. 1t Is now powerless,
but many OF Its evil results remain and
free discussion is calculated to eradi-
| cate them. The speakers should not
| confine themselves to the large cities.
but meetings should be called at every
county town, after due notice. To be
sure, the colored people in the south
seem to have some mode of communica-
| ton with each other which is about
equal to the electric telegraph in speed
and quite equal to 1t in certainty, yet
those removed from the busy centers
of trade need to be encouraged by the
presence of known and prominent
| friends in their midst"
After JEFFERSON Davis was captured in
the course of his flight through the
south he was taken
Writ Issued for to Fortress Monroe
rrn and there confined as
political prisoner
pending trial. He was indicted, but the
government did not move to bring him
to trial, and after long time his
| friends acted and sued for a writ of
habeas corpus to hasten the proceed
| ings. The Star of May 4, 1867, says:
I'm consequence of the action of
Judge Underwood of the United States
district court of Virginia in granting a
writ of habeas corpus for the purpose
of bringing Jefferson Davis before his
court at the next term. which meets at
Richmond Monday next, 9Th instant.
the case is attracting considerable at
tention, and rumors in reference to it
are plentiful. The presence of Mrs.
Davis in this city. who arrived here
yesterday and is at present a guest of
DR.. Miller. at his residence on F street
opposite the Ebbitt House. adds fuel to
the flame, and the newspaper men about
town are all on the qui vive. 1t Is IN
derstood that the object Of the writ of
habeas corpus is to get Davis before
the court with a view to his INN ediate
trial and discharge, and it is reported
that Gen. Burton, the comma ndant at
Fortress Monroe. has been instructed
to obey the writ and that the prisoner
will be delivered to the civil authori-
ties. II he is not tried al the coming
term of the court. efforts will be made
to effect his release. On the opening Of
the court it is understood an applica-
ton will be made to bail him if the
government is not prepared for trial.
and there is no doubt that Mrs. Davis
mission here is in reference to her hus-
bands release on bail. The writ is di-
rected to Gen. Burton, and was taken by
Mr.. George Shea. who is associated with
Mr.. O'Conor. a counsel for Mr.. Davis. to
Richmond. where he will place it In the
hands of Deputy United States Marshal
Duncan for service. The writ is made
returnabIe on the second Monday in
May, the 18th instant. OF the twenty
four grand jurors summoned for the
present term of Judge Underwood.s
court nineteen are white and FIVE are
colored.''
All news from Mexico at this time
fifty years ago pointed to the early
collapse of the empire of
Turmoil in Macmillan. whose for
tunes had been steadily
meAlco. on the wane for some
time The Star of May s. 1867. COM
menting on recently received news in
dicating that the empire was at an
end. said:
What follows? That is question
more easily asked than answered. Eng
land and Spain recognized the govern
1862 and our government has been
steadfast throughout in recognition of
the republic. and has always refused to
have anything to do with the empire.
But Senior Ortaga claims to have be-
come the constitutional president by
the expiration of the term of Juarez.
and he has some adherents- They say
that according to what is called the
constitution in that distracted coun-
trv JuareZ is nothing but a private
hGA nfh