Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-26
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

After the removal of Secretary STAN
ton President Johnson continued his
course of opposing the
Gen. Sheridan policies Of Congress
-, in the matter Of re-
Ase1oSeu. construction, and on
the 18th of August, 1857. caused the
issue by Gen. Grant, acting secretary
can Army, of orders relieving Maj.
Gen. Sheridan in command of New Or
leans and assigning Maj. Gen. George
H. Thomas to succeed him. The Star
of August 81. 1867, said:
NO one familiar with the tendency
of affairs at the White House was I'M
prepared for the removal OF Gen.
Sheridan. Maj. Gen. Thomas, who was
ordered to Louisiana in his stead. CO.
incides with Gen. Sheridan in his views
of public affairs and will doubtless adj
minister his trust just as his prede-
cessor did. Gen. Grant explicitly d.
reefs that the former. will continue to
execute all orders he may find in force
in the fifth military district. at the
time Of his assuming command Of it,
unless authorized by the general of
the Army to annul. alter or modify
elects to keep within his own hand all
the power to direct the acts OF the
several military commanders devolved
on him by Congress, intending to sur
under the law, is also Invested of all
responsibility in the premises. This
determination of Gen. Grant will prove
great disappointment to those who
induced the President to remove Sheri-
dan, whose object in bringing that
about was to procure the annulment.
alteration or modification of his orders
and acts. In view of these self-evident
facts We can only see in Gen Sheri. .
dams removal and the substitution OF
of the breach between Congress and
the President, likely to increase the
chances of the enactment of more
stringent legislation toward him. 1t
is now clear that there can De no pre-
tense that he is carrying out the re-
construction policy and laws Of Con-
gress according to the intent Of the
trainers of those acts. nor do We be-
lieve that he will stoop to allege any
thing of the sort in his next annual
message The country should be pre-
pared to see Congress begin the ses-
sion in November by the prompt in
itiation of measures to test whetner
the President may lawfully set it's &C
in our mind as to what will be the
result of this contest. We believe that
the country is at this moment more
fixed than ever in the purpose Of sus-
tanning Congress, in the belief that
everything done or attempted by the
President in opposition to the purposes
of that body has resulted unfortunate
ly for the south. and for the country
at large, by postponing the consumma-
ton of reconstruction and increasing
~ A-sr
X
Fifty years ago the roads around
deed. they were not
Stage Coach altogether safe, In
Washed Away. The TT i ssar Of is A AN ae'
count of a tragedy enacted on the
Rockville pike little north of Tenley-
town, when a stagecoach was swept on
the road by a freshet and three people
were drowned. 1t states:
yesterday afternoon about o'clock
terrible calamity occurred on the
Rockville turnpike by which the lives
Of three young ladies were lost Al
Mr. j. C. Howard is proprietor was on
its way in from Rockville. being
due here about o'clock But it
had. on account of the bad condition
of the roads. been retarded somewhat,
and, approaching what is known as
Balls branch, ordinarily a small stream.
about one and half miles north OF
Tenleytown and a mile south OF Nay
lorsyille found that it had been sWelled
to the dimensions of a river almost. in
which there was very swift current
running. The driver. Mr.. George Full
ton. was cautious about attempting to
cross. but. seeing two-horse amou-
lance driven by Isaac Williams go over
accordingly the horses. three In num-
Der, were driven forward. but the cur
rent proved too strong. washing over
the vehicle. in which were three ladies.
Misses Mary Barrett. Betty Brimmer
and Miss Cray: also one gentleman
Mr.. C. Kiefer of Rockville. The driver
and Mr. Kiefer soon succeeded in ex-
Treating themselves and reaching the
shore, but the stage was borne rapidiy
down the stream. the ladies' eaii ing
gentlemen followed on down the stream
and in short time crowd OF per-
sons gathered about the banks ana
rendered all assistance possible. the
Of the time. and the three ladies in
attempting to get out were drowned.
The horses, having broken away from
the vehicle. got out safeiy, with the
exception of the lead morse. WnicH was
badly injured and will probably die.
while the stage was lodged against a
tree. about 300 yards down the stream.
Search was continued for the bodies.
and the driver. returning about II
o'clock last evening. brought in word
that the bodies of the two first named
ladies' had been recovered about a
half mile below the pike. Later IN
the night the body of Miss Gray was
found still farther down the stream.
At the time of the removal OF Gen.
Sheridan from his post at New Orleans
an attack was made
A. A++ooL a., upon Gen. o. o. How
ard, chief of the bu-
Gen. Howard. reau Of refugees. freed
men and abandoned lands with particular
reference to the establishment and endow-
ment of Howard University The Natlonai
Intelligencer was chief mover in this at
tack. and alleged that UNCONVENTIONAL IN
fuences had governed in the institution.
An article in The Star of August "A. 1867.
meets these charges and says regarding
the establishment of Howard University:
"A building worth upward OF Slt.eoe
was transferred by the commissioner OF
the freedmen's bureau to the Kew Dr-
Turney in charge of the work OF the ma
tional Theological Institute. Ten Thousand
dollars was transferred to the same insti
,,,ta from the freednen'S fund under the