Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-15
Capital Sidelights
BIZ viii P. Kennedy.


Representative Walt Koran of Wash
ington State is one of those he-men in
Congress who take their religion sin
cerely into their daily life and public
service-but are transformations about it..
He enlisted in the Navy in World War /,
then married State college classmate
and they have five children. In private
life he is a fruit grower and packer.
Occasionally The Star carries citation
of the Congressional Record, where
readers may find something that inter-
ests them greatly-something out of the
ordinary This time it is to the Record
of July 6, page A3572, where Mr.. Koran
inserted: Money Changers. Modern
Style?" 1t discloses the reflections and
philosophy of a case-hardened, war
wearied news writer on a recent visit to
Jerusalem. Most of the worlds people
get their meager good traits from this
dusty cradle OF ethics, humanitarianism
conscience and hope of hereafter" the
writer recalls. His graphic description
must be read in full-and as surprise
to be best appreciated, including the
'tragically ignored three-word solution
of all the worlds problems"
Few persons know that slavery was
abolished in the National Capital April
is, 1862, and the action here is believed
to have encouraged, if not prompted,
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation,
The District abolition bill was intro
duced in Congress by Henry Wilson,
Senator from Massachusetts,, in 1861.
Wilson had been elected successor to
Edward Everett and later was elected
Vice President on the Republican ticket
with U. S. Grant. He had his name
changed by the State Legislature with
the approval of his parents when he was
81, from jeremiah Jones Goliath to
Henry Hamilton Wilson. He learned the
trade of shoemaker and subsequently
became shoe manufacturer.
Wilson's Abolition Act fulfilled a
pledge made 26 years before when he
first came to Washington. He boarded
for a month on Capitol Hill and visited
williams notorious slave pen at Sew
enth and B streets. Il saw slavery be-
meath the shadow of the flag that waved
over the Capitol" he said. Il saw the
slave pens. I left the Capital of my
country with the unalterable resolu-
ton to give all that had to the cause
of emancipation in America" From
washington he returned to Dartmouth
College and at the close of the school
year spoke on the Affirmative side of
the question: Ought slavery to be
abolished in the District of Columbian"
He died in the Capitol and lay In state
in the rotunda.
The redemption of the slaves took
place in the historic old City Hall, now
known as the District Courthouse, where
President Harrison-President for a
months said to have caught the cold
which resulted in his death. In this
building also was conducted the trial of
Guiteau for the assassination of Presi-
dent James A. Garfield. Only slave
owners who took an ironclad oath of
allegiance to the Government were paid
for their human chattels. A veteran
slave dealer from Baltimore handled the
business in one of the courtroons. The
highest appraisal was $785 for good
blacksmith and the lowest $l095 for a
baby. The total estimated value of the
slaves was nearly two million dollars,
but as only one million dollars was ap-
propriated, prices had to be scaled
down. Some of the slave owners them
selves were colored. They had been
freed and then saved their earnings until
they could buy their wives and children
out of bondage.
~
If George Washington was the father
of his country" Alexander Hamilton was
the father of the United States Treas
ury." While building up the financial
system of the Nation, the state of his
own finances may be judged from the
following note to a personal friend
dated September 8, 1791: Dear Sir:
If you can conveniently let me have $40
for a few days, send 1t by bearer. A. H."
Talleyrand, the French statesman, on
his return to France spoke with admir-
ing enthusiasm of the young American
patriot. He said. 81 have seen in that
country one of the wonders of the
world-a man who has made the future
of the Nation laboring all night to sup
port his family