Don’t get too worked up over this. I just checked some obs (1PM EDT) and it would seem to me that north Texas and Oklahoma have a good chance of getting blasted this afternoon. Often we think that their weather will translate our way but the odd of anything worthwhilefor our region is remote. We will have a chance for rain overnight and early Wednesday and then a front comes down and bring rain with some t’storms late Wednesday. The boundary gets hung up to our south. Little waves of low pressure will wander along the front. That would bring rain on Thursday and there is some indication on Friday morning as well. Saturday still looks to be decent for much of the time before a front approaches late Saturday and increases rain chances again Saturday night. A few t’storms will be possible as well. Sunday will be cool followed by another chance for rain on Monday. I told you to take advantage of Tuesday and Snow White and I will be following my own advice with a visit to the river to do a little sculling.
What you see here is an artist’s rendering of ex-Confederate President Jefferson Davis in drag. The story was that Davis had fled at the end of the Civil War. After days of trying to track him down, Federal troops finally caught up with him and the word was that he was wearing a dress! That was totally at odds with the image of Southern Gentleman as chivalrous, heroic and manly. So, the northern papers ran with it and the myth that he was trying to dress like a woman, cowering behind petticoats, was created. What is probably closer to the truth is that he grabbed his wife’s shawl as cover for the rain that was falling as he tried to escape as he saw the men in blue approaching.
Well, On This Date In History: in 1867, Jeff Davis was released from prison after serving two years in jail, under indictment for treason. He was never tried and he was never even offered bail until May 1867. He had gained much sympathy from his travails with reports of rough treatment and being chained to the walls in his prison at Fort Monroe. One of his sureties was Horace Greeley, who had long been a political opponent. He had a northern lawyer volunteer his services of defense. The case was to come to trial in late 1868 as his lawyers first tried to have the case thrown out. It went to the Supreme Court but before it could be settled, a general amnesty was granted on Christmas Day and it was determined that the amnesty covered Davis. Hence, Jeff Davis was held in prison for two years under indictment and he never was even tried. I believe it is the 6th Amendment that provides the right to a speedy trial but the definition of speed in the case of Davis is probably closer to what the courts call “speedy” today than what was more common in the 19th Century. But, as I’ve said before, next time you hear or read about something like this today, understand it’s happened before and the country didn’t fall apart.
