Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-12-01
ALEXANDRIA,:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER /. 1918.
FROM OUR coRHEsrosbEsr AT WASHING

On motion Of Mr.. Lowndes, the house re-
solved on an inquiry whether any, and
what amendments ought to be made in the
laws regulating the coins of the U. States
and foreign coins.
An inquiry also was resolved upon, on
the motion of Mr.. Thomas N. Nelson, into
the expediency Of amending the act OF last
session, to do away the Offices OF surgeon
general and assistant surgeon general, and
substituting in their place wosurgeon ge-
nerals, corresponding to the present office
of assistant surgeon general, with their pre-
sent pay, emoluments, and duty. &c.
Mr.. Spencer endeavored to have his re-
solution respecting the U. States bank, (of-
fsred by him, and laid on the table on We'd
nesday LAST again taken up this day, and
made motion TO that effect; on which the
house divided, and there appeared for call
ing up the resolution 63-against it ".
The Beaumairchais claim then was bro't
up in a committee Of the whole, general
Smith in the chair, when Mr.. Pitkin rose,
and in very able and argumentative
speech, which lasted from twelve o'clock
to four, presented luminous exposition OF
that very singular transaction his object
being to prove that the money now claim
ed by the representatives of Beaumairchais,
as having been lent by him to America,was
in fact a gif from Louis XVI. Zone million
of it being supplied by the king of SPAIN
to the American congress, to aid them in
overcoming Great Britain, but which the
minister, Vergennes, employed Beaumair-
chas secretly TO convey to America in sup
plies, in order to avoid the resentment OF
Britain, and aconsequert premature breach
with that government. Mr.. Pitkin read
from the report Of the select committee
number ofletters and other evidences to es-
tablish these facts, and after making very
deep impression on the house, closed, as |
have told you, at about four o'clock upon
which the committee rose, reported pro-
gress and obtained leave to sit again after
which the house adjourned 10 Monday next,
Charleston, .Nov. eS.
By the arrival yesterday afternoon, Of the
sch Eudoria, Capt. Vincent, in days from
the Havana, we received the papers Of that
city down to the l4th inst. They contain
not single item Of Importance. Our cor
respondent merely remarks l..at there is no
thing new, and subjoins the following Pri-
ces Current of the 18th inst.
Ass. sugs. 1871 and 9li a l81 95; reals.
Whites, alone, es "a reals.
Browns, 18t IS reals.
Coffee, new, S28 81.
Supannah, .Novemjer 90.
FIRE.
A few minutes before IL o'clock, last
night, this city was alarmed by the appal-
ling cry Of fire, the beating of the drum,
and the ringing Of the Exchange bell. A
few Of the most vigilant Of our citizens re-
paired TO the spot--lhe stores then in the
occupation ofMessrs Edes g. Potter, and A.
l. 5. Savage, on Knox's wharf. The flames
had not yet made any formidable progress,
and might have been suppressed by the
wonted industry Of the citizens, had not an
ill-timed report of the Stores containing
gunpowder, deferred those on the spot from
rendering the assistance which the exigen-
cy of the case so peremptorily called for
thus it was suffered TO continue its ravages
where it originated. The night was calm,
yet the devouring element, whose progress
had not yet been efFectually checked, soon
consumed this, and communicated the
flames to the adjacent buildings, corner
store where Messrs J.. Battele & Co. had
goods to large amount next the cooper
shop, occupied by Leonard Fash; and then
the stores of Messrs Williamson g. De Viii
lers, which were all entirely destroyed.-|
Here stop was put to the march Of this
dreadful e!eme Mt, by the fre-proof stores Of
Messrs Johnson & Hills. Several large yes.
sells moored to the wharves were saved by
the fortunate circumstance of its being then
high water, which enabled them to be re-
moved from inevitable destruction. The
stores destroyed were the property Of Mr..
Telfair, and MIR. Williamson. A great
quantity Of cotton, rice, sugar, &c. was
thrown into the river. The adjacent
wharves were filled with the goods remo-
we'd from the stores east Of the fire. But
very little property was saved from those