American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-30
Items from the Morning Papers.

l. T. t+28st+y I.atSs ~
THE GRAND jury, yesterday, closed their Ia
bors and were finally discharged. Among their
last acts was the finding of true bill against
John Carlos Gardiner for "false swearing"
and true bill against j. Hamilton Mears for
fraud on the Government. Gardiner was ar
rested on the presentment of the Grand Jury,
| on the 18th instant, for perjury, but not until
yesterday was the Indictment found. Rep
Nor PURcHAsED.-It was stated in one Of
the papers last week that the estate of Jno. A.
Smith, ESQ.,, situated north Of Washington, had
been purchased for o military asylum for s40,-
| Q00. We have received such information as to
induce the belief that the sale, as reported, has
not transpired; and, indeed, that as yet no
spot has been defnitively fixed upon for the
object. The beautiful farm property Of Mr..
John III. King, north of the Georgetown College
estate was visited yesterday with view to an
examination of its fitness for the purpose, but
we do not hear that any steps have been taken
making its purchase likely.-M.
We believe we copied telegraphic despatch
from this city to the above effect
VISIT TO THE VALLEY OF VTBGINIA.-Itis is un-
derstood, and we have no doubt correctly, that
the President Of the United States and portion
Of the members of the Cabinet-the Secretaries
Of War and of the Interior-will leave this city
on their promised visit to the Valley of Virginia
on Tuesday next.
On his way the President, with the Secre-
taries, will make personal inspection of the
public works and property at Harper's Ferry,
which he has long been desirous Of doing
| They will then proceed up the Valley, by the
Potomac and Winchester Railroad, to Charles
town, turning off at that place to the neighbor-
ing Shannondale Springs, there to meet, in
| friendly and familiar way, the citizens of the
adjoining counties Of Jefferson, Clarke, and
Loudoun, in compliance with an invitation of
the latter made some time since
Leaving Shannondale, the President and his
friends will 90 on to Winchester, and taking
perhaps Capon by the way, thence to the White
| Sulphur Springs of Greenbrier. At this point,
| If we are not misinformed, Mr.. Stuart will cross
into his own district to attend to some legal
business requiring his care. OF Mr.. Conrad's
purposes we are not apprized, but, being a
native of Winchester, at which place many of
his near relatives are still resident, he will, of
course, feel himself in that region every where
at home. This will be Mr.. Conrads first re-
lease this summer from the tolls and cares Of
his Department Intethgencer
There is n spirit Of "go ahead" among the
| boys of the West, that neither fire can burn out
nor water drown. The latest instance Of never
giving up" occurred in Canton (Missouri) dur
ing the late food. The Reporter published in
that town, says that during the late flood in
paper in n canoe-that sometimes he would
nose it into the door of n subscriber and drop in
the paper and where that was not convenient,
he would drop them down the chimney. This
deviln must be descendant Of the Kentuckian
who could "dive deeper, stay under longer,
and come up dryer than any man in those
parts"
SwIMNIYG.-Elizur Wright gives the rationale
of swimming as follows; No branch Of educa-
ton has been so much neglected rs this. Man
is the only animal which does not swim natur-
ally. He sinks in deep water from the sire of
his brain when not properly exercised That
is to say, the weight of his brain above his nose
sinks that organ little beneath the surface,
when he is in an erect position, before BUS oody
displaces its weight in water, and thus mas an
equilibrium. With the nose under, one must
breathe water and drown. But when the brain
comes to be exercised enough to throw the head
hack and the nose up, pointing to the very
| vopitb. and keep the hands and feet carefully
under the water, then by the eternal laws of
hydrostatics, the nose will continue above water
and the person will float like an empty bottle
which is so balanced as to keep its mouth up
permost. No human being can sink in still
water of any depth, lying on his back with
hands and feet under water.
At New York, at hall. past ono o'clock yester-
day afternoon, Jefferson Market Bell Tower was
entirely destroyed by fire. The bell, weighing
about Q, 900 lbs, was ruined by the heat and faii.
Jenny Lind has given away 81, 60l. Al in Ro-
chester, New York, being the amount OF PRs'
miums received at ticket auction