The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-20
LOCAL MATTERS.

The PRESIDENT HEALTH.-Rumors of the
Presidents indisposition since his late journey
having been extensively circulated, it may be pro-
per to say that he was out on horseback yester-
day afternoon, looking in good health.
lNcENDIARIsM.-It must be gratifying to every
respectable member of the community that two
Of the incendiaries who have infested the city for
months past have not only been apprehended but
tried and convicted of the crime. Five indict-
ments were found against each, on several of
which they have already been declared guilty, in
the criminal court; and, as consequence, they
will be sentenced to long sojourn in the District
penitentiary The only regret ia that they were
not sooner discovered in their felonious opera
tons. Their names, respectively, are John +.
West and John Fisher alias Jack Sheppard, both
muattoes, who have not yet attained to adult age,
and who were joint associates in crime.
The stimulus Of a reward offered by the Mayor
of Washington, well obligation to per-
form credtaby police duty, resulted in the arrest
of these parties, by officer J. F. Wollard, several
weeks ago.
Thousands of dollars have been lost to our citi-
zens within the past year by incendary acts. One
dwelling house, shop, stable, during day
or night, did not suffice; sometimes four five
would be destroyed within either period by clan
destine kndlngs; and not only this, but tenants
were aroused from their slmbers by the cracking
fire and the sufocatng smoke, and in many cases
barely escaped with their lives. For season no
one could retire to his bed with assurance that
his dwelling would not be the next object Of de-
struction; and many were the fearful apprehen-
sions on this account.
Nothing that we have heard induces the belief
that these incendiaries were influenced by de-
sire to plumber, (for thefts in the darkness Of
night can be and are frequently committed, in
nearly all instances with impunity,) but by love
of the excitement which house burnings produce,
and stimulated it is shrewdly suspected, by per-
sons with ,phite faces but no better in heart; per-
haps worse-certany more cowardly.
1t is seldom that incendiaries are brought to
trial and punished They ingeniously concoct
their plans to avoid detection, and in this, unfor
tunately for the community, generally sue
cessful. But we trust that the example in the
cases to which reference is made, will have a ten
dency to restrain the destructive spirit which has
too long prevailed unchecked by a courthouse
conviction.
A MAGNIFICENT SUGAR DISH has been manu-
featured by Mr.. Robert Keyworth, of this city,
to be exhibited at the Crystal Palace in New
York. The body of it consists of golden me-
lon, resting broad grape leaf of silver, hav-
ing silver pedestal, and the lid encrcled with
grapevine of silver bearing clusters of golden
grapes. 1t is handsome work of art, and highly
creditable to the workmen of this city by whose
skill it has been formed
The BRrcKLAYERs.--ln accordance with pre-
vious arrangement, committee of the bricklay-
ers, now s'strike' for additional pay, had an
interview yesterday with the President of the
United States, who received them courteously,
and assured them that he would have a CONVEX
sation with Captain Meigs Tin charge of the ex-
tension of the CapitoD upon the subject, and in
form the committee of the result through that
officer
THE CoRNER-SToNE of the Fourth Baptist
Church, on Thirteenth street, between G and H
streets, will be laid tomorrow afternoon, at five
o'clock. The exercises at the stand, we learn,
will consist of appropriate music, addresses by the
Rev. DR.. Bowling, of Philadelphia, Rev. DIR.
Kingsford, of Alexandria, and others, together
with the laying of the cornerstone by the Fra
ternity of Masons, and the offering of prayers.
The procession will be formed in front of the
Tenth street Baptist Church at a quarter to five
o'clock, to proceed to the site of the proposed
edifce.
The PUBLIC ScHooLs.-The examination of
the Second District Public School, male depart
ment-Samuel Kelly, principal-took place yes
terday afternoon. There were present, among
others, the Mayor of Washington and Messrs.
Abbot, Halliday, Harbaugh, Bacon, Pearson, Ran
dolph, and Davis, of the Board Of Trustees and
Messrs. Hill, Callan, and Douglass, members of
the City Councils The pupils were examined in
reading, spelling, arithmetic, mensuration, the
History and Constitution of the United States,
grammar, Green's Analysis of the English Lam
guage, and in other studies. The discipline and
order were excellent, and the examination gener-
ally such as in no way to detract from the
good character of the school.
THE CENTRE MARKET was plentifully supplied
with edbles yesterday, but not at prices satisfac-
tory to consumers. Much Of the vegetable mat
ter did not exhibit the freshness at all times desi
rable; the hucksters having nearly the complete
control of the markets, and understanding well
their vocation of keeping garden products from
one day to another rather than at once reduce
the tariff. therefore by the time they not the
hucksters but the vegetables) about to be
cooked, they acquire provoking degree of tough
ness.
The few country people at the stands were ex-
pressing their delight at the recent heavy fall of
rain.
A Lot OF GROUND, fronting 20 feet on Fifth
street, between l. and M streets, in square 514,
and running, back 100 feet was sold yesterday
afternoon by Mcclure, auctioneer, at - cents
per square foot