The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-01
LOCAL MATTERS.

than any of its predecessors.
RAILROAD s IN THE STREETS AND AVENUES The
City Councils, at their last meeting, passed res
olution instructing the committee representing
the interests of the Corporation before Congress to
oppose any and all measures for railroads in the
streets or avenues within the city limits without
the assent of this Corporation being first obtained.
There was unanimous vote in its favor in the
Board of Common Council.
s.BANKING."-Mr. Doty, of the House of Repre-
sentatives, made Intellectual effort on Thursday
to introduce a resolution proposing the appoint
ment of select committee to inquire into the yio-
Iations of the law Of Congress relative to restrain
ing the issue Of notes currency under the de-
nomination of five dollars. Mr.. Ficklin, the
chairman OF the Committee for the District OF CO.
lumbia, has BILL which he is only waiting for an
opportunity to report, having in view the abate-
ment of the small note nuisance and the Board
of Aldermen recently passed joint resolution in
favor of general banking law for the District of
Columbia. We trust that something effectual will
be done towards Kidding the community of the ir-
responsible trash with which certain individuals
are now seeking to deluge the community.
The NATIONAL THEATRE was crowded last
night, on the occasion of the benefit of Mr.. Hack
EFT, the highly successful delineator of dramatic
character. The manager, always on the alert for
attractions, has effected an engagement with tine
Bateman Children, whose wonderful theatrical
performances afford everywhere a theme of high
eulogium. %.
Tonight Mr.. Hackett repeats Sir John Falstaff,
in Shakspeare's comedy of .sThe Merry Wives of
Windsor and by particular desire will appear in
the character of Nimrod Wild6re, in the prize
comadv IF ssrrha Rant,,c Lian
The AZTEC CHILDREN are holding their leyees
at Iron Hall, and are the wonder of numerous
spectators. The lecturer gives quite an interesting
account of their history Apart from this the sim
gular appearance of the ssitte people" themselves
is sufficient to attract visitors s m
PAsroRAL CALL.-We learn that the congrega
ton of the Four and a-half street Presbyterian
| church have elected the Rev. Mr.. Sunderland, CT
New York, their pastor.
The PANORAMA OF THE DELUas, now on exhi-
bition at Odd Fellows Hall, attracts many visitors
The painting is, in many respects, beautiful, and
is calculated to produce interest.
PETER BRooks (colored) was tried and found
guilty in the criminal court, yesterday, for ma
liciously throwing vitriol on man named Thomas
Butler, of the same race, and was fined one dollar
and sentenced to Imprisonment in the county Jail
| for nine months. ~
| IAaTa-During the month of December
nearly eighty marriage licenses were issued at the
City Hall, to take effect in the District of Columbia.
Couar AocoMMoDArIoss.-The allusion made
by US day or two ago touching the smalIness of
our court accommodations, has been well respond :
ed to by our city writer's, especially those of the
Sun and Inteligencer, the latter of whom, in yes
| terday's paper, thus discourses on this subject:
"Why should courts of justice be uncomfortable
| places? They are almost always 90. Judges, law
yers, officers, juries, clients, witnesses, and all
others, breathe miserable atmosphere in them:
and the spectators occupy clumsy. out Of the way
| places, peering through unyielding ratings, or
pressing their chins upon painless well whitfield
rails. There should or should not be spectators in
every court. If the former, the accommodations
| lounglng places ought to be effcctually blocked
up The rude, rough, unseemly, stable like places
usually occupied as court-rooms, afford a very
significant invitation to the offensive people who
so often congregate within them. These people
would not feel at home in pleasant, well furnished
halls, or they would wash themselves before going
| into them %
The INSANE AsyLuM.-It will no doubt be inter-
esting to our readers to learn that, in response to
an inquiry of the Senate, made by resolution, a
communication addressed to that BODY on
Thursday, in which the Secretary Of the Interior
says that the President and himself devoted seve-
| raj days to the examination of number of sites,
| which had been brought to their notice, in the
neighborhood of the city; that they personally
visited and examined almost every tract of land
north and east of the city, from the vicinity oil
Georgetown to the Potomac river, east of the navy
yard. Finding themselves somewhat embarrassed
in making selection, and oreseeing the necessity
of employing suitable superintendent to take
| charge of the establishment at its commencement
they concluded that the wsest course would be to
avail themselves of the assistance of experienced
medical superintendent in the choice OF site, as
well as in the management and construction of
the building. 1t appears that the superintendent.
Dr. Nichols, visited in company with Miss Dix,
different locations, (of both whom the Secretary
speaks in the highest terms in regard to their ex
perience, philanthropy, practical knowledge, SC;
that the President visited, in company with the
Secretary, the selection made, and came to the
conclusion that it was incomparaby the best loca-
ton they had examined. The farm consists of one
Hundred and eighty-ive acres, (Mr. Thos Blag-
den's we believe, and was purchased for ss25, 900,
with an adjacent tract of eight acres, fer which
| $4,000 were paid. The residue of the appropria-
ton, $4,000, remains unexpended, though sub.
| ject to charge for the salary of the s1perin
tendent and other incidental expenses of small
| amount. The Secretary further expresses his
satisfaction, from an examination of the land
| as well as from comparison of its cost with
the prices at which other lands were offered to
the Government that the price paid is reasonable;
that the prices OF other tracts, of greatly inferior
quality and less eligibly situated, ranged from
$luO to $ 500 per acre; that the superintendent
mas sketched the outlines of the plan for the pro-
posed edice, but before adopting it finally it had
been deemed expedient to submit it to some of the
most skliinl and experienced superintendents of
1 snNh
might be able to suggest; and when the plans
have been carefully revised and matured, they
are to be placed in the hands of Mr.. Walter ia
order that he may arrange them, SO as to blend ar
chltectnral beauty with convenience and utility.
The Secretary thus closes his communication:
sit ID hoped that in the of few weeks su Fl
clent progress VIII have been made to justify the
advertising for proposals for the execution Of the
work. to commence as early as the season will
permit, so that the building may be ready for oc.
cupancy, il possible, by the LIST January, 1854 ~
4 kOS~ lA~k