The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-04-05
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

members OF Congress OF Virginia, as laying
down the principle 'that locality, and not
merit, should be the guide in the selection for
Office" Ii Itapplauds Messrs. Holladay, Css-
kie, Powell, Milson, Meade and Averett, for
their refusal TO recognise this principle. Allu-
ding TO Col. Mems declaration that he means
to stand by this principle of distribution and
make it tenet OF faith in his political creed,
the Wing expresses its surprise that man
Of such prominence as the Colonel should
stand in need of any such lever to elevate him
to the topmost round ofthe political ladder.
The Wing, in some comments on the jars OF
the Democrats on the subject of the Congress
sional District bill, says they have only
broughtto light very angry state of feeling
in the Democratic party towering and dis
cerd, springing from incompatibility of tastes
and differences in education among the lead
ers ofthe party.
The Enquirer enters into a history of the
caucuses on the subject of the District Appor.
tionment bill. Itstates that general caucus
of the Democratic party of the Legislature was
held, under the general agreement that it was
the duty of the party to stake care of ITSELF"
That in this caucus the West was united, as
but little change was necessary in their part of
the State-they losing no member of their
delegation in Congressman that few East.
ern members, fearing to trust their Western
brethren, desired a caucus of the East alone to
arrange its own districts and report to a sub.
sequent general caucus. This desire was as
sentad to. The East held its caucus, and
| adopted the plan known as Stovall's, which
| was obnoxious to the few who desired this
separate Eastern caucus, and these refused to
wards held, and which adopted the plans pro.
posed by the separate caucuses. These few,
If says, now oppose the party, and defeat the
House plan, which is the plan adopted by the
general Democratic caucus. The Enquirer
complains of this as violation of their plighted
faith by these few. 1t charges upon them that
| they themselves owe their seats to the caucus;
and it calls upon the Democratic party to ad-
here to its position-"close up their ranks, and
march firmly in the path of duty"
| The Times has some structures on card
from MIR. r. X. MEADE, "strict construction
ist," who resigns his seat in Congress, or rath.
er declines re-election-the Times supposes
to accept foreign mission. He takes oc.
casion to express his views about Internal I'm.
provement by the General Government, and
acknowledging the great claims of the large
Western rivers upon the General Government,
he proposes to amend the constitution SO as 10
| give Congress special power to improve and
| spend money upon them. The Times takes
MIR. NJ. to task on this point, and says he pro.
poses to legalise that system ei sectional leg
islation, of which the South has SO bitterly
complained, for all time to come.
The Mail has articles upon the "Encour.
agement of Commerce" and "Appropriatious
to Internal improvements" warmly favorins
liberal measures and expenditures.
BRAZILIAN SLAyE Trade Dispatches
lately forwarded to the State Department by
Mr.. Schenck, the American Minister in Brazil.
IN reference to the slave trade, ana the utter
ineffiCiency Of our cruisers to put stop to the
desecretion of the American flag, propose four
remedies, of which the first is strong mea.
sure, viz:
l. To prohibit all trade in American bottoms
between Brazil and the African coast, so as to
prevent the evasions now practieed, 9. To
prohibit the expectation from Brazil, in Ameri.
can bottoms, OF articles useful only in the slave
trade, as gunpowder, gewgaws, and cloths.-
5. 10 prevent the transfer of vessels, by ceas.
ing to issue Consular sea.letters. 4. An i'm.
mediate reorganization of the naval force be.
longing to the Brazilian stations, so Is to nro.
vide swift vessels of light draugh,, capable of
following the slavers into the creeks and behind
the islands where they take refuge.
The last number of Harper's Magazine con.
Jams story OF show the Market house steenIe
IN Alexandra was suilt"-a tale which we re-.
member to have seen long time ago, floating
about IN the newspapers. The money, :, e
said, was raised from the sale of a gamt iar
who was taken up, and sold under an old law,
and having TO buy himself, the pure hase money
was appropriated TO build the steeple. II Is
needless TO add, that this is a varn of the
toughest kind. By the way-the Marker honss
steeple, is one of the handsomest structures of
the kind, in the United States. II was erected
IN 1917, and looks now fresh, new, and likely
TO stand uninjured for many years to come
alexandria Gazette.
Do they still blow horns from the Market
place at nine O'Clock at night? We were in
Alexandria once, and imagined that Chari-
rars was begun when we heard the dissonance |
of the long tin horns blown by strong police
men. When we were informed what was the |
row, we became quite affected towards Gus.
tom SO primitive and simple in its nature.
A negro girl has been arrested in Chester
county (Pa.) for attempting TO murder the lit.
tie daughter of Mr.. A. w. Pennock. a child
only FIVE or six years of age. The details, as
published, are as follows:
"lt appears that she took the child to the
barn, and, notwithstanding its cries and ems
treaties, put rope round its neck, and drew II
tight until she silenced it by stranguIa,ion.
when, supposing it dead, she loosened rhe
rope and threw the child on its face in the gar.
ien. Fortunately it was discovered by an Irish
servant girl soon after, but it was several hours
before 1t could articulate a word. The negro
girl was arrested, and made a confession. nj.
eeglng che intended to murder the child for
'iapping her face"
sY The Fincastle Democrat notices pres,