Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-02
GEORGETOWN CORRESPONDENCE.


GEORGETOWN, Jan. 2, 1857.
The New Year made its advent clad in the
chilling mantle Of the monarch of winter, re-
minding those of our people who are blessed
with this worlds goods that, when the streets
and the houses are white in the town, and
their bowl smokes with something warm, that's
the time to remember the poor. We are pleased,
however, to be able to record the fact that but
few of our more fortunate citizens need any
such admonitiops to urge them to this psrticu-
| lar duty Doubtless no city can be found In
the Union where there exists among the more
wealthy more of real benevolenoe than does in
| ours And on the other hand 1t wonld be hard
to find another place of the same magnitude,
where there is, as general thing, less of abject
pOverty-real want in winter, than in George
town. This is is the result not only of the be-
nevolent disposition Of our citizens Individual
ly but of the existence Of the Female Union
Benevolent Society, for furnishing the poor
with fuel and the necessaries of life, and the
College and Convent From the tables of these
two institutions we should not be in error were
we to say that from fifty to one hundred poor
persons are daily supplied with good and
wholesome food. So that with the individual
charities of our citizens, the operations Of the
Female Union Benevolent Society, and the
bounties dispensed by the College and Con-
NeUt, tue ureaTy WIutcI 10 Shoih Va LuuSu VI AVS
rigorous terrors to the poor and needy.
The old year, which has just been gathered
to the ages past, has been crowned with much
calculated to cause US, as q community, to re-
joice and feel grateful to the great Disposer of
events Never have We known the general
health of our people to be better than during
the year 1855. 1t is true, number Of our
useful and highly respected citizens have died
during that period, but still We believe if the
IF ali tv For tho could ha cOrractlv
ascertained it would be found to fall below
the general average. Our citizens have also
been almost entirely exempt from calamities,
either by FIRE or food. Doubtless, if the en-
tire loss by fire in our city during the year
could be ascertained it would not amount to
$4,000. We have Also with one single ex
ception, been exempt from those political
graced some OF our neighboring cities. It is
true, We have had more of political rancor
than was ever known among US in former
years, heard much in the way Of harsh threats
calculated to cause a timid person to look to
the future with some fears; but like the for
mer, an overruling Providence seems to have
controlled this matter too. 1t has been
year, too, of more than ordinary prosperity to
our business men generally. The records Of
many large Touring mills, the custom house,
post office, of our -four inspector, the number
of new private improvements for business and
other purposes-all tend to prove that the
year which has just closed has been one of
more than ordinary prosperity, &c, to US as
community.
A murderous assault was committed on
officer Silence, on Wednesday night, by
party Of six or eight negroes, (non-r residents
of our city, part Of them slaves. About IL
o'clock IN that night Mr. Silence went to the
cOlored Methodist church, where a watch
meeting was being held, to see that all was
right. When he arrived there he found par
ties about the building acting disorderly, and
arrested the ringleader While on the way to
the watch house he was assaulted by some Of
the party, who had followed, when near Mr..
Deans residence, receiving a severe blow in
the forehead from a stone, which felled him to
the ground. While down, ne was beat about
the head with heavy bottle, and also kicked
and beat in q most villainous name. Doubt
less he would have been murdered, bat for
several colored men Of our city, who, hearing
the difficulty, went to his rescue. They sue
ceeded in capturing one Of the villains, and
delivered him to the captain of the night
watch, and another was arrested yesterday
morning by Officer Kitchen. Justice Reaver
com mitted them to Jail They are slaves
named Beckett and Slater Mr.. Silence was
taken homo by two of the colored men who
went to his rescue, where DR.. Mccall dressed
his wounds s.