Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-23
News OF tho Day.
"7o shos0 the very age and body Of The TINES

10, and Chicago (says the Movement, q new
paper just started in New York; have it in
contemplation to establish, somewhere in the
West, leViathan farm of from 100000 to
200, 900 acres. Their object is to do for sgri-
culture, by the use Of combined wealth and
the power OF machinery, what has been done
10 the past half century by the railroad and
factory to supersede the old stage coach and
the spinning wheel. They will organize the
vast tract into two rival establishments, with
military organization Of labor, gigantic
machinery to plough, plant, reap, and render
harvests, vast herds of horses, sheep and cat
tie of the most select stock, and the culture
of fruit and grains on grand scale.
The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Times writing on the 18th inst,
ssys:--"Colonel Seaton, the esteemed jr.
editor CT the National Intelligencer, gave,
one of his famous Congressional suppers on
Thursday evening. Governors Seward aud
Crittenden were the leading spirits at the
sumptuOus entertainment, which was crown
ed by feast Of reason and flow of soul"
About fifty members, with Lord Napier,
Baron Stoeckl and few other gentlemen,
composed the party.
According to circular of NJ. Aries Du-
four, of Lyons, the silk market has been
benefited by an impulse given to the retail
trade by a fortnight Of foe weather. The
stocks of spring goods in the hands of deal
ers have been cleared of, and if the season
had been O little less advanced, fresh orders
would probably have been given. Under the
circumstances, the transactions in the raw
material, although not active, have been suf-
hcent to sustain prices.
The London Times of the 5th instant, re-
ports the suspension of the East Inda and
China firm of Maitland, Ewing & Co. The
house was of high standing, and their liabil-
tiles are thought to be at least between
100000 and 100000. 1t is supposed,
however. they will soon DO able to meet all
their engagements. Another suspension is
that of Newcomer, Noble & Co., also in the
India trade. Liabilities not large.
The New York Legislature adjourned on
Tuesday night, at ten o'clock. The closing
scenes in the House were boisterous and un-
dignifed. In the Senate the new Canal bill,
providing for a 'hree-quarters mill tax, was
lost by vote of 10 to IL. The deficiency Of
interest on the Canal debt S7l0000) is TO be
paid by the half mill tax passed a few days
ago. There will, however, be no funds to go
on with the enlargement Of the canals during
the winter, unless the Legislature, on meet
ing in January, shall provide them.
In the examination Of the dead letters at
the General Post Office for the last quarter of
the year there were found 2, 4s2 which con-
tanned money, amounting to Sl3,457. The
three previous quarters gave 1852 letters
enclosing SIS ,364-2,245 covering Sl2,656,
aud 2,202 letters SILL $40. Thus in one year
927l letters were discovered, covering $751;
2S5; nne-tenths of which have BEEN through
the prom t and judicicus action Of the finance
bureau, restored to their original owners.
A Belfast paper, which deVotes much at
tention to agricultural matters, learns with
satisfaction tn at the extent of soil turned by
the plough in the north of Ireland this sea-
son, exceeds by large figure that of any year
since the famine. Southwark the reports
are equally gratifying; but there is draw
back upon the prospects, serious fall In
the prices of alm.st everything which the
farmer supplies.
A few days ago, in the District Court of
Allegheny county, Pa, Mrs. Margaretta
Hamilton sought to recover the guardianship
of three of her children, aged respectively
Is, ii, and 9 years, who, by their fathers
will, bad been taken from her protection and
con6ded to relatives Of the father. The
court, however, decided that the father bad
a right to devise the custOdy OF any minor
child during bis OF her minority" to any
person Whatsoever, and as it was not shown
that the children were In any way restrain
ed Of their liberty, the mothers application
was not allowed.
Quite fleet of ships cleared at the New
Orleans custom house on the 9th instant, car
rying large cargoes. Of cotton there were
tweuty-eight thousand six hundred and thir-
ty-fuur bales among the produce, together
with four hundred hogsheads tobacco, and
eighteen thousand five hundred and thirty
sacks of grain, ali for foreign markets.
Mr.. L. Merriam has addressed a letter to
the Secretary Of the Navy. suggesting that
the Susquehanna be Immediately ordered to
the North Seas, to such parallel of latitude
as will give temperature below the line OF
1927 thirty-two degrees of Fahrenheit, and
there remain for at lesst twenty days for
thorough disinfec.ing by cold.
The decision of the Collector at Baltimore
has, on appeal, been confirmed by the Secrc-
tary of the Treasury, in charging duty Of
"a per cent. on guitar strings" composed oil
metal and silk. The importers claimed en-
try at duty of Is per cent, the rate asses
sed on strings for musical instruments COM
posed of whip.gut or cat-gut.
The contemplated excursion of the steam
or Ericsson to the Mediterranean, seems to
have been abandoned, not more than halt
dozen bertbs having been taken up on the
l4th. The Ericsson was to have sailed on
the lst of May. She is now advertised 70
leave on the Sth Of May for Bremen.
Aman named Watson, Of Frederick, Ma.
ryland, has been lodged in jail in Martins
burg, charged With having committed forgery
upon divers persons to considerable amount
He also hired horse in the latter place, and
attem p,ed to make of with him, but was az