Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-05
LOCAL 1T K N 8

grand Jury found true bills against Thomas
II ,pwood, for petit larceny, and Charles
Elliott for assault aud battery, and made a
favorable report on the condition of the jail.
Albert Doby who was committed to the jail
of this county some time since to await re-
aaisition from the Governor OF Maryland,
was ordered to be discharged, no authorized
person appearing to demand him. The
court adjourned until this morning at III
o'clock
SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CONVENTIONAL
meeting of citizens, was held at Sarepta
Hail. 90 Monday night, the official proceed
ings of which will be found in another col
umn of to-day's Gazette for the purpose OF
appointing delegates to attend the Southern
Commercial Convention, which meets on the
10th instant, at Montgomery, Alabama. W.
d. Massey presided, and X. Zimmerman &C
ted as Secretary The object Of the meeting
having been stated by the Chairman, on nc
ton of T. T. Hill, forty-three delegates were
appointed, to which the Chairman and Be-
cretary were added, to attend the COnVen-
ton. Several speeches were made on the
occasion.
PoroMAC RIVER TKADE-To retain and
increase the trade of the counties 10 Mary
land and Virginia, bordering upon the Poto-
mac river, is au object worthy of the most
serious attention and the most constant eXer-
tons of our merchants and business men.
Baltimore is holding out every indacement
possible, to divert this trade to that city, and
the design has beeo accomplished to greater
e1teut than is generally supposed. The
facilities of access to Alexandria are so much
greater than those to Baltimore, that 1t
would.seem natural we should have the un-
divided business of the whole section OF coun-
try referred to. But this is not the case
and it behooves all interested in the pros
perity aud welfare of our city, to exert their
best efforts to regain what has been lost, and
secure for the future, the whole Potomac
trade. We throw out the suggestion now, in
order to call public attention to the subject
intending hereafter to make further remarks
in relation TO it, if it should be necessary.
10 the mean time, We trust our merchants
and all interested, will do all 10 their power
ng in
apdra is SO much interested.
ALExANDRIA.-In an article in DeBow's
Review for May, on Virginia and the Chesa-
peake Bay, it is sald-"Alexa dria, our young
giant Of the Potomac, enjoys a site equally as
iavorable as that OF Baltimore, and in relation
to the lakes, her geographical position is even
more favorable than that of either Phladel-
phia or New York. A few miles more of con-
uecton by railroads will give to Alexandria
all the advantages which Baltimore enjoys
through their means"
RELIGI US SERVICES. celebration Of
the Month of Mary, usual in the Catholic
Church during May, was commenced 10 St.
Mary's Church on Saturday morning last,
and is continued every day at 6 o'clock, A.
NJ. Considerable congregations attend the
services, and the fine singing by the children
of St. Mary's Sunday School renders them
highly interesting.
ILLNESS OF GEN. G. F. MERCER.--We re
gret 10 learn that the venerable Charles Fen
ton Mercer, is lying dangerously Ill at How.
ard, the residence Of Rev. j. p. Mcclure 10
Fairfax County, short distance from this
city. His disease is cancer and but little
hope is entertained Of his recovery.
p. S. We learned at late hour last n ght
that Gen. Mercer died yesterday afternoon
See obituary head.
APPOINTMENT OF DELEGATEs-We under
stand that Messrs. John Muir, George T..
Wilmington, James Atkinson and Robert +.
Prettyman have been appointed to represent
the Friendship Fire Company, No. l, 10 the
Firemen's Convention, now in session.
SALE OF STATUARY, &c.--The collection
of Italian Marble and Alahaster Statuary,
vases aud goupes, Bohemia Glassware, and
French Cbina~are, &C.. &C., offered for sale,
at auction, at American Hall, by Siguor
Pandolfini 4 Co., is one of the finest and
most beautiful we ever had the pleasure Of
examining, and our citizens will now have
an opportunity CT adcrnipg their houses
with the beauties of Art, and Of procuring
a, very moderate cost, the most elegant az
ticles for daily household use. We would
advise visit to American Hall, where there
articles are on exhibition. The sale takes
place to-day and tomorrow, and will be posi-
tive.
LIBERTY HALL was opened on Monday
night, by Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Drew, with
one OF their Drawing-room entertainments;
and notwithstanding the absence of the must
cal part of the programme, lowing to Cir
cumstances boyond their control) the per
fJrmauce OF each was OF character rarely
witnessed here. Mrs. Drews illustrations
of the eleven different characters in which
she appeared, were OF the highest order, and
reflected great credit upon her as popular