Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-27
COMMUNICATED.

lCOAnVNlCArxp.
The TRousLs ABOUT TIE CnuRcH.-My.
Editor: Seeing in the Star Of the 18th inst, an
article with the above title, setting forth the
iimculty connected with Hunter Chapel, In
Alexandria county, Va, and believing thar m.
article referred to will make wrong impression
In some particulars on the public mind have
concluded to give you statement Of the facts in
the case, out OF which the dispute between the
CONGREGATION and builder originated. In the
summer Of 1857. when the erection Of the build
Ing was FIRST resolved upon, there was building
committee appointed for the purpose Of superin-
tending the erection thereof. That COMMITTEES
consisted Of i've members, and not three, as the
article under consideration implies Messrs
Stuart, Lacey, and Corbit were members of that
committee; said committee, after having agreed
upon the size and plan Of the building, invited
bids for the erection thereof
Mr.. Angus, Of Washington city, made a bid,
In which he proposed to complete the house.
excepting the foundation and pulpit,l for the
sum or $500, which bid was accepted by the
committee, and Messrs. Stuart, Lacey and Cor
bit were delegated to enter into contract with
Mr. Angus for that amount. But, instead OF dc.
ing this, they contracted with him in the sum of
$500 to perform the same amount OF work
which be (the builder) proposed to do for 5000
Or, in other words, they agreed to give $500
more than Mr., A. had asked, or the Committee
had consented to give. IL was to this which the
minority OF the committee objected as an un.
warrantaole assumption Of authority on the part
OF the msJorityi and in which objection thew are
sustained by the authorities Of the church, and
by the congregation; and as part Of tie congre-
CATION, We contend that are not res ponsibie To
Mr. Angus for any amount over and above that
proposed in this bid which the building com.
mittee, in their official eapa CT awarded 10 him
And If portion of the committee, without the
concurrence or consent Of their colleagues and
without their knowledge, agreed to give more,
thev, ana they alone, and not the congregation,
are responsible FOR such amount.
The congregation commended thew are reSnon
sioie for the $500 only aud although the building
Is In very unfinished condition, vet they have
paid Mr.. Angus the sum of s7o3, leaving bal.
ance or only $40, which will be due when the
building Is tnished-J Mr.. A. finishes it, But
according to an estimate which Mr. A has made
II yet requires 1850 In labor and material to com.
plete his contract. That is to say, $50 for pews
sl2O for plastering, and $50 for painting Now
adding this S35D to the s7O3 which has been paid
and II makes 81 6J3, which Is Sl53 more than Mr.
As old. Thus will be seen that we have paid
Mr.. Angus SlS3 more than the work. as far az
progressed, amounts to, according TO his hid
which was accepted by the committee. Yet, NOT
WltLstandins the congregation and minority OF
Inc building committee have more than per
formed their part Of the contract, Mr. Anyu. and
others OF Washington, and three members of the
old committee, on the 9th Of the present month
without giving US any previous notice Of their
Intentions, came and forcibly took away the
doors, windows, &c. And not only this. but in
getting the circular window from the front Of the
building, they actually DESTROYED work which
lion Of the house
These, Mr.. Editor, are what we belisy. 10 he
the facts connected with this anal; and these
iacts we wish 10 lay before discerning public,
and ask their impartial verdict upon them
- JNo. SIssoN.
lc0MMGNIcArRD
Mr.. Edi.or:-Cannot something be done 10
rescue the proud fame Of the lamented Downing .,
His reputation Is certainly being very roughly
handled Just now, and ere long the stranger, who
few years since visited the Smithsonian grounds
and witnessed the magic skill of our gifted and
devoted champion for the power and charm OF
landscape gardening, will return to frd that
some Pioug hmsn has been let in with his team
to trace furrow in undertaking lines which hi
country companion following hard after has
most faithfully stocked with his favorite ma Piles
ana qudklBg aspens. Surely, in the name of art
Of taste, OF nature herself protest against this
vulgar Intrusion, this abuse of cultivated taste
aud gsn:Gs, this idiosyncracy interposing its
,nGns,Ioslies 20 Llde TIE Charms of an art that
IL was melancholy to observe how Time and
neglect had robbed those grounds OF their orna
ment and finish; although just budding into per-
tection, but even In their forgotten and neglected
state theTe was beauty and glory about them,
which this soalse Interpolation of regiment OF
trees " in line," renders ais. rigging to behold
Again, / plead for cultivated taste for an srt
which so beautifully and bOuntifully reprodu ces
Aature. / invoke the spirit Of that genius whic b
could breathe upon the barren waste, wide La
fayette square, ahs transmute 1t into garden,
grove, or velvet iawl or tfasy bower, and com
nsnd the admiTation OF every pa7ser. 6y-to send
a blast Of fary and srornfiI Indignation upon
those one dollar Tor three dollar tIfes, and dry
them up forever.
lam, glad that some one has made an appeal in
your paper Of Yesterday for remedy to this miser-
able infatuation which would stupidity reproduce
country road In all our public squares and res
CREATIONS: Ay eye fell on the article as finished
whch genefsly 2fsd sna could CO md s sesd
no more until had put Ia another bpeaI tor na
ture and art, and that skill which so RloriousIy
combined them both IL was only the other day,
While passing along these grounds with friend
from the south, that he remar ked upon the sim
gular beauty they possessed IN this respect-tbat
nature was so perfectly and beautifully initiated
w nat shock TO his apprecidtive taste IL would
BE to see those long lines of NAPLES and aspens
] meyer saw Downing, bot am
,.,-.- ,, NApNIRER oF NATURE
POLICE.-Bef0Ts Justice Wtliams Daniel
Miller was brought up on a charge of lifting a
ham OF bacon and gold pencil from Thomas
Welsh; he was sent to Jail for CouIt
l., " BT,en toOk advantage AZ Christmas dsy to
get drunk, and while in That condition under
took to kill his wife, Elizabeth whereunon ss ve
constabel' was sent for, who had a yefv n,e,tv
Il INT with O'BTien before lie could brinS him 70
bay. He was captured, however, and taken be-
fore The magistrate who sent him to Jail for
Sourt.
A Seventh-sIreet Iaercnant, not 4 thousand
miles hom The Northern Liberties Market house
went to the .'MOdel-houss' and won a beautiful
Turkey for Chr smas; he also purchased another
large Christmas Turkey, which he prided him
sell was about the right thing for his purpose.
shieH, iosfther with ham, roll OF butter and
the usual ca zen HSins, Hs conyeYe,, 10 the safe
IN his back kitchen, ana placed uoder lock and
key. On Christmas morn, however, he found TO
his CONSERVATION, that some friend had kindly
broken open his house, and distracted his favor.
lite storr., ~. piect was left the which to com.
pose an ordinary iHnch iTith feelings Of intense
evaporation, he rushed to tie magistrates o,ce
and had search var ants issued against certain
Of the cOlored inhabitants Of Hog alley; BIZ the
strictest investigation by the officers failed TO
turn up the missing articles, and thu DISTRACTED
ex-Proprietor was forced TO ack knowledge himself
done BTopH.
ID Quintan got drunk and made too much
noise In the street, whereupon he was compelled
ID walk up te the office Of Justice, and 70 k over
10 the tune of IS and Sc cents costs ~.
I'd Press. under the celebrating influence OF
too much spine top,i' gave vent to certain oaths
In the public streets; he was fne9 IS VI for being
the street. ~7'0f"e ~
e, ION SoSthiles, light coiorsd negro man, got