The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-07-20
LOCAL MATTERS.

Critical Coaditioa.-It was currently reported
yesterday, that Mrs. Rowe, the woman who
was SO badly beaten on Saturday last, in rear
of the Poor House, by Peter Dwyer. was very
III, and that little hopes were entertained OF
her recovery. When first arrested, Dwyer
was charged with feloniously beating his wife;
but ii turns out that the parties were not mar
ried but merely lived together in 4 miserable
hovel, in the most ahject poverty Not many
years since Mrs. Rowe was respectable, in
dustrious, pious woman, and seemed TO be get
ting along in the world. Her husband. from q
temperate drinker, became a sot, ard steadily
descending to the gutter, lost all seif-respect,
began to pilfer from his family aud neighbors
to secure drink, and finally started his three
little boys into the streets, to s'ltft" sample
goods at store doors. and 10 rob private houses
of trivial articles, which were sold to furnish
him with grog money. Time after time the
Mayor had these lads before him, and on more
than one occasion the mother appeared and
plead their cause. After time the father
sunk into drunkard's grave, the mother took
to her cups to drown her sorrow the BOYS
continued to steal. and the police and the
courts We're cons stantly annbyed by the family
Mrs. Rowe, abandoning all self-respect gave
mp her former associates and friends, and be-
came the companion of Dwyer. The boys pill
fered, first from necessity and then for the ex.
citement, until the Oldest one was convic ted of
grand larceny and sent to the penitentiary-
His two brothers Were sent to Jail and are con-
fined there now, IN default of bail for their
good behavior. And the mother. degraded,
Poor House. mere wreck of her former self; {;
while her male associate, Peter Dwyer, is con-
fined in Jail awaiting the result of her inju-
ries, and to answer the charge of murder, if she
should die from the injuries he inflicted upon
her whilst both were intoxicated.
Ds6ating SocHtiss are springing up in all
portions of our city and suburbs. Last win
ter one was organized in the Valley church,
month later, Il second and n third We're put in
successful operation on Shockoe Hill; about
three months ago, q fourth was organized on
CHURCH Hill; and on Monday night last a
NTH was organized in the centre of the city,
Next Friday night, the sixth society will be
organized at Sidney Methodist Chapel, to
which all interested in such meetings are in
vited.
The debating society has been aptly termed
the school of the orator. When properly con-
Quoted, 1t can be of no possible injury, but
may be decidedly beneficial to those connected
with it, In the discussion of questions, prac-
tica or theoretical, the harmless strife for the
mastery in debate--the effort TO present the
subject in the clearest light, and TO produce the
soundest, most forcible and convincing argu-
ments-to back those arguments by the most
vigorous logic, and to array them in the gaudy
garb of rhetoric, so AS. to make them doubly
attractive. so cngroSseS the mind, that almost
before he is aware of it, however modest and
retiring he may have been the man finds him.
self n ready, apt, and fluent speaker, aud is
often surprised at the change which has been
so suddenly, yet so easily, wrought. To de-
yelop the physical nature, 1T is necessary to
subject the body to constant training, and the
exercise of its functions. To develop the pow
ers of the mind, it is absolutely necessary to
subject it to the most vigorous training, and
we know of no better place to develop its
powers, and to test its capacity than the de-
batting society. Let the young men-aye, and
old ones, too-of Sidney, sustain this move
ment, and build up society that shall be an
ornament 10 that community.