The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-10
DOMESTIC SUMMARY.

DOMESTIC SUMMARY.
The theatre at Utica, in New York, was
destroyed by five early on Sunday morning
last. 1t was pretty little edi6ce, costing from
eighteen to twenty thousand dollars. 1t had
been occupied the night previous by panto-
mime troupe, and it was closed by the man
having charge of it about twelve o'clock. The
inference is, that by an accident fire was COM
municated to some of the scenery or trappings
in the dressing-room.
Richard Randolph, cousin of John Ran
dolph, of Roanoke, died in Miami township,
Ohio, on the 3lst of January. The deceased who
was as eccentric as his more celebrated cousin,
was an old bachelor, and had resided on the
Randolph tract, Ohio, for twenty-five years
He leaves property, mostly in land, valued at
$4,000, to be expended in the purchase of the
slaves now owned in the Randolph family.
The number Of American sea-going vessels
reported during the last month as missing
wrecked or otherwise lost, amounts to 80 Of all
classes, namely: steamer, ships 6 barques, 8
briggs, and Is schooners. Of these, were
abandoned, are missing, II wrecked, 3 sunk,
and burnt.
A meeting was held in Richmond, Va, on
Saturday last, to devise plan for the establish
ment of a Picture Gallery. A number of the
most enterprising citizens led the movement.
The paintings of the Historical Society are to
be put into the new Gallery, and good copies
of others will be obtained from Europe, with
as little delay as possible.
George p Bond, son of the late eminent astron-
omer, has been appointed by the corporation Of
Harvard College to succeed his father as direct
or of the Cambridge observatory. He has for
several years filed the station of assistant at the
observatory.
Advices from New York say that the late
United States five per cent. loan certificates sold
at private sale on Wednesday for lO3 and that
the demand was greater than the supply.
The Boston Courier says that the crop of ice
in that vicinity has been unusually large this
year. The ice-houses are filled, and large
quantity of surplus ice is stacked.
Miss DIX, THE PHILANTHROpIsT.-Mis Dix
of world wide renown for her benevolence and
practical philanthropy in the alienation of suf
ferng humanity, says the Recorder, has lately
been in Milledgeville, Georgia. She spent about
a week with DIR. Green the able physician and
efficient superintendent of the Lunatic ASYLUM
She expressed herself greatly pleased at the no.
Bile effort of the State for the relief of this class
of unfortunates. The building, with its internal
improvements, she considers model-the very
best in the Southern States, and compares favor
ably with any in the Union.
The Museum of the Louvre has purchased
another Murilo from the Spanish gallery of the
late Marshal >oult, for 100000 francs 1t is
Birth of the Holy Virgin to which connois
seurs give the preference over Murillo's "Ascen
sion of the Virgin which had been bought bv
the Government for 900 francs.
HUNG BY DEAD MAN.-The Cincinnati
Gazette says that on Saturday night last, body
snatcher who had stolen corpse from grave
yard in the neighborhood of that city, which he
had placed in bag, was hung, while endeayor
ing to get over high fence. the corpse falling
on one side and the body-snatcher on the other,
he having placed around his shoulders the cord
! by which the sack was shut, and the cord slip
ping about his neck, choking him to death.
| A state census Of Texas, Just taken, shows
population of 458,620, against 2l2,492 in the
year 1850, when Iowa had but 1872, 900, though
she now has over 100000
! Edward Everett has paid to the treasurer Of
the Mount Vernon fund, up to the present day,
| $60,e93.sl.
The leading members of Congress, of all po,
| litical parties, have united in rendering COM
plimentary dinner to the Hon. Alexander II,
Stephens, on his retirement from the House of
Representatives, in which he has served since
| lS43. Mr.. Stephens returns his thanks, but
declines the invitation.
Speaking of the closing scenes of the late
! Congress, it is said that Mr.. Golden and Mr..
Smith O'Brien, who were present. must have
had fine opportunity of looking at the practi-
cal working of our Government machine in the
| Legislative department. All the avenues to
the Capitol were thronged with the active agents
and seekers of special laws for interested par
ties, and there was so much noise and confusion
in the House Of Representatives, that it was
difficult to tell what was going on, and what
was really adopted or rejected:
A young lady of Newhuryport who, in COM
pany with another lady, few days since, wished
to go from Lowell to Lawrence, preferred skates
and the Merrimao to the cars and railroad, and
made the passage Of ten miles in forty minutes.
For some portion of the way there was a strong
head wind, or the feat might have been accom-
plished in less time
| A Bearded Ball I" was recently given at
Chicago, at which no gentleman was admitted
without some hairy honor to his face.
The Chic officials estimate the population of
that State at 100000, just about the figures
WHICH were given for Pennsylvania in 1850.
| Preparations have been made in New York
to give the Neapolitan exiles now on their yoy-
age from Cadiz, an honorable reception and re-
lief They will be received by a delegation from
Italian citizens, hut there will be no procession.
| The Indian Bureau has received no informa
| ton from the Government agents, tending to
confirm the report of the Mohave Indian diff
cultes in New Mexico.
Advices from the Home Squadron state that
the vessels are in good condition. The officers
and crews were healthy, except those of the st.
Louis. That vessel had lost her gunner on the
passage out, and had fifteen en- the sick list
| Mr.. Bowen, the African missionary and ex-
plorer, identified the corn songs" of the ma
tives of Africa with the negro melodies which
are so widely known and popular in our coun-
try. 1t is remarkable that the only music
which has been thought purely American in its
origin, thus appears to have been brought over
! centuries ago from Africa, in the pestilential
bold of the slave-ship