Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-15
News of the Day.
"7o show the gerry age andbody Of the TIMES"

There appear to be numerous petitions
presented to the General Conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, asking that the
rule in the discipline in relation to slavery
may be so changed as that slaveholdlng shall
be bar to membership without regard to
circumstances. The special correspondent
of the Cincinnati Gazette says that it has
been discovered that large proportion of
these petitions have been signed by women
and children, and that to obtain them 1.-The
ultra anti-slavery preachers have been ex-
ceedingly Industrious" The same CORES
pendent says that it seems certain that any
change of the rule will be followed by the
secession of the border Conferences but that
this fact is not likely to prevent the 'altera-
ton asked for.
A man, giving the name of Albert Smith,
has been arrested at Providence, L. l.,
charged with attempting to rob the Thomp-
son Bank, at Thompson, in Connecticut, on
Monday night The correct name of the
prisoner is believed to be j. W. Rand, who
commenced his criminal career by robbnS
a stage near Weymouth, Mass, in 1873
For this offence he was confined In the State
prison for four years. In 1850 or 81 he rob-
bed the Portsmouth Bank of Virginia. He
was arrested in Boston, taken to the Old
Dominion, escaped from Jail, was rearrested,
and again escaped. Subsequently he rob-
bed two other eastern banks.
The Board appointed by the Secretary of
War to examine the various small arms now
in service, and who have been in operation
for several weeks, have finished their labors
and made their report. After a thorough
and rigid trial of the several arms presented,
they speak in high terms of the new ritie-mus-
ket now in the service, and have recommend
ed for the mounted and light service a limit
ed number of Smiths breech-loading car
bines for further trial. Smiths arm was
strongly recommended.
Fernando Woods division of the New
York Democracy have passed the following
resolution:-"R csolved, That we congratu-
late the Democracy of this city on the utter
prostration and humiliation of Tammany
Hall us political institution. Its corrup-
tons, receptions and repeated offences
against the Democratic party Of New York,
and more recently of the whole country, at
Charleston, have sunk it so low that no de-
cent man longer acknowledges its author
ity."
We have intelligence from Vera Cruz to
the 18th of April, and from the capital to the
DIST The most important items are the an
nouncement of the acceptance OF mediation
by the Central Government of Miramon, and
the consent of the latter to the departure of
the proposed conducta. With regard to the
armstice, the Miramon Government is re-
ported to have accepted conditionally the
terms of mediation proposed conformity by
France and Great Britain.
The value of wines imported into the
United States is quite small, and more than
one-third of the whole is champagne. In
$50 the entire import of wine in casks and
bottles was only $500, lGS, or less than
twelve cents head to the population, while
the foreign dry goods imported, amounted to
$3.75 head: SO that for every dollar spent
in wine, sd 80 was expended in clothing
materials.
1t is stated that the United States prac-
tice ship Plymouth will sail from Annapolis
on the Goth of next month, with 100 mid
shipmcn on board, and about one-half her
usual quota OF sailors, as the youngsters
will be called upon to manage the ship
The cruise will embrace Madeira, the Azores,
the Cape dc Verbs. Cherbourg, Brest, Cadiz
and such Mediterranean ports as the three
months cruise will allow.
The tariff and loan bill passed the House
by an unexpectedly large majority. New
England interests were hostile to it, but
were conciiated. The Senate will not pass
the BILL it is thought, but let it be for ma
ture consideration ut the next session. But
it is contended that they must concur i'll
that part of the bill which provides for a
loan of twenty millions and the funding of
treasury notes.
A large meeting was held in New York,
on Saturday, in response to call for gen
cral expression of sympathy for Thadleus
Hyatt, now imprisoned in Washington, for
refusing to testify before the Senate commit
tee Of investigation in relation to the John
Brown foray on llarpcr's Ferry. Strong
speeches were made by DR.. Chcever, Wen
dell Phillips aud William Lloyd Garrison
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad has not
suffered any damage or interruption to any of
| it's trains between the East and West, which
are all running with their usual promptness.
The 4 o'clock \. Nj. train, on Sunday, for
Washington, however, was delayed nearly
there hours on the branch near the Relay,
by q heavy wash in the deep cut at the end
of the Niaduct.
The public lands it is now said can no lon
ger be regarded as a source of mere revenue.
Last year nearly nine millions of acres of
land were sold, bringing Sl.62S, lS1 Is, and
the expenses of the land Offices, clerks, sur
veyors, &C.. were Sl,3l0,75S 47-lcaving
but comparatively small balance. Is this
correct?
Yellow fever is raging at Acapulco, and
several American citizens have died
amongst the number, Col. McMcken, United
States Consul. Aspinwall has also been
unhealthy, owing probably t" the setting in
of the rainy season, and Il good many deaths
| had occurred.
The great oyster bed discovered in Long
| Island Sound, last summer, has proved a sad
failure; the oysters which were transplanted
from it proving small inSipid and tasteless.
| In their native state, rs taken from the
| Sound they are much too salt to be edible,
and they will not live in fresh water.
The U. S. steam frigate Niagara has been