The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-31

Presidents house in Washington will be
held.
The N. Y. banks suspended specie pay.
ments "because Of the heavy drafts on their
coin, caused by their large advances to the
government, and that depostors have been
drawing out coin and slowing itaway 10 or
der to sell it at. q premium"
| Nearly all the Northern papers, some with
humilia ion and little complaint, are &C
quiescing, at least, in the decision If the U.
S. government 10 the Mason and Slidell at.
fair. 1t seems to be generally agreed that
it was the only way to avoid war with
England.
For the second time in but little over four
years, the banks Of New York have suspen-
ded specie payments. and it is q curious CO.
incidence that now asin- the other case they
solemnly resolved week or two before that
they would not suspend.
The loss Of gold by the banks in N. Y,
in two weeks. reached about $4,000, 600
which has gone to the interior, to Boston
and into private pockets.
Gen. Prim, commander-in chief of the al
lied forces in Mexico, arrived ut Havana, on
board of the steamer Ulloa, on the 23d inst,
accompanied by his wife AMI only child, and
also numerous staff His arrival Gre tied
the greatest excitement among the Spaniards
in that city, who gave him most enthusiast
tic reception. !
Mrs. Bailey, who came up from Norfolk
to Oh Point under flag Of truce, upon her
arrival in Baltimore, was arrested. and
number OF letters found in her clothes She
refused to give any Information to those who
questioned her. A young man named Sep.
timus Brown was arrested st the same time.
The eclipse of the sun took place Yesterday
morning, but was very little noticed or
thought alb ,ut.
We have news from Liberia, dated at Mon.
rovia on the lGth If October The Republic
Was intensely excited in consequence of the
expected return Of Spanish force from 81. !
said to have been offered to the flag of the /
q 'een hy the gunboat Qnail, acting under
orders Of the Liberian government.
A U. S. detective reports in the Northern
papers, that, Notwithstanding repeated eff
f'rts to prevent COMMUNICATIONS, MERIDIAN.
disc and mails are continually carried from
st. Mary's county, Maryland. to Virginia,
and that persons are continually crossing the
river.
The Confederates have removed the woun.
ded prisoners belonging TO General Stones
division, and taken in the battle of BalPs
Bluff, to Richmond.
Mr.. George F. Train lately lectured amidst
considerable tumult at Tunstall, England, on
the subject Of the crisis in the relations be-
tween Great Britain and America.
United States and other stock, after tho
suspension in New York, rose. Gold 10
worth ! per ct. premium. For domestic
use, it is said, gold and silver can be had
without premium.
1t is said, that by direction of Lord Lyons,
the steamer Niagara will leave Boston to.
day, taking Messrs Mason and Sldell to
England. This is one statement in the
newspapers-but late accounts say that no
orders for the reception on board Of the
Confederate Commissioners had been receiv- /
ID yesterday, but were hourly expected. .
The steamer Persia, is to take the place
II the Niagara ordered to England to-day.
AS the U. S. steamer Resclute came up
rom Indian Head yesterday, she fired,
without effect, at the new battery at Cock
pit Point. The Conf. dera es, it is said, are
erecting new battery this side of Cock pit
Point, opposite the mouth of Matawoman :
Greek. The battery at Boyd's Hole, which =
sunk the schooner Three Sisters, is of field
pieces, but 'he guns are riled guns of the
pest CONSTRUCTION, as they engaged the Reso-
ute at a distar &c Of nearly two and half
niles on the 18th inst, aid, although she is
small vessel three or four shuts struck her I
" passed directly over her. Ii
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