New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-18
ALEXANDRIA THE BLEsT.

The sunny South hath many charming cities
to dwell in, but tho City Of Alexandria ex.
ceedeth them all. Its name implies that it Is
an imperial city, aud it hath imperial privi-
lepes. 1t 10 the Paradise Of Rebels, for it Is
here alone that the manners, the assumed
rights, aud the charms of rebellion have the
advantage Of the protection Of Federal law.
IL was here that Jackson, the inn-keeper, be-
came Jackson, the Secession hero aud saint,
by shooting Ellsworth; it was here that the In
dignant Mayor-we regret to have for
gotten his name, but the muse Of history only
need turn to the city archives Of 1861 to in
form herself-it was here that be gave ex-
preston to the wrath, that daily filled his soul
to OVERLOOKING, by knocking down with biS
cane tho unhappy negroes bond or free, whom
he CHANGED to meet on the street, with the en-
tire appreciation of the then military Governor
since Overseer. General for Maryland, but
whose domain is now narrowed to the diuen.
sons Of q castle casemate-Gen. Stone; and 1t
is here that reverend parsons, Of the Secession
stripe. may fret provoke unbecoming disturbance
in the sanctuary by disregardiDg the prayers pro-
vided by tho Church, and then substituting for
the Litany o little drama in low comedy after
the order of the d" Serious Family" Not, We
would have il understood, that we think the
Presideut's chance of winning success in this
world. or heaven in the next, when that
time shall come that be will go from works to
rewards, is at all dependent upon the prayers
Of that comedian in lawn, the Rev. Dir.
Stewart, who breaches the word in the ap-
proved Secession manner in Alexandria; but,
il asmuch us his case is held to be one calling
for the marked cemency Of the present mill
tary Governor Of the place, we refer TO 1t as
the latest instance of how comfortable thing
it is to be a Rebel in that favored city.
There 10 still another case in point which
we must relate . little more at length, for
though the circumstances have been once be-
fore stated they will bear repetition.
The amount Of Indictment from Southern
TO Northern merchants and which the Confed
crate Congress assumes to wipe out by an act
forbdding the payment Of Northern debts, is
certainly not less, and it may DO much more
than three hundreds of millions of dollars. II
is q not unnatural wish on the part of North
ern merchants to recover the whole or part
of this lawful debt, honorably and trustngly
made by them, and, if not paid, to the utter
ruin of many men too old now to begin life
anew. Now it happens that Alexandria is the
first place of any importance, within the
boundaries of the Seeded States, that has
again como within the jurisdiction Of the Fed
eral Government, and when possession was
taken by Union troops, certain wlde-awake
merchants Of this City and Philadelphia went
to Alexandria TO look after their creditors.
They knew there were men there who bad
bought OF them goods for which they had not
paid, and, probably, did not mean to pay a
single cent; and they meant to try what virtue
there was IN law for tho administration OF JUS
tice, trusting IN this first city 10 establish n
precedent for the many other cities which,
they fondly hoped were 80 soon to DO re-
duced to Union obedience. The first on the
ground, we believe, were Messrs. Bowen,
Holmes * Co. of this city, and Messrs. Morris
l.. halloween N 70. OF
we're in Alexandria two brothers Wilmer, who
with u partner, one Slaymakcr, were custom
ers of these Northern houses, and at that mo-
ment owed them some thousands of dollars.
The two winners had gone from Alexandria
some time before 10 within the Rebel lines
carrying with them such portion of their stock
of goods as they could conveniently carry, to
clothe Rebel backs. perhaps the backs of men
in arms against the Union. But Slaymaker
stad behind to sell that portion Of the stock
that could not BIO conveyed away, and the
Northern merchants, with the unpaid Wilmer
notes in one hand, could point with the other
TO the goods over Slaymakers head which went
! from their stores in New-York and Phila-
delpha, aud for which these worthless bits OF
paper were all they had TO show. And very
worthless bits of paper they certainly We're,
for, though Slaymaker frankly acknowledged the
notes as genuine, and admitted that they were
overdue, he, with a compliment glance at his
shelves heavy with the property for which the
notes we're given, as frankly declared-possiby
with his finger on the side of his nose, and gently
pressing the lower eyelid-that no had not the
remotest intention of honoring them, inasmuch
as Alexandria was within tho Confederate