Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-11-28

VIRGINIA NEWS.

W
& The engineer ofthe James River and Kama
wha canal reports that for 500, 900 the water
power can be increased near Richmond so as to
furnish 100 factories with water power. he
shows that. there is 2,0O0leet Of. front on the
river between the city of Richmond and the
first lock, and that by enlargipg the canal there
will be afforded facilities for furnishing at least
100 factories with water.
William Bell, the Detroit negro, who was So
iourning in Fredericksburg last week, and who
had lecture on the brain, made his exit frl-
day morning last, for fear, doubtless Of recelV-
inc the cowhiding in store for him, by colored
barber Of the town, who had given him notice.
that Saturday of last week, must be his last
day 10 Fredericksburg.
The cholera has appeared in the oil religions
of West Virginia, and at some places is raging
with unusual fatality At Eaton's Tunnel,
small station on the Baltimore and Ohio Hall
road, fifteen miles from Parkersburg, there
have been fifteen deaths in four days in pop,
ulation of not more than one hundred persons:
The trial of Doctor James Watson, OF Rock
bridge, for killing negro, named Lobe Echos'
some two weeks since, an account Of which we
have heretofore given, commenced before an
Examining Court on Thursday last, and was
concluded on Friday, resulting in the acquittal
Of the accused. f
The numerous friends of Rev. James D.
Coulling, of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, will regret to learn Of his serious illness
at the Wesleyan Female College, Murfrees-
boro,' N. c., of which he is president.
The cholera is still in Norfolk, though the
cases are few They are said to be, however, Of
malignant type. Oysters are alleged to be
the principal provocative, and are consequently
much under ban.
The United States District Court at Rich
mond was to have met on Monday, but Judge
Underwood failed to make his appearance, and
the session was indefinitely postponed.
The Ivy House boarding place for Students,
at the University of Virginia, has been sold to
Mr.. John VIM for S., 500.
TIE OLD VIRGINIA COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.
We make the following extract from Mr..
Newton address before the Virginia Agrcul-
tural Convention
addison has given U.s. in the character of Sir
Roger de Coverley most inlhlltable portrait
sbof the old English country gentleman OF the
age Of Queen Ann. He was fond OF the
chase; he supported the church: tie was
moderate in politics and tolerant IN religion.
He dispensed liberal hospitality without os-
| IN
Geferential to the sex. He was the patron OF
letters, the friend Of the poor, and the protector
of innocence As a justice of the peace, he
upheld the law and sound morals yet such
was the kindness of his heart that he winked
at offences merely mala prohiblta. He was so
kind to his tenants and the people around him
that thew loved him as friend whilst they
looked to him as o superior He was genial,
generous, warm hearted sincere IN word to
borrow the expression of an old friend, his
heart was big as a plantation This was the
the model Of the Virginia gentleman OF the
old school,; and Washington during his early
DAYS at Mount Vernon, whilst digent in his
business, in his hours of leisure he refreshed
himself in the chase with the Masons Of Guns
ton and the Fairfaxes Of Bellevoir-was the
noble representatives of this class. 1t may be
the troubles of the present time that cause my
mind to revert to these ancient "reminiscences;
but must confess that every day that | live l
have higher admiration of English tastes,
English manners, and English liberty. Yet [
! would not revive the institutions OF past age.
The farmers of Virginia want no exclusive
privileges. The independent owners Of the
soil require no patent nobility. Whether
their possessions be great or small, if endowed
with virtue and intelligence, they are already
Natures noblemeu, and they will be so regard,
| ed by all ages and countries.
| A New CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL NECESSARY.
| We have no accurate means of ascertainlng
the number of civil suits docketed for trial in
the several Circuit Courts in Virginia, but from
the opportunities afforded, we estimate the
whole number at not less than forty thousand !
This is a fearful array Of litigation, but it must
be remembered there has been an accumulation
of several years transactions in many Of the
| Circuits
A few months ago-the beginning Of the
Fall terms-we understood Judge Thomas had
five or six thousand cases on docket-Judge
Critcher between three or four thousand, and
Judge Christian about the same number.
We take these as anindication Of other parts
of the State, and if so, our estimate is proba-
bly, under the true state Of the case.
No Judge in the State has, probably, been
harrassed with so many criminal cases as Judge
Thomas His work in that line, in the single
county Of Loudoun, is immense, without saying
a word about Fauquier or Alexandria. Indeed
he has assisted materially in keeping our most
mercful'' Governor busy, and we protest
against the Judges sending any more Freed
men to the Penitentiary. Our Governors
bowels of mercy must be well-ngh strained by
this time, and if Judge Thomas and few
others keep up their present administration of
justice, the penitentiary will at least be a bee
hive in plumbers, if not in honest industry.
But what we designed especially, was to d.
rect the attention Of cur law makers to the ne