Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-03-23
A Novel Affair.
from the London News, March II


Soon after midnight on Monday special
train left Euston station upon a. strangely ex-
ceptional errand. More than hundred skill
ed workmen and laborers, marshaled by gan
gers, contractors and agents, took their seat 10
it, in orderly fashion, but with aamysterious
and determined air, as if some more than
usually weighty business were on hand. One
carriage was devoted to stout tools and imple-
ments, and the train, thus freig GIFTED, reached
TriDg 80 yesterday morning. A procession
was formed at the station-each man shoulder
ing crowbar or other mplement-and com
pact phalanx, one hundred aud twenty strong,
marched out two and two, into the moonlight
A walk of three miles brought them to the
side of Berkhamstead Common, nearest to
Ashridge park, the seat Of Earl BroWnlow !;
and the objects of the expedition were then
first made known to the rank and file. ,
The greater portion Of this common, occupy
ing space some two miles in length aud from
three quarters of mile to mile and half
broad, was enclosed fortnight ago by Earl
Smith, of the Sc:ly Islands, as the owner
of an estate near and therefore as a communer
acting in concert with his sneighboTs, had
determined totest his Lordship' right to this
course iu a very practical way. 80
The whole Of the iron ratings, consisting of
stout ''uprights, FIVE feet high, and with broad
metal bandS, at close intervals between each,
we're to be thrown down before daylight, MIR.
Smith and the commoners taking all response
biIty, charteriug the train and engaging the
men. These last were told off in dctachments
dozen strong the substantial joints of the
ratings were first loosed by hammers and
chises, and the crowbars did the rest. Before
six o clock yesterday morning the whole of tie
enclosure was leveled to the ground; each
stout upright having the metal bands, its
tributaries, first neatly folded round it, and
then laid upon the turf it had recently served
to close IN. las'..:zE E@'QI
It was seven o'clock before the alarm was
given; and by The time Mr.. Paxton, the late
Sir Joseph Paton's brother, and Earl Brown
lows steward appeared upon the scene, Berk-
hampstead Common wa, inc.osed no longer 1t
the alleged trespass, and this was entrgetcaliy
done. Meanwhile the news spread, and the IN
habitants of the adjacent village and district
focked upon the scene. In carriages, gigs, dog
carts and on foot, gentry, shopkeepers husbands
men, women and children, at ohce attested the
reality of what they saw by strolling over
and squattiDg on the Common, and cutting and
taking away morsels of gorse, to prove, as they
said, ''tbe place was their own again. The
cost Of the three miles of iroa railing removed
is said to have been more than thousand
pounds, and that of its removal must have been
considerable Whatever may be the result Of
this daring return to what is called ''old con
stitutional form" and however it cay be view
ed by the legal authorities, before whom it will
speedily be brought, it must be regarded as one
OF the most decided and vigorous protests
against alleged usurpation which have occurred
in our prosaic, peaceful and order lowing times.
CHEAP BEEF United States Govern
ment is in better luck than the people Of our
Atlantic cities in the matter of beet. The lat
ter have to pay on the average twenty-five
cents pound for that article of food, but the
Government the other day made contract for
a year for the supply Of the military depart
ment of Washington, at l. ! cents per pound,
and at the same time secured contract for
mutton at liz cents per pound We take it
for granted that the contractors are confident
that they can fulfil their obligations and make
money. If that Is so, at what per centage may
we estimate the profits on meats at the present
market prices to consumers? They ought to
be enormous. If they are not, it is difficult to
understand how large contract can be taken
at the rates named. We ask in vain what is
the proper remedy for the present extortion?
We are in the power Of the spectators, and
although we have been favored with many sug-
gestioDs nothing practical has yet been dlscok