Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-05-11
VIRGINIA NEWS.

The Court OF appeals = on Saturday, decided
that in debts contracted in Confederate money
the amount shall be commuted at the value of
the money when the debt matured, and not
when it was contracted. The same Court has
given another decision to the effect that the
note holders of the old banks of the State shall
not have the preference in the division Of the
assets, but that the depostors and all creditors
shall share alike.
Thornton Altman, colored, was arrested in
Richmond Saturday, charged with having kill
ed another colored man named William Archer
Key, in an alteration at 1ndIani Town, on the
Mattaponi The prisoner stated that he did
not fly the county King Wiiam) to escape
justice, but came to deliver himself up. e,
InstheU.. s. Circuit Court, on Saturday a
fine of $40 each was imposed upon. several per-
sons for violation Of the laws regarding Illicit
distilation, when the court adjourned until IL
o'clock this morning. EnI o. aoa91oto7 5Hcd p,
Wellington Goddin, sold Friday, at auction,
ITO acres of land on the Rich mond, Fredemcks-
burg and Potomac railroad, two miles north of
Richmond, adjoining the Hermitage tract, fer
$4,924. %tlHYY e.E1..frsr
Gen. Schofeld has appointed William B.
Payne Mayor Of Danville. The municipal
officers of nearly all the towns in the State
have now been, changed.
A number of persons have lately been in
Roanoke county, prospecting for farms. They
say the prices arc too high-Theyask too little.
Bishop Whittlc officatcd in Richmond yes
terday, confirming number Of persons. .
The memorial services in Lynchburg on Sat
uraay were very solemn and impressive 4
/ TIE DEAD BROKE BRIGADE. = The first
thing that stranger observes on arriving in
Washington is not the White House, or the
Treasury building but the fact that nearly
every everybody whom he meets is dead
broke" They amt to blame for it, many of
them. They came here long ago to get some
claim through the War Department; or lured
by the ready promise of the member from
our district" made before election, to receive
an expected appointment; Or to look after the
interests of some far away mining company; or
to secure deputyship under friend, who is
also waiting to be confirmed" by the Senate.
The wheels of business at the Capital roll slow
enough at best, but now the impeachment
question has wholly clogged them. No
claims can be gotten through, and no APP
pointments made or confirmed. There the poor
fellows are, waiting and waiting, and getting
broker and broker" every day. There is
small army of them. They sleep in cheap
lodgings, eat where it is convenient, and drink
every time they are asked. a-g:
+. They sit around at Wizards or at the Me-
tropolitan, or promenade along the avenue,
which they rarely leave. Occasionally Que of
them forlornly strolls down to the Treasury
Building to see about f'that claim" or to the
Postohce, in the desperate hope that some
one has sent draft; out they drift back as
hopeless as they went. They are good fellows
for the most part, respectable citizens athome,
but they are stuck fast in Washington, and
cannot get away. They manage in some way
to wear clean shirts andkeep their boots polish
ed, and 1t is a great mystery to me how they
do it They bear worn and anxious cast OF
face, and only smile, as L said before, when
invited.
They watch for a new comer-who is sup
posed to be Flush" of course-and he is besie-
ged for small loans until he is either broke
himself or learns the ways Of Washington. 4
man will sit down and talk to you for an hour
about millions of mining interests In Lake
Superior that he is there to attend to, and
then ask you for the loan of half dollar, de-
claring land trnthfnlly too, no doubtl, that he
is dead broke [ loaned a man SIX cents to
pay car fare one rainy day, who was Collector
If an extensive. Western port under two al
He is waiting to see trlend
confirmed for 40 Office Of prominence, nndeF
which he expects an appointment. Three II.
months of hungry, not to. say thirsty, waiting,
and nothing yet Cincinnati 1snaes G n