Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-02-18
CONGRESS-.

A great deal OF cotton is being brought TO
Norfolk.
Congress.
liz the Senate, yesterday, On motion Of Fir.
Morrill,, Secretary Stanton was requested to
communicate to the Senate the number OF nil
itary districts or headquarters established III
the District of Columbia; the number, names,
rank and duty Of each officer connected there
with, and the aggregate expense OF the same,
| and whether officers Of the army are detailed
for duty other than military, and iCr what and
hy whom detailed; the name and rank OF each
officer, and by Whist law or army rcgu latlon the
same is authorized. Mr.. Trumbu introduced
a bill defining the Jurisdiction OF Courts Of the
| u. S. in certain cases. 1t premises by saying
that repeated decisions OF the Supreme Court
have affirmed that the judicial power OF the
L. s. Courts dGcs not inciudc political ques-
lions and then provides that all the Courts Of
the y. S., shall be bound by the decisions OF
the political departments Of the Government
on roi "a questions, and it rests with Con-
gress what government IS the established one
| in State It was referred to the Judiciary
| Committee Mr. Trumbull also introduced a
| bill as q substitute Tor the House RecoGstruc-
ton ocf 1t provides that hereafter any elcc-
ton held in the ''RebcI'' States shall be dec
ded BY minority OF the votes actually cast.
The case OF Senator Philip I. Thomas, Mary
| land, was again discussed. Dir. Cole, OF Cal
fornia, adyo atcd his admission. Mr.. Hen
bricks followed on the same side. Mr.. Revcr-
dy johnson was not present, on account Of 10
| disposition, and . note was received from him
| expressing de>lre to close he debate to-day.
Hhc subj c; was postponed in accordance with
his request The Senate adjourned until to-
day.
In the House Of Representatives., large
number OF new bills were introduced and refer
red to appr opriatc committees. Dir. Bingham
Introduced resolution, recitng that as Il ma
jority of the actual voters in Alabama had vet
ed for the adoption of The new Constitution,
that the LEGISLATURE OF that State be convened
as soau us possible By order of the military com
mander of the district and that as soon as
| said Legislature shall adopt the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution, and provide
for impartial suffrage, that said State shall be
entitled to representation in Congress" 1t was
r. ferrcd to the Reconstruction Committee. The
Consular ard Diplomatic Appropriation bill
was discussed to the hour of adjournment.
The SPRING AND GoURD YsTEM.-BeIo low
will be found an extract from q letter which we
have recent " received. 1t is written in the
vein which Virainians love, and will be read by
them with pleasure.
Il like your leader about Excepting up the
memories OF the oIden days" and contrasting
civilization with ''the charm OF Southern
country hie" / like you best in that vein
sitting ''in your coat off, So TO speak, and
viodicaing our domestic economy OF the past.
When he pump to raise water to our garret
tank gets out Of order, or, the pipes freeze
when our gas machine wont work, or makes
bad gas that chokcs Us, as it always in general
Iy Dc" then I think Of 'ciglizatiou, so-calIed,
ana sigh Tor the ''spring and gourd - Shil
Ialy never miss fire." you know. Do you re-
member the time when Gray Latham published
the tnasts OF Fish-fry at Mint Sprlng-how
the German Matchmaker responded to the
toast american Ingenuity pa form of civ
!ization, you know "American Ingenuity YER
goot ting, gentlemen. Yaas, yer goot bur
dey will ingenuity de jewels out Of watch and
put in glass, yich is dam -
Cant you write an apology (apology only in
the classic s2nse,) OF our old Virginia system
OF domestic economy You might call it 1.-THE
Spring and Gourd System" Evidently you
know and feel all there was to know about it;
but | wish you had scen-Creek, old Judge
IS place, twenty years ago, az did.
rambling old wooden house none OF it more
than two stories high, I'm in a house now
which has eight flights Of steps, from cellar to
garrett But such rolicking-n eating. drink
ing hunting, gigging, fishing. Enou2h. y
Oh that the gentle Ella had lived in Vir
ginia in the days We have known. We war
rant he would have penned an Essay, compared
with which has "Roast Pig" and his Lament
over the Decay Of London Bcggars," would
have been as 'Amerlcan Ingenuity is to Com
mon Honesty-Natire Tirginian.
G. & 0. CANAL.-CoL. Alfred Spates of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was Ill George
town on Saturday last for the purpose CT max
ing arrangements for the thorough cleansing of
the Georgetown level. He will employ mud
machines for cleaning out what portion Of the
level can be reached by them until the ice shall
have disappeared, and then he intends employ
ine large force Of laborers, and have it dug
down fourteen inches, to its orr glna} depth.
SHAD FISHERIES IN Norm CAROLINA
Extensive preparations have been made Oh the
North Carolina sounds for catching shad this
season. and Judging from the success that at
tended the first haul, large results arc expected.
It is the intention of the dca ers to put them
ia ice on the shore, and ship them to this city
for distribution to various cltleS-NovoN