Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-10-06

delivered by A. Oakley Hall, District Attorney;
and letter from Gen. Mcclellan was read, his
empathic endorsement Of the Democratic can
didales being received with enthusiastic &c,
monstrations of applause.
TIE LATE EARTHQUAKES IN SOUTH AMER
ICA.--The u. S. minister to Peru, under date
| of Sept. II, writes to Secretary Seward, giving
| an account of the late earthquakes in South
| America He says:
Sir: In my dispatches Nos. l44 and l45,
dated the 22d and 2Sth Of August, respectively,
[ gave you slight account OF the terrible
earthquake, which, on the 18th uItlmo, lald
| desolate q large part Of Peru, and no" again 1t
| is my painful duty to Inform you that large
aud the most prolific part of the republic OF
| Ecuador is in ruins, caused by similar shock
at |. 80 on the morning OF the 10th OF the same
month. This earthquake seems to have had
its centre in the province OF OF lmbabura, near
| the volcano OF Ocamps. about sixty miles north
Of the city of Quito Eight towns, with the
adjoining hacendias and populations, are said
| to have been destroyed, numbering from forty
! to fifty-tour thousand inhabitants. The cities
| of Otavato and Cotacachi, containing rcSpcc-
lively about twelve and eight thousand inhabl-
| tants, and both situated on the shores OF the
! lake Moianda, are said to have been swallowed
up, with their entire populations, ard their
|! sites have become part of the lake. The city
| OF Ibarra, with population OF thirteen thouS-
and, is totally destroyed, only about three
| thousand of the inhabitants escaping, and the
town Atuntaquo levccd with the earth, bury,
| ing all its Inhabitants in the ruins Nor is the
| Injury confined to the cities and towns, but ali
of the haccndias of the province, the richest IN
| Ecuador, growing sugar and grain, and prOduc-
! ing large numbers Of cattle and sheep, have, as
| it were, been swept out OF existence.
| Quito did not suffer in the ratio in the loss OF
| life, but its walls and houses are destroyed 10
heighten the gloom, dcspondency and misery
Of all, the terrific thunder storms ofthc tropics
seem to have rcd0ubIcd their forces, and have
!! literally, dcuged the whole country The los
| ses in Imbabura will cause great suffering III
Quito as nearly all the nccessarlcs OF lie Tor
! that city were drawn from that province. The
difficulty Of conveying food from Guayaqull
| will be very great, as the journey requires
| twelve days severe travel with mules, carrying
small burdens, over rugged and precipitous
mountains, deep gorges and narrow passes. Ii
relief in some form is not speedily given, many
of the sufferers will be compelled to reach the
! sea shore or perish.
| In Peru also, as [ have heretofore informed
you, proud and rebelIious AreQuipa IS lcvcled
with the dust africa, swept from the scashorc,
! with but one solitary house remaining, whilst
| the district and city Of Moguegua, with ltsrlch
villages, vineyards and heclendas are but the
wrecks OF things that were. Had the Garth
quake in Peru taken place at night time: as 1t
! did in Ecuador, the loss of life would have OK
ccedcd one hundred thousand souls. AS it was,
that loss in Peru IS less, but the loss OF proper
| ty is far greater.
| The Minister then speaks Of the great want
and suffering that have ensucd, and makes a
strong appeal for Immediate assistance from this
country.
New York CATHOLIC 5YN0D.-The Catho
lie Synod at Now York last week promulgated
the decree Of the Plenary Council at Baltimore,
urging the immediate establishment OF schools
for coored children in the Southern States, and
also the establishment Of orphanages, as there
is reason to apprchcnd large increase OF CT
bishop the power either of inviting negroes to
the Catholic churches Of the diocese, or OF cree
ing churches expressly for their use. The
synod has raised tue Sth day Of December to
the dignity of holiday Of obligation, in COM
memoration of the definition Of the lmmacu-
late Conception on that day in 1854. In the
Catholic churches Of New York, Oh Sunday.
| the pastors announced that baptislns or mar
riages in other parishes than those where the
births occurred, or the persons to be married
resided, would henceforth be strictly prohib-
tied by order Of the synod.
LETTER FROM Coz. W1rHERs "A private
letter from Col. R. Z. Wither5, who is rustica-
ting for the present in Russell county, after his
arduous labors in the canvass for Governor
| says - Everything OUT here is quiet political
ly. The Loyal Leagues arc in an almost de-
| iunct condition. Eight members Of the one
| in this neighborhood went to the leading man,
last week, and demanded that their names
| should be taken off the roll. He refused to
comply, when they seized him and took from
him the book in which they are all registered,
| and tore out the leaves containing their names
This was literally tearing themselves loose from
the order Everybody here thinks we aught
| to vote in the Presidential clection-an opinion
in which fully concur. '-LynchJWg Rep.
OTOMAC GARDENS
& "A ID T, 7,