Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-03-30

WASHINGTON ITEMS. -Mahlon Ashford, as

WASHINGTON ITEMS. -Mahlon Ashford, as
a commissioner appointed by the court, is now
engaged in taking testimony in the case OF
L. G. Baker and others, against the Corpora
ton OF Washington, now pending in the Equity
Court, the object Of which is to have the re-
ward of $4,000 offered by the city for the APP
prehension Of Booth, &c, awarded to
those contesting for it--fty four in number.
There will be some changes among the ic-
male employees in the various branches of the
Treasury Department this week. About thlr-
ty-fve will be discharged, and ten or twelve
new appointments made for the most mcrllorl-
Gus applicants, which new appointec5 have al
ready been selected -.........
On Saturday, Samuel Strong arrived IN tins
city from Albany and surrendered himself to
the Marshal, in response to the warrant issued
by Judge Cartier on Thursday last, under
reuuisition from Gen Schofeld, commanding
the First Military District. The matter Will
be argued before the court, probably, to day.
There is every indication that the building
operations in this city the present year will be
upon the most extensive scale, and an unuSu-
ally large number OF new houses Tor business
purposes and for private residences are to be
u.
for the erection Of over q score OF handsome
and costly residences in the northern section OF
the city.
The work upon the new Masonic Temple, at
the corner of Ninth and 1 streets, is to be at
once renewed and continued until the cdiicc IS
completed.
Another street railway is proposed, Tor which
charter will be obtained. 1t IS to be cailcd
the Connecticut Avenue and Park railroad.
Hear Thaddeus Stevens upon egislating
"outside of the constitution ard mark the
reference to West Virginia nhis speech, III
the House, on Saturday, on the Alabama bill,
Mr.. Stevens said:
II am often reminded by gentlemen around
me-some very wise and some otherwise
laughter that | have said more than once
that all this is outside OF the Constitution.
| He is 'othcrwise' who thinks that that asser-
ton is not true. Laughter among the Demo
Gratis. This very proceeding shows that this
House believes that it IS acting not according
| to the forms Of the Constitution, which found
no such cases Of lapsed territory to be formed
into communities and brought into the nation:
When West Virginia was introduced, land L
| first made that decaration,) it was admitted by
| a majority of the House, on the ground that 1t
had gone through with the forms of the Con
stitution in acquiring the consent of both Sta
ties, while one had ceased to exist long before,
and the other one existed in Ohio. Laugh
ter. And voted tor the admission OF that
State, but was not going to make either 4
| fool or a knave of myself, and to say that |
voted for it under the Constitution, or that J.
| did not know what | was voting for. held
| then, as [ hold now, that, having conquered
| that territory from another power, power re-
| cognizcd us an independent belIigercnt by al!
| the sovereign nations, we had a right to treat
| it as such, and to take it in or keep 1t OUT as
| We pleased.
Thad. Stevens offered substitute for the
Howard Bill, in Congress, Wednesday last,
| which provides that all male citizens over the
age Of twenty, onel blacks and all, shall vote in
every State OF the Union. Mr. Spau!dlng, a
Radical from Ohio, said in the debate
'But so long as the Constitution remains as
it is, | will suffer my right arm to drop from
| its socket sooner than vote for any such bill as
tina t now before the House. In saying this |
am bold to affirm that [ speak the sentiment
of q large majority of my colleagues on this
| floor, irrespective of party. | should regard
the passage of this bill at this hour as the
| death knell Of our hopes as a political party
in the Presidential canvass"
j. Yet this man Spaulding voted to force negro
| suffrage on the South