Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-05-17
CONSERVATIVE WARD MEETINGS. Cons

CONSERVATIVE WARD MEETINGS. -Conser
vatve Ward meetings will be held to-nigh II
the First and Second Wards in the former a,
the school room, corner Of Duke and Roya
streets, and in the latter at the Sun Engine
House. These meetings are for the purpose
of nominating candidates for Aldermen and
Councmen and it is hoped. as all are inter
ested, that the Conservative citizens will at
tend
The KING OF THE FIJIs-The King Of the
Cannibal Islands, who is to be among the yisl
tors to Washington this summer, has very
interesting history la 1853 he became q
Christian, and put away all his wives but one
Previous to that time his relish for human
flesh was as keen as that Of his subjects. Like
other men Of rank, he bears title to which he
has no claim, as, instead Of being the King OF
Fill he is in reality simply King Of Inbau
one Of the smaller islands, and its dependencies.
He is however the ruling power in Fiji and
possesses most remarkable character. 1t Is
said that one Of his principal reasons for oppos
ing the Introduction of Christianity, as he did
for several years, was from the conviction that
it alone would prevent him being defed after
death. He is described as being a very hand
some man, tall and muscular, with black com
plexion regular features and the most vivid
eyes He is now ffty-th years of age, and
ought still to be in the full vigor of life. His
proper name is Seru, but he was called Tha-
kombau (bad is Inbau,) after successful con-
spiracy led by him when only seventeen years
old, in which he released his father from bond
age, and placed lnbau upon vigorous war
footing. Long before his fathers death Tha-
kombau virtually ruled over the island, and
while old Samoa dozed and drank ava, his son
was off upon wild expeditions, conquering
neighboring islands, holding great cannibal
faasts to celebrate his victories, and living the
free and uncivilized life of the perfect savage
It is great mistake to suppose the Fijians a
dull or mentally debased people. They are in
reality shrewd, quick and intelligent. They
pie who evince any taste for the fine arts, and
possess a copious and expressive language, as
tonishing the first missionaries by their poeti-
cal expressions. The islands number one hun
dred and twenty-five but only eighty are in
habited. The people used to send immense
quantities of bichede-m and sandal wood to
China, but now devote themselves to raising
cotton, and expect to cultivate large sugar plan
tations as soon as the proper machinery is In
troiuced. The present trouble that Tha kom-
bau comes to Sette is based upon claim OF
S45, 900 made by the United States upon the
islands for injuries done to American sailors.
The claim was originally $3O,0O0 but in 1855
was increased by Commodore Boutwell, to the
sum first named In consequence Of this claim
Thakombau and other chiefs endeavored about
the year 1864 to cede the island to Great Brit
ain, but Victoria, perhaps remembering the
trouble she had had from Theodore Of Abyssi
nia's matrimonial aspirations, declined to take
them. Thus, being left to their own resources,
and being tired of the interference of meaner
men, the King of the Cannibals, if he is not
Cannibal King, has determined to come to
Washington and attend to the business him
self As the people have contempt tor a
travelled Fjian, we should treat him well to
compensate him for the sacrifice ne Is making
ARIsrocLAuc NUPTIALs. From the
New York World Two eccentric and
romantic careers have just been brought
to a very common place conclusion in the poeti
cal CITY of Florence At the British Embassy
in the Italian capital on the 1lth Of April last,
the Hen. Spencer Cowper Of England. was
married to Miss Jessie Mclean; of the United
States The bride, described in the stately
style, Of the British jenkins, Of the period as
"Jessie Mary, only surviving child Of the late
Colonel Clinton Mclean, and granddaughter:
of General Mclean, of Newburg, New York,
York and of New Orleans as one of the most
irresistible enslavers Of her day. Signing like
Alexander, for new worlds to subdue, she cross
ed the Atlantic two or three years ago. and,
with the accustomed elan of the young Repub-
lie, carried all before her. She came, she was
seen and she conquered. She lncontlnently be-
came famous in more than one European capl-
tai. But few are the women born to be con-
tent with swaying the sceptre beneath which 1t
is the destiny of their sex to bow: The en-
chantress subsidies into the wife, and Miss Jes,
sic Mclean has become the Hon. Mrs. Spencer
Cowper Her marriage makes her the sister,
in-law Of Earl Cowper, Of the Countess OF
Shaftesbury, of Fiscountess Jocelyn and OF the
Honorable Mrs. William Cowper-Temple; or
in other words, of a bevy of the most distin-
puisbed women of the London world Of fashion.
NEWSPAPERS IN New YoRK.-Three daily
New York city newspapers, two evening and
one morning, have died within month, and
more must be on their last legs None Of the
dead journals had long life but they lived
long enough to lose at least three or four hand
some fortunes. 1t takes long years OF labor
and large investments in capital to establish or
maintain successful journal, ifa live news
paper is printed, with kilograms from Europe
and at home. Since the Express was establish
ed IN TINS city alone, over sixty daily papers
have started and died. after losing at least
twenty millions Of dollars: sSs There !:j; is no s5 bnsi
it is mercantile business, in which it has been
proved that in long course Of years from
ninety-three to ninety-fve per cent. fail in
business. York Erening Express.
.GusH1Na. The Terre, Haute Gazette
saws :-''A few days since, upon the, occasion
of the Odd Fellows celebration at Lafayette,
which was attended by President Grant, and and
when the President was coming ont OF the DIM
ing.room of the Lahr House. buxom, lass OF
some l6 summers who resides at Lagoda, rush
ed out into the hall where he was, and thr9%- "!
ing her muscular arms aifectlonately ao9uF ms ms
neck almost smothered nm snov WIN feI t;me tVt TO
take the stump Of a fragrant Havana from his
montb which whom coming in contact with