Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-06


subsequent insertion twenty-five cents addition
al will be charged.
w-Special contracts will be made with yearly
advertisers.
@-Marriage and Death Notices, when not
exceeding eight lines, fifty cents.
STAMP ACT.-The joint committee Of the
Legislature have agreed to report "a bill to
raise additional taxes for the support of the
government" &C., the chief feature of which
is the introduction of system for increasing
the revenue by means Of stamp duties. The
following is synopsis of the leading features,
in which the general public are interested:
On any bond, obligation, single bill or prom
issory note, or notes, above one hundred dol
lars not issued by any Incorporated bank, and
on any foreign or inland bill Of exchange, or
other evidence of debt above one hundred dol
lars, whether made or issued by any incorpo-
rated institution, individual or firm, according
to the following scale, viz: If $50 and not ex-
ceeding 500 and under 5000, 10 cents, if
above $500 and not exceeding $500, Is cents,
if above $500 and not exceeding $500, 25 cents,
ifabove $500 and not exceeding 81 900, 80 cents,
if above 81, 900 and not exceeding 81 5000, IS
cents, &c. &C.; which duties shall be paid by
the person to whom the same are executed,
but the act does not require to be stamped any
bond or certificate Of debt issued by county
or municipal corporation, or the certificates of
the stock of banks or other incorporated inst-
tutions in this State or any check payable at
sight upon bank or banker in the State.
Each paper on which is written or printed
any of the instruments described, before the
same is issued shall have upon its face stamp
with the sum expressed in said instrument OF
writing. No uustamped instrument shall be
pleaded or given in evidence or admitted in
any court, to be available in law or equity, pro-
vided that if this is not done, it shall be law
ful for the person holding such instrument to
make oath that at the time of making or re-
ceiving such ins rument or writing he did not
know of the requisitiou OF the act requiring it
to be stamped, or that the writing was made
or received through inadvertence or forgettul.
ness, and to pay to clerk of court the duty
charged by law with one dollar in addition.
Persons licensed to vend wine, ardent spirits
and malt liquors, will be required to adix upon
any cask, barrel, or other vessels containing the
same, stamp representing the quantity there
in contained
On every vessel containing more than gallon
there shall be placed upon said vessel stamps
corresponding with the number of gallons con-
tanned IN said vessel
Upon every vessel containing less than gal
lon there shall also be affixed like engraved
liquor stamp, marked with the denomination of
five cents.
1t will be the duty of the person who empties
the liquor from barrel or other vessel to ef-
face the stamp The Auditor is to furnish to
the clerks Of the county and corporation courts,
authorized to grant licenses, the said stamps,
which shall be legally termed ''iquor stamps.
The forging, counterfetiog or altering of any
stamp will be punishable with confinement in
the penitentiary for not less than two nor more
than ten years.
A CHILD VIoLINIsT.-A child violinist,
Martin James Speaight, is now performing at
the National Theatre, Cincinnati. The Gazette
gives the following sketch of the musical pro-
Dizzy Mr.. Speaght is himself a vlollnlst OF
no mean excellence He is English by birth,
and the boy was born in London. Soon after
his birth Mr.. Speaight came to the United
States and obtained an engagement as first
vionst in Fisks Grand Opera House, New
York. Before the boy was able to walk he
manifested an exceeding fondness for the vio-
lin His father playing excited him greatly,
and when the violin was laid away IN its case
he would creep to it and fondle it with as much
tenderness as little girl manifests for her doll.
One day, when the boy was two years and
eight months old, his father and mother were
walking along the street, when their attention
was attracted by maniature violin in the win
dow of music store. They went in and at
tempted to purchase it, but the merchant re-
fused to sell, saying it had been made as a
model for exhibition, and he did not wish to
part with it. The next day they returned,
bringing with them the boy. No sooner did
he see the model than he went into an ecstacy.
The merchant handed it to him, and he imme
diately commenced playing with so much skill
and spirit that the merchant yielded, and al
lowed the boy to bear the instrument away in
triumph From that moment the little violin
was his inseparable companion. He took it to
bed with him, and during his waking hours he
could not be divorced from it by any OF the
seductions to which the child nature is usually
so susceptible.
Two months afterward, when the boy was
but two years and ten months old, he was put
upon the stage, and has been playing ID public
ever since.
He has no knowledge of written music but
his musical perceptives are so quick that he
can execute difficult composition after having
heard it once or twice. He is now about four
years and half old, and, of course, too young
for much abstraction, but at times an lnsplra-
ton seems TO come over him, and he plays
with spirit and feeling which thrill the nerves
of all listeners His ear Is exceedingly, quick
and correct, and mistake by auy member OF
the orchestra which accompanies the boy Is N,
Stantly detected, and calls down upon the Of
tending member look of amazemens ana o's
gust Very comica to witness.
Unlike other prodigie his talents are not
confined to his speciality.