Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-04-06
VIRGINIA NEWS.

Gordonsville is said 10 be increasing in size
and population.
Gov. Walker has gone to Binghampton. \.
Y. to attend the funeral Of his step-fa,her.
The Public Works in Washington are get
ting limestone hnildirg material from Fishers
Hill, Shenandoah county.
Irish Linen Manufacturers have been pros
pecting in Rockhridge. with view of utilizing
the fine water power there in carrying on
large Linen Factory
DIR. Hunter H. Powell. of Winchester. has
yielded to hattering inducements and deter
mined to 60 to Cleveland Ohio To practice his
profession.
Johu Cameron. near Mt Crawford, has been
arrested on the charge Of poisoning his wife
The paramount of Cameron has been tarred and
t;eathered and driven out Of the village.
There are favorable reports If the prospects
for "a good crop of wheat from all parts Of the
State, aud our exchanges generally speak Of
the PROSPECTS Of fruit III very encouraging
terms.
Over IL trees have been struck by lightning
on Timber Ridge two miles south of Fairfield in
the last ten years 1t is said that lightning has
struck in this locality in every >t 'rin Tor ii cen
tnry.
The sparks from Il passing passenger train on
Monday last. set fire to a lot Of cord wood be-
longing 70 the .. y. Il VI. Il. h. near Col.
John Willis at Orange Court House: and be
fire it could DC extingui>hcd about forty cords
were burnt.
\ public meeting was held III Fincasilc, on
the Isl INST. called for the purpose Of taking
iuitiatvry steps to Withdraw the subscription
of Butelourt county to the Valley Railroad
Company \ preamble and resolutions ex
pressing the ScIISe Of the call were Introduced
and advocated by Colouel Sperry and opposed
by Judge Houston and Me>>rs. Pendleton and
Anderson. When put to vote, the resolutions
were rejected BY large majority.
SAMPLE MERCHANTS Judge Bond, Of the
Uui,cd States Circuit Court, Sitting in Rich
mond, has rendered his decision in the case of
the Commonwealth vs. " H. Barrett OF New
York city Barrett is i nonresident who was
arraigned before the Police Justice of Rich
mond few months ago for violation Of the
city ordinance and State law. by selling goods
by sample without license. He was fined and
there upon carried his case, by writ OF ha beaS
corpus, before Judge Underwood at Alexandria.
Judge t.. decided botn the Stare law and the
city ordinance. under which the Police Justice
acted, unconstitutional. and ordered the dis
charged Of the prisoner. An appeal was Ia ken
to the United States Circnt Court
In rendering his decision Judge Bond said
II shall order the discharge of the petitioner in
this case because | am Of the opinion that the
law under Which he is in custody is in violation
OF the second ST ctiou of article four Of the CON
>tituriou Of The United States
by the provisions Of the twentieth section Of
the act of Assembly Of Virginia of March Il,
1871, the specific license required IF every per
sou, not resident merchant, who desires 20 sell
goods by sample in Virginia. is fixed at one hun:
Lred dollars.
1T makes no difference what is the amount OF
his stock, either at home or present with him.
The tax is fixed one. aud Is not dependent
on the amount of his sales. GA the other
hand. every merchant resident in Virginia is
allowed by the same act 10 sell his goods by
sample anywhere in the Safe without taking
out any license. Sllch as is required Ut the. non
resident trader.
'''ro be sure, the resident merchant pays
license also a. u trader; but his special license
is much lower than that fixed upon the non
is charged is dependent upon the amount OF
resident merchant 5 sales
In addition TO the privilege of keeping a store
and selling his goods to his customer, as upon
the payment Of his license the resident pur
chaser is entitled by the law in question to cx
hibit his goods all over the State without
sample merchant license.
IL think this is a discrimination against the
citizens of other States aud comes within the
decision Of the Supreme court in Ward VS..
State Of Maryland. by which such dscriulina
ton is decided iy the Supreme court to be
unlawful
''Thc ordinance Of the city of Richmond re,
1uriug license from non-reSiients and tx
empting residents from its application is 50
e early illegal that no argument is necessary to
show it. The party must lie discharged.