Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-01-06

The Mcckienburg contested election case was
taken up and Mr. Berkley, the contestant, hav-
ing been allowed the privilege of the floor to
speak iii his own behalf, made one OF the ablest
and most eloquent speeches that has been
heard in the Senate for years. The subject
was pending when the Senate took up the mat
ter ofthe publicdebt. The nlajoity report OF the
committee is in favor of the sitting member.
The minority report recommends that the ques-
ton be RENTED to the people of The district,
and that new election be- ordered by the Presl-
dent Of the Senate, but MIR. Berkeley contends
that Mr. lItthrop is not entitled to the seat.
and that he u.s. The law questions involved |
arise under the apportionment by the last
Legislature.
la the House Of Delegates, the following |
Senate bills were referred: TO incorporate the
Potomac Land and Improvement company; to
! amend section 10 Of chapter 100 Of the code
concerning crimes and punishIuents: to amend
section - chapter $50 OF the code concerning
| warrants tur small claims: for extending the
time for correcting the asscSsllcnt OF lands
| throughout the Commonwealth, and to incor
poatc the Virginia Iron, Mining. Chemical
| and Manufacturing company.
| The lnllowin.; bills were reported from com
mittees and placed on the a cndrr. to simplify
| declarations in actions against Insurance com
pancS; to amend section > chapter 1872 of the
! code in relation to exemption from lrles: to
amend section 10 chapter 2'Io Of the code i'll re-
lation to Jurors in criminal cases.
The following bills were passed TO amend
chapcr 200 Of the code in relation to grand
lures: to amend the act in relation 10 meetings
and adjournment of circuit, county, and cor
| poration courts for rclct of Frederick Griffith,
OF the county Of WcStmorcand: allowing lncor-
poratcd towlls to use the jas Of the Common
wealth to cUufcr power to administer oathS on
| commissioners in cllanccry, and to provide Tor
the rcasscssulcnt ofands ofthe Commonwealth.
The following resolutions &c. were introduce
ed to incorporate the Llray Savings bank
in relation to the gauge OF railroads resolution
~ to what legislation is necessary to enable
boards Of supervisors 10 compel settlement with
sLcrifls oi accc ATS Tor county IcvlcS, to the LIST
nE January Is o. resolution as to extending
the time for Sc;I.tnent Of the county treasurer
with the collector: Joint resolution as to the
cyprndiency OF amending the constitution. so
aS to provide for the election of assessors not
oficncr than every fourth year bill to amend
section q, chapter 1876 OF code, in relation TO
| ularriage : resolution amending the code, 50 u
10 make il the duty of county treasurer to re-
turu To To the board of supervisors complete
copy of his rrcci pt> and disbursements for the
year Y.
SECESSION. y. Y World make S as,rong
point On the Norton Faction, who are 50 bitter
against the officers educated ut West Point, for
joining the Southern Cnuicderacy. These
officers are held by Morton Co. to lave COM
mitcI an objectionable sin-whicl DO repent
ancc can atone for They must be cternally
excluded from all bills Of ;nl'Sty. They are
the high criminals referred to by the amlable
Gift taker.
The World rctortS by curious piece Of his
tory. VIM Rawle. one Of the most respecta-
bic iurlss Of his day-a hlgh-toned old FEEDER
ali>t and United States District Attorney
throughout the administrations of Washington
and ADAMS 1876 published an elementary
work on the Constitution. 1t has been general
" regarded as the most accurate and able cx-
position of the Constitution. Emanatlng from
a 'ederast Of the Washington school it
was not possible that any treason could lurk
within it. On account Of its reputation and
intrinsic merit, it was adopted as the text book
at the Military Academy at West Point. There
i Lee, Davis, Johnston, Magruder, Iuger, Pen
\ dleton, Beaurcgard, jackson and the rest Of
the Confederate Captains, were taught by au-
thority the true princi pies Of the Constitution
The princi pies thus and there lnstlcd into
them were co,lched in the following words OF
Rawe:
| AT page JO2 MI. HaWle says:
The secession of State from the Union de-
ponds entirely on the will Of the people Of such
State In any manner by which Sc
ceS>ion may take place, nothing is more certain
than that the act should be deliberate, clear
and uncquivocal.
At page 2s7 Mr.. Rawle says
''The States may wholly withdraw from the
Union, but while they continue they must re.
tain the character of representative republics.
But still further in chapter - page 291, we
find:
IF faction should attempt to subvert the
government of State for the purpose of des-
troyng its republican form, the patcrnal power
OF the Union could be called forth to subdue it.
Yet it is not to be understood that its lnterpos
ton would be unsuitable if the people OF State
should determine to retire from the Union
whether they adopted another or retained the
same form Of government.
These were the doctrines taught. eX CATHEDRAL
at the Government school as late as lS6l, and
may for aught We know, be still taught there
but what a contrast they form to the practices
Of this day The raukest treason now is to
uphold the fundamental pri ciples Of the Con
stitutiou as interpreted by Rawle aud ''l'he
Fathers. '--Ratwond Wig.
FISH STORY.-A letter from Professor Agas-
siz, the distinguished naturalist. addressed to
Professor Beiamn Peirce, Superintendent OF
the United States Coast Survey, gives the very
first results Of his scientific expedition, being
the details Of discovery in regard to the hab-
its of fishes, which is little less than marvel
lous 1t appears that in endeavOrlng to ix the
origin Of Guf.wecd, Professor Agassiz found Il
nest which in his own language is IA fish era
die, formed out OF living tiultwecd rocking
from the deep ocean, carried along as an indy
ing arbor and aforling at the same time pro-
lection aud afterwards food for its living
freight" We are also told that this queerhsh
that builds nest in the drifting Guli-weed
and sends its eggs aAoat in such a cradle, has u
Unlike hand. and walks rather than swims.
SHEEP SLAUGIITER.-A few nights since the
hands employed on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad near Rawng Station, thoughtlessy
left the fence open to an adjoining field on the