Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-23
VIRGINIA NEWS.


Col W. H. Browne. OF Stafford county, before
the war a member of the House Of Delegates
from Stafford and King &c rye C untics, ''con.
sders it patriotic duty to co operate cordially
with the Republican party and will support the
nominees of the Philadelphia Convention. >
The detectives in Richmond have arrested
two young colorcd men. named Wyatt Thorn
ton and Edward Robinson charged with setting
fire to Muntague's shops, by which $4,000
worth of property was destroyed Thornton
confessed, and implicated Robinson
The Stanton Iirginian says that the rci'or:
that Mr.. Scheifer Of that place, died from the
effects of a piece of oyster shell lodging in his
throat is Incorrect and that NJ. :. died from
congestion of the brain.
The will OF the late Bishop lIc'iill, has been
admitted to probate in the Chancery Court OF
Richmond and Rev Jas GihfouS has qualified
as administrator. the bnnl given beng 81: 900
General FItz Lee, has been elected President
of the Virginia Division OF the Army OF North
ern Virginia.
Stith Boiling was ,r-ccrtcl 10 the House Of
Delegates at the recent >pec,at election FOR a
member from Luncnburg. His maj rrty was H.
Tn" Ledger says that fredericksburg is box
ing up. Clad to hear IT,
DEBATE IN TIE SENATE. The Senate en-
Wednesday passed through another prntractcd
and exciting debate Oh the resolution to inquire
into the sale Of arms 20 France. and finally
made actual progress enough to adopt the
amendment offered by the administration Scna-
tors, proposing the additional inquiry AS to
whether any Senators have been IN connuni-
cation with any agent OF officer Of the French
government: but pending vote on the whole
subject the Senate adjourned There was no
abatement in the attendance Of spectators
Hundreds were unable to gain admittancc.
Most of the debate, however, was occupied by
Messls Morton and Conkling in defense of the
administration. and in the ARA gnmcnt Of the
Senator from Missouri for his receut charge
that the President in defiance Of the Senate,
the Secretary of the Treasury, and public
opinion had 81. tanned the ''nonstrous system
of robbery known as the general order bust
ness of the New York custom house, and for
the suspicion the charge raised that the Pres-
dent Was interested in it, The latter Senator
assailed Mr.. SchuiZ On this assumption in the
severe<t language allowable in debate, and at
tempted to add TO the sting of it by quoting
from the pamphlet edition of Mr. SchuzS
speeches, which the democratic committees are
circulating in New Hampshire The Missouri
Senator came back in gallant style at this per
>onal attack, reiterated what he had said III
those speeches. and dared the Senator from
New York to deny if the Investigation Of the
New York custom house had not proved every
Scntjlla Of the charges he had made in Deem
Der, aud developed. in t;,c,, a far worse system
than had been alIeged-a system which the
President. in utter defiance OF the previous ac-
~ ,ho md tha #
Treasury, had maintained and continued to
maintain The force OF language with which
Mr.. Schurz hurled these defiant facts into the
very teeth Of the administration Senators
brought down the galleries in applause and
completely silcnccd his assailants. Indeed, the
attempt of Mr.. Conkling to get up personal
controversy with Mr. Schurz closed the days
discussion with one OF the sharpest and most
acrimonious debates that ever came within the
limits Of parliamentary rules.
METHODIST CoSfERENcE-The Virginia
Annual Conference of the Methodist .Episco-
pal Church met in Leesburg on Wednesday,
Some forty ministers are III Attendance. Bis
hop Simpson rresides The principal business
Of the Conference thus far has been the reccp-
ton Of reports aud the usual ministerial exam
nations o. character Yesterday the lay con
ference convention Of the Virginia Conference
meet This conference. which is the first Of
the kind that has been hell in Virginia, is com
posed of lay representatives, of the various
churches in the convention. and its object is to
elect a lay delegate to represent this conference
in the General Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, which meets at Brooklyn
next May.
There is report chat an attempt has been
made to a~Sassinatc Bismarck. \ dispatch
from Berlin says :-"Therc is no doubt that a
man was in the city on Wednesday whose Oh
ject was to a>sassinate Prince Bismarck. 1t Is
officially announced this morning that an apoth-
ecary who resides in the city Of PoScu, l'rus
sian Poland, was arrested in Berlin yestcr, lay
on suspicion Of contemplating the assassination
of the Premier The man is a Pole. and
had formerly served in the Papal IouavcS. He
came from Posen to this c.Na few days since
aud while on the way threatened to Jake the
life Of the Prince. Upon his arrival here
pistol was found On the person of the prisoner,
which shows beyond doubt that h" fully m"d-
tated carrying out his designs.