Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-10-31
LOCAL ITEMS.

ton, of New Jersey, addressed the Greeley and
Brown Club, at tho Assembly Room, hstaighy. !
lie spoke for nearly two hours, reviewing and
commenting upon the course of Gen. Grant
and the administration, clearly pointing out the
fragrant abuses heaped not only upon the South
but upon the whole country. denying Gen.
Grant claim, under any circumstances, to q
reelection; pointing out the enormous expeu-
SIS at which the government is conducted, the
discrepancies in the statements of the heads of
bureaus ofthc amount of the public debt, and the
millions ofthe people money spent and nnac-
counted Tor, and urged, as remedy, the clear
ing out of the Augean stables and the election
Of men who were capable and honest He
strongly favored the one term princpe,% and
compared the qualifications of MIR. Greeley and
Gen Grant to show the great superiority of
the former for President. The speech was d
plain but excellent one, and it is only to be re-
grctted that the attendance was so small !, j,
At the conclusion of Mr.. H. S remarks Mr.
Mckenzie took the stand and made string
appeal. He read from the report of the ku-
kluX committee TO show the shameful waste Of
money by the Legislature Of South Carolina,
with some comments ofthe Cincinnati Enquirer;
referred to the addresses of the New York
bankers, and showed that they were "pecuni-
arily" interested in the perpctuatieu of the
present administration, in order to feather their
own nests; read Mr. Alexander Dcmar's letter
giving his reasons for supporting MIR. Greeley
and concluded by figuring out MIR. Greeley's
ing. s'.- Z. .:.'.---.f .fr'lt..',
Mr.. Mex. announced that there would be a
grand Conservative rally, the last Of the cam
palgn, on Monday night next. - -. AS. -.
IIALLow EVE TO day being the eve of
All Saints, OF All Hallows as it was formerly
called, tonight will be the annual recurrence
of what has been for centuries known as Hal
low Eve. Formerly the night was supposed by
the ignorant to be enchanted: that disembodied
spirits walked the earth, and that the time was
favorable for charms, spells and witch-craft.- -
Hence, those charms which have an especial
charm for charming young maidens, the fore
casts that are to tell of future husband and
wife, became popular at such time, and 10 the
Highlands of Scotland, especially, many were
the methods in use to tell fortunes On HalloW
Eve. One of the pecularities attributed to
this mystic evening is the faculty conferred on
the immaterial principle in humanity to detach
itself from the corporal tenement, and wander
abroad throughout the realms Of space. 1t is
clearly relic Of pagan times, for there is moth
ing in the church observances of the ensuing
day of All Saints to have ORR inatcd either the
strange notions or remarkable practices by
which it is distinguished. A general eating of
apples and nuts attempting to pick up with
the teeth apples floating 10 tub of water, eat
ing apples before mirror, with the idea OF
discovering the inquirer future partner for
life, and similar curious practices are among
the observauccs of the festival. Of late years
more horored in the breach than in the observ-
ance) is foolish practice Of throwing about
heads OF cabbage and ringing door bells. Il
MARRIAGE AND DEATH-Thc column of
news items and the marriage and death notices
OF to-day's issue, present notable instance of
the mutability of human affairs. On Wednes-
day last MIR Eben S. Childs, hale gentleman
of - years, married Mrs George Bayne, Of this
city, and the bridal pair started from the resi-
,lence of the bride brother, Mr.. Edgar Spei-
den, in Washington to make the tour usual on |
such occasions They had proceeded as far as
Albany. New York, when Mr.. Childs sickened
and died leaving the lady whom he had mar
ricd a bride and widow the same week. Both
events are announced 10 the same paper. Mr..
Childs was much beloved by his fellow clerks at
the Postofficc Department. MIR. 4. n. beverly
has been deputed to bring his remains to
Washington and on the occasion of his funeral
the Postoffice Department will be closed and
tbs clerical force attend his funeral in a body.
AN ALEXANDRIA CLAIMANT On yesterday
the Southern Claims Commission heard testl
mony in regard to the claim Of Elizabeth A.
Gould, of Alexandria, Va, for $2S,S75,. for
wood cut by the army on the, Potomac river,
near Washington. The pointof public inter-
Est in this case is the endeavor made by the
claimant to show higher value for standing
timber than the price Of one dollar per cord, es-
tabIishcd by the Quartermaster General, at
which rate similar claims, to the amount OF
several million dollars, have been from time to
time settled by the Quartermaster' S Department.
The claimant is one of the heirs of the late
Congressman Edsal, of New jersey who Owned as
large estates in Virginia, near this city. The
commissioners also heard the claim of DR..
Hugh Morson, of Caroline county, Va, for
IS, 500, for quartermaster stores taken IN Vlr-
ginia. ....,#,
RAILROAD MEETING. The annual, meet
ing of the stockholders of the Orange,
Alexandria and Manassas Railroad Company
:, ~ no hold .t the Office of the. company, In