Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-31


1t will be remembered that legal controversy
has been occupying the attention Of the courts
10 Virginia for some time, between w. y.
McVcigh as plaintiff and Judge John G.
Underwood as defendant, resulting from the al
legged con6<cation of the residence of McFeigh,
in Alexandria, Va, and the purchase of the
same by Judge Underwood, which acts of con-
fScation we're declared null and void by the
United States District Court for Virginia
Mr.. McEeiyh, not getting possession Of his
property, brought an action otejectment against
Underwood in the Corporation Court of the
city of Alexandria, claiming also mesne dam
ages.
Some very strange revelations have been made
in the progress OF the suit. 1t was testified
to by Francis Dane of Boston, that he aud
other creditors of Mr.. McVeigh, after the pas
sage of the confscation law attached his pro-
pcrty to prevent the government from couiscat
ing it; that they afterwards sold these judg-
rreots to Alley, Ames and others, because, as
Mr.. Dane said they were assured by Alley and
Alnes then members Of Congress- and Judge
Underwood, then judge of the .. S. District
Court under whose decree the confscaton sales
were made that the attachment was worthless
but they were willing to buy the judgement at
"A much less value than the property: to fall
back on if the con6scation failed. In Mr.. Ames S
words he waited these judgements to plaster
over the property Previous to the sale under
the confscaton Judge Underwood told Us that
this was the first case in which property had
been con6scated in fee simple, and that MIR.
Whiting. solicitor OF the War Department. had
conpllmented him 90 that decision.
Dane further testified that the same parties
interested in the contiscation sales we're present
at sale and interested III the attachment sales,
and that the property worth $40, 600 brought
s. 900 John G. Baldcrstone, Of Baltimore.
testified that the sales did not take place for
two hours after the time advertised. III order
to give time for the transfers to be drawn to
Alley and Amos, AMI that no bell was rung; or
any effort made to attract bidders, and that
''prior to the sale, Mr.. Alley insisted that we
should not lid against him. The property was
mostly bid in by Mr.. Alley. made some bids
at his sugge>tivn aud he would bid over me.
Mr. Alley managed the bidding. ln the settle
mcnt of our sale to Mr. Alley and others,
overheard Mr.. Alley and Mr.. Duncan agree
to proportionatcy share the risk of a note 10 be
given by Judge Underwood for his proportion
uf the purchase.
Duncan was the deputy marshal, and wit
ness understood him at the time to be inter
c>ted in the purchase of the property, and the
house adjacent to Mr.. McE eigh' 5 residence was
allotted to him. "-Bultnlore Sun.
CUBA AND HAYTI.-A very interesting and
instructive communication has been lately pub
lishcd upon the growth OF Cuba 10 its rich
tropical productions and in population with a
comparison Of the gradual downfall of Haytl,
once the garden OF the tropics. and the pro-
ducer, in its best days. Of some OF the most
valuable products Of the world. The New
York Express calls attention to the facts re-
terred to. and the figures which speak tor
themselves land cannot be dismissed by cant
or false sentiment on the one hand, or by evad-
ing the conclusions drawn in the communlca-
ton" At the commencement of the present
century the population Of Cuba was 300, 900;
it is now .4OU0O0 In the year 1876 the value
of her expectations was Sl3SO9, 3SS, and ID
1859 they had increased to $57, 455, lS5; and
: during the same year the lmporatlonS were
valued at $l43 400, lSj In 1862 Cuba pro-
ducrd from its own soil and resources, to the
value Of S3O5, 9l9, S75, a sum equal to Sis tor
each member of the population. The exports
and imports Of the island furnish large mum.
f Der of American vessels with remuneratlve
trcights, and the duties upon merchandise
brought to our ports from Cuba add immense
ly to the revenues Of the government. The
writer nllintains-wc know not with what truth
that in any charge Of government in The
island the uneducatcu colorcd population will
have the power to control it, and that our trade
and commerce would thereby suffer materially,
Yet, if the Cubans can effect their own liberty,
no Que in the Unltcd States can reasonably OBJ
jcct to it, and it is presumed the consequences
could be provided for afterwards. The figures.
however, in regard to Hayti, are something as
founding. The island is next to Cuba the most
fertile of the Antilles In the year 1890 the
value of its exports was S27 ,S2S, DDO the prlu-
: cpa products bcing-sugar, 1861 U5, 220 lbs.
coffee, S,l5l, $50 lbs; cotton, 6.2SG, l2G lbs.
indigo, 930,Sl6 lbs. In 1893 the revolution
broke out ln lS49, the last certain data tina
the statistics furnish, and nearly sixty years
after the revolution, the expectation OF the
above mentioned articles was as follows -
Sugar, none; coffee, 30,60S,3 43 lbs; cotton
, 5O4, SIC lbs; indigo, none. Since that time
the exports have gradually decreased, until
S according to the estimate Of the correspondent
, at the present time they do not exceed 10 valuG
, s., 900, OO0.-Bah. SIN.
ADO ITIoN OF THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE
The Postmaster General, from time to time
has shown that the actual loss to his Depart
ment from franked letters and documents has
ranged from two TO three millions Of dollars .
year. For the Presidential canvass of 1872, il
all the ranked letters and campaign document:
sent ont from Washington and other points OF
both sides had paid the usual postage charges
It is probable that there would have been /
saving of at least four millions Of dollars to he
, Department. From May and June TO Noyem
Der the mails from Washington for the East
the West the North and South were encum
f bercd with tons of elcctioneerng rubbl, h