Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-20

W, "a Gtf;ce of the Chief Signal Officer, Wash,
M'a1 D C., March 20, lS7e-lO:3o a. M
Mg.o 10 Middle States snow will continue with
Using 70. north to east winds, falling oarome-
ins I'D tam perature below freezing, except IN
Southern Virginia.
RrrRocEssIoN.- The Washington cores
nondept of the Baltimore Sun says:
"It is expected that within ten days the gu,
.,,ne (,ourt of tn. United States will reach
ibs case of Robert " Phillips vs. Charles w.
paroe, which comes up from the supreme
ronrt of the District ofColumbia, and Involves
ths question Of whether Alexandra city a., ano
comfy are still portion OF the District Inc
case arises on suit by Philips to recover iiom
paype sum of moucy which Philips cIalmS
aas illegally exacted from hm by The defen'
dapt, Virginia tax collector, as taxes que tue
Stat, of Virginia The taxes we're paid under
protest denying the jugis i,ctlon OF the state
Of Virginia over the county OF Alexandria anu
her rir bit to cuforce the laws therein, claiming
such county to be in the District OF Coiumoa'
aud that the act Of Congress purporung to re-
,rocede such territory to Virginia 10 uncoost
tn,ional ADD void. The grounds 90 which 1t Is
c1nlended that the &C, is unconstitutional are
two First, that the jurisdiction over the Dis
trct oil Columbia was not acquired from the
cediug States, but from the people OF the
United States, the States of Maryland and V'r-
pipa merely relnquishing jurisdiction, and
the Uoited States thereupon taking Jurlsdlc-
ton ofthe rehuquished territory as permanent
seat Of government; aud that when Congress
thus accepted this territory as seat OF govern
mrut its power over the matter OF transfer
ceased, and the District became au organic part
of the government of the United States second,
that even if the attempted retrocesson had
been constitutional Congress made the law de
peodent on tie people OF Alexandria tor Its
/ roe. and thus undertook to delegate dele
gated power, which is beyond the power OF any
legislative body. The Attorney General OF Vir.
ginia will appear fer Payue iu the case, and
Judges Willvughby and Shallenberger for
Phillips.
the record filed in the case shows that the
District of Columbia as originally constituted
did not include the town Of Alexandria. The
District as originally dec! Jared, by the proclama-
ton of President Washington, dated Phladel-
phia, January "a, 1871, was limited to the
Maryland cession and such portioa of the Vlr-
GINA cessiou as lay above line TO be run from
the point of land forming the upper cape OF the
Eosteru Branch due southwest and 10 more
The lower portion of the District, incudiog the
town of Alexandria, was authorized TO be To-
Gated by subsequent act of Congress, and was
added by proclamation of the President dated
March 80, 1871. 1t thus seems that Georgetown
came into the District two months before Alex
audria was added The case before the Supreme
Court excites very general interest.
ARREST OF WI TYLER-Tbe grand jury of
Washington had before them last week num.
Der of witnesses as to certain real estate trans
actions, 10 which VIM. Tyler, formerly real
estate broker, is charged with irregularities
The Star of Saturday, says: They yesterday
found at least one preseutment for forgery, 1tls
said and report has it that other prescntmeuts
are 10 follow Ga the presentment found a
bench warraot was last evening issued, aud his
morning one of the Marshals officers took him
into custody at his home 10 Georgetown. aud
about 10 o'clock had him at the City Hall
Tyler appears to be quite uuwell and has since
the recent exposure oil his transactions been
confined almost constantly to his room. 1t had
been reported that be was on the verge OF in- |
sanity. The accused gave bail for his appear
auce 10 the sun OF SIS, OOO.
ST. JosEpH's DAY.-Yesterday was cele-
brated in the Catholic church as the festival of
ST. Joseph, the husband Of the Virgin Mary,
and the foster father of Christ. st. Joseph |
has been declared the patron saint OF the whole
Catholic Church, and hence his festival is cele.
brated with much solemnity. At st. Mary's
Church. yesterday, the sombre hues OF the
pentential season of Len. were removed from
the affairs, and all of them, especially that OF
81. Joseph, we're decorated with flowers and
lights The vestments of the oficlatlog priest
we're also Of rich ADD costly DESCRIPTION.
High Mass was celebrated by Rev. A. T. Keat-
iug, the assistant pastor, at ii a. ~, at the
conclusion OF which the choir sang the hymn,
Holy Patron, thee salutlDg.'
THE WEATHER y esterday was one of
the coolest day We have experienced this win
ter the cold wind from the northwest which
prevailed 90 Saturday having increased both
in force and colduess during the night. Ice
was formed in exposed places on the ponds,
aud the fats on the opposite side of the river
were covered with Ice all the way out to the
channel bank. The slight rise 10 the teupera-
ture during the evening, however, caused the
Ice to disappear. The tides were very low, the
fats being lett entirely bare. This morning 1t
commenced showing about eight o'clock, and
continued, with slight intermlssloDs, durlDg
the day. The wind having shifted to the east
and driving the snow, made it very dlsagreea-
ble tor pedestrians
SHOOTING AFFAlR.-A shoe ting atfray &C.
Cured at Cox's, on the opposite Maryland
shore, yesterday, which came near resulting
seriously Several parties came down from
Washington, and after drinking at the bar,
started out. Que of the parties carried shot
gun, and upon another one throwing chip at
him, he wheeled around aud discharged the
gun at The thrower, two of the shot striking
him in the head and the others lodging in the
side Of house behind him. Had there been
the slightest varia' lon 10 the aim the man shot
at would certainly have been killed. The
wounded man attempted to draw a pistol and
return the fire, but was disarmed by his
trleOds. His injuries are not dangerous
ATTACK BY COLoRED HIGHWAYMEN.