Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-08-06
bull fight? And yet there are some
who say such fight would deter peo-
ne from going to the Atlanta fair.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gszstte.]
"zz A. q

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.
The new Independent American par.
ty which is called to meet in conven-
ton at Topeka, Kansas, September 5th,
is said to favor among other things q
removal of the national capital to a
more central location. Il is this article
of it's political faith which is of most in
terest to Washingtonians, although no
one here believes that the federal capi-
tai will ever be removed from its pres.
emit site. 1t is not generally known that
the location of the national capital on
the Potomac river was brought about
by Alexander Hamilton, the first Score.
tary of the Treasury, with the co-opera-
ton of Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton
had laid before Congress plan for the
assumption by the federal government
of the debts Of the several States grow
ing out of the revolt of the colonies
against the mother country. The
southern members as a rule, opposed
assumption while the northerners gen.
orally favored it. Congress, st the same
time, was also confronted with con-
test among its members as to
the location of the capital-wheth-
or it should be in New York
or Pennsylvania, in Virginia or Mary
land whether it should fall to the
north or the south was question, Sec
ond only to that of assumption of the
local debts. Hamilton was Indifferent
as to which State secured this honor.
He had, however, championed the as
sumption plan, and he saw in this
contest over the capital an opportunity
to help that plan. He decided, there
fore, to sacrifice what he regarded as a
trif1ing question and thus save a finan-
cial policy which he considered to be of
vital Importance. Thomas Jefferson
had just returned from France and
taken his place at the head of the
Washington cabinet. He had no
prejudices at that time against the
author of the assumption policy, and
fell in easily with the scheme of his
colleague. "There was" as one his
torian naively puts it. "a little talk and
q little dinner, and Hamilton agreed to
secure the voters for southern capital
while Jefferson promised to do the
same for assumption" AS result the
capital was located on southern soil,
and Hamilton's plan OF assumption
passed both houses of Congress by a
fair majority.
The authorities of the Smithsonian
Institution have awarded the Hodg-
kins prizes as follows: First grand
prize, ten thousand dollars, to Lord
Royleigh and Prof. Ramsey, of London,
for their discovery of argon as con-
stituent element of the atmosphere.
Third grand prize, one thousand dol.
lars, to Henry de Varigny, of Paris, for
the best popular essay on the proper
ties of the atmosphere. The second
grand prize OF five thousand dollars
was not awarded, none of the con-
testants fulfilling the conditions.
The President to-day appointed
Lloyd Reed postmaster at Clarksburg,
w. Va, vice Lee 81. Vance, resigned.
Mr.. Reed was postmaster under Mr..
Cleyeland's first administration.
]. z. Swartz has been appointed as
sistant treasurer OF the Mount Vernon
Electric Railroad, vice u. w. Holden,
resigned. The Offices of superintendent
and assistant treasurer, heretofore coz
solidated, have been separated.
A Baltimore democrat, here to-day,
says the mugwumps in Maryland have
succeeded in kicking up great fuss, but
that the result will be that it will only
make the democrats work the harder
and get out their whole vote, which
they haven't done for several years,
and carry the State by large majority.
The mugwnmp cry of bossism, he says,
is laughed at in Baltimore, as there
never was greater boss than their idol,
Mr.. Cleveland, who knows it all, and
will take nobody's advice, and as the
silk-stocking and kid glove people who
compose the mugwump party there are
only mad because they can't be bosses.
The State Department this afternoon
received dispatch from Consui-G ener-
al Jernigan, reporting further mission.
airy outrages in China. The dispatch
follows: "Hixon (consuD wires that
American mission property at Yungsuh
burned. Details of Kucheng massacre
horrible. Houses stealthily surround
ed and sleeping ladies and children
speared to death. Situation unset
tied"
Senator Henderson, republican, of
Nebraska, now here, in talk this
morning, said nobody now knows who
will be nominated by the next national
republican convention, but that no mat
ter who he may be, he feels confident
the republican silver men will not bolt.
He also said he did not believe Mr..
Cleveland would be the democratic
candidate, for several reasons, one be-
ing the impossitil.ty of his getting the
nomination. He also said that more
revenue was requisite and that the
best way to raise it is by stamp tax
on all bank and legal paper.
The Virginia republicans here are by
no means pleased with Gen. Mahone's
latest exhibition of his intention to re-
tain entire command of their party in
their State, but as under their party's
organization it ia impossible for them to
deprive him of the Craftsmanship of their
State committee, they are in sorry
plight. They say the election bill he
has prepared will never become law
but if it should, what he has been be-
fore in their party will be as nothing 10
what he will be then, rs by it he will
practically have the nomination of
every republican candidate in the State.
The Comptroller of the Treasury
will to morrow hear arguments in favor
Of nsuin0 tha fixa and q half million