The Local News from Alexandria, Virginia • Page 2

GENERAL NEWS. In 1857, in the Northern States, there were 4,257 failures, amounting to in the past year the failures were 5,935 in the Northern States, being an excess of 1,078 over those of the year 1857, while the liabilities are $178,632,170, being a diminution of $87,185,830 on those of 1857. Iv the last mentioned case of suicide in Paris, a young spark and his mistress lighted a pan of charcoal in a close room and then cosily sat down to a bottle of wine and a game of dominoes, which amused them until the fumes brought death. Vitriol throwing we notice, has been again commenced in New York. One woman destroyed another's eyes by means of it, the other night; and as "crime travels in great circles," we may now expert to hear of similar feats in all directions.

British vessels continue to arrive iv Canada with troops for the provinces. The Richmond Despatch denies that tho late battle at Drainesville, was a disastrous defeat of the Confederates. It says the killed and wounded were as before represen-1 ted, but that Gen. Steuart had only advanc-! Ed to forage, and though he retreated he so- cured the he had obtained. The Washington Star reports a number of deaths of U.

S. soldiers in the hospitals and camps in and about Washington. It is reported that the continuous firing throughout Tuesday night by the U. S. troops on the Virginia side of the Potomac is to be the subject of a formal investigation.

The news of the decision of tho United States government to surrender Messrs. Mason and Slidell was received at Montreal on Saturday evening last, and seems to have caused considerable rejoicing. Capt. James Ambrose, an old and wealthy citizen of St. Clair county, Illinois, opposite St.

mis, was murdered by his nephew last week. Gen. Floyd, of is at Bowling Green, Keutucky. Persons have been arrested at Norfolk, suspected of a design to burn tho navy yard at Portsmouth. The New Orleans Crescent says that the blockade of Sound interferes greatly with the trade in sugar and uiulas-; ses.

The receipts of these two articles continue large, and are now, from interruption, greatly in excess of the demand. James E. Calhoun, son of the late John C. Calhoun, of S. died in San Francisco; last month.

Capt. McGivern of the schooner Iram Smith, of Fall River, died a few days since on board his schooner, while in Hamp-' ton Roads, on a trip from New York to Bal- timore, with government stores, and was! buried at Fortress Monroe. Mr. Albert Gallatin, of N. says that Mr.

Chase's financial measures were "contrary to the advice of tbe leading bankers in New York." The Philadelphia Inquirer says tbat "grave apprehensions are expressed by gentlemen high in official position, that tha Southern Confederacy will be recognized by England, France and Spain, acting in concert." Mr. Thaddeus Stevens characterizes the late remonstrance in the Mason end Slidell affair as "an impertinent interference." "It is said" that permission has been given in a very courteous manner, to pass the British troops through Maine into Cannada." The Message of Gov. Hicks, of to the Legislature of that State, now in sessiom relates mainly to state affairs. Mount Vesuvius, at tbe last accounts from Naples, continue to spout forth smoke and flame and lava. Mr.

Paul Morphy, the great chess player, is to join tho staff of Gen. Johnson of the Confederate army. He is at present in Richmond practicing law. Burnside'u expedition is still at Annapolis, (gathering troops and vessels, to bo largely re-inforced at Old Point. Its destination still unknown.

The U. S. Light-House Board, through its Bearetary, Mr. Jenkins, advertises for a sup-; ply of 70,000 gallons of the best quality of pure winter strained sperm oil for ihe use of the establishment. The NeTr York Po3t is not disposed to attach too much faith to the belief that the surrer dor of Mason and Siidell will Great Britaiu.

Rev. Wm. Bacori Stevens was consecrated I at Philadelphia yesterday, as the Epbc Mehop of die Diocese of Pennsylvania. A large number of persons went out on Sunday from the wharves in Philadelphia to catch a number of "porpoises" seen near tho opposite shore in tbe Delaware. The turned out to be cakes of ice, blackened with mud at the ends! Levi Short, of Buffalo, has invented a new engine of destruction, in the shape of a bombshell or rocket, charged with combustible matter instead of with missies.

The Richmond correspondent of the Charleston Couriers complainesof the scenes c( rowdyism at the Theatre in Theatres, concerts, seem to be very much out of pluce, any where in times like the present. No New York papers to-day. The Baltimore Maryland News Sheet comes regularly through the U. S. mail, but its transmission here, for sale outside of the mail, has been The Marlboro (Md Gazette calls the resolutions recently passed by the Maryland Ld: gislature on the Mason and Slidell affair, "another hasty plate of soup." The resolutions passed by the Maryland Legislature, protesting against any interference with slavery by the General Govemj moot, were presented yesterday in the U.

S. Senate by Mr. Kennedy. The recruiting officer at Rochester, N. detected a young leinalo adventurer last week, who applied to him, dressed in bifurcated; apparel, for a situation as drummer I Her favorite masculine alias was Charley Millar, and she had beeu a hack driver, a' circus rider, a bar tender, a whip pedlar's clerk, and a drummer boy in the 18th New York 40th Pennsylvania regiments.

i On Christmas day, a couple were married in the jail at CLveland, Onio, by a clergyman who is also under arrest there. Both Houses of the U. S. Congress have adjourned over until Monday next. Mr.

Wilson, of has introduced a bill into the U. S. Senate for the future reg- I ulation of suttlers in the U. S. Army.

On Saturday last, Gen. Seigel left Rolla, with a large force, to attach, it is said, Gen. Price, in Springfield. The new Confederate battery on the Potomac is on 'Possum Nose Point. The U.

S. steamer Stepping Stones was fired at from the shore at Quantico, not long since, and had several bullets put through her sides. Tbe U. S. steamer Anacostia has some heavy guns on board, and, it is said, will "endeavor to get some dank fires at the federate battery at Possum Nose.

Tbe Canada papers appear to thick that the Mason and Siidell difficulty is but one of i several matters between England and the United States tbat will have to be "settled." The "stone blockade" is denounced in most of the English papers in the severest manner. The London Timss is most severe in its language on the subject. A number of Federal officers arrived at Fortress Monroe, on Wednesday, from Richmond, being the first of the two hundred and fifty prisoners to be released in exchange for the Confederate prisoners sent South last week. Tbe remainder were expected to arrive under a flag of truce yeaterday. The Court of Inquiry on the charges against Oen.

H. W. Benbam, preferred by Gen. Rosecrans, assembled yesterday, and so soon as tbe charges were read be was released from arrest and ordered to duty at once. At the first board in New York, yesterday, Virginia 6's advanced 1, and North Carolinas i per cent.

The Railroad securities were heavy, and N. Y. Central declined If, Erie $, and Reading The attention of the U. S. Congress will be immediatsly fixed upon measures for augmenting the revenue.

Increased duties on iron, t-pices and salt are to be proposed. An excise duty on distilled and fermented spirits, tobacco, and many articles of luxury be resorted to. A revenue of at least one hundred and fifty millions is thus to be i secured as the basis of government credit. The project offered by Mr. Stevens, man of the U.

S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, for closing the ports of the Confederate States by legislation may be intended as a substitute for i the more c-speasive mode of an tffotuive val blockade. But, in this point of view, it .8 quite certain that foreign powers will not recognise it. For novelty in amusement in Boston, they hive a at tho Aquarial Gardens, hari Deseed end drawing a lady about tho central tar.k. A letter Irom Peoria, Lb, states that snow fell on the night of December 22d, to a depth of eight inches on the level.

Forequartern of beef were selling at 3 ots. a pound, pork, in the hog, at 2J and corn meal at 45e. per hundred. A syrup mado from the Chinese sugar cane, raised in quantity in the neighborhood, is preferred to New Orleans molasses. It is proposed in some quarters that the usual annual meeting of Baltimore Conference M.

E. Church, be omitted this year. Furloughs have been very difficult to obtain of late, in the Confederate army on the Potomac lines, owing to the expectation every day of a battle. Gen. Evans, of Swuth Carolina, lately in command of the Confederate troops near Leeabarg, has gone to South Carolina to command a division there, lie took leave of his troops at Leesburg in an eloquent speech.

The British steam gunboat Rinaldo left Province'own, on the Ist, with Mason and Slidell and their Secretaries on board. The wind blew a hurricane all night. The Confederates continue the destruction of the Baltimore and Ohio Riilioad and are attempting to fill up two deep cuts through which the road passes above Hancock, in Maryland. Gen. McClellan is getting he Cannot as yet discharge out of door duties.

Gen. ickwood, U. S. has deemed it necessary to station guards at all the creeks, rivers and inlets on the Atlantic side of Accomac and Northampton, on account of numerous vessels hiving lately run the blockade, and giving aid to the Confederates, in the shape of provisions, The personal property of Robert Tyler, late of Bucks and Philadelphia counties, and now connected with the War Department of the Confederate government at Richmond, his been sold at Bristol by the sheriff. The proceedings were without reference to the political status of Mr.

Tyler, the property having been seized to satisfy a judgment. Emery Lull, 17 years of age, eon of Mr. James Lull, of Pittsfield, came to his death on Thursday night, under the following singular circumstances: Tuesday night, after he had retired to bed with his grandfather, he complained of being unwell, and after being questioned, confessed that he bad swallowed ten stones, eight leaden bullets and a metal button. After this confession the grandfather got up and informed the boy's father of what had been done, who being somewhat of a dootor, told his son, with tears in his eyes, that the best he oould do was to prepare his mind for death; for if he had done what he had said, no earthly power i could save bim. It is not known bow large I tbe stones were that he swallowed, but one found in his jacket was as large as a walnut.

The reason the boy gave for swallowing tbe stones was he wanted to do what a humbug shoreman pretended to do at a cattle fair, eat stones. The correspondent of one of the Cincinnati journals, writing from St. Louis, states that Price bas eluded the trap which was set for him by retiring toward tbe Arkansas line. The source of the river Nile, which has baffled discovery for two or three thousand years, will, it is thought, be found by parties of explorers who are now engaged in the service. Two French travelers have followed the Nile from Egypt, and Messrs.

Speke and Grant (Englishmen) have again set out, in the same pursuit, for Lake Nyaoza, from the Indian Ocean. The opinion now is that the river rises in Lake Nyanza, discovered by Captain Speke, and which is described as a sheet of water larger than Lake Erie or Ontario, if not both. Tbe Italia Grande, of Genoa, publishes an appeal to King Victor Emmanuel, stating tbat the exile Mazzini is gravely ill at London. In order not to die under the cloudy sky of Etigland, he requires one thing which the royal prerogative can alone grant, an umnesty, not a simple pardon. The New York Tribune agrees with the Philadelphia Journal in the sentiment that England may nest demand the raisingnf the mthern blockade.

The Tribune now hates England more than it ever loved that cmntry, and "charges the cotton lovers with having sent the abolitionist Thompson into the cjuntiy." There was some practice firing this morning, at the U. S. fortifications near this place. The N. 0.

Delta criticises the Message of Mr. Davis to the Confederate Congress, and mments severely upon the Southern It may be called an opposition paper, politically. I WAR NEWS. The Federal gunboat Anaiosta yesterday morning attacked the Confederate battery at Cockpit Point, and threw shells at it for about two hours, the battery not replying. A letter from Leesburg says: "It seems to be the determination of the Confederates now to hold Leesburg at all hazards.

Fortifications are being erected iv proper places. The Louisville Journal of Tuesdays says: Dispatches were received in this city and Frankfort yesterday, stating that a party of scouts from Col. James S. Jackson's regiment had encountered a superior lone of Confederate force near Sacramento, McLean county, Kentucky, on Saturday, and that the result was a loss of five Federals killed, and twenty prisoners. Tue Philadelphia Journal says: "The great sin of the age is the love of money, the acquisition of which iv large quantities gives influence in social society, and in the political woild, and commands respect even in cur churches.

Two distinctly opposite styles of ladies dresses will, it is said, meet with equal success this winter. The skirts of diesees will be worn either ornamenttd toexceis, there ia no simple and void of all ormini'mt. MISCELLANEOUS. Oil PRINTING, MAMJUILI 8, CARD BILL HEADS, CIKUULAKS, Ac, neatiy aud expeditiously printed, on the lowest terms, at the Alexandria Gazette Office, near the corner uf l'rinee aud Fairlax streets, jan SOMETHING NEW. lAA LOCAL AND TRAVELLING AGENTS wanted, to sell bix newly patented nrtiel of real merit and utility, uselul iv every family, Rare inducements ofle ed, (Address witu stuuip,) RICE A flSuutb street, Baltimore, Md.

Baltimore. jan tETANTBD hy a hidy, a FURNISHED BED ROOM with a small cooking stove, ac, in a respectable Union family. Good reference will bo Riven. Address Al. Alexandria P.

0. jau ATTENTION! lIBADQUARTiaiS Ksu'T EASTERN VIRGINIA Alexandria, dun. 1. 1W2. 171 King REFUGEES, men of Virginia, and others, who wish to enlist in the First Kegiment of ths Virginia Brigade, lor the detenco of the Union, can now do so by coming to the headquarters, No.

171 King street, and they will be mustered in immediately. Clothes and rations will be given at ouoe, pay also on same day. W. WALL, Colonel Commanding. J.

11. LIVINGSTON, Ist Lieutenant and Recruiting Officer. jan TEA LEAD, ZINC, and all other old METALS at 17 King street, Alexandria, Va. 1,000 REAMS WRAPPING PAPER for sale. Also, 2500 CABBAGES.

dec JOSHUA HORNER. COAL! 1 280 TONS ANTHRACITE COAL. EGG AND STOVE WHITE AND RED ASH, received, and for sale at the effice on King, near Water street, ately occupied by Wise A Co. T. J.

MEHAFFEY, B. T. PLUMMER, dec Agents. NOTICE. subscriber having to pay casw for his purchases, respectfully informs hie triends and customers, that, from and after ths 111 day of January, 1862, he will supply them witlt all articles in his line far CASH ONLY, and that the usual reduction for cash will be made upon such purchases.

JAS. ENTWISLE, dec Apothecary, 94 King street. GBocraiEiT GBocraiEiTNEW BUCKWHEAT, HAMS AND CITRON. rpilE SUBSCRIBER has just received the folj lowing articles, and invites the attention customers and citizens. 2,000 lbs.

new Buckwheat, in large and small packages; 1,000 lbs small Family Hams and Breast Pieces Raisins, Currants and Citron also, an assortment of small family cakes and crackers, to wits Jumbles, nny Lind Cakes, Ginger Cakes, Ginger Snaps, and Tea Cakes, Soda, Water and Sugar Crackers, all of which will be sold at low prioes for cash. JOHN T. COOKE, dec 13 Corner below Post Offise. MINCE received, a nice article of Mince Meat. J.

T. COOK, dec 19 Old Post Office Corner. NEW Just rectived, a lot of new Jowls, very nice. J. T.

COOK, dec 19 Old Post Office Corntr BOOTS ANDSHOEiT ANDSHOEiTHENRY FIELD, BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURER, No. 74 King street, Aleiandria, KEEPS on hand, and is prepared to rnana facture BOOTS and SHOES of all kinds. BOOTS or SHOES made at the shortest notice, and of the best material. JSgfPersons in want of a good article in his line, will do well to jiivo him a call. oct 7 DRY GOODS" DRY GOODS.

BRYAN A ADAMS, Agents, No. street. oot 7 W. W. 4BJLMJ DEALER IN WATCHES, JEWELRY AND SILVER WARE All kinds nf WATOMMS and re.

oaired. oct.