Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-05-03
For tie Alexandria Advertiser.
Me0rs. Suazvaen e Co.

4
TO infeft few particulars which took
place on that oecaion, lett an erroneous
aatement fhou!d prejudice the public mind.
While on the bench, | was qaeitioned
with regard TO my opinion on the tabJest
of extending the right-of iuffrage. ! re-.
Piled l conceive the prlent laws on
than iubjeea TO be~very excellent Of sheir
kind. | do net with 10 fee it extended,
as it may terminate ia uniyerial luarage,
which is one of, the greatef evils thar can
aalia US. / obEeryed, thar uriyerfal laf-.
hage is always attended with corruption,
but if it mutt take. place, let men, wo-
men and children all vote, We fhould then
Zee who would -presailat an eleetion.--
Whether the powers OF rhetoric, agreeable
TO the iceas of the mott celebrated writers
on thatiubjea, would carry more convic-.
sion to the nlnds4of The people, than
competition extracted, NOT from books,
bur grain or fruit, which if the proof be
good, would carry more convincing proof,
and in. half the time, than all the rhetoric
On earth. IF the arguments are addreiied
20 the minds of the hearers. this latter ar.
eument would affect them much iooner
than the force of verbs.
faid l never wiihed to be elected BY
fuch. means, if could avoid it. | with
ed TO be chofen by free and independent
c,tf1a,e ooJ rot ~. ,orortc
/ obierved, TO certain gentlemen, that
as they had the power in their own hands,
IT was TO be hoped they would ufe il with
diicreiion, and above all, 10 provide for
our national defence, by organizing the
militia, as there could be iistle double
of an irvaion, and this body was certain
ly detective in many reipe6ts. | was ak
ed, ifinvaGon threatened, whether tho,
ev-ry man would turn ont IN our defence
! replied, / thought not. / mott certain
ly ihould myielf, but there are many who
would not be, aacased by the fame mo-
tiyes that would influence me. The fact
is, thefe very men, to whom the right Of
iaffrage might be extended, would be
among tn laa TO defend foil where
they had no attachment whatever. Fight.
ing is far from being an inviting bu6ueis,
AID few people undertake it for The plea
iure it affords; il mutt be either necei3ity,
interee, or pa.riotitm, that will bring
men toit.
Again, ourold and tryed defenders and
preiervers, have received fuch grateful re-
WARDS, fuch benehccntfn!les, that there is
no doubt experience would teach them
better, than TO couluine the remains Of
life already worn out in oar fsryice.
] do not recollett any other particular
expreiiiens that made ule Of /; if, how,
ever, any gentleman may incline 10 fate
any, I-ihall not deny my words.
II is TO be remembered, that this con-
veriation was conducted with perfect good
humor, and without any acrimony on
either iide.
/ truf. gentlemen, my conduct on the
late location, was perfectly congenial with
the cauie elpouted. neither afked for
vote, queaioned or difpu,ed any, and
was perfectly iasisfed with the events of
the day.
Il may be fuPpofed that the terminate
on Of the affair threw a damp on my ipi-
riss. The reverie | allure you. Could
. I hear my name pronounced by the re-
fpettabilisy, the honor, the pa,r:otifm,
the character, the integrity, the truth and
value of my fate, and feel dePreded 3
Could behold men, who from age have
long fince relinquihed fuch fcenes, COM
ing forward in my behalf, and feel defpon.
dent Gould behold men leaving their
buGnels and quitting their affairs, TO fup-
port my caule, AMI YET feel dilnayea =
Could behold men, who from only the
acquaintance Of the morning, were exert