Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-05

system of Virginia, if we should be permit
ted again 10 enjoy it? Every body, the
least conversant in legalproc-edings, knows
that when cause is carried from an in
ferior to superior court, by way of ap-
peal, that it is tried on the facts which the
record exhibits and if SO, is it material
whether the record be sent an hundred and
twenty, OF six miles? But the expense of
a decision in the inferior courts will be
greatly increased! This is an assertion
without the shadow OF FEASIBILITY to sup
port it. Juries receive no pay under the
Virginia law; witnesses are paid mileage,
and fifty cents day /; and the attorneys
fee, taxable in most cases, is two dollars
and fifty cents: in no case decided ia an in
ferior court of law, more than five dollars.
How then do these matters stand with US!
Our jurors receive one dollar and twenty
FIVE cents day witnesses the same; and
an attorneys fee of five dollars, is without
exception taxed in every case.-The mar
shal's and sheriff's fees are precisely the
same. Let the candid decide which is the
more expensive system.
1t has been roundly asserted that the ne
cessity of having our chancery causes re.
moved to The town of Fredericksburgh,
ought alone to deter us from all idea of re-
trocession.-That we should be dragged,
with our accounts and our witnesses, to the
distance of fifty miles, for the purpose OF
obtaining that equity and justice which we
row obtain at home. This was an idea
thrown out merely ad captandum Dutgus;
for almost every man knows that no oral
testimony is ever received for the purpose
of making out any fact in chancery cause
that the whole case is always in writing,
either in reports, exhibits, or dispositions
which are always taken at the places where
the witnesses reside and that it can never
be necessary 70: The complainant or the de-
PENDANT to be personally in court of equ,-
IT, Where then would be the hardship of
having our matters of equity decided in
Fredericksburgh, if all the preparations for
correct decision are made in Alexandria
| can see none-none at least, | think the
boliest will say, which should induce us
willingly to part with our political birth
right, rather than undergo.
All! but TO be united again to the county
Of Fairfaxa-it is too terrible to be thought
olive should be compelled to leave our
homes and go fourteen miles into the coun-
ty of Fairfax TO obtain justice and right.
The lenislatnre of Virginia have never, |
people OF any county to have their seat OF
justice where they pleased. The popula-
ton of Alexandria and those whose interests
and convenience would readily unite them
to it, could easily obtain law to build a
court house where we pleased--and no one
will deny thefact of the great need in which
we stand of such a building. But we ought
not to fear that Virginia would not receive
US as a county because it is unreasonable
and against the known principles upon
which political communities in every Pc
Rod of the world have uniformly acted.
Virginia would be proud to grant US what
ever was not inconsistent with the general
good-and would, from self interest and
pride, the strongest principles of individual
or political action, encourage the trade and
growth of place which would without
question form one of tue brightest jewels in
her sovereignty.
But still tits urged, with great apparent
earnestness and candoc, that congress has
listened with tenderness and pity to our re-
quests and petitions, and supplied with IL
berality our wants--while it is assumed as
proved that Virginia would overwhem us
with unjust and harlensome taxes, and OPP
press US by spirit of hostility as impolitic
as ii would be odious. And it is attempted
to prove what Virginia would do, by what
she has already done. There are no recol- |
lected instances on record in whiclrthe mea- !
sures adopted by her arose from or could |
be traced to spirit OF enmity to the pros !
perity Of Alexandria. But instances can
be cited in which Virginia departed from
her established policy in favor ofthe wishes |
Of our citizens. She established bank for
he town of Alexandra, when the inutility
Of that species OF circulation and credit was
almost universally believed in that COM
and the arguments used on that
occasion, | have no doubt, contributed not
/ little TO dissipate those political prejudi-