Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-05
To the People Of The county Of .AsrandrsG:
When a nolitical measure is in agitation,

When politlcal measure is III az
covering, by its quantity and magnitude,
every species OF interest, every individual,
however inconsiderable, ought to be heard
upon its merits. Meetings have been held,
and are still to be held, in Georgetown and
Washington, 10 take into consideration that
part of the presidents message to congress,
relative to the district of Columbia. And,
no doubt, those who generally lead in such
meetings will be divided upon the great
auestion,-whether the interests of those
who compose the district of Columbia will
be more sffectually subserved by retro
cessicn to the states which originally grant
ed the territory, or by the establishment OF
a district Legislature While the people OF
Georgetown are endeavoring either to be
int orporated with Washington or to be re-
coded 10 the state Of Maryland, let us Tor
moment consider some of those objections
to retrocession Of this part OF the district
to the state of Virginia, which have been
urged with some degree OF warmth aineng
ourselves.
As to the constitutiona!ity Of a retroces-
sion. | think there is but little doubt. But
be that as i may, our opinions cannot inilu-
ence congress, who must ultimately decide
that matter. Our present purpose IS to en-
quire how we ought to think and feel in re-
lation TO the expediency of such measure.
The great objections against reunion
with the commonwealth nf Virginia seem
TO be-1st, an increase of taxes; Cd, the
great additional expense of litigation; Sd,
the probability of being united again with
the county of Fairfax and 4th, an assertion
(lor il is nothing mercy that there exists in
Virginia spirit of hostility to the interest
of Aiexandria. Let us admit that our taxes
would be increased fifteen or twenty thou
sand dollars per annum.-ls 1T nothing that
we should have the power of asserting to,
or rejecting the modes of taxation propos-
ed? is il nothing to exchange the spirit OF
sordld interest and abject submissive slave
~, for the energy and industry OF freedom
,.-.---4L----..Ll;1,.A ,nI is
rity by change we should have our just
weight in the scale of national policy and,
perhaps, avert by our councils the occasion
of a visitation such as the late war brought
upon us.--We should retain and cherish,
moi Danish or sttpify, our native genius.
Can We, ough; we to consider question of
freedom or slavery, as matter of mere
pounds, shilIings and pence? When the
Athenians, by submission to the great king,
could have contented his ayarice by the
payment OF very small tribute, they chose
rather to abandon their houses and house.
hold gods, their sllowi, their theatres and
even leave their city 10 desolation. And
are we republicans, and when liberty is Of
feyed us, do we refuse it, if it costs us
some small portion of our gains? Spirits of
Hancock and Adams forbid it! When the
United States broke of their connexion with !
Great Britain, it was for the right of politi- |
cal self-government. The tax on teas, &c.
would not have cost the forty thousandth !
part of moiety of what was expended in
the establishment of our independence.
do not .nish TO be understood TO say that
there is no difference between being 60
verhed Icy the wi$est and best part of our
own nation, and the most wicked and,
sometimes, the baseSt oil another. But still
it is slavery; the one only more tolerable
than the other. When liberty is in our
reach, we ough. to seize upon it:-patri-
otism does not forbid it in our particular
case because time has already shown that
the trainers of our constitution were mista-
ken in sipposing that territorial jurisdiction
was necessary to secure the free and unin-
terrup,ed deliberations OF congress. But if
il had not. the city of Washington is sufii
GENTLY extensive to answer every magma
bic purpose of utility.
All that has been said about the great adj
ditional expense of taxation, wants both fact {
and argument for its support II has been ;
asked, II we would be receded to Virginia. (
and xiv cup judiciary system, undcrwhich
our court of dernier resort is held within six \
mites of us. and receive one under which j
our court Of highest jurisdiction will be an {
hundlef ana twenty? 1t the first view of
the enormous disparity in the means of faci- I
litat,ng justice under the two systems, the ,
mind isstartisl and attaches an Importance ,
TO this argument 10 which it IS by no means
IL T. 4