Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-02

contest between that gentleman and Mr..
Bailey, for representative to Congress,
from the adjoining district, we have though:
ii no more than justice. to republIsh from
The Lstsburg Washingtonian the following
reply 10 one Of those articles.
a writer who Signs himself freeholder
in the Alexandria Gazette of the 18th inst.
calls upon the friends of Mr.. Bailey to state
the claims of that gentleman to the SURFACES
of the freeholders of his district, and in do
ing this be has enumerated the services OF
Col. Mercer al various periods Of his public
lite, aud triumphant'y adverts to his supe-
pior requirements and splendid abilities,
He then argues that Col. Mercer should be
supported, because he has sacrificed thro'-
out his life his private convenience to a
sense of public duty; whereas Mr.. Bailey
has declined acting az Magistrate for his
county, and has also refused the offered sup
port of his friends to seat in the house OF
assembly. He admits that Mr.. Bailey is
very good sort of man, but has spent his
life attending to his own affairs, and though
a good practical Farmer, has no pretension
TO that afluence OF mind or depth of politi-
cal knowledge which distinguishes bis OPP
ponent. The Loudoun Freeholder then
pretends to be very sorry there should be
an attempt made to divide the Federal in
terest in the District, and in the next breath
says there is no such thing as party amongst
US, for the votes Of the last session OF Con-
gress shew that the Federal and Republican
plrty exist only in name. II this be tue,
If in truth" we are all Federalists, we are
all republicans" why not vote for Repub-
lican as soon as Federalist? and where is
the Fe,ieral party TO be divided or broken
down by two gentlemen of the same polti-
cal sentiments, coming forward upon their
respective merits and asking the support
the sense or prophecy Of saying hereafter
that one was elected by the Federslists, or
the other could not have been elected but
for the votes of the republican party, it, in
truth, there be but one opinion, but one
party in the county, But this is not true,
The warmth of feeling, the sensibility. and
often bitterness of conversation, declare the
existence of two parties in every town and
every village in the county whenever an
approaching election calls on the friends of
gentlemen to support their pretensions: 1t
tka nf nDlit;cal
gogues 20 talk in this idle way, and they
will find thousands OF the milk and water
Tribe Of partizans to believe them, for il is
a very convenient doctrine: it hatters the
self love of him who has no opinion OF his
own, it saves man the trouble ofthinking,
and serves as very good excuse for poiti-
cal apostacy. This grand discovery of
unicn of all parties was first discovered by
the sage OF Monticello, though his very best
friends will not accuse him Of reducing his
theory to practice. The truth is, there is,
and always will be, parties m free govern
ments, and ought TO be, for such is The liza
biIity of men in power 10 abuse that power,
that were it not Tor the vigilance and jeal-
ou>y of parties, the people would have no
security for the preservation of freedom IT,
self: and should regard the union OF all
partit s as the dawn of that awful despotism
which would soon take from us even the
semblance of liberty. But to the main sub
ject of this article; We freely admit the
pretensions Of Col Sercer; and in addition
to all that is said by the Loudoun Freehol-
der, we admire the Col as an elegant gen.
tleman. But one would really suppose that
this writer would have us believe, as he be-
lieves, that Col. Mercer unites in himself
all the talents and abilities fer legislation
which this District can hoast-tor he la
ments as a possible evil that certain unhn
ished measures at the last session of congress
should not receive their finishing touch from
the same Genius which projected or matur-
ed them, why what kind of talk is this?
Are the measures alluded to Of that ambigu-
Gus character. or do they embrace in their
operation consequences so remote that men
81 plain. strong, good sense, cannot compre-
henl them? If so, they would better suit the
intricate policy of an absolute monarchy than
the free principles OF our happy constitution.
But il is said, Mr.. B. has refused to serve in
subordinate stations, and therefore should
not now be- supported, and first as masis-