Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1822-09-07
For THE GAZETTE
No. ii
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.


Let US now. fellow citizens, enquire
more particularly why impartial justice de.
mands that the seat of government ought to
be removed to some more central part OF the
state.
1t is presumed, that every honest and ini-
partial mind will readily admit that the seat
of cavern ment should, in justice, be brought
as nearly home to every section of the Com.
wealth, as local clcupstances wilt ad-
nit Of. Why, in the asmesPt Heaven, should
the western people De subjected 10 The extra
ordinary incon senience and expense of lrav.
elling az i'm mense distancS bey ond the centre
Of the State TO reach he cat OF government
Is ,his impartial justicef Is this eX,rsordi
nary Inconvenience and expense of 30 impur.
lance 10 our brethren Ing t1e west? To the
imm> diate representative of ne people, this
inconvenience and exPeJSe is not SO nsi5!y
felt, because they take $fpecai care TO pay
themselves liberal wagessou of the 2eople's
money; not only while they are attending the
sessions of the Assembly, but allow !hem~
selves ample charges for their travelling ex-
pen,es.
ifi am not mistaken, the daily allowance
ofevrry member of the house of Represent.
atives and Serate is four dollars, and -
dollars for every twenty miles travelling no
and returning from the sea- of government
This, fellow citizens, is pretty liberal pro-
vision for our members of The legislature
lie, their wages reduced 10 reasonable
sum. and we shall very syun hear loud cries,
OF the msiutIce and hardShips of retaining the
seat OF government IN one coTner of The state
II our representatives are calm and satisfied
in consideration of the extrsvagant wages
they receive, private individuals have sbund-
ant cause "a murmur and complain. Scarcely
an individual in The Oriental section of the
Republic his to travel more than one hun.
dred miles to reach the seat of his govern.
ment, while many of the'wes:ern people have
TO travel upwards of three hundred miles TO
reach the SINE place. Is this no est dealing!
will il be ooutended that the eastern people
are enutlecto exclusive privileges and ad.
Vsntages; that they have divine right to Lord
81 over the Western people, and obstuatcly
withhold firm them equality OF he con.
venient advantages arising from central lo-
cation of tis seat of government?
This doctrine, most probably, will not o.
penly be aVowed But the iihie farce, so
hands oms played off at the last 8 .ssIon of
the assembly, when this subject WAS before
the Haus every clearly proves, that the Rich
mond juRt, at lsast is disposed to view the
subjec, in.his pornt of light.
ITO the lonest, enlightened and impartial
in every sction Of our Republic, ! mos, sol
EMMY apral on TINS nters sling subject and
repeat theinqury, "ls i, honest far deai-
ing'' to realm the seat OF the government in
one cnrne Of the state, for the convenience
and gratf;ation of very small msnor y OF
the people to the great injury and iDcorve-
nience of vast majority of the same commas
nifty!
1t sureE, fellow citizens, requires not The
eloquence,f Henry or the accute disorim-
iAation oh Jefferson to bring this subject
home 10 re bosom Of every man of common
understanding,
1t frequently occurs, that. in the transact
zion Of or ordinary or extraordinary business,
individu are constrained to attend at the
seat Df government. The court of appeals
being exclusively held there, the Land office
being ais established there, together with
other imloTtant business, gives FREQUENT com
pulsory OCCASIONS To macy OF our brethren to
travel toRchmond-Ths writer of this essay
has recefiy had occasion 40 visit Richmond &
let me warn my Western brethren, berire
they set oct on journey to the same place,
TO prepares we'll lined purse; for, of ali the
expensiverosds 10 travel, and of all the ex-
pensive PAGES to live, which | have ever seen,
the ROAD to Richmond, and Richmond itself
rs the mist extravagant, This alone, fellow
citizens is a source of considerable grievance
& just cause of complain, to the western peo-
pie.
In my next Number, the subject Of onT erie.
vances wilt be further investigated.
THOMAS JONES.
Frederick County, Sept. Sd, 1922.