Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-03-02
FOR THE GAZETTE.
To the People Of Aerandria County

FOX III GAAEII E'
To the People Of Ale.randrao County.
NO. 5.
In my FIFTH number laid before you my
fellow citizens, what | conscientlously
believed to be true view oil the taxes,
which The people of Alexandra would
have to pay. if Alexandra should lie again
annexed TO Virginia, amounting to about
Dl6.229 80. TO this sum is to be add
ed the taxes to be paid by the people OF
the town annually, to the corporation.
which tor the year 1872! is DI4 $50 05, so
that the whole OF our annual taxes lnclud-
ing state and corporation, would be DBL
CO SO.
here again ask, what is the object we
are to attain by placing ourselves under
the dominion of Virginia? The only an
swer much relied on, by the advocates OF
this measure is that we may have right
to vote for members OF the state Il nation
al legislature, and the chance OF two OF
three out of the whole number being cleo
ted members Of these legislative bodies
which amount 70 this, that the many are
to be subjected 10 heavy taxes, for the sake
ofgiving lew persons right of voting -
Is this an object OF such UifGt Importance,
as to Justify prudent people, to incur the
risk OF such lasting change OF their poll
:icsi condition, especially when we cannot
! Justly complain OF oppression or he denial
Of any constitutional right by those who
now govern us. Tue truth is. the govern
ment OF this District is IN practice the
! most republican or rather democratic III
| the Union, Whatever it may be IN theory.
The manner that our laws have oeen
passed by Congress, shew that the people
! OF the District have a moe immediate IN
I fluence in the passage of the laws concern
ing Themselves, than the same number OF
| people ia any other section of the Union
has in the enactment OF any law which Is
to affect ,hem-Many are the laws which
have been passed by the state and ma ion
al legislatures, in direct opposition to the
opinion and vote of the representatives OF
particular portions of the country, the
people of which have been obliged TO sub
NIT 10 them; ! DO not recollect during my
! residence in Alexandria that Congress has
passed single law TOR the District against
The will OF the majority Of the people,
when that will has been expressed 10 them
on the contrary, they have suffered the
people themselves to prepare tner own
laws, and with the assent Of the people
have passed them. I here is nothing that
the citizens of the District have united in
soliciting from Congress- which they have
refused. his is course which IS so IN
like oppression OF eject that it EXHIBITS
tie dis position CT kind and lnduigent guar
dams.
But to return 10 the right OF suifrage-i1
by retroCes.ion it. is obtained, what vii
it benefit the poorer class OF our citizens
particularly those OF item who may not be
aL,e 10 obtaiG freehold OF sufficient va
lue 10 give them vOte--Or those WHO may
iee ii more TO their interest TO rent lnsteaC
OF buying dwelling, or becoming such a
freebooter as will au hUrise them 10 vote
all th,s description OF our citizens III the
event Ut recession will be ie.t as tbey
are At this tine without The right OF voting
Or Icing Gig bic TO the egi ,,atu}t utw
additional taxes to the state government
Whereby the principlr OF taxation and re
presentation will be doubly violated. Fol
they Will be taxed by the stale legislature
and by Congress notwithstanding the re
cessl0E. / hus il IS evident that reCes'
sion Will extend the right of suffrage to a
very lew o. those who will pay very hea'
y taxes TO both The s'ae and general go
vernment. This will be the real situation
OF III j1riiy of our citizens. Is it righ
10 ask majority TO change their condi
ton, to Civ e up their present government
under which they have for the last twenty
one years lived happily, especially wher
10 oppression has come near them; VIII CT
government has at their own expenct
brought Justice 10 each mans door, anC
iheGe',y has,given him an opportunity, i
falsely accused OF crime or uniustly sueC
In civil action, to have lrial 10 his owr
yicinase by his peers. where his taIr cha
racter as well as the character OF is.accu.
Ser and OF the wi!nes g. against and iol
place, and his friends convenient to aid
him II neeessary-and where his witness
es will he in general convenient to The
place OF trial; Tor the government OF a
state which when we were her children
was not very profuse with her t4vours to-
wards this town. and who TO say the least
1t noe well disposed towards us, will and
must according to her institutions founded
on hyed general principles, deprive US OF
many OF the political conyeniences which
we now enjoy, the most important OF The
Judicial tribunals will be at distance
| from US.
Ii is hoped that my fellow citizen, of the
county OF Alexandria, will not only pause
but ponder well their course on this sub
| leCt and not he led aWay by high sound