Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-02-15
THE GAZ ETTE.
FRIDAY, FEB. Is, 1929.
FOR THE GAZETTE.
To my Fellow Citizens Of Alexandria.

Is pTOOduiy Stuucut az la !" 'u ooA N""y
has addressed us under the signature OF
''Pendleton;" and the object of his address
is to induce us to ask aretrocsssion to Vlr-
ginia. Whether his motive be the exercise
Of his pen tor the Improvement OF his style.
orthe hope that his ambition may be grail
fed by the enjoyment of states offices, is
not worth an inquiry. Ii his arguments
be sound it is unimportant from what mo-
i've they proceed. But before we can feel
confidence in the opinion of writer. il
is necessary that we should know who he
is and by what motives that opinion may
be Influenced. Now it is very natural
that young man just entering into life,
with an ardent temper. and aspiring ge..
Mus. should look forward to Office; and
if he should happen to possess the talent
OF eloquence, that he should ardently de-
sire those Offices especially which are in
the gift of the people, and which enable
man TO avail himself Of all the advantages
which his eloquence can command. 10
such man, residence in place where
there are no Offices in the gift OF the peo-
pie, and where popular eloquence has no
scope for its exercise-where il is produc-
tive of no power, and can lead to no bene-
fetal result. must be unpleasant, ii not
irksome. 1t is natural therefore that ne
should wish either 10 remove to some place
where his taIects may meet with that pop
ular employment which his ambition CO.
vets, or that he should open TO himself
the same kind of employment in the place
of his residence The latter branch OF the
alternative would be, for many reasons.
the most desirable. To accomplish II ne
will tax his imagination to invent plaasible
arguments; be will give false colouring
70 all the objects around him; he will en-
deavour to make US believe that our con-
yeniences are nsonveniences-that our
good is evil-that our blessings are curses.
He will raise in our imaginations the most
bideous phantoms y persuade us that they
are real evils. He will lead us into the
fields of hope; present US with visions OF
untried happiness, and endeavour to sa /.
tisfy us that they will be realized.
RI the Judgment could at all times be
unclouded by the illusions of the imagina
ton; If we could at all times distinguish
between those illusions and sound argu.
ment, the world would be free from error.
But unfortunately majority of mankind.
and may not say every many is actuat-
ed more by Imagination than argument. -
Hence il is important that we should be on
our guard against the articles of those who
seek to promote their own views at our
expence
Change, unless clearly for the better, is
hazardous. We know all the evils OF our
present state. Those OF an untred state
we know not. In our present state five Sc
parate CIR imaginary, from our real evils,
we shall find the latter to be of small a.
mount-much smaller, will venture 10
saw. than those OF our neighbours in the
adjoining states.
As il is presumed that ''Psndle:on' has
enumerated all the evils which we suffer
Imaginary as well as real, let Us examine
them as he has presented them to our view
Let US separate the real from the lnlagina-
! ry evils, and let us try to form Just estI-
mate of the former, and see whether they
will be removed by the remedy which he
proposes.
The first evil which he suggests is, that
our political rights haze been exchanged
for The protection Of Congress. What are
those political rigbts?-And why are they
valuable?
The only political right which has been
taken from us by the constitution oil the
United States is the right to vote tor re-
representatives. in the legislature OF that 60
vernment by whose laws we are governed.
But are we the only people OF the United
States who are in that situation? And
should we be restored TO that by retroces.
sion to Virginia ? No.-A great ma.
iority of the people OF Virginia and all
the inhabitants Of the territories OF the
United States are in the same condition;
and if we were receded to Virginia, not
one in ten OF US, perhaps, would have
vote in the choice Of those who were to
make laws for us. The whole extent of
the evil. therefore, is this; that there is
not annexed to our freehold estates, the
same privilege which is annexed to like
estates in Virginia.
But why is this privilege valuable? Not
because there is any profit or pleasure in
the simple act of voting at elections-Not
because there is any profit or pleasure in
making laws, nor in the payment OF taxes
to defray the expence OF legislation. But
II is valuable that we may he governed
nv those laws which shall best promote
our h2pplnesS anu ihteies" |ouio
have a perfect code Of laws revealed to us
frou, heaven the best possible code which
infinite wisdom and goodness could devise
for our interest and happiness-should We
then think it an evil that we were deprlv-
ed of the privilege of voting for our legis-
lators-and that we were exempted from
the expense Of legislation? The true OBJ
ject OF Legislation is the happiness and
welfare of the people, and the privilege
Of voting for our legislators is only valua