Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-02-15

N t, the happiness 4 the people, as
that OF any other Legislature in which they
might have small voice..
II will not be denied. suppose. that
there is general probability that Cons
gress will be as wise a Legislature az thar
of Virginia. Will it be as we'll disposed
to promote the happine,s Of the people OF
;his DistrictHI think we Can have no hesita-
ton in answering this question in lbe attlr.
native. when we consider that the Dis
trict is the national domain-tbat every
citizen of the United States has an inter-
est in its prosperity--that the more wealth
and science and knowledge are coDcenlra-
ted here, the more agreeable will De the
residence of the government, and oil those
wi no shall have business TO transact IN he
District-that the members OF Congress
will see with their own eyes the real wants
of the people, and must according to
principal OF human nature, sympathIss
with them in any real suffering. The wants
of the people can be much more readily
made known to Congress, than they could
be to the legislature Of Virginia; for any
man in the District, may in one hour, per
sonally make known bis grievance to Con
gress, and the members are in the daily
habit of mingling with the people OF the
District. If then the Congress is as wise
a legislature-ifi it be as well disposed to
promote the happiness of the people, and
has as good means OF knowing their wants
as the legislature Of Virginia, the loss OF
the privilege OF voting which is attached
to the freehold in Virginia. was in the Ian
guage of "Pendleton, ian apparent sur
render Of their rights" but was in reality
"only an exchange Of the forms OF liberty
for its substantial enjoyments. When
s'PendIeton'' calls this ''a loss OF that Ii.
berty which their ancestors had pursued
through the tolls, the dangers, and the
glores Of the reyolutien"--'a resignation
of their independence"-"a disastrous
measure"-when he says that the cessIon
recognized the enormous principle OF tax
alton without representatlon-when ne
talks Of our "servtude and shame" and OF
our 'vassalage' and compares us 10 the He
lots of Lacedemon-and when be says
''your children are nurtured 10 slavery
All this is but the rant Of school-boy
whose jhead has been turned by revolution
airy tervors, wholly inapplicabie TO the
present case. What similitude can there
be between the taxation OF the Colonies
by Great Britain, and the taxation OF this
District by Congress? The one at the
distance of three thousand miles from It's
Colonies other situated in the midst
of its District Of ten miles square AS
well may the inhabitants Of Virginia, who
are not freehnIders, lplead that revolution
airy principle in bar OF their taxes; or the
minority at every election who not having
voted for the successful candidate, may as
truly say they are not represented. Eve
ry member of Congress, although chosen
in a partcu ar state is still representa-
tive oflall the people Of the United States.
Ii is too narrow notion to suppose that
they are representatives OF the people OF
those states only in which they are chosen.
The people, therefore, of this District,
are in truth represented in Congress; and
the principle which connects taxation with
representation is not violated. II man
may not be represented by person not
chosen by himself, every minority at an
election, and all who are not freeholders
in Virginia, are unrepresented. Yet 1t
has never been suggested that they were
not as truly represented as il they had all
voted for the successful candidate.
The only real question is whether. the
advantages we enjoy by reason of our
proximity TO congress, and our daily inter-
course with its members be not equivalent
TO the ght(which We formerly bad)ofjoin-
ing with the frceholiers of Fairfax coun.
ty, in Virginia. in choosing a representa-
tive Tor that state? This was question
OF expedience which was submitted to
and decided correctly decidedly by our
predecessors. whose decisionibas been re-
peatedIy confirmed in tull meetings Of the
inhabitants of this town. As this conmu.
nication is already too long, shall take
another opportunity, perhaps, of examin-
ing the reality OF the other evils which are
suggested by "Pendlelon."
SENEX.