The Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1822-1822, 1822-04-18
COMMUNICATION.


Smith ISo
COMMUNICATION
The Bill now before Congress, respecting
the extension of the power OF Justices OF the
Peace is fraught with evils Of the most serious
nature to this County. There can be no objec-
ton on this side of the water, to any law.
which the people ON the other side may deem
essential to their interests, and applicable to
themselves. They generally speaking, depend
on the monies flowing from the Treasury OF
the United States, for their support. Large
numbers of them are clerks and salaried men.
The people here, derive their maintenance
from trade, and any law which affects US in
that respect, must be injurious; and that this
law, if carried into effect, will have tendency
to dampen our commerce must be obvious on
the slightest reflection. The power which IS
given to justices of the peace and constables to
take persons body to prison for debt, will me-
cessarily deter many small dealers and strangers
from bringing their produce to market situated
as we are, on the borders of Fairfax and Prince
George Counties; and trusting to them for the
supply of our market, we have reason to be-
lieve, that any law which possesses the force to
imprison man, instanter, for small debt, will
deter many persons from visiting this place.
Even craftsmen and coasters who are IN the
daily habit ofbringing wheat, wood and other
articles to this place, will be afraid to come,
lest they should be pounced on, and sent to
loathsome and destestable Jail. This law seems
intended solely for the purpose of expressing
and grinding the poor down to the dust. Why
should they be exposed to this cruel treatment,
and why should they be deprived of those an
cient and imperscriptible rights, which elevate
and sustain the state from which we are descen-
ded There is no such law as this in that
state. The man who would have the hardi-
hood to propose such law, would be consider.
ed Traitor to the rights and happiness of his
country. He would be spurned at, as per-
son, not only hostile to the POLITICAL but to the
social and domestic relations of life. This law
abolishes the trial by jury, and transfers many
ofthe dignifed duties of a Court of justice prop
erly organized and administered; and those of
the Clerk and Marshal always selected for
their wisdom and integrity to ordinary justices
ofthe peace and to class of men, who howev-
er honest in their motives, must from the ma
ture of their office be obnoxious and destruct-
i've to the happiness and rights ofthe people.
There is no necessity whatever for Congress
to enact such law as the one which is propos
ed. Let those who choose to give credit, do
SO, let others, who wish to exactt last farth-
ing, abstain. They are the best judges oftheir
own business, and should not ask for a law by
which the most unprotected in our society may
be ruined and made the victims of class of
men who riot in the miseries and desolation of
their neighbors. Why should Congress if we
ask them for bread, give us stone? Why are
they disposed to curtail our ancient privileges
and to render small commercial people, hew-
CID Vi WOOu ot1o uidWStS VI WdICI, w du dIloJOC.
racy. For such must be the natural result of
this law. The rich may credit, and afterwards
they may feel disposed, Shylock like, to drag
the father from his family and the mother from
her children, to a filthy prison. trust there
is too much virtue, wisdom and humanity in
Congress to sanction such proceeding. was
shocked when the chairman of the District of
Columbia reported such Bill, and that he
should have shown spirit SO hostile to those
habits and customs which have belonged to
this County, ever since the foundation of our
government. Already hath the iron hand of
poverty oppressed US; and we (ike the rest of
our fellow-citizens) struggling hard to await
our final doom, are to be mo,U IN these sufficient
ty disastrous times, broken up root and branch. |
Pass this law, and misery that eateth to the very
bone, will be seen stalking along our streets,
and our pri.on now too crowded with unfortu- |
nate wretches, will exhibits wreck of solitary |
old age, and blooming innocence-snch sights
as men may behold with apathy, but which
gods pity and forgive.
HUMANITY.