Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-03-01
THE GAZET i'E.
FRIDAY, MARCH |. 1929.
To the Editor of the Gazette.

might have been avoided in the question
which has arisen, and is now SO much de-
bated by the citizens of Alexandria, if the
true point had been once stated with pre-
csion and adhered to, by both parties
But in this as in many other disputes. much
iabour and time have been lost in refer
ing TO multitude of facts, which whether
admitted or denied, are entirely indifer-
ent to the matter in debate. Both parties
in the dispute when victory is OF any i'm
portance, are apt enough 10 practise these
dishonest articles.
The man who is conscious Of the weak
ness of his cause or the want of integrity
in his motives is interested in corcealing
it: and on the other side numerous prece-
dents may be cited, to shew how often the
indescretion OF its advocates has destroyed
the best cause. The true question | con-
ceive to be this, is it better to be slaves if
freedom cannot be enjoyed without the
slight expences incident to government in
the state of Virginia? The torturing pow
er of ingenuity itself canno, make more
proper statement of the case which has
be en- proposed for the consideration of my
fellow townsmen.
Then Tor what purpose has SO much time
been employed and space occupIediin your
paper, to shew that the general assembly
of Virginia by an act passed Dec. Sd :,
1889, had ceded to the u S, the county
OF Alexandria. That the clause of the
constitution, by which we were surrender
ed to the absolute government of the u.
States, was assented 10 by the state of Vir-
ginia, in tue act of ratifying the constitu.
ton. And that Washington thought we
should be benefited by being made par;
of the District OF Columbia. We are not
enauiring how we lost our liberty, but
whether we should not desire to regain it.
should like to know why it is disngen-
uously (ialsely wa, going to say asserted
shat recently the gentlemen composing the
grand Jury, and while assembled as such,
stepping out OF the line of their appropri-
ate duties, again agitated the public mind
with the question of retroceding the toun-
ty of Alexandra to Virginia Again
there was full meeting Of the people, al
which they with an almost unanimous voice
decided against the recession "An A
lex4ndrian, among whose fluctuations this
important fact is stated, ought sure y to
have remembered that the only question
proposed to that meeting or decided by it
was, that it vas not expedjent to urge our
wishes on the consideration Of congress at
that moment. appeal to the whole town
and the recorded proceedings OF that meet.
ing to decide whether An Alexandrian has
not grossly mistated the decision of that
assembly:-And ask whether the re la
ton he has given OF that transaction does
not i'nperiously call on all who may read
hi. mo. copious productions to doubt the
tru,n 81 bis history and the logic of his
conclusions. ask why this question has
been constantly treated by the opponents
Of retrocession as proposal to revolution
ize the District -as if the people were
called on to yield up their present advanta-
ges. ifany they have. for politica g. civil
state, with whose benefits and burdens they
were not perfectly acquainted. Are not
the laws Of Virginia, as we'll known to
the people of Alexandria as the mungrel
and unasCertainable code which now pre-
scrbes our duties and decides our rights!
The limits OF newspaper essay are ut
teriy insufficient for the most meagrs dis
cussion of the merits OF a civil code, but
will here take leave to say, without the
fear OF contradiction, that the statutes of
Virginia torn a system of positive law,
not surpassed in excellence by any practi-
cal code. The most speedy and impartial
Justice is rendered without regard 10 the
rank OF the !itigants or the amount in con
troversy-and no single tribunal can bind
the rights o! individuals where they are
| worth condensation absolute y and without
appeal Not che sixth part Of the time
which is here occupied by suit in lis pas.
sage through the forms of the court is ia
ken there, to do complete Justice between
the parties. And yet il has been unb Iushing-
y and shamelesSly asserted that we should
lose by the change in this regard. Again
liberty has been caricatured by drawing a
picture OF her cOunteDanCe in her nome Is
of highest excitement AND we have been
entreated TO deprecate her evils as mani
tested in the surrounding states:--and in
vited TO fall into raptures, while contem
plating the unbroken stiffness and peace
lul Inanity of our present condition In the
midst OF the gravest calculations of inter-
est and the most gloomy presages of fu-
ture ills attendant on the change of sluveru
for treedom-An Alexandr.an exclaims 1T
does seem to me that there are no people
in the world whose condition is more en-
yiable than that ofthe people Alexandra ;"
Now Sir, ] imagine it would puzzle any
man whose genius and temper are not as
digni6ed and happy as that of An A.
lexandrian, to discover in what this ex.
Guiste happiness consists.
He admits that we are political slaves,
and that our wishes almost unanimously ex-
pressed, have been disregarded by The Pre-