Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-10-22
and death is often ambush d in our smiles,
We know not whom we have to fear.


We know not whom we have to fear.
The essay from Loudoun, composed
with such deliberstion, has been compared
10 Mosaick, and its diversified sentences
are ascribed 10 different contributors but
| whether this conjecture be true is otlittle
moment, excepting to account for its ex>
traordinary incongruities. The writer is
! wonderfully well informed in respect as
well 10 persons as iacis-indeed he reveals
much more than happens TO be true--he
deprecates the indulgence Of the angry
] passions, and sill permits his own to
blaze forth without proVOcation-he al
/ fects the moderation and the dignity otage
! merely to point his f1ippancy; anc speaks
(! Oft renown of his state Tor the delicacy
whicb.governs all public discussions. and
disregards himself every restraint which
common civility might be expected to I'M,
pose. For exampIe-His first notice OF
/ Mr.. Nc Kenna, who, is evidently an 90"
i lee, &C his deep resentment. is by refer
ring to his Official employment, and he al.
ternately presents him IN his oinclai ana
personal character. With what Design
the name of public institution is IN inns
i way introduced into political controVer-
4 sy, or what concern il has with the suo)eCt
oil discussion, is not easily perceived
| Small monied establishments placed SIN,
civ in county towns, create tor wan! OF
competition a petty aristoctacy 10 lheir
/ immediate neighborhond, and tne lew en-.
gagged in their administration Tor even an
+; individual more artful than the rest may
and often do exercise very dangerous IN
Huence over public opinion, but thank
Heaven. we are here exempt from this
misfortune, and the surmise uttered by the
Voice from the Mountain that the cashier
and his bank differ as to the merils OF Mr..
Mercer. has served no other purpose than
to betray the folly and malignity in which
! il originated have supposed it 10 be
the general sentiment that il is ineXpedient
10 enter so early upon serious investi-
CATION of the qualifications Of the Con-
eressional Candidates in the adjoining
district in Virginia, and am therefore
willing the fulsome panegyrick, pronoun-
Ced on the merits OF Mr.. Mercer, untound-
ed as il is, should now pass uncontrolled.
ed. 1t is at least ardently to be hoped
that bis services, such as they may have
been to the District of Columbia, SO pc.
culiarIy entitled to any protection OF lis
interests he could afford, will be, before
the period oil the election, placed in jast
point of view.
cannot, however, refrain from correct
ing the paIpable Misrepresentation by his
eulogist, Of his agency IN re-charterng our
banking establishments and this mlsEepre-
sentati0h is the more extraordinary as the
writer is evidently in the confidence OF
Mr.. Mercer. There is no deluson this
last named gentleman could practice on his
own mind, which could lead him tor mo-
ment to think, or to say, he had in this
! respect essentially served the District OF
! Columbia OH the contrary it is supposed
| the bank question was one fruitful IN NOR
LITIGATION to him. Is 1t not notorious that
bill Of fifteen or twenty pages described
| to his laborious penl, distinguished By ITS
| inextrCa bic complication, was urged with
his accustomed zeal, which o'erstepped
discretion, through the house OF represent
| taliVes and was then rejected by the calm
ness and wisdom Of the senate? Nor is
this all. The very ACT, of few clear
and comprehensive sections, (which bestows
on the banks of the District of Columbia
advantages not equaled by the provisions
of any bank charter in the United States
originated an the senate. The house OF
representatives did not want the efforts OF
Mr.. Mercer to induce it to concur IN pas.
sing the bill from the senate: He could
moi wan,only object TO this bill in plque
| that his own offspring. the child OF his IAN
| cy, had been strangled at ITS birth; out
| he may, indeed, have thrown himself into
the current as il flowed las is said to be his
usace) that bis Aatterers might idly cry
see how be directs it.
To conclude with a general observation;
do aver have never in this district heard
a single benefit t. il ascribed to Mr. Mer--
GERS congressional labors; nor have !
heard the ''gentleness Of bis department
much commended by those who have had
occasion TO approach him in his public
cbaTacter. DEMOCRlTUS.
Richmond, Oct. II.
We understand the Express has return