Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-02-13
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. Is, 1922.
FOR THE GAZETTE.
To the People Of Alexandria County.
LETTER 1.

LETTER l.
FEELow CITIZENS:
More than twenty years have pass
ed since your political rights were ex-
changed for the protection Of Congress.
At this distance-ef time, it is difficult to
be imagined what benefits were expect
ed to compensate the loss of that liberty,
which your ancestors had pursued thro'
the tolls, the dangers, and the glories of
the revolution. That men educated in
such school of patriotism, could be
deluded by the prospect of gain into a
resignation of their independence; is a
proposition SO monstrous, that | will.
ingly reject it, and suppose some other
and more honorable motive to have in
cited this disastrous measure / suppose
IT'S agents might have believed that any
apparent surrender of their rights, was
only an exchange of the forms of liber-
ty for it's substantial enjoyments, and OF
existing Inconvenience for solid advan-
tage. If dissentient urged that the
cession would recognise the enormous
principle Of taxation without represen
tation, he was probably answered by a
prophesy that every member of Con-
gress would virtually represent the dis
trict, and be influenced favourably to
eur citizens by the habits of mutuai in
tercourse which our nearness to Wash.
ington would promote. The aid which
executive patronage or natural expendi
ture would afford to the Metropolis
might have been expected to benefit
Alexandria. The false oracle, perhaps,
announced that the establishment Of the
District would instantly identify the
interest of all its parts, or foresold the
day when Washington would be Lon
don, and Alexandria be its most opu-
lent and commercial section. Many to
whom no argument of publick benefit
occurred, viewed the projected novelty
only as source of advantage to them
selves, and their speculations about the
freedom which it would destroy, merely
inquired at what price freedom could be
sold. To these the question becomes
material whether the price has been
paid; but shatlarger portion of cur citi-
zens, who were uninhuenced by wretch
ed avarice, cannot behold without emo
ton the embarrassment, dejectsdness
and degradation, which characterize
this cQpnty, and it's beautiful and once
flourishhg town. 1t is now idle for the
the most ,audacious skepticism to deny
that the visions Of individual or ge-
neral ACKNOWLEDGMENT which the ces.
sion engendered have altogether va
nished, and leftsbehind them me-
|ssancholy retinue of disappointments,
expressions and notifications. We
are at length Weakened from our de-
| deceitful slumber, and we are wakened
| into servitude and shame. Instead OF
the privileges Of fostered child of the
union, which had been foretold to Us,
we find the fatality of acknowledgements
to destroy our most moderate and "a.
tional demands. Instead of that favor
able hearing from Congress, which the
| generosity Of our confidence deserves
and our helplessness implores, we re-
ceive either refusal or contempt. Stran-
| gers are indicted, in derision of our
unanimous wishes. into the Offices of
our town. and, by whimsical misfor-
tune o. our condition, nativity or resi-
dence in Alexandria, is an unsurmount-
able disqualification for its publick EN-
Payments The amiable and honoura-
Bile characters of the gentlemen who
have recently exemplifed this prepos-
ferrous principle, SO far from indicating
it, exhibit it in an attitude which pro.
vokes your most watchful suspicion -
1t is the policy of arbitrary power to
establish practice on the innocence or
merit of the first example, and after
ward to rely on the precedent without
regard to it's circumstances. Thus has
usurpation in popular governments be-
gun: thus has it proceeded, until fortifi-
ed by permitted Entertainments, it has
consummated it's final and fatal triumph.
"Obsta principiis' is maxim as vital
in politicks as in merals.
tits but lately that your Indignation
was reused by this contumely, and the
friends of liberty looked forward to
better times. But empiricism again
| administered her opiate, and you mis-
took the temporary cessation of pain
for the return of health. The Waterman
from the tower cried out ''peace zohen
there soas no peace"-again you hoped
and again were you disappointed.
Our ears are stunned by compliments