Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1822-03-02
FoR THE GAzkrTE.l
LroN TIE OAzkTTE.J
1WESIERN TIRGINI6N-Eo. H.
REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF GOV.
EMINENT
IT'S JUSTICE CONSIDERED AS 1T
RELATES TO TIE CONVENT
ENCE OF THE PEOPLE.
10 The People of Virginia.

- -
10 The People Of Virginia.
There are other arguments in favor Of a
central position, some of priva,e and others
ola public nature. Your Shcritfs are obliged
to carry The public revenue, and your Clerks
to transmit their taxes, from those remote
counties, at considerable risque and exp.nce.
The Commissioners books must also be for.
warded TO The seat OF government. All thea
may be Characters for whom the public, in
these respects, have not much feeliog.-But
The public are really much interested in the
faithful discharge OF their duties and can
MOI think 1t good reason for subi.cting
those officers OF the government to more than
an equal share OF exPeBce and risque, with
their fellow citizen,, of the same description,
IN other Psrts OF the state, that the seat Of
government is caPriciOusiy detained in one
corner of il.
Again, Our acts Of assembly are to be trans
milted, annually, at the public expence, from
the seat OF government to each county in the
state. The remote situation OF many ut ,hcse
counties, and the badness of the roads, COM
pared with those rear the seat Of government,
make this a very expensive business TO the
public; frequently delay the arrival &C ,liose
acts, at some OF tn. remote counties If they
ever reach them, which, probably, they some
times do not SO long TO leave the people
enIisely ignorant OF the laws OF their Country,
for most considerable length of time
sometimes until the next legislature is ready
to repeal, or has repeated, what The preceding
one had enacted This is great evil and.
however incredible it may appear, il is GER
tair!y too true. What has been said of the
most remote Counties, is applicable. to a Ger.
ala exten', Ia their adjoining counties, and
to The greater portion ct the state The rea.
der, 10y tur'ing his eye TO the map, will, &C
once, see the extent OF the appilcabiIiy.-
There Is another evil eri.ing Tram the seat #
government bring located ct Ricbmcpo. f
the Information which have received is cor.
rect but Cf this | do pretend Dot TO Judge.
and beg IL 10 be considered a. mere matter
OF report, with me bu, nf the truth or false-
hoco OF which every member of the Legisla.
tur' Will bs able 10 speak with certainty. IL
Is Known tsat we are represented 10 the
General Assembly by counties, and rot by
numbers. Each county serds Two members.
Hence, from the rest number OF small ccune
lies, near and around Richmond, the repre-
sentation from 'ha. quarter Of the stale is
mnch more numrrOns than from any Of the
more remote quarters of the state, OF the same
geographical dImen sions, and popu,etion.-
The goodness OF the roads, ane the proximity
OF those small counties TO Richmond, hold
out strong Temptations to the MT mbers from
mem 10 Visit their families, during the ses. i
sion; and The port before slludsG 20 is, that,
especially duIirg the Christmas Holidays, so
many OF those IN mbers leave Richmond, to
spend those HaiiGsys " tn their families. es
10 leave too thin 4 house fer the transaction
OF imp0rtent business. The ntembtIs who
m rom t. md ha h., Il.
vantage, are Obliged Il remain III kichmODd
and TO employ themselves, in the best way
they can, in order TO save appearances, ill
The returB OF the absent members This [
mention, not for tie sake OF censuring the
sbseDt members. it proceeds from some Of
The best principles OF the heart AND, forget
ting, tor 3 ~ nsni, the relentless oblie a,Cn
OF public duty, meets my entire appreciation.
But 1t the report Is true, the useless eApence
occa,ioned by this triliDg away Ct time, and
the consequential protIaction or the session,
is serious public ,vil. Remove the seat of
government to .ome more central part OF the
state, and The iargeness of the countlas, and
the greater difficulty of travelling, owing 10
the worse condition of the roads, will apply
an etfectual remedy.
There Ia one other evil which | beg leave
to suggest, as q consequence which il appears
to me, must result from coDtin uiug the seat
OF government at Richmond, ard which is
ceun'erbaanced by 10 public benef, namely,
the IEi!ux OF 60 much mnGey into thut place.
ss ls reduced by the seat of governo en. be-
ing located there, ano which Dsver Grds It's
way back into the country. itis true, " here
ever yen may locat' Tn. seat Of government,
our money, from it, as well as from every o.
ther source. will fled is way 10 the large
"a mn erf.I. lctI l,,..
purcbase articles Of foreign growth or manu-.
'ac'uIe. But admitting that to be true, sill
The money centeribg at The sect of govern
meet, provided tLai !, central uoirI OF the
STATE, will De more likely t. be difIused
tSTotgh The courtry-to take y tourd OF cirs
collation., at least, before il i, ensuiphed IN the
vortex OF commerce. In q her words. j, will
bring market to the ceGtre of tut stale.
from which money will circulate raore really
20 every part at ~ circumference. Should
u oe SAID tha' this noEey is ,etuIneG toUs by
Richmond, IN Faymcn' Tor our produce,
which we carry the,e, it must hr again re.
marked, that great portiOp.of the stare has
none, NJ very iitilr, commercisI connexion
with Richmond and never will. place the
set o. g. serbment where yoo please. Its 4
remoe sinatipn, and il. conIig uify to certain
extreme points Of ne staie, prrvso,sr, inch
Intercourse, and NUT forever do Il. he con.
temflatsd improvement cf the james River.
TO The contrary withstanding. This en-.
gulphlng 20 mech OF ouE money at Rich
mosd. without the hope Of it, YER reyi,itipe
the country. 10 great prbl c eyi wh.ch
more central position q the ,eot Of govern
men' might, IN part, remedy Nor car il b.
believed that, though he rsoney which wen d
necessarily be depo.iied at the seat Of govern
ment would be Il great advantage to thos;
paris o. the country through which it wcUi