The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-04-11
Far the hier,a1,,,d,ia Heraid

age seem TO think the one In which they
live particularly distinguished as the age
of wonders. But, surely, oar own age
has great claims to this distinctive appel.
laiion. Among other singuiarities of
the day you may have observed, az one,
the extraordinary iii will which has arisen
among the good people of par, of Lou>
doun, from the publication of speech,
which from Its benevolent subject should
least of all be the cause of quarrel. II is
nevertheless truo that the steech deliver.
ed, by MIR. Charles F. Merser, near the
close Of the last session of congress, on the
slave trade, has proved the apple of dis.
cord, instead OF the bond of union; and
that worthy young man, who edits the
Washingtonian. in Leesburg, is in dan.
ger oflosing part of his PATRONAGE
The facts may not be familiar to all your
readers and, as our congressional dis.
-trict is supposed to be peculiarly sensi.
tive on the great question discussed in
fhr shseeh, beg permission TO unfold
them as far as my Information extends.
Near the close of the session, Mr.. Mcr.
cor offered the resolution requesting the
executive to pursue its negotiations with
other powers IN order more effectuaiIy.
to suppress tho slave trade. To this
there could be no objection, other than
that II UNNECESSARILY occupied the time
oil the house at aperiod when there is al
waysa great pressure OF important bust.
ness, part OF which is hence unavoidably
'negleUted. Our government has done all
It could to obliterate this stain upon
Christendom, except to admit tho right
OF scarohs which il will never do; and
therefore, the committee on the slave
trade (of which, by the bye, Mr.. Mercer
Is not member} proposed no additional
measure. But Mr.. Mercer must not
permit the opportunity to pass unimprov.
ed to place an instrument in the hands of
his friends to subserve their views at the
coming election. He appealed most
patheticaily to the house to hear him, its
restless impotence being too obvious 20
misunderstood he reminded 'it that his
lips bad been sealed during the session
that he had not been troublesome; and
conjured it to yield, on this occasion to
hswishes. The speech was delivered
the resolution adopted,to which there.
would probably have been no objection
but for the speech, and Mr. Mercer hur.
ried into Prince William.
There is, generally, a particular order
observed III the publication Of speeches
but 1t is remarkable that this. on the slave
trade, almost instantly on its delivery.
appeared in all tho papers Of the district
OF Columbia. Surely as a matter of ge
neral interest in the existing state of that
question there could be no great neces.
sity for this immediate and unusual pub
ficity. Nor did it stop here. The two
papers in Leesburg graced their CO.
iumns with this eloquent appeal in the
cause Of oppressed humanity; but, alas!
it was not here the messenger of peace.
The Genius Of Liberty with the zeal of
a proselyte charges the WashingtoniaD)
with 7rAfM niutitation of col. Mercer'sl
speech. Tho youthful editor oil the in
nocently offending paper rspels the inis.
rious aspcrsion; but, his uniulored feel
Tngs betraying him into an iujadiciousl
warmth, he again offenda To appease,
he apologizes-and. with an ingenious
ness COMFORTING with his character, re-
veals this extraordinary secret-That the
speech was handed to him too late to re-
lceive the attention ne desired 10 bestew
ON il, but its publication was vehemently
urged by the gentleman handing i,--snd
at the request Of col Mercer.
Nov, sirs ! submit it TO you, and to
every man of candour who may take the
trouble to read this communication if the
circumstance disclosed, taken in con.
nection with wha, precedcs il, is no, suf-
fciently extraordinary. May ask what
seems to have been the object of the
speech and ! ask, too. if tho intelligent
ireehoiders OF this congressional dis
:rict will permit themselves to be the
dupes Of such political legerdemain
Such proceeding as this, however, is |
the natural consequence Of SO exal,ing
the faculty OF ut,ering speech as to
make it the test Of qualification in choos.
ing member of congress. IL is this no
ton which has brought on our legislative
bodiesthe reproach Of talking, not acting.
hbasl oDg been the universal complaint
that congress wastes, in idle debate, the
precious hours which should be dedicat |
ed to busincss--for il has been the evil OF |
late years that the house of Representa-.
lives is thronged with men of empty de-
clsmntion, Who embarrass, rather than
aid the COURSE Of iudicious Ie0isIat,oD |