The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-25

condition, and how unlike her future
prospects compared to it. Italian Rome
was founded by warl;ke people, few in
number but it was the nucleus of the
greatest, the wiscs,, and most powerful
empire of the world. BY its courage
and wisdom, il first subdued the neighbor-
ing communities, and confering on them,
gratuitously, the privileges of Roman
citizens, and incorporating them with
themselves, impaired to them advanta-
ges which they had no, known in their
former condition. 10 this manner she
extended her power over al! Italy, each
conc adding to the number of her
citizens and brave defenders, till the name
ola Roman citizen became the proudest
appella,ion on the face of the earth SO
tina, foreign kings and princes sought i,
with avidity, and preferred it to all their
other gorgeous titles.
How unlike this TO Washington There
is not petty corporate town in the u.
States, which does not, by bestowing the
rights of citizenship on an individual,
confer greater honor than Washington
could give. In every other place, the
giTt of citizenship would be accompanied
with liberty. From Washington it would
bear the badge oFsIavery. For, in it the
inhabitants may be more properly called
subjects than citizens. 1t has, therefore,
no immunities or honors to bestow.-
"Like vast Colossus, potent master
bestrides its narrow bounds, and its pet
ty men creep under his huge legs, and
peep about to find themselves dishonora>
BILE graves"
II requires not, therefore, the spirit of
prophecy to tell that Washington, under
its present government, has already at.
tanned the acme Of :ts greatness. And,
though it may continue TO be the seat oil
government till congress shall be tired
| Of it, and until it shall become too poor
to dance to the "yiol and the lute," il
must remain place unfit for freemeD to
dwelliD, where the generous sentiments
of liberty, are doomed to expire--where
habits Of meanness and seryility will take
the place of the proud port Of freedom /;
and where, to sdulate and coax the hO7v-
e'S that be, and, by begging, to obtain as
tayors, what ought TO be demanded as
riglHs, will be the debasing employment
of the metropolis Of a nation calling it
seif"the freest in the world" This de-
graded condition of the people of Wash
ington, may be regarded by some refn-
ed and cunning statesmen, as master
stroke Of policy. For, as the Helots Of
Sparta are said, from the constant shew
of their squalid misery, to have inspired
the free citizens with a greater love of
liberty and adherence of slavery and,
as it is now held that the same cause has
rendered the citizens Of the southern
states the best judges and most strenuous
advocates and defenders Of human rights;
the government Of the United States,
therefore, may deem it requisite to fire.
serOe this model Of slavery in the dis
trict of Columbia, prominent in the sight
ofthe citizens of the states, that they
may more ardently admire and cherish
those precious privileges of freedom
which they now possess
Rome grew, because she conferred
honors power, wealth, and, above all, lib.
erty, on every person she received into
her bosom, Has Washington such bles-
sings to bestow ? What alIurements can
she hold forth which virtue and the
proud spirit of freemen will deign to re-
gard.
Excluded from any agency in the af
fairs of their country deprived of rights
enjoyed by the citizens of the smallest
state in the union, to whom all the em.
ployments, not only of the state, but of
the United States, are opeD+-what lofty
this argument has been sometiroes