The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1824-03-26

against the town admitted by II Mechanic
to result from retrocession, it would re.
duce that balance to 1896 "a. AS I am
now on the money argument entirely,
forbear to enumerate the moral advanta-
ges suggested by this estimate, though
among them would be public academy,
which 90e hdve long been zcithout, and
through the want of which
the impuni,y of crimes in this district is
in exact proportion to their enormity.
In the Gazette of the 10th instant, a
writer assuming the appropriate title Of
"Anti Mercator" enumerates nine cardi.
nal sins incident &c retrocession.
LIST. His constitutional objection is one
rather more suitable for congress than FOR
ourselves 10 decide on our business be-
ing only to express our deprIvatioDs and
desires, which congress will surely not
notice to the prejudice of the constitution.
This answer seems to be sufficient to
writer, who instead OF sustaining his
opinion by any reasons, has announced it
with peremptory dogmatism. Had he
thought an argument 10 be safe, should
refer the public TO an essay signed nHA>
MILTON" published in the Alexandra
Gazetie.of March Goth, 1922, and shortly
alter in the Alexandria Herald. This
writer examines very ably and infinitely
the constitutional objection to retrocession,
and demonstrates, in manner convincing
TO the humble = mind, its utter futility,
both from principle, and from the prac>
tice of congress in similar cases.
Cd. The second position is, in SO
Tar as taxes are concerned, reSuted by
t'A Mechante" and until the "Epemy
OF Merchants" cohdesceDds TO state wha,
money is expended in Alexandria BY the
federal government, it is only necessary
for us to say that the substituted polity
would produce an equal disbursement.
Sd. The third proposition assumes that
Alexandria will not be continued as
separate county. This supposcs that
Virginia will change her constan, policy
for the mere purpose of injuring her
recovered children, or of proving that
the opponents of retrocession are true.
prophets and able statesmen. Her policy
has uniformly been TO contract the limits
ct counties as public convenience reauir>
ed; and since the year 1919 has induced
the annual creation of from one to four
counties. A the last session of her lepis~
lature the county of Logan was formed,
and another out of parts of the counties
Giles, Cabell, TazeweI and Kenhawa.-
Is not, then, the opinion that Virginia
will pervert her system by destroying
the separate existence Of this county, the
phantom of a gloomy fancy, rather than
the calculation of sober reason. That
generous state has always respected the
reasonable wishes Of every portion of her
citizens; and gentlemen are wrong in
inferrlng from the neglect of congress that
a Legislature in which we shall be repre-
scented, can be Indifferent to our interests
and wants.
Here let me mention the establish
menI of a Chancery Court in Alexandria
IS consequence of reiTocession so cx-
!renely probable as to merit the attention
oil every candid mimi. The neighboring
counties Of Fauquier, Fairfax, and Prince
William are attached to the Fredericks-
burg chancery district, and the county
of LoudouD to the Winchester chaDcery
district,Cfthe three FIRST of these counties
tauquier only has any trade with Fred.
ericksburg, and Loudoun has none with
Winchester all their trade not carried
on with Baltimore, being with Alexan-
dria. Now will they not naturally de-
sire to transact their law business at the
place where they trade, rather than at
one which offers no such inducements to
long and inconveDient iournies Will
not all Of them prefer one journey to two,
and will not the people Of Loudoun pre-