Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-03-11
RETROCESSiON

RETROCESSiON
or 4lerandria County to the State Of 'Tg'n'a'
MR. SEowDES:
The members Of the meeting held at the
Town Hall on Tuesday evening last, iest
an improperly in Publishing proceedings
private in their nature. s. designed merely
to introduce the vital question OF Retroces.
sion, 10 a proper shape, to the community.
But as several interpretations oil 'her
motives have been avowed, or inslnuated'
we request you 10 publish the following
authentic sta,emen, OF the nature, object,
and history OF that meeting.
The vigilan;, active, and dexteroas OPP
position which has always met any al
tempt, on the par, Of this county, TO re-
cover its political rights, determined the
friends OF the enterprise to concert proper
means for fairly add fully submitting the
subject to the public consideration. With
this view, gentlemen OF the county oil
Alexandra, of the highest respectabIlity,
aud amounting, it is believed, to one hum
dred and fifty persons. assembled, accord
ing to agreement, at the Town Hall, on
Tuesday evening, the 9Th instant. The
meeting having been organized, by the
elections of THOMSON F. Mason to be
Chairman, and PHILIP Il. FENDALL to be
Secretary, proceeded TO appoint, unan'-
ulously, Committee to draft Memorial
to Congress, soliciting tie restoration OF
Alexandra county TO Virginia. The chair.
man was then unanimously authorized to
appoint Committee of four persons tor
each OF the tour wards in the town OF Alex.
sndria, and Committee Of tour persons
for the country part OF the county. 1t was
made the duty of these Committees to cir.
cuia,e, throughout the departments assign.
ed to them respectively, the Memorial so
draited,and to ascertain the unbiased SEN
timents o: the people, respecting nea.
sure in which their prosperity, their rights,
and their liberties are involved. 1t was
made the farther duty Of these Committees
to report their proceedings to the Chair
mau OF this meeting, who was authors.
ed to take then such steps, either by re-
guessing the Mayor to call town meeting,
or otherwise, as the report might suggest.
To this statement it is scarcely neees-
sary TOR us 10 add. ihat the meeting mas
always disavowed, and still disavows, the
character of town meeting, or any pre-
tension OF representing the opinions oil the
county.
The followingis list Of the committees
appointed by the meeting, and by the
chairman:
Committee to draft the Msmoria! to
Congress.
John Roberts, Thopas Jacobs, Thorn
son F. Mason, Philip R. Fendall, Tho
mas Semmes, and Thomas w. Hewitt.
Committee for the FIRST Ward.
Bryan Hampson, John Wheelwright.
Matthias Snyder, and Samuel A. Mar
steller.
Committee for the Second Ward.
Jonah Thompson, Bernard Bryan, Ja>
cob Morgan, and George Brent.
Committee for the Third Ward.
John Roberts. Thomas Jacobs, Israel T.
Thompson. and Thomas Smith.
Con.mittes for the Fourth Ward.
William Fowle. George 5. Hougb, Will
liam Veitcb, and Alexander Moore.
Committee for the country part Of
the County.
George W P. Gusts, Alexander Hun
ter, William Minor. and John A. Sum-
mers.
These preliminary measures having ia.
ken place, a Memorial, stating some OF
the prominent grievances, political and CT
,il to which their Acknowledgement has
long subjected the Inhabitants Of this coun-
ty, and the ruinous evils of which the pros
pect seems but too probable; and asking
for RetrocessiOn, as a remedy for the past,
and hope for the future, will be immedi-
ately submitted to the people. IL is: ear.
nes,ly hoped taat this intelligent & patrio-
tic, but depressed s. prescribed portion Of
the American family, will respond cordial.
ly to so momentous an appeal 10 its un.
derstanding, its feelings, and its interests.
THOMSON,F. MASON,
PR. FENDALL.
The citizens Of Alexandra are request.