Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-05-28
To the Editors ofhe Phenir Gazette.

18th inst. Cuthbert Powell, Esq. uisa-
vows the address Of the Loudoun Con-
yention Committee. 1t strikes me to
be proper, that should explain this
incident, lest blame attach to your
selves, who were so kind as to give
publicity to the address, or to the other
gentlemen who signed it. The gentle
man whose name stands first on the
list of signers, was requested, by the
members of the Committee in Lees
burg, to prepare it: he did so, and be-
ing obliged to leave the county, he gave
it to me, requesting me to read it; show
it to those of our colleagues at hand,
and to send it TO those at distance;
have it examined carefully, altered, it
necessary, printed, and distributed
accordingly Showed it to four Of the
Committee.-We made unimportant
alterations in it, and all ofus affixed our
signatures to it. Thus majority hav-
ing given the paper our sanction, en-
deavored to find means Of communi-
eating with the other members, spec
div. without success. Time passed.:
MIR. Powell and the other gentlemen
were at the county election, where, in
presence of 800 freeholders, they were
chosen-although they may not have
been present at the moment. Our
names had been three weeks in the ga
zettes. In this state Of things, l VEN
tured to use the names of the minority
of the Committee. The address itself
is strictly in conformity with the reso-
lutions appointing the Committees
mild in its spirit, and temperate in its
language. The public will pass judg-
ment upon this point of etiquette. /
am not very tenacious of my ground,
farther than that the inference of the
assent of the minority, to the act of the
majority, is, under the circumstances,
fair. All are content except MIR. p;
and regret to have been instrumental
in imposing upon him the necessity OF
coming before the public to disclaim
the act. To suppose, as has been done
BY others, not by Mr.. P. that we eagerly
used his name to give strength to an
enterprise sustained by the votes Of 400
freeholders Of his county, and opposed
by those of only, is to set too low an
estimate on the opinions of the body of
the people; and too high an one on that
of one of its most respectable citizens.
SO much for topic not very interest
ing to the public. But Mr.. Powell, al
ter disposing of this matter, in man
ner altogether polite, has thrown to US
the gauntlet ofdiscussion upon the main
question. Were we to decline taking
it up, we would neither be consistent
with ourselves, nor just to the great
cause in which we have embarked.
He is friendly to Convention, but
thinks we are in haste to move; that we
are about to create artificial excitement;
that we ought to await the farther dis
closure of the popular opinion; that we
foster sectional prejudices; thatw must
delay a little, until the political atmos-
phere is cleansed of certain imperfec-
tons which float in it; that the funda-
mental institutions of our country are
not changed but by the voice Of decided
majorities of the people of the several
States, and that the evils under which
we rest are not rery 6urdensonae.
To do justice to such topics, would
require a much ADLER pen than mine,
and much more political science and
experience than possess. A rapid
sketch will prove that We are not liable
to any imputation of rashness or pre-
cipitancy; and that the whole scope OF
the speculations which assail US, is un-
sound.
Are we in haste? Do we seek to
create any sensation ,nfIiendly to calm
investigation, or the most perfect So
cial order? For the solution of these
questions, we cheerfully appeal to the
resolutions under which we act-to the
spirit which our address breathes-to
the history of the Commonwealth-to
the plan which we propose. Ten years
since, a proposition was made to the
Legislature to call Convention, and
carried into the House of Delegates
The people, in every part OF the State.
except that which holds vastly dis.