Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-06-16

conduct with pain and regret" And again,
'sWhatever may be the sentiment of his own
district, 1 can assure him that every where
else, his friends alone are a6licted9 And a.
gain, "For my own part, knowing his extreme
sensibility to public censure and individual un-
kindness, had determined to hold my peace;
for could not discuss the subject without
wounding him."
To the very courteous and friendly remark,
that ':.fev of those who kneao Mr.. Mercer thought
pel of him." take leave to reply, that what
ever may be the opinion entertained of Mr..
Mercera at Richmond, where, ever since his
difference with general Mason, it has been the
fashion to abuse and decry him, there are ma
ny, very many persons in this part Of Virginia,
both in his district and out of it, who know
him we'll, and have long known him, tina, es-
TEEN him man of distinguished talents, Of
unblemished honor, of warm and gcncrou feel
ings, and of well tried patriotism. There are
some here who think that while in the house
of delegates of Virginia, he was the most eff
cient and useful man in that body-and his
memory ought to be cherished as long as edu-
cation and internal improvement are consider
ed as important and interesting objects-and
that il ,cH be cherished long after some who
affect a friendly commisseration of his weak
nesses have drifted down the stream of obi
Won. There are those here who think that
there is not that man in Richmond who may
venture to express an arrogant pity for Mr..
MERGERS alterations. And there are those
who reckon professions of friendship inter-
mixed with bitter sarcasms, to be as insulting
as they are false and hollow.
To the assertion that the friends of Mr. Mer-
Ger, every where but in his own district, were
afflicted at his conduct, and viewed it with
pain and regret, must be permitted to ans
wer, that Mr.. Mercer has many friends in this
part of Virginia, and out of his district, (aye,
real friends, not friends who will sacrifice him
to give point and piquancy to an essay,) that
approve heartily Of his conduct in taking the
first steps towards effecting convention
He has but given voice and utterance to the
predominant sentiment of this part of Virginia.
Doubtless Mr.. Mercer, now that he knows
the fact, ought to be duly thankful to the wri-
ter for his forbearance IN ''holdng his peace"
and his selfdenial in keeping in the torrent of
caustic eloquence which was ready to burst
out on him (Mr. Mercer) when he so far ran
counter to the views of the writer as to sug-
gest to the people of his district the wicked
revolutionary measure of sending deputies to
Staunton. If he had known how narrow an
escape he had just made, he would scarcely
have ventured to commit the new atrocity of
writing an address from the committee of LOU
doun ssto the friends of convention in Vir-
ginia." Now, indeed, the measure of his Of
fences was full, and painful as it must have
been to the writer, "knowing Mr.. MERGERS
extreme sensibilty to public censure, and in
dividual unkindness," he felt himself impelled
by a sense of duty to animadvert with unspar-
ing severity on him, and on his address.
The manner of the address is dspleasing to
his critical taste. 1t is too declamatory, and
speaks to the passions only. How cool and
composed were the passions of the critic, when
he wrote his criticism, may be gathered from
the vehement, declamatory, and hyperbolcal
assertion that the address the Loudoun com.
mittee, inviting the friends Of convention to
send deputies to Staunton, to cooperate with
the Loudoun deputies in devising "ia,cfuland
expedient means of procuring convention"
is ssaa open declaration Of scar against the er-
isting government"
Moreover, the addressers have been guilty,
he SAYS of ssinventing" reproachful denomi.
nation for certain class of their opponents,
who are in the address denominated "alarm-
| lists"
The critic has invoked some memorable
passages of history, and with considerable fe-
Ecity. to illustrate his views Had he pursued
his historical researches a little further he
would have discovered that the intention OF
the party .tem 'alarmists" was not reserved
for the Loudoun addressers.
7 When the pensioned eloquence of Burke
had worked up the people of England into
frenzy of loyalty-when to doubt the excel
lepce of the existing constitution Of England,
in all its parts and particulars, was considered
''an open declaration fOar against the erisf'ng
eorey1,ment'-whent the belief that the decay
ed and tenantless borough of Old Sarum ought
not to have as much weight in the govern
ment as one half the great and populous coun-
ty of York, was deemed "jaco5inical prin-
ciple"-when every proposition to extend the
liberties of the people of England, by refor-
ming in some degree the gross inequality OF
representation in parliament, was fercely re-
sisted. and stigmasised as the commencement