Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-07-23

nature OF those proceedings; ana 10 81
waken that just jealousy Of all irregular
associations of the kind, that might in
spire the leaders of the Stanton con-
| vention themselves, with wholesome
caution in their language and measures;
and 'obyiate, as much as possible, the
evil effects of the example. So far
forth, have succeeded to the utmost
extent of my hopes; whether the other
objects I had in view, will be as sue
cessfully accomplished, all trying time
can alone decide.
There is passage in the last Free
man of 1926, which is so contrary to my
recollection Of the history Of the trans
actions to which it refers, that cannot
pass it over in silence. Mr.. Mercer
has made frequent complaints of the
unfairness of my quotations; thinking
me bound, forsooth! to state not only
the propositions, l mean to refute or to
admit, but all the arguments by which
they are enforced. The passageI now
allude to, is not argumentative but mar
rative, and l shall insert it Uerbatim and
at large
sMr Leigh had right to know the opinions
of Mr.. NJ. on every subject Of common or
personal interest but he mistakes, if he
supposes, that he ever heard Mr.. NJ. publicly
express, not often, as he AYERS, but, at any
time, whatever, any opinion of the freehold
qualifications of suffrage. Mr. NJ both vot-
ed for, and supported with zeal, as the files
of the Enquirer may possibly testify, the
convention bill, which passed the House of
Delegates, and was rejected by the Senate,
in 1914 1916 y It was also proposed, but
'the question was not discussed, so tar as MIR.
en- can remember, by any man, to extend
sthe powers of the limited convention, then
contemplated, to an enlargement of this
right; and Mr.. NJ may have voted against
this extension. If Mr.. Leigh will examine
6 that vote, which he can conveniently do, he
will probably find some of the most decided
opponents of convention on the side Of
this particular enlargement of the powers Of
the convention Their motives do not re-
squire an exposition nor is this a fit occa-
6 sion to enter farther upon this question /;
(which, never having been of the least i'm
sportance to the friends, or foes of q conven-
ton, few weeks will put definitivefy to
srest. Of what consequence are Mr.. MS OPT
mons, past, or present, or to come, upon this
question, except as regards himself If any
importance could have been attached to
6 them by others, Mr.. Leigh has ascertained,
sand proclaimed, if he did not occasion, its
total humiliation.
sOf as little consequence, except to Mr..
MERGERS character, is the charge, for which
| 6 the unchartered banks are coniured up from
the grave, against his ''steadness or safety"
sas public man. Unwilling witnesses would
they prove, if all that Mr.. Leigh has averred
of Mr.. Ms career" in relation to them, were
true butimpartial enough, if their biogra-
| sphy be correctly given. AS to those banks,
1T is a fact notorious in Loudoun, where two
6 of them existed, that Mr.. NJ. neither sub
sscribed to their stock, nor approved of their
unauthorized establishment, as it is that he
sdissuaded his friends, from participating in
them. After they had been established, and
can attempt was made, in the House of De-
| slegates, to stamp criminal character on
proceeding, which had received the sanction
| 6 of many of the best, and some of the wisest
smen in the commonwealth, Mr.. NJ. yindcat-
sed the moral worth of the parties to them,
'and earnestly and zealously, as became
Representative of Loudoun, demonstrated a.
sgaInst the unconstitutional means, by which
6 It was, at first proposed to crush them. He
Scaled those means, he well remembers, Sab
surd and monstrous." So far he has pre-
served his consistency. He still thinks they
swere unconstitutional, as did sounder law
8 yer than himself, Mr.. Dodrige of Brooke,
with whom, Mr. Leigh himself need not be
ASHAMED to be drawn in comparison. The
violence depicted in one of Mr.. Leigh's es-
saws, was on the side of the friends of the
proposed bill which, after many modifica-
stiors, retained, still, form which Mr.. NJ.
scould not approve. Mr.. Ms report on the
policy of Multiplying the banks of the Com
smonwealth on the expediency and justice
of putting down (for SO he recommended)
all unchaltered banks and the necessity OF
promptly enforcing the resumption OF spe-
Gle payment by them all, is, fortunately tor
'him, spread on the journal of the House OF
Delegates
Such is Mr.. MERGERS account. Let
me now lay before the public, histo-
ry of the transactions to which the pas
sage above quoted relates, and OF the
part he took in them, according to my
own recollection, aided by reference
to the journals of the house of delegates,
to the newspaper reports OF the day.
and 10 every other source OF informa-
ton accessible to me.
Early in the session of lsl5-l6, nu-
merous and various petitions were pre-.
sented to the house of delegates, all
from the upper counties ofthe Northern
Neck and the North Western counties
most of them from private associations
already formed for banking purposes
a few from citizens notformed into such
associations; some praying that those
private associations might be incorpo-
rated upon the principles they had a.
greed on for their own government
some praying, in the alternative, either
that such charters of incorporation
might be granted them, or that branch