Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-15
TUESDAY,, MARCH Is, 1925.

c.ner,IL. FArKrrE moves rapidly through
81. southern country He left Fayetteville on
On. Ath inst. for Camden, and was expected
= enter Charleston on the 18th yesterday
The Raleigh Register says, that his movements
through North Carolina may not inaptly be
connared to meteor which dazzels for mo-
ment. disappears, and leaves no track behind
We this day announce, by authority ano'
Their candidate, to represent the ADJOINING
county in the Virginia legislatures and, as the
season of elections is at hand, we trust that we
shall be pardoned for inviting the attention OF
our readers, in that respectable State, to some
interesting considerations, connected with the
important right they are about to exercise.
The fact cannot be concealed, that the cha
rac,er of the Virginia Legislature, has, for Sc
veral years past, been gradually deterlorating'
and that her delegation in Congress no longer
oscupies the distinguished rank which once
belonged to it. We shall not undertake 10
designate the numberless causes, both gene
raj and local, which have contributed TO pro-
duce this lamentable result. Our object, at
present. is to point out few of those which
are most obvious in their operation, and which,
if not speedily arrested, will be sufficient OF
themselves to destroy, entirely, the character
and standing of the State.
Before we progress, however, We beg leave
to sepeat an apology made on former and 81
milar occasion. We are aware OF the jealousy
that exists, in regard to the interference IN the
affairs of the State, by those residing out OF it;
but we urge, in justification, that the interest
c.sAlexandria is as completely identified with
tna, uf her parent State, though she had
never been separated from it; and many of
the great measures, which are the subject Of
Virginia legislation, are more vitality impor-
tant to the inhabitants Of Alexandria, than to
any ike portion Of the inhabitants of the State
itself. Besides which, the writer of this artl-
Gle, in common with nine-tenths of his fellow
citizens, claims Virginia as his natal and re-
vered land, and never can divest himself OF an
L. Ars,inenflv GREAT
as she once was. 1t is only through her efec.
tons that this object can be accomplished
The system of electioneering prevailing in
many parts of the State, but more especially
in those counties that are nearest to Us, is such,
a, too frequently to exclude from competition
for the peoples favor, every thing like modest
and retiring merit A candidate is expected,
not only to announce himself through the pub
lie prints, but, also, to devote the greater
part of the months of March and April to So
Letting, in person, the SURFACES of his fellow
citizens. In doing this, he isunder the neces-
sity of riding from house to house; of throwing
himself, unlimited, on the hospitality Of men,
to whom he has never, perhaps, before spoken'
and of practcing, in some instances, the low.
est and most degrading arts of the meanest
sort of electoneering. His own business is
neglected-his own family deserted-and it
not unfrequently happens, that, after having
been all his life sober man, he returns a
complete and accomplished whiskey drinker.
Now we hum5y entreat the honest and in
telligent freeholders of Virginia, to reflect for
a moment on the character and Necessary con-
sequence of such a system. Is it not at once
degrading to the candidate, and insulting to
themselves Is any man deserving Of popu-
larity who woos her only through the fumes of
whiskey, and the smiles and articles Of affect
ed cordially or are the voters of Virginia
sunk so low, that the honor of a visit from a
candidate is at once to secure him Their sup
port, without the least inquiry into his fitness
for the station he soicits' The effect of this
system has already been, to exclude many OF
the most distinguished citizens Of the State
from the degrading competition; and to throw
the representation of the counties into the
hands of an inferior order of men. We dis
claim any allasion TO the candidates announced
in this paper, or to those who represented the
same county in the last General Assembly,
for we know them all personally, and respect
them. We speak, therefore, Of the general
tendency Of the evil; and it rests with the
fteeholders themselves to correct it, where
ever they know it to exist.
Let them, as matter of principle, with
hold their suffrages from any individual, who
persists inthe present mode of electoneerng
Let them give uniform and decided prefer
ence to those, who. after. having announced
themselves as candidates, are content to re-
ceive, scithout collecting, the votes of their
feLow-citizens. 1t might, perhaps, be well
to go one step farther; and at the court pre-
ceding the election, select and invite the
most respectable individuals to become can
didates. Few men could withstand such an
evidence of respect and confidence: and few,
we are persuaded, would withhold their ser
vices when thus required. consequence
would at once be, the elevation OF the
leo1slat,va ~ha,-a~<ar and the substitution oi