Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-11

t;on of the children OF the mass OF the citizens
The rich man, in fact, can send his son any
where. His money will sustain him; but IL the
moor man is not furnished with the means OF
improving his child in his neighborhood, the
little mortals must live and die In Ignorance,
nerhaps in vice. 1t is said, that if you will take
care Of the pence, the pounds will take care oil
themselves; so, l say, if you will educate the
moor. the rich can educate themselves. Indeed
the plain and respectable citizen suffers more
injury and Injustice on this score than any other
man in. society. These men hold the mass Of
the property Of the country, and pay the mass
of its taxes, while they are wholly without any
share in the advantages of education, unless they
can send their sons TO Charlottesville at an ex-
pense Of $500 year each.
Now is it not obvious to common sense, ana
fair dealing that, although we ough' 10 nave
colleges for the rich, yet that, hrSt oi all we
should have schools Tor the instruction oi '"e
great majority Of society! Ought not hungry
man to have bread before one VINO mas sat GOWN
20 a GOOD dinner is supplied with lce-creams
and 1binned syllabubs? Ought wise man to
BEGIN to put up the cupola OF his edlhce before
he has laid the foundation wall!
These. fellow citizens, are but samples, ra-
nidly drawn out, of the general state OF social
discomfort, and political wrong under which
we labor. To add other instances, to dwell far
Their upon these, were to tire your patience, and
offend your good sense. 1t is not difficult to
see that there must be some great and opera
tive causes of such sad and ruinous effects;
some principles to which such heavy burdens,
such shameful in justice, may be traced. The
nature ofthe thing, the history of the Common
wealth points TO these causes, and principles.
A minority Of the State rules it, and has long
ruled it against all decent regard TO popular go
vernment that minority consists OF the least
active, enterprising, and efficient par, OF the
community. For them it is enough that they
are our masters. They can engross the loaves
and fishes, and strut in the paraphanalla OF or
flee and power, while we the poor majority,
shrug our shoulders and say, eve will bearthis
lest worse come" Worse! why what can be
worse than the denial of our rights, the neglect
Of our interests, the ruin Of our hopes"
Fellow citizens, come out and be worthy OF
Yourselves. Demand Of the sheriff of your
county, on the third Monday in this month, to
record your votes upon the vital and all-impor-
tant question of Convention. If he refuses,
as it is intimated he will, to take your votes Sc
lect clever young man to do it for you IN spite
of him. The officers OF the State are entitled
to respect; but the people donot belong to them,
and ought, in essential points, to control them.
AS to the gentlemen who are to represent you,
use your Judgment in the selection OF the most
worthy and capable Whoever may be honored
with YOUR choice, if you demand Convention,
will obey your voice. The principles OF the 60
vernment imply it. Assemble yourselves then,
at the approaching election, record your votes
in favor of Convention, and do all that in you
lies towards giving new political birth to the
State in which our cradles were rocked, and
where we hope to feel the last pulsations OF hu-
manity. GRACCHOo.