Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-07

when. shall we be tried! Thousands Of civil
causes sleep upon the dockets, while the claims
are perishing; and the jails themselves produce
an expense which would support three or four
Judees. The wisest man ofthe 100000, who in
habit this neglected and much injured district OF
country, cannot cojecture, plausibly, the end OF
all this Can any one look upon this scene, and
say that Charles city and Frederick ought to
have the same power in the government! Ma
nv, very many counties in the State have not
half the population, nay not fifth of the popu-
lation of Fairfax. 1t is with these people that
the control of the destinies Of the State rests;
it is they who trample on our rights, and laugh
our complaints to scorn. The writer OF this is
a native Of Fairfax. In common with you, ne
turns to her the eye of filial regard and mourns,
almost as one without hope, that while other
regions, not more gifted by nature, are gay
with thrift and adorned by wealth, decay Is
wasting our hills, and sorrow raising It's song
in our vallies In Massachusetts, 1t may almost
be said,
"That every rood of ground maintains its man."
In New-York nearly as many children throng
the public schools as Virginia numbers white
neople within her wide and ancient confines
In MARYLAND, Baltimore, half century since
a petty village, speeds her commerce over sea,
presents to the eye of the traveller her growing
manufactures and the proud monuments OF her
art. and attracts the student and the scholar by
her institutions of science. Contrast her with
Alexandria, situate on the noble Potomac so as
to command the produce Of fine back coun-
try, pressed down by mistaken policy, Ian
gushing in inactivity.
Old men, look around you. Is not your coun-
try vastly worse than in your youthful days.
Young men, who with tears of mingled grief
and indignation, are bidding long adieu to the
land of your birth, the loved haunts Of your
childhood, pause yet little longer. You may
yet find better and happier days in the enjoy
ment of political justice, equal rights, wise laws,
and vigorous administration. 1t is true, that
constitutions and laws dc not make the grass to
grow and fertiize the fields, as by magic. But
all history, all experience proves, that wise
and equal laws make contented and thriving
people; and that such a people add strength and
beauty to a country 1t is time for us to cease
to sleep in the midst of ruin, and to rise up and
retrieve our affairs.
But the alarm is sounded, and we are told by
the opponents of reform, that we shall fall into
confusion and strife, such as agitated Kentucky.
Who agitated Kentucky? Did the holders of
land pass laws which tended TO prevent the At
lantic cities from recovering their debts? If
so, with what face can these holders ofland lay
this sin at the door of the advocates of an en-
larged suffrage? Besides, it is well known that
the friends of Convention in Virginia expli-
city disclaim the intention to such wild and
unwholesome extension of suffrage. Surely
every man Of full age, native birth, and who has
IL loco Coz Iv IN
be permitted to vote. To deny it to him is ty-
ranny. To say 10 these people, because the land
holders of another State pass unconstitutional
laws to save their property, Eve, the land
holders of Virginia will cut you Oft from the en-
joyment of your privileges as men and cltl-
zens," is to initiate the wolf, which standing a
bove the lamb on running stream, reproached
him with muddying the water, that he might
devour him. But elsewhere throughout our
sister republics, the spirit of reform has walked
abroad. Improvement has followed 1t, peace
and order have attended its footsteps, and hal
ieluiahs have awaited the completion OF Its ef-
forts. Away then with this Jargon that your
ancestors were philosophers and that you are
fools-that they were giants and vJu are
dwarfs. Your forefathers, peace t. their re-
vered names, claim all your gratitude tut YOU are
wise as they were, with the lights Of two more
generations shed upon you. From these lights
avail yourselves OF circumstances, and endeavol
to do somewhat that NAV give YOU claim tc
the good opinion Of those who may follow you
A few @. those who aided, in the field or in the
Senate, in Cur deivcrance from oppression,yet
, anger amongst us. AT the head OF the Illus
tr;ous and veteran band, thinned by time, stand
Jefferson and Monroe, decided friends to Con
vcntion. If Marshall and Madison doubt, let
them preside over the deliberations OF the body
and mingle with the more animated suggestions
of modern days, the cautious counsels OF revo
lutionary wisdom. GRACIOUS.
| From the Charleston Courier Feb. q.
| THE GREATEST RACE ON RECORD.