Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-03-31
COMMUNICATIONS

DIR. Edilor-I have seen petition :,
Common Council Of our Town, signed bv :. '''
OF the most respectable gentlemen Of Il. ''D
praying repeal Of the law now in ro,,. r's
Corporation, which imposes ia, of "'H
lars upon every individual who keen, ''''
and suggesting the adoption of tn. l,r. ~
Washington relative to those useful -,
this particular time, almo,, uec.s,,,v
!, Tor one, heartily concur with the ,;,,
that instrument, and trust tina, our ,.s.
,ives ia Council will give it an a,,en,is. ''
deration.
The law Of our Corporation in r.,,,;,.
dogs, as it now exists, wa. originally io,.,,'
to operate principally as prohibition IA J.,
dogs, and net with specific view to ,.,.
But did that law effect the purpose for VIZ;
it was enacted! Or, in other WORD. dbl
vent all persons from keeping dogs ! On"
other hand, ask, does il not invest ,hs :,
with privilege which is denied 10 III. oo,,.
class Of citizens! Is i; not saying, in sH..,
the fayori,es Of Fortune, /" We wish MAJ,
prevent you from keeping those animals s;,,..
to protect your property or to pursue va,
pleasures but we are determined to wi,bh,u
tina, indulgence from tie poor" And Nh,
may ask )? Is il because the scci5,n,, =
riches have made the former the ben,sr,,, .,
oar free and equal laws, in preftrene. to ii.
latter Or rather, is there, and should thai.
be, a difference The municipal regul,io,.
Of our Town should be conceived and ,,.I
upon in the spirit Of that declaration whicb,,,
uounces all men free, and a, much entitled ;,
the same privileges; and all laws which ,,v,
out Of the bounds prescribed by tia, ;n,,v
ment, are repugnant to the plain precrpt,of
our Constitution, and unfit for freemen.
What have said upon this subjec, NAV B.
regarded by some as looking at i, 10 more
serious light than its character demands. lH,
leave 10 think differently. The unimpor,ur
Of the matter will not alter the principle bv
which it should be governed and where ih.
rights and privileges Of person are invaded,
even 10 the mos, impercep,ible shape, i, should
be as promptly resisted, as if the whole iabri:
Of his Liberties was intended to be overthrow.
If this germ Of usur2ation be permitted 10 in,
crease, impunity will nourish and invigora,si,
until it will be impossible, without, the utmos
trouble, aud probably danger, 10 stop its pro,
gress.
But lei US leave this consideration Of The
ed and exaggerated Consequences, aud ihtf1 il
through another medium, more Immediately
applicable and striking.
You are aware, Mr.. Editor, oflhe m,nyroS
berries which have recently been committed il
this our town. One Of our amiabe and highly
respectable citizen, was, not long since, robs
Of almost every article Of furniture; and b"
no doub, bu, il the tax upon dogs had ben
what the petition ask, for, he would have Kept
one, and thereby have prevented that u''oh''
nate catastrophe. A gentleman OF our io''
Who has been in the habit Of keeping one Of
two dogs, told me that he certainly would "a"
been robbed several times, had 1t mol been '''
his dogs Twice he had been wakeneo ID '''
Night by their barking, al which times ne a''N
and wen, to the window, from which he n''
seen persons making their escape.
A number Of instances of similar eha'a'"'
could be cited, to prove the utility and imp'''
lance OF keeping dogs; but none could '"p'"
a greater necessity upon our Legislative a'"'
rites, Of granting the petition, than 'na' ~
tenn of robberies and depredation' "HieO 10
been Matched in our Town, end when '''" '"
believe, subsists in inactivity until ''s'''u''
shall sleep, and opportunity again PFe's'''"
self.