Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-20
COMMUNICATED.
THE PRIN TERS, NULLIFlERS, &c. &c.
AGAINST Mr.. MERCER.

1t is fact, not less singular than true. that,
while Mr. MERCER is assailed from all quarters
and in all shapes. not voice has been lifted, at
least not pen welded, in his behalf. So 1t OFT
en- is: the good qualities OF men. their useful
acts, are forgotten; their foibles nseparabe from
humanity, are magnl6ed where they exist;-and,
where they exist not, they are invented
Such are the spirit aud the Law OF that gossip
which rules the tea table in regard to the falrer
part of our species; and Of that which predom'-
mates at the tavern, the village corner, and the
newspaper, in regard to men, Perhaps 1t is an
incident to that freedom of enquiry which tends
10 preserve the purity Of man, and to guard the
rights and liberty of the citizen;-
"An partial evils universal good"
Be this az it may-such is our social condition,
and such the constitution Of our nature.
However Mr.. Mercer or his friends may re-
gret that the ne spapers of the town OF Leesburg
censure him, that their Editors array themselves
against him. they mast bear it: it is the privilege
of these writer's and editors to scrutiniZe the con-
duct of public men. If their animadverslons
are unjust, an appeal lies from them to the peo
pie; TO those who, ,ca"fing no Offices themselves,
having M prica'e grisfs to grahty, no oh and
long Sn,Othered grudges to stimulate their oppo
stiop, have no views but for our common coun-
try; no interest but to command the services OF
the best public agents. This appeal, in behalf
of Colonel Mercer, | make. Hear me-n0t for
his only, but for the sake Of that Country which,
in peace aud in war, IN veal and wo, | maintain.
he has served with devotion and usefulness IN.
paralleled in the history Of modern Virginia
MIR. Mercer has been attacked in the Richmond
Wing, the editor of which modestly advises the
people Of this District to turn him out, and place
another in his shoes and. strange TO tell, the
editor of the Winchester Nirginan echoes this
sage and modest counsel.!.
Truly. Fellow Citizens, Messrs. Peasants &
Sherrard are benevolent beyond what Is usual:
not coatent with taking care of the concerns OF
Richmond and Winchester-of the Henrlco and
Frederick Districts in which they live, they as
same to dictate To Us the choice Ut our Congress.
man. This is not the first instance in which we
have been doomed to strugg lie against Richmond
influence to our sorrow; but ii remains for the
intelligent. proud. independent people Of this
tine Congressional District to determine whether
they will receive the law from Winchester, and
be lashed to her little car also.
A word TO these Editors: If Mr.. Peasants
will look at the files Of his own paper OF SOME
seven wears since, he will find, that, after rdl.
culing Mr.. Mercer's leading public plans, he
concludes with these remarkable words: 81 Such
a precious schemer is Charles Fenton Mercer
Now il is VIGOROUSLY known, that the great pub.
lie objects to which Mr.. Mercer has devoted his
time and talents are the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal; the Colonization Of free blacks; and the
call Of Convention to amend the Constitution
of the State. How do these subjects stand?-
The Convention was Called; the Constitution Is
amended; aud the people Of the Commonwealth,
~ IL.
display their own energies, and deveope the Ie-
sources of the State in public improvements
The first man who ever proposed the call of
convention, within our kuowledge, was Charles
F. Mercer. How many of you, fellow voters,
owe. in great measure, to his exertons, the pr.
yiege we are now about to exercisef To the
new freeholders of the District l put emphati,
cally the question, How do the two candidates
compare IN their claims upon your sympathy and
support? So much for the Convention. The
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal will in two months
be in full use from Harper's Ferry down. and is
rapidly advancing to the Coal-mines Of the Al.
leshany The Colonization of the free blacks
has succeeded beyond the hopes of its friends: A
nation is sprnging up on the shores Of Africa,
which promises to relieve US of a curse, TO bless
itself and ages to come; to annihilate the afro
sous traffic in human flesh; and to spread over
continent the lights of civilization and Chris,
tianity. The Legislature of Virginia, at the
last session, appropriated $4,000 year to the
Sncietv. The venerable aud beloved Chief JUS
.tice Marshall is its President. Thus is every
vision Of Mr.. MERGERS realized. And vet Mr..
peasants, seven years since, made him a subject
of sneerins and ridicule. What a precious pro-
phet is John Hamblen Peasants! Are the die
tations aud jeers Of this gentleman to influence
US in the choice Of representatives,
Bat MIR. Joseph Sherrard, too, would enlight
en- our darkness, and stimulate our tagging pa
triotis,n. How fortunate we are in finding such
counsellor! What pity it is that the people
of these three Counties had not thought sooner of
the exped,ent OF relieving themselves of the la
Dor of thinking, by taxing the Intellectual re-
sources Of Mr. Sherrard sooner We might
have given to our axes aud our poughs that por-
ton Of our time we have thrown away upon pub
Ii: subjects. We forget, in delaying to call on
this gentleman, that those who think must 60
vern those who toii'
II is said, that in a meeting Of Ave hundred CT