Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-10
PUBLIC MEETING IN FREDERICK co.
VIRGINIA.

p d Smith. one of our delegates, seconoeo Wy
the circular of several gentlemen witnoul u
tincton of party, as published IN inc he h;pIr
can for several weeks past a large an. .; nsy
respectable meeting, composed VI W" IL Court
of Frederick county, convened at lhe oo .n
House on Monday last being court oay, ior .ne
purpose of considering the proprlety OF instruct.
ing our delegates on the supJect vi ,no
election of United States Senator LOT Virginia;
SIMON CARSON Esq. was called 10 the chai'' 1 o.iu
THOMAS F. NELSON, appointed secretary. ~
paratory to the appointing Of commlttee, the
meeting was elouuently addressed by Messfs.
Smith and Barton in calculation oil tner course
last winter i'm voting for B. w. Leigh, as SEND
tor, whose speeches were received WIN u1ani-
nous applause After which, on motion vi ~
seph H. Sherrard, Esq. committee OF WE'VE
was appointed to draft resolutions. The iolloW-
inn gentlemen composed the committee: Joseph
H. Sherrard, John Bruce, Richard T.; BYRD,
Robert Page, John Kerfoot, George Aullck, John
r. Cooke, Joseph Tuley, Thomas r. Neison,
Seth Mason, ID. w. Barton, and the chairman.
The committee having retired Tor snort time,
returned with the following resolutions, WHICH
| were separately, and each UNANIMOUSLY auop'-
| ed:
Resolred, AS the opinion of this meeting mat
| il is the undoubted right of the people 10 IN
struct their representatives on all questions OF
public legislation, and that the representative Is
! bound TO obey the will Of his constituents when
fairly expressed; but believing that the exercise
of this right ought TO be n unbiased as that OF
election this meeting declares its convection
that the (airest mode of ascertdinng the sense
OF the people upon any political measure, Is by
! full discussion and open interchange Oh sehu-
ment in the primary assemblies
| Rosoired That we have witnessed with regret
the course pursued by many OF the opponents Oh
our distinguished fellow citizen, Benjamin w at
kins Leigh, in attempting to excite popular pre-"
JUDGE against him. and to produce erroneous
! impressions in regard to his political opinions,
! by representing him as opposed to the prlncl-
pies of constitutional construction which have
so often received the sanction of the people OF
! Virginia. and as an advocate for the re-charter
of the Bank of the United States, when 1t Is well
known that the former have ever received his
steady support, and that he has been uniformly
opposed to the latter. even to the extent OF de-
nying its conStitutiOnaiy.
| Resoired That, while this meeting will not
impugn the motives OF that portion of their fel-
! low citizens who differ with them ION this
subject, they are, nevertheless, constrained 10
| enter their solemn protest against the m0de
they have adopted Of obtaining instructions to
our delegates to vote against Mr.. Leigh, as al
variance with the approved and settled usages
| of Virginia, and as establishing precedent,
which, by closing the door against that full, fair,
and open discussion, essential to the formation
| of an enlightened public opinion, will, in effect,
substitute the will of few active and managing
partisans, for the deliberate judgment OF the bo-
dy Of the people.
Resoired, That our delegates elect to the next
! General Assembly, having been chosen by the
people, after mature consideration, and with
| full knowledge of their disposition towards MIR.
Leigh, and nothing having since occurred to
| impair the confidence then reposed in them, this
meeting deems it inexpedient to give them any
! instruction in reference to the election OF Sc
nator in Congress- which they will be required TO
make; and will therefore leave them to the eXer-
else of their own judgment in making the selec-
ton.
Resolred That there is much in the present
condition of public affairs to excite the deepest
apprehension of the patriot and phanthroplst
! for the safety Of our institutions and even the
existence of liberty itsell-arisng, in great
measure, from the eXtravagant and antl-repuo-
1 lican claims Of power which have been urged in
/ behalf of the general government and especi-
ally the executive department thereof-clalms
which this meeting hazards nothing IN pronoun-
cling utterly repugnant to the principles OIL free
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with the preserVa-
! ton OF liberty and popular rights and in con-
! flict alike with the letter and spirit OF the con-
stitution.
| Resolred That one of the most alarming signs
of the times consists in the readiness with which
public men of the present day abandon long
| cherished political opinions, to suit the chang
ing aspect OF AFFAIRS and conform with the VIII
of those in authority.
Resolred, That the individuals composing this
meeting will, at all times, prefer the interest of
their country to that Of any party, or man, or
set of men whatsoever; and pledge themselves
to oppose by all lawful means, every encroach-
ment which may be made upon the constitution
and to resist at the Threshold the first approach
es of tyranny in any form and from every
source.
On motion of Mr.. Heiskel, seconded by Tho
mas F. Nelson,
Resolred, That Col. John B. D. Smith be re-
quested to permit the publication of the letter
written by Mr. Leigh, in May last, in answer to
one addressed to him by Colonel Smith, on the
subject Of his course in the Virginia convention,
which has been much misrepresented in this
quarter, provided he should feel himself at il
berty so to do.
! On motion, Resolred That these proceedings
be published in the Winchester papers, Rich
mond Wing, and the papers of the contiguous
counties. The meeting then adjourned.
SIMON CARSON, Chairman.