Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-15
ALEXANDRIA:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JAN. is, 1884.
PRESCRIPTION!


man dressed up with little brief authori
ty," Mr.. Mercer, very properly, and as sufi-
Gent answer to all that has been and can be said
in favor of prescription IN this country, called
for the reading of the 1st Art of the Amend.
ments to the Constitution of the United States
and it was read accordingly as follows;
"Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting tie
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech or Of the press; or the right CT .he
people peaceably to assemble and to petition
the Government for redress of grievances"
It is under this clause of the Constitution, and
on this high ground, that the odious-hateful--
abominable system Of PRESCRIPTION should eve;
be opposed.
Congress itself shall make no law abridginq
the freedom Of speech! But what do we see?
What are we not called on to see all around us?
Not Congress, but the Subalterns of the Govern,
ment and the Agents Of the People, underak.
not only to abridge the freedom Of speech, but
absolutely to prohibit the free exercise OF cpl
Mon. Yes! From the Government Chambers
at Washington the edict went forth, that il
should be q crime to be PUNISHED, to do, or say
affairs or their measures! Monstrous abuse o:
power! Detested exercise Of an unrighteous
determination!
And can there be man in this country who
can lay his hand upon his heart and approve of
such a course2 Can any man, calling himself
a republican, say one word in favor Of course
which strikes with the axe Of despotisn at the
very root Of liberty2 No. We do not believe it
The miserable trammes Of party may shackle
the mind and the understanding for time; bu,
we do believe that the honest people Of this coUn
try are opposed, heart and soul, to Prescription
Why! the word itself calls up ideas Of Russian
vengeance--of French JacObinism. Proscrip-
ton! 1t CRATES most harshly upon the ear &C
customed to hear every where the accents OF
freemen who know their rights and, knowing
dare maintain them! Prescription! Let the
day that introduced it amongst us
STAND aye accused in the calendar"
And look, too, how this abominable doctrine
works-how it goes-how contagious even it is.
What do we now see? The City Adminstra
ton of Philadelphia, feeling power and forget
ting right, have undertaken, in spirit which
we must be pardoned for thinking was both
mean and erroneous. to prescribe forty or III.
ty watchmen, with large families! o! Shame
where is thy blush? Did the respectable autho
rites Of that city not see how they were de.
grading themselves by adopting such measure,
We know it will be answered, eve did bu.
follow the example of our opponents they urg,
Ell on the blood hounds Of party to their prey
H. rbev
made amongst or political friends" True
most true! Never shall we forget the scenes
through which we have passed. Never shaI
we forget how " the miserable sycophants Q!
power, crawling in their own slime to the foot
stool Of power" crawled from there into no
nest mems places, who were sent often almos
destitute to commence the world anew-theiT
children crying for bread. Never shall we fol.
get, that the voice Of complaint was met by the
jeer and the scott that the wall of poverty was
responded to by the coarse laugh of the para
site: that the note Of remonstrance was drown.
ed by the heartless clamors Of the heartleS5 crew
that clustered around the little GREAT men al
Washington. But what then! Principie-Prin
ciple is what We contend for. What is wrOngin
one, is wrong in another. And there is no ma
king Prescription right!
To the victor belong the spoils of the van
quished," was proclaimed as the maxim OF one
of the parties of this country; and it was opehH
avowed, upon the election of Chief MaglstFaE
of this country, that he would reward d.
friends and punish his enemies" Such Sehu'
ments might be appropriate, as coming ffO|
soldiers offortune, fighting for pay Coming irO~ .
statesmen as political doctrines, they are WoIS
than erroneous-they are detestable and &c
structve. They sound the knell Of civil liberty
AS we opposed them when first avowed, so 90
we now-so shall we ever Let them be prac'
tised upon by any party, and that party desef'0
in so DOING the holy cause Of liberty-does VIC
lence to the principles Of freedom, and oppose
the provisions and spirit the Constitution
There is no excuse for Prescription. PafV
purposes can afford not the slightest apologyU
it. Those who use it. use it as wicked men d,
ways use usurped power--for the oppression o
innocence, and the prostraton Of virtue. IL
an instrument oftyranny: we would wrest L"
ever from all hands, and break it into pieces