Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-25
COMMUNICATIONS.
o THE EDITOR OF TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.


beg leave now to resume my remarks in an |
swer to your correspondent GA Virginan," by
taking up the subject where left off-to wit: his
TRADE about the inferior Magistracy, VINO are
scornfully accused of retailing justice Tor
livelihood"
Does not every Judge from the highest to the
lowest, "retail justice for livelihood"f-o'o
not the pure and spotess Judge Hale receive
salary from the Crown of Engand?-and does
not the equally pure and spotless Judge mar.
shall receive a salary from the United Statesf
And where is the exception to be ioundf NO
where, where law is made the "rule OF actloh'
Why, then, should not the more humble and
needy Magistrate receive just compensation
for his labor2 He who earns his bread by no.
nest industry, be that industry ,0hat ii may, iul-
fills one Of the commands Of Deity; and until
proof is adduced that our inferior Magistrates
receive the wages of labor unporthniy, we are
bound, both in honor and justice, to believe that
they receive it ,rorthily-and if mere indiVl-
dual opinion was allowable in case like this,
founded upon long experience and observation,
should unhesitatingly say that they do receive
it worthy. "A Virginian" seems to forget
that the man. and not the station gives true dig
nifty to the Office, and that the honest and IN
dustrious mechanic is just as worthy OF respect
as the man of science, the warrior, or the states
man; for EACH in his place, helps to fill the mea-
sure of his country's glory. Let US, then, dis
card these ignoble sentiments, and believe, as
we ought to believe, that God created all men
for good and wise purposes.
In the appointment Of federal officers, to exc
cute federal duties, no cause OF complaint on
our part is perceived: for wherever the power
to appoint rests, so likewise does the response
bility for its discreet exercise attach; and that
discretion can never be fairly and fully exer-
cised, if it is in any wise under the influence of
others. Would we be willing that different
community from ours should interfere in the
appointment of our Corporate officers?-Need
| make the response? And yet we complain
that the Government will not consent that IRE
should nominate its officers, merely because
they have to perform federal duties in our town.
| If those officers were unjust and rapacious,
We should have cause, and good cause, to re-
quire their removal from among us-but in the
entire absence Of ali fraud or injustice on their
part, in what have we just cause of complaint?
concur with your correspondent as regards
the evil effects to our commerce, occasoned by
the causeway at Mason's Island; but that evil
must now be endured, because it cannot be
cured, except by the completion Of our Canal
No doubt, had proper representations been
made to Congress, at the time the work was
proposed, and the evils clearly and distinctly
pointed out that it would have been prevented:
but of this know but little, as it happened be-
fore my time-but this do knoU, that we all
know what is right, after we see what was
aorong; and if we are not prophets, still we lack
not the vanity Of wishing to be so esteemed
But would here inquire. purely for the sake of
information, how would retrocession remove
the evil? Suppose We were again part of Vir-
ginia-could she overrule the law Of Congress
which authorised the causeway, and thereby
remove the obstruction, as it now exists to ma
vigation2 No such right on the part Of the Slate
is perceioed: and if the Jarorabie action of Con-
gress is desired upon the subject it would more
likely be had while we are part Of the District,
and have right to look to Cong ess, as our To-
cal Legislature, for aid and protection than We
should have if we were no longer portion of
the District Of CoIumbia;- does our pre-
sent political condition, in any wise preclude
Virginia, through her Delegation i'm Congress,
from urging the removal Of this injury to our
commercial prosperity, if she sees fit to do so
and her motives to do no1, are just as strong
as they would be were we part Of The State.
The only benefit which Virginia would have
from our being retroceded, beyond what she
now has, and erer has had, and erer may hare,
would be the right to tax US, as she does other
cities in the State,-whereas that power now
belongs exclusively to Congress. If mistake
not, certain public works on the James River
were considered of primary importance to the
prosperity Of Virginia; and yet, if am not still
more mistaken, those works are yet unfinished.
and so likely to be. If be in error, as l often
am frankly confess with all due humility will
! submit to be corrected by "a Virgnian."
VALERIUs
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE