Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-07
COMMUNICATION.
To the Voters of Fairfar Comfy.

ing to be instructions from majority OF the
qualified voters of Fairfax adverse to the re-
election of B. w. Leigh to the Senate of the
United States. This much l learned from
note in the envelope, subscribed by gentlemen
who presume to have been agents in preparing
this packet. have not been able to ascertain
from MIR. Richie by whom it was transmitted;
but he has been kind enough to inform me, that
he was directed to deliver il to me promptly,
and in form, best calculated to consult my teef-
irgs &C." surely should be under great ooll'
cations for this condescension! shall not in
stitute an inquiry into the motives which may
have prompted gentlemen to pursue this course,
in making known their wishes to me; but Will
simply say, cannot but tender to them my
grateful acknowledgements for this evidence OF
confidence in my integrity and honor, which
was so strong as to induce the employment of a
acitness to prove the receipt 10y me) of this do
cument 1t may not be improper, here to re.
mark that should. perhaps have better con-
suited the dignity of my constituents, and the
respect due to myself if had returned the
packet to Mr.. Richie without examination,
particularly as he refused, when called on, to
inform me from whom he received it, stating, in
reply to my demand, 81 pas not authorised to
gire you the name of the gentleman pho Sent it,"
as am ingnorant of any authority by which
he has been constituted an organ Of communi-
cation between myself and my constituents
My object in addressing you at this time is to
place my conduct upon fair grounds before you,
to whose decisions am always ready to yield
implicit obedience, and to explain the reasons
which have brought me to conclusions very diff
ferent from those of the gentlemen who have
done me so much honor And, first, let me
ask, why was this letter OF instructions delayed
until within three days Of the eecton2 Why
was not time given for communication with my
friends, and an examination of the lists, before
the legally authorised officers of the county
This has been done in every other county where
instructions have been attempted. 1t is not for
me to solve this problem, and leave it for you
to decide, if the whole transaction had been
fairly conducted, should there have been any
objection to this course Being deprived (by
the act OF the parties themselves) Of an inves-
tigation before disinterested tribunal, have
been compelled to enter upon the Office myself;
and have given the instruction lists as full an
examination as the limited time they have been
in my possession would permit, and find the
number Of signatures to be as reported-326:
deduct from this number those who have au-
thorized the withdrawal of their names, and
those who are not voters, amounting to 81,
makes the true list 295. The whole vote Of the
county. as ascertained from the commissioners
book in my pos :ession, is 735 and upwards: de-
duct 1885, the corrected list. from 735, leaves 440,
or majority of AS over the corrected list, and
SO majority over the entire list Of 1926. There is
but little doubt that these majorities would be
upon a more rigid scrutiny. But,
even from the above result, ii will be seen that
the instruction lists are not signed by MAORI
ty of the qualified voters Of the county. do
not feel myself warranted in taking the sos votes
given at the last Congressional election, as the
maximum vote of the county Gas has been sug-
gested), to the exclusion of 230 others, who it
appears, from the commissioners book, have
an equal right to be heard, particularly when
| am informed that every exertion has been
made to swell the lists to as great an extent as
possible, and it is more than probable every
one has been favored with an opportunity Of
signing. What then, under all the circum-
stances attending this transaction, is my duty2
and what the obligations which owe you, as
your representative If the object was to OBJ
tain fair expression of public opinion upon
this subject, why was the good old republican
plan of calling the people together, and discuss
ing the question before them. abandoned, and
course pursued, the evident tendency Of which
Is to place in the hands of few individuals the
power of directing and controlling the opinions
Of an entire community. The proceedings of
a meeting held at the Courthouse pursuant to
public notice, shortly after movements COM
menced in the county, have been forwarded to
me, in which it is stated that no change had
taken place in the opinions of the people since
The last election, and directing me to vote for
Mr.. Leigh. l have seen no reply to that publi-
cation or denial Of the facts asserted. Need
call your attention to the efforts made at that
election, by the very individuals who are now