Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-04-28
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LOCAL-NEWS.

The article 10 the Washington Star on the
subject Of : Retrocession," is designed .4and
calsuated-s'iiff it has any effect to aid those
who are now seeking to dismember anew the
Commonwealth Of Virginia, to transfer a peo-
Eple against their consent from their own State
to another Jurisdiction, and to violate their
feelings and what they know to ether rights
and injure what they believet to be their inter
ests. When it speaks of whatit calls 'sthe in
temperate and .declamatory articles in this pa
per, > it makes, to use a mild phrase,'an incor-
rect assertion. We have simply s'called a
spade spade Were we to stand by and
see, such a measure sprung upon our people, as
this was, and from the motives avowed In sew
eral quarters, and with dated breath and
whispered humbleness, = to accept the evil, or
meekly and patiently, or with submissive tone,
acry1 your mercies. fair sirs? 70 do so,
!. thinking as we do would have been degra
dation in advance would have been to have
lost the respect Of the people Of our own State,
who are looking on to see how the people here
receive the proposition, and how they will
oppose it. And we are happy to know that this
tone and spirit meet the cordial appreciation
of nine-tenths of the people of Virginia, and Of
nearly all conseryatve men, out of it.. Already
have we received tokens of this appreciation
from sources infinitely ore important to- our
people than all the comments of the ashing-
ton Star on the other side. When that paper
speaks of the 't.maLcontents' Of Alexandria, it
showsits ansnaus That is of piece with sew.
eral other passages of: the. same sort, during
our darkest days, from the same source, which
are well remembered, and for which, we, espe-
cially if we bore malice for injuries attempted
to be inflicted, owe that paper one. - But,
if We, remember, we disclaim the desire, to pay
in kind the old score What NAL eontents"
are there in Alexandria. in the sense in which
the word is, used, and. in the connection in
whichit is placed, with reference to '!'rebels in
arms, the heights of Arlington, &c.? and
what right has the Star to apply this slang, to
people who are simply exercising the privilege
of demonstrating against an attempt to do them
and their State a great wrong and injury?
Nor has the insnuation Of the Star that 1.-THE
retrocesson of Alexandria to Virginia was one
of the preliminary steps to the dismem berment
OF the union of the States, and part Of the
plan already being matured at that time by
the rebel leaders, the slightest foundation
ia fact, to rest upon, let it learn it from what
quarter it may. 1t is weak device Of the
plotters Of the present Wrongdoers to palllate
their proceedings, and cover up their tracks.
Alexandria was retroceded 10 its parent state
simply because it was not wanted by the Gen
eral Government and was wanted by the State
of Virginia-because its connexon with the
District Of Columbia was useless and unneceS-
sary-because its people desired to be placed
again under the Jurisdiction OF Plrglnla--be-
cause its interests were all identified with those
of Virginia, and because it was T1ght and proper
that the retrocession shoud have been made
No one thought of the charge now brought
forward, to bolster up bad cause. Why make
Alexandra, without the consent of its people,
or its state, an outlying suburb Of Washington ?
Would that add anything to the defence of
Washington, in case of war, foreigI or CIVIL
Would that take Alexandria across the river
Would that level Arlington Heights? Would
that in any military point of view, we repeat,
aid in the defence of the city Of Washington ?
Might it not in some respects have the contrary
effect?. But we will not continue the subject.
1t would be better for the Star to attend to its
Washington city interests, and let ours alone.
The articles from the Gazette, on Mr.. Wades
proposition, we are happy to see, have been
copied in the journals OF our own State and
in the best papers in other States, with com
mendation-as showing the true way in which
to meet contemplated public wrong. A let
ter from Washington, before u.s.. says; THE
Gazette has met the issue nlanfully, and in tho
proper manner. ..... ...f