Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-11-18


report, that steps are being taken,in this place,
looking to retrocession of Alexandria to the
District of Columbia, the Lynchburg News
says:
I'VE would fam indulge the hope that
nothing of the sort is seriously contemplated,
since we should be reluctant to see Alexandra
divorced from the Old Dominion. Nor can we
see what the people of that city could gain lo
being attached to the negro-riden and Radical
District of Columbia that has been loaded
with debt and taxes under the new regime.
No relief, in mitigation Of taxes, could come
FROM such change, but rather the reverse !;
while, in no other respect whatever, could the
condition of Alexandria be improved by incor-
poration with the District of Columbia. Her
people had sufficient trial-under better
government than the District now has-tor
more than AkA centuSI of the ten miles
square, assl4ked to return to old Virginia.
We remember TOO, that when retrocesslon to
Virginia was secured, property appreciated 10
value, and the business Of the city was mani
tcsty improved With this experience, We
cea>ng to be Virginia city and becoming a
part Of the District of Columbia. But, there
may be another difficulty in the way, even if
the negro voters of Alexandria, and few
dissatisfied whites, should vote to carry it back
10 the District The third section OF the 4th
article of the Constitution might be found ap-
p;icable to the case, since the consent OF the
Legislature must be had before Virginia can
be despoiied of any portion of her territory.
We can hardly suppose thar she would con-
sent to any further spoliatior, and certainly
not to the loss of the fourth city in population,
within her territory. We hope that this re-
trograde scheme, if it be seriously contemplat-
cd will be abandoned at once, as one to which
the people, and especially the taxpayers of
Virginia, will never consent
1t is gratifying to see the interest manifested
by the press of the State representing the
feelings of the people, in behalf of our good
old town. and to notice with what unauimity
a mere suggestion for further ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of the old Commonwealth, BY tearing from her
another portion of her territory containing
city of which she is justly proud, and whose
people are so thoroughly IUgtnian in all their
relationships and feelings, is resented but there
need be no serious cause of alarm that such
calamity will overtake us if the question is left
to the people of Alexandria, and it is not made
political cat's-paw for some designing persons
to draw from the fire that which would alone
aggrandize them at the expense of the COM
munity That there may be among US those
who would acceed to the proposition is not to
be doubted, but the design of such move, at
this time, would be so apparent and the result
so perDcious 10 the great mass Of the people,
that even though it were made party test,
and the colored vote in the county, which is
thoroughly Radical, outnumbering the Con-
servative majority in the city, brought into the
contest, still we think it doubtful, even under
such circumstances, if decided majority would
not be found opposed to such hurtful measure.
The reasons and arguments why so great
wrong should not be perpetrated are so numer-
ous and have been so forcibly and ably pre-
sented heretofore, by so many others, that
repetition is now unnecessary, but as stated in
the article from the News, when under far
more favorable circumstances Alexandria left
the District and reunited herself to her mother
State, certainly, since affairs have so changed
and the District presents the spectacle that it
now does, pecuniarily and otherwise, there
would seem to be no reason why such step
should even be contemplated. much less con-
sdered. However, We do not apprehend that
any serious idea is entertained of such an at
tempt, especially when We have the protecting
rgies Of the State thrown around u.s.