Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-02-02
THE FAIRFAXES.

Nincty-nine per cent Of the American
shoddies who use coat armor have not q
vestige Of right to their bogus heraldic bear
ings. But there is one per cent. Of our
citizens, perhaps less, who can lawfully
bear them. Among those who have the
highest heraIdic authority to DO so is a
simple American village doctor, and he re-
sides at Northam pton, Brandensburg, Prince
Georges county, Nd In the lutte country
place where he lives he is known by all his
fellow-townsmen as doc" Fairfax. Heputs
on no airs, does not wear frils Or ruilles,
has not vcstige Of heraldry around his
house and once u year records bis vote for
the straight democratic ticket. Should he,
however, think fit TO take his walks abroad
from Northampton, Md, and tind his way
10 Great Britain, he would be warmly wei
coined is al honored guest ut the castles
and abbeys Of the nobest English families.
Even Windsor Castle and Osborne would
omen their doors to him, and the members
OF the House of Lords would receive him rs
one Of themselves. This honest, upright
aud God-fearipG American democrat has
had his name recorded by oflicious kings
alarms and herald! in their published
peerages as the "Rt. Hon. John Contee
Fairfax, NJ d., Eleventh Baron Fairfax
of Cameron He could, if he chose,
be sworn in whenever he pleased as an En-.
clisi1 peer in the House Of Lords at West
Minister But Doc" Fairfax, like his broth
er and many of his predecessors in his bar
onial title have been contented with Amerl-
can institutions and democratic civilization,
believing that the United States was good
enough for them. II is in the Fairfax blood
to believe in political freedom and principles
Of delaucracy The Fairfaxes, although one
Of the oldest Yorkshire families of arlsto-
cratic lineage, have done good service for
liberty, equality and fraternity. The third
Baron Fairfax fought with Cromwell, even
commanded the army Of the Commonwealth,
and directly assisted in the overthrow OF
the Tyrant, Charles Stuart, whose lite blood
stained the headsman's block III front OF
Whitehall! Palace. His descendant, Thonl-
as, the sixth baron and dear old 'Chackery's
"Esnond,' came to Virginia in the eigh-
tecnti, century, after giving up MS estates
in England to his younger brother, Robert
Since that time the Lords Fairfax have al
ways been American citizens, and one
was the friend of Washington, and did his
nobcst in the Revolution to rid our coun-
trv OF the British flag The English herald
ry books tell Us 4 good deal sbaut DOC"
Fairfax and his brother, the tenth baron,
citizen Charles Snowden Fairfax, who was
for some time lawyer aJ Cincinnati, ONO.
Then he was clerk Of the Supreme Court OF
California, which Sir Bernard Burke sagcly
remarks, is ''of high position and RESPONSE
bilitv in the United States" Ulster King
alarms states further that Baron Charles
died in 1869 at Baltimore, and that he was
at one period elected speaker Of the House
of REPRESENTATIVE OF the state OF Alca!dl,'
wherever that may be- There is one story,
however. about this brave, high toned, chi
yalrous and truly noble man that Sir Ber-
nard does not tell! 1t is how Charlie Fair
fax, as he was known among the Californian
Aryonaut boys, nearly lost his life at the
hands OF miserable skulking hound and
gambler, who ''got the drop on him" for
some Gaucicd wrong, and not as all honest
gentleman in scli-deience when his life was
in danger. Staggering, reeing like q drunk
en- man, and with a bullet in his
body, Charlie Fairfax managed to reach
for his revolver, and then he had drop
number two" and this time it was on
the would-bc assassin. Slowly ne raised
himself 10 his full height, and with the
glistcn;ng barrel covering the scoundreI.s
head he said "You wretch Your life is
III nv QaHus W ny ulI .sou wv eLiS DuV
i forgive you, and spare you for the
sake OF your wife and your innocent child
rem" Then he fired the deadly weapon in
the air, dropped backwards senseless and
was on . sick bed for many long weary
dav afterwards. This was the act of an
American citizen vino had repudiated aris-
tccraey, and it should furnish a lesson to
our dudish prigs and would-bc heraldic
suobocrats, most Of whom, as the old play
giyes it. initiate, monkey-like, the vices OF
the aristocrats and none of their few re-
deeminc virtues. Citizen Doc Fairfax S
heraldic bearings ere given as follows in
the British pecrages: Arms, or three bars
oemelles culcs, surmounted OF lion ram.
1ant sable. Crest a lion passant guardant
sable supportees, 'Dextera lion gllarda MT
sable. sinister bay horse" The Fairfax
motto, "Fare, Fac pun OH the name
meaning Speak, do" it is to be hoped, will
be the watchwords for the modern patriotic
English Fairfaxes to "speak and do thel!
hest to assist in founding Mazzni's fond idea!
of the coming Republic Of the United
States Of Europe" including England, Scot
land, Ireland and Wales on truly demo
cratic basis.-NeV York Horld.
|
Away UP HEAD.-Benson's Capclne 70
rous Plasters are easily first, no matte'