Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-04-11
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGIL
MA.
NOW.
FELLow.C CITIZENS,

In the winter previous to
the passage Of the law which gave b nth
to the maoufacIory IF asms, was called
upon by the executive to examine and re-.
port upon settle eligible far h bn ldings.
! .obeyed. the call with prompuiude and
pleasure; and having selected that on
which the buildings now stand, made
my report assigning a, full length the rea.
sans for this preference. This report bears
da'e, on the 5 h # December 1897. The
act of ass ,mbly which established the
manufactory passed On he, 23rd day of
January, 1893 The seventh section of
that act directed "that the executive be
empowered to establ sh a manuflctory Of
arms within the vicinity Of Richmond,
such place, AMI upon such terms and CON
d!iIons as to the IN shall seem expedient."
| AZ this time was engaged in dee bust.
ness OF m'il wright,ln winch had b en-
Brought up, with which alone professed
t. be acquainted, and bv which was ma.
king from 6 1900 TO 6 1902 pc; annum.
had number of hands empl Dyed
diHereat places and among hers, was
then engaged in building several mills ia
Or near Richrond. In the next month
| fer the passage of the above mentioned
ACT of Assembly received from Gene al
James Wood, then The governor of Viz
sInia, a letter, which so far-as it relates
10 this subject, / transcribe
RICHMOND, Feb. ID, 1898.
SIR,
The anxiety of the executive to an
swer the expectations of the public, f.
the erection of complete manufac(oyy
of arms in the vicinity Of Richmond, has
Induced me board, f'om their opinion Of
sour jldRmen;, as wall as their con6denc
y y u mi gr''y, to request chat you w Il
tun'sh hen with plan of the wo
requ site for the annual manufacture OF
our thousand sta ds o. ARM; and To en-
apie y>u t torn an accurate Judgment.
have to request hai you will SCI out az
soon as convenient, in order to your ia
king view { ne ffsrent work cstab
Iish in he states # Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, add ifyau sh5ufds de m s
necessary, to SpringG Id IN the sta;> Of
Massachusetts. Wishing you an asreea
| Ole journey,
am with real esteem,
| Sic,
! Your most ob't sery't,
| JAMES WOOD.
| Ifelt pleasure at being thus ho.ora
bly, distinguished, which / VIII not dis.
gui,e, and entered upon the du,y with al.
acirity and zeal.
Ii was dlrng this excursion to the
North, that, Henry Banks, thea confined
IN Jail IN the y of Pm ladiphia, dispatch
cd messe yer to the tavern at which I
pu' up IN ina city, and begged tina, l
would 10 him he favor to cali and zee
nun Had he been in prosperity H..
well known character would have K
me- a distance. Blu he was in PRISON
and v'sI;ed him. Having enc i,red and
! learn d he business winch carried IN ~
the norsh Gf he did not know be for.
ne sent Tor mel he stated that il was in nv
power 10 reed-r him very essent Il
piece OF service. asked him VITA /! an
ne answered, in recommend g him to the
Executive OF Virginia as aft person 20 81
IPerin'end the contemplated mandatory
OF arms; adding that he was D rbsps IN :.
ohy V"ginian who was quslI6ed, BY h;a
experience, for he duties Of hat. station.
Put ASIDE his proposition rj,h as much
dellcacy IS I could AID stated to hin, III :,
Ut had bsen intimated as probable tina,
the superin Iancy wouid be ofF-red 10
me, ~ the even, OF M giving satisfaction
IN the various subjects then c mmitted to
me by The executive. HIS epiy was tina,
the business in which was alre DIV en-.
Jagged, hat Of mill wrigh must certainly
DC much more profitable than the suD.t,
'n'endency would be; s. notwithstanding
the frank disclosure which had made ri
my own expectations, he continued to
press upon me the commission Of recon-
mendng him with gross and sord,d de
vo'Ion to self and a rigidiiy and toughness
OF hore and OF front, which confirmed
very thing had heard Of his character.
passed IN to Springfield; and ON my re
turn to Philadelphia I again met MIR
bsnks's messenger, with an intrea y tba
l would sup with him that evening in DR.
SON. No withstanding The disgusting spe
c'men which he had given me ofhls man
ners, did again yield to the motives
which had carried me first to see him:
aod again the same subject was renewed
with increased importantly. He urged