The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-17
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND. l1dRcH1 II, 1899.
TO The PEOPLE OF VIRGiNIA.
NC. III.
NO III.

FELLew-CIrIzENs,
Ilsvc now explained to YOU the
origin &const;tution of the Armory Committee.
oeiore proceedto the examination snd r%cfutati-
on OF their report itrcmains only, that | should
shew you how that committee was employed du-
ring the eight weeks, III which it is supposed,
they were giving me a hearing
The first object specified i'll the resolutionun-
der which they actdd, was, that they should sen
4uIre INTO the manner in which the institution had
been conducted SINCE its com slencemcnt' Here
tbs to ne remarked, that the buildnig of Tie in
sututIon commenced in sT79. Ny Reaorts had
been annually submitted'to the executive and
oN the executive to the legislature, NJ every scss-
ION. My accounts had been also passed by
the executive regularly whose journals du-
ring every session., were laid upon the table of
The House OF Delegates, open 10 the Inspection
OF every member. The Auditors scco4nts, COM
pretending Il general statement of the expendi-
lures on this object were also, annually, submit
ted +; and the details of the expense were 10 be
found on the files in his Office. The treasury Of
hcc contoined also the evidence oftiiis annual ex-
pense and every year a committee Ofthe House
of Delegates was appointed, Jointly with a com
mittee OF the Senate, to examine the treasurer's
accounts. The manUtactory itself, is but a few
yards out of the limits of the city of Richmond.
The members OF the assembly were, sycry year,
IN the habit oil visiting 1t here they had an OPP
portunlty OF seeing the manner in which the va.
'@a NtAtASb VII VI S[Elltgl Tic
order kept up among The ~artiicers ;ofexaminino-
The contracts made with these men of inspect.
ing, If they pleased, the books Of the institution
OF counting the stands OF arms, and thus check.
ing my reports IN short, there was no one sub
jcct having any Kind OF connection with the arr
mory, from the books Of the executive cou;,r;i
down to the payrOils given monthly to the arhf-
Gers, which had not been res dairy laid omen.
most completely to the inspection and exa1nina-
uoii OF every ieSisiItufc, rom the time that the
hrst pIck-aXe was struck into the earth, To clear
away ne foundation, down to the meeting ofthc
assembly, last winter. As every preceding le-
%slsliture had equal powers with the last as thew
lad equal opportunities OF knowing the truth
|~evldence equally authentic before them and e.
luAi patriotism and intelligence to investigate it:
the TAR presumption, and, indeed, the only one
compatible with the honor of former legislatures.
IS, that the merits of this institution and Of it's Of
icers were annually considered and canvassed. if
not by any formal measure of the house, at least
ny the members individually. Why. then, yoY
VIII naturally enquire, were not tbe3 sc abuses dis
c'vcred sooner, and the officers removed The
answer Is PLAIN and easy. 1t was because for.
ner legislatures did not understand this new
<ind OF merit of discovering abuses which did
NOV exist 1t was because former legislatures.
knew the value Of this institution TO the state. Il
were disy,sed 10 cherish and foster it ber,,se
,hey teit a proper respect for the constitution. sr
iortiat branch OF the government under whose.
immediate care and direction the armory had
been placed becatse they chose TO rely ouIy on
%aataeatie evidence, and 20 give the subject, on ali
&C ;"s'ons, Il far and candid examination. The
same temper would haze conducted any leeisla-
t1re or any eAquiring body to the same result at
this timc.
The i.st ''gisIatuTc, however, not satisfied
with moving in tbeir appropriate sphere. aud ex.
erC s'ng tnat ip,rGon of annual power which W.
eIegatedt to them erected themselves into a hign
court OF enquiry, not only over the executive. bit
over all former legislatures, as far back as Zoo.
e@c'iot whic1possessed equal powers witnthen-
selves. For they resolve e. enquire. rnot hoe ne
mandatory had been conducted since the l,st
meeting of the legislature ;bat) how g. had len
conducted since nS oD,ineaccmecs Hereby over.
hauling The conduct Of t,eit . on redece;soys in
.ofhce- Admitting, however, thlt this long, re-.
prospective enqNpy WAS entirely decorous and
regular, how ought IL 20 Lave Been begun atd
rond1cted ! The m9nagcmcH ofthe insfr utioo.
ma, from ITS commencement, been confdsd ~
law TO the executive 4; a coordinate a,d dis1;G.d
orahch OF the government. One 'WoulI linn
therefore. that thr first enquiries Of The commit.
tee would have been addressed iot that rodv vic
rom their intimate and continual connection 9Th
.he BUSINESS, were tie best qualified 70 fi,rov
light upon IL, andfyom their elevated grade in lie
government, we're best entitled 10 their re.n,,t
and confidence Had the committee made dis
aPPacatiol' they wonld have been pointed, spc