Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-24
srs refused to attend without being sum

moned, deemed IL more proper to ex
press my sentiments TO the connittee By
letters which will be found in the two ias.
columns Of the enclosed paper.
Tue other parts OF the same paper ex-
hibit propositions for future proceeding.
which will demonstrate, that my conduct
does not proceed from a desire to stop the
MAXI of arms. but rather to prevent the
further making Of such as are uafi. for
their Intended purposes. and to procure
them as cheap as possible.
have the honor
to be your most y.
ooedient serv.t
HENRY BANKS.
Richmond, December, 26, 1853
After address & charges were read,
the committee went through. them again s.
decided, one by one, whether they contain
ed N tier worthy of enquiry. And sepa-
rate questions were taken upon each. All
except six, to wit, NJ. 9. l., i8, 10, 81, AZ,
were adopted, and then the witnesses we're
called in and sworn Except one, all the
witnesses were immed ately excluded from
the room SUIT before his examin ,tion
commenced debste ensued whether
should be excluded or not. A good deal
was said upon this subject, but it was well
enough known that was not witness, bur
the conspirators did not like my company
NV spirit was rather two inqusitivc for
their designs. They had no nope TO sus.
tain their characters, but Oyinood- mixing
the committee, and procuring from them, a
report to correspond with those already no.
ticed. 1 took an opportunity of informing
the committee that was not a witness nor
capable Of proving from my own personal
knowledge one single charge. This d cla-
ration bad no effect. They determined
that was witIsss, and examined me
through the wa1ie list of charges, NOT sa-
tisfisd with taking this course they inter
roy tted me, and often, two or three at the
same time, u ION questions which could on
" be answered by the most ski fu work.
man. Some If them end ravored, CO to their
shane be IL sboken to en,angle and entrap
ME by The mu ttuje, inconsi tency and OPP
poste tendencies OF their questions; and
for VIII t pus pose? To vtiate my testi-
mony! No, becsuse 1 could give none.
What thenl To fix If they could do it,
stigma upon nv character One day Was
not enough for this ordeal. 1t required a
second, aud then hlving wearied them
selves, they conlescended to give me respite
Perhaps more ridiculous or d sgricefu,
free was never acted II would seem thar
some of the members of the committee,
had lost all sense of respect for themselves
and their stations, Otherwise, some o! the
questions would aever nave been PROFOUND :
ed.
In the course o. my examination / men,
toned, that in my youth had levied at Mt'
Hunte RS works near Frederic ksburg, where
bar iron was made. aud where also, mus
kets, pistols and swords were IN anufacturen,
and that had strong recollec,ions of many
things which then occurred. The infor.
nation given upon these points was not
pleasing TO the conspirators. Ii was evil.
dent that if / was correct, the public IN
terests, in regard 20 the armory, had oeen
most shamefuily negiected-that the mus
kets were worthless-that they had cost
BY far too much--and that they deserved
no confi,lelce-some members Of the cosn
mttec, SITTING at their ease AMI not feeling
for me, then many hours on my feet, &C
casionally put the most childish and spor-
tive QUE stions 70 me Among others, one
asked whether swords were made OF com
mon bar irops To him lrepiied swords,
sir, are made of steel. Another said pray
Mr. Banks, how old W re you when you / :
we'd AT NJ Hunters works very promptly
To whom rcpl ed. AID with ,omc ndig-
nation, because | saw the dupc of the ques
ton. II lived there elGost TWO ye ,rs, 81
course cannot exactly answer your qu-s-
ton but was old enough, previously tc
my iiv,ng there, TO have performed dlly
as a volunteer against the public enemy. =
This question IS, some time after re,eat
ed by anuther--and tc him ! replied i wa.
old enough To have kept tue books and &c
have received as high wages AS any Other
clerk had ever received for the like ser.
vice.
When about to call another to witness, q
question arose, whether ought not to be
excluded, accord ng TO the rule made on Z
proceeding day. Much debate ensued, wher
it was observed that as | hhd made the
charges, and was responsible for them.
ought to be permitted to 81 " in the room
The examination then began. & Mr. Tho
mas Humes, az artificer equally respect
able for his skill as a workman, his morals
as a man and his excellend understanding
wasthe ffstez imined. His testimony cor.
roborated al that had said in relation Z,
the bad quality of the arms, and also sup
ported many Of the other charges. After
Mr. Hume WIS examined, che doors was O.
pened, and all the witnesses were admit
ted.
The testimony of Mr. Hume. was so point
ted so forciable and sopersp icupus, that Il