Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-04-11

month, as already * aimed. to Young.
Inc committee had nut little more to
do to have completely developed the
whole matter-hrst to have Lno,yr,
from Young the names of the persons
employed, aud next the wages. IF
they had thought sit to make these en-
cures they would have discovered thar
these mill wrights. represented TO be
the best IN the country, were Jos-nb
Young, an illiterate man, fit only TO
execute the plans of others-Ans-
worth, a plain honest man, who thoupht
himself well paid az 80 dollars a month
Philip Hamilton, weakly sickiv
young MN, who had been one OF
Clarke's apprentices. They would
have found, that their wages did nor
exceed, one month with another. GIG
or s 80. They would have found that
more than three times as much was
drawn for the service of those men. bv
warrants obtained bv orders of Clarka
in favor of Joseph Young, aud that af-
Ter the wages, the balance was paid o.
yer to Clrke. They would have
found that by these means S10i25. SO
cents had been drawn from the Trea-
sury, tor the labour ofmen whose wa
ges would not exceed dolls. 1000 ar
the most: and from these data. thew
have thought fit to report, referring to
the same facts, that [ had published
what was false and groundless, where
as very slight examination of the
subject will demonstrate that these
terms were exactly applicable to them
selves and their own Erroneous re-
port. Az
The committee of the legislature
have taken these things into consider
ation--tney have full, examin / the
subject and the following are the adj
ditional fac.s. Young was summon
ed to give testimony,-upon exami.-
nation he tainted, -uter several days
he was again examined, and after
mach difficulty IT appeared that his own
wages were dolls. 40 10 As amount.
Ainsworth's 80
Hamilton's 20
hat Clarke made out and certified
the claims in the name OF Young
that Young drew the money and after
paying himself and the others, the o.
verplus was regularly paid TO Clarke-
that Clarke drew up Youngs, ali Iavit.
1t was copied by George Dabney, it
was sworn to exparte before George
Williamson on the first day of Decem.
two days before the com ,nittee met at
the armor,'.
Young further admits that, he was
induced to believe that the number of
days work amounted to 1926 from
Clarke's presentations, who allede-
ed, that he knew the number from
memoranda formerly givento him by
Young-and that he had no other ac-
count or data---than the assertions of
John Clark .---If the committee of the
executive had thought proper to inter-
rogate upon these points, they would
have discovered all these facts. and
then, instead of stating that my publi-
cation was false, and grouudless they
might have reported, that it was sub
stantlally true and that the supsrinten-
dant had drawn out Of the Treasury.
upon these transactions, without ha.
wing rendered the smallest service, at
least dolls. $4,000.
1t the committee had BEEN disposed
to do justice to their coun ry--. sheir
ofhce, or to the cause of lrI.d, they
would have asked at Last a single
question concerning the voluminous
account of 295 separat. and distinct
items, without date, price or certainty,
replete with the indefinite terms sun
dry and etcetera they would have de-
manded, asight of the original accounts
books, documents, or memoranda from
which the account was formed.
SUI h was the state meut, and such
the arguments offered by me to the
committee such were the open and
ingenious means used, to put it in their
power TO form a just view ofthe enor.
nous and unexampled turpitude which
had been practised by John Clarke, in
the manner Of obtaining public money;
and concealing The truth and what was
III 4