Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-21

| Tee engaged In examining this host oil wit
nesses ON that long and mu.tifarious string
lof charges: and this has heen called, hear
ling me lin the Course of the business,
they condescended, indeed to examine two
Tor three members of the executive at my
desire, and few other witnesses on COLA
lteral points but that evidence, which went
directly to meet and repel the only serious
Icharges against me, they hut by, as being
illegal and inadmissible; although shall
offer to you the most satisfactory proof, that
lit was not only legal and admissible +; but,
to any candid and liberal mind, coneinsiue,
that khe charges against me were sWtAouf
foundation in truth.
So much time had been consumed in the
examination of these witnesses, that the
committee was brought nearly to the close
of their session. The House was impa-
ticnt for their report and equally impatient
to rise and get to their families. Mr.. Oley,
the gentleman before mentioned, moved
that sub. committee of three should be
lappointed TO draft the report : and a sub
committe was accordingly appoin, led, con.
sisting OF the Chairman and Mr.. Otey, of
course and of Mr.. Brockenbrough of Han
lover. had hoped and expected that af.
ter the general committee had gone through
with the examination chalk ed out for the m
10y Henry Banks, they would have inform
ed me which of the charges, If any, they
| thought so sustained as to require explain
alton or requiring proof on my part L.
appeared to me that Justice and equity ma !
turaliy dictated this measure. But my
hopes and expectations were In vain The
sub. committee was appointed ; and, with
out knowing or asking the sentiments of
he general committee on a single charge,
they withdrew to express those sentimen, s,
L in their ntv xayo . a;
ination of the documents in the auditors
Iofice had taken place. On Sunday, being
the day before the sub. committee made
their report to the general committee,
saw Daniel Shelley, tn chairman, and took
the liberty of suggesting to him that il
would be impossible 10 satisfy all the en-
lquiries directed by the. resolution Of the
{house OF Delegates, without going down in
to the Auditors Office and examining the
documents deposited there. He wanted 10
know whether he could not get into the
Office on that day for the purpose of max
ing this examination as it was Sunday,
this could not be done. A few hours on
Monday morning only, were left to him for
this purpose: and in these few hours Mr.
Shelley affects to have made an examina
ton, winch the pronPtcst genius upon earth
could not have achieved in as many DAYS
/ j.
ton however, stands the authority of all
those calculations which go to inpeach the
veracity OF my annual reports and the in
itegrity Of my character. ] shall, hereaf.
ter, go over this ground after Mr.. Shelly
and Will shew that these calculations de.
pend less on the evidence of public dncu
ments than on the inspirations G. Mr.. Shelf
fey's genius You will preceive, however.
that those calculations, founded on evidence
Hastily examined by the sub. comm;,tee
only, and not seen at all by the penerai
committee, constitutes by far the most i'm !.
lportant part OF the report. Such as it was.
fthe report was submitted on the Monday
morning, to the general com mittee and y
member OF that committee, complaining
that he was called upon to vote in the dark.
I becaus he had not seen the evidence ON
which the sub committee had in crra,
measure reported the chairman observed.
that the object of the report would be de
! feated by any longer delay that is to saw
!, that the general committee was 10 tax
4 the word of the sub. COMMITTEE and vo.c
for the report without seeing the evidence
as the house WAS afterwards desired Tn
takeithe word Of the general Committee
y and vote Tor the report on their autboritv.
a small majority Of the general committee
did adopt the report in the dark and bring
II down TO the house when IL WIS usher.
4 ed In, by the chairman, with consider ,ble
solemnity, as the act Of the whole commit
tee of twenty one; while in truth, as
you will perceive, it was in a very great
degree, iittle more than the act of ID iniel
Shelly the chairman of the general and
sub committee. guided and directed by
Henry Banks. How it was acted upon in
the House of Delegates, ! have already
: shewn you. And thss dwinde and vanish
the imposing names and authorities of the
armory committee and House of Delegates
as having given by their sanction, weigh,
and authority To this report.
You have already been informed tina,
z the House Of Delegates. saw nothing Of the
Ievidence on which the report was founded
because they presumed that their commit
tee had seen IL. You now perceive thai
the committee themselves did not see tina
important branch of the evidence in the au
ditor's once which relates to tho dis5urse
ment Of the public money, and on which
all the calculations In the report are founded
How superficial, imperfect and err neou
those calculations are, how uncandid ant
: ilIiberal the whole complexion Of the re
; lport ; how much have been aggrievet
4. and oDDresQp1 nv tho refuaoI ~ h..'r -, -