The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-28

KY 10 tne pcOp!c, by heavy complaints, and
siro;y charges against the various branches of
the government, but chiefly against the Execu.
tive, These attacks upon the Executive, ard at
ternpts to render them cdious 10 the people, are
neaciy as old as Mr.. Shefey's representative cha
r+ttr. One of he most distinguished poiiticalacts
by which that gentleman first brought bimsclfin-
To notice, was an assault upon the Executive, at
the close of gov. Monroe's administration. The
history of that memorable attack is too yolumi.
nous to be here inserted, and having so reccntl,
occurred, the insertion uf it, even it it might be
confined Within a narrow compass, is perhaps
Unnecessary But these vino are I'M ;cuuainted
with the particulars of that c.iort, fortunately, AS
uaavailing .sit was odious, may obtain full intor-
TIC subject, by referring TO the Jour.
mails ot IL. Hause OF Delegates, Session 1902 ).
lrefer TO tins circumStailce, to shcw that the
attack which has been recently made upon the
Executive, through my sides, is = part only Of a
settled system of policy to undermine the consti-
futon OF the state. My ruin WAS merely inciden-
tai and 9suhordinate to this grand scheme. 1t
was known TO the prime movers OF this persccu-
ton, that 1 had never drawn, and had no power
to draw one cent of the public money, but under
the sanction of the Executive, and on the WAY
rant CT the Auditor hence to convict me of
drawing more money than l was entitled To, was
10 uhfow oduIm upon the Executive, and promote
the great object ofdisgIsting you with your GO
vernment and disposing you to consent 10 call L
convention. In that call of a convention, Il few
Individuals, in the House, (for l ;mpute this de
SiSh, only 10 a iew,l SAW the cOnsuamation "a all
tleir hopes and wishes the foundations of the
present government loosened and torn up the
balance or Legislative power prepOuderating to
tic west or, in the ci1siing and celvulsion OF
10 cal interests, the state ript sssImder, ard a Sc
perate government formed beyond the Ridge.
Such IS a general view ofthat House. to which
at the eve of their adjournment, & after thew had
manifested the most marked impatiencc to rise,
the long expected report of the armory commit.
tee, was at length brought down, and such was
the state otmind in which that report was adop-
ted--a great part of the members, either incapa
ble OF compromising lis calculations and state
mcnts. or unwilling TO take the time and trouble
to 90 lt-anOther part, believing that the report
contained nothing Of criminal accusation, but
merely charged NE with neglect-another part,
prepared Ivy the intrigucs and false statements OF
incendIarics, out OF doors, 90 believe every thing
th was infamous of me-anothcr, rciyinp ON
the statements OF the conRittee, and fred and
blinded with honest Indignation, at the imaginary
wrongs done to their country-and the few, the
more dangerous few, WHO conuivcd and worked
the whole machinery, laughing in their sleeves at
the storm which they had raised, felicitatinp
themselves on the adroilness with which thcv had
masked their favoritc s~tratagcm, behind Il patriot
&c tace, and enjoying, by anticipation, the down
tail ct the executive, < ofthc government. I'm
i'iiS SIlSt bl GNaSVCrilien N 1GNcf'Sl nun ltIpncp
to get TO their families, l HAD but little hone of .
calm and impartial hearing. lowed it, however.
to myself and TO nav children. not to fail without
\ struggle. l prepared a memorial, in very scre,t
h,Ste, but cioathed in language of respect, which
l addressed go the Speaker, AID in which 7 en-.
deavnred to awaken the House to the reeollecti-
on, tnst / WIS a VlrglnIan, their fellow-citizer
an !, according to the Bill of Rights and Consti.
futon OF my country, entitled to hearing before
| should b. condemned. IcOmplained tiat so FAR
from being heard, did not even know She char.
Ges which had been made against ne. by the
committee, having never so much as heard their
report read. stated, however, that had col
iected from the information Of those who had
heard 1t, the principal charges which it contained,
and l comDated those charges i'm nv memorial
| understood that they had charged me PRINCIPAL.
iy-lst. With neglect, in failing to procure the.
best ron And Endiy. With having drawn from
the public treasury, under the sanction of the ex-
ecut'e, more money than I WAS entitled TO re-
ceivs. complained that had, before the com
l'Ittee, oherede evidence upon tlose points, which
they had refused To hear. This evidence AGAIN
rendered TO the House as cOnclusive!y reDeilin.r
,i1 Charges aGainst me-by sie',ing-l That /
lid made every effort. in the power of man, n
rtHladelpni1, IN Baltimore, and H. various manu-
i4ctorles ct IRON, in this state, TO procure the best
t'tt could be obtained / offered TO shew that fine
number OF g'm-barrels, which had bnrsteJ here.
Nf'N' I'' 'tp'I, ana WiliCE was supposed TO de.
monstrate the bad quality of the IRON. was NOT so
greet as The number which bursted at the IN nj.
factory Of Springfield, in Massachusetts. which
IS deemed the best institution on the continent
'hc Virginia mandatory excepted: On the 2ni
point, ! offered Witnesses, land among others. =
magistrate Of the county ct Henr;.o. a man vino
mas been since hoN0red with q most decisive tes.
lhhon'ai OF the confidence OF the legisllturei TO
prove mat every atom of the work .1r which
mao drawn = cent OF money, had been really and
G'ui! doHe, and was richly worth the price which
had been drawn cor it. Had the evidence been
heard, the whole fabric OF the charges against
me would have dissolved and vanished. Tbo;s.
therefore, VIII" were anxious to push the report
I'FouSh the House, opposed, most vehcmently.
the r,adig OF the evidence, and m their van.
SIood Daniel Shetev, the chairman of the com
mittee and father Of the report.
d warm and animated debat. ensucd. The
reAdIng OF the evidence was insisted on IS a con.
suthtipnal Hght:lt was commended that to refuse Tn
hear 1T, WAS TO dis'ranchisc free Jan o;bis birth.
rlSht-ior reduce him below the level oftpe y,ssoI
OF monarch-that il would be to practise against
one OF Their " constituents, a degree OF ont
rage OF tyranny and dcspostism, which ourlt
not TO be endured in Il land of liberty, and wijcl.
would be disEraceful to the legislature. But
r@nment was lost, where prejudice had already
decided the question on hearing the evidence
was put and determined in the NEGATIVE b., a ma
Joiiy OF three seYanty-three voting ,rainst fin.
hearing and seventy COR it. On tie next d,v tLr
proposition was renewed in a different form +,
was proposed that the House should apDo;nt q
CnInU.Iftpp NJ AFTas 9 - f.ln a. IT,.