Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-04-18


Years in that character, and expressly de-
lnies any knowledge of those contrivances,
lcsrried on in the Name of Joseph Young, BY
which such immense sunIs OF money were
drawn from the treasury-so that, howe.
liver well they might be known, or however
much justified by other members, they were
unknown to general Wo;r.
When these important facts are cousidl
Tered, it will be impossible to allow such Gre
dit to any testimony, from other members,
(which can justify the enormous expendt-
tture of S a9,4e4 81, upon machinery, FIX
lures, apparatus, Sec, when the whole work;
according To the opinion OF George Wiul-
famson, or according to the real wages Of
the hands, would not exceed 8 5000.
| am somewhat mortified TO Ii id how
cheaplv my talents were estimated by Ms
Rae, Heath and Munford, when they made
their false, groundiess aud cal,mnious re-
iport. Could they suppose that should be
awed by their names, by their dgnified
stations; or that lengthy iesuitical afida-
wits, drawn with great derserity and Gun.
ming, would not be probad and thoroughly
lsitted Or did they suppose that my own
personal esteem for Col. Monroe, which
they, and he, had cause to know was cons-
lder1ble, would induce me to submit, with.
out even a nurmur, to the stigm, which
his letter was calculated 20 efectl
! 1t is with regret, extreme regret, indeed.
that an obliged TO treat Col. Monroe's
letter with so little respect; but he has en-
tangled himself and his name without due
consideration, with persoos acting under
the garb offriendship who have used them
for wicked purposes and thus has he COM
PEELED me, to suppress strong emotions of
lpersoDal esteem, and devote my pen to self.
lpreservasion. But great rs these incite.
ments are, have NOT trespassed upon his
feelings, further than is supported by truth
and good manners. | am indeed sorry 10
md the name of Monroe connected with
| such men and Tor such purposes
J Yes, I have sifted and exposed all the
testimony, concerning the suppression OF
which John Clarke, and his amanuensis, his
| friends, advocates, sc. have attempted 70
| excite the people TO commotion and insur
rection-and TO what does 1t amount?
| Joseph Young, the hle-leader, has COM
pleteiy disproved all that his afIidavits con-
tanned.
| George Williamson, in his explanation
shews that Clarke has even drawn from
the treasury upwards OF twenty one thouA
| sand dollars.
I Daniel Atherthon not being in the coun-
Try when great part of the work, refer
red to IN ms afhdavtt was done, knew NO.
thing about the depended upon faifh
/ created, no doubt, in the sarno way that JoA
lssph Young obtained mis- kaozv!edge, by a
reliance on the memory and veracity of
John Clarke.
i And lastly the letter of Col. Monroe.
which is equally fatal to itself and useless
to John Clarke.
After majority of the committee had
made 1p their minds upon all this testimo
ny, after it had been weighed and was
found wanting, the examinations Of MIR ae.
Heath and Munford come on, * they shall
De the SUBJECT ot the next enquiry. Oh liz:
enHtable Hogarth! zyonldst chou had been
there.
1t has been already Aoticed that the mo-
ney was drawn for the machinery by GER.
tificates of John Clarke, either IN favor OF
himself, or In favor Of Joseph Dung, and
IN tins way the treasury was depr we'd of
,462 So. The certificates, amer oh.
tanning the sanction of the executive coun-
Gil, ware lodged in the Aud tors Office.
, warrants being issued 0y the auditor, the
money was drawn from the treasury. so
4 that although, such claims appeared to
have such high authority, yet when the
' mater is examined, Clarke Certified. with
out check or confront, what he pleased, &
never failed to get the money, so that the
treasury was as much open TO him as if IL
had been his own
The following is the form Of the certfi-
oates.
81 certify thar the machinery of the
mandatory Of arms has arrived TO stage
at which, by contract, i am entitled to re. :.
ceive s $50.
JOHN CLARKE"
Upon such certificates as this John
: Clarke drew the whole g 1o,O57 SIS excent
5 100, positively stating IN them that the
work had arrived at such stage that he
was entitled to the sum drawn for, when
10! 1t now appears, by his own ackdowIedx-
ment, that the Contrnct was abandoned,
ana that he never executed work for more
than s 1867 =. 1t also appears by the expla..
nation made by George Williamson in the
: lobby, on the day of his election, THAI the
: work done in pursuance of the contract was
not worth more than two thousand dollars.
= 1t is not only proved, but admitted, when
o these plain aud positive certificates were
+, issued, and when the public money was
0 thus traudently obtained, that the con
Q tract had not arrived to the stage which
] authorised them TO be issued, but had been
abandoned, so that there was nos a, the
[ ltime when the money waa draVvr evos =.