The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-04-03
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
No. K

The next thing worthy Of notice, in the report
OF the committee, is thu, stated =" Ii also an.
pears to your committee, that in order to remedy
the Inconvenience of not being paid regularly,
some OF the arti6cers, during the last session,
had memorial prepared, intended to be pre- sen.
ted TO the Legislature. in which they stated the
fact OF not being paid when the money became
due, and the consequent injury which resulted TO
them-agsiast any of the officers, it contained
no imputahon, and WAS couched in respectful
terms, towards the superintendent The officers
appeared much displeased with the arsificers con.
serneo. when it came to their knowledge and
lntimations were thrown out by both the Master
Armorers, that if the memorial was presented,
those who had signed it. would be discharged
Some OF the artiEcers, il. consequences thereof
withdrew their names IL appeared also. that
the superintendent proposed TO one Of the artifi.
csrs, that he would procure him the appointment
ofmaster armorer, to fill "a vacancy then expec.
TED, If he would use his influences to procure q
counter memorial"
In refusation, Of this calumny, it il, necessary
ahat should make the explanations which fol.
low, to wit The materials and component parts
OF arms, were delivered out to the artfcefs,
monthly, to be returned by them manufactured
At the end OF each month. BY experience it was
found expedient to adopt q rule, that one
nonth's pay for each artifcer. should IL kept in
arrear, as pledge for the safe return of ali the
articles OF public property put into his hands to
De manufactured. This was a regulation which
4never understood was complained of by any ar
slficer who was well disposed indeed il was
intended only for those of an opposite character.
] have also to observe, that if has been the case
every summer, believe, since the armory went
into operation, that the srtihcers could not OBJ
tan ther pay, owing to the want of money in the
public treasury, and it was for the purpose ofget-
KING their money IS sooa as it was due, Gas was
informed, for had not seen the Paper,) that the
memorial in question, was nteRdeJ to be presen.
ted ts the Legislature. The officers as well az
Che artihcers, often had cause to complain that
tney coutd not receive their pay, in consequence
o. the emptiness OF the treasury. How then
could 1t happen, the committee have stated,
that ths oSsesrs sers muck dispieascd" in rela-
ton to that memorial? They might have been
disPleased at the disorderiy conduct of some of
the artihcers, which not unfrequently the
case but the memorial gave no cause for dis.
pleasure ; nor did hear either of the MASTER arr
inorers or the clerk, express a wish that the me.
xnorial should not be presented But it is stated
that Proposed effhe artfcers. RIA, would
procure hin; the appointment Of master arnorey
70 fH vacancy then e<see'ed, if he would use Ia.
sstuenee to procure a countsy-n,esnoyiaI" Does
TINS assertion bear the semblance of truth The
memorial had for its object the immediate oh.
eainment OF money, as soon as it was due A
counter memorial, if it should have had any effect,
would have prevented it: What advantage then,
IN any point ofvew, could derive from coun-
ter memorial If the memorial had been pre-
scented, and the Legislature had passed an act
which would ensure, that the money appropriated
FOR the nanufactoryof Arms, should ALWAYS be
ready in the Treasury to be-paid to the artlhcers
the moment it was earned, would that operate in
any respect against me. And If that act should
have declared that the months pay of each arti.
Aeer should not be kept in the treasury as an in.
demnItcaton of the public, for the articles in his
hands would that have affected me in any man.
ner whatsoever What interest then what
motive was there to induce me to propose to o.e
OF the workmen,, that if he would use his infu.
ence to procure counter memorial, would pro-
sure him the appointment of master armorer
AN ONCE which was not vacant, and if it it had
been, the Executive alone had the power to ap-
point person to gil it.
As to the counter-m memorial, do not recollect
xhat ever heard of it, until heard it mentioned
IN the committee room. Nor had /, at the time
$he memorial was prepared, ever heard either Of
che master armourers express intention of
resignlng, nor did expect vacancy in either
OF the Offices held by them, nor did ever pro.
mise to procure it for any arti6cer. Let it be re-
collected that the memorial in question, was
prepared and was intended to be presented to the
Legislature during the session Of 1908 and 9,
twelve months before this committee made their
report: but even at that distant period it was
conlured up, and made to appear in gigantic and
frightful form, by this woRder-working commit
tee Should any person suppose, was appre-
hensfve that the regulation we found it necessa-
~ to adopt in relation to the keeping in the Trea-
sury, months pay of the srtifcers as a pledge,
as has been stated, was the cause Of that memo.
rial; to such will observe, that adhered as
strictly TO this regulation the year folio wing, as
did the year before the drawing up the memorial,
and unite tbs end ofmy agency at the armoury.
JOHN CLARKE.