The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-19

The pistols, though otherwise we'll executed,
yet being OF the calibre Of muskets and larger
than ordinary pistols, render them unwieldY and
not SO we'll calculated TO answer the purpo1es OF
WAT. .ta
The swords are generally composed of fine
materials < well executed many Of them are much
curved in their form, which renders it difficult to
draw and return them" - d.
Upon these several complaints, shall merely
remark, that the first half dozen men who could
be picked up in the streets. would make judges
fully as competent To decide upon the construc-
ton aud quality OF arms, as the half dozen on
the committee who voted for that report
AS to the rifles, they were made by some of
the most skiliu rifle makers I could procure
from Lancaster in Pennsylvania, a place famed
tor the gaod quality of the rifles made there &
the rifles made by those men, at the Virginia ma
nniac,ory of arms, have been much admired for
their g"od quality and construction BY the most
experienced and best rihemen.
The pistols carry nMsket ball, and are some,
what larger than the co,nmon pistols, but they
are so much preferred, tias the officers ofthe ca
vairy who have always had It in their power to
receive the smaller kind, since We commenced
the making ofthe Larger, (there being both kinds
at the armory,> invariably chose the large Pts
tolls.
The cavalry swords were made somewhat in
imitation of the Turkish sabre they arc more
curved than common swords. These like the
large pistols, we've so much preferred, that a!tho'
there were great number ofthe common horse
mans swords at the armory, the officers of ca
vairy would never receive them when they could
obtain the curved swords. AS the curve of The
last mentioned sword, accords with the circle
described by the hand in drawing and returning.
those operations are more easily performed with
the curved than with the straight sword
Only one subject OF the report remains unno-
tced It's, indeed, the most important l mean
that which rejects on my personal iateg gritty but
as this has been made the ground OF suit Sg .inst
me, whichis now depending beiore the general
court, am advised by my council, that i, would
be IN law, considered as cont empt Of that court
to publish any thing on that subjcct, which ight
give bias to the public mind. ain no lawyer !:
but confess 1t seems strange to me, that the lie
g'sla'nre should have published their report. cal-
culated to hx and rivet prejudice against re,
on the public mind, If such publication, i'm an
individual, would be deemed contempt Etis
surely much more likely that prejudice should
be produced By the official report of a iepisls.
tirc than by the defensive anin,atyersions of he
individual In this, in every other part of their
proceedings, therefore, have too much re as on
to complain of injustice and oppression yet l
look with pleasing confidence to- jury Of my
countrymen. pho rDiH hear all the tvideAse who
Will have 40 popularity to- promote, by crushing
an individual but who, on the contrary, will de.
rive as much pleasure from restoring his reputa
ton To the ground which il ought to occupy, AS o.
thets have had in traducing it.
Thus, fellow citizens, have exposed the false.
hood and deception OF the report made by the ac-
ting members of that committee i mean the
small portion of the committee who never failed
to attend lis sittngs, through the whole course OF
that unusually long session of the Legislature,
and who, by the extreme and unremitting parti-
atty shewn in the discharge of the duties which
ad paa IN 81,
sign to them; and the strong hostility manifested
oy them against me, excited IN the minds of The
more numerous and patriotic part Of that commit
tee, such sentiments of adherence and disgust.
that they seldom attended its sit,ings. In conse
quence of which, about half dozen men of a
committee composed of upwards OF twenty mex,
bers, were enabled to carry to the House, one 81
the most fiagitious reports ever presented to q
Legislative body. One of those constant at.en
dants ofthe committee vote Gas legslatorl for
preventing rifles from being made at tie n,anufac
tory established by the commonwealth, for the
sole purpose of making arms /: and afterwards
(being blacksmith contracted to make them
himself, and applied to me byletter, to know fhe
could be furnished from the Virginia manufsct,.
ny OF arms, with locks to be attached to his rifles
And another OF those constant attendants OF thi s
committee. on the same day, or perhaps the next.
after that on which the report WAS laid before the
house, became candidate for a master urmo-
report
which he voted, both in committee and in the
House and he occuDies that Office at the said
manufactcry at this time. Without imputine a.
ny improper motives, only ask where was The
efficacy of this proceedngi
Having at length waded through this polluted
stream, and having proved the falsehood and de-
ception OF that notorious report. permit me to re.
m 'rk, that it is to be lamented, as one of the
greatest of evils, and is highly injurious to the
prosperity and welfare of cur country, that ma.
ny OF the most artfL, intrigneing and worthless
men IN the community, cmtrve TO get them
selves elected to our Legislature who, while
they profess great zeal for the public good, and
pretend to be great economists of the public mo-
ney, squan1er Thousands upon thousands, and 50
crifi e the best interests of our country at the
shrine of their own popularity and seli-argran.
dizement; to promote which, they often descend
to me ans too contemplate to be even suspected
by honest and patriotic men and ifyou continue
to eHtr,ist such men with your dearest and most
valuable rights, it will not merely end in the des.
tructisn of our public Institutions, but also, OF
the government itself.
JOHN CLARKE.
Mr. Clarke's Pieces concluded J