Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-11-11

| added in the note, that although no iegsI oh.
| lection was apprehended, nevertheless should
other objections exist, they would be respect
| fully considered.
| This enquiry was made, because it had been
| iDdiStluctly reported, that certain tenements
fronting % The Battery" had been purchased
otthe corporation, with an informal understand
| ing, that no building .,Iouid be erected between
them and the water; and, altho' il was quite
| clear that an understanding of that nature
could not AFFECT rights expressly granted, yet
Gen. -. was desirous OF learning what were
the feelings and the wishes OF the citizens on
the subject, aud oi governing himself accord
ngly. Ills note, therefore, Was purely com
plmentary. Soon alter itwas delivered seve
raj memberS OF the corporation came on the
premises to ascertain the positions the build
| inss were 10 occupy, their dimensions, style,
Nc. The explanations offered appeared per-
ieetiy satisfactory, at least No objection was
~ the end of some four weeks, no answer
was received from the corporation: and Gen.
,. concluded that the subject could not he con-
siuered very Important 10y that body. Accord
iIlgy, on the 3Jth OF July, being about To
waT department, for permission 10 build, &c.
which requests were promptly granted, and
the quarter master hdh orders to provide the
necessary materials The work however WAS
not Immediately commenced, Gen. s. being
abSeut on tour OF sumo seven weeks to the
distant posts OF his command. On hiS return
TO the city, he found tiat the corporation had,
on tile i2;h of August adupteda report, made
by "A special committee on the subject OF his
note 10 the mayor
The report does NO, allelge. and contine it
sell 70 the allegation, that the proposed offices
womld abridge the i,ibiic walk, or ob>truot the
view of the harbor, iii is believed that no
such object Oh could fairly lave been made )
BAT takes the broad ground that tie H. s. have
not HE right 10 erect rnblIc offices on the pre-
niises. aud no request is made to Gen. s. To
fF,r "a
dent. Had such request been made, or any
Other, founded on the pleasure, the convent
ence OF even the pride OF the citizens, without
denial Of the right 10 build, it would have
been most cheertully complied with. The cor
pnrstion, how ever, chose 10 give the subject
The form OF a mere question OF iaw-of private
property between A. aud b. and as such, Gen.
.. was Wiling to bring II before the proper
Judicial tribunal Accordingly, he ordered that
the work should be commenced, intending 10
proceed omit, until some Official request should
be rereiVcd from the corporation, or Until he
should he laid under an Injunction ia the con
trarN. by some civil cnnrt or lastly until
stopped blythe order ofone OF his military su.
pcrlorS-
The foundation OF the small buildings had
scarcely been laid, when newspaper niiani-
cd aud to".. possession of the public mud, by a
SINGLE dash OF The PENN stating, that Il range I
Of barracks was TO be erected Instead OF two
small offices. The poison instantly dis
selniuatcd aud all hope of explanation at an
emu. Onutr lneSe circumstances tie COlpO- l
ration met on the 9th OF October. General ).
was informed by member, that no request
was 10 be expected from that body aud he adj
dressed his second note TO the mayor. in which,
after denying that any diSreSpect had been in |
tended, by his silence on Tie subJect OF the re- |
port. he adds that he is then determined TO 20 |
on with the buildings in question, unless stop |
ped by the civil authority, OF some military SIT
periOr; meaning OF course, process from some |
civil cont, or ah order from the president or |
the secretary of war. The day following, the |
street commissioner, on simply exhibiting TO !
the superintendent of The workmen, his au- |
thoritS from the common council, TO that eft |
feet, put stop To the building, and the work |
men were sent TO their respective companies |
Gen. =. however, refused 20 remove the build |
ng materials, collected on the grouaJ, as he |
wished All action 10 be instituted against him, |
toi .hat refusal aud. under which the QtieS- |
ton Of right might have been judicially deci- !
ded; declaring, at the same time, as he had |
uniformly declared, from the moment that the |
wishes OF the citlZeus had been ascertained, |
that ii the question should be decided in f:a- |
ivOr of the o. 5. he world immediately re- |
quest permission Of the government to wave |
it. No action, however, has been brought ; |
an omission, ON the part OF the corporation,
which has deprived Gen. $. OF the Ofliy oDDor-
tuiiity left him by the circumstances OF the !
ease, OF lnstifyiDg his conduct before judicial
tribunal OF his country.
But tins is not the only complaint that he
has 10 make IN relation - thIs Controversy
-,
Their was adopted, prohibiting the passage of |
horses or carriages across te Battery, 10 or
from Castle Clinton-a measure which had !
as was triumphaniiy stated, a particular aim
not TO be mistaken. Gen. ). is BOTH a man and
a soldier, and, therefore, could not complain
in being personally sbged 10 walk 10 tie CITY.
10 matter what The hour, the season, or tile
wi ather. nevertheless, the corporation was
not disappointed in its vengeance for ii was
known that Gen. ). was NOT the sole resident
OF the Castle. S-Let that honorable BODY go on
then 10 multiply its public ed.Eces, and adorn
them with the pictures OF heroes and wor-
thies-stiil the city Will not be acknowledge
ed as the Athens of America, whilst this act
IS remembered by men of sentiment or mag
naniBity.
70 keep up the general excitement so hap
pay effected by the great leading falshOOd, in
respect 10 hlTrackS, several nIisstatemenfs
were resorteu TO. Thus il was sad, that the
woIkmen were doubled 70 steal maych on the
corporation. The number OF soldiers employ
ed as mechanics and iabOrers, was originally
eight; but the day before the above pnblica-
ton two of them were sent over to Governors
Island. on charge of intoxicatiOn, and their
places were never supplied. Again; il was
generally reported that troops were brought
over from the Island, with view TO this con
troVersy. Castle Clinton has a small guard
bat has had no garrison since the late war
The guard has usually consisted of a SER
geant, corporal aud nine privates but from
the first TO the 18th of October, there were on
~ the tive DOn-cOmmIssiOned officers and seven
privates, who were daily relieved from Govern
Ors Island.
An ingenious attempt has been made to as
sociate with the recent transactions, an oc-
currence that took place on the Battery in
1914, between an Italian sentry and somebody
else. II is believed, that the military on dti
~. at the time stated, were of that species of
troops called militia, and taken from the DO.
som of the city of New York. Gen. s. was
then IN the ene'ny's country, aud surely can
not be held responsible for ihe conduct of the
italian sentry. Bnt persons walking on the
Battery are cautioned against iighfs Iode-
ing vih the guard at Castle Clinton. Insi.