Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-26


tive of facts.
When | came into The administrator
last winter, J found the plan Tor the i,l
provement Oh tie public Square, preyi
ousiy adopted by the executive. also
found thai considerable contracts had
been entered into IN execution of the
plan.
The fund raised by the sale Of the pub
lie property, for delraylng the expense al
The Improvement and repairing the capt.
tol, found in notes on ile purchasers oI
THAT properly, payable and negotiable Al
the Bank OF Virginia Shortly after had
taken my seat Al the board, the necessity
Tor The paymep; OF money occurred. Up
on consulting with The members of the
cenncil, aud more particularly with the
lieutenant 20, crno- on the subject, he
intormed me at the method pursued by
my predecessor, ard concerning II cor
rect, and never !. Wing heard il objected
"a by amy member 0i the council, con
iinued To check for suc!i sums as was
informed by the superintendent was ac-
iualiy due for work performed on the GUS
toniary prices OF labor i'll this city. /
scrupulouSiy avoided advancing except
upon large contracts, when Il Sufficient Sc
curity had been given for the faithful per-
Torrance OF the work.
found Mr. Orris Paine, the supern-
tendant IN the confidence OF the cNecu-
tive, appointed by i!cm TO attend 10 the
details of such duties as II was i'm
possible for the executive to perform, la
wing a due regard for other public bust
ness. lie also had the confidence of The
corporation, being i'll their employment,
in the graduation and Improvement of The
streets of the city. He had the ciiarac
ter of a man of honesty and ability IN his
vocation; | therefore could not hesitate
10 trust him in the dctaiis of the very bu-
siness that he was especially employed 10
perform by The executive. The sudden
and unparalleled rise of public property
in this city, (whether fictitious or not, The
etecutire 0raiied itself Of, and made sale of
about two acres OF unmproyed ground,
for nearly eighty thousand dollars, } togeih-
er with The immense improvements as well
private as public, such as the Banks, the
Docks, the City Hall. the graduation of
the streets, and many others of minOrim-
portance, produced such az increased de
nand for labor, as 10 augment its value
beyond all past experience. This Will ac-
count Tor The price gwen for work and the
delays which have occurred.
never did Interpose In the manage
ment of the work but with view To save
the public money. In The graduation Of
the governors hot, prevented the reduc-
ton of the ground, by which | presume
some thousands OF dollars were saved 10
the fund. The report of The committee
on the necessary repairs of the capitol,
and Godefroy's plan for improving the
square, having been put INTO the hands
of The superintendent before came into
office, did not undertake to object to
The performance of any work done in con-
fornity TO either. was informed by
the superintendent that there would
he saving OF public money, by chang
ing the size tor the governors stable as
LAID down IN Godefroy's plan, and with
that important view, consented that it
should be changed 10 The place where the
building has been commenced.
| have made candid statement of nv
course in relation 10 this subject, willing
that II should be Judged of by the legiS-
lature, TO whom pray that it NAV be sub
mitted.
AS no object can be attributed 10 me
Justly, other than the promotion of the
public good and The interest of the state.
may rely upon the purify of nv mo-
tives and the justice of The legislature,
as sure guarantee against impuiation.
| have the honor 10 be,
Obedienilv,
JAMES P. PRESTON.
TIE Chairman Of The Committee
to chom tCaS referred tile re-
port on Executive eGpenai-
lures.
The first resolution proposed by the
said committee by way of substitute, be-
ing twice read, a motion MAS made bv
Mr.. Blackburn, that the said resolution
20 hx or 81.
word " Resolved" 10 the end thereof, and
inserting, in lieu ofthe words so stricken
therefrom, the following, viz:
Therefore, that il is inexpedient TO
appropriate any further sum of money
towards repairing, improving, enclosing
or ornsmentiDg the capitol or public
square, III the city Of Richmond, in pur-
suance OF the act passed The 29th Fcbrua-
ry, 1916, until such time as the nett pro
ceeds OF lie sales of public proper
~ authorized by that act, (Which, by
the governors communication to this
House of the 18th inst. appears 10 have
b Ell S7S. 5S3 81 cts as also the proceeds
of pubic lot still unsold Oft the value las
By said Accommodation appears) ofS2. 500,
in all amounting to the sum of S8l ,OS3 9i
cents shall have been disbnysed and salts
J0ctoriiy accounted for agreeably TO the
provisions OF that act.
&c ResOtved, also, as il fully appears by
sald communication, that eriSting contracts
and deJts said 10 be due to individuals for
work done, considerably exceed tie entire
fioM confided TO Tue executive by said
act, that no new contracts ought TO be en-
tered, into OH this subject, before those
already made shall have been lin tile o.
pinion of the executive) satisfactorily ex-
ecuted."
And the question being mt thercunon