Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-24
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 2I.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER


The committee of the House of Delegates TO
whom was referred the governors cOmmuui-
catien OF the 18th instant, relative TO The i'm
provement on the capitol, and the public
square. made their report 10 the House OF
Delegates on the 10Th instant. BEFORE that
report was made, waited on the chairman of
The committee, III consequence my being
implicated In the communication made 20 Tie
ftonSU o. DeseSates, 20 know whether I could
be permitted 10 explain that part OF The com.
innnication that evidently east cenSurt upon
me. was answered by the chairman that
was not knolCn to the house or the committee
that it was matter between the Executive
Council and myself; and that witt, then.
must settle the business. Net satisfied TO
rest under the imputdtloH that was cast upon
me, L, a second time, called on the chairman
OF Tue committee, aud found him engaged
with company. On the iEorninx of the igib
instant. addressed a letter to iIim-wh ich
Teller l requested might he laid before The
committee who were 10 report on the subject
TO WHICH letter L received the sHbjOlned
reply. Believing, as did, that was not TO
be Introduced into their report 10 the House
oil Delegates, what must have been nv aston
ishinent TO find that was principal charac
Ter III this hleto drama OF report TO their body.
III Tie twelfth paragraph, am introduced
10 publc notice; IN the seventeenth aIagraph
am hetd up as Il very important character a
creature greater than the creator d person who
hdH inc art OF UoTnnag himself so completely
INTO The confidence of the Executive Council
| as TO get from them the enormous sun of
81 20 O6 cents, for the repairing the capitol
ana tue Improvement OF the square" From
me report, IL would be supposed that nothing
| had been done on the capitol, aS the statue OF
| Washing ton was not " sheltered from the melt
| ingS OF tie storm or the nciemencies of the
| season, aud Ike house from the deficiency of
inc exterior, was rottIng, soaking, and delus ed
with water" Had the eyesight Of the commit
tee so completely failed them, that they could
| moi see that the roof OF the capitol had beeu
slated, that new cutters and pipes to con
| We! OH tne water, had been put up, that the
| inside of the house had been haIldsonel,
| painted, that the outside Of the capitol which
| always had The appearance of dIlapida;iou.
and attracted the Attention of strangers a, thpv
| passed through the city, and induced them IL
| make tHiberdl remarks on tue character of the
NrGlnans, for their neglect to coI,iplete :, lIat
! they undertook in public works. Did tIsy
| not see, say, that the outside of the capItoI
had been painted, new window siils mt in.
| aud from the basement story uDwariS tbe
capitol had been succeed. Had their ewes
| and feelings so completely failed them that
| they could not see the curtains in their hall
| ana other rooms III the house, and feel tbe
| benefit of the carpets under ihcir icei2 All
! these things were overlooked, because soma
mischeYOus, OF malicious person had brok en-
| Two Panes OF glass in the sk Wight over the
statue Of Washington.
This JGUDm ageBt or superintendent. this
Squdndertr Oh public money, is held up 10
pubic view as having a large sum Of public
monies IN his hands !; low VIII The fact bear
| them out Had the chairman of that commit
tee bcCu is active IN examining into the mt
ter, as he was to find out whether lie persn,
that furnished tue plan for improving Tho
square, was native or foreigner he woul,
have found, that the money Tor Tie putcl,ast
OF the pubic property sold, was paid l,y IN
stalmeuts, aud that 10 Commence the work Tho
Executive Rad TO borrow money and ~ ot,,
time ihey borrowed from the banks ilic sum o
> III 900, and IL was made necessary 10 forwar,
The WORK that each insiaiment should he ami
| clpated by loans, which preciuded The posSi
biliiy OF tins Jdithfm agent getting int ht
hands large SUMS Of money al any one fjmp
The fact was, and can easily be- made 10 appc,l
| Oy an examination of this cOHfdfpiinL apeufi
accounts, that he was ALWAYS III advance fr,,
! November 1916 10 the 2sili of n q. eu,ber 1917
| upwards OF 1900, aud ~ this moment lii, r.,
IS due THIS supposed deiauiter upvsrds n
! > 1OO-dnd yet hu IS to have hs character ~
sailed without chance OF being heard. al
though nc TOOK oVery opportunity 10 Ire brourl h
fairy before the public, aud was led TO bfilev,
as ne was not recognised under ihe law. that IN
MOuld not nave been exhibited to tie ,ttbi
: al an, Dat especially not in such colors as Il
induce a belief inat =" few more such min
: Jal agents, aud the state is insolyeut foreve,I
4 what inan ~ there 10 the community H.,
, has ANY rcsnrd tor hie character gt tiiat h.,
Any piete'isiOHs TO hvmOi, OF luuesty. ia
wound accept u au appointment under Al,
government, ~ he Is 40 DC UAiibited 10 10
, peDiiea' n'e0'its gyysyits,.cc laiout IA ciienc
" sh1"iii6 Wht,asf h- ,arf,ts .se sdium ca.