Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-01-05

20 take said papers and records AMI deliver
them over TO their Clerk
Your COMMITTEES Would state, that the fore
| going history Of the judicial contest was neces-
sary 10 make the facts embraced in the oraer
directing their inquiry ineligible, OF winch
hey now submit a condensed statements also
the dep, s;tions taken, which are made part
OF this report
u apps ars in goof, that George M BIB.
| Rsq. has a law Office in the town OF Frankfort,
| IN whirh Office there are several rooms. lhai
sail Office is Immediately fronting the chamber
| heretofore occupied during ih session ny me
| II r and abou, one hundred yards distant
theretrom Said Bibb's Office IS between lhe
room where the Old court held It's late session
and the office of r r Blair. and about SKY
ards distant FROM The Isfter. Edward bibb
s the son Of George " BIbb, IS an attorney at
law. and commands company OF militia The
company is furnished with muskets from the
pubic arsenal That Captain Edward B.
Bib occasionally occunies one Of the back
rooms in his fathers office, and in shch room
the aforesaid muske,s are kept when not in
use BY the company.
1t alsoappears that Marcus Dasha, son
Of the Governor, is reading law with G. NJ
l,bb, and in part occupies said room where
said arms are kept MIR BIB married. the
daughter. aud Mr Blair the s,ep.dnghter, OF
the lae Gen Scott
TIL, frat week in Nogember or the last in
October fast. Mr. Dailam young man who &C
ted as deputy under Mr. Blair as Clerk OF the
court of Appeals. vent TO Captain Bibb's room
where said arms were, in the night aud told
Captain Blbb, Mr. Blair w3nied some mu keis.
and Bib loaned DeIlsm II or IA muskets,
which, he carried to Bars Off e and they are
yet there Bbh did not see BAR hat even
ing. but Blair has since informed him that he
wanted said guns 10 defend his posse sslon OF
,,e papers II appears that the Oh Court sat
On tie FRIDAY before the first Monday in No
sepber- and TIE Legislature commenced its
sess on on the first Monday in November On
the 9th inst and the next day alter the old
court made the Aforesaid order to take the pa
pers Capt Bib ioaded eighteen Of said mus
<ets with powder aud buck shot, and screwed
IN the bayone To these facts Captain b lib
estlfied hims II. but refused 80 state the objec,
Of this loading and fixing the bsyopets on said
nuskrts. Il appt ared by other testimony, that
Captain Bibb had said that he loaded said guns
TO resist the execution Of the order of the old
court That s,id guns were actually fired off
IT the time the II II. adjourned on the 10Th
inst within a short distance of the chamber
wi ere sad body sat- as the members were pas
sing out ofthc house
Youns Mr. Desha stated that he was present
when The guns were loaded, and he supposed
they were loaded for the purpose aforesaid; hot
he did not hear Captain Bib say so. He also
stated, that he had been spoken 10 by Mr. Blair
to assist him in defending him in the posses
sion of aforesaid papers aud that he conside.
ed tiu self found 20 have done 30 either against
the order Of the court or the house of repre-
sentatiyeS
The proof shows that divers persons had
either been requested TO assist MIR. Blair in
forcibly retaining the papers, or had volun.
tsrily agreed 10 d. SO
It Appeals. that MIR Blair had informed The
Governor he intended to use force in the de-
fence of his pessesslo ION Of SAID papers
1t appears tat the public records End pa
pers have heen for some considerable time past,
renewed from the otfice where Mr Blair for.
mei'V KEEP them an3 secreted so that the citi-
zens who have suf $ in the appellate court can
not see their papers, . copies OF their title
paper, which are or ed in said office, Or
CERTAIN any fact or facts which their interest
NAV require
The, would here state that they are fully
convinced that MIR Blair IS not the const!tu
tonal clerk OF she court of appeals He how,
ever claims to be such I he laws and ms oath
re quire him to keep HIS Office oren, and his
records ready to be inspected by any ctlzen
who may require the same. A large por, on of
the evidences Of the title lands are in his pos
session There is daily call for these papers,
and for copies, by persons from every part Of
the state yet in defiance OF all law and all right
the originals cannot be seen. nor copies oh
tanned
The foregoing statement Of facts cannot but
make ON the minds of vour committee the
strongest impression of the awful crisis at
which the Judicial controversy which agitstes
the country has arrived
Heret' fore party spirit and unwse legislation
have sufficiently blighted the prosperity OF the
once most prosperous part Of The creation. Yet
in all our struggles and divisions, reason, and
not brutal force was alone appealed to
Judging from the declarations of bis excel
lency m the canvass for his present station,
whatever the people desired vas to be the SUI
preme law of his administration. The threat
in his message to resist the popular will as eVin
cedtstthe late election, was on that account
heard with the greater snrprlze; still that his
exceUency would openly or indirectly attempt
to execute his threat, or that he would connive
at the tact that others were preparing to shed
the blood of his fellow citizens, and that he
would use no efforts TO prevent it, was not be.
heved
Nay, your COMMITTEES. mus, say that they had
fondly cherished belief that there was no
officer or pretended officer, of this governmtnt,
that Was ready to light up the torch of civil
war and imbrue his hands in the blood of
brother; vet unwilling as they were to believe
the fact hey are constrained to report to you
that bold arrangements have been made for
these very purposes. Your committee. there