Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-11

nuhuIeos OF iaporing men crying with me. Sir, h
this honorable body should postpone the bill,
have done all Tor it that am able to do: sir.
have discharged my duty; should the bill now in
your hand be postponed. it will be to the displea
sure OF hundreds OF uriaboring men-I hope it will
be the good pleasure Of this honorable body te
protect The iaborng class OF our citizens, and no
postpone the bill. ~
:, February 90, 1896.
MEssRs. RIrcHIE S GoocH
Gehfiemen In the Enquirer of the 18th inst
which reached US by our last mail, 1 perceived :
paper signed Spectator" in which some gentle.
man 10 me unknown, but who is entitled to ms
thanks,) has yindicsted me from an unproyoked
| and unmerited attack, made on me by Mr. Cog
GIN, In the House of Delegates of Virginia, in The
debate on Chancellor Browns letter to the Speak
er. The motives OF the F" Spectator, were. doubt
less, humane and honorable; and his statement OF
u'e general Character my letter to the Speaker,
IN 1873, certainly correct But ia fact, which
ne mas stated from the concluding paragraph of that
letter, ne Is mistaken. Aud, whether the letter
Mouia nave become me- more or less, ii it had been
as ne supposes still 1t is not consistent with my
feelings or Judgment, that the public should be un
oer any mIsapprehension on this point.
repeat, that the F" Spectutor'' is perfectly
correct as to the motive, spirit and STYLE of my
letter When writing it, I not only had not the
most distant idea Of giving offence to the House;
VI any member OF it, but l harbored no unkind
ieeiihg towards either In investigating the sub
Jec' of the Judges mileage, the Committee of FL
nance were unquestionably within the limits of
'neir oihce and if they believed that an erroneous
charge had been made on the Treasury, their duty
required that they should advert TO IL. That duty
was discharged by them without malevolence or in
decorum, after had had frank and iendly cor
rsspondenre with one OF its members, Mr.. Carter,
=, Nichmond County, still member of The H. of
Delegates in which had attempted, unsucces.-
July, to satisfy them of the soundness of NV view
oil the law. When wrote to the Speaker, the
Aoase mad not acted on the report of the Com
% FINANCE, nor coald anticipate it's course II
would probably, l thought, be silent one. and
might be adverse to my claim. In the meantime
was informed from the most credible sources
mat the subject was grossly misreresented, out of
,ne Rouse 10 the prejudice OF my characler err: and
l knew no mode OF obtaining favorable decision
oil The legal question in the House, and of remov-
Ing the UNIV orthy constructions, which had been
pun on the subject out of doors, SO respectful IN
ue Legislature, and so efficient in itself as an ex-
Posi,ion and defence off proceeding in letter
10 the Speaker. If in this was in error. i, sill
continues TOR after the lapse of three years. am
ye' d. io's 10 susgest any course more proper than
'.a' '"eh adopted Surely none will deny the
fieht and propriety OF making an exposition and
defence under the circumstances of niy case. .nd
as TO the manner oft, have now before me a COM
OF the letter, In sheet of the Journals and +
cannon perceive word, sentence or idea in il
d'sfeSpec'iui to The House, The Committee of FL
nance, or any member of the Assembly. I, is true
II u moi penned with The courtliness and comnIai
sanse' winch some genterre EN- nigh. think it pracs
'u' ~ use In their private explanations, nor with
Tue oose9n'ousness or seryility of subject implor
ing justice of his prince: but il does anne,r a., -
70 De couched in the style proper for freeman
ada' essins disniied political body of his coun,
trymen. TS SSNN"
But did not, in the conclusion of that letter
as the = Spectator" supposes, declare NV inten
uon OF submitting the legal question to the final
uec'sion OF Inc House. The concluding para
siaph Is IN these words-"I have thus, Sir,
given TO the House my view of the PRINCIPLES 90
verning this case. / nave too long been ,,sea ~
the diversity OF human opinions, and too of,en
hau occasion 10 acknowledge the errors of my
own, 10 feel bigotted confidence in il. Candor
requires the acknowledgment, that these arguments
were not thus reyoived in my mind, when the dis
pu'eu n'iieaSe was drawn had NOT, perhaps.
men 'wice seen the law, since its passage, and
certainly dd not see II (according 10 INV presen,
recollection) when my account was an,;;tsd
'ehed on general Impression derived from former |
recoiections; and If there was doubt IA m N. |
construction oil the act, the practice of the country
seemed TO me the best standard by which to lest it.
shall De happy in impIessing the House with a |
conviction OF the propriety OF these views: but if
shaii nave tailed, can only say, with a res
pee''9i ueisrehce ior lis opinion, shall be ready
~ '1i', 'ne matter 10 The constitutional tribu- |
nails" thought then, and still think tba, m. |
existing laws had provided another tribunal for H.
maj decision; and so that it was nv duty 10 sub |
mt the ultimate determination of the disputed con
',rucuon OF the act, ii my own opinions of nv |
rights remained unchanged. | considered that I'll
me Auditor had erred in passing my account. the
Assembly might order the Attorney General IN |
move against me Tor The excess in the General |
Court; and this was the constitutional tr,b,,,oI
10 which alluded.
1t is true, that before the letter was nrese,od
Inc House, had written to my friend Gen D.d.
VI the senate, that about the money involved in |
me question ! was Indifferent. That wished him
10 bear IN mind, and to preserve nv letter as
testimony, that if the House decided a,ains, mn
right, would return, the money. even ,ttl,o,oI
: Jury IN the General Court should decide in nv
'a'o. ihat might do with my own money as / |
peased, but not surrender 10 any other Than tho |
legal authorities any construction of tbe .,a,,,a
And lest this pre- determination might be susneo,aa
Oh having been found to influence the ou.s,;, b. |
lore the House, enjoined that he should no, Ill |
vulge II to any one That gentleman will 60
Dorate this statement ''
, Inc House OF Delegates having concurred with
me Committee OF Finance in their renort and 90,
''ue'eu no proceeding Tor the recovery of the mo-
III 'ooS an early opportunity of refunding it 1;
anu accompanied that act with short letter ,o
Auditor, OF which have requested tina, oen,Ia
nan 10 put copy in your hands, and which vo,
sSii oniiRe me bv publishing with this Ietter d,
viewed without feeling AZ uIsrans uav ~
can see nothing to justify the insinuaion lstely
made in the debate on Chancellor Browns letter |
could not have Intended disrespect to the House |
who hal N M acfpd on the sfhipct fc. 10