Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-20

the selfish, and dishonorable, and l may add
knayish views of pocketing the pubic money
without rendering, or the expectation OF rem
dering to the public any service. ask !heh'
is il lust towards an old servant, ignomInlous'
" to dis miss him from Office, on such charges,
without a hearing, OF a thorough investigation
into the truth of those charges. But what be-
comes of the boosted independence OF the Ju-
dietary, if any Judge may be dismissed irofn'
or legislated out of Office without a bearing,
and without an opportunity OF enquiring into
the truth, or motives of the charges preferred d
gainst him. Its possible that the charges may
be untrue, s the motives impure bus withou'
investigation, how is this to appear IN time 10
protect the character and rights OF the accused:
and where can this investigation be so proper
" made, as where the charges originated! IL
is with a view to this object, that | have taken
the liberty oftroubling you with this communi-
cation. As to my Office | hold it as nothing IN
the present case. LIS duties are, at all times,
fully commensurate with its emoluments. But
if. as the Hon. Member saws, | have nothing
else left, I am unwilling 10 surrender all pre-
tensions to honor and character, without a
struggle. The preamble and resolutions have
gone abroad through the Union. They nave
been published in a paper OF general circulation
| have many highly esteemed and honorable
friends in Virginia, and elsewhere, by whom
they will be read, as part Of the proceedings oil
the Virginia Assembly. They exhibit me IN,
what | consider, an odious light. have pa
tientlv waited hitherto, in the hope that they
would be called up in the House, and an oppor-
tunity afforded OF defeating their false and IN
furious impressions; or that the hon. Member
would, himself, on more accurate nlormauon,
have had the magnanlmity TO acknowledge ana
correct his mistake. But in this | have been
disappointed. and as | have lately heard that
the Assembly has refused to take them up, and
that probably, they may no, be acted on during
this Session; and thus the impression made
upon the public mind, by their publication, un.
contradicted or unexplained, will be suffered
to remains: And as / consider my character
deeply affected by the said preamble and reso-
~lutions, may | beg the favour OF you, Sir, II
there is nothing improper in the request, nor
indecorous, nor disrespectful TO the Honorable
Assembly, in the manner Of making IL, (and !
can assure you, Sir, nothing Of the kind is in:
tended, though l confess myself Ignorant OF
Parliamentary rules, and the extent OF Parlla'
mcntary p~rivileges,) to have the subject again
brought before the House, to be there fully In
vestigated and decided, as to the Honorable
Assembly may seem proper; and that an op-
portunity may be afforded, if thought impor'
tant, or necessary, of proving the truth OF the
facts which | have hereinbefore stated.
Accept, Sir, the assurance of the great con-
sideration and respect of your fellow-cilizen
JOHN BROWN.
LINN BANGS, Esq.
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
Memo had nearly forgotten to tender my
sincere thanks to the Honorable mover Of the
resolutions, for the kind provision which he
proposes to make for me in his third resoiu-
ton. 1t is true, my prospects have changed
with the change Of times; but hope am not
vet reduced 10 the necessity of depending on
charity either for a dinner, or a coffin, should l
need one Whenever that should be the case,
| had rather die without the first, and be bu-
ried without the last, than be dependant or The
charity of the public, for either. must, there
fore, decline the favour he intends me, though
proceeding from motives so honorable, and so
feelingly, and so delicalely expressed. J.B
Mr.: Woodville moved to lay the letter on the
table.
Mr.. Goggin remarked that he had been an
ticipated in this motion. 1t was not for him to
cavil at the statements Of Chancellor Brown
If that gentleman had not heard OF complaints
in his districts, the House would recollect that
they had been made on that floor both at the
last and the present session. Chancellor Brown
had been as much exposed by the declarations
of his friends, as by the preamble and resolu-
tons This he said was not the first philippe
the House had received for censuring the course
ola Judge The comments of a Committee OF
the House, on the fact that certain Judges had
received extravagant mileage, and the letter
which one Of the Judges Of the General Court
had thereupon addressed to the House, had not,
surely, been forgotten. So that it must now be
taken for granted, that the House must not
touch any thing connected with the Judges,
without first consulting them. Mr.. u. said,
that as a member of that House, he felt him
self as independent as Judge Brown, or any 9th
err Judge, and he would never submit to this
doctrine. The preamble and resolutions he
offered had gone on the ground that the state
ments were facts which ought to be enquired
into. He was not sensible of having done an
improper act-and, under the same clrcum-
stances. he would DO the same again But the
letter and the preamble and resolutions were
before the House, to be disposed of as they
thought proper. He hoped they would be act
ed on.
The letter was then laid on the table.
VIZ. Woodville said, that as the Preamble