Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-03

! Gould be pointed out and aued and tho u
had further sad s would ,,, nkt,,i tnu onc VII
/ sl."r6 point ont eb,sse of this kind.
Ihr lIEfSIr said he had spoken of usu,p1iious of
: l'oWcF. &c was not gong TO defend The Executive
against errors OF Judgment.
R1r. DcDDRIpGE said he had ood the ron
tsrTan. When the gentleman Yesterday said iknt
whoever would point ont, as he understood him an
1ousc OF power, would be entitled to his thanks he
t.nr - had IL his mind case lie mus, e-et ths
secretary TO be so KIND as read or 9 pSGes of,
thG Journal, showing the evils which hive occurred
from the misconduct of the Executive Council from,
Eear TO year. which would prove what Inpht no dove
and would exhibit the best reasons which could I'D.
advanced fer lQppiag off arm of the Executives
power, and Yes;ing it in some other branch of the
goverDWcDt. :
here tho Secretary read from the Journals tho MR.,
TceSipgs and report Of the Committee of the House
OF delegates, on the subject of the Arnory and the
Encouragement which had prevailed there and the
investigation which was had into the cond,,ct of NJ
Ciarke, the superintendent. -,
4hr. DohpRrpGE made some historical rsc.-arAo >,
tie 1actS and to the Legislative PROCEEDINGS 20 ,kL
lea: ne referred to them to shew that the abuse
W. eptirely owing to the want of system and ar
eS?'iSi'ity IL t1e apprenticeship Of the Exccutve
Iou7eli t1e dd not attach blame to the Governor
Mho was IN Office at the time, for the proceedings
Consequently embraced the terms Of several Co2or
ors It was against the system that he directed lis
n,:2cAs The office of superintendent was CT Eyec.
t.Ie aPpou(incnt, and 1t was the province 1t the
i3SGcutyc to mako the contracts ana 10 see to them
Aosh MS regards the time and puncuality of eyecn.
ton Neither tie people, nor their arents eyerc.
any c?n'rQnl oyer them The Executive and his
Councl! contracted with the individual for b,ildnr
me !HrInory 1t was to be completed in : lrnitn2
fiIne and thus far it we'll if the Executive isS
attended, as probably he did, for he Mr. p kncw of
10 compliant on that head. But the s,nnri,foo,,nt
was permitted 10 make alterations ut his will fTbo
Committee say aud this was not per-ittcd bv tho
SSenerai Assembly, but BY the Governor and his
Iocnch lie was permitted to vary the plan to sn;,
ms own convenience. There was NJ e-.ifrnco ~ ~
new contracts being entered into; money was dra,ci
Tor the extra work; there was no memorandum r.
slcW That cie advice ct Council was taken; there
vas 10 "Trlng which the House Of Dclerates co,ra
~ tie!r hands on 1t appeared tIat ali WINS do
nhneT ere coDtrac:, and all the payments were H.,
tf1iis Of H. Here then the Executive Council cor
tract FHr an important wcrk-tairiy, no doubt mi
permit ii 10 be varied. from time to time allrc;-
TIC CONTRACTOR to mako his terms There VIZ
,ieiins IN Writing and n. ee'.cnce which 20 fuJ6
hc1 means of knowing these thinrs not from, -,
,aoSt lGborons Investigation he had ever citpcssed
BIT this MI the superintendent was nar,,is
ted 10 CONTRACT with himself and To enolnv his dir
slaves al 81 10 dayto certify the EXECUTION of hs
own contracts, and thDse of his sub-cout ractors
When be employed his black nlen, he was permitted
TO certify the cost and the performance, for no other
rcIson than tue unlimited confidence repose6 in him
there was no other evidence. Then as to the MAJ
ner III which the accounts were kept an iuiernte
man who was examined before the Co.nnittee and
VINO tainted when the questions were proDounded
was examined as to the drawing for ii 600 dav,s ry
ira labor; the paper drawn up By the superin,n
dan and on that evidence alone, the Executive uljd
him his demand. This man noted down the rnrn1bar
or days on scraps OF paper, and the supent cndant en-
ped INTO his paper and when the man was told Inv
the superintendent that such the result he made
the ahldavIt. The money was gone, and this was
the Wayn vent, The arms were eXaniir-ej and n
vas found that the pistols manufactured ont IF
rustcd musket barrels and the cabres were E Iaron
That after tring them for few tiInes, they would
iIy out oil Tue hand, IN defiance of cyTry atternnf ~
hold them. The rifles were also bored ton Iarrrs
and the Committee reported them as more danret
Gus to those wbo employed them, than to these aGaust
whom they were di- cctCd. phe man was yer4ittoJ
TO vnry bis contract, and to draw MONEY In hi;
own, and IN anohers name Phis operation orarf
on for or years. Such was the history OF this
ArIaory under three or four successive Governors,
and on which 80 or 10000 dollars were expcnd.d
Mr.. DopDRIpGE repeated the items of ftis cI5yoe
and thEn proceeded to state that when the sftcsJa
were unpaid, and were about to present memorial
TO The Legislature, the superintendent procured 20
: one man the situation of assistant if he would inter
fers, and prevent this memorial from being carried
through, or get up counter memorial. If he would
DO TINS, the superintendent promised to get him The
situation OF ASSISTANT ArInourer from the Executive
lie referred 10 IceEory only when he stated that
o proposition made and reported as would be
found IN page 12i, 20, Of the Journal 10 impeach
g the whole ETe"uive Council. lie well remembered
d the eloquent argument which was made il, opposto1
IS to the motion, and which was satisfactory to the
II yho!c House. II was thought that the proceeding
, might bring disgrace on the Governor, who, being
g guided BY the Council, rYas not Responsible The
D proposition Was not rejected, but was fnaly most.
: Poncd. lie referred to a bill which grew oat o,
Il these circumstances 1t contained provision thai
the superintendent and master arnorer be removed
:, This was stricken out his mir. Ds) motion as
" too direct AS the bill passed. tho General Assen1-
bly, we're authorized elect those officers by loint
ballot. The bill further provides that oil contracts
r made by the Executive, shall be in writing. Tic
: General Assembly found it necessary to make this
: salutary provision because the contracts had brer
made not in writing; and because the work had beer
performed at the will and pleasure Of The contractor
q The law contained other SOLITARY provisions TO guard
against the possibility Of abuse, and al this rev
out Of the abuses detected and reported by This Com
J, Fnittcc.
: Here then is the evidence Of practical mis-
d management If any thing be required TO 49,.
Is pose that this might happen, it was e,l5tiei.
e to say it had happened. IT was known t;lgf
1t the Governor could be held responsible for acts @
n by the advice Of his Counohe work been pro f~