Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-08-25

DAY on which il was rendered. and that
a successor has been appointed.
] should DO you great injustice 20 With.
hold. on this occasion. Q full and CORDIAL
testimonial Of the high opinion eote,tsined
by this Department, Of the Intelligence.
efficiency sod correctness which you have
esinced IA the discharge OF your duties ..
superintendent Of this Nationsl Road.
whsch exhibits. in itself, the strongest evi.
dcnce Of this testimonial being deserved.
am, Sir. vcrv respectfully,
Your obcdicnt servant,
4. GRATIOT,
nig'r Gcn1. Chief Ens'r
On that important work I disbur.ed A.
bout half million OF dollars, every cent
OF which was duly accounted rsp to ibe sa-
hsfaction Of one Of the eldest, most riro
rous and lynx-eyed auditors OF tho GO
vernmcnf, mean Air. Peter Hzgner.-
w here has ei,beV col. Long or captain
Mcneil been ENTRUSTED with the exclusive
execution ola work Of any thing like equal
ma nitude and responsibility, OF with the
disbursement of sum Of money of the
same moment? o. where have their I'm
tried Integrity and arrogant prefcnsion,'
been submitted TO an equal tcste Will
the history OF their copnexien with your
service satisfactorily answer these ques.
tons?
IL more convenient season affords me
the necessary leisure, and I should than
think their vituperous attacks upon NV
character claim from me further attention.
will point out aud put straight more Of
their crooked assertions; and in yctu,n
ios the grstuitous notice which they have
so literally taken OF me, I shall give An
exposition Of facts ilustra.ire Of Lie con
duet OF those gentlemen, and faeis they
shall be.-not Misrepresentation may
then bring TO your view tho fact. that a
GOODNESS, IL not direct hostility, existed
between those officers. arising out Of the
circumstaoce OF colonel Longs invctcraie
opposition TO the appointment OF captain
MeNsill, as member OF the Board Of
Eoginsers. because Of his alleged youth.
.iuexperiencc, inferiority Of military rank.
and other disqualifca,ioss; and not be-
cause OF any previsu, agreement between
hin, and Mr.. Knight. as the Colonel in bis
book has alleged. and which pretended A.
greement, | am authorised 10 state Mr.
Knight has wholly disclaimed. may
state as fact. that this GOODNESS and reci-
procal want OF conhdence,--ihisie jealousy
OF each other. continued up 90 the period
vi their tmciril coalition, for the maguani-
nous purpose Of destroying an individual
IN eira life. may endeavor 10 show. hos
THIS hostility would most probably lave
ma'ured into an open rupture bet~een
themselves, but for the intervention in NV
person Of a coumon object of jealousy and
hatrod to them both; because / was a com
mon obstacle TO their ambition and az
grandizement I may then rshearse the
remarks which the Captain. made respect
ing the qnaliicatio Of the Colonel, aud
disclose the Captains opinion, as then er-
pressed, OF the Colonels once celebrated.
now nearly forgotten. publication. which
he had then recently made on the subject
oil rail roads; and show that. whatever
there was OF real value IN that publication,
was borrowed from Mr.. Knight may
relate the fact. that during the absence OF
hIs colleagues in England. the Colonel
did almost entirely abstract himself from
The performance Of the Engineer duties
assigned him. leaving these duties TO be
discharged by the President Of the Com
pany during the whole Of the inclemeni
winter Of 1928. Q. whilst he (tha Coionel)
was snugly sitting by the Office fire, trying
and pretending 20 inrenf wooden bridges,
after the Directors had determined they
would not erect any. and after ne bad con-
sumsd much time upon. and had illumined
the world with his before uentionsd trea.
itisc on rail roads. ] may state that he did
not. daring this comfortable hybernaiion.
hesitate 10 draw regularly bi. salary Of
$1,000 year from the Company, and
nearly an equal sum from the Government.
!. considering, no doubt, that an officer OF
his rank. unassuming &" pTefehsiols" and
severely tried " iRiegriiy." was. all this
time, rendering ample considerations FOR
, these poltry sums. eonsiantly and most in
dustriously throwing every obstacle 10 his
power. IN the way Of the efficient execu
lion Of tho daiies assigned me-. may
, give the opinion Of the Capiain, as ex-
pressed in 10Y hearing on bis return from
England. of the manner the duties Of the
Engineer Department had been discharg-
ed by the Colonel. whilst himself and Mr.
knight were absent. and state his re-
marks on Longs egotisiical instruction.
n the Deputaiion 30 England, and of the
delicate modesty Of one member instruct
I lnz twO.
. may give IN interesting "Hayrafire nm,
: proceedings" Of tho Cot and HE agents, n
1 their frui,less efforts 90 construct tunnel IN
, der the irst crossing 81 the Washington torn
pike road, N which mighty effort. although
he fortunately (aiIed 70 make . tunnel. ihs
wsuld most certainly have fallen ~, Il mad,
on his scientific plan, he did nevertheless mos
i effectually s'frsred IN uselessiy expending
issgc sum of money for the company A.
another Evidence q the crest economy an,
talents &c the Col I may instance the fact g
bis having. during my absence IN Ohio on oi
fetal business. most indusifiously collected
mass of hubble stone from the hi'is q ,',e "a
,apscc, for the purpose ~ constructing th
lsbutmenis and pisrs Of bridge over that =,
pid stream, which stone vss scarcely 81 3
build . common stone fence. - aaoiher ey
e ience Of TIE Coils Visflom and providence