Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-06
COMMUNICATED.
To ARCHIBALD THwEATT, ESQ, Chairman Of The Co,n
mtee on ne subject Of Instructions an lie county of
Chesterfield. ' y
. Here follows the Letter of VIM. X. Johnson pub.
lished IN the Enquirer of December 80, 1884
CHEsrrRyiyID G.,

IL. h.
iished IN the Enquirer of December 80, 1891
CnrsrrRrIrLD County, alst Dec. 1854.
w. r.. JOHNSON, ESQ
Dear Sir: Your letter of the Goth instant have re-
ceNed The Chesterfield Committee, on the 29th Nov
reported That examination of the Comnissoner's
Books and other eridence the whole number of qualified
voters appearedto be abou thousand, of which COB
had signed the Instructions, &c A COPY of this renor
and the list of the of the COB sgners YOU received
ON e ISL as appears by your letter of the I'd dav of De-
cenoer LAID before the Committee, and by their order
published Atthe last meeting of the Committee ON the
9th December, they adopted a supplemental report
winch shows, by iwcntyfour additional signatures the
number OF voters had increased to G27 copy of this
report, with list of the "a signatures YOU received
on the 18th December appears by your letter of that
date TO the Chairman From this last Report beg leave
TO make the following extract: ssThe Committee arc
wei informed that many other voters would have son-
cd had the Letter of Instructions been presented to
" them. majority being asccrtaincd and il being n
" fact Of general Rot0Tiety that considerable ma;oT,
" OF the legal voters in favor Of President Jacson
" Administration, the Committee deem it expedcnt to
close their commission after adopting certain Resolu
" tions,' of which you have copy and by which the
Chairman was directed to make due publication of the
communications nc may thereafter receive from Mr.
johnson, MIR. Old, and Mr. Archer on the subject oftbe
Instructions, &c And according to the last resolution
inc Committee adjourned without day. ard of course
dissolved, without leaving any power with the Chairman
to rcconyene them you have seen by your Letter Of
the 18th December, now before me-
respectful duty, owe to the late committee also In
yourself and Mr. Old, our Representativ makes IL nc
cessary for 10 your letter of the Doth Dec Inv
stating some very material facts which merit serious at
tenton You will recocc that the last April election
you received, informed the small vote of nbout
100 about eighty votes conferred on gentleman
who aid not Offer about 200 retired without voting
iou noticed the excitement of the people, on and af
ter the day of ecction you declared your wnoness 10
obey instructions The Opposition party (he friends Of
Mr. Legh) published notice, callinp meeting on the
18th OF last July, (e Court day) Printed handbs had
been previously circulated sustaining Mr. LeoI,'s re-
election and opposing instructions to the conrarv
very large assemblage appeared composed of indi-
yduals from all parts Of the county. Mr. Archer and
Mr.. Leigh made lengthy addresses to this assembape
on Federal mcasures.-After the meeting was or
gained 1t was addressed by third gentleman against
instructions "A fourth gentleman answered all three
VINO preceded hm-supPored the Instructions, and
me Administration MIR. Leigh heard in expana-
tion After closing the debate, the question was put ON
INC resolution against instructng you Ia the presence
OF yourself, Mr.. Archer and Mr. Iciph the Chairman
reported his count to be hundred and tyt,seret
r0toS, including his and the Secrctary vote
MANY OIL the ADMINISTRATIONS friends, after hearing the
speeches, and beorc the count had left the rnceting-
those who remained, refused be counted-somc al
lcglng That there were too many absentees-others
tlat .he small vote OF one hundred and thirty seven
Wouid remove any doubt about he Of ne grcat
majority, DC. Hence, less golicitudc and DILIGENCE
as TO slgners OF written Instructions In this county
whenever there be tc0 opposing candidates the
one who gets 400 $50 votes viii be euro to succeed in
ms election IT there be exception in the last twenty
hVe years, ~ Is not remembered by / ac-
count for the great variation 10 the whole number Of
voters between your statement and the report Of the
Committee, four Of whose members wcre-two Shcrfs
and two or three Commissioners Of the Revenue zen
Yemen OF great respcctabiliy being all the proper Off
GERS for asccrtaninQ the number Of LEGAL voters xccp
our hghy respected Clerk and his highly esteemed De-
putty who had served as the Chairman and Secretary Of
The July meeting The votes specially excepted to bv
you, must have arisen from inadverence or accident
You were duly furnished with tic lists If the Com
mittee had timely notice, ] am sure they would have
continued in existence, and considered with the most
respectful attention. any objections you laid before them
OF would have adjourned 70 n day 10 suit your conye
nicncc 10 is dissolved and our authority Mt an end
before winch, we had received information of the
number Of Hgners TO the counter-iustrucon papers,
except mat some Of rs merely beard il small You
have written and uwTitten evidence Of the sense Of
your constituents. You and served on the Jackson
Committees IN The last two Presidential elections: in my
OPINION there has been serious change amongst the
planters and farmers Of this county since that time
Besides the written evidence the result of the last
Apniciccuon, tic demonstrations at tie July meeting