Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-06-18

ofhce was practically the adviser Of tho Board 10 HON
MS opinions were more accessible their stated NEE l.
ings. than they could be 10 The Executive Engineer in
tir hed, where lie seldom was ing for greater pnr.
Ton OF TINE absent from the State; and, in many in
stances, in which view of the localities was necessary
10 enable any man, however scientific 10 form correct
Judgment his advice could be worth nolIDp until after
held work should be executed and then after atrrn,.
i've plans should he submitted by HE Principal Engi.
neer, WIN The necessary drawings Specifications and
lih;ates li!s advice and opinion might be had and be
made avai'aI.c by Ike President and Dileclrrs in dc
cldng upon lie rr"r' si!ions Of the practical Engineer,
submitted !" The dera,ion OF the Board But the
nh IS that there Is rnthiug in This expressed dlssalis-
'ach, eft' II that !! may rctiars The "iiice ut
mon saying n hrtier Than ncnr because
il!s Obvious that tie hce Of Consulting. Engineer has
Ter length Of tine been nothing but slnccnre favor,
The expenses whereof have b, en- encountered without
any corresponding benefit, nn3 has therefore been
ished useless. But il wru scsn that nj !hnr the
oince is abrishrd The Preside and Dir. c,nrs have
termned that the favor shall no, he withdraw from The
ttian but under color Of promoting The interest of The
Iompanyu more compete nj officer ,aud who had
a'reo more seu services 10 The stuck holders ind who
was sill Willing and in the very &C; OF rendering such
services, should be dismissed, make place for this ia
Vorte old gentleman, whO several years gone by vas
50 feeble III hody and mind, consrquc old mol
10 oe capable G encoun cng the labor fatigue and DIFF
hcuites oppnenGEt 10 The situation hut tho
should OF snaden become younger more vigorous and
more efficient lie must wink hard who does not
tHe ni thS transaction. lie must be Crcdu
ious indeed who believe from any information
yet gwen 10 The public, that the removal Of the late
lhie Engineer was an act consunmaed to promote the
interest Of the Company. lie must be incred ulous
without reason, who does not believe and see that the
present appointment made matter of favor the
expense OF justice; unless, indeed, there be behind
lives yet to b" avowed and disclosed by the other and
further Information in he possession Of The PIesten
10 whom Gen, Cooke urgently referred.
The excuse offered for the question inferred from
The communication Of "A Stakeholder remains To be
considered This communication informs the ockhvld-
ers among obcI things that Ito hasien the complete
oil ihe work as high Up the river Lynciburg, had
heretofore been deemed necessary tn employ larger
Engineer corps, nn would otherwise have been proper
that the work 10 Lynchburg being so far advarc-
ed, aud very large number OF sections being IN siiu
alton 10 reader their completion certain in the Of
the ensuing Spring and Summer, The Board in January
took steps 10 reduce the Engineer corps TO scale
mensurne TO The future prospects Of The woik-tha the
office of Consulting Engineer, longer necessary, had
been ahoilshed--and The election OF Chief Engineer,
which had heen pcs p"ned from January 10 April and
thence I'LL May, nov coming on, Judge Wright, who was
the FIRST Engineer employed by The company, and who
has since its organization been in lis service either
Chief or Consulting Engineer elected Chief Engi
If this communication lie regarded The youn-
tary act Of "a Stakeholder, il is well enough; but
garding il made al the instance OF the President the
Board TO disclose, taken together with the statement Of
the Board made to Mr.. Elet personally The full and
true for expclIng him from office and subslilul
ing Judge Wright, is entirely defective; much so,
that uniting The information which il affords lh The
other facts known aud the most conclusive reason is
offered why Mr. EIlet should have been continued in
office, both of justice TO him, and also pro
mote The interest OF the company. Look al the kR0un
facts which must be familiar 10 sou. Judge Wright
the first Principal Engineer employed by The company
and about the lime Mr.. Elrt employed as
principal Assistant Engineer Judge Wright continued
in office about months long enough 10 satisfy him
self that the abour arr difficulties Of the enterprise in
which he had engaged too great for any capacity
which he had 10 overcome them oriRg 10 The ufrmi,s
Of udranccd 0gs; declines 10 encounter them. and falls
back into the snug office of Consulting Engineer with
equal salary Of 50 coo per onnum, created for the
caslon, which much less responsibility and much less
| labor OF body and mind were TO he encountered and
great ndul gencies were allowed of frequent absences
| from The work OF several months at lime. On The
ether hand Mr. Eei in The EN- ploy oil the company, was
promoted 10 The office Of Principal Eng lneer, and by bis
skill perseverance, and energy. ovcconcs the difficulties
which had constituted barrier 10 The progress of Judge
Wright, and conducts The work $50 far as depends
upon The Enginecr) to its present prosperous cond
ton, without any material objection on The part of
The company. For the Board, representing the
pauy, Gen Cooke Chairman has inioimed US, that MIR
Elicit while acting Principal Engineer rigorous
and in The discharge OF his duties
paises Tor talent and professional skill amply adequate
to the "great work. und for energy and perse
verance unsurpassed and that "no charges had been
made ngaiust HIM Now, observe the couclusiun-nG
such The principles Of and justice would sug
ges,, but in violation thereof, which is that notwh
standing tho premises, The Board had deemed under
all the circ that the interests of the Company
would be promoted BY The appointment Of Judge Wright
and the exclusion Of Mr. Elleu The conclusion is
sound-it worse results IN acto gross Injustice
If this act can be justified would cease 10 be UNJUST
No reason for il yei made publicly known can justly
it, Some reason for it, not yet avowed, must exist and
if not avowed it will be regarded us criminal act Of
Injustice Every injustice comprises the elements
OF crime with peculiar Characteristic that while il may
be palued excused, il canno, be justified The facts
known and the for the act in question yet
assigned do not offer palalion The cbaac
. of he of
holders and public sentiment require that the true
son and motives which led TO the contamination of this
act should be made known; more especially as the party
directly affected has called for them There exist,
therefore assgnable motive on your part Tor silence
if the be pala,ed or excused; or shown 10 have
been Just whereby il would be discharged from any and
every odious element Of crminality. II cannot be diff
fcu for any who have done an ac 10 assign the reasons
and motives for doing.
The reason for diminishing the number of The corps
OF Engineers is well enough oss gned; the interest of
the Company ard the advanced condition OF the works
towards completion, no longer required the larger num-
ber But as advance towards the net OF II, Justice
mpain Of the language OF the communication be-
comes less exact and II is connected with other things
with which il has none but forced relaton-lt was
ne yer in cuntenptu ton for moment to abolish the Office
of Chief Engineer. The Office Of Consulting Engineer
had originally created Tor which had ceased
to exist and should be abolished of course. The Pn-
cpai Engineer should regularly have been elected in
January; md this officer could not be dispensed with
would then have been elected, if there had not have
listed secre, design TO sacrifice The then occupant TO
cover which, the election is postponed from time to time,
az it. PRINCIPAL Engineer or no Principal Engineer;
connected with the otganlza,ion OF the corps OF
Engineers, by reducing their numbers and aboishing
the Office of Consulting Engineer, which had become
useless and finally, the election is postponed until the
mex, day after the special meeting and adjournment of
the stockholders in May, as if the action OF This meeting
would determine the question whether the Company
would have Principal Engineer or noE Whereas, thus
officer could in event be dispensed with, unless The
company should determine to abandon the work nloge
lher which was question That the special meeting Of
the stockholders aforesaid, could not decide Thus II is
seen, tina, the Principal ard Consulting Enenee, are
held in company for special purpose, until the Board
deternnes.lhat both Offices not necessary 1t Is Oh
vnus, tina, there existed question whether The
Office of Principal Engineer was necessary or not: why