Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-01-03
TO THE PUBLIC.

10 The PUBLIC.
II with regret thar circumstances beyond my
control compel to submit your consideration,
cinct reply to communication, published in the Rich
mond Wing, the 3lst utimo, tho of CH.
VI. SMITH.
II is the fins, instance in which have been called tho
public Journal TO give account of personal
ton. In bygone times occasionally received blows tho'
the medium of the newspapers OF the day. with regard
political conduct, which my friends told had the
good fortune with interest Were indulge my
feelings to the extent which the occasion has Justly inspired
should harsh epithets and the language Of indignation;
but will allow them inisead my dsu,on;. An In.
tegeni Public take little interest personal differ.
it is agreeable fher TASTE does
\ port with my inclination.
Mr.. SMITH has thought proper make n public state
ment las he trina i of the circumstances with
his removal from he humble post which he occupied in
the Virginia Land Office" Many of the circumstances
detailed are true: hut he has not told tbe hole b md
nothing but the Truth"
take this occasion, for all, state, well as
all the material and important facts connected with the
! transaction 10 which he has alluded.
DR.. SWAMI, the LIST Clerk, (the memory of whose vir-
tues is dear to me died early in December lsi Before
his remains inferred, received Il confess with sur
prise) letter from Mr. SMITH, soliciting TO let him
fill what he the humble post which hadbecome
vacant. thought the application unfi,pely one, and
deemed it as rather singular proceeding his part.
had applied To him to remain with the deceased (who had
served with him in the oce) during the night prior to the
n'erment whichho declined, saying that he much
indsposed; that had request (,vho was much
| more indispossd) to perform this last sad office.
In the second paragraph of his public statement he
ia the object in making it. is solely vincate his cha
ucer, and misunderstanding msrepreeen
aton, and that IL is not To crafty vndicve feelings
towards the Register OF the Land Office. will no e,temp
TO do that which is impossible explore the deep
OF his heart and arragn his motives; they only
to his Maker and himself IL IL however, remarkable, that
it should have become necessary, this late day. ynd
cate his character and any misunderstanding or
and Eissaes arc more Bas e s Mol Is on the walk
which have caused misrepresentation be made How
GOES happen that valued friends Of mine one Sena
and the other Member of the House Delegates re-
ceivcd Of the transaction Certainly an untrue
one) IN tie Of the present session of
the General Assembly, Are his friends busy at this
time than formerly; and what is their obect know
that of his intelligent friends, gentleman who
Hills large in the public eye, has assured that he
saw nothing nj oil censurablo in my conduct
Mr. SMITH asserts, that l voluntarily promised more
than once, to give him the appointment. Now, he
irey mistaken. did, in express terms tell him that
he should have the Office When received his note soil
citing the Office, and he had therein stated that had pro-
missed 10 confer him. expressed surprise some
OF family, then present was under obligation le
gal moral TO confer upon him the appointment JAMES
LYONS ESQ., and other gentlemen had asked for the place.
IN behalf oil their respective rendswhich shows that Mr.
SMITH had no lawful claim. My applied, young
man, qualified in every respect discharge the duties Of
the station, and refused confer upon him. although
the salary nearly double that which he was then re-
ceving told my that twas probable the Legislature
would increase my salary and make equal that Of each
OF the other executive ocesihat in former times the Re-
gissrs salary was high the others; and the reason
why lees owing the fact that when the
salaries Of the other officers raed the instance of
the oihcer the Register did not ask Of his
own being young man, without a Emily he found the
salary adequate to his support assured that il the
Legislature would raise the salary equivalent
TO my and unavoidable disbursements Mr. SMITH
should hold the appointment Upon thi. statement he
waived his applicaton Whether the acted with mag
nanmity, and the father with liberal generosity towards
| Mr.. SsITn, unprejudiced public must determine
Owing 10 the of the times the Legislature declin
ed to increase the salary had been for three successive
years appropriatng portion Of my private means toge
of
certained that there Indebtedness incurred the
amount Of from $500 $1,000; and that se.preserva
ton imperiously demanded effort, my part TO pre-
vent further loss. There is perhaps clearer Truth
in the Sacred Volume than that which declares that he is
worse than Infde who will provide for his house
hold Mr., SMITH will deny that he often declared that
my salary was totally inadequate
did nj one time agree TO refer 10 the Attorney General
the proposition alluded by Mr. SMITH, That gentleman
declined to give opinon and nights mature ehec
ton thoroughly convinced me that sccede his PROPOSE
ton would come in direct conflict with the provisions Of
the act, prohibiting the sale Of Offices repeatedly assured
him that tho principle was wTong-that would do nothing
in contrayenton Of the law.
In the 9Th paragraph, he aludos letter. which he
says was delivered TO him by servant, and that the
ter was written in disguised hand" know nothing re.
sPectng the coloquium which ensuvd between him and
the servant; but do know and now assert that the letter
not Iriitsn, supsrserbed, in dsRuised land
Inc letter u in ny possession and be inspected
by any who may take on interest In the matter.
pirate e0ndendi letter written by me- and whether
revelation Of its contents, without my assent, compa
hbe with the established rule Of prOpe the public
1 able to decide.
Il is that did endeavour TO negotiate loan not
for $4,000, NJ he staier but for $4,000. I wanted the
money, my engagements security, rs he in
sinuates for the security debt had been soed Is months
prior that period had the time at least three thou.
sand dollars due 10 me, but could not collect H. have
yet the day that had property enough
MI my debts, " put under the hammer and surplus
In hand which, febr Is than Of Gcqn0ia
f0aees II Mr. SsfTH eutertains the opinion that
my object extor money from his relatives then will
say, the impuston u unworthy Ol him. and Of IN
I he daH.
cious the 10 be suspected. This is the rs
instance In which friend and benefacor has been ly
Quilted for benefits conferred When proposed borrow
S2OU0, offered give lion eight likely negroes; and
olso endorserv citizen Of Richmond and the
other resident Of Caroline, both kHonnjo hs reioiire
10 BE- p,sn Of reyy large and independent fortunes
The Public may infer that Nr. SNIrH had been removed
from an Office which he had long filled. lie ls Clerk
only from about the middle Of December 10 the lat Of April
following; and the Cd Clerkshp held by Mr.. TAIL
MAN. for quarter only, sort Of equivalent for his
voluntary services previously rendered in the Office. When
the let Clokship given 20 Mr. SNfTH expressly
understood that unless the Registers salary should be rails
ed, change would take place in the Clcrkshps. When
informed Mr. SmTH that he could hold the I'd Cership
the Office he had eld he objected, The ground that the
salary was nadequse-that he had entered into an
gaeeont which made IL necessary receive larger sum-
lie did not inform Of the Of the engagement
therefore determined from the oei pure and friendly mo-
lives that my son should be induced 10 give him the addi
tonn sum Of 5000 lie agreed take that amount being
$500 provided would pcit him ls Clerks but that
be would not serce 10 take 100 and act as I'd Clerk
The truth IT, that he labourcd under morbid sensiDihv'
or f..ss pride Tie wss too proud receive gntuv,
which could be bestowed with the greatest poprey out
wished me 70 receive grstuW Of three hundred don'"