Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-01-26
POLITICS, &C.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.

!
following communication from the Hon.
John Minor Bolts, which was read and
laid on The table:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 1913.
To The Speakers and Members of The Senate and
House Of Delegates Of Vagina
have received, through the acting
Governor of the State, a copy ofthe reso-
luton adopted by your honorable bodies,
lnstruciing the Senators and requesting the
Repre- sentatives OF Virginia in Congress
to use their best efforts to procure the i'm
mediate passing ola bill reiunding 10 Gen.
eral Jackson the amount OF fine with IN
terest, which was imposed on him 10 the
year 1915, by the Judicial tribunals of
the country, for gross contempt oil court,
attended with violent Gssumption-de.
caring martial law and suspendng the
writ of habeas corpus, subsequent 10 the
period when the ratification oil peace was
known 10 him.
My extreme reluctance TO give any
vote tor which should not be prepared to
furnish plausible reason, il questioned
by those who have the right to inquire
into all matters connected with my legs
lative action here, together with an unai.
lected disposition, on all suitable occa-
slons, to comply with the reasonable de-
sire of the people Of my State, as furnish
ed by legislative expression Of the pub
lie Will, induce me to inquire upon what
ground this claim is intended by the Leg
lslature TO rest.
If upon the ground of private claim,
would respectfully ask the favor to be
furnished with the testimony laid before
your honorable bodies, which must no
doubt be ample, TO have controlled YOU
decision so promptly after tie lapse Of
seven and twenty years.
II, on the other hand, it is intended to
be placed on the ground OF mere gratu'
lsy, hope shall stand excused for hest
ta,lng long, and considering well, before
| subject myself TO the unmeasured cen
sure so literally bestowed on those who
voted gratulty to the widow Of the late
President Harrison, who did not stand
charged with any offence against the Con-
stituuon and Laws OF his country.
i'll labor under misapprehension in
surprising the clam 10 rest on either Of
the grounds above referred to, then
know Of none, other than that OF poli,i.
cal claim, upon which the Legislature
could have requested me to vote for a re-
mission Of fine and, in which event, as
! could not approve or justify the object,
| should claim to be excused from aiding
in the accomplishment OF the end.
AZ lnqulsitiye mind might be excused
for asking, after the lapse Of so long a
period, why this question IS pressed on The
first Wing Congress that has convened for
upwards of one-eighth Ola century! And
why, when the power was in the hands Of
General Jackson's friends, they did not
themselves exercise it And an unchar-
| table mind might ascrlbe it to a party
movement, to excite the sympathies of
portion OF the community against those
who might not acquiesce IN your views.
But am neither so :nqulsltive nor SO IN
charitable.
know too well the high and patriotic
considerations which a. oil times govern
your action, to indulge in an inquiry or
suspicion 50 far removed from your real
objects, and 80 Prejudclal to your patri-
otlsm.
But, in any aspect Of the subject, in
which it can be viewed, it is not unworthy
| of remark, that there are Ave of my con.
siituents 10 be found, IN part composing
your honorable bodies, and four OF these
! five, If am not mislniorned, voted a.
gainst the request you have made from
which might reasonably infer, unless
they are TO be supposed to have mlsre-
| presented Their constituents, that, IN yield.
ing to the very earnest desire indulge 10
obllge SO large a number Of respectable
gentlemen as have made the request, |
might run some risk OF disobligIng, if not
offending, a much larger numbrr OF equal
iy respectable gentlemen, who have
stronger claims on my services and votes
10 Congress. And take leave TO say +,
that have too much confidence in the
genuIneness OF your democracy to sup
pose that you desiIe me TO do what the
constituents, whom present, would not
sanction or approve. My means of com.
munIcatng, however, with my constitu-
ents are abundant, and convenient, and |
shall not is'l to avail myself of them, to
ascertain whether il will be agreeable to
them, tina, should make this disposition
of the public funds. la which event, |
will promise to give the subject the most,
respectful and attentive consideration. -
And, in the mean time, subscribe my
sell, with sentiments of the highes. es'
teen, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN NJ. Bolts.
Hon. JOEL HoLLEMAN,
Speaker Of he House Of Delegates, Va.
The Baltimore Clipper states that Me-
| rinN Vests IA re hainry M uTa cfnrad ! ho