Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-02-18
NUMBER ~.

ri'y any required the said SCENTS Is se for sh
money as Tor the coupon bonds placed in their hand. in
ADVANCE OF sales and Tor the TO psy In.
ter'st due from the State exact statement of lie
snner IN which such Payments whether from to d
HARfr addressed the House upon the prophet ty Of
obtaining the information looked BY these resolutions
IN ne course OF his remarks he some hard .usioos
10 The condition OF the Trans Aeybsny B.nk H. ,l.d
Tor the ayes and noes the resolutions, =
hr BoGLE replied to the remarks Of Mr. G.xsrrr ;,,.
s,id 10 the Trans Allegheny Bank - the condition Of
scrutiny. 1 Ne"AA' VI
Mr YERnr was in favor Of the resolutions
hr Jackson moved to refer them To select eon,r,,,,.
M aAkrH was la favor Of the notion as vas Mr. DxIsr.
mr. "ARNErr opposed the appointment of n select cu,
m'ite and gave at length reasons for that On
hrCARrER, Of fauquier said when the resolutions. var.
| offered by the gentleman from Essex few d,,s .nc.
u LOT wneh me resolutions offered to-day ar. designed
as substituted he opposed To their adoption ~,
she reason that he feared the disclosures eont.mn,.,
ana sought Tor by those resolutions In regard IN ,on
tracts yet pending between the financial apen, ~ dr.
Board OF Public Works aud the IIou,e nj Rs,i S.s 40
Co. might be detrimental to the Of the STATE and in
FURIOUS to her interests For any or impron
disclosure OF contracts closed might prevent IN.
consumnation Of such contracts and thereby rs.,Iv
Sarrass II not efectuay prevent the Board of Public
s rom providing those necessary carry on
lne works OF internal improvement in which the !.
already engaged and for which she has made nnnrnn,
| ation1. ~ '"Aue "PP'oPrt
lie was, however, not averse to IN. ,lop,;o, or -
outions offered by his friend from Ess.Y ,h;s ee res
In the hrst place, for the reason that tho .ig.
omitted one OF the resolutions to which bs n,,,;, -
ooleced and from which he thought most evil ,.onIa
suh-and, again, If he understood the rcm.,S S .s ts
riend from Essex which he admitted in supooy, or h
soons those resolutions, thus explained and the
oauoh winch ives sought by their adoption involved
sharge against the Board o Public Works of The
managemen Of the dutieO Of their Office by which m.
o, 'he State had suffered greatly endan.
gereo, When the gentleman from Campbell (Nr Dear. :,
IA the sourse Of his remarks in reply to the pentlemsn
! rom fsse1 alluded to the implied charge against tho
n"afa o. PUBLIC Works as made by that gentleman hs
p tba;
uu not design any imputaton agans, the Board of Pub
ic Wo'ks but it with the conduct and management,
OF their agents the house Of Seiden Wi,her Co ,h,,
he found fault and he wished to show to this uo,rss and
70 the people that these agents bad so ard
that agency best promote the interests
ana 70 sustain the credit Of the S,e-but he was sur
prsed That gentleman and telieept a III.
friend from Essex, before he attempted to reli.ve Tho
noara o. ruGnc Work. by throwing the charge Of msman-
agemeh and in fcency upon their gents had nor n.d
more attention TO the r"port Of that Board upon tbs mar
ucuiar subject lie would there that the Bosrd b.vs
uy endorsed the entire conduct Of their agents in all
their contracts for the sale Of bonds either as closed or
yet pending and had also passed upon H. the biebes,
euosun ana In order that this House. nav fully under.
snu thls subject, he would beg leave read brief
extract from that report-after speaking OF the great
ughness Of the money market aud the great difIcne.
through which they had recently passed. saw Not-
Mithstandiig these complicated embarr assments thu
poaru are appy to announce that they have regu-
ariy and sufficiently supplied with the means to meet
promptly all the demands upon the Fund for Internal I'm
ptosement FOR this good fortune, they are indebted
caienS, not entirely, TO Messrs Selden wi,hers Co
VINO have done all that energy activity sagacity and pru
Iehee could effect to supply the moneys needed by tho
STATE Tue Board deem it a of sincere con grain
aton, that an agency established having the will and
tue power TO battle successfully with severe money ma
me- aud IN spite OF the large increase Of State debt
oy the last Legislature and the gloomy imprutIent
f"r"bonGs OF some, in consequence Of H. TO meet nune
tna the heavy demands upon the Treasury and through
and above all the smoke the conflict To hear The s,and
OF our State credit intact and unsulledn when in ad.
diton to this ia stated that through that agency sa
mas eeen made to the aessrs Peabody Co.. of London
and that negotiation for large amount Of sterling bonds
has commenced, and il f,vorably maturing with Nessrs
Barring rothers Co.. Of Loudon one OF The largest and
most wealthy firms in Europe, may be affirmed without
the lear oil successful contradiction that best has been
done that under the circumstances could be done and
that the hstrumenaltes by which this result has been
Affected, deserve lasting and unmeasured credit"
lie could not conceive how his friend hosn Essa1-ad.,
this full and unqualified endorsaton Of the condr,t and
management OF their agents, Messrs SedeG withers
Co. ana their acceptance. with such expressions of
commehdation of their contracts either "a closed r xe,
msturng-coud seek tn charge inefHcency insecurity
ana msinanagemen on the Agents Of the Board and az
e same ,ne IisavoT my intention to mpute blame
misconduct to that Board The report of that Board eC
ieetualy esopPed the gentleman in that attempt Hs
uu not stand here a. the apologsi defender Of Messrs
2s,ue"; "theis Co. or any one else, upon this a
sion; he only wanted Justice be accorded: he only
wanted The responsibility rest where il properly be-
ionged: charge has been made by the gentleman
rom Essex virtually against the Board of Public Works
and could hardly be e1peced-consdcrinp the pol,i
cal complexion of that Board and the fact that he r M
was member ofa different political party at in
/ aa
the defender OF that Board from charge yoyipe spc
grave and important issues; and charge too made bv
gentleman OF so much prominence the same party to
which al the members Of that Board belong He Il IA
true did not share In the apprehensions and diyn.t
mani ested hy his friend from Essex in regard TO the one
rapens OF the Board of Public Works; occupying tho
position, politically, he did, as adveI,ed 20 he Soud
sihe no investigations he In favor the fullest and
reess investigation upon this subject which the yeut,e
man or any OF his party might desire, and he trusted
that every member Of that party this floor TO which
he hr had the honor belong would be found record
ing his vote in favor of these resolutions and let never m
said that the Wings in this House were opposed IN
Investigations respecting the conduct Of any of our nnh
lie officers, which solicited by any member of the
Democratic party. Another which prompted him
to vote IN favor of these resolutions of INQUIRY was IL
will be recolleced that the present Road of PnhIi,
Works Is an institution provided for and established by
our organic law It is body Of large powers and is in
vested with the charge OF important interests Th. il
the hrst expose Of the practical operation of this instiu
uon IN its present form may be found that s powers
anu perogatiVes are too great and hence he willing
70 suect the matter TO the s,ricest scrutiny, and il t
shall be that the charges implied by the resolutions
OF inc gentleman are true II shall appear that ia
boau has proved itself an unsafe depository Of great
trust, let US apply the constitutional remedy IIe was
INDIFFERENT as TO the mode by which the object sought for
by his friend from EsseI shall be obtained He thought
the appointment OF a select committee as indicated hv
the gentleman from Wood (Mr Jacksonl To which mjgH
be referred thcse resolutions with instructions TO send
Tor persons and papers, and to report early day
as possible TO this House. would be the better course TO
adopt but he before remarked he was regardless OF
the mode so the object obtained.
Nj MCKENZIE was in favor Of defining by the Legisa
ure the duties and powers Of the Board Of Public Works
10 relation to the negotiations and referred 10 In
the resolutions and Of referring the subject the
mttee Finance
hr SEiSSTR moved to amend the Amendment offered
by Mr. Jackson, by making Il the duty Of the committee
TO consider such information required by the reso
utions, and lay before the House in documentary ev.
dencc the slme consist In their opinion with the pubo
Interests and TO report TO the House What violation OF law
II has been committed by tho Board Of Public Works
and what further legislative restrictions shall be imposed
| upon said Board.
Nc CowARDS explained tho reasons Why he offered a
resolution some days ago. ordering the information sought
for by resolution Of similar character To be withheld
tie was now In favor OF nvesgang the subject pro-
posed 6y the resolutions under consideration.
hr WALLACE was in favor Of investigating the subject
lie believed the subject Of great interest 70 tho
State
MI Jackson Withdrew bis amendment referring The
lutons TO a select committee.
Mr. sklSSEn asa consequence, Withdrew hissmendment