Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-10-24
For the Enqnirsr
For he EnqN1rtr.
To THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE RICH
MOND AND CHARLOTTESVILLE PLANK
ROAD COMPANY, AND TO THE PUBLIC

an article from the President Of the road purpotin
TO be- a reply TO a communication in that psper Of
prior date, over the signature "Heurico" with the
caption "Petty Prescription" which article was in
tended as Justification Of the Board Of Directors for
e1pelng me from their employment a. :o gatherer
the ensuing year. However humble | am, and linn
tied my means, have thus far through life, sustain
ed an rreproachsble character and should greatly
prefer to be SILENT this OCCASION to appearing be-
tore the public, did not conceive my character 10
some extent, involved by this act of removal; and did
not, moreover, deem il my duty to make something
Of reply TO all that has been said upon the subject.
BY this act OF the Directory lin which | acquit tha
Stockholders OF the least partlclpationl am greatS
injured and shall be put to little Inconvenience
The loss shs sustain in having TO move in the deat
OF winter, and without any knowledge, at this timeS
phere, cannot be appreciated by any who has ne
yer been placed in sim lar situation, to say nothing
OF the dlsquletude of mind which my whole family
must feel at being cut loose and set adrift upon ha
world. In view, then. OF all the circumstances at
tending this of my election and appointment 10
the post fill, in the expectation and under the assu
rance should have home for myself and family the
remnant OF my daysl canuot but feel deeply impressed
with the conviction that the grossest injustice has
been done me- nor | characterize the act Of tie
Directory in milder language than that OF cruelty and
ngratitude Cruelty because it subjects me to every
possible Inconvenience aud suffering At most lnce-
ment season ingratttnde because l have been
faithful sentinel at the gate, watching over aud guard
ing their interest night and day-ever exerting my
powers TO remove the pre- udices and allay the muir
nurings against the road towards which All unv,rsg.
feeling Ut dislike prevailed In proof Of this ds-atis
faction, will barely allude to the fact, that there IL
now petition in the hands Of gentleman, num"r-
ously signed, by persons OF the highest respectabIy
addressed 10 the county court OF Henrc0 askingt Tor
public road, in the course of thus rsry road, 10
Richmond in order that they may not be under ths
necessity Of travelling upon it, whenever business o'
pleasure takes them to the city. To keep down th'a
opposition and to promote the interest OF the Com
pany, used every effort in my power and 10 the
| OH pf nf anhI f.pl a III,
could have done more than my humble self. And
what is my rewardl A removal, the very first oppor-
tunty that offered and that, too to my mind, Tor rea
SONS altogether unsatisfactory. With AL adrotness
had scarcely anticipated they seek, through the Pre-
sident, to conceal the motives which prompted them
to this act, by ehdeavorng TO cast the blame on ms
statement Of the facts will show on whose shou.
ders the blame properly should rest In the month o
August last, called on the President to know II my
services would be wanted the ensuing year. lie
promptly called the Board together. appeared be-
fore Them and proposed that the wages of he toll.
gatherer should be raised to SiUO stating that my
whole time and energies were devoted 10 thelr Ser
vice. They thought otherwise, and refused TO in.
crease the wages On the spur of the occasion, de-
termned not to remain, aud so stated 10 them, re-
marking was sorry could not continue, and that
they must look out for another tolgatherer. Evely
word and every GESTURE | employed were respectful
and polite, a. much so at least, as ain capable ot
making them.
know it has been represented to nay prejudice.
that when they refused to increase the salary in
dignsntiy left the room. The TACT is not II il al
together misspprehension of my manner, neither
disrespec ndignity being thought OF or intended
On reaching home and informing my wife OF al! that
had occurred, and that should leave when the year
expired, all the difficulties and hardships We encouu
tered lest winter account OF moving rushed IN her
mind, producing the greatest mental agony. The
thought of having TO pass through the same trouble
again. less able by increasing age to undergo II than
before, quite overpowered her. Seeing the euect II
| ch md | dat n.2 tn
| continue at the same wages provided my services
we're wanted. The only doubt with me at that time
was that possibly the Directors would commit them
! selves to some before they knew OF the change
my mind had undergone; | therefore, without any
DELAY informed them all Of it, in less than forty.
! eight hours and, with one exception, all said
they were not committed; and he was COMMITTEE.
JsC5re the first meeting Of Tie Board for he sought
The Board. Up to that period, i had not the most
idea that they had, any one OF them, the least
intention of dscontinuing me.
But in a very short time report was in circua.
ation that the travel on the road had greatly IN,
creased u,tkoM ac0rreSponding increase Of TOLL and
another that there immense loss 10 the road
py leaving open the gates at night; and, finally, eren
d stockh0lder IN Hanorer haa complained. From all
this begun to think there must be something rotten
in Denmark" | forthwith, on hearing these rumors
made an examination of the receipts and found that
for the eight months and half had charge OF the
gate, nay receipts amounted TO upwards OF thousand
dollars than for the corresponding period OF the
last wear. They attempt to account tor that by my
having greater length of road to collect from.
have applied to the President to state the difference
He says he cannot tell but he thinks MIR. Davis com
menced on two miles. / have examined the books
and find that Mr.. Warwick, who pays for five
fourth quarter. Capt. Pelasbe, paying for the
same distance, his fourth is larger. Mr. Stewart
paving miles, his first is larger than the fourth; and
DR.. Powell paying miles, his fourth is largest, the
m. ha,,, az
than is common from the difference in the travel
And I am informed that Mr.. Davis commenced
charging on y miles, but in less than month they
were charging ON miles, and in less than months
they were charging on nearly all the road So desl
rous were they TO crmnate me, and establish the fac
that the company had sustained great loss III conse
quence of the gates being left open at night that they
introduced the treasurer az a witness. DE had gone
through the gate twice when it was open and NO ont
to receive toll once about two hours to day, the othc
time about day break. If he had seen INT 10 have
called the toll gatherer, and inquired the cause
this delinquency, he would have found my son wh'
attends 10 the gate at night Watching the bed
a sick mother, thereby allowing me the opportunity
Of taking soma rest TO be able TO attend at thu
gate in the day. As to the complaint OF the stock
holder from Hanover, offended him by faithful
discharge OF daty in preventing ms son from pdy"I
tie double game All the foregoing charges
fully dsproved, aud having removed every complaint
could not doubt my being retained but 1t has beet
decreed otherwise
Again, be says there were elk candidates, and in
fair and open contest lost the place! 1t is tru,
there were six names brought before the Board
when IN reality, there were only Mr.. Davis The being
sought after by Of them) and myself, accord nl
to the Presidents own statement to me On ih'
morning Of the election, as he was going 10 me Guy
he called at the office and remarked to me that ht
, was placed in an awkward poston;' that serera
persons had desired him to bring them before fi'
Board as candidates for the office OF toll gathercr-
nropid,d khev uere not brought IN eonfct rah me-
replied that thought he ought to present them to h
Board, as khey presented Themselves 10 him, and b.
r aoreed with me- saying he would do so. He brough
} them forward in the meeting as candidate, rHh0m
,rord OfcrpLanat,on. cannot think it was Very
fair aud opsn contest, when persons are oiogEh
forward in opposition to me against 1r rnstrmcf!o"s
Now to sum up the whole matter, deny leaving 'h'
board abruptly, or saying any thing al which txcef
tions could be taken; which, If necessary, can prove
DENY resgning, for never had it in my power ''
resign was only asking for continuance IN Uifc,
with an increase OF wages, which being refused Tor
rery short period only made up my mind not TO 70
main, and before any Of them, with the exception re
ferred TO- had committed themselves, informed therr
of the change that had taken place in my mind, aDc
| INV Willingness If wanted, tO continue at the san
. SALARY | cannot conceive that my position was 4
the slightest degree altered had the same claims /
their confidence and support at the last at the frs
meeting, strengthened, as should suppose, by tE
opportunity afforded of con yucing them that rhs
ruinors prejudcia to me, were false and untoundc
Even now they acknowledging that better 10!
gatherer they never had in their employment In
deed is done, and am elected, in opposition to IA
wishes Of the supporters Of the road They deny ina
politics haa had any thing to DO WIN H. Shmem.G:
them do it. I know not" could conceive .
no other cause than difference in political senti
ments. am uncompromlsiugly opposed to Know
Nothneism, wbgism and all other isn,, and I'M I'M
Roard fire in number, not doubt is entertained b.
.ny one Strongly prejudiced in their fesng' srer!
man of Them, against the Democracy. could not eI
uect 10 bs acceptable to them. Honesty, fidelity
competency, all these availeth nothing, SO long q
, Mordecai, the Jew, sis seen sitting at the King
gate" Hamsn Haman, remember the fate Of Ha
j man! If l have done them injustice in my conjsc
ture, am sincerely sorry for it. would wrong
fully ipjure any body. am seriously injured by thi
, act myself and they grat6ed. freely forgiv
| ho az will b