Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-01-31
From the VindacGtor.
RICHMOND. Jan. 23rd. 1860.

RICHMOND, } an. 23rd, 1860.
Messrs. Editors Il observed with profound
astOnishment the criticism in your last paper, on
very imperfect report of some remarks which
submitted few days ago, in the Senate. do
not impute to you any purpose wifully to mis-
represent me, but | assure you, you have repre-
sented my course as the very opposite of what
it really was; and therefore | trust you will
afford me the opportunity of putting myself right
before those whose interests | ain represented
as having betrayed, and whose feelings | am
supposed to have wantonly outraged.
The facts of the case were briefly these. The
House of Delegates passed bill authorizing a
board of three Commissioners, consisting of the
1st Auditor, the Adjutant General, and the Sec
rotary of the Commonwealth, to audit and pay
the expenses incurred in the military operations
connected with the Harper's Ferry affair, and
appropriatng 5000, 900 for that purpose.
The Senate amended the bill, by striking ont
the clause authorizing the Commissioners to pan
the claims,-that body conceiving it not to be
proper to entrust the public treasury, of which
the representatives of the people are the appro
pirate guardians, to the discretion of an ire
sponsbe commission of three individuals. They
desired the board to audit and report the claims
to the Legislature, which could then allow such
as they deemed just, and appropriating the mon.
ey TO satisfy them. This supervisory power by
the Legislature. was deemed necessary to pre-
vent extravagant waste of the public money.
| was in favor of the Senate's amendment, and
made some remarks to show that the spirit OF
the Constitution would be violated if the Legis-
lature should delegate their appropriate functions
to Commissioners. Finding that some feeling
had arisen between the two Houses, / expressed
nv surprise at it, stating that it was mere
honest difference Of opinion, which should give
no cause OF quarrel.
further urged the necessity of the amend
anent because it was represented to be the pur-
pose of some of the officers, to charge, not only
their regular pay, but to claim constructive a.
Zowances for horses WHICH they did not have,
and for servants who were not in service |
concluded that such charges were unjust, and
hence wished to retain the supervisory power
in the hands of the Legislature, to defeat them.
/ stated that wanted the accounts reported by
items, for that, as then advised, would vote
for no constructive allowances. But that II
found, on investigation, that there was legal
authority to assert such claims, in opposition TO
substantial Justice, | might be obliged to vote
for them, but if did. must insist that those
who made such charges should repudate their
claim to patriotism. That they could not be
entitled to credit for BOTH stated that those
who were disposed to put their arms elbow.
deep into the treasury, could not be regarded as
governed by any great devotion to the service
of their country, and that |, for one, regarded
such patriotism as spurious article.
In reply to Senator who spoke of the sol
diers as having been 'dragged into serosce, !" and
storm from their families" &C., stated that l
did not know how it had been elsewhere, but
that could say that the gallant sons of Angus