The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-28

7, 1898, that Mr.. Scott, the agent OF the
company, in attendance on the Georgia
Legislature, had failed to obtain new
grant, while other companies had OBJ
tanned the lands. Mr. Watkins advised n
dissolution of the company forthwith.
have never seen the slightest evidence
that Mr.. Henry was connected with any
other company, nor am ] aware that this
was ever charged. In further cxculpa-
ton Of the Virginia company. would add
that John Randolph, in the United States
Congress, in 1905, assailed with great bit
terness the YaZoo speculation and the per.
sons connected with it; yet in. 1920, upon
the death of Colonel Joel Watkins, one 81
the Virginia company, Mr.. Randolph
long his intimate friend, in writing bis
obituary, says: Under the guidance OF
old-fashioned honesty and practical good
sense he accumulated an ample fortune
in which it is firmly believed by all who
knew him there was not dirty shilling.
The only paper which the act of Geor'
gia declaring fraudulent and vold inc
Yazoo speculation could have Affected
was the certificates of debt Of the State 0,
Georgia held by the companies Interested
for the purpose of meeting their pu'-
chase. And when Mr.. Jefferson "rotc'
he had evidently in his mind that portion
of the system urged by Hamilton wl1e.eps =,
the United States assumed the deots VI
the several States, Georgia among VIC
rest. o+ wos
Tho funding ard assumption act was
approvcd on the 4th OF August i''o'
laws of the United States, vol. l., p.
IG2l and gave a considerable value
in,nedistely to the paper affected by IL
lpandall,s Life of Jefferson, vol. - p
Gof1, Now, it could not have been pos
sinle. as stated by Mr.. Jefferson, thas .mo
act nr Georgia, which passed In li9o'
Jcnr,cia,cd the paper held by Mr.. Honry
to Is. 3D., when the system OF l1alnil'oi,
had hcen in operation Tor SIX years, anu
nd Given q greater value to that paper
from its commcnccment; nor could inc ACT
~. Congress of 1890 have come most op-,
noriuucly TO Mr.. IIenrv's relief in 1876, ana
.aised his paper, deprecated by the act OF
Georgia Of that year. Inc desire 10 'ih-
mite a discreditable motive to Mr.. Henry
has evidently resulted in conioundAng
dates; and the act of Georgia in 1896 is
put prior to Hamilton's funding system OF
1890.
Mr.. Jefferson proceeds to state that Mr..
Henry continued hostile to the Federal
after its adoption, and ex-
pressed more than any other man his
contempt and hatred of Genera!
Washington; and that from being the most
violent of all anti-Fcdcral!sts, he was
brought over to the new Constitution by
the effect OF Hamilton's funding system
on the deprecated paper he owned; that
Hamilton became nov his idol; end, aban-
doning the Republican advocates OF the
the Federal Government on
Federal principles became his creed.
! have o number OF letters written by
lir. Henry after the adoption OF the Con-
stitution, among them letters to Richard
Henry Lee while 4 member Of the first
United States Senate from Virginia, with
whom he was on the most intimate terms,
and whose election he had secured over
Mr.. Madison as the opposing candidate. |
find no contempt, hatred, or even unklnd
feeling, expressed anywhere towards Gene
raj Washington. Mr.. Henry's conduct
towards General Washington during his
whole life is at variance with the state
mcnt: and ! cannot believe it, resting upon
the evidence of but single witness, who
informs us he had no personal knowledge
of Mr.. Henry at the time. On the con-
trarv. find that Chief Justice Marshall, ,
who had opportunities Of seeing Mr.. Henry
during this period, states (in note xviii. to
vol. v, Life OF Washington that Mr.. Henry
was truly the personal friend ct General
WASHINGTON. TO the same effect is the
testimony Of Nr. A. Blair, Secretary OF
the Council Of Virginia. (Sparks's " n
tngs Of Washington, vol. XII Appendix
xvii) lie writes TO General Washington
June 10, 1893 81 had the honor 20 qualify
for nv present Office when DR.. Henry COM
menccd The administration of our Rcvolu-
tionary Government. From that period to
the day of his Geath have been on the
most intimate and, | believe friendly, terms
with him. With regard - you,
sir, may say, as he said Of Marshall, that
he loued y0u, and for the same reason, be-
cause YOU felt aud acted as d Republican,
as an American"
Mr.. Henry's independence Of character
was too great to permit him ever to make
an idol Of Hamilton or OF any other man.
If he could have been induced to idoiize
Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.. Observation-Disclosures
doubtless would have assumed different
hue. So far from permitting the financial
system of Hamilton to change his politics,
one of the last acts of Mr.. Henry's public
life was aprotest against the very feature
of that system which, if Mr.. jefferson IS
to be believed, put money into Mr.. Henry's
pocket and made him political apostate
In the Virginia Assembly OF 100, the
last in which Mr.. ll"nry sat, On the Sd
November, the following resolution was
adopted by the House Of Delegates:
RESOLVED, That So much OF the act OF
Congress entitled an act making provision
for the debt Of the United States as as
sumes tue payment OF the State debts is
rcpugnant to the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, as it goes TO the exercise Of a
power not expressly granted to the Gene
raj Government"
On The vote adopting this resolution Mr.
Hcnry's name is with the ayes. wide
journal of the House Of Delegates for
1890, PIP. 35 and 3G.)
That Mr.. Henry opposed the adoption OF
the Constitution in its unamended form IS
true, bat that he continued hostile 10 II
afterwards is not true, if he himself is &c
be believed. Amongst his papers there is
Il copy, in his own hand, of his reply to
General Washington when offered the posi-
ton Of Secretary of State. 1t is dated
October II, 1895; and after giving his rea-
sons for declining the appointment, which
are Of private nature, 1t continues:
"Belicyo ne, sir, | have IBID adieu tc
the distinction o? Federal and anti Federal
ever siucc the commencement of the pre-
sent Government, and in the circle OF my
friends have often expressed my fears Of
IL -.