Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-12-07
TO THE CITIZENS or ALEXANDRIA ::


friends, 1 regard it due to myself to explain,
without comment the cause OF my defence to
the suit brought against me IN the Court of your
city by CaZenove 81 20.
At the breaking out of the war l. was worth |
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with |
very small individual Indebtedness. was and
had been for years the accommodation endorsee
of my brother, James II. McVeigh's firm, who
was, at the breaking out of the war, largely en-
gagged IN mercantile business in Alexandria, and
large real estate owner. At the close Of the
war l found myself and family reduced to pow
erty; my property, both real and personal,
taken from me, under the gsrb of contscstion,
being the earnings OF more than thirty years OF
| labor and industry, commenced in youth and
ended in old age. My brothers property was
also confscated. Upon my first visit to Alex
| andria after the close of the war, employed
| counsel and commenced suit for the recovery
Of my property, desiring TO- discharge all my
liabilities at the earliest possible period Since
| the close of the war have been supporting my
| family out Of business IN which L have not
| one cent of capital, and have only small in
| terest in the profits for my services, and nave
| not one dollar of support from any other source
! have never concealed my destitute condition
| from any man at home or abroad. IL Is no fault
| Of mine that it is so but my misfortune. Inc
| continuance of a very scanty support TOT my
| family depended entirely upon my continued
| interest in the business named; and that lhter-
| est l knew could not BIO continued with law
| suits and judgments against me, rs 1t would 81
| once destroy the credit and business the house
| had, by unusual perseverance, and industry;
| made. |, therefore, begged IN my peculiar ana
| destitute condition, indulgence until L could
| have nay property restored to me. AS neither
| Of my counsel had ever expressed DOUBT as 10
| my success, it would then be ample TO meet al
| liabilities, no one could doubt, L received II
| letter from VIM. q. Cazenove on or about the
| 4th of July 1866, stating he had learned j. ii.
| McVeigh and myself had both been sued which
| answered on the 9th of July in the most friend
| ly manne- informing him such was not the fact.
The cause Of his letter was that he held notes OF
j. Ii. McVeigh " Son with my endorsement1oT
| ind ebtedness created before the war. / le9.u
| not hing further from Mr.. CaZenOVe on the sub
| iect until writ was served upon me IN Rich
| mond for the amount claimed by Cazenoye ~
| Co. Believing, as | Did, judgment against
| mewould teke from my family the only support
| left them, and that support derived from my
| daily labor, / regarded it my duty to clam,
| under the circumstances, all the legal rights
| that law of their choice allowed me, to save my
| family from apparent starvation that threaten
| cd Them / believed ! had Just and valid de-
| fence, did also, my counsel, and my duty To
| mako IT, with determination ut the earliest
| period possible when ] had anything TO pay
| with to discharge every obligation whereon
moral obligation existed. Regardless of my lc-
| gal rights, after suit was brought against me
| md Judgment obtained against j. II. MeVeigh,
[ received another letter from Mr.. CaZenoye
| dated "a March, 1868 stating he had learned l
| had employed counsel to prevent his getting
Judgment against j. H. McVeigh Il Son In
| answer l addressed him a letter Of which the
| following is 81 copy
RICHMOND, March II, 1868
| ". &. Caeenoce, esq.,
Dear Sir-Your favor of the "a instant came
| duly TO hand and but for indispos.tlon would
have been promptly replied to. ! have employ
| ed counsel in certain suits brought against me
| by you, but distinctly stated to my counsel l
was acting for myself only, and that j. H. NC
| Weigh had no knowledge Ofmy doing so. ! at
| tach herewith an extract from q letter written
| you 9th July, 1866.
II am not aware Of any suit brought or order
| cd against me; nor WAS [ aware Of any against
| j. II. McVeigh. | expect to be able to pay all
honest liabilities against me- either rs principal
| or security, and can't imagine any parties hold
| ing such against me could, under existing CIR
cumstances, take any such steps rs named by
YOU which could avail them nothing moro
| than TO take frommy wifeand children the bread
| that | am now labOring 10 support them with.
| AS have previously stated TO you, the business
we are doing is exclusively upon the capital OF
| others, in which we have not q dollar of capital
| and, up TO this time, | regret to say, the bus-
ness has not been sufficient to pay expenses.
! suit against me- therefore, would avail no such
| adventurer anything If my property Is res
| tored TO me [ have abundance to pay all if 1t
| is not, l never intend that other peoples prop
erty that has been kindly entrusted to me in
the hour of my greatest trials and ailllctlon,sh@l
| pay any part Of my liabilities. 1t could, there
| fore only have the effect TO stop our present
| business"
| say it in sadness such has been my condition
| and is now, owing to my pecuniary circum-
| stances, that my family has not been able to set
| 8 dinner table since the close of the war, except
| ing Sundays, combining ourselves to two scanty
meals day during the long summer days. A
| part Of my daily labor's earnings nave ex-
| pended in defraylng expenses IN my SUIT Tor my
| property, that l may have something to pay
/ IT, (.a ,f nc soto Of htTry lTtJ
parties having claims against me, or imaginary
claims against me, and resortlng to the law TO
| enforce their collection, entails upon me strong
| moral obligation to claim all the legal rights
that law OF their choice gives me; otherwise
| large and helpless family is to be thrown upon
| the cold charities of the world penniless, and
their daily support taken from them. Cases
| might occur where l never should have thought
| of investigating my liability. If suit, under
| such circumstances had not been brought, in all
such cases if any moral obligation rests upon
| me, it will be matter Of settlement when l
! have the ability The only suit against me is
| the disputed case of Exchange Bank against j.
| II. McV eigh and the one brought by you
| From my instructions to my counsel, have no
| idea that any defence was made by j. IL. Nc
| Weigh, and presume, therefore, q judgment was
SIGNED. w. N. MCVEIGH.
the plaintiffs suffered non suit, and are out Of
Court; and the Alexandria record shows the
only judgment against me is Cazenoye s. Co.,
and no other suit existing, nor Is there any
judgment or suit against me in my present
home, Richmond. 1t is extremely affecting to
me, the necessity of this statement | have
spent more than thirty years most happily and
pleasantly with you, and have many friends
that am proud to call my friends amongst
you such they have proven themselves in the
time of my adversely rs well as my prosperity.
w. N. Nov EIGU.
RICHMOND, Va Dec. I, l868-lt